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Criminal Intentions #19
Divine Proportion
20% of monthly revenues from sales of this book from now until January 1st, 2021 will be donated to causes supporting #BlackLivesMatter and the families of victims of police violence.
While Captain Anjulie Zarate y Salazar faces a crisis of loyalty at home, Malcolm Khalaji faces another crisis in Los Angeles—one that will test him to his absolute limits.
And that crisis is named Yoon Eun-Ji.
When mandatory mental health leave turns into a not-particularly-optional dinner invitation from Seong-Jae's parents, Malcolm finds himself thrust into the pure chaos that can only be the entire Yoon family within the same four walls. Multilingual mortification. Sassy sisters. Scorchingly spicy steak. And intimate moments that are exactly what Malcolm needs to distract himself from the building tsunami of trauma inside him, threatening to break and crash down at any moment.
But Malcolm isn't the only one taking advantage of the distraction to confront difficult issues—and a story within a story unravels as Seong-Jae descends deep into memories of his time with Sila, searching for anything that could unearth clues about who the cat-eyed man truly is, where his path will take him next, his connection to the Golden Ratio Killer...and the dangers that threaten the people Malcolm and Seong-Jae love most.
Echoes of the past. Remembered pains. Emerging patterns. New revelations.
And a confession that could change everything.
For better or for worse, by the end of this case...
Malcolm and Seong-Jae will never be the same.
While Captain Anjulie Zarate y Salazar faces a crisis of loyalty at home, Malcolm Khalaji faces another crisis in Los Angeles—one that will test him to his absolute limits.
And that crisis is named Yoon Eun-Ji.
When mandatory mental health leave turns into a not-particularly-optional dinner invitation from Seong-Jae's parents, Malcolm finds himself thrust into the pure chaos that can only be the entire Yoon family within the same four walls. Multilingual mortification. Sassy sisters. Scorchingly spicy steak. And intimate moments that are exactly what Malcolm needs to distract himself from the building tsunami of trauma inside him, threatening to break and crash down at any moment.
But Malcolm isn't the only one taking advantage of the distraction to confront difficult issues—and a story within a story unravels as Seong-Jae descends deep into memories of his time with Sila, searching for anything that could unearth clues about who the cat-eyed man truly is, where his path will take him next, his connection to the Golden Ratio Killer...and the dangers that threaten the people Malcolm and Seong-Jae love most.
Echoes of the past. Remembered pains. Emerging patterns. New revelations.
And a confession that could change everything.
For better or for worse, by the end of this case...
Malcolm and Seong-Jae will never be the same.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2020
About the author
Cole McCade
72 books1,438 followersSlender. Angry. (Part) Asian.
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Cole. Xen. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: [email protected]
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
And there's my Xen Sanders SFF / Horror profile:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Cole. Xen. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: [email protected]
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
And there's my Xen Sanders SFF / Horror profile:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
June 21, 2023
— 5 stars ☆
how am i supposed to live laugh love in these conditions ️❤️🩹 i'm keeping them under lock and key thanks 🔐
i’m totally not crying 😭 that’s not me 😭
first of all, THE PROLOGUE ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK. how could you do that to me cole mccade. 😭
seong-jae and mal. i love them so much my heart could burst. i mean, they'd do literally anything for each other, tell me that's not love? i love how much they love each other, how they want to keep each other from experiencing any kind of pain, how mal always admired seong-jae for EVERYTHING about him, how seong-jae was so huffy all the time against pda but inside he was just a mushy lil thing - i adore them. 💘💘
i hated how sila devoured all of seong-jae's hopes. at the same time, i feel like he wouldn't be the person he is without him, if that makes sense? i pity sila for everything that happened to him, for how messed up he is, but at the same time, i despise him for what he did to seong-jae. because in no way did seong-jae deserve an ounce of that.
anjulie and gabi are so perfect together, and i just want them to finally communicate and get their shit together! let the phones stop interrupting for the last time, pls. also the sade and min zhe angst is so on point i always feel the pining, the pain, the longing with them 😭😭 and cara and her husband!! i'm always such a sucker for troubled relationships, istg. none of them could truly catch a break (even though this was kinda like a break book for mal & seong-jae, not exactly though bc the side plotlines were still going on 💀 i just want all of them to be happy tbh).
moments i loved:
- mal being all nervously cute to meet seong-jae's family I CAN'T WITH HIM 😭
- seong-jae being an angry baby >>>
- the BROTHER-IN-LAW moment ifykyk 😌
- allllll the delicious family moments
all i want now is for seong-jae's family to meet malcolm's family and i'll be pleased. 😌🤣
and then there was THAT SCENE. 🥰😭🥹🤧
i want to inject this book in my veins. this is totally gonna be a comfort reread, i already know
how am i supposed to live laugh love in these conditions ️❤️🩹 i'm keeping them under lock and key thanks 🔐
“I won’t say I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone before, little bit. Every love is different, and they don’t exist on a scale. They’re each their own thing, and I don’t…I don’t like to cheapen what I feel now by comparing it to what I felt in the past. But this love…it’s a thing so big it takes up my entire world, and changes the color of everything.”
“Are they pretty colors, though, when you love my brother?”
“The most beautiful colors I’ve ever seen, Seong-Ja. Like all the colors of a living heart.”
i’m totally not crying 😭 that’s not me 😭
first of all, THE PROLOGUE ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK. how could you do that to me cole mccade. 😭
seong-jae and mal. i love them so much my heart could burst. i mean, they'd do literally anything for each other, tell me that's not love? i love how much they love each other, how they want to keep each other from experiencing any kind of pain, how mal always admired seong-jae for EVERYTHING about him, how seong-jae was so huffy all the time against pda but inside he was just a mushy lil thing - i adore them. 💘💘
i hated how sila devoured all of seong-jae's hopes. at the same time, i feel like he wouldn't be the person he is without him, if that makes sense? i pity sila for everything that happened to him, for how messed up he is, but at the same time, i despise him for what he did to seong-jae. because in no way did seong-jae deserve an ounce of that.
anjulie and gabi are so perfect together, and i just want them to finally communicate and get their shit together! let the phones stop interrupting for the last time, pls. also the sade and min zhe angst is so on point i always feel the pining, the pain, the longing with them 😭😭 and cara and her husband!! i'm always such a sucker for troubled relationships, istg. none of them could truly catch a break (even though this was kinda like a break book for mal & seong-jae, not exactly though bc the side plotlines were still going on 💀 i just want all of them to be happy tbh).
moments i loved:
- mal being all nervously cute to meet seong-jae's family I CAN'T WITH HIM 😭
- seong-jae being an angry baby >>>
- the BROTHER-IN-LAW moment ifykyk 😌
- allllll the delicious family moments
all i want now is for seong-jae's family to meet malcolm's family and i'll be pleased. 😌🤣
and then there was THAT SCENE. 🥰😭🥹🤧
i want to inject this book in my veins. this is totally gonna be a comfort reread, i already know
July 14, 2020
***5 my-heart-was-about-to-burst-with-feelings Stars***
Sooo... this recluse here peeks out from under her rock to give you something precious (*side-eyes that kitty with envy* LOL )...
... because this book was just that: P.r.e.c.i.o.u.s. with a capital P!
65% fluff (according to the author) - and to give you a hint (or two, or three, or... ): baby pictures, cuddles, lots of adorable scowling on Seong-Jae's part, a cute nervous Mal, a dance under the night sky to the slow version of a song of my youth, aaaand... something I've waited n-i-n-e-t-e-e-n books for (!!!). This is one of the most intense relationships I ever came across in my books and it speeks deeply to my soul on a so far unknown level and how it can possibly get even better with each new book is beyond me...
25% homicidal ideation (according to me) - while Seong-Jae dealt with his past by writing down memories, I visualized the slowest and most painful scenarios while plotting Sila's demise. Any volunteers to help me hide the body? ;-)
10% this is too good to be true (according to my frayed nerve endings) - with the angst spiking sky-high towards the end of the book and I have a feeling this book's sole purpose was to lull us into another false sense of security before the author gives us the whole nine yards in the rest of this season.
All in all, though, this was 100% pure emotion and Cole McCade made me cry and laugh and sometimes both at the same time. But... I needed all that and I have to thank the author deeply for giving me an out to escape the somewhat disturbing place that is the real world at the moment for just a little while. Stay safe, peeps! <3
*disappears again in a cloud of dust*
Sooo... this recluse here peeks out from under her rock to give you something precious (*side-eyes that kitty with envy* LOL )...
... because this book was just that: P.r.e.c.i.o.u.s. with a capital P!
