Defying Fate

Descent #6

by S.M. Reine

Elise Kavanagh has exorcised demons, slain gods, and come back from the dead. And she's done it all with the help of James Faulkner: a powerful witch, and the only person Elise has ever loved or trusted.

But now the worst has happened. The Treaty protecting humanity from war between angels and demons has fallen. Elise has been taken by her greatest enemy and imprisoned in madness. And James may be responsible for it...

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Demons, Angels, Supernatural, Fiction

432 pages, ebook

First published April 4, 2013

About the author

Hi everyone! My name is Sara, and I write urban fantasy and paranormal novels as SM Reine. I collect swords, cat hair, and typewriters (which I do use for writing!). It's a good day when those three things have nothing to do with each other.

If you would like to know the instant my next book is available, you should enlist in my Army of Evil! We have a wicked cool secret handshake, but you'll have to sign up to learn it. ;) Check it out -- http://smarturl.it/armyofevil

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previous rating: 4 stars. And a quarter.
New rating: 4.5 stars. And three quarters and a half. Because reasons and stuff.

➽ And the moral of this rereread is: it is a truth universally acknowledged that all angels are bloody shrimping assholes.



👋 To be continued and stuff.



❣ Honeymoonish Buddy Read (HBR™) with my Dearest of Wives (DoW™), aka Choko ❣

Previous rating: 4 stars.
New rating : 4.35 stars. It's pathetically low, I know. I'll try and do better next time.

➽ And the moralsssssss of this reread are :

① This is Descent, The Testosterone Edition. Whereby this instalment is mostly focused on the infuriating most glorious assholes inhabiting this most scrumptious series: James the deliciously exasperating ass I love to hate, Malcolm the airheaded ass whose natural state is to be utterly wasted, Nathaniel the witchy teenage ass in the making, Zettel the bloody-shrimping-hell-why-aren't-you-dead-yet ass whom I badly want to chop into tiny little pieces and feed to the crustaceans, and Metaraon the Absolute Ass King of Assholes Extraordinaire (AAKoAE™) who just made it to the SoB Guinness Book of World Records.



② My Most Exquisitely Bloodthirsty Girlfriend (MEBG™) Elise Kavanagh being otherwise engaged at the moment, we are stuck with graced by the presence of two most wonderful female characters: first we have Ariane, Elise's dear loving mother, aka the selfish, immature, irresponsible, fickle bitch. She is utterly lovely. Then we have Hannah, aka the pain-in-the-ass, aggravating, judgemental, self-righteous bitch. She is positively charming.

③ All angels are assholes. QED and stuff.

④ You don't need exercise stress tests to find out what condition your heart is in. Read this series, and you'll know. If you're still alive when you turn the last page of each instalment, there's a pretty good chance your ticker is in moderately good shape, and that it can withstand a generous amount of Slightly Stressful Stuff (SSS™).

And now I think it's time for me to dance again.



P.S. My dearest wife Choko is indeed the dearest of wives ever. She's just given me permission to have James' witch crustacean babies. Off to make sweet love breed I am. Be right back.

· Book 1: Death's Hand ★★★★
· Book 2: The Darkest Gate ★★★★
· Book 3: Dark Union ★★★★
· Book 4: Damnation Marked ★★★★
· Book 5: Dire Blood ★★★★★
· Book 7: Paradise Damned ★★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

James, you are an ass and an idiot. And you aggravate the fish out of me. Therefore, I love you anyway. Because I'm beautifully stupid like that.



►► Non Full Reread Crappy Moralization Fest (NFRCMF™) coming right up.



[March 11, 2017]

Choko Dear, this instalment is told from your favorite character's POV! What fun! I bet you just cannot wait to be in James the Douche and the Dolt's little head!



Now now, my dear, don't be like that. James really is quite scrumptious, you know. It's just that he hides it very well.



[Original review - August 2014]

Oh how I love it when authors write instalments from another POV than the main character's! It gives a whole new perspective on the story and a lot more depth. Still, it's a tricky thing to do and not that many authors manage to pull it off. Until I read Defying Fate I had only come across two authors who wrote alternate POV stories successfully: Lindsay Buroker (with her Emperor's Edge series) and Gordon Andrews (with the Curran POV short stories, from the Kate Daniels series). Now I can also add SM Reine to that list. I can't say that I like James a lot so the fact that I enjoyed Defying Fate so much is no small feat. Especially since Elise doesn't actually appear in the book (only in James' thoughts and memories)!

