The Water Witch (Fairwick Chronicles #2) – Juliet Dark

Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: February 12th 2013 by Ballantine Books
Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis:

After casting out a dark spirit, Callie McFay, a professor of gothic literature, has at last restored a semblance of calm to her rambling Victorian house. But in the nearby thicket of the Honeysuckle Forest, and in the currents of the rushing Undine River, more trouble is stirring. . . .

The enchanted town of Fairwick’s dazzling mix of mythical creatures has come under siege from the Grove: a sinister group of witches determined to banish the fey back to their ancestral land. With factions turning on one another, all are cruelly forced to take sides. Callie’s grandmother, a prominent Grove member, demands her granddaughter’s compliance, but half-witch/half-fey Callie can hardly betray her friends and colleagues at the college.

To stave off disaster, Callie enlists Duncan Laird, an alluring seductive academic who cultivates her vast magical potential, but to what end? Deeply conflicted, Callie struggles to save her beloved Fairwick, dangerously pushing her extraordinary powers to the limit—risking all, even the needs of her own passionate heart.

Review:

I quite enjoyed Demon Lover, the first in the series so I expected to like The Water Witch just as much. Unfortunately, some elements in the novel prevented me from immersing myself into the world as fully as I wanted to and this in turn affected my enjoyment of it.

I think there were too many things occurring in the novel and not enough attention given to all of them. There are a lot more supernatural beings added to the mix, the Nordic (I think) handyman gets badly hurt and is stuck somewhere in the ever after, Callie gets dangerously addicted to a faery drug (or not, I wasn’t quite sure), there is another supremely hot male who has ambivalent plans for Callie, Callie’s grandmother waltzes into town, there are Elves who call themselves Seraphim and oh, Liam makes another appearance in the form of someone I won’t tell you who and there’s a handyman called Bill (I am not making this up).

For all the events populating the plot, the story itself seems to lack tension. It’s not gripping and I found it difficult to find myself caring. Even though the odds are high, the door to faery could close, Callie assures the reader she has it under control when that is the last thing she does. I wished the author had chosen one thing out of all the things happening and worked to develop it as much as was possible before introducing something else.

The ending is just too simplistic and not in a good way. I didn’t like the ending and I didn’t like the way the romance angle played out. It seemed a bit too cliché. I don’t know, you guys, the book wasn’t for me. I may still read the third one because I am curious but I certainly didn’t think much of the sequel to the Demon Lover – especially when I think about what the demon lover ended up as.

The Demon Catchers of Milan – Kat Beyer (review)

Hardcover, 288 pages
Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by EgmontUSA
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

Mia’s ordinary life is disrupted in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon–and only saved by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins Emilio and Giuliano say the only way to keep her safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever, in this stunningly well-written novel about an American girl who, fleeing an ancient evil, finds her only salvation in her ancestral home.

Review:

I started reading this novel hoping that it wouldn’t be too terrible and I finished it hoping that it wouldn’t end. I mean, you guys, this one wasn’t even on my radar. This is a 2012 debut novel that should be on everyone’s radar because it is just that good. Okay, so excuse me not so coherent review. It’s 1:03 am and it’s Ramadan (not that I’m using that as an excuse, okay maybe I am.)

Let me begin again.

The Demon Catchers of Milan is a breath of fresh air on the flailing paranormal YA genre. Beyer manages to create a world in which demons are not beautiful creatures who sparkle and tempt with their beauty but are inhuman, scary creatures that evoke primal fear in human beings. If you are into being scared, The Exorcist style, this is the book for you. In fact, in one of the first scenes, we totally have the famous Exorcist scene. And it is CREEPY! Heart racing, eyes wide, breath fast scary! Not something that is dressed up as scary but not really scary but as in I mean business scary.

Mia is a great protagonist but more than that, she has a relatable narrative voice and tone that a reader can’t help but empathize with. This book actually pays attention to the language barrier and Mia’s gradual learning of the language is detailed just enough that it feels real and logical. And yes, Mia does have some issues where her looks are concerned but this does not become a consuming issue and is addressed and resolved later in the book. Also, the pacing is a bit slow in the middle but it doesn’t detract majorly from the narrative so I am not going to complain too much about it.

What I really loved about this novel is how the paranormal is approached. It is an unknown entity, these demons and their possessions, it is innately evil and Beyer does not try to explain that and make it more palatable in the form of pretty demon boys. Whatever is gunning for Mia is an evil ugly being and it remains so. I also loved the emphasis on family in this novel. Usually the main character is pretty much isolated in her observations and her actions but in this novel, family is a big part of the proceedings. They are there and they are important – each relative is important and this works to create a cohesive narrative.

