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gingerbookdragon85's review against another edition
5.0
Holy Fae Balls
What a ride!! This series was amazing, but this did end in a cliff hanger. What about the Stone's threat to Zoey? On tip of that, are we going to see a Lexi and Croygen spin?
What a ride!! This series was amazing, but this did end in a cliff hanger. What about the Stone's threat to Zoey? On tip of that, are we going to see a Lexi and Croygen spin?
deathbaimuffin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.0
sromain's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this series. Much better then her last one. Amazing pace, lots of twists, loveable characters. Sprigs ♥️. So good!!!!
anitak88's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars it might even turn to five stars later. Absolutely perfect and to the series. The writing was incredible the character arcs and the plot was just amazing. Hands down my favorite character is sprig, like really some of the best one-liners and jokes that I have ever read in a series. To the point where it had me laughing out loud at many times. This is definitely going to be a series that I will be rereading many times. I love Ryker and Zoey as individual characters and then them as a couple just makes my heart melt. I'm so glad they got their happily ever after and their mishmash family that they built is beautiful. I also love how she developed the character croygen and how he became a part of their family through everything that they've gone through together it was so beautiful. Would definitely recommend this series and I really hope that the next series can live up to the expectations that this one has set.
devansbooklife's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series. I love Zoey and Ryker together. I loved all of this book. I don't go into this type of book looking for literary genius, I just want a story that captivates me and takes me away to a new world. This series delivers in a big way. I kept my kindle app opened on my phone and utilized every spare moment I had to check in with Zoey and the gang. I love when a story can pull you in that way. Make the world fade away while you have one crazy adventure after another. Stacey Marie Brown creates fantastic tales of adventure. I am sad to say goodbye. I feel like so much more could be done with this series.
Spoilers Ahead. Although I don't completely give away major secrets, I will say enough that some can figure out peices of the puzzle and I don't want to ruin anyone's experience.
As much as I loved this conclusion, I am sitting here needing one thing, I need to know what happened to Amara. I hate thinking that terrible little winch just got away. Okay, I understand that she will suffer due to losing Ryker and not winning the battle over him in the end. But I feel like that is not what she deserves. I loathed her. And her betraying behind deserves and more sinister dose of karma. I suppose I am not as forgiving as the author.
Spoilers Ahead. Although I don't completely give away major secrets, I will say enough that some can figure out peices of the puzzle and I don't want to ruin anyone's experience.
As much as I loved this conclusion, I am sitting here needing one thing, I need to know what happened to Amara. I hate thinking that terrible little winch just got away. Okay, I understand that she will suffer due to losing Ryker and not winning the battle over him in the end. But I feel like that is not what she deserves. I loathed her. And her betraying behind deserves and more sinister dose of karma. I suppose I am not as forgiving as the author.
yadira315's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kgoldd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
kaylawhite17's review
2.0
The ending of this series just felt flat to me. I felt like this could've EASILY been 3 books. Maybe even two. There just wasn't enough substance to this book. I really hated how Ryker spent the majority of the book feeling driven to kill Zoey. I just wanted one book where they could be fucking happy together.
I honestly didn't remember to write this review till a couple weeks after I finished the series so I don't remember most of it. I just remember wanting it to be over and being very bored. I also remember Zoey's sister magically recovers from her freaky leg operation and is able to walk on prosthetic!!! I was like dude that bitch should've died! There is NO WAY she survived that.
I honestly didn't remember to write this review till a couple weeks after I finished the series so I don't remember most of it. I just remember wanting it to be over and being very bored. I also remember Zoey's sister magically recovers from her freaky leg operation and is able to walk on prosthetic!!! I was like dude that bitch should've died! There is NO WAY she survived that.
thewordslinger's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I'm not gonna lie. I probably should have DNF'd this series after loathing book 1. But my sister spent her hard-earned money to get these books for me for Christmas. She read the synopsis and thought it'd be right up my alley (and to be fair, the synopsis WAS really interesting, she wasn't wrong.) So I felt committed, regardless of the fact that this has been the worst most godawful reading experience in the last....oh, 8 months, at least.
