Review of Blood Magic!!!!

Blood Magic by Jennifer Lyons

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345506340 ISBN-13: 978-0345506344


The blurh:

THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED

In the days when powerful witches used their magic to shield humanity from demons, their allies and guardians were a group of men gifted with preternatural abilities of their own–the witch guardians. But when a band of witches traded their humanity for demonic power, the ancient bond was broken, and the guardians became the hunters.
Darcy MacAlister knows nothing of demons or magic. But this beautiful young woman is about to discover the truth about her past . . . and her future. For she is a witch–not just any witch, but the key to breaking the curse that has plagued witches and the men who hunt them. For if a hunter kills an innocent witch by mistake, the price is no less than a piece of his soul.
Axel Locke, gorgeous leader of the Wing Slayer Hunters, has sworn never to shed the blood of the earth witches who have resisted the temptation of demonic power. But when his sister is cursed by a demon witch, he discovers that Darcy MacAlister may hold the cure–if she can master her new found powers in time. When the chase begins and Axel and Darcy come face-to-face, this hunter must weigh his soul against his honor–and against his heart.


My Thoughts:

Well to all of my friends who love their witches, demons, elements of the earth spirits, that hunters and all things that go bump in the night... this book is for you! I won't lie.. I had no idea what this book was reallllly about, except for reading the blurh. But even that didn't set things within me. I picked up this book to try something new and different. I normally read vampire/shape shifter books. So, I figured witches and demon hunters were a little different. And this book provided to be all that and more. This book left me wanting to be an Earth Witch in my next life!
The books involved the whole family; leaving out no one. The band of brothers of the Wing Slayer - those willing to put faith in something they did not know if it existed or not, the few witches that would pull together - because they were in hiding from those who wanted to hunt and kill them, and those left in the wake - with their souls to lose and everything to gain. Honestly, this book got under my skin in a good way. I found myself pulling for the greater of good vs evil; like yes actually cheering them on... and yellin "you go kick some ass" under the tent of my bed covers! (That is how I am allowed to read at night... night light to bright for hubby... so I have to go under my covers to read ~ and yea, I feel like I am a 5 yr old staying up past bedtime trying to read.) We all know that losing someone you love is bad enough, but losing your soul...well, that kinda changes the game a bit. It was a very creative book. Because be honest... would you lost your soul to save someone you love!

The Plot:

Close your eyes and imagine a time and a world where witches lived among us and shielded us from the demons that roamed the earth. Then, there were those that lived among the witches ~ enter in the Witch Guardians ~ to protect them from the evil... Now, we all know that out of all the good there is... there is bound to be screw up in the bunch... well let's add in that screw up. Some idiot witches decided they wanted to go demonic with their power. Well, that was the straw that broke the camels back. The bond was broken between them all and the guardians became the hunters of the witches they were sworn to protect!
There are two kinds of hunters... the Wing Slayer Hunters (Witch Guardians); who have kept their moral/ethic code in check and in control no matter what the circumstances are; then there are the Rouge Hunters; those were guardians but have lost their soul to taste the richness and power of witch blood.. Witch blood is what drives them wild; they crave it like a drug. Think of them as drug addicts. If they taste the blood of the witch, and lost control, they will drain the witch and become rouge... waiting on their next fix of blood. They will slaughter as many as they have to ~ to have that fix. The Rouge do not believe the Wing Slayer God is alive; however, the band of Wing Slayer believe he exist - no matter what anyone has to say about it. They know that He is their protector. What I came to understand was the gods (good and evil) were only as strong as the people who believed and had faith in them.

The Main Players:
Darcy - The story opens up to the death of her adopted mother, Eileen. Her mother had lupus. Already, you feel for her. She does not know her biological mother or father. But her adoptive mother loved her with all her heart and soul. The adoptive father ~ was a complete ass. She was verbally and physically abused by him when she was young... (The physical abuse came by him locking her in a closet) He would blame Darcy for Eileen being sick because of her being different. She was different because she heard voices in her head and she can feel the emotions of other when they touch her or are very close to her... So, she knew what the ass of a father thought of her. He thought of her a devil-spawn. That and he drank alot... and we all know that is not a good combination. But she managed and pulled through it. She is a very determined woman, I give her credit for that. She does not back down in the face of danger or demons; which really won my admiration. She wants to do what is right, no matter what the sacrifice is to her. She has not opened her heart to many men at all... with the knowing what they think of you part of her life... if they became intimate... she knew what they truly thought of her... a freak of nature. So, her dating life was none. That was until Axel walked or should I say butted in her life. Then, not only does she have to deal with Axel... she now has to face the truth of her past that she is different and has to learn to embrace it and deal with it... the becoming of a witch! And you thought your life was hard!

