Definitely stronger then the first book, there are still more details -- mostly in the technical world of ALH -- that I would have liked in this book. However, I'm guessing that Seanan McGuire is not a computer programmer, so she may not be blamed for the 'how does this blend into Faerie' computer gobleydegook that I would have liked added.

The twists were better, (though I knew something was up with the siblings immediately; I wasn't surprised by what they turned out to be) and better spaced. I read this book over the space of a day, just like I did the first one, but this one held me much better.

To say that I like them is easy; I do. I think they can be better, maybe. But so far they're pretty good. Enjoyable, if not earth-breaking fiction, but really-- not a lot of writers DO earth-breaking fiction. Either way, after the first I bought the next three in the series and over my sick-day at home, read the entirety of the second book. I am currently headed to bed where my husband is reading the first Toby Daye novel, and I'm considering cracking open the third.

But as I have an 8am class, that's probably unwise. Those books tend to sneak up on you. I kept trying to find a good place to set it down and do other things, but the mystery did keep niggling at me. I had part of it, but I needed the rest.

A good sign. I see only room for improvement, and have hopes that the next two can reach a five start status. ( )

Quite good. Don’t know what my problem was with these books were the first time I tried to read them
( )

toby...
i know
toby...
i know
toby...
i know
toby...
i know

ENOUGH ALREADY

thought it dragged a touch, found the lunatic doing the lunatic rant at the end sadly cliche and uhm.. i was not mysterious-ed by the mystery

( )

A not-so-satisfying follow-up to the first "October Daye" novel. But the promise for the series is there (obviously, since they published so many more of them). And McGuire's prose sometimes really does rise up to grab me, even in otherwise unremarkable material. So I will probably get the next in the series, at some point in time.
[Audiobook note: Mary Robinette Kowal is always good to listen to.] ( )

Book 2, in which we find out that Toby is indeed a crappy detective. ( )