About the Book
-
Author:
- Tracy Wolff
- Genres:
- Contemporary
- Fantasy
- Paranormal
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- Straight
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: Finally
BFF Charm: Yay
Talky Talk: Paranormal AF
Bonus Factors: Proper Partnership, Easter Egg
Factor: Prison
Anti-Bonus Factor: Death
Relationship Status: Thinking About PDA
Red alert! Covet is the third book in the Crave series. If you have not read the first two books in the series (Crave and Crush), man your battle stations turn away now, as there might be spoilers in this review. If you’re caught up, however, feel free to continue below.
Cover Story: Finally
Thematically, this certainly looks like a cousin of the Twilight Saga, but I’m glad they’ve finally moved away from the black, white, and red color scheme (slightly).
The Deal:
After the life-altering events of the Ludares tournament, closely followed by Grace’s personal trial to join the Circle, everyone’s reeling—but no more so than Grace, who was severed from her mate only to find herself mated to his brother. Neither of them wants to hurt Jaxon, but they aren’t sold on the lengths they’ll need to go to in order to break their bond and fix the one between Jaxon and Grace if either is even possible.
And then there’s the warrant out for Hudson, a decree from his father that will send him to a terrifying and supposedly escape-proof prison if he sets foot off the Katmere grounds. A place Grace might end up in, too, if they can’t figure a way out of the mess they find themselves in.
BFF Charm: Yay
Grace continues to be a total badass, but I couldn’t help by roll my eyes at her insistence on saving Jaxon. (He’s not that great, Grace. I don’t want him to die, but he’s really not worth you dying, either.) That said, she continues to gain confidence in her abilities, even when her gargoyle is dormant, and that had me cheering. She’s gonna blow the roof off the world by the time this series is done, but do so in a sort of gradual, more believable way than some other YA heroes.
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Although they both spend much of the book denying their feelings and trying to fix Jaxon (to the detriment of said feelings), there are some really great scenes between Hudson and Grace in Covet that kept me going. I hope we get more in subsequent books, though, because these two are hot enough that they’re gonna start a fire if they don’t get some relief!
Talky Talk: Paranormal AF
I’ve already talked about how well Wolff depicts teenagers (or teenage-looking creatures), and Covet is no exception. Her world-building is also excellent, and expands with each novel in a way that has me wishing (some of) it was reality. (I’ll pass on the torture prison, thanks.)
Bonus Factor: Proper Partnership
Although the Crave series is filled with (appropriately YA) over-the-top dramatics, and the whole idea of “fated mates” is somewhat problematic, Wolff has written a particularly compelling representation of a good relationship in the one between Hudson and Grace. Where her relationship with Jaxon was fraught with “he doesn’t understand me” and “he wants to protect me by putting me on a shelf” antics, Hudson and Grace are much more of a partnership in which they’re at varying times equals or betters, depending on the situation. Sure, he wants to protect her, but he also wants to support her in being able to protect herself.
But right from the beginning, things have been different with Hudson. He saw every part of me, even the parts I’m not proud of. He took me on my good days and teased me out of my bad moods on my most obnoxious days, and he loved me through it all. He believed in me through it all. He protects me—of course he does—but he does it so differently than Jaxon. He pushes me, believes in me, wants me to be the best and strongest that I can be.
Bonus Factor: Easter Egg
A new character is introduced in Covet, a character by the name of Remy who has a New Orleans accent and calls people cher.
I see what you did there, Tracy.
Factor: Prison
Prisons are not good places. But magical, “atonement” prisons are fascinating, even if they do torture undeserving people by way of “rehabilitation.” In Covet, Grace, Hudson, and [REDACTED] are sent to such a place, the Aethereum, through Cyrus’s machinations. It’s a truly terrible place, in which people are tortured through too-realistic mental nightmares, but it has a fascinating culture all its own.
Anti-Bonus Factor: Death
While I doubt Wolff will ever kill off any of the main characters, she certainly isn’t averse to offing people who will still be missed.
Relationship Status: Thinking About PDA
I know I said I didn’t want to take our relationship public, Book, but I’m reconsidering my view. You’ve been a really great partner so far, and I can’t deny the chemistry. We’ll take it slow and see how things go, OK?
Literary Matchmaking
Something about the contained lawlessness of the Aethereum reminded me a lot of the magical world of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series.
Jodi Meadows’ Fallen Isles series also features undeserving folks being sent to prison and having to use their wiles to escape.
Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows has similar themes of found family and doing wrong for what’s right.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Entangled: Teen, but got neither a private dance party with Tom Hiddleston nor money in exchange for this review. Covet is available now.
