Famine

I enjoy Thalassa's stories even while rolling my eyes at much of it. Each couple in this series have been basically the same - a Strong Female Character archetype with a checkered past meets a Horsemen of the Apocalypse who just can't help but fall for them tits first. In this one, we're in Brazil where a sex worker is offered by her Madame to Famine as a sacrifice but he's not interested in humans that way (so he says) and has them both killed. Magically, the woman survives being basically gutted and wakes in a pit of bodies, drags her self all the way back to her previous rooms while passing by more bodies, and nurses herself back to fighting fit. But she's not done with Famine because, as it turns out, she's met him before and wants Famine to remember her while she attempts to assassinate him. Well, you can't kill a messenger of God but that's besides the point - apparently.

From there it all goes as expected based on the past two books. I didn't like Famine as much as War or even Pestilence but the end of this one was interesting, as Death seems a little more distinct with totally different abilities as his “brothers”. Thalassa relies heavily on stereotypes in this one as well (see her unsavory handling of Middle East politics and history in War) and the dialogue she used for Ana is 110% American, especially in the slang. Come for the descriptions of hot bodies smacking against each other plus some strong gore if you're into that, not for the geopolitical studies.

I received this e-arc from net galley in return for my honest opinion.

i liked this book. Famine and Ana were fun to read about. Famine was a typical ‘hero - he wasn't but let's just say that for now- who pretends to not have a heart but secretly cares a lot for the girl.

This book had more gore and blood than the second book, but I did like that in this.

Even though I liked the book, the characters were less sticking in my head than the couple from the second book. I did like this ending more than in book two.

Definitie going to read the last book after this ending.

Ana might be my favorite woman/adversary for the 4 horsemen. She is snarky and all about the sex jokes, and I am living for it!

I love the vulnerability around making love versus having sex in this book, and everything Famine had to go through was agonizing in a way that I could not put the book down.

Famine had the potential to be my favorite of Laura Thalassa's The Four Horsemen series, but unfortunately, the pacing issues and repetitiveness during the first 30% held it back. The beginning felt like a slow burn in all the wrong ways, with the same interactions and events being drawn out too long. However, once the story picks up, it becomes exactly what I was hoping for.

Famine himself is the perfect antihero—ruthless, morally black, and unapologetic in his pursuit of destruction. But what really makes him stand out is his relationship with Ana, who's the perfect match for his darker tendencies. Their dynamic creates a true enemies-to-lovers arc, with genuine tension and passion that fans of this trope will love. Famine's obsession with Ana, paired with his inner conflict, makes him one of the most complex characters in the series.

If you enjoy morally grey or outright dark characters and an intense romance that pushes the boundaries, Famine won't disappoint, even if it takes a bit to get going.