Blood, Smoke and Mirrors wasn't what I expected. To be fair it was exactly what the description said it would be, but somehow I expected a completely different feel than it had. I think it was more fairytale than PNR, despite the vamps and werewolves. But different than expected isn't necessarily all bad. I enjoyed it. Cat is a likeable heroine, though the ever present cigarette annoyed me...a lot. I get that it gave her a personality quirk, but I didn't enjoy it. It bothered me in the same way that smelling smoke irks the nonsmokers in a restaurant. I wanted to waft it away. Lex, or Alexander Duquesne (how do you pronounce that?) was smexy, yum. Though I felt like he was missing for half the book, giving Zach room to grow on the reader. I felt disloyal rooting for him since

Spoiler

Cat was obviously going to be with her soul mate, Lex, in the end and not Zach

. Honestly, I bought book two almost solely to see what happens to/with Zach. I want him to have a happy ending. The fairy siblings were a hoot (poor Tybalt) and though Mac faded out about half way through the book I liked him too.

The book did feel a little bit lopsided. Cat overcame one major challenge only to step right into a second one, either of which could have been expanded to a full book. What's more, there didn't seem to be enough importance attached to the first one.

Spoiler

I mean come on, that was her father! But he might as well have been a stranger for all the difference it made to her.

The second dilemma was of lesser overall significance, but given more attention than the first. I was still left with questions though.

Spoiler

What was Zach's intended purpose in holding her hostage for a month? Was something happening outside of Harrison Tower that he wanted to keep her distracted from? Was he planning to fall in love with her from the beginning? I doubt it. Did her really expect to convince her to be part of his plans?

What was the point? I get what the outcome was, but that is only relevant after the fact.

All-in-all, despite being written in first person present tense (which almost always drives me up the wall) I enjoyed the read. It was fun, didn't take itself too seriously and passed the hours easily. I'm off to start [b:Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered|13449204|Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered|Robyn Bachar|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328153942s/13449204.jpg|18970081] now.