Reviewed by PizzyGirl
ITLE: Jack of Thorns
SERIES: Inheritance #1
AUTHOR: Amelia Faulkner
NARRATOR: Joel Leslie
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 12 hours, 23 minutes
RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2018
BLURB:
Florist. Psychic. Addict.
Laurence Riley coasts by on good looks and natural charm, but underneath lies a dark chasm that neither heroin nor lovers can fill. Sobriety is a pipe dream which his stalker ex-boyfriend is pushing him away from. Luckily, Laurence has powers most can only dream of. If only he could control them.
Aristocrat. Psychic. Survivor.
Quentin d’Arcy is the product of centuries of wealth, privilege, and breeding, and is on the run from all three. A chance encounter with an arresting young florist with a winning smile could make him stop. Laurence is kind, warm, and oddly intriguing but Quentin’s wild telekinesis and his fear of sex make dating a dangerous game.
When opposites attract, they collide.
Desperate to fix his rotting life, Laurence prays for aid and accidentally summons a fertility god who prefers to be called Jack. Jack is willing to help out for a price, and it’s one Laurence just can’t pay: he must keep Jack fed with regular offerings of sex, and the florist has fallen for the one man in San Diego who doesn’t want any.
If they’re to survive Jack’s wrath, Laurence and Quentin must master their blossoming feelings and gifts, but even then the cost of Laurence’s mistake could well overwhelm them both. How exactly are mere mortals supposed to defeat a god?
Jack of Thorns is the first book in the award winning Inheritance series and contains mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers.
STORY REVIEW:
NOTE: This book is part of a series and as such ends with some questions left unanswered. It ends in a good place plot wise, but is by no means “complete.” Which for some people, like myself, will be a bit of a letdown.
SECOND NOTE: This story has the potential to be triggering to some folks. Please read the blurb before you make the choice to pick this one up.
I picked this one up from another reviewer without having done more than just skim the blurb. I had no real idea what this story was going to be about and honestly, from what little I did pick up from the blurb, this turned out to be so much more than I ever imagined it would be.
I was hooked right from the very confusing beginning. Things were so strange and jumbled until I got a handle on the fact that reality was mixed with the future and the past. It may have been because I was listening to this that is was more confusing that if I was reading it on the page and indications could be made when time shifted. But in the end, that didn’t matter because I figured it all out and was ready to know more!
I LOVED the way this story was set up with everything being drawn out as small details were slowly revealed. I loved learning the history of both men only when the time was right and it was applicable to the story. I loved that their natures were also withheld until absolutely necessary. I felt like I was right there with Laurence learning as he did and I love that kind of story. It is enjoyable to know everything before the characters, but it is my favorite to learn right along with them. I had this deep need for the story to keep going so that my confusion could be abated, so that I could figure things out, so that Laurence could finally find out his true nature and stop being so miserable. I NEEDED to know how the Quentin fit in and that they would turn to each other in this grand romance to last the ages. I didn’t get my wish on all of that, but I am OK because I can see that what I want has the potential to come in the rest of the series.
I also loved that the plot was tied in with the character’s learning themselves so that it all worked together. The tension and suspense the not being certain how things would turn out, were great. Jack brought out a lot of Laurence and Quentin’s natures that would have otherwise been left dormant and brought them together in a way that forced them to see beyond the masks they have carefully crafted.
My biggest issue with this story was Quentin’s naivete and lack of participation in current times. It was annoying after a while. It was like he was totally disconnected from reality and still very childlike. I kept waiting and hoping that it had some purpose and this it wasn’t just some randomness. Like maybe he was some hidden deity planted inside a human body or something but nothing ever manifested so in the end I was getting quite aggravated with his lack of understanding of even the simplest ideas. And his alcoholism felt forced as it came up but then was never mentioned again. It wasn’t evident in anything other than the one scene. In what would have otherwise been a 5 star story, I had to take one away because I felt very let down in this respect. I just don’t see how a grown man can be so removed from reality ESPECIALLY given how popular he seems to be. It left me more confused that I would like to be at the end of a book.
Overall I really had fun listening to this tale. It was complex with lovable characters and a wealth of mystery that brought out the fantasy and magic. I do wish this was not a “to be continued” but I also love that it is. I am so eager for more of this story to hopefully make me take back some of my concerns. I recommend this story.
NARRATION REVIEW:
I thought Joel Leslie did an excellent job on this narration. His excels at fantasy and paranormal stories and this was just another example of why I truly believe that. He brought out the overall fun and interesting nature of this tale while also emphasizing the emotions and the tension. His characters were performed and not just read and it really brought another layer of life to the storyline. I hope he continues to narrate the remainder of this series.
RATING: 
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