Review: The Wolf Witch by Naomi Clark

Title: The Wolf Witch
Series: Brides of Darkness #2
Author: Naomi Clark
Tour: No
Published: May 2012, Evernight Publishing
Format: Ebook provided by author for review

Gypsy girl Elisa has never fit in with her clan and has always longed for a wilder life. When she finds an injured wolf in the woods, she discovers a magical talent beyond her dreams, a man beyond her fantasies, and a new life that promises all the wildness and danger she could want. Dark is a wulfen, both man and wolf, and his passion will sweep Elisa off her feet and force her to choose between her people and her freedom. If Elisa stays with the gypsies, she has nothing but an unwanted marriage to look forward to. With Dark she has rapture and excitement - but can a human girl truly survive amongst the wolves?

It’s no secret; I’m a big fan of Naomi Clark.  I’ve read nearly all of her books, and I’ve yet to find one I don’t like.  I’m pretty sure this woman can write anything well!  And so I recently read The Wolf Witch, which is quite different from her normal genres.  It seems she is branching out in all sorts of directions, and I think its terrific.  The Wolf Witch is book two in the Brides of Darkness series

This book is about Elisa, a gypsy.  One day while out in the forest she feels a pain in her side, and she is drawn in a certain direction.  She is out with her cousin, and they hear wolves howl.  She knows she must go.  And then she finds a wolf who has been shot with an arrow.  She removes the arrow and does the unthinkable – she puts her hands over the wound….and heals it.  WTH?!?  Yeah, that was pretty much her response right before she passed out.   When she awakes, her whole world is different and a man is now in front of her, Dark.  She is about to learn a whole new side to herself that is beyond anything she had ever before imagined – she is a healer.

  

I really loved Elisa.  She lives in a time where she doesn’t have a lot of personal rights.  Her mother is trying to arrange a marriage for her, and she isn’t in love with the man.  But Elisa is a strong woman, and she knows she needs to find a way to escape her prearranged destiny.  She just never thought it would be amongst the werewolves.  She is intelligent, brave, and loving – just how I like my heroines.

  

And then we have Dark, the alpha wolf.   I thought he was very interesting.  Naomi did a great job creating this character.  You know he hasn’t had much human contact, his speech is broken and not really fluent.  But there is passion in him, and he is absolutely a fearless leader of his pack.  I think he is just what Elisa needs, in more than one way. 

  

You also get to meet a couple others in the pack, although you don’t learn too much about most of them.  Mainly I think Scar is pretty fascinating.  She is a cunning female wolf, and I have to wonder if there is a bit of jealousy there.  It would almost seem natural that she and Dark would have had history, but I don’t know.  I love that its kind of left to my imagination.

  

There was a bit of action and a lot of drama packed into these few pages.  Once again, Naomi really did a fantastic job with the writing.  I can’t recommend this book enough!

Find Naomi Online!

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Naomi Clark lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once. 



Previous Posts:
Interview
Review - The Necromancer's Apprentice
Review - Demonized
Review - Ungrateful Dead
Review - Afterlife

Review - Shadow Cursed

Review: The Wolf Witch by Naomi Clark

Title: The Wolf Witch
Series: Brides of Darkness #2
Author: Naomi Clark
Tour: No
Published: May 2012, Evernight Publishing
Format: Ebook provided by author for review

Gypsy girl Elisa has never fit in with her clan and has always longed for a wilder life. When she finds an injured wolf in the woods, she discovers a magical talent beyond her dreams, a man beyond her fantasies, and a new life that promises all the wildness and danger she could want. Dark is a wulfen, both man and wolf, and his passion will sweep Elisa off her feet and force her to choose between her people and her freedom. If Elisa stays with the gypsies, she has nothing but an unwanted marriage to look forward to. With Dark she has rapture and excitement - but can a human girl truly survive amongst the wolves?

