Review: Worth the time and money
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 13, 2013
My review is actually of the series. I read about 200 books a year. I have varied tastes. Since 2008, I have been reading mostly urban fantasy. As you can imagine, if you read UF as well, while there are lots of great series out there, once you have read them, it is HARD to find books to keep up with their amazingness. This series IS one of them. It is NOT the best out there, but it is going in the file of:  eagerly anticipate her next book enough to buy it when it is released, regardless of any reviews or even the description.My favorite authors of this genre are:  Devon Monk;  Iliana Andrews; Jim Butcher; Faith Hunter; Vicki Petterson;  Karen Chance and Nicole Peeler, just to name a few. I do NOT give 5 stars lightly.  This series actually would get 4.5 or even 4.75,  rather than 5, because 5 is reserved for AMAZING books that somehow burrow into my memory and stay with me even when they are over.IF I give a book or series MORE than 4 stars, it is because: 1) the characters are real, well thought out, deep and interesting, not just cookie cutter characters, some with unusual traits that may be unexpected;  2) the story-line throughout the series is interesting, somewhat different than every other urban-fantasy out there AND engaging enough to be a real "escape" from life, as well as at least somewhat suspensefull at times;  3) I ALWAYS expect to fall in serious like with the main characters, with a strong heroine who kicks butt as well as an honorable, gorgeous kick butt hero; 4)  NONE of the books have "erotica" (don't get me wrong, I love a good sex scene as much as anyone, BUT, if I wanted to read Penthouse Forum, I would. I just do NOT want to read it when engrossed in a book); 5) I expect to enjoy EACH book in the series enough that I would stay up all night to finish it, if I had that chance, AND I expect to be sad when the book is over; 6) I look forward to feeling anticipation and even fear when reading (are they going to be OK?, how are they getting out of this?, etc.);  7) I expect to be amused at times, surprised at times, thoughtful at times;  8) I expect the story to be well written enough to actively engage my "thinking/figuring out" response if there is any sort of mystery included (who is the villain?, who/what is the hero/heroine? what sort of danger do they face?, etc.) - no easy-peasy, simple story lines will do.; 9) I expect the hero and heroine to be in love, fight against it, then struggle against evil, overcome evil, and the obstacles in their personal path AND get together in the end, having saved if not the world, at least their part of it!Assuming all the above is there, then THAT deserves MORE than 4 stars. THIS series has ALL that. BUT, there is that little "something-something" missing, that will not quite allow me to give it a full 5 stars. It may be because the ending to the last book (and the series) was rather abrupt, I am not sure exactly, but as great as it is - AND it is!! - it is NOT the best. (Devon Monk's Allie Beckstrom series IS an example of a 5 for me)