​I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Anne Malcom!

Where do I start... This book had me in tears only 2% in. TWO PERCENT. That's not a lot of time for the author to take you in their grasp and make you feel emotion. It takes great skill to do that, and Malcom has that skill. She is a true wordsmith, and this is her proof (and there are many more proofs).

Firstly, I want to tackle the subject of fear. It is the underlying constant in this whole entire book. Each character goes through so much, terrified of what the future holds. Terrified that they are the cause for so much pain. Malcom manages to make this fear, their insecurities, feel so REAL. So tangible. 

Now, just because there was an underlying tone of fear, it does not mean there there was no bravery and courage. There was some at every page. Bravery isn't grand gestures. It's facing the day and the unknown every morning. It's fighting for your loved ones. It's finding the strength to move forward when it feels like everything is pulling you back. 

Tangent over. Apparently I ramble as much as Elena.

The chemistry between the characters just jumped right off the pages. The tension the emotions were all so real, I still feel the remnants of their effects hours after finishing the book. Elena and Lance were perfection in their own form of chaos. And in true Malcom fashion, I cried 2% from the end. Talk about bookending with tears. There are just so many touching and precious moments in this book, and I cannot recommend it enough. 

​This is a whole new side to Anne Malcom and I loved it. This unique story just pulls you in and intrigues you. It has this whole Noir vibe to it and I totally dig it! 

What does truly make it an Anne Malcom book? A kick-ass strong and indépendant heroine. Wow, Charlotte is one power house. She is the personification of Power (yes the capital IS necessary) and epitome of Composure. She is also a very intriguing character. She has this inhuman aspect to her that peaks your interest. As you read though, you get to find out what is behind that carrera marble facade of hers. 

The plot twists in this book blew my mind! I did NOT see those coming! Malcom took me by surprise and made my head spin. Gosh those are fun reads.

The two words that come to mind when I want to describe this book are Dark and Sophisticated. The darkness was handled with maturity and class, the pain in this book was real and represented respectfully. That doesn’t mean it was pretty, on the contrary, it wasn’t sugar-coated. It was as real as it gets, uncomfortably so, and THAT’s what makes this book special. 

THIS is why Anne Malcom is a Queen. This book. No words. Whiplashing emotion at every turn of the page, nostalgia embedded between the lines, and thought put into every word. It was poised, well written and just so soul-touching. 

The characters reverberated off the pages. Their histories, their demons felt real enough to touch. Their tension, their raw emotional state was so REAL, I wanted to comfort them. This story will absorb ever inch of your being. It will suck you in and hold you captive until you realize you’ve been there of your own volition all along. 

I have yet to come across an Anne Malcom book I didn’t enjoy, and that is saying a lot about the quality of the genre-spanning author. There is an authenticity to her stories. A certain genuine aspect to them. It’s like every story os a piece of her. Kind of like horcruxes. With every book she writes she becomes immortal because her words will keep her essence alive forever. Don’t know if that’s dorky or morbid, but Harry Potter is universally cool *shrug* 

Deadline to Damnation was one of my favourite SOT books. It had great complexity of plot - not complicated, but layered and basking in the grey area of life, and that was beautiful. Definitely make sure you read this one! ​

​​Well hello Amo fucking Jones! Can I get a HELL YES for Malum Pt 2! This book, I mean, this series(!) is an intricate web of interconnecting plots, and revelations, and lies and truths, and (there are not enough ands and virtual breaths for me to finish that sentence). I’m floored. Every. Single. Time. How does she untangle her gordeon knot? How does she unravel the plot to simply put it back together the way it was meant to be seen all along? How does she have the power to manipulate us readers so completely? Simple : Words. 

Words are her weapon and she makes out head spin and renders us unable to stop flipping the pages. She is a true word Queen. 

Yes, this book is twisted and edgy, but if you look closely, there’s a softness to it. The little subtleties are what made the book for me. We all love our dark reads, but Amo weaved some lightness in it and created a beautifully complex work. She tackles hard subject matter with grace and lightness. She didn’t use it for shock factor. She didn’t capitalize on it. She did it because the story called for it. 

Nate and Tillie made my heart beat at a million miles an hour and my stomach flutter for the entirety of the book, and I loved it! Their chemistry jumps off the pages and their back and forth will be so realistic it will be hard to remind yourself that they are fictional. Jones is able to create the most complex and layered characters and give them life with her words. Magic? I think hell yes. No way is Jones a muggle. 

If you haven’t yet, you HAVE to pick up this book. TRUST ME.