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Persephone Alcmedi #3
Fatal Circle
Destiny sucks. . . .
There was a time when Persephone Alcmedi thought her life was hard to manage, what with wondering how to make sure she took adequate care of both her grandmother and her foster daughter, Beverley, whether she'd end up in the unwanted position of high priestess of a coven, and whether her werewolf lover, Johnny, would resist the groupies who hang around his band Lycanthropia.
But that was before the fairies started demanding that Seph's frightening, unpredictable ally - the ancient vampire Menessos - be destroyed . . . or the world will suffer. Seph and Menessos are magically bonded, but that's a secret she dares not reveal to her fellow witches lest they be forced to reject her and forbid her use of magic. And, despite the strain this casts on her relationship with Johnny, as a showdown with the fairies nears, she and Menessos badly need the werewolves as allies.
Life, death, and love are all on the line, but when destiny is calling, it doesn't help to turn away. With the individual threads of their fates twisted inextricably together, can Seph, Johnny, and Menessos keep the world safe from fairy vengeance?
There was a time when Persephone Alcmedi thought her life was hard to manage, what with wondering how to make sure she took adequate care of both her grandmother and her foster daughter, Beverley, whether she'd end up in the unwanted position of high priestess of a coven, and whether her werewolf lover, Johnny, would resist the groupies who hang around his band Lycanthropia.
But that was before the fairies started demanding that Seph's frightening, unpredictable ally - the ancient vampire Menessos - be destroyed . . . or the world will suffer. Seph and Menessos are magically bonded, but that's a secret she dares not reveal to her fellow witches lest they be forced to reject her and forbid her use of magic. And, despite the strain this casts on her relationship with Johnny, as a showdown with the fairies nears, she and Menessos badly need the werewolves as allies.
Life, death, and love are all on the line, but when destiny is calling, it doesn't help to turn away. With the individual threads of their fates twisted inextricably together, can Seph, Johnny, and Menessos keep the world safe from fairy vengeance?
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 18, 2010
18 people are currently reading
952 people want to read
About the author
Linda Robertson
14 books376 followersLinda Robertson (who as of late 2022 has begun writing as Linda Robertson Reinhardt) is an internationally published novelist and her short stories have appeared in several anthologies. In addition to writing fantasy and urban fantasy, she is also a musician and award-winning composer. She has written and produced full orchestral scores to accompany her novels as well as a few short, independent films. Her music is available on most streaming channels. She’s also a graphic artist, a painter, and she dabbles in screenwriting. A mother of four boys, Linda is married and lives in Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
August 13, 2010
Yeah, I had a hard time with this one. I hate to say it because I really enjoyed the first two books. The basic plot here is the Persephone has to save Menessos the vampire from the fairies who caused all the drama in the previous book. Seph must act like she has been cast off from her coven and disowned by her own family. She moves in temporarily with Menessos and joins him as his head witch. Johnny comes along but is also being forced to accept a bigger role in the werewolf pack.
I struggled with this book for a few reasons. I think it was overly complicated at the beginning and even though it hasn't been long since I read the first two, I was confused a time or two. I love Johnny and dislike Menessos. I understand that I am supposed to empathize with him but he just comes across as possessive and controlling. This book reminded me far too much of Anita Blake with Anita caught between Jean-Claude and Richard. Menessos even picks out Seph's outfits for particular events just like Jean-Claude did. True I enjoy Johnny much more than I ever did Richard, but the similarities are there. As the book progresses their three connect in ways even more similar to the connection shared by the trio in Anita Blake. I don't care for the love triangle between Seph, Johnny, and Menessos. It has been done too many times before and I just don't like it. I hope Seph stays true to herself as we have known her from the first book, if she does, the series will probably be fine. Another thing I don't care for is Seph's out of body meditations. They seem to go on far to long and they are an action killer.
The last 1/2 of this book saved it for me. The action was literally non stop and was written extremely well. I loved the scene with the werewolves in the church (sounds like the start of a joke). I also really liked some of the new characters; Mountain, Six, and Risque in particular. I want to know more about them so I really hope they pop up again in the future. While these are characters from the vampire side of things, I seemed to enjoy the werewolf parts of the book more then the vampire ones.
I think if Robertson stays away from an all out love triangle and tries to make her vampire world more unique it would really help this series. The oddest thing is that the first two books were completely unique and I loved the world she created. Maybe this book is just a fluke. Its important to the series so go ahead and read this one if you liked the others. I am going to read the next book and see where it goes and whether I will continue to be along for the ride.
I struggled with this book for a few reasons. I think it was overly complicated at the beginning and even though it hasn't been long since I read the first two, I was confused a time or two. I love Johnny and dislike Menessos. I understand that I am supposed to empathize with him but he just comes across as possessive and controlling. This book reminded me far too much of Anita Blake with Anita caught between Jean-Claude and Richard. Menessos even picks out Seph's outfits for particular events just like Jean-Claude did. True I enjoy Johnny much more than I ever did Richard, but the similarities are there. As the book progresses their three connect in ways even more similar to the connection shared by the trio in Anita Blake. I don't care for the love triangle between Seph, Johnny, and Menessos. It has been done too many times before and I just don't like it. I hope Seph stays true to herself as we have known her from the first book, if she does, the series will probably be fine. Another thing I don't care for is Seph's out of body meditations. They seem to go on far to long and they are an action killer.
The last 1/2 of this book saved it for me. The action was literally non stop and was written extremely well. I loved the scene with the werewolves in the church (sounds like the start of a joke). I also really liked some of the new characters; Mountain, Six, and Risque in particular. I want to know more about them so I really hope they pop up again in the future. While these are characters from the vampire side of things, I seemed to enjoy the werewolf parts of the book more then the vampire ones.
I think if Robertson stays away from an all out love triangle and tries to make her vampire world more unique it would really help this series. The oddest thing is that the first two books were completely unique and I loved the world she created. Maybe this book is just a fluke. Its important to the series so go ahead and read this one if you liked the others. I am going to read the next book and see where it goes and whether I will continue to be along for the ride.
June 8, 2015
I know I said it for the last book too but this series is getting better and better! I really loved this one, I'll definitely be reading the next book.
I just have to say unicorns and dragons!!! There's nothing cooler than that really.
I just have to say unicorns and dragons!!! There's nothing cooler than that really.
June 29, 2010
(This was originally posted on Book Lovers,Inc)
Fatal Circle is the 3rd book in the Persephone Alcmedi series, so if you haven’t read the previous books, this review might contain a few background spoilers. When I received this ARC, I went all fan girl squeeeeeing and jumping all over the place. I loved this series and this book did not disappoint!
All the things I loved about the previous books were still there, but it was also so much more! I love Persephone, and while I’m never a big fan of stories with ‘The One’ (or the ‘Chosen One’ sometimes lol), in this series it worked perfectly. The story is a bit slow to start because the characters were explaining a lot what they would have to do but after the first 2 chapters the story picked up speed. Something I really enjoyed is that the book starts EXACTLY when the previous book left us. No lost days or weeks!
I love Johnny, and I was a bit disappointed in him in the previous book but it’s all forgotten now, he’s back in my heart lol. I was a bit afraid of how his relationship with Persephone would turn out…mostly because the sexy Menessos plays a very important part in this book. While I liked Menessos in the previous books I was not rooting for him and I didn’t really want him to get between Seph and Johnny. But Linda Robertson did a great job at making me love him! I want them both for Seph now LOL (Can I have a hot ménage please, pretty please Linda? *puppy eyes* lol well it was worth trying *wink*). I loved that Seph had to realize that she did care for Menessos.
We learn a lot about Werewolves and Vampires, their ways, their laws and we change settings radically which was great but I missed Nana and Beverley. We also discover many things from Menessos’ past! ( O_O <===this is me when I learned what I learned about him!!) A lot of things made more sense after reading this book. I couldn’t help but smile at the character named ‘Seven’, this was a funny twist I did not see coming! We meet a lot of secondary characters that I came to love (on each ‘side’). I still don’t like the Witches and their backwards ways, though.
One thing I absolutely LOVED, his Seph’s magic! The rituals were not ordinary and she explains why she uses this or that, I was fascinated. Something I loved since the first book is when Seph goes into ‘Alpha’ mode and does meditation. The symbolisms of everything in her ‘inner place’ were amazing, it felt like we were with her on her journey to discover her true self. That’s one of the best thing about this series (well that and Hot Johnny… and Hot Menessos LOL).
I think I will love next book, what happens at the end of Fatal Circle is very promising! The very important ritual they performed will make things very interesting for the future books. It’s consequences will be huge but I’m very excited. I’m hooked baby! The last chapters are EPIC, wow…*my lips are sealed*
Which leads me to something a little less fun…a cliffhanger! There is a cliffhanger at the end of the book! I thought I would cry. lol I wanted to know if *Insert Character name* was going to make it or not!! *sob* Ahhhhh! How am I suppose to wait until the next book? This is torture! (But it really was worth it!).
Fatal Circle was amazing and I had a lot of fun reading it. It has this little something more that kept me hooked all book long! I cannot wait for Arcane Circle. I recommend this book (Hell, I recommend the whole SERIES) to all fans of UF who wants a lovable heroine and sexy heroes.
I give Fatal Circle 4 1/2 Bookies (‘cause Susi said I couldn’t give it 4.75/5 *points finger* LOL)
Fatal Circle is the 3rd book in the Persephone Alcmedi series, so if you haven’t read the previous books, this review might contain a few background spoilers. When I received this ARC, I went all fan girl squeeeeeing and jumping all over the place. I loved this series and this book did not disappoint!
All the things I loved about the previous books were still there, but it was also so much more! I love Persephone, and while I’m never a big fan of stories with ‘The One’ (or the ‘Chosen One’ sometimes lol), in this series it worked perfectly. The story is a bit slow to start because the characters were explaining a lot what they would have to do but after the first 2 chapters the story picked up speed. Something I really enjoyed is that the book starts EXACTLY when the previous book left us. No lost days or weeks!
I love Johnny, and I was a bit disappointed in him in the previous book but it’s all forgotten now, he’s back in my heart lol. I was a bit afraid of how his relationship with Persephone would turn out…mostly because the sexy Menessos plays a very important part in this book. While I liked Menessos in the previous books I was not rooting for him and I didn’t really want him to get between Seph and Johnny. But Linda Robertson did a great job at making me love him! I want them both for Seph now LOL (Can I have a hot ménage please, pretty please Linda? *puppy eyes* lol well it was worth trying *wink*). I loved that Seph had to realize that she did care for Menessos.
We learn a lot about Werewolves and Vampires, their ways, their laws and we change settings radically which was great but I missed Nana and Beverley. We also discover many things from Menessos’ past! ( O_O <===this is me when I learned what I learned about him!!) A lot of things made more sense after reading this book. I couldn’t help but smile at the character named ‘Seven’, this was a funny twist I did not see coming! We meet a lot of secondary characters that I came to love (on each ‘side’). I still don’t like the Witches and their backwards ways, though.
One thing I absolutely LOVED, his Seph’s magic! The rituals were not ordinary and she explains why she uses this or that, I was fascinated. Something I loved since the first book is when Seph goes into ‘Alpha’ mode and does meditation. The symbolisms of everything in her ‘inner place’ were amazing, it felt like we were with her on her journey to discover her true self. That’s one of the best thing about this series (well that and Hot Johnny… and Hot Menessos LOL).
