Oh dear heavens, just WHAT are you doing to me Tara??? I thought I'd come undone in the previous books but Ms West tightened her screws around my heart, around my emotions and plunged me into a yo-yo of a ride!
Everyone has heard the phrase "Hell has no fury like a woman scorned" but what happens when it's the male that's scorned? Pure and utter devastation is what! This is a stunning continuation of this series, one where one cannot pinpoint who's at fault, one where the reason, though not by any means condoned, I understand. The scorned one, Thorin, has a whole lot of anger and hurt he's never been able to work through, all because of his fixation on a woman years earlier, one who didn't and couldn't love him the way he did her. So instead of putting his tail between his legs, dusting himself off, he does the unthinkable. He's delusional, he lies, cheats, manipulates and finally resorts to the ultimate, decimation, murder, from a heart so blacken by rage and revenge. Although I initially did feel his pain and had a lot of sympathy, that eroded big time throughout the series.
Not only is the drama unfolding between Shiri/Anya and her mates, there's another drama happening parallel between Radnor and Isa and whoa, I wasn't sure who's drama was more compelling! I love Tara mixing it up, giving me the sense that whether one is human or not, feelings, pain, anger and betrayal feel exactly the same for every species. And then Ms West turned it up again....The elation I felt with the bonding was huge, I couldn't stop smiling, this author sprinkles breadcrumbs along the way, expertly, getting my palette ready for what she's going to offer me next... like a new power perhaps, or a new drama. One thing is clear, Ms West has my undivided attention throughout the book! And when she started with the revelations, the memories coming back, geez, I was floored! And THEN when I got to Megaera and what she did, well geez, my eyes were as round as saucers! But Ms West wasn't done yet, my heart threatened to tear in two at the circumstances the twin found themselves in!
Of all the fated mates, Helian had every single fibre in me at his disposal, the heartache I felt for him at his situation was immense. So, yes, he was a douche bag but he's redeemed himself in my eyes, I mean, how many people have done the wrong thing for the right reason? As the reconciliations take shape, so too do the dangers rear their ugly head once more, an evil is still out there, an evil that needs to be stopped, an evil that it'll take all of them and more to defeat. Heaven help me but I wasn't prepared for what came next! Agog is what I was....
Shiri and Tari have reconciled, they're back together, they're the force that are predicted to defeat the demons but there's much to overcome first. It doesn't help when they are plagued by anger at their parents, the guilt they carry, the doubt they cannot relinquish, the kernel of jealousy that wants to grow. I absolutely love these two sisters! So completely different, so much both want to atone for, so much love that they hold, for each other, for their mates and for the most adorable little girls, Aurora and Ember. I couldn't help give a sigh of contentment to see how the bonds between them all were strengthening, the love solidifying, the acceptance of past deeds. This gorgeous, steamy, sexy, action aplenty, both of the physical and emotional kind, and highly immersive read is told from various POVs, the insight into each "head and thoughts" so compellingly captivating, getting to the crux of each personality and relishing how unique they are, getting a clear view of what makes them tick. And goodness me, this author's supreme skill has me twisted up in all sorts of emotional trauma! The true beauty of this story is just how much redemption is a part of life, that even though it looks as though there is no coming back, there are second chances to be had, all one has to do is reach out and grasp it. The rich characters, be they "evil", misguided or remorseful, be they human or Fae or dragon or satyr, the telling, the interwoven complexity gave me unbridled please in the discovery.
Lest you think this is a simple tale, it's not. There are many cogs in this glorious tale, each one well oiled, each one working in sync with the rest, finely tuned, the mechanics of the story a work of art! Oh is the redemption thread BIG! That's what I love about Tara's books, she takes a character, turns them into the vilest of the vile and then allows them to claw their way back to sanity, to understanding, taking the reader on the deadliest, most intense yet yummy ride of their life. I felt as though a tornado had snatched me up, REALLY tossed me around like a rag! From scorn, to misunderstanding, to revenge, to demons, to dragons, magic and forgiveness, absolutely stunning! With only one more book to bring this series to a close, I know Ms West will put the screws in, toss me all over the place and finally deposit me on a tranquil beach, calm, magnetically peaceful and an all encompassing feeling of being sated, fulfilled and very content with the outcome. I just have to get there, I just HAVE to get that final book