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Hunter Circles #3
The Changed
I’m Krystin Blackwood, and for the past three months I’ve been locked in Ether Circle Prison.
Luckily for me, the Leader of the Fire Circle knows I’d never willingly kill all the people I did when confronted with Kinder’s magik at Cianza Boston. Although it’s certainly taking him long enough to rescue me.
But even when I finally escape, it’s only to find that someone’s going around killing Hunters using Giyano’s M.O.: tongues torn out, magik shorn from their bodies. And with Giyano as MIA as his loyalties, there’s just one other suspect: me.
If I don’t prove my innocence and defeat the person responsible, I might be headed right back to prison, unable to help the Fire Circle win their war against Lady Azar… and barred from completing the Alzan prophecy when Lady Azar succeeds in my absence.
Luckily for me, the Leader of the Fire Circle knows I’d never willingly kill all the people I did when confronted with Kinder’s magik at Cianza Boston. Although it’s certainly taking him long enough to rescue me.
But even when I finally escape, it’s only to find that someone’s going around killing Hunters using Giyano’s M.O.: tongues torn out, magik shorn from their bodies. And with Giyano as MIA as his loyalties, there’s just one other suspect: me.
If I don’t prove my innocence and defeat the person responsible, I might be headed right back to prison, unable to help the Fire Circle win their war against Lady Azar… and barred from completing the Alzan prophecy when Lady Azar succeeds in my absence.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2017
12 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Gunn
55 books129 followersJessica Gunn is a Fantasy author and avid science-fiction and fantasy fan. Her favorite stories are those that transport the reader to other, more exciting worlds. To catch up with Jessica, follow her on Twitter (@JessGunnAuthor) or on her website, www.jessicagunn.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 13, 2017
DETAILS:
Maintaining her remarkable release schedule, The Changed - Hunter Circles Book 3 by Jessica Cage released July 31st 2017. This takes the Hunter Circles to its fourth title, including a prequel companion novella available as an incentive free download. As per Goodreads info, Jessica's tight schedule goes a good way towards bridging the gap between the standard sorts of timeframes ranging from eight to twelve weeks, and the preferred short timeframes by binge readers, ranging from one to two weeks. If successful in her plans, which is confirmed at this sixty percent of the way through (i.e. 3 of 5 full-length titles), then forsaking the prequel Jessica will have achieved five full-length releases in just fourteen weeks. This includes the two future/remaining releases: Book 4 - The Hero on August 28th 2017, and Book 5 - The Power on September 25th 2017.
Forsaking the prequel - The Hunter released April 9th 2017 - that's five books from June 19th to September 25th. Even if including the prequel which released at a more regular time span prior to book one (10 weeks), the full six titles planned for the series (at this stage) will have been published in twenty-four weeks, from 09/04/17 to 25/09/17: equating to an average of one tilte every four weeks. Given a larger initial gap did occur, I perhaps wonder if it can be inferred that a good deal of the writing towards the initial books following on from the first bookl were well underway by the time it released. You could go that one further step in presuming that even as the prequel was made available, drafts and detailed plans were already well underway on subsequent titles. This is of course redundant, and warrants no consequences for how the experience of the releases in the full-length titles are so impressive, save the gap between books zero and one..
This is my fourth review in the series and the links to my reviews of The Hunted and The Traitor are below. As the prequel isn't listed via Amazon, you'll find reviews on Goodreads, including my own. If you're yet to read it, I'd recommend doing so before continuing any further into the series. Seeing it's a free download via Jessica's website, or links found at the rear of any full-length book, it really should be a no-brainer. I've also included a link to Amazon's Jessica Gunn Page.
Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Gunn/e...
Review - https://www.amazon.com.au/review/R223...
Review - https://www.amazon.com.au/review/R14G...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION - THE STORY:
It has been roughly 3mths since Krystin was imprisoned by Ether Circle, two months-three weeks-and-six-days too many. A lengthy enough time to be put through the sorts of abhorrent experiences that tip the scales toward that slippery side of the self-fulfilling prophecy in reverse. A context whereby rather than our own actions being the instrument, the actions of others are instrumental in creating that which their false accusal leads to. In a grotesque repetition of what demons have done to Krystin, the very people who've vicariously benefited from the horrendous activities she has been through, now push their magic into her body in tactics used to boil her blood and bring about a false confession. Only the cold stone floor of her cell offer any relief, the same environment causing unending discomfort when she seeks rest outside the times she's recovering from their interrogation.
