Hell and Back

The Protector Guild, Book 4

De: Gray Holborn

Narrado por: Hannah Altagracia, Ash Beverly

Team Six and I have finally found our ticket into Hell. But the journey to cashing it will be anything but easy, and every decision along the way will come with a sacrifice . . . sacrifices we might not be willing to make.

Darius's creepy brother, Claude, is determined to push us out of his city as soon as possible. And, oh man, are we ready to leave. But, unfortunately for us, hitching a ride to hell will have to wait.

On top of dealing with the fang twins' turbulent relationship (and, wow, is that putting it lightly), I have to navigate Declan and Atlas's suddenly chilly demeanor towards me. Something happened that night in the hotel suite that changed things between us all, but nobody will talk to me about it.

And something changed in me too, something that I don't quite know how to deal with. A strange power is starting to build, and I have to find a way to harness and accept it before it destroys me and everyone I care about. Unfortunately, that means coming to terms with the increasingly real possibility that everything The Guild—and my family—has told me is a lie.

The monsters are coming for me, that much is clear—but it just so happens that I may very well be a monster myself.

©2021 Gray Holborn (P)2023 Tantor

good!

I enjoy this read. I feel I am unable to stop reading this series. On to the next book in this series.

Infuriating FMC

I have never disliked an FMC the way that I dislike this FMC. I have given it four books to try and get behind her rationale, but it is simply not working. I really wanted to like this series, and making it to Book 4 means I have given both the story and Max plenty of time to develop. The supernatural world, its creatures and abilities, the mystery surrounding Max’s origins, and several supporting characters have kept me listening. Unfortunately, my frustration with Max is increasingly outweighing my interest in the larger story.

My biggest issue is her internal dialogue, which often feels disconnected from what has happened or fails to reflect the seriousness of the situation. Max repeatedly recognizes that she has made reckless decisions, then makes similar choices almost immediately. She places herself in danger, disregards reasonable concerns, and seems confused or indignant when others react. After four books, this feels less like sheltered naïveté and more like a lack of situational awareness or meaningful character growth.

The romantic dynamics are also frustrating. Max seems to feel an immediate attraction, pull, or connection with nearly every character she meets. There may eventually be an explanation for this, but the frequency makes those relationships feel interchangeable rather than creating meaningful tension between specific characters. Every time she met anyone new, I just rolled my eyes - here we go again…

The audiobook narration magnifies these issues terribly. The female narration is often overly enunciated, with words and syllables pronounced so deliberately that the dialogue and internal monologue sound unnatural. Instead of disappearing into the character, the delivery pulls me out of the story and sometimes makes Max seem even more immature or naïve. I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks and this is the first one to ever make me feel this way.

What also makes this disappointing is that I still want to know where the story goes. The mythology, mysteries, supporting characters, and questions surrounding Max are genuinely interesting. But at this point, I need her to learn from her mistakes and show meaningful growth. A flawed protagonist can be compelling; one who repeatedly acknowledges her mistakes without changing becomes exhausting.

Four books in, I am still interested in finding out what Max is.

I’m just increasingly frustrated by WHO Max is.

Zzzzzzz…

There is slow burn and there is moving at a snail’s pace. This series is the latter. I love the characters; I love the plot; but, my goodness gracious, glaciers have moved faster than this storyline. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep with it,