Charlie Cochet's "Thick & Thin"

I really should have mentioned this yesterday before chatting about Gilli.  Anyway, in Ms Cochet's latest THIRDS novella she does a nice job of wrapping things up prior to the next book, which is focused on a couple other than Dex & Sloane, who have been the main concern for most of the series,  though others have occasionally taken the spotlight.  I believe she mentioned something about wanting to separate this out so it didn't distract from that storyline, and I am glad she did.  If you have forgotten some of the details my friend Cheryl assures me that Ms Cochet does a nice job in recapping them for you.  I didn't have the same continuity issues, so I will say that Ms Cochet's recap did not distract from the story at hand.  This is a novella that plays out events that happened at the end of book 7, and sets up the next book to be relatively tidy, rather than distracting from that story with the revelations detailed here, because this book combined with the next would do nothing but distract from those details.  If I were cynical I could say it is a play for money, but I am not quite that bad, and I do think what happens in this story would seriously distract from whatever story she has set up for Seb & Hudson, and I think she was correct in her decision to make this its own story, however unconventional the storyline.  I would also advise that if you haven't read any of this series, then this is not the book to start with.  Start with book 1, "Hell & High Water" and if you like it, continue on, as this isn't a series that, as yet, I haven't seen quality issues with.  With the exception of two books, the series focuses on two main characters and is constantly developing the secondary characters, such as the aforementioned Seb & Hudson.  The books require a suspension of disbelief into Ms Cochet's scientific logic for shifters, and they also require you not to be squeamish when gay sex is described, but overall, for this sort of genre fiction, I think she does a marvelous job, and this novella does exactly what she expected, which is wrap up consequences from book 7 while prepping readers for book 9.  Due to the emotional rollercoaster these characters experience, I also don't see any issue breaking this out, because by doing so, Ms Cochet allowed the emotional requirements at the end of book 7 to shine as they needed, and not be lost in an epilogue.

So this isn't exactly a book review, but I did read it, and enjoy it, and would suggest it to others who have enjoyed the series.