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  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Why the Devil Stalks Death by L.J. Hayward

    January 6, 2023 / 2 Comments

    Death and the Devil: Why the Devil Stalks Death – L.J. Hayward

    Jack Reardon uncovers secrets for a living, and the Meta-State spy is pretty good at it. Or rather he thought so until he met Ethan Blade—assassin, warrior, enigma. The unlikely pair have decided to give living together a shot, but Jack’s not entirely certain what he’s gotten himself into—or exactly who he’s in it with.

    Jack’s worries are compounded when he’s assigned to a police strike force hunting a serial killer. With each new puzzle piece, Jack considers the true nature of a serial killer—and how similar it is to an assassin. To one particular assassin who’s having trouble adjusting to retirement. Jack’s unsure how to help Ethan—or if he even can.

    When the killer strikes close to home, Jack must race against the clock to stop another murder, despite the price someone has put on his head. Could the matters be connected? Is a certain assassin at the centre of both? Surrounded by killers, the only one Jack wants near disappears, leaving Jack drowning in secrets. He’ll have to do what he does best—unravel the secrets, including Ethan’s—to stop the killer and save the life he and Ethan have only just begun to build.

    **Content Warning**
    Child abuse and child sexual abuse in a character’s history and not depicted directly on the page.


    Back in 2018, the Death and the Devil series exploded in the MM romance scene in the most epic way, bringing us one of the most beloved characters of the genre. The cinnamon roll assassin, Ethan Blade.

    I love his character so much. I vowed to name my firstborn after him. I even got goosebumps just anticipating the next installments’ releases. I also promised myself to patiently wait for the audiobooks no matter how long it took just for the sheer pleasure of hearing his character speak.

    And here we are, finally, with the complete audiobooks!!!

    With a magnificent opener in Where Death Meets the Devil, my expectations of Why the Devil Stalks Death were sky-high, so the last thing I expected was to be…bored. Because it pains me greatly to admit it wasn’t the riveting one-sitter I wanted it to be.

    This is because of how the story was written. In keeping with the 1st book’s style, the chapters alternated between past and present events, labeled “Before” and “After”. It made things pretty convoluted instead of suspenseful. The serial killer plot is better served by linear storytelling, which should trim down some of the more drawn-out drama.

    But our boys are still their gloriously flawed selves, navigating a fragile relationship built on a connection that managed to be both tenuous and deep. Jack, from whom most of the story is told so far, is human enough to be affected by an ex-hookup-turned-co-worker’s incessant flirting but remains staunchly loyal to a difficult and all-too-frequently absent boyfriend.

    Just like in the first book, Ethan comes and goes. His appearances are marked by mysterious bruises he refuses to tell Jack where he got them. The man has always been an enigma to all. Most of the things Jack, and us readers, know about the assassin are gathered from meager crumbs thrown our way. So I’m thrilled to see major reveals on his past here. I’m also sad, but not surprised, to learn it involved child abuse and bullying.

    Ethan’s character development comes from his involvement with Jack. While I speak of Jack being human as him being vulnerable and hurting (being an ass, really), cold and deadly Ethan being human is him being this completely endearing child-like creature who adores animals, reads action thrillers, wears socks to bed, names his cars after women and goes to zen mode when driving at ridiculously fast speeds. Ethan being human is a bomb detonating inside Jack’s chest. I was blown into smithereens right there with him!

    Why the Devil Stalks Death brought Jack and Ethan closer in more ways than one in a complicated web of secrets, sex, serial murders, espionage and siblings. The storytelling might be confusing but the book packed enough intrigue, sizzle, and danger to carry me over this hurdle into that spectacular third arc! It’s all bullets, knives, car stunts, edge-of-your seat assassin vs. assassin action in a fucked up family reunion of killers. I live for every death-defying moment of it!

    And our boys are at a happier place. For now. We’ll see what havoc the 3rd book brings. And I stand by this, Death and the Devil is the next mega-blockbuster action franchise, if only Hollywood has the balls to bring it to screen!

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Chaos
    Artist: Mutemath
    Album: Mutemath

    P.S.

    Death and the Devil should be read in order. Find out why I love Ethan Blade so much I’ll name my progeny after him in Book 1, Where Death Meets the Devil. Gushy review here.



    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Death and the Devil. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Death and the Devil: US | UK

    You can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.