65% fluff (according to the author) - and to give you a hint (or two, or three, or... ): baby pictures, cuddles, lots of adorable scowling on Seong-Jae's part, a cute nervous Mal, a dance under the night sky to the slow version of a song of my youth, aaaand... something I've waited n-i-n-e-t-e-e-n books for (!!!). This is one of the most intense relationships I ever came across in my books and it speeks deeply to my soul on a so far unknown level and how it can possibly get even better with each new book is beyond me...
25% homicidal ideation (according to me) - while Seong-Jae dealt with his past by writing down memories, I visualized the slowest and most painful scenarios while plotting Sila's demise. Any volunteers to help me hide the body? ;-)
10% this is too good to be true (according to my frayed nerve endings) - with the angst spiking sky-high towards the end of the book and I have a feeling this book's sole purpose was to lull us into another false sense of security before the author gives us the whole nine yards in the rest of this season.
All in all, though, this was 100% pure emotion and Cole McCade made me cry and laugh and sometimes both at the same time. But... I needed all that and I have to thank the author deeply for giving me an out to escape the somewhat disturbing place that is the real world at the moment for just a little while. Stay safe, peeps! <3
*disappears again in a cloud of dust*
June 20, 2021
“How badly do I have to hurt you to make you go away?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking me how badly you have to hurt me to make me stay?” Silas asked softly. “Isn’t that what love is?”
Divine Proportion is the 19th and the best episode in the whole series. Thank you, Seong-Jae! There is one ✨PERFECT scene✨ that I had to reread over and over again until I memorized it. I don’t have words to explain how breathtaking it was... until the White Rabbit came to spoil the joy *insert Lorraine's baseball bat*.
I loved everything -except for that interruption-, from Seong-Jae tricking Mal to go ‘untidy’ to meet his parents, to Seong-Ja calling Mal ‘hot daddy boyfriend’ and Mal telling her he might be her brother-in-law one day (pretty please?)
For those who read the book:
June 6, 2021
All the stars in the sky❤️❤️❤️.
Chapter 0 left me in tears at the end. I could not believe it. I was suffering. In the next few chapters it is mentioned again, and I just want to tell Cole...
But also:
Honestly, this episode was intense, incredible, it made me cry with pain and happiness. This episode is the fresh air Malcom and Seon-Jae needed, it's about their relationship, Seon-Jae's family and the characters, there's no mystery, and I couldn't have loved it more.
"The faint glow of the string bulbs glittered in Seong-Jae’s silently laughing eyes, as Seong-Jae drew Malcolm in with arms draped around his shoulders. Malcolm needed no invitation, slipping his arms around Seong-Jae’s waist and gathering him in until they pressed as close as they could to still be able to move, as they fell into a lazy turn and sway as familiar as every other rhythm their bodies had ever found together."
Malcolm and Seon Jae DANCING, being cute together, talking, saying the words we all hope for, having one of the most BEAUTIFUL intimacies I have ever read in my life, it left me:
Chapter 0 left me in tears at the end. I could not believe it. I was suffering. In the next few chapters it is mentioned again, and I just want to tell Cole...
But also:
Honestly, this episode was intense, incredible, it made me cry with pain and happiness. This episode is the fresh air Malcom and Seon-Jae needed, it's about their relationship, Seon-Jae's family and the characters, there's no mystery, and I couldn't have loved it more.
"The faint glow of the string bulbs glittered in Seong-Jae’s silently laughing eyes, as Seong-Jae drew Malcolm in with arms draped around his shoulders. Malcolm needed no invitation, slipping his arms around Seong-Jae’s waist and gathering him in until they pressed as close as they could to still be able to move, as they fell into a lazy turn and sway as familiar as every other rhythm their bodies had ever found together."
Malcolm and Seon Jae DANCING, being cute together, talking, saying the words we all hope for, having one of the most BEAUTIFUL intimacies I have ever read in my life, it left me:
![Profile Image for moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645500038i/37448930._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
September 17, 2021
it’s the i love you scene for me ✨ my fav episode yet for this season 🤍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2022
This one was a bit boring, too much Malcolm, too much Seong and honestly, without the crimes they are boring.
Of course, it has the hot sex, that's a thing... 😇
Down to two suspects, or not... But if I had to bet on one, I'll go for Normand, but my feeling to that is too simple so it might be Karl.
Cole has to stall, it's only the sixth of thirteen...
But too much drama queen of Seong and Malcolm the asshole who accepts everything and thinks it's adorable... Pleaseeee 🤮
At least, at the middle of the book we get to know the story of Seong and Sila/Lucas/Seth??? (finally).
Please don't kill me, but I kinda like Sila... 😳
He done the best he could with the cards he received from life. He had to survive, he was just a kid... I thought he was kind of sweet with Seong.
“And I'll show you where the sky dreams underneath the sea.”
Sila hugged his knees to his chest, still smiling, this Cheshire Cat smile that seemed full of mysteries and wonders and sorrows. “I’ll be quiet, Yoon,” he said softly. “Just let me stay with you for a while.”
Seong-Jae frowned. “Why do you even want to?”
“Because I’m lonely,” Sila answered with an unexpected honesty. His eyes turned strange; two colors, yet the same misty, distant look—as his smile turned into something bitter and struggling, lips drawn tight as if he was fighting with everything in him to stop that upward curve from turning down. “And sometimes I feel like no one’s ever coming back for me at all.”
“But you’re here, at least,” Sila said, his voice thick, breaking at the edges. “And you make me feel less alone.”
Clouds as pale and drifting at the boy at his side.
The boy who stayed with him for hours, until the sun became a heavy thing of blood-gold colors and the sky turned to fire.
And they did not say a word, as they parted ways.
But when Seong-Jae made his way down the hill, and stopped to look back…
Sila stood lonely and forlorn at the peak, with one hand raised.
As if to say, come back.
Always… always come back to me.
With another of those shrugs, Sila leaned back, letting the light in as he straightened to look up at the sky. He always seemed to be doing that; looking at the sky, as if searching for something there. Maybe the color he lost in that green eye, its blue vanished somewhere against the clouds.
“Did you think I only found you because I like to play with you?” Sila purred.
“I do not know.” Seong-Jae’s body felt…so tight, so warm, and he licked his lips compulsively, his mouth throbbing hot. “You make me feel like an insect stalked by a very hungry bird.”
“You’re not the only hunter between us, dragonfly.” Sila’s white, slim hand rose, slipping between them to rest so lightly against Seong-Jae’s chest, over the wild-storm beat of his heart, fingertips pressed as delicately as the legs of the dragonfly Sila called him. “Don’t you know I’m a carnivore? I ate my own twin before we were even born.”
Of course, sometimes I just hate him...
Before Seong-Jae could even ask what that meant, Sila’s fingers snared in his shirt, and tugged him closer in a sharp jerk that made his pulse skip, a feeling almost like fear rolling through him as he looked into Sila’s eyes and realized he had very much been caught by a predator... and some part of him might almost want to be devoured.
“Now kiss me,” Sila sighed, a sweet and hungry command—but he did not give Seong-Jae a chance to.
Because pink lips touched his, taking his thoughts away and replacing them with nothing but a sensation like plunging into a sea of dark, all-encompassing emotion. Too much feeling, as if his emotions were somehow wired to touch, coming to life inside him like arc lightning in vivid threading bursts.
Overwhelming.
Sila was overwhelming, and Seong-Jae...
He did not know, as his first kiss swept over him, as he fell into the feeling of breaths and skin and warmth and touch…
He did not know if he felt wanted, or captured.
And it would be some time before he realized that for Sila?
The two were one and the same.
And then, everything went... To hell...
Of course, it has the hot sex, that's a thing... 😇
Down to two suspects, or not... But if I had to bet on one, I'll go for Normand, but my feeling to that is too simple so it might be Karl.
Cole has to stall, it's only the sixth of thirteen...
But too much drama queen of Seong and Malcolm the asshole who accepts everything and thinks it's adorable... Pleaseeee 🤮
At least, at the middle of the book we get to know the story of Seong and Sila/Lucas/Seth??? (finally).
Please don't kill me, but I kinda like Sila... 😳
He done the best he could with the cards he received from life. He had to survive, he was just a kid... I thought he was kind of sweet with Seong.
“And I'll show you where the sky dreams underneath the sea.”
Sila hugged his knees to his chest, still smiling, this Cheshire Cat smile that seemed full of mysteries and wonders and sorrows. “I’ll be quiet, Yoon,” he said softly. “Just let me stay with you for a while.”
