So I have finished moving (sort of) and started into reading again. I began with the series' newest release 2 years in the making Merry Gentry. I have one word after this long anticipated book...DISAPPOINTED. I know that stories go in waves and they can't all be winners but man sad day. I actually finished the book a few days ago but afterwards I was so mad I couldn't even think about writing. I should have know when I saw this ridiculous cover that it was gonna be a let down. I like consistency and changing it up mid-series is ridiculous, you don't even associate this book with the other books in the series. Not all of the book was a let down though, it started out strong, Merry has her babies and seeing how they all turned out and their mixes was pretty cool. The combination of all the men in the babies was interesting, even if the sharing fathers were completely predictable. If you've read any of the series you will know which fathers shared a baby. My sadness and anger began in the middle of the book and peaked at the very end. By the time I turned the last page I was so mad I couldn't even sleep. They say if a book gives you a strong emotional response that means it was a good book, but I just don't think so in this case. There was no climax in the story. There was a villian, a plot and potential for a great climax (ha ha) but as happens it was disappointing in the end. You read a book especially these books for a big finish, the aha! at the end or to see certain characters get what they deserve and there was none of that this time. The big "climax" began 40 pages before the book ended, which when your reading does not seem like enough time at all to wrap up properly, (which for the record it didn't) and when is came to what could have been the good part the author was like okay this this and this happened the end. A confession, revenge, a new monarch, a funeral and banishment all summed up in 2 pages the reader heard nothing else of it. No details no elaboration just done. It was complete horseshit! I could have done with out the never ending Frost, Doyle, Merry triangle and substituted it for those lost details. She explains everything else in lengthy detail why not this?! The finale is supposed to be the best part of the story its why you read a book. There was just so much waste in this book. I had no problem putting it down because I was getting bored. I would bet the author wasted 2 chapters on the exact same character descriptions used in all the other books. Yes, it's good to remind the reader who is whom especially after such a long wait but this was a bit much. It was like she was introducing them all over again TWICE! Waste waste waste. Two big twists happened at the end and one had no explanation, I imagine it is setting up for the next book but how do you drop a huge bomb on the reader and not give them an elaboration? Its just this is how it is now sorry. Sadly, after the first few chapters Merry doesn't even interact with her kids unless she is randomly holding one during a conversation. They were always being watched by the fathers while she is off doing princess/goddess things. I haven't been this mad at an ending since the Sookie books ended so pitifully. This book has a feel that the author looked at the calender and realized this book was due tomorrow and it was only half finished; so she wrote the end the night before it was due and called it good. Maybe I should just stop reading series' as they progress it's like the writers don't care anymore or just give up and let it all go to shit.
Rating ~~ 5
