green_amaryllis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, and Blood
Minor: Homophobia
kitvaria_sarene's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Don't get me wrong, I would not miss the sex scenes if they instead were just fade to black, but they are so well written, they also don't make me roll my eyes and want to throw the book out the window. So even though it's not a part of the book that hooks me, absolute kudos for KJ Charles being one of the not even a handful of authors who manage to produce steam I don't find cringe worthy!
Another mystery, plenty more dead bodies, blackmail, suspicion, unexplained magic and a lot of adventure make for another fast paced story! Meanwhile the characters, the world around them, new friends and colleagues give more depth and round of a great tale that had me on the edge of my seat.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
madscientistcat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Rape
pvbobrien's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, Animal death, and Homophobia
Minor: Suicide, Medical content, and Murder
wilybooklover's review
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Animal death, Blood, Sexual content, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Drug use, and Violence
Minor: Racism, Child death, and Suicide
jennifox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Homophobia, Gore, Death, and Violence
unwise_samwise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Animal death, and Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Suicide, and Racism
ehmannky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Death, Murder, Blood, and Medical content
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Suicide, Child death, and Racism
booksthatburn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The story balance between their relationship and solving the actual murders is artful, so perfectly balanced. I love the rapport between the main characters and it's so great to see both of them in the context of other people they know and/or work with.
This doesn't really wrap up anything left hanging from the first book, the main thing it continues is the ongoing relationship between the main characters but that definitely doesn't end here. The entire storyline starts in this volume and wasn't present previously, and the main plot is introduced and resolved within this book. It doesn't leave anything specific to be picked up later in terms of the specific plot, but since this is a paranormal romance series, the relationship itself is the throughline and definitely has more to be explored. The main characters haven't changed and the POV character is the same. The previous book alternated between Stephen and Crane, but this one is just Crane because it's focused on his perspective on their relationship, and a lot of the tension from that is the uncertainty caused by the way Stephen comes and goes with no notice. Crane's narrative voice is consistent with the previous book. This would mostly make sense if someone read it without the first book, though of course the relationships already in place would lack some of the backstory from before.
This continues the mix of magic, trauma, catharsis, and very steamy sex which made the first book so good, I'll definitely finish reading the trilogy.
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Gore, Rape, and Vomit
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, and Xenophobia
CWs for A CASE OF SPIRITS: alcoholism, gore, death.rumireads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, and Gore
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Gun violence, and Vomit