So many questions are answered here. We get a lot of background information on James which helps understand his motivations and behaviour a little better. Well, I still find him exceedingly annoying and can't believe he keeps making such questionable decisions despite his supposed undying love for Elise... I just love the way Nathaniel gives him hell about it too, he is such a great kid and a fantastic character!

In Defying Fate there isn't much development in terms of story arc (beyond James trying to find a way to rescue Elise and the Union being up to no good) but this instalment really is essential to get a better understanding of the series as a whole.

The world that Reine as created in this series amazes me more with each new instalment. Her take on the heaven/hell dichotomy is very original and pretty fascinating. I guess it can be disturbing for some people who enjoy a more traditional view but I just love it. Good and evil are two very relative notions in Descent so you just have to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.

All in all, this is a pretty amazing series. Everything keeps building up and I can't wait to read the final instalment. I'm expecting to be blown away, please don't let me down SM Reine!

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4 ***

A buddy read with the demon slaying Sarah and the crustaceans!!!

This series is getting serious with the demon and evil angel take over of Las Vegas! After the complete shocker of an obduction, Elise is missing and James is a determined to do some damage man! Not only does he have to worry about said esoteric creatures, but the Union is being an extremely unreasonable pain in the ass as well! Ghhhhrrrrrr! James is making himself into an attack ready mage, while his son and his mom are trying to hang low and under the radar. The two of them are also having a hard time readjusting to life after Hell and their traumatic experiences there. The kid is dealing with it by being a complete idiot teenager, thinking he knows all, is invincible and is the baddest witch alive. Unfortunately, reality takes him down couple of notches when he, his mom, James and Elise's mom try to run and hide and bad things befall the gang on the way.

James shows why he is the greatest male witch alive by kicking some Union ass and showing a vercetility of offensive magic and glamour. His boy is obviously at the stage where he needs to prove himself better and although he showed a ton of talent, the old man is The Man at present. But this competition is making the already very strained relationship between the two even more tense.

We also get some background on James, the Coven, and what they​have been sworn to do for the m@#$_&r f@#king Angel and his crazy, omnipresent Dad. James had no choice and despite his attempts to make things right, James was used and is wallowing in guilt and sorrow. But having a kid that depends on you can definitely get you going, so James and Nathaniel decide on a mission to save Elise and start on a journey through the dimensions to search for her. While being chased by a ton of different foes armed with military style weaponry, magic and mortal and immortal monsters getting slaughtered left and right.... Yeah, it is very cool!!!

This ends in a way which just demands from the reader to jump into the next book!!! Because we need to know what happens!!! ASAP! I never thought I would say "I hate that Angel!!" and mean it with passion! That dude needs to die!!!

If you love Demons and travel between dimensions with your Urban Fantasy, this one is for you! Very intense, not much to laugh about, and absolutely fantastic creative world building!

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!

[S.M. Reine]

SPOILERS: This book is awesome.

I may or may not be biased on the matter.

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Now it's starting to be a bit more interesting (maybe because it's approaching the end).

I'm hooked! Can't wait to see what happens!

Also, this was a very fast read, no idea how I got to the end of this so fast.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I keep saying fabulous things about this series, but it’s completely true. This book was yet another installment of everything I wanted!

In this book, we get 100% James kick-assery from his perspective (with others thrown in). Ever wonder what James was thinking in some scene 3 books ago? We get it here! I was so excited that I never wanted this book to end. Yes, James made some questionable decisions. Yes, he deserves a punch in the face. But boy, I can’t wait to see how this series ends! We got all those mysteries that have been haunting us since book 1 solved and all of my questions (so far) answered in this amazing book.

I was a little worried that the James/Nathaniel thing would start to grate on me, but I love the way they interact. They are two magical bad asses and it’s awesome to watch them knock down everyone who comes at them.

