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Broken Mirrors #4
Breaking Ties
A sidekick s work is never done.
Broken Mirrors, Book 4
Kicked out of his family, fetching coffee for idiots, out of cash, and usually starving, Spencer Crain is a shadow of his former self. And more certain than ever that living a normal, serious life is the last thing a Coyote should shoot for.
When he gets the chance to investigate a troll/sidhe gunfight at Under The Bridge, he can t drop office intern from his resume fast enough. Even if it means bringing the last person he ever thought he d see again back into his life his father.
James Black, the Sorcerer King, was taking an inordinately long time to choose a draconic protector, but his kidnapping by dragons seems a little extreme. It s up to Spence to navigate Fae politics, work the Feud, bring down a murderous order of sidhe knights, and heroically save James, the man he loves. Assisted by the guy James has been dating.
Ain t love grand?
This novel contains a Coyote doing the ultimate thankless job the sidekick dragon-shifter sorcerers, Dwarves, pop-culture references, and a shotgun that shoots lightning bolts. Freakin "lightning bolts," people!"
Broken Mirrors, Book 4
Kicked out of his family, fetching coffee for idiots, out of cash, and usually starving, Spencer Crain is a shadow of his former self. And more certain than ever that living a normal, serious life is the last thing a Coyote should shoot for.
When he gets the chance to investigate a troll/sidhe gunfight at Under The Bridge, he can t drop office intern from his resume fast enough. Even if it means bringing the last person he ever thought he d see again back into his life his father.
James Black, the Sorcerer King, was taking an inordinately long time to choose a draconic protector, but his kidnapping by dragons seems a little extreme. It s up to Spence to navigate Fae politics, work the Feud, bring down a murderous order of sidhe knights, and heroically save James, the man he loves. Assisted by the guy James has been dating.
Ain t love grand?
This novel contains a Coyote doing the ultimate thankless job the sidekick dragon-shifter sorcerers, Dwarves, pop-culture references, and a shotgun that shoots lightning bolts. Freakin "lightning bolts," people!"
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2015
2 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Vaughn R. Demont
19 books154 followersWriter, Scorpio, and self-professed waffle-addict, Vaughn R. Demont received his Bachelor of Arts from Oswego State University, and his Master of Fine Arts from Goddard College, where he studied Creative Writing and being poor. He has published several novelettes and novellas, including The Last Paladin series, House of Stone, the Broken Mirrors series, and the new Blackwarren Heists series.
Vaughn currently lives in Central New York, where he is working on his next novel.
Vaughn currently lives in Central New York, where he is working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 30, 2015
i am as putty in the man's hands.
book four rockets along like more of the same—but in the case of an author as gifted as this, that's a compliment.
or me simply admitting the truth whilst seething with der jelez.
man, this guy knows how to write escandalo.
so many ups and downs and amazing pacing and really, really funny lines—imagination out the wazoo, naturally—and the character developments foretold as if from the beginning now gone from tiny and subtle to huge and feelz-inducing, so that your mouth's hanging open some chapters, realizing what you'd just read.
this is paranormal romance on crack, with gay characters and comedy, and it's outstanding.
and the dedication ain't half bad either.
book four rockets along like more of the same—but in the case of an author as gifted as this, that's a compliment.
or me simply admitting the truth whilst seething with der jelez.
man, this guy knows how to write escandalo.
so many ups and downs and amazing pacing and really, really funny lines—imagination out the wazoo, naturally—and the character developments foretold as if from the beginning now gone from tiny and subtle to huge and feelz-inducing, so that your mouth's hanging open some chapters, realizing what you'd just read.
this is paranormal romance on crack, with gay characters and comedy, and it's outstanding.
and the dedication ain't half bad either.
April 25, 2015
I hemmed and hawed whether to read this now or waiting for the next book to be released... sometime, but got too impatient! The result was a tad contrary. I liked the book, it was plenty entertaining to me. The rating kinda dropped because of that last chapter though, which was such a let down.
There was no big battle here as on previous books. I think this was more like learning process for the Ra'keth and struggling to accept whether he's a Coyote for Spencer. The issue with the Cobalt Order didn't feel cleanly resolved to me; and after the way the Ra'saar pictured earlier in the book his... defeat, in Spencer's hand no less!, seemed anticlimactic.
