write_of_passages's reviews
538 reviews

 A super fun interlude that gave me everything I was expecting from this novella. Adam, Zee, and Victor are on point, as always, and this little ditty is filled with plenty of laughs. I adored the fact that they're basically fighting in an Ikea (though it's never officially called one). I'm super impressed by how much was packed into only 65 pages and this was exactly what I needed last night. This is pure fun, pure entertainment, beloved characters, an easy read with plenty of smiles. A truly brilliant offering to help ease any stress I was feeling, just for a little while. 

 Woohoo! We're back on track after the interlude of book 4! I adored going back to Snow and Christopher as our main pairing for this book. It's fascinating to read how their relationship has grown in the five years they've been together now. Simon is now a teen and has a little more screentime in this book too. Much more fast-paced action as someone from Christopher's distant distant past shows up as our antagonist this time and kidnaps Chris and Simon, leaving Snow to work with everyone we've met throughout the series to get them back. I read this book all in one go and although it misses that final little nugget to turn it into a five-star, I still thoroughly enjoyed it!




Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely!


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: We're already starting with a lot of character growth, because we're returning to our main duo five years later. This time Snow has a very active role because his husband and adopted son are kidnapped, so we really get to see him shine. He's a non-mobster who has lived within the mobster world for most of his life and I think that balance is brilliantly illustrated here. He leads when he needs to yet is smart enough to enlist the help he knows is best in the different areas where they have expertise. Snow feels wonderfully human in how he handles the situation. Meanwhile, Christopher has never truly been in this situation before, where he and his son are in danger in such a way. So watching him navigate and placing so much trust in his husband while he's doing what he needs to do to escape is just as much fun to read. We're gifted a whole host of characters we've come to know and love from the other books as well.



PLOT: This book is all high-stakes action and external angst. Snow and Christopher are incredibly solid in their relationship, so for this book we get to see the duo being tested in a way they haven't been tested yet. When Chris and Simon are kidnapped, Snow leads the charge to bring them both home, calling in all the resources he has. It's super fast-paced beginning to end. Although I do wish we had more of a climactic moment for our protagonists to fight through, this book is much more balanced in terms of showing 'one of the highest tests' a crime boss is embroiled in. However I do believe, based on where this book lands in the series, that the stakes and events need to be increasing in intensity as we near the end of the series, which is why this book isn't quite five stars for me.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

2:5/low. Super fast-paced, of course, with loads of action, though I believe that the stakes weren't high enough given the subject matter to give us anything super intense. A really entertaining read.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


75%. Much happier with the ending of this book, although as always, I do wish for a more intense climactic moment and denouement, both because of this book's place in the series and because it felt the whole thing needed to be even bigger. But I finished it happy. 

 Sadly, a huge miss in the series for me. This book felt like an interlude where the plot was removed to focus on a relationship based solely on all the tropes you'd find in an unequal/power imbalance partnership: age gap, size difference, etc. Not only that, but all the standard cliches that go along with those, re: the younger one is shorter (super-short), the younger one is weaker (physically and mentally), the older one is big and super tall and super strong, etc. I personally already don't prefer these tropes even on their own, so I really didn't care much for the relationship. Additionally, there is no growth in the characters and their relationship doesn't feel like a true bond of love, but rather trauma-bonding and lust. The plot just went completely by the wayside as well, ending with a climactic event that had me shocked at how easily our 'big strong alpha male' neatly handled everything to the point where I felt that the rest of the stakes and tension had been drawn out simply to lean into the tropes that would allow their relationship to be what it is. Everything about this book could have been said as a "oh these two got together between books."




Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
No. I'd skip this one. And I have a feeling that when I continue the series with the next book, I wouldn't have needed to read this one.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: I wasn't all that enamored with either of the characters, if I'm honest. The whole premise (and title) is about being reborn and rising and changing, which I personally felt that neither of them did. Both Black and Quill were squished down into tropes with little complexity, so it felt as though they were openly designed only as vehicles for giving tropes. Black is big, tall, strong, a god amongst men, an asshole who you'd expect to lead a group of assassins. He always feels more like a businessman than anything else, even with Quill. Meanwhile Quill became, to me, a completely different person from the character we met in the previous books. Suddenly he's this super tiny weak thing who fills the role of being someone for our big alpha to protect. Their relationship didn't feel real to me, it felt a mix between trauma-bonding and a distasteful amalgamation of tropes put together. And in the end, neither of them really grew. They end up together (and I'd argue they really shouldn't), after Black does his usual thing and Quill lets Black protect him.



