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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
I totally did not expect this to be centered around William and Cerise. I know, I know, I'm an idiot, but I really just jumped into Bayou Moon without reading the summary. I thought it was a continuation of Declan and Rose. So yeahhh, it's not. But anyway! I actually liked this more than [b:On the Edge|6329547|On the Edge (The Edge, #1)|Ilona Andrews|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1307445575s/6329547.jpg|6515186]. It has more character development in it and I sort of like Cerise more than Rose. Cerise just seems so much more bad ass with a sword and a flash.
So first thing's first, Cerise is a great character. She's a real leader who doesn't take shit and she knows when it's time to go to battle. True heroine there. I loved the battle descriptions. I also loved how she dressed as a hobo in the beginning to get to the Broken.
Cerise and Will definitely had more development and build up towards their romance. It wasn't thrust on us like Declan and Rose's was. We get to see more interaction between them and why they like each other. All that good and gay stuff.
The one thing that bothers me that I've noticed in both books is that Andrews doesn't really build up any mysteries. I could tell who the traitor was from the beginning, the big baddie was already there, and the mishaps were blah. Also, another thing is that there were so many damn possible endings. It was like the last movie to Lord of the Rings. You keep thinking, hey this is the ending, but no. Something else shows up. It was a tad bit annoying.
So first thing's first, Cerise is a great character. She's a real leader who doesn't take shit and she knows when it's time to go to battle. True heroine there. I loved the battle descriptions. I also loved how she dressed as a hobo in the beginning to get to the Broken.
Cerise and Will definitely had more development and build up towards their romance. It wasn't thrust on us like Declan and Rose's was. We get to see more interaction between them and why they like each other. All that good and gay stuff.
The one thing that bothers me that I've noticed in both books is that Andrews doesn't really build up any mysteries. I could tell who the traitor was from the beginning, the big baddie was already there, and the mishaps were blah.
Spoiler
I also didn't like how Spider was left as a cliffhanger. We don't really get to see how he gets back up. I thought there was going to be another big bad fight.
I had the BEST TIME with this one. I truly did not expect to enjoy this very much - William kind of weirded me out in the last one, big crazy family dynamic isn’t my favorite, and the bayou is pretty far down on my list of locations I want to read about. I am so happy to be wrong. I loved this one almost as much as Kate Daniels which I didn’t think was possible. I adored William, Cerise was a delightful surprise, and I actually enjoyed the Mar family.
My only complaint is that the end felt a tiny bit rushed. I honestly wish there was an entire series with these characters and I felt that the setup was there.
As an aside, this book did have some pretty gruesome elements that, in my opinion, went far beyond what we’d seen in the last novel and honestly in all of Kate Daniels. I was surprised by the amount of body horror going on here.
Even with the ick-factor, I will DEFINITELY be rereading this one soon. Endlessly grateful for Ilona Andrews.
My only complaint is that the end felt a tiny bit rushed. I honestly wish there was an entire series with these characters and I felt that the setup was there.
As an aside, this book did have some pretty gruesome elements that, in my opinion, went far beyond what we’d seen in the last novel and honestly in all of Kate Daniels. I was surprised by the amount of body horror going on here.
Even with the ick-factor, I will DEFINITELY be rereading this one soon. Endlessly grateful for Ilona Andrews.
Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars.
Far and away a much more enjoyable read than the first of the series, in my opinion. Normally, I wouldn't be thrilled with a change of protagonists, but I wouldn't have continued the series if that was the case. But I do enjoy that each book/main character has some connection to the previous novel.
As it stands, Cerise and William had a much better relationship--though I still retain some reservations on the level of obsessiveness.
The setting is still such a interesting concept. Like the Kate Daniels series, the interplay of the world of technology and magic is innovative and a fun perspective. And with this series, it's not one side of the scale or the other depending on the Shift's whims, but a scale from Broken to Edge to Weird.
Far and away a much more enjoyable read than the first of the series, in my opinion. Normally, I wouldn't be thrilled with a change of protagonists, but I wouldn't have continued the series if that was the case. But I do enjoy that each book/main character has some connection to the previous novel.
As it stands, Cerise and William had a much better relationship--though I still retain some reservations on the level of obsessiveness.
The setting is still such a interesting concept. Like the Kate Daniels series, the interplay of the world of technology and magic is innovative and a fun perspective. And with this series, it's not one side of the scale or the other depending on the Shift's whims, but a scale from Broken to Edge to Weird.
Bayou Moon is the second novel of Ilona Andrews’s The Edge series. It follows William’s story two years after the events of On the Edge. William is sent on a mission by The Mirror to find the object that Spider, the villain, is looking for. On his way to the Mire, a swamp area in the Edge (where Spider is), he is forced to travel with a homeless-looking girl, Cerise. He later finds out that it was only a disguise. As soon as he sees what she really looks like, he wants her. Then, when he sees how she fights, he wants her more. Cerise’s parents were handed over to Spider by her family’s enemy. After running into several creatures and hunters looking for her, William decides to stick with her, for the time being anyway. Nothing is as it seems. Lies, blood, and death surround Cerise as she tries to find her parents and destroy those that get in her way.
