A very good ending to an emotional series!
*** 4.25 ***
Boy, this was a rollercoaster! I am very glad the author decided to write the extra book as the finale. Book 8 was good to close most of the main arc, but this ninth book not only dealt with some open questions, but also finally justified the Reverse Harem category it has been advertised as. There was a lot of drama and innuendo, most of it being just a jumble of complicated relationships, but this book answered most of our hopes and even when the always present tragedies and rough times occurred, they were acceptable in the grand scheme of things.
The interpersonal drama and the reality of neglect and abuse, which wound the personality and often lead to mental illness, are the overwhelming themes of the series, but the Paranormal aspect is fascinating and a good background for the story as a whole. The harsh conditions of the war and the Innate cruelty in the service the Omens have to perform in order to keep the people of Terraway from starving, is a big catalyst for the characters to grow and change in often unexpected ways. They make a lot of mistakes on the way, some of them fixable, others tragically final, but selflessness is always the driving force. I guess this is also why the Polyamorous angle works for them. They know they need each other and working in such intimate conditions, where all of them undergo extreme emotional stress together, it creates deep connections which blur the lines between friendship and romantic love. The way the characters deal with their challenges and many downfalls is what makes the series so compelling. Yes, maybe the angst gets a bit too raved up and yes, we as the readers often end up screaming at the characters for doing stupid things, but they do work things out as best they can and there is redemption even for the hopeless.
If you are expecting a lot of sex, you will be disappointed. After all, our main character October stays a virgin for the majority of the books. There is romantic angst a plenty, and it is as addictive as a reality TV show. October is not the typical snowflake and her mental illness is a very big part of who she is. I thought that was very well written by the author, kudos! So, if you would like to read about a young woman trying to tackle a very morbid job and juggle an interest in several guys, while trying to not go insane, this is definitely worth giving a try.😉