A review by caitlinemccann
Lourdes & the Mafia by Aleera Anaya Ceres

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I struggled with this one and how to rate it. So I ended up with a 2.5 since it rates somewhere between "it was ok" and "I liked it." 

I went in expecting to love this book because I had a great time with Queenie & The Krakens and I was so excited to see Lourdes get her own standalone. Lourdes is still a good character that I care about but this book had some pretty big pacing problems for me. It dragged on in places and I found myself putting the book down for long stretches of time. There were pockets of plot or romance development that I really enjoyed but then it would go into a slower phase that would kind of stall it out for me. So it felt like an inconsistent reading experience. 

The spice between Lourdes and her three mates was fantastic and creative. At the same time, I would have appreciated more time watching those relationships build a bit more, or at least a different ratio of time spent than what there was on the page. I still enjoy Aleera Anaya Ceres as a paranormal why choose author and will keep trying more of her stuff--this one was just a miss for me personally. 
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