Deadbeat Druid is the latest book in the Adam Binder novels and much like it's predecessors is a action packed urban fantasy romp with a lot of heart and magical adventure. In this book we follow Adam as he is attempting to rescue Vic from the underworld and defeat his evil great-grandfather for good.

I really enjoyed this instalment, I actually reread the first two on audio just before (would also really recommend the audiobooks and they are free on audible plus!) which I think helped me feel fully immersed in the world and this is probably my favourite so far. I really liked the underworld setting and all the themes in this book. I also enjoyed the Adam and Vic moments we get and the progression of their relationship - especially after all the sacrifices they have made for each other.

I also really like all the exploration of familial relationships in this series. Adam and his brother have a fascinating relationship and we also explore more of how Adam/Bobby feel about their abusive father in this book. Also the main villain is an ancestor/member of the family which I think adds an extra layer of complexity and depth and I liked seeing more of the backstory.

This book has some really interesting musings on death, regrets and the power of holding onto painful memories and what it can mean to lose them - even if they are unpleasant they still shape us into who we are and have valuable lessons.

In summary I would highly recommend this series if you like urban fantasy and are looking for a great time - with strong southern vibes, familial drama, excellent queer rep and some surprisingly touching moments.

I discovered the Adam Binder books by luck and kept reading them because they’re wonderfully written, an excellent balance of plot and character development that’s difficult to achieve but just *chef kiss* when the writer hits the sweet spot. And the stories where that confluence occurs and the characters are allowed to explore their queerness, expanding its definition or experiencing true love for the first time, or in any other way that suits them, are that much more impactful.

Deadbeat Druid is a fitting end to Slayton’s first trilogy (though I’d prefer the series didn’t end at all, in that it both expands the worlds in which Adam, Vic, Vran, and the other players operate, showing the readers how massive and intricate and layered they are while also giving us glimpses at each character’s growth, the ways in which they’ve changed and the ways in which they’ve stayed the same. He gives us a cast that learns to be better but remains imperfect and sometimes unfathomable - focusing on their humanity whether they’re actual humans, elves, or leprechauns, and reminding us that compassion and flexibility are important, now more than ever.

I am going to miss these characters, and these books, very much and I am definitely not ready to say goodbye. I hope we get to see them again, someday.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing got this eARC, these opinions are my own. I enjoyed the book very much! I’ve loved each of the Adam Binder novels and have felt they each kept getting better, and this was no different! Talk about the road trip from hell (literally)! Adam and Bobby, along with Vran go to hell to save Vic and their cousin. Death also gives them the task of saving someone else she knows, and of course they have to bring the Druid back and bring him to justice. To do this they’ll have to travel through hell! Vic is in hell with Jodi and someone they meet along the way, they will try to get back to their world, all while trying to avoid the Druid and the darker things in hell! Can they all find each other? Can the get back home? Can Adam final stop the Druid? I loved this journey for all of them, David Slayton takes the characters to dark places and there’s an added depth to all of them! I love that it shows that life, as much as we wish it weren’t, is really complicated and rarely so black and white! Along the way they meet characters that will have them facing things they wish would stay buried and I love the dynamic that creates for Adam, Bobby, and Jodi! One sad side is Argent is not in it as much but plus side is that the reader gets to know Vran a lot more and I also love him! Got to have the snarkiness to liven up the gloom! The book is absolutely worth the read! Highly recommend! Can’t wait till it comes out to read it again!

This is a great series, and this book didn't disappoint with its tension filled plot taking you on a road trip through the underworld. If felt like an ending, but I do hope that there are more in the series, or at least more from this author!
The hands-down best part of the book for me was the relationship between Adam and Vic with both of them getting POV dual narratives and you really get to see their relationship and character growth in this book, but the side characters are all given full attention too. All the characters have been so well developed with them all given flaws, character growth, and most have witty banter ready to go.
The author handles so many heavy issues with clarity and a deft hand (mental health, domestic violence, homophobia) but the humanity that shines through the whole book prevents it from being glum or despairing.

I loved this series so much and this book definitely did not disappoint. I was curious where the story would take us after that shocking ending to Book 2 and I really loved what Slayton did with it. I love Vic and Adam's relationship so much and it was interesting to see the lengths that they would go to for one another. I loved that we got to see more of Vran in this book as well as all of the other elves that we have come to love.

Basically this book gave me everything that I was wanting from it and then some. The ending felt open enough that I wouldn't be surprised if there are further books in this series but I also feel as though we had enough closure that it is not going to be torture to wait to hear what happens next for Adam, Vic, and the whole gang.

If you are looking for a queer urban fantasy, this is a series that I can not recommend highly enough.

Deadbeat Druid is a twisting, emotional, and masterfully crafted road trip of a book. Orpheus and Eurydice meets gay Americana as Adam Binder drives his vintage Cutlass down route 66, an actual highway through hell, to rescue his lost love. Along the way Slayton makes Adam confront everything that has been building throughout the series, from his anger towards his father to his relationship with magic to his most basic morals.
Something that shouldn't go unsaid when talking about the final book in a series is how strong of a finish it was. Deadbeat Druid is a tight wrap on the series. Bobby puts aside his lingering distaste for magic, Vic comes to terms with his complicated feels about being a cop, even Jodi Binder, Adam's shitty goth cousin who tried to kill everyone at the end of Trailer Park Trickster, is on her way to being a half-way decent person by the Epilogue. It's as much as a happily ever after as one could have hoped.
I often find it harder to write about books I think are perfect, but I hope I got something good across here. If you read the first two books, you will love Deadbeat Druid. If you haven't read the first two books, DO THAT and then you will love Deadbeat Druid.

