So I’ve decided to take a break from reviewing. I’ve been reviewing this genre for 4 years (wow) and I still love it. While my taste in books has definitely changed and evolved with time, becoming more discerning, I still think the best books in this genre stack up against the best books in any genre. I won’t stop reading or reviewing what I love but I am taking a short break. It could be a long one but I hope not.

While the holidays should be a time for cheer and wonderful reflection, unfortunately this month has decided to devastate my family. Not even once either, but on multiple fronts. My mom and I actually listed everything that’s been going on this month and it’s really staggering that so many horrific things could happen to one family. If I believed in karma then I’d wonder but there is no way karma could have anything to do with the sad events this month. When I think about it I just want to cry and never get up from bed but of course that helps no one. So I do get up and go through the day but just coping takes all my energy with nothing left over for reviewing or much interaction. I am still reading here and there, mostly to zone out though so not exactly critically reading.

I think I’ve reviewed everything waiting in my queue or I’ve tried. If I missed something just let me know and I’ll put it at the top of my list when I can think about reviewing again. I apologize for not commenting on blogs lately – it’s not that I don’t read them but I do it in fits and starts and never seem to have the time/energy to comment. I’m sorry. I should do a better job and please know that I value the effort people put into posting and I’m at least reading.

I think that’s it for now but I hope everyone is having a better holiday filled with healthy/prosperous family and friends.

D*U*C*K is a series of vignettes put together featuring G-man and Rickey. They’re somewhat related but also has a random feel to the collection. I guess there is an over reaching arc in that a former employee is rising to kind of challenge Rickey while Liquor is getting ready to serve at an out of town banquet featuring Rickey’s hero crush. The stories do have common elements but they also feel disconnected and arbitrary. That said it’s a fun, quick novella to read without the punch and impact of previous novels.

I’m reading the Liquor stories out of order so if there is anything that affects the knowledge and enjoyment, please let me know. I assume each novel can be read as a stand alone, they certainly seem that way, while the stories are more meaningful in the larger context of the series. D*U*C*K features G-man and Rickey as they go about their daily routine working in Liquor. These stories feel more like day in life slices than anything and they work decently as such. It’s an easy way to revisit the duo and New Orleans without a lot of drama or investment.

There is a pseudo plot revolving around a former employee that is now the head chef at a popular restraurant. This vignette revolves around how touch the job is, more difficult than Shake assumed, and pokes a little fun at both Rickey’s temper and Shake’s ego. There are some pretty funny scenes of Shake navigating the media (not well) and dealing with family and foodies. These scenes will likely be huge hits with any professional chefs as they’ll recognize the inside jokes and nods. For the lay reader they work just as well as it’s easy to envision these stereotypes existing.

The trip out of town for the banquet is amusing and easy to read but somewhat lengthy and without purpose. This story, kind of like the novella in general, feels directionless. While amusing and easy to read, the stories drift along without a firm sense of purpose. They’re fun, sure, but somewhat meaningless in the larger character and story arcs of the series. This isn’t a bad thing as it’s a nice way to revisit the characters without too much reading commitment and investment.

As always the New Orleans descriptions are incredible and bring the city to life with such vibrancy that these details alone are worth the reading. This isn’t a novella I’d read again but it’s a nice inclusion into the series.

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As I’m a somewhat firm believer in the happy ending of romances, I shocked I didn’t mind the ending. Instead the characters and their internal monologue left me bored silly and I didn’t care for any of them. I think the story is trying something interesting, giving a definite not happy ending but trying to show that there is more than one potential mate for people. Perhaps not the perfect mate but a good person that can develop into a good relationship. I like that concept a lot, even if some die hard romantics aren’t going to, but the writing is bulky and filled with unnecessary details. Then whatever potential the story has is killed by the weak characterization and ultimately while I give credit to the author for trying something different, the execution isn’t good enough to pull it off.

Lorcan is a young, naïve virgin who may look effeminate but isn’t afraid to fight if anyone assumes he’s gay. He left a comfortable home and family to look for an adventure and found himself broke and homeless on the verge of giving up. He lands on the Whispering Pines Ranch and immediately forms a connection with the owner, Quinn. Quinn is struggling against the town’s homophobe and isn’t quick to give into his feelings. When he finally does his fears about being exposed to the community push Lorcan into the arms of another man.