Also, the whole focus on food? I approve so damned much. Then there’s the romance – or the lack of it. I’m sure it will follow in the next couple of books but I liked how in this book, there is a glimpse of it, there is a potential of it and there is a promise of it but there’s no heavy romance where there are soul mates and leave me never and love you forever bits that actually always leave me feeling a bit nauseated.  The novel is an exploration of Mia’s growth from the timorous ungainly girl she is at the beginning to the confident beautiful woman she is at the end. I love how assertive the ending is and I simply cannot wait to read the next one in the series. Strongly recommended.

Kindling the Moon (Arcadia Bell #1) – June Bennett

Mass Market Paperback, 358 pages
Published June 28th 2011 by Pocket
Source: Library

Synopsis:

Meet Arcadia Bell: bartender, renegade magician, fugitive from the law. . . .

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.

But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.

Review:

There are several good reasons to read Kindling the Moon and the most important one of them is the likable nature of the protagonist. Arcadia Bell is, well, not a perfect but a very good example of a balance of confidence, vulnerability mixed with stubbornness and some other faults that keep her human. She is very easy to like and empathize with. In fact, apart from her not so normal magical powers, she may as well be someone you know. Another good reason, and a surprise at that, is the relative normalcy of the romance aspect of the novel. You kinda expect something swoony in UF where the romantic hero is concerned. It’s practically a written rule by now. Bennett takes a bit of a different approach, however, by juxtaposing the swooniness with something very normal. The love interest is quite a bit older than the protagonist and he’s a single father – he’s also not human. Okay, we’ve seen both of these things in love interests in various other UF but that’s usually when the love interest is a vampire and that age issue is somehow not addressed except in quaint and faint ways that never really get to the point of it. In Kindling the Moon, there is an understanding of the age gap and it is addressed, not exhaustively but enough (excuse me while I go kill the dog next door, ugh, it won’t stop barking) (okay I’m back).

I also really liked Lon’s kid who gets more page time than I would have thought and gives a far more accurate representation of his age group than I would have expected. My point is, Bennett’s characters are well developed and their relationships with each other are dynamic and work to progress the story in an interesting manner. Oh and the sexytimes? Are sexy as hell so rawr. However, I must point out that the synopsis is misleading when it says that Lon has an expertise in sexual spells – he doesn’t. I only mention it because the synopsis tries to make the novel seem a lot edgier than it really is. It is edgy, gritty but at the same time, it has a completely different feel to it than say Karen Chance’s Cassie Palmer series. The difference evolves from the presence of Lon and his son and it is, in no way, a bad thing. I liked the novel precisely because it brought something different to the table.

Also, there was no love triangle. Yes, no love triangle. I may have heard angels singing. Hah. Anyway, moving on to the plot. I thought it was pretty gripping and for once, I was not able to predict how it would play out ultimately. Well. Okay, I did have some predictions but they were wrong and I was flummoxed at the end when things came to light. I’m not sure how I felt or how I was supposed to feel. To be totally honest. While the world building was good, it could have been better and I feel that the author could have prepared us for the conclusion a bit more than she does. However, when all is said and done, I did enjoy this novel and I do recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new and engaging UF series. One that does not (as yet) have werewolves, fairies or even vampires. Magicians and demons ftw!

Never Knew Another (Dogsland Trilogy #1) – J. M. McDermott

Paperback, 232 pages
Published January 18th 2011 by Night Shade Books
Source: Library

Synopsis:

Fugitive Rachel Nolander is a newcomer to the city of Dogsland, where the rich throw parties and the poor just do whatever they can to scrape by. Supported by her brother Djoss, she hides out in their squalid apartment, living in fear that someday, someone will find out that she is the child of a demon. Corporal Jona Lord Joni is a demon’s child too, but instead of living in fear, he keeps his secret and goes about his life as a cocky, self-assured man of the law.

Review:

A description of this book described it as literary fiction about werewolves and that alone determined its presence on my to read list. Reading it was an interesting affair and I dare say I would have liked it a lot better were it not for one major thing which I’ll get it soon.

