Reviewed by Roberta
TITLE: Blood & Thunder
SERIES: THIRDS #2
AUTHOR: Charlie Cochet
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 240 Pages
BLURB:
Sequel to Hell & High Water
THIRDS: Book Two
When a series of bombs go off in a Therian youth center, injuring members of THIRDS Team Destructive Delta and causing a rift between agents Dexter J. Daley and Sloane Brodie, peace seems unattainable. Especially when a new and frightening group, the Order of Adrasteia, appears to always be a step ahead. With panic and intolerance spreading and streets becoming littered with the Order’s propaganda, hostility between Humans and Therians grows daily. Dex and Sloane, along with the rest of the team, are determined to take down the Order and restore peace, not to mention settle a personal score. But the deeper the team investigates the bombings, the more they believe there’s a more sinister motive than a desire to shed blood and spread chaos.
Discovering the frightful truth behind the Order’s intent forces Sloane to confront secrets from a past he thought he’d left behind for good, a past that could not only destroy him and his career, but also the reputation of the organization that made him all he is today. Now more than ever, Dex and Sloane need each other, and, along with trust, the strength of their bond will mean the difference between justice and all-out war.
REVIEW:
HOLY HANNAH!! This book was AMAZING!! I read the first one on my own and I was so in love with Dex that when this book came up, I grabbed it!! I couldn’t wait to see what would be happening next.
So, this book picks up a couple of months after Hell & High Water and it hits the ground running and it never let go. I was so upset that work had me so busy that I couldn’t read while I was supposed to be working!!
So, let’s get on to the nitty gritty!!
Dex and Sloane have been partners for about 8 months and sleeping together for 4 months. They are partners both professionally and personally. They have to hide that part of their relationship and it makes it hard to truly be free to express their feelings. Granted, that’s part is an ongoing issue, Sloane’s reluctance to call their relationship a relationship. They are still finding their way both professionally and personally, however, they are doing pretty good.
Dex is still one of the best characters that I’ve EVER read. He’s this wonderful blend of absolute weirdness and yet, he’s got this great sense of honor and integrity. Dex makes me laugh out loud with his wonderful quips and just the way he makes everyone feel good. He’s got your back when you need it and yet, he’ll do or say something that just makes you laugh and feel really good. He’s falling in love with Sloane and he knows that he’s doing it fast and most likely alone. Sloane cares about him, Dex knows that but, he knows that Sloane is working his way through some issues and he just wants to be there for him, not just as his partner, but also as his lover.
Sloane…what can I say about Sloane. He’s that brooding, mysterious and dangerously sexy type of guy who has more secrets then you can shake a stick at. I will say that I truly enjoyed reading more about Sloane. I like that Charlie gave us more insight into Sloane’s character. I liked being able to see things from his POV. I really liked getting inside his head. He’s still mysterious, but now, I get why he’s the way he is. Sloane hasn’t had the best childhood, we’ve gotten that before, but hearing him talk about it, just about broke my heart. Sloane is in need of such love and care. But, he doesn’t feel worthy and that just breaks my heart. Sloane is such a good guy and you just want the very best for him.
The secondary characters…wow…where do you start? Ash… Holy Hannah. Ash is still Ash, but this guy really just stepped up for Sloane. Gave him hard truths when he needed it and the way he is with Cael..so sweet. I swear…Ash needs his own book. Cael is just the sweetest guy. I loved watching him and Ash interact with each other. It’s really rather sweet. Cael is not just Dex’s little brother, he’s such a brilliant guy and he shows his muscles in this book. Calvin and Hobbs….these guys are just so darn cute together. I want them to have their own story…they totally deserve it. I feel like they have a wonderful story to tell and I really want it. Letty and Rosa…well the girls are still the girls. They don’t get that much screen time, but when they do, they make it count. I love these strong, kickass women who don’t take shit. Maddock, well, he’s the boss what can you say. He’s also Dex and Cael’s father. He loves his boys and it shows. He’s also a great leader. I loved watching him interact with Dex. Isaac is still this bat-shit crazy leader of bigotry, hatred and prejudice.
There is a bit of sexy times in this book. I will say that it was always in a way that showed the growing intimacy between Dex and Sloane. It was beautiful to see that their relationship wasn’t based purely on sex and yet, it was a way for both of them to show how they felt without saying a word.
I’m really looking forward to the next installment of this series. These guys just crawl into your heart and they don’t let go. I have to say this is one of those books that will keep you so entertained from the first word to the very end. I didn’t want it to end, because I knew that it would be a couple of months until the next one and I don’t wanna wait that long!!
So, if you want a really great book to read to keep your attention, this is the book for you. I will say that you should read the first one, just to get a feel for these characters and to truly be introduced to Dex’s wild and wonderful sense of humor.
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