THE PHOENIX (The Blood Coven 5) by TM Smith-a review

THE PHOENIX (The Blood Coven 5) by TM Smith-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 2, 2023

Indigo
… isn’t just any witch. She’s the reader of the River Am, incomparable finder of lost objects, witch extraordinaire, sister of Alarik, aunt of Rein, daughter of Tor and Adriana, madwoman, and quirky bitch.

Roark
… is an enigma. He’s a raven shifter, a traitor, and a trespasser.

But
… from the moment Indigo sees Roark bathing in her river, she is mesmerized. Secrets, though, can be world-changing.

•••••

REVIEW: THE PHOENIX is the fifth (and final?) instalment in TM Smith’s adult THE BLOOD COVEN erotic, paranormal/fantasy series. This is Warrior Roark, and witch Indigo’s story line. THE PHOENIX can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: Thousands of years earlier, a powerful group of witches and warlocks, in an effort to protect the human race, divided the world creating three realms: Earth, Scath and Darque. The Blood Coven series focuses on the fight to keep the worlds physically separated in the face of some powerful people hoping to control one or all. The Aeternals are the overarching collection of breeds and supernatural species that inhabit the Scath and Darque realms, and the Alliance are the group of humans that monitor all supernatural activity on Earth.

Told from numerous third person perspective, following several paths, numerous relationships, memories from the past, and a recitation of an ancient journal THE PHOENIX is the culmination of the previous four instalments wherein the Firebrand Warriors are facing a war of which they may not win. Indigo is a powerful witch; the reader of the River Am; the finder of objects and the woman with whom Roark will fall in love but something about Roark sets Indigo on edge, and the world will come to know Roark as someone else. A journey together, searching for a sword known as the Blood Kiss, forces Roark and Indigo to re-evaluate their future, whether together or alone. As both Arisen Dawn and the Firebrand Warriors continue their search for the descendants of the original Blood Coven witches, the build up of power within Arisen Dawn is centered directly on the Blood Coven descendants.

The relationship between Roark and Indigo may or may not begin as an accidental meeting. Indigo is not impressed with Roark’s behavior and attitude, and less impressed when she discovers a perceived betrayal by the man with whom she will fall in love. Working together reveals and unravels hundreds if not thousands of years of secrets and lies, and it is the secrets that may threaten the future for our story line couple. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate.

Once again, the well-developed world building is complicated, stratified, exhaustive and intricate: Three worlds, numerous species and hybrids of supernatural powers and identities; various allegiances and teams; struggles within and amongst, deadly battles and the ultimate war. Many will die; injuries vast and continuous; love is the ultimate betrayer of happily ever after. The author includes a glossary of terms and places, and a list of characters and their supernatural powers/ positions and abilities.

The colorful, powerful and energetic cast of secondary and supporting characters is a hierarchy of political machinations, supernatural entities, powerful magic and a need to control. We are witness to the ongoing, and newly developing relationships between the Firebrand Warriors and their Blood Coven mates, and herein lies the ultimate betrayal when the descendants are used and abused by Arisen Dawn.

THE PHOENIX is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, madness and obsession, angels and demons, betrayal and vengeance, forgiveness and love. The action packed premise is comprehensive, meticulous, thorough, and elaborate; the romance is seductive and fated; the characters are charismatic, dynamic and determined.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Firebrand
The Demon’s Fire
The Satyr’s Guilt
The Vampire’s Thirst

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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A master’s degree in English and a doctorate in administration led me to education. After retiring from my career as a teacher and principal, I settled in to write something more creative than lesson plans on split infinitives and inner-school memos on noise in the hallway.

My first novel was the romantic mystery comedy romp Affection for Crime. My plans were to make this Maggie Hall book the first in a series about a quirky columnist and her friends and lovers. That may still happen, but interest in a different genre has changed my direction.

I am now living with vampires, demons, ylves, mages, and other magical beings who keep me awake at night with their tales of love and adventure. Taking great interest in their lives, I began a paranormal romance series with alpha males who aren’t always nice and females who have no problem keeping them in line.

I have learned much about the difference between writing a series and writing a stand-alone book. First, get a fantastic writing software program. Second, keep great notes. And third, do not think book one is complete until you have finished book five. These have been hard-learned lessons, but I am a hardheaded author.

Here are more orts, scraps, and fragments from my life. (Thank you, Virginia Woolf and Shakespeare.) I moved from sunny Las Vegas to the less-than-sunny Pacific Northwest. Here I have adventures with my daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters who also moved to the area. I also enjoy my membership at Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN), a local organization that supports the arts and offers classes and events with eleven different studios where a welcoming community of artists praise each other’s efforts. It was at BARN where my critique group began. With equal time given to in-depth comments on each other’s works, snarky remarks, and laughter, we have now been together over five years. (from the Author’s website)

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THE FIREBRAND (The Blood Coven 1) by TM Smith-a review

THE FIREBRAND (The Blood Coven 1) by TM Smith-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 13, 2023

Rein, a Vampire mixed breed, plunged into the abyss of bludfrenzy. With icy resolve, he crawled out to become a Firebrand. He doesn’t make rash decisions.
Until…
Braelyn takes a shortcut through an alley musing about what she can’t have. A new job. Adventure. A cancer-free brain. Instead, she writes for a paranormal tabloid. No, she doesn’t believe such nonsense, but she’s heading to Cleveland on assignment. Oh, and her tumor is back.
Then…
Rein kidnaps her and takes her to his realm, igniting a fiery romance.
Meanwhile…
An ancient threat hunts for descendants of the Blood Coven who divided the world into three realms fifteen hundred years ago to protect humans from savage Aeternals. Then, they scattered across Earth, marrying, raising children, dying, burying their secrets in time. Generations grew, unaware of their legacy.
But…
Braelyn is squarely in the hunter’s sights, and Rein is her best chance to survive.

••••••••

REVIEW: THE FIREBRAND is the first instalment in TM Smith’s contemporary, adult THE BLOOD COVEN erotic, paranormal/fantasy series. This is human Braelyn James and vampire/incubus/Warlock hybrid Rein’s story line.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: Thousands of years earlier, a powerful group of witches and warlocks, in an effort to protect the human race, divided the world creating three realms: Earth, Scath and Darque. The Blood Coven series focuses on the fight to keep the worlds separated in the face of some powerful people hoping to destroy the people of earth.

Told from third person perspective THE FIREBRAND follows the building relationship between human Braelyn James’ and vampire/incubus/Warlock hybrid Rein. Braelyn James is a reporter for the online paranormal tabloid Strange But True, and as such our heroine is about to witness that which she has been hired to investigate. Rein is a vampire/incubus/Warlock hybrid, trained as one of the realms Firebrand Warriors, and as such is hunting one of the many Breeds that has crossed onto Earth, using an illegal portal jumper but Rein never expected his actions to be witnessed, and his inability to wipe the mind of the human witness, forces Rein to bring her back to his realm. Braelyn James quickly realizes the world as she knows it, is something more, something more dangerous, powerful and confusing, a world in which she will come face to face with her destiny. At every turn, every move and every opportunity, Braelyn is targeted, by a Scath controlled human trafficking ring that is focusing on some of the people of Earth, a focus that is centering on history and blood. What ensues is the building relationship between Rein and Braelyn, and the potential fall-out as Braelyn is a valuable prize in a war between the worlds.

The relationship between Braelyn and Rein is one of fated mates but Rein refuses to accept the woman with whom he will fall in love as the mating ritual of a Firebrand Vampire is dangerous, dark and deadly. Braelyn is a human whose life expectancy may be shorter than most but Braelyn’s blood holds a secret, and the longer she remains on Scath, the more valuable and important she will become. Braelyn is determined to prove Rein is worthy of her love but Rein fears destroying the woman that calls to his blood. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, aggressive and intense.

There is an enormous ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters of creatures and breeds: vampires, harpies, nymphs, Amazons, witches, warlocks, shifters, beserkers, demons, satyrs and djinn. The Aeternals are the overarching collection of breeds and supernatural species that inhabit the Scath realm, and the Alliance are the group of humans that monitor all supernatural activity on Earth. We are introduced to Rein’s parents Alarik and Castia, andhis sister Elisabeta;Braelyn’s father George: Firebrands Chay, Dax, Brak, Logan, Kole, Bounty, Ram, Tyr, Sabine, Jezzi and Galena, as well as Rein’s Aunt Indigo, a powerful witch who is able to read the ‘signs’. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE FIREBRAND is a complex, detailed and compounded story line that follows several pathways between the present and the past, good vs evil, Earth, Scath and Darque. The premise is comprehensive and meticulous; the characters are numerous, energetic, powerful and strong; the romance is contentious, quarrelsome and fated. THE FIREBRAND ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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