It’s no secret; I’m a big fan of Naomi Clark.  I’ve read nearly all of her books, and I’ve yet to find one I don’t like.  I’m pretty sure this woman can write anything well!  And so I recently read The Wolf Witch, which is quite different from her normal genres.  It seems she is branching out in all sorts of directions, and I think its terrific.  The Wolf Witch is book two in the Brides of Darkness series

This book is about Elisa, a gypsy.  One day while out in the forest she feels a pain in her side, and she is drawn in a certain direction.  She is out with her cousin, and they hear wolves howl.  She knows she must go.  And then she finds a wolf who has been shot with an arrow.  She removes the arrow and does the unthinkable – she puts her hands over the wound….and heals it.  WTH?!?  Yeah, that was pretty much her response right before she passed out.   When she awakes, her whole world is different and a man is now in front of her, Dark.  She is about to learn a whole new side to herself that is beyond anything she had ever before imagined – she is a healer.

  

I really loved Elisa.  She lives in a time where she doesn’t have a lot of personal rights.  Her mother is trying to arrange a marriage for her, and she isn’t in love with the man.  But Elisa is a strong woman, and she knows she needs to find a way to escape her prearranged destiny.  She just never thought it would be amongst the werewolves.  She is intelligent, brave, and loving – just how I like my heroines.

  

And then we have Dark, the alpha wolf.   I thought he was very interesting.  Naomi did a great job creating this character.  You know he hasn’t had much human contact, his speech is broken and not really fluent.  But there is passion in him, and he is absolutely a fearless leader of his pack.  I think he is just what Elisa needs, in more than one way. 

  

You also get to meet a couple others in the pack, although you don’t learn too much about most of them.  Mainly I think Scar is pretty fascinating.  She is a cunning female wolf, and I have to wonder if there is a bit of jealousy there.  It would almost seem natural that she and Dark would have had history, but I don’t know.  I love that its kind of left to my imagination.

  

There was a bit of action and a lot of drama packed into these few pages.  Once again, Naomi really did a fantastic job with the writing.  I can’t recommend this book enough!

Find Naomi Online!

Website

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Facebook

Goodreads

Naomi Clark lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once. 



Previous Posts:
Interview
Review - The Necromancer's Apprentice
Review - Demonized
Review - Ungrateful Dead
Review - Afterlife

Review - Shadow Cursed

Review, Shadow Cursed - Naomi Clark

Title: Shadow Curssed
Author: Naomi Clark
Published: 2012 Evernight Publishing
Format: ebook provided by author for review

Released from Ottevar Asylum after eight hard years, Lady Emmeline returns to Nachtholm Manor to reclaim her birthright. But she has a battle on her hands—Rainart Eckhard refuses to give up his position as lord of manor, and whilst his cold attitude enrages Emmeline, his smouldering kisses leave her weak at the knees.


Who is this dangerous, enticing stranger, and what secrets does he hide? Caught in a web of desire, curses, and self-doubt, Emmeline is not only fighting Rainart for Nachtholm Manor, but for her own heart as well.

Lady Emmeline of Nachtholm left home as a young girl - certainly not of her own volition.  Her parents put her in Ottevar Asylum so they could “cure” her of what they viewed as an affliction.  The story begins with her on her way home after her parents’ death after 8 years being away.   When she returns home she finds a man, Rainart Eckhard, who claims he has been running the manor in the interim.  However he is quite adamant that he is not leaving, and that he is the lord of the manor, and she is not. 

Emmeline has an instant heated attraction to Rainart, though she tries to deny it.  He also does, but this story is completely from Emmeline’s point of view.  There’s some stolen kisses that leave them both wanting more.   But this is as much a  story about Emmeline realizing her true inner strength and sense of self as anything else.  

                “She’d never been so close to a man before and she’d never even seen a man like Rainart, a man brimming with a power and authority that made her want to fall to her knees again.”

Emmeline becomes obsessed with Rainart, and I can see why.   The man is a mystery.  Sure, he’s handsome as can be and the attraction is undeniable, but where in the heck did he come from?  She seeks out answers from the local gypsies, thinking maybe they know.   Then she finds a book in the manor’s library that gives her a clue about previous owners, and perhaps Rainart’s lineage….but it couldn’t be.  Could it?  The final answer to his arrival is quite intriguing!

