Okay, here’s the thing. I’m probably harder than I ought to be on the books I receive from Netgalley, wanting apostrophes to be where they’re supposed to be and the correct homophones to be used and commas to be where they’re supposed to be which is a rather hypocritical thing to say considering this sentence. And in this book, at times, none of that happens consistently: “insure” instead of “ensure”, and “the jokes on me”, and “laying” for “lying”, and dangling participles, and run-on sentences and comma splices like “The shade was famous, it was called Ever Blue.”
Know what?
I don’t care.
And I didn’t care. I flinched when the errors came up, and muttered a little prayer that they’d be fixed for publication … and forgot about them a few seconds later. Because this was good. It was so good. It was so bloody damned good that I wanted to buy drinks for all the characters (except, you know, the truly horrible ones) and hug them and keep reading about them indefinitely. I genuinely missed them when the book was over. I love this book; I love these characters (even the horrible ones) and their growth and depth; I love the world(s)-building and the not-quite-hereness of it and the utterly beautiful and unique story. I can’t wait for the second book.
It’s got everything. It’s funny – “‘I am certain it’s a dog,’ she said” – and moving and suspenseful. I cared – still care – what happened. My heart broke at one point, and I kept reading in a kind of a daze (but … no… I’m telling you, you’re messing up the story…) until something else happened and I yipped and all but punched the air. And a little while later came one of the sweetest love scenes I’ve ever read.
And then there was the time I had to convince a demon he was pretty.
Okay, I do wish someone would take a firm hand on the editing reins. It was pretty bad. Normally I’d feel it necessary to knock off a star. So let’s just say I knocked off a half a star and rounded up. Just to maintain my cred as a cantankerous grammar Nazi.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
Stewartry 
I was going to send flowers but thought a ‘thank you’ might be sufficient. Also,
Rhuun sends his regards.
I have the book – no need for flowers! Thank you. Love to Rhuun.
If there’s anyone that needs flowers it’s Rhuun. Awesome book, nice review. Well done all around.
Indeed! Flowers – and chocolate.
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Hello! Sorry to contact you through the comments but you are a hard person to locate! Rhuun is back, and I would love to send you the ebook, if you are interested. The sequel is called The Heron Prince and it is brand spanking new.
Hi! Sorry to be elusive! I’d love it. My email is talavera1809 at hotmail dot com, thank you!!
I have finally read the book from cover to cover I Love it about to go tomorrow and get the second book. I won this book on the Maggie Linton show and life got in the way of reading it all the way through but by light and wind I got it done just now.. Thank you Kim for rekindling my interest in reading books not facebook posts….
Isn’t it wonderful? And The Heron Prince is even better!