Witchling - Yasmine Galenorn

Witchling
Yasmine Galenorn
Berkley

Paranormal

When the faeries and elves and other ‘legendary’ creatures came out of the closet, so to speak, the world was stunned. But, very quickly, individuals from Otherworld became celebrities of a sort. The D’Artigo sisters are covert operatives, based in a Seattle suburb. They work for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. When they were sent through a portal from Otherworld, they figured that Earthside was the last stop before being fired from the OIA. Instead, life has been about as quiet as could be expected for a trio of sisters who are half human and half Faerie. As covers, Camille, the eldest, a witch with unpredictable powers, runs a bookshop. The youngest, Delilah, a werecat (as in, the cute, tabby housecat variety) keeps a PI office upstairs from the bookshop. And Menolly, recently turned into a vampire in an episode she prefers not to discuss, works nights at the Wayfarer Bar & Grill, one of the hot place for humans to meet other species.

The OIA is tasked with keeping Earth safe from demon overlords and various evil factions from the Subterranean Realms. So far, no problem. But, on a rainy morning, the giant (really) bouncer of the Wayfarer is found dead in the alley. The killer, who had to be huge, strong, and not-human, used a leather cord to strangle the giant. One touch, one smell of the cord tells Camille that the killer was demonic. Camille’s ex, and that’s a whole different story, sends word that the demon behind the killing is most likely Shadow Wing. This is beyond bad. Shadow Wing is ruthless, even by demon standards, and reached his high position by eliminating everyone in his way. Now he wants not only Earth, but Otherworld, as well. And the only ones standing in his way now? The D’Artigo sisters.

This is an excellent start to what promises to be a highly entertaining and magical series. The paranormal elements are blended seamlessly into the “real” world elements. The three sisters are very unique individuals, with very distinct personalities and traits. While Camille’s power is sometimes thrown off-course by her human blood, the author never veers into the absurd. The sisters enjoy their jobs, both covert and overt, and it’s fun to watch them walk the line in between the two. The world building is excellent, making this first novel very satisfying, yet leaving plenty of room for growth. Fans of the paranormal won’t want to miss this one.

Rating: 9
October 2006
0-425-21254-8 (paperback)