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Infected #8
Epitaph
In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective solving crimes involving other infecteds.
Tiger strain infections start showing up all over Seattle, much to Roan's dismay, and worse yet, they may have a personal connection. Meanwhile, Roan gets hired to look into the puzzling death of Dee's former lover. Then the FBI wants him to investigate a new apocalypse cult of infecteds pushing for a violent revolution against normals. All around Roan, events are spiraling out of control. Just when his singular abilities are needed most, Roan develops new symptoms that might signify dire consequences if he doesn’t stop shifting at will. Roan finds himself at a crossroads and must make a difficult decision about his future.
Tiger strain infections start showing up all over Seattle, much to Roan's dismay, and worse yet, they may have a personal connection. Meanwhile, Roan gets hired to look into the puzzling death of Dee's former lover. Then the FBI wants him to investigate a new apocalypse cult of infecteds pushing for a violent revolution against normals. All around Roan, events are spiraling out of control. Just when his singular abilities are needed most, Roan develops new symptoms that might signify dire consequences if he doesn’t stop shifting at will. Roan finds himself at a crossroads and must make a difficult decision about his future.
330 pages, ebook
First published November 18, 2014
About the author
Andrea Speed
75 books508 followersSuper nerd. Former EIC at Cx Pulp. I've won Rainbow Awards, and still can't believe it. A small medicinal horse. The Meryl Streep of stunt corpses. Enby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
May 26, 2015
Honestly, this was not the ending to this series that I was expecting. There were issues that were mentioned in previous books that I was sure were leading up to certain outcomes that were never even addressed in this book. Not only were questions left unanswered but new issues were brought up in this book that also didn't have satisfying conclusions.
Yet, I still really liked this book. I understand that not everything can be wrapped up in a neat package. Roan is completely different from every other infected and there was no way that we, or he, could have answers to everything. I'm also used to the fact that Speed has the tendency to start storylines and then completely forget about them or bring them to abrupt and unsatisfying conclusions. So even though I wasn't completely happy with how it ended, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
What Speed excels at is creating a very interesting world and fascinating characters. I liked the world building and this different take on shifters. I especially loved Roan and everyone that made up his unusual makeshift family. From the loving husband(s) that kept Roan sane and grounded to the vigilante ex-hooker assistant to the crazy hockey guys, they all made this series one that I was happy to keep coming back to.
Another big part of my enjoyment of this series was being able to share the experience with my BR buddies. Thank you ladies, (Sofia, Rosa, R, Sheri, Desinka and Meep) for making reading and discussing these books so much fun.
November 26, 2014
This book takes our favorite lion and private investigator (and sometime vigilante) Roan to the end of his series. Thankfully, it's an end I appreciated and enjoyed, that successfully wraps up a series that is high on my best-paranormals list. Not all the ends are neatly wrapped (and in fact there is hope for both prequel and spin-off books) but things are settled enough to imagine Roan's life moving on from here... for a week or two, at least, until he gets bored and leaps into new trouble. But it's as credible a HEA as this guy is going to get.
Once again, there are two mystery arcs to the story, accompanied by the development of Roan's personal life and that of his motley collection of friends. The side characters are part of the charm of this series. I enjoy the hockey guys a lot, and Holden is excellent (although I worry about how deep he's going into the dark of vengeance and violence. I'd read more of his story, but he's pushing my limits for vigilante violence.) Dylan appears to have grown into his role as Roan's husband and found both new strength and new serenity here.
As much as I adore the series, and enjoy being in Roan's POV, this one felt a bit repetitive and under-edited. There were numerous times when the same phrases recurred, sometimes within the same paragraph. Roan's musing inner voice, with its delightfully black and ironic humor, wandered off at times to make a quip that wasn't novel enough to be worth the digression. So this didn't feel like the most polished entry in the series.
Still well worth the read for fans, and if you've been holding off reading this series for fear of what this (proven reader-torturer) of an author would do with it, wait no more. This is one of the more unusual M/M series out there, and definitely one of the most unique shifter scenarios. Mystery, sometimes-violent action, world-building and black comedy dominate over the romance. It begins slowly, particularly with the novella that makes up the first half of the first book. Then book two will rip your heart out. But by the end of the series you'll have cried, laughed, had a bunch of OMG-so-true moments, ground your teeth, stayed up too late, and fallen in love with a truly unique MC in Roan McKichan.
Thanks, Andrea Speed, for a great ride.
Once again, there are two mystery arcs to the story, accompanied by the development of Roan's personal life and that of his motley collection of friends. The side characters are part of the charm of this series. I enjoy the hockey guys a lot, and Holden is excellent (although I worry about how deep he's going into the dark of vengeance and violence. I'd read more of his story, but he's pushing my limits for vigilante violence.) Dylan appears to have grown into his role as Roan's husband and found both new strength and new serenity here.
As much as I adore the series, and enjoy being in Roan's POV, this one felt a bit repetitive and under-edited. There were numerous times when the same phrases recurred, sometimes within the same paragraph. Roan's musing inner voice, with its delightfully black and ironic humor, wandered off at times to make a quip that wasn't novel enough to be worth the digression. So this didn't feel like the most polished entry in the series.
Still well worth the read for fans, and if you've been holding off reading this series for fear of what this (proven reader-torturer) of an author would do with it, wait no more. This is one of the more unusual M/M series out there, and definitely one of the most unique shifter scenarios. Mystery, sometimes-violent action, world-building and black comedy dominate over the romance. It begins slowly, particularly with the novella that makes up the first half of the first book. Then book two will rip your heart out. But by the end of the series you'll have cried, laughed, had a bunch of OMG-so-true moments, ground your teeth, stayed up too late, and fallen in love with a truly unique MC in Roan McKichan.
Thanks, Andrea Speed, for a great ride.
May 25, 2015
Last of the series which despite its faults kept me reading because of:
Great characters, not just Roan but ALL the others. Speed has built characters bit by bit and made them real.My admiration for Speed’s original vision about the Infected and how this plays out in various scenarios.Great wit, snark, social commentary, insights into us.My memories of this series will forever by coloured by my buddy reading experience. Having read all of these with my Infected buddies, I cannot really separate the books from our comments, our gifs, our hand holding, teasing etc.Something about this book in particular:
The last is always a tough one, to write, to read, to judge. I like that Speed found a way for Roan. I don’t like the unanswered questions and loose ends. But all in all this was as per the norm in this series I liked reading it.
BR Rosa, Otila, RA & Sheri 18th May 2015
August 13, 2017
Amazing series!! Wouldn't mind reading another 5 books or so :)
August 4, 2022
4.5 Stars
If you have not started this series or are waffling about finishing it, don't. It has everything you could want in a great story - action, love, devastation, redemption. Oh no doubt you'll have palpations, you'll most likely cry, you'll definitely be angry and outraged and horrified. But as I've said before, this is also one of the smartest series I've ever read too. Rich story telling, grand love, gruesome violence, genius humor, and that ever so present harsh reality that never, ever pulled its punches.
