Silence was a remarkable character and deftly created by the author. A very captivating story.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Silence by Zaire Crown

So glad I did not quit reading this book when it didn’t feel comfortable due to the language used and lifestyle portrayed. As I read, I was drawn in and eventually committed to find out what would happen and how it would all end.

What I liked:
* Silence: deaf, deadly, raised in a militant community, just spent 12 years in jail, has a difficult backstory, self-aware, has a personal moral code, bright, complex, intriguing
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing that I eventually got into
* Stepping into a completely different world populated with characters that I have never met and probably never will meet
* That even though dark, gritty, and violent…I could see why actions were taken and why the story progressed as it did
* Thinking about the characters and why they chose to live as they did
* The strength and intelligence of the female characters in the story
* Being thankful that I could not see myself as a character in this book…though I was fascinated by them
* That there will be another book in the series

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* At first the terms used were new to me and the use of the “N” word difficult as I have been told it should not be used…ever…
* Having to wait to see what will happen next

Did I like this book? Yes, once I got into it
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Zaire Crown, and Kensington Books for this ARC.

Silence. Detroit's most feared killer is recently released from prison with one motive: vengeance. Silence returns home to find the city that took him in has been ravaged by crime, poverty and drugs while away. As he works to avenge the murder of his mentor, he begins to realize that the loyalty and friendship he valued, wasnt quite what it appeared. As the bodies pile up and the truth slowly unveils, he soon finds himself under pressure from a ruthless cop, dodging bullets from frenemies and grappling with emotions he didn't know he possessed.

I enjoyed this urban fiction novel that explores how unresolved trauma can greatly impact one's views and create deadly blindspots. His upbringing trained him to be a killer but failed him in many other ways. The at keeps you engaged with plot twists from anyone living daily in survival mode. The ending does sets up the stage for a sequel which I would definitely read.

RATING: 4.5/5

Nail biting book that will keep you guessing from beginning to end. This Author vividly paints the story in detail as they take you on the journey from car chases to shoot outs.

The whitty comedy will have you cracking up. Each chapter ties everything together perfectly. You will wonder, who can you really trust.

From beginning to the end, you will emerge yourself into the excitement and thrill.

....
Looking forward to reading more from this Author.

'Silence' by Zaire Crown follows main character Silence deaf since childhood he's been coined 'The Silent Assassin'. Silence is freshly released from a twelve year prison sentence. He's on a deadly mission to find out who killed his best friend Doc a few months prior to his prison release.

The novel immediately pulls you in. The story hits the ground running and doesn't let up. You want to know Silence you want to know how he became the man he is today and you want to know where this wild journey on the mean streets of Detroit will lead him. This story is dark and gritty. The plot is intricate with so many twists and turns. There's action, romance and a quest for revenge. There were so many things I just didn't see coming. The characters are layered and well developed. I especially liked Silence and Quianna. When Silence is described as not being a hero or anti-hero but a goon I thought that was an excellent characterization. The novel ends as if there will be another book and I'm here for a follow up novel.

The description is correct this novel is for readers who enjoy Ashley & JaQuavis and enjoy urban fiction.

Thank you #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #Silence for the ARC.

Silence is gritty, urban literature by Zaire Crown.

Silence, a character introduced in The Game Never Ends, has just been released, after a 12-year prison stint, to the aftermath of the murder of his mentor, Doc. He’s out for revenge.

Zaire Crown does an excellent character study on a unique creation. Silence created a stir when he was introduced and continues to do so as he tells his own story. His story grabs and holds the reader’s attention from page one. The characters and dialogue are vivid. Crown weaves an intricate web of romance, urban warfare, and conspiracy theory. The ending sets the stage for future installments. Silence fires on all cylinders creating a 5 star read. I enjoyed all aspects of the novel and highly recommend it to all readers of multicultural and/or urban fiction.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

I have to preface my review with the disclaimer that I am obviously not the target audience for this book (as evidenced by the fact that I have no idea who the authors listed as "perfect for the readers of" are even though a quick Google search tells me they are well established names).
It took me a while to really get into the story but once I started getting invested, I was pretty much hooked and it helped that the story never really started to drag its feet.
There's quite a bit of spice in this book but not so much that it tips into erotica (and for my sex repulsed peeps you can easily skim without missing anything important). The euphemisms used to describe the main character's genitalia were hilarious to me and I really struggled to take the take those parts seriously especially when he got to talking about "good pussy".
While he likes to remind us that he, in fact, has a big schlong, both literally and proverbially, and that he is a 6' something bearded and fit god of a man the aforementioned main character isn't one of those untouchable badasses, he gets his ass handed to him a few times and gets hurt both physically and emotionally, he is still a human being.
The story is deceptively nuanced and intricate, and Silence is actually a pretty insightful guy and not just the goon he keeps saying he is. Repetition is used throughout the book to give it a sense of rhythm and I really enjoyed that.