Seong-Jae frowned. “Why do you even want to?”
“Because I’m lonely,” Sila answered with an unexpected honesty. His eyes turned strange; two colors, yet the same misty, distant look—as his smile turned into something bitter and struggling, lips drawn tight as if he was fighting with everything in him to stop that upward curve from turning down. “And sometimes I feel like no one’s ever coming back for me at all.”
“But you’re here, at least,” Sila said, his voice thick, breaking at the edges. “And you make me feel less alone.”
Clouds as pale and drifting at the boy at his side.
The boy who stayed with him for hours, until the sun became a heavy thing of blood-gold colors and the sky turned to fire.
And they did not say a word, as they parted ways.
But when Seong-Jae made his way down the hill, and stopped to look back…
Sila stood lonely and forlorn at the peak, with one hand raised.
As if to say, come back.
Always… always come back to me.
With another of those shrugs, Sila leaned back, letting the light in as he straightened to look up at the sky. He always seemed to be doing that; looking at the sky, as if searching for something there. Maybe the color he lost in that green eye, its blue vanished somewhere against the clouds.
“Did you think I only found you because I like to play with you?” Sila purred.
“I do not know.” Seong-Jae’s body felt…so tight, so warm, and he licked his lips compulsively, his mouth throbbing hot. “You make me feel like an insect stalked by a very hungry bird.”
“You’re not the only hunter between us, dragonfly.” Sila’s white, slim hand rose, slipping between them to rest so lightly against Seong-Jae’s chest, over the wild-storm beat of his heart, fingertips pressed as delicately as the legs of the dragonfly Sila called him. “Don’t you know I’m a carnivore? I ate my own twin before we were even born.”
Of course, sometimes I just hate him...
Before Seong-Jae could even ask what that meant, Sila’s fingers snared in his shirt, and tugged him closer in a sharp jerk that made his pulse skip, a feeling almost like fear rolling through him as he looked into Sila’s eyes and realized he had very much been caught by a predator... and some part of him might almost want to be devoured.
“Now kiss me,” Sila sighed, a sweet and hungry command—but he did not give Seong-Jae a chance to.
Because pink lips touched his, taking his thoughts away and replacing them with nothing but a sensation like plunging into a sea of dark, all-encompassing emotion. Too much feeling, as if his emotions were somehow wired to touch, coming to life inside him like arc lightning in vivid threading bursts.
Overwhelming.
Sila was overwhelming, and Seong-Jae...
He did not know, as his first kiss swept over him, as he fell into the feeling of breaths and skin and warmth and touch…
He did not know if he felt wanted, or captured.
And it would be some time before he realized that for Sila?
The two were one and the same.
And then, everything went... To hell...
October 13, 2022
Reread #1
If you read only 1 book from this series, let it be this one.
"But in this kiss was everything that held him together.
A love so reverent it had to be whispered.
A need so desperate it couldn’t be ignored.
A rightness so true it would not be denied, and demanded an openness so terrifying it could only be wondrous."
...................
THIS EPISODE WAS LIFE!!!
AND MAL AND SJ WERE SO CUTE AND DOMESTIC I DIE.
This episode was like a break for the reader to take a breath before everything goes to shit I guess.
Mal is meeting SJ's Korean parents... BWHAHAHAH.
"Who didn’t wear a tie to meet their boyfriend’s parents?"
Gahhh
"You are my decision, Malcolm. You are my choice."
I mean...can we say SWOON?
"You are a gentleman masquerading as a rogue.”
Fuck yeah Mal is!! Gahhhh
“He annoyed me from day one. And I couldn’t figure out why he made me grind my teeth until they nearly cracked, but next thing I knew I wanted him like I’d die without him.”
I mean... how does Cole write like this? How? He has a spectacular way of writing... descriptive to an extent that it is so easy for me to see the scene in my mind, tangible and clear.
And FINALLY... SJ spills the beans! And that scene was EVERYTHING.
Malcolm and SJ are now my favorite couple ever. There is no competition.
If you read only 1 book from this series, let it be this one.
"But in this kiss was everything that held him together.
A love so reverent it had to be whispered.
A need so desperate it couldn’t be ignored.
A rightness so true it would not be denied, and demanded an openness so terrifying it could only be wondrous."
...................
THIS EPISODE WAS LIFE!!!
AND MAL AND SJ WERE SO CUTE AND DOMESTIC I DIE.
This episode was like a break for the reader to take a breath before everything goes to shit I guess.
Mal is meeting SJ's Korean parents... BWHAHAHAH.
"Who didn’t wear a tie to meet their boyfriend’s parents?"
Gahhh
"You are my decision, Malcolm. You are my choice."
I mean...can we say SWOON?
"You are a gentleman masquerading as a rogue.”
Fuck yeah Mal is!! Gahhhh
“He annoyed me from day one. And I couldn’t figure out why he made me grind my teeth until they nearly cracked, but next thing I knew I wanted him like I’d die without him.”
I mean... how does Cole write like this? How? He has a spectacular way of writing... descriptive to an extent that it is so easy for me to see the scene in my mind, tangible and clear.
And FINALLY... SJ spills the beans! And that scene was EVERYTHING.
Malcolm and SJ are now my favorite couple ever. There is no competition.
July 13, 2020
This is the longest we’ve ever had to wait for an episode, due to all the things going on in the world and things going on in CMcC’s life. And OMG, the wait was so completely worth it!!! 🥰🥰
With the end of the last episode, Mal and Seong-Jae are off duty for a few days, to recuperate from the ordeal they went through at the movie theater. Since Seong-Jae’s family now knows he’s in LA, his mom requests *coughcough* that he come home for dinner and bring Mal with him. Mal is adorably nervous for this. 😍
This dinner with Seong-Jae’s family was everything I could have wanted it to be. It was hilarious in many ways, the parental scrutiny, the language faux pas by Mr. & Mrs. Yoon *😒*, Seong-Ja’s predictable hogging of Mal’s time and spicy beef, LOL! But any time and anywhere that Mal & Seong-Jae are together, that connection and emotional intensity that exists between them always comes out. And the swoons in this one, I cannot tell you how many times this one bought tears to my eyes. I didn’t think that their relationship could become any deeper but I was so wonderfully wrong.
It wasn’t all swoons and fierce emotional connection though. In order to try and see if he can shake some useful information out of his memories, Seong-Jae writes down a recollection of his time with Sila as a boy. Something he has always actively tried not to think of. But he feels safe and loved with Mal, there in his parent’s house, so he lets the memories come. It’s as terrible to read as I might have imagined, seeing Seong-Jae being manipulated by that baby monster. But I loved the peace within himself that doing this seemed to give Seong-Jae, and how free he felt after doing it, after so damn long. 🥺
These guys seriously made me cry this time but for once, mostly the tears were so happy! It could not have been better. ❤️
Until they get back to their hotel, and find a personal invitation waiting, from a madman. Not gonna lie, it sent ice down my spine, instantly. And that scares the hell out of me. 😱
I hope everybody enjoys all the feels here *I DAMN SURE DID 🥰🥰* because I’m pretty sure we’re going to be paying for that soon.
With the end of the last episode, Mal and Seong-Jae are off duty for a few days, to recuperate from the ordeal they went through at the movie theater. Since Seong-Jae’s family now knows he’s in LA, his mom requests *coughcough* that he come home for dinner and bring Mal with him. Mal is adorably nervous for this. 😍
This dinner with Seong-Jae’s family was everything I could have wanted it to be. It was hilarious in many ways, the parental scrutiny, the language faux pas by Mr. & Mrs. Yoon *😒*, Seong-Ja’s predictable hogging of Mal’s time and spicy beef, LOL! But any time and anywhere that Mal & Seong-Jae are together, that connection and emotional intensity that exists between them always comes out. And the swoons in this one, I cannot tell you how many times this one bought tears to my eyes. I didn’t think that their relationship could become any deeper but I was so wonderfully wrong.
It wasn’t all swoons and fierce emotional connection though. In order to try and see if he can shake some useful information out of his memories, Seong-Jae writes down a recollection of his time with Sila as a boy. Something he has always actively tried not to think of. But he feels safe and loved with Mal, there in his parent’s house, so he lets the memories come. It’s as terrible to read as I might have imagined, seeing Seong-Jae being manipulated by that baby monster. But I loved the peace within himself that doing this seemed to give Seong-Jae, and how free he felt after doing it, after so damn long. 🥺
These guys seriously made me cry this time but for once, mostly the tears were so happy! It could not have been better. ❤️
Until they get back to their hotel, and find a personal invitation waiting, from a madman. Not gonna lie, it sent ice down my spine, instantly. And that scares the hell out of me. 😱
I hope everybody enjoys all the feels here *I DAMN SURE DID 🥰🥰* because I’m pretty sure we’re going to be paying for that soon.