Generally, I start an advanced reader copy a couple of weeks before publication day. With this author and series, I couldn’t wait. This book just shows why. Adam is on a hunt to rescue Vic, and he doesn’t care where that takes him. Along the way, he learns about love, forgiveness, and sacrifice, and how that makes him stronger. Adam is just a hurt and flawed character; you have to love where he is and who he is after everything he went through. Add to that, the character growth with all the characters throughout the series so far is captivating. OK, I could just go on and on with how great this book is, but you have to read it for yourself to find out what a great urban fantasy series this is. This book felt almost like an ending book, but I’m hoping there are more to come because I want to see more of Adam and Vic as well as all the secondary characters. Give it a try; you won’t be disappointed. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

I've been on the edge of my seat for days, hoping I would get approved for an ARC of Deadbeat Druid. I have a handful of books that absolutely everything must be set aside to devour, and anything in the Adam Binder series takes its rightful place. First, I want to encourage any fans of downtrodden heroes; urban fantasy; or modern pagan/witchy tales to give White Trash Warlock a go. I fell in love with Adam from the first pages, and he's been such a wonderful character to follow throughout the series. Now, on to Deadbeat Druid!

A few things stand out to me in this instalment of the series. First, the author always does such an excellent job of grounding the feel of Guthrie, specifically the trailer park. In my experience it's so rare to find a setting like this, centred around a character like Adam, and I thought the two work so well together. Thematically, and atmospherically, the journeys dovetailed so well. In DBD, this is elevated even further with the memories of Oklahoma, and the struggles of the Dust Bowl. These are among my favourite moments of the book, such a touching and evocative exploration of generational strength and trauma.

Next, Adam and Vic's relationship. These two! Whenever they're on the page together, they shine, and something i really appreciated was Vic's gentle encouragement/suggestion for Adam to consider attending therapy, and then Adam's response, and Vic's response to him. Again, one of my favourite moments of the book. Possibly my very favourite? I think so. Because, again, it's so rare to see therapy and mental health engaged with in this way, between characters like these, on behalf of a character like Adam. I really appreciated Adam's incredible sweetness hidden just a layer or so beneath his tough exterior. I love love love how this came through at the very end of the book. I want him to have the best possible life. All the fancy vegan alternatives and Hallowe'en candy. Adam deserves the world.

Finally, the exploration of Adam's trauma, and his past at Liberty House. I can see how the series has been building towards this moment, as well as setting ghosts to rest with a significant member of his family, and in both of these storylines, Adam's dignity is kept front and centre, and such respect is shown towards his emotional needs. I love that these were explored in the first place, but that they were done with such accuracy to his character really made it emotionally hard-hitting. I want to go back and read the series as a whole, to experience it all over again from the start. I still remember Adam lurking in the shadows at the beginning of WTW. This is one of those special series you wish you could forget, only so you could come to read them again for the very first time. Deadbeat Druid is a triumphant conclusion to a spellbinding series.

I am grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of Deadbeat Druid. These opinions are my own.

I was beyond excited when I got approved for this ARC. I finished the second book in the series about a month ago, and despite immediately preordering the third, I wasn’t sure how I could wait until October to read it. I’m very happy to say that even with my expectations sky high, this book still managed to exceed them. In Deadbeat Druid, Adam is confronting demons (both those from his past and actual demons) and literally going to hell to try to get Vic back. It is such a fast paced ride, and I both couldn’t wait to see where it ended up and never wanted it to end. I absolutely loved this book, to the point that it’s hard not to just gush incoherently and scream GO READ THIS SERIES NOW, but I’ll do my best to formulate some actual cohesive thoughts about it.

While the second and first installments took me a few chapters to get fully enthralled, this third book had me by the throat from the first page. It dives into the action right where Trailer Park Trickster left off and I could have easily read it in one sitting if not for real life getting in the way. I sped through it in a couple of days and enjoyed every minute.

There’s so much to love here. The world building is excellent, both horrifying and fun, and always full of surprises. The romance is somehow both understated and full of so much emotion. The growing relationship between Adam and Vic is so true to their characters and life experiences. They spend a lot of time separate from one another during the series, but every time they are on page together their chemistry and connection had me on the brink of tears.

And as much as I love the world building, mystery, and action, the characters and their relationships are what make this series something truly special. There were characters I bitterly hated in book one who I’d die for by book three. It’s such a complex portrayal of the connections and complications in caring for other people, the ways we can do our best and still do harm, the flaws and fault lines in families. There’s a point in this book where Adam thinks to himself “Why couldn’t anything be simple? Why couldn’t anyone just be an asshole or a saint?” And that is so true of this book. It never takes the easy way out and divides things into black and white, good and evil. There are so many nuanced shades of grey. Every battle and decision these characters encounter carries so much weight because there are no easy victories, no easy answers. Whatever happens, these characters will carry it with them, and it’s going to be a heavy burden to bear.

I can’t imagine that anyone could read the first two books in the series and not be rabidly awaiting this third installment, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. If you haven’t jumped into the Adam Binder books yet, I can’t recommend them highly enough. I miss the characters already and will definitely be rereading in the future. And I look forward to whatever else this author has in store.