The books are great, I’ve bought extra credits so I could keep going thru the series, couldn’t stop! Kevin Pierce is perfect as always.
Another commenter suggested Mr. Horton write about Barb’s experience as a child. I beg Mr. Horton to please DON’T. Barb generates no emotional connection to the reader. And that’s fine!! A backstory is not needed. We don’t need a survey of her childhood and why she is the way she is! It’s okay not to like her. Just poInt her toward bad guy and let her go. She is not a character I’d want to “explore” or “try to understand”. She’s deplorable and that’s okay!
The other commenters are correct, Barb IS over-the-top and abusive to family and friends, but she does at least keep one from completely hating her due to her willingness to deal out justice to those who deserve it and the creativity at the ways she does it. When she focuses her nastiness on actual enemies, her character redeems itself…welllll… almost. You will find yourself supporting her actions outside her home. Yet still, one does not support her on an emotional level. You will not care about this character. You will only support her in her capacity as a human weapon that you want to see do the job.
I get she’s supposed to be spunky but it’s not in an endearing way. Again, that’s okay! A backstory would be uninteresting if not unbearable. It is too late to emphasize with her and any reminiscing will likely backfire.