Customer Reviews

Catspell

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Where to start? Where to start? How about this one - don't start. Characters from cliche, a nonsense story, love scenes that tend to put one to sleep. I can say that I purchased this at 25% off and still over paid the balance.
In trying to create "unconvential" characters of her chosen period which appears to be the Regency period, but it is impossible to tell, the writer gets lost, lost, lost. While Napoleon and the Rosetta stone did make Egypt popular, it wasn't until TUT showed his golden face that the popularity the author is trying to insist on existed.
Our 'heroine' Arielle is about as interesting as a sleeping kitten that you see through a hazy window. Something you look at, say how cute and promptly forget.
There are tens if not dozens of shapechanger romances out there that would be much better in terms of time spent.
The secondary female character is stilted, annoying and pretty much as cliched as one could be.
As is pretty much every other character and situation.
Every possible "supernatural" occurence popular in the last couple of centuries pops in, except for table tipping and the Fox sisters.
I would pass this by and head to a Rebecca York, Mary Jance Davidson, Christine Feehan or Sherilyn Kenyon novel for a true paranormal romance with more depth than a mud puddle, in a parking lot, in Texas on a Saturday afternoon in July.

Lady Arielle Blaylock has lived a somewhat sedate protected upper class life until she wore the Egyptian cat amulet. Now during the day she remains that prim and proper Victorian lass, but at night she dreams erotic seductions that frighten her when she awakens because they seem so real.

In that dream realm where sorcery rules two men desire Lady Arielle. She wants both of them as each somehow holds a lovemaking spell that has ensorcelled her, but she also distrusts Luke and Seth not knowing what either truly desires of her. However, Arielle realizes she is in trouble in this alternate dream world where she may remain forever if she chooses the wrong man; one will help her regain the light of day while the other dooms her to eternal darkness.

This is a terrific paranormal romance that will remind the audience of Frank Stockton's classic The Lady or the Tiger placed in a fantasy realm. If Arielle selects the wrong champion she will have closed the door to her going home permanently. Arielle is a wonderful protagonist while the two males competing for her affection make the dream realm genuine. Colleen Shannon provides a fine thriller that will elate sub-genre readers.

Harriet Klausner

I wanted to like this book but... it took over 100 pages for me to even halfway like the main character, Arielle Blaylock! The story begins with Shelly Holmes (a reoccurring character from 2 previous novels) observing Arielle. Arielle's father, the Earl of Darby, has hired Shelly to investigate the scratch marks appearing on her arms while she sleeps. Two mysterious men who are also brothers, Luke Simball and Seth Taub, dance with Arielle at a ball and attempt to seduce her. Meanwhile, dead bodies have been found that appear to have been mauled by a lion. Arielle holds a seance and her dead mother, Isis, tries to warn her about the path she should choose. And did I mention that Arielle, Luke, and Seth are all shapeshifters who can assume the bodies of cats? Shelly is also a shapeshifter- a werewolf. Shelly and Luke fight, resulting in Luke assuming some werewolf characteristics. Eventually, Arielle selects her mate and then through a chant with Isis's ghost, she condemns one brother to death. This book was confusing with the mythology- one minute I was reading about Osiris and the next about Mihos with no connection being drawn. I had enjoyed several of Colleen Shannon's other books but this one stretched even my limits of believability. I gave it 2 stars rather than 1 simply because Shelly was more of a central character and I enjoyed her perspective of events.

Arielle Blaylock appears to be just an average Victorian beauty, but she conceals a secret life that torments her. Her heritage makes her a shapeshifter, one who turns into a great cat. Now, two men, each possessing a "gift" or curse like her own want to join her destiny to theirs. One has only evil in mind, the other love. Arielle's choice will either save her and let her mother's wandering soul find peace, or doom them both.

** Though fascinating concepts are presented, altering the familiar paradigm somewhat, there is relatively little plot here. This is unusual for Ms. Shannon, who normally spins enchanting, in-depth tales. The secondary romance between Shelley Holmes and the scientist Ethan is much more intriguing than the primary one. **

Amanda Killgore

Paranormal investigator Shelly Holmes has been summoned to determine the cause of Lady Arielle Blaylock strange malady. Her father has seen the symptoms before in Arielle's mother Isis. They had resulted in his wife's suicide when Arielle was a mere babe.

