I find the last chapter more interesting than the novel in it's entirety. If not for that last chapter, I would see that as a cat and mouse game with a last minute conflict that technically has nothing to do with the Bratva personally.
I also remembered that I do hate cliffhangers and I found out that I am more invested in this story than I thought. I have always dismissed this story as a comfort read, that's neither intriguing nor boring, but at the end of this installment, I am left reeling and needing to know what is coming next, a feeling I link to being invested in a story.
The players are moving and a mafia war is on the cusp. The possibilities are endless and the addition of Naomi and Klaus has me tethering on the edge. Yup, I am even more interested in this story now that I don't have book 3 waiting in my library ... #karma :(
The story line and characters continue to grow and we get introduced to new characters and secrets every day. Mishca is starting to behave and embody the role of a Bratva captain and I don't know who is this Lauren, though she is still feisty and out spoken. With the proper training, I could see her as lethal, at the top of the criminal ladder with Mishca. Vlad and Luca would make good right-hand men. I doubt either of them would want that though, Mishca through his fear of unintentionally hurting Lauren and Lauren because she believes in justice too much to lead a FULL life of crime.
With the budding romance story out of the way, this novel focused more on beefs (no, not meat) and secrets of Mischa's past. Yup! There is skeletons in this man's closet that I am dying to get a hold of! Klaus in particular, because I just love a good Russian enforcer!
There is no dwelling in this novel, it's constant and with every new day and setting sun, someone is changed. Alex of 'Until the End' is surely not the Alex of 'In the beginning'.
For all the progression in the story line and characters; the grammatical, spelling and editing errors were still more frequent than I hoped. The narration also threw me off a lot and had me doing a few reviews to figure out whose POV I was in. The chapter titling helped in the last novel, but without it this go, I had some struggles. This series so far needs an editor or friend to review and correct some of these glaringly obvious editing mistakes.
The dynamics have changed, with not only the world of crime, but Lauren's friends away from Mischa's life. People are changing to acclimate to the war that is brewing and forces are being realigned. Lines are drawn in the sand and every one seems to be stepping over said lines.
Even with the editing errors and the slow pace at the beginning of this novel, the end and future of this series have me captivated. I think this series will get better as it goes and the length is perfect enough to not bore you before you reach the end.
Don't look for the people you left in 'In the beginning', they are gone. Every one has made decisions and this story is moving forward towards a blood bath for more than one reason. If the teasers are anything to go by, I could come out of book three hating Ms. Miller or loving Mischa and Lauren even more.
New players, new games, new rules ... it's all coming to a head and this is just the beginning!
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20887269-until-the-end
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