Review – Betrayals (Cainsville, Book 4) by Kelley Armstrong (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 432 pages
Publisher: Random House Canada
Release Date: August 9, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-0345815200
Stand Alone or Series: 4th book in the Cainsville series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars
“When Olivia’s life exploded–after she found out she was not the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers–she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois. Working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer with links to the town, she discovered the truth about her parents’ crimes in an investigation that also revealed the darker forces at work in the place that had offered her a haven. As if that wasn’t enough, she also found out that she, Gabriel and her biker boyfriend Ricky were not caught in an ordinary sort of love triangle, but were hereditary actors in an ancient drama in which the elders of Cainsville and the mysterious Huntsmen who opposed them had a huge stake.
Now someone is killing street kids in the city, and the police have tied Ricky to the crimes. Setting out with Gabriel’s help to clear Ricky’s name, Olivia once again finds her own life at risk. Soon the three are tangled in a web of betrayals that threatens their uneasy equilibrium and is pushing them toward a hard choice: either they fulfill their destinies by trusting each other and staying true to their real bonds, or they succumb to the extraordinary forces trying to win an eternal war by tearing them apart.”
This is the fourth book in the Cainsville series and I absolutely adored it. There are supposed to be five books in this series. The fifth book, Rituals, is expected to release in August of 2017.
This series just blends together so many story elements that I love. There is some great mystery in here, some wonderful urban fantasy elements, some thriller aspects, and a bit of romance. This is very much an investigative type of urban fantasy. I love the fae theme that flows throughout this book as well.
This book reveals a lot more about the ancient Fae past that Gabriel, Olivia, and Ricky are tied in with. We see a lot more flashbacks to their past lives and the way this triangle of love and friendship played out in past generations.
Some more of Cainsville’s secrets are slowly exposed and I really enjoy the mystery behind this small town of Fae. I also always enjoy watching Olivia and Gabriel working together to unravel a mystery and there is a very well done mystery in this book that ties into the overall story nicely.
My favorite part of the book was the changing dynamic between Olivia and Gabriel. There are some scenes between those two that will practically stop your heart with their intensity, beauty and pain. I loved Ricky all the more for consideration he gives to the happiness of everyone involved in this crazy ancient fey triangle of love and hate.
The writing is amazing and flows very nicely. This book is incredibly engaging and very very hard to put down. It’s one of those books that I didn’t want to end and when it did end I immediately found myself wishing for the next book.
Overall this was an absolutely amazing read. I am loving this series so much more than anything Armstrong has written. It’s got an amazing world, excellent mysteries, and engaging characters; it’s just such a wonderful balance of so many story elements. I would highly recommend to urban fantasy fans who love investigative stories. I have also really been enjoying Armstrong’s Casey Duncan series; City of the Lost was amazing (although no fantasy elements in that one). So if you enjoy this series check out the Casey Duncan series too!
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– New Release Challenge
– Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge
