A Book Obsession..: Yasmine Galenorn

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Release Day Review: Shadow Silence by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Shadow Silence by Yasmine Galenorn

Whisper Hollow #2

Fifteen years ago, I ran away from Whisper Hollow, Washington, a small town on Crescent Lake in the Olympic Peninsula. But truth is, if you were born here, you can never really leave. I'm Kerris Fellwater, and I'm a spirit shaman. It's my responsibility to drive the dead back to their graves, because around Whisper Hollow, people—and secrets—don't always stay buried.

My best friend Peggin finds herself under a curse after she is almost taken by the Lady of the Lake, and the Unliving are determined to drag her back to the hungry waters. As Bryan—my guardian and mate—and I work to break the hex, we uncover a dark and violent mystery from the past. One the Hounds of Cú Chulainn will do anything to guard—even if they must summon a legion of the dead to destroy Whisper Hollow.

Let me preface this review with a disclaimer. Based on all of the other high review ratings on Goodreads, it would seem my frustrations with the plot leave me in the minority. So take this with a grain of salt as it could very well be just not to my preferences but a great read for everyone else.

The plot in SHADOW SILENCE really did not work for me at all. It felt so obvious and contrived. Peggin, Kerris' best friend decides she needs to buy a house right by the lake. The very lake whose lady kills everyone she can lure in. In fact, said lady has been particularly "hungry" as of late, and has been more vicious and murderous, killing more than she ever has before. Peggin knows this and yet she still is determined to live in a house right by the lake. Kerris of course tries to talk her out of it, but Peggin gets rather snippy about it. To make matters worse everyone else all but scolds Kerris and tells her she's not Peggin's mother, so let her be. But lo and behold (and this is not a spoiler as it's in the blurb) on the FIRST DAY Peggin is moving into the house she's taken by the lady. She's extremely distraught and "beside" herself as she's now marked for death. I mean really come on?! She knew what she was getting into, and I just honestly could not find an ounce of sympathy for her. I realize it sounds rather cold, but it just was too contrived to me. Considering this issue involves almost the entire book, I found myself completely unattached.

Speaking of unattached, I just didn't feel the same connection with Kerris as I did in the first book. There's a lot of filler here, and while she's supposed to be stronger and more confident, I really didn't see it this time around. She just came across as more afraid this time and it just didn't jive for me. I also wasn't really feeling the spark between her and Bryan this time around. I can't really put my finger on it, but it just wasn't working.

Overall this one just was a whole lot of meh for me unfortunately, and considering the first book in this new series didn't really wow me either, I don't think I'll be continuing. It's a shame because I typically enjoy Yasmine's work, but this series has earned a pass from me.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
Cocktails and Books

Previous Books:
1. Autumn Thorns

Release Day Review: Flight from Mayhem by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Flight from Mayhem by Yasmine Galenorn

Fly by Night #2

I'm Shimmer, a blue dragon shifter. Thanks to a mistake, I was exiled from the Dragon Reaches and sentenced to work for gorgeous, exasperating Alex Radcliffe, a vampire who owns the Fly by Night Magical Investigations Agency. Every time I turn around, somebody's trying to kill us. But you know what they say: All's fair in love and bounty hunting...

A serial killer is stalking the elderly Fae of Seattle, draining their bank accounts before brutally murdering them. When Chase Johnson asks for our help, Alex and I discover that the sociopath is also a doppelganger—able to change shape to match his victim's deepest desires. Our friend and colleague Bette volunteers to act as bait, but the plan goes dangerously awry. Now, unless we find her first, she's about to face her worst nightmare.

One of the best things about any of Yasmine's books is how rich and real the main protagonists are, and Shimmer is no exception. Sometimes it's hard to remember/believe that Shimmer is actually hundreds of years old. She's so very naive and not very worldly and then she does something or makes a choice that seems wise beyond her years and suddenly I remember that she's not actually young. Just more than a little inexperienced when it comes to social interactions and the human realm. I really enjoy this juxtaposition in her character as it makes for an interesting blend. Seeing the world new through her eyes is fascinating and I love getting to see her learn and grow. I also admire her for realizing just how inexperienced she is, especially in the romance department and has been taking things slow. That's not to say she's not going head-first into life and romance, but she's still keeping her wits about her and I admire it.

