Buddy Review: Slashback by Rob Thurman

Buddy reviewing the newest Cal Leandros book with Leslie and/or Hilcia has become a yearly tradition - one that I wouldn't want to break :) So here we go for 2013, our thoughts about the 8th book!





Slashback by Rob Thurman
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2013

I stopped and let them circle me, first because it was intriguing and, second, because, honestly, what could they do? Only knives, but all armed, and that made them even more interesting. Interesting. Fun.

Playtime…

Taking on bloodthirsty supernatural monsters is how Caliban and Niko Leandros make a living. But years ago—before they became a force to be reckoned with—the brothers were almost victims of a very human serial killer.

Almost.

Unfortunately for them, that particular depraved killer was working as apprentice to a creature far more malevolent—the legendary Spring-heeled Jack. He’s just hit town. He hasn’t forgotten what the Leandros brothers did to his murderous protégé. He hasn’t forgotten what they owe him.

And now they are going to pay… and pay… and pay...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, Book #8

The Story: The blurb has it pretty accurately. There's a new serial killer in New York City - a supernatural one. While it's their job to investigate such case, Cal has no intention of taking this one for multiple reasons: a) they're not getting paid for it and b) they have to focus on Grimm. However, when it becomes apparent that this religious zealot has beef with the Leandros brothers, they don't have much choice than to step in. But this one won't be as easy as they realize as it brings up memories both would prefer remain undisturbed. And as usual, their good friend Robyn Goodfellow is there to give them a hand.


Nath: Wow ladies! Can’t believe that Slashback is already the 8th book in the Cal Leandros series! Whew, time flies! So what did you think of Slashback? Is it still refreshing or becoming too familiar? :)

Leslie: You ladies know this is one of my favorite series - I simply love how Thurman writes the male perspective. I liked Slashback but didn’t love. It felt like it moved slower than the usual pace of the series. And there didn’t seem to be as many fight scenes either. I love the fight scenes! I don’t think the series is at the point where it’s become too familiar. The characters are familiar but not stagnant or boring. I feel Thurman still has more to explore with the Leandros brothers.

The flashbacks. I’m not a big fan of flashbacks and generally try to avoid them. This time I was surprised at how well they worked for me. The plot allowed for a nearly seamless back and forth flow from present day to twelve years prior. I usually find the transitions jarring but not this time. I see the flashbacks as tools to develop the current storyline which they did here. But I also simply enjoyed reading about the young brothers and could see reading maybe a novella about young Cal and Niko - Leandros Brothers: The Early Years. lol

Alternating POV - so happy we get both Cal and Niko’s POV. Niko is such an integral part of Cal, he wouldn’t be Cal without Niko, so the story feels more complete when part is told in Niko’s voice.

Hilcia: I can't believe Slashback is the eighth book of this series and the three of us are still enjoying it. In this particular installment I love that Thurman went back to using both Niko and Cal as narrators again. That was refreshing, particularly Niko's strong and rather sweet voice. Yes, sweet, because his love for Cal comes through the pages and I loved young Niko’s voice.

Leslie, I feel the same way about flashbacks, and in this instance they also worked for me. The flow was excellent between timelines and Thurman tied up the two storylines beautifully. However, I disagree about the pacing. Slashback wasn’t a slow read for me at all! Even with the lack of the usual nonstop action, I read it in two sittings. Yet, this is not one of my favorite books of the series either.

I’m finding that although I still love the characters and there are a few surprises in this book, there is also a certain repetitiveness to the overall story arc. I had a distinct sense of deja vu while reading the story. What about you Nath, what do you think?

Nath: LOL, it’s really no wonder us three get along so well when we have such similar tastes in books and writing styles!! So no surprise, I’m not a fan of flashbacks either, but in this case, they worked for me because they were really integral to the main storyline, actually complemented it. It wasn’t just random scenes, but a whole story in itself and that kept me reading. And of course, add the fact that it was told in Niko’s POV and that was a must-read. I have to say though, I particularly enjoyed these flashbacks because it gave us another look at Cal and Niko’s brotherhood. Yes, we’ve been told they were close since they were young, but here, we were shown :) By the way, I have to say Ms Thurman did such a great job at inserting some surprises in these flashbacks!! And as you both said, the flow between the present and the flashbacks was done flawlessly.

As for the pacing, I’m torn between you guys. On one hand, I know what Leslie means by the lack of fighting and as such, I feel the action wasn’t as good as previous books. However, like Hilcia, I don’t feel Slashback was a slow read. Trust me, I’ve slugged through the first couple of books of this series and I still remember how slow it was LOL. I think the problem here is as much as we enjoyed the flashbacks, they did overshadow the main storyline. Furthermore, because Ms Thurman had to compose with two storylines going on at the same time, she had less pages to develop Cal and Niko’s current case and therefore, had to cut back on the action ^_^; So for me, my issue with Slashback is that the intrigue/mystery part wasn’t as strong as I’d hope.

And you know, Hils, regarding your sense of deja vu... Well I think it was Cal’s monologue again, how he’s dealing with the human and monster sides in him. Can’t be the case because it wasn’t about the Auphe, which by the way, I didn’t mind LOL. Can’t be the flashbacks... so that leaves the characters and mainly Cal :P

Leslie: I’m not sure if it was expectations based on previous books but I did miss the action scenes. Those action scenes tended to break up Cal’s monologues, goodness but he loves to talk to himself! In Slashback, his monologues felt like they dragged on a little too long. I did get that repetitive feeling too. It was a case of too much time spent in Cal’s head. I usually like his dry, self-deprecating humor. Still like it but sometimes I just want him to be more serious and not leave all that responsibility to Niko. Hils, this one took me more than a few sittings to read. Which surprised me since I usually devour this series.

Agree with you Nath, the current case didn’t feel as developed. But the offset was getting to know the brothers in their early years. Even though we’ve known Niko has had a tremendous responsibility since a very early age, it was heartbreaking to see not only how much responsibility he shouldered but how much blame he took upon himself.

Hilcia: Leslie, wow... that’s what happened to me with previous books. That’s interesting. But you know what? I didn’t miss the action all that much, which surprises me. What kept my attention more than anything was the suspense of what was going to happen to Niko and Cal in the storyline set in the past. In this case, the suspense was more effective for me than the actual action.

But yes, Cal’s continuing monologue and struggle between the human and monster sides of himself have become repetitive, that’s definitely part of that sense of deja vu. At this point, I’m losing track of where exactly Cal is on the growth or decompensation scale as a human/monster. He takes one step forward and three back! Also, we already know how deeply Niko and Cal feel about each other, I don’t think it’s really necessary to make it all about “how they would kill or die for each other,” we know that. Can we move on? But, there was also a sense of familiarity about the mystery itself that I can’t put my finger on. I’m referring to the contemporary storyline here, the one set in the past felt fresh and I was very much into that section of the story.

Nath: Hmmm, seems like I can’t help you here, Hils. For me, the repetitiveness came from Cal’s monologues. As you said, he seems to take one step forward and three back, sigh. As you’ve also pointed out, I don’t think we need to be shown again how the brothers would kill for each other. That being said, one thing that I did enjoy in the bromance in Slashback was to see a more human and flawed side of Niko. How he thrived for a bit of normalcy and the fact he’s done some mistakes and does not want to talk about them. Niko always seems so perfect, so level-headed, but at the end of the day, he is human and flawed like everyone else. Ok, less than everyone else, but still LOL.

While Slashback didn’t have as much action as previous books, I thought it made up with some revelations. What did you think of them? Let’s take them one at a time and start with the boys finally finding out the truth about the peris. About time no?

Leslie: I loved getting to know more about the mythology of the peris and seeing their abilities in action. There’s just so much more of this world to explore, I hope we see more of the peris.

Hilcia: Sigh... I love the bromance too, Nath. I just believe that Slashback was a long, involved way to show how Niko finally comes to certain, truthful realizations about Cal’s nature, and Cal realizes what he may be capable of if he continues on a certain path. This was needed, yes, but I wish that Thurman had done so within the already established story arc, instead of going on a tangent by focusing on the peris.

As far as the introduction of angels go, I think that came out of left field at this point in the series! I mean, so far Thurman has introduced multiple mythologies and creatures, but with the angels she goes into the whole Judeo-Christian realm. I don’t really know how I feel about that. I do, however, hope we see more of the peris. I like them.

Leslie: You’re right Hils, it did come out of left field. Almost as if Thurman realized she should have given this background sooner since the peris have been involved in the series for a while now. As for the religious connection, I’m curious as to how far Thurman will take it. I do wonder if this means the peris will become even more prevalent in Cal and Niko’s personal life. Maybe a female peri as Cal’s love interest? Talk about good girl attracted to bad boy! Of course I'm still hoping Georgie comes back. lol

Nath: Actually, the revelation about the peris isn’t coming out of the left field as much as you two ladies think. Did you guys read Ms Thurman’s other series, the Trickster series? Because those two books are very much focused on angels and demons and I guess that’s where Ms Thurman did most of her world building for that aspect. So the knowledge that peris are actually angels have been out there for a while. For me, I was happy that it finally came all together :) I wonder if there is going to be some cross-over... That’d be interesting!

