Name: A Portrait of Pain
ISBN: 9781976568282

Jane Washington

Seraph Black's entire world has changed. There are no more secrets in her life, but knowledge comes at a price. Memories take their toll. Reality demands a due. The silent shadow of her past has stepped into the light and revealed himself. He has lost everything, and the only thing left for him to do is make sure that she loses everything as well. Survival is a complicated game, but her pairs are determined to become experts at it before they run out of time. If only they knew about the brand of pain in her portraits that was never there before, because something is seriously wrong. Her visions are changing. People are dying. The world is turning on its head once again. -- back cover.

A Portrait of Pain

Megan Williams

This series was hard for me to get into because I felt like there was something the relationships were missing... and now it's the fourth book and I am hooked so hard on these characters and their lives! I loved how things fell into place with this book, even though it was in the least expected way. I never know what to expect from a Jane Washington novel but I do know that I'm going to love it and not regret any of the time I spent reading! Definitely check out this series.

Jayarna La Bozzetta

I have been putting off rating this series because I have vast, complex feelings about it. I have never read a reverse harem and I had no idea what to expect - but it certainly wasn't this. I went in completely blind on the recommendation of a friend and I just let myself experience the story organically. I was delighted to discover this is a blend of my favourite genres - mystery, fantasy and romance.

I want to start off with the negatives, so we can get them out of the way. 

 The prose  At times, especially in the beginning, this series is juvenile. You can argue that Seph is young and so we experience that viewpoint, but Washington sometimes writes clunky, melodramatic lines that do not need to be there. It's so interesting to analyse her as an author. She is a skilled storyteller, yet her skill with writing and prose does not always measure up. It is not often that an author can tell an amazing story with somewhat lacking prose, so at times it was jarring. It has that fanfic feel - really, I think what she lacks is an editor. I hope she has one now or gets tradtionally published or whatnot because she would be a force to be reckoned with in the YA market. 

The ending. It's rushed and left me wanting more, however, after a few days the entire series as a whole is what stuck in my mind so I'm not too bothered.

 Seph:  God Seph drove me mad. She is strong and stubborn and willing to sacrifice a lot for those she loves. However, at times she is drowning in martyrdom. She refuses to listen to people and for a good part of the series is so shy that she rarely talks or does much and this makes her a frustrating, quite a passive character to follow at times. She can even switch between passive and active very quickly, which I don't think was done the best. It feels jarring and out of character at times. 

The good: 

 The growth.  As I mentioned, Seph is frustrating, especially in the first book, but by the fourth, she is a pleasure to be in the perspective of. I love her and who she becomes. She loses her addictive and dependant, sulking nature, and becomes someone who draws strength from those around her but also gives that strength back to them. I loved the journey she goes on. 

The relationships. Page time for each of the boys was so well balanced. I thought I would favour one but i totally didn't. (okay, maybe Miro, hehe) They all grew into themselves as well and just gave Seph everything she needed. I cared about each of them so desperately, and that's kind of amazing. I usually have a type, but I loved them all so much. I won't talk to much about it because I don't want to spoil anything, but just know this is one of my personal standouts.

 The intrigue  It never stopped. I was always desperate to know more. The sexual and romantic tension was there for me, and so I couldn't decide whether I wanted plot or character scenes more - and there's plenty of both! There's so much information for Seph to learn and discover and Washington is amazing at slowly feeding you information to not overwhelm you but keep you reading.

 The worldbuilding. I don't think it ever feels like Washington's world gets too big for her. She is wonderful at not telling you too much unnecessary information, while the world feelsfleshed out and  real 

 The plotting. This series was planned, making it a joy to read. There are so many elements of foreshadowing and plot points that resurface later. The mystery is so satisfying and layered. i was so caught up in the world and the story, the vibes and this story, and I know that's due to Washington's skilled plotting and reveals. 
 
Every one of these books does not reach 5 stars indivdually for me, but as a series, it is something I won't forget, and it certainly is one of my favourites. 5 stars for sure a whole, and something I'm excited to reread one day.