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I didn't hate this and really there were some aspects that were really nice (like the world building), but overall this was one of the weakest books I've read this year.

Lara is the daughter of a faerie mother and human father. Her faerie mother leaves her and her father (for reasons that become apparent later in the story) and the father eventually remarries. Lara grows into a lovely young woman and the stepmother eventually convinces the father to sell her for service in the Pleasure Houses so that he can get the money and supplies that he needs to be accepted into what amounts to knight training. Lara is not sold to the Houses but given to a trader for transport to the coastal lands for sale as a Pleasure slave. This is the start of many adventures involving Forest Lords, Shadow Princes, and Outlanders among others.

There were several annoying aspects to the story. First, it was overlong - it took me 2 months to read this. So am I a slow reader? Not if it's good. I read Outlander in less than a week and it was longer than this, but the writing excelled. Here there were quite a few parts that dragged and would have improved with some judicious editing. This was 600 pages that could have easily been told in 400-450. Secondly, there is soooo much emphasis on Destiny. Give me a break. I get it already. Why does absolutely everyone hit me over the head with this?!? Next, I get bored when the MC is so damn perfect. Lara is a teenager and can negotiate with merchants better than her stepmother. She is so calming on her trek to the coastal lands. In fact, her only flaw that I see is the fact that she 'does not believe in love'. Yawn. Finally, there's a huge build-up to a confrontation between the Outlanders and the Hetarians, and then...pffft. Wha??? I'm done - done with the book and done with the series although there are loads of unanswered questions and unresolved plotlines.