4.5 stars for the first 2/3's and maybe 1.5 for the end....the real issue with Desert Blade was the length! It started out so so well! Interesting story, great characters, awesome concept!....I do have to mention it did remind me a bit of Joss Ware's Envy books, but as I loved them this was a good thing, IMO... but by the last third everything felt rushed and it all sorta ran together...It almost felt like there was a checklist and the author was ticking items off to make sure they were included/dealt with before the "the end". I wanted more dammit! More details, more story, more time for the characters to work through their issues(talk!), rather then get their HEA solely because we're getting to the end of the book. And the book ends at a horrible place! I was just getting excited thinking the end that I thought was nigh, wasn't so nigh after all! Just when I thought the story was ending, it looked like it was going to continue on, but instead just stops instead...maybe it was just me, but it left me feeling sorta gypped. Oh and if it matters to you, there's also not much sex...two scenes I think....two well written if somewhat short scenes.So yeah, great beginning, but disappointing ending = 3 stars overall. I received an advanced copy of this title from netgalley
