#Review - A Choice of Secrets by Barb Hendee #Fantasy

Series: Dark Glass #4
Format: E-Book, 304 pages
Release Date:  November 13th 2018
Publisher: Rebel Base Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy

Ever since raiders from the north began attacking villages, Lady Nicole Montagna has known that defending her people would come at a cost. The betrothal of her sister Chloe to a neighboring lord seems the perfect solution, forging a powerful alliance. But shortly before the wedding, Nicole is shocked to discover that her sister is with child—and not by her husband-to-be. Now she must make a choice. She has just hours to decide . . .

~Should she tell her soldier brother—who will take swift, ruthless action to ensure the family’s safety?

~Should she hold her tongue, let her sister deceive her husband into believing the child is his—and then hope Chloe can get away with the lie?

~Should she tell her family, hoping they will know the right thing to do?

With the help of a magic mirror, Nicole lives out each path, fighting to protect herself and those she loves with the weapons she has: wits, herbs, and fortitude. But no matter her cleverness, neither she nor her family can escape unscathed—for there are repercussions she could never have foreseen, involving her own heart . . .

 

A Choice of Secrets is the Fourth installment in author Barb Hendee's Dark Glass series. Each of the books in the series offers up new protagonists, a beginning, and a wrap-up. You don't have to read the previous three novels in order to read this book. This story follows 17-year old Lady Nicole Montagna who is the sheltered younger daughter of the Lord and Lady of the White Deer Lodge. Nicole's father still treats her as a little girl where she can't attend major parties that are too much fun. 

While Nicole is given no chance of having her own future, or family, or path, her sister Chloe is betrothed to Lord Christophe de Fiore who has promised her father up to 200 soldiers to help protect them from invading raiders who steal women and destroy villages. Then one day, Nicole overhears her older sister, Chloe talking with Julian Belledini, third son of a minor baron.What she hears will change her destiny. Can Nicole keep a secret? 

Or, will she tell her family what she overheard, and therefore destroy Chloe's reputation and any chance that Christophe will follow through with his promise of helping protect Lord Montagna's shoreline. This is the point where the infamous 3-way mirror appears. The witch in the mirror tells Nicole that she is at a crossroads. She will live out 3 outcomes, 3 different choices, 3 paths, 3 actions that will have major implications for everyone involved.

~Should she tell her soldier brother Erik who will take swift, ruthless action to ensure the family’s safety? Or,

~Should she remain silent, let her sister deceive her husband into believing the child is his, then hope Chloe can get away with the lie? Or,

~Should she tell her family, hoping they will know the right thing to do?

Each of these choices are truly unfair to Nicole. She hasn't done anything wrong at all. She is happy taking after her mother learning how to use various herbs, & raising chickens which provide eggs. But, it lands on her shoulders to make the right choice for everyone involved including her brother, Christophe, Chloe, and yes, even Julian. If she tells her brother what happened between Chloe and Julian, will the marriage between Chloe and Christophe last, or will the secret come out? 

Then you have a third factor, and that would be Christophe's sister Mildreth who rules Whale's Keep and never leaves the island. What happens if she finds out the shenanigans and that Nicole has kept her mouth shut and not told anyone what happened? It's fair to say that I wasn't happy with the choice that Nicole makes. But, it's hard to say what I would do if I or anyone else I knew was in the same situation where once choice, one path, can determine what happens to so many people.

It is fair to say that all three endings give Nicole a measure of fulfillment in life, but it would also cause people she cares about to suffer. She has to learn that complications will arise no matter how hard you try to protect the ones that you love. Normally after the end of each story, there's a chapter that looks forward to the next book in the series. This is not the case for this book. I am curious if this is the final installment, or whether the author will continue to write books in this series.  