PLOT: There isn't much of one. The plot is designed to set up a situation where alpha Black can protect omega Quill. On some levels, I can see Quill's character making sense in being afraid of the threats in his life, sure. What we have is all these people wanting to hurt/kill Quill so Black takes care of them. We spend most of the book with them trying to stop it and then at the end Black just... deals with it. All I could think was "if it was this easy from the beginning, why all this unnecessary pain to Quill?" It made the whole thing feel rather sinister and underhanded, like emotional manipulation.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


2:5/low. We still deal with some deep, dark TW themes: abuse, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, etc. However I did not feel that they were dealt with respectfully or in a way that offered healing either.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


0%. Sure, they got their HEA, but honestly, I don't think I actually wanted them to get together. This book left me wholly unfulfilled and if I'd known, I would have skipped it and moved straight to book 5. 

This is my favorite book so far, in terms of the balance between characters I love and a fast-paced high stakes plot that has a climactic event that matches the intensity of the buildup throughout the story. Although Bill and Mace aren't my favorite in terms of MCs we've met in this series, I still enjoyed them! The plot also once again brings the two major crime bosses and their 'families' together, so we still have enough screen-time from Snow, Christopher, and Black. Although I would have loved to see Riordan and Teddy, it made sense why they were only mentioned in passing throughout. Ultimately, a wild ride that I couldn't put down!



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely! This is turning into a series that I may go back and reread sometime!


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: We first met Bill in book one and Mace in book two, so we were already coming to this book with two characters that we have some knowledge of already. I really adored the quirks that Bill had, especially because they truly felt oh-so-Norwegian! He and Mace came together as enemies in the previous book, but watching their relationship change in this book from enemies-to-lovers was a highlight! Davidson tackled it so well and it felt so incredibly them. Where Bill hates games and is blunt and to the point, Mace spends so much of his persona playing games because he's been 'playing' a role for so long. Their particular quirks start out as incredibly irksome to each other, but they end up balancing so well together. How their very-particular characters were handled as they fell in love was impeccable.




PLOT: When an old crime family rival appears and threatens Snow, Christopher calls in Black's help and the two crime bosses task Bill and Mace to find and eliminate the threat. So while Bill's family is in 'hiding', he very much has skin in the game, whereas Mace takes the job because he's tasked to by Black, who had no choice since Christopher helped him in the previous book. So the plot centers around Bill and Mace learning how to work together with their very different skillsets to find their adversary before he not only kills Mace and Bill, but eventually Snow as well. This is a wild and fast-paced ride right out the gate, exactly what you'd expect from a Die Hard film but with romance too. (Yes, Die Hard is referenced.) The stakes are high and we are truly swept away in the life and death as well as the mysteries that occur when on the side they realize just how deep the secrets of Haven Hart really are (aka setting us up for more books!).



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


3:5/medium. This story definitely had moments that for some could be TWs, especially when we're dealing with crime bosses, an assassin, a "bodyguard" of sorts, and a sociopath adversary.


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


99%. I was so thrilled when Davidson kept the intensity going straight through the climactic moment and didn't shy away from really giving it to us. Although I knew it would be a HEA, I felt so satisfied that we got to see them really work for it and succeed in the end. 

 I enjoyed coming back to the town of Haven Hart! Not only do we have a new pairing that are definitely likeable, but we also get to see characters from book one as well, which I absolutely adore. The way Teddy and Riordan meet is quite different and fascinating! They are very much a meeting of two very different worlds and directly tackles themes of heart, love, softness in the midst of a life that would appear to have no room for it.




Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?



