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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My review will have no spoilers as a lot of Kresley Cole's fans have not yet had a chance to read their copy yet.
This is Munro's (obviously) and Kereney's (Ren) story.
All I will say are there are so many ups and downs, ones that made you laugh and ones that make you want to cry.
This book was a long time coming, but so worth the wait. Now I just want know who is next.
This is Munro's (obviously) and Kereney's (Ren) story.
All I will say are there are so many ups and downs, ones that made you laugh and ones that make you want to cry.
This book was a long time coming, but so worth the wait. Now I just want know who is next.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4,5 stars
There's some minor complaints that I have, but I can said that the 4 years-give-and-take-waiting is kind of worth it (Wicked Abyss published in 2017. That's long!). I was right back then when I predict Munro will be my favorite Lykae compared to his twin, Will (whom his book, MacRieve is my less favorite from IAD series :p). Kereny is not bad too, although her nickname matched mine. It's a little bit unsettling, also embarrassing when its come to steamy sex scene to read my own name written doing naughty things, lol. I guess, I'm too old when its comes to read a character in books that have same name with me.
After 2 books about Morior, Sweet Ruin and Wicked Abyss, we finally get back to the Loreans. The 4 years (add it some months) waiting after last book is not a joke because I feel almost lost when reading the beginning of Munro. It didn't help with how long time passed after the last I read MacRieve at 2014, so I'm a little bit confused and its make sense because that was...7-8 years ago! I swear this pandemic skewed my view of time! I read Munro on my e-reader while my paperback copy of MacRieve is in my home (I'm on my project site right now), so I can't check what happen to Munro other than he lost his mate (funny that I remember this). Reading my old review kinda fulfill some holes in the memory, but I guess I was overdue to do a re-read. Maybe I'll do it next time (so many books so little time!).
Munro have Cole's trademarks that I found as my crack. I mean, some things must be frustrated new readers, such as bordering alphahole hero that definitely didn't understand a concept about boundaries, lust at the first sight, "almost" stockholm syndrome, "I'm-Tarzan-You-Jane-Hear-Me-Roar personalities (again, from the hero), purple prose, goodness the prose, lol. But, I have been a long time reader of IAD series, and so far despite the high and low (and the waiting), I still enjoy Cole's writing. I don't joke when IAD is my guilty pleasures read, because it is. I kinda give up on LOTU by Gena Showalter because I found I just don't have any interest to read it after Paris's (and too add insult to injury, the infamous Gilly is not William's mate that take internet by the storm), but I still waiting for any new installment of IAD. All that Cole's trademarks is my cracks and despite my grumbling also complaints, I still read it in one sitting.
There's many things happen in Munro. There's time travel (not spoiler, because the blurb said so) with a concept that for me a lil bit sketchy and not like any time travel's concept that I know. Some appearance from old characters, Lothaire's fans esp will be rejoice since he and Ellie play big role in here and Dacia is one of the settings. Nix is sadly just a have minor role, but still cryptic like always. Will and Chloe also have major role, and especially Will finally come to his senses and become a good brother to Munro after all that Munro did for him when he become suicidal in the past. Like, about time. Munro is not a filler book, because despite the problem that Munro and Kereny face, there's some development in the story. Make me wonder, come on, bring the Ascension already! Anyway, usually story in IAD books happen in short time, but this book timeline span for some weeks, giving time for us to follow both Munro and Kereny's relationship and any events that happen around them.
