Customer Reviews

Witch Hunt: Damned (Book 3) (Nocturne)

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DAMNED is the third (and final) book in the WITCH HUNT series by Lisa Childs. This is a good, fast read and a great ending to the series, although there's a revelation at the end that could spin into another book if Ms. Childs chose to write it.

This book was among the first Silhouette Nocturnes I ever read, and one of the best of this line. I'm afraid I didn't get the chance to read the two books that are its companions in a trio of stories dealing with three witch-sisters seperated by circumstances beyond their control, but the fact that I enjoyed it as much as I did is a testament to how well the book was written. The hero and the heroine are both beautiful but flawed people, who manage to find redemption for themselves and the ones who love them and need to bring them home.

Damned gets off to a great start. I loved the first half of the book as Childs develops the tormented pair Irina, the third witch sister who has spent the last few years doing drugs to try and silence the voices in her head that have threatened her sanity, and Ty a suspended cop who struggles with the self-loathing and fear that he will follow in his late father's footsteps of rage and abuse. Childs does a great job of setting up their relationship, showing the hand fate has played in establishing a connection between them and showing them both trying to find and give love and trust while both have been convinced by the people that raised them that they are unworthy of that love.

The second half of the book, kind of lost me though. It just felt a bit more stilted. The loves scenes were clunky and implausible, Irina is so sensitive that she achieves ecstasy with just a kiss. That might of worked if author Childs played up Irina's telepathy and made this sensitivity a result of feedback from her connection with Ty. Additionally, the language was repetious which also detracted from the 'action'. As far as the rest of the story, Irina and Ty do a lot of running around and angsting and finally manage to hook up Irina with her sisters from the previous two books for the climatic finish. Overall the book was fine, but I like the beginning so much that I can help but be disappointed that Childs didn't manage to carry it the rest of the way through.

Damned is the 3rd book in Childs Silhouette Nocturne Witch Hunt series, the others are Irina sister's stories:
Witch Hunt: Haunted (Book 1)
Witch Hunt: Persecuted (Book 2)

She lives on the street using drugs and alcohol as subtenances to block out the voices of the sisters that she is not sure are real and the mother who was killed as a witch. She hides from the murderer who is looking for her who intends for her to die in order to absorb her power. These are not part of Irina's psychosis. She, Ariel, and Elena are witches who see the dead and witness the future.

Donovan Rourke searches for Irina because he wants her charm before he kills her. However, she does not recall where she left it. Ariel and Elena seek to reunite with her so that together they can hunt their stalking killer. Their friend suspended police officer Ty McIntyre finds Irina and guards her as she lacks her charm; he learns he does not have to be abusive like his father as Irina brings out his best qualities.which is good because a confrontation is coming and they need peace within themselves tf they want to eliminate the enemy.

DAMNED is an exciting urban romantic fantasy that will appeal to readers of both genres. This bewitching tale centers on two downtrodden people who find each other at a time when each has a personal crisis although in Irina's case hers is deadly. There is plenty of action as Donovan tries to kill Irina while Ty tries to keep her safe. The changing relationship between Irina and Ty enhance an exhilarating thriller in which love might not prove strong enough to defeat evil.

Harriet Klausner