I loved it all - the POVs and tense, the dark alchemy, the angst, the setting, the dog.

And I knew that I would love it which is why it only took me a year to finish reading through the whole thing.  Darn you, brain.

For fans of lonely girls and earnest boys, of moody hills bordering rough surf, of overcoming the odds because damned if you'll let hate win the day.