There are some things I really, really like about A Local Habitation -- some great new side characters are introduced, and two we've already met get further development. Toby learns more about her own powers. The Luidaeg makes a brief appearance. And for audiobook fans, Mary Robinette Kowal's performance is fantastic. It's worth reading!

But, on my third read-through, I have come to the conclusion that it's probably the weakest book in the entire (currently ten book) series. There are too many things happening that the reader figures out before the protagonist does, which makes the whole thing feel a little bit slower than it should. Also, this might just be me, but I hate the Olsens and their whole plot arc (except for the bit right near the end that's all Toby and zero Olsen).

It's still worth reading, and I like some of the ideas it tries to explore. But it's possible I'll skip this one on my (inevitable) fourth read-through of the series.