A female peri as Cal’s love interest would be interesting, Leslie. However, if I remember correctly, I have not seen any woman as angels or demons... Even the peris we have seen in the Cal Leandros series have all been male, so I wonder if there are any female peris. In any case, I’m still hoping for the black hair girl that Cal met in that market... was it last book or two books ago?! I’m hoping she is a Trickster :P Cal has already gone the good girl route with Georgie and he really needs someone that can handle herself. Dahlia is not the best example, but at least with her, Cal didn’t have to worry for her ^_^;

Hilcia: Les, I’m SO glad you mentioned Georgie! After reading that rather mysterious scene in the last book, I really thought there would be something, more of a hint about her in Slashback. You know that I’m not a fan of Georgie, but I was actually disappointed that that story arc was not continued in this book. Instead, we got more revelations about Robyn and his relationship with Niko and Cal? What did you ladies think about that?

Nath, it’s interesting that Thurman features peris in her Trickster series, however, I personally don’t follow that series. However, since this is the first time peris as angels are mentioned in the Leandros series, it came out of left field for me! It’s an interesting concept, but she’s going to have to further develop it, or give readers more details, in order to really make it work in this series.

And, lol, I don’t know what woman would put up with Cal!

Nath: Hils, I know what about you mean about the world building. I hope Ms Thurman will flesh it out more in the future for those who missed the Trickster series.

As for Georgie, I think the reason we did not see her at all is because she is so closely tied to the Auphe’s storyline. I’m sure she will be mentioned when Grimm surfaces back. As for the peris, perhaps she’ll incorporate more of the world building in the next book, now that Cal and Niko know. However, I’m not sure to what extent given that New York City is without angels and demons and thus, the peris don’t have much reason to get involved. Also, they are there in sufferance - if it wasn’t for Robyn, they’d have been given the boot, so I think they will continue to keep a low profile.

As for the revelation about Robyn and his relationship with Niko and Cal, I thought it was interesting! I find it’s so much fun and makes the bond between the three even stronger. However, as much as like the connection, that’s the revelation I thought came out of the left field. Although as Robyn said, he’s been dropping some heavy hints recently. Still, there’s a difference between Archilles being your ancestor and you, being a reincarnation of Archilles! Makes me wonder when Ms Thurman had decided on this twist because I’m sure it wasn’t from the beginning! Still, she did a good job at explaining why the Leandros brothers haven’t recognize Robyn and why Robyn jumped on the bandwagon so fast LOL.

Leslie: I’ve read the first book in the Trickster series but don’t remember it. As for there being female peris, it’s possible they are fewer in number and not as “out there” as the males - keeping a lower profile. IDK The black hair girl in the market I don’t think was random either. It was Doubletake when she made her first appearance. (I cheated and checked our buddy review for it) It’s only been one book so I think she’ll be back and hopefully we’ll find out more about her. But I do agree that whomever Cal pairs up with she will need to be strong and able to take care of herself. So yeah, I was also disappointed with no sightings of my Georgie girl. But who knows what she’ll be like when she comes back? She could be all bad-ass. Hey, don’t laugh, it’s possible! lol

Nath: Leslie, you eternal optimist. Not giving up on Georgie, LOL.

Hilcia: Les, I believe that Thurman is saving Georgie for Cal. She’s coming back... I know it. LOL

Leslie: Nope, not giving up on Georgie. I’m stubborn when it comes to her. lol

As for Robin and his relationship with the brothers, I do like knowing they have this long-lasting bond. Fate keeps putting them together because they were meant to be together. Did it come out of left field? I would say no if I had read these books closer together and would have hopefully picked up on the clues. But since my memory is pretty much shot, it did surprise me. But like Robyn said, they were always comparing Niko to Achilles.

I did feel sorry for Robyn, knowing the brothers will eventually die and he must wait and hope to see them again. Like Cal said, Robyn is lonely and those years he gets with the brothers must be that much more treasured with the knowledge they will be gone again. So glad Robyn now has Ishiah now too.

Hilcia: I agree with you Leslie! I also think the revelation about the relationship between Robyn, Niko and Cal makes absolute sense! This worked for me because I think that Thurman was quite clever in how she worked in the details featured in previous books and taken from the interactions among all three men. I particularly liked the surprise in the flashback part of the story. That was kind of fun and at the same time... sad. You know. . . I love Robyn. He is fun and crazy and lascivious, but underneath it all, I feel sad for him. I also hope he keeps Ishiah. :D

Nath: I’m with you two. It is sad that he keeps losing them. At the same time, he knows he’ll see them again. I guess at the end of the day, it’s just bittersweet. Although I gotta love how they met again in this life. The pervert comment LOL. Even at such a young age, Cal could recognize them :P And I think this time, Robyn won’t let go of Ishiah.

So, final verdict on Slashback?

Leslie: It’s a solid installment to the series with some interesting revelations that should keep the story arc moving. The thing is, I’m not sure what direction that arc will take. Is that good or bad? I feel like we should have some idea of where the series is going at this point. I still enjoyed the book but it took too long to finish so I’m going with a B-.

Hilcia: Ladies, I’m conflicted about Slashback. I enjoyed the dual narrative from Niko and Cal’s perspectives, the quick read, and additional depth gained by our main characters in the flashback section. However within the contemporary setting, due to Cal’s repetitive monologue and a sense of deja vu, the storyline suffered. Additionally, I believe that the overall series has stalled and needs to move forward, or as much as I love Cal and Niko, I’ll lose interest. So in the end for me this was no more than a C+ read.

Nath: Jeez, and they say I’m the tough grader! LOL. I’m going with a B. The intrigue was a bit weak and there was some repetition, but the revelations and the flashbacks definitively made up for it :)

Review: Doubletake by Rob Thurman

It has become a tradition for me to buddy review Ms Thurman's books here on Breezing Through... and I'm glad to announce that the latest in the Cal Leandros series, Doubletake, will be no exception! :) Joining me today are my two usual accomplices: Hilcia from Impressions... and Leslie from Leslie's Psyche! Thank you very much for joining me, ladies! And I'm just glad it didn't take me a year to put this one together... just a month :)

Find out how much we liked Doubletake below! Enjoy!

Doubletake by Rob Thurman
published by ROC (New American Library) in March 2012

Half-human/half-monster Cal Leandros knows that family is a pain. But now that pain belongs to his half-brother, Niko. Niko's shady father is in town, and he needs a big favor. Even worse is the reunion being held by the devious Puck race-including the Leandros' friend, Robin- featuring a lottery that no Puck wants to win.

As Cal tries to keep both Niko and Robin from paying the ultimate price for their kin, a horrific reminder from Cal's own past arrives to remind him that blood is thicker than water-and that's why it's so much more fun to spill.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros series, Book #7

Nath: Wow, it’s hard to believe Doubletake is the 7th installment of the series!! It seems like yesterday since we all started this series LOL.

So ladies, what did you think of Doubletake?

Leslie: I had some very strong emotions while reading Doubletake, not all good. I was mad, sad and in shock. I won't say more for now...

Hilcia: I was a bit ambivalent about Doubletake. As always I loved the characters and the action gripped me, but found that I had quite a few concerns when I turned that last page.

Nath: Can’t wait to hear your concern, Hils! And ha, I hear you Leslie! Ms Thurman sure didn’t hold back her punches in this one! But I think that’s what made Doubletake such a great book! One that I really had a great time reading :)

So where should we start? Perhaps with Cal since he’s the main character :) Poor Cal, still seems to have a split personality ^_^;The whole “new” Cal was confusing at times!

Leslie: The new Cal vs Old Cal reminded me of Blackout. In Blackout we had the "normal" Cal working in a diner vs Auphe Cal fighting monsters. Now we have Grimm being the "what might have been" vs the Cal being raised by Niko. But you're talking about new Cal being Cal with the Auphe/gating abilities being suppressed vs old Cal who was teetering on the edge before Rafferty fixed him right? Is it any wonder Cal is a bit schizo? LOL

Nath: Yep @_@

Hilcia: This whole "new Cal vs. old Cal" bit was a bit confusing for a while, particularly with the voices going back and forth. In that I agree with Nath. Eventually this whole thing was cleared away and what I got out of it is that Cal supposedly found a balance between Cal and Caliban in Blackout -- we knew that already. In Doubletake, instead of being ashamed of the monster, Cal embraces his inner monster as well as his humanity, and supposedly has better control over Caliban (the monster). That’s where I see the difference.

Leslie: It seemed to me that Grimm brought out that acceptance of the monster in Cal. Accepting his Auphe side worked as an advantage when battling Grimm. Niko’s father emphasized the fact that while Niko and Cal might be brothers, Cal was also part monster while Niko had a human father. Which we learned isn’t always good since humans can be monsters too. I really liked how it played out showing that family isn’t always just about blood with Niko’s loyalty firmly with Cal, his half-brother instead of being loyal to his father. Actions speak louder than words has never been more true than with Niko’s relationship with his father.

Nath: I think you nailed it, Hils. I’m still bit @_@, LOL, mostly because the voices of the different Cal weren’t distinct enough. However, I’m going to disagree with you, Leslie. I think Cal acceptance of his monster side had nothing to with Grimm. I feel it happened at the end of Blackout when he saw the other half-Auphe in the cages.

It’s good that you’re bringing up family, because it was clearly the theme of this book. It’s always been about family, about brotherhood between Niko and Cal, but it was nice to see the influx of family feelings from other sources. Cal has always felt lucky that Niko has been on his side, but it seems to me Niko was also happy to have Cal as his family... because his parents? All I can say is poor Niko :(

Hilcia: This whole story was about family for our characters: Niko, Cal, Robin. It's interesting because in some ways I also felt that this storyline was a rethread. Family, family, family. I'm beginning to worry that Thurman is circling back to the beginning, and starting all over again with this series. Family, Cal losing it slowly, Georgina, the Auphe, except that our main characters Cal and Niko are more mature and can deal with situations better this time around. But think about it! Thurman takes away Cal's ability to gate and then he gets it back, the Auphe are all wiped out and then return (in another form), Cal goes too dark, lightens up and progressively goes darker again, plus we dealt with the family issues for Promise, Cal, Niko (with the Rom), and Robin with Hob before. And although this book had some great details, it's a rethread and I'm getting worried.

