Publisher - Rouge Romance
Publication Date - 14th November 2011
Genre - Paranormal Romance
Source - Received from publisher for review
Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.
Book Info - Ailish Donovan is a witch, raised unaware of her powers. She is only sixteen when her mother tricks her into binding with the demon Asmodeus. Pure-hearted Ailish escapes but pays a heavy price: for the next eight years, she is shunned by her earth sisters and tormented by the demon's lust. After hardening her body and mind Ailish returns home to break the bond - or die.
The Wing Slayer Hunter Phoenix Torq is sworn to protect earth witches, but he is shaken by Ailish's fierce independence - and his own forbidden cravings. Torn between mistrust and desire, each must go to hell and back to seek the magic that could set them both free.
My Thoughts - I am a big fan of the Wing Slayer series, so I was very excited to read Night Magic. Especially when I learned that the heroine is a blind kickboxer - how cool is that! And I was not disappointed by this book in the slightest.
Ailish is an amazing character and I fell in love with her straight away. She is an intriguing mix of strength and vulnerability that makes her extremely endearing and instantly likeable. At the age of sixteen, her demon witch mother tricked her and handfasted her to a demon. All young Ailish wanted was for her ex-boyfriend to love her again and her mother used this vulnerability to trick her into the binding. It is so easy to feel heartbreak for Ailish and the situation she is in - because of a young girl's desire for love (something I think most readers will be able to identify with!) and an incredibly wicked mother, Ailish now finds herself in a situation where she must either complete the binding with the demon or die. She wants nothing more than to be a good earth witch and help people but she has nobody who is willing to help her. As a result Ailish has had to learn to depend on herself and protect herself from a demon and a coven of demon witches. Her desperation to succeed as a good earth witch and her loneliness jump off the page at the reader. All this combines to make Ailish one of my favourite paranormal romance heroines.
Phoenix is a Wing Slayer Hunter - a man with supernatural strength and speed who is tasked with protecting earth witches. All hunters have been afflicted by a curse where they desire the power that is in witches blood. The hunters that give into this curse and kill a witch become soulless rogue hunters who live for nothing more than killing yet more witches. The Wing Slayer Hunters are trying to fight this curse and, rather than give into this bloodlust, are tracking down and killing as many rogue hunters as they can. Phoenix is struggling every day with this curse and I love the strength that all the Wing Slayers show as they battle against the impulse to hurt innocent women. But Phoenix has also had a troubled background. As a child he was a carer for his schizophrenic mother, who eventually killed herself. He has lived with the guilt of his mother's death for a long time and is trying to atone for his mistakes by helping as many women as he can. I was really able to relate to a lot of Phoenix's feelings about caring for his mother, as I am also a carer for a loved one. It is not an easy task and I was impressed with how well the author handled the topic. Phoenix becomes scared when he realises that his soul-mirror is blind and he has to overcome this fear of caring for, and possibly letting down, another woman. But Phoenix soon learns that Ailish is pretty kick-ass and is absolutely able to look after herself.
I loved the relationship between the two main characters. The author manages to bring these two damaged people together and fill their lives with love and hope - two things that neither of them have felt for a very long time. They have to learn how to trust each other and work together to break the handfast so that they can get their happy ever after. It is a road filled with a lot of heartbreak but their love for each other makes them believe anything is possible.
Summary - The Wing Slayer series is a must-read for fans of paranormal romance. With loveable characters, action-filled plots and heart-melting romance, I can't recommend this series enough.
Other books in the series:
1. Blood Magic
2. Soul Magic
3. Night Magic
4. Sinful Magic
5. Forbidden Magic
Other reviews of this book:
Joyfully Reviewed / Night Owl Reviews
This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #12 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #20 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
5 comments:
This is another series i really need to read, excellent review. I am adding it to my wishlist
I feel so bad because I haven't been commenting very much lately. Sorry.
:( It looks like you've been reading some fun books that you're enjoying.
Kimba - Thanks :) I think this is a series you'll really like!
Jenny - Don't worry. I haven't been commenting as much as I would like recently either. Life always manages to get in the way somehow :) Hope you're ok *hugs*
I've been sold on this series since your review of book 1. :) It's good to know that the author keeps challenging herself and her characters as the series continues.
Reading a PNR from a blind heroine's perspective must be interesting - it forces the author to use the other four senses to describe things. And that can open up some great writing.
Shelagh - it was definitely interesting reading from a blind characters perspective. The author did it very well.
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