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Beyond the Veil #5
The Bones in the Yard
I… have issues.
I know. Who’d have thought that a jaded ex-cop elf would have problems with emotional commitment and self-esteem?
Yeah, me, too.
I’m trying to work on that. I’ve also got a new job, new boss, and a pile of bones I’m trying to identify while not stepping on too many official police-business toes. To top things off, it looks like the Antiquus Ordo Arcanum aren’t the only murdering cult making my life a living hell.
I’m in the middle of a battleground between not one, but two cults and a group of people who think that witches, warlocks, and people like Ward and me shouldn’t exist. And as if that weren’t enough, I’m struggling to find time to work on self-improvement and maybe manage to go on a date or two in the mean time with a certain shifter who is just way too adorable for words.
I’m pretty sure he’s going to dump my ass. But I really, really, really hope he doesn’t. At least not before I can solve these murders and get my life a little more together than it currently isn’t.
Beyond the Veil Book 5: Part two of Hart's story.
I know. Who’d have thought that a jaded ex-cop elf would have problems with emotional commitment and self-esteem?
Yeah, me, too.
I’m trying to work on that. I’ve also got a new job, new boss, and a pile of bones I’m trying to identify while not stepping on too many official police-business toes. To top things off, it looks like the Antiquus Ordo Arcanum aren’t the only murdering cult making my life a living hell.
I’m in the middle of a battleground between not one, but two cults and a group of people who think that witches, warlocks, and people like Ward and me shouldn’t exist. And as if that weren’t enough, I’m struggling to find time to work on self-improvement and maybe manage to go on a date or two in the mean time with a certain shifter who is just way too adorable for words.
I’m pretty sure he’s going to dump my ass. But I really, really, really hope he doesn’t. At least not before I can solve these murders and get my life a little more together than it currently isn’t.
Beyond the Veil Book 5: Part two of Hart's story.
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2023
77 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 31, 2024
Going into this one, I expected it to be my favorite in the series and by 50% my expectations were happily and enthusiastically being met. While I did ultimately end up enjoying the story past the 50% mark, the previous installment is still my favorite.
Once again, Avery created an immersive, compelling, hard-to-put-down, racially and culturally diverse story that’s rich with timely, nuanced, relevant sociopolitical statements and observations. All of these things are what put Avery’s writing and stories on my all time favorites shelf. Studies show reading can increase empathy and understanding* and I feel that kind of impact reading Avery’s stories. They’re truly entertaining, creative, unique and fun but they’re also socially impactful and resonant.
On a related but side note, I have to point out that I am USian, white and of European descent. The cultural diversity and focus in The Bones in the Yard is primarily Mexican, Mayan and Aztec. Hart admits to his ignorance of those cultures and has an awareness that he might inadvertently say or think something offensive, trying hard to be thoughtful, sensitive and to not get it wrong. Avery is clearly sensitive to her characters ‘getting it wrong’. I hope she gets it right, but admittedly, there’s a good chance I’d miss it if she does get things wrong 🤞
As with the previous books in the series, the mystery is a central focus. I appreciated and enjoyed this. That said, eventually I started to lose track of all the different villains and who belonged to which hate group. One of those crime solving evidence boards with the push pins, photos and red yarn strands would have been helpful 😅😆 I’m easily confused though so maybe my inability to keep track is more on me than the storytelling, but it did impact my enjoyment somewhat.
Though I did love this story, there’s one element that I wished would have been more fleshed out: Hart and Taavi’s relationship development. The story starts with the beautiful base of the relationship from the previous book but to me, it didn’t feel like the relationship grew much from there. Hart has his issues and messes things up a bit in the beginning, but when they come together again, they kind of continue in the same vein as the previous book, spending their time together cooking, eating, watching movies and just appreciating each other’s company. That was lovely but I wanted more verbal interaction, more learning about each other, more time together doing things. Things other than cooking, eating and… sex 🙄 It’s not as bad as book two where the sexy times dominated the story to the point that it did my head in, but I did start to get annoyed with it. The relationship development would have felt more balanced if some of the sexy times would have been devoted to more of the kinds of interactions I previously mentioned that I wanted.
I am very happy to report that the series will continue with another Hart story! 🎉 I’ve got my fingers crossed I’ll get all the things I wanted and more in the next installment.
Overall enjoyment: 5+ stars (see second paragraph)
Mystery: 3.5 stars
Relationship development: 3.5 stars
Final rating: 4 solid stars
* https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind...
Note to self: Read the series from the beginning before starting book 6! I’m too darn forgetful and too easily confused to keep it all straight without the refresher and I love this series enough for it to be entertaining and worthwhile.
Edited to add May 31, 2024 from an update by K.M. Avery:
The Ghost in the Hall will be FREE from June 1-3 to kick off Pride Month!
Then The Boy in the Locked Room will be FREE from June 4-6!
And then The Skeleton Under the Stairs from June 7-9!
The Dog in the Alley June 10-12!
The Bones in the Yard June 13-15!
And The Elf Beside Himself June 16-18!
And to close out Pride Month, Threadbound, a stand-alone fae M/M romance, will be FREE June 28-30!
PS I LOVE this series and the stand-alone, Threadbound. If you haven’t checked out this author yet, June would be the perfect time to do so.
