Unraveling Words: Unraveling: The Protection of Ren Crown by Anne Zoelle

Title: The Protection of Ren Crown

Series: Ren Crown Book Two

Author: Anne Zoelle
Genre: YA Fantasy & Magic

Publication Date: May 9, 2014

Barely surviving her first term at college, all Ren wants to do over break is relax and bond with her roommate—not get eaten by a sentient building or attacked on the street. But with increasingly open warfare brewing between the magical factions and Layers of the world, this time, Ren will not fail in making sure everyone she loves stays safe and protected.

That includes doing things like filling her parent's house with personal art heavily embedded with wards, bubble-wrapping her increasingly imperiled roommate, and even making sure that a certain sexy thorn-in-her-side continues to breathe free air.

Finding herself on duty protecting the entire university alongside campus god Alexander Dare...was not what she'd had in mind.

But this time it's not only her life on the line. And Ren will do anything to protect those she loves.

***

My Thoughts

All I can think about is Constantine! I don't know if to love him or hit him over the head with a blunt object.

Constantine opened the door as I approached, then tsked as soon as he closed the door behind me. "You destroyed it. Darling, you really must stop getting rid of such useful devices."

"Constantine, it did horrible things to her."

He smiled. "I know."

Constantine is such a fascinating character. He is brilliant, hot, a man-slut, devious, manipulative, goes after what he wants with no regards towards other people and yet he still can't help but care for Ren.

"I am merely bestowing an offering to my favorite. One that would gain me an article in the Journal of Scientific Magic and get us both imprisoned."

He is obviously not trustworthy, but he is too useful to not have him on your side, or as much as you can have someone like him on your side. But even after everything that Constantine has done, Ren still considers him her friend. She won't give up on him.

I liked how Olivia's character started getting some more growth and depth here. She is finally thawing a bit and embracing the friendship that Ren is offering her, because once Ren considers you hers, she'd do anything for them, and that is both one of her greatest strengths and weaknesses.

And watching someone who was so deadly revive a plant was a little like looking at a calendar of hot Marines holding kittens.

There was a bit more romance here, very light, but it was so sweet and funny watching Ren getting accustomed to Alexander Dare. She would just stutter and ramble in his presence till she finally started seeing him more as a friend and got herself under control.

"Business?" His tone implied exactly what he thought any business with Constantine might be. Extreme disappointment laced it.

"Not that kind," I said, flustered. "The kind with favors. Business favors." Hi, I'm a hooker! "Legal ones! Well, not legal, but not prostitution! I mean, the kind of favors that you exchange with business partners."

...

He was studying the paths, though, his expression unreadable again. "He lets you in his workroom."

"There's no bed in there!" I clamped my lips together and shut my eyes. "You know what...? No. I don't have to defend myself."

And that's why I loved Ren. I adore these books, but I'm not gonna lie, after so long between books the complicated magic system hit me right between the eyes and I was left seeing stars for a good chunk at the start. But it was totally worth it. And that ending?! What a clusterfuck that was. Can't wait for the next one! :)

“Two months to go or not, Axer Dare was still seventeen last year,” Delia said. “Against all the twenty-one- and twenty-two-year-olds. A very big deal. Hot.” She winked at me.

I could see him warming up on the field. Five seconds of staring pulled his image closer, as if he stood only five feet away. I panicked, looking to my left and right.

Neph cocked her head at me, her gaze questioning.

“Can anyone see what I see?” I whispered.

“No, it is all individual.”

Thank God. I took a deep breath, then watched to my heart's content. I watched him do a particularly complicated maneuver and thought how nice it would be to see it again in slow motion, when suddenly up popped an instant replay with four different angles to swap between. That explained the eye and hand motions in the crowd. I gave the magic a whirl, swapping images and angles. Wow. There were some nice body angle options. I was coming to these events as often as possible from now on.