From character development, Munro and Kereny is your IAD h/H standards but still manage to charm me. Munro is of course alpha to the core that doesn't want to listen to reason and continue to take Kereny's choice from hers. But, when I think he is no better than Will in MacRieve that act as a jerk, his action regarding Kereny's immortality change my thought and that's why I said he's the best MacRieve twins. He finally listen, although still act as mother hen to Kereny to the end, but I guess its come from his upbringing that continue to be the mature twin when the other act like a child (yes, it's you Will). Kereny is badass (like always), I think she's not that petite, not like some previous heroines of IAD, because it's make me roll my eyes to see heroine that in 5" ft but her man towering them almost to 7". I've been there in my project site when I'm the shortest person while all the men beside me towering me and make me always craning my neck, lol. Kereny also have determination and I'm on her side over and over because who doesn't get cranky when their option taken from them? Her lusting to Munro is ofc make me roll my eyes, but well if Munro is that handsome, I might fall for his charms. In the end, when she finally fall for Munro, I amend it, because who doesn't when in the end Munro finally come to his senses. Although some warning, Kereny is already married when Munro try to claim her, but Cole try to make it work, that's why I said the time travel concept here is rather sketchy. I won't said what Kereny did is cheating, but your mileage may vary, since anything that I try to describe will considered as spoiler. I do have some suspicion with Spoiler the way Cole describe Kereny's pregnancy and her birthing process. I forgot, but the last time she wrote about the heroine having baby, it's from Cadeon and Holly's book that...many years ago. If I remember well, she didn't describe it with detail. But Cole did it in Munro. Maybe one of the reason she going radio silence, beside she try to get her IAD series right back from the old publisher, is because she also pregnant and just have a child?? Lol, that's just my guess .
To said I satisfied with how Cole write about Munro and Kereny's is an understatement, but I'm glad that finally I can go back to IAD again. I read Munro in e-book because waiting for the paperback version is a pain in the ass, but I will order the paperback after this so I can complete my collection. Alas, with Cole going indie with IAD, ofc my collection will not matched, but eh, I have LOTHAIRE and DARK SKYE in HC, so, that's that XD. Also, with all that hints about them in Munro, Furie and Kristoff SHOULD BE THE ENDGAME OR I WILL RIOT!! , lel. Come on, Cole, quit dangling us fans with their hints. The epilogue kinda give hints for some new player, but right now I just want to read about Furie and Kristoff. I just hope, I still live long enough to read their book *finger crossed*. Oh, forget to add, please make book about Uthyr the Dragon whom love to watch soap opera, because his character and personality is such a blast!
Early reaction below:
UPDATE ver 2: IT'S FINALLY HAVE A RELEASE DATE!!
But..since my enthusiasm already dimmed a bit (hahaha, lel), I think I will stick with the ebook version. Then decide to collect in paperback version if the story any good. Since seems like Cole decide to go self publish, then the paperback version will be in oddsize and it won't match with the rest of my collection :/
UPDATE: It's been 3 years after I shelved Munro as wishlist and there's no any news about the book. Kresley Cole also going radio silence :(
Maybe this book will never be published. But, but, I still need closure!! I really want at least one book about Uthyr the Dragon. Please give the dragon his HEA and please make him still love watching soap opera!
Okay, maybe Nix's book . Also don't forget about Furie or Kristoff (either as mated pair or with someone else). I just hope Cole will publish book about them too :(
---------
So.....another long long way to go until Furie get her book :/.
After Gena Showalter's fiasco with the "Gilly is not William-HEA anymore", I will not surprised if Furie didn't end up with Kristoff (since both authors are BFF). Kristoff latest appearance is in Lothaire (4-5 years ago?) and hints about Furie if I remember, was mentioned in Dark Skye. According to Cole's latest newsletter seems like Mina's book will be delayed until God know when, and this book is about Munro and Kereny. Well, at least it's not about Morior.
But really... I wonder if Furie's will get her story written, if she is indeed Kristoff's bride, or maybe all of it just a wishful thinking *shrug
There's some minor complaints that I have, but I can said that the 4 years-give-and-take-waiting is kind of worth it (Wicked Abyss published in 2017. That's long!). I was right back then when I predict Munro will be my favorite Lykae compared to his twin, Will (whom his book, MacRieve is my less favorite from IAD series :p). Kereny is not bad too, although her nickname matched mine. It's a little bit unsettling, also embarrassing when its come to steamy sex scene to read my own name written doing naughty things, lol. I guess, I'm too old when its comes to read a character in books that have same name with me.
