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Search - Bitter Night (Horngate Witches, Bk 1)
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Bitter Night - Horngate Witches, Bk 1 Author: The Horngate Witches — Ages ago, the Guardians of the earth created an army of creatures -- faeries, banshee, chimeras, oni, lamia, kelpies, angels -- the Uncanny and Divine things that populate myth and legends that most humans suppose never really existed. It was an army meant to contain the human population, to keep them from overrunning t... more » In 1979, college senior Max is kidnapped by a witch. Decades older than her youthful appearance reveals, Giselle is Max's roomate and her best friend -- the person Max trusts most in all the world. And then, one dreadful night, she becomes Max's captor. Over the next months, Giselle binds Max in chains of magic. The witch carves spells into Max's flesh and bones, spells to give her rapid healing, super-human strength, the ability to see in the dark, a knack for opening any lock, and much more. Giselle makes Max a Shadowblade -—an elite fighting creature anchored to the elemental power of the lightless dark. She can no longer survive the daylight. Even moonlight is her enemy. Her entire life is now lived in shadow and entirely subject to the whim of the witch who made her. Her dreams of a career, of family and friends and a home—these have all been ripped away. The last thirty years of Max's life have been marked by blood, violence and horror. Max is different from any other Shadowblade. A few drops of witch blood runs in her veins. Even this miniscule amount lends potency to the spells binding her, so that she is stronger, more powerful than almost any other Shadowblade. But the blood also lends her the ability to resist Giselle's magic so that in time, the bindings that control her loosen and Giselle must renew them. But only torture and deprivation can break down Max's resistance enough to permit the witch to work magic on her. For years Max has suffered pain, terror and suffering beyond all imagining at Giselle's hands. This is not something she can forgive. She doesn't want to forgive. All Max dreams about, all she craves, is revenge on the one who made her this way. And now at last, Max has finally got her chance.
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Top Member Book Reviews
Irene L H. (NonExistence) - AZ reviewed Bitter Night (Horngate Witches, Bk 1) on + 236 more book reviews
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
It seems I have been reading a few end of the world books lately. This one has been on the shelf for a while now and
was in need of some attention. I love the idea of the Shadowblades and the Sunspears. Also the concept behind what
fuels their powers holds a bit of logic that is often not seen in supernatural books. Overall I think it led to
enough of a tie to the natural to make it seem even more feasible. Not that I have a problem with the suspension of
disbelief, mind you.
Bitter Night is the first book in a new series called the Horngate Witches. In the beginning I was confused as
to why Max was so eager for revenge, but reading further on in the book gave me the full picture. While her character
is an awesome warrior, and clearly has no problem getting a date if she so dares, she's not perfect. She definitely has
anger issues, and she knows how to hold a grudge. In my honest opinion, I think this has only made her stronger in the
long run, despite the not always great outcome.
In addition to the quality of the writing and the story, Max and her fellow soldiers can kick some serious ass. If you
are into bad-ass super-soldiers and like the tough as nails woman that would put the likes of Buffy the Vampire
Slayer to shame, then Max is your lady! She is strong, focused and used to things that would put down a normal
Shadowblade. And your normal Shadowblade is used to things that would put down a normal human by far.
The plot itself was a strong one with enough turns and reveals in it to let you know that this book is only the
beginning. It also sets up the seeds for several plot points in the coming sequels. It also shows the promise of
evolution for the characters in those entries as well. Add this plot to the cliffhanger hooks throughout and the
emotional attachment to the characters and you have a real page turner.
I'm elated to find a new UF that fulfills everything on my wish-list, and my only regret is that Diana Pharaoh Francis
is still writing book two, so I must curb my impatience.
was in need of some attention. I love the idea of the Shadowblades and the Sunspears. Also the concept behind what
fuels their powers holds a bit of logic that is often not seen in supernatural books. Overall I think it led to
enough of a tie to the natural to make it seem even more feasible. Not that I have a problem with the suspension of
disbelief, mind you.
Bitter Night is the first book in a new series called the Horngate Witches. In the beginning I was confused as
to why Max was so eager for revenge, but reading further on in the book gave me the full picture. While her character
is an awesome warrior, and clearly has no problem getting a date if she so dares, she's not perfect. She definitely has
anger issues, and she knows how to hold a grudge. In my honest opinion, I think this has only made her stronger in the
long run, despite the not always great outcome.