 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: As a professional hugger, Teddy's character is one that we don't often see in books, although many of his traits are subconsciously given to characters. So it was fascinating to read those traits given to us so blatantly! He's truly someone you would never expect to get caught up in the 'dark' world of crime/murder/assassinations. Riordan's part of the 'dark' network as a professional assassin, but it wasn't a job he set out wanting. Rather he 'stumbled'/was forced into it and that discrepancy has finally caught up with him. His strict moral code kept him from truly integrating all parts of himself, even those he felt ashamed of. The intersection of these two worlds and worldviews is the highlight of this book, in my opinion. Not so much as unexplored territory, but the setting allows us to explore these themes in a brand new way.



PLOT: An action/romance in which the collision of two different worlds leaves us with one part delving into the depths of the human psyche and one part the action and high stakes of underground crime world. Teddy helps people through grief and healing and Riordan's grief has finally caught up with him. As an assassin, it's not expected that he'd have these moments of vulnerability, but watching the journey through healing within this high stakes world of whodunit and danger leaves the pair fighting for their lives and for the relationship they both desperately want to discover together.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

3:5/medium. While still a light read, there are some truly deep themes occurring in a setting that could consist of several TWs depending on the reader. This one felt deeper to me.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


90%. I do with we got to spend more time in the climactic moment and immediate aftermath, but I'm always saying that. They have their HEA and you do feel like they fought for it! And the way they finally get together in the end is truly quite priceless. I utterly adored how new and different some of the 'tropes' were in this book! 

Alice Winters is one of my favorite authors and this book is no exception! She has a wonderfully witty writing style that just borders on irreverent, so I know I'll always read exquisite characters, fast-paced and fascinating plots, and with a healthy dose of wit and snark that never fails to make me either laugh out loud or at least snort and grin. While Prince of Poison doesn't go as hard with the humor as some of her other books, I adored getting a fun dose of Alice Winters fantasy with this book! Silas and Callisto have such a weirdly wholesome relationship (another Alice Winters staple) and the plot was fast-paced and entertaining! Exactly what I needed.



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Absolutely.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: As a personal preference, I find it impossible to not like her characters and Silas and Callisto are no exception. They have a perfectly balanced banter and are complex in a way that their humor makes sense to their characters as well. On one level is the "I hide trauma with humor" that they both share, which enables them to use the humor both to protect themselves, process that trauma, and ultimately heal. As a talented 'thief', Callisto doesn't truly realize the power he has (which is his journey) whereas Silas has a lot of magical power (quite specific and fascinating too!) and throughout this book he grapples with truly coming to terms with what that magic means about who he is. They're fae and human (mage?) and their relationship ends up being rather wonderfully balanced, even when there are clear areas that one excels more than the other. And, we must'nt forget the brilliant supporting cast, Dandelion and Madden and Titus. Truly wonderful whenever they're on the page!


PLOT: Ten years after two kingdoms were at war, something strange is happening in the court of Vermillion. Silas has given up his soldiering life and keeps to himself, but Callisto is a bright spark who could never be inconspicuous. And suddenly Callisto finds himself hunted by his uncle the King and he and Silas undertake the journey to discover what is going on and 'save the realm' as it were. Both a quest adventure and a mystery, the plot is fast-paced and truly entertaining, especially with how glorious the characters are.





EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


2:5/low. Not all of her books have a lower intensity, but I found this standalone to be more of a light read and pure entertainment, though it did have some deeper themes. It felt more cozy than anything else.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

90%. I'm always wishing for more in that final climactic moment, and here is no different. However, we have our HEA and things are wrapped up quite well. This book gave me exactly what I needed it to, which was an entertaining read that took me away to a fantasy realm of pretty boys and adventure!

 

Although this story was fast-paced due to sparse details, a very light read that did what I needed it to do, which was take my brain away without me really needing to think too much. For what we get of the characters, they're interesting enough to keep me hooked, and the set up of the paranormal world is a fun one. Essentially all pieces that I would have loved to see more of. Because the story went by so quickly, I didn't get a chance to truly create a connection with the characters and the climactic events took place and were over within half a page, which was so fast that I had to go back and reread to see if I'd just imagined it.




Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Sure. Again, this is a great one for when you really don't have the energy for emotional investment but still want to send your brain somewhere.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Both MCs are interesting for what we get of them and I do wish we had more of chance to spend time with them and dig deeper into their psyches. An alpha of a werewolf pack and a witch who serves as the 'warrior' of the Coven, species that two decades prior had been major enemies and at war. The backstory is tantalizing and truly had the potential to be turned into something epic. That's not where the author chose to go with this tale, but again, not necessarily a bad thing. This is very much light reading and the characters reflect that.




PLOT: A super fast-paced murder mystery that forces rival factions (werewolves and witches) to team up and figure out not only who the killer is, but what it is and how to banish it once they realize it's supernatural. The two groups very slowly work together, primarily through our two MCs, but even then it's an enemies-to-lovers relationship thrown in that doesn't have quite enough time to develop to feel believable as a true bond. In the end, they're all able to team up and fight off the antagonist (again, it happens so quickly I truly missed it the first time). And then the day is saved and HEA.





EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


1/5: low. Very light reading.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


50%. Not meant to have a catharsis or fulfillment. But it had an HEA at least and it did the job I needed it to do. 

Note: I have since purchased a special edition copy of this book to grace my shelves that includes the extended epilogue and I highly recommend reading it as well, because it truly completes the novel.

Brilliant debut novel from this author. This post-apocalyptic world is gritty and dark, yet also hyper-realistic, which isn’t easy to pull off. The incredibly diverse set of characters have unique backgrounds and backstories and the stakes are high enough to keep the tension oozing off the page. With a slower beginning, the plot picks up into a whirlwind of a ride, surrounded by a monster mystery and culminating in a brilliant flash of fulfillment as the heroes fight tooth and nail to succeed.


Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Absolutely!!! I have, in fact, read this book a second time now.



 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book


CHARACTERS: We have dual 3rd-person POV (My favorite!), alternating between Zeke and Noah. It’s not hard at all to feel for Noah. As a young CO of a military unit with ties to the high command via his uncle (re: whispers of nepotism vs talent), he's put in some truly difficult situations where he's unable to truly 'emote', focusing instead on his team. At the same time, the situations are so tense and difficult that he's unable to contain his emotions and those momenst are some of the purest of pure gold in the book. I adored that he's still vulnerable, even with the newest member of his team and LI, Zeke. He’s dynamic and vulnerable in ways that really bring out his strengths as he grows throughout the plot.

Zeke is fascinating, not only with his history and where he’s from (which feels realistic to the setting) but also how he navigates being conscripted as a soldier when he's very much not soldier material. He begins the novel in a position of relative 'weakness' because it's such a brand new world he's stuck in. But his drive and determination are so organic as he grapples with this new life and how he can make himself work in it, as well as his surprising developing feelings not only for another man, something he wasn't fully cognizant of before, but that said man is his CO.

Given their positions, the potential for a power imbalance within and without their relationship and bedroom is high and would be easy to fall into. And yet TJ Rose gives us a refreshingly raw, honest, vulnerable, and equal balance between the two of them. I utterly adore the give and take, the strengths they can share, the way they mold into each other's spaces. Their relationship also occurs so naturally and feels wonderfully in tune with the events of the story as well as their characters. They are truly one of my favorite pairings in fiction!

And let's not forget a huge shoutout to Wolf, the (very safe!) army canine that is essentially the best member of the family (don't even try to fight me on this).


PLOT: Moderate- to fast-paced as the story progresses. The world itself builds upon some beautiful tension coupled with a bit mystery that kept me guessing throughout the novel. We have a scary post-apocalyptic world. The majority of the population is either dead or hideously and terrifyingly deformed into a monster that takes characteristics from several common supernatural types (re: vampire, zombie, etc.). We follow Squad E, a military unit as they attempt to both protect what's left of London and their found family. Questions arise over whether this is the world forever, or if there is still hope. The relationship that develops between Zeke and Noah is wonderfully organic and very linked to their world and lifestyle. I found the balance of romance to action/adventure to be perfect for this plot.


EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

4 out of 5. High. The stakes are high in this one from the beginning and deal with adult themes that keep this way out of beach read territory. And at one point, there is a definite shock moment that had me on the edge of my seat!