After 2 books about Morior, Sweet Ruin and Wicked Abyss, we finally get back to the Loreans. The 4 years (add it some months) waiting after last book is not a joke because I feel almost lost when reading the beginning of Munro. It didn't help with how long time passed after the last I read MacRieve at 2014, so I'm a little bit confused and its make sense because that was...7-8 years ago! I swear this pandemic skewed my view of time! I read Munro on my e-reader while my paperback copy of MacRieve is in my home (I'm on my project site right now), so I can't check what happen to Munro other than he lost his mate (funny that I remember this). Reading my old review kinda fulfill some holes in the memory, but I guess I was overdue to do a re-read. Maybe I'll do it next time (so many books so little time!).
Munro have Cole's trademarks that I found as my crack. I mean, some things must be frustrated new readers, such as bordering alphahole hero that definitely didn't understand a concept about boundaries, lust at the first sight, "almost" stockholm syndrome, "I'm-Tarzan-You-Jane-Hear-Me-Roar personalities (again, from the hero), purple prose, goodness the prose, lol. But, I have been a long time reader of IAD series, and so far despite the high and low (and the waiting), I still enjoy Cole's writing. I don't joke when IAD is my guilty pleasures read, because it is. I kinda give up on LOTU by Gena Showalter because I found I just don't have any interest to read it after Paris's (and too add insult to injury, the infamous Gilly is not William's mate that take internet by the storm), but I still waiting for any new installment of IAD. All that Cole's trademarks is my cracks and despite my grumbling also complaints, I still read it in one sitting.
There's many things happen in Munro. There's time travel (not spoiler, because the blurb said so) with a concept that for me a lil bit sketchy and not like any time travel's concept that I know. Some appearance from old characters, Lothaire's fans esp will be rejoice since he and Ellie play big role in here and Dacia is one of the settings. Nix is sadly just a have minor role, but still cryptic like always. Will and Chloe also have major role, and especially Will finally come to his senses and become a good brother to Munro after all that Munro did for him when he become suicidal in the past. Like, about time. Munro is not a filler book, because despite the problem that Munro and Kereny face, there's some development in the story. Make me wonder, come on, bring the Ascension already! Anyway, usually story in IAD books happen in short time, but this book timeline span for some weeks, giving time for us to follow both Munro and Kereny's relationship and any events that happen around them.
From character development, Munro and Kereny is your IAD h/H standards but still manage to charm me. Munro is of course alpha to the core that doesn't want to listen to reason and continue to take Kereny's choice from hers. But, when I think he is no better than Will in MacRieve that act as a jerk, his action regarding Kereny's immortality change my thought and that's why I said he's the best MacRieve twins. He finally listen, although still act as mother hen to Kereny to the end, but I guess its come from his upbringing that continue to be the mature twin when the other act like a child (yes, it's you Will). Kereny is badass (like always), I think she's not that petite, not like some previous heroines of IAD, because it's make me roll my eyes to see heroine that in 5" ft but her man towering them almost to 7". I've been there in my project site when I'm the shortest person while all the men beside me towering me and make me always craning my neck, lol. Kereny also have determination and I'm on her side over and over because who doesn't get cranky when their option taken from them? Her lusting to Munro is ofc make me roll my eyes, but well if Munro is that handsome, I might fall for his charms. In the end, when she finally fall for Munro, I amend it, because who doesn't when in the end Munro finally come to his senses. Although some warning, Kereny is already married when Munro try to claim her, but Cole try to make it work, that's why I said the time travel concept here is rather sketchy. I won't said what Kereny did is cheating, but your mileage may vary, since anything that I try to describe will considered as spoiler. I do have some suspicion with Spoiler the way Cole describe Kereny's pregnancy and her birthing process. I forgot, but the last time she wrote about the heroine having baby, it's from Cadeon and Holly's book that...many years ago. If I remember well, she didn't describe it with detail. But Cole did it in Munro. Maybe one of the reason she going radio silence, beside she try to get her IAD series right back from the old publisher, is because she also pregnant and just have a child?? Lol, that's just my guess .