Ilona Andrews floored me with the amazing characterization in this book. William was so complex! He is a changeling-both human and wolf. There are times when he acts and thinks like a human. However, with every strong emotion, the wolf comes out-maybe not physically, but mentally. Whenever this happens his thoughts go from normal and rational to “I want....” and “Must have.....” Very primal. Cerise notices when he switches to wolf-mode. She can see it in his eyes, but she doesn’t know that he is a changeling. Andrews juggles the two mind-frames very well. Changelings, in their fundamental nature, act on instinct, not thought. William always has to remind himself that he is also human and he cannot just take what he wants; he has to ask for it and be ready for rejection if it comes. This was very sad yet admirable. He really wanted to be with Cerise for most of the book. He always reminded himself that women didn’t want him; he was a monster that could not be loved. William had to deal with a ton of inner conflict, besides the wolf/human one. He was always scared that once Cerise found out who he was, she wouldn’t want him anymore. Before he can be with Cerise, he has to come to terms with his past and that it does not define him-his actions define him.
I felt so bad for Cerise. After her parents are kidnapped she has to lead the family in a battle not only against their rival clan, but also Spider. Meanwhile, her younger sister is slowly going insane-thinking she is a monster who deserves to live in the woods. Because she is the new head, she has to hold her emotions in so that the family respects her. The only person she truly lets in is William. She trusts him, and loves him. Because he looks like a Blueblood, noble of the Weird, she calls him Lord Bill when she first meets him. Even though it was just used to mock at first, she continues to call him this as the story progresses. I love the nickname, its so cute. It has a teasing/flirty edge to it in the book.
There were a lot of different elements mixed into Bayou Moon. First, there was a lot of gore, violence, and family feuding going on. The action is suspenseful and bloody. The fight scenes were depicted with a great attention to detail. I felt like I was in the middle of them. There were times when I was definitely shutting my eyes and muttering “ew.” Second, there was romance. William and Cerise’s relationship was intense. There were a lot of “almost” scenes. They were both obviously attracted to each other. Cerise even admits to her family that she loves him, but he can’t take a hint. William is very straightforward and doesn’t understand flirting. He also doesn’t believe she wants him so he always pulls himself back when he wants to kiss her (or more). This leads to many tension filled scenes that had me screaming “Just kiss her already!”
I liked On the Edge a bit better than Bayou Moon. Not too sure why, but Bayou Moon is still a great book. It’s emotional, action-packed, and romantic. The other characters, besides William and Cerise, are for the most part three-dimensional. There were so many, I thought I’d get confused (especially within Cerise’s big family) but Ilona Andrews did such a great job writing them, that it never was the case. Rose, Declan, and the boys from On the Edge appear briefly at the end-which was nice. All in all, I thought Ilona Andrews crafted an excellent book.
Ilona Andrews floored me with the amazing characterization in this book. William was so complex! He is a changeling-both human and wolf. There are times when he acts and thinks like a human. However, with every strong emotion, the wolf comes out-maybe not physically, but mentally. Whenever this happens his thoughts go from normal and rational to “I want....” and “Must have.....” Very primal. Cerise notices when he switches to wolf-mode. She can see it in his eyes, but she doesn’t know that he is a changeling. Andrews juggles the two mind-frames very well. Changelings, in their fundamental nature, act on instinct, not thought. William always has to remind himself that he is also human and he cannot just take what he wants; he has to ask for it and be ready for rejection if it comes. This was very sad yet admirable. He really wanted to be with Cerise for most of the book. He always reminded himself that women didn’t want him; he was a monster that could not be loved. William had to deal with a ton of inner conflict, besides the wolf/human one. He was always scared that once Cerise found out who he was, she wouldn’t want him anymore. Before he can be with Cerise, he has to come to terms with his past and that it does not define him-his actions define him.
I felt so bad for Cerise. After her parents are kidnapped she has to lead the family in a battle not only against their rival clan, but also Spider. Meanwhile, her younger sister is slowly going insane-thinking she is a monster who deserves to live in the woods. Because she is the new head, she has to hold her emotions in so that the family respects her. The only person she truly lets in is William. She trusts him, and loves him. Because he looks like a Blueblood, noble of the Weird, she calls him Lord Bill when she first meets him. Even though it was just used to mock at first, she continues to call him this as the story progresses. I love the nickname, its so cute. It has a teasing/flirty edge to it in the book.