So yes, despite the fact that I hated everything, I pushed through this last book.
Comparatively speaking, this one was probably the best of the 4. There's a LOT of action (maybe too much), it almost never stops. A lot of the big plotlines come to a close, as you would expect.
But there's also a ton of crap that wasn't explained or was left open or...horrifically glossed over. (The war we've been warned about for four books? Yeah, apparently that shit happened OFF PAGE in the EPILOGUE). There's still the issue of terrible writing and zero editing. There's still a ton of stuff that made absolutely zero sense... I dunno guys. I don't get why this book's got such a high rating. I don't understand how this series is apparently so beloved when it's <i>so goddamned bad</i>, but whatever, I'm done now. I don't care anymore.
I can confidently say I will <i>never</i> pick up another book by this author. I'd honestly rather be waterboarded than be subjected to another minute of this torture.
Don't waste your time here, folks. Your sanity is important, and this series just isn't worth it.
Reader's Notes:
Chapter 1: <b>Why didn't he just run for it like I asked? Why did he come back?</b>
You're shitting me, right? Croygen literally told Zoey last book that the oath was a compulsion and if he failed he'd die, slowly and horribly. It's the same compulsion that's forcing Ryker to murder her, is it not? I'm just gonna blame this stupidity on the fact that her neck's been snapped. We're on page 4. It's too goddamned early for this book to be this dumb.
<b>"I don't know how it all works. Maybe it was long enough to break the curse. He has his magic back."</b>
So she died, but didn't die... enough? Girl, join the club. Don't none of us know WTF is going on in this book. But if this is the only explanation we get (it wouldn't surprise me) I'm gonna throw hands.
<b>There should have been an emptiness inside me, though, a giant hole where his powers used to be, but I sensed no change, even though I knew they must be gone.
"I felt his powers leave me." </b>
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/8GbvxxFHJDBa8/giphy.gif"/>
WHAT.
Page 5. We are only on page 5.
Chapter 2: Oh NOW the cameras matter? Zoey and Croygen have traipsed all over this shit and ain't nobody said a damn word all of book 2. But NOW it's convenient to the plot, the cameras are functional? Okay.
One minute it's "elevator" the next it's "lift". Where is Zoey from? Cause Americans don't use the word lift.
Shocker--they take the elevator--a bit of machinery that can be controlled remotely--and it stops. I'm so surprised, are you surprised?
Oh great, now the stone is sentient, has agency, and a will of its own? Since when? If you're gonna make shit like this up, please go back and reread the bullshit you've already written to make sure it makes sense. Goddamnit.
<i>What the hell are you going to do?</i> The fuck do you mean? Literally all of you are fae or fae adjacent. GLAMOR THE GUARDS!
Oh, what's that? You can't use your powers? Then how, pray tell, did Ryker get his magic back? You mean it can move from one person to another but no one can use it? And if it's being suppressed, then HOW DID RYKER HEAL HIMSELF? We're just making shit up as we go, aren't we? Just gonna deal with the fall out later? Fuck trying to make a story comprehensive and cohesive.
Uhh. I don't know much about medicine. But I'm pretty sure 1. A tranq dart isn't long enough or strong enough to reach all the way to the heart. and 2. if it DID, the person would die. Especially if that tranq dart held FUCKING CHLOROFORM the way it's described in book 1. Chloroform would eat the tissue away like acid. I imagine that would probably sting...just a little.
How does Croygen know where the fuck he's going? We meet him in Peru. As far as we know he's never been to Seattle.
Chapter 3: Oh, of COURSE. Let's just make up an explanation on the fly--NATURALLY, Croygan's been to Seattle for "trading" purposes.
Oh great SMB is really going to push this love triangle on us NOW. Thought Croygan was in love with Amara? Croygan's sudden loyalty to Zoey might have been sweet if there had been ANY character development or relationship development at all in book 3. Instead it's reading as Zoey being a horny hobag who doesn't care as long as she gets dicked down by a hot man. Why not keep both Croygen and Ryker close?
