Riptide

4 grudging, drama-filled stars

This story was not quite what I expected. It is, in fact, a long prologue for another book in another series, and as such it didn't work well as a standalone story for me.
I also had problems connecting with Jace, who acts like a self-absorbed, irresponsible jerk (AKA teenager) and keeps hurting the people who love him most. Understanding where he's coming from doesn't make his actions much easier to stomach for me (possibly because I'm more of a Hayes).

That being said, the writing is excellent, the (general and particular) teenage idiocy is captured perfectly, and the characters feel all too real.
The email exchange between Jace and Snap Dragon is beautiful and heartfelt, and, personally, I would have liked more of that.