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Mortal Sins (World of the Lupi #5)

by Eileen Wilks (Goodreads Author)

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 1,940 ratings · 70 reviews

FBI agent Lily Yu is in North Carolina with her lover and mate, Rule Turner, Lu Nuncio of the Nokolai werewolf clan. He is there to take custody of his son from the boy's grandmother. It's a purely personal trip until Rule, in wolf form, finds three bodies in a shallow grave. They carry the stench of death magic, which makes the murders a federal crime. Lily takes charge o...more

Paperback, 352 pages

Published February 3rd 2009 by Berkley (first published January 2009)

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Jan 31, 2009 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-reads

I just adore Eileen Wilks' Lupi series. "Mortal Sins" is book five and heroine Lily Yu is the best. She's a take-charge, don't take crap, stand up for what's right regardless of the cost kinda gal...and she has one of the sexiest four-to-two-legged wolf guys you'll ever read about. This is one series that just keeps getting bigger and better.

Lily and Rule are in North Carolina on a personal vacation. Rule is about to finally get custody of his son--a son who will likely one day become the Rho of...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Mitabird rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, re-read

Mortal Sins was excellent and this series just keeps getting better and better. I was happy that Lily and Rule were the main focus in this book. They are in North Carolina to get full custody of his son, when Rule finds some bodies in the woods. These bodies have a trace of death magic and Lily starts the investigation of what killed them and why. This story was suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed every aspect of this book and I cannot wait to read the next one.

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Jun 05, 2010 Shannon C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: shapeshifters, magic-special-powers, favorites

4.5 stars: Great paranormal romance mixed with a good amount of mystery and adventure

FBI agent Lily Yu is on vacation with her werewolf mate Rule Turner. They are in NC awaiting a court case to gain custody of his son. While running as a wolf, Rule comes across several bodies. Since its determined that they were killed due to magical means, Lily's boss asks her to take the case. With her gift as a Sensitive she is one of the few who is immune to Death Magic. There are lots of twists and turns to...more

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Oct 15, 2012 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

Mortal Sins ของเอลลีน วิคส์

หนังสือเล่มนี้เป็นเรื่องขนาดยาวเล่มที่ห้าแล้วในชุด The World of Lupi และเป็นเล่มที่สี่ที่โฟกัสเรื่องราวที่รูล เทิร์นเนอร์และลิลลี่ หยู (เล่มที่สี่ในชุด Night Season เล่าเรื่องของตัวละครอีกคู่นึงที่เคยเป็นคู่รอง แต่จับมาเป็นคู่หลัก)

และเพราะเป็นเล่มที่ห้าแล้ว แม็กซ์ไม่อยากแนะนำให้ใครมาเริ่มต้นอ่านที่เล่มนี้หรอกนะคะ มันไม่น่าเวิร์คน่ะค่ะ ถ้าสนใจเรื่องในชุดนี้ ก็ลองอ่านรีวิวที่แม็กซ์เคยเขียนเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนี้ทั้งชุดได้ที่ลิงค์นี้ค่ะ ซึ่งแม็กซ์เขียนรีวิวหนังสือในชุดนี้ทั้งห...more Mortal Sins ของเอลลีน วิคส์

หนังสือเล่มนี้เป็นเรื่องขนาดยาวเล่มที่ห้าแล้วในชุด The World of Lupi และเป็นเล่มที่สี่ที่โฟกัสเรื่องราวที่รูล เทิร์นเนอร์และลิลลี่ หยู (เล่มที่สี่ในชุด Night Season เล่าเรื่องของตัวละครอีกคู่นึงที่เคยเป็นคู่รอง แต่จับมาเป็นคู่หลัก)

และเพราะเป็นเล่มที่ห้าแล้ว แม็กซ์ไม่อยากแนะนำให้ใครมาเริ่มต้นอ่านที่เล่มนี้หรอกนะคะ มันไม่น่าเวิร์คน่ะค่ะ ถ้าสนใจเรื่องในชุดนี้ ก็ลองอ่านรีวิวที่แม็กซ์เคยเขียนเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนี้ทั้งชุดได้ที่ลิงค์นี้ค่ะ ซึ่งแม็กซ์เขียนรีวิวหนังสือในชุดนี้ทั้งหมดจนถึงเล่มสาม ส่วนเล่มสี่เรื่อง Night Season รีวิวอยู่ที่นี่ค่ะ

