13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 Klovers - Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques, March 4, 2008
This review is from: Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
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
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Witch Blood by Anya Bast, November 24, 2008
This review is from: Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
Eh, I liked the first one better. This second one capitalized on the characters introduced in the first book but other than that the characters seemed terribly flat.
Isabelle's motive for seeking out Stephen (the new leader of the warlocks) but even that seems flat. Her motivating actions are weak and the plot with the demon having a 'crush' on her seems a bit contrived.
Even the part where Thomas gets stuck in the other world and Isabelle has a chance to prove herself gets a little murky. With the help of a mysterious new friend Thomas somehow breaks free and manages (again, we don't really know how) to break through to the world where he is supposed to be.
Even their romance stuff seemed flat although she is just as explicit in this book as the last. I hope the third one (due out in January 2009) will be better.
Oh, and the cover art looks a little too ... something. She looks like a plastic Barbie in pain.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Wow... just wow., January 6, 2011
This review is from: Witch Blood (Elemental Witches, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
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.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