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

95%. The extended epilogue is absolutely integral, in my opinion, so I consider it as part of the main book. Although I wished for that final 5% in terms of aftermath in that climactic event, I utterly adore this book. It's impressive for a standalone that so much was packed into it and then wrapped up so well. I am happy! 

Definitely what I was expecting for a final book from Richard Amos! Fast-paced with so many characters and threads suddenly all coalescing into near-constant action and adventure! A wild ride and a worthy finale to the series.



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Absolutely.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Because of the nature of the plot, we get to see our main duo, Roman and Xavier, in different moments of their lives, which is fascinating, because we get to see how the events that have or have not occurred yet for them have shaped who they are. So getting to see 'Past Xavier' or 'Mean Xavier' depending on which POV we're in, is quite brilliant. Additionally we'll have a moment of meeting a different version of Roman too. What I personally loved about all these versions is that we really get to see the 'through line', or the 'core' of each character, the part that doesn't change within them no matter what. Darcy also has the most screen time in this book compared to the other two, which is always a plus. In the end, we also get the fulfillment of Roman and Xavier fully coming together as partners and lovers, which I adored. I also adored just how loved Darcy is as well, and that his relationship with Roman is considered just as important.




PLOT: The chaos of book two is even more chaotic in book three. Essentially, we have a fast-paced action-packed adventure where our heroes are attempting to succeed while time itself is literally unraveling. Because of these, we have multiple threads of time occurring simultaneously and multiple iterations of our characters interacting with one another. And on top of that, we have the mystery of what exactly are the powers that were created (and tampered with) in Roman's 'heart'. Characters are dying, being sent through time, not dying, becoming ghosts.... everything is messed up because time is dismantling and it's a fascinating and wild ride! And it truly doesn't let up until the very last moment, in which we finally get the meaning behind the name of the series. Although the immediate aftermath and healing is glossed over/blacked out completely, we still have enough denouement to breathe and just enjoy being with these characters after they've succeeded as well.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


3:5/medium. Definitely higher, because everything truly comes to a head in this book, but overall entertaining more than emotionally taxing!



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

90%. As usual, I'm always wanting my immediate aftermath/healing moments. But we have a wonderful HEA and get to spend time with our characters in their HEA before the book ends. Additionally, the climactic events feel perfectly balanced with the build-up throughout the series. 

The plot expansion in book two has brought back some rather interesting characters from the past...literally. We also have much more of a mystery in this book, setting us up for some curious and intriguing moments, especially because Roman is in the same boat as the reader, which is quite amusing and allows for some truly wild and wacky moments. This second book still includes some explosive moments where everything shifts so completely within the span of a scene and we end with yet another cliffhanger preparing us for the finale in book three.



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: We get to spend a little more time with Darcy, which I absolutely adored in this book. Roman's forced even more to confront who he is vs who he wants to be and the identity crisis achieves some impressive new levels in this book. Meanwhile Xavier is forced to confront his past demons (yes, pun absolutely intended) even more as well, mirroring Roman's character arc. Their relationship continues to weave together and develop throughout the escalating chaos. I adored just how competent Roman and Xavier are: easily capable of helping each other or themselves when the needs arise. Roman's surges of grief that still grip him also feel so painfully real, as someone who has experienced that loss. They're really shaping him, especially with how random the moments can be when they occur.



PLOT: Still medium-paced, but the one word I'd use for the plot is chaotic. But in a good way. I don't want to give away any spoilers. I will say that things keep occurring so fast and seemingly without rhyme or reason that it's hard for the MCs to keep up. Yet Richard Amos does a great job of ensuring that the reader is keeping up, even if the characters aren't. The confusion from the end of book one develops into an almost entirely new conflict in book two that the characters are dealing with and we end the book with yet another cliffhanger that includes yet another mysterious development. I'm keen to read the next book.





EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

1:5/low. Still on the lower side. Maybe it's because I got spoiled with his series that I read before this (the Dawn trilogy) which was absolutely out of this world.


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


75%. Again, we're left on a cliffhanger with questions answered but new developments leaving new questions unanswered. Very much middle-book-in-a-trilogy vibes.