Speed is amazing at such great snark, with insightful peeks into human nature and the psyches of all her characters - each having many layers for you to discover. Is it perfect? No. But this was so fucking full of cynical sarcasm and wit - the truth hurts but man does Speed make you think on it and see it in a new light.
So in reference to the title - this does commemorate the life and times of Roan. He's done what he can, he's reconciled quite a few issues, and he's definitely left his mark on all those having the honor, or misfortune, to come in contact with him. I admit I'm a bit lost, waffling between sadness and relief at this bittersweet ending. I only hope to come across this amazing character in future works, and of course see him being thehappiest typical asshole, ex-batman, bastard that he is.
Thank you Otila, Rosa, Sheri and Sofia for this final round! Drinks on me!
If you have not started this series or are waffling about finishing it, don't. It has everything you could want in a great story - action, love, devastation, redemption. Oh no doubt you'll have palpations, you'll most likely cry, you'll definitely be angry and outraged and horrified. But as I've said before, this is also one of the smartest series I've ever read too. Rich story telling, grand love, gruesome violence, genius humor, and that ever so present harsh reality that never, ever pulled its punches.
Speed is amazing at such great snark, with insightful peeks into human nature and the psyches of all her characters - each having many layers for you to discover. Is it perfect? No. But this was so fucking full of cynical sarcasm and wit - the truth hurts but man does Speed make you think on it and see it in a new light.
So in reference to the title - this does commemorate the life and times of Roan. He's done what he can, he's reconciled quite a few issues, and he's definitely left his mark on all those having the honor, or misfortune, to come in contact with him. I admit I'm a bit lost, waffling between sadness and relief at this bittersweet ending. I only hope to come across this amazing character in future works, and of course see him being the
Thank you Otila, Rosa, Sheri and Sofia for this final round! Drinks on me!
August 25, 2018
I should've just skipped to the last chapter to see if Roan got to retire and live, or if he was killed by his own pigheaded stupidity.
I admit, I was burnt out with this series by this book, and I did actually skip a lot of the "we're so macho because x,y,z" paragraphs that the characters like to ruminate over again and again and again. Yeah, we all got it the first time. You don't have to keep rubbing it in. It's as if Ms. Speed is afraid the readers would somehow forget basic information if she doesn't constantly remind us about it every other page, or like we won't know we're supposed to be impressed if she doesn't tell us how impressive they are all the time. (I'm not impressed; I'm bored now.)
And for the last book, we didn't really get to see much of the supporting characters as I'd hoped we would, though we do get to see them. And there's this weird detour to see Roan's friend from his teens who he hasn't thought of in years and we only heard about in passing once. And why?
I don't know. I'm not sold on the shifter genre at this point. THIRDS went downhill mega fast and I gave up on that one after the third book (how are there already ten of those things?) and this one just sort of petered out. Ms. Speed relied on cliches and stereotypes for much of her world-building, we never got any definitive details about this cat virus that infected people, and Roan's transforming abilities reached critical mass of ridiculousness a couple of books back.
Like I said in my review for the previous book, much of this felt like it was treading water, and I can't help but feel this series should've ended two or three books ago. It might have helped if she'd followed the traditional case-per-book narrative device - there's a reason it's so successful - instead of jamming two, three or even four cases into one book, none of them getting much attention and many of them going unsolved. It's admirable to want to show that yes, sometimes cases don't get solved, and yes, detectives and investigators often have more than one case going at a time, but she never quite settled into a cohesive way to handle all this juggling. The end result is that it all feels kind of random, and if she'd cut out even half of the "we're so awesome and crazy" self-congratualatory nonsense, she'd have had a lot more page time to dedicate to other things.
And I still don't buy Roan and Dylan as a couple. *shrug* Even the Scott and Holden stuff was boring by this book.
I admit, I was burnt out with this series by this book, and I did actually skip a lot of the "we're so macho because x,y,z" paragraphs that the characters like to ruminate over again and again and again. Yeah, we all got it the first time. You don't have to keep rubbing it in. It's as if Ms. Speed is afraid the readers would somehow forget basic information if she doesn't constantly remind us about it every other page, or like we won't know we're supposed to be impressed if she doesn't tell us how impressive they are all the time. (I'm not impressed; I'm bored now.)
And for the last book, we didn't really get to see much of the supporting characters as I'd hoped we would, though we do get to see them. And there's this weird detour to see Roan's friend from his teens who he hasn't thought of in years and we only heard about in passing once. And why?
I don't know. I'm not sold on the shifter genre at this point. THIRDS went downhill mega fast and I gave up on that one after the third book (how are there already ten of those things?) and this one just sort of petered out. Ms. Speed relied on cliches and stereotypes for much of her world-building, we never got any definitive details about this cat virus that infected people, and Roan's transforming abilities reached critical mass of ridiculousness a couple of books back.
Like I said in my review for the previous book, much of this felt like it was treading water, and I can't help but feel this series should've ended two or three books ago. It might have helped if she'd followed the traditional case-per-book narrative device - there's a reason it's so successful - instead of jamming two, three or even four cases into one book, none of them getting much attention and many of them going unsolved. It's admirable to want to show that yes, sometimes cases don't get solved, and yes, detectives and investigators often have more than one case going at a time, but she never quite settled into a cohesive way to handle all this juggling. The end result is that it all feels kind of random, and if she'd cut out even half of the "we're so awesome and crazy" self-congratualatory nonsense, she'd have had a lot more page time to dedicate to other things.
And I still don't buy Roan and Dylan as a couple. *shrug* Even the Scott and Holden stuff was boring by this book.
December 12, 2014
Dear Ms. Speed,
It has been one hell of a reading ride. Thank you for the love, tears, and full cast of characters to keep close to my heart.
I have so many reading memories connected to this series and world. Roan, Paris, Holden, Dylan, and the whole hockey gang and family! I miss them all already. I miss their humor and banter and power on the page. My favorite lines and moments always seemed to involve Holden though. He can pair up and jab with anyone! But my heart and focus were with Roan in this book--his journey and fight.
The mysteries and action are all mixed in here. But the main battle for me was within Roan. A battle of heart and mind and wills. Will the lion finally take over? I don’t think so. Roan’s heart is too strong. The size of his heart still stuns me sometimes. Roan McKichan is the sweetest, grumpiest bastard in the business. :)
It was a pleasure to see Roan change, break, heal and love from way back in book one until now. From frustration to laughter to huge ugly crying fits, we shared it all.
Thank you for the memories.
Just one of my favorite parts:
Could be spoiler-ish, so I’m throwing up the spoiler wall just in case.
I’ve said it again and again, but I’ll say it one more time….Go meet Roan and the gang!