In addition to the quality of the writing and the story, Max and her fellow soldiers can kick some serious ass. If you
are into bad-ass super-soldiers and like the tough as nails woman that would put the likes of Buffy the Vampire
Slayer to shame, then Max is your lady! She is strong, focused and used to things that would put down a normal
Shadowblade. And your normal Shadowblade is used to things that would put down a normal human by far.
The plot itself was a strong one with enough turns and reveals in it to let you know that this book is only the
beginning. It also sets up the seeds for several plot points in the coming sequels. It also shows the promise of
evolution for the characters in those entries as well. Add this plot to the cliffhanger hooks throughout and the
emotional attachment to the characters and you have a real page turner.
I'm elated to find a new UF that fulfills everything on my wish-list, and my only regret is that Diana Pharaoh Francis
is still writing book two, so I must curb my impatience.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Summary: Once, Max dreamed of a career, a home, a loving family. Now all she wants is freedom…and revenge. A witch named Giselle transformed Max into a warrior with extraordinary strength, speed, and endurance. Bound by spellcraft, Max has no choice but to fight as Giselle’s personal magic weapon — a Shadowblade — and she’s lethally good at it. But her skills are about to be put to the test as they never have before….
The ancient Guardians of the earth are preparing to unleash widespread destruction on the mortal world, and they want the witches to help them. If the witches refuse, their covens will be destroyed, including Horngate, the place Max has grudgingly come to think of as home. Max thinks she can find a way to help Horngate stand against the Guardians, but doing so will mean forging dangerous alliances — including one with a rival witch’s Shadowblade, who is as drawn to Max as she is to him — and standing with the witch she despises. Max will have to choose between the old life she still dreams of and the warrior she has become, and take her place on the side of right — if she survives long enough to figure out which side that is….
I have lately had an issue with getting into books, it's a weird and inconvenient problem in the book blogging hobby. I started reading this book after dinner last night and continued reading to about 2am today. It was amazing, it was a bit slow to start and there was a part of the plot that I was a bit lost on but everything else was amazing. The dialogue was witty, funny, and full of a few fun pop-culture references. I love the strength of Max's character and the tension between her and Alexander. I love the angels, witches, faerie folk, creatures, spells, magic, etc. I loved it all. There was so much action going on in this book, it is non-stop the whole way through, no joke, there is like 2 pages in the whole book that something is not going on. It was a complete thrill ride, one I will gladly take again when the next book is released, and I can hardly wait to see whats up with Scooter.
For more information or for purchasing visit Ms.Francis's webpage.
Also posted: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2009/11/book-review-bitter-night-by-diana.html
The ancient Guardians of the earth are preparing to unleash widespread destruction on the mortal world, and they want the witches to help them. If the witches refuse, their covens will be destroyed, including Horngate, the place Max has grudgingly come to think of as home. Max thinks she can find a way to help Horngate stand against the Guardians, but doing so will mean forging dangerous alliances — including one with a rival witch’s Shadowblade, who is as drawn to Max as she is to him — and standing with the witch she despises. Max will have to choose between the old life she still dreams of and the warrior she has become, and take her place on the side of right — if she survives long enough to figure out which side that is….
I have lately had an issue with getting into books, it's a weird and inconvenient problem in the book blogging hobby. I started reading this book after dinner last night and continued reading to about 2am today. It was amazing, it was a bit slow to start and there was a part of the plot that I was a bit lost on but everything else was amazing. The dialogue was witty, funny, and full of a few fun pop-culture references. I love the strength of Max's character and the tension between her and Alexander. I love the angels, witches, faerie folk, creatures, spells, magic, etc. I loved it all. There was so much action going on in this book, it is non-stop the whole way through, no joke, there is like 2 pages in the whole book that something is not going on. It was a complete thrill ride, one I will gladly take again when the next book is released, and I can hardly wait to see whats up with Scooter.
For more information or for purchasing visit Ms.Francis's webpage.
Also posted: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2009/11/book-review-bitter-night-by-diana.html
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