The novel has a frame narrative and an unreliable narrator – not in the traditional sense of the term but more so because the active portion of the narrative, the story, is being narrated by someone who is accessing the memories of a person through his, um, skull. It happens. There is a deliberate distance cultivated between the readers and the two narrating (and actively present, as in not within the memories of) the story. While this makes the non-human nature of the were-wolves doing their duties much more apparent, it is also a deterrent where attachment to the protagonists is concerned. It always feels as though you are looking at the world through not very clean windows is what I’m saying.

That said, the gravitas, the tone and the progression of the narrative is very interesting when compared to popular werewolf novels. There is no “reader service” descriptions about the physical attributes of the male werewolf, no extended monologue about the feelings they have for each other. There is the emphasis on the pack or rather the lack of one but mostly, the novel is very different and as such, very refreshing. It won’t appeal to everyone but I liked it because of its strangeness. The distance was necessary maybe to create set the novel apart from the rest of its brethren in the popular genre but the world building, the plot, these are all engaging enough to provide an entertaining hour. Or two.

A Perfect Blood – Kim Harrison

Hardcover, 438 pages
Published February 21st 2012 by Harper Voyager
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth–a would-be creator is determined to make his (or her) own demons. But it can’t be done without Rachel’s blood, in this latest blockbuster by a “New York Times”-bestselling author.

Review:

Another rollercoaster ride but one that I did not love as much as the one before it. That one was kinda awesome so I am not surprised that A Perfect Blood shone a bit dimmer in the face of its brilliance. Also it might be because I read both within a space of twelve hours and my mind was reaching oversaturated levels in Brimstone (jnsiders will get this). Anyway, at the end of the last book, Rachel’s demon-ness was established and her absolute lack of rights in the human world was also alluded to. This novel elaborates on the premise laid down in the previous novel by showing how exactly circumstances have changed for Rachel especially with regard to the way she is treated by human and supernatural alike.

The humans, who have not really been key players in this series, come to the surface in the novel and complicate things a whole lot, showing that things are a lot more complex than Rachel and in extension, we the readers may have realized. It also reworks the supposed hierarchy which features the supernaturals at the top of the food chain. It also exposes some of the uglier aspects of human nature and I was very ready to become a witch by the end of the novel. Rachel’s growth in the novel was frustrating and there were moments when I wanted to scream at her for her stupidity and her thick headedness and her stubborn need to learn every lesson the hard way.

But she does learn those necessary lessons and if she has scars to prove that she did, well, it’s her fault. What’s more interesting is the way Trent is developed in this novel. I really enjoyed seeing him in a way different than what we had been shown previously. Since Pale Demon, his character has been slowly unraveling to reveal someone more approachable, more…human for lack of a better word and someone who is, again, more complex than we had been shown. And his relationship with Rachel becomes a lot more interesting though she is still mooning over her bodyguard’s butt who is also making her offers of unattached sexytimes. I don’t know. If Harrison goes down that road, I am going to very disappointed. Hm. I enjoyed this book, there were glimmers of Al as a more substantial character and more hints about the conclusion of the novel. The next three books in the series promise to be really, really good and I can’t wait to read them.

Pale Demon – Kim Harrison

Hardcover, 432 pages
Published February 22nd 2011 by Eos
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passenger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

Review:

Oh what a fabulous read. Dear Writers of Young Adult Trilogies/Series, please take notes. THIS is how you write an installment in a series/trilogy. So I took an unplanned year off reading The Hollows series. I don’t know why I didn’t. I think I just got distracted reading too many other books to give attention to what remains after 10 books my favourite urban series ever. Kim Harrison’s YA series? Does not hold a handle to her adult series. I’ve been waiting for this novel ever since I found out that Rachel and Trent were going on a road trip together. Of course I didn’t realize that there would be so many other passengers in the car along with them but I didn’t really mind in the end.

I’ve compared reading The Hollows novels to riding rollercoasters and Pale Demon was no exception. There are car chases, assassin Elves, creepy day-walking demons, kidnapping pixies and Jenks, who remains my 4 inched hero. His curses remain awesome (Tink’s a Disney whore the most common of them yet) and he makes up for what he lacks in size (being a pixie) with his presence and contribution to the novel as well as his enduring relationship to Rachel and Ivy. There are some awesome moments between Ivy and Rachel that were a long time coming and I am glad that they finally talked about it and things happened. I think this book gives the first hint that the series is reaching its conclusion (and it will be a very sad day when I read the last book).