Once again, Avery created an immersive, compelling, hard-to-put-down, racially and culturally diverse story that’s rich with timely, nuanced, relevant sociopolitical statements and observations. All of these things are what put Avery’s writing and stories on my all time favorites shelf. Studies show reading can increase empathy and understanding* and I feel that kind of impact reading Avery’s stories. They’re truly entertaining, creative, unique and fun but they’re also socially impactful and resonant.
On a related but side note, I have to point out that I am USian, white and of European descent. The cultural diversity and focus in The Bones in the Yard is primarily Mexican, Mayan and Aztec. Hart admits to his ignorance of those cultures and has an awareness that he might inadvertently say or think something offensive, trying hard to be thoughtful, sensitive and to not get it wrong. Avery is clearly sensitive to her characters ‘getting it wrong’. I hope she gets it right, but admittedly, there’s a good chance I’d miss it if she does get things wrong 🤞
As with the previous books in the series, the mystery is a central focus. I appreciated and enjoyed this. That said, eventually I started to lose track of all the different villains and who belonged to which hate group. One of those crime solving evidence boards with the push pins, photos and red yarn strands would have been helpful 😅😆 I’m easily confused though so maybe my inability to keep track is more on me than the storytelling, but it did impact my enjoyment somewhat.
Though I did love this story, there’s one element that I wished would have been more fleshed out: Hart and Taavi’s relationship development. The story starts with the beautiful base of the relationship from the previous book but to me, it didn’t feel like the relationship grew much from there. Hart has his issues and messes things up a bit in the beginning, but when they come together again, they kind of continue in the same vein as the previous book, spending their time together cooking, eating, watching movies and just appreciating each other’s company. That was lovely but I wanted more verbal interaction, more learning about each other, more time together doing things. Things other than cooking, eating and… sex 🙄 It’s not as bad as book two where the sexy times dominated the story to the point that it did my head in, but I did start to get annoyed with it. The relationship development would have felt more balanced if some of the sexy times would have been devoted to more of the kinds of interactions I previously mentioned that I wanted.
I am very happy to report that the series will continue with another Hart story! 🎉 I’ve got my fingers crossed I’ll get all the things I wanted and more in the next installment.
Overall enjoyment: 5+ stars (see second paragraph)
Mystery: 3.5 stars
Relationship development: 3.5 stars
Final rating: 4 solid stars
* https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind...
Note to self: Read the series from the beginning before starting book 6! I’m too darn forgetful and too easily confused to keep it all straight without the refresher and I love this series enough for it to be entertaining and worthwhile.
Edited to add May 31, 2024 from an update by K.M. Avery:
The Ghost in the Hall will be FREE from June 1-3 to kick off Pride Month!
Then The Boy in the Locked Room will be FREE from June 4-6!
And then The Skeleton Under the Stairs from June 7-9!
The Dog in the Alley June 10-12!
The Bones in the Yard June 13-15!
And The Elf Beside Himself June 16-18!
And to close out Pride Month, Threadbound, a stand-alone fae M/M romance, will be FREE June 28-30!
PS I LOVE this series and the stand-alone, Threadbound. If you haven’t checked out this author yet, June would be the perfect time to do so.
April 3, 2023
Excellent Character Development and storyline
Rating: 4.75🌈
Beyond The Veil series continues it’s excellent journey into the macabre and magical with The Bones in The Yard. KM Avery’s series is slightly divided into sections of three, each focusing on a specific main character and couple.
The Bones in The Yard is the second of the group of stories about the elf detective, Valentine “Val” Hart. Val, now private investigator with Beyond the Veil , a firm owned by Mason and Ward , a orc witch and human warlock who deal in all things magical, arcane and the dead.
Avery’s book picks up after the events in The Dog In The Alley, the story that introduces Val to Taavi Camal, Xoloitzcuintli shifter who is a rare born Arcanid. Taavi, in a fascinating twist, spent much of that story and their time together in his dog form (through trauma) , which prompts a lot of mixed emotions and deep questioning from Val over how to deal with Taavi on different levels. It’s a great element and one whose impact continues through to this story.
Avery has ,through five books, demonstrated an exemplary ability to craft believable traumatized characters, ones so complex and compelling that we can understand all the layers of denial they are putting between them and the reality of their existence. These are brutal books, dealing with death through evil, horrific acts. Some from past history that Avery brings tragically, furiously to life through the ghosts Ward talks to. Others through the vicious, ruthless events of modern life, from the magical world or against it.
The Bones In The Yard attacks the seemingly unflappable elf on every level. Avery uses this book to narratively open up Val emotionally, flay him for his own introspection about his life, and the shifter he’s not sure how to love. The same shifter who’s trying to get Val to see that Val is showing all the signs of some who has PTSD. Which Val does. Most of the beings here are under constant threat of violence or have been physically / mentally/ magically assaulted. Or been somehow effected by it. It’s a very harsh reality.
The shifter, Taavi Camal, a Xoloitzcuintli dog (among those commonly known as Mexican hairless) , has been recently injured and Arcanids are being ritually murdered, another scary fact for him and Val.
Avery layers on fascinating Maya and Incan mythology to go with terrifying discoveries and murders. All the marvelous found family of the Beyond the Veil is highly visible and involved as well as Val’s best friend from Wisconsin.
