Author: J R Ward

Source: Purchased at store

I was so excited when this finally released! I ran to the store on release day and waited until they finally unloaded it onto the shelf. I snagged it and ran as fast as I could to the checkout. Yes, that is how addicted I am to this series.  I was anxious to find out how John Matthew and Xhex were going to come together and if John Matthew was going to finally figure out his past! Now that I have finished the book, I was a little disappointed in it. 

First the good of the book.  I loved how we got to see the King Wrath and Payne together on the Far Side. I loved their fighting and eventually their friendship. Without trying to give away a spoiler, I loved how at the end of the book, Payne finally laid eyes upon someone she thought was long ago dead.  I look forward to the interaction between the two now.  I loved the tender moments between John Matthew and Xhex as well.  They made the couple more of a romantic couple instead of all sex and no love.  It gave them depth for their relationship that they both needed.  The reconnection between John Matthew and Tohr was also very touching.  I was glad to see the two finally work through the problems of the past and come together like Father and Son again.  It just goes to show that the past may have happened, but the future can become bright again.  I loved the back story of Darius and Tohr that the author threw in to the mix.  At first you wonder why we were having to read about it, but in the end, it makes perfect sense. The tension between Blay and Qhuinn also struck a new high in this book.  WOW. It makes me even more anxious for their book to come out. Go Team Qhuay!

Now for the bad of the book. Where do I begin?  For one thing, Xhex has always been a strong female with a smart mouth and take no shit kind of girl.  She didn’t dress up, never wore makeup and sure as hell never cried.  This book we see the tender side of her, and frankly, that was out of character for her.  I didn’t like how the author made her sappy.  I liked her strength and take charge attitude from the previous books. I was also disappointed in not getting the closure of John Matthew’s back story.  We have read about him from book one and now we have to continue to wait. Enough is enough. I know authors like to stretch it out, but to me it is getting a little frustrating.  The paranormal investigators were out there.  They just didn’t fit into the story and it made little impact for the book.  I understand it was used to set up plot for another character we will see in the future, but to me, it just didn’t fit in this book.  I hated how we didn’t get to see much of the brothers either.  We get to see little glances of them throughout the book, but since they have helped guide him into the man John Matthew is now,  you would think we would have seen more of them through this book. 

Overall, this book just didn’t live up to the excitement and anticipation I was hoping for.  I, of course, will still keep reading the series and buying more of the books, but I hope the author gets her momentum back and give us more of what her loyal readers are asking for. I hope she quits torturing us, and get the action, love and speed of the first in the series back for book number nine!