Ryker's mental state being fucked up is understandable in a lot of ways. Not only does he still feel his oath to kill Zoey, he's had a LOT of bullshit tossed onto his plate and absolutely no time to process it. Zoey's reaction and combativeness and guilt over getting caught in an intimate moment with Croygen isn't. She's really not likeable in this moment. She's been a part of his torture. She's got no right to shout at him and tell him how to think and feel. She's being a cold-hearted bitch when she needs to be compassionate and let him process his trauma.
Okay. So power split between Zoey and Ryker. But what can they DO? We've never been told all of what Ryker's powers entail. All we know is he can jump and has super healing. He's vaguely mentioned some desire and heightened abilities to steal, but it's not truly laid out for us. And if Rapava found a way to turn off their powers, how come Ryker and Zoey can both still heal?
Chapter 4: Here's an idea, Zoey. Fucking apologize to Ryker for carving him up like a Christmas ham. You haven't so much as blinked any remorse his way. Only said you hated yourself. Tell him you're sorry. Fuck. All you've done is justify your actions. But even if he might understand, he's still owed an apology.
So even Amara sees the connection between Croygen and Zoey. This is just setting Ryker up to be jealous for no reason--honestly, bro deserves better than all of them.
Chapter 5: Zoey's all pissed off at Amara for <i>doing what she had to do</i> when Zoey herself did <i>exactly</i> the same thing. She cut Ryker into pieces to save her sister. But I guess only SHE is allowed to still be a good person after doing heinous horrible things?
Don't get it twisted, I don't trust Amara at all. But still. Zoey's a big fat hypocrite.
Why does Vadik have these mysterious girls nobody ever gave a shit about in book 3? You mean to ell me Big Bad Villain man is nothing more than a pimp and street fighting aficionado? The dude's a DEMON, and all he's got going for him is petty human trafficking crimes? An actual DEMON aspires to nothing but running the underground fighting scene in a single city? THIS is the best SMB could come up with?
And I still don't understand the distinction between demons and fae. Why do they associate with each other?
Croygan is just as annoying as Sprig. But in a way grosser way. All he does is objectify women, wanting them to mud wrestle--not a good look when they're discussing women being trafficked. Read the room, my guy.
Chapter 6: <b>"I miss money." Croygen put his hand to his heart. "I used to roll around naked on the piles I <i>inherited</i>. Those were the days."
"Wow, I didn't need that image in my head." I rubbed my temple with exaggeration. It was a complete fucking lie. The idea of Croygen naked, rolling around on anything, wasn't a bad thought at all.</b>
Just fuck him already. You clearly want to. And he wants you, apparently. Fuck the LOVE or whatever is between you and Ryker. You're both cheating hobags anyway, so I'm sure he'd understand!
Chapter 7: Once again we're completely disregarding cameras and alarm systems. You think a big chain store like Target won't have security????
Chapter 10: And again. WHY ARE WE NOT KILLING OUR ENEMIES?!?!?! The amount of times these people beat the shit out of their enemies but don't finish the job only to have these assholes pop back up and cause them grief...Fucking ridiculous.
Somebody needs to drop Lexie's ass off at a hospital or something. Girl's nothing but a liability.
Gollum--sorry, Zoey--going "nuh-uh, the stone's totally cool" then immediately threatening Ryker with death if he tries to take it from her is... a choice. And yet Ryker just lets her keep it--knowing that it's already affecting her mentally and physically. Okay.
Chapter 11: Why do we have to keep circling back to the same places over and over again? We just got out of the DMG and now Zoey wants to break back in to get meds for Lexie. Can Ryker please kill her and put us ALL out of our misery?
Seriously, Zoey is the queen of dumbass decisions. No plans, stubborn as shit, won't listen to reason, just walks into danger, has to get her way regardless. She's fucking insufferable, I swear to god.
Okay, we got like 3 lines from Annabeth in book 3. There is zero relationship build-up for this chick to matter this much to Zoey. After Zoey returned to Peru in book 3 she didn't think ONCE about Annabeth or any of the women she left behind. And NOW, suddenly, it's her life's goal to get them all free? Why? Not that I'm against freeing women in a bad situation--but homegirl's got bigger shit on her plate than a rescue mission.