All in all, I really enjoyed the mystery of this story.   There was a touch of paranormal, although it was something of the past.  Rainart is a character shrouded in mystery.   You just want to know more and more about him.  Emmeline is quite young and naïve, although she claims to be anything but that.  I think that in her future she is going to be quite the force to be reckoned with.  She does have that inner strength that I do enjoy seeing in female characters.  And her time in the asylum is certainly something I would like to see more of.  Being quite familiar with Naomi Clark’s writing, I think this is definitely a storyline she should explore more!  I’m betting she can flesh that story out and make it something horrifyingly creepy and wonderful! 

As for the romance and erotic parts of this story… they were good.  I love the instant connection part to these two characters.  This author really has a talent for creating that troubled attraction, the one you shouldn’t have but do anyway because the heart wants what it wants, regardless of what the brain says.  The erotic portions weren’t quite as heated as I normally see, but I think there is definite future potential.  In any effect, the moment that Rainart and Emmeline put their battle of wills aside to see how much they want each other is fantastic.  If you are looking for high heat, I don’t think this is the story for you.  But if you are looking for a terrific mystery with a touch of paranormal, and hey there’s some romance too, then I think you will love this story.  As usual, I am a huge fan of Naomi Clark’s, and this story is just another hit to add to the arsenal.

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BONUS!  If you like this story and want to read more, there is a free short story set in the same world, available from Evernight Publishing - http://www.evernightpublishing.com/bound-by-night-by-naomi-clark/ 

Find Naomi Online!

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Naomi Clark lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once. 



Previous Posts:
Interview
Review - The Necromancer's Apprentice
Review - Demonized
Review - Ungrateful Dead
Review - Afterlife

Shadow Cursed by Naomi Clark, Interview/Giveaway

Shadow Cursed

Naomi Clark

Released from Ottevar Asylum after eight hard years, Lady Emmeline returns to Nachtholm Manor to reclaim her birthright. But she has a battle on her hands—Rainart Eckhard refuses to give up his position as lord of manor, and whilst his cold attitude enrages Emmeline, his smouldering kisses leave her weak at the knees.


Who is this dangerous, enticing stranger, and what secrets does he hide? Caught in a web of desire, curses, and self-doubt, Emmeline is not only fighting Rainart for Nachtholm Manor, but for her own heart as well.

Today I am super lucky enough to bring to you an interview I did recently with author Naomi Clark!  Naomi normally writes in paranormal, urban fantasy and even a bit of horror, but Shadow Cursed is a new writing venture for her, and I think you are going to love it!  So check out our interview, then enter the giveaway to win a copy of your own!  And then go tell your friends, cause hey, why should you have all the fun?  Thanks!

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INTERVIEW

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Hi Naomi!  So nice to talk to you again!  Thanks for coming out for an interview!

Thanks, Liz! Always nice to be on Fictional Candy :)

Ok, so you have a new book out – Shadow Cursed – and its quite different from the books you normally write.  Can you tell us a bit about it?

Shadow Cursed is probably my first serious foray into paranormal romance. Most of my stories have romantic subplots, but this is the first one where the romance has been front and centre. It was born out of my love of paranormal romance and gothic literature - I took the bits of both I liked best and mixed them! So you've got romance and sex, curses and mystery, and creepy old houses!

So is there any particular reason for the genre change?  And how do you like getting into erotic romance?

I'm a big fan of paranormal romance - I love Gena Showalter and Anna Windsor especially, and I'm discovering new authors all the time via ebooks. I wanted to stretch my writing muscles a little, so this seemed the obvious genre to try. I could keep all the things I love about urban fantasy - magic, myth, and the paranormal - but shift the focus to the relationship and sexual aspects, and give myself a mental workout :) I was nervous about submitting erotic romance to publishers, as I was pretty sure I was rubbish at writing sex scenes, but so far the response seems positive!

Let’s jump back to some of your other books.  There’s a lot of paranormal and spooky stuff.  Is that going to stay in your repertoire?