November 26, 2014
4.5 stars!!
First of all, this book is not a stand-alone. Coming in as book #8 in Andrea Speed’s “Infected” urban fantasy series, you need to start from book #1 to keep up with what has been going on with Roan, Holden, Dylan, and the gang. Because of that this review will be spoiler-y (to the previous books) in nature, so I apologize in advance. Better back away if you don’t want to be spoiled.
As in the previous books, Epitaph consists of two parts. Part 1 is entitled “Epitaph” – in here Roan is handling three cases (sort of) at the same time. His ex-lover, Dee, is requesting Roan take a further look into the death of one of Dee’s hook-ups (the man committed suicide, but Dee wants to know the reason). Then a mother asks Roan to take a look into her missing daughter, who runs away with a ‘perverted infected’. Last, there are tiger-infecteds on the loose (from Paris’s blood) which makes Roan so angry.
Part 2 is entitled “Revolution” in which Roan is asked by a teenager to look for her missing sister, requested by the FBI to investigate Omega – a new apocalypse cult, while at the same time dealing with further progress of his downward-spiraling health. The verdict from Dr. Rosenberg is that Roan needs to stop shifting so much in order to control his lion from taking over his human part.
Okay, now, review … gosh, how can I sum up my feelings?? This book has been said to be the final one of this series. There IS a Holden spin-off in the horizon … and Andrea won’t confirmed whether Roan may or may not have a cameo there (that woman is such a tease!). So for me, I may or may not see Roan again, but this is still an end of an arc.
It has been a long and winded road for me as a reader – and Roan as character – to reach the end. We had the ups and downs, the joy and the heartbreak, losing loved one, but then gaining another one to love as well as dedicated-loyal-weirdo friends along the way (Roan was probably the only anti-hero I know that had his own hockey team as groupies *lol*). Some story-lines might not have been perfect, there were times that I felt the mysteries became over-shadowed by Roan’s health issues. Then Roan’s health problems and Holden’s penchant for nudging Roan to become the superhero might be repetitive in some books. But overall, this series has been solid from the start and it always felt like coming home to great casts whenever I read a new “Infected” story.
And this last book is just near perfect!
I thought the second part – “Revolution” – was stronger than part 1 (I still gave part 1 a solid 4* but I loved the second part better – thus the near perfect rating). Andrea masterfully foreshadowed what would be the answer to Roan’s health issues and what would happen to Roan and Dylan at the end of the book. To me, the way that Andrea ended this book was satisfying because it gave closure to Roan’s adventure, but at the same time opened a big door for Holden, his vigilante cause, his denial over his “relationship” with Scott, and well, Holden’s own spin-off story.
So in the end, until a new adventure is written, I can only raise my glass and toast Andrea Speed and her “Infected” gang. Here’s to you, Roan McKichan … thanks for the adventure, you awesome bastard! I sure as hell am going to miss you a lot.
PS: This edition offers a glimpse of the prequel coming in February 2015, about Paris (Roan’s first tiger husband). But I refused to read it because I wanted to savor that prequel in all its glory without ‘tasting the sample’ first.
First of all, this book is not a stand-alone. Coming in as book #8 in Andrea Speed’s “Infected” urban fantasy series, you need to start from book #1 to keep up with what has been going on with Roan, Holden, Dylan, and the gang. Because of that this review will be spoiler-y (to the previous books) in nature, so I apologize in advance. Better back away if you don’t want to be spoiled.
As in the previous books, Epitaph consists of two parts. Part 1 is entitled “Epitaph” – in here Roan is handling three cases (sort of) at the same time. His ex-lover, Dee, is requesting Roan take a further look into the death of one of Dee’s hook-ups (the man committed suicide, but Dee wants to know the reason). Then a mother asks Roan to take a look into her missing daughter, who runs away with a ‘perverted infected’. Last, there are tiger-infecteds on the loose (from Paris’s blood) which makes Roan so angry.
Part 2 is entitled “Revolution” in which Roan is asked by a teenager to look for her missing sister, requested by the FBI to investigate Omega – a new apocalypse cult, while at the same time dealing with further progress of his downward-spiraling health. The verdict from Dr. Rosenberg is that Roan needs to stop shifting so much in order to control his lion from taking over his human part.
Okay, now, review … gosh, how can I sum up my feelings?? This book has been said to be the final one of this series. There IS a Holden spin-off in the horizon … and Andrea won’t confirmed whether Roan may or may not have a cameo there (that woman is such a tease!). So for me, I may or may not see Roan again, but this is still an end of an arc.
It has been a long and winded road for me as a reader – and Roan as character – to reach the end. We had the ups and downs, the joy and the heartbreak, losing loved one, but then gaining another one to love as well as dedicated-loyal-weirdo friends along the way (Roan was probably the only anti-hero I know that had his own hockey team as groupies *lol*). Some story-lines might not have been perfect, there were times that I felt the mysteries became over-shadowed by Roan’s health issues. Then Roan’s health problems and Holden’s penchant for nudging Roan to become the superhero might be repetitive in some books. But overall, this series has been solid from the start and it always felt like coming home to great casts whenever I read a new “Infected” story.
And this last book is just near perfect!
I thought the second part – “Revolution” – was stronger than part 1 (I still gave part 1 a solid 4* but I loved the second part better – thus the near perfect rating). Andrea masterfully foreshadowed what would be the answer to Roan’s health issues and what would happen to Roan and Dylan at the end of the book. To me, the way that Andrea ended this book was satisfying because it gave closure to Roan’s adventure, but at the same time opened a big door for Holden, his vigilante cause, his denial over his “relationship” with Scott, and well, Holden’s own spin-off story.
So in the end, until a new adventure is written, I can only raise my glass and toast Andrea Speed and her “Infected” gang. Here’s to you, Roan McKichan … thanks for the adventure, you awesome bastard! I sure as hell am going to miss you a lot.
PS: This edition offers a glimpse of the prequel coming in February 2015, about Paris (Roan’s first tiger husband). But I refused to read it because I wanted to savor that prequel in all its glory without ‘tasting the sample’ first.
July 10, 2017
You guys, I've made it to the end! I'm not celebrating because its over. I'm celebrating because I DID NOT CRY. Not once. I expected heart wrenching tears while reading this. I expected to be in pain by the end of this series. I was okay. It might have been because I waited 9 months between book 7 and this to read it. I couldn't take the pain that I was feeling while reading this.I don't know if I'm okay with everything overall. No scratch that, I'm okay with it. I just would have liked to see the ending spread out over 50 more pages. Its just me wanting more Roan.