Two thoughts hold her conscious mind to keep from going to pieces, four words spoken in a mantra: Cold Stone, Hot Magic. She was lost in a great abyss, the loneliness of the absolute darkness her only companion when the guard's weren't burning her insides and revelling in a bare knuckle approach. Their absolute belief that this witch, as they called her, was in cahoots with Kinder drove the constant barrage where she was expected to reveal answers she didn't have. Only Giyano's whereabouts interested her, the paramount question being when he would arrive to free her? When the smell of burning skin alerted her to the short pause before the sound of screaming caught up with her prior senses.
Each time fire filled the interrogation room or her cell, it was meant to presage Giyano's arrival. Instead, as each flare began receding disappointment settled in the place of hope as the knowledge that it was her ruined magic that caused it and not his fire magic known to all. At least the releases had begun to release the insanity she'd arrived in the cell with after Kinder had ruined their bungled operation, the faces of all the people she'd been used to kill still flashing behind her closed eyelids.
Rescue by Fircle Circle resolved into being the only chance of freedom Ben knew would be the case in Krystin's predicament. He waited tirelessly for Jaffrin and the up-and-ups to get their heads out of their arses, to finally acknowledge that the Krystin everyone knew wouldn't have ever - Ever - done what had been caused when Kinder had collected everyone's magic to push too much magic into her. It was a wonder she'd even survived, but he knew Ether command wouldn't have given her adequate time to recover before the interrogation began. If she were to fracture as they accused her of, then Giyano, Kinder, Jaffrin, her mother, and definitely those elitist bigots of the Ether command would be above Krystin in the list of blame.
Blaming the victim wasn't new to any system or culture by any means, but at least those closest to her ought to take account of it and the responsibility for their own making. Whilst in the aftermath of so many things going wrong there wasn't the time to think, no matter what he did he still couldn't stop it from overshadowing his thoughts. Even the things they achieved were lackluster in the wake of her still being in captivity. Was he the only one to truly believe her incapable of willing involvement.
There were days when the knowledge of her actively seeking out Giyano, the kidnapper who together with Lady Azar had ruined every good thing about his life, left him with the resolution she was where she belonged. But they still gave way to the belief that what they did was wrong, and likely instrumental in her becoming what they feared - should it come to it. The question was in how much longer it could go on like this before she could walk away without doing that very same thing they feared most? He didn't think for one minute that "Daughter" status would keep protecting her when all was said and done. Should a choice occur he expected that Krystin's interests would be on the out.
Giyano is MIA since Kinder arrived on the scene. The push and pull Krystin shared with him had been the thing she believed she could rely on for him to rescue her. As Krystin finally reaches freedom, she learns that whilst he played a role it was actually Fire Circle, and more specifically her team mates who were instrumental. No sooner does the team learn of the immediate outcome that results in a new first in a hunter team, a killer of hunters, humans, and witches surfaces using Giyano's MO. Only she believes in his innocence, and her unfailing and continued support of him begins deteriorating every relationship she has.
Victims stripped of magic and their tongues in a vomit inducing image of savagery points to one known MO, but accusations are defended by her, further placing her on the out. If divide and conquer is Darkness's goal, which it seems unfeasible that cohesion in that camp is sufficient enough for a united front to be in place, then its goals are the only ones moving forward. Whatever the new reality after the smoke clears and the dust settles will be, The Changed will be two words on everyone's mind and in their hearts; that is, in those capable of feeling anything other numb.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OPINION:
In life it is often enemies who do the least harm to us, for nothing could hold a candle to that which we bring upon ourselves or allow to enter into our lives. Enemies have a finite window and stacked against that which we do, the former often takes up but the smallest portion and is transient at worst, singular at most. We, however, have an infinite window upon which to not only cause it, but often to also invite it inside to do unspeakable and repeated harm. The greatest questions aren't really in whom, how, why, where, when, or if someone else will find opportunity to bring harm upon us, but is instead, the same elements of how, why, where, or when we do it to ourselves. The Changed brings into focus a storyline losely associated with such overarching principles, which I say losely only because of my limited enunciation, where the story gives a much clearer impression - intended or otherwise.
