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adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm really enjoying re-reading this series. This was an easy read with plenty of adventure and gore. There's a bit of a romance storyline, which isn't 100% what I'd normally go for, but it worked. As I've said about others, this series isn't exactly high literature, but it is fun. I'll keep reading for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Murder
Moderate: Torture, Vomit
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
This book starts off great. Anita is on the case of a new murder, a good who-dun-it, but then devolves into 200+ pages of whose d*ck is bigger. Richard verbally sparring with Jean-Claude, Gretchen sparring with Anita, Anita verbally sparring with Marcus followed by actual combat with Alfred, Anita verbally sparring with local cops, more sparring between Richard and Jean-Claude, and on and on and on. When it does get back to the case, the pace picks way up and is all blood and gore until the very last page.
This book is like one of those TV episodes where the on-going plot doesn't really go anywhere but you get to know the characters a whole lot more and realize that they're all quite whiny.
If you want the actual introduction to more characters in Anita's world, read the book. If you don't need all that, skip to the next one.
This book is like one of those TV episodes where the on-going plot doesn't really go anywhere but you get to know the characters a whole lot more and realize that they're all quite whiny.
If you want the actual introduction to more characters in Anita's world, read the book. If you don't need all that, skip to the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Content Warnings: Racism [use of the N-word 3x's], sexism, violence [gun/knives/physical violence], sexual harassment, murder, death, torture, kidnapping, animal death, and fatphobia.
I find it hilarious that my 14-year-old self, when I first read this book, really thought Richard and Anita were couple goals.
So this isn't a spoiler-free review...it's really just all the random thoughts I had while reading this book for the 2nd time after over 15 years.
From the start of their relationship in the last book, they have secrets from each other and don't think to have EXTREMELY important conversations. You're telling me that they've been dating for 6 months and she's never tried to get to know more about what his life as a shifter is like and how that might affect their relationship and future? There was no conversation about why in six months of dating they've never done more than make out a little or whether or not they both wanted kids? These were conversations my, now, husband of almost 12 years [who I met at 21 and married at 23] and I had within the first two weeks of dating. We knew exactly where we stood on physical intimacy, the idea of marriage, and each other's thoughts on starting a family.
Granted Anita, in general, seems to suck at relationships I mean even the supposed friendships she has just seem like people she keeps in her life to constantly one up. Nothing Anita has said about any of her "friends" has led me to believe she actually genuinely cares about any of them. I know that her mom passed away when she was younger but usually there's still someone you find that you want to connect emotionally with or that you do emotionally connect with no matter how hard you try not to...
Rereading this series has me questioning Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard and their perception of the difference between physical attraction and love...because they don't seem to know the difference.
Now the cases in this story had me feeling more invested in this reread. The only points I found myself falling out of the story, and rolling my eyes, was all the relationship stuff.
I find it hilarious that my 14-year-old self, when I first read this book, really thought Richard and Anita were couple goals.
So this isn't a spoiler-free review...it's really just all the random thoughts I had while reading this book for the 2nd time after over 15 years.
From the start of their relationship in the last book, they have secrets from each other and don't think to have EXTREMELY important conversations. You're telling me that they've been dating for 6 months and she's never tried to get to know more about what his life as a shifter is like and how that might affect their relationship and future? There was no conversation about why in six months of dating they've never done more than make out a little or whether or not they both wanted kids? These were conversations my, now, husband of almost 12 years [who I met at 21 and married at 23] and I had within the first two weeks of dating. We knew exactly where we stood on physical intimacy, the idea of marriage, and each other's thoughts on starting a family.
Granted Anita, in general, seems to suck at relationships I mean even the supposed friendships she has just seem like people she keeps in her life to constantly one up. Nothing Anita has said about any of her "friends" has led me to believe she actually genuinely cares about any of them. I know that her mom passed away when she was younger but usually there's still someone you find that you want to connect emotionally with or that you do emotionally connect with no matter how hard you try not to...
Rereading this series has me questioning Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard and their perception of the difference between physical attraction and love...because they don't seem to know the difference.
Now the cases in this story had me feeling more invested in this reread. The only points I found myself falling out of the story, and rolling my eyes, was all the relationship stuff.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Kidnapping