***WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS, DO NO READ BEFORE READING THE PREVIOUS 2 BOOKS***
Book 3 is called Dark Union and was published in 2012 just 2 months after The Darkest Gate. Which to me, since I preordered a book a year in advance is pretty fast for publication of two books in the same series. Normally its at least a year.
And while book number 2 left us feeling a bit numb after a certain spunky gals untimely and tragic death we move on, we go forward onto the next book to see what fate has in store for Elise, James, and Anthony.
Since I'm just starting this book while being able to type this, I can say that I hope James and Elise finally get together, I'm exhausted from Stephanie and her nasty attitude toward Elise. And I'm tired of watching James fight these feelings he says he doesn't have, its entirely exhausting just to read.
I started this book right after I finished the second and I can tell you, I had to make sure I was reading the correct book and that I didn't accidentally open a different one on the kindle because it starts with the gruesome death of a woman in the desert where she literally crawls inch by inch until she just dies. Then new characters are introduced before the first chapter ends. I've only made it to chapter 2 so far but I'm really hoping Elise can avoid another apocalypse. Good news is that chapter 2 starts with Anthony and I'm glad to have his comedic relief carried over to the third book. After losing one character, I just wasn't ready to see that another had left us. Although some of his demeanor has obviously changed with the loss of his cousin. My heart aches for him every time the author brings up the pain he feels inside.
I'm not sure how I feel about the bond now between Elise and James either, today is 9/15 and I'm now on chapter 7. This book somehow feels shorter than the last two. And things are happening quite rapidly, like something big is about to be exposed. Currently Elise isn't even speaking to James but the bond makes it hard for them to just ignore each other entirely. Elise and Anthony are having to go to some summit in the desert between the demons, angels, kopides, and aspis. I'm not sure how all this is going down but the excitement and anxiety leading up to it are enough to keep me interested.
I currently have nothing to dock any stars off my rating from a 5. There have been no flashback chapters, writing style has stayed steady, and the characters have been developing consistently. I know my reviews of this series have been lacking in some details but there is so much action and drama and details within the details that to give away really anything may ruin the book entirely for another reader. And that would entirely take away from the experience of reading this authors work.
In this book there has now been an introduction of what's called "The Union" which is basically as far as I can tell a large group of Kopids and Aspis that would together towards a common goal. The only problem being that Elise doesn't like their common goal at all. The only item of discussion on the list for this summit is and I quote, "A Violated Quarantine On An Ethereal Dimension". Oh yeah, you read that right, the whole summit is about the gates being opened unauthorized from the last book! I KNOW ITS CRAZY! Apparently word travels very fast in the world of the supernatural, much like small town.
And another character was also introduced, one who can see the future in visions. Who is also trapped by this so called Union. Of course though he knows exactly who Elise really is while she is trying to pose as someone else at the Summit. And after all we know Elise can't see anyone held prisoner, her first hand experience just can't allow it. Will she save him? I have no idea yet but I'm super excited to find out. I also really need to know who Him is. Who is this mystery villian, why is he so set on Elise, what makes her so special!? I MUST KNOW!
So it's now 9/16 at 9:42am and I can say last night I finished the 3rd book without any problems because I was right, it was shorter than the previous two books. The ending was just another cliff hanger leading into the next book that's for sure. None of my questions were answered yet but I'm hoping in the next book that I get some clues as to who Elise really is. I hope to see her and James make peace through all this, and I really frikin hope that he leaves Stephanie, cause I really don't like her.
I am deducting 1 star from this book though, James is supposed to be a main character and I understand them taking time to space themselves as they both want different things in their lives, BUT HE IS ELISE'S ASPIS, and in the words of their friend, "more permanent than marriage, more fatal than family, and closer than the oldest friend." And I also realize that Betty's death has hit them both very hard but you only glimpse James on and off throughout the book. Most of the book just revolves around Elise. Even Anthony is in and out. This book just seemed so focused on Elise and Benjamin that it only seemed like it should have been chapters in a much larger book. And the tension between James and Elise just isn't a good sign, not good at all.
This would have been 5 stars but the feeling of missing pieces within the book is just too much for me. I'm sure others will disagree but that's just my review, so 4 stars for this!
I've already started the 4th book but that's a story for another post. Enjoy my lovlies!