The other thing I really enjoy about Yasmine's books is how fast paced and complex the plotlines are and again this is where FLIGHT FROM MAYHEM shines. There was so much going on in this book it built to an almost frenetic pace at times and yet it still all felt natural. Intense at times, but it all still flowed well and never became too much. In fact, once I started reading I had a heck of a time putting the book down, a sure sign of a great read. Between the Salamander demon, the ghost next door, a stalker, a psycho ex, and so much more going on I had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next.

All in all, FLIGHT FROM MAYHEM is one heck of an entertaining read that is sure to please fans of the series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
The Genra Minx Book Reviews
Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind

Previous Books:
0.5. Flight from Hell
1. Flight from Death

Early Review: Darkness Raging by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Darkness Raging by Yasmine Galenorn

Otherworld #18

The New York Times bestselling author of Panther Prowlingreturns to the Otherworld where one of the D’Artigo sisters faces a terrifying challenge that’s more personal than she ever could have imagined.

We're the D'Artigo sisters: savvy half-human, half-Fae ex-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch. Delilah is a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. And me? I'm Menolly, a vampire married to a gorgeous werepuma. As the war in Otherworld arrives, Blood Wyne, Queen of the Vampires, summons me. Apparently, my position as Roman's consort entails more than I imagined...

As the Demon Lord Shadow Wing creates his own sinister version of the Keraastar Knights—the guardians of the spirit seals—to destroy the portals and free himself from the Sub Realms, his ally, the necromancer Telazhar, leads an assault from Otherworld into the streets of Seattle. And my sisters and I are caught dead center.

Then, on the eve of war, my wife, Nerissa, is captured. The enemy demands we surrender the rest of the spirit seals, or they are going to kill her. I will do anything to save her. Even if it means leading an army of vampires into the very depths of the Subterranean Realms...

This series has been very long running, and in my review of the last book I had mentioned that I felt it has been going on almost too long. There was a lot of rinse and repeat it felt, and I have to admit I was a bit leery to read this one as a result. That being said, DARKNESS RAGING felt a lot fresher than recent installments, and I found myself enjoying it a good bit more. It reads almost like a series ending book which I appreciated. From what I understand, Yasmine will be publishing further installments on her own, but she ended this last book with her publisher in a place that will leave readers satisfied if they choose to stop. Again this is something I appreciate as the series wasn't really working for me anymore. But who knows, I still may give future books a try, but if not, I'm largely happy with how things turned out. So fans of the series should be pleased with DARKNESS RAGING and the progression/resolution of many of the long running threads.

One complaint I did have with the book despite the resolution was the romance, which frankly led me to skim parts of the book. As much as I enjoy romance in my urban fantasies, I have to admit this one drives me a bit batty. Sure, Menolly and Nerissa have a really strong love for one another, but I feel like that fact is constantly pounded into my head due to the complication with Roland. There was a glimmer of hope for a better balance in the mid part of this book, but even so, it seemed every interaction between the three of them had to mention/reinforce that while Menolly and Roland have a bond, it will never be anything compared to her and Nerissa. It was just too much of the same point over and over again, leaving me a bit frustrated.

But back to the good, there's plenty of action this time around, and things with Shadow Wing finally come to a head. I won't spoil things, but suffice it to say that overall DARKNESS RAGING kept me entertained and satisfied by the end with both the book and the series. Fans of this long running series should be pleased as well.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:

Previous Books:

1. Witchling

2. Changeling

3. Darkling

4. Dragon Wytch

5. Night Huntress

6. Demon Mistress

7. Bone Magic

8. Harvest Hunting

9. Blood Wyne

10. Courting Darkness

11. Shaded Vision

12. Shadow Rising

13. Haunted Moon

14. Autumn Whispers

15. Crimson Veil

15.5. Flight from Hell

16. Priestess Dreaming

17. Panther Prowling

Early Review: Autumn Thorns by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Autumn Thorns by Yasmine Galenorn

Whisper Hollow #1

In an all-new series, New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn invites readers to Whisper Hollow, where spirits walk among the living and the lake never gives up her dead…

Fifteen years ago, I ran away from Whisper Hollow, Washington, a small town on Crescent Lake in the Olympic Peninsula. But truth is, if you were born here, you can never really leave. I’m Kerris Fellwater, and when I returned, I inherited my grandmother’s house—and her gift. As a spirit shaman, it’s my responsibility to drive the dead back to their graves, because around Whisper Hollow, people—and secrets—don’t always stay buried.

