Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, Book 2)
by Anya Bast
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Book Reviews of Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, Book 2)
Book Review: 5 Klovers - Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques
Summary: 5 Stars
Ever since her sister was savagely murdered at the hands of the demon summoned by a cabal of evil warlocks, Isabelle Novak has had one reason for living - revenge. Failing to find the demon in question, she'll settle for the next best thing - the leader of the warlocks that summoned the creature to the human world.
Foiled at the last stage of her vengeful plot by the irresistible Thomas Monahan, powerful earth witch and head of the local Coven, she reluctantly admits that revenge doesn't taste quite as sweet as she'd imagined, and now there is a much more urgent mission afoot for which they need that very warlock's grudging assistance with.
More witches are dying, in the most gruesome way imaginable, slaughtered by the very same demon that that killed Isabelle's sister. It quickly becomes apparent that the selection of victims is by no means random, and Isabelle herself seems to be the demon's end game.
Trapped between the demon intent on stealing her life and the sexy earth-witch determined to win her heart, Isabelle fights to save everyone she cares for, even if it means sacrificing herself to do it.
The moment I finished the first book in Anya Bast's Elemental Witches series, I was ready to launch into the second. Unfortunately for me, it was nowhere near its release date at that time, forcing a patience I was loathe to give. Now the release date for Elemental Witches, Book 2: Witch Blood is imminent, and the advance copy I have been fortunate enough to read and review leaves me with this same yearning for the next book in this mesmerizing saga! In other words, this book was well worth the wait.
In this series, Ms. Bast crafts a world that is full and rich, but requires no effort on the part of the reader to absorb and understand. Indeed, once you finish these books, you are left with the odd feeling that perhaps somehow you have always known this fascinating world, and simply needed the author to prod distant memories from your own subconscious. Anya Bast's world-building feels just that natural.
Having first met Thomas Monahan in the previous book, Witch Fire, I found him to be a charismatic leader, engaging more than just my curiosity. It was with great pleasure I found he was the hero of this new edition of the Elemental Witches series. With his solid leadership and empathetic nature, he proves himself as both the perfect lover for the skittish Isabelle and a hero capable of standing against the demon who threatens his people.
Isabelle herself goes through a profound personal evolution during the progression of Witch Blood. Although a powerful water witch and the very picture of courage when facing any opponent, inside she is too frightened to develop lasting relationships with anyone, preferring a nomadic lifestyle that prevents anyone from becoming too attached to her. Her forced proximity with Thomas as they hunt the demon affords him the opportunity to methodically break down her barriers until she needs him as much as he needs her.
Although the second in this series, Witch Blood can easily be read as a standalone novel, allowing readers new to this series the chance to read this release before reading Witch Fire. Of course, the stories are enhanced by reading them in order, but are not dependent on each other to make sense.
Lovers of magic and paranormal romances will doubtless find themselves enraptured by the gripping plot and intense sensuality of Witch Blood. Be prepared to read it straight through, because you will not be putting this book down once you begin reading it!
Series Order:
Witch Fire (Elemental Witches, Book 1)
Witch Blood
Book Review: Just Keeps Getting Even Better
Summary: 5 Stars
(disclaimer: Anya Bast is a dear friend. She's like one of the nicest people I've ever met. She rarely says a mean thing about anyone or anything (I know, it boggles as to why she likes me too). She's also a really fabulous writer who's taught me many things about craft in the years I've read and then knew her. That said, I do have the ability to like and dislike things and I don't need to lie about what a fabulous book this is)
In this installment, we get Thomas, who we meet in Witch Blood. Thomas is a man wearing the very heavy mantle of leadership of his Coven in some dangerous times. He's strong, an earth witch to Isabelle's water witch powers. She's chaos and emotion and he's quiet intensity but no less emotional, he's just more contained.
I loved this book. I loved it from the first paragraph until the very end. The action part of the story is strong, interesting and really well told. Anya's strength at drawing you into the world she's writing really shines here. You care about the Coven and her witches, you care about the people, you can see the rooms right down to the wood grain in the floors and you can feel the silk of Thomas' hair as he lets it down for Isabelle.
Isabelle is a woman filled with conflicts and guilt, she needs revenge for her sister. But she's not wild and stupid, she's impassioned and needs to make things right for this woman who accepted her, warts and all. I loved that about Isabelle actually. I loved that we know she's hard and rootless but her anchor in life was her sister who's now gone. That element was very emotional for me and I think Anya nailed it and has really shown Isabelle rather than told us about her.
The romance is strong and sexy. The love scenes are, whew, hot, guh! And totally elemental to the story. The way Thomas falls for Isabelle is startling and well written and Isabelle's reluctance is not one of those romance novel moments when you wrinkle your nose and tell the heroine she's a twit.
Little unique details like where and how Thomas' power is stored really made the book extra special. I cannot wait for the next book! Anya Bast has scored yet another hit with her Elemental Witches.
Book Review: Wow... just wow.