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#Review - A Girl of White Winter by Barb Hendee #Fantasy #Paranormal

Series: Dark Glass # 3
Format: E-Galley, 327 pages
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Publisher: Rebel Base Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal

Kara, as a ward with no parentage and no future, has been raised knowing nothing outside her lady’s chambers. Until Royce Capello, a visiting nobleman, is struck by her ice-pale looks, and demands her as payment for the land the family needs.

With barely time to protest, Kara is sold and packed off for a life as a concubine—until a raiding party descends on Royce’s company and she’s kidnapped for the second time in as many days.

Whatever happens, Kara will be alone in the world, inexperienced and fearing even the vast unfamiliar sky. But one raider gives her a choice—and a magic mirror appears to show her where each path will lead…

Her fates twist and turn to affect far more than she could have guessed, tangling the bitter with the sweet—and Kara must choose which consequences she can live with…

A Girl of White Winter, by author Barb Hendee, is the third installment in the authors Dark Glass series. This is a series that began with the story of a witch who was killed, and found herself trapped in a 3-way mirror. As we have learned, the 3-way mirror seeks out those facing difficult decisions.  The mirror gives the chosen 3 paths. They each live out their 3 paths, and then must make a choice between the 3. There are no do overs. Once the choice is made, it can't be undone.

This is the story of Kara, a young woman who is basically an orphan who has been kept hidden by Lady Giselle. She is small, slender, pale skinned, with blonde/silver hair and crystalline blue eyes. Soon after the story begins, Kara is sold to Royce Capellos even though he is already married. However, before Royce's caravan can arrive safely at home, Kara is taken by masked men who ambushed by a man named Caine and brought to a place called the settlement. There she is given a choice, and her is where the mirror makes its first appearance. 

Kara finds herself being told by a 3-way mirror that she is at the crossroads of her life, and she is here to offer 3 different paths.

~She can leave with her protector Raven and journey with his performing troupe, competing for his mercurial affections.

~She can flee the raiders’ settlement, and return to Royce’s manor, chattel among devious nobility.

~Or she can stay in the settlement, bound to firm, silent Caine, who is as gentle as he is staid and inscrutable.

Unfortunately, I have to say that A Girl in White Winter was probably the most disappointing story of the three books that have been released so far. Kara is pretty much a nobody who has been sheltered as a lady's companion for all of her life. She is cannon fodder to a noble who wants to purchase land, and ends up being sent away to live in a world she knows absolutely nothing about. Even after she makes her final choice, it seems as though she clearly made a huge mistake since she found a connection to a stranger which nobody can understand. 

I didn't like the second choice Kara was given. It was wrong in so many ways that I can't even talk about for fear of spoiling something. One could say the third choice was also the most distressing because of how Kara is made to feel in the settlement. No, I won't spoil the choice she made. Of all the options she's given, only one really made any sense, and it wasn't the one she choose. One could honestly say that the first and third choices grant Kara the opportunity to actually explore who she is. Kara falls clearly into the category of men everywhere want to have her, while women everywhere want to get rid of her quickly for they fear she may intrude into their little cliches. 

The positive of reading this series is that each book is a standalone with a beginning and an ending. You don't actually have to read the first 2 books in order to understand what is happening in this story. Let's hope the fourth book excels where this went lacked.

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Thursday #Review - A Choice of Crowns by Barb Hendee #Fantasy

Series: Dark Glass # 2
Format: E-Book, 273 pages
Release Date:  February 6th 2018 
Publisher: Rebel Base Books
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal

Olivia Geroux knew her king was reluctant to marry her, whatever the negotiations had arranged. But she never expected to find handsome, arrogant King Rowan obsessed with his stepsister instead. And before she can determine what course to take, she overhears her greatest ally plotting to murder the princess.

Olivia must act quickly-and live with whatever chaos results. As the assassin hunts his prey, a magic mirror appears to show Olivia the three paths that open before her . . .

If she hesitates only a moment, the princess will die-and she will become queen.
If she calls for help, she will gain great power-but she must also thrust away her own happiness.
If she runs to stop the murder herself, she will know love and contentment-but her whole country will suffer.