I think I will love next book, what happens at the end of Fatal Circle is very promising! The very important ritual they performed will make things very interesting for the future books. It’s consequences will be huge but I’m very excited. I’m hooked baby! The last chapters are EPIC, wow…*my lips are sealed*
Which leads me to something a little less fun…a cliffhanger! There is a cliffhanger at the end of the book! I thought I would cry. lol I wanted to know if *Insert Character name* was going to make it or not!! *sob* Ahhhhh! How am I suppose to wait until the next book? This is torture! (But it really was worth it!).
Fatal Circle was amazing and I had a lot of fun reading it. It has this little something more that kept me hooked all book long! I cannot wait for Arcane Circle. I recommend this book (Hell, I recommend the whole SERIES) to all fans of UF who wants a lovable heroine and sexy heroes.
I give Fatal Circle 4 1/2 Bookies (‘cause Susi said I couldn’t give it 4.75/5 *points finger* LOL)
August 11, 2010
(3.5)Persephone Alcmedi stirred up a whole cauldron of trouble when she killed an irate fairy at the end of Hallowed Circle. Now, the fairies want Seph dead, and Xerxadrea thinks there’s a traitor in the ranks of the witches. So, in order to protect Seph and her family, Menessos will name Seph his court witch so that it looks like she acted on his orders, thereby bringing the fairies’ wrath down on him instead. Meanwhile, Xerxadrea will use this as a pretext to exile Seph from the witches (also for Seph’s protection), while she, Xerxadrea, tries to sniff out the traitor.
All of this is a little confusing but what it amounts to is that Seph goes to live in Menessos’ underground domain and is cut off from her support system. All except Johnny, that is, since a vampire’s court witch is traditionally allowed a “pet.” Johnny bristles at being thought of as a pet, obviously, while Menessos bristles about the fact that Seph is closer to Johnny than to himself. And several of the women in the vampire court bristle at Seph’s installation. So, the early chapters of Fatal Circle include a lot of Menessos sulking about Johnny, Johnny sulking about Menessos, and various catty women sulking about Seph.
I’ve just realized something. I’m not reading the CIRCLE series for the heroine-vampire-werewolf love triangle. It’s well-written as they go, but it’s not what makes this series unique, and it’s not why I’m here. What I love about Linda Robertson’s books are the unusually rich family and family-of-choice relationships; the beautiful, spiritual descriptions of magic and ritual; and, in Hallowed Circle in particular, the originality of the plotting. So, the first half of this book didn’t quite grab me, though it may grab you if you’re more fond of supernatural love triangles than I am.
The second half really sunk its teeth in, though, and wouldn’t let go. The central characters face deep losses and the need to step up and claim more power and responsibility. Plus, there’s lots of magic — and when Robertson’s writing magic, that means lovely writing and high emotion set into a well-researched framework. The plot builds up to a gripping climactic battle. The only gripe I have about the latter chapters of Fatal Circle is that a huge plot point is left hanging at the end. It’s not a cliffhanger precisely — the battle itself is resolved — but readers will have to wait for Arcane Circle to learn one crucial piece of information. And we may all just die of suspense in the meantime!
This isn’t my favorite of the CIRCLE books (Hallowed Circle still holds that distinction) but it’s a worthy installment in the series, and I look forward to future adventures with Persephone.
All of this is a little confusing but what it amounts to is that Seph goes to live in Menessos’ underground domain and is cut off from her support system. All except Johnny, that is, since a vampire’s court witch is traditionally allowed a “pet.” Johnny bristles at being thought of as a pet, obviously, while Menessos bristles about the fact that Seph is closer to Johnny than to himself. And several of the women in the vampire court bristle at Seph’s installation. So, the early chapters of Fatal Circle include a lot of Menessos sulking about Johnny, Johnny sulking about Menessos, and various catty women sulking about Seph.
I’ve just realized something. I’m not reading the CIRCLE series for the heroine-vampire-werewolf love triangle. It’s well-written as they go, but it’s not what makes this series unique, and it’s not why I’m here. What I love about Linda Robertson’s books are the unusually rich family and family-of-choice relationships; the beautiful, spiritual descriptions of magic and ritual; and, in Hallowed Circle in particular, the originality of the plotting. So, the first half of this book didn’t quite grab me, though it may grab you if you’re more fond of supernatural love triangles than I am.
The second half really sunk its teeth in, though, and wouldn’t let go. The central characters face deep losses and the need to step up and claim more power and responsibility. Plus, there’s lots of magic — and when Robertson’s writing magic, that means lovely writing and high emotion set into a well-researched framework. The plot builds up to a gripping climactic battle. The only gripe I have about the latter chapters of Fatal Circle is that a huge plot point is left hanging at the end. It’s not a cliffhanger precisely — the battle itself is resolved — but readers will have to wait for Arcane Circle to learn one crucial piece of information. And we may all just die of suspense in the meantime!
This isn’t my favorite of the CIRCLE books (Hallowed Circle still holds that distinction) but it’s a worthy installment in the series, and I look forward to future adventures with Persephone.
July 7, 2010
3.5 stars: good addition the Persephone Alcmedi series
Fatal Circle picks up immediately following the events of book two in the Persephone Alcmedi series. Persephone is bonded to Menessos, but she became the master. Her boyfriend Johnny is still playing in his band, but getting more involved in werewolf politics. The faires are threatening war, and a secret enemy is revealed to be working within the witches--putting Persephone and those she loves in danger.
This book is another solid addition to the Persephone Alcmedi series. The characters are well developed and interesting. While I'm a big urban fantasy and paranormal romance fan, I typically prefer shifters or vampires as main characters--not witches. I've read some books with witches as lead characters and generally they didn't grab me. This series does a better job. It does a more complete job with world building with respect to witches and their lives than the other books. We see how the witches are organized, their politics, the mechanics of spell casting, their tools, etc.
The pacing of the book seemed a bit choppy at points, and sometimes it was hard to follow. Some of the decisions made seemed to be made too quickly and without enough explanation. Also I would have liked more focus on Persephone and Johnny's relationship. But overall it was an entertaining read. There were some big surprises towards the end, as well as some major questions left hanging for the next book.
If you are looking for great urban fantasy, here are some other series I recommend. Top favs are marked with an asterisk:
Mercy Thompson* and Alpha & Omega* series by Patricia Briggs (Don't miss the anthology in On the Prowl,which is a prequel to Cry Wolf)
Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews*
Sookie Sackhouse* by Charlaine Harris
Chicagoland Vampires* series by Chloe Neill
Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab Dhampir* series by Karen Chance (I like Dory better than Cassie, but from a timeline perspective Cassie comes first. Dory is a great kick butt character reminiscent of Kate Daniels.)
World of Lupi series by Eileen Wilks (Interesting mix of police/FBI mystery with urban fantasy and a little romance)
October Daye series by Seanan McGuire (First book was a bit depressing but world building, storyline and character development excellent)
Kara Gillian series by Diana Rowland
Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep
Jane True by Nicole Peeler
Fever series by Karen Moning
Fatal Circle picks up immediately following the events of book two in the Persephone Alcmedi series. Persephone is bonded to Menessos, but she became the master. Her boyfriend Johnny is still playing in his band, but getting more involved in werewolf politics. The faires are threatening war, and a secret enemy is revealed to be working within the witches--putting Persephone and those she loves in danger.
This book is another solid addition to the Persephone Alcmedi series. The characters are well developed and interesting. While I'm a big urban fantasy and paranormal romance fan, I typically prefer shifters or vampires as main characters--not witches. I've read some books with witches as lead characters and generally they didn't grab me. This series does a better job. It does a more complete job with world building with respect to witches and their lives than the other books. We see how the witches are organized, their politics, the mechanics of spell casting, their tools, etc.
The pacing of the book seemed a bit choppy at points, and sometimes it was hard to follow. Some of the decisions made seemed to be made too quickly and without enough explanation. Also I would have liked more focus on Persephone and Johnny's relationship. But overall it was an entertaining read. There were some big surprises towards the end, as well as some major questions left hanging for the next book.
If you are looking for great urban fantasy, here are some other series I recommend. Top favs are marked with an asterisk:
Mercy Thompson* and Alpha & Omega* series by Patricia Briggs (Don't miss the anthology in On the Prowl,which is a prequel to Cry Wolf)
Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews*
Sookie Sackhouse* by Charlaine Harris
Chicagoland Vampires* series by Chloe Neill
Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab Dhampir* series by Karen Chance (I like Dory better than Cassie, but from a timeline perspective Cassie comes first. Dory is a great kick butt character reminiscent of Kate Daniels.)
World of Lupi series by Eileen Wilks (Interesting mix of police/FBI mystery with urban fantasy and a little romance)
October Daye series by Seanan McGuire (First book was a bit depressing but world building, storyline and character development excellent)
Kara Gillian series by Diana Rowland
Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep
Jane True by Nicole Peeler
Fever series by Karen Moning
January 16, 2012
The Fairies are threatening war and that has torn Persephone's world up even more than it was before and forcing her to make some hard decisions. She'll have to leave behind her Nana and Beverley but will they still understand after she does everything she has to?
We learn a lot about Persephone, Johnny and Menessos in this book and they all have to step up to the plate and trust each other...which is really hard regarding Menessos. He is just so manipulative that it's hard to tell with him. I think the main thing that bothered me is that this was feeling a bit like the original Anita Blake triangle and I'm really hoping it doesn't go there. I like Johnny and I don't want there to be a triangle. period. But I guess we'll see ... especially since it seems that Seph will always be connected to Menessos.
Johnny and Seph are just so good together. I love all the innuendos and their smexy time!
I did enjoy learning more about the Haven with the Beholders and Offerlings. It is an interesting set up and some crazy characters. Mountain really grew on me as well as Seven. I was really surprised at who Seven is (and Mark). The same goes for the waeres and The Dirty Dog ... which was really dirty! Beau was especially interesting and I loved all the information about him.
It was hard having all the deaths but I've come to realize that LR means whatever is in the title. I'm not sure what is going to become of some of the deaths and what it means for Seph.
The battle at the end was both good and bad. Crazy about Menessos ... I can't even imagine what's going to happen next. All the elementals were great, I can't wait to see what happens with them.
All in all, a great addition to the series. It is definitely getting more intense and I hope we get more answers about Johnny in the next book!
We learn a lot about Persephone, Johnny and Menessos in this book and they all have to step up to the plate and trust each other...which is really hard regarding Menessos. He is just so manipulative that it's hard to tell with him. I think the main thing that bothered me is that this was feeling a bit like the original Anita Blake triangle and I'm really hoping it doesn't go there. I like Johnny and I don't want there to be a triangle. period. But I guess we'll see ... especially since it seems that Seph will always be connected to Menessos.
Johnny and Seph are just so good together. I love all the innuendos and their smexy time!
I did enjoy learning more about the Haven with the Beholders and Offerlings. It is an interesting set up and some crazy characters. Mountain really grew on me as well as Seven. I was really surprised at who Seven is (and Mark). The same goes for the waeres and The Dirty Dog ... which was really dirty! Beau was especially interesting and I loved all the information about him.
It was hard having all the deaths but I've come to realize that LR means whatever is in the title. I'm not sure what is going to become of some of the deaths and what it means for Seph.
The battle at the end was both good and bad. Crazy about Menessos ... I can't even imagine what's going to happen next. All the elementals were great, I can't wait to see what happens with them.
All in all, a great addition to the series. It is definitely getting more intense and I hope we get more answers about Johnny in the next book!
September 14, 2010
After the action packed last book this one seemed not as good due to the slower nature of the story. Yes, there were fights, but most of the story was settling open story lines left from the last book. Most of the action that did take place was more of solidifying alliances and moving people around, like chess pieces.
