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inkiereads's review
emotional
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
4.0
So good! This book had a great balance between serious and love. What a great series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
wildatheart1339's review
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Death, and Murder
Minor: Car accident, Medical content, Abandonment, Suicide, Trafficking, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
jennp28's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Some more serious topics here than usually found in an Eden Finley novel but it’s nice to see the Mike Bravo doofuses still being themselves while dealing with some deeper shit. Be sure to read the content warning at the beginning.
Fun shoutout to the Mitchell Brothers thrown in there too!
Fun shoutout to the Mitchell Brothers thrown in there too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, and Medical content
tamke's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.25
CW: This book deals with recovery from domestic violence, sex trafficking/dub-con, torture, mentions of suicide and suicide ideation, and Mike Bravo’s body count increases significantly without hesitation or guilt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
so_many_books's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Disclaimer: I realize now that suspense mixed with trauma and lighthearted fun is not for me. I can't seem to enjoy it that much.
Zeus is the 4th instalment in the Mike Bravo Ops series and all the characters are much loved already. Zeus is paired with a controversial character from the last book, Callie and this book tells their story through a suspenseful race to save Callie from his past.
TW: domestic violence, suicidal ideation, violence
The story in terms of action and pacing is very well done. It is fully packed with action sequences, fight scenes, and reckless missions. We get to see the Mike Bravo team in action, enjoying the thrill and still ribbing each other on the go. The jokes and banter, mixed with the strongly bonded camaraderie between the team turns the usually tense suspense into lighthearted, thrilling storytelling.
My main issue with the story is in the character and relationship development. While both MCs, Zeus and Callie, are promising and loveable characters and have so much potential for emotional bonding and growth, it is actually not that well incorporated in the story. I can see the change between where they started individually and as a pair and where they ended up, but I couldn't see the process through the book.
Suspense is not really my thing, so up until the 80% mark, this book could go either way for me. I actually really liked the last 20% when the actual feelings and character growth was in focus, but it was disproportionate. I would have loved much more of that throughout the other parts of the book.
Zeus is a reckless, immature, fun person with a case of commitment phobia. He doesn't do repeats, he doesn't get attached. He has a reputation of one-and-done hook-ups and does not do responsibility. Throughout the book, we get to glimpse into his life and traumatic experiences that cause the behaviour. While there are mentions of him being bothered by people thinking he is irresponsible and cannot be tasked with important duties, it is not that well described how he comes out of that state and changes how people see him. And how he sees himself.
Callie's story and feelings are darker. He's out of an abusive relationship that forced him to make some very big mistakes, and the effects of that trauma still haunt him and make him make risky decisions to survive the real or imagined danger. It is a big and dark thing inside his head that he needs to heal from. I think the gravity of his headspace was not handled in the best way. Trying to make suspense and overall dark themes more lighthearted only goes so far. I think Callie's healing deserved a more serious note ('cause it was mainly sex with Zeus).
I liked how he grew stronger though (even if it didn't really come through the writing) and how he learned to stand on his own two feet.
The relationship development is mostly implied through the characters' thoughts. They don't spend much time together without it heating up between them, so the feelings are overpowered by the smut. Which is fine, but again, it's not really for me.
Overall, the story is fun and the characters are loveable, but it's very superficial even if it deals with some serious trauma.
Will I ever re-read this book? Probably not.
Will I come back for more in the series? Sure thing. I am obsessed with the Sadenverse and I need to read every book. (There were some subtle hints to the Vegas hockey team in this book. IYKYK.)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review*
Disclaimer: I realize now that suspense mixed with trauma and lighthearted fun is not for me. I can't seem to enjoy it that much.
Zeus is the 4th instalment in the Mike Bravo Ops series and all the characters are much loved already. Zeus is paired with a controversial character from the last book, Callie and this book tells their story through a suspenseful race to save Callie from his past.
TW: domestic violence, suicidal ideation, violence
The story in terms of action and pacing is very well done. It is fully packed with action sequences, fight scenes, and reckless missions. We get to see the Mike Bravo team in action, enjoying the thrill and still ribbing each other on the go. The jokes and banter, mixed with the strongly bonded camaraderie between the team turns the usually tense suspense into lighthearted, thrilling storytelling.
My main issue with the story is in the character and relationship development. While both MCs, Zeus and Callie, are promising and loveable characters and have so much potential for emotional bonding and growth, it is actually not that well incorporated in the story. I can see the change between where they started individually and as a pair and where they ended up, but I couldn't see the process through the book.
Suspense is not really my thing, so up until the 80% mark, this book could go either way for me. I actually really liked the last 20% when the actual feelings and character growth was in focus, but it was disproportionate. I would have loved much more of that throughout the other parts of the book.
Zeus is a reckless, immature, fun person with a case of commitment phobia. He doesn't do repeats, he doesn't get attached. He has a reputation of one-and-done hook-ups and does not do responsibility. Throughout the book, we get to glimpse into his life and traumatic experiences that cause the behaviour. While there are mentions of him being bothered by people thinking he is irresponsible and cannot be tasked with important duties, it is not that well described how he comes out of that state and changes how people see him. And how he sees himself.
Callie's story and feelings are darker. He's out of an abusive relationship that forced him to make some very big mistakes, and the effects of that trauma still haunt him and make him make risky decisions to survive the real or imagined danger. It is a big and dark thing inside his head that he needs to heal from. I think the gravity of his headspace was not handled in the best way. Trying to make suspense and overall dark themes more lighthearted only goes so far. I think Callie's healing deserved a more serious note ('cause it was mainly sex with Zeus).
I liked how he grew stronger though (even if it didn't really come through the writing) and how he learned to stand on his own two feet.
The relationship development is mostly implied through the characters' thoughts. They don't spend much time together without it heating up between them, so the feelings are overpowered by the smut. Which is fine, but again, it's not really for me.
Overall, the story is fun and the characters are loveable, but it's very superficial even if it deals with some serious trauma.
Will I ever re-read this book? Probably not.
Will I come back for more in the series? Sure thing. I am obsessed with the Sadenverse and I need to read every book. (There were some subtle hints to the Vegas hockey team in this book. IYKYK.)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Gun violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Torture
Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
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