Review: Riveting world building and very good writing
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 4, 2012
As in the first book, the world building is riveting and all the stories were interesting and well written. I noticed though a few mistakes that should have been caught by a proofreader and it's a bit unexpected by this publisher. Here we go:Trust Me by Astrid AmaraBrian is now a hell cop. He is more or less a rookie. His osmotic abilities - he can draw energy from other living creatures and discharge it to heal or maim - are getting out of control, causing unwanted damage to those around him. At first it seems he doesn't want to handle them and he's unwillingness causes trouble with his boyfriend Jay, the hell cop detective who can't stop burning. The problems get worse when Brian is accused of killing a suspect in custody, since the death came through the draining of the suspect's energy.In the previous book Brian was a sunny, naive character, but this time he shows a darker side that I think doesn't depend solely on his uncontrollable abilities. The whole story takes a darker turn, because the mystery under investigation is about a terrible act that makes you feel sorry for the criminals.I liked reading about Jay's feelings toward his family, how he feels isolated because he can't be included either to comfort or be comforted by them. It was also interesting to read how torn he felt for having to be separated from Brian and making him suffer because he risked of being hurt by him. They fear they won't manage to patch up their problems, especially because their abilities keep them apart from anyone else and without each other they face isolation and loneliness.In this story the world building is at its best.Dark Waters by Nicole KimberlingThis time this is my favorite couple, the half-demon professor Michael and hell cop Argent. I loved reading how they tried to reconcile their differences or how they decided to avoid or embark on arguments.Invited by one of his students, Michael goes to a sort of trailer park to research a faun ceremony, and Argent goes with him on vacation. There's a feud going on between the fauns and the mermaids and murder happens. In order to allow Michael to interact with the fauns more freely, Argent doesn't reveal he is a cop and he does a bit of investigation on his own, also because the ceremony seems to hide a shady and dangerous ritual.Since Michael is a demon himself and works in an organization devoted to bring peace between humans and demons, he often disagrees with the hell cops' methods. He would also like for Argent to drop his shields when they're together, to allow Michael's telepathy to know his lover better. Even if they often fight, it's clear that what they feel for each other is deep and humor often defuses the tenser arguments.It was really a pleasure to read.Such Heights by Ginn HaleThis was for me the best case of the three. James is a young human photographer and Moran is his hell cop lover. When we meet them, they're relationship seems rocky. Moran is afraid that James will get seriously hurt while working one of his cases, because his natural curiosity puts him in a lot of danger. James knows that Moran is protective because in his past he lost someone he loved, but he wants the older man to understand that they both have dangerous professions and James just wants to do his job.After one of their fights and after being given a sort of ultimatum, James reaches a suspended palace where phoenixes live in order to film a documentary, but he doesn't tell Moran. James witnesses the fall of a guest from the palace, a fall denied by the palace owner and his security guards, but the man falls to the ground and Moran is the designated detective. While James stirs all kind of trouble trying to find out what's going on, Moran reaches the palace undercover and when the estranged lovers meet, they have to investigate together one more time.There are a few misunderstandings between James and Moran, but it takes a while for them to realize that they're expressing the same concern for each other. I liked reading how they reached their compromises and how both their disagreements and their reconciliation were expressions of the deep love they feel. The age gap theme so prominent in the previous book was not explored here, even if James has the enthusiasm of a young man trying to pursue his career of choice, unheeding the perils of it, and Moran has the maturity of the older man who knows how to retreat and how to advance and what the priorities in life are.Very good collection. I recommend reading the previousHell Copfirst in order to enjoy both the world building and the different stories better.