อย่างที่แม็กซ์เคยเขียนไปในบลอกก่อน เรารู้สึกว่าทิศทางของเรื่องในชุดนี้เริ่มเบนออกห่างจากโรแมนซ์ แล้วหันเข้าไปเป็นพารานอมอลเต็มสตรีมมากขึ้น แต่ขอบอกไว้ก่อนเลยนะคะว่า ไม่ได้หมายความว่า หนังสือชุดนี้ไม่หวาน ไม่โรแมนติก เพราะมันมีทุกอย่างครบถ้วน เพียงแต่เรื่องราวความรักไม่ใช่เรื่องหลักอีกต่อไป เพราะคุณจะเล่นกับประเด็นในเรื่องความรักต่อเนื่องกันหลายเล่มโดยใช้ตัวละครคู่เดิมได้อย่างไร ในเมื่อตัวเอกทั้งสองได้ผูกพันกันมาผ่านหนังสือหลายเล่มแล้วล่ะ

ในเล่มนี้โฟกัสของเรื่องย้อนกลับไปที่รูล เทิร์นเนอร์ ผู้ซึ่งเป็นทายาทของเผ่าหมาป่านิโคไล และลิลลี่ หยู ผู้ซึ่งเป็นเจ้าหน้าที่เอฟบีไอหน่วยปรากฎการณ์เหนือธรรมชาติ ทั้งรูลและลิลลี่ถูกผูกพันกันไว้ด้วยโชคชะตา เพียงแค่สบตากันครั้งในแรกใน Temptind Danger (เล่มแรกในชุด) โดยที่ไม่ได้เลือก โดยที่ไม่ได้รัก ทั้งสองเป็นคู่ครองของกันและกัน ความผูกพันที่อาจจะเกิดขึ้นแค่ครั้งเดียวในรอบพันปี ความผูกพันที่เหล่ามนุษย์หมาป่าคิดว่าเป็นเพียงตำนาน แต่เทพเจ้าของพวกเขาก็เลือกลิลลี่ให้รูล เลือกโดยที่ทั้งรูลและลิลลี่ไม่มีสิทธิตอบปฏิเสธ

เพราะความผูกพันนั้นมาพร้อมราคา มันทำให้รูลและลิลลี่ไม่อาจอยู่ห่างกันได้ด้วยระยะทางที่จำกัด ทำให้เมื่อรูลต้องเดินทางมานอร์ธ คาโรไลน่า เพื่อจัดการเรื่องสิทธิการเลี้ยงดูบุตรชายคนเดียวของเขา รูลมีลูกติดมาจากความสัมพันธ์ก่อนหน้าซึ่งเป็นประเพณีของพวกหมาป่าที่ไม่ค่อยเจริญพันธุ์เท่าไหรนัก ดังนั้นหมาป่าจึงไม่แต่งงาน และไม่ใช้ชีวิตอยู่กับผู้หญิงเพียงคนเดียว จะพยายามผลิตลูกให้มากที่สุด ยกเว้นรูลที่การที่ลิลลี่เป็นพรหมลิขิตของเขา ทำให้เขาไม่อาจมีความสัมพันธ์กับหญิงคนใดได้อีกแล้ว

แต่ในขณะที่รูลในร่างหมาป่ากำลังออกวิ่งในป่า เขาก็ได้พบกับหลุมฝังศพที่มีศพเด็กสองคน และหญิงอีกหนึ่งคน ซึ่งนั่นทำให้ลิลลี่ต้องออกมารับบทเอฟบีไอ ทั้งที่เธอกำลังอยู่ระหว่างลาพัก สิ่งที่ทำให้ศพทั้งสามนี้ผิดปกติจากคดีฆาตกรรมอื่นก็คือ ลิลลี่ซึ่งมีพลังจิตในการสัมผัสเวทมนตร์ได้ทุกชนิด รับรู้ถึงเวทมนตร์แห่งความตายที่ใช้กับทั้งสามคนนี้

คดีนี้กลายเป็นข่าวดัง และมันก็นำเรื่องปวดหัวมาให้กับชีวิตของทั้งสองคู่รัก เพราะลิลลี่เป็นที่รู้จักกันดีในฐานะของชู้รักคนล่าสุดของเจ้าชายแห่งเผ่าหมาป่านิโคไล (เรื่องการที่เธอเป็นคู่แท้ของรูลไม่อาจเปิดเผยออกไปได้) และนั่นเองทำให้นักข่าวรู้เรื่องของโทบี้ ลูกชายของรูล

เพื่อรับมือกับนักข่าว รูลจัดงานแถลงข่าวขึ้น แต่ในระหว่างที่กำลังพูดคุยกับนักข่าวอยู่ การโจมตีก็เกิดขึ้น และเช่นเดิมมันเกิดจากเวทมนตร์แห่งความตาย มีอะไรบางอย่างสิงสู่ผู้คน และกระตุ้นให้คนเหล่านั้นฆ่าคน

