I waited and waited for this book to come out. It was going to be my reward for finishing my honors thesis. I pre-ordered it on the Nook so I could download and read it at midnight, thinking it would be as great as the first book. It really wasn't.

It meandered. It wandered. I never got around to connecting to either of the main characters or their relationships. I think I'll read it again in a week or so to see if my cold affected the reading, but honestly? I was happier because Claire and Beckett got married in it. That was the highlight. And that made me sad. I was really tired when I read it, so we'll see. The ending just seemed rushed. I just didn't see it.

Updated 6/20 I reread this book the other day now that the stress of the semester was over and I was past my cold. I liked it. Owen and Avery were fine. But I just didn't see the story behind it. It meandered about and I think it suffered because I've been listening to the In the Garden series on audio lately, so the idea of a ghost haunting, and searching for her origins just feels like it's been there and done better. Unlike The Next Always, there was nothing in the background to propel the story forward other than a brief stop by Avery's mother but it's too far into the book to make a difference. I hope the last book is better.