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pondquinn 's review for:
The Last Beginning
by Charlie Nottingham
I was given a copy of this book by the author for review. This review is mostly spoilers.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I didn’t read any summary or reviews, so I didn’t know what to expect going into it.
The prologue does a good job of setting up the mythos behind the story, without giving too much away. I was less than 1% in, before I wanted to cry… just based on the mythos. It was enough intrigue to get me excited about reading the book.
In chapter one, there is an animal death, which usually turns me off, and I have to put the book down. However, it was not senseless. The author utilizes this event to help our protagonists (Laila and Jeremy) meet and let the reader know that more is going on with Jeremy than we would have otherwise assumed. It sets them both up as empathetic and relatable characters. While it is not a meet cute, they do stay up talking and eating junk food all night, which was cute. The author also introduces us to teleportation through casual mention in dialogue, which made me laugh.
While getting to know the characters, we see that Jeremy, and his family, are forced to lie to people in order to stay hidden, which he hates. He especially hates lying to Laila. For some reason, I’m assuming the mythos, he just can’t stay away from her, even though he knows he should. And haven’t we all been there?
The author does a good job of introducing the supernatural/hunter hierarchy, without it dragging on and becoming dry or boring. At one point, Laila tells Jeremy that she “may as well beg [him] to ruin [her] life,” which is just one example of well executed foreshadowing. The author also has a fairly realistic representation of addiction and recovery experiences, even if Jeremy uses it as an excuse at one point. Jeremy is often referred to as sappy, and we see that represented several times throughout the book. Not only does he not want to lie to Laila, he refuses to do things without her consent, with one exception. She gets seriously injured, and he has his sister heal her and wipe it from her memory, which is pretty invasive. He acknowledges this.
In chapter 16, Moe, the owner of the diner where Laila works, is seemingly speaking to someone who is not present. He asks if Jeremy knows what Laila is, and I was intrigued. This section leans into the mythos without saying it outright. (Like calls to like.)
Jeremy points out his privilege as a white man in America, aware of his lack of insight into his sister’s race/ethnicity/sexual orientation. The author acknowledges homophobia and racism without making it a plot point, which I appreciate as a queer person. There is also a nice little jab at the American healthcare system, which I also appreciated.
In chapter 35, we are brought back into the mythos, par amino, as Jeremy’s sister, Leah, tells him that she believes he and Laila are these paired souls that everyone always thought a myth or fairy tale. She believes this, because Jeremy can feel Laila’s pain and see through her eyes when she is being attacked. He and Leah save her again, but they choose not to take away the memory. Laila obviously freaks out when Jeremy and his family try to explain things to her, and she believes Jeremy attacked her. It takes her a some time and open, honest communication to come around. She gets a supernatural DNA test done to find out she is some elite fae with access to all elemental magics, guardian (like Jeremy and his family), and half angel, which is (in my mind and cannon) a bfd. All this time, I’m wondering where Moe is.
Throughout the book, both Laila and Jeremy get the feeling that they have met before. I’m pretty sure they have at this point, but I may have spoiled that for myself from one of the author’s videos.
In chapter 46, Laila’s best friend stabs her through the heart, after Laila tells her she will not stop seeing Jeremy. She technically dies, but Jeremy’s sister, Hannah, keeps her soul in her body to bring her back. Hannah expresses that this needs to remain a secret, and we later learn that necromancy is punishable by some nasty means, so no one, even her family, knows she has powers.
Toward the end of the book, it is obvious that both Laila and Jeremy are looking back at these events from far in the future. Possession is mentioned. The fact that, if they are soulmates, they are likely cursed to die is also mentioned.
In the epilogue, we are sort of introduced to a father and son, who are watching Laila and Jeremy from afar. They have obviously met and mean something to one another, but I’m not sure what. There is a glowing crystal and the determination that Laila and Jeremy have to learn, suffer, and learn.
I will also say that this book has some top-notch spice.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.
