PJ Review: BEFORE THE WITCHES by Karina Cooper

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Series: Prequel, Novella, Dark Mission Series
Paranormal Element: Witches
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author:  Web | Blog | Twitter
Received from publisher in exchange for a review.

PJVs QUICKIE POV:
A teaser of sorts, BEFORE THE WITCHES is a novella, covering the events that happened before the world of the DARK MISSION series. BFW did it's job and definitely whet the palate for more. I'm intrigued to read more of Karina Cooper's work and see what more she has in store for us in her DARK MISSION series. Her story was compelling, action-packed and emotional. BEFORE THE WITCHES was edge-of-the-seat good and I couldn't stop reading until I was finished.

REVIEW:
Katya did whatever it took to escape Russia and come to America, including selling her body. Forced into prostitution by Russian mafioso types, Katya is doing everything it takes to survive and hopefully help her and the other women escape with their lives. She almost has everything in place when what she assumes is a dirty cop walks through the door to buy some action. He chooses her to her dismay but when she kisses him it tastes real. Her gifts have always been a part of her, one of the reason she fled her native country. They don't believe in witches in America. Nigel Ferris says he won't hurt her and it is truth, but good cops don't buy prostitutes.

When the world begins crumbling around them, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, Katya has no where else to turn but to Nigel and together they must fight to save themselves in a world gone completely insane.

The book was a little crazy, for just a novella it sure crammed a whole bunch of stuff into it's bitty package. The whole END OF THE WORLD to be exact. But, because of it's novella shortness things did get a little out of hand as far as skimming over events and reactions. I got a bit confused at points, but just because they had so much going on. But, that being said, I did find Katya and Nigel very intense and their quick whirlwind romance was quite believable for it's hurried pace. I'm very interested and ready to read more. The next books happen a lot further in the future and I thought it was smart how this prequel covered the apocalypse, while the books in the future will be the dystopian setting. You don't find this a lot in paranormal romances.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
I recommend this for fans of paranormal romance and readers transitioning into paranormal romance.

411 on the series:

1. The first book in the series is Blood of the Wicked, due out May 31, 2011
2. The second book is Lure of the Wicked: A Dark Mission Novel , June 28, 2011

Similar Series:

1. Masked by Moonlight
2. When Blood Calls 

Sayuri's Review: Sabine by Moira Rogers

Genre: Paranormal Romance,
Paranormal Element: Werewolves, Witches
Series: And The Beast (Book One)
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author:  Web | Twitter | Blog
Review copy received from author.

SAYURIs QUICKIE POV:

This new novella from writing duo Moira Rogers (Bree & Donna) is a curious fusion of fairytale and shifter paranormal romance. It switches between erotic and heartbreaking at break-neck speed and is over before it’s begun. So much so I was it was just a tad longer. Who am I kidding? I wanted it to be 5 times longer. I felt that we had only just begun to scratch the surface of the characters and while I enjoyed it immensely, there was a feeling of ‘Huh? Is that it?’ at the end. I felt like I had only gotten a nibble at the cookie when I wanted to devour the whole thing. (I’m greedy like that!) 

REVIEW:

Sabine is a wild woman, living alone in the woods. Forgotten by everyone almost instantly, due to a spell cast upon her by her lover’s mother, she is alone in the truest sense of the word. Every friend, every enemy, even her family, no longer remember her. Her former lover, Ciar, left to fight in the war and Sabine has come to except that he has forgotten her too and that she will be alone for the rest of her life.

Ciar, High Lord of the Forest, has come home from the war to find his lover, Sabine, gone. Angry and confused as to why she would leave, he goes in search of her. He finds her and discovers his mother and her witch cast a spell upon Sabine. Cair is frustrated that Sabine won’t let him touch her as the spell acts quicker through touch and she is deathly afraid that he will forget her now he is home and within the spell’s reach. All he wants to do is claim her as his mate and go home and live happily ever after. Instead they have to race against the spell and find a way to rid Sabine of it.

I really enjoyed this story. It was short and there was so much in here that it could have been a full length novel with no problem. (I think I mentioned that before, right?? Also it's selling at Samhain for only $1.75 this week so I felt like there was value for money.) That said the authors did a great job of conveying the desperate loneliness of Sabine and when Cair found and remembered her the bittersweet realization that he too would forget was heartbreaking. I shed a wee tear at the end it was so good. I liked the mix of fairytale and shifter myths. They combined to make a new and interesting world to me and, even with the constraints of the format, one I would visit again. Lucky for me as there is a follow –up novella coming in June named Kisri

Recomendations:
Although there are fairytale elements there are also paranormal romance elements and there are some hawt love scenes therefore this is for the adults in the room. Fans of Dana Marie Bell, Vivi Andrews and Jeigh Lynn will enjoy this.