Overall the story felt like a transition for something bigger coming on the next book. I just hope my guess is correct...
There was no big battle here as on previous books. I think this was more like learning process for the Ra'keth and struggling to accept whether he's a Coyote for Spencer. The issue with the Cobalt Order didn't feel cleanly resolved to me; and after the way the Ra'saar pictured earlier in the book his... defeat, in Spencer's hand no less!, seemed anticlimactic.
Overall the story felt like a transition for something bigger coming on the next book. I just hope my guess is correct...
December 13, 2015
Fabulous story. Fantastic writing. Superb entertainment. Most highly recommended. I can't get enough of this author.
That ending though...
This is all just my opinion, BTW. This author has some serious skill when it comes to storytelling. Who am I to tell him how to end his story?
April 17, 2015
Once more into The City in Vaughn Demont's Broken Mirrors series, and every trip feels worth it. James and the supporting cast shine as usual, with a bit of limelight spared for Ozzie, but at the end of the day, let's face it, this series belongs to Spencer Crain.
The weaving of plots and tropes and sheer genre-savviness from romantic comedies, fantasy, horror, heist/crime, all from books and comics and movies and games really underlines the author's take on mixed-media literacy, making sure that the reader who leans more toward serialized television no matter the genre will feel just as comfortable as one who sticks to the written word.
This is urban fantasy, no bones about it, so as is the growing trend with Demont's writing, sex scenes are few and far between and seem to serve as a means of complicating the plot instead of relieving tension (no pun intended). There is romance, but it takes a back seat to Demont's often stated call for GLBT heroes saving the day. There is tragedy, and heavy emotional moments, and references that will fly over quite a few readers' heads (The Ricky Jay reference, for example). But, this is a series that wears its pop-culture-geek colors with pride, and the writing is better for it.
Bottom Line/TL;DR: Coyotes, Fairies, fighting, magic, dragons, kidnappings, escapes, true love, miracles... 5 of 5.
The weaving of plots and tropes and sheer genre-savviness from romantic comedies, fantasy, horror, heist/crime, all from books and comics and movies and games really underlines the author's take on mixed-media literacy, making sure that the reader who leans more toward serialized television no matter the genre will feel just as comfortable as one who sticks to the written word.
This is urban fantasy, no bones about it, so as is the growing trend with Demont's writing, sex scenes are few and far between and seem to serve as a means of complicating the plot instead of relieving tension (no pun intended). There is romance, but it takes a back seat to Demont's often stated call for GLBT heroes saving the day. There is tragedy, and heavy emotional moments, and references that will fly over quite a few readers' heads (The Ricky Jay reference, for example). But, this is a series that wears its pop-culture-geek colors with pride, and the writing is better for it.
Bottom Line/TL;DR: Coyotes, Fairies, fighting, magic, dragons, kidnappings, escapes, true love, miracles... 5 of 5.
June 2, 2015
My gosh! IT WAS INCREDIBLE! Seriously, it just gets better and better the further we go. I feel like I have to take care of Spense by taking away all the nasty things that try to happen to him. It's not fair that his life is so thoroughly messed up. And James needs hugs galore and for someone to help him be safe again like he was as a kid.
Sorry, you're meant to be reading a review, not my mental monologue. It won't be much of a review because I had quite literally given this book a 5 stars before even reading simply because the blurb was that good and my faith in the author is so high that I'm wondering if maybe I should erect a shrine and sit about worshiping him and his incredible series.
The plot was intricate, the characters colourful and so freaking individual that they may aswell be real people. Plus it's incredibly educational. Seriously, fantastically awesome. Vivid, realistic whilst simultaneously unrealistic like a fantasy novel ought to be. And it's not another authors style being done by a different author. Mr Demont's writing is uniquely his own. And it could just be me but each character has thier own voice. It's not all one muddled blur of voices. Each character is perfectly unique and not a carbon copy of another. It's refreshing when a lot of people can be somewhat unoriginal with thier characters and literally make them carbon copies of authors characters. I won't name names as it's not polite to dump on authors that other people are able to enjoy where I can not.
