Beattz

I'm honestly not positive a review from me will do this book justice. I'm sure there was a lot about it to enjoy, but I didn't. I can blame some of that on the fact that I was listening on audio, so it's easier for details to slip past, but at the same time, that doesn't really happen when I'm listening to books I'm fully engaged with.

It felt like there was maybe too much revealed at the very end. Things that weren't even remotely in question, suddenly became untrue. There was a very uncharacteristic (imo) outburst of violence from one of the characters, and resulting from that act (as well as a separate vanquishing from a kaiju level altercation) this dystopian city now becomes a place that's suddenly much more amenable to civilization, I guess proving that sometimes, violence *is* the answer. There's an unprecedented weather event that gives the city the new life it needs to proliferate, and it all just felt like a race to make things neat and tidy before a deadline.

I'm starting to think that perhaps sci-fi really isn't for me. All the stories I've read recently and enjoyed in that genre have been either novella length (or shorter), or more cozy, than classic. I'm not going to give up though! There's still so much to explore.

This one unfortunately was not for me. The writing, as usual, was great, but the entire plot was the miscommunication trope, and I just can't with that mess. Between that and the absolutely insane amount of cussing (which was like, half of his personality) from the MMC, I just did not have a good time. You tell me. When you see "shit-hot" written to describe something, do you think "hot as shit" or do you think of a literal steaming pile, because for me, it was absolutely the latter.

Obviously, I will continue to read Ms Dade's books, as I love me a curvy FMC, and she writes them very well, I might just read the back first though, next time.

It is positively silly how much I enjoy these books.

I had an absolute blast reading this book. It fits firmly into the urban fantasy category, and everyone knows that's my bread and butter. Set in present day Las Vegas, we meet Miss Adina Venture, an Operator, and, as far as we know, the only one of her kind - a Deathwalker. The Exspiracarius. The Bogey Man Operators tell stories about to their children at night - "you better behave, or the Expiracarius will come for you, and there will be no one who can save you."

For all of her frightening talents, our heroine is an unassuming, petite brunette who just wants to live a quiet life in her casita. Well, quiet-ish. She is after all, an assassin for hire. She has done a fantastic job of staying under the radar of the Order - the magical oversight organization - or at least she thinks she has, until she awakes one morning to find two Order Inquisitors on her doorstep ready to arrest her for a murder that this time, believe it or not, she didn't actually commit. Now she has to find a way to clear her name or suffer the consequences at the hands of the Chief Inquisitor himself, the tall, stoic, British, (read: very good looking) Levi Breitling.

I'm looking forward to continuing this series. The world building has really only just begun, and there's so much more to learn and explore about the world and talents of the different Operators, as well as the Order and its systems and boundaries. Plus, gimme some more of that sweet, sweet tension between Adina and Levi.

So do yourself a favor and next time it's available for free on an Indie Book Blast, pick it up and enjoy the ride!