★★★ ½ #SharpestSting
I didn't think I would go back and read this book since I read the series finale. I did and it helped explain things better. It is a must to read this book before book 19. This book is filled with pain and betrayal. Learning what really happened to Gin's father is brutal. Learning how this all began and where the connections are between the villains and the not-so-good guys is illuminating.
For me, this book is a constant beat down of Gin and her friends. The bad guys seem to constantly get the better of Gin. I believe this is to illustrate just how difficult it will be for Gin to take down the big baddie. Whilst she is avoiding getting her ass handed to her, the emotional toll on her is also quite high.
Throughout this series, when Gin runs into a hard issue, she dreams past memories. It is as if her subconscious works overtime to give her guidance. I like this technique Ms. Estep uses as I can identify with this in real life. This book seems to have more bittersweet memories compared to some of the previous books. The memories are incredibly convenient and Gin takes full advantage of it.
Since I read this book out of order, this one feels like the big set up in preparation for the finale in the next book. Ms. Estep does a good job of showing all the flaws in Gin's plans as well as some of the hidden plans that no one is aware of that should set up for the big take down in the next book. It remains to be seen if her plans pan out.
This paranormal is recommended to readers who like to see the protagonist fight tooth and nail to survive.