Some great aspects of this series that continued in this book are the very sweet relationship between Nana, Beverly, and Seph. Johnny was there with his constant innuendos with Seph getting into the game, which made for some really funny and interesting conversations.
Persephone, or Seph, had to make some tough choices to ensure that all those she loved would be safe. Menessos, as always was there pushing her into things that had she the choice she would not choose. Johnny, as always was there in any capacity for her even while making a choice of his own, one he hasn't wanted to make. The 3 of them now uneasy allies, with ties so strong we only glimpse a fraction of what they mean to each other and it will only be in future books that we can see the full consequences of their actions.
Some great aspects of this series that continued in this book are the very sweet relationship between Nana, Beverly, and Seph. Johnny was there with his constant innuendos with Seph getting into the game, which made for some really funny and interesting conversations.
Persephone, or Seph, had to make some tough choices to ensure that all those she loved would be safe. Menessos, as always was there pushing her into things that had she the choice she would not choose. Johnny, as always was there in any capacity for her even while making a choice of his own, one he hasn't wanted to make. The 3 of them now uneasy allies, with ties so strong we only glimpse a fraction of what they mean to each other and it will only be in future books that we can see the full consequences of their actions.
June 18, 2012
I enjoyed the first two well enough, once I got past the laughable attempts at song lyrics and spells, the overblown pretentious character names (Persephone, Menessos...),all the cheap and eye-roll inducing sexual innuendo...which was really hard to get past, there is a LOT of it, but this last book was a page skimming drag. There is no action; the bad guys don't even make an appearance. Basically you get a lot of talking and preparation scenes for filling titles that, so far, add up to a fat load of who cares? Answer being, not me. One thing that kept getting in the way of my suspension of disbelief was how modern and ill-equipped Menessos is, despite supposedly being an ancient being. I mean I thought I would die when he and the Eldrenne kept using the word 'hanky'. "Where's the hanky?" "I burned the hanky. The hanky had to be destroyed." "Good thing nobody can get the hanky now." I mean I kept thinking of Mr. Hankey from South Park...you know...the poo?
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in any case, I don't see myself continuing the series, despite a perfectly likeable main character and her spirited Nana.
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in any case, I don't see myself continuing the series, despite a perfectly likeable main character and her spirited Nana.
October 3, 2010
The saving grace for this book is the second half. Outside of that I really did not care for it. Perhaps it was because the beginning of the book kept confusing me thus it was hard for me to get into. This book took me two weeks to read while the others I read in an afternoon! I mean I had to really struggle and finish this one.
Johnny feels a bit like a wuss and his whatever you need Red is getting old. Menessos with his show me your power and he wants to be with her is just overkill. I am not even sure how I feel about Persephone. Initially I liked her because she was so passionate about doing the right thing but now I wish she could find a way to get smarter and wiser much faster.
Johnny feels a bit like a wuss and his whatever you need Red is getting old. Menessos with his show me your power and he wants to be with her is just overkill. I am not even sure how I feel about Persephone. Initially I liked her because she was so passionate about doing the right thing but now I wish she could find a way to get smarter and wiser much faster.
February 4, 2013
Following the events of book 2, the fairies are out for blood and Persephone has to deal with some major upheavals in her life. Another great, fast-paced read - and have I mentioned already how much I'm loving the fact that in these books, witches fly around on actual brooms?
June 30, 2010
Way too well-executed. I had devoured it before twenty-four hours went by. And the number of questions left unanswered will make the time between this book and the next feel like an eternity!
January 25, 2012
And another series goes down the tube.
I'll miss yeah Seph. But only the first two books.
I'll miss yeah Seph. But only the first two books.
March 13, 2017
reread 3/2017
April 3, 2011
~* 3.5 Stars *~
In Signum Amoris
Picking up where Hallowed Circle left off, Persephone Alcmedi is up to her neck in harrowing stuff. With the help of her waerewolf lover, the mysterious Domn Lup Johnny, and the...assistance, so to speak, of not-quite-as-master vampire Menessos, she's got to deal with the fallout of killing a fairy and sparking a war, prevent said war from spilling over into this world, keep her family alive, quickly adjust to the weight of her Lustrata position, and learn to keep the balance while she figures out how to do what she's fated to do, not to mention all the other more mundane tasks. Seph's a busy, busy girl. In an effort to buy some time and prevent the fairies from targeting her family again, she's agreed to hide out in Menessos' haven and take the position of Erus Veneficus - Master's Witch. The repercussions are severe but necessary and offer the only hope she has to both keep her family safe and free Menessos from the bonds connecting him to malignant little fairy psychopaths intent on killing him. The war may be inevitable, but Persephone is determined. She is the Lustrata, after all, and justice's will be done.
I've been a huge fan of this series since the beginning, and I absolutely loved the last book, but to be honest, this one gave me some problems on more than one front. I had some issues with events in the story as well as stylistic issues with the way it was told. The issues I had with events in the story are particularly hard to elaborate on without spoilers, but I can say that I thought the beginning of this book was much slower to start than even the first, and I had some difficulty sticking with it until the plot picked up about a third of the way in. There were also several scenes that left me wondering about their importance to the story. During one of those, Menessos and Xerxadrea have a tender moment about a past event and resolve a conflict between them. Seph doesn't know the details and readers don't either, so I was left wondering about the point of it. Why is it there? By the end of the book scenes like that and other, slightly different sorts left me with the feeling that too much of this book seemed like filler that didn't further series arc progression or even book arc progression. I'd expect to find that, and have, in a transitional book in a series, but that's not the case here, so I was a little bemused. Unfortunately, some of those scenes in particular also seemed a little out there - either too coincidental or too fantastical to fit comfortably in the flow of the story, and that didn't help.
Johnny, who I've loved from the start, annoyed me in this book. His behavior and attitudes towards Menessos seemed childish by this point. Persephone wasn't all that much better, though, and there were too many times in this book where I felt her behavior was questionable and a little hypocritical, given her reaction to the twins in the last book. I want Persephone to be the hero that she's supposed to be - that's sort of the point of the series, isn't it? - but it's hard to have faith in her when she's so often all over the map emotionally and so conflicted about Menessos and how she fits between Menessos and Johnny.
I am so not in the mood for a series of books that have her all "spirit is willing, flesh is weak" when it comes to being loyal to the man she says she loves. I wish I could fast forward through that development straight to some sort of resolution, whatever the resolution is, because I was getting smacked hard with the smelly fish of deja vu during one scene in particular that featured Johnny, Seph, and Menessos. It was too damn close to a Jean Claude-Anita Blake-Richard triangle for me to be comfortable, first of all, and LKH's...unique...writing style long ago decimated and obliterated any tolerance I may have once had for anything even remotely resembling a triumvirate of any sort between a vamp, a wolf, and a woman. Nothing will turn me off a series faster than that, I assure you.
Now, about the stylistic issues I mentioned... I'm freer to express detail, but it's more difficult to put into words. I don't know whether it's because the time frame for the series is so condensed, with the third book picking up almost literally minutes after the second ended and then encompassing only a few days overall, or it's just Robertson's style, but I'm struggling with a lack of exposition in her stories, and this book in particular needed much more of it. This book can't be read as a stand-alone, it just wouldn't make any sense, because Robertson doesn't explain much of anything about what happened previously - and how could she when the books are so close together time-wise and told from Seph's POV in first person? I wish she'd learn how to at least jog a reader's memory, though, because I read a lot of books in the six months between each in this series, and details get forgotten. It was only because I'd reread Vicious Circle just prior to the release of Hallowed Circle that I vaguely remembered Menessos walked home after Seph burned the stake, and that fact is important to a pivotal scene in this book. Some sort of mental nudge would've been nice, because even with that reread, I didn't get it at first and had to struggle to figure out what Menessos was talking about in that scene.
My final and most significant issue can best be summed up by this phrase: in signum amoris.
Robertson has written a series that's entertaining and, in my opinion, interesting. I've enjoyed the world she's built and the characters she's filled it with. Despite that, however, I'm often left floundering when it comes to understanding it. Sure, I understand the words I'm reading. I get what I'm being told. I can describe scenes and tell you what happened in them. I don't always have the first clue, however, as to what it all means in the big picture.
Robertson is great at making sure her readers understand how names and words like Demeter and Persephone are pronounced. In every book so far at least one name is sounded out for us in Seph's head. Then there's in signum amoris. The phrase is used several times in two different and very important scenes. Do you know what it means? I don't, and I read and then reread both scenes it which it occurs. Not only do I not know the literal translation, but I have no firm idea of how Robertson means for it to relate to the characters or the significance she wants to attach to it. I can intuit a vague understanding of the definition of the words (signum = sign and amoris = love, I think), and I can Google if I want a firmer translation...but that's not the point and it isn't going to explain to me the significance of the phrase for the characters and relating to the scenes in which they occur. And there's the rub.
Frankly, I think the bailiwick of a good author is expounding on and explaining or describing what's going on in such a way that readers understand the meaning and the point. This is especially important in a series in which each book has an arc that supplements and bolsters the series arc. In Fatal Circle I've read the words. I've visualized the scenes. I know who's doing what to whom and I've even nailed down most of the why of it, and yet I was too often left with cases of...in signum amoris and its ilk, wondering what it meant for the characters and book, and unsure what it meant for the series.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
In Signum Amoris
Picking up where Hallowed Circle left off, Persephone Alcmedi is up to her neck in harrowing stuff. With the help of her waerewolf lover, the mysterious Domn Lup Johnny, and the...assistance, so to speak, of not-quite-as-master vampire Menessos, she's got to deal with the fallout of killing a fairy and sparking a war, prevent said war from spilling over into this world, keep her family alive, quickly adjust to the weight of her Lustrata position, and learn to keep the balance while she figures out how to do what she's fated to do, not to mention all the other more mundane tasks. Seph's a busy, busy girl. In an effort to buy some time and prevent the fairies from targeting her family again, she's agreed to hide out in Menessos' haven and take the position of Erus Veneficus - Master's Witch. The repercussions are severe but necessary and offer the only hope she has to both keep her family safe and free Menessos from the bonds connecting him to malignant little fairy psychopaths intent on killing him. The war may be inevitable, but Persephone is determined. She is the Lustrata, after all, and justice's will be done.
I've been a huge fan of this series since the beginning, and I absolutely loved the last book, but to be honest, this one gave me some problems on more than one front. I had some issues with events in the story as well as stylistic issues with the way it was told. The issues I had with events in the story are particularly hard to elaborate on without spoilers, but I can say that I thought the beginning of this book was much slower to start than even the first, and I had some difficulty sticking with it until the plot picked up about a third of the way in. There were also several scenes that left me wondering about their importance to the story. During one of those, Menessos and Xerxadrea have a tender moment about a past event and resolve a conflict between them. Seph doesn't know the details and readers don't either, so I was left wondering about the point of it. Why is it there? By the end of the book scenes like that and other, slightly different sorts left me with the feeling that too much of this book seemed like filler that didn't further series arc progression or even book arc progression. I'd expect to find that, and have, in a transitional book in a series, but that's not the case here, so I was a little bemused. Unfortunately, some of those scenes in particular also seemed a little out there - either too coincidental or too fantastical to fit comfortably in the flow of the story, and that didn't help.