อย่างที่บอกนะคะ เรื่องนี้เน้นไปที่ความเป็นพารานอมอลมากขึ้น นั่นเพราะเรื่องโรแมนซ์ระหว่างรูลและลิลลี่ค่อนข้างลงตัวแล้ว แต่กระนั้นก็มีช่วงเวลาซึ้งให้ได้อ่านกัน (สปอยล์) โดยเฉพาะในฉาำกหลังจากที่ทั้งสองพบว่า ความเป็นคู่แท้ของทั้งคู่จบลงแล้ว จากการกระทำของปีศาจ ลิลลี่เองประกาศเสียงดังกึ่งน้อยใจว่า เธอจะไม่ยอมให้รูลกลับไปใช้ชีวิตเพลย์บอยแบบเดิม ในขณะเดียวกันรูลก็ทนไม่ได้ที่ลิลลี่จะแยกไปจากเขา เพราะไม่มีความผูกพันที่บังคับให้ทั้งสองต้องตัวติดกันอีกต่อไป แม็กซ์ชอบที่คนแต่งเขียนประเด็นนี้นะคะ เพราะมันก็เป็นหนึ่งในประเด็นที่คาใจเราเหมือนกัน เพราะเรารู้สึกว่า ความรักของรูลและลิลลี่เริ่มต้นด้วยพรหมลิขิต ถ้าเทพเจ้าของรูลไม่เลือกลิลลี่ล่ะ เขาจะรักเธอไหม หญิงสาวที่มีภูมิหลังแตกต่างจากเขาอย่างชัดเจนอย่างนี้

ในบางมุมรูลและลิลลี่ก็ทำให้แม็กซ์คิดถึงตัวละครคู่ขวัญใจตลอดกาลของเราอย่างอีฟและโร้คค่ะ ไม่ใช่ว่าเรื่องราวเหมือนกันหรอกนะคะ แต่ความผูกพัน ความเชื่อมั่นที่ตัวละครมีให้กันมันใกล้เคียงกับสิ่งที่อีฟและโร้คมีมาก (แต่อย่าคิดว่าเรื่องชุดนี้จะเทียบกับชุด In Death ได้หรอกนะคะ) และนี่คือสิ่งที่ทำให้เราเลือกที่จะหยิบหนังสือเล่มนี้มาอ่านเกือบจะในทันทีที่ซื้อมา เพราะเรามั่นใจในความแข็งแกร่งในความสัมพันธ์ของรูลและอีฟ

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Jan 28, 2011 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fantasy-other-world, mystery, romance-mystery, werewolf-shapeshifter

Lily Yu and Rule Turner... Rule is gone into Leidolf werewolf clan territory - where (because of previous book I did not read) he has the spiritual mantle - the spiritual connection of a clan - along with his own Lu Nuncio mantle (enforcer VP of the Nikolai clan), because Toby, his 9 year old son, lives near there with his grandmother, and they are going to court to transfer custody to him... Rule and Lily are quite excited about having him around full time, and as First Change occurs in pubety,...more Lily Yu and Rule Turner... Rule is gone into Leidolf werewolf clan territory - where (because of previous book I did not read) he has the spiritual mantle - the spiritual connection of a clan - along with his own Lu Nuncio mantle (enforcer VP of the Nikolai clan), because Toby, his 9 year old son, lives near there with his grandmother, and they are going to court to transfer custody to him... Rule and Lily are quite excited about having him around full time, and as First Change occurs in pubety, he needs to be with clan...

But, as Rule is running in the woods (wolf form), he comes across 3 bodies that have a scent of death magic. He change and summons Lily... a man killed his wife and 2 children with a bat a few years later, and because of the magic, he calls Lily to investigate...

This story calls in earlier characters & situations... One of the main objections of humans to lupi is their apparent lack of sexual mores - sex a lot, and with multiple partners - as only males are werewolves (females do not change) and the males have a low fertility - so they 'spread their seed around' in an effort to maximize the possibility of pregnacies and more males... The mate bond (which is created by The Lady - the were god) prevents the male from having sex with anyone but their bonded mate (it does not prevent the woman) and it requires them to be within a certain distance to one another... and that distance fluctuates - and he tries to take Toby to the clan, but after a few miles, the bond pulls at them, and he must return.. The Lady requireds that they be near one another... Rule and Lily have come to love one another, beyond just the bond; at one point Rule reflects that subconsciously Lily chose to make the sexually attractive Cullen like a little brother - nonsexual - so as honor her love for Rule and not to be tempted - and he is glad, as though she could by were law have sex with others, he would not like it... and when the bond is temporarily broken, she is upset thinking he will go back to spreading his seed, and she just could not tolerate it... while she's working up to setting down the law, he is trying to tell her he would never want to be with anyone else - a humorous scene... and Rule has more faith that The Lady will restore the bond - he wouldn't have brought them togeher to face these challenges if it wasn't meant to be...

