Review: Riding Two Roller Coasters
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 5, 2013
Ever have to pick between two competing roller coasters at an amusement park? ReadingBurning Both Ends (Guardian Witch), Book 3 of Ally Shield's Guardian Witch series, is like being on both rides. At the same time.Like most women, when she's at work Ari Calin feels guilty for ignoring her relationships, especially with her sexy boyfriend Andreas. Of course, when she's with him, she worries about her work. But she doesn't have just any job. Ari Calin is a cop. Along with her gun, she carries a few other weapons including her stiletto, the odd spell, and her powers as a fire witch. Useful, because her beat is the supernatural otherworld of her Mississippi town, Riverdale. On one roller coaster, Ari races to rescue a kidnapped friend before an execution deadline, protect the delegates working on a coalition that could save untold lives, and find a missing cat. But her attention and emotions are split with the other roller coaster as she helps Andreas, her vampire lover, face the enemy from their past and the threat from across the ocean.One of the critical elements of a successful series is not just a continuing backstory, but developing characters, and Ally Shields doesn't just deliver, she excels. Like any good relationship, Ari and Andreas face everything from hiccups to meltdowns. Ms. Shields' readers watch the compromises, growth, and change as Ari faces each development.Is this a perfect book? Well, I admit that I'm not a fan of having Ari share every little relationship doubt but not her clues and whodunnit theories. If this was a cozy mystery where the reader races to put clues together before the Great Detective reveals all, I would be royally pissed. But this is a paranormal thriller, and Ally Shields delivers the thrills. No, my only complaint is that I came late to the party, and now I need to go back and read the earlier books, while waiting for the next one.