Johnny, who I've loved from the start, annoyed me in this book. His behavior and attitudes towards Menessos seemed childish by this point. Persephone wasn't all that much better, though, and there were too many times in this book where I felt her behavior was questionable and a little hypocritical, given her reaction to the twins in the last book. I want Persephone to be the hero that she's supposed to be - that's sort of the point of the series, isn't it? - but it's hard to have faith in her when she's so often all over the map emotionally and so conflicted about Menessos and how she fits between Menessos and Johnny.
I am so not in the mood for a series of books that have her all "spirit is willing, flesh is weak" when it comes to being loyal to the man she says she loves. I wish I could fast forward through that development straight to some sort of resolution, whatever the resolution is, because I was getting smacked hard with the smelly fish of deja vu during one scene in particular that featured Johnny, Seph, and Menessos. It was too damn close to a Jean Claude-Anita Blake-Richard triangle for me to be comfortable, first of all, and LKH's...unique...writing style long ago decimated and obliterated any tolerance I may have once had for anything even remotely resembling a triumvirate of any sort between a vamp, a wolf, and a woman. Nothing will turn me off a series faster than that, I assure you.
Now, about the stylistic issues I mentioned... I'm freer to express detail, but it's more difficult to put into words. I don't know whether it's because the time frame for the series is so condensed, with the third book picking up almost literally minutes after the second ended and then encompassing only a few days overall, or it's just Robertson's style, but I'm struggling with a lack of exposition in her stories, and this book in particular needed much more of it. This book can't be read as a stand-alone, it just wouldn't make any sense, because Robertson doesn't explain much of anything about what happened previously - and how could she when the books are so close together time-wise and told from Seph's POV in first person? I wish she'd learn how to at least jog a reader's memory, though, because I read a lot of books in the six months between each in this series, and details get forgotten. It was only because I'd reread Vicious Circle just prior to the release of Hallowed Circle that I vaguely remembered Menessos walked home after Seph burned the stake, and that fact is important to a pivotal scene in this book. Some sort of mental nudge would've been nice, because even with that reread, I didn't get it at first and had to struggle to figure out what Menessos was talking about in that scene.
My final and most significant issue can best be summed up by this phrase: in signum amoris.
Robertson has written a series that's entertaining and, in my opinion, interesting. I've enjoyed the world she's built and the characters she's filled it with. Despite that, however, I'm often left floundering when it comes to understanding it. Sure, I understand the words I'm reading. I get what I'm being told. I can describe scenes and tell you what happened in them. I don't always have the first clue, however, as to what it all means in the big picture.
Robertson is great at making sure her readers understand how names and words like Demeter and Persephone are pronounced. In every book so far at least one name is sounded out for us in Seph's head. Then there's in signum amoris. The phrase is used several times in two different and very important scenes. Do you know what it means? I don't, and I read and then reread both scenes it which it occurs. Not only do I not know the literal translation, but I have no firm idea of how Robertson means for it to relate to the characters or the significance she wants to attach to it. I can intuit a vague understanding of the definition of the words (signum = sign and amoris = love, I think), and I can Google if I want a firmer translation...but that's not the point and it isn't going to explain to me the significance of the phrase for the characters and relating to the scenes in which they occur. And there's the rub.
Frankly, I think the bailiwick of a good author is expounding on and explaining or describing what's going on in such a way that readers understand the meaning and the point. This is especially important in a series in which each book has an arc that supplements and bolsters the series arc. In Fatal Circle I've read the words. I've visualized the scenes. I know who's doing what to whom and I've even nailed down most of the why of it, and yet I was too often left with cases of...in signum amoris and its ilk, wondering what it meant for the characters and book, and unsure what it meant for the series.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
September 23, 2022
Between a two and a three, honestly. Reading this I couldn’t remembered why I liked the series so much, but now I’ve just finished book four I’m relieved to say that there are good reasons. This book just isn’t one of them, for me at least.
May 30, 2018
This was a really good story it pulls you along.
February 26, 2013
My Synopsis:
"Be warned, sweet Persephone: the others have taken to plotting. And while I would do naught that would earn my master's wrath, the others seek only to dispense with their binding by any means. Thou art precious to him, else he would not have entered thy circle. This hath not occurred to my counterparts, sweet Persephone, but it will," she said gravely. "I beseech thee to take precautions and protect thyself." (from Hallowed Circle)
Aquula had warned Persephone that fairies bound to Menessos were unhappy and looking for a way to strike out and free themselves from Menesso. Aquula had been right and in order to get to Persephone they had kidnapped Beverly, Persephone's foster daughter. The confrontation hadn't ended well...
"You killed a fairy on these grounds," Ludovika said.
"An act of war," Celeste murmured.
"It was not my intention to start a war," I said firmly. "I was ending the threat they posed to Beverly. " My eyes went to the girl sleeping on the cot.
"It was inevitable," Xerxandrea said.
"The fairies will retaliate," Jeanine said. (from Hallowed Circle)
But the coven aren't the only ones being threatened by what Persephone did...
"To kill any fairy royalty is punishable by torture and death."
"Torture and death?" Cerebrosus was bound to Menessos. He was a royal and I killed him! "Oh, hell." My gut went so cold.
"Exactly."
My Thoughts:
Still loving the twists in this series and the fact the author explores each of the worlds within the world she has created. She started off Vicious Circle getting our feet wet and introducing us to a world where witches, vampires and fairies exist. In Hallowed Circle, we got a closer look at how the coven works and a little of its political structuring. Now, in Fatal Circle, we get to a closer look at the world of the vampires and, more specifically, Menessos, the vampire who leads them. Additionally, we get an up close and personal view of his inner sanctum and how positioning works within.
In Fatal Circle, Xerxandrea and Menessos theorize one of the coven's Elders or someone in a position of power must have leaked information to the fairies. They devise a plan to keep Persephone and those she cares for safe. She'll become Menessos' Erus Veneficus, otherwise known as Master's Witch. She'll have to live in Menessos' court and everyone will think she is Menessos' servant instead of the other way around. This will make the fairies believe Menessos commanded the killing which will put the blame on him and as he already has earned their disfavor, it's not as big a deal. Johnny, who is Persephone's protector and lover, is not pleased. Menessos has made his feelings for Persephone known and that's got Johnny's dander up. Add it the fact werewolves and vampires don't get along and you have an interesting situation brewing.
Besides getting to know Menessos a little better, we also learn more about Johnny. We know years ago he woke up as a werewolf with no memories of his previous life, sporting tattoos pretty much from head to toe knowing he needed to find and protect the Lustrata. Now we'll finally find out more about his tattoos, and get a hint as to what might have happened to him all those years ago.
Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. Plenty of action, drama, and mayhem in this one. Plus, Menessos makes the ultimate sacrifice. I kind of like the guy even though he's as scary, devious and menacing as they come. Can't wait to see what Robertson will pull out of her hat next. She has a couple of loose ends in this one that I can't wait to see tied up in the books to come. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
"Be warned, sweet Persephone: the others have taken to plotting. And while I would do naught that would earn my master's wrath, the others seek only to dispense with their binding by any means. Thou art precious to him, else he would not have entered thy circle. This hath not occurred to my counterparts, sweet Persephone, but it will," she said gravely. "I beseech thee to take precautions and protect thyself." (from Hallowed Circle)
Aquula had warned Persephone that fairies bound to Menessos were unhappy and looking for a way to strike out and free themselves from Menesso. Aquula had been right and in order to get to Persephone they had kidnapped Beverly, Persephone's foster daughter. The confrontation hadn't ended well...
"You killed a fairy on these grounds," Ludovika said.
"An act of war," Celeste murmured.
"It was not my intention to start a war," I said firmly. "I was ending the threat they posed to Beverly. " My eyes went to the girl sleeping on the cot.
"It was inevitable," Xerxandrea said.
"The fairies will retaliate," Jeanine said. (from Hallowed Circle)
But the coven aren't the only ones being threatened by what Persephone did...
"To kill any fairy royalty is punishable by torture and death."
"Torture and death?" Cerebrosus was bound to Menessos. He was a royal and I killed him! "Oh, hell." My gut went so cold.
"Exactly."
My Thoughts:
Still loving the twists in this series and the fact the author explores each of the worlds within the world she has created. She started off Vicious Circle getting our feet wet and introducing us to a world where witches, vampires and fairies exist. In Hallowed Circle, we got a closer look at how the coven works and a little of its political structuring. Now, in Fatal Circle, we get to a closer look at the world of the vampires and, more specifically, Menessos, the vampire who leads them. Additionally, we get an up close and personal view of his inner sanctum and how positioning works within.
In Fatal Circle, Xerxandrea and Menessos theorize one of the coven's Elders or someone in a position of power must have leaked information to the fairies. They devise a plan to keep Persephone and those she cares for safe. She'll become Menessos' Erus Veneficus, otherwise known as Master's Witch. She'll have to live in Menessos' court and everyone will think she is Menessos' servant instead of the other way around. This will make the fairies believe Menessos commanded the killing which will put the blame on him and as he already has earned their disfavor, it's not as big a deal. Johnny, who is Persephone's protector and lover, is not pleased. Menessos has made his feelings for Persephone known and that's got Johnny's dander up. Add it the fact werewolves and vampires don't get along and you have an interesting situation brewing.
Besides getting to know Menessos a little better, we also learn more about Johnny. We know years ago he woke up as a werewolf with no memories of his previous life, sporting tattoos pretty much from head to toe knowing he needed to find and protect the Lustrata. Now we'll finally find out more about his tattoos, and get a hint as to what might have happened to him all those years ago.
Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. Plenty of action, drama, and mayhem in this one. Plus, Menessos makes the ultimate sacrifice. I kind of like the guy even though he's as scary, devious and menacing as they come. Can't wait to see what Robertson will pull out of her hat next. She has a couple of loose ends in this one that I can't wait to see tied up in the books to come. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
March 11, 2017
I missed this series when it first came out, but have been gradually buying the ebooks (this is book three). Well-paced and plotted in an interesting world. The stakes were higher this time, with the fey threatening war, and all three supernatural races, witches, waerewolves and vampires involved in the fight. We learn more about Menessos as Persephone is forced to move onto his turf, but there are still plenty of Johnny scenes.
March 22, 2011
Fatal Circle, the 3rd installment of the Persephone Alcmedi series, picks up immediately after the events of Hallowed Circle (December 2009). Over the course of the past two books, Vicious Circle, and Hallowed Circle, Persephone has come a very long way from her solidarity witching days, and writing a weekly column for a syndicated paper, who also kennels the local ware’s when they need a safe place to stay while in full transition mode.
These days, Seph finds herself with all sorts of problems and expectations to deal with. Her grandmother Nana aka Demeter, has moved in with her, and she’s become a foster mother to Beverley. She somehow twisted a vampire bind, making herself master over vampire Menessos and she’s in a relationship with rocker, and Waerewolf Johnny Newman, who may actually be the Dom Lup, aka Wolf King. (Sounds like the plot to an older Anita Blake installment.)
On top of all that, she found out that she’s the next Lustrata, a powerful witch who is supposed to bring balance to the world. She finds her magical powers enhanced and nearly becomes the next Coven Leader of the Venefica Coven of Cleveland. She did become a member of Eldrenne Xerxadrea’s Lucisi, a secret group of witches in the Venefica Coven itself.
If that wasn’t enough, she killed a fairy on TV during Halloween festivities, and now they are the brink of an all-out war, demanding the death of Menessos. Seph has to tell the witches the truth; she is bound to Menessos, and as such, has an obligation to protect him. A witch binding herself with a vampire is feared by her coven and their traditional ways prevent them from giving her real aid.