Summary: 1 Stars
Well, I just finished Witch Blood by Anya Bast and I am a little bit staggered by the level of crapness in this book. Not only is the main character a flippant, random, TSTL, wench. She absolutely made no sense to me. I don't get any of Isabelle's motives. She is obviously distraught over the violent death of her sister at the hands of a shape shifting demon, but after not being able to find said demon, she moves on to the son of the man who might have summoned the demon way back when. Then she is joined by her former coven of elemental witches who are also after the demon but never thought to tell her that and Isabelle is suddenly, idiotically, all recalsitrant about joining them. When they actually come face to face with the demon everyone almost dies except Isabel, who happens to have a handy copper knife on her and manages to stab the demon with an ACTUAL weapon. When the coven get back to their headquarters, the dude they have searching demon info is all "Oh, ah yeah, copper does hurt demons. Sorry guys." What? What kind of coven are they? How could they know absolutely nothing about a race of demons that supposedly sired their own kind and completely threatens humans and the witches own existence?
The writing in this book was kind of poor and slap dash. Heaps of the times, aspects of the plot were way too over explained and repeated, there are a few paragraphs of about the coven chasing down leads and histories on the demon they are after in order to work out where he might be, clearly, but then we are given a paragraph explaining just why they are doing these perfectly obvious things and the game plan is rehashed. When the reader gets things ten times faster than the heroine... we have a problem.
The romance in this novel was really quick and in my oppinion, rushed. The two lovers fall into bed pretty much instantly and without any interest in either characters or their relationship, the sex scenes fall flat.
This is the first and only Anya Bast book I have read and others disagree with me, so if you are a lover of paranormal romance and arent fussy about somewhat slipshod writing, then maybe you should give this book a try, but I would suggest the library.
Book Review: terrific romantic fantasy
Summary: 4 Stars
Water Witch Isabelle Novak flirts outrageously with Dustkoff Warlock chief Stefan Faucheux until they are alone in his limo. Suddenly she grabs his balls and begins freezing the liquids inside his body as she seeks to kill him as his demon killed her half-sister Angela. Fire Witch coven Chief Thomas Monahan prevents Isabelle from finishing the act. He has Adam Tyrell and Jack McAllister take Stefan to Gribbon prison where magic does not work so that he can be interrogated. Though drawn to Thomas, Isabelle angrily vanishes disobeying her leader's insistence they talk.
The next day Isabelle explains to Thomas that since she cannot find the demon that killed her sister, she went after the man whose late father brought him here. Coven archivist Micah asks Stefan why the demon has not gone home after so many years here. He explains there are four types of demons in their world with no one wanting this type of demon to come home. Stefan also says that he must kill four witches to rape their power in order to open a portal to the demon realm. Finally he gives Micah access to his demon library in exchange for his swift death.
Isabelle and Thomas kiss and begin stripping when they are interrupted by Mira who says she heard whispered the name Simon Alexander. They keep him under surveillance, but he shows no sign of power. Simon meets an earth witch Melanie and her daughter Katie when the demon arrives, but in spite of being hurt by Isabelle, he escapes. As Thomas and Isabel work together to stop the demonic killing, they fall in love.
The sequel to the bewitching WITCH FIRE is a terrific romantic fantasy in which (pun intended) the key paranormal species Witch, Warlock, or Demon seem genuine; especially fascinating is the types of demons residing on Demon World. Fans will appreciate this strong tale although a late escape feels anti-climatic. Still the romance is strong set in the superbly developed Bast universe where the unreal feels real.
Harriet Klausner
Book Review: Witch Blood
Summary: 5 Stars
Isabelle Novak is a water witch with only one thing on her mind - revenge for her sister's death. Isabelle has spent months trying to locate the demon that killed her sister and now driven by grief alone, she is going after the only person she can find. Since revenge is not part of the "harm ye none" that the Coven follows, Isabelle has left it and gone out on her own.
Thomas Monahan is an earth witch and the head of the Coven and once he discovers what Isabelle is up to, he decides to bring her back into the Coven so they can help each other with a common goal - to defeat the demon. Thomas is known as a no nonsense type of person, however Isabelle has brought emotions and feelings to Thomas that he has not felt before.
Isabelle and Thomas begin an alliance of sorts -the watchful and waiting type. Trust is an uneasy thing between them and passion seems to flare every time they are near each other. As the danger comes nearer and nearer and their passion explodes, what is going to happen when Isabelle and Thomas are unexpectedly caught somewhere they never expected to be?
Witch Blood takes a water witch filled with the need for revenge and an earth witch who is trying to protect not only the Coven but Isabelle to. While I could feel for Isabelle and her need to avenge her sister, I was hoping that Thomas would be able to show Isabelle that there are several ways to conquer a foe. I was flipping pages as quickly as I could read them as not only the intrigue and danger grabbed me, but also as the red-hot feelings between Isabelle and Thomas kept being ramped up higher and higher. I absolutely loved the sensual passion that Ms. Bast developed and grew between Isabelle and Thomas. When I put that with the intense danger aspects and a plot that will keep you intrigued, I can guarantee that any lover of paranormals and romance will find Witch Blood has a place on their keeper shelf.
Jo
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed