I grabbed Blood, Smoke and Mirrors and  book off of the Amazon KDP free list because I really liked the cover. I know. That’s a poor reason to pick up a book, but it works for me.

Description from Goodreads:
Even a bad witch deserves a second chance.

Wrongly accused of using her magic to harm, the closest Catherine Baker comes to helping others is serving their coffee. Life as an outcast is nothing new, thanks to her father’s reputation, but the injustice stings. Especially since the man she loved turned her in.

Now the man has the gall to show up and suggest she become the next Titania? She’d rather wipe that charming grin off his face with a pot of hot java to the groin.

Alexander Duquesne has never faltered in his duties as a guardian—until now. The lingering guilt over Cat’s exile and the recent death of his best friend have shaken his dedication. With the murder of the old Titania, the faerie realm teeters on the brink of chaos. His new orders: keep Cat alive at all costs.

Hunted by a powerful stranger intent on drawing her into an evil web, Cat reluctantly accepts Lex’s protection and the resurrected desire that comes along with it. Lex faces the fight of his life to keep her safe…and win her back. If they both survive.

Somewhat spoilerish review:

Blood, Smoke and Mirrors wasn’t what I expected. To be fair it was exactly what the description said it would be, but somehow I expected a completely different feel than it had. I think it was more fairytale than PNR, despite the vamps and werewolves. But different than expected isn’t necessarily all bad. I enjoyed it. Cat is a likeable heroine, though the ever present cigarette annoyed me…a lot. I get that it gave her a personality quirk, but I didn’t enjoy it. It bothered me in the same way that smelling smoke irks the nonsmokers in a restaurant. I wanted to waft it away. Lex, or Alexander Duquesne (how do you pronounce that?) was smexy, yum. Though I felt like he was missing for half the book, giving Zach room to grow on the reader. I felt disloyal rooting for him since Cat was obviously going to be with her soul mate, Lex, in the end and not Zach. Honestly, I bought book two almost solely to see what happens to/with Zach. I want him to have a happy ending. The fairy siblings were a hoot (poor Tybalt) and though Mac faded out about half way through the book I liked him too.

The book did feel a little bit lopsided. Cat overcame one major challenge only to step right into a second one, either of which could have been expanded to a full book. What’s more, there didn’t seem to be enough importance attached to the first one. I mean come on, that was her father! But he might as well have been a stranger for all the difference it made to her. The second dilemma was of lesser overall significance, but given more attention than the first. I was still left with questions though. What was Zach’s intended purpose in holding her hostage for a month? Was something happening outside of Harrison Tower that he wanted to keep her distracted from? Was he planning to fall in love with her from the beginning? I doubt it. Did her really expect to convince her to be part of his plans?  What was the point? I get what the outcome was, but that is only relevant after the fact.

All-in-all, despite being written in first person present tense (which almost always drives me up the wall) I enjoyed the read. It was fun, didn’t take itself too seriously and passed the hours easily. I’m off to start Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered now.

Description from Goodreads:
One thing stands between Catherine Duquesne and happily-ever-after with her soul mate Lex her unwanted bond with billionaire vampire Zachary Harrison. Married life is hard enough without adding an uninvited vampire to the mix, and being tied to Zach endangers more than just her relationship. If Zach dies, she dies, and with his new seat on the necromancer council being challenged by older, more powerful masters, his life expectancy is dwindling fast.

Vampire politics is only the beginning of Cat s problems. Hunters are stalking magicians, abducting entire families and killing anyone who resists. As the current Titania and Oberon, Cat and Lex must protect their people, but Cat s dark past keeps the victims from seeking their help. Worse, the former Titania s granddaughter wants to oust Cat from the job, believing her vampire ties make her unfit.

To break the bond Cat must broker deals with devils on a journey that will take her to hell and back literally. Freedom comes at a high price, but Cat will risk anything to save her people and her marriage.

Review:

If anything I think that Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered is even better than Blood, Smoke and Mirrors. Cat really comes into her own in this one, no more Mrs. Nice Witch. She fully accepts herself as a bad witch and runs with it. She has the mouth of a sailor and a seriously rapier wit. I only wish I could be half as sharp in real life. I laughed out loud more than once, especially at some of the modern media references (fighting Louis, turning into Darth Vader, Bruce Wayne and Batman)…all very funny. The book also felt more focused than the last, leaving fewer questions at the end. I still feel sorry for poor Zach, but am looking forward to seeing what happens to Portia and Faust. Honestly, I probably would have the book it five stars if it hadn’t ended so abruptly. I didn’t see it coming at all. At 92% (on the Kindle) it suddenly ended. It was so unexpected that I was literally startled when the “more books by Robyn Bachar” screen came up instead of the start of the next chapter. This left me feeling like it was unfinished. Of course, in a sense it isn’t since it is part of a series. But it feels very much like a just read the first 10 or so chapters of a larger book than an entire story. A challenge was overcome, as opposed to the challenge (if that makes any sense.) Either way I’ll be reading the next one.