Xerxadrea, believing there's a traitor in the ranks of the witches, advises Seph that they need a good ruse to cull out the culprit and stop the Fairies from declaring war, thus saving her and Menessos. In the end it is decided that, she will become Erus Veneficus, aka Master’s Witch, and the coven and her family will need to distance themselves from her. Seph must deal with the fact that she now has to abandon Nana and Beverly (who was kidnapped by the fairies in Hallowed Circle).
Menessos aka Jean Claude’s behavior over the course of this book was irritating. He goes as far as forcing Seph to allow him to drink from him, including on live TV. He forces her into wearing revealing clothing, something she wouldn’t be caught dead in on a normal day. The trifecta binding of Johnny, Menessos and Seph’s souls has been done already, again, in the Anita Blake series.
Johnny’s ascent into the Dom Lupe was brief, and nearly deflating. His so called challenger bowed to him, when he transforms at will. Something others can’t do. We also learn more about his tattoos that are somehow blocking his memories from coming through. Seph has promised to help with unlock those memories. Menessos later tells Seph that she and Johnny are mate bound, which gives her more strength than she knew she had.
New characters like Seven (who I’m not going to spoil and tell you who she REALLY is), Mark, who is Seven’s mate, and Mountain, a beholder (human), add to the storyline. I don't care for the love triangle between Seph, Johnny, and Menessos. It has been done too many times before and I just don't like it. As a reader, I get to the point of reading over the points I don’t care for, and this is one of them.
As luck will have it, the final 1/3 of this book saved the story for me. Otherwise, I would have rated this book lower. The battle between the fairies, waerewolves, beholders, and magical creatures brought forth by the fairy, was actually pretty decent.
Yes, there’s a cliffhanger of sorts, and it actually involves the fate of Menessos, and whether or not the witches will take Seph back in after all that has happened, and what promise Seph will have to do for Beauregard after he helped Seph prevent being Blindspoken by the coven.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
These days, Seph finds herself with all sorts of problems and expectations to deal with. Her grandmother Nana aka Demeter, has moved in with her, and she’s become a foster mother to Beverley. She somehow twisted a vampire bind, making herself master over vampire Menessos and she’s in a relationship with rocker, and Waerewolf Johnny Newman, who may actually be the Dom Lup, aka Wolf King. (Sounds like the plot to an older Anita Blake installment.)
On top of all that, she found out that she’s the next Lustrata, a powerful witch who is supposed to bring balance to the world. She finds her magical powers enhanced and nearly becomes the next Coven Leader of the Venefica Coven of Cleveland. She did become a member of Eldrenne Xerxadrea’s Lucisi, a secret group of witches in the Venefica Coven itself.
If that wasn’t enough, she killed a fairy on TV during Halloween festivities, and now they are the brink of an all-out war, demanding the death of Menessos. Seph has to tell the witches the truth; she is bound to Menessos, and as such, has an obligation to protect him. A witch binding herself with a vampire is feared by her coven and their traditional ways prevent them from giving her real aid.
Xerxadrea, believing there's a traitor in the ranks of the witches, advises Seph that they need a good ruse to cull out the culprit and stop the Fairies from declaring war, thus saving her and Menessos. In the end it is decided that, she will become Erus Veneficus, aka Master’s Witch, and the coven and her family will need to distance themselves from her. Seph must deal with the fact that she now has to abandon Nana and Beverly (who was kidnapped by the fairies in Hallowed Circle).
Menessos aka Jean Claude’s behavior over the course of this book was irritating. He goes as far as forcing Seph to allow him to drink from him, including on live TV. He forces her into wearing revealing clothing, something she wouldn’t be caught dead in on a normal day. The trifecta binding of Johnny, Menessos and Seph’s souls has been done already, again, in the Anita Blake series.
Johnny’s ascent into the Dom Lupe was brief, and nearly deflating. His so called challenger bowed to him, when he transforms at will. Something others can’t do. We also learn more about his tattoos that are somehow blocking his memories from coming through. Seph has promised to help with unlock those memories. Menessos later tells Seph that she and Johnny are mate bound, which gives her more strength than she knew she had.
New characters like Seven (who I’m not going to spoil and tell you who she REALLY is), Mark, who is Seven’s mate, and Mountain, a beholder (human), add to the storyline. I don't care for the love triangle between Seph, Johnny, and Menessos. It has been done too many times before and I just don't like it. As a reader, I get to the point of reading over the points I don’t care for, and this is one of them.
As luck will have it, the final 1/3 of this book saved the story for me. Otherwise, I would have rated this book lower. The battle between the fairies, waerewolves, beholders, and magical creatures brought forth by the fairy, was actually pretty decent.
Yes, there’s a cliffhanger of sorts, and it actually involves the fate of Menessos, and whether or not the witches will take Seph back in after all that has happened, and what promise Seph will have to do for Beauregard after he helped Seph prevent being Blindspoken by the coven.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
April 24, 2016
Chronique tirée de mon blog :
Suite aux événements des tomes précédents Menessos et Persephone sont tous les deux en danger, et le premier est le seul à être à même de se protéger, étant un maitre vampire et ayant tout une armée derrière lui. Xerxadrea pense qu'il y a un traitre parmi les rangs des sorcières parce que les Fae ont eu connaissance d'une information secrète. Alors pour sauver Persephone ils mettent en place un plan qui consiste à faire croire à tout le monde que cette dernière a décidé de devenir la sorcière de la cours des vampires, faisant d'elle au yeux du public rien de plus que l'esclave de Menessos, et par le fait reportant la haine des Fae sur celui ci et ainsi Xerxadrea utilisera ce fait pour l'exclure des rang des sorcières. Mais bien sur un plan aussi bien huilé et préparé qu'il soit ne se déroule jamais sans problème ...
En fait j'ai un peu moins apprécié ce tome que les précédents, pour plusieurs raisons.
La première est que la situation de départ est quand même très compliqué. Tout le monde garde des secrets pour tout le monde à des degrés divers, et d'un coup on se retrouve avec une configuration presque d'intrigue de court, ou on a 15 personnages qui connaissent tous une partie des informations et retenir tout ça m'a paru un peu abrupt et confus sur le coup.
Après tout n'est pas tout noir, la complexité à du bon parce que ça rend l'intrigue intéressante mais j'avoue que j'ai eu des passage ou je me suis perdue et ça m'a un peu refroidit.
La seconde raison est que l'intrigue prend un tournant très classique, le triangle vampire-sorcière-garou a été vu et revu, enfin je devrais dire pas si utilisé que ça, mais tellement connu qu'on a presque envie de faire "pff" quand on se rend compte que ça nous amène dans cette direction. Surtout que au niveau des personnages on a un tel favoritisme sur l'un des deux mâles dans les tomes précédents que malgré tout ses efforts l'auteur n'a qu'a peine réussi à me faire compatir pour le second. Je me doute que ce tome était justement normalement fait pour qu'on s'attache aussi à Menessos mais malgré tout son passé révélé, toutes les épreuves qu'il a subit et le fait qu'il soit en fait un personnage très intelligent et intéressant, je n'arrive pas vraiment le voir en potentiel romantique.
Et dernièrement le point fort de ce volume est la magie, on est vraiment plongé en plein dans la magie de type Wicca très ritualisée avec ses appels à la déesse, ses pierres enchantée etc ... Si on aime ce genre de magie, on ne peux qu'accrocher, car elle est omni-présente. Mais malheureusement ce sujet ne me passionne pas vraiment et j'ai eu l'impression de perdre mon temps à certains moments. tellement j'avais l'impression d'être plongée dedans. Heureusement on en est pas arrivé au point ou je me suis ennuyé mais je ne me suis pas sentie concernée, je suis restée sur le coté pendant que l'action se déroulait devant moi.
En lisant ce que j'ai mis précédemment on peut avoir l'impression que ce livre ne m'a pas plu, mais en fait ce n'est pas le cas, bon ça n'a pas été la lecture du siècle mais je l'ai fini d'une traite et je n'ai pas eu envie de le refermer. Ceci est du principalement au fait que je me suis énormément attaché aux personnages principaux, et même si la situation de ce tome ci n'était pas idéale pour me plaisir de lecture, j'ai quand même apprécié de les retrouver. La "famille" de Persephone est très touchante et même si du fait de son exil on ne les voit pas trop, j'ai hâte de les retrouver dans les tomes suivants !
15/20
Suite aux événements des tomes précédents Menessos et Persephone sont tous les deux en danger, et le premier est le seul à être à même de se protéger, étant un maitre vampire et ayant tout une armée derrière lui. Xerxadrea pense qu'il y a un traitre parmi les rangs des sorcières parce que les Fae ont eu connaissance d'une information secrète. Alors pour sauver Persephone ils mettent en place un plan qui consiste à faire croire à tout le monde que cette dernière a décidé de devenir la sorcière de la cours des vampires, faisant d'elle au yeux du public rien de plus que l'esclave de Menessos, et par le fait reportant la haine des Fae sur celui ci et ainsi Xerxadrea utilisera ce fait pour l'exclure des rang des sorcières. Mais bien sur un plan aussi bien huilé et préparé qu'il soit ne se déroule jamais sans problème ...
En fait j'ai un peu moins apprécié ce tome que les précédents, pour plusieurs raisons.
La première est que la situation de départ est quand même très compliqué. Tout le monde garde des secrets pour tout le monde à des degrés divers, et d'un coup on se retrouve avec une configuration presque d'intrigue de court, ou on a 15 personnages qui connaissent tous une partie des informations et retenir tout ça m'a paru un peu abrupt et confus sur le coup.
Après tout n'est pas tout noir, la complexité à du bon parce que ça rend l'intrigue intéressante mais j'avoue que j'ai eu des passage ou je me suis perdue et ça m'a un peu refroidit.
La seconde raison est que l'intrigue prend un tournant très classique, le triangle vampire-sorcière-garou a été vu et revu, enfin je devrais dire pas si utilisé que ça, mais tellement connu qu'on a presque envie de faire "pff" quand on se rend compte que ça nous amène dans cette direction. Surtout que au niveau des personnages on a un tel favoritisme sur l'un des deux mâles dans les tomes précédents que malgré tout ses efforts l'auteur n'a qu'a peine réussi à me faire compatir pour le second. Je me doute que ce tome était justement normalement fait pour qu'on s'attache aussi à Menessos mais malgré tout son passé révélé, toutes les épreuves qu'il a subit et le fait qu'il soit en fait un personnage très intelligent et intéressant, je n'arrive pas vraiment le voir en potentiel romantique.
Et dernièrement le point fort de ce volume est la magie, on est vraiment plongé en plein dans la magie de type Wicca très ritualisée avec ses appels à la déesse, ses pierres enchantée etc ... Si on aime ce genre de magie, on ne peux qu'accrocher, car elle est omni-présente. Mais malheureusement ce sujet ne me passionne pas vraiment et j'ai eu l'impression de perdre mon temps à certains moments. tellement j'avais l'impression d'être plongée dedans. Heureusement on en est pas arrivé au point ou je me suis ennuyé mais je ne me suis pas sentie concernée, je suis restée sur le coté pendant que l'action se déroulait devant moi.
En lisant ce que j'ai mis précédemment on peut avoir l'impression que ce livre ne m'a pas plu, mais en fait ce n'est pas le cas, bon ça n'a pas été la lecture du siècle mais je l'ai fini d'une traite et je n'ai pas eu envie de le refermer. Ceci est du principalement au fait que je me suis énormément attaché aux personnages principaux, et même si la situation de ce tome ci n'était pas idéale pour me plaisir de lecture, j'ai quand même apprécié de les retrouver. La "famille" de Persephone est très touchante et même si du fait de son exil on ne les voit pas trop, j'ai hâte de les retrouver dans les tomes suivants !
