carolesrandomlife

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I enjoyed this book. This was a re-read for me and I had a lot of fun re-visiting this book since I know what will happen to these wonderful characters as the series moves forward. I do remember being slightly disappointed when this book was first published simply because I wanted another book featuring Kate and Curran and I got Andrea instead. I ended up loving the book though. 

Andrea and Kate are best friends so their lives overlap in a lot of areas but Andrea does have her own story to tell and I am glad that Ilona Andrews made the decision to let her do just that in this book. Andrea is not in a great place as this book opens. Her relationship with Raphael is over and she has lost her job with the Order. Both of these things meant the world to her and helped shaped her identity. 

Andrea is working with Kate at their new agency, Cutting Edge, when she gets a call about a new case. This new case just happens to be tied to Raphael which only proves to make things more interesting. Throw in some strange snake people and a complex mystery and you have plenty of excitement. All the action is nicely balanced with a bit of humor and romance.

I really enjoyed seeing Kate, Curran, and all of the other characters from a different perspective. I think that Andrea is in a unique position to give that perspective because she is close to a lot of the key characters but she still feels and acts like an outsider. Andrea grows a lot as a character over the course of this book and the insight into her background really helps with understanding some of the ways that she looks at the world.

Renee Raudman does a fabulous job with this series. It is funny that I didn't really care for her narration for the first couple of books in the series but now I couldn't imagine anyone else. She really is able to perform a wide range of characters very well and with a lot of emotion. She has a very pleasant voice that is easy to listen to for hours at a time.

I highly recommend this series to others. This is a series that you do need to read in order since each book builds on the last. This is a very important book in the overall story arc and should not be missed. I can't wait to continue with my re-read of this wonderful series.

Initial Thoughts
I enjoyed watching Andrea figure out her place in the world. There were some really exciting moments. All of the characters that I know and love played an important role but Andrea still isn't Kate. 

Source: Audible purchase