Tina's Reading Books

I have had this book forever and decided to finally read it.

The best thing about this book is the world-building and the basic plot set up. The author has some very interesting ideas and built a PNR system that feels a little different from many out there. She has also created an interesting and viable conflict between shifters and humans. There is also a sense of the conflict being serious with deep roots and something potentially threatening to the main characters. It is a very good conflict to hang a series on and has the potential to be nicely complex.

However, the thing that really sucks me in is character development and I am not really feeling that in this book. The book relies almost too heavily on plot. And as interesting as that is, it isn't enough and makes the book feel very incomplete to me -- like it is just skimming the surface and not allowing the reader to sink deep. There is also some character handwavium that works to serve plot more than character. For instance, Jasmine's isolation that has conveniently kept her specialness completely hidden is never very satisfactorily explored. She has no girlfriends? What kind of job does she have? Why did she never even suspect something about her sons?

There were some areas where I felt the writing was rough. Some odd transitions and awkward phrasing and some noticeable, but not egregious, typos and editing issues. I mean, the main character, Jasmine is visiting her son in a military hospital along with her sister. Her son is in serious condition as he actually coded on the field. One minute they are talking about her worry about him and the next she decided to finish an earlier conversation about her sex life and how she hasn't had sex in years and she totally wants to get it on with someone.

I do want to continue on to read the next book. I am looking forward to seeing how Silas meets the threat and how he deals with the shifter community. And hopefully the character development will catch up to the plotting.