TL;DR: Just pick it up. It’s worth the read.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I didn’t read any summary or reviews, so I didn’t know what to expect going into it.
The prologue does a good job of setting up the mythos behind the story, without giving too much away. I was less than 1% in, before I wanted to cry… just based on the mythos. It was enough intrigue to get me excited about reading the book.
In chapter one, there is an animal death, which usually turns me off, and I have to put the book down. However, it was not senseless. The author utilizes this event to help our protagonists (Laila and Jeremy) meet and let the reader know that more is going on with Jeremy than we would have otherwise assumed. It sets them both up as empathetic and relatable characters. While it is not a meet cute, they do stay up talking and eating junk food all night, which was cute. The author also introduces us to teleportation through casual mention in dialogue, which made me laugh.
While getting to know the characters, we see that Jeremy, and his family, are forced to lie to people in order to stay hidden, which he hates. He especially hates lying to Laila. For some reason, I’m assuming the mythos, he just can’t stay away from her, even though he knows he should. And haven’t we all been there?
The author does a good job of introducing the supernatural/hunter hierarchy, without it dragging on and becoming dry or boring. At one point, Laila tells Jeremy that she “may as well beg [him] to ruin [her] life,” which is just one example of well executed foreshadowing. The author also has a fairly realistic representation of addiction and recovery experiences, even if Jeremy uses it as an excuse at one point. Jeremy is often referred to as sappy, and we see that represented several times throughout the book. Not only does he not want to lie to Laila, he refuses to do things without her consent, with one exception. She gets seriously injured, and he has his sister heal her and wipe it from her memory, which is pretty invasive. He acknowledges this.
In chapter 16, Moe, the owner of the diner where Laila works, is seemingly speaking to someone who is not present. He asks if Jeremy knows what Laila is, and I was intrigued. This section leans into the mythos without saying it outright. (Like calls to like.)
Jeremy points out his privilege as a white man in America, aware of his lack of insight into his sister’s race/ethnicity/sexual orientation. The author acknowledges homophobia and racism without making it a plot point, which I appreciate as a queer person. There is also a nice little jab at the American healthcare system, which I also appreciated.
In chapter 35, we are brought back into the mythos, par amino, as Jeremy’s sister, Leah, tells him that she believes he and Laila are these paired souls that everyone always thought a myth or fairy tale. She believes this, because Jeremy can feel Laila’s pain and see through her eyes when she is being attacked. He and Leah save her again, but they choose not to take away the memory. Laila obviously freaks out when Jeremy and his family try to explain things to her, and she believes Jeremy attacked her. It takes her a some time and open, honest communication to come around. She gets a supernatural DNA test done to find out she is some elite fae with access to all elemental magics, guardian (like Jeremy and his family), and half angel, which is (in my mind and cannon) a bfd. All this time, I’m wondering where Moe is.
Throughout the book, both Laila and Jeremy get the feeling that they have met before. I’m pretty sure they have at this point, but I may have spoiled that for myself from one of the author’s videos.
In chapter 46, Laila’s best friend stabs her through the heart, after Laila tells her she will not stop seeing Jeremy. She technically dies, but Jeremy’s sister, Hannah, keeps her soul in her body to bring her back. Hannah expresses that this needs to remain a secret, and we later learn that necromancy is punishable by some nasty means, so no one, even her family, knows she has powers.
Toward the end of the book, it is obvious that both Laila and Jeremy are looking back at these events from far in the future. Possession is mentioned. The fact that, if they are soulmates, they are likely cursed to die is also mentioned.
In the epilogue, we are sort of introduced to a father and son, who are watching Laila and Jeremy from afar. They have obviously met and mean something to one another, but I’m not sure what. There is a glowing crystal and the determination that Laila and Jeremy have to learn, suffer, and learn.
I will also say that this book has some top-notch spice.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.
TL;DR: Just pick it up. It’s worth the read.