I really liked the mysteries in both parts of the book. I think everything came full circle with Roan. It has been an emotional journey with these characters. It bothered me when I started reading it that it was no physical sex on page. After book 2 trust me, you won't even need it. I've had a range of emotions and I can say Roan is one of my most favorite characters ever. He is flawed, loyal, funny, smart, and heart breakingly sacrificial. That last one might not my a pro for more, but for me it is. He's real in every sense of the word. At best he's amazing with the skill set and life he is given, at worst he is an idiot. That's the easiest way for me to put it. I hated those moments of the pain for everyone around him. Everyone around him suffers and is in pain because of his pain. It takes him a long time to realize that people love and care for him. I mean only Roan can find a bunch of misfits and they move the earth for him.
I guess feeling melancholy is normal after reading this. I don't know quite how to review this. So many thoughts and feelings are swirling in my head. I can say, Dylan has definitely grown on me. I was one of those fans who didn't want him in the picture. Not because he wasn't a good person, but because Paris left such a huge impact on my heart. For the short time he was here, he was amazing in the very short time that I've read about him. Its not me not wanting Roan to be happy, but the departure of such a character stings for quite a while. Dylan doesn't compare. Its not something I want to do, but Dylan paves the way for himself. He creates his own lane, he requires his own respect and is flayed open just as much as the rest of us when it comes to Roan.
Its so nice to see a lot of people show up in the final book. I'm happy with Roan's peace. I can say that without reservations. I'd like to point out that I wanted to see Kevin. Yes, his minor role was missed to me. Hopefully I'll see him in spin offs or such. I don't know about Holden. We all know his issues. I'm trying to figure out if I can read a series featuring Holden without Roan. I feel like with all his cynicism, I'd be able to. This series should be read in order, and favored. One of the best urban fantasy series ever!
May 25, 2015
*blink*
Is it over?
*sniff*
I can't believe it's over.
Well...it's been one hell of a ride. An unforgettable series that I will hold close to my heart. Characters that I will cherish forevermore.
Speed finished with strong, emotional, and of course, action-packed finale.
Gotta love Roan and his snarky stubborn sexy ass. Bless Dylan for accomplishing the impossible and surviving. Holden...Ha! I finally see the light. Yep, it took me long enough...but he won me over. I needed to see him crack and Scott found the secret weapon to do exactly that. I couldn't get enough of the hockey boys. Every single one of them brighten the pages. Dr. Rosenberg is the ultimate fearless doctor, I don't think there is a soul brave enough to try and fill her shoes. Dee deserves a bit of sunshine, I hope he gets some in any future tidbits we may be lucky enough to get. I wish Matt's candle still flickered, I miss him. *sniffs again* I'm going to miss ALL of them.
Tears.
Pain.
Love.
Hero.
Love you Ro.
Is it over?
*sniff*
I can't believe it's over.
Well...it's been one hell of a ride. An unforgettable series that I will hold close to my heart. Characters that I will cherish forevermore.
Speed finished with strong, emotional, and of course, action-packed finale.
Gotta love Roan and his snarky stubborn sexy ass. Bless Dylan for accomplishing the impossible and surviving. Holden...Ha! I finally see the light. Yep, it took me long enough...but he won me over. I needed to see him crack and Scott found the secret weapon to do exactly that. I couldn't get enough of the hockey boys. Every single one of them brighten the pages. Dr. Rosenberg is the ultimate fearless doctor, I don't think there is a soul brave enough to try and fill her shoes. Dee deserves a bit of sunshine, I hope he gets some in any future tidbits we may be lucky enough to get. I wish Matt's candle still flickered, I miss him. *sniffs again* I'm going to miss ALL of them.
Tears.
Pain.
Love.
Hero.
Love you Ro.
**extra hugs to my girls for tugging me along, helping me through that devastating speed bump that almost threw me off the track for good. I wasn't sure I was going to recover from the debilitating loss early on. Couldn't have made it without you (or at least it would have taken me a decade!) You girls are da best! *muah*
March 1, 2015
Firstly, this has to be the hottest cover ever right! It's currently my screensaver and up close it's even better! I put off reading this book for a few months, I was worried about the ending and how everything would work out. It turned out there was nothing to be concerned about, the ending was fantastic, so complete!
I'll never forget this series and I'll remember Roan, Paris, Holden and Dylan forever. I'm not sure yet if my heart can take Infected: Paris now or ever really, though I know I should try.
I'll never forget this series and I'll remember Roan, Paris, Holden and Dylan forever. I'm not sure yet if my heart can take Infected: Paris now or ever really, though I know I should try.
March 8, 2017
WOW, just read them, like OK ;-)
5 STARS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES
5 STARS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES
November 10, 2020
I feel like it's the end of an era. But a fitting end none the less. Roan has been through so much and Dylan deserves to have his husband focussed on him rather than always being at everyone's beck and call. It's a fitting end, but I'll admit I will miss Roan and Dylan (and their odd band of friends, lol).
I've loved this series with all the ups and downs. Andrea Speed has taken us on a rollercoaster ride over all the books. There have been dizzying heights and terrifying lows. It takes true talent to be able to tell such an epic story with characters that break any mould you can think of.
I've loved this series with all the ups and downs. Andrea Speed has taken us on a rollercoaster ride over all the books. There have been dizzying heights and terrifying lows. It takes true talent to be able to tell such an epic story with characters that break any mould you can think of.
August 7, 2021
I'll admit to a lot of nervous trepidation before reading 'Epitaph', the eighth, and final, book in Andrea Speed's 'Infected' series. If this is, truly, the final book featuring Roan, then there are several options for how the author plans on ending this amazing series revolving around a born infected. Needless to say, one of the possible options that occurred to me isn't where I want this to go. Hence my nervousness.
As always, Roan and Holden are involved in more than one private investigation at a time. Roan's ex asks him to look into a suicide. The police warn Roan about a tiger strain in town, apparently infecting young adults. And a woman hires Roan to find her sixteen-year-old daughter who ran away from home to meet a man at the Church of Divine Transformation. Better known as the bane of Roan's life. With Holden as his trusty sidekick, they get started doing what they do best. Pissing people off.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
As always, Roan and Holden are involved in more than one private investigation at a time. Roan's ex asks him to look into a suicide. The police warn Roan about a tiger strain in town, apparently infecting young adults. And a woman hires Roan to find her sixteen-year-old daughter who ran away from home to meet a man at the Church of Divine Transformation. Better known as the bane of Roan's life. With Holden as his trusty sidekick, they get started doing what they do best. Pissing people off.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
August 21, 2016
This series, you guys.... Gahhhhh. So good. <3 <3 <3 Andrea killed this ending. So much perfection.
December 23, 2014
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
** Caution: Contains Spoilers**
Epitaph is a fitting finale for a long-lived and much-loved series in which principal MC, Roan, drastically changes both physically and emotionally over the course of the series. For years, we’ve watched him virtually self-destruct as the virus within him mutates and his lion grows stronger. There have been times when it seemed that the lion was going to win the battle of dominance and completely take over Roan’s personality. And there have been times more recently when the lion and the man have battled for dominance to the point where the lion can come out in whole, or in part, depending on the situation. Being in on Roan’s thoughts during many of these scenes shows us that it’s often a supreme effort of human will that allows Roan to overcome the lion.
