Darkling (2007)

Not as interesting to me as the second book, or even the first book. This particular sister seems to revel in the whining. ( )

I've just finished Darkling, book three in Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series. It is the first book in the series that I can claim to like. Well...like is too strong a word...let’s go with: I didn’t hate it completely. Not sure whether my semi-enjoyment of this book, as compared to Witchling and Changeling, is due to a more compelling main character or whether I have developed Stockholm Syndrome--that I have been held captive by this series for so long (These short books are loooonnnng reads.) that I am beginning to feel positively toward it.

The Otherworld series follows the half-fae, half-human D’Artigo sisters: Camille, a witch, Delilah, a weretabby, and Menolly, a vampire. The trio are Earthside representatives of a supernatural intelligence agency, and, at least in the inaugural books of the series, the only thing that stands between Earth, Faerie and a demon named Shadow Wing that is bent on domination of multiple worlds. If, as I hinted in the first paragraph, I find the series painful, why ever was I inclined to read the third book in the sequence? I find the foundation story of the Otherworld series compelling: Three sisters with varying supernatural abilities, refugees from a world in political upheaval, balancing personal lives and romance, while kicking ass and keeping the world safe from a demonic big bad. I can get down with that. It’s the writing that made Witchling and Changeling tough reads. Darkling is no exception.

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The third novel about three sisters who are half-fae and half-human. Camille is a witch with malfunctioning magic, Delilah shifts into a tabby kitty (and now sometimes a black panther) and Menolly was turned into a vampire. The series is written (so far at least) with a different sister narrating the story. This time it's Menolly so there is a vampire focus throughout and her vicious sire Dredge looks to be back ready to inflict more torture, pain and death to those she loves.

See this isn't your Twilight kind of tale. When Menolly was turned she was caught spying on Dredge and his cronies for the powers that be in Otherworld. Instead of just killing her, he subjected her to life scarring mutilation all over her body excluding just her face, hands and feet. He then raped her repeatedly and as she was on the brink of death he made her drink his blood. Returning to her unlife full of violence and blood lust, Dredge then sent her home to feast on her family. Luckily she had enough wits about her to hide and begin the slow process of regaining her shattered mind.

Of the three sisters, so far I have warmed to Menolly the most. She's quite cold and shuns physical relationships (partly due to her new vampire nature and partly because of her horrific past), but I still wanted to get to know her. She didn't get much air time in the previous two books either. As part of her challenge in destroying Dredge she has to relive her turning so she can understand and heal what was done long ago which was pretty harrowing.

One thing I wasn't sure about is that she has two sexual experiences in the short space of this novel after giving up sex for many years. It seemed a bit much but then I suppose she is supposed to be healing from all old injuries caused that night, but still it didn't sit quite right. The first one made complete sense in the context of the story, but not really the second one which seemed more just to titillate readers and it didn't feel right for the character to me. Overall though an enjoyable read and I can't wait to get back to Menolly's story again in the series. ( )

If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Yasmine Galenorn's new Urban Fantasy series. Your definitely missing out and I highly recommend that you check it out. I finished reading Darkling this week. It is the third book in Galenorn's Sisters of the Moon series. I really enjoyed this just as I did the first two. The Otherworld is a great place to spend time in. The third book is in Menolly's POV, the youngest of the sisters. Like her sisters she is half-human and half-Faerie, but she is also a vampire. Trying to deal with her demons and the nightmares of her sire. In the first two books you find out that Menolly has been through hell and is kinda hard and cold due to that. What I liked about this third book is that we got the whole story behind Menolly and found out that she isn't all cold, but has a very soft side to her. I'm looking forward to read more stories in her POV. ( )

The story from Menalie's perspective is very interesting. I am enjoying that the story builds with each sister. ( )