2-1/2 to 3 stars
I liked this book more than book 2 of Bodywalkers, which in turn I liked more than book 1, so this series is improving for me. I love, love, LOVED Jacquelyn Franks' earlier books, so I have been persevering on with the Bodywalkers series, knowing what a go-to author she has been for me in the past.
I got this book via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
This book did not start out well for me, and I was very nervous that I would want to DNF it. There are some (to me) egregious medical errors at the beginning of the book. No one who has 3rd degree burns on their legs is going to easily tolerate their pants being pulled off them, even if the pants have been partially cut off with trauma scissors. Also, the antibiotics used to treat 3rd degree burns are not the same as the antibiotics used for a urinary tract infection. And finally, someone who has been badly beaten is not going to be able to blithely have sexy times while they have so much physical damage. This is my number one pet peeve with alpha males in romance books these days. Unless you're on hallucinogens and high dose painkillers simultaneously, as well as being from an alien planet, injuries are going to put a damper on sex!!!!!
As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to read this book because I'm such a big Frank fan, despite disliking the beginning books of this series. The 2nd half of this book went a long way toward redeeming this book 4 for me. I saw a lot more flickers of the "old" Frank-style writing, and I liked all the characters more as the book went on. In the beginning, the characters seemed almost cartoonish or overblown, but as the story progressed, they become much more richly fleshed out. And as more facets of their personality were revealed, they became more sympathetic characters to me.
Katrina (Kat) is allergic to the sun, with what appears to be a severe allergic reaction to the sun. This makes her a good set-up to be a partner for someone in the Bodywalker universe, such as a Gargolye like Ahnvil, who turns to stone during the day and is only active at night. She is a loner in society due to her restriction to night activities, and so she is used to being independent and thinking for herself. This allows her to stand up to Ahnvil, who can come across as a typical Alphahole sometimes. I think they were a good and natural pairing, and by halfway through the book I was heavily rooting for their HEA. This book is also an excellent advancement of the overarching storyline of the factions fighting in the Bodywalkers universe, and i felt there was a good balance between the storyline of the fight between the Politic and the Templars and the romance between Kat and Ahnvil.
I do think that the book is more fully appreciated having read the earlier books in the series. I think someone coming in fresh to the series would be slightly lost, but there is enough information given that this book could be read as a standalone. I liked this book enough that I will get book 5 when it comes out, as I believe the series is improving, and I'm seeing more of what I like in Frank's writing.
I liked this book more than book 2 of Bodywalkers, which in turn I liked more than book 1, so this series is improving for me. I love, love, LOVED Jacquelyn Franks' earlier books, so I have been persevering on with the Bodywalkers series, knowing what a go-to author she has been for me in the past.
I got this book via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
This book did not start out well for me, and I was very nervous that I would want to DNF it. There are some (to me) egregious medical errors at the beginning of the book. No one who has 3rd degree burns on their legs is going to easily tolerate their pants being pulled off them, even if the pants have been partially cut off with trauma scissors. Also, the antibiotics used to treat 3rd degree burns are not the same as the antibiotics used for a urinary tract infection. And finally, someone who has been badly beaten is not going to be able to blithely have sexy times while they have so much physical damage. This is my number one pet peeve with alpha males in romance books these days. Unless you're on hallucinogens and high dose painkillers simultaneously, as well as being from an alien planet, injuries are going to put a damper on sex!!!!!
As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to read this book because I'm such a big Frank fan, despite disliking the beginning books of this series. The 2nd half of this book went a long way toward redeeming this book 4 for me. I saw a lot more flickers of the "old" Frank-style writing, and I liked all the characters more as the book went on. In the beginning, the characters seemed almost cartoonish or overblown, but as the story progressed, they become much more richly fleshed out. And as more facets of their personality were revealed, they became more sympathetic characters to me.
Katrina (Kat) is allergic to the sun, with what appears to be a severe allergic reaction to the sun. This makes her a good set-up to be a partner for someone in the Bodywalker universe, such as a Gargolye like Ahnvil, who turns to stone during the day and is only active at night. She is a loner in society due to her restriction to night activities, and so she is used to being independent and thinking for herself. This allows her to stand up to Ahnvil, who can come across as a typical Alphahole sometimes. I think they were a good and natural pairing, and by halfway through the book I was heavily rooting for their HEA. This book is also an excellent advancement of the overarching storyline of the factions fighting in the Bodywalkers universe, and i felt there was a good balance between the storyline of the fight between the Politic and the Templars and the romance between Kat and Ahnvil.
I do think that the book is more fully appreciated having read the earlier books in the series. I think someone coming in fresh to the series would be slightly lost, but there is enough information given that this book could be read as a standalone. I liked this book enough that I will get book 5 when it comes out, as I believe the series is improving, and I'm seeing more of what I like in Frank's writing.
