I loved this. Exactly what i expect for a Elemental Masters book. ( )

I simply like Lackey, & will read anything by her when I've got time yet this was my first Elemental Masters series. I will look for more.
This book starts out strong, but the very end kind of petered out. Most of the book was great. It was never clear why Katie married Dick, & Katie mentioning how that whole time period felt kind of hazy made me think that something was going to be explained. Not. Near the end, when a dragon is mentioned, I was disappointed--felt too much like jumping on the Trending Bandwagon. And around the same time there was a little spiel that felt tacked on about why Suffragettes were fighting for a change in society. ( )

The protagonist here is different from Lackey's usual female protagonists who tend to be assertive, stubborn, powerful in spite of it all, and easy to like and admire. Most of her protagonists are women we can all hope to be.
Katie is not that woman, and I can appreciate Lackey's initiative in branching out and exploring themes that refresh what is in other ways very similar to [b: Reserved for the Cat|176874|Reserved for the Cat (Elemental Masters, #6)|Mercedes Lackey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389496249s/176874.jpg|170878]. It's also a clever way to incorporate the Tin Soldier tale that was the base for this story.

Katie is a woman dealing with an extremely violent and unpredictable husband, and has finally mustered the courage to run from him and try to forge her own way in a world not inclined to support her. She's not assertive. She doesn't stick up for herself as much as we would like. And when the bastard finally finds her - she doesn't take her discovered abilities to immolate him on the spot, no matter how we all wish she would. While the new friends in her life help as much as they can, they are hamstrung by the law and the bastard's temper.

The fact that she is, out of necessity, quite meek can be off putting. It's okay to feel this way, as a reader. This book may not be for you.

This book may speak more to someone who needs quieter examples of courage and strength, and reassurance that help of some sort can be found. Society has come so far since the Victorian era - but not far enough, and regrettably, this is still an issue that spouses must deal with from their S.O.s. Those men and women need protagonists too. ( )

The protagonist here is different from Lackey's usual female protagonists who tend to be assertive, stubborn, powerful in spite of it all, and easy to like and admire. Most of her protagonists are women we can all hope to be.
Katie is not that woman, and I can appreciate Lackey's initiative in branching out and exploring themes that refresh what is in other ways very similar to [b: Reserved for the Cat|176874|Reserved for the Cat (Elemental Masters, #6)|Mercedes Lackey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389496249s/176874.jpg|170878]. It's also a clever way to incorporate the Tin Soldier tale that was the base for this story.

Katie is a woman dealing with an extremely violent and unpredictable husband, and has finally mustered the courage to run from him and try to forge her own way in a world not inclined to support her. She's not assertive. She doesn't stick up for herself as much as we would like. And when the bastard finally finds her - she doesn't take her discovered abilities to immolate him on the spot, no matter how we all wish she would. While the new friends in her life help as much as they can, they are hamstrung by the law and the bastard's temper.

The fact that she is, out of necessity, quite meek can be off putting. It's okay to feel this way, as a reader. This book may not be for you.

This book may speak more to someone who needs quieter examples of courage and strength, and reassurance that help of some sort can be found. Society has come so far since the Victorian era - but not far enough, and regrettably, this is still an issue that spouses must deal with from their S.O.s. Those men and women need protagonists too. ( )

this one felt like i had read the tale before. it has a lot of similarities to reserved for the cat....enough that it almost seems a bit like lackey is repeating herself...especially since the collegium herald series is basically harry potter in the world of valdermar. still enjoyable. ( )