I hope you're all having a fab weekend. Liz and Mark kindly invited me to join the review team at MyFavouriteBooks, so here I am, adding a touch of romance to Teen Action, Fantasy Flair and Sci-Fi Battles. This is my first post and I'm just getting used to blogger, so please bare with me should the post turns upside down or everything is written in pink with hearts floating above the text. Also, despite my ferocious reading, spelling and grammar are not my strong point, so please read forgivingly.
And without further ado, on to my first review:
Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan
In case you’re not familiar with this series, let me give you a little background. The Drake women are seven sisters who all have psychic powers. One sister, for example, can heal, another has a magical voice and a third can control the weather, wind in particular. Each sister has her own story, check out Christine’s website http://www.christinefeehan.com/drake_sisters/index.php or the UK publisher Piatkus http://www.piatkus.co.uk/Search?Search=christine+feehan . As the youngest of the seven sisters it falls to Elle to continue the legacy. This means she has all the powers and she will have the seven daughters who will inherit the magic (talk about pressure).
Here is the blurb:
From afar, Sheriff Jackson Deveau has always loved Elle Drake, the youngest telepath of seven magically gifted sisters. After a long time away she's finally returning home to the small coastal village of Sea Haven. But someone has been following Elle, someone who doesn't want her to make it back. And when Elle fails to arrive, her disappearance strikes fear in the hearts of everyone who loves her. Now it's left to Jackson to uncover the mystery of Elle's vanishing, and rescue her from an unseen danger. But Sea Haven is no longer safe for anyone, and it'll take the powers of all the Drake sisters and their men to survive the coming storm.
What this dramatic sounding blurb doesn’t say is that Elle has been kidnapped by a man thought to be involved in human trafficking. Elle worked undercover, trying to find proof, but Stavros, who also has psychic gifts, tricked her into believing he is harmless. Which, believe me, he is not. I will not spoil the story and give away the tricks up his sleeve but, trust me, he is not somebody you want to meet in a dark alley.
The first 100 pages are not an easy read. Christine Feehan doesn’t hold back any of the pain and trauma Elle has to endure at the hands of her kidnapper and shows clearly the fragility of Elle’s mental state. It is only after Jackson finally manages to ascertain Elle’s location and helps her escape, that you can take a breath and relax (a little bit).
Elle’s and Jackson’s relationship is at the heart of this beautifully written story. Both have experienced heartbreak and trauma, and you follow these two damaged souls as they struggle to find their way together. I have to say, for me, their chemistry and connection jumped off the pages (one of the most important important aspects of a romance novel). That doesn’t mean that the book is all heart-ache and kisses. On the contrary, evil Stavros doesn’t give up and pursues Elle with his psychic powers, putting her whole family at risk. Magnificent magical battle ensues. The way Christine Feehan plots the final confrontation is pure genius and not something you could have ever imagined (well, at least I wouldn’t have thought of it).
I have read and re-read every single book ever written by Christine Feehan and I have to say that “Hidden Currents” is one of my favourites. The way Jackson and Elle grow as a couple, the heartbreaking as well as funny moments along the way really kept me glued to my seat and reading. If you’re looking for a book that has you biting your nails with anxiety, crying with the character’s pain, laughing out loud at the banter between Jackson and Elle and on the edge of your seat, skim-reading to find out what’s going to happen next, well, I’d say this is the book for you. I know for sure that, despite having read it twice already, on the next rainy day I'll be curled up in my chair and re-reading "Hidden Currents".
(For any younger readers who are reading this review, “Hidden Currents” is an adult romance novel and includes bad language and sex.)
Here is the blurb:
From afar, Sheriff Jackson Deveau has always loved Elle Drake, the youngest telepath of seven magically gifted sisters. After a long time away she's finally returning home to the small coastal village of Sea Haven. But someone has been following Elle, someone who doesn't want her to make it back. And when Elle fails to arrive, her disappearance strikes fear in the hearts of everyone who loves her. Now it's left to Jackson to uncover the mystery of Elle's vanishing, and rescue her from an unseen danger. But Sea Haven is no longer safe for anyone, and it'll take the powers of all the Drake sisters and their men to survive the coming storm.
What this dramatic sounding blurb doesn’t say is that Elle has been kidnapped by a man thought to be involved in human trafficking. Elle worked undercover, trying to find proof, but Stavros, who also has psychic gifts, tricked her into believing he is harmless. Which, believe me, he is not. I will not spoil the story and give away the tricks up his sleeve but, trust me, he is not somebody you want to meet in a dark alley.
The first 100 pages are not an easy read. Christine Feehan doesn’t hold back any of the pain and trauma Elle has to endure at the hands of her kidnapper and shows clearly the fragility of Elle’s mental state. It is only after Jackson finally manages to ascertain Elle’s location and helps her escape, that you can take a breath and relax (a little bit).
Elle’s and Jackson’s relationship is at the heart of this beautifully written story. Both have experienced heartbreak and trauma, and you follow these two damaged souls as they struggle to find their way together. I have to say, for me, their chemistry and connection jumped off the pages (one of the most important important aspects of a romance novel). That doesn’t mean that the book is all heart-ache and kisses. On the contrary, evil Stavros doesn’t give up and pursues Elle with his psychic powers, putting her whole family at risk. Magnificent magical battle ensues. The way Christine Feehan plots the final confrontation is pure genius and not something you could have ever imagined (well, at least I wouldn’t have thought of it).
I have read and re-read every single book ever written by Christine Feehan and I have to say that “Hidden Currents” is one of my favourites. The way Jackson and Elle grow as a couple, the heartbreaking as well as funny moments along the way really kept me glued to my seat and reading. If you’re looking for a book that has you biting your nails with anxiety, crying with the character’s pain, laughing out loud at the banter between Jackson and Elle and on the edge of your seat, skim-reading to find out what’s going to happen next, well, I’d say this is the book for you. I know for sure that, despite having read it twice already, on the next rainy day I'll be curled up in my chair and re-reading "Hidden Currents".
(For any younger readers who are reading this review, “Hidden Currents” is an adult romance novel and includes bad language and sex.)
Hidden Currents is published by Piatkus and out now.
I really enjoy the Drake series. I'm so looking forward to Elle's story. I'm very glad you enjoyed it and I liked your review a lot! I'm working on picking up a copy just haven't had the chance =)
ReplyDeleteThanks, that's so nice of you to say. I ope you get a chance to pick up a copy soon. Enjoy!
ReplyDelete