Hello everyone!
Once again, I hope you're staying safe, and staying at home.
I know this has been said pretty much everywhere and anywhere by this point, but please, stay alert, not anxious, practice as much social distancing as you can, and make sure to be careful about washing your hands and using disinfectant whenever possible.
It's the only way we'll be able to successfully combat this without too much loss of life.
That said, hopefully at least some of the vlogs and blog posts going up at this point in time are keeping you entertained or marginally amused if nothing else.
I myself am back with another book review this week.
And since we started in with our witches last Thursday, it's time to keep going with them!
Serenity Woods ventured out of her usual field of writing with the Murder of Crows series, and having talked about the prequel last week I think it's time to sink our teeth into the actual first novel.
Black Moon Witch sounds ominous enough - let's dive right in!
You'll find the link to Hunter's Moon Witch down at the bottom of the page, along with a few others. They aren't exactly the same series, BUT they're slightly paranormal, and the Big Cats are actually connected to Murder of Crows since they keep getting mentioned.
But let's move on!
Black Moon Witch starts with a drowning.
Morbid, right?
Persy gets forced off the road and drowns in the river, but deputy sheriff Mac fishes her out and literally gives her the breath of life to bring her back. The thing we learn immediately is that she's in a relationship that brings her no joy, and in an unsatisfactory job, which she seeks to change after her experience.
She dumps her boyfriend - much to his anger - and quits her job - much to her boss's annoyance.
She wants to focus more on the Crows, the group of witches led by Kimi who practice together, and on finding a job in her own field (archaeology).
She also agrees to go on a date with Mac, because ... why not? She's single now, he obviously likes and cares about her, and there's just a spark of connection between them.
Persy also kind of tries to do a mind probe on the man but gets kicked out of his mind palace because of a spell Damien put on him, because, surprise surprise, Mac is one of Herne's Hunters, a group of shamans Damien's leading.
The two groups don't cross or mingle and neither knows who the members of the other group are (more on that later), so as to keep them safe.
But trouble is a-brewing, because Persy can't reach her twin, who's supposedly researching an article she's writing, and there are dog footsteps all around her whenever she stops for any period of time, which tells Mac that she's being hunted by someone from the underworld.
Not to mention that her meditation gets invaded more than just once, and every time, she gets rescued or is protected by a stag that comes to her aid against a demonic sort of wolf.
You think your life is complicated, huh? Imagine trying to start a relationship against the backdrop of all THAT!
It's especially difficult because there are rules imposed on the two groups about exposing themselves to their partners, and Damien actually binds Mac with a spell that physically prevents him from telling Persy he's a shaman.
Once they find her sister's body, however, it's all moot point and she demands to know the truth, which is how she learns about it at the Crux from both Damien and Kimi (the thing to be noted here is that both the Elders know about both the younger ones). They decide to try and find out what happened to her twin by asking her directly, which would require the Great Rite, something that Damien and Kimi are worried about, but on board with if both Mac and Persy are.
The Great Rite, mind you, is ritual sex, but it's done beautifully because it's essentially just making love with the added magical layer on top which will allow Persy and Mac to try and speak with her sister.
They do talk to her - and get attacked by that wolf again, mind - but they don't really learn what happened to her.
They do, however, find out she was cheating on her boyfriend with Persy's ex-boyfriend, and that she had been the one to initiate it.
That said, they still don't know who actually killed her, but the demon tracks are a pretty solid clue, and the Hunters are also following some magical traces back to their source, so they kind of arrive at a conclusion at the same time.
It was Persy's dad.
Or, well, step-dad.
He's a follower of the Dark Forces and their Goat-headed god who's apparently coming for the forces of good, and he's killed a lot of people up until this point, including Persy's real father back in the day.
He ends up with a steak knife in his chest for his efforts, once his wife breaks the mind control he's woven around her over the years.
But the chilling prospect of more of these worshippers of everything bad and evil magic can conjure prompts the two magical groups that have operated separately until that point to reveal themselves to one another, promising to work together to fight whatever's coming their way.
As for Mac and Persy, well, their relationship can only go on stronger from there!
After reading the prequel to this story, I told myself I'd just go through maybe a few chapters, and finish the next day, but nope. It got me hook, line and sinker, and I ended up gobbling it all.
I really liked it.
I was also really annoyed by it.
I know. It's confusing. Read on!
I really liked it.