The main relationship is clearly between Lorcan and Quinn, who establish a strong and dynamic connection. Unfortunately this relationship never really solidifies over the course of the book. First Quinn pulls the classic romance hero move of ignoring and scowling at Lorcan all the time because Quinn can’t control his desire for Lorcan. I find this kind of tension and deliberate misunderstanding very silly and clumsy. It’s not well executed and feels like so many other bad romance books. When Quinn finally gives into his feelings for Lorcan, their passion is short lived with a dramatic event and then of course Quinn fears coming out.

Lorcan and Quinn spend much of the book mooning over each other from a far but only get together once. After they finally sleep together, Quinn then spends the rest of the book alternatively avoiding Lorcan in public and apologizing the rest of the time. It’s very tedious and not interesting. Quinn is supposed to be this strong, quiet cowboy type that struggles with his feelings but he comes across needy, clingy, and indecisive. He frequently lets obvious misunderstandings stand because he’d seemingly rather angst over the situation than clear it up.

Likewise Lorcan is a brat. He’s spoiled from a good home life, that he left for no particular reason than teenage angst, and has no compassion for Quinn. Not that Quinn deserves much but Lorcan quickly falls into a relationship with another man even while in love with Quinn. The other man is frustrating because he’s so insecure and weak that he accepts “scraps” of affection from Lorcan. This lets all the men in the book act like immature, whiny men instead of the strong cowboys they’re supposed to be.

At the same time the writing is very clumsy. The novel is littered with rhetorical questions, lazy descriptions, a very predictable plot, and weak characterization. The main relationship between Lorcan and Quinn basically doesn’t exist so it’s hard to invest in it. Lorcan’s secondary relationship is actually shown to have more depth and potential leading me to think they are better suited to each other than Lorcan and Quinn. This of course makes me wonder why I’m reading this book at all. I didn’t find it romantic, interesting, or clever. I think the idea is still good – showing that the “true love” concept can be turned on its head if a suitable person is also there – but the execution never pulls it off. I don’t believe Quinn and Lorcan have some great love; I think they want to sleep together.

Overall I found this book difficult to get through because it drove me nuts for all the above reasons. It’s not the non-happy ending that bothers me but the fact that the writing couldn’t convince me the characters are interesting or worthwhile. The main relationship is practically non-existent so I can’t imagine I’d want to read either of the two additional sequels. No doubt it’ll work out somehow but not sure they deserve it or I care about them.

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Pirates and thieves and treasure abound in this short fun story. It’s quasi steampunk with just enough details to set the story in that genre but not enough to really delve into the setting or satisfy die hard fans. The Tea Demon works despite this lack of detail because the real focus is on the men and their entertaining relationship with a backdrop of rather humorous and far-fetched hijinks. The writing and Grey’s style is what I like the most. The story is enjoyable and short enough that it gives a quick thrill and an enjoyable tale.

Eric Devon is a thief in a rut. He’s not interested in doing most jobs anymore and it takes a mysterious but handsome stranger to propel Eric out of his lassitude. The fact that Eric wants to devour the stranger is simply a side benefit. The stranger turns out to be the legendary Tea Demon and the sparks they create together rival the Demon’s temper. Beyond having hot, sweaty sex together they must figure out how to steal back a priceless artifact from an impenetrable vault.

The plot is very basic and reads like the opening scene from Pirates of the Carribean or any pirate movie. The opening bar brawl is very fun and well crafted. Often scenes like this get muddled and are difficult to convey in words but the writing is crisp so you can always follow the action and various quips. It’s a familiar opener but it easily works here and sets up a good dynamic between the two men. From there the story offers a few steam punk details and alludes to the big heist but really the focus is on Eric and Jon as they dance around and toward each other.

There’s no much resistance on either side against their illiasion so the two end up in bed pretty quick. It’s hot, sweaty, and definitely firey. Similarly the heist is fun and ridiculous with a lot of predictable curves. Each move in the story is obvious and there aren’t really any surprises but the smooth, clear writing and engaging cast make it worthwhile. The various characters are woefully under developed but again I can’t say I minded with the intended light hand and tone. Instead it’s an easy short story to enjoy for what it is and not worry about what it lacks.

At least that was how I approached it and quite enjoyed this short. I didn’t particularly long for more of this couple, though I wouldn’t mind another short that stars more of the Demon’s crew, but overall this satisfies.

