27) Circle of Desire by Keri Arthur

The Blurb :

In ten years of working for the Damask Circle, shapeshifter Katherine Tanner has never come across anything that goes after kids the way this monster does, and she has never met anything that does to them what this thing does. And it’s not something she wants to confront. But with the Circle’s resources stretched to the limits, she’s given very little choice. The last thing she needs is interference from a cop who has no idea what he’s up against.

Ethan Morgan’s niece is one of the missing children and he has every intention of not only defying the odds and bringing her back alive, but of catching the monster behind these kidnappings and bringing her to justice. Even if he has to break every law in the country to do it. And he's willing to use anyone and everyone to achieve those aims--even a crazy woman who claims to be a witch.

Forced to join forces, Ethan and Kat are drawn to each other, but fight their feelings as they struggle to uncover clues that will lead them to the monster’s lair and battle a seemingly endless supply of zombies and other dead things determined to stop them. But time is ticking away and both know the monster behind these kidnappings rarely keeps her victims alive for more than seven days. And four of those have already gone.

But the greatest threat to Kat might not come from the forces of darkness gathering around them, but from the man she is beginning to love.

Because Ethan is a werewolf...and the full moon is rising...

My Thoughts :

Before I start this review I have to tell you that this is a re-release and not a new book from Keri Artur.  The Damask Circle series is one she had published some ten years ago and they have been slowly released again with new covers.  So if you are a hardcore fan you may have read these before.  Make sure you check and avoid disappointment.

Circle of Desire is the third and so far last book in the series.  I have no idea if there are more books to come but I can only hope there will be.  The Damask Circle is mentioned in all three books and the plot revolves around people who work for them solving paranormal crimes.  However there is never any direct interaction with the Damask Circle and you never find out much about them.  A secret that hopefully will be unveiled in more books.

This third installment was just as good as the previous two.  Two unsuspecting paranormals come together and hunt a supernatural being that, for unknown reasons, is taking children's souls.  The storyline is action packed, full of romance and has some original paranormal elements.  I enjoyed reading the mystery side of things as well as finding out more about the paranormals plus the romance angle wasn't a bad thing.

Keri Arthur is a spectacular author and I have been enjoying her books for years.  I am extremely happy that these books have been released again and that I have had the pleasure of reading them.  I only hope that there will be more stories about the Damask Circle.  So far the books have been great reads and I am sure there are more tales to tell.

This edition of the book release on the 1st of April.  Make sure you check out the previous books although they are all stand alone stories so there is no need to read them in order.

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151) Circle of Death by Keri Arthur

The Blurb :

In one vicious night, Kirby Brown’s world is torn apart. Her best friend is dead, killed by a madman who is now after Kirby, and she has no idea why. When the police prove incapable of protecting Kirby, she has no choice but to trust a mysterious stranger. And while she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him, she fears the strange abilities he wields.

An investigator for the Damask Circle, Doyle Fitzgerald, has come to Melbourne, Australia, to hunt down a killer. What he doesn’t expect to find is a cadre of witches capable of controlling the elements, a sorceress determined to take that power for herself, and a broken woman who is more than she seems. Doyle is certain that the reason behind the bloodshed lies in Kirby’s past—a past she has no wish to remember. Because Doyle isn’t the only one with magic in his soul: Kirby’s special gifts have the strength to destroy the world.

My Thoughts :

A couple of weeks ago I read the first part in this series, Circle of Fire.  I really enjoyed it and when I saw this second part up for review I couldn't resist it.  I loved Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson series and I have been dying to read more of her work.  This re-release has been on my watch list for a while but I was worried that this ten year old story may not live up to my expectations.  I was wrong.

Circle of Fire didn't give much away about the Circle of Damask but in Circle of Death the reader gets more of an insight into the work they do and who is involved.  It is still all very secretive but I felt that I was at least getting a little bit more information that I did in the first book.  This sequel was completely different to the first in that it was a whole new cast of characters and a different set of supernatural skills.  Only the Damask connection keeps the books linked and I wonder if this will ever be expanded on.

I liked Kirby but found her to be very naive at times.  Even I saw through things and knew straight away how she was connected to her friend.  Doyle was an interesting character and I wish we would have had more about his abilities explained and shown. As with most of these types of books (where romance is included) it was obvious what was going to happen between the main characters.  The story bringing them together was a simple one and somehow a little too easy.  It made for nice reading though.

The main focus was of course finding a killer.  This plot was quite interesting and sometimes confusing but it was a good way of weaving the characters into things.  At times I felt like I was missing something as some moments in the book were fast and furious taking me by surprise.  These action packed paragraphs were always over too quickly and left me a little dizzy.  Flipping back pages to check what I may have missed is annoying and after a while I just didn't bother anymore.

A super Paranormal Urban Fantasy that shows how things used to be done.  Circle of Death shows its age and therefore has a maturity that you don't always find these days.  I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first installment but it was still a great read.  I look forward to reading the next book in the Damask series and hope that the Circle aspect of the series will be revealed.

 

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141) Circle of Fire by Keri Arthur

The Blurb :

"Sixteen teenagers taken from their homes. Eleven bodies recovered, each completely drained of blood. Some believe vampires are responsible. Jon Barnett knows that what’s happening is far worse. Sent by a group of paranormal investigators known as the Damask Circle, Jon quickly becomes enmeshed in a web of black magic and realizes he needs help. But fate gives him only one choice.

Madeline Smith has retreated to an isolated farmhouse, afraid of the abilities she cannot control—abilities that have killed. But when a “ghost” brings a warning of danger and her nephew goes missing, Maddie not only has to leave her haven, she has to place her trust in a man who is neither ghost nor human. As the noose of sorcery tightens, the search for the teenagers becomes a race against time. But the greatest danger to Maddie and Jon could be the intense feelings they refuse to acknowledge but cannot ignore.

My Thoughts :

It is a read-a-thon weekend for me and I am trying to clear some of the paperbacks of my bookshelf.  So I picked up this one thinking I would read a few chapters and then give up.  Why?  My experiences with Keri Arthur's books pre Riley Jenson haven't been good ones and this is a re-release of a book from 2001.  The blurb sounded good though and I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and I am glad I did.

With in a few chapters I was hooked.  I loved the main character and was really eager to find out more about her abilities.  The plot surrounding her nephew made things personal and I was desperate to see her come out of things better off than she started.  The addition of Jon to the story made things even better.  His abilities and secrecy combined with the obvious attraction between him and Maddie made for great reading.  I couldn't get enough and speed through the book in record time.

There was so much to love about this book.  There was lots of mystery and some amazing paranormal aspects.  Never a dull moment but still time for some depth and romance.  I liked the style and it may be a little older but this was a great read.  Something I wasn't expecting.  I am kicking myself a little for letting this one gather dust on my shelf for so long.

There is obviously more to learn from this series (or is it a trilogy?) and I wonder if the other books will offer more information about the Circle of Damask.  I have added the second book to my wishlist and look forward to reading it sooner rather than later.  Keri Arthur can spin a good tale and this book shows that.  If you have read any of her work and liked it then I suggest you also try this one.  Definitely a worthwhile PUF read.

 

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