Killbox ended up being a DNF for me. (For the record, I made it to page 188 - that's more than halfway.) I kept promising myself I'd force myself to get through it, but today I realized it's been almost a month since I started it and I have no desire to get back to it. Maybe when the sequel, Aftermath, comes out I'll pick this up again, but as of now Sirantha Jax is officially off my auto-buy list. If I had to rate it right now, I'd give it two stars. Based on some rumors I've heard about the ending, I'd probably give it one star if I could actually sit through it.

I think my largest problem is with the character of Jax. I fell in love with her in Grimspace where she was an impulsive, selfish pragmatist. Here was a woman who would fight dirty and always ask, "What's in it for me?" Obviously she made mistakes and it would be great for her to find some balance, but her basic personality was refreshingly different and that's what made Grimspace shine for me - that and her relationship with March.

In Killbox I finally realized what's been nagging me about Wanderlust and Doubleblind - the author seems to consider Jax's nature a personality flaw that she has been developing out of. In here she is poignant, introspective, and not much at all like the character I fell in love with. For example, there's a bar scene where Jax is sexually assaulted. Later she thinks about how much self-control she's gained, that she didn't start a fight over it. I don't want "Nice Girl" Jax and I certainly don't want "Victim" Jax. I want the woman who wasn't afraid to go for the eyes when she smelled trouble brewing.

March's and Jax's relationship is two steps forward, one step back. It's getting quite frustrating, actually. It feels like they're rehashing the same problems over and over again. In this book Jax is worried about March and takes care not to hurt his feelings. For his part, he's worried about her and tries to keep her out of danger. Contrasted with their prior bickering and teamwork, neither attitude is an improvement.

My biggest complaint about Killbox is, quite simply, it isn't Grimspace. I know some people will say it's a continuation or an evolution of the series. And there are plenty of people who love the direction this series has taken. Even the positive reviews are saying how this book illustrates how much Jax has "grown". But for me, this is a 180 from all the joy and adventure in book 1. Jax's refreshing attitude and her sparkling relationship with March - those are gone. This series has been a roller coaster ride and I'm getting off.