I have to edit my review. I feel like I was unfair to this book. If I'm going to leave a critical review of an applauded book I need to back myself up. After a lot of thought, I decided that I liked the book, but didn't love it. I felt let down after all the hype and the 5 star reviews from GR Reviewers I usually agree with. I'll explain: 
 I liked this book because the writing was beautiful. Hartman expertly wove her characters, story, action, and mystery all together very well. It was so original, dragons have never been done in this manner. I liked how it wasn't humans against dragons, but dragons and humans against humans and dragons, each side fighting for what they believed to be right for the peace of the nation, for peace between species. 
 I also liked the conflicted state of the MC. Being revolted with herself for what/who she is contrasts with her heightened need for self-preservation and self-happiness. 
 Seraphina's mental-imaging, her "Garden" was very interesting. I was a little repulsed by Hartman's choice of the word "Grotesques." 
 I didn't LOVE this book because I didn't like the MC. That's not anyone's fault... I found her to be lacking SOMETHING... I'm not sure what. Like Jonah Hill says in Night at the Museum 2, "I just looked at that guy and thought, wow, I would never like that guy socially." :) I thought she lacked moral fortitude for falling in love with a certain character who is betrothed to her friend... a friend who has really stuck out her neck for her on quite a few occasions. It was just so douche-baggy of her it ruined the end for me. I felt like the guy in the triangle (trying to refrain from spoilers here) should have shut her down pretty early on and so he lost some appeal to me as well. 
 I also felt that not enough was accomplished in this book. It spans over a relatively short amount of time... the two weeks leading up to a visit from the Ardmagar, and the festival when he does arrive. The book primarily spent it's time on showcasing the rising tensions between the species and the foiling of an assassination plot or two. I closed the book thinking, "Well what a witch, " (about Seraphina) and "There is still EVERYTHING left to do!" 
 Even though there is still so much left to this story, it's one I'm just not interested in continuing. I really wanted to like this book... I sincerely did, but alas. Best wishes to Hartman and cheers to a trilogy that will do very well without me as a reader.