15/20
May 26, 2011
This is the third book in the Persephone Alcmedi series by Robertson. There are nine books planned in this series, with the fifth book Wicked Circle, scheduled for a December 2011 release. I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as Hallowed Circle, but it was still an engaging and entertaining read.
This book starts off with Seph (Persephone) dealing with the fall-out from Hallowed Circle where she killed a faerie at the end of the book. Now the fae are out for both Menosses and Seph's blood. Seph desperately needs a way to keep her mother and foster-daughter safe from these fae. Menessos offers an elegant solution; Seph should move in with him as his witch for a while. Of course this causes a lot of tension between Seph and Johnny...not to mention what happens when the coven finds out that Menessos and Seph are linked...oh yeah and in midst of all of this Seph, Menessos, and Johnny are protecting the world from the vengeance of the fae.
This was an engaging and entertaining read. I still really enjoy the characters and love how Robertson has a very detailed and well-explained magic system set up. Seph and Johnny deal with there relationship in a mature and adult way which is always nice to see; although they do dance around each other a lot in this book which was frustrating at times. It is almost like they are too careful around each other and can't quite accept what they have become. Hopefully this will resolve more in the next book. Menessos is a intriguing and complicated character and it was fun to have him in the story more.
Again this book is more urban fantasy than paranormal romance, which is my preference. I love how all of the races (vampire, werewolf, fae and witch) are being drawn together towards Seph in her position as Lestrata. I am eager to see where this all goes.
I guess the only thing I didn't like with this book was that I am having a bit of trouble seeing where all of this is going. Hopefully the story will get more direction in the next book. I was also a bit worried about the Seph-Johnny-Menessos thing which kind of echoes the Anita-Richard-Jean-Claude relationship from the Anita Blake books. I think I like the direction the triangle is taking in this book better than the one it took in the Anita Blake series; but the similarities make me cautious about what will happen next.
The story ended well, even though I am not sure where this is all going. There is some Arthurian mythology mentioned throughout and it would be cool if this was echoed and entwined with the story a bit more...so far it's mostly just been mentioned. I imagine things are going to be even rougher for Seph in the next book with all that went down in this one.
Overall a solid addition to this series. I continue to enjoy the likable characters, the well thought out magic system, and the engaging plot. Robertson's writing style is fun and easy to read. I don't have a good feeling for where this story is going though, so I am eager to see what Robertson comes up with in Arcane Circle. If you like The Hollows series or Jane Yellowrock or even the Anita Blake series (early books) then you will probably enjoy this series.
This book starts off with Seph (Persephone) dealing with the fall-out from Hallowed Circle where she killed a faerie at the end of the book. Now the fae are out for both Menosses and Seph's blood. Seph desperately needs a way to keep her mother and foster-daughter safe from these fae. Menessos offers an elegant solution; Seph should move in with him as his witch for a while. Of course this causes a lot of tension between Seph and Johnny...not to mention what happens when the coven finds out that Menessos and Seph are linked...oh yeah and in midst of all of this Seph, Menessos, and Johnny are protecting the world from the vengeance of the fae.
This was an engaging and entertaining read. I still really enjoy the characters and love how Robertson has a very detailed and well-explained magic system set up. Seph and Johnny deal with there relationship in a mature and adult way which is always nice to see; although they do dance around each other a lot in this book which was frustrating at times. It is almost like they are too careful around each other and can't quite accept what they have become. Hopefully this will resolve more in the next book. Menessos is a intriguing and complicated character and it was fun to have him in the story more.
Again this book is more urban fantasy than paranormal romance, which is my preference. I love how all of the races (vampire, werewolf, fae and witch) are being drawn together towards Seph in her position as Lestrata. I am eager to see where this all goes.
I guess the only thing I didn't like with this book was that I am having a bit of trouble seeing where all of this is going. Hopefully the story will get more direction in the next book. I was also a bit worried about the Seph-Johnny-Menessos thing which kind of echoes the Anita-Richard-Jean-Claude relationship from the Anita Blake books. I think I like the direction the triangle is taking in this book better than the one it took in the Anita Blake series; but the similarities make me cautious about what will happen next.
The story ended well, even though I am not sure where this is all going. There is some Arthurian mythology mentioned throughout and it would be cool if this was echoed and entwined with the story a bit more...so far it's mostly just been mentioned. I imagine things are going to be even rougher for Seph in the next book with all that went down in this one.
Overall a solid addition to this series. I continue to enjoy the likable characters, the well thought out magic system, and the engaging plot. Robertson's writing style is fun and easy to read. I don't have a good feeling for where this story is going though, so I am eager to see what Robertson comes up with in Arcane Circle. If you like The Hollows series or Jane Yellowrock or even the Anita Blake series (early books) then you will probably enjoy this series.
November 14, 2011
This is the third book in Linda Robertson’s ‘Persephone Alcmedi’ series. This book picks up where ‘Hallowed Circle’ left off – literally the same night that the second book concluded.
Persephone has accepted the mantle of ‘Lustrata’ – a witch who balances the supernatural world, mainly between vampires and werewolves. Persephone has also realized that she is master to Ohio’s vampiric head-honcho; a blood bond with Menessos has turned him servant to her master. Persephone has also accepted her feelings toward werewolf-biker, Johnny, and they have entered into a tentative relationship. Oh, and there are killer fairies hell-bent on their destruction. As Johnny summarizes;
“Wolves in your attic and corpses in your cellar.” Johnny’s hands rested on the black denim at his lean hips. “Just another glorious day in ‘Ohio: The Heart of It All.”
I love this series. It has all the usual elements of an Urban Fantasy; vampires and werewolves – but it stands out in the genre and offers a slightly different flavour of fantasy. In Robertson’s universe the supernatural elements are out in the open – the witch’s council send out PR releases about policy decisions, vampires offer live telecasts of their rituals and two banking heiresses are loud and proud waere (they emulate the Hilton sisters by doing drunken table-top dances at the local lycan bar. Go figure.) I love the touch of realism in Robertson’s world – it’s actually really believable and logically presented, and I never have any trouble suspending belief when I delve into a ‘Persephone’ book.
In this instalment Robertson offers tons of tid-bits about Persephone’s main fellas – Johnny and Menessos. We learn more about their background and shady history, and it makes for very interesting reading. Especially when both Johnny and Menessos make moves on Persephone and let her know they *both* want a romantic entanglement with her. Readers are really inundated with back-story on Johnny and Menessos, which is a happy reprieve after they were both so mysterious in the previous two books. Persephone’s learning about them makes matters of the heart all the more complicated as her heart strings are pulled in two different directions.
Robertson is setting up a very tangled and complicated love triangle for Persephone, and I revel in reading it. At times I thought it hit a little close to the Jean-Claude/Anita/Richard triangle of Laurell K Hamilton’s ‘Anita Blake’ series... but then again, Robertson is a much better writer than Hamilton and I’d rather read her version.
There is a fairly massive cliff-hanger by book’s end, and Persephone is lumped with even more responsibility than when she started. This series is all about reading Persephone get deeper and deeper into her Lustrata role, and I am really enjoying reading her progress. And I don’t mind the cliff-hanger so much because we get the 4th book December this year. Yay!
Persephone has accepted the mantle of ‘Lustrata’ – a witch who balances the supernatural world, mainly between vampires and werewolves. Persephone has also realized that she is master to Ohio’s vampiric head-honcho; a blood bond with Menessos has turned him servant to her master. Persephone has also accepted her feelings toward werewolf-biker, Johnny, and they have entered into a tentative relationship. Oh, and there are killer fairies hell-bent on their destruction. As Johnny summarizes;
“Wolves in your attic and corpses in your cellar.” Johnny’s hands rested on the black denim at his lean hips. “Just another glorious day in ‘Ohio: The Heart of It All.”
I love this series. It has all the usual elements of an Urban Fantasy; vampires and werewolves – but it stands out in the genre and offers a slightly different flavour of fantasy. In Robertson’s universe the supernatural elements are out in the open – the witch’s council send out PR releases about policy decisions, vampires offer live telecasts of their rituals and two banking heiresses are loud and proud waere (they emulate the Hilton sisters by doing drunken table-top dances at the local lycan bar. Go figure.) I love the touch of realism in Robertson’s world – it’s actually really believable and logically presented, and I never have any trouble suspending belief when I delve into a ‘Persephone’ book.
In this instalment Robertson offers tons of tid-bits about Persephone’s main fellas – Johnny and Menessos. We learn more about their background and shady history, and it makes for very interesting reading. Especially when both Johnny and Menessos make moves on Persephone and let her know they *both* want a romantic entanglement with her. Readers are really inundated with back-story on Johnny and Menessos, which is a happy reprieve after they were both so mysterious in the previous two books. Persephone’s learning about them makes matters of the heart all the more complicated as her heart strings are pulled in two different directions.
Robertson is setting up a very tangled and complicated love triangle for Persephone, and I revel in reading it. At times I thought it hit a little close to the Jean-Claude/Anita/Richard triangle of Laurell K Hamilton’s ‘Anita Blake’ series... but then again, Robertson is a much better writer than Hamilton and I’d rather read her version.
There is a fairly massive cliff-hanger by book’s end, and Persephone is lumped with even more responsibility than when she started. This series is all about reading Persephone get deeper and deeper into her Lustrata role, and I am really enjoying reading her progress. And I don’t mind the cliff-hanger so much because we get the 4th book December this year. Yay!
January 19, 2013
3 1/2 stars.
In Fatal Circle, the third installment of the Persephone Alcmedi, we find Seph and the others on the brink of war. There’s a traitor in the elders’ mist, and to save Seph from danger and being a suspect, WEC ostracizes Seph from the Witches circle….not for real tough. To weed out the traitor, Seph agrees to become ‘The Erus Veneficus’ which means being the witch of a vampire coven, and up on the ladder of hierarchy above offerlings and beholders (marked people who have super-human strength, and want to become a vampire). The faeries bound to Menessos will stop at nothing to break their link, and one particular red fairy has done the unspeakable to ensure it…killing one of her own kind. As the Lustrata, Seph must keep the balance between the vampires, witches, Wærewolves. To do what needs to be done, Seph enlist help from everyone or anyone choosing to help or all three groups put themselves at risk to be attack and give human more reasons to hate the supernatural community.
Fatal Circle takes place exactly after the previous book, a ‘few hours’ between the books event after leaving the witches’ ball. There was a lot of more information to take in than previous books; readers not only learn more about Seph and her role as the Lustrata but readers got to ‘meet’ the previous Lustrata. The previous Lustrata was a BIG SURPRISE, I was shocked when I found out who she was before, and wonder why she goes by the name Seven now. There were a lot of more new characters as well, both in the vampire camp and Wærewolf camp. While the main focus is on witches; we got to see more of the vampire politics this time around, and I hope in the next book we see the Wærewolf’s side. The two guys in Seph’s life her boyfriend Johnny and the vampire-wizard Menessos both share more page time as both play an important part in Seph’s role as Lustrata. It is hinted in previous book that both Menessos and Johnny are different from their kind, and this book revealed both their past and their potential for the future. They are both way more powerful than anyone ever expected, and I really like how Seph has two of the most powerful men ever to be at her side!
