Literary Lunes Magazine: November 2011 Issue

Olivia has spent her life training, learning how to kill the Venator, her people’s greatest deadly threat. She has never known the care free kind of life that she thinks humans live. She has always felt like she was on the outside, never part of the group. So, when she commits a ‘crime’, the high priestess of her coven sends her away to live among humans as her punishment, she feels more out of place than ever.

  When she takes a waitress job at a small bar in town, she is surprised to find new friends…and an intriguing singer with gorgeous amaretto colored eyes. Olivia finds herself part of a world she never imagined and maybe actually liking it…

  But it isn’t good times for long because Venator attacks start happening, and Olivia is afraid for the family that she left behind-the family that she can’t be with to protect. When she discovers the secret behind the attacks, everything she has been training for is put to the test.

  I have to say that usually books about witches are not my thing. This book is an exception. I loved this book, and I give it four stars. Sammie Spencer has woven quite a unique world that I was so easily drawn into. The characters are believable and relatable. I really loved Olivia’s internal journey throughout the book. She was honest with herself about herself, and she really worked through a lot of her own issues internally which made her such a strong character. She never let other people define her, and she always did what she believed was right. I also really liked that even when she found that her new life with the humans was fun, she never forgot about where she came from and never stopped caring about the people she left behind.

  Jackson Vance was another great character. He was quite a puzzle in the beginning, and I found myself thinking that he was what was presented: a bad boy player that liked to keep things non-committal and easy. Boy was I wrong. I loved how the layers of his personality unfolded along with the story. Just when I thought I had him figured out, I was surprised.

  The magic and powers in the story were also something that I enjoyed. As I mentioned before witch books usually aren’t my thing, but I really enjoyed the different powers each person held, and I liked the fact that it wasn’t all about the magic. It was more about how they used their abilities and the lives they lead with each other. They were a family of misfits that discovered they weren’t really misfits after all, and they belonged together. It was a great family bond.

  Everett, Olivia’s brother, was another favorite of mine. The bond that he and Olivia shared made me wish that I had a brother of my own. I can only hope that Sammie Spencer writes in a rockin’ love interest for him in her next book!

  I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, and where Olivia and Jackson go. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a great story and strong characters. With summer approaching, anyone who had thought about getting a copy of this book, quit waiting! Snag this book, pull up your chair near the pool, work on your tan, and settle in for some great entertainment!