2.5 stars rounded up. I want to be very clear that I was not bothered by the

Spoiler

incest

, and it did not influence my rating at all. I was on fanfiction.net from a young age--like Saint and Auden, to my eternal amusement--and I have read some actual books where

Spoiler

incest

played a role since then. No pearls were clutched.

But I do have a problem with how the plot dragged, how everything was so belabored, and for what? It all felt a bit anticlimactic, to be honest. I wanted more from the ritual. I wanted more of the research and the ritual planning!

So now I'm torn about continuing the series. I worry that the other books will also drag like this one. But I also want to get more from Beckett, whom I love and have some questions about.