School of Fish

From the very first paragraph I couldn’t help but start to hum Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here. With my favorite guys in the middle of nowhere Southern California, to Henry and Lance, plus Galen… well, these are well loved characters from some spinoffs (or originals?!) and I love how they all came together with Jackson and Ellery. Don’t misunderstand, ‘School of Fish’ is still very much a Jackson and Ellery mystery with everything that accompanies that, but it was great to see these other men I love as much.

Ellery concedes and allows Jackson to come back to work—in a very minimal way—a few days before Jackson is officially off medical leave and, of course, what happens? Jackson and Henry get caught in a shoot-out at the public defender’s office where they were just stopping by to pick up a file. Only Jackson, I swear! From then on, it’s a crazy few days of figuring out the ins and outs of two separate cases that end up being not so separate. There’s the Russian mob, a sweet, seventeen-year-old boy who is willing to go down for murder because his younger siblings have been trafficked and his silence is required, along with drugs, gambling, and general mayhem on the streets of Sacramento.

“He’d accepted who Jackson was. Yes, he wanted Jackson to be more careful of himself, but the part that he couldn’t change, he accepted. Such a powerful thing, that acceptance. It had taken them a year to get here: to the place where Jackson learned to take care of himself for Ellery’s sake and Ellery learned that there were some parts of Jackson he didn’t want to change.” ~ Jackson

This is all well and good, and the mystery and suspense had me turning pages like a lemming, but for me, the more important part of this book is how far Jackson has come, emotionally and mentally, from a year ago when he and Ellery first got together. Jackson has always had more white-knight syndrome than all the knights of the Round Table. He’s honorable and willing to sacrifice himself, if need be, for the greater good. It’s one of the reasons I adore him. He’s one of the best men ever written in fiction today. And finally, after everything he’s gone through in this last year—gunshot wounds, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart failure, multiple surgeries and so much time spent in the hospital—finally, FINALLY, Jackson has begun to see his own worth and that stopping to consider his own safety isn’t the worst thing he can do. I mean, he actually took the time to suit up in the Kevlar that Ellery purchased for them! This is monumental and I had to reread it twice to make sure I wasn’t wishing so hard I rearranged the letters on the page.

Once again, this series has kept me riveted to the page (eyes as big as saucers), mooning over my guys (needing a cold drink), watching in disbelief as Jackson ends up needing stitches in his ass, and really, really, really wanting to know if they found an addition for their household. Watch out Billy Bob!

I hope Amy Lane never runs out of story ideas for this series. I want to be old(er) and gray(er) and still reading about my favorite lawyer and private investigator. I want there to continue to be little Easter eggs popping up here and there with glimpses of my guys, especially the ones out in nowhere land, so I can make sure everyone is still doing well. Why? Because this is family and it just doesn’t get any better than that. Thank you, Amy. Now, if you could just do the impossible and grant my dear friend a story about Lucy Satan, then all will be right in the world.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

