Review: Blood to Dust

Blood to Dust Blood to Dust by L.J. Shen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Final Score - 5 What Did I Get Myself Into Stars!!!

*reveived ARC from author in exchange for honest review*

I need to sleep on this review... I'm still in recovery from this book!

Edited to add in @ 11:53 pm on 7/12/2016: Okay. I needed a night and a whole day, but I'm back.

And here is my most immediate thought: I cannot believe it ended the way that it did! I was totally expecting it go one way, but got flipped on my ass. WHY?!

While reading this book, I had several instances where I saw definitive parallels to "Sparrow" - the violence, a strong woman, the unrepentant man - but then I looked/read closer (which is probably why it took me 5 days to read it thru!). This book, while there are some slight similarities, stands on it's own. In actuality, "Sparrow" in my opinion pales in comparison to this story.

It's ... just - MORE.

I wanted the violence escalated. I wanted the revenge more chillingly executed. I wanted to literally see the blood come off the pages and seep into my hands. I don't tend to like dark, violent books - in fact, I strictly stay away from them. I've seen too much of that growing up in the South Bronx, but this book brought back all those horror's I witnessed and experienced in my life.

I understood Prescott's need and pain. I understood Nate's nature and attitude. I was wholeheartedly sickened by Godfrey, Sebastian, and Camden as I've known men like this in my life - Reprehensible. Immoral. Apathetic. As a victim of sexual crime, you envision the kind of justice that men like this deserve. The only kind that is logical.

This book - which I don't know if I'll read again because of the dark place it took me to - was brilliantly choreographed. The alternating POV could have been misconstrued as confusing, but I was able to follow it thru from it's beginning to it's eventual ending.

And what an ending! I'm still reeling/pissed off about it, but that's just my blood lust speaking. lol

Great story. Great characters. All wrapped up in a story that only the mind of LJ Shen could conceive.

Bravo Ms. Shen.

BRAVO!!!

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