June 3, 2024
A very unhinged intelligent serial killer, a hit on the cocaine king that we love, Mal having feelings that made me tear up with him💔 chapter titled with songs that are now stuck in my head, a whole book meeting the Yoons and I still need more of them, with the Khalajis too😩 more clues and more questions on the master manipulator of last season THAT NEEDS REVEALS SOON PLEASE? what I’m saying is, this book is good and I don’t think I’ll be able to prolong reading the rest of the season.
@Cole Mccade, you are a bastard, sir. Chapter zero freaked me out and then confused the hell out of me! Well done 👏
@Cole Mccade, you are a bastard, sir. Chapter zero freaked me out and then confused the hell out of me! Well done 👏
July 14, 2020
Floored.
So so amazing and brilliant.
As always.
And still this episode is extra special. You know one of those you want to replay again and again because it makes you ultimately happy and leaves you smiling so hard your cheeks are hurting.
One of those.
Cole McCade says himself in the introduction that this is 65% fluff.
And it is.
And it was everything we could have ever hoped for.
And after the intensity and horrors of the case in the previous episodes this was a most welcome break.
A break Malcolm and Seong-Jae sorely need. And even if they don’t get a reprieve from the intense burdens of their work for very long, it’s long enough for them to acknowledge and name some truths. Saying nothing else but …
And Malcolm's first visit at Seong-Jae's parents is sweet and heart-warming and utterly awesome.
Of course, the peace doesn’t last, and Cole McCade makes sure to leave us on a cliffhanger, awful enough to grit my teeth and worry what’s next. Now that the pressure is back on, I wonder if the author just let us relax a little bit before he’s going to hit us with the big guns.
Speaking of which – for those, who like me, short-circuited a teeny bit after reading the preview chapter 1 at the end of book 5, please read the author's introduction where he very kindly puts a bit of balm onto our frazzled souls.
Truly epic.
So so amazing and brilliant.
As always.
And still this episode is extra special. You know one of those you want to replay again and again because it makes you ultimately happy and leaves you smiling so hard your cheeks are hurting.
One of those.
Cole McCade says himself in the introduction that this is 65% fluff.
And it is.
And it was everything we could have ever hoped for.
And after the intensity and horrors of the case in the previous episodes this was a most welcome break.
A break Malcolm and Seong-Jae sorely need. And even if they don’t get a reprieve from the intense burdens of their work for very long, it’s long enough for them to acknowledge and name some truths. Saying nothing else but …
And Malcolm's first visit at Seong-Jae's parents is sweet and heart-warming and utterly awesome.
Of course, the peace doesn’t last, and Cole McCade makes sure to leave us on a cliffhanger, awful enough to grit my teeth and worry what’s next. Now that the pressure is back on, I wonder if the author just let us relax a little bit before he’s going to hit us with the big guns.
Speaking of which – for those, who like me, short-circuited a teeny bit after reading the preview chapter 1 at the end of book 5, please read the author's introduction where he very kindly puts a bit of balm onto our frazzled souls.
Truly epic.
July 11, 2020
For any lover of the Criminal Intentions series, Divine Proportion is absolute Mal and Seong-Jae catnip. 350ish pages of these men melting your heart and giving your feelings a damn good work out.
They were everything together...”
That’s not to say this is all a bed of roses and although it has a lighter feel, this series wouldn’t be what it is without the more angsty moments, the intrigue and that feeling of not quite knowing what’s lurking around the corner. Proof that the best things come to those who wait, I loved this and can’t wait for episode 7.
They were everything together...”
That’s not to say this is all a bed of roses and although it has a lighter feel, this series wouldn’t be what it is without the more angsty moments, the intrigue and that feeling of not quite knowing what’s lurking around the corner. Proof that the best things come to those who wait, I loved this and can’t wait for episode 7.
September 3, 2024
[𝟻 / 𝟻 ✩]
𝙰𝚕𝚎𝚡𝚊, 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢 …
♫ 𝙼𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚎 𝙰𝚝 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝
♫ 𝙽𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚎 𝙶𝚘
♫ 𝙵𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙾𝚏 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎
Welp, this is a bit embarrassing … See, my plan was to have finished all of season II by now, unfortunately … that didn't happen. The previous book in the series, Deep Spiral unexpectedly took a lot out of me. I needed a break … an almost four month break it seems. But, never fear, I am back and am determined to finish season II by the end of the year, if not month.
■ 𝚈𝙾𝙾𝙽 𝚂𝙴𝙾𝙽𝙶-𝙹𝙰𝙴
• his walls finally came down
• we got to learn more about his past with Sila
• that confession in the gazebo
• THAT CONFESSION IN THE GAZEBO
• realizing how big a deal it is that he trusts Mal was truly mind-bending
• the way he is only soft for Mal, Seong-Ja, and his parents has me feeling all the feels
• all the communication he was doing … BE STILL MY BEATING HEART
■ 𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙻𝙼 '𝙼𝚈 𝙷𝚄𝚂𝙱𝙰𝙽𝙳' 𝙺𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙹𝙸
• this big teddy bear of a man has me in my feels like- ✋🥺
• i just KNOW he gives the best hugs
• the way he opened up to Seong-Ja, again my heart
• him loving Seong-Jae with every fiber of his being
• that moment when he ate the world's hottest steak cause he wanted to impress Seong-Jae's father
• Malcolm interacting with Seong-Jae's family in general never fails to bring a smile to my face
• i just- gah, i love Malcolm Khalaji
• oh and that moment in the gazebo? i'm not crying, YOU ARE
■ 𝚃𝙻;𝙳𝚁
• Divine Proportion was the book I think EVERY Criminal Intentions fan has been waiting for.
• Seong-Jae and Malcolm finally dropped the love bomb.
• Malcolm got to meet Seong-Jae's parents.
• Malcolm and Seong-Jae are actually *gasp* communicating!!
• And, perhaps most importantly, Malcolm (and us as readers) get to truly understand how precious Seong-Jae's trust really is.
• While there are dark days ahead, I beyond certain that Malcolm and Seong-Jae can weather the storm.
┍━━━━✩━━━━┑
𝙲𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜: 𝚂𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙸𝙸
𝟷𝟺. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘 ~ 𝟺.
𝟷𝟻. 𝙸𝚗 𝚂𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 ~ 𝟺.
𝟷𝟼. 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟺.𝟸𝟻
𝟷𝟽. 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 ~ 𝟺.𝟻
𝟷𝟾. 𝙳𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚕 ~ 𝟺.𝟼
𝟷𝟿. 𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟻.
𝟸𝟶. 𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟹.𝟻
𝟸𝟷. 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 ~ 𝟺.𝟻
𝟸𝟸. 𝙾𝚌𝚌𝚊𝚖'𝚜 𝚁𝚊𝚣𝚘𝚛 ~ 𝟺.𝟸𝟻
𝟸𝟹. 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟺.𝟸𝟻
𝟸𝟺. 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 ~ 𝟹.𝟻
𝟸𝟻. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚋𝚋𝚒𝚝: 𝙸 ~ 𝟹.𝟻
𝟸𝟼. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚋𝚋𝚒𝚝: 𝙸𝙸 ~ 𝟺.
┕━━━━✩━━━━┙
❝Say it for me one more time, omr,❞ he pleaded. ❝If you never say it again…just…one more time.❞
❝Ah.❞ Seong-Jae’s lashes lowered, his voice thick, heady, sweet. But even sweeter was that he didn’t hesitate even a breath to say, ❝I love you, Malcolm Khalaji.❞
❝Seong-Jae.❞
𝙰𝚕𝚎𝚡𝚊, 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢 …
♫ 𝙼𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚎 𝙰𝚝 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝
♫ 𝙽𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚎 𝙶𝚘
♫ 𝙵𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙾𝚏 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎
Welp, this is a bit embarrassing … See, my plan was to have finished all of season II by now, unfortunately … that didn't happen. The previous book in the series, Deep Spiral unexpectedly took a lot out of me. I needed a break … an almost four month break it seems. But, never fear, I am back and am determined to finish season II by the end of the year, if not month.