As she lives out each path, her wits and courage will be tested as she fights to protect her people, her friends, and her heart. And deciding which to follow will be far from easy . . .

A Choice of Crowns, by author Barb Hendee, is the second installment in the authors Dark Glass series. I will open my review by stating that each of these books are standalone's. You have a beginning, middle, and an ending. If you've read the first book, Through a Dark Glass, you know that a 3-way magical mirror appears at a crossroads in the central character's life. The mirror gives the central character the good and the bad of each of the consequences she will face if she chooses a certain path. 

Each avenue is shown in its entirety and then the chosen is told to choose what pathway they think will be best for them. This is 18-year old Olivia Giroux's story. Olivia is the youngest daughter of Hugh Giroux. She is told that she has no choice but to marry King Rowan since it has already been negotiated between him and the Dowager Queen. But, of course, there are caveats that I won't spoil. During a pivotal moment in the story, when Princess Ashton is facing death at the hands of Olivia's only real ally and an assassin, a 3-way mirror appears to her. 

The mirror tells Olivia that she is at a crossroads. She is told that she will live out three outcomes of three different choices but won't remember them after her choice is made. 

1. If she hesitates and doesn't do anything to stop an assassin from killing Ashton, she will die, and Olivia will become Queen.  

2. If she calls for help, another character will die, Olivia may gain great powers, but her own happiness might be put in the background.

3. If she runs to stop the assassin from killing a key character, she will know love and contentment, but her entire country will face ruination at the hands of the person who rules the country.

Olivia thoroughly struggles to keep her promise of marrying Rowan even though he clearly favors his step-sister Ashton. Olivia and Ashton quickly become friends. Even though there is an ICK factor when it comes to Rowan's obsession with Ashton, it is Olivia's choices that really separate her story from Megan, the previous story's protagonist. I do declare that the idea behind being given three choices, and then deciding what path you think will fit for your own happy ending is intriguing to me. Many times in life we get to a point in the road what if you turn left, life may have been a bit easier for you. If you turn right, well, you find out that free choice can sometimes be a real bitch.

The third installment in this series, A Girl of White Winter, releases in November 2018. The author and publisher have offered up a teaser, of sorts, introducing the newest character. Very interesting indeed. 

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Friday #Review - Through a Dark Glass by Barb Hendee #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Dark Glass # 1
Format: E-Book, 297 pages
Release Date: January 9, 2018
Publisher: Kensington/Rebel Base Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

On her seventeenth birthday, Megan of Chaumont discovers she’ll be sold as a bride to the brutish Volodane family—within hours. Her father grants only that she may choose which one of the ruthless, grasping lord's three sons she weds:

~ Rolf, the eldest: stern, ambitious, and loyal?

~ Sebastian, the second son: sympathetic, sly, and rebellious?

~ Or Kai, the youngest: bitter, brooding, and proud?

As shy, horrified Megan flees the welcome dinner for her in-laws-to-be, she finds an enchanted mirror that will display how her life unrolls with each man, as if she were living it out in a breath. But there is no smooth “happily ever after” in her choices.

Deaths and honors, joys and agonies, intrigues and escapes await her in a remote, ramshackle keep, where these rough but complex men reveal one side and then another of their jagged characters—and bring forth new aspects of Megan, too. But the decisions of one teenaged marriage-pawn reverberate much farther than any of them have guessed . . .

Through a Dark Glass is the first installment in author Barb Hendee's Dark Glass series. 17-year old Megan is the youngest daughter of the House of Chaumont. She has a special talent that has long provided an advantage for her father. But, after her older sister unexpectedly dies before the arrival of her suitors who she is supposed to pick whom to marry, Megan is shoved into the untenable position of having to choose between three brothers; Rolf, Sebastian, and Kai Volodane's.

