jenna_cross's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 rounded up. I’m so mad to find out I should have read a collection of short stories before this 3rd and last installment but decided to look on the bright side that I will have one more October of reading the Rumba series. I love the strong female characters. I love the vivid descriptions of this urban fantasy world and its inhabitants. The romance was very sexy and the action very intense. Lots of humor throughout with one of my favorite scenes being Carlos talking down the River Monster on the bridge. The authors narration of his characters is some of the best, fully engaging and unique.
blacksentai's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a good end to the series. I really like the characters and where they get to by the end.
Spoiler
The books are good. I just think they're not for me. Honestly. There's a sort of gruesomeness that doesn't mesh well with where I am right now. I love ghosts and all that, but I'm just not a horror person. All the social stuff the books engage with are great. Big fan of all of it. But it just doesn't hit me in my heart the way it does for a lot of people.schomj's review against another edition
2.0
I've been reading this since January and just now (June) made myself finish it so I could get it gone. So many battles and battle plans and blah blah blah. Really loved book 2 in this series, so disappointed at this being such a slog.
detailsandtales's review against another edition
4.0
This series is not quite my cup of tea, and there were parts of the story where I was ready to put it down and not come back. Then, as the end of the book drew closer, the intensity kept increasing and I couldn't put it down. Things really come together for a satisfying conclusion.
leonicka's review against another edition
4.0
I'll probably need to write about this entire series more thoroughly but I am honestly sad to see it end. It's trully been a pleasure watching the characters develop and grow. As much as I want to stay in this world, I am eager to see what else Daniel will create.
jeninmotion's review against another edition
5.0
Man, that book FLEW by. Amazing stuff, great end to the series. Everyone came together so well and I enjoyed the daylights out of the whole thing. In fact, I will give it the highest of compliments - I did not think about checking my phone once while reading this....
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
I mean, I don’t really like books about war, historical or fictional, but I really like this book. A satisfying and logical conclusion to what Older builds all along.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Racial slurs and Racism
lacifaeria's review against another edition
5.0
Heart? Oh, my heart is now broken since this whole world has concluded at the very upbeat but sad ending of the third, and final, Bone Street Rumba novel. I *loved* this book. Once again, Older manages to bring New York City, Brooklyn, to life in such a way that it's almost nostalgic as a former Queens girl living far from home. His characters are so vivid and vibrant that when they speak, I just imagined people who looked like my neighbors or the cats in church where I grew up. And the conclusion was the perfect culmination of events from all three novels to date. While there was a different group of narrators (Instead of Kia, she returns as the newly minted Iyawo and has an interesting plotline of her own while Sasha Brass steps forward as one of the main POVs...and Reza's place as narrator is taken somewhat by the mohawked butchy ghost Krys and her ghost bazooka "Greta", as well as the addition of Caitlin Fern, the surviving sister Blattodeon and master necromancer, doing her best to make you hate her and the Council of the Dead), Carlos returns with his trademark malagueñas, greyish skin, slight limp, and all sass and attitude and ties it all together.
This battle was a long time coming since the Council has been causing problems since the first novel with that contracted hit on Trevor. And this installment shows a fight like no other. And while that last scene had a GoT type elegance, I think my favorite was the duet plan between Carlos and Sasha at Council Hdqtrs. As Caitlin narrated, that pervasive grin of the self-satisfied Carlos stayed on my mind and I could almost see his lip curl as he popped in a stick of blueberry gum.
There were some sad moments, of course. I think I literally screamed during a certain traumatically sad part (*sniffles* "Bitch, I am a house" lol). But all in all, this ended in a most gratifying way and I was actually ok with the series' conclusion. And I particularly liked the cursory introduction of all the different ghost factions, from the bicyclers to the Black Hoodies, which I felt a particular pride that they were included.
So this is bittersweet, b/c as much as I enjoyed this book, I also realize that these characters' stories were now over and that's kinda sad because I really enjoy Older's writing and his paranormal NYC was really entertaining, if not just like the best meal that you can only get while home. For me, this is like a ham, egg, and cheese on a buttered roll from a diner with a 60 yr old waitress who calls you "honey" and a blue-and-white paper cup of coffee with that Grecian urn scroll and "It's a pleasure to serve you" banner on one side. This is home. Older sounds like home. And I'm kinda sad now b/c I didn't realize how much I missed it until now.
This battle was a long time coming since the Council has been causing problems since the first novel with that contracted hit on Trevor. And this installment shows a fight like no other. And while that last scene had a GoT type elegance, I think my favorite was the duet plan between Carlos and Sasha at Council Hdqtrs. As Caitlin narrated, that pervasive grin of the self-satisfied Carlos stayed on my mind and I could almost see his lip curl as he popped in a stick of blueberry gum.
There were some sad moments, of course. I think I literally screamed during a certain traumatically sad part (*sniffles* "Bitch, I am a house" lol). But all in all, this ended in a most gratifying way and I was actually ok with the series' conclusion. And I particularly liked the cursory introduction of all the different ghost factions, from the bicyclers to the Black Hoodies, which I felt a particular pride that they were included.
So this is bittersweet, b/c as much as I enjoyed this book, I also realize that these characters' stories were now over and that's kinda sad because I really enjoy Older's writing and his paranormal NYC was really entertaining, if not just like the best meal that you can only get while home. For me, this is like a ham, egg, and cheese on a buttered roll from a diner with a 60 yr old waitress who calls you "honey" and a blue-and-white paper cup of coffee with that Grecian urn scroll and "It's a pleasure to serve you" banner on one side. This is home. Older sounds like home. And I'm kinda sad now b/c I didn't realize how much I missed it until now.
lmurray74's review against another edition
5.0
The ghostly universe Older has created mapped onto Brooklyn is always fun to read about and he doesn't fall back on overused tropes. The bureaucracy of The Council of the Dead up against the rebellious otherworldly groups of ghosts sets up a thrilling battle scene at the end of the book. Up to then we hear from three of the main protagonists in the story, and from one who is a little off to the side (but none the less critical to the plot). I get a sense that Older had a lot of fun writing this story, and it puts a smile on my face thinking about the people in the book and what they are up against, and the friendships they share. I would love to have heard more from Kia and Gordo, but thankfully Older is working on more short stories in the Bone Street Rumba universe. It's possible this is the last novel in the series, and when you end with an all out hand to hand battle scene it's hard to top.