None of this human-turning-fae stuff makes any sense to me. So dying makes Zoey fae? Is she also a vampire? Cause...what?
Chapter 13: God help me this book just might be my demise. We don't even CONSIDER other alternatives. Just go right back to Rapava. Why the fuck did these idiots escape in the first place if, just 3 days later, they're walking right back in again?
Chapter 14: Zoey's asking Ryker how he could ever forgive her, but hasn't bothered to say sorry, yet, for doing what she did to him. Even if he says he doesn't want her to, he deserves the words.
<b>"Croygen understood as well as me that with you sisters, if you can't stop them, you join them."</b>
YOUR!
This whole "we don't have a safe word" BDSM kinky-talk going on between Ryker and Zoey is dumb. There's absolutely nothing kinky about anything they're doing.
SMB has told us this man has "slid deeper" into Zoey 4 times in a paragraph and a half. After telling us he "filled her completely". So where's he finding all this extra dick, and where exactly is he putting it? Actually don't answer that, I don't care. I just long for a better editor. Hollie isn't doing her damn job!
After what these two do all night, knowing Amara is in the next room and can hear, is it any wonder she dipped out? They shouldn't be surprised if (when) she betrays them a second time. They didn't spare her feelings, why should she stay loyal to them?
Chapter 15: Oh. So Zoey can apologize to Amara for fucking Ryker in front of her but can't say the same two words to Ryker for torturing him? I'm sorry I'm so fucking hung up on this but this is not how you deal with trauma and mend a relationship.
Chapter 16: This whole meeting with Dunn is entertaining and all, and we DO get a little more backstory on Kate, but ultimately, this added nothing to the plot.
Chapter 17: Okay, so the Unseelie King...is a demon? I thought Demons were different from Fae? Why does nothing make sense!
If the Unseelie King is King of like half of the Otherworld, TF does he want with friggin Seattle? "His city"?????
Is DMG a threat or is it not? Because no one seems to care about humans capturing and experimenting on fae except Zoey.
<b>"My sister is dying, I need to get her out immediately."</b>
Do I need to say anything? About how Lexie returned to DMG BECAUSE she was dying? Now you've gotta get her out...<i>again</i>? Does anybody else see how stupid this plot line is or is it just me?
Also how are these two okay with giving up the stone to the King? How do they know he won't <i>also</i> use it for nefarious purposes? They agree to hand that bitch over so fucking fast with zero idea about what the King's intentions are for it.
AND WHAT ABOUT ZOEY'S GOLLUM IMPRESSION? Girl nearly chewed Ryker's hand off the last time he suggested taking the stone away from her, now she's freely offering it up for the Unseelie King's aid in taking down Vadik and the DMG??????
Chapter 18: <b>"Screaming, I crawled and bit at him...</b>
You mean CLAWED?
Why does everybody keep calling Zoey human? Thought she'd become full fae by now?
Chapter 21: Getting tired of Amara bringing up past cities as memories she shares with Ryker. It's giving Hawkeye and Black Widow vibes and at this point I'm beginning to wonder if it's not just straight up plagiarism. Get your own goddamned material SMB.
I thought the Unseelie King was supposed to be helping with Vadik. His soldiers are nowhere to be found.
Are we surprised about Amara's betrayal? Anybody? No?
Chapter 22: I'll give SMB credit where it's due. This book really is action-packed. And she does a pretty good job of writing out fight scenes.
AGAIN, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAE AND DEMONS?!
Vadik is gonna kill Zoey--and here I thought he wanted her to fight for him this whole book? I thought she was USEFUL?
Love how Lars' people show up at the 11th hour.
Does death mean nothing to SMB? The amount of times our heroes have had their necks snapped and somehow miraculously still lived is insane. How come their enemies don't come back to life so easily? Stab a man with scissors--dead. Break a chick's neck--TWICE--she's still alive and kicking. What exactly does it take to destroy a Fae? I need better rules, people.
I would probably care more about Lars' and Vadik's little exchange if I knew who the Seelie Queen was and who all these people from their past were.
This lore about the light and dark fae is coming out of left field. It's not been properly explained or explored--so why are we getting told about it at all now, with like 80 pages left in this story?
