Book Review: Soul Magic by Poppy Dennison

Title: Soul Magic
Series: Triad, Book 3
Author: Poppy Dennison
Genre: Paranormal Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy from publisher
Published: May 6, 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

Blood runs soul-deep. Cormac hasn’t been the same since the night the High Moon Pack was attacked. With his magic weakened, he’s consumed by a bloodlust he hasn’t felt since he first became a vampire. His need to replenish his power makes him a danger to his last remaining family member, and his hunger makes him careless. And that’s just the beginning of his troubles. Feeding from pack beta Liam Benson was supposed to slake his appetite, not leave him craving more.

Simon Osborne and Gray Townsend are trying to fight a being history says shouldn’t exist—one with all three types of magic. The pack must use all of their resources to combat the mysterious triad, even turning to the shady Council of Mages for help. While Cormac struggles to reconcile his past failures with his current desires, Simon must attempt the impossible: an alliance between mind, body, and soul.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Good conclusion to the series with a decent enough romance.

The Set Up: Cormac was injured in an attack by an evil mage and his vampire cravings have been turned on in ways they haven’t since he was first turned. Liam is the beta of the wolf pack that Cormac’s grandson is the Alpha-mate of and offers to feed Cormac. But the feeding ties Liam and Cormac together in ways neither is prepared for and the evil mage is renewing his quest to destroy the High Moon wolf pack and their allies.

Why I Read this Book: I loved book one in this series and book two was decent enough to keep me awaiting this book’s release to wrap up the series.

What I Liked: Cormac and Liam have a fairly straight forward romance that starts off sexual and progresses to include decent emotional intimacy. The sexual intimacy is beautifully erotic here, just as it was in the rest of the series and it makes up for the mostly superficial emotional intimacy between Liam and Cormac.

What I Also Liked: The best part of this series has always been the High Moon Pack and their allies. The Alpha and his mate, Gray and Simon, are leads from book one and they continue to be just as much of a focus as Liam and Cormac. I loved Gray and Simon in the previous books and adore them here but their relationship has deepened and includes their charming children and packmates. The connections between the Gray and Liam and Cormac and Simon, his grandson, are just as important to the story as the romantic relationship between Liam and Cormac. I’ve always enjoyed romances that build a community and this book and series has done that beautifully.

I have to also say, this book has a lovely epilogue. I love the length of time covered in the epilogue and where the characters are then. It was a lovely surprise to have such a thorough epilogue. I wish more authors would do this for final books in a series and other authors can learn from how well this was executed here.

What I Didn’t Like: Simon and Gray were such a strong couple, both in their sexual and emotional intimacy, that I think the others suffer in comparison. They and their romance are just as important in books two and three as their own book one and I think the focus is pulled from Liam and Cormac’s romance here.

Also, I was a little overwhelmed with the different magic talk all the time. I liked that it progressed the story of the High Moon Pack and their Allies fighting the evil mage but the magic talk just bored me a little toward the end. I was ready for the conclusion of the magic storyline and for the baddie to get his just dues.

IMO: This is a good book to end this three book series. I doubt a new reader could pick it up and enjoy it without reading the others in the series but series readers like me should be happy with the conclusion.

J9’s Rating:

 

 

J9’s reviews for other books in this series:
Mind Magic – 4 frogs
Body Magic – 3 frogs