Unseen

Warning: spoilers for [b:Unhallowed 53985078 Unhallowed (Rath & Rune #1) Jordan L. Hawk https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592339360l/53985078.SY75.jpg 84354437] (but you should read that first anyway)I didn't realize how much I had missed Jordan L Hawk's distinct voice until I started reading this book. He is so generous to his characters even as he is putting them through horrifying, life-threatening adventures. Just like our favorite half-ketoi sorcerer Whyborne, Hawk makes sure his MCs are seen and loved for who they are. This installment of the series finds Vesper and Sebastian trying to locate the second of the evil Books of the Bound, whose disappearance may have been linked to the fiery death of Sebastian's mother. At the same time, a series of gruesome murders seem to be targeting one of the Widdershins founding families. There are not one, not two, but three separate Bad Guys with nefarious intent, including an unwelcome blast from Ves' past. Fortunately Ves and Sebastian are facing these challenges together. Ves may still question how Sebastian can love a monster like him (Sebastian's response is “more tentacle sex, please”) and Sebastian worries that Ves might have grander ambitions than a humble archivist, but they talk things out and don't let their insecurities threaten their relationship. I was already Ves' #1 fan, but now that Sebastian is bound to the Book of the Breath, he is discovering some unexpected powers that make him a more complex and interesting character. Ves' brother Noct and Sebastian's BFF Irene have important roles to play and their personalities are starting to come into clearer focus. I was tempted to think of of Irene as “Christine Putnam plus magic minus guns” - but she is very much her own person, with a different approach to life and the distinct family baggage of being an Endicott. There are several [b:Widdershins 16128152 Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin, #1) Jordan L. Hawk https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1352121658l/16128152.SY75.jpg 21952704] Easter eggs, but this series is clearly strong enough to stand on its own. Hawk's release frequency has dropped in the past few years, primarily due to our world starting to look even crazier than Widdershins, but I hope he is able to keep the momentum going and gift his fans with Rath & Rune #3 sooner rather than later.