A Wish Too Dark And Kind by M.L. Blackbird
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Synopsis: Among the immortals that inhabit our world, Arnaud Demeure is known as the man who can fulfill your one true wish or who can also conjure your worst nightmares.
Eight invitations are sent to eight immortals, and when Arnaud Demeure hosts a party, no one refuses his request. Why have they been summoned? Is it for a celebration or does a sinister fate await them? After all, in the ways of magick, a party can also be a ritual to end the world.
As the mystery deepens, the attendees must overcome their personal grudges to unravel the threads of Demeure's grand plan that has been centuries in the making. But, with one of the guests secretly working with their host to sabotage the group's every move, it seems impossible to look behind the curtain to learn Demeure's true intentions.
With each guest hiding dark secrets and darker intentions, will they be able to uncover Demeure's mysterious motives or will the party prove to be the deadly nightmare that they each fear?
What a synopsis, huh? As soon as I read it, I knew I had to read it. Just in time for spooky season aka Halloween. The book starts off ... interestingly and took me a moment to know what was going on before we switched characters. We are introduced to Alexandra, or Alex, who works at the School of Winchester (Is this a Supernatural reference? I hope). My feelings towards her were conflicting. I mean, she is a boss-ass chick but sis is also rude, but it could just be her ego. She's practically immortal. Then we meet Millard and Hermann, and there are mentions of dreams and Paris. Then we meet Daniel, and if you are not catching on, we are going to keep meeting new characters.
That was one of the things that stopped this from being a 5 in my book. Almost the first 75 pages are introductions to these characters. They are getting invited to this event by Arnaud Demeure who we still kind of don't know. We get tidbits from his letters but not enough, and it frustrated me a bit because I wanted to know more sooner.
Another aspect of this book that stopped it from getting a 5 was the back and forth between timelines. Personally, I am not a fan of them. One moment you're getting to the nitty-gritty with a storyline, but then you are pulled out with the other. Once I got pulled out, I was reminded I was reading a book and not getting lost in the story. Which this book does set up to be fantastical.
Finally, I feel like the book could have been edited more. What I mean by that is, some chunks I would remove. Have us start at the party, then learn more about the characters through conversations. Something to move it along quickly. As I mentioned, we spend almost a 1/4 of it just getting background.
However, Blackbird makes up for it in the second half of the book when we are all caught up to the party. These characters all with a connection in one way or another realize something is amidst. Having characters like Alexandra and Ioan helped me looked for clues. Daniel, oh sweet Daniel, was a good stand-in for the reader as he is learning just as we are.
Another thing Blackbird has done well was building this magick system and world up. It's a world you want to get lost in and explore more. His description paints a vivid picture and you feel as if you are part of this world. While it is complex I think the beauty lies in that. You can tell that a lot of hard work went into building it, as it practically leaps off the pages. However, some descriptions may make you shiver but dammit it's so freaking good.
As a murder mystery fan (I'm serious, that's what I am doing for my birthday) I was excited to get to the party. I wanted to Clue it up with the best of them, and figure out what the hell is going and why this party? Blackbird does a great job at that suspense and the whirlwinds of mystery that you just have to give it an A+.
So it gets a 3.5, and I do want to say to Blackbird. You have a story with the School of Winchester! Alex, and whatever the hell is going on there needs its own book. I would love to read that story.
Overall great book, with wonderful graphics here and there. If you are into gothic, mysteries, and/or the fantastical world check this book out! I do warn it's a dark story, and happy endings, ain't happening in this novel. However, if you want to feel chills and see morally grey characters curl up with a book just in time for All Hallows Eve.
This book will be available in November 2021.
I received this ARC in exchange for a review.