Definitely! I'm a hardcore supernatural fan and there's so much you can explore, I think I could spend the rest of my life writing stories about monsters, magic, and the occult, and never get bored. As I write this, I'm watching a documentary on the sixth sense, which is sparking all kinds of ideas.

Naomi, I’m sure asking to pick a favorite book is probably like trying to pick a favorite child.  But I’m asking anyway!  Do you have a favorite book, and why? 

Oooh...Yeah, that's hard! If pressed, I'd go with my HP Lovecraft omnibus, The Necronomicon. It's a massive doorstop of a book, leatherbound, and one I can read through again and again. It has pride of place in my bathroom (we really don't have enough bookcases in our house).

  

Let’s get to know you a bit!  What can you tell us about Naomi Clark? 

Well, by day I'm a PA to a professor. By night I write and edit. In between those, I make perfume, keep snakes, and laugh at my cat. I love punk music and eat too much chocolate. I collect tarot cards and books (of course!), and probably spend too much time at my laptop.

  

I see on your website you are doing some things with homemade perfumes!  That sounds like a lot of fun!  How did you get into that, and do you sell those online anywhere?

Yes, this is a very new hobby! I love perfume - I have a pretty large collection, and I'm fascinated by science behind blending scents. I've wanted to make my own for years, but only recently stumbled across a recipe for solid perfumes that caught my eye. Right now my weekends are split between writing, editing, and mixing essential oils. I'm not planning to sell any right now, although it's a lovely idea for the future!

Social Media… the evil beast that we all love and hate.  Do you have a favorite place to go?

I'm a Twitter addict. I've become one of those people who needs to Tweet everything they do! It's a great way to meet new people and interact. I don't mind Facebook, but I'm not as big a fan. I've recently discovered Pinterest too, and am having lots of fun making inspiration boards for my books.

So whats coming up in the future for you Naomi?  Are there any exciting releases we can look forward to?

Next up is the next gothic/erotic romance - The Wolf Witch. I've just finished the edits for that one, and it's due out in May. Very exciting! I'm also working on a sequel to Demonised, and am hoping to have that ready to submit in the next few weeks. I'm really, really excited about this one - it's a return to Ethan Banning, and a full-length novel this time, rather than a novella, so yay!

Now, possibly the hardest question of all… If you were a paranormal being, which one would you be?  And why??

Oh, okay, this is easy for me. I'm a werewolf girl all the way. I love wolves and I love shapeshifter folklore. No contest!

Recently I read The Necromancer’s Apprentice, and I fell in love with it.  Do you think there might be a sequel to it in the future?  I could easily see how you could segue it into the erotic romance genre! (I’m totally crossing my fingers for that one!!)

Heh, yes, I've got one more story in mind for Evanthe and Morrow! It's just a matter of finding the time. And totally, they would take their romance to the next level ;)

Ok, I think I’ve pestered you a bit for now.  Just one last question.  What is it about books, writing and reading them, that is so awesome??

Writing them - sharing my ideas, exploring new worlds, and the sheer escapism of it. And actually, that goes for reading them too. I love immersing myself in someone else's imagination. There's nothing else I'd rather do!

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Find Naomi Online!
Website
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Naomi Clark lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once.

The Necromancer's Apprentice - Naomi Clark

Title: The Necromancer's Apprentice

Author: Naomi Clark

Format: ebook provided by author for review

From Goodreads:

All Evanthe wants is to hone her necromancy skills and gain the affections of her reclusive mentor, Morrow. And just when she thinks he might reciprocate her feelings, a face from his past threatens the life Evanthe is working so hard for. Now she's up against rogue necromancers, smarmy demonologists, and blood-thirsty zombies as she and Morrow fight to protect a secret that could kill them both. Evanthe's a talented necromancer, but that might not be enough to guarantee her a happy ending. 

*~*~*~*~*

I’ve read several books from Naomi Clark.  She definitely flew to the top of my favorites and automatic lists.  And this story, The Necromancer’s Apprentice, is no exception.  Novella in length, but that’s about it.  There is a ton of story within these sixty-something pages!

