lifeinthebooklane's review
4.0
Oh my, what an absolute feast for the mind this book is. The story picks up a few months after where book #1 ends, using in medias res as an opener. Different supernatural factions are at one another's throats and they are all expecting Tsara to solve their problems, she is just trying to survive from one day to the next. The twisty plot rattles along at a good clip, barely slowing enough to allow one to draw breath.
We meet lots of new characters as the storyline unfolds. The good, the bad and the ugly (at least they are when in their demonic form) who add depth and colour to the story. We also see the return of the deliciously demonic and utterly so-bad-he's-irresistible perfection that is Jou. If you thought the chemistry between him and Tsara was hot in [b:Neon Blue|55471304|Neon Blue (Demonsongs, #1)|E.J. Frost|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1601239118l/55471304._SY75_.jpg|43248514], it is absolutely scorching in this book. Both characters have undergone considerable change in their time apart, allowing them to quickly reach a new level of understanding with Tsara accepting Jou for who and what he is whilst Jou is more open, more honest with her.
What initially seems to be a puzzling but low key mystery soon turns out to be anything but. The author cleverly takes seemingly trivial events and layers them over and around one another until a shocking picture emerges and the truth is revealed. Between the clever plot and the intense interactions between our two protagonists, I was held transfixed. The book had me running the gamut of emotions, totally bewitched by Jou and Tsara.
The author has an unusual approach of mentioning characters and events as though we are already familiar with them. In general, I liked this approach, much preferring it to those dreaded info dumps. There were times when I was thrown from the story a little as I needed more information to fully understand the situation and once or twice I wanted to have seen that initial meeting or event, for example, the first time Tsara met Nicole. On balance, this was a very minor irritation in what is an overall wonderful read.
We meet lots of new characters as the storyline unfolds. The good, the bad and the ugly (at least they are when in their demonic form) who add depth and colour to the story. We also see the return of the deliciously demonic and utterly so-bad-he's-irresistible perfection that is Jou. If you thought the chemistry between him and Tsara was hot in [b:Neon Blue|55471304|Neon Blue (Demonsongs, #1)|E.J. Frost|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1601239118l/55471304._SY75_.jpg|43248514], it is absolutely scorching in this book. Both characters have undergone considerable change in their time apart, allowing them to quickly reach a new level of understanding with Tsara accepting Jou for who and what he is whilst Jou is more open, more honest with her.
What initially seems to be a puzzling but low key mystery soon turns out to be anything but. The author cleverly takes seemingly trivial events and layers them over and around one another until a shocking picture emerges and the truth is revealed. Between the clever plot and the intense interactions between our two protagonists, I was held transfixed. The book had me running the gamut of emotions, totally bewitched by Jou and Tsara.
The author has an unusual approach of mentioning characters and events as though we are already familiar with them. In general, I liked this approach, much preferring it to those dreaded info dumps. There were times when I was thrown from the story a little as I needed more information to fully understand the situation and once or twice I wanted to have seen that initial meeting or event, for example, the first time Tsara met Nicole. On balance, this was a very minor irritation in what is an overall wonderful read.
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