Chapter 23: Here we go with this war coming BS again. FROM WHO?!
This crap with Zoey's attachment to the rock is the dumbest shit. She only turns into Gollum after she learns she didn't have the real stone. NOT when the fake was taken from her. Only now she's been made aware that Ryker swapped them out and still has it. This shit is so fucking fake. If there really had been a connection between her and the stone she'd have noticed the swap. She certainly would have noticed that it wasn't the same rock when Amara took it from her boot.
And let's not forget her little deal to hand it over to the Unseelie King. She's FINE handing it over to a SUPER powerful dark fae that she literally doesn't know but turns into a gremlin after finding out Ryker put it in a backpack????? If she were truly obsessed, she NEVER would have agreed to give it to Lars.
Chaper 24: God the name-calling between Sprig and Amara/Croygen has gotten so fucking old. It's kindergarten level humor. It wasn't funny in book 1 and it certainly isn't funny in book 4.
Ryker's all O.o learning that Zoey and Croygen kissed. Yeah, bro. Your girl's a cheating ho-bag, just like you are. You two can fuck each other about it later.
Chapter 26: Rapava is a hell of a lot of talk. He's apparently ex-military and can kill in the blink of an eye. Okay great. SHOW ME.
Zoey's fatalism is old as hell, too. Just assuming she's gonna sacrifice herself to get those she loves out, saying she's failed. Bitch just shut up and finish the job you went to do.
Chapter 27: What the hell is a strighoul? I need a glossary of species names and what they are if you're just gonna toss them into the narrative like this.
Also, you don't need to be ovulating to have your eggs harvested. Basic google searches are your friend, SMB!
Chapter 28: It's really weird that this rock talks to Zoey. And it speaks like every other character in this book. Like it's some weird mafia boss not some ancient mythical fae object.
Epilogue: You've GOT to be shitting me. The WAR we've been hearing about, that's been looming over us for 4 whole ass books happens OFF PAGE in the epilogue??????? Fucking really?
Ugh. And of course we're ending this with a pregnancy trope. Fantastic.
So yes, despite the fact that I hated everything, I pushed through this last book.
Comparatively speaking, this one was probably the best of the 4. There's a LOT of action (maybe too much), it almost never stops. A lot of the big plotlines come to a close, as you would expect.
But there's also a ton of crap that wasn't explained or was left open or...horrifically glossed over. (The war we've been warned about for four books? Yeah, apparently that shit happened OFF PAGE in the EPILOGUE). There's still the issue of terrible writing and zero editing. There's still a ton of stuff that made absolutely zero sense... I dunno guys. I don't get why this book's got such a high rating. I don't understand how this series is apparently so beloved when it's <i>so goddamned bad</i>, but whatever, I'm done now. I don't care anymore.
I can confidently say I will <i>never</i> pick up another book by this author. I'd honestly rather be waterboarded than be subjected to another minute of this torture.
Don't waste your time here, folks. Your sanity is important, and this series just isn't worth it.
Reader's Notes:
You're shitting me, right? Croygen literally told Zoey last book that the oath was a compulsion and if he failed he'd die, slowly and horribly. It's the same compulsion that's forcing Ryker to murder her, is it not? I'm just gonna blame this stupidity on the fact that her neck's been snapped. We're on page 4. It's too goddamned early for this book to be this dumb.
<b>"I don't know how it all works. Maybe it was long enough to break the curse. He has his magic back."</b>
So she died, but didn't die... enough? Girl, join the club. Don't none of us know WTF is going on in this book. But if this is the only explanation we get (it wouldn't surprise me) I'm gonna throw hands.
<b>There should have been an emptiness inside me, though, a giant hole where his powers used to be, but I sensed no change, even though I knew they must be gone.
"I felt his powers leave me." </b>
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/8GbvxxFHJDBa8/giphy.gif"/>
WHAT.
Page 5. We are only on page 5.
Chapter 2: Oh NOW the cameras matter? Zoey and Croygen have traipsed all over this shit and ain't nobody said a damn word all of book 2. But NOW it's convenient to the plot, the cameras are functional? Okay.