In this installment, we also get to learn more of Holden’s past, his inner thoughts, and his inability to form and hold lasting relationships. Scott, his hockey-player boyfriend, is a good case in point. It seems the closer they get and the closer Holden wants to get, the more Holden also wants to run away. He pushes and picks and argues until Scott isn’t sure if he’s coming or going. But Scott, and the other hockey players who have played a prominent role in Roan’s life, are hanging in and staying strong for Roan and are proving to be true friends. Roan, who’s referred to affectionately as Cat Man by the guys and Batman by his enemies, is very fortunate to have such a hodge-podge collection of friends in his life. From Holden, the former prostitute who harbors a vigilante personality, to Scott, Tank, and Grey, the hockey players, to Fionna, his former secretary and Tank’s girlfriend, Roan is blessed with support.
Dr. Rosenberg, who has been there for him since he was young, comes up with an interesting theory which Roan eventually accepts and decides to work toward. Her thinking is that if Roan, who can’t seem to stop being a hero to anyone in need, can limit his exposure to those situations, he may be able to contain the cat, thereby allowing his viral cycle to readjust and allowing him to lead a fairly restful, peaceful life. It would mean full retirement and probably moving away, however.
Can it work? It’s hard to say since Roan can’t seem to stop saving people long enough to sit and talk with his husband Dylan about it. But after a few more disastrous transformations resulting in yet another aneurysm, Roan decides to take Dr Rosenberg’s advice. Nothing runs smoothly however, and when Holden is in trouble, Roan goes to the rescue, leading to yet another incident in a long line of crazy situations for the lion-hearted Roan.
I appreciate that the author tied up loose ends before the final pages of this saga, however, there were a few inconsistencies which bugged me. The primary inconsistency is Roan’s lack of hesitation in moving away from the home he shared with Paris. Based on previous stories and his private thoughts and actions related to Paris, I would not have thought he’d want to leave. The second inconsistency is in his relationship with Dylan, especially at the end of this story. We knew from previous books that he loved Dylan, however, he always said he didn’t have the depth of love and devotion with Dylan that he had with Paris. But in this story, that seems to have been forgotten, as he wholeheartedly embraces his love and commitment for Dylan.
Because of these inconsistencies, I thought that tying up the loose ends of this series was almost too neat and tidy— too simple for a complex person like Roan. On the flip side, it’s nice to have been given hope that this much-abused viral child may actually be able to find some peace with his husband. Having been along for the ride from the beginning, this reviewer can appreciate giving him that chance.
** Caution: Contains Spoilers**
Epitaph is a fitting finale for a long-lived and much-loved series in which principal MC, Roan, drastically changes both physically and emotionally over the course of the series. For years, we’ve watched him virtually self-destruct as the virus within him mutates and his lion grows stronger. There have been times when it seemed that the lion was going to win the battle of dominance and completely take over Roan’s personality. And there have been times more recently when the lion and the man have battled for dominance to the point where the lion can come out in whole, or in part, depending on the situation. Being in on Roan’s thoughts during many of these scenes shows us that it’s often a supreme effort of human will that allows Roan to overcome the lion.
In this installment, we also get to learn more of Holden’s past, his inner thoughts, and his inability to form and hold lasting relationships. Scott, his hockey-player boyfriend, is a good case in point. It seems the closer they get and the closer Holden wants to get, the more Holden also wants to run away. He pushes and picks and argues until Scott isn’t sure if he’s coming or going. But Scott, and the other hockey players who have played a prominent role in Roan’s life, are hanging in and staying strong for Roan and are proving to be true friends. Roan, who’s referred to affectionately as Cat Man by the guys and Batman by his enemies, is very fortunate to have such a hodge-podge collection of friends in his life. From Holden, the former prostitute who harbors a vigilante personality, to Scott, Tank, and Grey, the hockey players, to Fionna, his former secretary and Tank’s girlfriend, Roan is blessed with support.
Dr. Rosenberg, who has been there for him since he was young, comes up with an interesting theory which Roan eventually accepts and decides to work toward. Her thinking is that if Roan, who can’t seem to stop being a hero to anyone in need, can limit his exposure to those situations, he may be able to contain the cat, thereby allowing his viral cycle to readjust and allowing him to lead a fairly restful, peaceful life. It would mean full retirement and probably moving away, however.
Can it work? It’s hard to say since Roan can’t seem to stop saving people long enough to sit and talk with his husband Dylan about it. But after a few more disastrous transformations resulting in yet another aneurysm, Roan decides to take Dr Rosenberg’s advice. Nothing runs smoothly however, and when Holden is in trouble, Roan goes to the rescue, leading to yet another incident in a long line of crazy situations for the lion-hearted Roan.
I appreciate that the author tied up loose ends before the final pages of this saga, however, there were a few inconsistencies which bugged me. The primary inconsistency is Roan’s lack of hesitation in moving away from the home he shared with Paris. Based on previous stories and his private thoughts and actions related to Paris, I would not have thought he’d want to leave. The second inconsistency is in his relationship with Dylan, especially at the end of this story. We knew from previous books that he loved Dylan, however, he always said he didn’t have the depth of love and devotion with Dylan that he had with Paris. But in this story, that seems to have been forgotten, as he wholeheartedly embraces his love and commitment for Dylan.
Because of these inconsistencies, I thought that tying up the loose ends of this series was almost too neat and tidy— too simple for a complex person like Roan. On the flip side, it’s nice to have been given hope that this much-abused viral child may actually be able to find some peace with his husband. Having been along for the ride from the beginning, this reviewer can appreciate giving him that chance.
November 20, 2014
I loved this series and finished the book in a day. But I have to honestly say if this is truly the last book in the series I am extremely disappointed. For a regular book in the series I would’ve given this a 4, if this is the end I would give it a 2, so I gave it a middle ground rating of 3 stars. Nothing unusual happened in this book. Roan ran around saving humanity from infecteds who shifted/were out of control and solved a few mysteries, while trying to keep his brain from melting with the help of his friends and to the dismay of his husband.
But if this is truly the end I have several problems. Roan has a control over his disease and has lived longer than any other infected or virus child. But for some reason the only character actively interested is his Doctor. I’m not saying I wanted him to spend half the book locked up in a lab, but considering the mortality rate of the disease and Roan’s superhuman abilities it seems to me that the press isn’t all he should’ve been avoiding. He can partially shift, can heal himself, and doesn’t seem to be aging. Both the government and private institutions should be after him. And why doesn’t anyone seemed interested in where the disease came from? It turns people into big cats. It changes DNA. Its not TB or AIDS, its supernatural. I really thought the cult was going to finally give some answers, but it was a lame plot line that was easily resolved.