Sometimes the most active and complex propaganda any group might be involved in, is that which they use to gain compliance, or even active support from their own constituents. Often in the name of some fictitious belief of doing good, from the subordinates outside the circle of inner trust is where the greatest propaganda must occur if generally good hearted people will enforce the group's wants. Think about it... a group hypothetically has 1000 members involved in its functions. Of them, you might find that 50 are involved in some form of management (5%), but in this number there's perhaps just 10 (1%) in the inner circle.
Now we have somewhere around 950 to a maximum of 990 subordinates with varying capacities to see the forest from trees, of which 40 lesser managers who might be capable of reading between the lines. The 10 in the inner circle will have migrated there because they wholeheartedly agree with whatever the group is about. The 40 other managers are there because they both follow orders without question and have the capacity to coerce, lead, or motivate however many of the 950 subordinates they're responsible for. Thus it's up to the 10 to get their 40 lesser peers to ensure they meet the requirements decided by them to effectively run the 1000 people involved in the group.
At 1 to 4, it's not that difficult to ensure compliance. But at 40 to 950, it's more like 1 to 24, which is essentially 6 times as many people these managers need to wrangle. Regardless of whether your group is expected to do something that goes against the grain of what they consider to be acceptable, or is acceptable but is unappreciated, then where is the greatest amount of propaganda going to occur. You might think that on face value its the variable between however many people the group's work affects versus the number of people in the group; except that as long as the 1000 members believe in what they do, then by virtue of the efforts to keep the group on board, so too do they convey on the people they serve. By virtue of the groups agreement, they'll carry out their expectations regardless of whether the people agree with the group's functions.
Thus, it's the degree and success of the propaganda that occurs between the 40 and the 950 that the top 10 decide upon is where most efforts are concerned. This is portrayed substantively well within the book, such as when you consider in Ben's group of hunters, even when Jaffrin brings them inside the level of propaganda, at least halve start out believing that he's making a mountain of a molehill. That half has been drinking the koolaid to the point where even when they're told differently by one who's essentially in the inner 10 or outer 40, they still pause in the face of the situation where they're needing to alter their group beliefs if they're going to put their lives at risk by carrying out what goes against the group's functions. Thus is just one example but there's others to be found.
The complex weave of the storyline deepens now as the third extension of the plot takes the reins. The capacity to follow a story with certain assurances in your mind that you believe you have a good grasp of what is going on, but of course have a number of questions awaiting answers to be revealed, is put to the test. Not in that you fail to know the story, but more that you can always be surprised, despite however much you are correct or wrong. It's always a sign of good storytelling that despite however closely you monitor the ins-and-outs there's still something that escapes you completely, or comes from so far out of left field that you couldn't have thought of it had you tried. The real test in the latter is how much you can legitimise its presence regardless of how much you missed the signs. These are the hallmarks of that next layer above the usual, and can be found in this series and this book.
I wouldn't mind betting that for the most part these usually decrease in frequency as you move ever forward, at least in the instance of proper series but not their shorter counterparts, the serials that give more shorter but more frequent snapshots over the same amount of time. I'm happy to say that Jessica's storylines have that extra layer of mystery and intrigue, and that in no way has there been a reduction in my own desire to keep reading. When that occurs within the context of the same chief characters, environments, heroes/heroines/villains, and overarching plot you've really struck gold. For better or worse, as most series venture on there's a trend to solve the current contexts in order to introduce a whole new set of factors involved in keeping the vigor and vitality alive. It's rarer to see a series continue to grow within the same umbrella and still achieve what's needed to keep the same desire to read on. Therein, again, you know you're on a winner when what you're working with just keeps getting bigger without wiping the slate clean.
So it's the best book for me so far, which is considerably making a statement given I rated its predecessors at five stars already. The action and mystery are brimming with intrigue in frequency to make it captivating enough to have sidelined certain competing claims for my attention, so as to be able to continue reading, a rather lavish way of saying I couldn't put it down I suppose. I don't wish for this to be taken as though any previous book was inadequate in the same regard, it's more intended to sway prospective readers. This is one of those books where attention drawing events, and even internal musings about things the story brings up, go on around you but try as they might they fail to shift your attention from the plot being carried out.
