Review: Elise and James...sigh
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 17, 2013
I love this book.  It is the beginning of a new series, although it starts off where the last series of books left off (descent series). While I believe someone could conceivably start with this book and be just fine, there is so much backstory from the last series that I think the new reader to this series would be missing out on many nuances.  That said, this is an urban fantasy with a phenomenal world and absolutely awesome plot.  Very action packed with flawed characters who make very realistic decisions and actions.  I have not read the other series starring Riley because I really dislike YA genre with the very angsty melodrama stuff. Also, I'm a forty year old who has some difficulty relating to some of the younger characters that perform really stupid acts and decisions. From what I read about Riley in this book, she seems like a good kid.  Elise is young too but her outlook is very mature, perhaps due to the many hardships she has undergone.There is some romance but this is NOT a paranormal romance.  Which, for me, is very surprising because I really only like urban fantasies and PNRs with HEAs.  So far, not so much of that in this series. BUT, these books are so well written with just the right mix of action, suspense and relationship building that I was hooked from the first book about Elise (death's hand) and have been dragged along since then.  Quite an accomplishment.  Because I will immediately purchase the next book when it is out and I read this book in one sitting (even though I wanted to kill both Elise and James because of their dysfunctional relationship), 5 stars from me.  But, Ms. Reine, please give me the HEA...I'm keeping my fingers crossed.