Elliot is important because a huge
part of Val’s identity is his Wisconsin family and heritage. He’s still that nondescript , 5’7” brown haired boy that no one wanted to date. The one that likes his baked goods and family before the Arcanavirus changed him into a 6’2”, gorgeous elf with long silver hair that continues to grow. There’s a constant struggle between the being he’s become , how he’s now perceived as this luminous beauty and the real person he’s inside. Again, a great element of this story and series. The new beings created , the ones that survived, by the Arcanavirus and society’s response to them.
Avery is constantly expanding this universe, coming back to the original threads which made it so imaginative. Here Taavi is a rare born Arcanid, instead of someone changed. He’s never been anything else, with implications for that. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to be human.
I’ve been distressed, constantly amazed, frustrated, appreciative, totally invested and always looking forward to the next chapter in the lives of the beings here.
I’m highly recommending this book but this is a series that must be read in order for the reader to understand the characters, the events that happened to them.
Beyond The Veil :
The Ghost In The Hall #1
The Boy In The Locked Room #2*
The Skeleton Under The Stairs #3
The Dog In The Alley #4
The Bones In The Yard #5
* Pls read reviews and trigger warnings about book 2 and Chapter 19, a chapter which deals in a sexual assault.
Rating: 4.75🌈
Beyond The Veil series continues it’s excellent journey into the macabre and magical with The Bones in The Yard. KM Avery’s series is slightly divided into sections of three, each focusing on a specific main character and couple.
The Bones in The Yard is the second of the group of stories about the elf detective, Valentine “Val” Hart. Val, now private investigator with Beyond the Veil , a firm owned by Mason and Ward , a orc witch and human warlock who deal in all things magical, arcane and the dead.
Avery’s book picks up after the events in The Dog In The Alley, the story that introduces Val to Taavi Camal, Xoloitzcuintli shifter who is a rare born Arcanid. Taavi, in a fascinating twist, spent much of that story and their time together in his dog form (through trauma) , which prompts a lot of mixed emotions and deep questioning from Val over how to deal with Taavi on different levels. It’s a great element and one whose impact continues through to this story.
Avery has ,through five books, demonstrated an exemplary ability to craft believable traumatized characters, ones so complex and compelling that we can understand all the layers of denial they are putting between them and the reality of their existence. These are brutal books, dealing with death through evil, horrific acts. Some from past history that Avery brings tragically, furiously to life through the ghosts Ward talks to. Others through the vicious, ruthless events of modern life, from the magical world or against it.
The Bones In The Yard attacks the seemingly unflappable elf on every level. Avery uses this book to narratively open up Val emotionally, flay him for his own introspection about his life, and the shifter he’s not sure how to love. The same shifter who’s trying to get Val to see that Val is showing all the signs of some who has PTSD. Which Val does. Most of the beings here are under constant threat of violence or have been physically / mentally/ magically assaulted. Or been somehow effected by it. It’s a very harsh reality.
The shifter, Taavi Camal, a Xoloitzcuintli dog (among those commonly known as Mexican hairless) , has been recently injured and Arcanids are being ritually murdered, another scary fact for him and Val.
Avery layers on fascinating Maya and Incan mythology to go with terrifying discoveries and murders. All the marvelous found family of the Beyond the Veil is highly visible and involved as well as Val’s best friend from Wisconsin.
Elliot is important because a huge
part of Val’s identity is his Wisconsin family and heritage. He’s still that nondescript , 5’7” brown haired boy that no one wanted to date. The one that likes his baked goods and family before the Arcanavirus changed him into a 6’2”, gorgeous elf with long silver hair that continues to grow. There’s a constant struggle between the being he’s become , how he’s now perceived as this luminous beauty and the real person he’s inside. Again, a great element of this story and series. The new beings created , the ones that survived, by the Arcanavirus and society’s response to them.
Avery is constantly expanding this universe, coming back to the original threads which made it so imaginative. Here Taavi is a rare born Arcanid, instead of someone changed. He’s never been anything else, with implications for that. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to be human.
I’ve been distressed, constantly amazed, frustrated, appreciative, totally invested and always looking forward to the next chapter in the lives of the beings here.
I’m highly recommending this book but this is a series that must be read in order for the reader to understand the characters, the events that happened to them.
Beyond The Veil :
The Ghost In The Hall #1
The Boy In The Locked Room #2*
The Skeleton Under The Stairs #3
The Dog In The Alley #4
The Bones In The Yard #5
* Pls read reviews and trigger warnings about book 2 and Chapter 19, a chapter which deals in a sexual assault.
March 26, 2023
The saga continues.
Numerous unnecessary sex scenes that I skipped.
Numerous unnecessary sex scenes that I skipped.
March 22, 2025
**Audiobook Review**
Cool Case...Tavi and Val got closer...more romance...great narration.
Cool Case...Tavi and Val got closer...more romance...great narration.
March 30, 2023
Val and Taavi’s story
It was lovely to follow Val and Taavi and watch Val’d character growth. I wasn’t as caught up in the crime drama. It wasn’t personalized or immediate enough. But it was interesting. And it was tied up a little too neatly.
It was lovely to follow Val and Taavi and watch Val’d character growth. I wasn’t as caught up in the crime drama. It wasn’t personalized or immediate enough. But it was interesting. And it was tied up a little too neatly.