And also of previous story, is this mantle thing... Rule carries a part of his clan's mantle as Lu Nuncio and then has taken on the mantle of his clan's enemy's alpha's mantle ( their enemies the Leidolf clan)... who's clan's alpha is 130, mean spirited, and very ill... Rule received the mantle by accident, and feels honor bound to hold it and act by it for the Leidolfs, until the alpha dies and he can pass on the mantle... however, due to his son's potential health needs (the Liedolf's mantle has a different kind of power that counteracts a common illness that hits newly changed weres) and because of the wraith, Rule takes the mantle as his own, cutting off the alpha & allowing him to die... he anticipates challenge from the Leidolf Lu Nuncio, but is surprised by his submission & statement j- it's about time... there is more to work out in how this dual mantle might work...

Cullen and Cynna - Cullen, a sorcerer, with an affinity for fire, were who had been a lone wolf for awhile... and Cynna, a Finder... she's pregnant, and the scenes between them are full of humor... and Cullen is a flirt, powerful, easily angered, knowledgeable - and he helps them solve the mystery - to define the possessor - a wraith, created by a witch...

And Toby is charming... we learn so much about were culture in general, and Wilks' particular mythology, through Toby... as Toby thinks, and as Rule paints beautiful pictures to explain how wolf and man join... things like territory, smell, instinct, action, promises (don't give out promises lightly, but one must keep ones' word), family, rules, punishment, duty to family vs clan, etc.

And the story they uncover is of a werewolf, age 23, who ready for the coming under the clan mantle - who on the day of the Turning (collision of the real world and the magical world) 9 months earlier, was driving, turned into a wolf and lost control of the car dying... his soul/ghost went to his magical mother, who had been dabbling in the dark arts - and she takes blood from his body, buries it, and performs a ritual to make a wraith so that it could look fo another body... and it has been looking for that body in dogs, and he finally bodies - but he is not wholly himself, and because of the spell, he needs death magic - hence his hosts kill others (one man his family, and later an older man shoots at Rule/Toby's front yard news conference)... but he can feel the warmth of Rule's mantle, and is drawn to it, knowing it would be able to free him, make him whole, help him be warm and to remember...

The wraith occupies Lily's body for a very short time - breaking her mate bond - and Lily learns his name, and is finally on the correct path to figure out what happened...

Personal problems continue when Toby's mostly absentee mother shows up with a brand new husband and wants custody of Toby - with the underlying motivation of using a drug on Toby that would prevent his first change... her fear of a wereson outways all evidence that says that the drug would harm or kill her son... Lily's FBI research friend uncovers their purchase of the drug, and she is stopped - Rule gets full custody--- but his mom & Toby spend some time together, and Toby is kidnapped by the witch, who thinks her son wants his prelupi body... but Lily & her team have figured out who, and where, and get there in time to stop her...

and then Cullen, Rule, and Lily perform a ceremony to call Charlie, to use Lily's body to be whole, to have the mantle ceremony, and to let Charlie's soul release the energy of those he took in death magic & for his soul to move on... leaving the mate bond to reconnect with Rule...
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Aug 25, 2010 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lily and Rule are back in the forefront in this book. What started out as a trip to pick up Rule's son, Toby, quickly turns into a huge mess when Rule stumbles upon three bodies stinking of death magic. Of course Lily is assigned the case, but she quickly learns things are not as they seem. To complicate things further, Toby's mother is now trying to contest Rule gaining custody. Adding into the trouble is the mess with Rule holding both the Leidolf and Nokolai mantles, and all the politics that...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Amy A rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: world-of-lupi

I was a little hesitant to start this book, the premise just didn't seem too interesting, but honestly after reading it, this book has been the strongest in the series so far to me. It goes back to simplicity. It's a crime solving book with a paranormal twist to it. The series started out this way but beginning with the second book they all started getting very much steeped in mythology of demons, lupi, and other species. While I know that all these things are a part of the world that Wilks has...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Solid Addition to the Series
Even an FBI Agent with the Magical Crimes Division deserves to take some personal time now and then. That's why touch-sensitive Lily Yu is in Halo, NC with her mate Rule Turner, Lu Nuncio of the Nokolai lupi clan and holder of the mantles of both Nokolai and Leidolf. They've traveled to the town where Rule's son has been living to attend the hearing that will finally award Rule custody of nine-year-old Toby.

Unfortunately for Lily, deserving something doesn't necessari...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers who enjoy Laurel K Hamilton's Anita Blake series and Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series

Shelves: 2012, books-i-own

This is the first book by this author much less this series that I've read. I happened upon this book unexpectedly although I wish in retrospect that I'd gotten a hold of the first 4 books in the series.

