Bitchie's Books

I really wish I could give this book two separate ratings. A rating for Qhuinn and Blay's part of the story, and a rating for all the other crap I had to slog through. Because that's seriously what it was for me, slogging through.I know everyone rejoiced when we learned that Qhuay was getting not only their own story, but their own full length entry in the series. And I agree, it's wonderful, it's totally a step in the right direction. I love the fact that a same sex romance was treated with the same care and the same passion as the hetero romances in the series.But I almost think I would have preferred the novella. The Assail stuff, that woman, Sola or whatever, large parts of the Xcor stuff, the Trez and iAm stuff, all so unimportant to me. I wish it had been just left out altogether. I am interested in the Brothers and their mates. I know, I know, this series moved away from romance many books ago, and that's ok. I do enjoy the actiony parts of things, I enjoy the battle with the Lessers. But it seems like too much is getting tossed into the fray now, too many side stories and plots are getting tossed in all at once. So, all the stuff I had to skim, I would probably rate 3 stars. I know it was well written, and is probably leading somewhere, I just didn't care. But I guess Ward has to do something, because she's flat ran out of Brothers.But the meat of the story, the reason so many of us came back for this installment, was Qhuinn and Blay. And to me, their part of this story is worth every bit of 5 stars. I loved that Ward didn't shy away from the passion of these guys. Maybe these weren't the most detailed m/m sex scenes I've ever read, but I did not in any way feel that she treated them less than she does her m/f sex scenes.My heart broke over and over again for these boys. Well, men. I guess in my heart they are still boys because I have watched them grow up into the warriors that they are today. I feel like I fell in love with both of them as they fell for each other, and have been waiting, oh so impatiently, for them to finally admit the truth, to themselves and to each other.I think this book is a fine way for me to end this series. The next book will have to bring something BIG to the table to bring be back, because as I said earlier, there are no more Brothers left. At this point, the story is branching out into characters I don't really care about, so I think I'll just let it lie here. I don't want to come back to see any of these characters splitting up and suffering. I don't want silly breakups or unnecessary angst. I'll depend on my friends to keep me posted on the only things I'm still interested in- Layla and Qhuinn's young (and I see this pregnancy being dragged out a LONG time), and a bit of the Band of Bastards stuff. Otherwise, as the Brothers used to say, "I'm outtie". It's been fun!