January 4, 2026
I haven't read any of the other comments & I may well be in the minority, but I'm not really a fan of the personality transplant that the author is going with when it comes to Hart.
It's coming across as though only smiley personalities are worthy or interesting. I'm not liking it. I liked Hart how he was, I don't think he needed to change beyond swearing AT people.
Hart was gruff but lovable. I'm all for him not being a dick to people, but also the fact that swearing is now almost taboo, even though Hart used to swear like a trooper.... not a fan!
I'm having a really bad feeling that the author listened to all the negative comments about the sex scenes on Ward & Mason's trilogy & she went the completely opposite side of that by there not being ANY sex scenes at all in now book 1 & and more than 3 hours into this one.
By now we should be establishing their relationship, but it's very much at the friends only stage...
There are PLENTY of books available out there for the prudish crowd. Let us smut bunnies have our fun. I'm not a fan of romance books without smut. In fact, I use romance.io to ensure that I'm not even bothering to read a closed-door book... not my cup of tea, so I avoid them like the plague & if I DO choose to read a closed-door book, I don't then complain about the LACK of smut/spicy scenes as that was my (moronic) decision to read a boring romance book...
So, it really does do my head in, that so many people are commenting about the plentiful sex scenes, when this entire series, excepting "the dog in the aley" has either a 4 or a 5 out 5 rating for PLENTIFUL & EXPLICIT sex scenes, yet they STILL manage to moan about it 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
I think again that the author over-corrected (I read some of the comments in tge 1st trilogy) by now focusing TOO MUCH on the plot/mystery & not enough on the romance between Hart & Ta'avi!
I'm at the point where Ta'avi has been given clearance to join the investigation which is very much Aztec related, however he's been (off-page) liaising with Mason, but has not come out to the grave site even though Mason finally HAS!
Ta'avi is the only one currently who has knowledge about what they're discovering... WHY didn't he come out with Mason?! I don't get it & that would help with getting more Hart & Ta'avi interactions, which have been beyond scarce so far!
As well as it would make more sense IMO to have the Aztec expert present when & if they encounter more Aztec related rituals, paraphernalia, etc... rather than texting him so he identifies it!
To the author... PLEASE don't listen to comments if the only negative thing they have to say is "there's too much sex & the plot is too scarce" 🙄 they're just prudes & can easily skip those scenes if it affects their sensibilities too much. Because having listened to the other 4 books, I honestly did not think that was the case.
I'm assuming the prudish crowd have forgotten (or have never experienced) the honeymoon period of a new relationship... you're constantly at it like bunnies 🤷♀️
The only thing that I wasn't a fan of with some of the sex scenes, was that they happened immediately after a deep conversation &/or instead of a heart-to-heart that they should've been having. That was all!
Anyhoo's, I hope we start getting more Hart & Ta'avi content... as with the last book, there's more Raj & Hart going on than Hart & Ta'avi 🤔
Again, maybe it's just me... but if someone is hurt & YOU have a pet & the other person doesn't & is hurt, but still mobile, you need to go home to shower, get clothes, etc... WHY wouldn't you both go to YOUR house, seeing as you do have a pet to look after?!
Honestly, some of the choices in this are just frustrating as they're a bit nonsensical 🤷♀️
TBPH, I wasn't a fan of Hart quitting his job in the previous & with the constant "admonishings" that he keeps getting from Ward & Mason, I'm even less enthused about it!
Maybe I'm more like Hart that I don't buy into the be sweet to a murderer or someone who's covering up for a murderous cult & I think Hart should go on his merry way & start his own P.I. agency... I'm not a fan of him subjugating to Ward or Mason!
Because, Ward would not be where he is if it hadn't been for Hart & Mason was also saved multiple times from police brutality exactly because Hart was foul-mouthed badass who didn't take shit from anyone else on the force!
Although one thing that I'm really not a fan of is that we already had to deal with Ward's incessant self-pity & I don't like it that we're getting another dose of the same thing with Hart.
He literally berates himself for things that are totally out of his control & he almost tries to micro-manage anything that might be even remotely upsetting to Ta'avi.... it's a case that directly concerns Ta'avi, better to have him involved to help resolve it IMO!
The fact that Hart made a really bad decision by quitting the force became ever more apparent with every interaction between himself, Ward & Mason.
It kinda gave me the feel of those people who date "undesirable" people because they hope to change them, not because they see beyond the gruffness & love them regardless... the fixer-upper complex!
Hart had been a very successful detective prior to joining BTV, both Mason & Ward knew Hart & how he operated, but they constantly kept treating Hart like a child that they needed to educate... I really wasn't a fan of it... at ALL!
As with the previous instalments there are a lot of stupid decisions all round...
Yes, they weren't in the direct path of the protests, however as a cop, Hart should know that bigoted sentiment would bleed out... WHY in God's green earth would they not drive &/or why would Mason offer them a ride back home?!
Ta'avi knew Mason & he knew that Mason wouldn't hurt him or judge him, so why would he refuse to be seen by Mason?!?
For that matter, WHY didn't Hart just call Mason rather than "respect" Ta'avi's (moronic) wishes?! He'd been hit by a truck... either call Mason or take him immediately to a hospital... wishes be damned unless he'd been a Jehovah's witness!
