Dim Sum Asylum

This is an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Rhys Ford's Dim Sum Asylum is an urban fantasy story full of rich and colorful characters as well as scenery. This is my first urban fantasy book I have read and I will say I enjoyed it immensely. The main characters Roku and Trent are cops in a special unit in the San Francisco Police Department. Roku's life is complicated to say the least and still embodies everything a cop strives for and that is to be loyal and a moral compass in a messed up world. Trent, his partner, adds a layer of hope and trust that Roku needed in his life. Rhys really makes the scenery and secondary characters come alive as well. I loved the melding of San Francisco Chinatown and the fantasy of Fairies, dragons, and magic so much that I felt as if I was running though the streets with the characters. If you haven't tried an urban fantasy book before I strongly suggest this book to get your feet wet. if you have read this genre then you will not be disappointed.

First up, I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reviewer copy of Dim Sum Asylum and it's hard not to want to gloat because it is a fantastic read. Now I'm definitely a fan of Rhys Ford's writing but this book brings her craft to a whole new level. So, it's an honest 9 out of 10.

Pros: The world building is second to none... Take San Francisco and add a touch of the arcane; introduce the Fae species; stir in a murderer run amuck, and, a new parter parter for our hero, toss, steam, and serve up on a bed of fragrant rice. Delicious. The world of Dim Sum Asylum is a treat to the reader's senses with smell given special honor... Not only does Rhys let us see, and hear, the world, she teases our olfactory sense with an air ripe with the mixed scents from rich Asian spice mixes to the rancid waste of a teeming city.
The arcane aspects didn't drive the story, the story is very much driven by basic *human* motives though the arcane isn't just an add on bag of tricks, either. The animated creature used as a murder tool is not something I'd like to run into, ever.
Sadly, but necessary, and that's much of why 'sadly' prejudice remains a background theme. While Gay relationships now seem accepted in this world it doesn't stop mankind from finding other reasons to hate/fear. This, however, makes the world feel real.... It's our world with a well built twist.


Cons: My only real issue was the insta-lust/want between the male protagonists but as that trope is well established throughout romance literature it's not a complete deal breaker.... Rhys, however, at least doesn't have them bed so quickly as others often do.

Final note: I want Bob the cat for myself. .. can I have one Rhys.