❝You are tense.❞
Malcolm exhaled a brief, soundless laugh. ❝You’re too good at picking up on those things.❞
❝I am leaning on you. My sense of tactile perception is functional.❞
❝And then you logic your way out of actually being considered sensitive.❞
❝Malcolm.❞
■ 𝚈𝙾𝙾𝙽 𝚂𝙴𝙾𝙽𝙶-𝙹𝙰𝙴
• his walls finally came down
• we got to learn more about his past with Sila
• that confession in the gazebo
• THAT CONFESSION IN THE GAZEBO
• realizing how big a deal it is that he trusts Mal was truly mind-bending
• the way he is only soft for Mal, Seong-Ja, and his parents has me feeling all the feels
• all the communication he was doing … BE STILL MY BEATING HEART
❝You…think we’re perfect for each other?❞ ...
❝We must be. I cannot think we are anything else, when I…I…❞ His voice dropped into a guttural, harsh break; he swallowed. ❝…I love you, Malcolm.❞
■ 𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙻𝙼 '𝙼𝚈 𝙷𝚄𝚂𝙱𝙰𝙽𝙳' 𝙺𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙹𝙸
• this big teddy bear of a man has me in my feels like- ✋🥺
• i just KNOW he gives the best hugs
• the way he opened up to Seong-Ja, again my heart
• him loving Seong-Jae with every fiber of his being
• that moment when he ate the world's hottest steak cause he wanted to impress Seong-Jae's father
• Malcolm interacting with Seong-Jae's family in general never fails to bring a smile to my face
• i just- gah, i love Malcolm Khalaji
• oh and that moment in the gazebo? i'm not crying, YOU ARE
❝Come. Dance with me, you oversized jot. Try not to step on my feet.❞
❝How can I resist when you ask so sweetly?❞
■ 𝚃𝙻;𝙳𝚁
• Divine Proportion was the book I think EVERY Criminal Intentions fan has been waiting for.
• Seong-Jae and Malcolm finally dropped the love bomb.
• Malcolm got to meet Seong-Jae's parents.
• Malcolm and Seong-Jae are actually *gasp* communicating!!
• And, perhaps most importantly, Malcolm (and us as readers) get to truly understand how precious Seong-Jae's trust really is.
• While there are dark days ahead, I beyond certain that Malcolm and Seong-Jae can weather the storm.
❝Hello Detective Khalaji, Detective Yoon,❞ the white rabbit said. ❝Would you like to play a game with me?❞
┍━━━━✩━━━━┑
𝙲𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜: 𝚂𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙸𝙸
𝟷𝟺. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘 ~ 𝟺.
𝟷𝟻. 𝙸𝚗 𝚂𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 ~ 𝟺.
𝟷𝟼. 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟺.𝟸𝟻
𝟷𝟽. 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 ~ 𝟺.𝟻
𝟷𝟾. 𝙳𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚕 ~ 𝟺.𝟼
𝟷𝟿. 𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟻.
𝟸𝟶. 𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟹.𝟻
𝟸𝟷. 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 ~ 𝟺.𝟻
𝟸𝟸. 𝙾𝚌𝚌𝚊𝚖'𝚜 𝚁𝚊𝚣𝚘𝚛 ~ 𝟺.𝟸𝟻
𝟸𝟹. 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 ~ 𝟺.𝟸𝟻
𝟸𝟺. 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 ~ 𝟹.𝟻
𝟸𝟻. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚋𝚋𝚒𝚝: 𝙸 ~ 𝟹.𝟻
𝟸𝟼. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚋𝚋𝚒𝚝: 𝙸𝙸 ~ 𝟺.
┕━━━━✩━━━━┙
February 1, 2021
5 Sublime Stars
I realised I had a problem when I was highlighting the entire book so gave up in the end 🤣 It was perfect 🙌🏻
In need of some respite, Malcolm and Seong-Jae take a break from the investigation and this time out was everything I wanted and more. Loved their pillow talk the morning after. Malcolm’s always been my favourite but oh my lord, I’m loving Seong-Jae hard right now. The way he’s opening up, giving reassurance, putting his trust in Malcolm, unable to say those three little words but showing him how he really feels in every other way he can. Don’t even get me started on the blushing. So adorable. Gah - the intimacy. Every time feels like the first. Total love fest!
As for Malcolm, my adoration knows no bounds. He always puts other people first. He’s grounding, warm, giving, kind, accepting, patient and willing to test his own limits to give Seong-Jae everything he needs. Despite his own struggles, there is literally nothing he wouldn’t do for his partner, including meeting the parents (lol). After a rocky start (😡), it doesn’t take too long for everyone to come around, although it’s fair to say that Malcolm doesn’t need to pass any tests where Seong-Ja is concerned 😂 I couldn’t help laughing at their exchanges and all his efforts to impress (so damn cute).
During this visit, in order to shed some light on the case, Seong-Jae recalls some painful memories of his time spent with Sila. He was so vulnerable/lonely when they crossed paths and he never stood a chance 😢. Observing this predator in his element, although vile, was riveting. The grooming/violation that unfolded was sickening and when Sila’s mask occasionally slipped, it was downright chilling.
Thank god Seong-Jae has Malcolm. He’s the best thing to ever happen to him. He makes Seong-Jae feel safe. Despite the sad recollections, sharing his memories with Malcolm is ultimately freeing. When those final barriers eventually came down, and the floodgates opened, it was beautiful to behold. It was dancing in the moonlight 💘 It was worth the wait! 🥰
No doubt, things are only going to get worse, especially after that ending 😳 so I was very grateful for the reprieve. I loved it!
I realised I had a problem when I was highlighting the entire book so gave up in the end 🤣 It was perfect 🙌🏻
In need of some respite, Malcolm and Seong-Jae take a break from the investigation and this time out was everything I wanted and more. Loved their pillow talk the morning after. Malcolm’s always been my favourite but oh my lord, I’m loving Seong-Jae hard right now. The way he’s opening up, giving reassurance, putting his trust in Malcolm, unable to say those three little words but showing him how he really feels in every other way he can. Don’t even get me started on the blushing. So adorable. Gah - the intimacy. Every time feels like the first. Total love fest!
As for Malcolm, my adoration knows no bounds. He always puts other people first. He’s grounding, warm, giving, kind, accepting, patient and willing to test his own limits to give Seong-Jae everything he needs. Despite his own struggles, there is literally nothing he wouldn’t do for his partner, including meeting the parents (lol). After a rocky start (😡), it doesn’t take too long for everyone to come around, although it’s fair to say that Malcolm doesn’t need to pass any tests where Seong-Ja is concerned 😂 I couldn’t help laughing at their exchanges and all his efforts to impress (so damn cute).
During this visit, in order to shed some light on the case, Seong-Jae recalls some painful memories of his time spent with Sila. He was so vulnerable/lonely when they crossed paths and he never stood a chance 😢. Observing this predator in his element, although vile, was riveting. The grooming/violation that unfolded was sickening and when Sila’s mask occasionally slipped, it was downright chilling.
Thank god Seong-Jae has Malcolm. He’s the best thing to ever happen to him. He makes Seong-Jae feel safe. Despite the sad recollections, sharing his memories with Malcolm is ultimately freeing. When those final barriers eventually came down, and the floodgates opened, it was beautiful to behold. It was dancing in the moonlight 💘 It was worth the wait! 🥰
No doubt, things are only going to get worse, especially after that ending 😳 so I was very grateful for the reprieve. I loved it!
June 20, 2021
first of all, that kill scene almost made lose my shit but then i went back and read the spoilers… 🤡 how dare you @ cole mccade. (jk i actually love when authors fuck with our brains like that, so kudos to you mr mccade)
this was comparatively a chill episode in a lot of ways, since they’re sort of off the case right now (even though let’s be real they never really fully shut off from the job) and they’re dealing with the aftermath of what happened in the previous episode.
mal finally met the parents & he was adorably nervous. loved the family dynamics & hope to see more of seong-jae’s family in future episodes. ALSO!! baby pictures! that part was adorable. seong-jae was obviously a very angry baby.
and!! omg omg omg!!! seong-jae said IT!! 👀 and mal burst into tears and i did it right along with him LMAO. these men will be the death of me. the way they’re so deeply connected just makes my heart WEEP. i love them.
also… that little fucker sila?!!!!! the absolute RAGE i feel for him…... that lil prick now has his place in the list of my top hated characters. hope he suffers in the end. that’s all.
this was comparatively a chill episode in a lot of ways, since they’re sort of off the case right now (even though let’s be real they never really fully shut off from the job) and they’re dealing with the aftermath of what happened in the previous episode.
mal finally met the parents & he was adorably nervous. loved the family dynamics & hope to see more of seong-jae’s family in future episodes. ALSO!! baby pictures! that part was adorable. seong-jae was obviously a very angry baby.
and!! omg omg omg!!! seong-jae said IT!! 👀 and mal burst into tears and i did it right along with him LMAO. these men will be the death of me. the way they’re so deeply connected just makes my heart WEEP. i love them.
also… that little fucker sila?!!!!! the absolute RAGE i feel for him…... that lil prick now has his place in the list of my top hated characters. hope he suffers in the end. that’s all.