Nath: Nod nod, it’s one of my worries as well. It seems Ms Thurman has undone everything Cal and Niko have gone through and accomplished so far. I understand that the Auphe is the biggest threat possible for Cal and Niko, but she needs a different kind of villain to make readers sit at the edge of their seats. Right now, it seems we will walk down the same line in the next book; the storyline has a sense of deja-vu.

Hilcia: Nath, you got the sense of deja vu for the future books, and I had the sense of deja vu while reading Doubletake. I kept wanting to go back to our reviews to see exactly where I'd read this before! Then decided to wait until after I was done with the book (and the review) to do so. But that sense of having been through these same paths with our boys before was there from the moment I read that line: "Family... it is a bitch."

Leslie: Yes it did feel a little too much like a repeat of what’s been covered before. I don’t expect Thurman to move away from the family focus since Cal and Niko are at the center of the series but I do think the emphasis has become a little too strong and could maybe be taken back a notch. It’s already been established that Cal and Niko are as tight as two brothers can be and they trust Robin completely. I’m still not sure about Promise, one wrong step and she could be outta there. I think the brothers would give Robin a lot more leeway before cutting him loose

Nath: I can’t imagine Promise getting the boot. I feel the guys need a female influence LOL. But more important, Niko needs someone he can rely on and they have gone through so much already. think Promise will remain there no matter what.

What did you think of Grimm? I think he’s an interesting villain and his hatred for Cal is totally justified. I would have been happy if Ms Thurman had stopped there instead of having Grimm building an army to overtake the world, because his motives to go after Cal would have been different than the first wave of Auphe. By the way, are Cal and Grimm psychically linked in your opinion? They seem to share certain dreams... Also, I wonder why Cal didn’t sense Grimm before? Seems like Grimm has been on his tail since Nevah Landing. Does it have to do with proximity?

Hilcia: I do think that there was some sort of psychic link between Grimm and Cal. At the beginning of the story Cal began thinking the same thoughts that Grimm was thinking "Family... it is a bitch!" And then later on, he had the same dream that Grimm had... it might be that Cal has inherited some sort of Auphe psychic ability? Don't know.

Leslie: The whole Auphe sensing each other must have had some effect on Cal and Grimm. I do think it's possible we have not seen all of Cal's Auphe abilities he even he doesn't know everything he's capable of. Grimm embraced his abilities so he might have been able to project his thoughts to Cal or like Hils said, Cal has some psychic abilities when it comes to other Auphe or half-Auphe.

Hilcia: It seems like we got carried away, so let’s go back to family. What did you ladies think of Kalakos as a character, and of Niko's reaction to him? Now, that part of this story is the one that really made me sad.

Leslie: Kalakos was interesting. I didn’t trust him but was surprised with how far he had gone to achieve his goal. His heart was totally black. Poor Niko. Do you think Niko will now wonder if he might become more like his father? Possibly train even hard and become even more Zen so he doesn’t go down that path? It’s similar to what Cal’s gone through with worrying that his Auphe side might takeover.

Nath: I hope Niko won't doubt himself. Throughout his life, he’s shown how different he was from his parents. Cal and himself are living proofs that there is a difference between nurture and nature.

I have to say, I didn't expect much about Kalakos, but overall I was happy with how Ms Thurman handled this part of the story, because it really fit the Leandros brothers :) At the end of the day, it's still the two brothers and Goodfellow and Promise... as it should be.

Hilcia: I guess Kalakos didn't fool any of us, just like he didn't really fool the boys. :) The extent of his evil doing’s another thing altogether and the Vayash "burden" really caught me by surprise! I was very sad for Niko throughout the whole story though, and was devastated for him at the end. A parent is a parent and the outcome was horrific. I do think it should affect him somehow. I don't know how, but he's such a stoic and straight up kind of guy that we'll have to wait and see. The one line that stands out for me regarding this subject comes from Cal: "My brother hates..." I wish we could have experienced some of Niko's thoughts through this time.

When it comes to Kalakos, (besides his evil nature) his name caught my attention. He's Rom, yet he and Niko have Greek-based names. Then Thurman focused on Hephaestus and Janus as villains and brought up Achilles, all Greek and Roman mythological figures. Through Goodfellow, the pucks (Pan), Greek mythology is already a part of this series, but again she expanded on it by making the main villain part of this mythology. Hephaestus is the Greek god of technology and Pan the Greek god of nature, natural enemies. Achilles is a human Greek hero, which is perfect for Thurman’s purposes, and Janus was the Roman god of "beginnings and transitions." I think that was a rather extensive and interesting usage of mythology in this particular book. Very apropos.

So far Thurman has introduced so many different creatures and mythologies, Egyptian culture included, that I'm used to it by now, and I really enjoyed the use of the mixed mythologies in Doubletake. I am wondering if or when she will go back to some of those other entities she has introduced, or if they will just be part of the background. For example: what happened to that super secret human society? Where's the Kin in all this? Just wondering.

Nath: They all need to regroup and restructure after meeting Cal LOL. It's actually interesting that you bring up the extent of Greek mythology in this book, Hils. I didn't really pay attention. I feel that a lot of UF series nowadays are mixing up so many mythologies, but it is indeed interesting. Wonder if she'll take it a step farther. Sigh, that’s what she should do instead of bringing back the Auphe!

What I really liked about Kalakos appearance is that we found out more about Niko’s background and I'm glad we got some explanations as where Niko's warrior prowess comes from. Archilles’ descendant! Isn’t that awesome? But I’m wondering, it's always been said that Robin was attracted to Niko at first because he reminded him of Ishiah... but it seems that Robin actually knew that Niko resembled Achilles... wonder if there's something else in there :)

Leslie: I'm like Nath and don't pay much attention to the different mythologies and how they relate. But seeing how you linked up the Greek mythology is very creative. I'll need to pay closer attention from now on. As for the Kin, my guess is that they smelled the Auphe in Grimm, saw the destruction of Janus and decided to stay out of town for a while. I don't think we've seen the last of Delilah. *sigh* I don't like her with Cal.

I think Doubletake would have been a perfect book to have both Cal and Niko's POV. It would have been interesting to hear what Niko was thinking when Kalakos helped save Cal. Did he hold out any hope that maybe Kalakos really wanted a relationship? It felt a bit off balance with only Cal's POV since Niko's father played such a pivotal role in the story.

Nath: I would have loved to hear Niko's POV... but I think in such a book, it would really have been difficult for Ms Thurman to capture it.

Hilcia: I don't like Delilah for Cal either. So far, I don't like anyone for Cal, lol!

Nath, Thurman has done an excellent job using multiple POVs in one book (Roadkill), so I think she would have done the same in this book if she had chosen to give readers Niko's perspective as to his feelings for his father. But... that's water under the bridge, lol! It was just a wish on my part.

Nath: I do agree that Ms Thurman did a great job at using multiple POVs in past books, but I think there was so much going on in this book, it would have detracted and I don’t think Doubletake would have had the same impact.

Something else I enjoyed in Doubletake was the action :) It was pretty much awesome as usual :) But I think it took a backseat to all the storylines going on.

Hilcia: Really? I thought it was pretty much non-stop. Even while they were dealing with all the storylines, they were fighting and getting hurt left and right. Grimm was relentless and so was Janus.

Leslie: I thought Thurman did a good job keeping a balance between the action and the storylines. My only real complaint was a little too much time spent on Cal's introspective musings. It began to feel too repetitive and I did begin to wonder if the purpose was for readers who have not read any or all of the previous books.

Nath: The action was non-stop, but it was always in short sequences to me - except for the fight with Hephaestus. As Leslie said, there was a lot of Cal’s musings and they seemed much longer, slower.

Speaking of Hephaestus, I thought his feud with Robin about Aphrodite was hilarious LOL. And I really liked that Robin went back... It really shows how much of a friend Robin has become to the Leandros brothers.

Hilcia: Ah Robin! As always, I loved Robin Goodfellow in this installment. The Panic was fun! I enjoyed it, but it was too short and with not enough substance. It did serve to clarify some great points about Robin and the pucks though and that's great for his character. I liked that Robin was not always the easy going guy in this installment and that a few times he was actually scary.

Leslie: I loved seeing that other side of Robin! I don’t think he could have survived as long as he has without having that scary side to him. The whole Puck reunion was a bit of a letdown. After the build-up, I was expecting there to be more to it but it was over rather quickly and that was that. It was funny while it lasted though. :)

Nath: I agree the Puck reunion was a bit of a let-down, simply because it wasn't longer and not better integrated in the storyline... but what there was, I really enjoyed LOL. It was so funny to see Cal being tricked :P Although it’s interesting that Cal seems to be able to recognize older pucks.

I always like discovering new information about Robin and I thought it was awesome to learn that Robin was the second puck to walk the Earth LOL. By the way, the Hob that died... was that the real Hob? I have to say, I'm getting a bit confused ^_^;

Leslie: Yep, the Hob that died was the first original Puck.

***HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD, read at your own risk!***


Nath: So I kept the best for the end, Georgiana! What did you two think about it? It was such a shock! Though it does answer what's been going on with her, because I was wondering.

