A review by leahreadsstuff
The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I enjoy the world of Rockton and Haven’s Rock. The series is not great literature by any means, but it’s entertaining. That said, I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book. Certain plot points rubbed me the wrong way, and there were a few twists that were so obvious that I was annoyed at the characters not seeing them. I knew the answer to the main mystery at least 50 pages before any of the characters did. It was lazy and under thought, and slightly patronizing to the reader. The whole book felt like the middle section of a larger story, and the main mystery was just a setup for bigger plot points in later books. 

At least it was a fast read and the concept was still interesting. However, I miss Kelley Armstrong’s earlier work. The more of her recent books I read, the more disappointed I am. She has a lot of talent as a writer, and I have loved reading her stuff for a long time. What I’ve read in the last year has felt flat, as if she were coasting on prior success with minimal effort. 

As much as I’ve enjoyed this series, I’m not sure I’ll continue reading it. It’s frustrating to keep getting my hopes up for some vintage Armstrong goodness, only to be let down repeatedly.