A Bewitching Christmas
Author: Amanda J. Greene
Reviewer: VampBard
Rating: C+
What I’m Talking About:
I’m always excited to read a new offering by Amanda Greene. When I heard she was working on a new series, and there were vampires, weres, witches, fey, and shifters… well, you can imagine my paranormal-loving heart going pitter-patter! Under Realm Assassins promises to be an interesting and creative series. A Bewitching Christmas does an excellent job setting up the world and establishing the manner in which readers will eat up the drool-worthy alphas. With a spoon.
Before talking about the fabulous characters and amazing world-building, I need to get this little thing out of the way. There were word use and proofreading errors – things WORD wouldn’t necessarily catch – that detracted from my reading experience. There were several instances of wrong homonyms, as well as spell-check errors. I did have to re-read multiple passages to ensure that I was correctly understanding the intent, and this element did contribute to my rating choice. As I’ve read Ms. Greene’s other series, this is unusual. Although it wasn’t marked as such, maybe I read an ARC version.
I really found the world-building for the introduction of the Under Realm Assassins series to be stellar. I completely understand the foundations of the organization that is charged with protecting the Others. I know why the organization was created, and I know what kinds of people are usually contracted. I feel connected to the vampires and the witches, as this novella focused primarily on these two races of Others.
Analette Dyson, one of the four remaining Dyson witches, is having a cruddy holiday. Trent, her werewolf boyfriend, is cheating on her. Analette has renounced her powers for years. Even though her family is one of the most powerful families of witches, she wants nothing to do with the craft. This independent, sexy, and quick-witted woman definitely has powerful voice in the story.
Cole, sexy alpha-male, vampire, and assassin isn’t in town for pleasure. Little did he know, his trip wouldn’t end up being all business. It was crazy the way Cole was so sure he was only in for a one night stand. Watching the way Cole was so attentive to Analette – heartwarming. I really liked the way Ms. Greene developed his character as well as the conflict surrounding Cole. Especially his inner conflict.
I appreciated the world building of Ms. Greene’s first title in her Under Realm Assassins series. A Bewitching Christmas provides the reader with some excellent world building and background information for the rest of the series. I love the premise of these books, and can’t wait to read the next title in the series.
Rating: C+ — Liked It – But I had issues
About the Book:
It has been seven years since Analette Dyson stopped practicing magic and headed to New York, where she created a new life, complete with a fabulous job, an apartment in Central Park West, and a sexy werewolf fiancé. She never planned on returning to her small home town in Maine, but when she learns her grandmother is ill, she decides to pop over for a visit and what better time than Christmas? Excited for her fiancé to meet her family, they head up a day early.
Worst idea ever!
After doing some last minute Christmas shopping, Analette returns to their hotel to find her fiancé in bed with another woman. Cursing the universe for her never ending bad luck with men and dreading telling her family about her cheating fiancé, she heads to the bar to self medicate.
Not one to celebrate the holidays, vampire and assassin, Cole McRae, has followed a lead to a rustic town in witch territory. But after a few days of research and waiting for his target to show, he begins to suspect he has wasted his time. That is, until he meets a curvaceous blonde with bewitching green eyes at the local bar. One night with the enchanting Analette could make this useless trip well worth his time.
Their passion is undeniable and unbeknownst to them, their fates are intertwined. Magic and romance will strike on Christmas, changing their lives forever.
Release Date: December 14, 2013
Publisher: self-published
Series: Under Realm Assassins #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
Purchase Info:
A Bewitching Christmas (Under Realm Assassins #1)
This sounds really good, but the editing errors would make it a no-go for me. I get completely taken out of the story. I’m curious to find out if it was, indeed, an ARC, or if the final has these errors, as well. I’ll keep an eye out for more info 🙂 Thanks!!