The characters are well developed and unique in that the author has developed her own world of Lupi and how they interact with the world instead of conforming to what others have written in the past.

Lily Yu, mate of Rule Turner are in a small town to deal with the custody issue of Toby, Rule's so...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Kathleen Burket rated it 5 of 5 stars

In Mortal Sins, World of the Lupi, Book 5, by Eileen Wilks, Lily Yu, Special Agent with Unit Twelve of the FBI's Magical Crimes Division is in North Carolina with her mate, Nokolai Clan "prince" Rule Turner to seek custody of Rule's son, Toby. Toby lives with his maternal grandmother, but after a recent accident to the older lady, Toby's grandmother agrees that Rule's son would be better off with his father. On an early morning run in wolf form, Rule discovers the graves of a woman and two child...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: UF or PNR fans

Shelves: urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance

Grade: A+ and/or strong 5 Stars

Mortal Sins has action, mystery, a strong story, convincing dialogue, a little bit of horror and romance. The storytelling is focused and fast-paced. What’s not to love?

The Story
Lily and Rule are in North Carolina for personal and clan reasons. Rule is seeking custody of his son Toby, who has long been kept from him by his former lover and her mother. Carrying partial Leidolf mantle, he will also perform the gens compleo, a ceremony accepting young wolves as full...more Grade: A+ and/or strong 5 Stars

Mortal Sins has action, mystery, a strong story, convincing dialogue, a little bit of horror and romance. The storytelling is focused and fast-paced. What’s not to love?

The Story
Lily and Rule are in North Carolina for personal and clan reasons. Rule is seeking custody of his son Toby, who has long been kept from him by his former lover and her mother. Carrying partial Leidolf mantle, he will also perform the gens compleo, a ceremony accepting young wolves as full adults, for a clan who was once an enemy of the Nikolai Clan. The trip is stressful and becomes further complicated when bodies are discovered with death magic lingering. Lily, a Gifted FBI agent, must use her resources and sharp mind to prevent death from spreading in an extraordinary case.

My Thoughts
Lily and Rule were terrific together. They are capable of working as a unit and independently. The author didn’t throw in any unnecessary angst or drama. After the events between Cynna and Cullen, I wasn’t sure if there wouldn’t be any fallout and drama between these two. They work efficiently with little words and effective communication.

The secondary characters were fleshed out without being distracting or silly. Ms. Wilks subtly shades her characters without overpowering their personalities or dropping them into neat niches. There wasn’t an ass substituting as the sheriff, or a buffoon FBI agent who screws things up. They were human and felt real. There also wasn’t the parade of previous characters that authors throw in to appease fans. Cullen arrives in town to help Lily without Cynna tagging along. She was busy, and the author didn’t unnecessarily use her. The appearance of Toby’s mother was effective and affecting. Alicia was a bitch then she wasn’t. She had a moment where she shined, just a bit. It was enough.

In the past, I found Ms. Wilks attention to detail distracting. Sometimes, she would go into such detail my eyes felt like crossing. This book was so smooth. The plot, subplots, characters, and evil presence were woven in such a clean way I never felt the need to skip a single word. (I’m guilty of skimming through settings. Well, and sometimes sex scenes. Shhh. )

Summing It Up
This was a damn good book!
(less)

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Apr 27, 2011 Jenna rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story focuses again on Rule and Lily. They are in NC for the custody hearing of Rule's son, Toby. While Rule is out running as a wolf, he discovers 3 bodies all tainted with death magic. From there, it's all downhill. Lily is pulled into the investigation, we end up meeting Toby's mom who has changed her mind about the custody hearing, and we get to learn more about Rule's involvement with Leidolf. A little voudon mythology was also thrown in.

Overall, I liked this book. It was nice to see m...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, crime-police-mystery-private-invest, fated-mate, fantasy-paranormal-sci-fi, magic-mystical-ability, read-2010, romance, series, were-shifter

I was very glad to get back to Lily and Rule as the main characters. I think that switching to a different set of lead characters for a book or two was a great idea to keep the series fresh, and I was really excited to read about Cynna and Cullen originally, but I ended up not really enjoying their storyline that much. So, getting back to Lily and Rule was something of a relief.

This isn't a series that I feel you can pick up in the middle. Each book builds on each other and I think you'll lose...more I was very glad to get back to Lily and Rule as the main characters. I think that switching to a different set of lead characters for a book or two was a great idea to keep the series fresh, and I was really excited to read about Cynna and Cullen originally, but I ended up not really enjoying their storyline that much. So, getting back to Lily and Rule was something of a relief.

