Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
The other night I was exhausted but needed to stay up a little longer, so I figured I’d find a good book to pass the time and keep me awake. I tried numerous books, but I was already half asleep, and none of them were keeping my focus. Then I decided to try this book, and I knew from the first page that this would be the one. Before I knew it I was at 10%, then 20%, then 40%. It gripped me, and it was exactly what I needed to keep my attention. So trust me when I say the fact that I was half asleep when I read the first half of this book is not an insult 😉
Seriously though, this book took off with a running start. It didn’t dive headfirst into the middle of the action (thankfully, since that usually just confuses me), but the author wasted no time going from 0 to 60; that scene on the cover with the monstrous CDC workers happens within the first 10%, if that gives you any indication of what I mean.
And speaking of that scene on the cover, it was intense! Of course I was reading this at night, in the dark, during a storm, in someone else’s house, but when Dorian was trapped inside the building with those things, I was sufficiently scared for him.
(And while we’re on the topic of the cover, I think it might be my new favorite because so gorgeous and detailed!!!)
From there on out the book had ups and downs of faster scenes and slower scenes, but it continued to stay pretty action-packed.
I also enjoyed the characters. Dorian was a good protagonist; he was likeable, a little relatable, and someone who kept fighting and persevering. I also really liked Lyle as a person and loved the friendship that formed between him and Dorian; he was the first person to accept Dorian for everything he was—telekinetic powers, sexuality, and all—and that meant a lot to Dorian. Noah was the most complex and interesting one though. I kind of hated him for a while, in a “I would probably want to punch him in the face if I were around him in person, but as a character he’s entertaining” kinda way, but I became more sympathetic as more of his backstory was revealed in little pieces. And then around 83% it finally clicked for me why he was so conceited and egotistical. He was still a little bit crazy, and I’d still probably want to punch him in the face, but he was a well-written character.
One of my only complaints is that plot was kind of busy. The main goal ended up being about containing the infection that was spreading and turning people into monsters in New York, but there was also Dorian learning more about using his telekinesis and where it came from, learning about the Archios vampires, battling a vampire from the Strogoi faction, and a ghost problem. I’m also not sure how I feel about the way Dorian handled everything that was thrown at him relatively easily, but I suppose he didn’t really have time to process anything because so much was going on.
Overall though, this was a book that sucked me in with a great combination of action and character development, and I look forward to the next!
*I’ve read this book multiple times. This review was written after my 1st read.*
*If you’re interested in learning more about the series, you can find an interview with the author here!*
Reread Ratings:
4 Stars (1st Read – 2016)
4 Stars (2nd Read – 2019)
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes intense action, complex plots, large casts of lovable and continually growing characters, sweet friendships/relationships, and lots of supernaturals.
More Books in the Series:
Book Review: The Immortal Coil (The Immortal Coil Book 1) by J. Armand
Book Review: Shadows of Humanity (The Immortal Coil Book 2) by J. Armand
Book Review: Gospel of the Forgotten (The Immortal Coil Book 3) by J. Armand
Book Review: The Alabaster Concordat (The Immortal Coil Book 4) by J. Armand
Book Review: Infernal Providence (The Immortal Coil Book 5) by J. Armand
Love the sound of this! I hadn’t heard of it before. Thanks so much for sharing. That cover really is gorgeous. I want to read more UF.
-Lauren
Seriously, I don’t understand how everyone doesn’t love that cover! And it was a good book, so best of both worlds lol. Glad I could help you find a possible new book to try. I love urban fantasy so I definitely approve of you reading more of it 😛
Ooh, this was one of my favorite covers from your post earlier this week. Yay! Dorian sounds like an interesting character and I low key like conceited characters that show growth over the course of a book so yeah, this one is going on my list. Thanks for the review Kristen!
The cover is so amazing, right?! And thankfully the book was also good or that would’ve been disappointing. If you like conceited characters, you’ll love Noah lol. I haven’t read the rest of the series yet so I can’t say for sure how much he’ll grow or change, but he seems like he might, and he’s definitely got some depth to him. Glad I could help you find a book!
I was wondering when you would review this one as the cover kept popping up in your cover posts and such, so I was curious to hear what you thought of it. If you’re already half asleep when starting a book you definitely need a good one to keep your attention. I always think it’s fun when the cover scene actually happens in the book, so that’s good to know that wa s the case here.
I like how you describe Noah, I encountered a few characters like that in books as well. Whom you would dislike in real life, but in a book it’s kinda fun to read about them. It does sound like a busy read, but also like it kinda works for the book. Great review!
It’s probably going to end up in a lot of cover posts from now on. It’s going to be the new Trailer Park Fae, every time I’m able to use it, I’m going to use it lol. But I was definitely glad I enjoyed the book or that would’ve been disappointing. It does take a good book to keep your attention when you’re half asleep! And I agree that it’s fun when the scene on the cover is actually in the book.
I have a feeling we probably wouldn’t like most of the characters we read about in real life, haha. But sometimes those types can be the most fun to read about! Thanks 🙂
Vampires plus telekinesis? And that is a nice cover- kinda chilling. I like how intense this one sounds. This looks like a fun one to read late at night during a storm! Thr blurb got my attention too with the immortal beings thing, and mankind being unaware of them. Plus “hapless cattle”- that’s always good.
I do like reading about infurating characters sometimes- especially whe the development is there and we see WHY they are that way, and we can understand it even if we still hate the character lol. Sounds like maybe Noah falls in that category. 😛
Yep, vampires and telekinesis! But not in the same person. Though of course I’ve only read the first book so far, so who knows what the future holds? Lol. Seriously love the cover though. It was really only that one scene that was kinda scary (the rest were more action-y), but it was still fun reading it at night like that, I love when my surroundings add to the experience!
Infuriating, that’s a good word for those types of characters. Though Noah was usually more like eye-roll annoying with borderline psychotic teaching methods lol. We did get to learn some about why he’s that way and why he acted how he did though, and I like that too, when there’s a reason and it’s not just random. I like characters with hidden depth 🙂
I really like that cover, too! (*_*)
This sounds fun and I really want to read it, now!
I think we’ve all met characters like that, even if we hadn’t noticed, haha. The ones we love to read about and watch develop (if at all), but still have this underlying urge to slap them in the face with a chair. I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but I relate to the feeling 😉
Nice review!
Haha that’s the perfect smiley! It is such a gorgeous cover <3
And it was a fun book 🙂 I agree, I think there are a lot of characters I probably wouldn't like in real life lol but they're still so much fun to read about! Thanks 🙂
Who doesn’t love a book which suck you in and keeps you reading when you’re ready to sleep? And if you can keep reading when you’re eager to sleep. It sounds interesting and a good balance of story and characters which is always good. I especially like when you have interesting characters who are close to unlikable who have a really good backstory to them so I’m intrigued by this one. Good review and a book which may have to be a Halloween read for me.
Exactly! Any book that can keep you up when you’re exhausted is a good one. And it did have a nice balance. And I agree that I like when characters are borderline unlikeable but then their backstory is good and makes me understand. Thanks, hope you enjoy if you do decide to read it 🙂
I was looking forward to your review of this one and I’m thrilled it was a good read for you. I understand what you’re talking about with the action (I think) – there is a series I’ve read that I’m always exhausted once I finish because there’s so much going on. It’s great – but exhausting. 🙂 This one just went on my tbr, Kristen. Thanks for that. 😉
Yeah there was just a lot going on, but really that’s not the most terrible offense. It was still good! I’m looking forward to the rest of the series and would love to know what you think if you read it 🙂