A Time of Dying (Araneae Nation #3) by Hailey Edwards- a review

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Araneae Nation – Book 3
Release Date: July 30, 2013

Once the future Segestriidae maven, Kaidi lived a privileged life. Now she spends her nights haunting cities ravaged by the plague. Spade in hand, she stalks rows of freshly dug graves for corpses…and then she takes their heads.

Her new life is caked in blood and spattered with gore, but it’s hers. At least until-to her fury-she’s caught napping.

A plague survivor by the skin of his teeth, Murdoch risks his neck to solve the mysteries left in its wake. Bodies have gone missing. Guards have left their posts and never returned home.

When he rouses a female dozing among the dead, he’s unprepared for the violence of her response. Or his. Beneath the grime, she’s lovely. Too bad the blood under her fingernails belongs to his clansmen.

He has no choice but to follow this alluring creature deeper into her world of winged beasts and flesh-eating monsters. She holds the knowledge he craves, but the price is high-and they may both pay for it with their lives.

Warning: This book contains one heroine in desperate need of a bath and one hero willing to wash away her sins. Expect threats, swears and general cursing. Love is a slippery slope, and these two are sliding.

Review:

A Time of Dying begins shortly after A Feast of Souls ends. The plague is still ravaging the countryside and everyone is wary of newcomers. And, the newcomer that Murdoch encounters among his clan’s dead is no exception. She is taken into custody by Murdoch and taken back to Cathis to be judged for her crimes: desecrating the Cathis clan’s dead, or so it seems. Once the Cathis Maven, Mana, and her husband, Vaugn, the Cathis Paladin, figure out that Haidi was to be the Maven of a neighboring clan, they send for the Paladin in hopes of striking some kind of alliance with their clan. After all, he’ll be glad to get his future wife back, right?? The problem is that Haidi does not want to return. There are things happening that are horrendous, and once Murdoch starts to trust in Haidi, which she does not make easy for him, he is determined to keep her safe and away from what has frightened her so much. To add to the complications, Murdoch wants her for himself. Murdoch and Haidi are drawn to each other, but how can they be together, when, after all, she is betrothed to the Paladin of another clan? Oh, you’ll just have to read to find out.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite book of the series so far! The action starts in the first sentence and doesn’t stop. I don’t know how Edwards comes up with the creatures that she writes about, but I hope she continues for a long, long time. I always feel that maybe I should be appalled by some of the characters “nature”, but it’s so well written, that you absolutely fall in love with them. The winged creatures that are preying on the various clans are some of the best I’ve read about in years. Totally original and once that part of the story line starts rolling, you can’t turn the pages fast enough. Oh, and it makes your heart pound!! I became so engrossed in the story that I could NOT put this book down. There is humor, loyalty, a little intrigue, action and a sweet romance. I always feel that my reviews do not do this series justice. I’m sure I’ve said it before, but if you are wanting a diversion from the usual paranormal series that you read, this is the one! Her originality grabs you and doesn’t let go.

Copy supplied by the author.

Vickie M