Delilah S. Dawson’s award-winning Blud series comes full circle as Tish and Criminy, stars of Wicked as They Come, embark on a sexy and harrowing final adventure in a world RT Book Reviews called “delightfully edgy with hidden charms.”
Ever since landing in the magical world of Sang and falling in love with dashing ringmaster Criminy Stain, Tish has been waiting for the axe to fall. Until her dying grandmother’s last breath on Earth, Tish can’t bring herself to give up her all-too human frailty and commit to life on Sang as a youthful, long-lived Bludman like her handsome husband. But when a peculiar twist of fate delivers Tish’s grandmother to Sang, an unexpected chain of events forces Tish and Criminy to embark on one last wild adventure. From old friends to new and into the lair of terrifying enemies, the couple’s love and longevity will be pushed to the brink by each harrowing encounter. Is blud thicker than blood, and can Tish and Crim find their wicked ever after?
Delilah S. Dawson’s Blud series is one of my all time favorite series. Each book has its own magic that transports the reader to the land of Sang and introduces them to another character’s journey through life. Wicked Ever After is the 4th (or 7th if you include the novellas) in the series and provides the same sense of magic and wonderment as the books that preceded it. Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was very excited to learn that Criminy and Tish would be the stars of the finale of the Blud series. I never felt like we were given enough of their story since the first book. While we were privy to small snippets of their adventures that tie into the other books, we are mostly kept in the dark about how they are really doing. Dawson does a great job of getting the reader up to speed on how Tish has been adapting to life going back and forth between Sang and Earth. Her Grandmother has still been what keeps her tied to the Earth realm and she doesn’t want to become a Bludwoman until after her Grandmother passes.
One of the things I really like about Wicked Ever After is Dawson’s description of Tish’s feelings on the aging process. She expresses an insecurity that many women feel as we get older. Many women are embarrassed or ashamed to admit they feel this way, but it doesn’t change the fact that they do feel insecure and worry that our partner in life will trade us in for a younger model. I, myself, have felt this way especially after my 3rd child was born. Tish’s expression of insecurity made it easier for me to relate to her on a realistic level. It was good to read that I’m not the only woman who worries about how I will look as I get older.
There were several interesting surprises throughout the book. Some characters really surprised the crap out of me. Others weren’t too surprising, just disappointing that they showed that kind of personality after all we had been through with them.
Another thing I adore about this series is the level to which Criminy loves Tish. He loves her through time and space with a love that is hotter than a thousand suns. He loves her whole-heartedly regardless of how she ages, whether she becomes a Bludwoman or not, whether she can have children or not. Criminy’s love for Tish is unparalleled and unwavering. As unrealistic as his love is, I think it is a love that everyone should experience at some point in life. I wish we could all find a love like Criminy and Tish’s.
Overall, I was satisfied with this book as the ending of the series. There were a few things that made me want to think there could still be more adventures left in Sang, but I won’t expect any more until I am told otherwise. I enjoyed how everything turned out in the end and how the author tied everything together with a pretty little bludbunny hair bob. I enjoyed the writing and creativity, and once again, Delilah S. Dawson transported me to a world that I could truly see in my mind. My only complaint is that it wasn’t long enough for me, but great books never are. I will seriously miss the characters I met along the way through this series.
I would NOT recommend reading Wicked Ever After until you have read the other books in the series. If you do choose to read it first, you probably will have no idea what’s going on, so this is your warning. Don’t give this book a negative review just because you decided to start with the last book in a series. That’s just rude. That being said, I would highly recommend reading the entire series as soon as possible. Start with Wicked As They Come. It’s a great series overall, and has an interesting twist on Vampires with something of a Steampunk-like theme.
Purchase Links
Amazon
More of the Blud Series:
Wicked as They Come
Wicked as She Wants
Wicked After Midnight
Mysterious Madam Morpho
The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance
The Damsel and the Daggerman
Carniepunk
Also by Delilah S. Dawson
Shadowman: Follow Me Boy
Servants of the Storm
Hit
About Delilah S. Dawson
Delilah S. Dawson comes from a long line of Roswell, GA natives. WICKED AS THEY COME is the first in her Blud series for Pocket/S&S, and a creepy paranormal YA, SERVANTS OF THE STORM, will be out with Simon Pulse in 2014. Her next YA, DELINQUENT, will be out in 2015. She is also an Associate Editor at www.CoolMomPicks.com and www.CoolMomTech.com, where she is given the more eccentric and geeky products to cover. Delilah lives with her husband, two small children, a horse, a dog, and two cats in Atlanta. Find out more at http://www.whimsydark.com/
