A review by mo_reads_more
From These Dark Depths by Vanessa Rasanen

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This was not as good as the first book for sure. I can recognize that this is a middle hook setting up a finale, so I won't take too many points away for it being kind of slow at times. I love the plotline of Tommy and Aoife chasing after Callum to save Declan. Reading about the trip was hard to get through, especially since I'm not the biggest fan of Maura. Tommy and Maura's relationship is very much instant love and while I already love Tommy from the first book, I was only just getting to know Maura as a character. The fact she was introduced as being love sick and obsessed with Tommy made it seem like that was her only character trait and her role to the story. Obviously she played a much bigger role, but it felt secondary to being Tommy's love interest because of how she was introduced. Also, they made it out to be that Maura could not control how infatuated she was with Tommy, but it was still annoying how she literally could not leave him alone, even after he tried to put space between them. Just, their entire relationship made this book harder for me to get through as well.

I hated the ending because of that. I did not care about them getting together, and her leaving was not the cliffhanger I think the author was hoping for, from my POV.

On the other hand, I loved Cait's POVs. I'm happy this book took the multiple story lines route, and I'm excited to see how those storylines converge in the finale.

I really like Adler for her as well. I wish there would be more time between the flirting with Cait and him losing Lani. In terms of time, everything is happening pretty quickly in this book so I guess that's fine. 

I WISH there was more of a reunion between Declan and Aofie.

He almost killed her, and I was hoping for more angst once she woke up so their reunification would be more satisfying. Aoife immediately comforted him though and Declan was fine with it. I thought he would be WAY more upset and trying to pull himself away from her more out of guilt. Like why build up how much he holds onto guilt and then have him immediately move on from something that would obviously impact him? It felt like that storyline just needed to be completely wrapped up for the finale to continue so it was rushed.

I will be moving into the third book though, I need to eat to the conclusion.