Leslie: I think Georgiana will be back. Yeah, I know you two probably think I'm being stubborn about this (and I am, just a little) but she vowed, she'd find a way.

"I'll find a way to change it. I don't care if it's never been done. The world can't stop me. No one can stop me."
page 157 of 339

I think both her and Grimm, of course, will be back.

Hilcia: Georgie's scene as seen through Grimm bothered me. It now seems that we are getting Georgie back at some point in the story, as a ghost? Really? A ghost of some sort? She was a coward with Cal, but supposedly redeemed herself by facing Grimm and now she'll "be back" to help Cal. Sigh... If that's the case, I won't be happy about that. Sorry. I wish she would have redeemed herself with Cal personally and not as some sort of ghostly, insubstantial being. I wouldn't have minded that at all. However, I do like that Thurman went back to Georgie. Hers was a loose thread that I wondered if it was going to be left hanging.

Nath: No, no, no!! No ghost! I mean, there’s going to be a lot of drama surrounding Georgie once Cal learns of her death, the last thing we need is her coming back as a ghost... or being reincarnated now that I think about it. She was killed for a reason...

Leslie: It’s interesting that you thought Georgie might come back as a ghost. I didn’t go in that direction but it’s certainly possible. I hope not though, shades of Vishous & Jane we do not need. I was thinking she might turn to black magic and use a spell to either alter the past or do some time traveling. But I would expect her to come back as either herself or possibly inhabit someone else’s body. I do think she’ll come back in some form, just not sure what or who it might be.

Hilcia: I don't know Leslie. Georgie is dead. Unless Thurman comes up with a way to resurrect the dead in this series, Georgie's not coming back as herself. She has to be some sort of ghost or something "not human." Hopefully nothing like Salome, lol! I just wish she had made her peace with Cal in person before meeting her "destiny."

Nath: LMAO!! Oh gosh Hils! I can't imagine anything like Salome LOL. I have to say, I wonder what was Georgie's future when Cal asked her to look.

Leslie: By the way ladies, I just found out that Rob Thurman tweeted about Georgina ~

"For the last time to all those who thought Georgina died in Doubletake, you didn't read the chapter closely enough."

So now I need to re-read that chapter and of course now I can't find my copy of Doubletake! LOL

Nath: Oh crap, no! I mean, in that case, why even bother with the whole scene? Sigh. I’m going with the “she’s dead, boohoo” LOL.

Hilcia: I’ll have to re-read as well. I can’t believe that the whole scene was so unclear that all three of us “missed” whatever it is that we missed. I’ll go with the fact that she’s dead ( “boohoo” indeed)... since that was my initial take on the scene, and see where Thurman goes with this character. And hmm..I guess we were all right and Georgie will be back! (Leslie) We just didn’t know it would be so soon. Muahahah!

Nath: One thing I just don't get is why Georgie basically let Grimm kill her. She saw the future and knew Grimm would kill her and she still went knowingly? How is that going to help Cal? I find the whole thing a bit stupid and all she achieved was burdening Cal. Like Hils, I’d rather seen her facing Cal. I don't know how Ms Thurman will turn this around... For now, I find Georgie's sacrifice to be worthless.

Leslie: I think Georgie allowed Grimm to kill her because she hadn’t figured out yet how to stop him or because she had figured out but it had to happened that way in order for her to come back. Maybe she made a deal with the devil and gave up her soul to come back to Cal. In this series it’s hard to say.

Nath: I’m still bummed out to find out she’s not dead :( So what, Grimm is keeping her in the cave?!? Now, I feel like no matter what happened, whoever is introduced, Cal will end up with Georgie because he owes her... And I still don’t like her for Cal!!! I thought her death was good news for me because it meant Cal would have a new love interest. I even believed she was introduced in this book! Remember the lady that looked like him at the black market. She’s definitely not simply a woman and the fact she knows Trixa and Goodfellow makes her intriguing to me :) By the way, I was happy to see Trixa mentioned! I really wish there’ll be a cross-over between the two series in the future and it feels like Ms Thurman just opened the door wide :)

Leslie: Well, I’m glad Georgie didn’t die but I’ve been a Georgie fan from the beginning.:) I do agree with Hils that the chapter/scene with Georgie and Grimm must not have been very clear if all three of us interpreted it wrong. (I still need to re-read it.) I was thinking the woman Robin knew, and was a little afraid of, in the black market is possibly another Trickster. That was an odd moment but I agree, I like how the series link.

Nath: That’s what I think as well, that she’s a Trickster. I just hope she’s not Trixa’s mother LOL.

***END OF SPOILERS***


Nath: Well I think it’s time to wrap up this looong review LOL. What grade are you giving Doubletake? For me, this was an A- read :) I just thoroughly enjoyed myself even though it seems we’re back to square one.

Leslie: I’m going with an A- too. It’s not my favorite of the series but I still enjoyed it and can’t wait for more Leandros brothers.

Hilcia: Well Nath, Leslie, for me Doubletake was definitely a mixed bag. I loved the characters and the action, and as always I got caught up in the story. Unfortunately, throughout this whole book I couldn’t shake the sense of deja vu and somehow this story did not feel fresh to me. In the end it felt like a case of “been there, done that,” or a bit of a rehash. So my final grade is a B-.

Nath: Awwww, a B-? Although I totally understand where you’re coming from Hils, Doubletake gripped me enough I could overlook its shortcomings :)

Before ending this review, I want to thank you both again, Leslie and Hilcia, for buddy reviewing Doubletake with me! Hope you’ll agree to buddy review the next one too! :) I’m sure we’re all looking forward to the next book to see where Ms Thurman is taking us!

Review: Blackout by Rob Thurman

Today is the release date of Doubletake, the 7th book in the Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman... so I thought it'd be the perfect day to put up this review :) A couple of years ago, I started reading this series and just fell in love with it... and I wasn't the only one. Leslie and Hilcia did too :) And it's become a tradition to review these books together :) Well last year, Leslie and I read Blackout... and buddy reviewed the books. However, that time, I kind of burned out on blogging... and the task of putting together the buddy review was daunting... So yes, this discussion has been in sitting in my inbox for almost a year ^_^; But I am back now!! And well better late than never, right? :) LOL, I promise the buddy review for Doubletake won't take as long! In the meantime, enjoy this review!


Blackout by Rob Thurman
published by ROC in March 2011

I was alone, and I was lost. I didn't know where I was; I didn't know who I was. it doesn't get more lost than that. Knowing what I knew and not knowing anything else at all, why would I want to be in the darkness where monsters hide?

Because killers hide there too...

Half-human Cal Leandros has always walked a bloody line between keeping his mortal soul free and clear (sort of) and unleashing the horror of his otherworldly heritage. The one thing that's always saved him is the memory of his brother, Niko, his friends, and those he loves. Until now.

Cal wakes up on a beach littered with the recently slaughtered remains of a variety of hideous creatures that were obviously looking for trouble. The fact that he is the one who did the slaughtering doesn't bother him. The fact that he feels like a natural-born killer doesn't either. What bothers Cal is that he doesn't remember Cal anymore... and he's not sure he cares.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros, Book #6

The Story: The blurb sums it well. Cal Leandros wakes up with no memory of who or what he is. All he knows is that monsters do exist. Niko and Robin are able to track him down and bring him back to New York City... However, Niko struggles with this new Cal. This person is not he's little brother... but it could have been. A Cal unaware of his Auphe's bloodline... so what should Niko do? Hope that Cal recovers or wish for Cal's burden to never return? In the meantime, they still have to deal with monsters.


Nath: What did you think of Blackout, Leslie?

Leslie: Wow. I'm not sure what I was expecting but Thurman certainly came through with another exceptional book. It did seem to take me longer to read, due to there being more of Cal's internal monologue.

Nath: I’m with you Leslie. I wasn't sure what to expect either, especially with the way Roadkill ended and Cal getting darker it seemed :( However, I'm pretty happy with the direction Ms Thurman took! It did feel like Blackout was a bit of a transition book, as in she stalled a little bit the overall storyline of the series, but I didn't mind. I just liked seeing the characters being together and how things have changed from the beginning :)

Leslie: This was certainly more character driven than what you might expect from a UF. I agree that Cal was getting darker. There was no doubt that he would have killed Delilah, if it needed, at the end of Roadkill and a small part of him might have enjoyed it. Blackout was like taking a step back, away from that darkness, and letting Cal see another side. So when he did get his memory back, he had something to compare how he really is to what he might have been. And he realized that he needs to be how he is in order to fight all the monsters. Kind of like that saying "It takes a thief to catch a thief". Well, it takes a monster, even half monster, to catch a monster. I do think that Cal's memory loss helped him to accept what he is.

Nath: I agree with you that Cal would have enjoyed it. There's such a fine line between being bad-ass and enjoying killing. It always seemed in the past that Cal had to kill because it was part of his job, he was protecting people or the people he killed were really evil... However, enjoying the killing would be crossing the line and go into evil/psycho. I did wonder what Ms Thurman would do and I got my answer in Blackout :)

And I think you're right about Cal accepting who he is. I thought he's come to terms with it in previous books, but this time, we really have confirmation. In the end, it all comes back to protect the person he cares most for - Niko... and if he needs to be "him" to protect Niko and for Niko to be happy, he will.

By the way, is it me or I didn’t really see the "different" Cal?

