Author: Christine AmsdenPublisher: Twilight Times Press
Date of publication: November 2013
Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents' betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn't letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.
To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.
I have to admit it took me a little bit to get into this installment. I think it was due to the fact that it had been a while since I read the first book, so it took me a while to re-orient myself. I do highly recommend that you read the first book in the series before this one or you will be lost. It ended up being a fast read.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. I thought the mystery of what happened to the two girls was very solid ans held a few surprises. On the family front, I thought the mindwalk between Cassie and her mother was interesting. While the story her mother told her was heart wrenching, I liked what she reveals about her magic in the end. That was a cool twist. I was hoping there would be more resolution to Evan and Cassie's relationship. But, it was instead angsty and ended with a big cliffhanger. Hopefully there will be a bit of happiness for them in the next book.
About the author:
Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. (You can learn more here.)
In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.
Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful and honest review! I agree that this is a series that needs to be read in order. I actually have a red-lettered warning on my web page to that effect. :)
ReplyDeleteThere are four books in this series. Book three, Mind Games, is probably not going to go in the direction you're expecting, but Cassie still has some things to learn about who she is and what she wants before she's ready for a lasting relationship. (For that matter, Evan has a few things to learn too!) One of the important things to me in this series was not to let the words, "I love you" be some kind of automatic solution to every problem. (I see this a lot in romance.) Saying it and doing it are two different things, and Cassie and Evan have a lot between them that mere words won't fix. I hope the conclusion, when I do get there, will be worth the buildup. :)
Let me share my current book blurb/synopsis for Mind Games (this may change):
Beware your heart and soul…
Evan broke Cassie’s heart two months ago, and she still doesn’t know why. She throws herself into her new job at the sheriff’s department, but it doesn’t help. The only thing that seems to help her heal and move on is the love of a new man, mind mage Matthew Blair. Cassie finds his suit… compelling.
Matthew may also be the only one who can help keep the nonmagical residents of Eagle Rock from going crazy over the murder of a beloved pastor’s wife. It looks like a sorcerer is to blame, but while Cassie tries to figure out who, others take matters into their own hands. With tensions running so hot, a single spark might set Eagle Rock ablaze. Book 3 in the Cassie Scot mystery series.