This is where things get very intriguing. You see, before this story ever takes place, there was a vain lord who enslaved a young witch so that he might force her to use her powers. His most prized possession was a three-paneled mirror which he could see himself from several angles. Seeking revenge on said Lord, the witch imbued her powers into the mirror hoping to trap him in the mirror. But, it cost her in the end and her spirit fled into the mirror itself. 

The mirror and the young witch would later seek out those facing difficult decisions and show them the outcomes of their choices. This is where Megan comes in. Megan discovers said mirror. The woman in the mirror tells Megan that she is at a crossroads. She has 3 different paths for which to choose from. Megan will get a chance to live out her 3 different paths. Without getting too far involved in each particular story between Megan and the three Volodane's, I will say this, Megan is shown what life would be with each brother.

Megan is told that once her choice is made, she will never remember what life would have been had she chosen the other brothers instead. Each brother offers something entirely different for Megan, but none of them really uses Megan's unique gift of seeing a persons intentions. There is repetition throughout this book because you have to follow Megan and each brother as they not only arrive at Megan's new home in a run down castle, but her choices with the brother she chooses. There are also entirely different futures involved depending on whom she chooses.

I will say that like others, I was skimming past certain aspects of the story by the time we arrived at Kai and Megan's story. There are sometimes big differences between the three brothers as well. Rolf wants a seat on the Council of Twelve; Sebastian is kind, gentle, almost too sweet to be believable and he carries a secret; while Kai is the dangerous brooding younger brother who carries a sword with him. He's not all that fancy about being married to someone in order to raise his families status. Who will Megan choose? Will the person she chooses be the right choice? Or, will she end up alone and unhappy? What's interesting to me was how Megan's overall personality and her choices changed with each brother. In the end, the obvious choice was the obvious choice.

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#Friday Review - The Dead Seekers by Barb Hendee, J.C. Hendee #Fantasy @AceRocBooks

Series: Dead Seekers # 1
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: January 3, 2017
Publisher: ACE BOOKS
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy, Thriller

In the dark reaches of the eastern continent, Tris Vishal travels from village to village, using his power to put unsettled spirits to rest. He works alone, having learned that letting people close only leads to more death. Still, he finds himself accepting the help of the Móndyalítko woman who saves his life—a woman whose gifts are as much a burden as his own.

Mari Kaleja thirsted for vengeance since the night her family was taken from her. She has searched far and wide for the one she thinks responsible, known only as “The Dead’s Man.” But before she can kill him, she has to be sure. Mari hopes traveling with Tris will confirm her suspicions. But as they embark on a hunt where the living are just as dangerous as the dead, she learns the risks of keeping your enemy close...   Because it’s no longer clear who is predator and who is prey.

The Dead Seekers is the first installment in authors Barb & J.C. Hendee's new series called Dead Seekers. This is a series that is set in the same world as the Noble Dead saga. You don't have to have read the previous series to enjoy this book. The Dead Seekers is told by two main characters: Mari Kaleja and Tris Vishal. This book is different from the Nobel Dead in that it doesn't feature vampires which has been a staple of the duo's previous series.

Mari is a Mondyalitko who watched as her family was murdered by an unknown dark force. Mari is considered cursed because she survived, and because she is able to shift into a Lynx (Yai-morchi). A feat that makes her something of an oddity to the close knit Mondyalitko who passed her from family to family. Ever since her family was murdered, Mari has been searching for a man who calls spirits and can command them. This Dead Man may hold the key to what actually happened the night her parents were killed. Is the Dead Man responsible for what happened, or is there another entity yet unrevealed?

Tris is even more of an oddity than Mari. Tris is from a wealthy family of which only his mother paid any real attention to him thanks to his unfortunate birth. With glimpses into Tris's past, Tris is a serious contender for the most misunderstood and socially inept character in a fantasy setting. His dual nature has made him stay away from most people, except for his mentor/alchemist Heilman "Heil" Tavakovich. Heil's determination to keep Tris from losing himself to his dark side weighs heavily on this story.