June 12, 2021
4.5 ⭐️ Uh-huh, I'm speechless. Oh my God, my heart. It's going to explode from happiness. The ecstasy I have after reading this book was everything. Cole, you're amazing! ❤️
Everything Seong-Jae held on his past about his relationship with Sila released from his mind and his heart. He was too strong. Malcolm always held Seong-Jae’s hand when Seong-Jae was going to break down from everything. Malcolm was the strength Seong-Jae needed. Their relationship was very strong and stable. My two boys are getting better and better!
“Malcolm’s grasp tightened, holding on to Seong-Jae almost convulsively, his chest a resounding and ever-ringing bell of emotion. “You…think we’re perfect for each other?”
“We must be. I cannot think we are anything else, when I…I…” His voice dropped into a guttural, harsh break; he swallowed. “…I love you, Malcolm.”
These two melted my heart. How can they be even cuter? I absolutely love Seong-Jae and Malcolm together and separately. Cole, don't ever think to finish this series. I would be dead by pain.
This episode was everything just I needed. But I'm so scared to read the next episode. ☹️
Everything Seong-Jae held on his past about his relationship with Sila released from his mind and his heart. He was too strong. Malcolm always held Seong-Jae’s hand when Seong-Jae was going to break down from everything. Malcolm was the strength Seong-Jae needed. Their relationship was very strong and stable. My two boys are getting better and better!
“Malcolm’s grasp tightened, holding on to Seong-Jae almost convulsively, his chest a resounding and ever-ringing bell of emotion. “You…think we’re perfect for each other?”
“We must be. I cannot think we are anything else, when I…I…” His voice dropped into a guttural, harsh break; he swallowed. “…I love you, Malcolm.”
These two melted my heart. How can they be even cuter? I absolutely love Seong-Jae and Malcolm together and separately. Cole, don't ever think to finish this series. I would be dead by pain.
This episode was everything just I needed. But I'm so scared to read the next episode. ☹️
July 20, 2023
"I... what's it like? To be in love like that?"
"I don't even know how to explain it. It's like it takes you over completely... and at the same time gives you room to be everything and everyone you are." He laughed, ducking his head and rubbing his hand over his scalp, catching up a handful of his hair. "I don't know. Everytime you fall in love, you think this time - this time's the one, more real and more true than every other. Until the next time, and how real and true that one is. But Seong-Jae... he makes me feel like I won't ever need a next time again."
HE SAID IT! HE FREAKING SAID IT! Not in Korean, but HE SAID IT! This one thing deserves five stars, I waited for it for so long! 😭😭
The Yoon dinner was as chaotic as I thought it would be 😂 I was so happy to meet Seong-Jae's parents and it was delightful to see how well Malcolm had fit into the picture. I hope that both families will meet each other soon! ☺️
Oh, and we finally got to know what Seong-Jae's past with Sila was like. And it was as awful as I expected. Sila is like a snake, an poisonous snake that should stay away from people, because he cannot love, he can only hurt.
BUT, BUT, WAIT, WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?? WHAT IS THE WHITE RABBIT PLANNING?? 😰
Criminal Intentions Season Two - my rating:
S02E01 The Golden Ratio Killer: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E02 In Sequence: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E03 Cold Calculation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4,5/5)
S02E04 Hard Angle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
S02E05 Deep Spiral: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
S02E06 Divine Proportion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
S02E07 Triangulation: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E08 Trajectory: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E09 Occam's Razor: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E10 Fractal Recursion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
S02E11 Convergence: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
S02E12 White Rabbit Part I: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E13 White Rabbit Part II: ⭐⭐ (2/5)
"I don't even know how to explain it. It's like it takes you over completely... and at the same time gives you room to be everything and everyone you are." He laughed, ducking his head and rubbing his hand over his scalp, catching up a handful of his hair. "I don't know. Everytime you fall in love, you think this time - this time's the one, more real and more true than every other. Until the next time, and how real and true that one is. But Seong-Jae... he makes me feel like I won't ever need a next time again."
HE SAID IT! HE FREAKING SAID IT! Not in Korean, but HE SAID IT! This one thing deserves five stars, I waited for it for so long! 😭😭
The Yoon dinner was as chaotic as I thought it would be 😂 I was so happy to meet Seong-Jae's parents and it was delightful to see how well Malcolm had fit into the picture. I hope that both families will meet each other soon! ☺️
Oh, and we finally got to know what Seong-Jae's past with Sila was like. And it was as awful as I expected. Sila is like a snake, an poisonous snake that should stay away from people, because he cannot love, he can only hurt.
BUT, BUT, WAIT, WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?? WHAT IS THE WHITE RABBIT PLANNING?? 😰
Criminal Intentions Season Two - my rating:
S02E01 The Golden Ratio Killer: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E02 In Sequence: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E03 Cold Calculation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4,5/5)
S02E04 Hard Angle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
S02E05 Deep Spiral: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
S02E06 Divine Proportion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
S02E07 Triangulation: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E08 Trajectory: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E09 Occam's Razor: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E10 Fractal Recursion: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
S02E11 Convergence: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
S02E12 White Rabbit Part I: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
S02E13 White Rabbit Part II: ⭐⭐ (2/5)
September 30, 2020
4.5*
Wow
That’s it I’m moving on to the next one.
Wow
That’s it I’m moving on to the next one.
July 14, 2023
3.75 Stars
Listen - I love this series, I love Malcolm and Seong-Jae, I love this story and the characters. However, this episode just wasn't quite it for me, no matter how sweet and emotional I still found it.
To begin, that gd first chapter was NUTS. I was losing my mind, like heart pounding, speed reading to find out wtf happened. And then the story decided to just drag until we found out that . Which okay, that's fine. But it zapped a lot of my interest and I immediately put the book down and I struggled to pick it back up. In addition to that, this episode was extremely sappy and flowery, emotional overload to the point it was overdone.
I understand this was the calm interlude in season 2. I understand this was a big emotional episode with some big emotional and character growth. However, my eyes were literally glazing over at times because it was constant. McCade's writing is amazing, truly; I just wished it had been dialed back some. As for the emotional/character growth in general, it was great. I loved seeing Seong-Jae's family (especially Seong-Ja) and seeing how much comfort Malcolm and Seong-Jae bring to one another as they cope with the traumatic events that have happened to them and within the case. There's a big emotional moment which we've been waiting forever for, which was super sweet, but tbh I was halfway zoned out from the oversaturation of sappiness and didn't appreciate it like I expected to, considering it was 19 books in the making 🥺
Overall, I still absolutely adore this series and I think this was really a "me" thing. There's a lot going on in my personal life and perhaps I just didn't have the emotional capacity for this episode. I might take a short break, go read something wildly different, and come back to the series shortly. I still want to catch up to IRL releases asap 😬😅
Seong-Jae never failed to startle him with his fervor, with the way the ice of his surface demeanor cracked to reveal the deep-burning embers smoldering underneath, and the fire that edged his voice when he spoke with such fierce intent. And when he showed that emotion to Malcolm, for Malcolm… Malcolm only fell that much harder, that much deeper, through the cracks in Seong-Jae’s ice to incinerate himself in that burning heart.
Listen - I love this series, I love Malcolm and Seong-Jae, I love this story and the characters. However, this episode just wasn't quite it for me, no matter how sweet and emotional I still found it.
To begin, that gd first chapter was NUTS. I was losing my mind, like heart pounding, speed reading to find out wtf happened. And then the story decided to just drag until we found out that . Which okay, that's fine. But it zapped a lot of my interest and I immediately put the book down and I struggled to pick it back up. In addition to that, this episode was extremely sappy and flowery, emotional overload to the point it was overdone.
