Garden of Dreams and Desires: Crescent City, Book 3

I really wish Crescent City would've been a series instead of a trilogy because I definitely wanted more of Augustine and Harlow. I felt like I was just getting close to them and now they've been ripped from me. =*( I'm going to miss my sexy smoky Guardian and his adorable computer genius sidekick.Garden of Dreams & Desires picks up where Kristen Painter left the characters off at in the previous book. Yes…I was one of those readers that didn't handle the cliffhanger well. Seriously, how would you react to an evil spirit taking over the female lead like that? I couldn't. I was shocked with the ending. Kristen threw me in a loop after the second book, so I was anxious to read the last book in the trilogy. Of course, Kristen has to throw in another loop with the evil spirit and what it's evil plans are. Ahhhh!!! There's also the issue of what is happening in NOLA with the Fae and the humans. The Guardian has his work cut out for him, especially with an important person gone missing and the Fae being held accountable for it. Augustine will do anything to find out what really happened. He gets put into situations that I'm surprised he survived in.Let's not forget the crazy witches. Yup… I said it the crazy witches. They have a BIGGER plan that is going to change everything in NOLA. The Fae and everyone that gets in the way of the witches will be in trouble. I really didn't like the witches. Grrr!I won't go into anymore details of the story because I'm afraid I'll give something away and I hate spoilers.What I liked most about this book is how Harlow grew into a stronger character in this one. Don't get me wrong, I was mad what she did in the previous book, but she made up for it in this book. She still made iffy decisions, but she made up for it, darn it!Augustine finally became a changed guy and realized what he wanted. He became a stronger Guardian too in this book. Although, he got caught up in certain things that prevented him on doing what he was supposed to.I also enjoyed how the evil spirit was handled. I was hoping it would end the way it did.The only things that did bother me was how fast everything went and how much was put in such a small portion. This book could have been easily broke into two books to tell the story, but I understand why it couldn't be. I just wish I could know exactly what happened to the bad guys in the story fully. They deserved a lot more coming to them, after what they did. Grrrr!! I also would've loved to find out what happens to certain secondary characters. Cy being one of them. ****hint, hint*** =)Thank goodness for Kristen writing another series though, after this one because her next characters should fill that gap I have of losing Augustine and Harlow so soon. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed reading the last book in the trilogy, but I'm going to miss these characters. I was just getting to know them. =*(I give this book 3.5 stars and I do recommend it to Urban Fantasy readers out there and readers that enjoyed Kristen Painter's other UF series, House of Comarre.Although, this is not my favorite of the trilogy, I still enjoyed reading how it all ended. Seriously...I'm really going to miss Auggie…my sexy smoky Guardian.

I'm use to reading a different type of book from Kristen Painter. Most of what I've read has been on the comitic side. But this series has a more serious bent, for sure. I've enjoyed all three of the Crescent City Books. Getting to know Auggy and Harley and going along on their journey was intriguing. There was no shortage of villains. From witches to bad Fae to evil Voodoo doctors to corrupt polititions , someone was always ready to mix it up with them. I highly recommend this series.

Very few writers can weave a story with so many brilliant paths and tie them up so neatly as Kristen Painter. She keeps me on the edge of my seat and I know a new book means little sleep till it’s done.

Being the third work in a trilogy, it really cannot be appreciated unless you've read the first two. But this is certainly the strongest of the three books. The characters are very strong personalities which does beg the question of whether the series might be extended beyond the three book set. But this book does complete the original story arch with no loose ends.

I love it. The world Kristen created is wonderful, full of intrigue, love, the endless battle between good and evil. And it takes place in NOLA. Enjoy.

Very well written kept me reading disappointed it wasn’t an audible book

A lovely story with a good plot and no graphic outdated sex scenes. Finishes out the the 2 books nicely and leaves the characters room to grow and continue their lives if there is a 4 book, very easily.

I think that Kristen writes such gripping books because she is a witch herself. As with previous books,I find I am unable to put the books down. The only reason that I stop reading is thatI know that if I don`t then I will finish the book. Even then I find myself creeping back for one more chapter.The characters are so real and the plots so well woven that although the setting is supernatural, the personalities of the players and the well explained social structure means that it doesn`t take much mental effort to be absorbed into the environment of the surreal world. Thank you Kristen for writing such delightful stories. Fortunately I still have quite a few of your books choose for my next adventure. Clive Ongley

Another great story in a series I love. So well written and another chapter in the lives of our favourite characters a must read for all Kristen's fans.It is so good to read a book with no grammatical errors well done to a brilliant editing team.I am 34 and my mum in her 60's we both loved all of Kristen's books and the way they are written.Harlow is a fierce and beautiful character who over the last 2books we have seen mature into such a determined fae accepting herself for who she is which should be a lesson to us all.Looking forward to more and hoping to here more from doc from the house of compare series.Well done again Kristen.

I'm about a quarter of the way through and really enjoying the book