Review: Hell or High Water by Hailey Edwards

Hell or High Water
Author: Hailey Edwards
Reviewer: Vampbard
Rating: A+

What I’m Talking About:

What? You haven’t started reading Hailey Edwards’ Black Dog series? You guys…get on that. I know, every time Ms. Edwards releases a title in the series or a spin-off series, I say the same thing. I MEAN IT. In the latest release in the Gemini series, Hell or High Water, there’s all the feels, and I honestly wish I could’ve holed up somewhere and devoured the story in one sitting.

If you HAVE been reading this series, there’s a lot of awww and booyah! moments. There’s more than one oh, HECK no! happening as well. And…a whole lot of crazy, awesome, and wonderful things that gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling by the end. Don’t get me wrong, we still get Cam & Cord in some kick-ass stuff, and some help from Theirry (Black Dog titles). It seems like Cam’s plot arc has resolved, however (take THAT, Charybdis!). We have the promise of Lorimar Pack books (go, Dell!!!) and what’s this I see on Ms. Edwards’ website? Is Harlow getting a book?!? *grabby hands*

I really liked watching the evolution of the pack—the Lorimar pack. Cam & Cord’s relationship development was spectacular. What I like about this couple is that they don’t immediately jump into bed because they’re attracted to one another. They’re definitely a slow burn relationship, and it makes their ultimate connection that much sweeter. And the way she portrays Cord as an Alpha male is refreshing. He’s still all growly and leaning toward the bossy side, but he lets Cam pull up her big girl panties and she’s ‘allowed’ to have an opinion without him getting all super-alpha-grumpy.

Readers of the series know Cam has lived with her aunt since she was eight—when her twin died. Oh, you guys. We find out why! Totally zipping my lip—spoiler-free—but desperately want to discuss! Definitely didn’t see this coming. Not. At. All.

I think what really left an impression on me with the Gemini titles—especially Hell or High Water—is the concept of family and belonging. It’s seriously powerful. Thoughtfully written. We’re all born into a family, which usually contains a specific set of conditions or complications. Especially if you’re fae, living in the human world. We also have a connection to other groups of people, illustrated by the warg pack here. These are the family we choose for ourselves, our tribe. These are the people that have your back no matter what. I mean, family can do that as well, but it seems like it means more when that self-sacrificing behavior comes from someone that isn’t obligated to do so. The differences between the ‘pack’ mentality and ‘family’ are a bit different, and for someone like Cam—who has been more a loner her entire life—it takes getting used to. This realization was a punch in the gut for me. I turn to my own tribe a ton. Today, with technology the way it is, our tribe can be around the globe. Which is pretty cool. I love my tribe, and I really need to be a lot better about showing how much they mean to me.

I know my review hasn’t been really focused on precisely what happens in Hell or High Water. It’s really difficult to talk about the story itself without unraveling one of the tightly-woven threads Ms. Edwards had crafted in this story. Sorry, not sorry. I can’t recommend this series enough. If you’re in the market for paranormal-meets-urban fantasy, you can start with the Gemini series, but I’d honestly go all the way back to the first Black Dog title, Dog with a Bone. Well-worth your time and energy.

My Rating: A+ Personal Favorite

About the Book:

Camille Ellis has gone rogue agent, and there’s no turning back now. The conclave might have put the Charybdis case to bed, but Cam isn’t willing to let it lie. No badge doesn’t mean no backup these days. 

As mate to an alpha warg, she has access to new and lethal resources. A whole pack full of them. And they all want justice for the sins committed against them. 

But the stakes are higher than she knows, the secrets exposed darker than she feared, and the cost of winning higher than she ever imagined.

Release Date: July 30, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Series: Black Dog: A Gemini Book #3
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Format(s): paperback (244 pages), e-book
Book Source: NetGalley

Purchase Info:
Amazon

Reviews in the Series:
Dead in the Water by Hailey Edwards (Black Dog: A Gemini Book #1)
Head Above Water by Hailey Edwards (Black Dog: A Gemini Book #2)