Tris and Mari are thrown together after he is attacked by three men, and she comes to his assistance. This leads the duo to work together to find out what happened to a girl from a village who died of a starving disease, and now haunts the village. What exactly happened at Soladran that lead to her death? Is anyone else at risk for having the same thing happen to them? During their time together, Mari continues to work with Tris, while also being curious as to whether or not he is actually responsible for what happened to her parents, and those with them in the woods.

The Dead Seekers is a good start to a hopefully successful new series. I am a fan of the authors and am happy to have had early access to this title. I have read the Noble Dead series, as well as Vampire Memories, and Mist-Torn Witches. The idea behind the Mondyalitko isn't a new concept to these authors. My curiosity peaked by Mari being a shifter. The character I am most intrigued with outside of Tris and Mari is Heil. Heil is a powerful presence and doesn't take anything from either character. When he puts his foot down, you better pay attention. His past story is also curious, and thus I am interested to see if the three continue on the path they were left with at the end of this story.

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#Wednesday Review - To Kill A Kettle Witch by Barb Hendee (Science Fiction/Fantasy)

Series: The Mist-Torn Witches # 4
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Publisher: ROC
Source: Publisher
Genre: Sci-Fiction, Epic Fantasy


National bestselling author Barb Hendee returns to the world of the Mist-Torn witches, as two sisters who can see the secrets of the past and the mysteries of the future begin a quest to save the family they never knew existed.…

Powerful prince Malcolm is facing ruin in the wake of a curse that has destroyed his harvest. He blames the band nomadic Móndyalítko who summer in the meadow below his castle—and he is determined to root out the people who caused the blight by any means necessary.

When Céline and Amelie Fawe, descended from the Móndyalítko, learn that their mother’s people are under suspicion of sabotage and treason, they set out to use their magical gifts to save their estranged relatives and learn about their own origins.

Now it’s up to the sisters—along with their motley escort, including a prince’s lieutenant, a shape-shifter, and an old woman with a murky past—to discover the source of the curse to restore life to the ravaged land and protect the innocent from unfair vengeance.

To Kill A Kettle Witch, is the fourth installment in The Mist-Torn Witches by author Barb Hendee. This is a series that is set in the world of the Noble Dead Saga. Does that mean you have had to read the Noble Dead first? Nope. It just means that similarities can be found. Especially since most of this series is set in what is the country of Droevinka.

In has been a year since Sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe left their former home under a dictator and found a new home under Prince Anton. Since then, the sisters have found a safe place where someone who actually respects them, and doesn't treat them like dirt under his toes. They have accepted Anton's call to use their skills to help others and solve mysteries three times now. This is their fourth mystery to solve.

Céline is able to see into a persons future, while Amelie is able to see the past. The sisters, who are descended from a group known as the Móndyalítko, (or the world's little people/travelers), find themselves once again accepting a call for help. This time to Yegor, where Prince Malcolm has a serious issue. His crops have been cursed, his economy is about to tank, and he blames the Móndyalítko who have made his land their summer home for years.

The same Móndyalítko who are Céline and Amelie's people on their mother's side who they've never met thanks to their mother's passing. Thanks to the foresight from Helga, another Móndyalítko who can tell when something is happening right now, the sisters, plus Lieutenant Kirell Jaromir and Mason, who they met in Witches in Red, set off to uncover the source of the curse.

Let's stop there for a moment because I would be remiss by saying the so called villain of the story is truly bad. That, my friends, is the furthest from the truth. In fact, I dare say that I felt nothing but empathy and a desire to kick the shit out of Malcolm's ass instead. This is also a story that could have been a bit better, but I'll not run away kicking and screaming. There is a lot of looking back at the past by different characters which took up chunks of the story. 