I hope the author is not done with this world, and will give us some answers to where this disease came from and why Roan is so different.
But if this is truly the end I have several problems. Roan has a control over his disease and has lived longer than any other infected or virus child. But for some reason the only character actively interested is his Doctor. I’m not saying I wanted him to spend half the book locked up in a lab, but considering the mortality rate of the disease and Roan’s superhuman abilities it seems to me that the press isn’t all he should’ve been avoiding. He can partially shift, can heal himself, and doesn’t seem to be aging. Both the government and private institutions should be after him. And why doesn’t anyone seemed interested in where the disease came from? It turns people into big cats. It changes DNA. Its not TB or AIDS, its supernatural. I really thought the cult was going to finally give some answers, but it was a lame plot line that was easily resolved.
I hope the author is not done with this world, and will give us some answers to where this disease came from and why Roan is so different.
March 19, 2016
I have mixed feelings about this book.
In one hand the ending was somehow unexpected and i liked it. In the other, the plot had mysteries that started well, the tiger strain thing was really interesting and i hoped for more depth in it but the end of that mystery was abrupt so was the ending of the other mystery. I feel there was potential with the Omega cult and i really hoped for a big revolution but none of it happened and left me disappointed. There are a lot of plotholes left in the story and i would have liked them to be resolved.
This book feels un-edited, with more flaws than its predecessors and there was a point i was going to skip paragraphs because the repetitions were just too much. I don't like when a book keeps explaining to me how a character feels or what's the reason of what's currently happening. I get it, i don't need reminders nor over-explanations, thanks.
I want to give this book a 3-star rate but i'll settle with 4-stars because it's the last one and i love the characters and world building. If there's going to be a spinoff with Holden, i will read it no questions asked.
After all, this book feels like the best LGBTQ+ shifter book out there and I think this is the only one i'll ever read (not counting werewolves).
In one hand the ending was somehow unexpected and i liked it. In the other, the plot had mysteries that started well, the tiger strain thing was really interesting and i hoped for more depth in it but the end of that mystery was abrupt so was the ending of the other mystery. I feel there was potential with the Omega cult and i really hoped for a big revolution but none of it happened and left me disappointed. There are a lot of plotholes left in the story and i would have liked them to be resolved.
This book feels un-edited, with more flaws than its predecessors and there was a point i was going to skip paragraphs because the repetitions were just too much. I don't like when a book keeps explaining to me how a character feels or what's the reason of what's currently happening. I get it, i don't need reminders nor over-explanations, thanks.
I want to give this book a 3-star rate but i'll settle with 4-stars because it's the last one and i love the characters and world building. If there's going to be a spinoff with Holden, i will read it no questions asked.
After all, this book feels like the best LGBTQ+ shifter book out there and I think this is the only one i'll ever read (not counting werewolves).
November 28, 2014
While I enjoyed this final story in the Infected series, it was marred by some editing errors that really should have been caught. Of course, I may be in hyper-vigilant mode, and I certainly know how difficult it is to produce an error-free novel but seriously, DSP seems to be deteriorating in the quality of their editing, as well as their cover art (the latter not applicable in this case, I hasten to add.) It's a disappointing finish to what has been a fantastic and much-loved series, not to mention a less than stellar start to Dreamspinners' new imprint DSP Publications.
September 1, 2018
I rebinged this whole series over the past few weeks, just so I could finally read this last book, and call it finished, at least for Roan's arc. So I'm sure I'll mention stuff from the last few books, and not just this one, because they all start to blur together in my head.
I love the story of Roan and Paris and Dylan (because let's face it, Paris still remains a big part of things, even though he's been gone for so long). My heart broke for them over and over again, whenever things got so bleak.
There were lots of plot lines throughout that were sort of dropped. Like the whole drug story, where it forced infected to shift and go crazy? What happened with that? Or Matt? He was so prominent there for a while, and then he basically just disappeared, and I kept waiting for him to pop back up again, but he didn't.
And while we got a hopeful ending, I can't help but wish we'd gotten just a tiny bit more. I'd really like to know how
Maybe there are some answers in the Holden spin off series, I haven't gotten that far yet. All in all, this was an engaging series, but I do wish more attention was paid to every mystery, as there were so many different ones in each book.
I love the story of Roan and Paris and Dylan (because let's face it, Paris still remains a big part of things, even though he's been gone for so long). My heart broke for them over and over again, whenever things got so bleak.
There were lots of plot lines throughout that were sort of dropped. Like the whole drug story, where it forced infected to shift and go crazy? What happened with that? Or Matt? He was so prominent there for a while, and then he basically just disappeared, and I kept waiting for him to pop back up again, but he didn't.
And while we got a hopeful ending, I can't help but wish we'd gotten just a tiny bit more. I'd really like to know how
Maybe there are some answers in the Holden spin off series, I haven't gotten that far yet. All in all, this was an engaging series, but I do wish more attention was paid to every mystery, as there were so many different ones in each book.
July 3, 2016
So Infected: Epitaph is the last book in the Infected series. As with the other books in the series, Roan is faced with a number is PI cases. Young people all over the north-west are being infected with the tiger-strain, which of course is killing them. Roan’s paramedic friend Dee asks him to looking into the puzzling suicide of a former boy friend. A teenage runaway from the foster care system hires Roan to find her little sister, And if that isn’t enough, the FBI is investigating an anti-normal cat cult and they want Roan to help.
The list of great characters in these books is just too long to go into. I found myself seriously invested in ALL the character’s lives. Not just Roan and his husband Dylan. Andrea Speed has done one of the best jobs I’ve ever seen creating a cast of character that you just can’t help but become invested in.
So I know what you’re thinking, if it’s all that great why only 4 stars? I found myself wanting to read more about Roan. Not that the lives of the other characters weren’t interesting, I’m not saying that at all. Roan is the hero of the series and I just felt that in this last book he seemed to share the spotlight with the other characters a bit too much for my taste.
Finally for those who see that this is a gay themed series and say, “no thanks,” please reconsider. If you pass this series by simple because of that you’ll miss out on a great story. The main character Roan is of course gay but he’s also infected which is what the story is about. Obviously, other characters in the book are also gay, but there are also, bi, straight and even an asexual character. I never found the books to be “in your face” regarding the whole gay theme. If nothing else I think the series gives those with little or no contact with the issues surrounding being gay, a better understanding of the challenges it presents. But most importantly, Andrea Speed, has proven that a series of books doesn’t have to be set in the cookie cutter world of the heterosexual to be great.
My ratings for the eight main books in this series ranged from four to mostly five stars. The whole series rates a firm five stars. Have you ever finished a series and realized you’re going through a brief grieving process because you know there won’t be anymore books to read? Well, that’s how I felt after finishing Epitaph. It’s a great series of books and I highly recommend it to all readers age 14 and up.
November 29, 2014
I am pretty torn about this book.
