For those of you who have read the first book in this series, The Garnet Dagger, this book is quite a wonderful little read.

Taking place after the destruction of the Warloc, Cursed in Shadow follows Celeste and Brock as they journey back to Brock's home of Tamlon to find the prophecies of the four, because of course defeating the Warloc can't be enough. Now they are going to have to deal with someone who is just a tad bit miffed by the Warloc's defeat. His protégé, his progeny. And boy is she going to make her first act against our hero and heroine a big one.

Of course, though, before this first act, we get to see the general reaction of the elves toward Celeste and Brock bringing her to Tamlon. You see, due to the fact that humans are basically forbidden to enter there, she makes quite a few enemies by basically doing nothing. Just the fact that she exists inside their land is reason enough. And Brock isn't fairing any better. He already had enemies before he brought her there, and now...well, this isn't really helping matters.

They won't be staying long, thankfully, as they need to find some important players to aid in ridding the land of the sickness and evil that is rotting its very core. One of which was long thought dead...Brock's very own long lost twin sister.

But before they leave, you know that big first act that I told you about? Well, the curtain is rising and Brock is going to get quite a surprise. A very revenge-filled surprise.

Things are getting quite juicy...

This is kind of the perfect quencher of my literary thirst between the first and second books in this series. It segue's wonderfully by allowing the little pit stop in Tamlon. A very important pit stop, mind you, because it kind of allows a little introduction to who our characters will be dealing with now. Someone who has learned from the Warloc certainly cannot be good.

This story also delves a little bit more into Brock and Celeste's relationship. Not just physically, mind you, although it does get a bit steamy, but also how they truly feel about one another. But I can't help but get a bad feeling about this. Something is not sitting right with me. It is unexplainable, but I think that maybe one of them could possibly turn against the other. I don't know, but it could be one of them could very well join the dark side of this fight. They do have cookies...so I guess that would appeal?

I don't know, it is just a feeling.

But anyway...READ THIS!!! And if you happen to read this one before The Garnet Dagger, READ THAT ONE TOO!!! I can only imagine how the rest of the story will play out...and I am quite excited to find out.

In this novel, character Kali Jorgensen is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She is a hard-working woman who cracks the whip. So when a bunch of lawyers from the city decide to bring their client to a cattle-driving ranch for a little down time while things settle down regarding their current big case, they have no idea what they are in for. And neither does their client.

I still have chills from reading this book. *insert nervous chuckle here* I mean, the hairs on the back of my neck rose and my body stiffened every time the antagonist, Jeremy Connors, came into the picture. From the very beginning I just wanted to go through the book and punch him in the face, that is how bad my feelings toward him are. So I definitely commend the author on that.

And Kali...whew...she is definitely a firecracker. I mean, who blasts Michael Jackson at 5 in the morning? She does! She probably was one of my favourite characters in this book, mainly because she is so tough. This woman lost her husband and is still going strong...or at least that is what she portrays to the rest of the world. Behind all her toughness, though, occasionally you see this vulnerability that she saves for when she is alone. That makes her so amazingly likeable to me, because she doesn't play the victim. She just takes things day by day. And even though she does not know it, she truly just wants to be loved again. You see a loneliness about her. So I was glad to see her on the receiving end of the romance aspect of this story.

I really do love that this story hosts the topics that it does. Rape, misconduct, abusive actions...It also touches the topic of how someone's status in life can allow them to get away with things like this. And the people who defend them even when they know there is a semblance of truth to the charges against their clients. There is a morality to this story. You see it in the lead attorney of the Jeremy Connors case. He begins to question why he is even involved, and he also begins to question his morals. He truly is sickened by his client, but the promise of a promotion is kind of hard to turn down. However, he will find that there is a line he will not cross regarding how far he will go to keep his client out of trouble.

There is humor, there is pain, there is romance and horses, what more could a girl ask for?

I loved this story. It was a great read and definitely showed that not everyone should be afraid to tell the truth. It also showed that even after tragedy, things can turn out okay.

Life can change at a dime, and love can come when you least expect it.

Definitely an author to read in future.