Aside from Hart's TSTL decision, which he himself acknowledged as moronic, he KNEW from his investigations that those people always killed their victims as soon as they kidnapped & got them to the sacrificial altars... WHY TF would he set the emails for FOUR hours later rather than an hour later... as he himself knew that they had the use of MULTIPLE plantations, homes, warehouses, etc... where they killed, tortured & mutilated their victims 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ so just knowing WHERE he'd been going wouldn't exactly help to know WHERE he'd be taken!
He could've at least asked Archie or Sylvia to go with him & for them to tell Ward WHERE he'd be taken if that had been the case & I'm still confused as to why he thought getting himself killed would help Ta'avi...
Even if he'd been able to identify that single individual as ONE of the villains... there would still be an entire Cabal that would remain incognito... so I honestly didn't understand his extremely moronic decision!
Also, I think the Ordo plot could've been put to sleep in the previous trilogy, seeing as we were getting a whole new cult as well as the MFM, who in the grand scheme of things ended up being victims rather than perpetrators...
So far only the Arcane are up to no good & have (cultist) murderous intent for every other Arcane individual... however, the (white) supremacists are simply protesting & making every non-supremacist feel uncomfortable, more a nuisance than a real threat... which personally is a REALLY odd choice by the author IMO!
I already feel like things escalated far too quickly from the bigoted, but livable world we encountered in Mason & Ward's stories to Hart's series where everyone is killing each other or the world has so rapidly declined into such a volatile world!
Even with the current situation in the US, there's been a progressive increase in hostilities... in the 1st term, there WERE instances of white-supremacist attacks, violent protests, etc... but nothing nowhere near close to what is going NOW during the 2nd term!
The first term served to lay the groundwork & this term is serving to cement the neo-nazi intents of the administration & its followers... who had always claimed that they were not bigots, until even they couldn't pretend anymore!
All that is to say that I wish the author had already laid the groundwork for the rising hostilities in the first trilogy, because the MFM subplot seems to literally have come out of left field.
I may well be remembering incorrectly, but I'm pretty sure that I recall Ward commenting that one of the reasons why he liked (New) as there IS already a (preexisting) Richmond in the UK, is that the Mayor was so progressive & accepting of Arcs/Nids, etc...& that's why it was such a cosmopolitan city & why the Arcane folk all so felt comfortable living there... kinda like London compared to the rest of England 🤷♀️
It's coming across as though only smiley personalities are worthy or interesting. I'm not liking it. I liked Hart how he was, I don't think he needed to change beyond swearing AT people.
Hart was gruff but lovable. I'm all for him not being a dick to people, but also the fact that swearing is now almost taboo, even though Hart used to swear like a trooper.... not a fan!
I'm having a really bad feeling that the author listened to all the negative comments about the sex scenes on Ward & Mason's trilogy & she went the completely opposite side of that by there not being ANY sex scenes at all in now book 1 & and more than 3 hours into this one.
By now we should be establishing their relationship, but it's very much at the friends only stage...
There are PLENTY of books available out there for the prudish crowd. Let us smut bunnies have our fun. I'm not a fan of romance books without smut. In fact, I use romance.io to ensure that I'm not even bothering to read a closed-door book... not my cup of tea, so I avoid them like the plague & if I DO choose to read a closed-door book, I don't then complain about the LACK of smut/spicy scenes as that was my (moronic) decision to read a boring romance book...
So, it really does do my head in, that so many people are commenting about the plentiful sex scenes, when this entire series, excepting "the dog in the aley" has either a 4 or a 5 out 5 rating for PLENTIFUL & EXPLICIT sex scenes, yet they STILL manage to moan about it 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
I think again that the author over-corrected (I read some of the comments in tge 1st trilogy) by now focusing TOO MUCH on the plot/mystery & not enough on the romance between Hart & Ta'avi!
I'm at the point where Ta'avi has been given clearance to join the investigation which is very much Aztec related, however he's been (off-page) liaising with Mason, but has not come out to the grave site even though Mason finally HAS!
Ta'avi is the only one currently who has knowledge about what they're discovering... WHY didn't he come out with Mason?! I don't get it & that would help with getting more Hart & Ta'avi interactions, which have been beyond scarce so far!
As well as it would make more sense IMO to have the Aztec expert present when & if they encounter more Aztec related rituals, paraphernalia, etc... rather than texting him so he identifies it!
To the author... PLEASE don't listen to comments if the only negative thing they have to say is "there's too much sex & the plot is too scarce" 🙄 they're just prudes & can easily skip those scenes if it affects their sensibilities too much. Because having listened to the other 4 books, I honestly did not think that was the case.
I'm assuming the prudish crowd have forgotten (or have never experienced) the honeymoon period of a new relationship... you're constantly at it like bunnies 🤷♀️
The only thing that I wasn't a fan of with some of the sex scenes, was that they happened immediately after a deep conversation &/or instead of a heart-to-heart that they should've been having. That was all!
Anyhoo's, I hope we start getting more Hart & Ta'avi content... as with the last book, there's more Raj & Hart going on than Hart & Ta'avi 🤔
Again, maybe it's just me... but if someone is hurt & YOU have a pet & the other person doesn't & is hurt, but still mobile, you need to go home to shower, get clothes, etc... WHY wouldn't you both go to YOUR house, seeing as you do have a pet to look after?!