One minute it's "elevator" the next it's "lift". Where is Zoey from? Cause Americans don't use the word lift.
Shocker--they take the elevator--a bit of machinery that can be controlled remotely--and it stops. I'm so surprised, are you surprised?
Oh great, now the stone is sentient, has agency, and a will of its own? Since when? If you're gonna make shit like this up, please go back and reread the bullshit you've already written to make sure it makes sense. Goddamnit.
<i>What the hell are you going to do?</i> The fuck do you mean? Literally all of you are fae or fae adjacent. GLAMOR THE GUARDS!
Oh, what's that? You can't use your powers? Then how, pray tell, did Ryker get his magic back? You mean it can move from one person to another but no one can use it? And if it's being suppressed, then HOW DID RYKER HEAL HIMSELF? We're just making shit up as we go, aren't we? Just gonna deal with the fall out later? Fuck trying to make a story comprehensive and cohesive.
Uhh. I don't know much about medicine. But I'm pretty sure 1. A tranq dart isn't long enough or strong enough to reach all the way to the heart. and 2. if it DID, the person would die. Especially if that tranq dart held FUCKING CHLOROFORM the way it's described in book 1. Chloroform would eat the tissue away like acid. I imagine that would probably sting...just a little.
How does Croygen know where the fuck he's going? We meet him in Peru. As far as we know he's never been to Seattle.
Chapter 3: Oh, of COURSE. Let's just make up an explanation on the fly--NATURALLY, Croygan's been to Seattle for "trading" purposes.
Oh great SMB is really going to push this love triangle on us NOW. Thought Croygan was in love with Amara? Croygan's sudden loyalty to Zoey might have been sweet if there had been ANY character development or relationship development at all in book 3. Instead it's reading as Zoey being a horny hobag who doesn't care as long as she gets dicked down by a hot man. Why not keep both Croygen and Ryker close?
Ryker's mental state being fucked up is understandable in a lot of ways. Not only does he still feel his oath to kill Zoey, he's had a LOT of bullshit tossed onto his plate and absolutely no time to process it. Zoey's reaction and combativeness and guilt over getting caught in an intimate moment with Croygen isn't. She's really not likeable in this moment. She's been a part of his torture. She's got no right to shout at him and tell him how to think and feel. She's being a cold-hearted bitch when she needs to be compassionate and let him process his trauma.
Okay. So power split between Zoey and Ryker. But what can they DO? We've never been told all of what Ryker's powers entail. All we know is he can jump and has super healing. He's vaguely mentioned some desire and heightened abilities to steal, but it's not truly laid out for us. And if Rapava found a way to turn off their powers, how come Ryker and Zoey can both still heal?
Chapter 4: Here's an idea, Zoey. Fucking apologize to Ryker for carving him up like a Christmas ham. You haven't so much as blinked any remorse his way. Only said you hated yourself. Tell him you're sorry. Fuck. All you've done is justify your actions. But even if he might understand, he's still owed an apology.
So even Amara sees the connection between Croygen and Zoey. This is just setting Ryker up to be jealous for no reason--honestly, bro deserves better than all of them.
Chapter 5: Zoey's all pissed off at Amara for <i>doing what she had to do</i> when Zoey herself did <i>exactly</i> the same thing. She cut Ryker into pieces to save her sister. But I guess only SHE is allowed to still be a good person after doing heinous horrible things?
Don't get it twisted, I don't trust Amara at all. But still. Zoey's a big fat hypocrite.
Why does Vadik have these mysterious girls nobody ever gave a shit about in book 3? You mean to ell me Big Bad Villain man is nothing more than a pimp and street fighting aficionado? The dude's a DEMON, and all he's got going for him is petty human trafficking crimes? An actual DEMON aspires to nothing but running the underground fighting scene in a single city? THIS is the best SMB could come up with?
And I still don't understand the distinction between demons and fae. Why do they associate with each other?
Croygan is just as annoying as Sprig. But in a way grosser way. All he does is objectify women, wanting them to mud wrestle--not a good look when they're discussing women being trafficked. Read the room, my guy.