When I was little, I was told my mother ran off. But now it looks like she was murdered. With the help of my mysterious neighbor Bryan, we begin to unravel the mystery of her disappearance, and in doing so, unearth a dark force seeking to bury Whisper Hollow. Now I must work with the dead, rather than against them, because our enemy will do whatever she can to destroy the town, and she means to start with me.

While the premise and the characters of AUTUMN THORNS intrigued me, the immense world building kept me from enjoying this book as much as I would like. I'm all for a complex and unique world, but in this case I felt things were a bit too on the "craft" side. I'm a big fan of the author, and follow her various networks, so I know that she is very immersed in the magical world, and beliefs, and that knowledge showed in this book. Unfortunately it showed so much that it made it incredibly hard to keep up for lamens like myself. There were so many different magical aspects, deities, and ritualistic methods portrayed in this book that my head was spinning. That being said, as I started to get a grasp on the rules of the world by the end, I do have high hopes for the rest of the series.

World building woes aside, I greatly enjoyed the characters in AUTUMN THORNS. Kerris is a no non-sense, kick butt heroine that you couldn't help loving from the start. She's thrust back into a town and duty she never wanted to return to, and yet she accepts it all with grace. Even better yet, when other powers that be, be they good or evil, attempt to bully her, she stands firm despite having no real idea what's she's doing. I really admired her for that. Add in a yummy hero who may have sparked a bit more of instalove than my tastes prefer at times, but seems to be everything Kerris needs, and I was sold.

All in all while the world building bogged the book down a bit for me, I see a great amount of potential for this series, and I'm eager to see where things lead. If you're a fan of urban fantasy with a spicy romance, then this one is definitely worth a look or two.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Early Review: Flight from Death by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Flight from Death by Yasmine Galenorn

Fly by Night #1

From New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn comes an all-new series set in the realm of her Otherworld novels.

I’m Shimmer, a blue dragon shifter. Thanks to a mistake, I was exiled from the Dragon Reaches and sentenced to work for Alex Radcliffe, a vampire who owns the Fly by Night Magical Investigations Agency. Now, not only do I have to adapt to Earthside culture, but every time I turn around, somebody’s trying to kill us. And worse, Alex is as gorgeous as he is exasperating. But you know what they say: All’s fair in love and bounty hunting…

When an old friend of Alex contacts him about a haunting at the High Tide Bed & Breakfast in Port Townsend, Washington, we think we’re on a simple ghost hunt. But our investigation quickly transforms into a deadly fight as we uncover an eighty-year-old murder, a cursed house, and a dark force trapping the spirits within. To stop impending disaster we must break the curse and lay the angry spirits to rest.

I really love Shimmer's character. She's quite broken and is slowly trying to find her way in her new situations. On one hand, she's an all powerful dragon and has a lot of the feelings of superiority that comes with it. But on the other hand, due to her banishment her powers are severely limited, in fact she can't even shift unless fully submerged underwater. This combined with the fact that she never was an accepted member of dragon society, makes her very unlike the rest of the dragons we've seen in Otherworld, even Smoky. While I wouldn't say she's humble, she's a whole lot more down to earth and easy to love. She very easily could have been bitter and harsh over her situation, but she's choosing a better path and I'm really enjoying watching her find her way.

Not only did I enjoy Shimmer's character but the supporting cast as well. They really rounded out the story and were very well fleshed out. However, Shimmer aside, the real star of this book was the plot. It was intriguing and fast paced, full of danger and twists, making this a quick and engrossing read.

I always love a spinoff series. You get to take an established world and expand upon making things fresh without having to get bogged down from the world building found in starting a new series. It's really the best of both worlds, and I'm definitely enjoying this one. I would recommend this one to fans of the Otherworld series who are looking for something fresh to start.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Stuck in Books

Previous Books:
0.5. Flight from Hell

Early Review: Panther Prowling by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Priestess Dreaming by Yasmine Galenorn

Otherworld #17

We’re the D’Artigo sisters: savvy half-human, half-Fae operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch with three gorgeous husbands. Menolly is a vampire married to a werepuma. And me? I’m Delilah, a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. While the war in Otherworld is expanding, so is my newly renamed PI business. And my next case is about to make life very interesting…

