My Library in the Making

(This mini-review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)I've heard nothing but great things about Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series, and while this new Adult series of hers sounds nothing like her YA series, I think it's natural for me to expect a lot from Gameboard of the Gods. Unfortunately, this convolution of plot ideas has left me disappointed.It started out well, I suppose, what with immediate action thanks to Mae, the heroine of the story in every sense of the word, already kicking ass within the first few pages. But when the plot really set in, the whole thing just went downhill. The first reason for that was the romance, which felt unnecessary and actually distracted from the suspense and slowed down the pace. It wasn't quite insta-love so much as insta-lust, and I don't know what this says about the characters, but if their ages weren't specified, I would've thought them to be teens.Another problem I had with this book was the lack of world-building. Up until the end of the third quarter, I didn't fully understand how this futuristic world worked, and even now I can't tell you how exactly it came to be. But anyway, the last ten percent of the book certainly set up well for the sequel which I will watch out for.MY FAVORITE PART was when Mae and Justin finally got to the bottom of the murders.