To said I satisfied with how Cole write about Munro and Kereny's is an understatement, but I'm glad that finally I can go back to IAD again. I read Munro in e-book because waiting for the paperback version is a pain in the ass, but I will order the paperback after this so I can complete my collection. Alas, with Cole going indie with IAD, ofc my collection will not matched, but eh, I have LOTHAIRE and DARK SKYE in HC, so, that's that XD. Also, with all that hints about them in Munro, Furie and Kristoff SHOULD BE THE ENDGAME OR I WILL RIOT!! , lel. Come on, Cole, quit dangling us fans with their hints. The epilogue kinda give hints for some new player, but right now I just want to read about Furie and Kristoff. I just hope, I still live long enough to read their book *finger crossed*. Oh, forget to add, please make book about Uthyr the Dragon whom love to watch soap opera, because his character and personality is such a blast!
Early reaction below:
UPDATE ver 2: IT'S FINALLY HAVE A RELEASE DATE!!
But..since my enthusiasm already dimmed a bit (hahaha, lel), I think I will stick with the ebook version. Then decide to collect in paperback version if the story any good. Since seems like Cole decide to go self publish, then the paperback version will be in oddsize and it won't match with the rest of my collection :/
UPDATE: It's been 3 years after I shelved Munro as wishlist and there's no any news about the book. Kresley Cole also going radio silence :(
Maybe this book will never be published. But, but, I still need closure!! I really want at least one book about Uthyr the Dragon. Please give the dragon his HEA and please make him still love watching soap opera!
Okay, maybe Nix's book . Also don't forget about Furie or Kristoff (either as mated pair or with someone else). I just hope Cole will publish book about them too :(
---------
So.....another long long way to go until Furie get her book :/.
After Gena Showalter's fiasco with the "Gilly is not William-HEA anymore", I will not surprised if Furie didn't end up with Kristoff (since both authors are BFF). Kristoff latest appearance is in Lothaire (4-5 years ago?) and hints about Furie if I remember, was mentioned in Dark Skye. According to Cole's latest newsletter seems like Mina's book will be delayed until God know when, and this book is about Munro and Kereny. Well, at least it's not about Morior.
But really... I wonder if Furie's will get her story written, if she is indeed Kristoff's bride, or maybe all of it just a wishful thinking *shrug
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kresley Cole is my favorite author. I am 85 percent sure that Kresley Cole did not write this book. It was just...not good. Not good at all. The writing style is soooo different, and weird and...different.
Here are a few things i thought were weird, or just didn't like, or i thought didn't make sense-
-Feeding the beast rage to get out of being vassaled? Seems way too easy. Same with how he SOMEHOW got the one warlock to make a vow to serve him? How did they get to the sacrificial alter without being stopped? Why would the warlock agree? Why couldn't he have use a different spell on Munro? Like to kill him, or maim him, until he got help? Idk. It just felt way too easy.
-Literally what was the point of Jacob? And for that matter all the people in the circus that we were introduced to? We learn pretty much nothing about any of them, we just get a dozen names thrown our way, and none of them matter, like at all.
-When she's running back to her camp and comes across the viper shifters and just...yells at them to reconsider attacking her...and they do? C'mon! They could have killed her so easily, even with her little knife! She's a puny human for fucks sake!!
-How the fuck did she get her knife back from Munro? It happened way too easily.
-The mystical knife that incapacitates an immortal- she stabs Munro in the chest with it, and it takes a few seconds before it takes effect and he passes out. And then later, she stabs a newling Lykae IN THE HEAD with it, it's jutting out of his temple, and this newling....keeps fighting for a bit...but...if it's in his temple, literally in his brain...wouldn't he just collapse and be unconscious until he was beheaded, or until his body pushed the knife out and healed his BRAIN? Like, i was always under the impression that if you shot an immortal in this world in the head, they would immediately go unconscious...because...even an immortal shouldn't be able to function if their literal brain is compromised. Right? Idk.
