Kristen's Reviews > Vanquish

4 to 4 1/2–Whacked Out–Stars



I love this author! Vanquish is another fabulous read by Pam Godwin.

I'm surprised at how much I loved this book...and Van. Holy cow! I can't believe I became a Van fan. I've been putting off reading his story because, frankly, the guy creeped me out BIG TIME in the first book, Deliver. I wasn't sure I wanted to be in his head or experience his brand of WHACKED OUT crazy. After all, he was somewhat the villain in the first story. Not to mention, his collection of dolls freaked the living daylights out of me....and I collect dolls!!!



I shouldn't have worried, though. Pam Godwin is a talented storyteller and she somehow made me understand, sympathize, and even fall in love with her very unhealthy and somewhat deranged character. Van never fully stopped being his dysfunctional self, but his relationship with the heroine, Amber, helped him somewhat heal and become a better man. Interestingly, the one area that freaked me out the most about him in Deliver—his freaky obsession with collecting and making dolls—was the one area in this book that broke my heart and was a touching aspect of the story. Who would have thought?!

My favorite part of this book was the unique, troublesome, unhealthy and, at times, endearing relationship between Van and Amber. Van did some horrible things in the beginning of this story that reminded me why he was somewhat the villain in the first book, but once a connection was made between him and Amber, I loved their relationship.

Amber was such a fantastic and complex character. She suffered from a very debilitating disorder and a major case of OCD. She's just as messed up, damage, and unhealthy as Van. And, boy, does her brand of crazy give him a run for his money. They actually made for a great team. They may never be fully healthy but together they bring out the best in each other and helped each other heal. I loved that. Seriously, though, these two put the "N" in nuts.

I love the way this author messes with my mind and takes me out of my comfort zone. Her stories are unique, raw, gritty, shocking, troublesome, disturbing, and a bit twisted. Okay, a lot twisted. Even though I didn't feel this book was as dark and disturbing as Deliver, it's still NOT for the faint of heart. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Also, this book can be read as a standalone but I wouldn't suggest it. Deliver really should be read first in order for this story to have its full affect.

WARNING: I can't stress enough that this book is NOT for everyone. It comes with a WARNING DISCLAIMER that should be taken very seriously by potential readers.