I'm really giving this book a 3.5 (between liked and really liked) because I really did like it but there were a lot of things that bothered me about it.

THIS REVIEW WILL MOST LIKELY CONTAIN SPOILERS IN ORDER TO MAKE SENSE.

My biggest problem with Prized is I felt it was a totally different book from Birthmarked. None of the characters were the same. Gaia is supposed to be this strong young woman who stands up for what she believes. While she does redeem herself at the end, I found that she gave up to too easily in giving up her sister, in not standing up to Olivia, in not convincing Peony to believe in what's right, and in letting Leon tell her everything she's doing wrong and not defending herself, among other things. I know the story is about Gaia losing herself for a while, but she's not the character that I loved in the first book. And Leon, the one who was so sweet and caring and the one who sacrificed everything for her is such a cold jerk. Again, I know it was because he was hurt, but he was just SO mean.

The other thing that I didn't like about this book was the romance involved. I started reading the book thinking "Where in the world is Leon and who are these random new guys?" Why, oh why, did you put a love triangle (no, make that rectangle) in the mix. I didn't like how Gaia's role switched from being the ugly duckling in the first book to being a very desirable woman in the second book. And I didn't like how the O'Brien had to involve BOTH Will and Peter. If she was going to introduce an interest, just put one. Will was just kind of thrown in there. And so was the relationship with Adele. It felt out of place and unnecessary.

I also don't understand what's going on with Peter. Yes, she likes him, but I don't that he kissed her and we're left with the assumption that he did it to almost force her into choosing him. So after she decides she doesn't think she's right for him, he treats her the same way Leon had treated her, after he scolded Leon about it. I know he's hurt, but I thought he was a better character, and those two things just made me dislike him.

I also wished that O'Brien gave us a happy ending where the series could have ended. I know the third installment is probably going to consist of the group going back to the Enclave, but I hope it's just her having the courage to tell Leon how she feels. Really, I don't want them to take one step forward and then two steps back in the third book where he'll be "she loves me, she loves me not." I also have a feeling this may not be the last of Peter and Will that we see pulling her emotional strings. Leon and Gaia have been through so much together, I just hope that a love triangle won't be thrown in just to keep drama there.

Otherwise, I think the book was good, and I enjoyed reading it. I like O'Brien's style, and the dialogue wasn't cheesy or anything. I also like that she tried to introduce a new concept (women being in charged) but also not in a way of the Amazons. The men weren't treated equal, but other than the part about Josephine treating Leon in the cabin, the men weren't being treated like servants.

I just wish there were some things that would have been done differently. I know I'm not the author, but I just hope that this wasn't extra drama to bridge the first book with the third (and maybe last).