A review by _chrstnlvly
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

You have never been unlovable. You were just waiting for someone who will love you for who you are, not for who they want you to be. I can do that, if you’ll let me.

Although the writing is not groundbreaking, it was a very enjoyable read. Butcher & Blackbird is often compared to The Mindf*ck Series, but aside from the common theme of killing bad people, it is quite different from TMS. One major difference is that the emotions evoked by TMS did not elicit the same feelings in me while reading Butcher & Blackbird.

Secondly, the main characters (MCs) in TMS were much smarter than Rowan & Sloane.
It's difficult to believe that Sloane could be trapped in a cage for 3 days with the key right beside her. She also made the mistake of making Rowan take care of a person they knew little about, only to later discover that he was a serial killer (Rowan was also dumb for letting Sloane push him into taking care of David). Additionally, Sloane was stupid enough to be dragged by another serial killer, resulting in a severely damaged shoulder.
Rowan & Sloane's actions come across as a bit dumb, to be honest. Considering their occupation of hunting and killing serial killers, one would expect them to be smarter and more cautious than their targets, but apparently not.

If you enjoyed reading TMS, you might (keyword: might) enjoy B&B. I'm only saying this because some suggest that you will definitely enjoy B&B if you love TMS. However, don't expect them to be the same on many levels because they are not. B&B is a beauty on its own, so it would be better for people to start enjoying it independently, rather than constantly comparing and likening it to other books.

That being said, Rowan is your beloved Golden Retriever boy. I couldn't help but smile and kick my feet because of the things he says and does for Sloane. As for the smut scenes, they were... okay, I suppose. I found myself skimming over the chapters that contained such scenes because the dirty talk made me cringe a bit.

It was instalove, but it didn't bother me that much because their romantic relationship did not develop until years later. The angst of the main characters was okay, although a bit lacking for serial killers.

Overall, I enjoyed it. It was a quick and enjoyable read.
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