Filthy and profane and fabulous, DOUBLETAKE seduced me with it's sly wit and cavalier heroes. Though this was my first Cal Leandros book, Thurman's combination of recap and forward momentum meant I dove in without a hitch. Robin Goodfellow's Panic flew by in a haze of hormones and g-strings, and by the tim things moved on to murderous automatons and mummified cats, I was hooked.

Though the first third of DOUBLETAKE was an entertaining rush, switching gears from horny pucks to a homicidal nemesis slowed things down considerably. The world building was still fascinating, but the quips were harder to come by. Just as Cal and his partners didn't know how to to defeat their enemy, so the story meanders as they pursue numerous avenues looking for an edge. Luckily, I'm a sucker for a good buddy story, and the devotion of these two brothers and their puck sidekick more than qualifies. It was this rough and tumble camaraderie that held my attention, and by the time the story had reached Cal's rotund, amorous arms dealer, I was invested in the plot again.

Thurman has created characters that leap off the page, equal parts preternatural and darkly funny. And though I thought DOUBLETAKE slowed down in the middle, I admire the organic way various plots and schemes wound through this book and the series as a whole. Though I'm not in any hurry to go back and read the pain and insanity Cal has struggled with in prior books, I'm certainly invested in the metamorphosis he's on the cusp of now.

Full review to follow.

Sexual content: References to sex, rape, and descriptions of an orgy.

Originally posted at The Wandering Fangirl.

I love Caliban Leandros. And Niko. I love this entire series, and I always have such a blast reading the books no matter if they’re awesome or just alright. Doubletake was a pretty decent addition to the series, though at times it felt like so little was happening despite how easily I kept turning the pages. The new big bad was crazier than crazy (in a good way), though Robin’s “family” reunion was a little too much and not enough at the same time. There’s not too much more I can say, I think. I enjoyed Doubletake and can’t wait for more Cal in my life.