(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
Although I thought the blurb of this book sounded really good – and the cover looked really nice – I found this book really difficult to get into.
The idea about the different levels in the world was an interesting one, though I felt there was a bit too much info-dumping at the beginning of the book.
The characters, especially Ash, started off as really interesting… at least until he and Anna met up.
I felt that a lot of the writing became really wooden when it came to Ash and Annalise. It was a serious case of insta!love and I really didn’t find their relationship very believable at all. There was too much telling rather than showing going on. I spent a lot of the book thinking, ‘But… WHY are they feeling this?’
I think I would have given this book only one star if it wasn’t for the relationship between Finlay and Arie. I would have liked to see more of their relationship, because I found them much more interesting than Ash and Annalise.
I wavered strongly between liking and disliking Leon. On the one hand, his loyalty towards Annalise was sweet and I felt like he eventually came through for her. On the other hand… he was another person whose centre of the universe was Annalise.
I found a lot of the book to be either contradictory, or so obvious in parts I couldn’t see how the other characters missed it. It wasn’t until right at the end of the book that I felt the action really picked up.
I did notice quite a few errors in the book, especially a change in tense. I don’t think I’ll read the sequel to this book, though if there’s more showing involved, I would consider giving it a chance.
If you’re interested in checking it out for yourself and making your own mind up, it is free right now on Amazon…:
Ink of Blood 