There were a lot of different elements mixed into Bayou Moon. First, there was a lot of gore, violence, and family feuding going on. The action is suspenseful and bloody. The fight scenes were depicted with a great attention to detail. I felt like I was in the middle of them. There were times when I was definitely shutting my eyes and muttering “ew.” Second, there was romance. William and Cerise’s relationship was intense. There were a lot of “almost” scenes. They were both obviously attracted to each other. Cerise even admits to her family that she loves him, but he can’t take a hint. William is very straightforward and doesn’t understand flirting. He also doesn’t believe she wants him so he always pulls himself back when he wants to kiss her (or more). This leads to many tension filled scenes that had me screaming “Just kiss her already!”
I liked On the Edge a bit better than Bayou Moon. Not too sure why, but Bayou Moon is still a great book. It’s emotional, action-packed, and romantic. The other characters, besides William and Cerise, are for the most part three-dimensional. There were so many, I thought I’d get confused (especially within Cerise’s big family) but Ilona Andrews did such a great job writing them, that it never was the case. Rose, Declan, and the boys from On the Edge appear briefly at the end-which was nice. All in all, I thought Ilona Andrews crafted an excellent book.
Slow, but good
This a a slow plod through a complicated plot, one that builds a dynamic world that stretches two different collections. New faces along with familiar souls feature here, in William’s story. If you are like me, and you’ve read the innkeeper series first, then many of these names will be close to your heart - this is the beginning of their stories, how the round first come together - though their introductions are on the edge of this narrative. It’s fascinating, occasionally intense and oddly melodic in tone.
This a a slow plod through a complicated plot, one that builds a dynamic world that stretches two different collections. New faces along with familiar souls feature here, in William’s story. If you are like me, and you’ve read the innkeeper series first, then many of these names will be close to your heart - this is the beginning of their stories, how the round first come together - though their introductions are on the edge of this narrative. It’s fascinating, occasionally intense and oddly melodic in tone.
The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Walmart and magic is a fairytale–and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…
Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.
But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.
When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.
Entertaining world building, with three worlds existing side-to-side, one magic, one not, and one partaking a little of both. A changeling (werewolf without all the psychological baggage) falls in love with a woman from the Edge, and finds himself fighting her family's battles. Mayhem ensues, but all is (mostly) well in the end. Second in the Edge collection. They are mostly stand alone, but probably better read in sequence.
The first book in the series was very good, this one was amazing! I found the story darker. Maybe because this part of The Edge is a swamp and the villain, Spider, didn't hold back, he was mean as mean can be. The main couple are attracted to each other as soon as they meet, however, unlike in the first book when 'I love yous' where exchanged so fast I had no idea what had happened, here all those feelings took a back seat as Spider wreck havoc.
There's absolutely everything in this book, lots of action, betrayals, hurt, sorrow, a bit of humour, love of family, revenge and more action. There wasn't a moment's peace for Cerise and William until almost the very end. The thing about Ilona Andrew's alpha heroes is that they don't baby their very strong-willed love interests. They try but learn very quickly 'their women' are their own person. At the same time these heroes have moments of such tenderness you go 'Oh, oh, that was so sweet!' Cerise is grieving, she admits to William she needs her mum. He doesn't make false promises, doesn't humour her, he just stays with her, saying few words validating her feelings and encouraging her to keep on going. I loved how their last row was resolved, neither giving in but meeting half way. And now I want Lark to have her own story because the kid needs to purge some of her demons and get her happy ending.
There's absolutely everything in this book, lots of action, betrayals, hurt, sorrow, a bit of humour, love of family, revenge and more action. There wasn't a moment's peace for Cerise and William until almost the very end. The thing about Ilona Andrew's alpha heroes is that they don't baby their very strong-willed love interests. They try but learn very quickly 'their women' are their own person. At the same time these heroes have moments of such tenderness you go 'Oh, oh, that was so sweet!' Cerise is grieving, she admits to William she needs her mum. He doesn't make false promises, doesn't humour her, he just stays with her, saying few words validating her feelings and encouraging her to keep on going. I loved how their last row was resolved, neither giving in but meeting half way. And now I want Lark to have her own story because the kid needs to purge some of her demons and get her happy ending.
mf - urban fantasy - moderate steam - enemies to lovers - single parent/guardian - shifter (changling) - he falls first - 5 stars.
If you want to talk about books that blooded me, this series is one of them. Rereading it is like finding the foundations of why I love certain tropes. I actually loved On the Edge better on the reread than I remembered, but Bayou Moon’s external plot dragged a bit (I often skip those chapters when I reread). However, William from Bayou Moon is still one of my absolute favorite heroes ever. I mean, he’s a himbo shifter assassin. I adore him. This series is also a testament to how well IA writes an underestimated scrappy heroine. It is complete competence porn.
If you want to talk about books that blooded me, this series is one of them. Rereading it is like finding the foundations of why I love certain tropes. I actually loved On the Edge better on the reread than I remembered, but Bayou Moon’s external plot dragged a bit (I often skip those chapters when I reread). However, William from Bayou Moon is still one of my absolute favorite heroes ever. I mean, he’s a himbo shifter assassin. I adore him. This series is also a testament to how well IA writes an underestimated scrappy heroine. It is complete competence porn.