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I’m not sure what’s going on with sequels lately but they haven’t been living up to the greatness of the first books. Sadly, When I Fall is no different. An Uncommon Whore was such a vivid and wonderful book that I’m so disappointed and saddened in When I Fall. It has the same world and excellent writing but after that I’m left to wonder exactly what I read. The characters feel very different from the first book and unfortunately I couldn’t connect to either one. There are too many secrets, too many political plots and no real resolution or happy ending. Instead the happy couple just ignores their many, many problems in a move that makes me think these two actually won’t end up together.

When I Fall is told from Griffin’s first person point of view (as opposed to the first book from the more dynamic narrator of Helios) and picks up a short time after Helios has returned to their people as King. Now Griffin and Helios try to maneuver the tricky political waters while their personal relationship suffers. At the same time their people are struggling to overcome the vicious attack they suffered and fear new attacks in their vulnerable position.

I’d heard that some readers didn’t appreciate the first part of the book but soon got into the second half. Sadly I couldn’t really get into this book at all. I never ended up connecting with Griffin or Helios on any significant level and was left feeling both men are irrational and not well suited to each other. Griffin spends almost the entire story in his head lamenting his dead wife, the secrets Helios is keeping, his own insecurities, fears, and a thousand other mental masturbations. While I was more than willing to go with the story and understand Griffin’s fears and concerns, he never seems to get over himself or talk with Helios, instead the two have sex and ignore the problems.

This is where my biggest pet peeve about this story comes in. The two gradually move away from each other because both are keeping secrets and frankly don’t trust each other. There are numerous instances where Griffin or Helios discover the other is keeping a secret and pretty much flat out say they don’t trust the other person. In fact the big ending fight scene is all because Helios didn’t trust Griffin. So clearly these two men have some pretty big issues in their relationship. Yet none of it is resolved or worked out. Instead they just ignore it, like they do the entire book, and have more sex. I get that these two love each other desperately but they have no ability to communicate and Griffin’s deathbed revelations are absurd. These sudden insights don’t solve any problems at all, which leaves me wondering how these two are ever going to work out. In fact I actually think they won’t and that really ruins the book for me.

What did work for me is the excellent writing. The author has a real flair for prose so the book flies by with ease. The vivid world building is much better and more thorough in this offering, with many other species introduced and playing prominent roles. These characters may be background but they definitely added to the wealth of the scenery and world. I liked the intricate politics and how boring and difficult such things are as that feels like a real inclusion. Likewise the affects of such a brutal and abrupt attack should have long reaching issues and it’s nice to see the story tackle that straight on without much watering down.

While there are some definite good things about the story, ultimately this didn’t work anywhere near as well as the first book and in fact makes me wonder about this strong, dynamic, and hot love affair that steamed up the pages of Uncommon Whore. While there is a lot of sex in WIF, it doesn’t have the same intensity and edge because the characters themselves feel unhappy with no resolution in sight. I’ll be curious to read any additional books in this series as I like the series and author’s writing quite a bit but I do feel as if this sequel took the shine off the first book and didn’t deliver. I really hate that feeling too.

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The Value of X is a prequel to Liquor, the story of G-man and Rickey as two chefs who decide to open their own restaurant in New Orleans. This novella starts with both men as kids when they meet and bond a lifelong friendship/relationship. The writing is very good and filled with tons of New Orleans flavor. You can’t help but envision the city as it was, down to the last detail. Additionally watching how the two men grow up, change, and deal with individual challenges sets up the tenor and basis for their relationship. They’re not lovey dovey kind of guys but they have a rock solid bond that can’t be broken, though it can be tested.

I quite liked Liquor, which I read first, so it’s a nice change to see how G-man and Rickey came to be. The story offers a very realistic and believable look into how two boys grow up very close together to the point of worrying their parents. Here the story includes some religious elements – Gary’s mother in particular is very religious – yet this doesn’t have the doom and gloom of religious fervor that other books in this genre offer. Instead it feels honest and authentic, as do the various reactions of the parents. Nothing feels manipulated or overdone but instead a nice subtly to the plot that fits well with the character development.

The background of New Orleans is really one of the best things about Brite’s books. Fans of hers know that she’s intimate with the city and that translates incredibly well in the books. There’s a level of detail and knowledge that only someone who lives in New Orleans can have and that permeates the book everywhere. From the various jobs to the neighborhoods, the city attitudes, the religions and bias, the book lives and breathes the city in a way that’s almost never found in books. New Orleans is its own fabulous character and the one you fall in love with the most.

