If you stop running, you fall.
Jonah Pastern is a magician, a liar, a windwalker, a professional thief…and for six months, he was the love of police constable Ben Spenser’s life. Until his betrayal left Ben jailed, ruined, alone, and looking for revenge.
Ben is determined to make Jonah pay. But he can’t seem to forget what they once shared, and Jonah refuses to let him. Soon Ben is entangled in Jonah’s chaotic existence all over again, and they’re running together—from the police, the justiciary, and some dangerous people with a lethal grudge against them.
Threatened on all sides by betrayals, secrets, and the laws of the land, can they find a way to live and love before the past catches up with them?
Author: KJ Charles
Publisher: Samhain
Genre: Gay Romance, Paranormal, Victorian
Why I’m reviewing this: KJ Charles is one of my favorite genre authors. I was hooked as soon as I first read “The Magpie Lord”, which to this day remains one of my favorite books. Her writing is expressive, emotional and occasionally quite comical, not to mention stunningly creative – I mean, gay paranormal Victorian romance! – and it works so, so very well. Her knowledge of the historical periods in which her stories are set is outstanding. I adore her characters, her sense of humor, and her ability to create some truly outstanding chemistry. Originally, I wasn’t sure about including book reviews in this blog, but after reading Jackdaw today, I can’t not recommend it.
This book in three words: Exciting. Emotional. Dramatic.
This book in slightly more than three words: Jackdaw is a spin-off from KJ Charles’ A Charm of Magpies series, and it features appearances from several of my very favorite characters, which quite frankly already would have been enough to hook me. One of the main characters of this book, Jonah, is a minor villain from the series, and Jackdaw is an attempt at his redemption and an exploration of his motives and backstory. He is a flawed character, but also a fascinating one, and I enjoyed getting to know him beyond “that jerk who nearly got my favorite couple killed in Flight of Magpies“. I’m not going to get into the plot beyond what’s already in the blurb, I’ll leave that to anyone wishing to read the book, but I will say that my personal highlight was the massive emotional rollercoaster through which Jonah and his love interest Ben struggle throughout the course of the book. Plus, there’s rooftop chase sequences, stylish magic and Victorian-style swearing. What more do you need in a good book? Not a thing, that’s what.