I absolutely loved seeing these characters again. Jax is probably my favorite side character from the Air Awakens quintet, and Baldair is a very close second.

The Crown's Dog follows Jax, Baldair, and Erion on an arguably foolish quest to find a lost pirate queen's treasure in a Southern coastal town where Baldair's family happens to have an imperial summer home. Finding any clues about the treasure proves difficult because Baldair is an awkward 16 year old who doesn't have the same commanding presence of his father and older brother and because the whole town seems to think the pirate queen's name is a curse and terrible things will happen if her name is even spoken in the city itself.

So, Baldair decides to do what Baldair does best - party.

And that's all well and good for Jax and Erion, even if they are a bit older and wiser than their prince and friend. They know their way around drinks and hangovers.

Despite a disappointing lack of trail about the treasure, it's shaping up to be a decent summer vacation for our three heroes - until a woman is found murdered in Jax's bed.

Now, if you've read Air Awakens, you'll know exactly how this is more troublesome for Jax than the prince and soldier who have become his friends. Seeing more of Jax's past and personality are what makes this book so fun to read.

But the book does have some problems. There are some plot holes and missing scenes. Baldair's royal parents are conspicuously absent and unconcerned about their son's whereabouts and this allows him to get into some easily avoidable teenage shenanigans. After the murder investigation the plot bounces around a bit and a character comes into play from seemingly nowhere and she's just a bit too convenient for my tastes.

But it does wrap up nicely in a way that ties back to Air Awakens and foreshadows what's to come in a few short years.

Overall, it's a fun quick read, but don't expect this one to hold up to the best of Air Awakens.