I understand this was the calm interlude in season 2. I understand this was a big emotional episode with some big emotional and character growth. However, my eyes were literally glazing over at times because it was constant. McCade's writing is amazing, truly; I just wished it had been dialed back some. As for the emotional/character growth in general, it was great. I loved seeing Seong-Jae's family (especially Seong-Ja) and seeing how much comfort Malcolm and Seong-Jae bring to one another as they cope with the traumatic events that have happened to them and within the case. There's a big emotional moment which we've been waiting forever for, which was super sweet, but tbh I was halfway zoned out from the oversaturation of sappiness and didn't appreciate it like I expected to, considering it was 19 books in the making 🥺
Overall, I still absolutely adore this series and I think this was really a "me" thing. There's a lot going on in my personal life and perhaps I just didn't have the emotional capacity for this episode. I might take a short break, go read something wildly different, and come back to the series shortly. I still want to catch up to IRL releases asap 😬😅
July 13, 2020
Oh, this episode was so worth the wait! I didn't know what I expected but the author surprised me yet again. Out of all episodes this was the sweetest and the most informative one. Mr McCade took us on a walk down the memory lane with Seong-Jae, and I finally saw the why and the how of Seong-Jae's past and what shaped the Seong-Jae of today. Through it all Malcolm remained his strength and offered unwavering support just like I knew he would because Malcolm is one of the best fictional men I know.
The author gave us a breather but still managed to connect the Golden Ratio Killer case to this somewhat happy and mellow episode by giving Mal and Seong-Jae time to brainstorm and try to connect the dots that they discovered in the previous book and the facts that Seong-Jae dredged up from his past. It was rather fascinating where their thoughts took them.
It's hard to review without spoilers here. I finally got to see what relaxed and happy Seong-Jae looked like, Malcolm's first bout of nerves and two men having time for themselves. *sigh* It was so romantic, sweet and endearing. They so needed to just be and they finally got it. This was steadily paced, sweet and steamy episode with a touch of good-natured humor, many revelations that started to show the entire picture a bit clearer, but at the center of it all were Mal and Seong-Jae and their perfect love. It was so good that I didn't want it to end.
The author gave us a breather but still managed to connect the Golden Ratio Killer case to this somewhat happy and mellow episode by giving Mal and Seong-Jae time to brainstorm and try to connect the dots that they discovered in the previous book and the facts that Seong-Jae dredged up from his past. It was rather fascinating where their thoughts took them.
It's hard to review without spoilers here. I finally got to see what relaxed and happy Seong-Jae looked like, Malcolm's first bout of nerves and two men having time for themselves. *sigh* It was so romantic, sweet and endearing. They so needed to just be and they finally got it. This was steadily paced, sweet and steamy episode with a touch of good-natured humor, many revelations that started to show the entire picture a bit clearer, but at the center of it all were Mal and Seong-Jae and their perfect love. It was so good that I didn't want it to end.
July 12, 2020
Oh how I have missed this wonderful series. But it just goes to show that I will wait however long it takes Mr. McCade to write every book planned in this series, and it will be worth it.
Because he gave us a wonderful installment in this 6th one and it was well worth the wait. That's not to say this is angst free, no sir. We're treated - or well, subjected more like - to flashbacks of Seong-Jae with Sila in the early days when he first new him as a teenager, so it isn't all fluff.
But we do get a lot of that too.
After the angst filled and tough to read 5th installment of the shooting in the theater, we open up this one with a brief look at Joshi after his seemingly real encounter with TGRK, and then we only get mainly Seong-Jae and Malcolm POVs with some Anjulie and Gabi interspersed throughout, and I have to say this is my favorite kind of book in this series. Not that I dislike more than multiple POVs, per se, but just that they have been a bit much in this second season and I know I much prefer less POVs and this only had about 4 - with the one short POV from Joshi as a 5th - and that made me love this one all the more.
And it was mainly focused on Mal and Seong-Jae...and Mal meeting the parents ;) and I absolutely loved and adored it. Also Seong-Ja was there and she was lovely and amazing and adorable and sweet and I can't wait for more of her. We also get to really officially meet Seong-Jae's parents in this one and it was great to get to know them too, especially Seong-Jae's mother.
It was great to get to check in with Anjulie and Gabi as well throughout this. Sade makes an appearance as well, who if you'll recall, killed the dirty cop trying to murder Huang, so....things are moving along in Baltimore a little bit as we take a bit of a pause in LA with Seong-Jae and Malcolm.
This is some of my favorite writing, when it focuses so much of characters and relationships. Not much happens in terms of the plot, but it's the deeper look at the characters, getting to know new ones and know the ones we know and love even more that I love the most. Unlike the last book I read, the lack of moving forward with the plot didn't bother me, as there is so much plot in this story that this is a nice pause, nice rest from it, and the character and relationship building in this was so good that I didn't care about the lack of plot.
Mal and Seong-Jae have the day off after everything that happened the day before, and plan to go out, but when Seong-Jae's parents invite them over, they go, and Malcolm is adorably nervous and the first meeting doesn't go quite as first hoped, but things quickly get better, and the first meeting is funny in it's own way.
I loved everything about this installment, even the angst-y parts, just to be able to get to know teenager Seong-Jae a little more and how everything with Sila even started.
Definitely need to read this if you've been reading this series. And I won't say what happens that made me super giddy reading this, only that I thought we'd have to wait for the end of the season for it. Mal and Seong-Jae are so in love and it makes my heart melt.
Two MASSIVE thumbs up. Can't wait for the next one, even if we have to wait 5 months for it (although hopefully not ;)).
Because he gave us a wonderful installment in this 6th one and it was well worth the wait. That's not to say this is angst free, no sir. We're treated - or well, subjected more like - to flashbacks of Seong-Jae with Sila in the early days when he first new him as a teenager, so it isn't all fluff.
But we do get a lot of that too.
After the angst filled and tough to read 5th installment of the shooting in the theater, we open up this one with a brief look at Joshi after his seemingly real encounter with TGRK, and then we only get mainly Seong-Jae and Malcolm POVs with some Anjulie and Gabi interspersed throughout, and I have to say this is my favorite kind of book in this series. Not that I dislike more than multiple POVs, per se, but just that they have been a bit much in this second season and I know I much prefer less POVs and this only had about 4 - with the one short POV from Joshi as a 5th - and that made me love this one all the more.
And it was mainly focused on Mal and Seong-Jae...and Mal meeting the parents ;) and I absolutely loved and adored it. Also Seong-Ja was there and she was lovely and amazing and adorable and sweet and I can't wait for more of her. We also get to really officially meet Seong-Jae's parents in this one and it was great to get to know them too, especially Seong-Jae's mother.
It was great to get to check in with Anjulie and Gabi as well throughout this. Sade makes an appearance as well, who if you'll recall, killed the dirty cop trying to murder Huang, so....things are moving along in Baltimore a little bit as we take a bit of a pause in LA with Seong-Jae and Malcolm.
This is some of my favorite writing, when it focuses so much of characters and relationships. Not much happens in terms of the plot, but it's the deeper look at the characters, getting to know new ones and know the ones we know and love even more that I love the most. Unlike the last book I read, the lack of moving forward with the plot didn't bother me, as there is so much plot in this story that this is a nice pause, nice rest from it, and the character and relationship building in this was so good that I didn't care about the lack of plot.
Mal and Seong-Jae have the day off after everything that happened the day before, and plan to go out, but when Seong-Jae's parents invite them over, they go, and Malcolm is adorably nervous and the first meeting doesn't go quite as first hoped, but things quickly get better, and the first meeting is funny in it's own way.
I loved everything about this installment, even the angst-y parts, just to be able to get to know teenager Seong-Jae a little more and how everything with Sila even started.
Definitely need to read this if you've been reading this series. And I won't say what happens that made me super giddy reading this, only that I thought we'd have to wait for the end of the season for it. Mal and Seong-Jae are so in love and it makes my heart melt.
Two MASSIVE thumbs up. Can't wait for the next one, even if we have to wait 5 months for it (although hopefully not ;)).
September 19, 2021
“Sometimes love is in the small things.”
Hands down. THE best episode in the entire series till now. And that last chapter utterly broke me.
Hands down. THE best episode in the entire series till now. And that last chapter utterly broke me.
June 6, 2021
This was the definition of rollercoaster of emotions! What started out as the scariest episode (I was so stressed I had to take a break for a few days because I was too afraid to continue) became one of the sweetest and swooniest episode, only to once again stress me out again with a cliffhanger!