While waiting for Shadow Wing’s next move, I decide to revamp my ragtag PI agency into the Cat’s Eye Investigations firm. My first client turns out to be our cousin Daniel. During the grand reopening for the Wayfarer, he shows up while being chased by a rampaging ghost. Daniel has procured a rare and valuable sword, and a ring of ghostly warriors comes attached to it. Protectors of the soul trapped within it, the spirits are out to stop anybody who threatens the weapon. As my sisters and I unravel the history of the sword, we quickly realize that the entity locked within the blade is a dangerous king from times gone by—and he’s about to break free and try to recover his crown…

I've noticed a pattern with this series. I enjoy Camille's installments by far the most, and Menolly's are pretty enjoyable as well. However, Delilah's seem to be very hit or miss for me. I just don't identify with her at all, and despite how long this series has been running, she seems to have made very little progress in character growth. No matter what happens, she just wants to turn tail and hide, and while she doesn't actually do so, the constant inner debate about it has become tiresome and tedious. It seems that any mention of responsibility or "growing" is met with an inner (or outer) debate on how she wishes they could just all escape this. The other two seem to have better accepted their lots in life, so it just rubs me the wrong way that Delilah still has not.

As I said, Delilah's books are largely hit or miss for me, with the "hits" being dependant on a great plot. Unfortunately this time around, the plot just didn't suck me in enough. A rouge sword spirit? It just didn't work as a real threat. Frankly, that's a shame as the result of this showdown may have cost one of the main characters more than any other threat has before. I won't spoil it, but the danger/consequence had the worst lasting impact of anything they had faced, and yet despite all that it barely affected me. Considering what happened, I should have been devastated alongside the characters, but it felt two-dimensional rather than three, and frankly I felt cheated by this. Perhaps it's because they were wishy washy and vague about what actually happened and how permanent it would be. So, I'm left wondering if it's a real consequence or not, overall lessening the impact.

I have to wonder if this series just has been running too long. Granted most times I'm the first to be upset when favorite series end, but this time around I think it might be past due. I just feel like the books have departed so far from the original series ARC, and no longer focus on the spirit seals and the real war that each new installment feels more and more like filler material. Maybe I'm wrong, and once things get back to Camille and Menolly, and hopefully the spirit seals quest I'll enjoy the reads more, but for PANTHER PROWLING, it just didn't work enough for me.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:

Previous Books:

1. Witchling

2. Changeling

3. Darkling

4. Dragon Wytch

5. Night Huntress

6. Demon Mistress

7. Bone Magic

8. Harvest Hunting

9. Blood Wyne

10. Courting Darkness

11. Shaded Vision

12. Shadow Rising

13. Haunted Moon

14. Autumn Whispers

15. Crimson Veil

15.5. Flight from Hell

16. Priestess Dreaming

Early Review: Priestess Dreaming by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Priestess Dreaming by Yasmine Galenorn

Otherworld #16

We're the D'Artigo sisters: savvy half-human, half-Fae operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Delilah is a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. Menolly is a vampire married to a gorgeous werepuma. And me? I'm a Moon witch married to three gorgeous husbands, and I'm about to journey through the veils to search for a long lost legend...

With the war in Otherworld raging, the Queen of Shadow and Night summons me to her court. Aeval orders me to embark on a hunt through the mists to find an ancient ally she once knew. I must seek out The Merlin and wake him from his long sleep. But Morgaine and Bran are along for the journey, and the pair pose a threat to both me and my quest. Now, surrounded by danger on all sides, I must pray they are allies rather than enemies, as we undertake a perilous search through the labyrinth of time...

I always look forward to Camile's books the most as I love her trio of men so much, but I'm not so sure how I feel about the romance department in this one. I mean Camile has these three awesome husbands and some of my favorite parts of her books has been watching the three men bumbling along trying to work together and balance their time with Camile, etc. However, this time around Camile is separated from two of them leaving that fun dynamic out. There was a pretty emotional beginning as Camile dealt with Trillian having to leave for a time, which was really hard on her. But when Smoky had a problem with Camile needing to leave to go on a very dangerous quest, she basically shut him down completely claiming it was her duty. It just left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth as Smoky seems to frequently get the short end of things. I guess I was just hoping for more of the dynamic between all four of them, and that just didn't happen. That being said, the smexy scenes were still there, perhaps not as hot as they have been in the past, but definitely still steamy.

