Book 95, 2023
This Wicked Magic by Michele Hauf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At work yesterday I finished reading This Wicked Magic by Michele Hauf. It's book 2 in the "This Witchery" series, and it's part of Silhouette's 'Nocturne' line. The main characters are Certainly (CJ) Jones and Viktorie (Vika) St Charles.
After visiting the realm of demons, CJ has returned with several of them having hitched a ride on his soul. So long as he stays in the light he can maintain control. When he is out too late one evening and it grows dark, CJ's only chance is the illumination from the headlights of a nearby car. Vika and her sister Libby, both witches, make their living cleaning up supernatural crime scenes. When a dark witch approaches seeking assistance, Vika can't help but be drawn to him. Together, they begin a quest to exorcise the various demons from CJ's soul. Vika's kind heart, however, may put her own soul in peril.
I found another Nocturne book with a heroine who was strong and capable without having to be beaten and assaulted to make her tough. Thank heavens. While the main plot consisted of CJ and Vika trying to rid his soul of his demonic hitchhikers, there was more than that going on. CJ was in a battle with another dark witch, while Vika's sister Libby was making cow eyes at a soul bringer. The plot was unique and engrossing. Of course, the inevitable love fest happened unrealistically quick, but then these are shorter books. Some things weren't explained well, such as how Sal the man ended up as Salamander the cat, or why everyone was so blasé about the fact that witches routinely need to eat a vampire's heart if they wanted to remain immortal. Um, wouldn't that be murder? Hm.
Favorite lines:
♦ "Don't fall so far you can't see the light for the darkness."
♦ He had a good idea which witch was up to what witchery, and why.
Intriguing, exciting, and sexy. Four stars.