Is there such a thing as a 'good' rejection letter? Well, no. They always cause your heart to drop and self doubts about your writing to rear up, at least for me. But how many times have you received no response, or a form letter with the phrase "Not a good fit for us right now."? Pretty much sums it up.
Yesterday I got a rejection letter from a publisher, and yes I was disappointed. But it was a 'good' rejection.
How can this be good you ask?
They read what I sent them, the synopsis and first three chapters. They told me what they liked, what they didn't like and offered suggestions.
Wow!
Maybe this has happened for you, but never for me.
So even though my hopes were dashed once again, and that little spark diminished, I appreciate the time and effort on the publisher's part.
It meant a lot.
The following is my first 'good' rejection.

Robynn,
Thank you for your patience while we deliberated long and hard about Storm of Arranon. I really enjoyed the world-building, the invented language, and especially the character of Erynn Yager (great name for a pilot). She’s strong, interesting, and likeable. But, with regret, I’m afraid we're going to decline this series. Ultimately it comes down to the unfortunate fact that we receive more good manuscripts than we have the time and staff to publish.
I can at least offer one small suggestion. The action grabbed me right away in the opening chapters of both books: the murder in book one and the well-described act of possession in book two. In fact, the action was so engaging in these scenes that I felt the brief snippets of exposition were a bit of a distraction. I wonder if some of these plot points could me moved later, so as to keep the reader “in the moment.” For example, in book one:

Birk’s smile widened and his stomach churned with an anticipation of pleasure. By tomorrow morning, General Cale Athru of Arranon would be dead and the invasion of this world, Korin, will have begun. The abundant resources of Korin and Arranon would soon be unprotected and accessible.
I was so caught up in the action and Birk’s response to the kill he had just made that this brief, sudden shift to “tomorrow morning” and the mention of person we hadn’t met yet felt like an interruption. Better, I think, to go directly from the smile and Birk’s stomach churning with pleasure to “Rennek’s body toppled to the left.” The plot points about the General can be worked in later—perhaps even not all that much later. A few paragraphs down, Birk’s henchman appears and their conversation includes this sentence:
“Starting tomorrow there’ll be no need for disguises, for a tactful approach. If we have questions, we’ll get answers.”
The words “starting tomorrow” provide a nice segue. You could fit the exposition about “By tomorrow morning, General Cale...” right there after Birk’s spoken line.
I had a similar thought about some of the set-up details in the first chapter of book two. The whole process of the possession, and the host’s body struggling against it, was so fascinating that I wanted to keep focusing on that as a reader. Some of the information about Dhoran’s past (and his true shape) and the politics with Tourani’s daughter felt like it could be worked in later in the chapter, or perhaps even a later chapter. It felt like a bit too much at once, before I’d gotten my bearings as a reader. Having Dhoran possess someone and then be staking the corridors for an unknown yet clearly menacing purpose—that might be enough for an opening “tease.” That’s what really hooked me about this chapter.
The fast pace and the point of view of Erynn in the second chapters of both books are both excellent and reminded me a bit of Poul Anderson’s Orion Shall Rise. You may want to check out SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) if you’re not already a member. They have annual conferences with opportunities to pitch YA books to editors and agents. You definitely have a sympathetic and likeable main character.
I'm sorry I can't offer you better news, but I hope those suggestions are helpful and hope you find a good home for this novel. We'd be glad to look at any future manuscripts you care to send our way.
Eric Pinder
Evolved Publishing