This isn't a series that I feel you can pick up in the middle. Each book builds on each other and I think you'll lose the attachment and care you'd have after reading the other books if you jumped into the series here. I think this series is good enough to make reading all of the books worth it, but that's just me. :)

I really liked getting to see more of Toby in this book. His very existence is so important to Rule that I've been craving more information about their relationship. I certainly got that here, and I was very pleased by how that whole situation resolved.

Occasionally things got a bit slow while reading, but it always ended up picking back up. The storyline with Toby and the storyline with the magically influenced murders really kept my attention. I think Wilks does an excellent job making Lily's job seem lifelike and interesting without boring the reader with too much tedious detail.

Rule and Lily continue to be the main draw of this series. Even after so many books in the series I still find their relationship interesting to read about. The author continues to have them work through the issues that arise and shows them both working to navigate the unfamiliar waters of the mate bond.

I think one of my favorite things about this series is that in the midst of all these paranormal creatures, Lily and Rule seem like a normal couple doing the best that they can to work out their issues to make sure their relationship continues to be happy. And I don't mean normal as in Romance couple normal, I mean real life normal.

Lily and Rule talk things out and don't have huge misunderstandings that create high drama for the reader. They disagree and they occasionally snipe, but if they're mad they usually back away and then come back together later to try to work things out. They don't scream and throw things and play the hate game. They seem real and I love them for it. Don't get me wrong, I like drama, but I crave relationships like this in more of my books.

I loved the way that this story developed, but I feared for a while there that I would have to reach through the book and strangle a certain mother. I CANNOT believe she did that. I know that she loves him (even if it's not healthy) but I still haven't forgiven her, even if other characters have. I wouldn't be displeased at all to hear that something unfortunate had occurred and she would never again be able to mess up their lives.

The end of this book had my eyebrows shooting up in surprise. I had been wondering if that would ever crop up, and I'm excited to see where the author goes with it.

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Mar 07, 2011 Gardavson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-romance, paranormal

Another good addition. I waver back and forth on how much I like Lily, depending on her stubbornness and stupidity. Generally I like her for the most part. Sometimes she get on my nerves. This book she was mainly on my good side. Some of it I thought she put work too high on her priority list, but, I suppose people were dying and she dislikes that sort of thing. Still, she has a way to go on prioritizing family, which this book was about. Got to see more of Toby who, even with more read time rem...more

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Mar 09, 2010 Marsha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book five of the World of the Lupi reveals greater insight into the life of Rule's son,Toby, his mother and grandmother. The family dynamic was interesting especially as Rule attempts to legally gain full custody of his son while attempting to assist Lily in solving yet several "death magic" murders. We also learn more about Cullen and the hardships he endured as a child and his protectiveness of Toby. This was another fantastic read by Wilks. I am amazed at how well she manages to keep the stor...more

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Aug 15, 2011 BamaGal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-uf

I don’t give out 5 Stars lightly. I may state a book is 4.5 and round to 5; but a true 5 Star read has to hit a high number of my ‘happy buttons’. This book is wonderful. The Lupi series is building well on itself; and the author is staying true to the rules and characters in the world she created from the beginning of the series.

Mortal Sins is the best plotted and most well paced book in the series so far. Unlike another book I read recently, where the author gutted her characters and changed t...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Amanda Croley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lilly and Rule are in North Carolina to complete the process of getting full custody of Rule's son Toby. I think the reason I like these books so much is b/c they are about adults. Adults with kids, lives, families, jobs etc. Not a teenage high school drama mixed with the paranormal and the omg hottest new guy at school. While out for a run Rule finds the bodies of a woman and 2 kids, covered in death magic. Of course it is Lilly's job to find out who and what caused the deaths. The ending was a...more

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Nov 04, 2012 cathepsut rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, shapeshifters, wizards-sorcerers, ghosts

I liked this much better than Night Season.

The story centered around Lily and Rule, it is set in the here and now and not some other fantastic realm, werewolves play a large part of it and the plot that developed in Blood Lines is picked up again. It's a cop story with shapeshifters, ghosts and magic.

I liked the new characters, especially the cops and FBI agents. Alex also developped nicely. And visiting Toby's home and meeting his grandmother and mother was a nice addition to Wilks' world.