I love this series so much that I was debating taking a break before starting the last book just so I could “savor” the experience. Who’ m I kidding, though? I want to see how it ends!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might need a few minutes after reading this book. Or a week. I don't know. A lot happens. A LOT. And I'm all flaily hands at things now. So, if this doesn't make sense, blame S.M. Reine. *nods*

Seriously, I don't know if I know where to start. I mean, THINGS HAPPEN and they aren't all good. We're given answers to questions we didn't even know we should be asking and OMG!WTF?I HATE THE UNION.

So. Elise. She's not in this book much. Which is funny because every step James takes here is with her in mind. Alas, poor Elise has been dropped in the garden and James is going to do his damnedest to find a way to get her out. His damnedest is pretty darn accurate, come to think. He travels to a hell dimension or two, consorts with demons (AS ONE DOES!), and ... err, does other stuff.

But that's all in the past now, right? Water under the bridge. James might have been lying to Elise for the last ten years but... okay, wait. How does one come back from that? They've died for one another. They've pulled each other out of impossible situations. Elise came back from the dead and went to hell to save James.

Their relationship is very tangled, isn't it?

I ADORE this series. It's insane and fast paced and darkly brutal at times and it's utterly captivating. I am completely smitten with everything that's fallen out of S.M. Reine's head at this point. And I'm deathly afraid of the final book in this series.

No matter. I'm going to read it anyway. ONWARD!

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Nancy D Miz-Firefly aka Sparky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Cow! I thought the last one was torturous. Defying Fate took the smidgen of me that was left and ran it through a blender. On puree. I hate S M Reine a little right now :) At this point I'm afraid to read Paradise Damned.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the other books in the series who are focused around Elise, this one is told from James's POV. And we are dealing with the aftermath of the events that happened at the end of book 5, as well as getting answers for all the questions we accumulated during the previous books. Like why was James sent to find Elise? Why did he run away with her and never went back to Hannah? And plenty other answers about his coven. None of them are pretty, but then again, most people are rather awful in this universe - petty, selfish, cruel. The only bright spot was Betty, but she died, and I think her death was the catalyst of the path of self-destruction Elise followed so far.

It was interesting to get into James's head and finally understand why he acted like he did in the previous books. And I must take back my words about him being an insensitive bastard. I'm sorry James, now that I understand the hand fate had dealt you, I understand why you acted like you did. You are just another mortal whose life has been totally f-ed up by the games of immortal beings.

I liked that we got to see James and his son forced to cooperate and even try to bond, even though this bonding was brought by a terrible and traumatic event. I'm glad that James finally decided to do something to proactively help Elise, instead of wallowing in self-pity and letting her do all the dirty work. Let's hope his efforts pay off in the next books.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Faulkner, the most powerful witch in the world is facing some pretty bleak times. Elise has been taken by her worst enemy and greatest nightmare - and he is at least partially responsible

She seems beyond rescue, but there’s at least his family he can take care of and get to safety… and some old friends who he definitely owes

But when even that derails he turns back to Elise - even is rescuing her may mean walking through hell itself


The last book saw a massive change in the direction of the series with the transformation of Elise and the exploration of her past, her purpose and all the plots around here

And this is the one that really follows those plots and tells their story by not even including Elise. Elise is lost for this book, a prison of the very god she was designed to slay. This story follows James and his early history with Elise, what the whole deal is with his cover anyway, their links to Netarayon and what they were actually doing all along

I… can’t say I especially like it. Though James showed a whole lot of growth and development from his early days, the fact the whole coven had a less than great history with Elise and that James in particular had a very fraught history really puts a whole very negative slant on all the previous books and the relationship between James and Elise which was such a central concept of the story

This was kind of the one thing Elise had. When everyone else died or fell short, she had her relationship with James was still there… even strained. And now it’s been very badly stained and I’m not sure it can come back from that. We learn that James has been magically fascinated by her since he first rescued her from the garden, from when she was 16 years old, vulnerable, terrified and traumatised. Yes it’s presented as magic compulsion but honestly there’s no way “I’m sexually enthralled by a fragile, helpless 16 year old who is dependent on me” can ever be a good look.