I was also really annoyed by it.
I know. It's confusing. Read on!
I'll read paranormal mystery/romance if I find a good book, and this one is a good book. It moves us about 25 years post Hunter's Moon Witch and definitely delves much deeper into the whole pagan aspect of witches and shamans, which I enjoyed. Ms Woods did her research well and every little detail felt really well done and in its proper place.
The characters were really good, too. Persephone and Mac have a connection that's undeniable even just off the page, and it continued growing stronger throughout the book. I was super happy they didn't beat around the bush (much) about it.
I was also happy to see Kimi and Damien again ... and here's the thing.
I was super annoyed with them.
The premise of the story, as stated above, is that the witches and shamans practice in separate covens/groups (as opposed to the lot of them being at the Crux to study together and from each other), and they don't tell anyone who they are. It's apparently for their own safety, until they feel confident to 'come out of the broom closet'. But here's the thing - the idea is that it is until the individual witch or shaman feels like they want to tell the world who they are (or their partner or whoever).
But Damien and Kimi are the ones who put the kaboosh on that, and THEY are the ones dictating the when and where.
That's what irritated me the most. They'd been there for the first battle against the darkness - and seen just how difficult it had been even when calling in covens from around the county. Then they went ahead and PURPOSELY SEPARATED powerful magical personalities and on top of it all even forbid them or cast a binding spell on them from telling, because ONLY THEY KNEW WHEN THE PERSON WHO WANTED TO TELL IT WOULD BE READY.
That was just ... I wanted to shake Damien. And Kimi for going along with him. Things would have been SO much easier if Damien hadn't smacked that binding spell on Mac! Not to mention, what good is it to keep hidden from each other? What purpose does it serve? From the outer world, sure, but from their own people?
As you can tell, I'm frustrated with the characters ... quite a bit actually LOL. But that's because I'm passionate about the story! I want it to continue to grow and flourish, and I want it to do well.
The mystery part was also really well done, because for the longest time I thought I knew who the killer was. Then even when my gut instinct was telling me one thing, my mind wanted another, but my gut was right.
Despite my annoyance with some of the decisions in the book, I do still recommend it. It's a fun, thrilling read! We clock in to what happened with Damien and Kimi's child (hint: they had more than one) and continue a story that's really well researched and beautifully written.
The characters were really good, too. Persephone and Mac have a connection that's undeniable even just off the page, and it continued growing stronger throughout the book. I was super happy they didn't beat around the bush (much) about it.
I was also happy to see Kimi and Damien again ... and here's the thing.
I was super annoyed with them.
The premise of the story, as stated above, is that the witches and shamans practice in separate covens/groups (as opposed to the lot of them being at the Crux to study together and from each other), and they don't tell anyone who they are. It's apparently for their own safety, until they feel confident to 'come out of the broom closet'. But here's the thing - the idea is that it is until the individual witch or shaman feels like they want to tell the world who they are (or their partner or whoever).
But Damien and Kimi are the ones who put the kaboosh on that, and THEY are the ones dictating the when and where.
That's what irritated me the most. They'd been there for the first battle against the darkness - and seen just how difficult it had been even when calling in covens from around the county. Then they went ahead and PURPOSELY SEPARATED powerful magical personalities and on top of it all even forbid them or cast a binding spell on them from telling, because ONLY THEY KNEW WHEN THE PERSON WHO WANTED TO TELL IT WOULD BE READY.
That was just ... I wanted to shake Damien. And Kimi for going along with him. Things would have been SO much easier if Damien hadn't smacked that binding spell on Mac! Not to mention, what good is it to keep hidden from each other? What purpose does it serve? From the outer world, sure, but from their own people?
As you can tell, I'm frustrated with the characters ... quite a bit actually LOL. But that's because I'm passionate about the story! I want it to continue to grow and flourish, and I want it to do well.
The mystery part was also really well done, because for the longest time I thought I knew who the killer was. Then even when my gut instinct was telling me one thing, my mind wanted another, but my gut was right.
Despite my annoyance with some of the decisions in the book, I do still recommend it. It's a fun, thrilling read! We clock in to what happened with Damien and Kimi's child (hint: they had more than one) and continue a story that's really well researched and beautifully written.
Unfortunately, Ms Woods has decided to postpone writing any sequels to this for now, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed we might still get it ... eventually.
Until then though, keep your wands at the ready!
xx
*image not mine
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