Honestly, some of the choices in this are just frustrating as they're a bit nonsensical 🤷♀️
TBPH, I wasn't a fan of Hart quitting his job in the previous & with the constant "admonishings" that he keeps getting from Ward & Mason, I'm even less enthused about it!
Maybe I'm more like Hart that I don't buy into the be sweet to a murderer or someone who's covering up for a murderous cult & I think Hart should go on his merry way & start his own P.I. agency... I'm not a fan of him subjugating to Ward or Mason!
Because, Ward would not be where he is if it hadn't been for Hart & Mason was also saved multiple times from police brutality exactly because Hart was foul-mouthed badass who didn't take shit from anyone else on the force!
Although one thing that I'm really not a fan of is that we already had to deal with Ward's incessant self-pity & I don't like it that we're getting another dose of the same thing with Hart.
He literally berates himself for things that are totally out of his control & he almost tries to micro-manage anything that might be even remotely upsetting to Ta'avi.... it's a case that directly concerns Ta'avi, better to have him involved to help resolve it IMO!
The fact that Hart made a really bad decision by quitting the force became ever more apparent with every interaction between himself, Ward & Mason.
It kinda gave me the feel of those people who date "undesirable" people because they hope to change them, not because they see beyond the gruffness & love them regardless... the fixer-upper complex!
Hart had been a very successful detective prior to joining BTV, both Mason & Ward knew Hart & how he operated, but they constantly kept treating Hart like a child that they needed to educate... I really wasn't a fan of it... at ALL!
As with the previous instalments there are a lot of stupid decisions all round...
Yes, they weren't in the direct path of the protests, however as a cop, Hart should know that bigoted sentiment would bleed out... WHY in God's green earth would they not drive &/or why would Mason offer them a ride back home?!
Ta'avi knew Mason & he knew that Mason wouldn't hurt him or judge him, so why would he refuse to be seen by Mason?!?
For that matter, WHY didn't Hart just call Mason rather than "respect" Ta'avi's (moronic) wishes?! He'd been hit by a truck... either call Mason or take him immediately to a hospital... wishes be damned unless he'd been a Jehovah's witness!
Aside from Hart's TSTL decision, which he himself acknowledged as moronic, he KNEW from his investigations that those people always killed their victims as soon as they kidnapped & got them to the sacrificial altars... WHY TF would he set the emails for FOUR hours later rather than an hour later... as he himself knew that they had the use of MULTIPLE plantations, homes, warehouses, etc... where they killed, tortured & mutilated their victims 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ so just knowing WHERE he'd been going wouldn't exactly help to know WHERE he'd be taken!
He could've at least asked Archie or Sylvia to go with him & for them to tell Ward WHERE he'd be taken if that had been the case & I'm still confused as to why he thought getting himself killed would help Ta'avi...
Even if he'd been able to identify that single individual as ONE of the villains... there would still be an entire Cabal that would remain incognito... so I honestly didn't understand his extremely moronic decision!
Also, I think the Ordo plot could've been put to sleep in the previous trilogy, seeing as we were getting a whole new cult as well as the MFM, who in the grand scheme of things ended up being victims rather than perpetrators...
So far only the Arcane are up to no good & have (cultist) murderous intent for every other Arcane individual... however, the (white) supremacists are simply protesting & making every non-supremacist feel uncomfortable, more a nuisance than a real threat... which personally is a REALLY odd choice by the author IMO!
I already feel like things escalated far too quickly from the bigoted, but livable world we encountered in Mason & Ward's stories to Hart's series where everyone is killing each other or the world has so rapidly declined into such a volatile world!
Even with the current situation in the US, there's been a progressive increase in hostilities... in the 1st term, there WERE instances of white-supremacist attacks, violent protests, etc... but nothing nowhere near close to what is going NOW during the 2nd term!
The first term served to lay the groundwork & this term is serving to cement the neo-nazi intents of the administration & its followers... who had always claimed that they were not bigots, until even they couldn't pretend anymore!
All that is to say that I wish the author had already laid the groundwork for the rising hostilities in the first trilogy, because the MFM subplot seems to literally have come out of left field.
I may well be remembering incorrectly, but I'm pretty sure that I recall Ward commenting that one of the reasons why he liked (New) as there IS already a (preexisting) Richmond in the UK, is that the Mayor was so progressive & accepting of Arcs/Nids, etc...& that's why it was such a cosmopolitan city & why the Arcane folk all so felt comfortable living there... kinda like London compared to the rest of England 🤷♀️
March 26, 2023
I love this series SO much, but Hart's storyline is my favourite so far. There's more of a mystery tone to his books, and his character type is one of my faves with his foul mouthed grumpiness but marshmallow interior. But his severe insecurity and PTSD really make him so REAL. Taavi is the PERFECT compliment to Hart's insecure a-hole protector personality, because he's patient and quietly loving and just as protective of his elf. They finally get together in this one, and unlike book 4, the spice level in this one is on track with the first three books in the series.