There are also those heartbreaking moments where your heart wants to fold into itself – when Rachel realizes she has been betrayed albeit unintentionally and the sheer stupidity of the Council will make you want to aim some arrows a la Katniss. However, what I most want to talk about is Trent and his, dare I say, non-relationship with Rachel. I have had my suspicions that Harrison would go this route for the longest time and in this book, I get the first inkling that my suspicions may have been founded. Trent is as flawed as they come but that is okay because Rachel probably wouldn’t fit perfect even if it was custom made for her. The sexual tension has been between them since the first book but this is the first time there was something more involved. I am still cautious about it though I hope that Harrison takes it forward to its natural conclusion. Rachel’s romantic entanglements have never been the focus of the novels and I liked how neatly it was woven into the narrative this time around too. And that kiss. Swoon city, you own me.

Also the ending was ace too. I love it when books in a series are still standalone books that can be read and enjoyed. Some YA authors should be taking notes about how to end an installment in a series too. If you leave a reader satisfied, she is more like to come back and read the second book. Cliffhangers do nothing but frustrate and aggravate.

Pale Demon is, I believe, my favourite out of the series so far. So, so, sooo good.

Reign Fall – Michelle Rowen (Demon Princess #3)

Published January 2012
Source: Author

Synopsis:

Prophesies, demon slayers, dragons, homework… It’s going to be a hell of a week!

It’s been a dangerous ride for Nikki Donovan since she first learned she’s a demon princess. And the ride isn’t over yet!

She’s just found out that her best friend is a demon slayer in training, one who doesn’t know that Nikki is exactly the prey she’s sworn to hunt. Nikki’s demon king father has signed her up for lessons in how to master her erratic half-demon powers, and that’s on top of her regular homework! Also, she’s torn between two boys—Rhys, the faery king she’s prophesied to marry, and Michael, a Shadow whom she’s forbidden to love.

To top it all off, a dark force is haunting Nikki, something mysterious and evil that wants the demon princess dead…but who — or what — is it?

Review:

The third book in the Demon Princess series definitely does not disappoint. Book 1 was okay, Book 2 was good but Book 3 won me over. I realize that the publishing house dropped the series so Ms. Rowen, listening to the enraged (and desperate) cries of her fans, went ahead and self-published this book and you know what? It rocks. It seriously rocks. There are so many things I liked about it so get comfortable as I recount them.

1. Nikki continues to grow as a character and I totally appreciate that. She didn’t start off as someone I could like very much but as the series continues, she comes into her own and you can actually map her growth by her responses to certain events. In fact, the major players in the series all seem to be evolving and I really, really like that. I like how faery prince seems to be changing just as much as I like how the Shadow is becoming something (or someone?) different. It’s fascinating.

2. The honesty. You know how sometimes you read books and you figure out everything before the characters know it (dramatic irony?) not because it is a secret or something but because they refuse to put it out there (maybe to create tension or suspense, I dunno) but in The Demon Series, people just tell each other stuff and I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. Even the stuff that is not easy to tell. For example, Nikki and her Shadow “boyfriend” (that is in quotes because there seems to be an ambiguity about their relationship). They tell each other stuff that I wouldn’t tell my boyfriend, like you, she actually liked kissing Faery Prince (not that I blame her, I mean, the dude is totally hot). And he returns the honesty. It’s something refreshing and this earns lots of points with me.

3. The friendship. Okay, so you’re a demon (well half, but whose measuring?) and your best friend is a demon slayer. You see how that could get awkward? Yeah but Rowen manages to avoid melodrama and keep it fresh and funny between the girls. I liked the lack of pathos and once again, honesty.

4. Girl Power. There is no damsel in distress trope going on here. Nikki saves herself. More than once. And does it brilliantly.

If you are in the mood for fluff, hot boys and kick ass heroines, give this series a go. You will laugh, swoon and sometimes roll your eyes. It’s good as ice cream.

Forsaken – Jana Oliver (Review)

Paperback, UK Edition, 448 pages
Published February 7th 2011 by MacMillan Children’s Books
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

 

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps.  The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

 

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood.  And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

Review:

Another YA debut that I suppose is not a debut in the strictest sense of the word. It’s more of a debut into the genre. Anyway, those details aside, I felt that Forsaken read more as an urban fantasy than a YA novel. Some of the tropes that are normally employed in YA (though, I suppose to colour them strictly YA would be inaccurate) are present in the book but at the same time, I felt that the maturity level was distinctly at a higher level than the usual YA. Not that that’s a bad thing or anything. It’s just an observation.