Anyhow, this is a superb series and I am so stoked I didn't have to wait another year like I've had to in the past with the other books in the series (the publisher would release the ebook but the paperback was always a year behind it). Oh, if you want background information on why we're dealing with the Fae issue in this book then read House of Stone, it fills you in on how we came to this predicament.
***Update is the above part***
I didn't want to give it 5 stars yet =(
But the blurb has already made it perfect and I had to give it the 5 stars before I even read it. And yes, I do have the much faith in Mr Demont's writing.
Sorry, you're meant to be reading a review, not my mental monologue. It won't be much of a review because I had quite literally given this book a 5 stars before even reading simply because the blurb was that good and my faith in the author is so high that I'm wondering if maybe I should erect a shrine and sit about worshiping him and his incredible series.
The plot was intricate, the characters colourful and so freaking individual that they may aswell be real people. Plus it's incredibly educational. Seriously, fantastically awesome. Vivid, realistic whilst simultaneously unrealistic like a fantasy novel ought to be. And it's not another authors style being done by a different author. Mr Demont's writing is uniquely his own. And it could just be me but each character has thier own voice. It's not all one muddled blur of voices. Each character is perfectly unique and not a carbon copy of another. It's refreshing when a lot of people can be somewhat unoriginal with thier characters and literally make them carbon copies of authors characters. I won't name names as it's not polite to dump on authors that other people are able to enjoy where I can not.
Anyhow, this is a superb series and I am so stoked I didn't have to wait another year like I've had to in the past with the other books in the series (the publisher would release the ebook but the paperback was always a year behind it). Oh, if you want background information on why we're dealing with the Fae issue in this book then read House of Stone, it fills you in on how we came to this predicament.
***Update is the above part***
I didn't want to give it 5 stars yet =(
But the blurb has already made it perfect and I had to give it the 5 stars before I even read it. And yes, I do have the much faith in Mr Demont's writing.
September 30, 2015
I pretty-much love everything Vaughn Demont writes. I wouldn't say he can do no wrong, but less than a three-star is impossible.
If you've started the series already, reading this is a no-brainer. If you haven't, please don't start here. Start with the first book. If I'm not misremembering, all of Mr. Demont's stories/books are in the same universe, so reading them all just helps flesh out the world and fill in all the blanks. If you're like me and you troll for good authors to follow so you can just buy everything they put out, then it might be good to read some of the earlier work once you know you like Demont, because I feel like his work has gotten stronger and it's kind of hard to go back to read weaker stories. But the weaker stories are still way better than 90% of the paranormal/urban fantasy MM stuff out there. Totally worth reading.
This review is obviously not so much about this book. But this book is great, so that's really all I have to say about it.
If you've started the series already, reading this is a no-brainer. If you haven't, please don't start here. Start with the first book. If I'm not misremembering, all of Mr. Demont's stories/books are in the same universe, so reading them all just helps flesh out the world and fill in all the blanks. If you're like me and you troll for good authors to follow so you can just buy everything they put out, then it might be good to read some of the earlier work once you know you like Demont, because I feel like his work has gotten stronger and it's kind of hard to go back to read weaker stories. But the weaker stories are still way better than 90% of the paranormal/urban fantasy MM stuff out there. Totally worth reading.
This review is obviously not so much about this book. But this book is great, so that's really all I have to say about it.
July 11, 2015
Squeeeee. I didn't want this to end!!!!!!!!! <3 This has gradually become one of my favorite series ever.
November 25, 2015
Yeah, I blazed right through it. As long as Demont remembers that Spence is the real star of the show, we're best buds.
So where's the next one?
So where's the next one?
January 26, 2015
Okay, so this is a M/M urban fantasy which is fourth in a series. I haven't read the previous three books in the series. Sometimes that's okay--however, in this case, I probably should have enjoyed this book more had I followed the series.
I also thought the book would be more about a sidekick, but it was rather halfsies, with several points of view.
The language was fun and playful, with good wit and a zany plot.
This is an urban fantasy, so there exist dragons, sorcerers, dwarves, Fae, half-breeds and mythical tricksters from many traditions including Coyotes from the American southwest.