-Why does felling a statue = killing a god? Sounds kinda dumb. The statue IS the god? WHY? Why is the gods existence so connected to a statue? It's ridiculous.
-The time in the 1920s doesn't feel like we're in a different time at all. And along with that, the descriptions of the setting are not great, it's very hard to get a really good picture in your head. And Kresley is usually so, so, SO good at painting a picture, but not here.
-I just don't believe that a human could know SO MUCH about the lore, especially in the 1920s. Like she knew the name of the warlocks dimension? How on earth would she know that? It doesn't make any sense to me. AND she speaks demonish? Really? A human? Please.
-The is ALOT of expository dialogue, and it's bad. Horribly intricated, not subtle, ALOT of telling and not showing. And none of the characters we've met before, Nix, Lothaire, Loa, the warlocks, Lachlain, Ellie, Lothaire, i could keep going, none of them sound like themselves. They all speak as if you're reading an Immortals After Dark fan fiction. The dialogue in general is just awful, very cringey and cheesy, and most of all NOT FUNNY, which is not normal AT ALL in a Krelsey Cole book in my opinion. Usually i am loling all the way through her books. It is very unsettling seeing all these beloved characters being warped and distorted from what we previous knew them as.
-Why is there a "Pravus Capital"???? Pravus isn't a place, it's an army, and army of many different factions combined. Wouldn't they just meet on one one the biggest factions home planes? This is never explained.
-It feels like a YA book, or even a middle grade book, honestly. Everything is soooo easy and coincidental. There is sooo much time spent explaining other books. The author pretty much gives away every major plot detail of every other book in this series. I feel like a veteran author would know to be sly and teasing and intriguing when summarizing previous books, to tempt new readers to read them. But no they just literally tell you every detail.
-There is no romance in this romance. Our mcs have pretty much no chemistry. We're TOLD there is chemistry, but shown nothing of it. The sex scenes were awful and cringey, which is not on brand at all for Kresley Cole.
IN CONCLUSION- I don't think Kresley Cole wrote this book. Now i know i sound like a complete lunatic! But i think there is a real possibility that Kresley Cole passed away and left another author to finish her two series. I'm not saying i 100% believe this, and i am more than prepared to eat crow, but i just cannot see another reason for the absolutely horrific nose dive in quality that is this book. And another reason i think supports my theory is we have still not gotten an explanation as to why it took 5 years for this book to come out. I really thought we were going to get one in an authors note, or in the dedication, SOMEWHERE. But no, still nothing. I really hope I'm wrong, but i also hope that Kresley Cole did not write this book.
Here are a few things i thought were weird, or just didn't like, or i thought didn't make sense-
-Feeding the beast rage to get out of being vassaled? Seems way too easy. Same with how he SOMEHOW got the one warlock to make a vow to serve him? How did they get to the sacrificial alter without being stopped? Why would the warlock agree? Why couldn't he have use a different spell on Munro? Like to kill him, or maim him, until he got help? Idk. It just felt way too easy.
-Literally what was the point of Jacob? And for that matter all the people in the circus that we were introduced to? We learn pretty much nothing about any of them, we just get a dozen names thrown our way, and none of them matter, like at all.
-When she's running back to her camp and comes across the viper shifters and just...yells at them to reconsider attacking her...and they do? C'mon! They could have killed her so easily, even with her little knife! She's a puny human for fucks sake!!
-How the fuck did she get her knife back from Munro? It happened way too easily.
-The mystical knife that incapacitates an immortal- she stabs Munro in the chest with it, and it takes a few seconds before it takes effect and he passes out. And then later, she stabs a newling Lykae IN THE HEAD with it, it's jutting out of his temple, and this newling....keeps fighting for a bit...but...if it's in his temple, literally in his brain...wouldn't he just collapse and be unconscious until he was beheaded, or until his body pushed the knife out and healed his BRAIN? Like, i was always under the impression that if you shot an immortal in this world in the head, they would immediately go unconscious...because...even an immortal shouldn't be able to function if their literal brain is compromised. Right? Idk.