Axel - All man!!! Yummy, delicious, he can come scoop me up anyday!!! He is part of the Witch Hunters. He has a band of brothers that help him "protect and serve." They believe in their Wing Slayer, their faith in that is rock strong and that is what helps them to stay on the path of righteousness. Each man has a tattoo on their body of a particular bird. Axel's was supposed to be a raven, instead the raven turned into a Hawk. Now, Axel has a baby sister, Hannah, who has been cursed with the mark of death on her forehead. And according to the legend, when the moon reaches a certain stage, she will die if the curse has not removed by a witch or the demon witch who placed it on her has to be killed. But if Axel was to kill the demon witch.... just the spill of her blood would make Axel go rouge! So, Axel has to hunt down a witch to remove the curse. He just wants to save his baby sisters life. Awww! What he founds is Darcy. Axel is trying to figure out his need to protect Darcy, because it brings out a voliate side of him and that scares the **be-gib-bes** out of him. He is scared (or doubt put into his mind by the likes of his father and his kind) into to thinking that she has put a curse on him to make him feel what he feels for her. Even though in his heart, he knows that is not true... he knows something is different about the two of them... it is not a bad thing, but he knows (they both know) that something is different!

Joe - Darcy's cousin. The only family she has left. He was her rock when life was just crappy to say the least. They worked (or she was the boss and he worked for her) at the funeral home owned by their fathers ho passed it down to them... Actually her ass of a father passed it down to Joe, because he saw him as the son he never would have. But Joe considered it hers. He would do anything in this world to protect and keep Darcy safe. That is what family is for. Joe is a big guy... Special Forces type (that spells yummy to me.) He looks after Darcy like she was his own sister. So, when she disappears and she reaches him... he does what is in his power to find her and save her!!! But he is also concerned about Morgan.

Morgan - She is a good friend to Darcy. They were not the best of friends in high school, but Morgan would stop the kids from picking on Darcy. Joe was in love with her. Well, Morgan now is married to Eric (yea, I wanted to kill this SOB); however, she is married to him, she ran away from him. Because what she didn't know about Eric, was that he is a rouge hunter and he is forming his own little army to kill all witches. What she doesn't know about herself yet is that she is pregnant with his child. He has abused her so much that every time she tries to tell Darcy what is happening to her or about Eric, she gets this bad headaches and nausae and she can't think. He has tampered with her memory so much, she cannot recall much.

The Unexpected:

In this book, the unexpected was at every page. Being the first book and a new author to me, I never knew what she would bring to the table. At some parts, I was wondering if Darcy would run screaming at finding out some of the information she had to deal with... or if she would just stand her ground like a STRONG woman and face what was coming head on.

The Predictable:

Really, I found nothing that would predict the books outcome or the on coming events to me. Which, that in itself, made me feel good. Because you never expected the next page of events. I mean you kinda could put the pieces together, but not in a whole. It was just like putting a puzzle together (but not a hard puzzle).

Smut Factor:

If you want an erotic novel... well... this one is not be for you. But the sexual undertones is just as HOT! The sex scenes and the thoughts of the sex... left me turning the damn pages so fast, I got papers cuts!!!! They did not take their "sex" lightly; so when it would happen or it be close to happening or it would even be thought about, you knew that their emotions were into it and you better get perpared to get fan and some ice cold water!! So, the sex ~ when it would happen or be thought about ~was well worth the wait!!!!

What Pleased Me:

The whole damn book! I loved the whole book. I love the way it was written, the context of the events, the references to the past. I never felt left out of the picture. I feel in love with the characters and their reason for living and protecting. I love the way Ms. Jennifer kept you on the edge of your seat about what was going to happen to Darcy and Axel.

What Displeased Me:

Absolutely Nothing! This is one book that just kept me going. I really really did not want to put this book down. So, I am afraid to disappoint you guys... but there is nothing in this book that I would hint at being changed.

Cover

I love the colours! The red with black is intoxicating. And I absolutely love the hawk. It does have a significant meaning to the book. It has just a enough hit of "sexual tease" to put you in the mood for some hot romance!

Author Links: http://www.jenniferapodaca.com/index.htm What is to come: Soul Magic ~ Sutton & Carla's story is next... no, I did not tell you about their character and yes I did it on purpose!!! But Sutton is one of Axel's "brothers" ***wink wink*** and Carla is a witch!! There is no date yet... But believe me... as soon as I know... I will be posting it and getting it. It will be a series of the Wing Slayer Hunter and let me tell you... they are hot! And she has other books that look really entertaining!! Be sure to check them out as well!!!