Leslie: I did see a different Cal at the beginning than what we are used to. He wasn't so quick with his snarky comments. He might think them but didn't always say them. The New Cal came with a filter where the Original Cal just said whatever was on his mind. New Cal didn't seem as pessimistic either. And can you imagine Old Cal wearing a gingham apron? LOL

The New Cal had a very black and white view of things. The monster killing for instance. He killed monsters, monsters are bad therefore he was good. Then Niko and Goodfellow (monster) show up and suddenly things begin to have shades of gray. I think so much of it was due to confusion - waking up the way he did, surrounded by giant spiders. Then to find out that monsters are real and he kills them. It was a lot to take in. But I did like getting this different perspective from Cal. He's like the Cal that might have been had normal ever been part of his world.

Nath: I don't know, those were all very small changes to me. As a whole, besides the monster part, I didn't feel like there was much difference. Perhaps it’s because I’m not an attentive reader enough. Although true, Old Cal would never have worn that apron. Black maybe, but not blue :P And there would have been a lot of complaining and comments as a result LOL.

But to get back to what you were saying, I thought Cal’s thinking process being black and white was very natural. Not knowing that you're a monster, well it does lend to "monsters being bad/evil" ^_^; And you're absolutely right, this would have been the Cal if he hadn't known that monsters existed. At the same time, given everything he went through in his life, if he had a choice, I think Cal would choose the Old Cal.

You know, what bothered me was everyone saying Cal is so "evil/bad." I've never gotten that feeling. I mean, given his circumstances, the way her grew up, I don't consider his badass-ness, his monster killing job as evil. Even killing bad humans... Of course, this is fiction. In real life, it'd be different...

Leslie: Everyone saying Cal is evil, you mean all the other supernatural beings? I think that comes from the Auphes' reputation and that they can either smell or sense the Auphe in him. I don't think Niko, Goodfellow or Promise think Cal is evil. I think Delilah was turned on by it - by what she perceived as Cal's potential for being bad since she looks down on humans.

Nath: Oh, I’m sure that Niko, Robin and Promise don’t think that Cal is evil, but all the other supernatural beings. Even Isiah, when Cal asked! I understand that the Auphe has a reputation, but it seemed to me some should know better. Yes, Cal is bad-ass... but evil or bad? It seems to me the way he’d rid the world of some threats, people should be grateful instead!

Leslie: I think with the Auphe always being a part of him, Cal will always have that potential for being evil. I think that's one of the things that drove Niko to do what he did in deceiving Cal.

Nath: Speaking of which, what did you think of the deception? Cal is such a lucky guy that no matter what the circumstances, Niko will always have Cal’s best interests in mind. The loyalty and dedication of Niko towards Cal makes him an amazing man. Because let’s face it, while Cal would have been happy, Niko would have been miserable and it would have ruined his whole life. You know how love always triumphs? Well this time, it was brotherhood and I was glad for it :)

Leslie: Niko was in so much pain in this one. Such a hard decision to make - keep the new Cal by deceiving his brother or let the old Cal come back with all that Auphe baggage? If there was ever any doubt, Blackout showed how Cal is the focal point of Niko's life and that everything and everyone else will always come in second in his eyes - even Promise. I think it killed Niko to be so dishonest but at the same time, he didn't feel like he had a choice. Very hard for our Zen loving Ninja to do.

Nath: Nod nod. I guess Niko is worried about a repeat from Nightshade... because I'm sure that if Cal ever cross the line of evilness, Niko will be there to stop him. It was a very hard decision for Niko and it seemed it added to his burden. Sigh.

Leslie: Turning the table around, what did you think of Cal's reaction to Niko? Calling him Leandros instead of Niko I'm guessing was a way to keep his distance until he felt he could trust Niko. I did like that Cal didn't go willingly with Niko and Robin. Especially considering how he felt about Robin - how many times did he try stabbing him with a fork? LOL Cal was funny, being so proud that he still had that fork up his sleeve after Niko took his knife so easily. :)

Nath: Seriously, my heart really broke for Niko in this book! Niko must have felt so sad and depressed and it must have killed him every time Cal called him Leandros. Because that’s the proof he had lost his younger brother... and still, Niko went ahead with the deception. Sigh. Then again, I think it wa's normal that Cal did not rust Niko and Robin so easily. It simply isn’t in his nature.

By the way, I loved, loved Robin in this book. Not only for the comedic moments LOL, but for his friendship with Cal and Niko. For being there for both brothers and for not choosing sides!

Leslie: Goodfellow - good grief! Between the "Sorry, I'm in a monogamous relationship, here's the suicide hotline number" to the dang feathers everywhere, LOL he added his unique perspective on the situation. I love how Goodfellow and Ishiah's relationship has developed. And Cal's embarrassment about it. LOL But what is with the feathers? Does Ishiah molt when he's in love or maybe it's something about being with Goodfellow? Yeah, it's probably a Goodfellow effect. *snort* You mention how Robin didn't take sides with Niko or Cal which I thought was another example of how far Robin's relationship with Niko and Cal has come. Early on, I would have said that Robin would side with Niko in just about anything but now, it's become a much more balanced relationship between Robin and the brothers.

Nath: Oh I'm so happy for Goodfellow and Ishiah as well. I think that those two deserve to be happy :) LOL, maybe he just like to have sex with his wings on... LOL. I am so looking forward to Robin's revenge on Cal. I think it's going to be epic LOL.

You think Robin would have sided with Niko over Cal in the beginning? I don't know. For some reasons, I always felt that there was a camaraderie between Cal and Robin that was very strong, perhaps from them being supernatural beings. In the very beginning, perhaps Robin would have sided with Niko - but that was because Niko reminded him of Ishiah. However, ever since Ishiah has been in the picture, that's been taken off the table. Instead, it seems to me Robin and Cal have a stronger bond - hanging out together, being stupid together LOL.

Leslie: I'm getting such a visual after reading your "sex with wings on" comment! Good thing Robin's apartment is big. Lots of room so they can spread out. LOL Oh, I can't wait for the revenge. With Robin, you know it will be something sexual. ;)

Nath: LOL, well don't you think so? I'm thinking it's like when you shake a tree, leaves fall... but in this case, it's feathers :D

Leslie: "When you shake a tree, leaves fall" with Ishiah the tree and Goodfellow doing the shaking. LOL You're killing me here with these visuals Nath! : )

I think in the beginning Robin would have sided with Niko because Niko isn't as rash as Cal in his actions. He thinks things through and weighs the actions with the consequences. Plus the Ishiah influence that you mentioned. But now, Robin has built up a trust with Cal, enough I think to trust Cal's instincts. In a way, Niko is the big brother/parent to both Robin and Cal when it comes to them getting into trouble and "being stupid" as you said. And we know they can be really stupid. Hello - who helped Cal loose his virginity? And didn't that turn out well.

Nath: I still feel that from the beginning, there was a complicity between Robin and Cal, an understanding. Something along the lines of supernatural beings sticking together... but also, they are simply closer in personality.

Another character I want to mention, Delilah.

Leslie: Delilah, talk about power trip! I know she always put herself first, then pack but I thought she at least cared a little about Cal. Now, she seems even colder, meaner than she did in Roadkill.

Nath: I'm actually glad Ms Thurman took the direction she did. At least, it's clear the line has been drawn and there is no going back for both of them :P And the part where Cal is all "I nailed that?!? I'm awesome!" Classic Cal LOL.

Leslie: I'm glad Delilah's out of the picture. Makes room for Georgie. :) You know I've always wanted Georgie and Cal together, or at least a chance to give it a try. I hope she comes back soon.

That whole "nailed it" comment was the pure, real Cal coming through. LOL

Nath: Ugh, not Georgie!! Unless she's changed a lot.

Leslie: Awe, where the Georgie love? hahaha I know you, and Hils too, are not thrilled with the thought of Georgie and Cal together. I do agree that she needs some maturing but that's what she's been doing while she's been gone right? She's going to come back and be smarter and more mature and her and Cal will fall head over heals in lurv. *snort*

So what did you think about the ending with the half-breeds? Most importantly - did you think the empty cage meant the occupant was dead like Cal thought or escaped? I just find it hard to believe that Cal's the only one left.

Nath: It’s not just a matter of maturity, Leslie. To be Cal’s love interested, II always felt that she needed to be strong, be able to take care of herself and be able to manage Cal’s darkness. That’s why I rooted for Delilah at first, because she could handle Cal. Georgie always seemed a bit too fragile to me. In any case, I guess we're going to find out soon if Cal has a new love interest or not :)

As for the other half-breeds... I’ve always been a bit more like Cal - I never thought of the possibility before. Although, as Niko said, it did make sense that they've tried more than once. Whether it is the end of them or not, well I was ready to accept that there was no more Auphe... so why not half-breeds? But realistically... I guess once again, we'll have to wait and see. If there is one left, then it seems that one perhaps can build portals and that'll be interesting. However, I hope it doesn’t become an habit of Ms Thurman to always bring up half-breeds as obstacles or challenges...

So, final grade?

Leslie: Okay, final grade - I'm going with A-. Really enjoyed this different look at Cal and the "what could have been" but I'm still missing Niko's POV.

Nath: It’s an A- as well for me. I really enjoyed Blackout and I think that emotionally and character-wise, this was really an awesome read. I missed Niko’s POV too and I think it would have made the book even more emotional... but at the same time, perhaps it would have been a bit too maudlin for an UF book? In any case, we’ll never know. Now, all I can do is look forward to Doubletake and wonder what Ms Thurman has in store for us!

