Genre: Paranormal, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Reviewer: Maryann, Linda
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About The Book
When a rebel werewolf and a vampire thief fall in love, only one thing is certain—trouble.
For as long as Lucas Coate can remember, werewolves have been taught to mistrust vampires. Lucas is an exception—he has close friends who are vampires. The werewolf pack in Boggslake—and their leader, Jacob Coate—have made it clear that Lucas’s association with vampires is barely tolerated, and another transgression will be his last. When Lucas finds out about the plague of werewolf deaths in the area, he wants to help even though his own life may already be in danger.
Declan has been away from Boggslake for ten years, but he isn’t surprised to learn that the internal politics of the Supernatural Council haven’t changed for the better. When a series of burglaries hit close to home soon after he arrives, Declan—a vampire and professional thief—is their prime suspect, although for once, he isn’t responsible. With the council keeping secrets, no one is safe. Time is running out, and for Lucas and Declan, everything is about to change.
Authors Note: This story was originally released in 2015 by another publisher. This edition has been re-edited.
The Reviews
Maryann
Anne Barwell has all the residents at Boggs Castle getting into the chaos with the third installment of “The Sleepless City” series. Declan is in big trouble as he’s called before the Supernatural Council.
Declan is still staying at Boggs Castle. He’s getting settled and he and Lucas have made a peculiar connection. But they’re both fighting the inevitable that other residences of Boggs Castle have noticed. Just when things seem to really settle down, Declan is called before the Supernatural Council and Elders, who still believe in the old rules. They’ve made up their collective minds that Declan is the thief, and plan to put an end to the vampire.
Lucas has his hands full: can he prove Declan’s innocent? He’s also helping his sister Anita with her loss, trying to figure out the mysterious death’s of the unborn, planning a reunion with Ivan an old friend, and having to deal with his father. Most of all, Lucas just wants to continue to explore this new and odd relationship with Declan.
Ben’s best friend, Ange Duncan, has come for a visit, and everyone has to be careful not to show their true identity. Ange has made a special friend very quickly, but does she really know who she’s talking to? Ange becomes a witness to many strange things, but she slides right into this unique group and finds her place.
The team finds they still have lots to solve: who’s the thief? What new evil will they find lurking in Boggslake? And who planted the sigil in Boggs Castle?
There are also the scrolls with the myth about vampires and werewolves.
When Declan’s time is up, Simon comes up with an old plan and everyone has a part to play. Can they all keep this intricate plan in motion and save Declan?
Anne Barwell does an outstanding job with the storyline and continues to brings another action packed, eerie mystery, with so many twists and turns. Barwell delivers intriguing lore with the subject of vampires vs. werewolves, and doesn’t miss a beat in giving all the characters (Simon Hawthorne, Ben Leyton, Jonas Forge, Blair Turner, Lucas Coates, Declan and Boggs and even Ange Duncan) a chance to get into the act.
“Family Reflection” is a re-edited version from the first publication in 2015. Not only is it just as good the second time around, but it has a gorgeous new cover from T.L. Bland.
To bring “The Sleepless City” series to a close, Elizabeth Noble is up next to deliver the final novel “Shifting Chaos”. Coming soon!
Linda:
This series just keeps getting better and better, and each time I am lucky enough to join the gang in whatever trouble they will get into, I count myself lucky. A castle filled with vampires, a werewolf, a human and a ghost – how could that be anything but great? Of course, there’s also the newest danger surrounding everyone, and the issue of finding out the guilty party, which comes as a surprise.
Lucas Coate has been falling for Declan, a vampire who was involved with Jonas Forge for hundreds of years, making a relationship between them very awkward. That’s exactly what Blair, Forge’s new soulmate is living with, because he knows that Jonas has loved Declan and probably still does. A werewolf and a vampire, each living long lives and still too stupid to communicate how they feel. If they did they would find they feel the same way.
After being away from Boggslake for ten years, Declan has returned, and things are not as he remembers them. Declan is a thief, and when members of the Supernatural Council have items stolen from them, Declan is their prime suspect. Declan is given the job of finding the real thief, or he will suffer the consequences, and the Council is the last word on sentencing.
So stealing is a problem, but not the most egregious one. Women in the wolf packs are miscarrying their babies, even after the first trimester and the wolves are convinced there is a plague and the vampires are to blame. Unborn litters are dying with no idea why, and it could mean the end of the werewolf population. Declan and all his friends have their hands full, and finding answers is filled with danger. Werewolves and vampires are on the edge and Declan knows he is going to be the one to pay the price.
Making things even harder is the fact that Ben’s childhood friend Ange has come to visit for a few weeks with no knowlege whatsoever that she is rooming with vampires, a werewolf and a ghost, so everything has to be done in secret for fear of exposing her to a world she could never have anticipated.
This series is a collaboration of two different authors, each writing a book, which makes it great for readers like me since the wait for the next book in the series will not be too long.
The characters are amazing, not wonderful but amazing. The search for answers finds betrayal and surprise after surprise.
Now I just have to wait for book four to once again connect with the all my castle friends.
The Reviewers
Maryann:
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
Linda:
I am an avid reader the mother of 3 sons and grandmother to seven grandchildren. Since retiring I have been doing more reading while volunteering as a CASA worker. CASA is an organization that works with the family court system to ensure that children are in the best living situation. There are way too many children that get overlooked in the foster care system and I visit homes and make visits to the parents. I was born and raised in New York and my husband of 50 years and I live in Upstate New York.