I loved it, this book is in the same line of quality and addictive plot I enjoyed in previous installments, but as a final book in series? One to close everything up? Noooo... I just don't want it to end here.
So,I think that my sentiment about this book came solely from the assumption this is final book in series.
The ending sure suggests it, but I know that Speed was kind of evasive about possible Roan cameos in future books set in same world (excluding prequel, naturally),but it's pretty much clear this is it for Roan fans. I mean, book is named Epitaph- you can define it strictly or more broadly buy one thing that's for sure is that epitaph signifies end- dash of honorific and solemnity, but finality never the less.
That being said:
I am just big pile of feels...
It's like.. It was the same, trademark Speed worldbuilding.
Plot was unpredictable... Roan was gloriously sarcastic and bastardly..and even Dylan raised up notch considerably on badass scale- he rocked in this novel.
But, but... I am just so damn sad this is the end.
Everything was wrapped up as one would rationally expect.
I can't say anything that would defy logic of ending. Left side of my brain is perfectly appeased, but right side... rightt side is in a mess.
Here is the thing: I can't believe that author who took me through emotional grinder regarding Paris can end series here, this way, on such a low key.
I didn't expect different ending: not bad, not happy, not anything.. I just knew it has to be epic. Speed took so many risks already, but here it seems she played it safe.. I wanted blaze of glory, high stakes, carnage and high intensity..instead I just got amnesia. -__-
I was prepared for everything: I always thought that Roan will go like Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop.
But I was not prepared for this...lack of "epicness" this entire series deserved.
I don't know...
Maybe I will feel differently on reread. This remains one of my favorite series in genre I will gladly revisit in future and maybe..just maybe, one day I'll close this book with a sigh, but it's going to be happy one.
February 3, 2015
What's left to be said about this series? It's awesome, it's one of my favoritest and I simply loved Roan, how strong and resilient, caring and flawed and smartassed and out-of-this-world he is. I hope things work out for him, really, and that he'll find happiness where he is (that is not in my Kindle, I'm afraid).
But there's Infected: Paris coming out, so even if I have to go back at the beginning, I'll be with Roan and Paris a little bit more.
Thank you, Andrea Speed.
But there's Infected: Paris coming out, so even if I have to go back at the beginning, I'll be with Roan and Paris a little bit more.
Thank you, Andrea Speed.
February 21, 2018
I've loved all the books of this series, but at the same time, I'm kinda glad that it has come to an erstwhile end. While I love the drama and the increasing danger for Roan (and oh how I love Roan!), it did get a bit repetitious in the last two books with the lioning out and the hospital visits. This series part is a case of "choosing to end it before it's too late", very nicely done and in a way that is totally relatable and easy to accept.
I enjoyed it! And it made me sad at the same time.
I enjoyed it! And it made me sad at the same time.
March 3, 2015
Fitting finale
I love this series, the world that Andrea Speed has created, and this book was a fitting finale. It wasn't perfect but I enjoyed where she left Roan and the hope for the future not matter how long or short.
I like the stories, the stolen blood, definitely something I couldn't believe hadn't come up before in this series
All through the series we have seen Roan struggling with accepting himself and while testing the boundaries and at times not liking himself very much. This was the first book that I felt Roan didn't look at himself as the freak, he cracked jokes about this batman status and he accepted what he was and stopped with the self pity to a degree.
Doctor Rosenberg was a great character through out the series, her foul mouth was at times hilarious. But underneath she cared greatly for Roan and this was shown many times through out the books. The ability she had to turn Roan into a lab rat but protected him and tried to help him because she saw the person not the infection. I'm glad Roan listened to her finally and that she was able to give him some hope of controlling the lion.
Holden has also been a favourite of mine, and whilst I love the prickly smart mouth, he annoyed me at the end of this book. The cavalier attitude of "if I go in there, Roan will come for me" especially after witnessing how much damage the transformations were hurting Roan was selfish and cruel. I have heard that there will be a spin off series with Holden and I hope we get a resolution to his and Scott's relationship. I'll definitely be reading it
The Hockey guys all appeared and I still love each and everyone of them. No matter where they are, they all support each other like true friends. At the start of the series Roan had a small friend base and it has been great to see Roan adding to his family, each one of them looneys in their own way, but each with a heart of gold.
In this book it felt like Roan had let go of Paris a bit, where before he was unwilling to remove anything from his life that had memories he was now letting go,without to much of a fight, and after going through his grief with him for so many books it just didn't ring true, but I'm glad for Dylan's sake.
Dylan, Dylan, Dylan the land of denial is never a good place to be, but that is where he decided to stay, which was disappointing. I know he was the clam grounding point but I really wished he would get his head out the sand and grow some balls.
As a little side note, while reading this series, I was also thinking about my other favourite paranormal series Psycop series and the parallels between them which made me realise why both of these series were favourites. Both main characters were born with their powers, although both were considered to be great by some, prejudice and pain also came with which led to both characters self medicated to get through each day often to the point of overdosing, only their high tolerance saved them, highlighting how truly un great it was to be these people.
This world Andrea created was fantasy but also had great snippets of human nature. I mean with all of the pain involved with transitioning (which was refreshing to see) and the shortened life span, who in their right mind would want to be infected. But basic human nature shows that there are idiots out there who would do anything to become infected.
Fantastic series couldn't recommend it enough
I love this series, the world that Andrea Speed has created, and this book was a fitting finale. It wasn't perfect but I enjoyed where she left Roan and the hope for the future not matter how long or short.
I like the stories, the stolen blood, definitely something I couldn't believe hadn't come up before in this series
All through the series we have seen Roan struggling with accepting himself and while testing the boundaries and at times not liking himself very much. This was the first book that I felt Roan didn't look at himself as the freak, he cracked jokes about this batman status and he accepted what he was and stopped with the self pity to a degree.
Doctor Rosenberg was a great character through out the series, her foul mouth was at times hilarious. But underneath she cared greatly for Roan and this was shown many times through out the books. The ability she had to turn Roan into a lab rat but protected him and tried to help him because she saw the person not the infection. I'm glad Roan listened to her finally and that she was able to give him some hope of controlling the lion.
Holden has also been a favourite of mine, and whilst I love the prickly smart mouth, he annoyed me at the end of this book. The cavalier attitude of "if I go in there, Roan will come for me" especially after witnessing how much damage the transformations were hurting Roan was selfish and cruel. I have heard that there will be a spin off series with Holden and I hope we get a resolution to his and Scott's relationship. I'll definitely be reading it
The Hockey guys all appeared and I still love each and everyone of them. No matter where they are, they all support each other like true friends. At the start of the series Roan had a small friend base and it has been great to see Roan adding to his family, each one of them looneys in their own way, but each with a heart of gold.
