I was most definitely tense while reading this book. The suspense and horror aspects was executed well. But it's Tananarive Due, there is not a book by this author that I did not enjoy. This is a story about a man who is trying to figure out why he was not getting enough sleep. His lack asleep is affecting his job, his marriage, and the livelihood of his children. At some point him and his wife seeks therapy and things take an interesting turn. This book has a several themes that includes mental health and family secrets. I enjoy both themes throughout the book. There is a Content Warning of white folks saying and doing racist things. Tananarive has a gift for writing strong characters and I am never annoyed with being in the mind of her MCs. 

Content Warning: Sexual Assault and Childhood Assault (briefly mentioned a few times). 

I thought the description of how a person experiences a trigger when they have been assault as a child and as an adult was done very well. I give high praise to this book. In book two I found myself more intrigued with the story than the smut. I think this was done very well. The suspense was timed and set up in a good way too. 

This book was told from Sia’s perspective. While reading each book, I kept thinking “who in the story will be the narrator.” Right away I recognized Sia. I was happy that the voice of Sia changed. In the first two books I couldn’t get over the audiobook narrator voice of Sia. It was very childlike and annoying. In book three, the narrator gave Sia an adult voice. Watching the changes in Sia broken my heart and had me rooting for him at the same time. The ending broke me. The Ultimate sacrifice. 

Wow! I thought the novellas were good. But this novel gave everything. The master of the Djinn was a mystery to me until the very end. I had so many suspicions and it was not true. I also had guess on who could and could not be a Djinn and I was happy to be wrong. I also loved the sapphic romance in this book. 

Storytelling especially where it mix indigenous and Black folks culture and spiritual practices is always a favorite for me. 

This was a fantastic start to this mafia/spy novel. I love a romance that seems forbidden or dangerous. Not in real life but I’m down for it via fiction. 

It was too much pain and trauma for me to read at this time. 

I am just trying the be true to myself and not continue books I don’t like. I am so over Pippa. I was just ready for her to character to be killed off and being inside her brain was annoying as hell. I hated her lack of self awareness that she was in a dangerous place. 

Okay Lisa!!!! Clearly I’ve been sleeping on you. The way you set up this thriller! Had your girl at edge of her sleep. Although I felt like I was going to fall asleep in the beginning…I was lord “how many more chapters so we have of Zak annoying ass.” 

Also Scarlett!!! You can’t be doing this to folks?!? Your whole family are so privileged that y’all don’t know what life is even about! But Boos!! Or whatever his name is… is a wild boy! I gotta say this was well written and executed! 

Nghi Vo has such a gift for short impactful stories. Also the storytelling will always be my favorite part. Which is the whole book. Getting the story told in so many different ways was very interesting. And the idea of talking to tigers and them being shape shifters was absolutely stunning!  There were some gore parts but I liked it.