Of course Gary and Rickey are no slouches either and the coming of age story about their relationship is well depicted. It’s not cheesy but instead has a definite masculine feel that brings the characters to life with incredible depth and complexity. These two men never cease to grow and change and if there is any complaint it’s that both are a little too self aware at such a young age. Not in regards to their sexuality per se but in regards to their respective cooking careers. In some ways Gary is incredibly mature and insightful about his ambition, or lack there of, which seems a bit advance for his age. This however, is a minor complaint and doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the novella.

Overall this is an easy and very enjoyable story to read. It’s one I’ll definitely re-read in the future and can easily recommend it.

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Rifter Book Ten: His Holy Bones is finally here. The end of an epic series and it’s both good and bad. The ending is good with a solid happy ending but getting there is a challenge. This episode is filled with blood, torture, pain, suffering, and basically every horrible thing you can imagine that happens. Of course it’s alright in the end but you have to be willing to slog through the blood to get there. Furthermore the story valiantly attempts to tie up the loose ends and give closure to the many subplots going on but I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the choices. I think ultimately the story is simply too big and too convoluted to wrap up so simply but regardless, it remains an epic and masterful tale.

In the last installment of the serial, we pick up where the last book has left off. The battle foreshadowed from the very beginning has occurred and Ravishan has been fatally injured in the fighting. John/Jahn/Jath’ibaye has called down his consider Rifter powers and basically torn the world apart in his effort to save Ravishan, thus ending the fighting since almost everyone is dead or crushed anyway. The story continues from that time point showing what happens to Ravishan, it’s not a spoiler to say he dies since well we’ve known he dies from almost the beginning, and what happens with Fikiri and Laurie/Loshai. The timeline then jumps to the future with Kyle and Jath’ibaye as Kyle attempts to escape from Laurie’s torture room before the showdown between Jath’ibaye and Laurie.

It may sound confusing but it’s not at all. The story is attempting to blend the past events and characters with the future and literally does just that. On the one hand most of the various storylines are tied up somewhat. There is an attempt to show how the past Ravishan blends with the future Kyle, in a rather literal sense. It’s not a horrible idea and fits with the theme of the story so far but it feels like a really easy solution to horrible torture and confusing dual identities. Additionally, I think the explanation about Laurie becoming Loshai is very weak and not well explained – after all, what happened to her? How did she escape after Ravishan’s death and John’s grief? When did Fikiri become all obsessed with her?

I actually have many more questions that arose from this final installment as I can see what the novella is trying to do – obviously give just enough information to close the door on issues but not dwell too long since there is a lot of ground to cover – but I’m not entirely sold on the explanations. In the end I think the story is simply too complicated with too many characters, plot points, and important details that are surfacely addressed while the action with John and Kyle is center stage. On the one hand that’s good because their relationship is the main focus that needs to be addressed and resolved, but it does leave a lot of questions and other issues unresolved.

Having said that this is definitely a fitting end to an epic series. The story feels complete, even if somewhat unresolved and too neatly tied up, the characters are complete and finished. I definitely get the feeling the series knew where it was going from the beginning, which lets the reader trust in the book and the writing without worrying the story is going to go off the rails. It definitely had potential a few times but the restrained hand and consistent focus on the end kept the story on track. The attention to detail is phenomenal and the world building even in this last installment is simply breath taking. The hungry bones are chilling and so well used and portrayed that they are definitely one of my favorite parts of the series as a whole.

Of course no one who’s following the series should skip ahead to this installment but instead read it in order, it’s truly that wonderful and worthwhile. The world building is perhaps some of the best I’ve ever read and what stands out the most to me is the originality. Some of the details are familiar of course but so many more are twisted and turned on their head, created into something new, dark, and compelling. This isn’t a light read but it’s absorbing and I couldn’t put it down each time. The series as a whole shows how you can incorporate dark concepts – endless torture, rape, pain, death, suffering – without overwhelming the story or using them for shock value. Each act in this epic series has a purpose and the pseudo gore is well written without embellishment.

Each installment varies as it’s going to considering the length and scope of the story but this is definitely a series I eagerly recommend to fantasy fans. It’s that amazing. The rating for this installment is 4 stars but for the series as a whole…5 stars without a doubt.