Review: Chimera by Rob Thurman

Surprise! A review after almost two months! Sorry we've let the ball drop in the past couple of weeks. However, here were are :) Back for a while at least! Hoping it will be a long while :)

Today's review is Chimera by Rob Thurman and joining me is Leslie from Leslie's Psyche, she who initiated me to Ms Thurman's writing. We are both huge fans of the Cal Leandros series (check the Rob Thurman label!) and when we learned that Ms Thurman had a stand-alone release, it was definitively on our TBB list :)

*Warning: The are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk!*

Chimera by Rob Thurman
published by New American Library in June 2010

Ten years ago, Stefan Korsak’s younger brother was kidnapped. No one knew who took Lukas, or why. He was simply gone. But not a day has passed that Stefan hasn’t thought about him. As a rising figure in the Russian Mafia, Stefan has finally found him.

But when he rescues Lukas, Stefan must confront a terrible truth – his brother is no longer his brother. He is a killer. Trained, brainwashed, and genetically transformed into a flesh-and-blood machine with only one purpose: assassination. Now those who created him will do anything to reclaim him.

As Stefan grows closer to his brother, he realizes that saving Lukas may be easier than surviving him...

Genre: Sci-Fi
Series: N/A

The Story : The blurb sounds a lot more dramatic than the book really is ^_^; Ten years ago, Lukas was kidnapped while the boys were out riding and Stefan feels guilty, because he is the one who suggested they sneak out of the estate. For ten years, Stefan has never stopped looking, unlike his father, a Russian Mafia lord who is currently on the run.

Then, one day, Stefan’s contact has a lead. A young man fitting Lukas description is spotted with Lukas’ most distinguishing feature: different-colored eyes, blue and green. However, he seems to be held captive by some sort of group, agency. This doesn’t matter to Stefan as he’s determined to save Lukas no matter the cost.

While Stefan has dreamed many times of finding Lukas, he never imagined the “after” and nothing could prepare him for this. Lukas has no recollection of his past and insists to be called Michael. Plus, it turns out that he’s acquired some powers through genetic modifications and was being brainwashed in order to be used as an assassin. The evil scientist Jericho is not about to let go of one of his creations and thus, Stefan and Michael find themselves on the run…


Nath: So Leslie, what did you think of Chimera?

Leslie: What a road trip, Nath! It did take me some time to get into it. I think it had a lot to do with the lack of dialogue. There just didn't seem to be that much. More of Stefan's narration, which was interesting but not exactly riveting. But once Michael came into the story - that's when it really picked up for me and I didn't want to put it down. :)

Nath: It was great, wasn’t it? :P I agree with you that the beginning was a bit slow, although I don’t think it was due to the lack of dialogue. Instead, I think it’s because Ms Thurman had a lot of setting up to do. The readers need to know how Stefan lived, what he felt, how important finding Lukas has become in his life. They need to know Stefan in order to be fully engaged by the story and I don’t think this could have been done retrospectively. Once Michael came into the story, everything went so fast… So while not riveting, it was necessary. Plus, Stefan wasn’t too bad as a narrator :P He is not as “dark” as Cal so even if it was very heavy on the narration, Chimera was easier to read than the Cal Leandros series in my opinion.

Of course, the highlight of the book was definitively the dynamics between Stefan and Michael :) Ms Thurman sure knows how to write brothers relationship!

Leslie: I was determined not to compare the brothers in this story to Cal and Niko. It turns out it wasn't a problem. I didn't find myself thinking that either Stefan or Michael were like Cal and Niko. A few similarities but it was more stuff that you would find among any brothers.

Nath: I thought that comparisons between Stefan/Michael and Cal/Niko was inevitable, not only because of the brotherhood, but also because it’s the same author. However, the dynamic was completely different and you’re right, there were just a few similarities that you’d find among any brothers. In that aspect, I thought Ms Thurman did a great job because for Chimera to work, it needed to be different from the Cal Leandros series.

Leslie: I think the biggest difference between the two sets of brothers is that Cal and Niko have a history and Stefan and Michael are virtually strangers and spend the road trip getting to know each other. Stefan was out of his element when it came with how to deal with Michael but I thought he did a good job. And Michael, loved him! He had so much patience with Stefan. The way he slowly came to trust Stefan and Stefan came to trust Michael not to make a run for it. Thurman did a good job showing that trust develop. So many scenes that could have gone either way. And when you consider what Michael was capable of, I think he subconsciously knew that Stefan wasn’t going to hurt him.

Nath: Nod nod, definitively the biggest difference. It was great though because we discovered Stefan and Michael as they were getting to know each other :) I thought it was very admirable how Stefan tried to be a big brother, to guide Michael. It seems that Lukas was the bright light in Stefan's life when he was younger and now that he've found him again, he's trying to do his best to be better. It was also fun to see Michael discover the “real” world and I loved how "prissy" he was LOL.

Leslie: Stefan did a bunch of stuff that big brothers do. The snowball fight, shopping at the mall and oh, the sex talk. LOL "I want to take notes." And as Michael started to change he started acting like a little brother. I loved seeing him tease Stefan, calling him Babushka. Or when he’d make smart ass comments. Like asking how much a car cost if you actually bought one as opposed to stealing it. Or when he bought the coat and matching gloves for Stefan in a color he knew Stefan wouldn’t like. He was very easy to love. By the end they had that strong, brotherly bond that Cal and Niko have.

Nath: There were definitively some great moments. I liked how Stefan really tried to draw Michael out and tried to make Michael feel normal, despite the circumstances. I totally agree with you, by the end of the book, they were brothers and that was all that mattered. I thought Michael adapted very quickly, but it's hard not to with a big brother like Stefan :) I loved the teasing and it really went both ways :P

Leslie: What did you think of Stefan and his profession? I almost wish he had been tougher. Like when he was suppose to kill the embezzler but didn't. I wasn't surprised that he didn't but I'm wondering how it would have gone over had he killed. Do you think Thurman didn't have him kill to make him more likable? He's supposed to be the bodyguard for a mafia big shot but - he seems a little too soft for it. I'm thinking he was portrayed that way so he would be more believable as the good guy. I don't think I would have thought less of him had he killed the guy. Part of the job/lifestyle and survival in that world.

Nath: You know, that's really a tough call, Leslie. I think you're right, Ms Thurman pulled her punches so Stefan would be more likable. Personally, I like the fact that he didn't kill the embezzler. To me, it comes down to conscience. Stefan is tough, he can kill and he did for Michael's sake... and that’s exactly the point, for Michael's sake. I don't think he really wanted to be in the mafia to start with, so for him to kill for something he doesn't really have feelings for? If he really had a killer side to him, I'd expect him to be colder.

Leslie: You’re right about Stefan not wanting the mafia life. He did give college a try but his focus was on Lukas so much that I don’t think he cared too much about his profession. The mafia was like his fallback and it let him continue searching for Lukas.

Nath: I feel that for almost ten years, Stefan went through life in some sort of trances. Never really caring about anything, because he blamed himself for Lukas disappearance and as a result, felt he wasn't worth anything good... and thus, the mafia job. Plus, it provided him connections to look for Lukas. I think that was Stefan’s heart really in the mafia, he wouldn’t have gone to college or if he did, he wouldn’t have become a thug, but instead take his rightful place as a mafia prince. That would have been interesting as well; actually, that’s what I expected reading the blurb :P

Leslie: The mafia prince would have made more sense instead of Stefan being the muscle. I think if he had been more into the family business from the start he might have been higher up in the ranks. Maybe he knew that if/when he found Lukas he would have to break with the mafia and that’s easier to do when you don’t have anyone following your orders.

Nath: I don't think you have to work the ranks up if you have the brains and the birthright :P It did seem like it was always Stefan’s plans to get out as soon as he found Lukas. Although I don't know if it's easier to get out when you're insignificant... Well at least, for Stefan, it didn't really go according to plans ^_^;

What did you think of the lack of romance?

Leslie: I didn’t think there would be anything or if there was it would be minimal so I was glad the story focused on Stefan and Michael. I did wonder if Natalie might sudden show up, more to appease romance readers than anything else. Even without the romance there was a HEA. ;)

Nath: Same for me, I didn’t think there’d be any so I didn't mind the lack of romance. Better no romance at all than a poorly developed one :P I wished Natalie would come back or if there is a sequel, the boys find a special someone though...

Leslie: Did you see the twist with Dr. Bellucci coming? That took me by surprise. I knew Jericho would find them but not how.

Nath: No, I didn’t see that one coming. It was very tricky and a great twist. Ms Thurman kept up the suspense till the very end :)

Speaking of ending, what did you think of it? That was the biggest twist of all and yet, it makes so much sense.

Leslie: The ending - wow. Every time Michael would tell Stefan “sorry, I’m not Lukas” I wanted to skip to the end and find out the truth. LOL. The end fit with everything that went before it. I don’t want to spoil it but I will say I was completely into the book and didn’t want to stop reading. It was very suspenseful and there was a little part of me that wasn’t sure how it would all turn out. Thurman doesn’t always take the easy road and as things starting happening at the end, I wasn’t completely sure which way it would go.

Nath: Yeah. I think Ms Thurman did a great job and the ending really works and was much more powerful because of the twists. In the end, you see what really matters.

What grade would you give Chimera?

Leslie: Considering how dark this was, with all the things those kids went through, I found myself laughing quite a bit. As Michael came out of his shell, he proved to have a wicked sense of humor. There was a lot going on, sometimes a little too much, but I did like all the detours they guys took.

