Review: Truly entertaining read!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 7, 2013
Reviewed on FicCentral.com:What a pleasant surprise!  If you know my reading preferences, you know from the synopsis that this isn't my usual kind of read.  I much prefer stories about normal humans, since all too often the ones that delve into the paranormal or supernatural just seem way too far-fetched to me.  But something about the premise of this story piqued my interest, and I figured I'd give it a shot.  Good thinking on my part!Auras are spread out around the earth, each one responsible for a season in a particular region.  It's when they lose control (or get a little mischievous) that dramatic weather phenomenon occur, things like blizzards and tsunamis and tornado outbreaks.  For this reason, each Aura must take great care to remain completely in control during their off-seasons.  Reille, being a Winter Aura, pretty much has her freedom during the winter months, but through the rest of the year, she has to take it easy, so as not to launch an ice storm during July.I was surprised by how easily I believed in and fell into the world that A.J. Locke created.  I'm sure a large part of my acceptance of everything was simply that the Auras lived in the world we know.  Sure, they looked a little odd, with their too-bright eyes and oddly colored hair, but aside from unleashing seasonal events (oh, and being basically immortal), they were just  like everyone else.  Reille lived in an apartment, ordered too much take-out, and taught art classes.  And like most women out there, she lamented her lack of a sex life.  However, her reason for abstinence is tied to what she is, not whether anyone's available.Her simple, somewhat solitary life is upset, though, when the local Summer Aura is found dead, burned to death by his own magic, and the Elders seem to be keeping secrets.  But just as the heat wave of the unmanaged summer gets way out of hand, in walks Aden, a back-up Summer Aura who just happens to be sex on legs.  Forced by the Elders  to let him room in her apartment for a little while, Rielle is finding it harder and harder to resist the primal urges that crop up every time Aden is around, knowing that if she were to give into the attraction, she'd likely bury the area under a blanket of snow and face punishment from the Elders.  However, there's something different about Aden.Just as Reille's about to lose both her mind and control of her libido, Aden has a solution, a way they can indulge in their desires with no unexplainable weather and no issue with the Elders.  It's exactly what Reille needs.But...The only thing I had trouble with wasn't anything about the story, but rather issues with editing.  (Yeah, I know you're probably starting to see a pattern here.)  While the book was surprisingly well-edited for a self-published work, there were a few places where either the editor fell asleep, or the author made changes before it went to print.  As is typical, there was a big lack of necessary commas, and in a few places, homonyms were mixed up -- like "you're" when it should have been "your."  Then again, if Facebook is any indication, only about three people on earth will know the difference, so perhaps I shouldn't even mention it.The Verdict...I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a creative plot with some steamy lovin'.  The idea of supernatural beings controlling the elements isn't exactly new, but the way A.J. Locke incorporated it into an otherwise normal world made it easy to believe and quite a bit different from other books with that same basic premise, and she didn't go the obvious route and take the magic too far.  It's a murder mystery with a supernatural twist, and the sexual tension will have you speed-reading to get to the good stuff.*This book was received from the author & IFB Tours in exchange for an honest review.