I mean he doesn’t take it to a romantic or sexual level at any time when she was so vulnerable and he did stop her when she did kiss him. And ultimately he did definitely develop real affection and emotional connection with her after several years together and we’ve already seen how powerful it is - it has been a cornerstone of these books. But because this is something of a revelation it means we’ve missed James fighting his “duty”, resenting his oath, trying to find loopholes et al that would have made this… an onerous duty rather than something he seems comfortable going along with


We also can’t ignore that he did end up having sex with Elise… and he didn’t tell her the truth first. Oh he agonised over it, apparently, but it remains that he didn’t - he slept with her without ever telling her he was magically compelled by her presence, he slept with her without telling her he was sworn to hand her back to god one day, he slept with her without telling her that far from being her saviour, he had been her warden for about a decade and he slept with her knowing he was going to betray her

I can’t see that as not undermining this whole epic relationship. I can’t help but feel like an epic part of these books have been betrayed and fatally wounded by this. That doesn’t mean the series is - but it means James now has some consequences to face and to come back from this.

I also don’t like what it added to Hannah - especially given how she is so disposed of in this book which felt less like a plot or character moment and far more about getting an inconvenient character out of the way (which along with Betty’s death and Elise’s mother being a not prevalent or great character and the generally male world that Elise already lives in adds to problems). In the last book we had James building a relationship with her, willing to defy this whole epic legacy to be with her. And then it’s like “magic Elise, what does Hannah look like again?” and that’s like, a line or two. And so ends Hannah’s part in James’s life? I mean, is that it? Is that all she’s worth?

While I’m not exactly thrilled with the wrecking job on Elise and James’s relationship, I do very much like James’s adventures, even with Malcolm (I actually like how they bounce off each other - clearly neither likes each other much, but there’s respect there and Malcolm is growing on me). He’s often somewhat in the background - but here we get to see what the often repeated “most powerful witch in the world” actually means with James and his likely even more powerful son. It was nice to see James step out and show just what all that power means and set the Union back hard before jumping on various dimension hopping quests to find Elise

But I also liked that the epic quest of isn’t-James-awesome was tempered - by both Nathaniel’s obviously equal if not greater power, him needing help and his own moral conflicts because the Union is far from an evil organisation - and the people who make it up cannot be killed with impunity. And I liked Alison - a witch he regarded with considerable contempt as being far beneath him managing to set back his ego quite perfectly. Yes he’s powerful, incredibly so, but even he has his limits.


Read More

[Llaph · Rating 5 out of 5]

damn, damn, just ... damnI know how things are mostly going to go, but maaaaaaaan. James you wanker.
I see now that Stephanie and Hannah were his penance for being a butthead. I think he did it subconciously, lol.

Reine writes such flipping awesome characters.

[Alexandria Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

*****Spoilers*****

We finally get to the secret that is James and it's a good one. He was supposed to watch over Elise until she was ready to face God because when he first tried to take her back to the garden, Metaroan said she wasn't ready and Landon delivered the message that she was to stay with James instead. So fresh from being almost frozen to death, James was ready to turn her over but was thwarted. Elise isn't the most emotional but I wonder how she might react to knowing James's secret. That one maybe not as strong as the realization that he gave her up to God by allowing her to cross the ward when he knew God would come for her. We don't know though how she may have taken it because Elise is a complete no show in this book. A brief glimpse and several mentions throughout the book but no real time interaction in present. There are flashback scenes but not much else.

This fact made the book less enjoyable for me. The second thing is the story the author is trying to build that James has loved Elise forever, from when he first sees her at 16. Not necessarily romantically then but he still felt the emotion. How could he be interested in Elise but start on building a separate life with Stephanie? Oath aside which I still don't see how it related to a potential relationship with Elise, it makes no sense for him to have been secretly pining after her for 12 years and the dam breaks with the Treaty of Dis, or actually before then. The third thing is the inconsistency in information which I noticed a lot of reading through this one. Lastly, it's Nathaniel, more specifically that he reads like a teenager and not a 10 - 12 year old. I actually like Nathaniel a lot, he's resourceful and confident but he's really a child.