The grade – even with the slow start, once it picked up it didn’t stop. I’m going with a A-. It would have been an A if not for the slow start. But, then it did really pick up, so maybe an A because I loved everything once Michael was there. Okay, I can't decide... A, definitely an A. :)

Nath: It was dark, but it was well balanced. What brought the laughs were Michael coming out of his shell, discovering the world. I really liked how Stefan tried to do his best by Michael. Protecting him, letting him grow, trying to understand, etc. It was pretty amazing how Stefan behaved. He definitively loved his little brother and there was no resentment, just love at finding him.

Chimera is a A- for me. Not as dark as the Cal Leandros books, but just as good. The plot was tight, the writing was strong and the idea/setting very unusual. Plus, I loved Stefan and Michael :)

Leslie: So, hopes for a sequel? It certainly left off with the potential.

Nath: I'm a bit torn. For sure, it'd be fun to see a sequel... but at the same time, it'll have to be a really, really good story and that might be difficult. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I wouldn't say no to another stand-alone though :P

Review: Roadkill by Rob Thurman

Ouf, it's been a while, hasn't it? We didn't really plan this little break (if we did, we would have made an announcement, LOL), but with real life interfering, it just happened. However, we have a couple of reviews in the works and this blog will be kept busy in the next few weeks! In the meantime, to make up for our little break, I bring you probably the longest buddy review/discussion I've ever been involved in LOL. I mean, it's really long :)

So joining me today is Leslie from Leslie's Psyche and Hilcia from Impressions of a Reader... We all discovered the Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman last year (can read the reviews here) and were looking forward for the newest installment. I'd like to thank them both for discussing this read, but also for their patience, as it took me a while to put the review together :D

Enjoy!


*Warning: The are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk!*

Roadkill by Rob Thurman
published by ROC (New American Library) in March 2010

It's time to lock, load, and hit the road...

Once, while half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko were working on a case, an ancient gypsy queen gave them a good old-fashioned backstabbing. Now, just as their P.I. business hits a slow patch, the old crone shows up with a job.

She wants them to find a stolen coffin that contains a blight that makes the Black Death seem like a fond memory. But the thief has already left town, so the Leandros brothers are going on the road. And if they're very, very lucky, there might even be a return trip...

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros series, Book #5

The Story: The story is a bit more than what’s described in the back blurb. Aside from the case, there’s also the fact that the Kin – the werewolves’ mafia – found out about Cal and Delilah’s relationship and they’re really not thrilled about it. So it wouldn’t be a bad thing for Cal to embark on a road trip. Accompanying them is their good friend, Rob Goodfellow who has his own share of personal issues – he’s contemplating monogamy! However, before embarking in this adventure, they are in need of a powerful healer – how else are you going stop an evil who spreads disease? Luckily for them, old acquaintances show up to aid.

Nath: So ladies, your thoughts? :P For me, while it wasn't as good as Deathwish - which is definitively going to be difficult to beat - I thought Roadkill was still a very good book :)

Leslie: I liked it but... not as much as Deathwish, that's still my favorite.

Hilcia: Roadkill was actually a winner for me. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed Deathwish for different reasons.

I thought there was an excellent balance in this book between the darkness and the light. Through Catcher, Thurman brought in a positive POV I thought really contrasted with the growing darkness in Cal's, and there’s definitely a lot of darkness in this book.

Leslie: Hils, the comment about Catcher being the light to Cal’s darkness is perfect. I did feel that Cal was darker this time around. He was still snarky and a smartass but it felt less lighthearted, darker with a touch of evil to it. Seriously, Cal was scary in this one.

Hilcia: He was definitely scary, Leslie! That darkness that we knew was there and that exploded in this book was one of the things I really liked about Roadkill. He gave me the chills and at the same time it was a thrill to see how he could become something else. The way it happened seemed so innocuous that it made it even more chilling when the change came over him. Deliciously dark and thrilling, lol!

Leslie: One of the scenes with Cal and Catcher that I loved, on page 265, where Catcher summed up Cal so well when he told him that he had a choice to be “NOT SO BAD”. Then Catcher went on to torment Cal with knock-knock jokes of wisdom and it made me love him that much more.

Nath: LOL, that was such a great scene. Somehow, it seems Catcher understands Cal, perhaps because he is closer to his wolf-side now. As for Cal's darkness, I think the reason it was even darker than in previous books is that the darkness came from within. In the past, Cal's toughness and "darkness" were necessary for him to deal with the circumstances and possible Auphe attacks. Cal often said that he was a monster, but I don't think he believed it till this book. Before, if Cal ever became evil, it'd be because the Auphe have turned him or something external had happened and Cal lost it (eg. Niko's death). However, this time, it really came from within Cal and that's why it was so scary.

In my opinion, the fact Cal’s Aupheness is surfacing is truly a good thing for the series. After the events of Deathwish, I was wondering what would happen. This adds another dimension to Cal’s character depth and moves the plot along.

Hilcia: I agree Nath. I loved the way Cal's character and Auphness were further developed and explored in Roadkill. It moves the overall storyarc and gives the series a direction, and that was certainly unexpected.

Leslie: I'm glad it came out in him. I think he needs to go dark, bad, mad... before he could deal with the fact that even though the Auphe are dead there's still the Auphe in him and it's not going away. It definitely helped the progress of the storyline, there have to be consequences to what he is. Something that evil can't be ignored.

Nath: It’ll definitively drive the series.

Another element that is helping the series greatly is the narration. In Roadkill, we get both Cal and Catcher’s POV. As Hils mentioned, it balanced the book but I think it also helped the pacing of the story. It seems Ms Thurman has found the winning strategy having at least 2 POVs. I know I’m glad there was another character’s POV. I really don’t think I could go back to a whole book with Cal ^_^;

Hilcia: LOL, me neither! I totally agree with you on Thurman’s usage of different POV's. This will not only make the books more interesting, but we as readers will get to know the other characters. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Robin's POV! That should be a fun book. Don't you think?

Nath: It’d be great and so fun!!

Leslie: Having experienced Niko's POV in Deathwish made the fact that we didn't get it this time even more pronounced than before Deathwish.

Hilcia: Niko's POV was not really missed in this installment in my opinion. His presence was very much there, but this book was centered on Cal and that was okay with me.

Leslie: Gasps – Niko’s POV not missed? How could you Hils?! *Total Niko fangirl here and not afraid to admit it*

Nath: LOL. Of course, I would have liked to have Niko’s POV, I really like his voice and I’d love to know what he thinks of Cal’s Aupheness surfacing. However, reading his thoughts in Deathwish made the book very special and a lot more powerful. As a result, I’m not sure I would want his narration in every book. It will definitively have more impact if readers get it only once in a while, so I think it was wise decision from Ms Thurman not to include Niko’s POV. Plus, I really enjoyed Catcher’s POV in Roadkill :)

Leslie: Regarding Catcher’s POV, I thought Thurman did a good job of giving it just the right feel of man/wolf POV. It was a balancing act which, in my opinion, worked well. He nearly broke my heart when he would wake up and repeat his name. The bond between Rafferty and Catcher was just as strong as that between Niko and Cal. Definitely liked their relationship.

Hilcia: I loved, loved the relationship between Rafferty and Catcher! My heart broke for Rafferty and for what he was going to lose. In the end I was happy for Catcher, I thought he was the only one who had come to terms with his destiny.

Nath: I was really excited when I discovered that Rafferty and Catcher were going to be in this novel, because I've always wondered what happened to them. I ended up loving their relationship! It was very reminiscent of Niko and Cal: the loyalty, the dependence and always being there for each other. Great stuff, Ms Thurman really excels at writing guy-guy relationship.

However, I cried my eyes off for Catcher at the end T_T It was really sad and I was expecting for them to find a cure :( After reading the end of the book, I was simply bummed out for the rest of the day. Sigh.

Leslie: Catcher - sigh. It was sad, I did cry but I wasn't really surprised that they didn't find a cure. I'm not sure if I was sadder for Rafferty than for Catcher. Rafferty had to give up the possibility of a "normal" Wolf life whereas Catcher had already done that. The bond they had was written so well, the teasing, the love, the loyalty - all there.

What did you think of the storyline with Suyolak and the Plague of the World?

Hilcia: I enjoyed this part of the book. It was ominous. Suyolak was a worthy adversary for our gang of misfits and no easy kill. But at the same time, although creepy as heck, it was not a super gory storyline.

Nath: I really like the storyline/intrigue/villain. It was different and the idea of these unlikely comrades going on a road trip chasing the baddie was very interesting. There was still plenty of action even though I felt the Rom was a touch more passive than the previous bad guys. Also, as Hils mentioned, it was not super violent or gory.... Personally, I prefer this to the Redcap man or even the Kin's story. Plus, I think it was the perfect kind of mystery/villain for all the storylines (Cal's Aupheness, Rafferty/Catcher's storyline, Cal-Delilah-Kin) that Ms Thurman had in-store for us. Otherwise, it would have been too much.

Leslie: He was certainly different in his style of fighting/playing with the Scooby gang. Infecting the people along the way, it's like he was practicing after being locked up for so long. Training for when he finally got out of the casket. The one thing that I didn't get about him was why it took him so long to get out of the casket and the truck. If he could infect people as the truck passed by and get into the gangs head while they're asleep and awake then why take so long to get free? Am I missing something?

Hilcia: I totally agree with Nath that this villain had the perfect balance for this book and I loved the outcome.

What I got from the book was that he couldn't get out of that casket until he was strong enough to do so. He was gathering his strength by sucking life from others as he went along. Once he was strong enough he got out. He was in there for centuries using his mojo slowly.

