Review: Rapture's Edge By J.T. Geissinger

Welcome back after my brief interlude! I’m finally sitting down to unload my thoughts about the third installment in J.T. Geissinger’s Night Prowler Series: Rapture’s Edge.

If you’ve been following my reviews for the first two books, you know I’ve had some mixed feelings about the world of the Ikati, but I was definitely ready to see how the stakes would ramp up in this one. It’s always fun to see how a long running series evolves, especially when it comes to the balance of secret supernatural societies and the inevitable drama that follows.

Plot Summary

SECRETS…In the hidden world that exists beside our own, a mirror world of ancient magic and elegant deceptions, a world of people who are so much more than they first appear, a war is brewing. Most of these Gifted people—the Ikati, a savage, sensual race of lethal predators—are content to hide behind human smiles, disguising their splendor in order to survive. But others are discontent. And they will hide no longer.

BETRAYALS…Eliana lives for two things only: vengeance on the man who killed her father and seeing her father’s dream of living in the open with humans come to pass. But that dream is far too dangerous for The Hunt, a group of elite Ikati assassins with one objective: eliminate her before she can expose their secrets to the world.

SEDUCTION…Demetrius is haunted by the memory of the woman he once loved. He will risk everything to save her from the killers on her tail…and convince her, before the ancient walls between two worlds crumble, that only together can they defeat their real enemy, a brilliant, cunning traitor far more deadly than either of them can guess.

(Via Goodreads)

Quality of Writing

Rating: 4/5

The writing in Rapture’s Edge stays pretty consistent with what we saw in the second book. I gotta admit, it still gives off those mild Wattpad vibes, but I’ve actually found myself warming up to it as the series progresses.

Since we have the same narrator as the previous book, the experience was equally great – she continues to do a much better job with the male voices than what we heard in the first book, which definitely makes for an easier listen!

Plot Development

Rating: 3/5

As far as plot goes, Rapture’s Edge was a bit of a mixed bag for me. While I initially really dug the femme fatale energy and the gritty criminal underworld setting, the pacing started to feel a little tedious after a while. I found myself a touch confused on where the story was actually headed, and a lot of that frustration came from Eliana. Her constant indecisiveness was tough to get through. Even as things got way more intense and dangerous, she mostly seemed to be twiddling her thumbs instead of taking action, which made the middle of the book a bit of a drag.

Characters

Rating: 3/5

I really loved how Demetrius loves with his whole heart in Rapture’s Edge, and Gregor was easily my favorite side character of the series so far, though I’m honestly not sure where his story goes from here, if anywhere at all. On the other hand, Eliana really tested my patience. She dragged her feet on Demetrius for way too long and kept blaming him for everything instead of, oh I don’t know, having a conversation maybe?

Also, while I usually like a dark antagonist, Cesar’s depravity gave off major sex pest vibes instead of cunning evil mastermind. Seeing that side of him didn’t exactly sell me on him being a major threat.

Ease of Reading

Rating: 5/5

Matching the vibe of the first two books, Rapture’s Edge is a total breeze to get through. I felt just as pulled in as I was with the second book, mostly because the plot moves at a solid clip that kept me decently interested without feeling overwhelmed. It’s an easy to follow read where you don’t have to overthink things, making it perfect for a quick binge.

Ending

Rating: 4/5

I’m truly relieved that Eliana and Demetrius finally got their act together and sorted out their drama in Rapture’s Edge. I really did enjoy their romance when they weren’t busy not communicating!

It was also such a treat to see Jenna make a cameo from the first book, and I loved how the story integrated Eliana and Demetrius’s colony. I’m still a little up in the air about how the next book will focus on, but after also having a minor cameo, my money is on Christian (Leander’s brother from book one).

Would I Recommend This Book

I’d definitely give Rapture’s Edge a thumbs up. While it didn’t completely blow me away, I’m enjoying the series as a whole and really liked getting an introduction to the main antagonist. Things are finally getting juicy, and I have zero desire to stop reading now!

Overall Rating

The overall vibe for Rapture’s Edge is pretty solid, even with a few bumps in the road. The writing and voice acting stayed consistent with the rest of the series, which I really appreciate. While the plot had some great action, Eliana’s indecisiveness made things feel a bit tedious at times, and I wasn’t totally sold on the new antagonist’s introduction. That said, the romance was steamy, the pacing was decent, and those cameos from the first book were a nice touch. I’m definitely curious to see where this series goes from here.

Book Rating: 3.5/5

Spice Rating: 3/5

Curious about how I rate my reads? Check out my Rating System Blog Post for more!