Some interesting concepts are introduced, including the idea of new worlds created by angels. Skipping dimensions is commonplace but Nathaniel doesn't seem to have the drawbacks that James does when using his magic. We learn that both James and Nathaniel are somehow descendants of Metaroan, it's fuzzy on the details so I'm not sure but James could be part angel? Shrugs shoulders. I'm just ready to get back to Elise and the garden which is possibly where James is going.

[svnshowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea what to say about this book that couldn't be considered a spoiler. I think that, mostly, the theme can be distilled down into the knowledge that nothing comes without cost, and all actions have consequences.
I appreciate that in this book certain characters are trying to rectify some of the more outrageous mistakes they've made recently, even though in some respects they actually end up compounding those mistakes, but... surely, good intentions have to count for something, right? Right?
Yeah, I didn't think so. Somehow I doubt that intentions matter much when you're a functional victim of the outcome of decisions made, no matter how good the intentions are. Following up, I absolutely cannot wait for shit to (hopefully) hit the fan in the next book because my main girl is due for some havoc-wreaking and mass-bloodshed. I hope it brings her some measure of satisfaction, because I sincerely doubt she's going to find it anywhere else.

[Melanie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this next installment, readers follow James as we learn who he really is and what he'll do to make up for egregious past mistakes and betrayals. But at what cost? This is a guy who is screwed one way or the other.

The setting is always clear, even as James and Nathaniel travel across a giant skeleton or are falling through the sky, and there is always an emotional punch when characters die, disappear, or are revealed as lacking the agency we thought they had. There's nothing quite like learning your heroes are flawed in ways you'd never guessed.

I'm always amazed that Reine was able to juggle so many details, making me wonder if she had the entire Descent series plotted out in her head before she started, or if she's taking advantage of kernels she didn't purposefully leave behind, like the writers of the Venture Brothers cartoon do. Either route, it comes off as brilliant and layered and complex.

Then ending is so foreboding, and I can't wait to read the next book.

[Julia Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As this tale nears its conclusion, I feel a lot more like it's spiraling into meh. I want to know how it'll end, more details of how things came to be, but for whatever reason the Elise/James thing REALLY bothers me. And what is Maetatron trying to accomplish now aside from the obvious? I guess I'll find out in the finale.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is certainly full of action, this time, focussing more on James.

It's difficult to say much because I don't give spoilers, so will just say - fast-paced, plenty of action, goodies and baddies, determination, vengeance, battles and so much more...

What will happen next?

Recommended.

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was NO Elise in this except James’ views and thoughts (which is why it’s getting 4 instead of like 3.5). It was still a decent read but some parts were just way too long and I feel like could have been clipped. Otherwise not bad!

[Autumn Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was NO Elise in this except James’ views and thoughts (which is why it’s getting 4 instead of like 3.5). It was still a decent read but some parts were just way too long and I feel like could have been clipped. Otherwise not bad!

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as much as the previous book, but it was still good.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn't disappoint!

Addictive as all the others and leaves you hanging and anxiously awaiting to read the final one to learn about my favorite characters.

[Sam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better and better - and a cliff hanger...

[Laura Figueroa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow

The story is attention grabbing and has unexpected twists that keeps your attention. Can't wait to read the next book.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

[Jessica Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved having this one told by James.

[Robin Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explains a lot of James life. It’s good to know this stuff. I liked it.

[Krista Wadden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has kept me reading!

Some very interesting concepts woven into a well told story! My husband and I are reading this series together and we are both really enjoying it!!

[Jaime Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series was my best find of 2013. I am so entranced by the writing and the characters that I can't break free of the characters even when I stop reading. This book is one of my favorites of the series. I must warn Elise fans, there is not much of her at all. If I would have known that before reading reading it I probably would have thought wouldn't like it. I mean I love reading about Elise. but this book is about James and his story. And what a story it is. Before reading this book, I wasn't so impressed with James, yeah I know he was supposed to be Bad Ass Witch of the year, but I wasn't impressed. I just didn't...get it. I must say after reading this that I judged him wrong. I feel like I know James now and I was wrong about him before. He's not boring,he's not weak. He's not cold. It's not black and white with James, it's definitely GREY. And although I didn't like everything I found out about James,I GET him now, for better or for worse I finally understand his actions (at least I think I do lol). Anyway back to the book. It's action packed, moves at a quick speed, and keeps you glued to the page. I love this world the author has created . I must say I get confused at things once in a while, especially when it comes to Nathaniels abilities but I'm sure when I read it for the second time, it will make more sense. I have to go buy the last book now. I'm surprised I could wait this long to write this review. Happy reading!

