I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Harvest Hunting
by
Yasmine Galenorn
urban fantasy in Paperback edition that was published by Berkley on October 26, 2010 and has 273 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Hexed, Witchling, Changeling, Never After, Darkling, Demon Mistress, Dragon Wytch, Bone Magic, Night Huntress, Blood Wyne, Courting Darkness, Shaded Vision, Shadow Rising, Haunted Moon, Night Myst, Night Veil, Night Seeker, Autumn Whispers, Night Vision, Night’s End, Priestess Dreaming, Panther Prowling, "Flight From Hell", Flight From Death, Souljacker, Legend of the Jade Dragon, Darkness Raging, Fury Rising, Murder Under a Mystic Moon, Ghost of a Chance, Once Upon A Curse, A Harvest of Bones, One Hex of a Wedding, Starlight Hollow, Moon Shimmers
Eighth in the Otherworld urban fantasy series revolving around the D’Artigo sisters and their extended family in Seattle.
My TakeM
I’m not sure if Galenorn is becoming a better writer or if I’m simply enthralled with the storyline. As you can tell by the characters listed below, it’s a busy, busy storyline and I love the homeyness of the good guys. It is never boring and I’m looking forward to finding out more about Shade and the father-daughters relationship.
I can’t believe it takes this long for Delilah to get that her father is a jerk! Of course, she is going through quite a bit, what with Chase avoiding her. Fortunately, the Autumn Lord is in her corner.
Camille is asking Delilah to take the lead on the hotel problem. Which I just don’t get. Every time Delilah becomes frightened she turns into a were-kitty. Can somebody explain this one to me?
This is a useful story as it clears Delilah’s love life and sets up the scene for what the Autumn Lord will eventually require. It’s also setting us up for some major drama with dad.
The Story
It’s Camille’s wedding to her third husband, Trillian, as Morio and Smoky stand by. A sweet and romantic moment that falls apart with Chase’s nastiness. One that finds Delilah fleeing the house and into her housecat form where all intelligence does not exist. One that leads to a new hairstyle and colors.
The story really picks up when Luke wants to hire Delilah to find his missing sister. The one who escaped her abusive mate. While investigating, Camille and Delilah run across Wolf Briar, a horrible drug that renders any werewolf who inhales it compliant. What’s worse is how it’s made using werewolf pituitary glands. And it has a short shelf life.
The Characters
The half-fae Camille, the oldest D’Artigo sister, is marrying Trillian, a Svartan with whom she shares a bond. Their wedding is attended by her other two husbands: Morio Kuroyama, a youkai-kitsune demon who teaches her death magic; and, Smoky, a shapeshifting silver-white dragon. She is a Moon Witch and priestess of the Moon Mother who has ordered her to pledge to Aeval’s court. Rodney is the bone-man golem given to Morio by Grandmother Coyote. Camille’s bookstore, Indigo Crescent, is almost finished and she has hired Giselle, a martial arts she-demon, to run the shop.
Delilah is half-fae and a were-housecat, panther, and the only living Death Maiden bound to an Elemental, the Autumn Lord, Hi’ran, who intends for her to bear his child. Arial is her dead twin who, in her leopard form, watches over Delilah. Greta is the leader of the Death Maidens and Delilah’s trainer. Part of a Death Maiden’s task is to honor those who died well.
Mennolly is half-fae, half-human, and a vampire and runs the Wayfarer’s Grill, a fae bar. She’s monogamous with Nerissa Shale, a werepuma belonging to the the Rainier Puma Pride who is running for city council as a bisexual Were. Men don’t come into the monogamous ban. Luke is a werewolf who tends bar at the Wayfarer. Amber Johansen is his pregnant sister who fled her abusive husband, Rice, a member of the Zone Red Pack. One known for its extremes.
Chase Johnson is in charge of the Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigations team as well as chief of detectives. Delilah brought him back to life with the Nectar of Life in Bone Magic and it’s changed him. Not for the better. Sharah is an elfin medic with F-HCSI with a secret passion. She’s also Queen Asteria’s niece. Mallen is another med tech. Officer Yugi is one of Chase’s.
Sephreh ob Tanu is their father and the queen’s advisor and lover. He’s also an intolerant jerk! Shamas ob Olanda is the girls’ full-blooded fae cousin and he has been working for the Earthside police. He’s trying to make up for their father’s actions.
Iris Kuusi is a Talon-haltija (Finnish house sprite) and a Priestess of Undutar who keeps house for the D’Artigo sisters and cares for Maggie, their baby calico gargoyle. She’s still seeing Bruce O’Shea, a leprechaun. Vanzir is a dream-chaser demon who lives with Rozurial, an incubus, and Shamas in the backyard studio. Wilbur is their neighbor and a necromancer who spent some time in special ops. He has some info for them about the coyote shifters, the Koyanni, who use Wolf Briar. Martin is his ghoul with a weird master-servant relationship.
Carter is half-demon, half-god — a son of Hyperion, a Greek Titan — and he is the girls’ contact with the demonic forces in Earthside. Research is his overt career while spying and tracking what happens Earthside is his real task for the Demonica Vacana Society. Kim is his mute foster daughter.
Exo Reed is a werewolf who runs the Halycon Hotel and Nightclub, which caters to supes of all kinds. Roman is a really scary vampire summoning Mennolly to a vampire ball. Andy Gambit is a bigoted yellow journalist who trespasses. Katrina is with the Olympic Wolf Pack, one of the few matrilineal packs, and is willing to talk. Doug Smith, Paulo Franco, and Saz Star Walker are three werewolves who seem to have disappeared from the scene. Marion is a coyote shifter who runs the Supe-Urban Café who explains the story of Nukpana, a coyote shifter who went bad.
Queen Asteria rules the elves and she has put together the Keraastar Knights, a group of people attuned to the spirit seals which includes Venus the Moon Child, the shaman for the Rainier Puma Pride; Tam Lin; and Benjamin Welter. Trenyth Vesalya is an elfin assistant to Asteria. In this story he has an awful task with some bright notes. Of the Earthside courts, Morgaine is the Queen of the Twilight Court, Aeval is Queen of the Unseelie, and Titania is Queen of the Seelie.
The Death Maidens include Eloise, Lissel, Fiona, and Mizuki and they live in Haseofon; Arial lives with them. Shade is a chosen of the Autumn Lord, a shadow dragon — half black dragon and half-Stradolan which allows him to work shadow and illusion.
Shadow Wing is a demon lord determined to acquire the seals that will unlock the gate between Hell and Earth, and then to Otherworld. Stacia Bonecrusher is a lamia and one of Shadow Wing’s generals. Although she has her own agenda. Van and Jaycee Thomas are sorcerers who run a magic shop, Madame Pompey’s Magical Emporium.
The Cover and Title
The cover is Delilah in her sexy new haircut and this kitty is leather-clad and has all her claws…especially that big dagger she’s holding. That look says don’t cross this kitten. It’s an interesting background with its warm grays and browns and paw prints on the wall. I’m not sure what the bleached-out sun seal is all about.
The title refers to Delilah’s change in perspective; Harvest Hunting is true to her nature and her future.