Bottom line, this was another great addition to the series, the first half of the book was again slow, but unlike the previous two books there was a lot of action in the last quarter of the book..FINALLY, ACTION. Everything is falling into place as Seph, Jonny and Menessos accept their roles in aiding the Lustrata, and did so by linking their souls to another. The role of the Lustrata is to keep balance and to dish out justice but the previous two Lustrata has failed to do that…perhaps with their binding; Seph will actually fulfill her fate. I hope Robertson keeps the action going in Arcane Circle, can’t wait to see what will happen next!
In Fatal Circle, the third installment of the Persephone Alcmedi, we find Seph and the others on the brink of war. There’s a traitor in the elders’ mist, and to save Seph from danger and being a suspect, WEC ostracizes Seph from the Witches circle….not for real tough. To weed out the traitor, Seph agrees to become ‘The Erus Veneficus’ which means being the witch of a vampire coven, and up on the ladder of hierarchy above offerlings and beholders (marked people who have super-human strength, and want to become a vampire). The faeries bound to Menessos will stop at nothing to break their link, and one particular red fairy has done the unspeakable to ensure it…killing one of her own kind. As the Lustrata, Seph must keep the balance between the vampires, witches, Wærewolves. To do what needs to be done, Seph enlist help from everyone or anyone choosing to help or all three groups put themselves at risk to be attack and give human more reasons to hate the supernatural community.
Fatal Circle takes place exactly after the previous book, a ‘few hours’ between the books event after leaving the witches’ ball. There was a lot of more information to take in than previous books; readers not only learn more about Seph and her role as the Lustrata but readers got to ‘meet’ the previous Lustrata. The previous Lustrata was a BIG SURPRISE, I was shocked when I found out who she was before, and wonder why she goes by the name Seven now. There were a lot of more new characters as well, both in the vampire camp and Wærewolf camp. While the main focus is on witches; we got to see more of the vampire politics this time around, and I hope in the next book we see the Wærewolf’s side. The two guys in Seph’s life her boyfriend Johnny and the vampire-wizard Menessos both share more page time as both play an important part in Seph’s role as Lustrata. It is hinted in previous book that both Menessos and Johnny are different from their kind, and this book revealed both their past and their potential for the future. They are both way more powerful than anyone ever expected, and I really like how Seph has two of the most powerful men ever to be at her side!
Bottom line, this was another great addition to the series, the first half of the book was again slow, but unlike the previous two books there was a lot of action in the last quarter of the book..FINALLY, ACTION. Everything is falling into place as Seph, Jonny and Menessos accept their roles in aiding the Lustrata, and did so by linking their souls to another. The role of the Lustrata is to keep balance and to dish out justice but the previous two Lustrata has failed to do that…perhaps with their binding; Seph will actually fulfill her fate. I hope Robertson keeps the action going in Arcane Circle, can’t wait to see what will happen next!
December 11, 2013
Persephone Alcmedi stirred up a whole cauldron of trouble when she killed an irate fairy at the end of Hallowed Circle. Now, the fairies want Seph dead, and Xerxadrea thinks there's a traitor in the ranks of the witches. So, in order to protect Seph and her family, Menessos will name Seph his court witch so that it looks like she acted on his orders, thereby bringing the fairies' wrath down on him instead. Meanwhile, Xerxadrea will use this as a pretext to exile Seph from the witches (also for Seph's protection), while she, Xerxadrea, tries to sniff out the traitor.
All of this is a little confusing but what it amounts to is that Seph goes to live in Menessos' underground domain and is cut off from her support system. All except Johnny, that is, since a vampire's court witch is traditionally allowed a "pet." Johnny bristles at being thought of as a pet, obviously, while Menessos bristles about the fact that Seph is closer to Johnny than to himself. And several of the women in the vampire court bristle at Seph's installation. So, the early chapters of Fatal Circle include a lot of Menessos sulking about Johnny, Johnny sulking about Menessos, and various catty women sulking about Seph.
I've just realized something. I'm not reading the CIRCLE series for the heroine-vampire-werewolf love triangle. It's well-written as they go, but it's not what makes this series unique, and it's not why I'm here. What I love about Linda Robertson's books are the unusually rich family and family-of-choice relationships; the beautiful, spiritual descriptions of magic and ritual; and, in Hallowed Circle in particular, the originality of the plotting. So, the first half of this book didn't quite grab me, though it may grab you if you're more fond of supernatural love triangles than I am.
The second half really sunk its teeth in, though, and wouldn't let go. The central characters face deep losses and the need to step up and claim more power and responsibility. Plus, there's lots of magic -- and when Robertson's writing magic, that means lovely writing and high emotion set into a well-researched framework. The plot builds up to a gripping climactic battle. The only gripe I have about the latter chapters of Fatal Circle is that a huge plot point is left hanging at the end. It's not a cliffhanger precisely -- the battle itself is resolved -- but readers will have to wait for Arcane Circle to learn one crucial piece of information. And we may all just die of suspense in the meantime!
This isn't my favorite of the CIRCLE books (Hallowed Circle still holds that distinction) but it's a worthy installment in the series, and I look forward to future adventures with Persephone.
All of this is a little confusing but what it amounts to is that Seph goes to live in Menessos' underground domain and is cut off from her support system. All except Johnny, that is, since a vampire's court witch is traditionally allowed a "pet." Johnny bristles at being thought of as a pet, obviously, while Menessos bristles about the fact that Seph is closer to Johnny than to himself. And several of the women in the vampire court bristle at Seph's installation. So, the early chapters of Fatal Circle include a lot of Menessos sulking about Johnny, Johnny sulking about Menessos, and various catty women sulking about Seph.
I've just realized something. I'm not reading the CIRCLE series for the heroine-vampire-werewolf love triangle. It's well-written as they go, but it's not what makes this series unique, and it's not why I'm here. What I love about Linda Robertson's books are the unusually rich family and family-of-choice relationships; the beautiful, spiritual descriptions of magic and ritual; and, in Hallowed Circle in particular, the originality of the plotting. So, the first half of this book didn't quite grab me, though it may grab you if you're more fond of supernatural love triangles than I am.
The second half really sunk its teeth in, though, and wouldn't let go. The central characters face deep losses and the need to step up and claim more power and responsibility. Plus, there's lots of magic -- and when Robertson's writing magic, that means lovely writing and high emotion set into a well-researched framework. The plot builds up to a gripping climactic battle. The only gripe I have about the latter chapters of Fatal Circle is that a huge plot point is left hanging at the end. It's not a cliffhanger precisely -- the battle itself is resolved -- but readers will have to wait for Arcane Circle to learn one crucial piece of information. And we may all just die of suspense in the meantime!
This isn't my favorite of the CIRCLE books (Hallowed Circle still holds that distinction) but it's a worthy installment in the series, and I look forward to future adventures with Persephone.
July 18, 2010
Fatal Circle (Circle, Book 3) by Linda Robertson
Urban Fantasy- June 29th, 2010
4 1/s stars
Fatal Circle is the 3rd installment in the chronicles of the infamous and powerful witch Peresphone Alcmedi. Tragedy and adversity have shadowed this fearless and likeable heroine. And make this Urban Fantasy an exciting and stunning read.
Peresphone has just settled in. She now has time for her adopted daughter and her sexy, rocker (werewolf) boyfriend Johnny. But a secret bond with a Master vampire, Menessos quickly pulls her into danger and disrupts their new found feeling of contentment. Menessos is being hunted by the powerful fairies and due to her bond with him Peresphone feels she must save him. However, a witch bonding with a vampire is feared by her coven and their traditional ways prevent them from giving her real aid. To add to her troubles the shifters are suspicious of her and Johnny must choose between his loyalty to his pack and his love for her. And Menessos’s bond makes for a tension filled relationship that includes jealousy over Menessos hold over her.
This was an electrifying story from beginning to end. The author weaves a tale of magic, gritty fantasy and romance that will thrill readers. I loved Peresphone and her need for justice. Her life is not easy and yet she is still able to persevere. The author's fantastic imagination knows no bounds as I was held spell bound by this breakneck story. The bond between Peresphone, Johnny and Menessos reminded me a bit of the early Anita Blake stories but not as dark. And in this case I felt the characters were more relatable than the Anita Blake’s main characters. I think this is because of Peresphone’s humanity and likeability. Even in desperate times her ability to do what is right but not become hardened or cynical. (She is an optimist while Anita Blake is the pessimist.) And who wouldn’t love the self-sacrificing heroine especially when she can do it all! Peresphone is a heroine you can easily rally around and who is very down to earth.
Fatal Circle is an amazing addition to an already sensational series. This mesmerizing Urban Fantasy is one that readers will be sure to enjoy. I only hope this series NEVER ends. Tension, unrelenting action and mystery make for a thrilling story.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Urban Fantasy- June 29th, 2010
4 1/s stars
Fatal Circle is the 3rd installment in the chronicles of the infamous and powerful witch Peresphone Alcmedi. Tragedy and adversity have shadowed this fearless and likeable heroine. And make this Urban Fantasy an exciting and stunning read.
Peresphone has just settled in. She now has time for her adopted daughter and her sexy, rocker (werewolf) boyfriend Johnny. But a secret bond with a Master vampire, Menessos quickly pulls her into danger and disrupts their new found feeling of contentment. Menessos is being hunted by the powerful fairies and due to her bond with him Peresphone feels she must save him. However, a witch bonding with a vampire is feared by her coven and their traditional ways prevent them from giving her real aid. To add to her troubles the shifters are suspicious of her and Johnny must choose between his loyalty to his pack and his love for her. And Menessos’s bond makes for a tension filled relationship that includes jealousy over Menessos hold over her.
This was an electrifying story from beginning to end. The author weaves a tale of magic, gritty fantasy and romance that will thrill readers. I loved Peresphone and her need for justice. Her life is not easy and yet she is still able to persevere. The author's fantastic imagination knows no bounds as I was held spell bound by this breakneck story. The bond between Peresphone, Johnny and Menessos reminded me a bit of the early Anita Blake stories but not as dark. And in this case I felt the characters were more relatable than the Anita Blake’s main characters. I think this is because of Peresphone’s humanity and likeability. Even in desperate times her ability to do what is right but not become hardened or cynical. (She is an optimist while Anita Blake is the pessimist.) And who wouldn’t love the self-sacrificing heroine especially when she can do it all! Peresphone is a heroine you can easily rally around and who is very down to earth.
Fatal Circle is an amazing addition to an already sensational series. This mesmerizing Urban Fantasy is one that readers will be sure to enjoy. I only hope this series NEVER ends. Tension, unrelenting action and mystery make for a thrilling story.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
September 8, 2010
This is just an awesome series!! I am so glad that I started it! Picking up where Hallowed Circle left off practically, Fatal Circle finds Seph back in the thick of things. She and Johnny have barely gotten a minute alone together when Menessos shows up, ruining the moment.
The sparks that keep flying between Menessos and Seph are confusing at times. I mean, here we see Seph with a great guy like Johnny and because of everything that has happened, she is still somewhat drawn to Menessos and it's hard for her to overcome her feelings for him. She's not sure how she feels towards him. She knows there is something other than fear and hate, that much is for sure.
Moving away from the relationship p.o.v., Seph is really thick into trouble with just about everyone! The respective groups are learning about her status as Lustrata and there are mixed reactions. Some so serious that Seph has to take serious action in an act of perceived betrayal. She agrees to be apart of his vampire group as an important role figure.
But there is much more going on than I can say of course. BIG things happen. I can't really say what...but there are quite a few big things that go down. Ones that involve everyone practically. Seph, Johnny and even Menessos.
There are surprising revelations as well. Ones that may be somewhat shocking. I don't want to say shocking and they be more of an "ooohhh" kind of thing instead of "whoa!".