This book continues with seemingly unrelated cases that begin to tie in to the Ordo plotline, and Taavi actually ends up being an important resource in the cases. We see the MCs from the first three books since Hart is now working for Ward and Mason, and he's also consulting with Raj and that FBI team. Hart still has a few allies on the police force, as well, and all three groups end up working together to solve what becomes one big case. Thankfully, it seems like the Ordo plotline wraps up in this book, as I'm not sure how much longer the author could've pulled on it (although maybe I'll be surprised in the next book, where it seems like we'll finally meet Hart's bff Elliot in person).
I can't wait for the next book, which I believe will finish Hart and Taavi's time in the spotlight, sadly. Hart has been my favourite since the very first book in this series, so I'll be sad to step out of his head. I could easily read a hundred more with him as MC!
Heed the CW/TWs if you struggle with prejudice (both racial and sexual) and physical violence, as the MCs are both victims of hate crimes on page and off, and the cases Hart works can be gruesome.
March 26, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. I adore the entire series, from the imaginative world building (what if there was a COVID-like virus... with magical repercussions?) and I feel like each installment keeps getting better!
Books 4 and 5 focus on Val and Taavi, with 5 picking up a few months after the end of 4. Val and Taavi are excellent characters with real strengths and real flaws. Val has his hang-ups, and Taavi has his traumas. But together, they can be amazing partners - if they survive long enough.
As expected in this series, the mystery was once again solid, character and romantic development excellent, and I found myself immediately immersed right back into the world waiting to read what would happen next.
I absolutely cannot wait to read the next installment!
Books 4 and 5 focus on Val and Taavi, with 5 picking up a few months after the end of 4. Val and Taavi are excellent characters with real strengths and real flaws. Val has his hang-ups, and Taavi has his traumas. But together, they can be amazing partners - if they survive long enough.
As expected in this series, the mystery was once again solid, character and romantic development excellent, and I found myself immediately immersed right back into the world waiting to read what would happen next.
I absolutely cannot wait to read the next installment!
November 4, 2024
Another paranormal mystery to solve, and Hart's swearing his way through the case!
This mystery ties in a lot with previous books, so if you haven't read Ward and Mason's story about the Ordo, you might miss a few things. I had a hard time keeping up with all the names and people, but appreciated the big bad showdown of a sort we got for one part of the villainous conglomerate that lurks in the Arcana world. Taavi gets to join the found family investigative crew, playing well with Mace's scholarly zen and Harts shhot first question later mentality. OK, quite a bit of sex in this one, sometimes not exactly needed to show the relationship, but it is what it is (and easy to skip if you're not into all the *ahem* details).
This mystery ties in a lot with previous books, so if you haven't read Ward and Mason's story about the Ordo, you might miss a few things. I had a hard time keeping up with all the names and people, but appreciated the big bad showdown of a sort we got for one part of the villainous conglomerate that lurks in the Arcana world. Taavi gets to join the found family investigative crew, playing well with Mace's scholarly zen and Harts shhot first question later mentality. OK, quite a bit of sex in this one, sometimes not exactly needed to show the relationship, but it is what it is (and easy to skip if you're not into all the *ahem* details).
April 27, 2023
I love this author. Honestly, they could write anything and I'd read it, but I was somewhat disappointed in this book. In the first three I honestly forgot we didn't get Mason's perspective. That's how well I understood him and how involved he was in the story. After two books I feel I have a better grasp of who Rayn and Jackson are than I do Taavi. Which I'm sad about, because he's obviously a fantastic guy. I want to know him as well as I do Ward, Mason, and Hart. So I'm really putting a lot of pressure on their third book. lol Which, of course, I can't wait for! And don't get me started on my excitement for Rayn's story.
January 14, 2024
Technically, for me this is just under a five-star read, but close enough. Glad I already have the third book with these main characters. This does not cliffhang. But the epilogue definitely sets up the inciting incident for #6.
I know little about Taavi's culture, but in this story it felt genuine. Also, Taavi is a delight, and Hart is a lucky, lucky elf considering how often he screws up. The worldbuilding continues to be interesting, too. The author continues to use too many words and continues to over-explain. But the story is good, so I care less about that, where in the first book it was just too much on top of less interesting characters. Ward and Doc are better as backup.
I know little about Taavi's culture, but in this story it felt genuine. Also, Taavi is a delight, and Hart is a lucky, lucky elf considering how often he screws up. The worldbuilding continues to be interesting, too. The author continues to use too many words and continues to over-explain. But the story is good, so I care less about that, where in the first book it was just too much on top of less interesting characters. Ward and Doc are better as backup.
January 16, 2026
4.5 stars. I am really loving this series, Val is just such an endearing mess. I don't know anything about K.M. Avery's background and I can't personally speak to the indigenous rep in the books I've read so far, but nothing stuck out to me as a red flag. The heaviness of the racism (+covid) allegory can be a little overwhelming bleak at times -- given how much worse things have managed to get between Mar 2023 when this book was published, and Jan 2026 when I am currently reading this -- but that's not on K.M. Avery. The world building is really solid and I'm just so pleased to have found an urban fantasy + paranormal romance series that I enjoy this much!
August 31, 2023
Absolutely Mesmerizing the amount of detail and intricacy that went into weaving the plot strands into a solid story arch. It was challenging to follow and keep the strands connected, and it is an absolute must to have read the preceding stories as the roots for the strands were all carefully planted as the series developed. I absolutely am held in the grips of this story and am at the stage in an awesome series where I can not wait to begin the next book and I am already mourning the fact that it is the last one - for now? A final note - you have to love an author who does their research.
