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Enemies to Lovers is not a favourite trope of mine, and I would have pushed through except for the late-twenties MCs behaving like teenagers.
Not a bad book from what I read, just, not for me!
Not a bad book from what I read, just, not for me!
Set in Titanshade, an oil boomtown with a distinctly 70s/80s vibe (disco!! 8-tracks!! curly telephone cords!), we follow Carter, a homicide cop, as he investigates a violent murder threatening to derail a massive investment into renewable energy from the Squibs, needed as the city's oil reserves run dry. The victim was a Squib, one of the sentient species that also populate this world alongside humans -- and whose insides smell utterly enticing to many humans. Dark humour throughout!
I absolutely love the world-building in this. The other sentient races aren't totally alien but have their own backgrounds, issues and concerns. There are culture clashes, though it doesn't get into outright xenophobia. Magic exists but is incredibly limited by the finite amount of manna available to power it. The city is heated by a god suffering far beneath the otherwise icy ground, and it's quite normal for people to pray to him in thanks. There isn't a tonne of info-dumping, just steady sprinkles, so if you prefer a lot of explanation and upfront detail, this might be a frustrating read. If you're happy to just go along for the ride, Carter is a great character. He's disliked by his fellow cops and has to work around that, but gets results, however dubious the methods in places.
I absolutely love the world-building in this. The other sentient races aren't totally alien but have their own backgrounds, issues and concerns. There are culture clashes, though it doesn't get into outright xenophobia. Magic exists but is incredibly limited by the finite amount of manna available to power it. The city is heated by a god suffering far beneath the otherwise icy ground, and it's quite normal for people to pray to him in thanks. There isn't a tonne of info-dumping, just steady sprinkles, so if you prefer a lot of explanation and upfront detail, this might be a frustrating read. If you're happy to just go along for the ride, Carter is a great character. He's disliked by his fellow cops and has to work around that, but gets results, however dubious the methods in places.
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Drug use
Minor: Child death, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death of parent