Hope...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Ravyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: z-uf-pnr

Quite enjoyable. Well written and well plotted. I particularly liked the police/crime/mystery aspects of this book; I also liked that Rule and Lily were once again the stars of the show. I wasn't such a fan of the confusing werewolf metaphysics or whatever (mantles??) or the weird "two souls" thing with Lily carried over from a previous book. (Although in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I kinda skipped the last 2 books because I wasn't really all that interested in reading abo...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Mello ❣ Illium ✮Harry✮ ☀Myrnin☀ Torin Ichimaru rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, hawt-heroes, magic, paranormal, romance, shapeshifters, urban-fantasy, werewolves, awesome-heroines, police, action, demons, dragons, commence-insanity, dat-twist, did-that-just-happen, favorites, hot-sex-scenes, i-cant-even, read-in-2013, ghosts

Synopsis:

Welcome to Eileen Wilks’s world of the lupi, of “strange magic [and] fantastic realms,” where some sins are so dark and unlikely, no one thought to forbid them…

FBI agent Lily Yu is in North Carolina with her lover and mate Rule Turner, lu nuncio of the Nokolai werewolf clan, where he is to take custody of his son from the boy’s grandmother. It’s a purely personal trip until Rule, in wolf form, finds three bodies in a shallow grave. They carry the stench of DEATH MAGIC, which makes the m...more Synopsis:

Welcome to Eileen Wilks’s world of the lupi, of “strange magic [and] fantastic realms,” where some sins are so dark and unlikely, no one thought to forbid them…

FBI agent Lily Yu is in North Carolina with her lover and mate Rule Turner, lu nuncio of the Nokolai werewolf clan, where he is to take custody of his son from the boy’s grandmother. It’s a purely personal trip until Rule, in wolf form, finds three bodies in a shallow grave. They carry the stench of DEATH MAGIC, which makes the murders a federal crime. Lily takes charge of the investigation, and soon realizes that nothing adds up—not the motives, not even the accused killer, who’s behind bars when death strikes again.

But murder, however bizarre, is an everyday affair for Lily, who was a homicide cop before being recruited into the FBI’s Magical Crimes Division. A more personal shock arrives in the person of Rule’s son’s mother. Why is she challenging Rule’s long standing plan to bring his son to live among the Nokolai?

But family must take a back seat when the violence escalates, and there’s no rhyme or reason for the killer’s next strike—a killer who may not even be of this world...

My Thoughts:

This book is my favorite of the series so far. Rule and Lily are in NC waiting for a custody hearing so that Rule can gain full custody of his son Toby and take him back to San Diego with them. Only, personal time doesn't get to stay personal time. They haven't been there long before a case intrudes when Rule is on a four-legged run through the woods and discovers three dead bodies with the taint of death magic on them. Before she knows it, Lily is on the case and it's a case that frustrates her to no end.

It took me a little while, but eventually, I figured out a couple of things about the culprit, but not all. It was a shock to discover just what had happened to make them that way. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Not so for the person that caused him to suffer and got him stuck in that state. I love the way the solved things, dangerous as it was. But it worked. And it'll cause problems for Rule clan-wise, but I don't think there's any other way that it could have been done.

Aside from that, I also enjoyed the POVs that we got from Toby. What a cute kid. Smart, too. I can't believe what his mother showed up wanting to do. Thank goodness for Lily and Ruben's hunch. Nipped that right in the bud. Good thing that Toby doesn't have to know anything about that. He still ends up in danger later. That was surprising. Lily did right in that situation, even though it bothers her to have had to do it.

My favorite part was that last chapter, though. That will probably change things even more than what he did with the Leidolf mantle.

I've already jumped into the next book. I'm totally immersed in this series again.(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Sandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: eileen-wilks, pnr-uf, shifters, own, col-green

Book 5 and we are back to Lily Yu and Rule Turner, after our brief aside with Cynna & Cullen in Book 4.

Rule & Lily have gone to Halo, to gain custody of Rule's son, Toby. It's supposed to be a straightforward case in front of the Judge, so we know something is about to go wrong.

To unwind from the stress, Rule goes for a run and discovers bodies in the woods, covered in death magic. He notifies Lily, who is an FBI Special Agent with the magic division. Turns out the local law enforcement...more

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May 14, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-release, urban-fantasy

Overall Rating: 3.0 stars
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Mortal Sins is the fifth book in the World of the Lupi series and finds Lily and Rule in North Carolina on a personal vacation while waiting for the final determination of whether or not Rule will get full custody of Rule’s son Toby. Toby is currently staying with his grandmother Louise Asteglio who has to either sign off on the adoption, or refuse it.

Rule is also in North Carolina because he has suddenly become the would be Rho, or leader, for b...more

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Aug 23, 2010 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 29, 2011 Daniela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Again Eileen Wilks delivers!
Lily Yu and Rule Turner are back to being the main characters in this 5th installment of World of the Lupi series.
Looking to finally get custody of his son they encounter Death Magic murders and an invisible foe caused by someone who tinkered with magic and got it wrong...
Lily works through the emotional conflicts of being an almost stepmother to Rule's son, yet not quite; although she loves the boy she has trouble defining her role and title in his life. Again Wilks...more

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Feb 22, 2009 Jodi rated it 4 of 5 stars

The books that focus on Lily and Rule are the best ones and this one blows the others out of the water. Lily and Rule are in Halo, North Carolina because Rule is about to finally get custody of his son. But it doesn't take long before Lily gets embroiled in a case that brings out the worst experiences of her time in Dis. Death magic. Although their relationship was central to this book, the story was well plotted. One of the best in the series.

