Kaitlin’s Tale

In this standalone novel within a larger universe, Amsden (Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective) blandly recites a series of predictable events. Kaitlin is a typical small-town girl caught up in an ordinary bad romance with a vampire. Matthew Blair is a charming, powerful sorcerer without a friend in the world. Together they may be able to protect their families and town from disaster. Faced with a pair of murderous vampires and an army of hunters, they will need their combined strength to survive. Unfortunately, Amsden delays their meeting until halfway through the volume and then rushes them into a problematic romance in a highly compressed time frame. The tepid writing leaves the pair lacking chemistry, and the world and characters are drawn from a larger series without explanation, leaving the new reader to wonder about but never understand them. The events follow by rote to a conclusion that feels forced and empty. Kaitlin’s actions stem from her longing to be a heroine in a romance novel; it seems a pity her wish must be realized in such a poor one. (July)