Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A story of an inhumanly powerful being finding love; a very “human” experience. Full of magic, prophesy, danger, and story time with two adorable little children.

Opening Sentence: Attracting a Djinn’s interest is generally not considered to be a good thing, Grace.

The Review:

In the fourth installment of The Elder Races series, Oracle’s Moon, we stray away from the Wyr society that has been the focus of the past three books and get to learn more about a very interesting race, Demonkind. Or should I say specifically, the Djinn. I must say that, although I truly enjoy the Wyrs, I was more than ready to learn about some of the other members of the Elder Races. The Djinn, part of the Demonkind demesne, are nothing like the genies told of in numerous fairy tales. These guys are more like the original genie, or djinn, in Arabian Nights; spiteful and cruel and always willing to make a bargain.

We start off, toward the end of the last book, outside the Oracle’s house. Rune just saved Carling’s life by killing the one that tried to harm her. By inter-demesne law, the Oracle’s home is considered a sanctuary for all supernaturals and no violence can be done on or around the property. Grace Andreas hasn’t had the oracle power for long; she inherited it after the untimely death of her sister and her husband, and has never seen someone killed before, let alone in a place that is seen as sacred land. With her foundation rocked, she not only has to deal with the trauma from the event but the repercussions as well. She is the caretaker of her very young niece and nephew. What would happen to them if something happens to her? How can she keep them safe?

After the car accident that took the lives of the former Oracle and her husband, Grace is left with a bad knee, two children, a boat load of debt, and an unimaginable gift of prophesy. The oracle’s power is passed down through each generation of females in her line until, at last, there is only her and the two kids left in her family. Grace shows remarkable strength of character in her dealing with all of these sudden changes in her life. She went from being a semester away from getting her degree to being a mom and spiritual leader of the witch community. How can she possibly keep up with everything and still make time for herself? How can she even consider having a life of her own when so many people rely on her to guide them?

Khalil, a Djinn prince, is very old and powerful in his own right. So why is he hanging out with a cranky human and her two kids? Even he doesn’t know the answer to that himself. He offers Grace an unimaginable gift, protection for her and the two children. But does she understand the extent of the gift he offered? Heck no, she yells and him and tells him to butt out. For a being that has never been human, doesn’t have the slightest understanding of how they work, he can’t seem to walk away. He is intrigued for the first time in centuries, darn Djinn curiosity, and nothing Grace says will get him to go. Will he uncover the secrets of this human, this Oracle? Can he learn to feel for these mortals? What will it do to him, in the long run, to love those that live for so short a time?

Both Khalil and Grace do not get along in the beginning. She doesn’t have time to deal with him and his “antics” and he can’t understand why she is so impetuous. After a time, the two of them become friends, and eventually lovers. They grow close though shared experiences and develop a grudgingly respect for one another. They also bond over the children, as most people without a lot of common ground usually do. Kids are cool like that. It’s hard to stay back emotionally around kids that worm their way into your heart when you’re not looking. Khalil can no more resist a four-year-old’s soulful-eye plea for story time than he can take his next breath. Little girls have been wrapping unsuspecting males around their little fingers for EVER, so I don’t see how a Djinn had any chance to get out of it.

But none of that will matter if the Humanist Party has anything to say about it. They are a group of extremist witches that are lobbying for the expulsion of all “non-humans” to Other Lands. The Oracle’s power can jeopardize all their carefully laid plans to take over the witch’s council. How far are they willing to go for their cause? Would they be tolerant of a Djinn helping out “their” Oracle? Would they rather destroy her than watch her consort with the enemy?

With all the financial troubles plaguing Grace, it’s no wonder she fails to recognize the threat to her and her family. An unknown villain is stalking her and the kids. Can Khalil protect them, or will he fail like he did with his own daughter? Will his past come back and hurt those he has come to love? What will the witch’s and other Djinn think of a mating between the Oracle and a powerful demon prince? Will they be able to stay together, or will they be torn apart by bigotry?

Thea Harrison has created a fantastic new world. If you haven’t already added this series to your TBR pile, do it. Ms. Harrison weaves together the elements of love and magic into a tapestry of soul shattering beauty that even those of us skeptical of happily-ever-after can sigh, dream and believe again.

Notable Scene:

She woke with a start, her heart hammering. Her clothes were clammy with sweat. The sun had shifted and she was alone in the living room. The television was off. SO many things were not right with the scene, but before she has a chance to panic, she heard Max and Chloe giggling in their bedroom.

“I want you to be a doggie now,” Chloe said.

A male voice said, “But at the moment I am a cat.”

Grace knew that voice. She had only heard it for a brief time, but she would never forget it. It was the voice of the Bane of Her Existence. It sounded deep and clear, with a kind of purity that somehow hurt the heart, and it held the power of a cyclone.

It belonged to a creature whose whirlwind arrival on her doorstep had heralded confrontation and violence.

And the killing.

And it was visiting with her kids

The Elder Races Series:

1. Dragon Bound

2. Storm’s Heart

3. Serpent’s Kiss

3.5 True Colors

4. Oracle’s Moon

FTC Advisory: Berkley Sensation provided me with a copy of Oracle’s Moon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. I only get paid in hugs and kisses from my little boys.