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Winter Warmers is an anthology of 5 short stories about the holiday season with an obvious British flair. This collection is exactly what I wanted to get me in the mood for the upcoming Holidays and it’s short, sweet, and to the point. Each story is obviously different with their own tone and mood. I like the variety offered and each author is clearly talented. The stories are also short and often sweet, just a glimpse into the lives of these men and that’s enough for me. I never got bored with any particular story but neither did I want them to continue. I’m good with the stories offered and happy enough to move on. For only a few bucks this is one of the better holiday collections and worth the money.

The anthology starts off with Clare London’s Lucky Dip. This is a very cute and funny story about a primary school teacher who decides whether to give an ex-boyfriend a second chance. Here the backdrop of the story is the setup for an annual holiday party with some seriously adorable and funny kid antics. In fact these secondary characters as well as the non stop details about wands, glitter, wine, and so on actually took over the story. I was more interested in the party/fair than the couple getting together. The two men are cute and offer some good tension but I think the actual setup steals the show and made the story worthwhile.

Next up is Chrissy Munder’s Butterscotch Kisses, a decidedly different tone where a young man struggles to get over his fear of heights in the dead of winter. Munder is an excellent author and that comes across here very well. The vivid cold is depicted beautifully and contrasted with the warmth from the cute ticket guy Adam. Matthew’s bleak thoughts are nicely woven into the story and his fear of heights is portrayed accurately. Overall this is a great little story that offers a colder feel but warms up at the end pretty nicely. It’s more sweet than anything but that typifies the collection as a whole so don’t go into this story or any of them wanting tons of explicit sex.

Wintertide by Lou Harper is about an older man moving on after the death of his long time companion. I liked this story quite a bit and it’s my favorite of the collection. The two men don’t really match and the age difference is definitely too much but I could easily see why they were attracted and how they fit together. The last scene especially is incredible. I don’t necessarily believe the couple will last given their differences, most especially Jem’s age and lack of direction, but I want to believe they will make it. The writing is lovely and the story is heartwarming even as it touches on a dark subject.

The final two offerings are When in Amsterdam… by Josephine Myles and A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow. I liked these stories about the same and they have a very similar feel to them. They’re both cute, fun, and unexpected. Myles story deals with a couple that gets a little kinky while visiting family during the holidays – don’t worry all the kink takes place at a hotel when family is not present otherwise that’d be way too kinky. The couple is adorable and very eye catching with their differences. The story offers a lot of great details and a builds the connection between the men to a nice crescendo.

Following on its heels is the witch filled story by Merrow. It has many classic humorous touches fans can expect from Merrow while giving a nice setup to how the two men meet. It’s entertaining and fun to read, making the pages fly by easily. The writing is crisp, uncluttered and always filled with interesting details. The secondary characters, all women, are wonderful and I almost wanted more of them. The main couple doesn’t fall instantly in love but there’s a nice chemistry and potential that should satisfy most romantics.

Overall this collection of stories is well written and interesting to read. None of them are my favorites from the various authors but they hit all the right notes and should satisfy and entertain readers. The variety of characters and situations keeps the anthology interesting while each story has a sweet ending. I’d recommend this one for holiday themed readers.

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I know I’m likely to be the minority on this one but this Lane book just didn’t work for me (which is a first). I liked the characters as individuals but they didn’t seem to work as a couple and there are several unnecessary and rather random scenes that didn’t add to the story very much. I like Lane’s writing now as much as ever, though the repetitive use of “heifer” in almost all books is annoying, but I wish I’d skipped this one since I think Lane is capable of much better books.

The story is a pretty basic plot of boy meets boy and they figure out how to blend two very different lives, backgrounds, and cultures. James is a stogy older professor who hates the world except for his adorable dog Marlowe. James happens to meet sexy car mechanic Rafael and the two men inexplicably hit it off. Although this formula of opposites attract is often a hit, it just didn’t work well for me here as I couldn’t ever see the two men together, nor really what they saw in each other. As interesting as the two characters are on their own, the couple never made sense to me and threw me off from the beginning.

Part of this is that the book is comparing and contrasting two very different upbringings and cultures from the beginning. This opens the door for a wealth of opportunity and detail. On the one hand the book does a decent job of exploring those differences, including racism and ignorance, but overall they just fall flat for me. Perhaps the story did too good of a job showing how different the two men are because I couldn’t really see them together. James comes across as a much older man than his chronological age, due to his staid and almost stuck in the mud nature, and I never really saw him as a dynamic, attractive man. He’s interesting to be sure but doesn’t really fit as the partner of a dynamic, extremely attractive much younger man.

