When Jay meets accordion busker Lethe Cross, it’s like living a dream come true. Lethe’s music captivates Jay, and he resolves to meet the man who plays so beautifully. But then he discovers Lethe’s life is more like a nightmare. The phrase “down on his luck” can’t begin to cover it. Determined to help, Jay does some snooping for answers—and winds up on the wrong end of a centuries-old curse. The good news is there’s a way to break it. The bad news is it might cost Jay his life.
Genre: MM gay paranormal romance, magical realism, new adult
This book was previously published by Dreamspinner Press. This updated 2nd edition has some rewritten parts and has been line edited again.
I'll be honest with you. I struggled with the first part of this book. A lot. I'd read about 20 pages or so when I sincerely questioned my ability to read the rest of the book. But I toughened it out. And I don't regret a thing.
The reason why I struggled so much with the first part of the book was the writing. It felt plain and choppy, like a first attempt at writing - or maybe a rough draft. I wanted the characters and plot to be more fleshed out, so you'd get that sense of feel to the story. To get a feeling that you were there with them.
That changed in the second part where the story started to flow more naturally. The sense of place was there, you connected a bit more to the characters and everything that was going on.
That said, I did not like the twist midway through the book. Sure I can see why it was there and why that happened, but I still don't agree that was the only way things had to turn out.
Gristle made the book for me. I wished there had been a lot more of him. I think that by far he was the most interesting and complex character in the book, and I truly felt for him and the choices he had to make, the pain he was hiding. I wish we'd gotten to delve into that more.
I think that Jay was the character I liked the least. To me he came across as selfish and a bit self-absorbed. And I did not like how he kept ignoring Gristle. He knew that he was struggling and was hiding his pain. But did nothing to help him. Ignoring or forgetting friends/family for a new love is not okay.
Lethe was intriguing. To have lived his whole life and never really be seen for who he was. To live with that curse and knowing that one day it would cost him his life. You sensed that he'd given up on happiness for himself and was just waiting for the end to come.
(Un)Masked was heartbreaking and bittersweet. It had notes of despair but underneath it all there was hope and a love that might just break a century old curse.
Trivia Question: Which NA book features the love of anime, manga and stars an ACE MC? 5 pts
Random winner will be chosen on (or about) Noon EST 11/17.
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