I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found myself letting responsibilities go in order to continue reading long after I had planned to stop. Luckily, it was the holidays, so I had a little time to spare. :) Oliver is such an easy character to like and root for. His relationships with the people around him, from Esther on one end to Chris on the other, brought a lot to the story, I think. I hope this doesn't give the wrong impression, but to take a story as simple as this one and give it the sense of suspense and anticipation that makes you want to keep reading is a testament to Rice's writing ability, in my opinion. I LOVE the short chapters. It's like eating potato chips; you find it so easy to just have just ONE more. The villains were mean and nasty, which makes you root for Oliver and company that much more strongly. I can't wait for the next installment!