Review: Night Myst by Yasmine Galenorn

Book Description

Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the Dark Fae in order to harness their power. Instead, they created a demonic enemy more powerful than they dared to dream. Bent on enslaving the world, the Vampiric Fae have been quietly massing their strength for centuries. Now, Myst, queen of the Indigo Court, is rising again...and a long-prophesied war is brewing...

Born a witch, Cicely Waters can control the wind. When her Elemental warns her that her aunt and cousin are in danger, she packs her Pontiac GTO and returns home for the first time in twenty years. But the magical town of New Forest, Washington has changed. The Indigo Court holds the city in fear; people are vanishing, and strange deaths plague the town. Swept into an unexpected and passionate reunion with her trusted childhood friend Grieve, the Fae prince who taught her how to harness the wind, Cicely finds herself with a fierce and territorial lover. But Grieve has become enslaved by Myst's court, and now both lovers must walk a fine line to survive the machinations of the Vampiric Fae Queen. Caught between two evils, both vying for supremacy, Cicely must fight for her family and her future. As she discovers the hidden secrets to her own heritage, will she lose her soul in the process?

 Review

Book 1 in The Indigo Court Series

NIGHT MYST was my first Yasmine Galenorn novel and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised.  I’d been sort of leery of her books as I understood them to be more in the erotica genre, but I would have to categorize this book as closer to urban fantasy romantica.  Why? Because although there is plenty of sex (and it is explicit), it serves to support a richly complex world populated with fully fleshed out characters and not the other way around. 

Sex and vampires go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Sure you could have one without the other, but aren’t they so much better together?  The vampires in NIGHT MYST are dripping with sex, specifically Lannan. He can manipulate desires and enjoys pain and pleasure equally.  His interactions with Cicely are scorching, seductive, and dirty.  I went back and forth dreading and anticipating his scenes, which ultimately I think is a good thing.

But enough about the sex.  The world building was my favorite part of NIGHT MYST.  The series title, The Indigo Court, is named for the vampiric fae.  A failed experiment by the Crimson Court (the vampires) to enslave the fae.  Instead the vampiric fae became a separate court consumed with hatred and revenge.   As NIGHT MYST starts, The Indigo Court, led by the first vampiric fae Queen Myst, have been quietly adding to their numbers and preparing for war:

And she arose from her deathbed in a gossamer gown, with eyes the color of starlight and hair as black as the night. And those who were her captors trembled, for the scent of death and madness emanated from her soul, and yet-she was not dead. She moved like the spiders that creep in the treetops, and none could look away. Taking her first captor in hand, she fed deep and ravenous. And so it was that Myst, Queen of the Indigo Court, was born from the blood of the dead. –opening of NIGHT MYST

Cicely and her first love, the aptly named Grieve, are caught up in the war, each one unwillingly connected to opposing sides.  There is a rich history and mystery surrounding these two characters that unfolds slowly throughout NIGHT MYST.  There is nothing neat or easy about their relationship.  It’s messy and impulsive, and utterly compelling.

Overall, the writing wasn’t amazing, full of a lot repetition as Cicely was constantly explaining the situation to new characters.  And I did groan at the number of clichés Yasmine used in her writing.   But the pace was perfect for me.  The plot raced along like Cicely’s Pontiac GTO, shifting seamlessly between adrenaline fueled action, heart pounding terror, and steamy passion. I’m already looking forward to Night Veil, book two in The Indigo Court series, which will be released in June 2011

Sexual Content: References to sex.  References to homosexuality. References to incest. Several scenes of graphic sensuality. Several graphic sex scenes. A scene at a vampire orgy where various sex acts are described.

My Rating (out of 5):
Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

Click HERE to read an excerpt from NIGHT MYST

Product Details

• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Published: 23 September 2010
• Format: Paperback 320 pages
• See: Full bibliographic data
• Categories: Fantasy Romance
• ISBN 13: 9780515148145 ISBN 10: 0515148148
• Cover Art: Tony Mauro

*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of Penguin Group

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