#BookReview: Murder the Light by Ash Krafton #urbanfantasy

MURDER THE LIGHT by Ash Krafton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned—especially the woman scorned by the King of Hell himself.

Chiara has been abducted by her own mother: an Enochian defector who has taken up arms against the Light. Luminea will use Chiara to ensure the future of her empire—and to burn away her painful past with the man who had stolen everything from her, so long ago.

Unknowingly, that’s exactly the guy to whom Simon Alliant turns for help. The exorcist mage makes the ultimate deal with Chiara’s father to get her back...but he’ll have the Devil to pay.

My Review:
This is the second book in The Demon Whisperer series. Because it was a continuation of the first, I highly recommend you read the first book, Charm City, before you read this one. Charm City introduces the reader to the main characters and the plot that arises in Murder the Light.

So, we left Charm City with Chiara abducted. We discover in Murder the Light that she's been abducted by her mother, Luminea. It takes Simon a little longer than the reader to discover this, however. After searching for a while, he becomes desperate and summons her father. Simon thinks her father is a demon, but discovers his error when he meets Lucifer himself. After making a deal with the Devil, Simon goes to Chiara's rescue where he has to battle her fierce Enochian mother and the fallen Angel who has become Luminea's protector.

In this novel, we learn about Luminea and Chiara's childhood. It was interesting to see the development of Chiara's mother and their strained relationship with each other. This greatly explained the motivation behind Luminea's actions. By the end, we are given the whole story with a clear understanding of why these things have happened.

Simon's struggle in this story is, dare I say, even more intense than the last novel. The physical demands he endured because of his deal with Lucifer made me cringe. Seriously. Simon suffered severely in his quest to find and free Chiara. It was distressing to read what he had to go through. At times, I wasn't sure how much more he could take or if he would make it to the end.

This is a fantastic series! I'm in love with Simon. He's a well-rounded character with flaws that make him real and believable. He tries to do good things, but makes mistakes along the way. The action is fast paced making this another terrific page-turner, the dialogue is snappy and like the first filled with sarcasm and wit. Ash Krafton's writing style is a joy to read! Also, like the first, the ending is a cliffhanger that will undoubtedly lead us into the next book of this series. I'm excited and eager to read more!

View all my reviews

 Learn more about Ash Krafton

author of The Demon Whisperer Series

Read my Review for Charm City

Summer Writing Blues #AuthorUpdate #amwriting

Summer is in full swing! Many of you are currently on vacation or have plans for a nice summer escape whether its traveling somewhere or staying at home to simply turn the pages of a good book. Or maybe both!

My favorite part of summer is lounging outside on a comfy porch swing and reading the day away. Honestly, though, I haven't had much opportunity for such luxuries. My kids are keeping me rather busy this summer. Busier than most other summers.

And, oh, how my writing has suffered as a result! I barely wrote a word for the entire month of June! It's been constant chaos and noise (varying from laughter to crying, depending on which of my  children are getting along and which are fighting). I have 4 children (ages 2, 6, 9, & 11). Then there's swimming lessons, kid's craft workshops, Scouting activities, trips to the library and local museums and summer camps. I'm also working with my oldest this summer to prepare him for the upcoming school year. Last year, he struggled with his grades and I don't want him to suffer the summer slide that the teachers tell me often happens to students during vacation.

Needless to say, my typical writing during the baby's nap time schedule has gone with the summer wind. I resorted to writing at night again, after the kids go to bed, but I continue to struggle with this time frame since I tend to fall asleep early. Really, I love them dearly, but my kids exhaust me! Since writing at night isn't working to my liking, my next option is negotiating with them.




Maybe this will work...

"If Mommy doesn't get any writing time, 

then kids don't get any PlayStation time."

I haven't dared implement this...yet. It's my secret weapon. I'm still trying to figure out which part of the day I'm going to squeeze in a writing hour or two before I make my demands.

Also, to encourage me to buckle down and make this work, I've joined Camp NaNo. With the summer Nano, I can choose my own word count goal to suit my needs and change it as I see fit. I can also choose my own type of writing project. I've started a new novel. Realistically, I know that I won't be able to churn out 50k so I've shaved that in half for a goal of 25k this month. I'm hoping that will give me a nice chunk to begin and I can continue on in August.

I did well enough last week. This week, I've faltered. The Summer Writing Blues hit.

No time. No quiet. No escape. 

However, I know I won't give up. I've tried to in the past, it just doesn't stick. So, I'll figure it out. It might take me all summer, but I'll find my precious writing time. Even if I have to resort taking 5 to 15 minute sprints I used to write when my two oldest boys were toddlers.

I'll make it work. 

That's what writers do. 

Happy Reading!

Tricia