Vacant by Ker Dukey

Vacant by Ker Dukey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Too short. I absolutely loved Empathy and Desolate. The way that Ms. Dukey has delved into the mind of a psychopath has kept me mesmerized and I have been looking forward to Vacant since the moment I finished Desolate. It is because of my fascination with Ryan and his relationship with Cereus that I am saddened by the fact that this was a novella, but mainly because I wanted more of the story. Yet despite its length, the author has given fans of the series an enticing look into the Ryan and Cereus’s life and did it in such a way that I didn’t feel like I was rushed through it.

As Vacant is primarily about the relationship Ryan has with his niece Cereus, the story is told from their dual points of view. This not only allowed us to see what Ryan was doing while he was trying to give Cereus the space he felt she deserved, but we also got to see the inner workings of her mind as well. What amazed me about the book is how well Ms. Dukey balanced the darkness of Cereus’s thoughts with age-appropriate angst consistent with what she’s dealing with as a college freshman. Although there is so much I cannot say because I don’t want to spoil the book for potential readers, I can say that while it was clear that Cereus harbored the same darkness in her that her uncle did, I really wasn’t expecting that it was anywhere near as pervasive as it was. Well done Ms. Dukey. Yet another insightful addition to the Empathy series. I can only hope that the next time Ryan and/or Cereus come knocking on your muse’s door again, that they decide to stay and torture her for a much longer time.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Vacant Release Blitz! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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