Camile being separated by all but one of her men aside, I was largely enjoying this book. The quest gave things a bit of a different feel and a change of pace that I liked. Add that into the growing world dynamic with the dragons and the reveals that happen surrounding Morgaine and I was utterly hooked. The book was one heck of a journey, and I've always been a fan of quest books. But I will note that while I was really enjoying the storyline, the ending turned a bit sour for me as I felt the resolution was way too easy. Things were portrayed as the biggest bad they've face, which when you consider just how many foes they've come up again, that's saying something. And yet... The resolution was so easy, that I had to go back and re-read those paragraphs to make sure I didn't miss something. Sure there's warnings for consequences on their actions, but to me that's not enough to make up for how easy the final showdown went. It honestly left me scratching my head, but I guess only time will tell as to what those repercussions will hold. Maybe they'll balance the easy go this round next time.

So all in all, this is another good read in this long running series that's showing no signs of slowing up. Fans of the series should be pleased with Camile's latest installment, and if they are anything like me, they will finish and will already be looking for the next one. Bring on more books!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:

Previous Books:

1. Witchling

2. Changeling

3. Darkling

4. Dragon Wytch

5. Night Huntress

6. Demon Mistress

7. Bone Magic

8. Harvest Hunting

9. Blood Wyne

10. Courting Darkness

11. Shaded Vision

12. Shadow Rising

13. Haunted Moon

14. Autumn Whispers

15. Crimson Veil

15.5. Flight from Hell

Review: Flight from Hell by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Flight from Hell by Yasmine Galenorn

Otherworld #15.5

Crossover from the Otherworld Series to Fly By Night Series.

New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn returns with another thrilling foray into Otherworld—introducing a new cast of heroes alongside the D’Artigo sisters…

When the half-demon Carter approaches Menolly and her sisters desperately asking for their help, they think he's just had a tiff with Shimmer, his blue dragon girlfriend.

But after talking to Alex Radcliffe, the owner of the Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency where Shimmer works, they suspect that she has been kidnapped by an old enemy of Alex's.

Now, Alex must join forces with the D'Artigo sisters in a desperate race to find Shimmer before Julian, a powerful vampire from Alex's past with a grudge to settle, can use the dragon to wreak havoc on Seattle as revenge.

This is a really quick read, and the perfect introduction into Yasmine's upcoming spin-off world. I really love novellas like this that give a little extra in a series, as well as novella prequels to open a series. This one had the best of both of those worlds and really tied things together for me. And the fact that the new series is going to be about a dragon? I'm more than sold. While Shimmer isn't the focus of this story as it's told from Menolly's point of view, after reading this one I can't wait to get my hands on her book. Honestly based on the brief appearances she made in the Otherworld series, she seemed harsh and stand-offish, but if this book is any indication, she's more than a bit broken and had a very rough life. I love getting to see a character grow and come back from hard odds, so this series looks to be a winner. Now I just have to sit back and wait.

My excitement for Shimmer's series aside, I loved that this story was told Menolly's side, giving us a bonus story from the D'Artigo sisters. There's a whole lot going on and it was very fast paced, keeping me hooked throughout. I'll be interested to see just how closely these two series follow one another in the future. It should make for one interesting ride. Fans of the Otherworld books won't want to miss this treat of a novella and it's first foray into an exciting new series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:
Paranormal Haven
Tome Tender
Literal Addiction

Previous Books:

1. Witchling

2. Changeling

3. Darkling

4. Dragon Wytch

5. Night Huntress

6. Demon Mistress

7. Bone Magic

8. Harvest Hunting

9. Blood Wyne

10. Courting Darkness

11. Shaded Vision

12. Shadow Rising

13. Haunted Moon

14. Autumn Whispers

15. Crimson Veil

Early Review: Crimson Veil by Yasmine Galenorn

, by KT

Crimson Veil by Yasmine Galenorn

Otherworld #15

We’re the D’Artigo sisters: savvy half-human, half-Fae ex-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Camille is a wicked good witch with three gorgeous husbands. Delilah is a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. And me? I’m Menolly, a vampire married to a scorching hot werepuma. And right now, we’re facing enemies on all sides….

