You can never go home again especially when a Fae Crossed

INDIE BOOK REVIEW - WRITTEN BY JOE COMPTON

FAE CROSSED 

(BOOK 2 OF THE SUMMONER'S MARK SERIES)

WRITTEN BY J. D. BLACKROSE

"I mentally made a list. Talk with Perrick. Find Trace. Reassure Mickey. Repay Laurel. Evade Oberon. Block Valefar. And most of all, stop think about Asher. It was a to-do list from Hell."

Originally published: March 31, 2022

Author: J D. BLACKROSE

Genres: Urban fantasy, Romantic fantasy, Paranormal romance 

WHAT THIS BOOK DOES WELL:  FAE CROSSED is the second installment in J.D. Blackrose’s contemporary, paranormal/urban fantasy trilogy focusing on twenty-eight year old summoner Rebecca Naomi Greenblatt and the mark she was given at an early age called "The Kiss". Dealing with all that this "gift" entails and how it effects everything and everyone she knows.

It picks up right where the 1st book left off, give or take a tad little bit of time in between, and right from the first paragraph I got excited because there seems to be a settling in and growth in the development of relationships. More so growth in Beks herself, ah but wait this roller coaster is just going up. 

More on that in a bit. 

First, I have to say the beginning is flawlessly written and paced because it is such a great way to get the reader involved right away and make them feel rewarded for being a reader of DEMON KISSED. What I also really appreciate as we do slide into the crux of Book 2 and more starts to "happen", is the way in which J.D. Blackrose pushes us through it. Setting a tone that is recognizable from the 1st book but really different in many ways and that sort of natural evolution really allows the reader to take this in as its own story. That comes from having established these characters and giving them all arcs. From the smallest of roles to the much bigger players here, all of them move forward or backwards in some fashion, because we have that foundation. It really allows us to just get absorbed by this incredibly interesting next evolution and mature along with them.

This book does at times require the use of different reading muscles because there are reveals, twists, and even a little left for us to salivate for into Book 3. The 1st book was a nice little puzzle that was more focused on the characters' past and why they were where they were. This book propels us forward and sometimes shoots us a little ahead of ourselves and that ups the ante, the tension, and the true stakes that start to unveil as we get hit with each moment and realize we knew very little about the past after all. That's nice device here and even when its predictable it is done so with the care and regard of an audience satisfaction that sometimes you don't get in stories that go this direction. I really appreciated the time J. D. takes with this especially. There is a particular relationship that benefits not just the characters but us as readers as well because we are given it in the manner J. D. has chosen to smooth it out for us. Not always an easy thing to do in a book that often has to move a lot of pieces around. I feel like with this approach you are never lost or trying to go back to see if 1 + 1= 2. Having that type of sense when reading for me, means I can move forward and never get stuck. That's not often where that happens to me. 

Of course Beks has to be the catalyst as we are again experiencing this through her eyes for the most part. In this way J. D. Blackrose doesn't disappoint either. There is a different feel to Beks that stems from all she has experienced. Again another reward for us fans of these books that pays off tenfold. There is even a point when Beks herself has to take moment to go over all that has happened and take stock in it, as if she heard me say that out loud 2 pages before.

I have to admit I miss a little of the naïve humor that was well sprinkled throughout the 1st one but if this book had that then there would be no evolution and we would really be stuck in a place that a lot of series get stuck in. I think J. D. Blackrose recognized that early and that helped not only make this a different read but one that was necessary to get us to come back for the 3rd one. I for one know I am looking forward to where this goes next and how it is presented. Fae Crossed is a triumphant on its own but coupled with Demon Kissed it makes it impossible to put down and I really appreciate the special books we are getting here.  

WHY CHAMPION THIS BOOK AND SERIES:  I know this might seem like hyperbole for a lot of folks who love the Urban Fantasy genre but I am telling you a series with this kind of care and this kind forethought to evolve the way it does from Book 1 to Book 2, if you pick this up you will really understand how special this series is quickly becoming. For writers and heavy readers of this genre I think its a really good study of how to move characters on a chess board and learning how to take your time to get there and enjoy how the Bishop got to Knight 2. I do think Demon Kissed is more my sentiment and speed just because that is type of book I love to read already. However I think Fae Crossed is the type of book I learn more from not just as a writer myself but as a growing reader in a genre I never really got into before. If you are someone new to this genre you might have the same experience I have had. I think its well worth taking that chance. 

YOU CAN GET FAE CROSSED HERE

OR START WITH DEMON KISSED HERE

 AND THEN PRE-ORDER HELL BOUND HERE