Book Review: Rome by Grey Huffington

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Before we get started, I just want to say that this is the 5th book in the Grey List. Grey Huffington is an author that I found last year, and she has an extensive catalog. There are at least 10 people in this book that have their own books. The Grey List is about the Childers clan: Chemistry, Rather, Rugger, Roulette, Roaman, Range, Royce and Rome. Children of Richie and Rhea Childers. Chemistry has four brothers by his father and biological mother: Malachi, Milo, Makai, and Mercer.

I would start with Chemistry and work my way to Rome, if I were you. While I don't think you need to read the M's, it helps with understanding the family dynamic when Rome says they are also her brothers.

Rome. The baby. The Ballerina. She is the gateway to Chemistry because she is a seer. She can tell a person's intentions well before they are known. This is a blessing and a curse because she has visions including those of her own life.

Saint. Athlete. Life's going as planned until Rome enters his life, then everything is tossed in a blender.

Apparently, theater is cutthroat. So much so, that people are willing to kill to be Prima Ballerina.

Rome has been away. The family was on the run. (Read the first 4 books.) Now it's time to come home. Her sister in pointe Tiana has fallen ill, like coma and organ failure ill, but she recommended Rome take her place in the production before she was completely down.

Y'all know how this stuff works. There is always a backup ready to step up if the lead can't. That's Aliza. Well, she will continue to be the backup, because Rome comes in and does her thing. I can't imagine what that feels like though. To be at rehearsal putting in the work, and then some girl who hasn't dance for real in at least 2 years, just comes and spits in your bean curd.

Catch that Mulan reference?

To make matter worse, Rome also informs Aliza that she is taking her man, Saint. He's the love in all of Rome's prophetic dreams. Aliza is trying to be this girl's friend, and Rome basically starts reciting Mokenstef He's Mine.

Now to be fair, both Aliza and Saint are coming to terms with the fact that maybe promising to marry one another if they haven't found anyone else at the age of 9 was a dumb idea. They been engaged for like 5 years or something and are no closer to getting married than they were on day 1. But still, Rome big headed ass just made it plain. And Aliza still gotta work with her at the theater.

As the book progresses, so do Rome and Saint. She straight up told him he was hers, and he needed to figure out his lil situation before he decided to pursue her. And pursue he does, honey.

I'm with her when she right though. Just because we are destined in every lifetime, don't mean you ain't gotta work for it. Cause what?

This book is a lot different than the first four (if memory serves me correct) because it focuses heavily on their love story with the drama coming in the last 2 chapters. Everyone else had drama all up and through their pages. And while I do love a good love story, this one just didn't hit like I wanted it to. Especially given how important she is to the family. Also using the same narrator as in Roulette didn't allow the softness of Rome to be conveyed via audio. Cause baby, Roulette is that girl!

I don't know how I feel about this book. Because Rome is the baby, I felt she should have been last. I'm sure given her abilities; Saint plays a role in later books. I was going to read it regardless, of course, but I can't say I was sad when it ended. Rome got the love she had been waiting for, but not without loss. The scales must stay balance. The family rallies when tragedy strikes as they always do. Speaking of though, she was acting like a ditz. Things were always "off", and she just rolled with it. Sis? Intuition, much?

If you love a writer who is very descriptive, Grey is the girl for you. She paints a picture every time. Part of me wants to run it back to the first 4 books before Royce comes out, but we shall see. I ain't spun the block on a book yet.