It’s been a long and devastating week. Back in Otherworld, war has decimated the elfin city of Elqaneve, our father has gone missing, and Shadow Wing has managed to obtain another spirit seal. On the home front, somebody burned down my bar, the Wayfarer, killing eight people, including a friend.

To make matters worse, we still haven’t found a way to stop Lowestar Radcliff—the daemon in charge of a supernatural corporate power grab. He’s attempting to awaken Suvika, the lord of vice and corrupt businessmen, and we have to stop him. Our enemies are closing in on all sides, and this time, there’s no place to hide….

One of the best things about this series is the rotation between the sisters as narrators. It's funny, but somehow each sister becomes my favorite whenever it's their turn to shine. When I first started reading this series I have to admit that Camille was by far my favorite, but by the second rotation of narrators (book six), both Delilah and Menolly had stole my heart as well. This time around things are really hard for Menolly. She's been dealing with the guilt from the bar fire plus all of the loss over in the Elven realm including their father. In true Menolly style, she bottles it up and it just eats at her. Problem is that now she has a wife, one who feels like Menolly is pushing her away because of how she's shut herself down to cope. But, that being said, she's trying to open up and share her emotions with others. There were several times throughout the book where someone would call her out on her actions and while her first instinct was to snarl back at them, she actually took a step back and really thought about what was being said. It showed a lot of growth and I loved seeing it. There's nothing better than getting to see a character grow over several books, and this series is incredibly great for that.

As much as I've enjoyed this series, I can't help feeling like it's stuck in a little bit of a rut. Don't get me wrong, each book is more than full of steam, action, and danger to keep me more than entertained. It's just that there doesn't feel to be a whole lot of forward momentum in the overall plot. Well, I guess that's not true as things are definitely heating up on the war front, even more so than in recent installments. I guess my issue is that there's so much going on that each book is starting to just bleed into the next one with little or even no resolution on a lot of what's going on. It's almost becoming too much at this point as more and more get stacked onto the sister's plates with no resolutions in sight. So rut probably wasn't the best word, as overwhelming seems to better explain my feelings. I'm just getting to the point where I feel like it's all being stretched too far, and the dangers are being lessened due to the sheer overwhelming amount of them. I'm really hoping some resolution comes in the next installment to hopefully narrow the range of threats down just a bit.

Despite my wishing for a bit of threat narrowing, Crimson Veil was a very enjoyable installment in the Otherworld series. Fans of the series will be more than pleased, and I can't wait to dive into Camille's installment next.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:

Previous Books:

1. Witchling

2. Changeling

3. Darkling

4. Dragon Wytch

5. Night Huntress

6. Demon Mistress

7. Bone Magic

8. Harvest Hunting

9. Blood Wyne

10. Courting Darkness

11. Shaded Vision

12. Shadow Rising

13. Haunted Moon

14. Autumn Whispers

Shaded Vision (Early Review)

, by KT

Shaded Vision by Yasmine Galenorn

Sisters of the Otherworld #11

We're the D'Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy ex-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But being half-human, half-Fae means our powers could go haywire any time-mostly the wrong times. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch with three sexy husbands. My sister Menolly is a vampire who's dating a werepuma. And me? I'm Delilah, a two-faced werecat and Death Maiden. I watch over things in the Supe Community, where trouble is about to go down hard...

It's Valentine's Day and we're preparing our friend Iris's wedding. But when we get word that the Supe Community Center has been bombed, things get really ugly. The evil coyote shifters-the Koyami-are back and Newkirk, their new leader has joined forces with a group of rogue sorcerers. Then, just as we think things can't get worse, the demon lord Shadow Wing sends in a new front man, and life really goes to hell...

The D'Artigo sisters can never seem to catch a break. It should have been a happy time as they prepare to celebrate Iris's wedding. But things go from bad to worse when the Supe Comunity center is bombed the night before, and that is only the start. The Koyami are back and wreaking havoc yet again as they team up with another of the girls' past nemesis, a pair of nasty sorcerers. Meanwhile it looks like Shadow Wing is gearing up for another fight as he sends a new general to amp up his side of the war, and he may just be the worst one yet.

In the past several installments, the war against Shadow Wing has been mostly in the background as the sisters had other issues to deal with. However, in Shaded Vision, that fight is back, front and center. The girls learn some pretty terrible things, that change their view points on the last few months, and bring to light a terrible new threat. With each new installment, I always wonder how the author is going to be able to top the previous threats so things don't start to seem like old hat. While I doubt Hyto's absolute cruelty and horribleness will ever be able to be "outdone," I will say that the new threat in Shaded Vision is pretty scary, just in a different way. Instead of being targeted at just Camile, this one is a danger to all of them, and they will definitely have their work cut out for them.

In my review of Delilah's last book, Harvest Hunting, I had talked about how much Delilah had grown from the naive tabby cat we met in the beginning of the series. However, after reading Shaded Vision, I can't help being a little frustrated with her. Yes, her rose colored glasses are gone (as she calls them), but she was pretty whiny about it. I realize that she misses being able to always believe things will be okay, but now she has turned into a pessimist about pretty much everything. She also had many break downs over the changes that were going on. In fact she seemed rather selfish in her desire to have everything back to they way they used to be. She wants her sisters all to herself, and a small part of her seems to resent their significant others. I remember her being very resistant to change in the past, but not to the point of selfishness. Although I will say that she felt guilty about these feelings, so I have hopes that she will work through them and continue to grow.

I didn't enjoy Shaded Vision as much as some of the other installments in this series, and a lot of that had to do with Deliliah's behavior. Now, I'm not saying it wasn't a good book, I just couldn't seem to get myself as invested as I normal do in the sister's trials. Then again, any book would have a hard time following after the incredibly, but emotionally exhausting previous installment, Courting Darkness. So while I am giving Shaded Vision a mediocre review, this series, still remains as one of my favorites, and I will eagerly await Menolly's next installment, Shadow Rising.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Shaded Vision (Otherworld)

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Previous Books:

Witchling
Changeling
Darkling
Dragon Wytch
Night Huntress
Demon Mistress
Bone Magic
Harvest Hunting
Blood Wyne
Courting Darkness

Night Myst

, by KT

Night Myst by Yasmine Galenorn

Indigo Court #1

Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the Dark Fae in order to harness their magic, only to create a demonic enemy more powerful than they imagined. Now Myst, the Vampiric Fae Queen of the Indigo Court, has enough power to begin a long prophesied supernatural war. And Cicely Waters, a witch who can control the wind, may be the only one who can stop her-and save her beloved Fae prince from the Queen's enslavement.

Cicely has been on the road, and run, with her drug addict mother since she was a very little girl. Even though she is a very strong witch, her training suffered terribly, so her actual skills are much less than her potential. One day, however she gets a call from her aunt saying an elder witch has been murdered and that her magical business was left to Cicely. She makes the long journey home, only to find out that nothing and no one is the same. A dark cloud lingers over the town, and countless of the Magic Born have gone missing. Even her first love, Grieve seems very different, darker even. She quickly gets wrapped up in a war that could mean the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear, and she may just be the key to it all.

Cicely is an absolutely fascinating character. She is so complex, being both tough, yet incredibly soft as well. In a lot of urban fantasies, the heroine's physical abilities are off the charts, and this sometimes can make the dangers against them just don't seem threatening at all. Cicely, however isn't one of those types. She definitely has a strong power set in the witch area, but her physical abilities are much less, more along the lines of an ordinary person. So, when the vampires, or the Indigo Fae court are poised to attack, you feel the threat against her with heart pounding intensity. It was very refreshing to be able to completely feel the fear that is intended with the danger.

While Cicely and Grieve may be star-crossed lovers, you can tell right from the start that they are meant to be together, perhaps even destined to be. However, it is also obvious that there is a world of obstacles between them as well. While all of the other issues and threats to the other characters are very real, I felt the turmoil and angst between these two the most. I imagine it is going to be a very dark, bumpy road on their path to be together, and I can only hope they will find a way to overcome and triumph in the end. I'm always drawn to stories with forbidden lovers. There is just something to be said about the idea of love overcoming all obstacles. So, I'll put my vote in now for these two great characters, even though I'm sure it will take a long time getting there.

As with the rest of the Author's books, there is plenty of sex and sensuality in these books. However, in no way are they just "book porn". The sexual aspects of this book fit perfectly in, and help further the story as well as add to the incredible world. Cicely is completely comfortable with her sexuality, and the vampires, well they just ooze it. So, a lack of both aspects would have hindered this book, and the world it is based on. That being said, I cannot wait for the next installment, and a further look into this world and these awesome characters.

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