My Review of Destruction

David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.

Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. 

Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. 

Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.

Sharon Bayliss is the author of The December People Series and The Charge. When she’s not writing, she enj oys living happily-ever-after with her husband and two young sons. She can be found eating Tex-Mex on patios, wearing flip-flops, and playing in the mud (which she calls gardening). She only practices magic in emergencies.

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Okay. Destruction. The book I finally read after stopping and starting for months.

Let me be clear: it was not the book’s fault. I am a heartless reader who constantly forgets about the books she starts but doesn’t finish.

I finally sat down and read it. Go me!

At the time I received this book, it was an advanced copy so some of my notes may no longer be relevant.

Cliff notes version: David brings his illegitimate children to live with his wife, two kids, and his daughter’s best friend: all of whom are secretly wizards. Crazy sh*t goes down and we’re left with so many questions.

This book was…fascinating.

Every single character that we meet is so flawed and desperately out of touch with the ability to communicate human emotions, I honestly wasn’t sure who to cheer for. Between David: the childishly naïve, inconceivably emotionally distant male lead who doesn’t understand that HE DID SOMETHING WRONG; to Amanda:  the frustratingly stubborn, annoyingly indecisive female lead who doesn’t understand that SHE DID SOMETHING WRONG.

I suppose in a way they really are meant for each other.

The teen characters are a little more stock which I really enjoyed. Between the five of them, they all made realistic character choices, their plot twists were understandable (with the except of Jude and his little, meltdown) and they were easy to follow; if a little underdeveloped. A lot of times I felt like I didn’t know the children. Like they were just window dressing when in fact, they were instrumental in progressing the plot.

I found writing from the perspective of one of the sons – Patrick – was effective in giving us insight into the children. I would have liked to see more.

The plot itself was astounding. It’s original and dark and took things to such extremes that I swear I was going to have a heart attack. The writing was incredibly descriptive, though often impersonal.

All of which you’ll see in my Random Notes While Reading:

Okay we’re jumping right in. We get information without it being thrust at us *hugs Sharon* thank you

·         But he just…okay now I have to know what happens next

·         I feel like having sex with her right now is not really appropriate

·         Liar, liar, pants on fire (ha)

·         Seven freaking years, David?

·         I didn’t breathe through Chapter Four – it seemed wrong to.

·         I’m going to start hyperventilating soon. Wow

·         David don’t be like that

·         “Apply the f*cking Band-Aid already”

·         I actually feel really sorry for him even though he totally deserves it

·         I want to slap some sense into them but it wouldn’t work

·         This took a very different turn very quickly

·         Oh Patrick, you are so adorably obvious

·         I wonder why we’re being shown this scene

·         Sharon writes with this quirky, almost OCD level of description sometimes

·         This is where we get into morally ambiguous territory

·         Sometimes the author states the obvious

·         That was unexpectedly tragic

·         That is one hell of a day

·         I can already tell you, I don’t like the Oppenheimers

·         No, that’s exactly what it is, Amanda

·         Amanda, you are a walking rubric’s cube… with a missing piece

·         Yeah, ‘cause that was entirely his fault, I say, sarcastically

·         Seeing things through Patrick’s eyes is interesting

·         He’s not at all bitter (sarcasm, again) and a total teenage boy

·         Wha-Wait-What?

·         That’s such a sad thought for a child to have

·         And the winter solstice is now called “Wizard Christmas”

·         He’s not wrong, he’s an idiot, but he’s not wrong

·         That sounds kinda dirty in the best way

·         62% and we’re finally learning about magic in a positive informative way

·         Finally!

·         I’m a bit frustrated with Amanda’s split personality but at least it’s acknowledged

·         Pfft. Show off

·         Amongst the chaos of adulthood, Patrick is a total dork

·         Jesus Christ, I was not expecting that

·         Summer Wizards remind me of the Ministry of Magic form Harry Potter before everything went to hell

·         Never have I wanted something more than to wrap Emmy in a hug. Oh sweetheart

·         “A pinball” with a gun is an incredibly accurate description

·         Goodness, Amanda, you are incredibly stubborn

·         But, but. What happens next?

Despite my criticism, this was a very entertaining book, filled with insane twists and turns, leading us – several times – to wonder: Just how crazy is Sharon Bayliss?