Beyond that the story has some awkward and unnecessary inclusions. For example there is James’ boss, Lee. The whole side story about Lee and James’ brief blowjob has no real purpose or necessity to the story. It’s not that the characters act ridiculous, though the repeated confrontations are a little silly, it’s just that it has no real purpose to the story. These confrontations don’t add depth to any of the characters, enhance the main relationship, or develop the tension at all. Instead they seem to exist to just add outside elements to a mostly internal story, which is another issue I had.

Internal tension within a relationship is pretty standard for romance novels so that isn’t bad but the argument here based on a misunderstanding didn’t make any sense to me. I don’t want to give spoilers but Rafi’s reaction seems immature, over the top, and pretty hurtful, which doesn’t make sense when James spends the whole time wondering how he can win Rafi back. Granted the story is told through James’ third person perspective but the whole “argument” feels unnecessary, silly, and without basis. There is so much potential between such opposites that I think the story could have taken another, more successful route.

Unfortunately while I really quite like James, an older man made bitter by life and experience, I just couldn’t see him with Rafael as the one that reinvigorates him. They just don’t seem to have any real thread keeping them together, nor did I understand why Rafael was actually attracted to James, so the story didn’t work for me. I absolutely adored Sophie and the dog Marlowe though and as always the writing has that smooth Lane touch to everything. It’s a solid “ok” from me but judging by the buzz I heard about this one I’m sure others will disagree.

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A Chip in His Shoulder by LA Witt is a really good and often used idea in science fiction. There are a few fresh twists and a brief attempt at tension but overall the story is interesting and fun to read. Where the novella stumbles though is on the pacing and content. There is too much that is skipped over and summarized leaving a very rushed and choppy feel. The world building is decent for the length but sadly leaves out so much. I wish this had been a fully fleshed out novel with solid world building and complete characters; instead it reads like the first book of a series and not a satisfying stand-alone.

ACiHS has a very basic and familiar plot. It starts with vampire and assassin Liam heading to kill his mark and old lover Daniel. Daniel is the son of a very wealthy cybertronics scion as Liam once was. Liam was disowned and disinherited when his affair with human Daniel was revealed and since then he’s done whatever he had to do to survive. Despite their rocky past or because of it, when Liam shows up to kill Daniel they’re both in for a few surprised that just may change their minds about many things.

Set in a futuristic world, potentially post-apocalyptic, with an urban feel with advanced electronics, high tech assassins, and vampires, this story really hits all the things I adore in a story. I mean I don’t think I could have tailor made a story more in tune with the very elements I devour in the science fiction/fantasy genre. Many of the elements and themes used are pretty universal, though it doesn’t detract from the story. For example the extreme poverty versus extreme wealth concept; the rich sons battling their greedy fathers for the good of common man; the assassin with a heart of gold just trying to help the poor; old lovers torn apart due to immaturity and youth finding a common cause to fight against. I could go on but suffice it to say the novella is chock full of common themes and familiar concepts.

Having said that I liked the plot anyway. It’s not original but it works for me because I happen to like those themes. Unfortunately the story is simply too rushed and really short changed any potential these themes have. There are too many of them thrown into too short of a story. None of these ideas are well fleshed out and constructed. The actual futuristic world isn’t explained very well; is it post-apocalyptic or merely futuristic? How did the world come to be this way and incorporate mods and vampires at once? There are so many unanswered questions and omitted details that it’s very frustrating. These ideas are simply introduced, stately plainly without much detailed explanation or development, and then the story and characters move onto the next theme. There is no depth to any of it or any of the characters unfortunately. There is so much action and time spent explaining the background of the couple and world that the depth and development of each element is sacrificed.

For example, rather than letting the world building create a solid background to the story, these details are largely told through Liam’s internal monologues. The story is told to the reader much more than it’s shown and in a genre that I love, this is especially disappointing. Likewise the plot is simply too full and rushed to be complete and satisfying. There are too many concepts and ideas thrown in without elaboration while the characters feel very thin at best. They have such potential and clearly a dramatic and tension filled past but none of that raw emotion and edgy turmoil comes through. It feels watered down and incomplete.

This feels like a great idea that just didn’t deliver in execution. It has all the elements that I like and honestly crave in an excellent book but it doesn’t offer the sense of satisfaction and completion to work. I can’t help but think what this book would have been like in another author’s hands and I get chills thinking how good it could have been. Overall it’s decent but it’s definitely lost potential and doesn’t really work as much as it should.

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