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Oct 29, 2010 E. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Lily Yu and Rule Turner are trying to take custody of Rule's son when they are sidetracked by the discovery of a horrendous multiple murder. Life gets more complex when Lily discovers traces of magic involved in the murders and more complexities involving the Leidolf pack entangle Rule in the investigation. A great addition to the series with the progress in Lily and Rule's relationship as a nice bonus.

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Nov 28, 2010 Anja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked the book even if it sometimes felt a bit slow and I had the feeling that some scenes were stretched on to too many pages, at least for my taste. Besides that I really like Rule and Lily and even if they're happy together that the always have to overcome things which make them stronger as a couple.

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Sep 05, 2011 Katyana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ass-kicking-women, fantasy, pnr, shapeshifters, uf

I loved getting back to Lily and Rule. I loved seeing them both learn to make room for the other in their lives, learn to incorporate the other as their friend, their confidante, their advisor. Honestly, this is one of the best, most real relationships that I have seen in a novel, and I am really loving it.

I don't have any complaints about this one, honestly... I gobbled it up. It was great getting this in-depth look at Rule's family, and I hope this isn't the last we'll see of Louise.

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Aug 31, 2009 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

Wow, this book was almost everything that I wanted from the Lily/Rule storyline all rolled into one. I could've used more Cynna and Cullen, but I guess I was supposed to be satisfied by the last book and whatnot. Although I totally predicted the ending, I'm curious where they are going to go with this next book, but since Feb 2010 is a ways away, I'll have to tuck that bit of information away somewhere so the waiting doesn't bother me so much :-)

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Apr 21, 2010 Jackie (Literary Escapism) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, urban-fantasy, shapeshifters, magic, clairvoyance-psionics, read-2009, arc

This is another great addition to the World of the Lupi series and Wilks has not let down her fans.

To read my full review, click here.

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About Eileen Wilks

Eileen Wilks’ first book, a Silhouette Desire published in 1996, hit the USA Today Bestseller List and was nominated for Romantic Times' Best First Short Contemporary award. Since then, her books have appeared consistently on national bestseller lists. With thirty two books in print and novellas in nine anthologies, she has been a finalist in the prestigious Rita Awards three times, as well as rec...more Eileen Wilks’ first book, a Silhouette Desire published in 1996, hit the USA Today Bestseller List and was nominated for Romantic Times' Best First Short Contemporary award. Since then, her books have appeared consistently on national bestseller lists. With thirty two books in print and novellas in nine anthologies, she has been a finalist in the prestigious Rita Awards three times, as well as receiving several nominations from Romantic Times, including one for Career Achievement in Series Romantic Suspense.

Each book in her World of the Lupi series gains a larger audience. It was originally sold in the Romance section of bookstores, but more and more you will be able to find copies cross-shelved under Sci-Fi and Fantasy as the popularity of the series grows!

Eileen has lived in the West Texas town of Midland, TX for over 30 years--three years as a young teen, and the remaining years since she moved back here as an adult. When she first started writing over 10 years ago, it hit her like the first drink for an alcoholic . . . or the first kiss for Romeo and Juliet.

She came to writing romance in a roundabout way. Having read and loved science fiction for years, that’s where she first tried her hand when the writing bug bit. Somehow her stories always ended up having a strong romantic subplot, but she hadn’t read a romance since the early 80’s and didn’t think “those little books” were her kind of stories. But when a friend in her critique group began working on a romance novel, Wilks decided she needed to give the genre another try. She asked her friend to recommend some titles--and quicker than you can say “Jayne Ann Krentz,” she fell in love. The genre had been busy growing up while she wasn’t watching. These days, with romances comprising over 50% of the mass market books published in the U.S., there are romances to appeal to almost every taste--historicals, paranormals and contemporaries that range from romantic suspense to romantic comedy, from inspirational to sizzling.

Eileen covered a lot of territory before coming home to Midland, having lived in Canada and Venezuela as well as twelve U.S. cities in five states.

Profile taken from the author's site with her permission.(less)

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Quotes from Mortal Sins

“I see you. I will be careful with the places that hurt.” — 8 people liked it

“Alex, seated on her left, was one of those men who acted like he‟d been issued a certain number of words at birth and didn‟t want to run out. It took a little effort to get him talking,” — 3 people liked it

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Mortal Sins (World of the Lupi #5)

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