Darkling (Sisters of the Moon, Book 3)

Returning to the Seattle, WA area, we join Menolly, third of the half fae/half human D'Artigo sisters who are living Earthside because of bounties on their heads in their own land, which they call Otherworld. Witchling was the eldest sister's (Camille) story and Changeling brought us closer to Delilah, a were-cat. Now we are allowed a glimpse into the life of the vampire faerie Menolly. Turned unwillingly, Menolly fights a constant battle against the inherent nature of the brutal blood drinkers. Unwilling to inflict her torturous memories on her sisters, Menolly shoulders her nightmares alone, unable to stop them from unfurling each night because she, unlike humans, cannot wake from her sleep. She takes comfort in raising their pet gargoyle Maggie and in owning/running an Otherworld bar, where her reputation precedes her in discouraging any trouble. Her bar also contains a portal to Otherworld so she and hers also act as guardians against unwelcome visitors. Menolly is suddenly called by her sister's mate to the scene of a multiple homicide, despite the knowledge that the excessive blood-letting might unleash Menolly's darker instincts. But the horror is greater than expected - someone is attacking innocents and turning them into baby vampires - the most deadly because of their lack of control. Convinced that her rogue vampire sire, Dredge, is to blame, she begins the hunt to find the coven that escaped retribution when Menolly was attacked. But Menolly is unsure of her fledgling powers and her ability to defend herself, much less her sisters, against her fiendish sire. The other issue at hand is whether or not Dredge is acting on his own or if he is part of the larger plot by Shadow Wing, a leader in the demonic realms, to take over Earthside. With their own homeland in the midst of a political war and their usual resources worn thin, the D'Artigo sisters do what they do best - improvise - and take care of matters one at a time while watching one another's back. I think Galenorn has hit upon an awesome fantasy world, although it is getting difficult to keep some of the players straight. I'm glad she's planning on continuing the series past the original trilogy, but I have to admit to being quite upset over the ending of her two paranormal mystery series. Her message on her website is wonderful - but I disagree with her that she doesn't do mysteries as well. Like this series, there is substance to the plot and the characters, as well as a lot of character growth and realistic thoughts and emotions. Not everything is as wholesome as apple pie, but her characters suck it up and deal with it like anyone in the real world would have to do. Menolly is a perfect example. So, if you enjoy a little realism with a lot of fantasy, this is ideal for you.

Darkling is the third book in the Sisters of the Moon series, the follow-up of Changeling(2). In Witchling(1) we meet the D'Artigo sisters- Camille, the eldest who is a witch, Delilah, the middle child who is a werecat, and Menolly, the baby of the family who is a vampire. The plot of Witchling establishes the confusing existance of the three realms- Otherworld, Earth and the Subteranean Realms and introduces us to a host of otherwordly species from both those found on Earth and those from without. Darkling draws us further into the darker sides of these races. Menolly is dragged into a hunt for her own kind this time: vampires. The tale of how she was turned is revealed this time, giving us a new villain to loathe, Menolly's sire, Dredge. She's pretty sure he's behind the recent murders and turnings happening around Seattle, she just has to find out if he's working for his own agenda or that of Shadow Wing. Though darker in tone and content, Darkling is a story about healing. Menolly has been through so much more than anyone close to her knows and she finally has to face her demons both inside and out. Some fans will be disappointed that Smoky makes no appearance in this book but Maggie, Iris, Erin and Tim/Cleo, some other fan faves are all here and greatly enrich the story. I personally enjoyed Darkling the most of the three books in the series thus far. It was more emotional, touching and empowering than the other installments and Menolly turned out to be so much more than I had anticipated. A great new character, Roz, is introduced and while this story went off into left field regarding the main thread of the series it brought the sisters closer together which I think will be very important in future books. Greatly looking forward to the next installment- Dragon Wytch.

So it's here we learn about Menolly. If you haven't been keeping track I suggest you start with the first two books in this series. I liked this one mostly because of the action. Menolly is brought in by Chase to solve the murder of four vampire victims found in a local movie theater. Before they can figure out whose the cause, more bodies show up on a daily basis. If your in it this series for the romance, I think you would be disappointed. Even though Menolly gets over her "touching" problem, she doesn't FALL in love with anyone. Not like her sisters have in the previous novels. It's strickly let's-get-the-bad-guys. Rest assured fans, there will be a fourth novel. Apparently Galenorn is starting back to the first sister in her fourth novel. I'm thinking-rotation?

This is the third book in the series that started with Witchling then moved to Changling. I had a difficult time glomming onto the series initially. The premise was interesting enough: three sisters, half-human and half-Fae, all with different abilities live Earthside in Seattle and work for the OIA (Otherworld Intelligence Agency). But I wanted to know more about their actual home, more about the Fae. And I wasn't getting enough of that in the first two books. Took me a while to read Changling but halfway through it started rolling and I devoured it. Darkling is my favorite of the Yasmine Galenorn books. It deals with a problem that directly relates to Menolly, the vampire sister. Twelve years ago, she was spying on the baddest of bad vampire clans when she was captured, tortured, raped and turned into a vampire by the leader, Dredge. Now he's back, wreaking havoc, murdering and kidnapping. In the previous books, big and small hints have been thrown down about Menolly, but it's here in Darkling where you learn a great deal about her as well as learning about the girls' home, the Otherworld. Menolly grows as a person and the conclusion is satisfying, both for her as well as the reader. Right now, Menolly and Jezebel from Jackie Kessler's Hell on Earth series are my two favorite, most admirable fictional characters. Both are no-nonsense, tough and smart. I'm glad I stuck with Galenorn's Sisters of the Moon series.

The D'Artigo sisters, Camille, Delilah, and Menolly, are half-Fae, half-human operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (O.I.A.) Camille is a Witch. Delilah is a Changeling Death Maiden. Menolly is a Vampire who chooses to keep a strong grip on her ethics. Though she is a predator, Menolly never harms the innocent and is actively helping to recruit other vampires to pledge the same. When humans begin to go missing, then turn up as newly born vampires, it is up to the D'Artigo sisters and their battle weary friends to pull themselves together and confront the newest emerging threats. The one responsible for the newly risen is Dredge. Dredge is known as the scourge of the land. It was Dredge who tortured, and worse, to Menolly before turning her into a night walker. Menolly lives (no pun intended) for the night she finally catches and stakes the vile monster. Good news is that the elfin queen has hired a mercenary bounty hunter, Rozurial "Roz", to help them. Roz is not just another merc though; he is an incubus who, at the young age of seven, saw Dredge slaughter his family. There is no doubt that Roz will do anything and everything within his power to help them defeat Dredge. Bad news is that Dredge has kidnapped a human female friend of the sisters'. Unless they can locate her - FAST - Menolly knows exactly what her evil sire will do. ***** Do not believe this story is just for fans of the undead and Fae. There are references and appearances to Merlin, Morgan LeFay, Grandmother Coyote (one of the Hags of Fate), Demonkin, and so much much more. There is something for everyone's taste. Be warned there are one or two short love scenes and not all are with opposite genders. Yet I stress that these are short and not too graphic for those readers who are too phobic on the subject. The story is non-stop action and has deep, dark plots that kept me up reading long past my bed time. Here be Dark Fantasy with a unique twist. YES! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.