Chapter 6: <b>"I miss money." Croygen put his hand to his heart. "I used to roll around naked on the piles I <i>inherited</i>. Those were the days."
"Wow, I didn't need that image in my head." I rubbed my temple with exaggeration. It was a complete fucking lie. The idea of Croygen naked, rolling around on anything, wasn't a bad thought at all.</b>
Just fuck him already. You clearly want to. And he wants you, apparently. Fuck the LOVE or whatever is between you and Ryker. You're both cheating hobags anyway, so I'm sure he'd understand!
Chapter 7: Once again we're completely disregarding cameras and alarm systems. You think a big chain store like Target won't have security????
Chapter 10: And again. WHY ARE WE NOT KILLING OUR ENEMIES?!?!?! The amount of times these people beat the shit out of their enemies but don't finish the job only to have these assholes pop back up and cause them grief...Fucking ridiculous.
Somebody needs to drop Lexie's ass off at a hospital or something. Girl's nothing but a liability.
Gollum--sorry, Zoey--going "nuh-uh, the stone's totally cool" then immediately threatening Ryker with death if he tries to take it from her is... a choice. And yet Ryker just lets her keep it--knowing that it's already affecting her mentally and physically. Okay.
Chapter 11: Why do we have to keep circling back to the same places over and over again? We just got out of the DMG and now Zoey wants to break back in to get meds for Lexie. Can Ryker please kill her and put us ALL out of our misery?
Seriously, Zoey is the queen of dumbass decisions. No plans, stubborn as shit, won't listen to reason, just walks into danger, has to get her way regardless. She's fucking insufferable, I swear to god.
Okay, we got like 3 lines from Annabeth in book 3. There is zero relationship build-up for this chick to matter this much to Zoey. After Zoey returned to Peru in book 3 she didn't think ONCE about Annabeth or any of the women she left behind. And NOW, suddenly, it's her life's goal to get them all free? Why? Not that I'm against freeing women in a bad situation--but homegirl's got bigger shit on her plate than a rescue mission.
None of this human-turning-fae stuff makes any sense to me. So dying makes Zoey fae? Is she also a vampire? Cause...what?
Chapter 13: God help me this book just might be my demise. We don't even CONSIDER other alternatives. Just go right back to Rapava. Why the fuck did these idiots escape in the first place if, just 3 days later, they're walking right back in again?
Chapter 14: Zoey's asking Ryker how he could ever forgive her, but hasn't bothered to say sorry, yet, for doing what she did to him. Even if he says he doesn't want her to, he deserves the words.
<b>"Croygen understood as well as me that with you sisters, if you can't stop them, you join them."</b>
YOUR!
This whole "we don't have a safe word" BDSM kinky-talk going on between Ryker and Zoey is dumb. There's absolutely nothing kinky about anything they're doing.
SMB has told us this man has "slid deeper" into Zoey 4 times in a paragraph and a half. After telling us he "filled her completely". So where's he finding all this extra dick, and where exactly is he putting it? Actually don't answer that, I don't care. I just long for a better editor. Hollie isn't doing her damn job!
After what these two do all night, knowing Amara is in the next room and can hear, is it any wonder she dipped out? They shouldn't be surprised if (when) she betrays them a second time. They didn't spare her feelings, why should she stay loyal to them?
Chapter 15: Oh. So Zoey can apologize to Amara for fucking Ryker in front of her but can't say the same two words to Ryker for torturing him? I'm sorry I'm so fucking hung up on this but this is not how you deal with trauma and mend a relationship.
Chapter 16: This whole meeting with Dunn is entertaining and all, and we DO get a little more backstory on Kate, but ultimately, this added nothing to the plot.
Chapter 17: Okay, so the Unseelie King...is a demon? I thought Demons were different from Fae? Why does nothing make sense!
If the Unseelie King is King of like half of the Otherworld, TF does he want with friggin Seattle? "His city"?????
Is DMG a threat or is it not? Because no one seems to care about humans capturing and experimenting on fae except Zoey.