    WHERE DEATH MEETS THE DEVIL
    WHY THE DEVIL STALKS DEATH
    WHEN DEATH FREES THE DEVIL
    NOVELLAS

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    REVIEW: Love Is A Stranger by John Wiltshire

    July 16, 2021 / 4 Comments
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    More Heat Than The Sun: Love Is A Stranger – John Wiltshire

    Ex-SAS soldier Ben Rider falls in love with his enigmatic married boss Sir Nikolas Mikkelsen, but Nikolas is living a lie. A lie so profound that when the shadows are lifted, Ben realises he’s in love with a very dangerous stranger. Ben has to choose between Nikolas and safety, but sometimes danger comes in a very seductive package. 


    Note: long post so you can skip to the last paragraph for the TL,DR version if you want

    Love Is A Stranger is built on layers upon layers of secrets, with just enough hints of the dark and dangerous to keep you on the edge, all wrapped up in old world suave and sophistication that charms and seduces. Very Much like Nikolas Mikkelsen.

    The story is told in Ben Rider’s POV. He’s involved with the married Nikolas. The story drops you right smack in the middle of their affair. They worked in what I gather is some government department handling sensitive missions. Basically, they’re secret agents.

    Nikolas is married for 10 years to a high-ranking lady in the royal family. Now, this part initially put me off this series. Cheating is a deal-breaker for me. But I’ve seen some glowing reviews and I was very curious to see how the author would make their relationship work. Quite spectacularly as it turned out.

    At first, it would seem Nikolas has all the power. Older, richer, cold and aloof, yet very charismatic. Also, the boss. It was pretty obvious that Ben was in awe of the man. As the story progressed, we see the gradual shift in dynamics as Ben work his way through the chinks in Nikolas’ armor.

    This could have been a serious, heavy book but the bright spots of dry humor really gave the story the levity it needed to keep the weight off. Usually this is when Ben is calling Nikolas out on his shit. I loved it when Ben is being very irreverent with the older man. Not only is it really funny but it also makes Nikolas less cold figure on a pedestal, more warm-blooded person.

    While this is a very Nikolas book, Ben’s character is just as complex. Blessed with model perfect looks, he had no qualms using it to get the job done. I really liked that he thinks of his looks as just another tool. He’s good at his job and doesn’t hesitate to maim, torture and/or kill to get what he wants. He also has a bratty side that loves to annoy his older lover. And boy, does he like to eat. We get Ben’s backstory but the latter parts teased us with more reveals in the future.

    My favorite part about Ben, apart from his super snarky attitude, is his sheer determination to love Nikolas in any way he can have him.

    “If this is love for you, then you are in love with a ghost, with the illusion of a man. Is that enough for you?”

    “Would you let me have that? If you do, then I will find the man. I’ll breathe life back into the ghost.”

    Ben and Nikolas are two beautiful, dysfunctional people that started their relationship backwards. They now had to figure out how to do it for real. Their chemistry sizzled right from page 1 and continued to set off smoke alarms with the way they played off each other throughout the book. Sometimes ridiculous, frequently fucked up, these two really deserved each other.

    The plot has, initially, a slice of life-ish feel to it. Generally, a book would cover one major mission. This one had Ben tackling a few missions during the course of the story, especially at the first half where the plot had things happening before establishing the set up. It was almost a spy procedural in a way.

    These parts had some very shocking revelations! Without giving too much away, it pave the way for the two men to really begin their relationship. The next portions admittedly meandered just like the two meandered through their days. This could be considered the honeymoon phase. Sadly, this saggy middle made me put the book on hold for a while.

    The story picked up at the third arc. That is when it took a much darker turn when Nikolas’s past caught up to him. The plot already covered some disturbing elements early on but this time it was way worse. That the man has a troubled past has been hinted from the start but I never realized how very troubled it really is. From the unspeakable abuses that began in his childhood to his career in shadow agencies, Nikolas is a man who lives a lie within a lie.

    Love Is Stranger is a riveting spy thriller and the beginnings of an epic love story. It does a good job setting up the succeeding books. The first parts could be struggle to go through. The character and story development doesn’t happened until much later on. But stick around for the twisty turny plot, the witty dialogue, the crazy awesome chemistry, and, most especially, when the layers start peeling off one by one.

    P.S.

    Open-ended conclusion but most of the books are out so you won’t have trouble bingeing.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Stranger
    Artist: Covey
    Album;


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Love Is A Stranger. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    US: Kindle | Audiobook
    UK: Kindle | Audiobook

    You can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.

    LOVE IS A STRANGER: US |UK

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