Vigilare Hell Hound Vol #2

Sometimes I can just shoot myself in the foot. Ya, know one of those moments you think dog-gone-it why did I wait so long? The light bulb comes on and you find yourself analyzing or justifying your reasoning for procrastinating something entirely too genius to put off. That's me with Brooklyn James' Hell Hound in the Vigilare trilogy. "Why did I wait so long to read this?" I ask myself.

Let's see here. My wacky work schedule, twisted sleep patterns, and the 90-million curve balls life has thrown my way lately seems to be too weak of an excuse to justify my procrastination. Approximately one month after I lost my home to an electrical fire, Brooklyn James makes an appearance to Northcentral Pennsylvania to promote Hell Hound, the second novel in her trilogy, and currently her third book. I was not about to let a little curve ball deter me from owning Hell Hound. I hustle to Pennsylvania from Central New York and make it happen.

I immediately begin reading Hell Hound on the ride back to New York, and ultimately land on page 75 only to place the book back on my shelf. I know I can't continue to read unless I start from the beginning and pay vast attention to the finest of details in the backstory. I often find myself speed reading because I am so curious to discover the ending.  I am lured in and strung along for one Hell of a ride. Sometimes I must force myself to slam on the breaks to study the Vigilare pedigree. After, I don't how long of putting Hell Hound off, I suddenly go on a film reviewing spree, only to further procrastinate the inevitable. Every night when I wake up to ready myself for work,  Hell Hound is staring me in the face where she is so meticulously placed by Vigilare on my  book case. I am constantly being reminded... I finally listen to that voice in my head that says,  READ NOW.

For a few hours in a three day time span, I am a living, breathing, character in Hell Hound. I find myself taking it with me wherever I go. I take it with me to work and read three or four chapters on my lunch break, which I might add, creates a great conversational piece with a co-worker when she asks, "What are you reading today?" Mind you, I can't read every night at work because 3 am is my witching hour in which I fight to stay awake, and active reading is a must for this kind of read. It just so happens my sleep pattern is skewed, and it dawns on me, if I sleep until 9:30 or 10 pm before going into work the dreaded zombie hour isn't so difficult to press through.

Before I know it, I am chauffeuring my father around town to shop for hunting gear, and all the while I sit and read in the hoopty- mobile; later that night I read until my eyes grow heavy and I drift off to sleep. The next morning I immediately finish reading Hell Hound. And, I'm flabbergasted. Jaw-dropping, what just happened? twitterpated.

First, I must contend that the imagery in both Vigilare and Hell Hound is astonishing. Vigilare reads more like a screenplay where as Hell Hound reads more like a smooth manuscript. James vividly assembles a cast in the town of Vanguard where Vigilare births her way into an intrinsic breed of characters and fine dining is served. Then Hell Hound appears with his fire super power implanting laser rays into my eyeballs cleverly grabbing my attention. And, the plot thickens. James carries me through a series of twists and turns only to gently press on the breaks slowing me at two sexy, romantic, love scenes allowing Emily Truly a powerful; yet, fragile sexual-awaking experience leaching onto me like bear claws. Ultimately, I am mesmerized by this captivating superhero journey.

Two detectives, Tony Gronkowski and Gina DeLuca, are on a mission to fend off rapists and pedophiles. The combination of rh-negative blood, ETNA, a vigilante, and a sexual abuse victim, Hell Hound comes roaring through with hematologist, Dr. Godfrey whom I visualize as the mad scientist in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein wearing Dr. Who's nerdy eye glasses. Dr. Godfrey very sophisticatedly explains rh-negative blood types and intrinsically lectures on the difference between warm blooded vs. cold blooded mammals. In the meantime, James ever-so-diligently educates on Greek Mythology, Monopoly, Black Jack, and shoes. James delivers biology lessons so lucid she puts my Biology professors to shame. Just when I am in a position to dictate the ending, James swiftly proves me wrong once again. Leaving me to yearn for more...What happens next?...only Brooklyn James knows.

Yep. I definitely shot myself in the foot on this one.