Riley has a difficult time of it. The whole sequence leading up to her father’s death is quite poignant and I felt that the author successfully portrayed the various feelings that must accompany such a tragedy. I also quite liked the whole world building. It felt solid and when the foundation is solid, everything else feels like its going on the right track. The reason I couldn’t completely enjoy this is because for some reason I was entirely ambivalent to Riley. I understood her motivations and even empathized with them to a fair extent, I just couldn’t connect with her on an intrinsic level, you know, the level where you actually care about what happens to a character.

And I don’t think this is the author’s fault. It’s just sometimes as a reader, you are simply unable to make a connection with the protagonist… Anyway, that aside, I didn’t like how the triangle (obscure and unrealized though it is) is veering fast towards the noble sacrifice (and in fact, that’s what happens in the end, huh?) and… the ambivalence about the main character bled into ambivalence about the official love interest though I was very interested in the unofficial one. I will read the next in the series simply because of him.

I don’t know, guys. I usually don’t have a problem like this about books. I either like it or dislike it. But this one I am totally neutral about. The world building, the plotting and pacing, they are all solid. The writing flows well. The characters… well. I guess they would be my problem alone sine they’re not explicitly offensive or anything like that at all. Make up your own mind since I obviously can’t make a decision whether to recommend it or not. Heh.

Reign Check (Demon Princess #2) – Michelle Rowan

Synopsis:

Nikki Donovan, Demon Princess, is back–and stuck in a love triangle that’s straight out of hell!

Fresh from finding out that she is a demon princess, fighting her aunt for her life, and rescuing her father from being poisoned, Nikki Donovan is looking forward to getting back to her regular high school life. But when Rhys, the handsome king of the faery realm, decides to show up at her school as a “foreign exchange student,” Nikki knows this won’t be possible. Couple with this a whole host of other problems: there’s a new prophecy that claims she will destroy everyone. Her conflicted feelings for Rhys and her boyfriend, Michael, are getting in the way of their relationship. Her best friend Melinda just might be a demon-slayer-in-training, and her old crush Chris might know of her demon side. Throw in a field trip to none other than Hell itself … and Nikki’s going to be hoping for a rain check on more than just her homework!

Review:

If you remember, I was not too pleased with the first installment in this series but babycakes, it’s all about the sequels because I totally loved this one. Often (in particular with Richelle Mead) I find that authors usually hit their stride in the second novel in a series because by that time they are done building the world in which their story is set to occur. This means that they can focus more on the plot details rather than structure and situating the mythos. Am I making sense so far? Yeah? Good.

Anyway, as I proclaimed, I totally enjoyed this novel. It has all the elements necessary to make a girl happy. Two hot guys, well, three hot guys but one of them is deranged so we don’t count them. Wacky characters, fortune tellers and hm… a subtle undercurrent of danger. Not danger that is made explicit right away but a foreshadowing that sends shivers skittering up your spine – and that’s totally meant to sound enticing. If it doesn’t, it’s because I have had about 8 hours of sleep in two days combined.

While this book is satisfying on so many levels, what makes it successful is the fact that it leaves the reader questioning – thirsting for more. Interested and intrigued. Yeah, you get the idea.

So what’s going to happen next to our favourite Demon Princess? I don’t know. But let me tell you, I sort of can’t wait to find out.

Series Spotlight + Review: Fever – Karen Marie Moning

Urban Fantasy Series. Dealing with Sidhe – Seelie and UnSeelie.

First Three books in the Series:

Fourth Book:

My Review (of the series and the latest book):

The premise of the series, the first book, is not by any means a strong opener to the series. The main character is infinitely annoying with her superficiality and shallowness. The male counterparts are interesting but not so much that you want to continue the book. So, you may ask me, why in the world did (do?) I continue reading the series. I don’t know. I don’t know why exactly I refused to give up on this and after reading the latest book I’m glad I didn’t. While the writing is still sometimes unnecessarily melodramatic and the author’s attempts at lyrical poetry in prose form does not quite have the intended effect, I believe that the author has hit her rhythm with the pacing and the characterization. The writing itself has improved in bounds and leaps and the writer’s thoughts and internal monologues as expressed through MacKayla are thought provoking and intelligent – this serves to add depth to MacKayla’s character and makes the reader forgive her the earlier gaffes. I love how Ms. Moning has shown the evolution of her characters – an almost visible internal path MacKayla traveled to become who she is by the end of the fourth book. I liked it – not wholly – there were some jarring bits that you wrinkled your nose at – but at the end of it, you are left wondering when the next book will be released and if you can wait till then.