Evanthe (beautiful and unique name, by the way!) is twenty years old and living with Morrow, who is a mix between guardian, mentor, and the man who sparks her heart.  She’s had a hard life, bumped from foster home to foster home.  Living with Morrow is the first time in her life she’s ever felt at home.  And she and Morrow, well, they practice Necromancy! Necromancy, in case you don’t know, is the art of communicating with the dead.  Creepy, right?  Well, Naomi does such a beautiful job with this story, that even when there are rotting body parts around, you don’t feel creeped out at all.  Or, if you are like me and love a good spooky story, then this is perfect for you!

“He’d taken her in, convinced her there was nothing wrong with her.  The first person that made her feel valued, when all her life people had been determined to make her feel abnormal.”

Morrow is seemingly the strong silent type, wrestling with himself between what he thinks he should do and what he wants to do where Evanthe is concerned.   But she is not a teen anymore, and he has feelings for her.   I was hoping and waiting for him to make a move, to set my anxiety to rest!  I think these two have some real flair, and I would love to see a full length story about them!

Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t just about romance.  You are dealing with some heavy duty magic, demonology,  The Hand of Glory,  zombies…. Yep, zombies!!!!!!  Evanthe and Morrow are fighting to save themselves from several onslaughts, and it’s them against the world.  There’s the Guild, and then there’s Natasha – Morrow’s nasty ex!  Oooh, I really don’t like her!!  Oh, and theres zombies…. Yep, zombies!!!!!!!

I have nothing but wild praise for this book, and I can’t wait to read more!  You got some romance, some heroic behavior, a great mystery, and hmmmm, what else?  Oh yeah, zombies!!!!!!!!!!

Let's Stalk Naomi!

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Demonized - Naomi Clark

Title: Demonized
Author: Naomi Clark


Format: Ebook provided by author for review


From Goodreads:
PI Ethan Banning is smoking too much, sleeping too little, and hearing voices. One voice, to be exact: the voice of the demon that possessed him on his last case. A voice that urges him to hurt, rape, kill, and Ethan doesn't think he has the strength to ignore it much longer. 

When his latest missing person case turns into a murder investigation, Ethan finds himself fighting not just demonic urges, but black magic, an incubus with a hidden agenda, and a client who just won't pay up. Luckily, Ethan's got a few friends on his side, like Detective Anna Radcliffe, and his trusty dog, Mutt. If Ethan can ignore the demon long enough, he might just solve this case before it kills him

Ahhh, Ethan Banning, we meet again…and it seems you are a bit worse for the wear this time around!  Man, it really must suck sometimes to be Ethan Banning.  Excellent Private Investigator, catching things most don’t.  But then, most don’t catch cacodaemons – in their body - either!

In Demonized Ethan is dealing with what happened to him during his time in Shoregrave with Yasmin Stoker.   You know when the story opens with a dead hooker in a bathtub full of ice that this isn’t an ordinary story!!

Ethan is battling a sort of demon possession from the cacodaemon who jumped in him in Afterlife.  Yasmin just couldn’t remove it completely.  And worse yet, this demon is a sick psycho of a demon, filling Ethan’s mind with horrible images and basically declaring war on him for the most part.  Sometimes he even manages to control Ethan enough to speak out loud. 

Ungrateful Dead - Naomi Clark

Title: Ungrateful Dead
Author: Naomi Clark

Format: Ebook provided by author

From Goodreads:
PI Ethan Banning wouldn't normally touch a haunting case. Mostly because he doesn't believe in ghosts. But when Charlie Mullen asks him to spend the night at a supposedly haunted morgue, Ethan figures, why not? He's broke and Charlie's offering double his normal rate, and that's good enough for Ethan.

But when a troublesome ghost really does show up, Ethan realises he's going to need more than a good supply of alcohol to get through the night

In this story we meet Ethan Banning, PI from Afterlife.  I know I am not alone in saying that I love Ethan Banning!  He is snarky and can be a bit mean sometimes.  But he is smart and witty, and much better at being a PI than he lets us all believe.   