The ending was great too! The buildup to the conclusion was fantastic. There were times I was really worrying and other times when I was excited. A lot of action in the end with some more interesting surprises as well. There are few cliffhangers as well that makes you wonder what will happen here and there. Just a few unanswered questions that we will have to wait til the end of December for Arcane Circle to find out!
Another GREAT read! Overall I give the book 4/5 stars!
On a side note, I just LOVE the quote that's in front of the novel as well! It really speaks to me for some reason!
We do not, most of us, choose to die;
nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death.
But within this realm of choicelessness,
we do choose how we live.
--Ambition: The Secret Passion, Joesph Epstein
The sparks that keep flying between Menessos and Seph are confusing at times. I mean, here we see Seph with a great guy like Johnny and because of everything that has happened, she is still somewhat drawn to Menessos and it's hard for her to overcome her feelings for him. She's not sure how she feels towards him. She knows there is something other than fear and hate, that much is for sure.
Moving away from the relationship p.o.v., Seph is really thick into trouble with just about everyone! The respective groups are learning about her status as Lustrata and there are mixed reactions. Some so serious that Seph has to take serious action in an act of perceived betrayal. She agrees to be apart of his vampire group as an important role figure.
But there is much more going on than I can say of course. BIG things happen. I can't really say what...but there are quite a few big things that go down. Ones that involve everyone practically. Seph, Johnny and even Menessos.
There are surprising revelations as well. Ones that may be somewhat shocking. I don't want to say shocking and they be more of an "ooohhh" kind of thing instead of "whoa!".
The ending was great too! The buildup to the conclusion was fantastic. There were times I was really worrying and other times when I was excited. A lot of action in the end with some more interesting surprises as well. There are few cliffhangers as well that makes you wonder what will happen here and there. Just a few unanswered questions that we will have to wait til the end of December for Arcane Circle to find out!
Another GREAT read! Overall I give the book 4/5 stars!
On a side note, I just LOVE the quote that's in front of the novel as well! It really speaks to me for some reason!
We do not, most of us, choose to die;
nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death.
But within this realm of choicelessness,
we do choose how we live.
--Ambition: The Secret Passion, Joesph Epstein
July 19, 2015
This was so frustrating- It felt like a huge important chunk of the book was left out! It starts one week after hallowed circle and just after the witch's halloween ball- the event the previous book was building up to but do we get to read about the ball? No. No we do not. Apparently there was a big thing at the ball- Fairies tried to kidnap Beverly and then Seph killed a fairy prince which all caused a lot of chaos that this book then tries to sort out, so instead of reading about the action we're reading abut the aftermath. It's like going to a ball, but not going to the actual party bit just going to the end bit where everyone is drunk and on their way home and then staying to clean up! The ball sounds so much more interesting than reading about how perfect Menessos' decorating is (he has spiffy ceiling lights that look like stars if you were wondering).
Anyway, this book seems to borrow from the 'terrible names in the fantasy genre' because we are introduced to both Seven and Mountain. Steph is getting more and more Anita Blake-esque. I still don't see any attraction to Johnny. Menessos is particularly rapey. I really didn't like it.
I also kept getting told things instead of shown them, "He showed me[Seph] that he was willing to lead" he might have shown Seph but he's not shown me.
Anyway, this book seems to borrow from the 'terrible names in the fantasy genre' because we are introduced to both Seven and Mountain. Steph is getting more and more Anita Blake-esque. I still don't see any attraction to Johnny. Menessos is particularly rapey. I really didn't like it.
I also kept getting told things instead of shown them, "He showed me[Seph] that he was willing to lead" he might have shown Seph but he's not shown me.
May 7, 2011
This book picks right up where the last one left off. The fairies have declared war is the vampire Menessos is not turned over to them. They are bond to the Earth through him, and they seek to free themselves of that bond by killing him. (Technically that is the only way to severe the bond though, so don't feel soo bad about it.)
So, add fairies to the list of things that Seph has to deal with. Some of the other issues on that list have to do with the witches, wærewolves, and vampires.
Because of the threat from the fairies, Seph basically moves in with Menessos. So, I got learn more about Menessos and his vampire followers. Now that I have have more information about him, I've changed my opinion of him. I kind of like him. He's lived a long time. It's been hard on him.
Some of his followers that were introduced were pretty interesting too. Hope to see more of them in the next book.
More of Johnny's destiny is revealed. It will be interesting to see how he handles things, and if it changes him at all.
Both Seph's relationship with Johnny and her relationship with Menessos change and grow. Even the guys might learn to get along. Not holding my breath though, they are guys after all. Haha.
Of course at the end, the threat of war from the fairies culminates in a crazy, awesome, epic battle. That one little fire fairy is freakin' crazy. I can't even describe it. I probably spent half of it with my mouth hanging open.
The way that the book ended, I'm almost positive that the next book is gonna pick up mere hours from where this one ended. Lots of things were left hanging. I wish I had the next one,
, on hand so that I could dive right into it.
So, add fairies to the list of things that Seph has to deal with. Some of the other issues on that list have to do with the witches, wærewolves, and vampires.
Because of the threat from the fairies, Seph basically moves in with Menessos. So, I got learn more about Menessos and his vampire followers. Now that I have have more information about him, I've changed my opinion of him. I kind of like him. He's lived a long time. It's been hard on him.
Some of his followers that were introduced were pretty interesting too. Hope to see more of them in the next book.
More of Johnny's destiny is revealed. It will be interesting to see how he handles things, and if it changes him at all.
Both Seph's relationship with Johnny and her relationship with Menessos change and grow. Even the guys might learn to get along. Not holding my breath though, they are guys after all. Haha.
Of course at the end, the threat of war from the fairies culminates in a crazy, awesome, epic battle. That one little fire fairy is freakin' crazy. I can't even describe it. I probably spent half of it with my mouth hanging open.
The way that the book ended, I'm almost positive that the next book is gonna pick up mere hours from where this one ended. Lots of things were left hanging. I wish I had the next one,
, on hand so that I could dive right into it.
July 24, 2013
Oh, Persephone. Nothing you do will ever be enough to keep the peace, will it? Especially when there’s a crazed fairy leader who’s just itching for a fight. When Seph, Xerxandrea, and Menessos come up with a plan to protect Seph — and Menessos — Seph knows it’s going to leave a lot of people ticked off. It’s not like she has other options, though. The things a girl does for peace…
So, off we go on another adventure. This one’s littered with lies, and it doesn’t take much before Seph learns who’s friend and who’s foe.
I’m liking this series more, the more I read. Seph started out reluctant and doubtful, and here she’s strong and if not always sure, she’s at least aware that sometimes she is the only one who can do what needs doing. And she does it without complaint. Acceptance is a necessary step in growth, and she walks that path with eyes wide open.
Saving the world from crazy fairies takes a lot from Seph — and Johnny and Menessos too. I’m still not sure about the threesome, but it sure is entertaining. Though now, I’m wondering how her actions at the end of the fairy-fight will affect their relationship – hers and Johnny’s, hers and Menessos’, and Johnny’s and Menessos’ (which right now is pretty much just fighting over who has the girl) – and Menessos. His life going forward is going to be different by necessity, so what’s he going to do about it? I’ll be picking up Arcane Circle as soon as I can to find out!
This one has everything an Urban Fantasy fan can ask for. A complicated heroine who’s strong and kicks ass. A couple of heroes/sidekicks (hah!) who’re strong in their own right, and as annoyingly smug about it too. Plenty of plot and action. And plenty of repercussions for actions taken. Give it a whirl if you haven’t already. Start with Vicious Circle.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
So, off we go on another adventure. This one’s littered with lies, and it doesn’t take much before Seph learns who’s friend and who’s foe.
I’m liking this series more, the more I read. Seph started out reluctant and doubtful, and here she’s strong and if not always sure, she’s at least aware that sometimes she is the only one who can do what needs doing. And she does it without complaint. Acceptance is a necessary step in growth, and she walks that path with eyes wide open.
Saving the world from crazy fairies takes a lot from Seph — and Johnny and Menessos too. I’m still not sure about the threesome, but it sure is entertaining. Though now, I’m wondering how her actions at the end of the fairy-fight will affect their relationship – hers and Johnny’s, hers and Menessos’, and Johnny’s and Menessos’ (which right now is pretty much just fighting over who has the girl) – and Menessos. His life going forward is going to be different by necessity, so what’s he going to do about it? I’ll be picking up Arcane Circle as soon as I can to find out!
This one has everything an Urban Fantasy fan can ask for. A complicated heroine who’s strong and kicks ass. A couple of heroes/sidekicks (hah!) who’re strong in their own right, and as annoyingly smug about it too. Plenty of plot and action. And plenty of repercussions for actions taken. Give it a whirl if you haven’t already. Start with Vicious Circle.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
October 16, 2011
I think this series really hit its stride with this book. Considering I finished it in a day, sacrificing sleep, that should tell you how compelling it was.
Menessos became more real as an individual, not as a mysterious scary force. This is the first book that I've liked him at all. Johnny, on the other hand, had me from day one. *g*
The whole "reminds me of Anita Blake" thing both intensified and went away. (Meaning I recognized the common features, but this universe gained its individuality at the same time.) Menessos, Johnny, and Persephone formed their own sort of Triumverate of power (no specific name given yet), by exchanging pieces of their souls in a witchy ritual.
We learned that Menessos was older than we previously thought, and Menessos and Johnny were both more powerful than we previously thought. Persephone as well, for that matter. It's a bit Mary Sue, but that doesn't bother me a bit.
Johnny publicly stepped up as Domm Lup to Persephone's Lustrata, as well as leader of the local pack. Persephone was declared Erus Veneficus to Menessos, which is a kind of vampire's witch, which publicly gives the impression that Menessos is the master in the pair.
Going back to that black and white comment I made in my review for book 2. Things divided out more definitively in this book. Faeries on one side and the vamps, weres, and witches on the other.
Not sure what else to say about it. This book picked up where book 2 left off, to the day almost. And it ended on a cliffy that makes me think book 4 will be close in time as well. I'm sure I'll be picking it up before bed tonight.
The mythos of this universe seems more solid now. We know the common origin of vampires and weres, and we know how and why faeries are in this realm.
Menessos became more real as an individual, not as a mysterious scary force. This is the first book that I've liked him at all. Johnny, on the other hand, had me from day one. *g*
The whole "reminds me of Anita Blake" thing both intensified and went away. (Meaning I recognized the common features, but this universe gained its individuality at the same time.) Menessos, Johnny, and Persephone formed their own sort of Triumverate of power (no specific name given yet), by exchanging pieces of their souls in a witchy ritual.
We learned that Menessos was older than we previously thought, and Menessos and Johnny were both more powerful than we previously thought. Persephone as well, for that matter. It's a bit Mary Sue, but that doesn't bother me a bit.
Johnny publicly stepped up as Domm Lup to Persephone's Lustrata, as well as leader of the local pack. Persephone was declared Erus Veneficus to Menessos, which is a kind of vampire's witch, which publicly gives the impression that Menessos is the master in the pair.
Going back to that black and white comment I made in my review for book 2. Things divided out more definitively in this book. Faeries on one side and the vamps, weres, and witches on the other.
Not sure what else to say about it. This book picked up where book 2 left off, to the day almost. And it ended on a cliffy that makes me think book 4 will be close in time as well. I'm sure I'll be picking it up before bed tonight.
The mythos of this universe seems more solid now. We know the common origin of vampires and weres, and we know how and why faeries are in this realm.
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