Wrong Side Of Dead (Dreg City #4) by Kelly Meding
Urban Fantasy
January 31, 2012
Bantam

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “Everyone around me dies except for me. Even when I beg for it.“

Some tiny spoilers from last book.

Wrong Side Of Dead starts a few weeks after Another Kind Of Dead. Evy was rescued from captivity after she willingly gave herself up to save her friends lives in return for the fae crystal. William Thackery, Evy’s captor, tortured Evy mercilessly, all in the attempt to further his plans to annihilate the vampire population. Once again, Evy dies and rises, causing her and Wyatt to reevaluate their relationship. Evy’s powers continue to evolve though no one is quite sure what she may eventually end up as. Evy learns that while she was gone, a tentative alliance has been formed between the supernatural council and the hunters. The supernatural’s no longer live in fear of the hunters and Evy finds herself at a loss to where she goes from here. Though the Triad betrayed her over and over, she knows nothing else. When Phin’s family is kidnapped, Evy finds out that once again she and the hunters have been manipulated by higher powers. As the new alliance struggles to locate Phin’s family and Thackery, Evy and Wyatt begin to truly understand the roles they and their fellow hunters played in the horror that has rained upon Dreg City.

Kelly Meding’s Dreg City series is a dark edgy Urban Fantasy filled with explosive action, nail biting intrigue, and dry humor. The originality of this series is its appeal. It continues to expand and evolve, perfectly balancing the world it’s set in with the characters who inhabit it. Betrayal and redemption are the cornerstones in which this series is built. Prejudice, fear, and secret agendas are the bricks that encompass it. Misdirection and hidden agendas keep us on our toes as we enter into Dreg City and watch as the good and the bad twist and turn together, riding a fine gray line that continuously blurs. Smooth writing, a fast pace, and engaging dialogue has you racing to see how it all ends. This installment is a conclusion to the major storyline while advancing the overall arc. Long awaited answers are finally answered and multiple subplots put to rest. For that reason I do not recommend starting the series with this installment. Each book picks up where the last one left off with not much background or summary of what has already occurred.

The first half of Wrong Side Of Dead gives us an indepth look at what happened during those weeks after Evy was rescued up till now as we flash from past to present, finally learning what really happened when fellow hunter, Felix, was hurt and Evy was captured. A little abrupt at times with the switching time lines, this emotional story is heartfelt and absorbing as Evy and Wyatt try to come to terms with their relationship, their past deeds, and where they will go from here. Wyatt is having a hard time reconciling that Evy keeps dying on him, taking a piece of his soul each and every time. Evy hates that Wyatt is suffering for for who and what she is. Phin sees the turmoil they are going through and offers up some advice.

“No one can predict the future Evy, not even the wisest of mages. Lovers die and hearts break. Losing my wife was the worst agony I have ever endured, but even knowing our short time together, I’d gladly suffer it again. Because now, with time between us, I think of her and remember the joy.”

The second half the book focuses on wrapping up the main plot that has engaged us through out the series and lets us in on many of the sub plots that were happening behind the scenes. I felt this book was more a character driven then the others in that we are given peeks into each mind, friend and enemy, and see what they saw and felt during this shadow war. Old and new players are brought together and we see more of a concentrated effort to work as a team. Though old prejudices are still apparent, an new era is emerging and I for one am anxious to see where this will lead.

Evy, our heroine, continues to grow and now sees herself as more then an extension of the Triad. Strong, loyal, and very much in love with Wyatt, she is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure his safety. Courageous to a fault, her deeds have not been in vain and many have her back, to her continuous surprise.

Wyatt and Phin are both a strong part of Evy’s life though in different ways. Wyatt loves Evy with his whole heart and it kills him each time she is hurt or dies. He feels responsible for all she has endured and finds himself standing on a precipice-unsure if staying with her is the best for either of them. Phin, an owlkin, is Evy’s friend of the heart. She risked her life to save his family once and for that she will always have his loyalty. Working with her and getting to know her has turned that loyalty into an unbreakable bond of friendship. A part of him is attracted to her on a physical level but he knows that Wyatt is the only one for her.

The ending comes at you hard and fast as Ms. Meding throws some enormous obstacles in our path that shocks and leaves us frantically reading to see how she will get our characters out of these messes. The conclusion wraps up nicely and leaves us with a solid opening into book 5 of the series. Action, suspense, intrigue, and just the right amount of humor makes Wrong Side Of Dead a wonderful addition to this series and keeps Ms. Meding on my auto buy list.

Over all rating: B+

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