Wednesday, June 11, 2014

SUNNY - BLOG TOUR and REVIEW: "Devil's Game" by Joanna Wylde


We are so pleased to be a part of the blog tour for Joanna Wylde's book, Devil's Game.  Devil's Game is book three in the Reaper's MC series.  

BLURB:
Liam “Hunter” Blake hates the Reapers MC. Born and raised a Devil’s Jack, he knows his duty. He’ll defend his club from their oldest enemies—the Reapers—using whatever weapons he can find. But why use force when the Reapers’ president has a daughter who’s alone and vulnerable? Hunter has wanted her from the minute he saw her, and now he has an excuse to take her.

Em has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Reapers. Her overprotective father, Picnic, is the club’s president. The last time she had a boyfriend, Picnic shot him. Now the men in her life are far more interested in keeping her daddy happy than showing her a good time. Then she meets a handsome stranger—a man who isn’t afraid to treat her like a real woman. One who isn’t afraid of her father. His name is Liam, and he’s The One.

Or so she thinks.


REVIEW:

This book was an unexpected surprise for me.  Not because it was good, I expected that given my enjoyment of the first two in the series.  No, this one captured me because of its tone. I found this book to be...playful.  I expected it to be darker.  Afterall, this story revolves around the Reapers and their rival gang, the Devil's Jack.  I expected it to be violent and scary.  Instead, this book is more amusing and fun than its predecessors.  

The heart of the story is Em. Unlike Reaper's Property and Reaper's Legacy, the heroine here is from the culture.  Being the daughter of the MC President, she grew up in the clubhouse.  She is familiar with the life of risk and control.  She knows that the men tend to be controlling and protective at best and misogynist at worst. She does not panic when the bullets start flying and can give out snark with the best of them. Her assuredness makes the relationship with Hunter fun.  He respects her, trusts her, even more than the men of her own MC.  

The first part of the story is familiar.  It recaptures a major storyline from Reaper's Legacy from the POV of Hunter and Em.  Then it become an "us against the world", Romeo and Juliet-like story (there is a reference to the Shakespearean play).  It is timeless theme and played out fairly well.  I wonder, however, if the story could've been a little grittier with more conflict between Hunter and his MC. It seems a little too seamless.  The tension seem to resolve itself a little too easily - maybe that is born of my initial expectation that this would be a darker story. 

In a Nutshell:
Joanna Wylde writes another fantastic installment to the Reapers series.  This one stands out for its different, lighter tone.  I am waiting on pins and needles for the next installment, Reaper's Stand



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