What I Think: Look out – Long Review ahead! Merry Christmas to all my readers and all the Authors and Authoresses, Master and Mistress Puppeteers who made this year easier to breathe through even as it tried its damndest to destroy us. But, guess what? We still live (yes, Mme. Sara, I stole this). So, I have apparently missed a lot in this series and it shows as titbits about other people give me chronic Dying-Of-Curiosity Syndrome (capitalised so you know its true – I couldn’t help it, Book Daddy Klune). You know Mme. Amy takes no prisoners when we’re thrown into a rescue attempt. What tale was Sonny’s and why haven’t I read it? See the fascinating things I’m missing! I couldn’t place Ellery and Jackson because it had been a while then I remembered. I met them in Shades of Henry as the couple that gave him new life and dreams. Just as Jackson promises Ellery no heroics because he’s still recovering from a terrible incident, trouble has to follow him, leaving me quivering and breathless at the suddenness of it. But, if you’re not already gasping for breath (for whatever reason) after a couple of chapters into any of Mme. Amy’s tales, then you’re reading something not written by her. I don’t know how Ellery does it but I guess it’s the same thing partners of service people have to live with everyday. The chance that their very own Wolverine or Wonder Woman might not return home to them. Me? Pure lightweight who would age prematurely. Reading about all these connections that have been made through this series is pure torture so why can’t I stop? These are the kind of friends you need during an apocalypse and I want! Its painful and infuriating to see how corrupt the system is when those who swore to serve and protect can’t care for their own. Everytime the law enforcement order breaks Jackson’s heart, my heart aches. Even though this is normal in my continent, I am yet to become immure to it. Then I came across a belle so lovely in and out, that falling for her was as natural as breathing. I thought I was a weakling for being terrified of hospitals considering that I’ve spent at least a quarter of my life in them, but Jackson’s reaction towards hospitals made me feel less insane. Only for me to veer off into indignation. I am mad at Sean’s (don’t know who it is? Ha! Read it!) man. I don’t care how scared or worried he is. You don’t fight with the walking wounded. And why the hell is Jackson being treated like a fucking Shinigami? Its not his fault that unlike so many others, he can’t just let the innocent suffer and go to sleep at night. People better wake up before I start dispensing my own smacks of justice. Apparently, its easier to bear being with a super hero when the love is just this complete and sublime. The give and take of an equal partnership is soothing and healing, no matter what. I need the first lovemaking scene so much because my heart and head were hurting from the madness of these new cases and the young lives that have been roped into it. The laughter that this Authoress induces in the tensest of places is like a swim on a hot Senegalese afternoon. In Naija speak, if mata don pass cry, na laugh remain (when a problem has become too big for tears, the only other option is laughter). Ellery and Jackson and their team of crazy people are trying to stop hell from spilling over with very limited time and even more limited info and they set out to prove all my assumptions wrong. Gah, I’ll never make a good detective. I would end up tangling myself into knots while my clients get picked off by their enemies. Ellery is a saint and Jackson had better worship him. Not only is he dealing with Jackson’s PTSD, he also has to deal with him having banged everything that moved around him. I don’t know if it would be jealousy or just me not knowing how to cope with someone that knows so many people intimately. I would be the one feeling naked. Oh, dear, there’s still a lot of prude left to sheer off, isn’t there? Warning – Rant: I know humans are inherently evil but where the hell did this come from? That its okay to be evil to people because they’re different from us? Are Caucasians that terrified of new things or are people of color really that scary? Which, of course, made me start thinking of how the colonials fearlessly went over sea and land to discover the world. How PPOC in spite of everything have maintained a strong sense of self and culture. Which also got me thinking about how similar the entire human race is at its core (you do know it’s only one human race, right?) and its so sad that we can’t see it. Rant over. Yet, its the little things that make it all worth doing. Something as simple as talking to a kid that comes from a loving, non-racist family made the waterworks spill over, faith in humanity making me grateful that I do something as simple as force myself to erode my boundaries everyday. My heart was in my mouth as these heroes do everything to rip it out of my chest because things begin to come full circle as they connect with the beginning. I am confused when I can’t find my socks so this tale with so many characters in motion was a doozy but Mme. Amy not only kept it real and in the air like a Mistress juggler, she twisted it back to fit with the beginning that was seemingly nowhere near any of these other events. Aarrgghh, its wrong to worship humans but then authors like all good artists aren’t completely human, are they? Ellery then proves my definition of love in one of the most poignant ways ever. Love is definitely a conscious decision based on an unconscious emotional reaction. He and Jackson both chose to try again and again because separating was never an option. I want that so bad. Then I met Lucy Satan and the crush got real (I’m so sorry, Jade. I promise, its not you, its me). Ellery on fire is a delight to the senses as he pours sense into his mavericks and holds them together. Hold on while I go put some of the good candy on his altar, smacking Jackson on the head as I walk past. Two chapters to the end and my heart is racing so much that I’m up and pacing as it tries to evacuate my chest, tension too tight for me to even stop and light up. If Jackson dares end up in the hospital again after Ellery’s request that turned me to goo, I’m delivering a justified beat-down that will hurt. Oh, my poor heart! I’ve had Bette Midler’s Glory of Love on continuous playback in the back of my head and I’m wondering why, but as the tale ends, I know why. The gentleness in the love between these two is all the more obvious because of the hardness and violence that surrounds them. A love so gentle and even deeper, built by trust and constant work, built to last lifetimes plus one and that song was the best sdtrk my little brain could call up. Only 2 questions need to be answered. First, Mme. Amy – will there be more? Second, this would make one hell of an action movie. Come on, people, how do we make this happen?

Verdict? Get ready for hangover as in the midst of madness and evil, love becomes a light to your path and is the only thing that can ensure your soul comes out whole!

This is one of those books that you pick up and don't want to put down. I was checking my progress against the clock and finally had to concede that I wasn't going to be able to read it all in one night, much as I wanted to. I loved being back in Jackson's and Ellery's world. Even better is the shared universe that allows all the crossover characters from other series to factor in. Don't worry if you haven't read those series; you get the key details and won't be confused. It was so lovely to see Jackson and Ellery's relationship to continue to grow and mature and for the shoe to be on the other foot for Jackson. You get a lot of what you would expect in this series - action, strong characters and relationships, some lovin', and of course, snark. Overall, one of my favorites in the series. Highly recommend!

Let me preface this by saying that I don't know this series well, but I really wanted to read it. I have only read the first book in the series, and mystery-themed books are not my favorite books. I've met Jackson Rivers in another book briefly in Shades of Henry and needed to know more. After reading the first book, I found that he is such a fascinating character and the people surrounding him also deserve the same level of appreciation.

School of Fish (Book 6) takes place around a year after Fish Out of Water (Book 1). A lot of love and injuries have happened since Jackson and Ellory became official after many years coexist in each orbit. I vibe with Amy Lane's writing, and I had faith she will knock this out. In my opinion, she is a fantastic writer, and the humor/romance in the story was at the right level to get me through the series of mysteries that needed to be unraveled to save the day.

Overall, I enjoy myself, and yes, the mystery drag for me for a bit in the middle, but I will full on board by the end of the book. Can I also say how glad Henry was added to the team? I met him many books ago in Dex in Blue and had an eye-opening experience in Shades of Henry. This book also reminded me that I need reread Black John and read books 2 -5 for 2021.

**This copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

These books are amazing. Though this one can be read as a standalone, do yourself a favor and read the entire collection! Jackson and Ellery are maturing as a couple and learning to trust each other, but they are still running head-long into danger like all good super heroes do. This time they are up against the Russian mafia and human traffickers--we also get cameos from some of our other Amy favorites as they all work to bring the bad guys down and the kids home. The Fish books always make me feel like I'm riding on the outside of a high speed train. I don't know how she does it, but the pacing in these books will leave you breathless and feeling like you are in the middle of the action. I can't wait to get more!