Okay, this review could be mildly polarizing because some fans are a little too attached to the books. That being said, let's admit it: The first book was the worst. Well, that's what I hear from my peeps on GR. Anyway, rating it any higher would be me lying to myself, and I'm not good at that. Vice Versa for rating it lower (lowered it even more because this book put me in a reading slump and and it's is angering the fuck out of me) 
 I think I'll list what I like first: 
 Adam and Ronan: I can see now where all the love comes from. 
 An interesting plot: I have never seen anything like this plot before, with the deep lore integrated within so masterfully. Ms. Stiefvater must've done her research. Or at least I hope. I know fuckall about Welsh and Virginian mythology, and about the psychic and supernatural realm. But the way it's told makes it an easy and pleasant introduction for me and any other readers in the dark. I appreciate that. 
 An interesting setting: Virginian mythology? Now that's a sentence I thought I'd never write in my lifetime. But this novel does explore a frontier of rich mythos I've yet to see, and with a setting reminiscent of Gatlin, South Carolina (from Beautiful Creatures). I liked it! Small southern towns always make interesting settings. 
 Exciting pace at the last half of the book: Ah, well, this is where the pace improves. Before, it was a bit lacking... 
 Now what I didn't like: 
 The book was just freaking boring. I was thinking about DNFing it at two separate times of reading. Oh, and not to mention it took me about two months to read this, while I blasted through fifteen volumes of DGM. I made it through, mostly because I don't want to be in the dark during Dream Thieves. Oh, I'm going to read Dream Thieves. You saw what I liked, and I want more of it. 
 The plot was interesting, but I wasn't invested. The reward was so intangible, I'm still clueless as to what the boys wanted. Completely. 3/4ths (technically 2, Noah's case is unique) of the boys are rich, too, so it's not they're struggling to survive or anything, or need money. Did they seek happiness? I guess, but I have no fucking clue. Please don't tell me that their motivations are a secret for the next book. Motivations should be clear so that the audience can root for the protagonist(s), not feel indifferent because some well bred bastards whose parents will easily bestow a small loan of a million dollars upon (minus Adam) are searching for more wealth 'n health to add to their treasure horde of privilege instead of trying to help someone else other than themselves. Oh. Looking at it from that perspective makes this book sound more like Donald Trump's autobiography than a mystery novel... 
 Blue and Gansey bore me. Well, Gansey is rather interesting at times And so damn relatable. If I had a nickel for all the nosy imbeciles who chastised me for my vocabulary.... So really, just Blue. IDK, her character was just kind of a basic "Relatable high school girl(tm)" caricature, with just a dash of triggered feminist for good measure. That scene in the restaurant was just so... (deg_deg) 
 (view spoiler)[I get where Pynch is coming from. If I was a boy, Blue's attitude would turn me gay in an instant. (hide spoiler)] 
 The pace was terrible. The first 200 pages were so. Damn. Slow. and boring. I wish the last hundred or so pages were like the rest of the book; then it would've been engaging all throughout.