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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
Excellent.
But if you have addiction issues, i strongly advise caution with this book. Addiction is compellingly depicted by this very skilled writer.
In fact, if you want to get a feel for what addiction is like, ... I’ve actually cannot recall reading it done so well before.
But if you have addiction issues, i strongly advise caution with this book. Addiction is compellingly depicted by this very skilled writer.
In fact, if you want to get a feel for what addiction is like, ... I’ve actually cannot recall reading it done so well before.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think all of the romance I've been reading (with their HEA policy) has officially spoiled my love for a good old angst-y book. Don't get me wrong, I still loved "Cash Plays" but boy, was it frustrating. I literally devoured it, mainly because I wanted the painful bits of it to be over and done with, but also because the new case (or cases) at the core of this third book is so interesting and well-done, that I HAD to see what would happen.
I had already read the blurb of the fourth book, so I knew what I was going to have to deal with but ugh, it was still a lot to handle. And I kind of suspect that the next book will be as painful and heartwrenching.
Since all of Dominic and Levi's interactions in the book are coloured by Dominic's addiction plaguing him again, I actually prefered seeing them separeted. Levi was kind of fabulous here: dangerous and angry and slowly losing control, but also the same ruthless and single-minded badass we all love. Dominic's behavior was slightly more difficult to swallow this time around and I know it's all connected to his gambling but it was so painful to see him being mean and manipulative and ugh, I just want my sunny and charming bounty hunter to be back.
I'm going to start reading the fourth book right away because I really cannot handle how this book ended (AND THAT ENDING *screams*). Wish me luck.
I had already read the blurb of the fourth book, so I knew what I was going to have to deal with but ugh, it was still a lot to handle. And I kind of suspect that the next book will be as painful and heartwrenching.
Since all of Dominic and Levi's interactions in the book are coloured by Dominic's addiction plaguing him again, I actually prefered seeing them separeted. Levi was kind of fabulous here: dangerous and angry and slowly losing control, but also the same ruthless and single-minded badass we all love. Dominic's behavior was slightly more difficult to swallow this time around and I know it's all connected to his gambling but it was so painful to see him being mean and manipulative and ugh, I just want my sunny and charming bounty hunter to be back.
I'm going to start reading the fourth book right away because I really cannot handle how this book ended (AND THAT ENDING *screams*). Wish me luck.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry
This one’s a little harder to take
This third book in the Seven of Spades series is a bit harder to take. Dominic gives in to his gambling addiction and spirals out of control. Levi is having issues with his anger and Dominic isn’t there for him. Dominic refuses to confide in Levi for fear he’ll leave him. We all know how these plots work out.
I don’t know if I’m just an intolerant person or if I expect my MCs not to have feet of clay or what but I had zero patience with Dominic and it interfered with my ability to read and enjoy the book. Maybe I just don’t want to read about addiction or people losing control, which is on me, but as I look back on the book the only character who didn’t irritate me was Seven of Spades!
The storyline for this one also isn’t as captivating...kind of ties in with my attitude about SOS...I didn’t really care that a bunch of criminals were killing each other. I did enjoy the socially enlightened mob boss!
The ending is a downer but the final scene is great and definitely is sucking me right into starting book four immediately.
This third book in the Seven of Spades series is a bit harder to take. Dominic gives in to his gambling addiction and spirals out of control. Levi is having issues with his anger and Dominic isn’t there for him. Dominic refuses to confide in Levi for fear he’ll leave him. We all know how these plots work out.
I don’t know if I’m just an intolerant person or if I expect my MCs not to have feet of clay or what but I had zero patience with Dominic and it interfered with my ability to read and enjoy the book. Maybe I just don’t want to read about addiction or people losing control, which is on me, but as I look back on the book the only character who didn’t irritate me was Seven of Spades!
The storyline for this one also isn’t as captivating...kind of ties in with my attitude about SOS...I didn’t really care that a bunch of criminals were killing each other. I did enjoy the socially enlightened mob boss!
The ending is a downer but the final scene is great and definitely is sucking me right into starting book four immediately.
Oh my goddddddd. That ending!! And the plot thickens because they were able to get into Dominic’s Home!!
Cash Plays takes place three months after Trick Roller and opens with Levi and Dominic on a kind of vacation and seeming blissfully in love. When they come back into town, it’s to FBI being involved in the Seven of Spades case and Dominic getting drawn into a case that poses new triggers for his gambling addiction.
I absolutely love and adore the mystery and am literally waiting with bated breath for the reveal because I cannot figure it out!! But sometimes the romantic aspect of this just feels...less organic maybe? Sometimes I see it and feel it, but overall it’s very take it or leave it for me. I love Levi and Dominic as individuals characters but I don’t know if their romance really makes them better people...
