Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells

Title: Cursed Moon
Author: Jaye Wells
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Series: Prospero's War

Trade Paperback, 370 pages
Publication: August  12, 2014 by Orbit

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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When a rare Blue Moon upsets the magical balance in the city, Detective Kate Prospero and her Magical Enforcement colleagues pitch in to help Babylon PD keep the peace. Between potions going haywire and everyone's emotions running high, every cop in the city is on edge. But the moon's impact is especially strong for Kate who's wrestling with guilt over falling off the magic wagon.

After a rogue wizard steals dangerous potions from the local covens, Kate worries their suspect is building a dirty magic bomb. Her team must find the anarchist rogue before the covens catch him, and make sure they defuse the bomb before the Blue Moon deadline. Failure is never an option, but success will require Kate to come clean about her secrets.

Hi my name is Van, and I’m an addict.  

Addicted to the Prospero’s War series that is! 

Wells hits another homerun with Cursed Moon, her sequel to Speculative Fiction police procedural Dirty Magic that debuted earlier this year. I love, love Dirty Magic, so it comes as no surprise that I ended up loving the sequel just as much. Wells expands on her world of wizards, potions, and adepts with another case dealing with one of The Cauldron’s most powerful wizard, and a manic Raven (rouge wizard) running loose in Babylon hell-bent on causing destruction during the Blue Moon which also happens to be Halloween. There’s a whole lotta snark, nonstop action, secrets and sexual tensions that will have readers begging for the next book! 

In Dirty Magic, we were introduced to Ramses Bane leader of the Sanguinarian coven who specializes in blood magic. Since the main case of book 1 involved the Sanguinarian Coven, readers got an in-depth look at the key players and all potions/dealing with blood and what-not. In Cursed Moon, readers are finally introduced to Aphrodite, The Hierophant and leader of the Sacred O coven (specializes in sex magic). S/he is by far the most interesting new player that we meet. Aphrodite’ sexes are present at all time, with one side classically handsome and the other drop-dead-gorgeous. Although, one side of Aphrodite’s sexes is usually more dominant than the other, but it all depends on the situation and who s/he is talking to. I also thought Aphrodite’s revenge garden was cool…imagine a garden where every single plant/flower is poison. They may look lovely like Aphrodite but they’re just as deadly. But don’t fret, the usual gang is all back from the MEA crew, BFF Pen, Danny boy, witchy Baba to Little Man/Mary…yeah, no one can forget that duo. :)

In my review of Dirty Magic, I mentioned a potential for a love triangle. But this time around I think it’s pretty clear where each relationship is going…while one is definitely going somewhere, the other one is more one-sided. John doesn’t appear in as many scenes as the first book, and when he does make an appearance he brings only problems and bad tensions. As anyone can see he still has it bad for Kate, saying he never really stopped loving/caring even if it’s been 10 years. Kate seems to be drawn to John but every time she sees him she reminds herself of their past, making it easy to withdraw from any notions of the two of them getting back together. I kind of liked John in book one, but not so much in the sequel. John comes off all manipulative and seems like he has too many ulterior motives in everything he does. Then there is Kate’s partner Drew, there is so much sexual tension between the two that their team has a pool going on when they’d do the deed! LOL. I love their banter with one another, and think they complement each other perfectly. I am dying to see them take things to the next level, the sizzling chemistry between the two been brewing since the first book (but I don’t mind, it makes for a fun read) and it’s about to explode!

For those who haven’t started this series yet, pick it up immediately! You are seriously missing out on some amazing characters and world building, that I promise doesn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed Cursed Moon; it was everything I expected and more. I am already dying to get my hands on Deadly Spells especially with how things ended as revelations came to light. Deadly Spells is the third book in the Prospero’s War series and it can’t come soon enough…sadly we’ll have to wait till March 2015 to get our hands on it. 

 

Cover Reveal: Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro

DARK PARADISE

by Angie Sandro

July 1, 2014

Grand Central Publishing/ Forever Yours

Mala LaCroix has spent her whole life trying to escape her destiny. As the last in a long line of “witch women,” she rejects the notion of spirits and hoodoo and instead does her best to blend in. But when she finds a dead body floating in the bayou behind her house, Mala taps into powers she never knew she had. She’s haunted by visions of the dead girl, demanding justice and vengeance.

Landry Prince has always had a crush on Mala, but when Mala discovers his sister, murdered and marked in some sort of Satanic ritual, he starts to wonder if all the rumors about the LaCroix family are true. Yet after Mala uses her connection to the spirit world to identify his sister’s killer, he starts to form his own bond to her . . . a very physical one. As they move closer to each other and closer to the truth, Mala and Landry must risk everything—their families, their love, and even their lives.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angie Sandro was born at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Within six weeks, she began the first of eleven relocations throughout the United States, Spain, and Guam before the age of eighteen. 

Friends were left behind. The only constants in her life were her family and the books she shipped wherever she went. Traveling the world inspired her imagination and allowed her to create her own imaginary friends. Visits to her father's family in Louisiana inspired this story.

Angie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, and an overweight Labrador

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Blog Tour: Gilded Hearts (Spotlight & Giveaway)

Samuel Hawkins, Sergeant in the King's Sentry, has been called in to investigate a murder case. As he awaits the Archivists to arrive—the team who will use a special device to extract the memories of the dead man to help find clues to his murder—he never expects to come face to face with the woman he'd left behind when he'd fled the Archives five years earlier.

Piper Smith has grown from the girl Samuel remembered into a strong woman and full-fledged archivist. Shadowed by her mentor, Master Ryerson, Piper will be performing her first extraction. When she sees Samuel, she must push aside her childhood crush, else risk her standing within the Guild.

As the two begin working together to find the killer, Samuel and Piper explore their intense attraction to each other. But "Jack the Ripper" proves to be harder to catch than the two originally thought. What's worse, they discover he may very well work for the Archives. Now, Samuel and Piper must battle internal and external threats as they try to foil a plot against the Crown and stop Jack the Ripper from taking his next victim.

 Published on January 7, 2014 by Forever Yours

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Knowing there was no chance of escaping her fate, Piper stood and followed Jones out the door like the dutiful apprentice she had been until so recently.

            Piper let her mind wander to Samuel. After some time to get used to the idea of seeing him again, she wasn’t surprised he’d been assigned to investigate the murder. He’d flown through the ranks from Bow Street runner to constable to sergeant in a matter of a few years. Samuel, with his brilliant mind and easy manner, his ability to know what a person was feeling. It had been like a gift, a sign, to see him at that moment. Without question she knew he would help her.

            Samuel and his duty. Samuel, who’d already been at the Archives for years when she had arrived. Who’d been there since his infancy. The same Samuel who’d wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side that first night when she’d cried for her mother. She was stronger now, and yet knowing he would come to help buoyed her resolve.

            They could do this. They would discover who the killer was and—

            Staggering, she caught herself against the wall as a wave of pain and lust slammed into her. Laughter echoed through her head as her body responded, nipples hardening and desire flaring through her core.

            “Piper?” Jones was by her side. He put his hand out, offering support, but didn’t touch.

            “Effects from the extraction. I’ll be fine.” Please, let her be fine. Taking Jones by the arm, she took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with.” They crossed the threshold to the infirmary.

photo via Author's website

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine d’Abo is hooked on romance. As a novelist and short story writer with over thirty publications, including the immensely popular Long Shots series, the imagination is always flowing. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs. Look for the first book in her exciting new steampunk romance series, coming soon from Forever Yours.

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