Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Review of Wicked Circle by Linda Robertson

Publisher: Pocket Books
Series: Persephone Alcmedi #5
Format Read: paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 27, 2011
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The fifth in the exciting urban fantasy series featuring Persephone Alcmedi, a modern-day witch with a sexy werewolf boyfriend.  

Persephone Alcmedi has helped her waerewolf lover Johnny unlock his powers. Now she must come to the aid of Menessos, the vampire overlord she has secretly marked. Beset by a trio of truth-seeking vampire sisters so dangerous their own kind keep them confined in stone, he now needs her more than ever...and she realizes her need for him. Seph has magical promises to fulfill for the waeres, multiple mundane family challenges to meet, vampire politics to confront, both the supernatural males in her life to balance, a dragon to deal with...and then a government investigator shows up to complicate matters. 



Bea's Thoughts:

Robertson takes us for a wild ride in "Wicked Circle" and delivers a solid story. As is Robertson's habit, this book picks up right where book four, "Arcane Circle" ended. "Wicked Circle" is twisty, complex, told through many POVs, and brings major changes to Persephone and her world. Threads from previous books are woven in and furthered along, some of them coming together. There are two books left in the series as I understand it and there are many plot lines still to be wrapped up.

Seph, Johnny, and Menessos all under attack in this book and the three of them are not able to work together for various reasons. Due to events in the previous book, Johnny very different in this book, almost unrecognizable and for me at least, not as likable. Though, by the end of the book, he is more his old self. With his powers as the Domn Lup unlocked, Johnny is struggling to adjust and then he gets hit with several surprises. Persephone is growing in her role as Lustrata and faces several challenges while Menessos is also under attack. At times it felt a bit much, as if the entire world were conspiring against them. But, each of them has to make decisions about whom to trust and how much; there are betrayals and unexpected allies and I enjoyed seeing how each of them held up and dealt with matters.

I missed Beverly in this book, though I understand why she was absent. I have mixed feelings about the multiple POVs in this book, a change from earlier books. We spend time in about a half dozen different heads but two characters, who play major roles or push the action along, are left out while lesser characters are given more time. Additionally, some of the character voices were weak, not distinctive or not strong enough to carry the narrative.

With all of the action and twists, new characters and old, this is not a book to read in spurts but would be best read in one, or several, stretches. Pay attention because a lot goes on and the pieces are starting to come together. So get comfy, and settle in to enjoy the latest installment in the wonderfully complex world of Persephone Alcmedi.
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