First thing first.
There is a vampire in this book and he can’t tolerate the sunlight.
I like to get these kind of facts in the open right away so that if you are like my husband you will at least consent to hear about the rest book. Some people, are so touchy about these things. I mean seriously, what’s wrong with a little sparkle now and then?
But I digress.
Vampires, elementals, witches, fey… There are loads of creatures in this book living alongside humans in the Scottish Highlands – which is the best part of the book. Not just that they exist, but that they do so with a fairly well thought out strategy of how the creatures live aside humans and why they act the way they do. Fantastic for people like my vampire persnickety husband who can then just enjoy the story without shaking their heads too much over the technicalities. Even better, the author fits that information into the writing smoothly enough that the book doesn’t bog itself down with the details. Well some of the details. Apparently elementals need DNA to support a human guise and sometimes a girls gotta do whom a girls gotta do in order to get some… DNA…
Would I recommend it? This book is good! It’s quick and fun, with a well written, solid plot. If I weren’t warming my toes by the fire and battened down for cold weather I’d call this a perfect beach read!
Be warned, if you search for this book search engines everywhere will try hard to convince you that you mean “desperate measures” don’t believe them!
This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.
Behind the Willows 
I have nothing against vampires, in fact I love a good fantasy book, but sparkling is where I draw the line >.< Real vampires don't sparkle thank you very much!
😀 Ok, to be honest I actually had Deborah Harkness’s books (have you read them?) in mind but I didn’t think that “seriously what’s wrong with a vampire who doesn’t die in the sun?” had quite the same ring to it. 🙂
And I suspected a sparkle comment might get a conversation going! 🙂
Hahahaha! Devious :p
Scotland makes a great backdrop for a book, great review.
It sure does and thank you!
Trying to understand this manic trend for publishing stories that feature vampires and zombies. Maybe it’s because people recognize, subconsciously at least, that the unhuman representatives of amoral corporations are sucking the lifeblood out of us, and many of the people hovering around us day-to-day are the undead — beings who are ‘deceased’ emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.
The society we have created is reflected darkly in our popular literature. With book covers that sell sex but not love.
Alas, alas, that great city Babylon…
Come on now Jerry, tell us how you *really* feel! 🙂
Also zombies are gross, I understand that trend not in the slightest.
Thanks for such a delightful review, Jessie, and for taking the time to read DESPRITE MEASURES Search engines are annoying, aren’t they? I just love a little word play, and even some of the places I’ve advertised the book have spelled it wrong.
Zombies leave me cold too, so there won’t be any of those in my books. Aside from that, I like to draw in creatures from a wide range of myths and folk tales and have plenty more of those planned from future books.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m so glad to hear your books will be zombie free and I loved finding a selkie in your book!
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