This collection was so sad and melancholy. There are some tales calling hope (though I have some issues with "Ancient hunts" that I have trouble verbalizing; I think I'd end up with an essay on subtle ways of racism, and race guilt, and so much soapy hot water), and "The lover and the other" is pretty positive, but it's difficult to offset the tragedy of "Fruit candies and grey eyes".

The writing is lyric as always with Bodoc; at some points it works and at others it read to me as a bit too plainly florid or forced, but I had this sense that I would have loved it as a tween.

There seems to be an underlying theme of duality, or duets, in all the things where you need two, be it struggle, friendship, love, family, support, example to follow. The afterword, talking about how a story written is a half of it that gets completed when it's read by the reader, seems to give credence to it.

The presentation and illustration in the volume gives it an extra bump up. Extra kudos for the editor for the whole arrangement, specially in the order of stories. "Bridge of sand" is the best of the lot and is a good way of closing the collection on a positive note.

In the whole, I'm pretty ambivalent, and damn depressed so, eh.

Naya and Lane met a year prior when Naya's brother came to town. She followed the brother to take him back with her so he could go to trial. Naya is an ex-cop turned bounty hunter. Lane is ex-military turned small town cop. Even though I hadn't read any of the previous books in this series, I didn't need to. There was enough here that I was able to jump right in. I liked both Naya and Lane, there's conversation (and hot sex) with the right amount of conflict.

Gone to Dust (Gravediggers) - Liliana Ha...

Gone to Dust is book 2 in the gravediggers series and focuses on Elias, the former Navy SEAL and Miller, the romance novelist. I really liked Miller in book 1 because she is quirky and spunky. She is also sarcastic and intelligent. Her and Elias had some sparks, but Elias leaves her high and dry after a makeout session that leaves her 1/2 undressed on her front porch. So, to say Miller loathes Elias is an understatement. Her hurt her pride and her libido so she is extra snarky when he is around.

Miller's parents were treasure hunters. They spent their lives looking for relics from King Solomon until they died in a plane crash. Justin, Miller's older brother, joined the Navy, but has now left the military and is continuing his parents research. Then Miller gets a package from Justin and her world changes. She has to save him, and to do that, she needs John Cena (seriously, that is who she keeps asking for!). Cena isn't available but the Gravediggers are.

Gone to Dust reminded me a bit of Indiana Jones meets James Bond meets Get Smart. You have the history and treasure hunting aspect of Indiana Jones, which I always find fascinating. You have the spy stuff that is reminiscent of Bond, and the bumbling antics of Miller and Tess that remind me of Get Smart! Its an odd sort of blend, but it works. The Darkest Corner, book 1, was not what I expected. The suspense and danger were less heavily featured and the story was more like a Stephanie Plum book until the end. Its not a bad thing, but it was unexpected. So, going into Gone to Dust, I had a better idea of what to expect. I love the friendship and camaraderie between Tess and Miller. Books that include positive female friendships are always welcome!

The relationship between Miller and Elias is really kind of a hate to love story. They are both attracted to each other on a physical level, but push the other away for various reasons. This leads to some great banter and some even more amazing monologues from Miller!

While you could read this as a stand alone, you might be a little confused about the Gravediggers. Gone to Dust gives a little background, but not a lot so you might be a little confused.

If you love an enemies to lovers trope with a dash of danger and a bit of treasure hunting, Gone to Dust will keep you entertained for a weekend read!



 

• POV: 3rd
• Tears: no
• Trope: treasure hunting, secret identity
• Triggers: none
• Series/Standalone: stand alone within a series
• Cliffhanger: no
• HEA: yes

East of Redemption by Molly E Lee, books by Susan Stoker, Laura Griffin, Cynthia Eden...then you will probably like Gone to Dust!

 

 See full review on The Book Disciple

Why I chose to read The Darkest Corner.
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Intriguing Premise
I found the idea of a secret group made of the most elite of the world’s fighting forces fascinating. What increased my interest was the fact this group of men were considered dead to everyone and as a result was unable to return to their original lives without risking those they love.

The leader of this elite unit, Deacon Tucker, is a former CIA operative. He is the first recruit of this shadowy organisation. His mission is to save the world or die trying, and as long as he does not fall in love all will be well. Falling in love would lead to one thing, certain death. However, Tess Sherman will have him breaking this rule.

Tess is a mortician, who is responsible for the operation of the funeral home in Last Stop, Texas. The funeral home also happens to be the headquarters for the Gravediggers. She has no idea that such an organisation existed. The only thing she was aware of was that she had five hot and sexy men working for her, one of whom she was attracted to.


What I enjoyed.

The Prologue: The story started out on an adrenaline high. It was intense, and I was eager to discover how it would tie into the rest of the story.

The Characters: I found the characters interesting. Some were on the quirky side and some unlikeable. The main characters Tess and Deacon brought out the best in each other. I enjoyed their banter which was at times hilarious, sexy and sweet. I liked how the author went into detail about the characters allowing to me to understand what made them tick.
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The Romance: I thought the romance was well done. I liked that the connection between Tessa and Deacon was not one of insta-lust. Deacon feelings for Tess grew over a span of two years. He never made a move as he was not sure that his feelings were reciprocated. However, the moment he realised that there was a possibility that Tess felt the same way he was determined to be with her regardless of the dangers involved.

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The author provided detailed information into the operations of The Gravediggers and their purpose which I appreciated, seeing that this was the first book in the series. I got insight into Tess’s role in the set-up and how she would eventually become a part of the operations.

The issues I had.

Pacing: The pacing was painfully slow to the point where I found myself losing interest in the story. I pushed myself to complete it, hoping that it would eventually pick up. It was not until around 50% into the story that it was revealed how the prologue tied into the story it was at this point that things began to take shape. However, it was not until about 70% into the story that pace picked up. By then I had lost interest in the operations. In regards to the prologue, it would have been good to know what happened to the characters that had been mentioned.

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Suspense: The story was classified as a romantic suspense, but it never delivered in that area. At no time in the story did I feel like I was on the edge of my seat.

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Based on the rule which prohibits members of the unit from falling in love which I expected there to be conflict regarding the romance between Tess and Deacon. However, things were tied up too neatly for my liking.
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Verdict
I went into this story with high expectations and ended up being disappointed. It was not a bad read, but personally, I thought it could have been better.

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Really enjoyable! Full review on release day!