This story was so interesting! I really loved Elena Abbott as a protagonist and enjoyed solving the crime with her. I wish that volume five had been a bit longer and allowed more time to the "final battle", but overall I really enjoyed this series.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first series. I agree with reviews that wonder at how this series would have shaped up if it were just a crime series instead of a supernatural/crime. I really wished we could have had more about Amelia and her experience with the mob. I also think that a lot of this series was rushed, and that Abbott really became too overpowered too quickly. There was no real mystery about her powers or exploration of them. A lot of this plot was also just way too convenient. I will say I did enjoy Nutcase.

This book singlehandedly reminded me why I actually do like fantasy. It also finally showed me what Grimdark is, and I can say that it was a wild ride from start to finish and I desperately wish that I could read it again for the first time.

This is probably around 2 1/2 stars for me. I think the form the book was written in is very unique and suits the story well. I think it helps drive it forward and draws the reader in. This is definitely a book that keeps you turning the page to see what's happening next. For me I rated it so low because I have a hard time not rolling my eyes at the characters. I feel like this is supposed to be a character or relationship study, I just could not really suspend my belief on it. To be quite honest I found both characters extremely annoying. However, I think this is a good choice to get out of a reading slump as long as you check the necessary trigger warnings because this book is rough.

Upon my reread I really feel like this is one of the best series Butler has. Which is a big statement to say about one of my favorite authors of all time. I think this book perfectly straddles the line between hopelessness and hope, showing people's resilience and nature so clearly. Probably one of the best books to recommend to anyone.

There was very little I liked about this book. Men truly will never write convincing sex scenes, but I feel like that's sort of the point of this novel. The plot was barely interesting enough to keep going, and the narrative relied almost entirely on the violence, gore, and smut to keep its readers engaged.

More of 3 1/2 stars for me. I liked Fellian a lot as a protagonist, but I didn’t really care about anyone else. I didn’t feel much of a connection to them or their cause. I suppose since Fellian didn’t seem to either it made her a more relatable character. While the story and concept were interesting, I just didn’t connect with anyone besides her.

I enjoyed that this was a book focused on older women really grappling with what they did wrong in their lives. I think this is something comforting in a way to see on paper. I wish I knew of more stories focused on this part of our lives.

Reading this after Burning Roses made me a bit more sentimental about it. Obviously very short, but I like the character building in it.