July 28, 2023
I love HART.
Book five starts out with Hart as a private investigator for Mason and Ward's agency. He quit the police force because well, he was told to stop investigating a case and oh yeah, some of his fellow cops were trying to kill him because he's an elf. A gorgeous yet foul mouthed, sarcastic a$$hat elf.
And even though he spends much of the book overthinking his relationship with Taavi and doing stupid stuff, I still like him. Alot.
Book five starts out with Hart as a private investigator for Mason and Ward's agency. He quit the police force because well, he was told to stop investigating a case and oh yeah, some of his fellow cops were trying to kill him because he's an elf. A gorgeous yet foul mouthed, sarcastic a$$hat elf.
And even though he spends much of the book overthinking his relationship with Taavi and doing stupid stuff, I still like him. Alot.
May 25, 2024
Once again, a well-written book that navigates a complex world that needs to be recognized, especially with how it parallels our current one.
Given that Taavi was a dog for the majority of the first book, I had really hoped that we would get to learn more about him, and while we kind of did, I felt like anything to do with Taavi revolved far more around Hart than around him. They are very sweet together, and it is nice to see Hart begin to open up.
Given that Taavi was a dog for the majority of the first book, I had really hoped that we would get to learn more about him, and while we kind of did, I felt like anything to do with Taavi revolved far more around Hart than around him. They are very sweet together, and it is nice to see Hart begin to open up.
August 14, 2025
I adore these characters, and I love the growth we see in Hart. Not in a change-everything-about-himself way, but in a healthier, wanting to be better for himself and Taavi way.
Once again, our mystery wasn’t really solved and revealed, so much as brushed aside in favor of main character cuddles. That aspect of this series remains my biggest complaint, because I love reading a good mystery alongside my romance, and I’m not really getting that here.
Once again, our mystery wasn’t really solved and revealed, so much as brushed aside in favor of main character cuddles. That aspect of this series remains my biggest complaint, because I love reading a good mystery alongside my romance, and I’m not really getting that here.
May 3, 2023
I wanted to like it. I like the characters, but the writing is just too dull. Most of the book is the Elf’s thoughts. Not much action, not much dialogue. I struggled to keep going, kept losing the thread of the mystery that’s spanned a few books and has too many villains involved for me to keep track of. I gave up about 70% in.
May 26, 2023
Eh. This author is good at what they are doing, but the books could be 100 pages shorter without loosing anything. Feels like mystery more than romance, as Taavi tends to appear sporadically and remains a mystery up to last bit. Mystery was weaker than in the last book, also villain felt cartoonish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
I loved the concept and the first books, but I couldn’t finish this one.
I was tired of Hart always hating himself, and I still don’t understand why he thinks he’s selfish or a butthole?
Also, the story between the Ordo and the Culho was just confusing.
I just abandoned it at 80%.
But I still recommend the first three books of the series!
I was tired of Hart always hating himself, and I still don’t understand why he thinks he’s selfish or a butthole?
Also, the story between the Ordo and the Culho was just confusing.
I just abandoned it at 80%.
But I still recommend the first three books of the series!
April 2, 2023
Hm, I liked the story line, but found this part a bit bland. Sure Val's POV was interesting and fun, but he was just a bit to much in his emotional state of doubt and worry. Nonetheless his romance with Taavi was sweet and had an HEA.
April 16, 2023
Love these characters
I really enjoy coming back into this world and I feel really connected and invested in these characters. Somehow I was struggling to keep up with the plot in this one and was lost a bit as to who was doing what to whom. Thrilled to read more.
I really enjoy coming back into this world and I feel really connected and invested in these characters. Somehow I was struggling to keep up with the plot in this one and was lost a bit as to who was doing what to whom. Thrilled to read more.
April 16, 2023
I adore this couple...Hart and Tavvi are joy on the page... the mystery in this one was sadly lacking and I found myself skimming because it was slow and dull. When Tavvi and Hart are together on page, it is captivating and magical.
August 29, 2023
Loved that things are still progressing with the MCs but also allowing space for Hart to come to terms with everything that happened to him in Book 1. A lot of authors forego giving their characters that needed space to process, so props to KM Avery for giving Hart that time.
November 18, 2024
Things are finally heating up for Hart and Tavi. Hart may be an a$$hole, but he's a self-aware a$$hole and he tries for Tavi. The narration is so so good. Pronunciations and accents are excellent. Now it's a super impatient wait for the next audio release and I don't even know the ETA
April 2, 2023
It was pulling read.
April 7, 2023
Loved it
I have like bed each and every book in this series and now I am dying to read Elliott's story.
I have like bed each and every book in this series and now I am dying to read Elliott's story.
May 4, 2023
Awesome story. I am loving this series. Can't wait until the next book comes out.
May 13, 2023
read
Read the whole series now I gotta know what happened to Elliot’s family can’t wait for the next book ❤️
Read the whole series now I gotta know what happened to Elliot’s family can’t wait for the next book ❤️
June 14, 2023
Another great book. So happy that the series isn't done!
Read
June 27, 2023i like this series and will be waiting for the next book.
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