Debbie's Spurts

This reader's personal opinion, ©2018, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by goodreads, Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

Not completely sure what I think of this first in series or if I'll continue.  There were hints of unique and interesting worldbuilding and characters.  Some humor.  Read more gangbanger than mobster.  May just be first book-itis and rest of series a strong one.

I'm not sure the book knew what it wanted to be.  Lots of new stuff thrown in at end.  The mystery part did not progress well.  Some moralizing and some rationalizing; seemed not sure how gangsta to make her with whiffs of reform.  Sometimes I started to connect to the character but a lot of time I did not because she didn't connect well to others (well, okay, an otherworldly BFF and new roommate eventually tossed in -- not really explained why our "heroine" befriended this Otherworld one but enslaved another Otherworld ...).

It was well written, but kinda a mess.  If I hadn't accidentally library borrowed the next book mistaking series order, not sure how much I would have read.  It was a book/series that kept showing up on my radar so probably I would have finished at least this first book.

*©2018.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher (except Penumbra Publishing) to reprint/quote in whole or in part. I may also have cross-posted on The Reading Room, Libib, LibraryThing, and other sites including retailers like kobo and Barnes and Noble. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties or indicate release of copyright.  

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Average.   Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked or meh? but kept reading in hopes would improve.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." If author is going batshit crazy in the blogosphere over reviews -- I now know why they are getting bad reviews.  Or maybe author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)