<b>"My sister is dying, I need to get her out immediately."</b>
Do I need to say anything? About how Lexie returned to DMG BECAUSE she was dying? Now you've gotta get her out...<i>again</i>? Does anybody else see how stupid this plot line is or is it just me?
Also how are these two okay with giving up the stone to the King? How do they know he won't <i>also</i> use it for nefarious purposes? They agree to hand that bitch over so fucking fast with zero idea about what the King's intentions are for it.
AND WHAT ABOUT ZOEY'S GOLLUM IMPRESSION? Girl nearly chewed Ryker's hand off the last time he suggested taking the stone away from her, now she's freely offering it up for the Unseelie King's aid in taking down Vadik and the DMG??????
Chapter 18: <b>"Screaming, I crawled and bit at him...</b>
You mean CLAWED?
Why does everybody keep calling Zoey human? Thought she'd become full fae by now?
Chapter 21: Getting tired of Amara bringing up past cities as memories she shares with Ryker. It's giving Hawkeye and Black Widow vibes and at this point I'm beginning to wonder if it's not just straight up plagiarism. Get your own goddamned material SMB.
I thought the Unseelie King was supposed to be helping with Vadik. His soldiers are nowhere to be found.
Are we surprised about Amara's betrayal? Anybody? No?
Chapter 22: I'll give SMB credit where it's due. This book really is action-packed. And she does a pretty good job of writing out fight scenes.
AGAIN, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAE AND DEMONS?!
Vadik is gonna kill Zoey--and here I thought he wanted her to fight for him this whole book? I thought she was USEFUL?
Love how Lars' people show up at the 11th hour.
Does death mean nothing to SMB? The amount of times our heroes have had their necks snapped and somehow miraculously still lived is insane. How come their enemies don't come back to life so easily? Stab a man with scissors--dead. Break a chick's neck--TWICE--she's still alive and kicking. What exactly does it take to destroy a Fae? I need better rules, people.
I would probably care more about Lars' and Vadik's little exchange if I knew who the Seelie Queen was and who all these people from their past were.
This lore about the light and dark fae is coming out of left field. It's not been properly explained or explored--so why are we getting told about it at all now, with like 80 pages left in this story?
Chapter 23: Here we go with this war coming BS again. FROM WHO?!
This crap with Zoey's attachment to the rock is the dumbest shit. She only turns into Gollum after she learns she didn't have the real stone. NOT when the fake was taken from her. Only now she's been made aware that Ryker swapped them out and still has it. This shit is so fucking fake. If there really had been a connection between her and the stone she'd have noticed the swap. She certainly would have noticed that it wasn't the same rock when Amara took it from her boot.
And let's not forget her little deal to hand it over to the Unseelie King. She's FINE handing it over to a SUPER powerful dark fae that she literally doesn't know but turns into a gremlin after finding out Ryker put it in a backpack????? If she were truly obsessed, she NEVER would have agreed to give it to Lars.
Chaper 24: God the name-calling between Sprig and Amara/Croygen has gotten so fucking old. It's kindergarten level humor. It wasn't funny in book 1 and it certainly isn't funny in book 4.
Ryker's all O.o learning that Zoey and Croygen kissed. Yeah, bro. Your girl's a cheating ho-bag, just like you are. You two can fuck each other about it later.
Chapter 26: Rapava is a hell of a lot of talk. He's apparently ex-military and can kill in the blink of an eye. Okay great. SHOW ME.
Zoey's fatalism is old as hell, too. Just assuming she's gonna sacrifice herself to get those she loves out, saying she's failed. Bitch just shut up and finish the job you went to do.
Chapter 27: What the hell is a strighoul? I need a glossary of species names and what they are if you're just gonna toss them into the narrative like this.
Also, you don't need to be ovulating to have your eggs harvested. Basic google searches are your friend, SMB!
Chapter 28: It's really weird that this rock talks to Zoey. And it speaks like every other character in this book. Like it's some weird mafia boss not some ancient mythical fae object.
Epilogue: You've GOT to be shitting me. The WAR we've been hearing about, that's been looming over us for 4 whole ass books happens OFF PAGE in the epilogue??????? Fucking really?
Ugh. And of course we're ending this with a pregnancy trope. Fantastic.