[Nereid · Rating 4 out of 5]

So we enter the world of James Faulkner whose spell casting is legendary as is his association with the God Slayer. After learning of his duplicitous nature in the last book, I was initially reluctant to read his story. While this book lacks the intensity of Elise's presence it does enlighten us as to how James felt being born into a life he couldn't escape and his conflicted feelings for Elise that spanned the entirety of their relationship. Secrets and lies were such a big part of his story that I was surprised that the author had kept it hidden from us for so long and yet his redemption was in his fierce dedication and persistence to right his wrongs. James felt more at home fighting off the Union or dealing with bloodthirsty demons than interacting with his estranged son. This novella gave him more depth as it explored his residual feelings for Elise, Nathaniel and even Hannah where previous books had just skimmed the surface. The reader is plunged into a whirlwind of action and fight scenes, James will be tested further than ever before and he will need to gather all his strength if he has any hope of succeeding. I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I have been a serious fan of this series for what feel like forever and am saddened that it will all too soon come to an end.

[Maria]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE NATHANIEL!!! This kid rocks! All the spells he can do, magic his father wasn't capable of believing that anyone but he could master. His sense of loyalty and that typical pre-teen boy trying to be a man, stay strong...don't cry. But what's going to happen to him now that he's fallen into Metaraon's hands? James, WTH have you done now.

And don't even get me started on all the ways James has disappointed me. How does one lie for 10+ years, to the woman he supposedly loves?!?!? Does he even know what that word means? Was it all just an arrogant thirst for knowledge that led him to take the oaths and destroy so many lives? And what's with the whole 'my son' bit before you-know-who takes Nathaniel?

Yes, we got James' side of the story. Yes, we found out just how warped he is (part Angel?)....but damn the action just wasn't as, I don't know, seemed weak compared to the ways Elise kicks ass. I know some are going to say it's because James is and Aspis not a Kopis but did he not pick up anything from Elise?

Now I have to go and get the last book in the series. Do I still want Elise and James to have a HEA...hell no! She deserves better. I want Nathaniel back safe and sound. He and Elise can become a team. Malcolm, what kind of role will Malcolm play now that he knows the truth.

[Kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was almost entirely from James's point of view, and I was really looking forward to it. However, it just kind of left me wanting, and not because of the author or the writing. All of those things were amazing, and I have to give the author credit here, because it was James himself. I was pissed at him, and I don't even know how the author wrote it out without chopping him up into tiny bits. Love Elise? From the moment you saw her? PFFFFFT. I don't believe you, James and I hope Elise doesn't either. James was kind of a terrible person, and after spending the last 5 books thinking otherwise it really bothers me. I thought he was a good guy and that he loved Elise and wanted what was best for her. But really he was just a selfish asshole who used Elise to gain power. Oh sure his thoughts changed after he got to know her, but I don't know. He should have tried to be a better person beforehand. I hate the excuse of "Well I wouldn't have done if I had known you." You shouldn't have done it in the first place! Anyways it was intriguing to get James's point of view, but it really just kind of ruined him for me. However that's okay because I have to give credit to the writing and to the author! :)

[Cogito_ergo_sum · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I did love this book, I was a bit disappointed that Elise played no role in the plot. She was a ghost character. Someone mentioned and talked about, but never there. I guess that's why James is on the cover and not Elise.

The plot takes us on a great adventure through different realms and portals with James and Nathaniel. I loved seeing their interaction.
I was a bit a lot annoyed by the union's continued chase after James. After spending the last book reading about it, they are like an annoying fly. When will their role finish?

I am finally glad that we see the secret that James has been hiding for so long. It's been mentioned in other books, in many different ways, but there was no way to figure out why Elise would hate James if she found out. Now I know. Finally.
The plot ends in a cliffhanger, I wasn't too happy about that because I don't know what was really accomplished in this plot.

While it was entertaining to read, what was the whole point? I'll find out in the next book.