Anna

Steve Erikson's writing is dense, which is why it always takes me quite some time to get through his books and Deadhouse Gate is no exception. But what keeps me going is the world building which is done so well. Every person, every tribe you encounter feels so alive, like there is a whole set of stories written about its people and folklore. It makes the world feel so alive and vibrant.

At the same time so much of this story takes place in the desert, and it can feel like it is dragging on a little bit. I also feel like this book was setting up a lot of what is to come. Especially in terms of character building but also in terms of the story. Suffice it to say I'm excited to see where the story will go.

I'm a sucker for a well executed wallflower story and I also quite enjoy the fake dating trope. So this book was right up my alley.

After quite enjoying the first book in the series, the second felt like a bit of a let-down. While I still enjoyed the characters, the love story fell a bit flat to me. Part of this is likely that I don't really care for enemies to lovers.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for the “he wants her more” trope. The way the two main characters interact and their relationship grew made the romance feel earned. He actually worked to earn her trust. The third act breakup was also quite believable and felt honestly heart-wrenching. No suprises though, we have a happy end.

I enjoy the Emily Wilde series as a nice and relaxing read.