-Why does felling a statue = killing a god? Sounds kinda dumb. The statue IS the god? WHY? Why is the gods existence so connected to a statue? It's ridiculous.
-The time in the 1920s doesn't feel like we're in a different time at all. And along with that, the descriptions of the setting are not great, it's very hard to get a really good picture in your head. And Kresley is usually so, so, SO good at painting a picture, but not here.
-I just don't believe that a human could know SO MUCH about the lore, especially in the 1920s. Like she knew the name of the warlocks dimension? How on earth would she know that? It doesn't make any sense to me. AND she speaks demonish? Really? A human? Please.
-The is ALOT of expository dialogue, and it's bad. Horribly intricated, not subtle, ALOT of telling and not showing. And none of the characters we've met before, Nix, Lothaire, Loa, the warlocks, Lachlain, Ellie, Lothaire, i could keep going, none of them sound like themselves. They all speak as if you're reading an Immortals After Dark fan fiction. The dialogue in general is just awful, very cringey and cheesy, and most of all NOT FUNNY, which is not normal AT ALL in a Krelsey Cole book in my opinion. Usually i am loling all the way through her books. It is very unsettling seeing all these beloved characters being warped and distorted from what we previous knew them as.
-Why is there a "Pravus Capital"???? Pravus isn't a place, it's an army, and army of many different factions combined. Wouldn't they just meet on one one the biggest factions home planes? This is never explained.
-It feels like a YA book, or even a middle grade book, honestly. Everything is soooo easy and coincidental. There is sooo much time spent explaining other books. The author pretty much gives away every major plot detail of every other book in this series. I feel like a veteran author would know to be sly and teasing and intriguing when summarizing previous books, to tempt new readers to read them. But no they just literally tell you every detail.
-There is no romance in this romance. Our mcs have pretty much no chemistry. We're TOLD there is chemistry, but shown nothing of it. The sex scenes were awful and cringey, which is not on brand at all for Kresley Cole.
IN CONCLUSION- I don't think Kresley Cole wrote this book. Now i know i sound like a complete lunatic! But i think there is a real possibility that Kresley Cole passed away and left another author to finish her two series. I'm not saying i 100% believe this, and i am more than prepared to eat crow, but i just cannot see another reason for the absolutely horrific nose dive in quality that is this book. And another reason i think supports my theory is we have still not gotten an explanation as to why it took 5 years for this book to come out. I really thought we were going to get one in an authors note, or in the dedication, SOMEWHERE. But no, still nothing. I really hope I'm wrong, but i also hope that Kresley Cole did not write this book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I waited five years for this novel. And it was worth every minute of that wait.
Kresley Cole's Immortals after Dark series--or as those in the community call it, IAD--has long been a (guilty but with less guilt?) pleasure read for me. I began reading the series not long after the release of Kresley Cole's first IAD book and voraciously read every book in the series, and that she had written besides, immediately after I finished that first story. We have gone from small-scale love stories with paranormal fun and the impending Accession hanging over the Lore to massive world-crossing tales in the incipient stages of the Accession and a prospective apocalypse. *Insert Natasha Rothwell gif of “You know what that is? Growth” here*
Munro was no exception. The story goes through time and place and is beautifully written for it. There were quite a few times where I began flailing dramatically because Cole confirmed a small (or massive, no spoilers from me, sorry, babes!) story plot that I knew had to happen based upon breadcrumbs throughout the series, the culmination of which I have been waiting for for almost 17 years. Munro and Ren’s story is at once beautiful and heartbreaking, a battle of wills between a Lykae who has shown exaggerated patience over the course of his long life and a “monster-hunting carnie” whose loyalties are torn. PS, I hope my pure joy at writing the phrase “monster-hunting carnie” at least once in my life shines through right now because I’m 100% certain that I have been waiting my whole life to write it.