Spencer is a half-Coyote who has been shunned by his clan and is fair game for any amount of tricking (harmless) or pranking (potentially lethal) that any Coyotes want to inflict upon him. Coyotes live to swindle, and their favorite prey are Dragons who are wealthy and inordinately gullible. There exists a Sorcerer King, the Ra'keth--also known as the Lightning Rod--who happens to Spencer's best friend, James Black, and for whom Spencer has a secret love. Thing is, as a Coyote, Spencer is bound to trick James, which will likely lead to James' death.
And, James has a steady boyfriend, Ollie, a half-dwarf--who knows EXACTLY how Spencer feels for James, even if a James is oblivious.
James is captured by the Dragons, for his "protection", because-while James is powerful-he is unskilled and not interested in engaging in the usual Ra'keth antics of world domination. For this, James is perceived as weak, and the dragons are duty-bound to protect him...
Ollie and Spencer seek to reclaim their love, and are waylaid by the Cobalt Order, a sect of Fae who wish to exterminate all half-bloods. Spencer is able to shield Ollie, but both men are in big trouble. Plus, no one can find James in the Dragon realm.
This book has a LOT going on. Intricate plot lines abound. Intrigue and double-crosses. Near-death experiences and actual fatalities. What I missed? The heat. All the smexytimes are mentioned and moved on. I honestly could have thought this was all bromance except there's a little dirty talk.
Took me a bit of time to get oriented to this world, and the multiple POV left more room for redundancy than I would have liked. Perfect read for Dungeons & Dragons fans, what with the copious references to the RP game.
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
I also thought the book would be more about a sidekick, but it was rather halfsies, with several points of view.
The language was fun and playful, with good wit and a zany plot.
This is an urban fantasy, so there exist dragons, sorcerers, dwarves, Fae, half-breeds and mythical tricksters from many traditions including Coyotes from the American southwest.
Spencer is a half-Coyote who has been shunned by his clan and is fair game for any amount of tricking (harmless) or pranking (potentially lethal) that any Coyotes want to inflict upon him. Coyotes live to swindle, and their favorite prey are Dragons who are wealthy and inordinately gullible. There exists a Sorcerer King, the Ra'keth--also known as the Lightning Rod--who happens to Spencer's best friend, James Black, and for whom Spencer has a secret love. Thing is, as a Coyote, Spencer is bound to trick James, which will likely lead to James' death.
And, James has a steady boyfriend, Ollie, a half-dwarf--who knows EXACTLY how Spencer feels for James, even if a James is oblivious.
James is captured by the Dragons, for his "protection", because-while James is powerful-he is unskilled and not interested in engaging in the usual Ra'keth antics of world domination. For this, James is perceived as weak, and the dragons are duty-bound to protect him...
Ollie and Spencer seek to reclaim their love, and are waylaid by the Cobalt Order, a sect of Fae who wish to exterminate all half-bloods. Spencer is able to shield Ollie, but both men are in big trouble. Plus, no one can find James in the Dragon realm.
This book has a LOT going on. Intricate plot lines abound. Intrigue and double-crosses. Near-death experiences and actual fatalities. What I missed? The heat. All the smexytimes are mentioned and moved on. I honestly could have thought this was all bromance except there's a little dirty talk.
Took me a bit of time to get oriented to this world, and the multiple POV left more room for redundancy than I would have liked. Perfect read for Dungeons & Dragons fans, what with the copious references to the RP game.
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
April 26, 2015
First off, let me state that I am pretty empirically sure that this is a series you need to read in order. I started with this one and for the first third of the book, I had no idea what was going on. Not in the sense of the story, but because this particular paranormal tale brought in creatures I had no clue of and so my mind battled to categorize all of them, plus all the information thrown at me that I would probably already know if I had read the first three books.
That said? This book was awesome! Totally bizarre and crazy. And I absolutely loved it. Told in three points of view (though the third POV was only sparingly used twice), the first thing that impressed me was how wonderfully different the personalities were. I understood the craziness that is Spencer Crain just from his rants about TV, movies, and how things would be if he were in that realm and not in the one he was in. And James? He stood out as a man with a lot of weight on his shoulders, trying to come to terms with who he is – whether or not he wants to be the Lightning Bolt and lone Sorcerer or not. And then Ozzie – sweet, lovable Ozzie. How can you even have any kind of romance between Spence and James when James has Ozzie?
