Crimson Death

7/10/20
I can say that I definitely remember this book a lot more than I have the previous books in the series. I enjoyed the reread and knowing that I could just skip over the superfluous descriptions of eyes, guns, etc. (see review below for more info). I look forward to the next book because this installment definitely got me interested in the series again. I hope to see more character development which is pretty much all I'm here for at this point in the series.

9/8/18
This was honestly better than I expected. The last few books have been subpar and not memorable whatsoever. Like I didn't even remember that a certain male from the main polygroup died in the last one. Heck, I even forgot that the last one took place in Ireland.

This time we're in the Florida Keys. (As someone who's lived in FL for most of her life, it's a damn shame that I've never visited.) I thought the snake people would have taken a bigger role in the main story line but the author was subtle about incorporating it into the wedding plans shenanigans that WAS the main plot of the book.

I was surprised and excited to see the Four Horsemen back together again! I think the books with them around the mid-series time frame were some of my favorite because of the camaraderie they all shared; their thirst for the violent thrill underscored all of their adventures and made for a more thrilling read.

I didn't dislike the slower pace in this took with the wedding plans and the bridesmaids drama. I think it actually livened up the book and made it more lighthearted than we usually see in this series. But what let those moments really shine was the actual development of the main characters themselves. They're always rehashing the same therapy issues every book (not to mention the same damn descriptions about the males' eyes from the main polygroup, the type of guns they're carrying, where on their bodies they're carrying them, UGH JUST STAWP I DON'T CARE).

There were little interactions here and there between the Four Horsemen that got me all giddy and made me remember how I much I used to love this series. There was definitely much more potential here for the supernatural mystery to have taken the forefront but I don't mind the way the author handled it. I will always just wish for more growth and interaction between my favorite characters above all else.

Something I have to mention that I've been thinking about for the past 5 or so books is that I don't believe in Anita's character a lot of the time. What I mean is, her love, the way she displays affection sometimes doesn't translate well on the page. I just don't feel it. She can say that she loves them but I don't really see the actions that show it. She goes from extreme to extreme when displaying her affection - it's either a passionate embrace/full-on sex or a subtle intimate touch. I believe her anger more than I believe her love. I feel like she's been fighting her inner angst and pushing against her partners for so long that it's all that I expect of her character. Without it, there's like a blank space that ate her essence/personality.

This was a long ramble while running on VERY little sleep but it makes me wonder how much of this book I'll remember by the time the next one rolls around.