I loved that the sisters were finally able to meet others from their heritage. I loved that the sisters met their aunt Sinead, and other family members who they didn't know existed thanks to their own mother. I loved that Amelie and Jaromir may have put an end to their angst and dancing the two steps around each other to bed. But, I kind of felt for Mason. It's more than obvious he cares for Céline who may or may not have the same feelings for Anton but can't exactly do much about them. 

So, overall this story is a B on my rating scale. I really would like Anton to trust the sisters a bit more when things come up they can help with rather than only going places where he suggests. I would love for Anton to either sit or get off the pot when it comes to Céline. Either way, Céline deserves the chance to feel the same thing that Amelie is currently feeling.

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#Monday Review - Witches With The Enemy by Barb Hendee (Fantasy)

Series: The Mist-Torn Witches # 3
Format: E-Galley, 326 pages
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Roc
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Fantasy

The national bestselling author of The Mist-Torn Witchesreturns to a world of princes and power, magic and mystery, where two women have the ability to reveal the future and uncover the past…

When seers Céline and Amelie Fawe fled Shetâna under threat of death, they vowed never to return. Yet, less than a year later, they are summoned back—to aid the man who once tried to kill them.…

The cruel prince Damek is on the verge of closing marriage negotiations with the powerful family of a young noblewoman when his intended’s sister is murdered. To keep the engagement from falling through, Damek must expose the killer quickly—and he needs the seers’ powers to do so. Though the Fawes’ patron, Prince Anton, fears that bringing Céline and Amelie to Shetâna places them in grave danger, he is honor-bound to help his brother Damek.

Only none of them is prepared for the peril that awaits them at Castle Kimovesk—for someone in the court is determined to prevent the marriage from happening, no matter how deadly the cost…

Witches With the Enemy is the third installment in the Mist-Torn Witches series by author Barb Hendee. When Sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe fled Shetâna under threat of death nearly a year ago (see the first installment called The Mist-Torn Witches if you haven't already), they vowed to never return under any circumstances. They've since found themselves living in the village attached to Castle Seone working for Prince Anton and Lieutenant Jaromir. Less than a year later, they are summoned back to Shetâna to aid the man who once tried to kill them---Prince Damek, Anton's psychopathic brother.

Damek is preparing to marry a crown princess but someone has decided to go on a killing spree to make things even more stressful for everyone involved. This is the case, again, where Anton's father says jump, and Anton takes the sisters with him into the unknown that is Castle Kimovesk where danger lies around every corner. The sisters once again stick their necks out in order to figure out who is responsible and why. It's rather interesting to me that both sisters now have to watch their backs after all that they've done for Anton and his kingdom. Celine with Lady Saorise, and Amelie with Princess Rochelle, who is power hungry and a major bitch.

I love these sisters and for different reasons. Céline, with a touch, can see a person’s future. She's blonde haired, purple eyed, runs a apothecary shop, and has a heart of goodness that stops her from turning anyone away who might need her help. Thus, the continued acceptance that when Anton asks her and her sister to do something, she feels obligated even though it might kill her, or lead her into troubling situations. Amelie is the youngest sister. She can see a persons past with a touch. Amelie is dark-haired, purple eyed, loves to wear trousers and isn't afraid of telling it like it supposed to be. She is fierce, independent, but would never keep a secret from her sister. Amelie is also the sister who will kill the villain without breaking a sweat. I love when Amelie throws a fit about being forced into wearing dresses. Seriously, it's funny as hell to read her reactions!

Apparently, there will be a fourth novel in this series. The title is To Kill A Kettle Witch. I truly do hope that Hendee finds a way to give Anton, Celine, and Amelie their happy ever after. I don't like the tension that continues to exist between Anton & Celine, and Amelie and Jaromir. I continue to read this series because Hendee has such a vivid imagination, and her world building is beyond reproach. She is able to create interesting settings, with diabolical characters, while tossing in a mystery to keep readers guessing until the end.

