Fateless (Stateless #3)

(I received this book as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.) 'Fateless,' the most recent release by Meli Raine, was my first exposure to her Stateless series. It's the third book in the series, and I feel like I might have enjoyed it more if I'd already been familiar with them, but it's still a page turner and if you don't mind first person narratives, this is a good quick downtime read. From a writing standpoint, the story is solid. After all, Raine is a USA Today best selling author, according to the bio on her site. She's the author of several series, which lends her plenty of experience and she really does have some interesting ideas. I'm just not a fan of the writing style. The story flip flops back and forth between the POV of two characters, Kina and Callum. Literally, every chapter it switches up. That feels a little too formulaic for me and everything is conveyed through the book pseudo-directly from those POV characters. It's not just passing through their minds as they observe this or that, it reads as if they're deliberately explaining it. In fact, it feels more like a tag team narration, than a story to experience. There are some really intriguing plot points that could be great scenes, but they're a bit thin and seem to dissipate as they near their peaks. Kina and Callum are very likeable though and I found myself rooting for them quickly, which considering their backstory, is kind of amazing. Though I feel the pacing is a bit off, I still burned through it in about a day. I think in an attempt to convey the action sequences, it often came across as hurried explanations and too frequent use of a couple important terms, but it's entirely possible that Raine intends for us to feel rushed due to the urgency of what's happening around her characters.

Fateless is the perfect ending to this phenomenal series! If you think the heat, danger, and passion was intense in the first two books, then you are in for a wonderful treat when you see what is in store for you. Nothing is as it seems, and the danger and manipulation goes far beyond what you may have guessed. What you find is nothing short of marvelous, sinister, and incredible. It is truly something beyond words. Kina has had her world turned upside down in the blink of an eye. All she wants is safety and to keep her family alive. She isn't sure what will happen next, but she will not allow anymore danger to touch their lives if it's the last thing she does. Callum doesn't know how things got to this point. All he wanted was to find the truth, and what he found has transformed his life in more ways then he can keep track of. Can hope come out of fear and distrust? Will they all see the light of another day, or will they face their last minutes on this Earth at any second?Kina has to face her greatest challenge no matter how unprepared she finds herself. Can Callum protect her this time and keep the evil in the world from tainting her, or will she find herself becoming a victim in the most heinous of circumstances? Kina and Callum are two beautifully complex characters who are the most in sync couple that Raine has written to date in my opinion. I was utterly fascinated at how their training allowed them to read each other so accurately and thoroughly that just one glance would give them enough information on the other to write a whole book. I loved how there was no guessing as to how the other was feeling especially seeing that the strain and agony of moving from one mindset of living to the complete opposite was incredibly challenging and left my heart hurting for them. This book was a true challenge to my heart and left me desperate to know what would happen next. We are treated to the immense pleasure of seeing Meli Raine's immense talent tie all of the obvious and obscure threads into a complex and breathtaking masterpiece that has been building since her very first series. Watching the beautiful tapestry take shape in all its beauty and depth stole the very breathe from my lungs when realization finally hit. This book was absolute wonder and stunning amazement in its purest form. This culmination of this fascinating adventure is pure heaven! She is truly a literary master and genius when it comes to wicked twists and turns as she transforms the simple word into a stunningly complex and emotional journey.

The last book in this trilogy answered all of the questions and has opened the door for even more. After reading the first two books in the series, I definitely thought that I would get this trilogy more if I had read any of the books that came before it. While waiting for this book, I read Lindsay's story and started Jane's and they definitely made me have a greater understanding of Stateless. The ending to Kina and Callum's story was really wild!! There was so much suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and racing through the pages. I have my fingers crossed that there will be more to these interconnected series!!