I'm a reviewer who likes to make note that determine the first draft of my thoughts, that then become the review once I edit them and expand where suitable, in order to write a detailed version that does involve frequent stopping at the time my thoughts arise. However, this story is one where I needed to mostly await the cessation of my reading because I was so drawn into the plot that I neither wanted to stop to put my thoughts on paper nor because something in my environment drew that attention away from the story. Another way to describe the sort of draw it created is to say it was one of those times when you feel yourself getting angry at the people around you for having wanted or needed to speak to you, to have interrupted your enjoyment.
Only a single occasion arose throughout the story when I found myself in that position where, as is often the case when watching a movie play out, you're "looking" on at a scene and figuratively screaming a "just do this" because it seems so obvious to you at the time. It's arguable that more than one always occurs, but I tend to err on the side of leeway given a movie director or author has very specific sets of circumstances they need to work with in order to tell their story; and thus it is quite literal that when I use "so obvious to you at the time" it's because one certain outcome appears to be the foregone conclusion, even if it isn't being used or seen by the cast or characters. To my mind such occasions often occur, so my point in this instance is that just the once did this disparity stand out, which in my books is a rare achievement. The Changed is a definitive stage in the story as a whole but yet it still shows that it has further to go, a true delight.
Maintaining her remarkable release schedule, The Changed - Hunter Circles Book 3 by Jessica Cage released July 31st 2017. This takes the Hunter Circles to its fourth title, including a prequel companion novella available as an incentive free download. As per Goodreads info, Jessica's tight schedule goes a good way towards bridging the gap between the standard sorts of timeframes ranging from eight to twelve weeks, and the preferred short timeframes by binge readers, ranging from one to two weeks. If successful in her plans, which is confirmed at this sixty percent of the way through (i.e. 3 of 5 full-length titles), then forsaking the prequel Jessica will have achieved five full-length releases in just fourteen weeks. This includes the two future/remaining releases: Book 4 - The Hero on August 28th 2017, and Book 5 - The Power on September 25th 2017.
Forsaking the prequel - The Hunter released April 9th 2017 - that's five books from June 19th to September 25th. Even if including the prequel which released at a more regular time span prior to book one (10 weeks), the full six titles planned for the series (at this stage) will have been published in twenty-four weeks, from 09/04/17 to 25/09/17: equating to an average of one tilte every four weeks. Given a larger initial gap did occur, I perhaps wonder if it can be inferred that a good deal of the writing towards the initial books following on from the first bookl were well underway by the time it released. You could go that one further step in presuming that even as the prequel was made available, drafts and detailed plans were already well underway on subsequent titles. This is of course redundant, and warrants no consequences for how the experience of the releases in the full-length titles are so impressive, save the gap between books zero and one..
This is my fourth review in the series and the links to my reviews of The Hunted and The Traitor are below. As the prequel isn't listed via Amazon, you'll find reviews on Goodreads, including my own. If you're yet to read it, I'd recommend doing so before continuing any further into the series. Seeing it's a free download via Jessica's website, or links found at the rear of any full-length book, it really should be a no-brainer. I've also included a link to Amazon's Jessica Gunn Page.
Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Gunn/e...
Review - https://www.amazon.com.au/review/R223...
Review - https://www.amazon.com.au/review/R14G...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION - THE STORY:
It has been roughly 3mths since Krystin was imprisoned by Ether Circle, two months-three weeks-and-six-days too many. A lengthy enough time to be put through the sorts of abhorrent experiences that tip the scales toward that slippery side of the self-fulfilling prophecy in reverse. A context whereby rather than our own actions being the instrument, the actions of others are instrumental in creating that which their false accusal leads to. In a grotesque repetition of what demons have done to Krystin, the very people who've vicariously benefited from the horrendous activities she has been through, now push their magic into her body in tactics used to boil her blood and bring about a false confession. Only the cold stone floor of her cell offer any relief, the same environment causing unending discomfort when she seeks rest outside the times she's recovering from their interrogation.
Two thoughts hold her conscious mind to keep from going to pieces, four words spoken in a mantra: Cold Stone, Hot Magic. She was lost in a great abyss, the loneliness of the absolute darkness her only companion when the guard's weren't burning her insides and revelling in a bare knuckle approach. Their absolute belief that this witch, as they called her, was in cahoots with Kinder drove the constant barrage where she was expected to reveal answers she didn't have. Only Giyano's whereabouts interested her, the paramount question being when he would arrive to free her? When the smell of burning skin alerted her to the short pause before the sound of screaming caught up with her prior senses.