There were a few moments of genuine heartbreak in this book that can’t be resolved by immortality or simply better treatment of a mate by one of the (usually male) fated mates. Cole has sprinkled these moments throughout her series, heartwrenching in their brutality, honesty, humanity, and long-term effects, proof that even the legendary Loreans are not immune from the experience of love and loss and trauma. There were a few points in Munro where I had to simply take a breather because the depiction of those moments legitimately hurt. To reveal more would reveal spoilers, of a sort, so…
The worldbuilding in this series is incredible and always has been. Although Munro has been billed as a standalone novel, it builds deeply on the books from before and relies heavily on characters from before that I wholeheartedly adored. We’re moving towards the Accession and apocalypse and, DAMN, if it isn’t a good look for this series to have a big battle brewing in the near future and all of the intrigues happening because of it. We visit the Carpathians (and inside them too, go interpret that little nugget!), we see Desh again (be still my heart!), and my tied-for-first favorite IAD couple make a massively important appearance. What more could an IAD-loving gal ask for? Not much, but Kresley gives more even then. Seriously—we’re in the end game now, babies, and Kresley is giving us everything. It’s wonderful.
TLDR: I waited five years for this book. It was worth every minute. But please, for the love of the collective IAD-loving world, no more five year gaps! That cliffhanger slayed and I need to know everything now!
Kresley Cole's Immortals after Dark series--or as those in the community call it, IAD--has long been a (guilty but with less guilt?) pleasure read for me. I began reading the series not long after the release of Kresley Cole's first IAD book and voraciously read every book in the series, and that she had written besides, immediately after I finished that first story. We have gone from small-scale love stories with paranormal fun and the impending Accession hanging over the Lore to massive world-crossing tales in the incipient stages of the Accession and a prospective apocalypse. *Insert Natasha Rothwell gif of “You know what that is? Growth” here*
Munro was no exception. The story goes through time and place and is beautifully written for it. There were quite a few times where I began flailing dramatically because Cole confirmed a small (or massive, no spoilers from me, sorry, babes!) story plot that I knew had to happen based upon breadcrumbs throughout the series, the culmination of which I have been waiting for for almost 17 years. Munro and Ren’s story is at once beautiful and heartbreaking, a battle of wills between a Lykae who has shown exaggerated patience over the course of his long life and a “monster-hunting carnie” whose loyalties are torn. PS, I hope my pure joy at writing the phrase “monster-hunting carnie” at least once in my life shines through right now because I’m 100% certain that I have been waiting my whole life to write it.
There were a few moments of genuine heartbreak in this book that can’t be resolved by immortality or simply better treatment of a mate by one of the (usually male) fated mates. Cole has sprinkled these moments throughout her series, heartwrenching in their brutality, honesty, humanity, and long-term effects, proof that even the legendary Loreans are not immune from the experience of love and loss and trauma. There were a few points in Munro where I had to simply take a breather because the depiction of those moments legitimately hurt. To reveal more would reveal spoilers, of a sort, so…
The worldbuilding in this series is incredible and always has been. Although Munro has been billed as a standalone novel, it builds deeply on the books from before and relies heavily on characters from before that I wholeheartedly adored. We’re moving towards the Accession and apocalypse and, DAMN, if it isn’t a good look for this series to have a big battle brewing in the near future and all of the intrigues happening because of it. We visit the Carpathians (and inside them too, go interpret that little nugget!), we see Desh again (be still my heart!), and my tied-for-first favorite IAD couple make a massively important appearance. What more could an IAD-loving gal ask for? Not much, but Kresley gives more even then. Seriously—we’re in the end game now, babies, and Kresley is giving us everything. It’s wonderful.
TLDR: I waited five years for this book. It was worth every minute. But please, for the love of the collective IAD-loving world, no more five year gaps! That cliffhanger slayed and I need to know everything now!