In this short little intro to all that is Ethan, he’s sitting in a bar drinking when he is approached for a job.  It seems that the morgue is haunted by the ghost of a young woman who was murdered!

Ethan doesn’t believe in all that paranormal stuff (insert snort and giggle from me here) so he doesn’t really want to take this job.  But money is money, and we all need it.  So off he goes with Charlie to investigate.

This is just a short story, I can’t tell you too much without giving it away.  I will just say it is a must read because it is absolutely fabulous, and it serves as a nice little prequel introduction before reading Afterlife (one of the best books I’ve read this year!).  If you like a touch of horror and fright, a bit of snark, something akin to a zombie, and ghosts, then this is the story for you. 

Available at Amazon 

Alternate Cover: 

Afterlife - Naomi Clark

Title: Afterlife
Author: Naomi Clark

Format: ebook provided by author

From Goodreads:
Yasmin Stoker is a ghost tour guide who spends her days showing tourists around Shoregrave’s haunted hotspots. She also happens to be a wraith who spends her nights hunting Revenants, newly-risen flesh-eating vampires. On one of her regular hunts, she witnesses a mysterious ghostly girl pulling the body of a teenage boy underground. Who and what is this girl, and why is she attacking men around the city? Yasmin investigates, but it quickly becomes clear that somebody wants to keep her from finding the killer and they’ll do anything–including ambushing her with ghouls and cacodaemons–to stop her.

With only a persistent private eye and a taciturn vampire (one of the Immaculate, no less) to help her, Yasmin must deal with fanatical necromancers, crazed ghosts, and a sexy history teacher in her quest to solve the mystery. And along the way she uncovers some heartbreaking truths about her own existence.

First, let me just say that I really enjoyed this book.  I felt I really got to know the characters, the town, everything in it. 

In this story we meet Yasmin Stoker, a 600 year old wraith – a soul thief. But she isn’t the “bad” kind of wraith that ghosts should fear, but rather a wraith with a sort of conscience.  She only feeds on the souls of Revenants, newly made vampires.  Yasmin lives in the coastal town of Shoregrave, which inhabited by many paranormal beings: a wraith, Revenants, Lich Lords, cambion (half breeds), ghouls, and of course, ghosts.  

One night, on one of her feeding hunts, she comes across a little girl who basically pulls a mortal man through an iron fence and into the ground, never to be heard from again.  Who is this girl?  How does she do this?  And why isn’t anyone doing anything??  Yasmin decides she needs to get to the bottom of this and accidently enlists the help of many people along the way.  She finds heroes and friends where she thought there were none.  She trusts the wrong people, and she helps those who truly deserve some help.

Yasmin works for Nicomedes, a Lich Lord – a very power paranormal being.  He is described as tall and skinny, with very white skin, and long white hair.  And his eyeballs have been removed and eyelids sewn shut.  Now of course, I can’t tell you why.  But the way Naomi Clark describes him… well, to me, he may be evil and scary and a “bad” guy, but he sounds beautiful.  Ethereally, painfully, scarily beautiful.   In fact, there is a scene with Nicomedes and Lucretia (another Lich Lord) when they are in the Pale World (the plane between here and the Netherworld) that just seems so eerily beautiful and terrifying, I would love to see an artist’s rendering, to see if they saw what I saw.

I’m not sure what country this book takes place in, but to me it has the feel of Ireland, or UK, or Scotland.  Not that I’ve been to any of these places, mind you.  But the descriptions to me, seem vivid.  Spots that were very traditional and old world styled, with areas of modernism.  There were gallows and modern clubs with fetish shows.

Something I found interesting and looked forward to at the beginning of each chapter was that there was a blurb.  Sometimes it would be an advertisement from a tour book, or an excerpt from a book written by a psychic.  But it was a bit of foreshadowing and entertaining, too.

I hope this is a book destined to be turned into a series.  I would love to see what happens next, how everything turns out for everyone.  I like the characters, and I will be a bit sad if this is all we get to hear from them!  I do see on her website there is a kind of prequel type of short story for one of the characters, Ethan Banning, so I will be sure to check that out.