Shadow Spell

February 24, 2014
The second Cousins O’Dwyer paranormal (after Dark Witch) continues the tale of six magical warriors—the three descendants of the 13th-century Irish witch Sorcha, and their loyal friends—determined to stand against the evil sorcerer Cabhan. After battling Cabhan on the summer solstice, the group decides that the only way to defeat him is to destroy his power source. As they prepare for the next battle, Cabhan seeks to exploit their individual weaknesses, but as always, he underestimates the power of the warriors’ mutual love and respect. The slim plot is strongest when focused on the romance between Connor O’Dwyer and his sweetheart, Meara, making the battle between good and evil a relatively minor part of the novel. The character-driven story, with its picturesque rural Irish setting, will charm romance fans, but readers more familiar with contemporary urban fantasy are likely to be impatient for more action and fewer emotional tangents.

April 15, 2014
Slowly regaining strength after a near-deadly defeat, the evil, power-hungry sorcerer Cabhan plots his revenge against the three descendants of his ancient nemesis, the Dark Witch Sorcha. The three cousins can feel Cabhan's shadowy power growing and know the time is coming when they must try to destroy him once again; maybe this time, with the help of their expanded circle of six, they will get it right. Although the sweet, quirky courtship that develops between loyal, caring falconer Connor O'Dwyer and his childhood friend Meara Quinn, fierce and true as a warrior maiden, is the heart of the story, familiar friends and family add depth to the mix and are crucial to keeping the trilogy plot on track. Dream visits to the past, mind-links with both people and animals, and interesting hawking points are only a few fun pluses in this time-bending, family-centered, fast-paced page-turner. VERDICT Magic--hot and bright, cold and dark--swirls through the pages of this engaging story infused with Irish lore and rife with exceptionally well-developed characters. Readers will be enthralled and eager for the final installment in this classic good-vs.-evil story.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2014
Cabhan is coming. Despite the best efforts of Connor O'Dwyer and his circle of family and friends, the sorcerer will not stop until he has his revenge against the descendants of dark witch Sorcha. Since Connor, his sister Branna, and their cousin, Iona Sheehan, are the latest group of three to have inherited Sorcha's powers, they are all number one on Cabhan's hit list. Everyone's safety depends on working together to defeat Cabhan, but much to his surprise, Connor finds himself distracted by Meara Quinn. The two have always enjoyed a terrific working relationship, until an unexpected kiss reveals the true passion they feel for each other. Pursuing a romantic relationship with Meara, however, is a risk. Not only could Connor lose her friendship; getting closer to Meara could make her an easy target for Cabhan. Roberts has a real flair for seamlessly melding day-to-day domestic details and the supernatural, and the second in her Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy not only delivers a satisfying love story but also effectively sets things up for the coming final confrontation with Cabhan.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)