Each time fire filled the interrogation room or her cell, it was meant to presage Giyano's arrival. Instead, as each flare began receding disappointment settled in the place of hope as the knowledge that it was her ruined magic that caused it and not his fire magic known to all. At least the releases had begun to release the insanity she'd arrived in the cell with after Kinder had ruined their bungled operation, the faces of all the people she'd been used to kill still flashing behind her closed eyelids.
Rescue by Fircle Circle resolved into being the only chance of freedom Ben knew would be the case in Krystin's predicament. He waited tirelessly for Jaffrin and the up-and-ups to get their heads out of their arses, to finally acknowledge that the Krystin everyone knew wouldn't have ever - Ever - done what had been caused when Kinder had collected everyone's magic to push too much magic into her. It was a wonder she'd even survived, but he knew Ether command wouldn't have given her adequate time to recover before the interrogation began. If she were to fracture as they accused her of, then Giyano, Kinder, Jaffrin, her mother, and definitely those elitist bigots of the Ether command would be above Krystin in the list of blame.
Blaming the victim wasn't new to any system or culture by any means, but at least those closest to her ought to take account of it and the responsibility for their own making. Whilst in the aftermath of so many things going wrong there wasn't the time to think, no matter what he did he still couldn't stop it from overshadowing his thoughts. Even the things they achieved were lackluster in the wake of her still being in captivity. Was he the only one to truly believe her incapable of willing involvement.
There were days when the knowledge of her actively seeking out Giyano, the kidnapper who together with Lady Azar had ruined every good thing about his life, left him with the resolution she was where she belonged. But they still gave way to the belief that what they did was wrong, and likely instrumental in her becoming what they feared - should it come to it. The question was in how much longer it could go on like this before she could walk away without doing that very same thing they feared most? He didn't think for one minute that "Daughter" status would keep protecting her when all was said and done. Should a choice occur he expected that Krystin's interests would be on the out.
Giyano is MIA since Kinder arrived on the scene. The push and pull Krystin shared with him had been the thing she believed she could rely on for him to rescue her. As Krystin finally reaches freedom, she learns that whilst he played a role it was actually Fire Circle, and more specifically her team mates who were instrumental. No sooner does the team learn of the immediate outcome that results in a new first in a hunter team, a killer of hunters, humans, and witches surfaces using Giyano's MO. Only she believes in his innocence, and her unfailing and continued support of him begins deteriorating every relationship she has.
Victims stripped of magic and their tongues in a vomit inducing image of savagery points to one known MO, but accusations are defended by her, further placing her on the out. If divide and conquer is Darkness's goal, which it seems unfeasible that cohesion in that camp is sufficient enough for a united front to be in place, then its goals are the only ones moving forward. Whatever the new reality after the smoke clears and the dust settles will be, The Changed will be two words on everyone's mind and in their hearts; that is, in those capable of feeling anything other numb.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OPINION:
In life it is often enemies who do the least harm to us, for nothing could hold a candle to that which we bring upon ourselves or allow to enter into our lives. Enemies have a finite window and stacked against that which we do, the former often takes up but the smallest portion and is transient at worst, singular at most. We, however, have an infinite window upon which to not only cause it, but often to also invite it inside to do unspeakable and repeated harm. The greatest questions aren't really in whom, how, why, where, when, or if someone else will find opportunity to bring harm upon us, but is instead, the same elements of how, why, where, or when we do it to ourselves. The Changed brings into focus a storyline losely associated with such overarching principles, which I say losely only because of my limited enunciation, where the story gives a much clearer impression - intended or otherwise.
Sometimes the most active and complex propaganda any group might be involved in, is that which they use to gain compliance, or even active support from their own constituents. Often in the name of some fictitious belief of doing good, from the subordinates outside the circle of inner trust is where the greatest propaganda must occur if generally good hearted people will enforce the group's wants. Think about it... a group hypothetically has 1000 members involved in its functions. Of them, you might find that 50 are involved in some form of management (5%), but in this number there's perhaps just 10 (1%) in the inner circle.
