Changeling Book one- D'Artigo Sisters
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This is the first book that I have read by Galenorn, and to be honest I picked it up out of desperation for something new to read- I am very glad I did. It is fast paced and different. If you enjoy Laurell K Hamilton (the early books) Angela Knight etc you'll love this.
There are three sisters, half-human half-faerie, Camille (witchling) Menolly (newly turned Vampire) and Delilah (shape shifter tabby cat). The book is witty and savvy the girls are strong and caperable but not perfect. They are learning their strengths as the book develops. The male characters are not 2 dimensional either. There are three worlds which are linked by door ways Earth to Otherworld and Otherworld to the Shadow realm, in theory none of the demons from Shadow realm should be able to get to earth, the problem is that Otherworld is corrupt and Demons are starting to get organised behind head guy Shadow wing. Only the sisters and the motly crew stand in their way. It sounds kind of predictable when written out baldly like this but it's not. Its twisty, witty and fun- give it a try...
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Fingers Crossed
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I had such hopes for this series; witches, wares and vampires all in one sisterhood..... but for me, this book was not a great start!!!
Though not an overlong book, it is way too dense; and it seems to depend on knowledge of other - more publicised - books on fairies and other such things to move it forward!!! For me, this made the dialogue stilted and lacking in any kind of reality. Also, like other reviewers I too felt that the D'Artigo sisters have odd powers and even stranger loyalties! (sex with the man who pursued her sister!!!!!)
So, I have to mention the sex in this book too! I was grateful that most took place 'off stage' because the sex written on the page was clichéd and I found myself smirking as each flowery line besmirched itself across the page. I was amazed that by the end of this book I did not covet one of the male leads at all!! For me, all lacked substance, depth.... and appeal!
I will purchase the next book 'Changeling' - why? I think this book would have worked in a longer form (with a glossary) or in a well edited shorter form. Everyone needs a second chance...........
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Lost a star due to character flaws
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"Witchling" is the first book in Yasmine Galenorn's "Sisters of the Moon" series focusing on the half human/Faerie D'Artigo sisters. Growing up half human in the Otherworld was difficult; yet now living in the mortal world and working for OIA (Otherworld Intelligence Agency) the sisters' circumstances fail to improve.
As half human, each sister has found her powers acting awry due to their human blood. Camille (a witch) often finds her spells don't quite work how she planned (like the time she thought she was invisible but it was only her clothes that had disappeared), Delilah is a Were (unfortunately her alter ego is a beautiful golden tabby cat rather than a ferocious wild cat) and Menolly (a gifted acrobat until her skills failed and she literally fell into a den of vampires) is now one of the walking dead; feared in the mortal world and ostracised in Otherworld.
Nine seals have been hidden on Earth. If united by Shadow Wing (the demon ruler of the Subterranean world) the barriers between his world, Otherworld and the Human world are destroyed, a bad move considering Shadow Wing has made it perfectly clear he intends to raze humankind to the ground and turn both Earth and Otherworld into his own private playground. Unfortunately as the Otherworld Intelligence Agency is unable to help and the Crown and Court of Otherworld too wrapped up in their opium dreams and wild orgies, it's up to the D'Artigo sisters to save mankind and the beings of Otherworld.
I enjoyed this urban fantasy but did find myself likening it to the "Crimson City" series, but with far more supernatural entities and mythical creatures. I also had some issues with the D'Artigo sisters. Despite the seriousness of their situation, Camille finds herself perhaps too easily side-tracked by the "men" in her life; Trillian the Svartan, an old lover she just can't get over and a new one, Morio, an earth bound Fox Demon (not associated with Shadow Wing). Delilah also came across a little wimpy, a nervy sort of heroine who unconsciously shifts into cat form at the hint of her sisters' raised voices; leaving me wondering how she would cope with a full scale demon attack. I also disliked the fact she was willing to sleep with a man who has been seriously leching after Camille for months (has she no sense of self worth?).
Despite these issues I find myself left interested enough to pre-order "Changeling" due for pub. June 07 (Delilah's story) and will undoubtedly order "Darkling", due for pub. Dec 07 (Menolly's story) although I do find myself wishing it was Menolly's story up next for publication as she was easily the most interesting character in this book. YG has just been contracted for a further 3 books in this series and perhaps there will be a total of nine, as nine seals are hidden on Earth.
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Good, but nothing new
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The D'artigo sisters are half-human, half-Faerie agents of the Otherworld Investigation Agency, sworn to protect both Earth and Otherworld from danger. Although powerful and dangerous, the three sisters' mixed blood often short-circuits them at the wrong moments. Camille is a witch whose spells are prone to backfiring badly. Delilah turns into a tabby cat in moments of stress. And Menolly's a vampire, isolated from her own kind and unsure how to deal with the attack that left her undead. When a powerful demon plots to destroy the barriers between Otherworld and Earth, unleashing demon hoardes on both worlds, the sisters must pit themselves against deadly enemies to try and save both worlds.
The premise of "Witchling" is interesting, but there's not much new here. The occasional flashes of brilliance - Corpse Talkers, fox demons, harpies - are merely side notes to the main plot, which deals with the usual faerie intrigues of sex and politics. Camille is our narrator for "Witchling." Unfortunately, she is the least interesting character in the book. The most promising character, Menolly, is given little to do except sleep and snark, which is a complete waste of a dark, potentially fascinating protagonist. Sadly, most of the characters are one-dimensional and sterotypical: there is the arrogant dragon, the gruff human, the over-sexed elf... so on and so forth. There isn't a man in the book who doesn't make a sexual advance towards Camille, which quickly grows tiresome.
There are a few nice touches, such as the baby gargoyle Camille rescues from a harpy, and the interweaving of old legends with modern settings. However, despite a complex set-up, there is no real climax to the book, no resolution of the situations we are presented with. Part of the reason for this is that Witchling is the first of a trilogy, so Galenorn is obviously setting us up for the long haul. This knowledge doesn't quite make up for the abrupt ending, but the promise of a different narrator in the second book and some expansion upon the unique aspects of the book might be enough to lure me back for "Changeling." Maybe.
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