The hand holding, the small touches, the support from Malcolm to Seong-Jae, the growing relationship with their families, the confession😭. It was EVERYTHING. This episode was a breath of fresh air ah
My fave part of the whole book😍:
The hand holding, the small touches, the support from Malcolm to Seong-Jae, the growing relationship with their families, the confession😭. It was EVERYTHING. This episode was a breath of fresh air ah
My fave part of the whole book😍:
July 21, 2020
Phewww RTC
Season 1:
1) The Cardigans ⭐⭐✨ (2.5)
2) Junkshop Blues ⭐⭐⭐ (3)
3) The Man With The Glass Eye ⭐��⭐✨ (3.5)
4) Changing Faces ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.75)
5) It's Witchcraft ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
6) Where There's Smoke ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
7) Cult of Personality ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
8) Collateral Damage ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
9) A Single Bright Candle's Flame ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
10) Backdraft ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
10.5) It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
11) Crescendo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
12) The Hatter's Game: Part I ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
13) The Hatter's Game: Part II ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
Season 2:
1) The Golden Ratio ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
2) In Sequence ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
3) Cold Calculation ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
4) Hard Angle ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
5) Deep Spiral ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
6) Divine Proportions ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
Season 1:
1) The Cardigans ⭐⭐✨ (2.5)
2) Junkshop Blues ⭐⭐⭐ (3)
3) The Man With The Glass Eye ⭐��⭐✨ (3.5)
4) Changing Faces ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.75)
5) It's Witchcraft ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
6) Where There's Smoke ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
7) Cult of Personality ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
8) Collateral Damage ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
9) A Single Bright Candle's Flame ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
10) Backdraft ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
10.5) It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
11) Crescendo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
12) The Hatter's Game: Part I ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
13) The Hatter's Game: Part II ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
Season 2:
1) The Golden Ratio ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
2) In Sequence ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
3) Cold Calculation ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
4) Hard Angle ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
5) Deep Spiral ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
6) Divine Proportions ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
January 31, 2022
Bottle episode.
Seong-Jae faces his past;
Embraces his Mal.
Seong-Jae faces his past;
Embraces his Mal.
March 13, 2024
OMG... I'm a little lost for words... So...
I was going to come here and rant about the excess POV in these books, namely Anjulie and Gabi... I was going to vent about how dispicable Seong-Jea's mother was... how rude and terrible she was to Malcom... How she seemed so superior but was just pantly rude and unpleasent...
But in the end I prefer to remember all the amazing moments in this book… I felt Seong-Jae's pain remembering his past... poor baby crow... the beautiful dance in the gazebo…How i adore you to death, Malcom... Those three words were monumental, and that whole scene in the gazebo was pure literary porn... I cried... I felt... I LOVED IT! But I specifically loved and will always treasure the way that Seong-Jae took care of a breaking Malcom, such a change in their dynamic and truly powerful… I felt overwhelmed with the intensity of it all!
And that ending.... i just can't imagine a world where i would have to wait to read the next book....
I was going to come here and rant about the excess POV in these books, namely Anjulie and Gabi... I was going to vent about how dispicable Seong-Jea's mother was... how rude and terrible she was to Malcom... How she seemed so superior but was just pantly rude and unpleasent...
But in the end I prefer to remember all the amazing moments in this book… I felt Seong-Jae's pain remembering his past... poor baby crow... the beautiful dance in the gazebo…How i adore you to death, Malcom... Those three words were monumental, and that whole scene in the gazebo was pure literary porn... I cried... I felt... I LOVED IT! But I specifically loved and will always treasure the way that Seong-Jae took care of a breaking Malcom, such a change in their dynamic and truly powerful… I felt overwhelmed with the intensity of it all!
And that ending.... i just can't imagine a world where i would have to wait to read the next book....
May 6, 2024
THE ENDING OMG; THE ENDING!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE IIIIIIIIIIT 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
I LOVE IIIIIIIIIIT 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
August 20, 2021
For all their talk of needing therapy (which is great by the way, don't get me wrong), these two are the most capable of processing and working through their own emotions. Almost a little too good. This is far from the first book I've thought it but wow, for all their stumbles in this area, for the most part? These two are almost painfully self-aware. Got to love those psychology and profiling backgrounds!
That said, this book (possibly the longest of the whole series) was a hiatus from so many things. It was a peaceful break in the action, it was catharsis, it was a lot of big emotional beats. I don't think I felt them all as strongly as I should but.. there was one moment that.. oof, sucker punch, it was a beautiful kind of hurt. In the "long overdue but worth the wait" kind of way.
We didn't break away from this couple often but, surprisingly, when we did? I was actually very onboard. The Baltimore crew are prepping for action.. or something, I don't know.. and I was happy for those brief respites into that stuff. I'm definitely all over the place with this storyline, I know, I can't help it. I don't understand my own self. I really do think I disliked the sideplot because of Huang and Sade (she says, for the thousandth time) but letting Anji take charge, bringing in some other players, seeing Gabi's spine.. yeah, I'm here for that. Plus there's a kind of simple relief in a corrupt politician plot vs psychopathic serial killers and vats of emotional angst. Anji is blissfully free of the complication of the emotional stuff. It's a nice break.
Speaking of emotions, we visited with Yoon's family and while those scenes had their moments, I do prefer Malcolm's family dynamic. The stuff with his sister was awkward and weird, though addressed (thankfully), and while I could see myself warming up to the parents, much like they took time to warm up to Malcolm, I'm not there yet. But look forward to exploring more of that dynamic.
All that said, this is a 3.5 for me, but I'll round up because McCade puts in some serious emotional work and I respect that.
That said, this book (possibly the longest of the whole series) was a hiatus from so many things. It was a peaceful break in the action, it was catharsis, it was a lot of big emotional beats. I don't think I felt them all as strongly as I should but.. there was one moment that.. oof, sucker punch, it was a beautiful kind of hurt. In the "long overdue but worth the wait" kind of way.
We didn't break away from this couple often but, surprisingly, when we did? I was actually very onboard. The Baltimore crew are prepping for action.. or something, I don't know.. and I was happy for those brief respites into that stuff. I'm definitely all over the place with this storyline, I know, I can't help it. I don't understand my own self. I really do think I disliked the sideplot because of Huang and Sade (she says, for the thousandth time) but letting Anji take charge, bringing in some other players, seeing Gabi's spine.. yeah, I'm here for that. Plus there's a kind of simple relief in a corrupt politician plot vs psychopathic serial killers and vats of emotional angst. Anji is blissfully free of the complication of the emotional stuff. It's a nice break.
Speaking of emotions, we visited with Yoon's family and while those scenes had their moments, I do prefer Malcolm's family dynamic. The stuff with his sister was awkward and weird, though addressed (thankfully), and while I could see myself warming up to the parents, much like they took time to warm up to Malcolm, I'm not there yet. But look forward to exploring more of that dynamic.
All that said, this is a 3.5 for me, but I'll round up because McCade puts in some serious emotional work and I respect that.
August 18, 2020
I loved being back with these two!
❤ Malcolm
❤ Seong-Jae
For me Divine Proportion was all about Seong-Jae finally releasing the hold his past had on his mind and soul. As you read through this series you get bits and pieces of what he went through with Sila but here as he writes down his memories things become more real then they ever have. My heart broke for the younger Seong-Jae. The anguish he felt. The feeling of not belonging. And Sila was/is the master of manipulation.
It was difficult for Seong-Jae to let go and share this with Malcolm but I loved the compassion and empathy that Malcolm had for him. Oh my heart! There were also some pretty funny moments as Malcolm meets Mr. & Mrs. Yoon. Seong-Jae was of no help with that! :)
In regards to the criminal side of things there was a chapter or two when we see Angjulie and Gabrielle start to muddle through some personal issues that get interrupted by Sade. Which in turns starts the unraveling of the thread in whats to come.
The ending of course threw my thoughts into a tizzy! What the hell is going to happen?
August 5, 2022
2.7 Stars
Yes, I know this was an emotional episode for the series. Finally Seong-Jae is coming around. But ...
the slow-mo feeling here was even worse than in the last volumes. Especially because of Seong-Jae's flashbacks to his past with Sila. I don't like flashbacks in general and definitely didn't like them here. I did also not understand why they would have been necessary. They did not bring the story forward. They did not really add new revelations to the case (as far as we can say at this point).
And the whole book is more or less just a bbq at Seong-Jae's family, introducing Mal, those flashbacks, some emotional admissions from Seong-Jae (overdue yet still unexpected) and the unevitable cliffhanger at the end.
Also one star off for the misleading intro-scene.
Yes, I know this was an emotional episode for the series. Finally Seong-Jae is coming around. But ...
the slow-mo feeling here was even worse than in the last volumes. Especially because of Seong-Jae's flashbacks to his past with Sila. I don't like flashbacks in general and definitely didn't like them here. I did also not understand why they would have been necessary. They did not bring the story forward. They did not really add new revelations to the case (as far as we can say at this point).
And the whole book is more or less just a bbq at Seong-Jae's family, introducing Mal, those flashbacks, some emotional admissions from Seong-Jae (overdue yet still unexpected) and the unevitable cliffhanger at the end.
Also one star off for the misleading intro-scene.
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