I’m super sad and heartsick with the direction things are taking with Dominic and wish he had spoken up sooner about his relapse. His feelings of self-recrimination and guilt are especially gut wrenching and potentially relatable/triggering to anyone who has relapsed and gone back to bad habits. Watching him spiral was painful on so many levels, and I wish things didn’t have to go down that way.
Levi is definitely growing throughout this series tho! He’s realizing that his anger is becoming more of a problem and is starting to consume him. It’s painful watching him hurt over the actions he’s taking, but I do love how who he is and who he is becoming is tied so much with the Seven of Spades. Their interactions really raise my interest and curiosity.
Overall, this is a great addition to the series and keeps raising the stakes and questions. That ending was INTENSE and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
Content notes:
♠️ MC is compulsive gambler in recovery; confronted with triggers
♠️ reference to past assault, possibly motivated in anti-gay hate because outside gay bar
♠️ dead bodies
♠️ murder
♠️ alcohol consumption
♠️ toxic masculinity
♠️ on page sex
♠️ toxic relationship, emotional manipulation
♠️ physical abuse, abusive cycle
♠️ gang violence
♠️ gang of white supremacists, nazis
♠️ casual ableism
♠️ recovering gambler finds himself in underground casino
♠️ homomisia
♠️ relapse re: addiction, self recriminations and negative thinking, seeing self as weak
♠️ graphic descriptions of mutilated bodies
♠️ purposely picking at romantic partner’s soft spots for specific response - lying, manipulation
♠️ anti-Black racism
♠️ fire
♠️ anti-semitism
♠️ gun violence
Cash Plays takes place three months after Trick Roller and opens with Levi and Dominic on a kind of vacation and seeming blissfully in love. When they come back into town, it’s to FBI being involved in the Seven of Spades case and Dominic getting drawn into a case that poses new triggers for his gambling addiction.
I absolutely love and adore the mystery and am literally waiting with bated breath for the reveal because I cannot figure it out!! But sometimes the romantic aspect of this just feels...less organic maybe? Sometimes I see it and feel it, but overall it’s very take it or leave it for me. I love Levi and Dominic as individuals characters but I don’t know if their romance really makes them better people...
I’m super sad and heartsick with the direction things are taking with Dominic and wish he had spoken up sooner about his relapse. His feelings of self-recrimination and guilt are especially gut wrenching and potentially relatable/triggering to anyone who has relapsed and gone back to bad habits. Watching him spiral was painful on so many levels, and I wish things didn’t have to go down that way.
Levi is definitely growing throughout this series tho! He’s realizing that his anger is becoming more of a problem and is starting to consume him. It’s painful watching him hurt over the actions he’s taking, but I do love how who he is and who he is becoming is tied so much with the Seven of Spades. Their interactions really raise my interest and curiosity.
Overall, this is a great addition to the series and keeps raising the stakes and questions. That ending was INTENSE and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
Content notes:
♠️ MC is compulsive gambler in recovery; confronted with triggers
♠️ reference to past assault, possibly motivated in anti-gay hate because outside gay bar
♠️ dead bodies
♠️ murder
♠️ alcohol consumption
♠️ toxic masculinity
♠️ on page sex
♠️ toxic relationship, emotional manipulation
♠️ physical abuse, abusive cycle
♠️ gang violence
♠️ gang of white supremacists, nazis
♠️ casual ableism
♠️ recovering gambler finds himself in underground casino
♠️ homomisia
♠️ relapse re: addiction, self recriminations and negative thinking, seeing self as weak
♠️ graphic descriptions of mutilated bodies
♠️ purposely picking at romantic partner’s soft spots for specific response - lying, manipulation
♠️ anti-Black racism
♠️ fire
♠️ anti-semitism
♠️ gun violence
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Child abuse, Islamophobia, Trafficking
Not only is this a really good mystery (I have probably guessed everyone to be Seven of Spades at this point) but it’s also one of my favourite romances. Dom and Levi have hit a bit of a rocky patch, which was kind of inevitable, but I really appreciate the groundwork that was done in the previous books to get to this point. It’s also refreshing that Kingsbridge didn’t go down the wandering eye route that so many series romances seem to do.
This one was hard to read, but when everything hits the fan, I flew through the last few chapters - and slammed to a stop on the last lines.
I envy future readers for whom #4 is already available. Not that this is a cliffhanger. It is not, any more than having an ongoing serial killer case makes it, anyway. No. I just NEED the next BOOK!
I envy future readers for whom #4 is already available. Not that this is a cliffhanger. It is not, any more than having an ongoing serial killer case makes it, anyway. No. I just NEED the next BOOK!
Boy that was dark and frustrating and really good. I love this series. I still have no idea who SOS is, I have a guess but I don't really believe I'm right. I was a bit worried when a certain Agent was introduced and the reaction he garnered. But what I feared didn't happen...yet. It was tough to read the downward spirals but I suppose that's realistic. Make no mistake, both are on a spiral though Levi seems to be trying to take steps to end his. I need the next book now please.