A review by madlereads
The Blood We Crave: Part Two by Monty Jay

dark medium-paced

4.75

- dark college romance
- they're both deranged & obsessed with each other
- killer couple
- forced proximity
- he annotates her books?!

Part 2 was definitely waayy better for me! The pacing moved along much better and had more going on. It picks up pretty much where Part 1 left off on a little cliffhanger.

Thatcher is the prime suspect of the murders around town but I think we all know who's the real copycat killer here. But he has to go into hiding and what better place than Lyra's little cottage in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of Ponderosa Springs? They have to find some evidence to prove Thatcher's innocence (in this case) and also find a way to expose the sex trafficking ring without it blowing back on their vigilante involvement. But with the close quarters, they can't not interact or not notice the other so they'll have to face some *feelings*

"Your heart is racing."
"No one told you? I don't have one."
"You can take mine."

The deranged killer couple still delivers on their unconventional morbid relationship bahaha. Lots of knife and blood play of course. They would literally kill for each other no big deal. I love how opposite they can be still with Lyra's more whimsical-ness and Thatcher's intense need for control and order kind of clashing. Lyra was a sweetie with a dark side. She melted Thatcher's icy exterior and helped him realize maybe deep down, despite being turned into a monster by his father, he still is human and still can *feel* just a bit.  Yes the process of him realizing he's got *feelings* was hilarious. "Help me! I'm...FEELING!" energy.
Thatcher was there for Lyra to deal with the dark urges she cannot ignore and I love that. He also went so soft on her in his own way and I adored it.
He annotated her books for her, come on! And and and! He got her special rare spider specimens for her taxidermy!
I ate up all their cute quiet interactions where they just hung out while the other did their thing in comfortable cozy silence.
They give so much soulmate energy. I love them so much.
"I think I knew you in a past life. Do you think that's crazy?"
"No." I can hear the smile in his voice. "But me wanting to know you in every life after this one might be."

If she wanted my heart, I'd give it to her. She could keep it on a shelf in one of her jars-it was nevr mine to begin with. Not when it's always been hers.

The ending to this was pretty bittersweet. It was a happy ending of course!
But it felt like a little bittersweet end because the Hollow Boys + girlfriends all parted to their own thing with Lyra and Thatcher and Silas staying back in Ponderosa Springs.
I'm sure there's still more to the story with Silas's part. The evil they exposed isn't done with them just yet. 
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