Now we have somewhere around 950 to a maximum of 990 subordinates with varying capacities to see the forest from trees, of which 40 lesser managers who might be capable of reading between the lines. The 10 in the inner circle will have migrated there because they wholeheartedly agree with whatever the group is about. The 40 other managers are there because they both follow orders without question and have the capacity to coerce, lead, or motivate however many of the 950 subordinates they're responsible for. Thus it's up to the 10 to get their 40 lesser peers to ensure they meet the requirements decided by them to effectively run the 1000 people involved in the group.
At 1 to 4, it's not that difficult to ensure compliance. But at 40 to 950, it's more like 1 to 24, which is essentially 6 times as many people these managers need to wrangle. Regardless of whether your group is expected to do something that goes against the grain of what they consider to be acceptable, or is acceptable but is unappreciated, then where is the greatest amount of propaganda going to occur. You might think that on face value its the variable between however many people the group's work affects versus the number of people in the group; except that as long as the 1000 members believe in what they do, then by virtue of the efforts to keep the group on board, so too do they convey on the people they serve. By virtue of the groups agreement, they'll carry out their expectations regardless of whether the people agree with the group's functions.
Thus, it's the degree and success of the propaganda that occurs between the 40 and the 950 that the top 10 decide upon is where most efforts are concerned. This is portrayed substantively well within the book, such as when you consider in Ben's group of hunters, even when Jaffrin brings them inside the level of propaganda, at least halve start out believing that he's making a mountain of a molehill. That half has been drinking the koolaid to the point where even when they're told differently by one who's essentially in the inner 10 or outer 40, they still pause in the face of the situation where they're needing to alter their group beliefs if they're going to put their lives at risk by carrying out what goes against the group's functions. Thus is just one example but there's others to be found.
The complex weave of the storyline deepens now as the third extension of the plot takes the reins. The capacity to follow a story with certain assurances in your mind that you believe you have a good grasp of what is going on, but of course have a number of questions awaiting answers to be revealed, is put to the test. Not in that you fail to know the story, but more that you can always be surprised, despite however much you are correct or wrong. It's always a sign of good storytelling that despite however closely you monitor the ins-and-outs there's still something that escapes you completely, or comes from so far out of left field that you couldn't have thought of it had you tried. The real test in the latter is how much you can legitimise its presence regardless of how much you missed the signs. These are the hallmarks of that next layer above the usual, and can be found in this series and this book.
I wouldn't mind betting that for the most part these usually decrease in frequency as you move ever forward, at least in the instance of proper series but not their shorter counterparts, the serials that give more shorter but more frequent snapshots over the same amount of time. I'm happy to say that Jessica's storylines have that extra layer of mystery and intrigue, and that in no way has there been a reduction in my own desire to keep reading. When that occurs within the context of the same chief characters, environments, heroes/heroines/villains, and overarching plot you've really struck gold. For better or worse, as most series venture on there's a trend to solve the current contexts in order to introduce a whole new set of factors involved in keeping the vigor and vitality alive. It's rarer to see a series continue to grow within the same umbrella and still achieve what's needed to keep the same desire to read on. Therein, again, you know you're on a winner when what you're working with just keeps getting bigger without wiping the slate clean.
So it's the best book for me so far, which is considerably making a statement given I rated its predecessors at five stars already. The action and mystery are brimming with intrigue in frequency to make it captivating enough to have sidelined certain competing claims for my attention, so as to be able to continue reading, a rather lavish way of saying I couldn't put it down I suppose. I don't wish for this to be taken as though any previous book was inadequate in the same regard, it's more intended to sway prospective readers. This is one of those books where attention drawing events, and even internal musings about things the story brings up, go on around you but try as they might they fail to shift your attention from the plot being carried out.
I'm a reviewer who likes to make note that determine the first draft of my thoughts, that then become the review once I edit them and expand where suitable, in order to write a detailed version that does involve frequent stopping at the time my thoughts arise. However, this story is one where I needed to mostly await the cessation of my reading because I was so drawn into the plot that I neither wanted to stop to put my thoughts on paper nor because something in my environment drew that attention away from the story. Another way to describe the sort of draw it created is to say it was one of those times when you feel yourself getting angry at the people around you for having wanted or needed to speak to you, to have interrupted your enjoyment.
