Lady Ammalie “Amma” Avington, heir to the Faebarrow barony, fiancée to the Marquis of Brineberth and apparent captive of blood mage Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne, is on the run from her home, which is currently overrun by the undead, thanks to Damien. But not everything is as it seems and Amma is far from unhappy about her current circumstances. Well, it would be better if she wasn’t the receptacle of Damien’s talisman and spellbound to him, but overall, she is not mad that she is with Damien. They are on a quest to save her home and to remove the talisman from her person preferably without killing her. Along the way, Amma will learn a lot about herself and discover her own untapped magic, but at the end of this quest will she be able to give up Damien?
Blood mage Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne is trying to find a way to rescue his demon father from his crystalline prison. He created a talisman that he believed would help him accomplish the mission but wanted to test it first – which is why it currently resides in Amma. But what at first seem so simple; test the talisman, kill the girl to retrieve said talisman and then rescue his father, has become complicated and involves messy feelings – not that he would ever admit that out loud. But despite being evil to his core, he can’t bring himself to kill Amma and so they will need to find another way to remove it. But even if he removes it, he knows he could never be what Amma wants, right?
OK, I did not read the first book and that was a HUGE mistake on my part, this is the second book in an epic tale and I was completely lost – I didn’t understand the world, the magic or Amma and Damien’s relationship. The author did give some backstory, but not enough to bring me completely up to speed, so I don’t think I fully grasped the gist of this story. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a story, so I had no beginning and since this is the second of three books, I had no real ending, basically it was like reading just the middle of a really long book. The story was well-written, and I enjoyed the banter and the humor, but I found the slow-almost-no-burn romance a bit frustrating, and the bonus chapter that was included was just more of the same. The book is filled with magic, vampires, fae, imps, witches, an evil fiancé, some frenemies, a lot of stifled romantic moments, some very vivid action scenes, a bit of heartbreak and finally a cliffhanger ending that did resolve somethings but opened the door to a lot more questions. I am definitely going to go back and read the first book and then dive into the last book, because now I need to know! This is the second book in the series, and I would strongly recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Skye Stone runs a local coffee shop called Coffee Is. Like the name of her shop, she likes things simple and to the point. But she’s more than just a businesswoman in Auralia. She’s fighting for her life as an Aeon and working hard to save her town and her world. Like the other Aeons, she uses her special ability in her battle against Dark Sides. Her’s is reading auras and connecting with her ancestors for help. After all, a lot is at stake, so she can use all the help she can get. But as darkness is getting harder and harder to thrive in, she’s not sure even her ancestors can save the day.
Cooper Munson, a former bounty hunter turned Doctor of Psychology, and Aeon as well, has prided himself on being a solid member of their little band of light workers, using his ability as an empath to define truths and manage others. But the constant interaction with Dark Aspects is disorganizing his very soul. He can’t see a way through for him back to balance in light and love.
Cooper and Skye are not alone in the mission, they know. But things are getting complicated, and with darkness closing in, stronger and stronger, will they survive long enough to save the world from Dark Sides? What will they have to do to truly save their town and their world?
In the climactic conclusion of the Dark Sides series, will the Aeons prevail and change the balance between dark and light for good? Or will Dark Sides, with despair and oppression, rule take down Auralia, then world? Can Cooper and Skye go deeper into darkness and learn the truth about love and light before it’s too late?
EXCERPT:
Skye drummed her fingers on the top of the table she sat at inside Coffee Is. The morning was moving along smoothly, but anxiety churned her insides. She didn’t need to look at a calendar; she knew what the date was. This day was special and was always laced with fear that started in the pit of her stomach and rose up to the middle of her chest, chasing her heartbeat into a sprint.
She knew what she wanted. To run. Run far away fast. Hide deep in the earth where they couldn’t find her, ever. But that wasn’t the answer, she knew. Facing the day, accepting that the danger of the cult she’d grown up in was in the past, and grounding in the present was her best strategy for peace. She knew it. Staying present was a whole other thing.
“Want a warm up?”
Her employee suddenly at her side startled Skye, but she covered it. “Sure. Thank you. How is your day going?” she asked.
The young woman gave her smile. “We’re busy, but everything is going well.”
“Good to hear.” Skye nodded. “Keep up the good work. Oh, and turn down the music.”
The young woman moved to another table, and Skye sighed. She had so much to be grateful for: a great business, wonderful employees, a beautiful circle of companions in the Aeons. But this day reminded her of the terrible ordeal she and her parents had endured. It should be a day to celebrate because it is the day she escaped. It could easily signify freedom from the cult’s oppression. She’d been so young when they’d lived there, though, its teachings had embedded inside her. Even as an Aeon, the foundational conditioning of the cult remained hard to break.
Skye took a sip of her coffee and focused on its richness. The bell dinging on the door set her nerves on edge. It was not new. It told her people were coming and going. But it triggered a memory, and suddenly her inner vision clouded.
A bell ringing in the courtyard at the commune summoned members of the community to a meeting. Fear gripped her heart as she took her mother’s hand, and she looked up to see her father’s face harden. What did it mean? Was someone getting punished for trying to escape?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO and LINKS:
After cutting her writing teeth as a feature writer for commercial and trade magazines, a reporter for newspapers and radio, and an executive editor for a communications company, award-winning author Lynn Crandall tuned her voracious appetite for stories to writing contemporary and paranormal romance, women’s fiction, and romantic suspense. In her books, she enjoys taking readers on emotional journeys with relatable characters who refuse to back down, and face challenges and tribulations with heart and soul. She believes every love has a story, and hers is with one handsome husband and a large, beautiful circle of family, including her cat Winter.
Skye Stone runs a local coffee shop called Coffee Is. Like the name of her shop, she likes things simple and to the point. But she’s more than just a businesswoman in Auralia. She’s fighting for her life as an Aeon and working hard to save her town and her world. Like the other Aeons, she uses her special ability in her battle against Dark Sides. Her’s is reading auras and connecting with her ancestors for help. After all, a lot is at stake, so she can use all the help she can get. But as darkness is getting harder and harder to thrive in, she’s not sure even her ancestors can save the day.
Cooper Munson, a former bounty hunter turned Doctor of Psychology, and Aeon as well, has prided himself on being a solid member of their little band of light workers, using his ability as an empath to define truths and manage others. But the constant interaction with Dark Aspects is disorganizing his very soul. He can’t see a way through for him back to balance in light and love. Cooper and Skye are not alone in the mission, but things are getting complicated, and with darkness closing in, stronger and stronger, will they survive long enough to save the world from Dark Sides? What will they have to do to truly save their town and their world?
I will be 100% honest – I didn’t read the previous books in this series and that definitely impacted my ability to understand this book. I still don’t really understand the Magic or the Aeons, the Dark Sides or the battle they have been fighting for the entire series. I was also expecting more romance / spice, but what I got was pretty much a fantasy action drama with A LOT of characters and a very complicated “magic” system and interpersonal relationships. I believe that if I had read the series in order and therefore understood the basis for the series, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more, as it stands, I would say it has promise and the author has a great vocabulary and turn of phrase, but this is not a book I would read again.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Summoned to the Wilds by A.K. Caggiano
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