Have I mentioned I would love to cuddle Ozzie? He probably would hate it and toss me out the window, but I’d still like to.
There are so many creatures in this book, some which I figured out easily enough, some which I still have no idea what they are. Also, the jokes pertaining to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? Perfect! The name Spence gave to James’s dragon? Still makes me giggle. I can just imagine the man’s face if he ever does read the book and find out who Spence named him after.
I have my own opinions on who the other Ra’Keth near the diner might have been. Especially since James, well… can’t tell you that. I wonder if in the next book James and Spence will figure that out. I have to say, if I’m right, that it’s a good thing that everything happened as it should, because just imagining him as the new Ra’Keth…well, that’s a scary thought. In the meantime, I want to know what these creatures are and how their society functions a little better – plus, I want to see more of Spencer and James. So…I’m off to read book 1, Broken Mirrors. Who’s with me?
Reviewed by a-nony-mouse for Crystal’s Many Reviewers
*Copy Provided for review*
That said? This book was awesome! Totally bizarre and crazy. And I absolutely loved it. Told in three points of view (though the third POV was only sparingly used twice), the first thing that impressed me was how wonderfully different the personalities were. I understood the craziness that is Spencer Crain just from his rants about TV, movies, and how things would be if he were in that realm and not in the one he was in. And James? He stood out as a man with a lot of weight on his shoulders, trying to come to terms with who he is – whether or not he wants to be the Lightning Bolt and lone Sorcerer or not. And then Ozzie – sweet, lovable Ozzie. How can you even have any kind of romance between Spence and James when James has Ozzie?
Have I mentioned I would love to cuddle Ozzie? He probably would hate it and toss me out the window, but I’d still like to.
There are so many creatures in this book, some which I figured out easily enough, some which I still have no idea what they are. Also, the jokes pertaining to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? Perfect! The name Spence gave to James’s dragon? Still makes me giggle. I can just imagine the man’s face if he ever does read the book and find out who Spence named him after.
I have my own opinions on who the other Ra’Keth near the diner might have been. Especially since James, well… can’t tell you that. I wonder if in the next book James and Spence will figure that out. I have to say, if I’m right, that it’s a good thing that everything happened as it should, because just imagining him as the new Ra’Keth…well, that’s a scary thought. In the meantime, I want to know what these creatures are and how their society functions a little better – plus, I want to see more of Spencer and James. So…I’m off to read book 1, Broken Mirrors. Who’s with me?
Reviewed by a-nony-mouse for Crystal’s Many Reviewers
*Copy Provided for review*
October 10, 2017
4 1/2 stars.
I really loved this one. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending.
The entire book I was full steam ahead, loving every moment...until the end. Then I was conflicted.
I kinda like it that development....but I'm torn.
Now, I would have been okay with the final pairing...with maybe another book? But it kinda took me by surprise. I would have liked James to have had more of a build up to it. It came out of the blue on his side.
Then top it off with Ozzie?
I didn't know what to think. I felt bad for Ozzie and thought he deserved better.
Then the wrap up.
Spencer deserves better too. WTF?
HOW IS THIS THE LAST BOOK?!!!!
I need another book!
If there was a promise of another book, I'd be okay with the ending..but it feels hanging.
I have loved this whole series. I loved this book also. I just don't know how I feel about that ending.
Please, Please, Please can I have one more book?
Oh...update 2 minutes later
Authors page says book 5 is in the works.
I really loved this one. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending.
The entire book I was full steam ahead, loving every moment...until the end. Then I was conflicted.
I kinda like it that development....but I'm torn.
Now, I would have been okay with the final pairing...with maybe another book? But it kinda took me by surprise. I would have liked James to have had more of a build up to it. It came out of the blue on his side.
Then top it off with Ozzie?
I didn't know what to think. I felt bad for Ozzie and thought he deserved better.
Then the wrap up.
Spencer deserves better too. WTF?
HOW IS THIS THE LAST BOOK?!!!!
I need another book!
If there was a promise of another book, I'd be okay with the ending..but it feels hanging.
I have loved this whole series. I loved this book also. I just don't know how I feel about that ending.
Please, Please, Please can I have one more book?