**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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#Saturday Review - Witches In Red by Barb Hendee (Fantasy)

Series: The Mist-Torn Witches # 2
Format: Paperback, 325 pages
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Roc
Source: Library
Genre: Fantasy

Céline and Amelie Fawe can see into anyone’s past and future simply by touching them. They have used their powers to secure sanctuary—and a fine apothecary’s shop—in the village around Castle Sèone. But their continued safety has a price…

Far to the north, the men of an isolated silver mining community are turning into vicious “beasts” that slaughter anyone in sight. The mines belong to the noble family of Prince Anton—ruler of Castle Sèone and Céline and Amelie’s patron—and Anton’s tyrannical father has ordered his son to solve the mystery as a test of his leadership. He has no choice but to send the witches into the perilous north, to use their abilities to discover the cause of the transformations. Given how much they owe the prince, the sisters have no choice but to accept.

Together with the over-protective Lieutenant Jaromir, Célene and Amelie enter the dark world of a far off mining camp tainted by fear, mistrust, and enslavement—and haunted by men turning into massive, mad wolves without warning. Now, the two must draw upon strength and cunning they never thought they possessed not only to solve the mystery, but to survive

Witches in Red is the second installment in the Mist-Torn Witches series by author Barb Hendee. Sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe can see into anyone’s past and future simply by touching them. They have used their powers to secure sanctuary and an apothecary’s shop in the village surrounding Castle Sèone. If you haven't read the first book, The Mist-Torn Witches, I do believe that it is OK to proceed in reading this book since Hendee does a fine job of summarizing previous events, and how the sisters ended being saved from their home of Shetana thanks to Prince Anton and Lieutenant Jaromir. 

Although sisters, they are totally opposite of the other. Céline has learned her trade as a healer, spent 5 years as a fake seer, can mix concoctions that heal and take pain away. She's blonde, with lavender eyes just like her mother. Céline is more compassionate than her sister. She finds it extremely hard to turn anyone away when then ask for her assistance. Amelie doesn't have that problem. She also has lavender eyes, wears her dark hair short, loves to dress in breeches and male attire. She's quick with a verbal response as well as her knife and sword. Both sisters are on the cusp of romance, but Hendee hasn't fully committed to the idea as of this story.

Prince Anton once again requests that the sisters help with a problem HIS father is having with a particular silver mine in the Northern Droevinka. The soldiers watching over the silver mine are turning into vicious beasts that kill everyone in sight. Unless they are stopped, the mine will cease production and we can't have that! Anton's father who somehow learned about the sister's abilities, calls on them to use their abilities to solve yet another mystery. Together with the over-protective Lieutenant Jaromir, Célene and Amelie travel to the far off mining camp that has been tainted by fear, mistrust, and resentment. Some interesting new characters make their appearance. They are from the same clan as Célene and Amelie's own mother the nomadic Mondyalitko.

I forgot how much I like this author and this series since it's been several years since I read The Mist Torn Witches. I love sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe. I love that they are nearly inseparable and don't keep secrets from each other. I love that Céline is the caring one whose empathy brings people to trust her. I adore Amelie because she has spunk, fire, and determination, and she is as far from girly-girl as you can get. I liked he three Mondyalitko characters Mariah, Mercedes, and Marcus who is a hunter/shifter. I would like to read more about the group, and hope Hendee doesn't abandon them.

There is a definite twisted romance with the sisters and two particular individuals from Castle Sèone. Céline with Prince Anton (maybe) and Amelie with Lieutenant Jaromir (again, maybe). The romance isn't pushed on readers. In fact, I'd say this is one of the longest burning relationships that I've read in a very long time. The mystery of who was responsible for what is happening was well done, and thankfully, it was resolved to my satisfaction. It will be interesting to read the next book in this series, Witches With the Enemy. I expect to that Hendee will once again create a masterful mystery and toss the sisters in the deep in of trouble once again.

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