Although Arielle barely remembers her mother, but she has begun to feel quite strongly that her mother is trying to warn her about something and needs her help to find eternal rest. Her father has been reticent to tell her anything regarding the reason for her mother's death.

All Arielle has of her mother is a small portrait, an Egyptian amulet which had been passed down from mother to daughter for generations, and a penchant for all things feline. Since Arielle has worn the amulet she has been subject to strange and sensual dreams where her infirmities do not trouble her, and two men wearing lion masks, one of the dark and one of the light vie for her seduction. As Arielle lays purring in her bed, her father and Miss Holmes watch as deep scratches appear out of nowhere on her arms and breasts. One of her dream suitors has marked her as his own. Arielle has no memory of her dreams when she awakens.

Astutely surmising that the amulet is the key to Arielle's trances, Shelly removes it, much to Arielle's distress. Without this conduit the two men, half brothers vying with each other for their soul mate, must manifest themselves in her waking world. Seth Taub is dark and aggressive, Luke Simball is golden and gentle, but are appearances deceiving? Both are incredibly handsome and seductive. Which suitor is of the light, which is of the darkness, and who will help her set her mother's spirit free? Arielle has already begun her transformation. Will Shelly solve the mystery before it is too late?

CATSPELL is an interesting blend of Egyptian and shape shifter folklore with traditional elements of mystery, romance, and the battle between good and evil which makes this tale unique. Along the way Ms. Holmes, who has secret of her own, captivates an old friend of the Blaylock family, Ethan Perot. Independent Shelly fights the attraction tooth and nail, but Ethan is more than determined. Although the outcome was undetermined, the door was left open for him to follow her into another tale. I do hope so.
-- Reviewed for PNR Reviews

So, have you read any science fiction romance lately? Catspell by Colleen Shannon might just be what you are looking for!

Arielle Blaylock has been having dreams, or at least she thinks they are dreams...

She can remember a "rasping, sensual voice, calling `Come to me . . .'" Interestingly in her dreams, she is fleet-footed; no longer bothered by the twisted leg that was a result of a cruel accident. It is rare that her dreams do not include two mystical beings, waiting, calling for her.

But during her dreams there are physical manifestations that appear on Arielle's body. Discovering this, the Earl of Darby, her father, has asked Shelly Holmes, an investigator of psychic phenomena to try to determine what is wrong. Even as she watches, tiny scratch marks begin to appear on Arielle's shapely arms, as if drawn by a talon. Shelly immediately thinks of the three young women who have been murdered with slashed throats and their chests ripped open. Could there be some relationship?

While Ms. Holmes works with the family, Arielle starts attending that season's balls. She meets two men--one to whom she is immediately attracted, one who constantly irritates and antagonizes her and for whom she is reluctant to admit that she is also attracted.

You guessed it--soon she will need to make a choice between these two men. But they are not ordinary men. They are the two from her dreams! Both need her; both want her, but for opposite reasons. Let's just hint that immortality is involved...

Shape shifters are what this author calls the half-human, half-beasts in this novel. And two different romances develop--one amidst shape shifters, one includes a mere mortal. What saves this book from being somewhat routine love affairs is the breadth of detail of the characters and their emotions, including those that are both evil and good within the shape shifter group.

I enjoyed most the background material on the ancient feline myths and their continuation into this particular time period. Shall we assume that these cat people still live in this world, for surely Arielle did make her choice! If you enjoy alternative fiction revolving around cats, you'll enjoy this historical cat fantasy!

I enjoyed this book very much, the characters and story kept my interest at all times, the brothers were an interesting mix. Again the presence of Miss Shelly Holmes was a treat can't wait to read her story and see just how elusive she can be.

I liked Shelley Holmes way more than I liked the supposed main character, Arielle. I think it was because Shannon spent more time developing the Shelley character then she did the Arielle character. I've only read one other book by Shannon (Themaine? I believe was in the title) and that one spent much more time developing the character into a well rounded person that fought between turning evil. In this book, Arielle is petty and childish. I can't for the life of me see why two men would fight over her, much less compliment her on her strength. Another thing concerning Shelley was that Shannon gets the reader all excited only to dump us in the end. It is obvious she is leading us into the next book. Which I plan to read.

This was a good read and the first book by this author I have read. I eagerly look forward to more works that utilize Shelly Holmes' unique skills as a detective and the romances Ms. Shannon spins around her interesting characters.