I read the first installment of this series and then paused to read the four Immortals books. I'm glad I did (though the Immortals series is a vastly inferior work) as I now understand and get all the inside references Pierce throws in. Pierce tries to cover four years in Page and unfortunately doesn't have enough pages to adequately cover everything -- the book feels rushed. However, I really enjoyed Kel's character and her development (unlike Diane, she has real flaws and is struggling with a lot in her endeavors). This book sets up her "adult" years nicely for the last two installments of the series.