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@EternalEvelyn @debbiereadsbook
#Adult, #LGBTQ+, #Paranormal, #Romance,
Even the strongest of vampires has a breaking point: for Marcelle, it was being tortured by a witch in New York and trying to return to her regular existence as if nothing had happened.
She has too much to do to allow herself to focus on something as trivial as trauma. Occult hunters accost her witch allies; an aggravating pyromancer needles a fiery thorn in her side; and the coronation of one of her lovers, the vampire crown prince of New Ulster, Setanta, has her full attention. Not only that, but her newest lover, the necromancer and healing witch Sarai, has trials of her own to face and a reckoning to come with her formal introduction to the vampire royal court at the Midnight Festival.
Marcelle and her lovers must face the demons of the past and future, or she may lose the new love desperately needs.
A cold, soft hand caressed her cheek, and Sarai melted against it.
"Don't worry," Marcelle said in her ear. "We won't bite." She whirled the witch around, their lips inches apart, and Sarai felt her body flushed with heat at the sight of Marcelle's blue eyes turning red with lust.
The first few cords of string instrumentals played and introduced a tango. Marcelle's body undulated in response. Setanta grabbed his lover's hand and pulled her towards him, then spun her out towards Sarai. They began a duet in those first bars of music, Marcelle's leg sweeping out sensually from the slit in her dress. Setanta's movements were more powerful, demanding, and full of purpose as he manipulated her body to press against him. He commanded, she responded. Her fangs slipped from her mouth, and he smirked just enough to reveal his own.
It looked like foreplay and Sarai wanted to participate in the celebration of sex and power. Setanta maneuvered Marcelle closer to her. They made eye contact before Marcelle let go of her sire and circled Sarai, a hand trailing across Sarai's collarbone, just above her breasts.
Sarai felt her heart nearly stop as she was tilted back, then spun around to face Marcelle.
"Ready to dance?" the woman said.
Content Warning: This book is intended for adult audience as it contains sexual content, reference to sexual assault, violence, adult language, adult situations, and lots of delicious blood. Reader discretion is advised.
4 out of 5 (very good)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is book 2 in the Bloodline Chronicles, and it cannot be read as a stand alone. You NEED to read Witch's Knight before this one, to get the full story, much is not recapped and you will need it all.
I loved this one, more so than Witch's Knight, because it took a turn I did NOT see coming and it kinda threw me for a loop, in the best way. And there is one niggle at the back of my mind I need to talk about.
Marcelle is NOT fine, at all. After being tortured in the first book, she really is suffering emotionally, and it takes a session with Setanta, in which she does something that she never did before, to make her see that she needs help. Sarai makes her see too, and it's the love Marcelle has for Sarai that tips her over the edge and she gets some help.
Setanta plays a huge part here, but we don't hear very much from him. And I missed him at key points along the way. Hearing MORE from him would have, probably, negated my niggle, but that is not my niggle. I'll come back to that.
It's dark and deadly, steamy and smexy! Oh so smexy, and I did not, never in a million years, see that coming at me! It really threw me, and I wasn't sure it was gonna work, but boy, oh boy, does it ever! And when Sarai gets to meet some of her mother's family, THAT surprise too, what was said then, I did not see coming and I loved that this book surprised me at every turn.
So, my niggle?? This is billed as the conclusion to the duet of books. BUT I feel it's unfinished. I found the ending kinda rushed, and while Sarai, Marcelle and Setanta are happy for now, I wouldn't give them a happy ever after. They need another book, to tell what happens when Giovanni gets her comeuppance, along with Sarai's sister, when she wakes. There is much unfinished and I need it, Goddammit!!
So, because of the unfinished feeling, I gave this book...
4 very VERY VERY good stars
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Evelyn Silver lives in Florida with her husband, their son, and their two cats. She has a BFA in English and enjoys a variety of hobbies including belly dancing and singing opera. She is an Own Voices writer, spinning tales of polyamorous and bisexual paranormal romance. Evelyn sews her own clothes (poorly) and somehow manages to kill every plant she ever tries to take care of.