Confession time: I held off reviewing All Drugged Up, Parts 1 & 2 (Haven Books 3 & 4) until completing The I of Me, the 5th but hopefully not the final book of the Haven Series. That’s because the three books are really one story split into three parts. The same might be said of White Witch, Where Art Thou (books 1 & 2), but books 3-5 didn’t have the same sense of closure after each installment–each ended on a cliffhanger that was clearly going to pick up again immediately with the next book.
I withheld judgment on All Drugged Up because frankly, I wanted to see how Ray’s struggle against the Hag unfolded. If the Hag turned out to be just what she seemed in books 1 & 2, then I was going to be seriously disappointed that she managed to cause so much trouble and dominated so many books! Thankfully, The I of Me finally answered all (well, most) of the nagging questions I had about the Hag, and did so in a way that justified not only her dominance of the main story arc, but also what I earlier thought was an unfair level of success against Ray and her friends. She turned out to indeed be a worthy villain, the real villain of all 5 books! And we all know the villain makes a good story every bit as much as a good hero(ine), if not more so. Fear not, the Hag is much more than she originally seems, and is indeed that worthy villain this series needed!
As is the case with all of the Haven books, this book was dark–the darkest of all in fact. There are definitely things that are going to make you mad or strike you as monumentally unfair! Ray is every bit as awesome as she was in book 1–I don’t think anyone can seriously contest Ray’s awesomeness. She also gains some great abilities as the story progresses and can finally hold her own against all those pesky Seelie fae who so outmatched her in earlier books. It was wonderful to watch Ray grow in both strength and knowledge. On the other hand, without giving everything away, if you’re expecting a neat little happy ending, (1) you probably aren’t a fan of Game of Thrones, and (2) this might not be the book for you. If you’re all right with a little cosmic “unfairness” just like this little world we inhabit, then sit back and enjoy the ride!
The I of Me was riveting from start to finish and I simply could not put it down. It’s that good. And long held questions finally get answered, making it a very satisfying read for that reason alone. There’s also plenty of action, and some old friends and familiar faces. This entire series is a must read!
Although the book ties up the 5-book battle between Ray and Myra/Lana a.k.a. The Hag, I would love to see at least another Haven book. It doesn’t even have to be a direct sequel, but I still have questions. I want to see what Lily has been up to. I want to see if a certain group sticks to their bargain with Ray. I want to know how the two Kings learn (or don’t learn) to get along and coexist. I want to see Ray’s father reunited with his mate. And…I want to see Ray with some hope for happiness, perhaps allowed to be with her demon family after appropriate oaths are made to ensure neither side can use her against the other or to violate the all-important bargain Ray had to make. I can see options for her. And I’d like to read about it. I love this world, well, the three worlds, and I want to see more of them!
The Wyrd 