and Falling, Fly by Skyler White

and Falling, Fly by Skyler White
Review copy provided by author.

Author's web site.

PJV's Quickie POV: Unique.  If I could sum up this book in one word, that would be it. The tone, the setting and the characters are all unique creations by this new author, Skyler White. The tone/voice is the first thing you notice, imagine if an early American author were to have written a paranormal romance. The rich language usage, and intense symbolism, combined with the hints of steampunk and dark sexuality make for a great read, if a little more highbrow than your usual PNR.

Review: Olivia is a fallen angel of desire, damned. A vampire now, forced to take, feed off the desire and fear of others, but never feel it herself. Olivia has been on a quest, a quest for love and redemption, a way to get her wings and return to Heaven. Dominic O'Shaughnessy is a neuroscientist, on a quest of his own. He is plagued by memories, memories of lives that he might have lived, but he can't have lived them, according to his scientific brain,  so they must be delusions.

Both their quests lead to the Hotel of the Damned.  A strange place where the Reborn and the Vampire try to find peace in the comfort of other like themselves, others who are damned by the choices of their forebearers, of themselves, or just by happenstance.

This novel is little pieces of everything.  There are hints of steampunk in the depths of the Hotel of the Damned, with churning gadgets and spinning dance floors idly mentioned.  It is a little bit of romance, with the main characters finding love, and the focus might be on that pursuit of love, but so much more is going on than the romance.  It is a smidgen of horror, with the vampire sisters of Olivia fully showing the darkness that she could be.  What it is in it's entirety is a dark paranormal novel that tries to answer the question What is desire?

I really enjoyed this novel, and while it rehashed a common theme; vampires are actually fallen angels, it wrapped it in a very different package.  The character development was spot on, I felt I really knew these two creatures by the time the novel ended.  World building was also well done, the Hotel was such a monstrous construction it was as if it was it's own world in itself.  My problems with the novel weren't much in comparison to excellence of the novel, but they did have a detrimental effect, because at the end of the book I was ready for it to be over. It was like a busy vacation, full of sight-seeing, hiking, tours, etc., you loved the experience but when the five or seven days are over, your ready to head home because it was so tiring.  This is what this novel was for me, it was a very tiring ride.

I mentioned the tone of the novel and the uniqueness, and while enjoyable by the end was wearing me out.  Then during the climax the POV shifted back and forth quickly that I became confused at some point.  The end just raced on and on until I think I was out of breath...a great ride, but phew I'm pooped. So, definitely a must read...just wear comfortable shoes.

Recommendations: Adults that enjoy Urban Fantasy and Dark Paranormal will enjoy this novel.  I do not recommend for introduction to the genre or for younger readers.