I've had the chance to finally get properly stuck in a book by this author! I've read several of her short stories and enjoyed them all, so this was a real treat to get one of her novels. At last! And it was most decidedly no disappointment at all.
This is a fantastic murder mystery embedded in a portal fantasy. Whether you love a good puzzle or a human-fae slow burn clean paranormal romance, you'll find something to enjoy about this book. I absolutely adored the world building. I've been on a roll lately, reading quite a few stories based on the Celtic legends of the fae, and I simply love how different each author's take is on this theme. Stradiotto has some really amazing ideas and the implementation is superb. I definitely appreciate this exploration of the source material! And the murder mystery? Well, it's incredible. I honestly didn't figure it out until Kennedi did. The twists and turns kept me guessing the entire way! Absolutely loved it.
As for the characters, well they were brilliant. Their mannerisms had them popping off the page for me in a way characters rarely do. Raine was so much fun. I totally enjoyed his tricky fae nature with the added cultural elements Stradiotto has woven in, which are particular to her version of the fae. He was definitely a very interesting character and he made me chuckle a few times. Kennedi is the oh-so-serious detective who needs to lighten up a bit and Raine was the perfect medicine for her. They make a fantastic love-hate team.