Only a single occasion arose throughout the story when I found myself in that position where, as is often the case when watching a movie play out, you're "looking" on at a scene and figuratively screaming a "just do this" because it seems so obvious to you at the time. It's arguable that more than one always occurs, but I tend to err on the side of leeway given a movie director or author has very specific sets of circumstances they need to work with in order to tell their story; and thus it is quite literal that when I use "so obvious to you at the time" it's because one certain outcome appears to be the foregone conclusion, even if it isn't being used or seen by the cast or characters. To my mind such occasions often occur, so my point in this instance is that just the once did this disparity stand out, which in my books is a rare achievement. The Changed is a definitive stage in the story as a whole but yet it still shows that it has further to go, a true delight.
August 28, 2017
To read my full review of this title, visit the So Few Books blog at: https://sofewbooks.blogspot.com/2017/...!
I really hated both the beginning and ending of this book, but everything in between sure kept me reading along at a crazy pace!...
Unfortunately, Krystin basically gets used by one person or group after another in this volume, and doesn't ever manage to come out ahead. No one seems to be on her side or believe her version of things, which only serves to push her farther away from those who could help her and toward those who would use her for their own evil purposes. That nothing in their world seems to be as it first appears, only adds fuel to the fire of her own mistrust of others.
The ending of the book is even more depressing than the last one, and I didn't think that was going to be possible. I just hope that future volumes in the series will provide Krystin some measure of relief, resolution and absolution.
I received a free eBook copy of this novel from the author, and have willingly provided an honest review.
I really hated both the beginning and ending of this book, but everything in between sure kept me reading along at a crazy pace!...
Unfortunately, Krystin basically gets used by one person or group after another in this volume, and doesn't ever manage to come out ahead. No one seems to be on her side or believe her version of things, which only serves to push her farther away from those who could help her and toward those who would use her for their own evil purposes. That nothing in their world seems to be as it first appears, only adds fuel to the fire of her own mistrust of others.
The ending of the book is even more depressing than the last one, and I didn't think that was going to be possible. I just hope that future volumes in the series will provide Krystin some measure of relief, resolution and absolution.
I received a free eBook copy of this novel from the author, and have willingly provided an honest review.
August 1, 2017
Holy smokes!
Wow! This book was action packed! I feel like I just went on a 6 hour roller coaster ride. Def the best book so far. This series just keeps getting better. So much happened and yet there is so much left to be revealed. And another explosive ending. C'mon August 28. I need book 4! Thank you so much to the author for putting a release date in the author's notes at the end. I love having a date to look forward to instead of tapping my feet and impatiently waiting to find out.
I hope we see more about Giyano in the next book. What is going on with this guy? Is he good? Is he bad? Hell, I flipped my opinions on so many characters. This series def likes to deal with the grey and in between.
I'm rambling. Serious solid read. Look forward to book 4.
Wow! This book was action packed! I feel like I just went on a 6 hour roller coaster ride. Def the best book so far. This series just keeps getting better. So much happened and yet there is so much left to be revealed. And another explosive ending. C'mon August 28. I need book 4! Thank you so much to the author for putting a release date in the author's notes at the end. I love having a date to look forward to instead of tapping my feet and impatiently waiting to find out.
I hope we see more about Giyano in the next book. What is going on with this guy? Is he good? Is he bad? Hell, I flipped my opinions on so many characters. This series def likes to deal with the grey and in between.
I'm rambling. Serious solid read. Look forward to book 4.
October 18, 2017
Alliances are tested and with hidden things revealed it leaves us questioning who to trust and how does this all fit together? Jessica Gunn has done it again and artfully crafted this 3rd novel in her series. Here we switch between Krysten and Ben's point of view. We start off where the second book left off-krysten in prison for 3 months and the team trying to figure out what to do now? I didn't know I could love her novels even more than I did reading the Hunter. I'm left wondering like Krysten who to trust and not sure where to go from here-except to devour the next book!
July 27, 2017
Allegiances change, lines are crossed and sometimes it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. In a world that's more grey than black and white, where everyone has a hidden agenda, today's friends are tomorrow's enemies. Will the team (or anyone else) make it out alive? Read it and see. lol. Love, love, love this series! Great action and world building.
For those who want to know: This one has some language and violence.
For those who want to know: This one has some language and violence.
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