Leslie: Suyolak gathering his strength makes sense but he kept using it when he talked to them or "appeared" in the car with them. Playing with them, that I could see that. He had the power but wanted to string them along for a while and possibly test them. Villians like to play with their food. :P

Nath: Hmmm, you're right, Leslie. Why did Suyolak use his powers to appear and toy with the boys? I think he felt somewhat threatened by Rafferty and wanted to show how powerful he was. Villains like to gloat as well :) However, I think there were two more reasons why Suyolak bided his time: 1) he wanted to get to the Park for the showdown and 2) he was getting use to this “new” world.

What about the whole business between Cal and Delilah?

Leslie: I’ve always liked her. I like her way of talking, getting right to the point and that she doesn’t hold Cal’s Aupheness against him. But by the end of Roadkill I liked her a little less. I get why she did what she did but it only confirmed what Cal knew, that Delilah's will always put herself and her interests first.

Nath: I’m with you Leslie. I’m a romantic at heart. I was secretly hoping that Delilah would be the one for Cal. It’s obvious Cal needs someone tough, someone who can stands by him and back him up. Sure, Delilah doesn’t have the best personality, but I thought she could change for Cal… and obviously, Cal wished the same. (He’s a romantic at heart as well LOL!) However, I liked Delilah less in Roadkill. It was really her obsession with All Wolf that turned me off :(

Hilcia: Delilah? I've never liked Delilah. I've always been suspicious of her motives. Yes, she accepts Cal's Auphness, but why? She's an egomaniac, self-centered and an opportunist. So how can someone like that be trusted? I was not surprised at how this turned out -- at how SHE turned out. I did however feel bad for Cal. He knew the type of female she was, but he was still hoping for something more from her, that's the reason he gave her a chance. I definitely felt for him.

Leslie: It's interesting what you said about Delilah, Hils. Do you think she has some nefarious plan to use Cal's Auphe abilities and that's why she hooked up with him? Because I felt that she's been clear that she looks out for herself first. Sometimes she acts like she has some affection for Cal but no way she would die for him or anything close to it. Like Rafferty and Catcher would die for each other, no doubt but I've never got that from Delilah, even for a member of her pack. Maybe it's that pack mentality and since Rafferty and Catcher weren't part of that cutthroat environment it gave them a different outlook on loyalty.

Hilcia: Leslie, I've always been suspicious of Delilah precisely because of her lack of loyalty to a pack. What werewolf doesn't have that? There's something lacking in her, something essential. I always thought that she had a use for Cal, whether it was for his abilities and the fact that he "owed" her for saving his life, I always thought she was using him for the moment -- until he stopped being useful to her. In this book we saw a clearer picture as to Delilah's plans, she wants to head her own pack. I've a feeling that was her plan all along... to use him as a weapon.

Leslie: So Cal willingly or not, helping Delilah become pack alpha. And the sex was just a side benefit and deep down he knew it and just went a long for the ride. Totally see that and Cal hoping, just a little bit that he was wrong about her.

Nath: Just wondering, are we sure that Delilah is Alpha now? Hils mentioned her lack of loyalty towards the pack. Actually, we have to be careful here because I've yet to see a "pack" in Ms Thurman's world... I don't believe we can equal Kin to pack, it’s really a lot more like mafia factions. As for loyalty to pack, personally, except for Rafferty and Catcher who seemed to be the exception, I haven't really seen it in any other werewolves characters introduced - Flay, Cerberus, etc. It seems to me there's a special bond about family ties - Rafferty/Catcher, Flay and his cub, even Flay and Delilah to a certain extent... but not pack.

Back to Delilah. I don't think that she had such an elaborate plan from the beginning (using Cal to become Alpha). Delilah has always been playing for Delilah and that's it. I don't even think she'd like to be a leader - I mean, she was going to kill Catcher so Rafferty would be the new Alpha, no? I do agree with Hils that she might have wanted to use Cal to get rid of some of her enemies - which she did in this book, but it feels like something natural for someone with Delilah’s background. Delilah’s character is more mafia than werewolf in my opinion.

Hilcia: Nath, good point on Thurman's meaning of "pack" in her world. But going back to Delilah my thoughts go to her ambition and her frustration in not being able to advance within the Kin due to the fact that she's not "pure" werewolf. It seems as if only the pure wolves can advance within the Kin. She looks perfect but she's not. In this book we see a Delilah who wants Rafferty, not as an alpha, but as someone she can use to gather others like her who can go back to what they believe is the right way -- all wolf. I DO do think she wants to be the alpha... there are enough of the not-so-perfect wolves that she can get her own gang going. She killed Cabal, so we'll see if she's allowed to keep the position. ;P

Nath: Actually, isn't it the opposite? As in Delilah is yearning towards the "pure" werewolf... the All Wolf?

Hilcia: Yes, definitely, Nath. However, I'm not sure she really understood exactly what that entailed. I'm not sure she understood that Catcher was going to lose himself totally to the wolf and that he would not be really cognizant any longer in the end. She thought he was perfect as he was, a wolf with his human memories and knowledge, and that's exactly what she thought they, the Wolves, needed -- at least that's what I understood.

Leslie: I think Delilah wants to be All Wolf as in all human elements gone. I think she wants to live in the woods, forest etc with a pack. She refers to Kin packs but I took Kin to be a pack, just a specific type of pack - wolf mafia.

Nath: I'm agreeing with Leslie on this one. It was said in the Thurman world that there are two kinds of werewolves. The ones that are the perfect blend human/wolf and the ones that want to be as wolves as possible, forgoing the ability to walk straight/vocal chords, etc. Delilah might not know that it entails loosing human thinking, but I think that she still yearns to be all wolf... run as a wolf, etc. From my understanding, being All Wolf would mean not having a human side anymore, so they wouldn't were anymore, just wolf.

Leslie: In any case, I loved the way Cal dealt with Delilah at the end. You think she's done with him now? That could leave an opening for Georgina as I’m hoping she comes back in his life soon. Yeah, I'm not hiding that I'm hoping for a Georgina/Cal pairing. :)

Nath: Oh, I loved the ending between Cal and Delilah; it was a great showdown :) And they’re both done with each other, I can’t see what they’d have to say to each other after this... and it’s good for me, because it’s definitively opening the door for a female character – hopefully, the right one this time. However, whether it is Georgina, we’ll have to see. I hope not ^_^;

Hilcia: Georgie? Leslie... Nath and I are in agreement for this one. Not unless she has changed in some way. She was not right for Cal the way she was... but, if life has changed her (the way it has changed Cal), who knows? :D

What did you all think of Abelia-Roo? Cal sure didn't spare her feelings, lol!

Leslie: Abelia-Roo to me is like the Rom version of the werewolf All Wolf movement. The way she constantly put Cal down, calling him evil and then ranting at Niko for staying with Cal. Not sorry one bit for what happened to her.

Nath: Ugh, Abelia-Roo got what she sow. I’m glad Cal confronted and scared the life out of her. One thing I like about Abelia-Roo however is that she shows that “normal” human can stand their own in this paranormal world as well. LOL, love the scene where she said she'd have given Cal the ride of his life.

Anything else?

Leslie: Was it just me or did Robin seem more subdued? Could be the lack of nookie buffet and looming potential monogamy that was getting his panties in a twist? Also with Rafferty and Catcher along, page time had to be shared. I hope we get to see more of Rob and Ishiah in the next book. I'm very curious about the peris.

Hilcia: LOL, on Robin! Monogamy? I don't believe it... like you Leslie, I hope we get Robin and Ishiah's story at some point. :)

Leslie: Robin has the big M hanging over his head. Poor, poor puck. I think he'll try because of Ishiah but I don't think it will ever take.

Nath: LOL, I don't think monogamy is possible for Robin either, but I’m still hoping for it because I want to see more of Robin and Ishiah's relationship! I'm actually hoping for a cross-over in the Tricksters series... for some reasons, I think if we ever find out more about Ishiah and the peris, I’ll be through that series.

I was okay with Robin’s subdued attitude – I mean, he has a really big personal crisis to figure out :P He still provided the comedy relief in this book: Salome!! Gosh, I loved that mummified cat and I loved how Robin brought Salome with him whenever they were fighting paranormal creatures!! That was hilarious LOL.. and you know the part where Salome and Catcher fought? Priceless!

Hilcia: I LOVED Salome! It was a hoot seeing her have more kills than Cal and the rest of them, lol!

Leslie: Salome is one kick ass cat! She was really creepy when we first met her but she does grow on you. :) And if something scares her, you better run!

Nath: You think she can get scared? LOL.

Wow, look at our very long discussion :P But we still have one thing to discuss and probably the most difficult… the grade!

I’m going with A-. Roadkill was a good and intense read and I really liked the storyline. The overall plot is going forth as well and I can’t wait to see what happens next. This series is definitively getting better and better with each book.

Hilcia: I'm thinking that the overall storyarc and worldbuilding seem to be coming together and the plot in the last two books seem tighter, as characterization remains the strong point in the series. I think Thurman is hitting her stride. I loved the contrast between the darkness/light, positive/negative, pessimism/optimism that Thurman uses in this book. For me Roadkill was just as good a book as Deathwish and I’m going with an A.

Leslie: A-. I do think that the characters are still the strength of the series. The world building - good but she keeps introducing more creatures with every book, it's going to start getting crowded real soon. I'd rather she focus on just a few. Like this time around how we got more details on the wolves. I liked that. Maybe soon we'll get more on the peris.

Nath: It’s already too crowded, Leslie, but at least, she’s keeping it interesting :)