Release Day Review ~ Beneath This Mask By Victoria Sue
Title: Beneath This Mask
Author: Victoria Sue
Release Date: January 16, 2018
Category: Paranormal Other, Science Fiction
Pages: 206
Gael Peterson has spent years hiding behind the enhanced abilities he wears like a mask, even though he is an important, confident member of the FBI’s exclusive H.E.R.O. team. The hurt and betrayal of his mom’s abandonment and his father’s fists are secrets buried deep beneath the ugly scars on his face, and he doesn’t trust Jake, his new regular human partner, with any of them. In a world where those with special abilities like Gael’s are regarded as freaks and monsters, it won’t be easy for him to rely on Jake to have his back, especially when the abilities of a vulnerable, enhanced, nonspeaking child make that child a murder suspect.
Tempers rise and loyalties are challenged, and when the serial killer targeting the enhanced finally sets his sights on Gael, not only will Gael have to trust Jake with his secrets, he might have to trust him to save his life.
4.5 Stars!
Before I really get started, let me say that I recommend reading the previous books in this series prior to reading this one. There is a lot going on here and without completely knowing and understanding the world building it was sometimes overwhelming trying to keep up. However, once you are able to get lost in the story, it’s a fun and suspenseful ride.
What I Loved: There is nothing better than a good whodunnit when you’re reading this type of book. I was amazed at how well everything played out leaving me guessing up until the end. I won’t pretend that I didn’t have my suspicions as to who might have been behind things but, honestly, I was far from sure, not to mention I really didn’t see how the puzzle pieces fit together until it was time for us to find out. Victoria Sue did a great job keeping me on my toes with this one.
I also loved the fact that while these characters have extraordinary abilities and are in a way connected to law enforcement, they aren’t superheroes. They don’t have this all knowing quality about them that I see in so many books similar to this. They felt more realistic than I would’ve imagined at first and it made it all so much easier to connect with.
I adored Jake, he could’ve been a true jerk considering the way his partner Gael treated him but he never was. He seemed to understand that this was hard for everyone and took things in stride. He was patient and loyal to Gael from the very beginning and there wasn’t a whole lot of angst surrounding his feelings, which I have to tell you was a relief with all there was going on in this story.
What I Liked: I liked Gael very much, I only wished we could have gotten a little more of his supposed strength that was talked about. It was alluded to more than once (remember I didn’t read books 1 and 2 so this is my first and only look at Gael’s personality) that he was viewed as Stalin’s second. That he was the most calm and approachable of the team. I picture him as a strong and confident force that others look up to. While yes, he was a great character, this story really focused on his vulnerabilities, his insecurities and his emotional side and didn’t quite show as much of his strengths as I would have liked to see. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a pretty tough character and I enjoyed him with his team and Jake, I just felt like I wanted a little more of the implied dynamic between him and Talon.
The Secondary Characters are what has me anticipating more from this series. I liked Angel and I’m truly anxious to see how that all plays out. I didn’t really get to know Vance but the glimpses of him I did see I really liked. I have a feeling his story is going to be a lot of fun. There’s also Eli and Sawyer and I have a feeling many good things are to come from each of their stories as well.
What I Didn’t Like: I really feel like the parts that I didn’t like had more to do with me not being familiar with the series that with the book itself. Mainly, the thing that bothered me was not quite understanding each character’s enhancement, their backstory and how they all fit together. I sometimes found myself confused at the team’s position within law enforcement and society. It was a lot to keep straight.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it to those who love a good mystery or suspense with a paranormal slant to it.
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
No comments:
Post a Comment