To put some of Joanna's problems into perspective in this book:

'Meanwhile, I still had to figure out what to do about dear, sweet, smells-like-a-carcass-marinating-in-a-putrid-swamp Rose. In the past few months Regan had manipulated my relationship with Ben, made me infect my allies with a deadly virus, had me chasing my enemies-and my own tail-and nearly cost me my place in the troop. I could be philosophical about all this if she'd done those things just because I was Light. If she'd just killed me...or tried to. But she hadn't, which made this personal. She wanted more than my death, but what? And why?'

Then there is her father, the extradimensional doppelganger trying to eat her heart, Changelings to keep alive, comic chronicles to investigate, and weaponmaster hooker superheroes to shag.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/02... ( )

This review contains spoilers

This was a very good continuation of the series. Pettersson set up the next book very well, but I didn't have the feeling while I was reading this book that the entire purpose of this story was to set up the next one.

It was nice to see more of Hunter. I expect he'll play a big role in the next book. I'm hoping he doesn't actually turn to the shadow side, that would be repetitive after this book. While I think Jo/Olivia was right about needed to figures things out herself before getting involved with another man, I would like to see them together. I like Hunter and I'm not entirely convinced why he still wants Jo other than "it feels good." But at least he's mostly avoided the "you've said no but I'm going to keep pursuing you stalker-like but it's okay because we're meant to be together" trap. He made it clear he wants her, but mostly he's left her alone except when she comes to him.

I really didn't mind losing Ben. It had been a while since I'd read the other books so I'd forgotten a lot about him and no longer had a feel for their relationship. Ben himself appeared only briefly. This may all have been intention on Pettersson's part, after all, the point was that Jo/Olivia was holding on to the idea of Ben more than Ben himself.

It looks like there will be some significant changes in the next book. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. ( )

I liked the first two. I like this one. I just wish she'd move on from her "old" life, and let her old boyfriend go. There is an Aries that I would love to see our protagonist jump all over. ( )

The third sign of the zodiac is upon us. The Touch of Twilight opens up with this portent looming over Joanna Archer as she tried to live up to the legacy she has been left by her mother as the Light Sagittatian. The first two signs have come to pass leaving the troop short its Libran and Piscean members, but they are more concerned about the occurance of some dangerous vibrations causing the fabric of the world to shatter. Especially when Joanna discovers the Shadows aren't the ones cause the rifts, they are being cause by a being made of frothy bubbles! Further study reveals this new being is a doppelgänger, with intents of taking over Jo's true identity while she is stuck living her own double life as her dead sister Olivia Archer.

This tale is all about being divided within one's self, something Joanna experiences every moment of every day. She is the Kairos, a being of Light and Shadow, she is Joanna Archer and Olivia Archer, she loves Ben and lusts after Hunter. And it's time she finds a way to end the division within her heart.

At the heart of this story Jo is trying to do the right thing--the Light thing--but it isn't always so clear which is which. Regan is twisting Ben, Jo's first love, into a person she knows he isn't and she is flaunting it at every turn. The Tulpa, her biological father, wants to join forces to destroy the doppelgänger, but his offer comes with a price... she has to join the Shadows when they've accomplished it. Then she discovers that Jasmine, the changeling of Light, has been broken by Jo's aura borrowing from her last adventure leaving the girl unable to grow up but getting more and more of Jo's powers every day. She has a lot of work to do if she's going to save the world and the love of her life before the world ends.

Depending on what interests you most in the series this one might be a tough read. It jumps around without any indication a day has passed or there's been any time change in the first few chapters which completely threw me off. Jo was in the sanctuary one minute and back at Olivia's apartment the next. Once it gets settled a little more the story picks up and while this one involved a lot more talking and less butt-kicking than I'd have liked, it's needed. By the time a third of the book was read I was dying for Jo to stop whining about Ben and Regan and just do something about it already. So frustrating! And while I'm sure many of my fellow fans of the series love Ben I wanted her to get over him really bad. Sorry, no spoilers for you! You'll have to read to see what interactions she has with Ben and Hunter this time but by the end of the book I was proud of the growth Jo has made in her complicated relationships. Some of the details in this book will lead you one way regarding the doppelgänger plot but if you're paying close attention you can't be lead too far from catching on to what's really going on. Finally the Tulpa is meeting his match! This could have had a five star vote from me if there hadn't been so much whining about Ben & Regan and Hunter being treated kind of badly. But in the end this book ends very well, everything (well almost everything!) ties up pretty decently and there's a great mystery dropped in the final pages that will have you antsy for the next one. Enjoy! ( )

With this book I feel the series has really started to hit the ground and romp along - such an improvement over book 2.

Part of that is that there are consequences that have built up and that come home to roost. These are a mix of the predictable and obvious and the unpredictable and interesting. Jo is finally getting there and whilst she's still making mistakes, sometimes serious ones, she's also getting things right and trying to clean up some of her messes.

There is also a doppelganger on the loose, hunting Jo, Ben & Regan and fun there, the Tulpa being his normal self... a couple of nice twists and enough storylines being developed that there's more to come even as the older ones are being set aside. ( )