In this book it felt like Roan had let go of Paris a bit, where before he was unwilling to remove anything from his life that had memories he was now letting go,without to much of a fight, and after going through his grief with him for so many books it just didn't ring true, but I'm glad for Dylan's sake.
Dylan, Dylan, Dylan the land of denial is never a good place to be, but that is where he decided to stay, which was disappointing. I know he was the clam grounding point but I really wished he would get his head out the sand and grow some balls.
As a little side note, while reading this series, I was also thinking about my other favourite paranormal series Psycop series and the parallels between them which made me realise why both of these series were favourites. Both main characters were born with their powers, although both were considered to be great by some, prejudice and pain also came with which led to both characters self medicated to get through each day often to the point of overdosing, only their high tolerance saved them, highlighting how truly un great it was to be these people.
This world Andrea created was fantasy but also had great snippets of human nature. I mean with all of the pain involved with transitioning (which was refreshing to see) and the shortened life span, who in their right mind would want to be infected. But basic human nature shows that there are idiots out there who would do anything to become infected.
Fantastic series couldn't recommend it enough
March 12, 2016
Here's the thing, I know this is supposed to be the "last book" in this series, but I'm sorry it doesn't feel like it at all. Too me this feels like the last book in a particular arc. There's some good closure on a few things, but it in no way feels like the end of the story to me for any of the characters. I know there are books planned on the Holden side of the series, which just YAY! But I don't feel like this is the last we'll hear from Roan and Dillon either. There are still too many unanswered questions about what's going on with Roan and where it will lead to. Sure his virus is different and it's trying it's best to take over, but what does that mean for Roan day to day as he tries to live a different life. Can he and the lion ever truly find a balance?
The cases here were conflaglatory (I think I'm making up words now, but oh well it says what I mean :D) in just the right way to really push Roan into making a decision he's put off for ages. They set Holden up to be taking over more things and trusting himself as a PI and making him question his vigilante status. But if we weren't getting a Holden book soon I would be a very grouchy camper because he and Scott were so up in the air in this one and I love those two together! The hockey guys make these stories so much more because they're awesome! All of them!
I feel like this story left me with a HFN feeling with all of the characters. I really want a book now with Roan and Dillon working on their relationship and what their changes mean or each other and together. I want the continued story, and while I rate this book with 5 stars because it was awesome, I'm not left as totally satisfied as I wanted to be by a book supposedly ending the Roan story. He's not done and it's obvious. You get the feeling Ms. Speed likes writing these characters too much to really put the nail in the coffin and walk a way. THANK GOD! Cause I want more. :D
The cases here were conflaglatory (I think I'm making up words now, but oh well it says what I mean :D) in just the right way to really push Roan into making a decision he's put off for ages. They set Holden up to be taking over more things and trusting himself as a PI and making him question his vigilante status. But if we weren't getting a Holden book soon I would be a very grouchy camper because he and Scott were so up in the air in this one and I love those two together! The hockey guys make these stories so much more because they're awesome! All of them!
I feel like this story left me with a HFN feeling with all of the characters. I really want a book now with Roan and Dillon working on their relationship and what their changes mean or each other and together. I want the continued story, and while I rate this book with 5 stars because it was awesome, I'm not left as totally satisfied as I wanted to be by a book supposedly ending the Roan story. He's not done and it's obvious. You get the feeling Ms. Speed likes writing these characters too much to really put the nail in the coffin and walk a way. THANK GOD! Cause I want more. :D
November 23, 2018
My rating: 4 stars
Review: Roan et al are back, and they're badder than ever. Well, Roan, Holden, and the hockey players are badder than ever. Dylan seemed kind of insipid and not there in this one.
Roan is dying, and the lion is taking over more and more. Only now, it's hitting Roan how unfair he is being to Dylan. Because Dylan is in the same situation that Roan was in with Paris: he knows that Roan is going to die earlier than a human, it's just a matter of when...and if Roan will stop lion-ing out, he might increase his life expectancy. So there was a lot of introspection in this one, and quite a bit of preaching about equality and (strangely) preaching, and a whole lot of vigilante justice, with very little focus on solving any cases. It was more a bi-product of the introspection than anything else.
I did enjoy it, it just seemed to be lacking a little something for me. Maybe it's because I read it so much later than the other books, and if I had been reading them all together, they would have carried the momentum for me. I liked the ending, and the fact that Roan seems at peace with loving two men with all his heart.
Review: Roan et al are back, and they're badder than ever. Well, Roan, Holden, and the hockey players are badder than ever. Dylan seemed kind of insipid and not there in this one.
Roan is dying, and the lion is taking over more and more. Only now, it's hitting Roan how unfair he is being to Dylan. Because Dylan is in the same situation that Roan was in with Paris: he knows that Roan is going to die earlier than a human, it's just a matter of when...and if Roan will stop lion-ing out, he might increase his life expectancy. So there was a lot of introspection in this one, and quite a bit of preaching about equality and (strangely) preaching, and a whole lot of vigilante justice, with very little focus on solving any cases. It was more a bi-product of the introspection than anything else.
I did enjoy it, it just seemed to be lacking a little something for me. Maybe it's because I read it so much later than the other books, and if I had been reading them all together, they would have carried the momentum for me. I liked the ending, and the fact that Roan seems at peace with loving two men with all his heart.
February 28, 2015
Overall, a disappointment, especially as the "final" book in the series. It felt unpolished and meandering, without any real focus, and it didn't have the sense of the final book in a series. Also, Overall, instead of feeling like this was a satisfying "conclusion" to an enjoyable series, it was just meh, with a lot of the same types of things and nothing really developed. Disappointing.
February 21, 2015
What a long/funny/emotional journey this series was to read. I have to admit I was scared to read this book. 1. Because I have abandonment issues (yes it carries over to books as well) so its always sad to wrap up a story with characters you feel you could read about forever. 2. The biggest reason was knowing this was the final book I saw only one way it could possibly end and I wasn't sure I wanted to put myself though that emotional trauma (again, I get its just a book, don't judge me!)
I'm not going to spoiler anything, I will simply say the closure is worth the bittersweet goodbye.
Thank you Ms. Speed for this wonderful world with amazing characters that have made me laugh and cry over the years. Can't wait for the spin off.
I'm not going to spoiler anything, I will simply say the closure is worth the bittersweet goodbye.
Thank you Ms. Speed for this wonderful world with amazing characters that have made me laugh and cry over the years. Can't wait for the spin off.
February 3, 2015
Rating 3 stars out of 5
I should have stopped at Undertow.
For the full review, visit http://wp.me/p220KL-45P
From that review…"It has taken me weeks to decide how to approach this review, hoping time would allow some sort of objectivity to layer over the disappointment and sadness this story produced. But that didn't happen. My feelings towards Epitaph remain the same…I feel letdown and regretful that I didn't stop at Undertow, a story where the promise of Roan McKitchen and his universe remain vibrant, gripping and full of anticipation for the future…"
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