Hadley outwits a fae ancient, escaping what was once a hopeless agreement...
Brilliant world building and mesmerizing, addictive story/plot twists! I began this series late yesterday morning--a couple hours later, I was forced to break in the middle of book two (family Thanksgiving get-together). Four hours later, I settled in to get through the rest of the installments. While I overlooked reading The Potentate of Atlanta series until now, It worked out well, as I didn't have to impatiently await each subsequent book; instead, I've completed all but the sixth, final epilogue, which I've found preferable, like reading a saga in one go!
Talk about tense, hair-raising, phenomenally spectacular & bloody action! Hadley, with the powerful magical gifts of Bishop and the newly eager cooperation of her shadow wraith Ambrose, pulls off a coup for the city of Atlanta. The nonstop coven attacks of dark, evil magic; fast, furious, explosive battles and edgy maneuvers through unfamiliar territory with hidden traps & deadly dangers; and Hadley's irrefutable, life-changing, indomitable determination toward kindness, making decisions or taking up arms for the good of her responsibilities that include her widening, growing number of loved ones as well as all the residents and/or affiliates of her city of Atlanta.
We get to witness Hadley's growth in character: her self-confidence in her skill set; her talent & strength, especially the natural abilities she always had the potential to develop, which she learned expand into lethal or helpful tools that complemented her organization, city, and local pack resources. Fast paced, incredibly innovative, and highly imaginative, there's magic infused everywhere, from the varieties of pure fae existing within Atlanta, the fae-infused packs whose members have evolved into combinations of human, animal types, and fae blood tying them all to that which the dark coven of fae witches sought for their evil plans to wrest control of Atlanta from Hadley.
Of course we discover there's the worst possible kind of insidious, darkly nefarious plan that threatens every magical being within Atlanta's borders, and that only Hadley and her inner circle can counter. It's a brilliant, powerfully moving sequence of events that all comes together under Hadley's unique leadership. I loved everything, even the blood and gore (although I have to interject: *yuck*). The author has a strong creative flow that never runs out of juice, with wonderful characters who reiterate themes of growth and developing family and community ties, all of which culminates into a unification of a variety of factions that previously functioned as independent, isolated entities. Basically, Hadley grows in confidence, skill, and into her new job, under the guidance and assistance from her team and key powerhouses (i.e. Tisdale, Ayla, Linus ~ she had to learn to accept help🤗). Very well written, I barely noticed the miniscule number of typos! Ten out of ten stars ~ five are inadequate).