Review: It's Actually Closer to a 4
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 10, 2014
Well, where to go with this review? I liked the book as a whole, it was very well constructed and the writing was perfect for grabbing the reader and drag them into a dark, scary and extremely treacherous world of magic and supernatural beings. Taking Back Sunday was INTENSE! And gritty, with angst and hot, nasty sex, and characters that would not be out of place on Sons of Anarchy. (One of my favorite shows, by the way, so I really appreciate Opie in the teaser pic) Buuuut, not what I would call a romance. So if you are looking for warm fuzzy, or swaying daisy fields.... it ain't here. There were some romantic elements, but they are by no means the focus of the book.I would classify this as a New Adult Urban Fantasy, even though it is thankfully not written in first person. I believe this makes the book exponentially better, and gave me the opportunity to enjoy a book that is rather outside the parameters of my wheelhouse. My favorite thing about Taking Back Sunday, besides the actual story, which was very compelling, was Sunday herself. She was an outstanding lead (no gender assignations here) and after enduring what she has should be broken and suicidal. She's a fighter and she damn well has to be.Then there is Cyrus. Hmmmm, my first impression of Cyrus was "OK, shaggy, psycho shifter who could use a shock collar and a good neutering." He is about as anti-hero as your can get without being smack dab in the middle of dastardly villain territory. (yeah, I'm a fan of labels. And?) He improves enough that I cancelled his vet appointment...... for now. I haven't ruled out estrogen therapy though. He has issues. But, I believe he might be a late bloomer who has a core of, if not goodness, at least decency. It's his feelings for Sunday that set him off (typical male), but he has such a violent reaction to her he attributes it to evil. Like I said, he is a work in progress throughout the book.While this is not my first choice of book to grab for a relaxing weekend read, I can definitely appreciate the talent it has taken to create this world and these very, very unique characters. There are also times when a book of this type fits the bill one hundred percent. In those times, I can think of no better choice than Taking Back Sunday. I will have the second book, Trail of the Dead, ready and waiting for the next stormy night when dark and edgy are just the thing. Well done.