This series has been weird, but this one was a downer. Rachel is a real downer. She's ridiculously, unbelievably naive and insecure so it's hard to believe anyone, let alone a "tough guy" like Isaiah, could fall for her. Oh wait, that's why he falls for her. She's light to his darkness etc etc. It was all to heavy handed. And her family situation -- like Echo's trauma in the first book-- was WAAAY too much. McGarry is good with plots and character development so I don't know why she feels the need to overdo the melodrama. The real bummer though was the ending. Just when you think Rachel can finally stand up for herself the author knocks her back down. Pretty awful.