Oh...update 2 minutes later
Authors page says book 5 is in the works.
October 29, 2015
Moving on to it straight out of Book 3, I gotta say I was o tiny bit disappointed. Yeah, it's still GOOD. And yeah, we get to have both Spencer and James in it. But the story is not just as good as the previous volume. Something about James' storyline is lacking.
Spencer definitely steals the show here. You can't help but love him with all your heart. If only people gave him credit for trying (REALLY trying) to do good.
The end of this book was rather anticlimactic. I mean, a raging battle and all. But it felt plain, and minor, and weak, and disposable, and well... anticlimactic.
On the other hand, in terms of the series overarching saga of the main characters, it felt like Book 4 definitely set the foundation for Volume 5, and it looks really promising story-wise. Can hardly wait for the next book in the series.
Spencer definitely steals the show here. You can't help but love him with all your heart. If only people gave him credit for trying (REALLY trying) to do good.
The end of this book was rather anticlimactic. I mean, a raging battle and all. But it felt plain, and minor, and weak, and disposable, and well... anticlimactic.
On the other hand, in terms of the series overarching saga of the main characters, it felt like Book 4 definitely set the foundation for Volume 5, and it looks really promising story-wise. Can hardly wait for the next book in the series.
April 26, 2015
Not the ending I was expecting. However, it was in character, and did round out the story nicely. A nice step forward in the series, and I liked the nod toward the House of Stone standalone, which brings all the books into continuity. All in all, an enjoyable ride. I look forward to the next.
November 27, 2021
cw: transmisia with a side of truscum
this really needed a better ending, ESPECIALLY as the series closer. there’s so much unresolved and it’s really gross that both Ozzie and Spencer get shafted, even if Spencer decides it’s worth it. Also… after all that talk and bluster with the dragon king and Shiko, it would’ve been nice to see James get his shit together a little. It’s like 80% of this was written with care and then the author was done and didn’t gaf about it anymore.
this really needed a better ending, ESPECIALLY as the series closer. there’s so much unresolved and it’s really gross that both Ozzie and Spencer get shafted, even if Spencer decides it’s worth it. Also… after all that talk and bluster with the dragon king and Shiko, it would’ve been nice to see James get his shit together a little. It’s like 80% of this was written with care and then the author was done and didn’t gaf about it anymore.
November 18, 2015
This series continues to be absolutely amazing. I love it.
May 13, 2016
Yes yes and sooooooo much more yes. Keep it up.
January 18, 2024
I am so fucking confused. Why give Ozzie a narrator gig if he is just going to get absolutely SHAFTED in the last ten pages. WTF happened with Ras, the new Ra'Keth, Rourke, or the Blue Order? What did Coyote think of the war with the fae? Why does no one score with the satyr bouncers? What happened to the dragons? Where the hell did Thom end up? Why did James never get his shear back? Why throw in the part about Shiko and the Recluse? What does Dave think about James and Spencer? Is Spencer a sorcerer? There are so many unanswered questions!!! I swear, this series needs another three books to settle all these plot threads. It's like the author just said, fuck it, I'm done, what's the quickest way to close this series.
March 4, 2020
3.5* Loved it til the end--Spencer, James and Ozzie deserved better.
November 7, 2017
Overall, very entertaining with the banter and snark. Found myself grinning a lot whenever Spencer came into the story. The dude is mind blowing crazy. And I loved how the D&D game was woven in.
May 28, 2015
gah...Vaughn is such an amazing writer! this whole series is so awesome that it makes me drool like homer simpson over a donut.
there's no way i can say anything without spoilering the book.
so...just amazing.
there's no way i can say anything without spoilering the book.
so...just amazing.
April 25, 2015
Another great read in this series. Some truly funny and touching moments. It felt like an ending, but I wouldn't complain if the author decided to write more of these.
May 31, 2015
I really like this story, it's always hard to get in the groove of reading it since its been so long since the previous books. It's was so enjoyable and entertaining.
April 23, 2015
I thought this would be the last book in the series. Guess not! I liked this story. It'll be interesting to see who gets the sorcerer in the end. My bet's on Parry ;)
August 5, 2016
Yes! Fun read.
January 15, 2017
I love the ending it ends the way you would want it to be.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews