Mortal Ties

World of the Lupi #9

by Eileen Wilks

Eileen Wilks' novels of the Lupi have drawn readers into a seductive world of action, suspense, and passion. Now, FBI agent Lily Yu tracks a traitor into the darkest shadows yet… 

FBI agent Lily Yu is living at Nokolai Clanhome with her fiancé, lupi Rule Turner, when an intruder penetrates their territory, stealing the prototpye of a magical device the clan hopes will be worth a fortune--if a few bugs can be worked out . . . 

But the protoytpe can be dangerously erratic, discharging a bizarre form of mind magic—and it looks like the thief wants it for that very side effect. Worse, whoever stole the device didn’t learn about it by accident. There’s a Nokolai traitor in their midst. Lily and Rule have to find the traitor, the thief, and the prototype. One job proves easy when the thief calls them--and his identity rocks Rule’s world.  

As they race to recover their missing property, they find Robert Friar’s sticky footprints all over the place. Robert Friar--killer, madman, and acolyte of the Old One the lupi are at war with--an Old One whose power is almost as vast as her ambition to rock the entire world . . .

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Magic

386 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2012

About the author

Eileen Wilks’ first book, a Silhouette Desire published in 1996, hit the USA Today Bestseller List and was nominated for Romantic Times' Best First Short Contemporary award. Since then, her books have appeared consistently on national bestseller lists. With thirty two books in print and novellas in nine anthologies, she has been a finalist in the prestigious Rita Awards three times, as well as receiving several nominations from Romantic Times, including one for Career Achievement in Series Romantic Suspense.

Each book in her World of the Lupi series gains a larger audience. It was originally sold in the Romance section of bookstores, but more and more you will be able to find copies cross-shelved under Sci-Fi and Fantasy as the popularity of the series grows!

Eileen has lived in the West Texas town of Midland, TX for over 30 years--three years as a young teen, and the remaining years since she moved back here as an adult. When she first started writing over 10 years ago, it hit her like the first drink for an alcoholic . . . or the first kiss for Romeo and Juliet.

She came to writing romance in a roundabout way. Having read and loved science fiction for years, that’s where she first tried her hand when the writing bug bit. Somehow her stories always ended up having a strong romantic subplot, but she hadn’t read a romance since the early 80’s and didn’t think “those little books” were her kind of stories. But when a friend in her critique group began working on a romance novel, Wilks decided she needed to give the genre another try. She asked her friend to recommend some titles--and quicker than you can say “Jayne Ann Krentz,” she fell in love. The genre had been busy growing up while she wasn’t watching. These days, with romances comprising over 50% of the mass market books published in the U.S., there are romances to appeal to almost every taste--historicals, paranormals and contemporaries that range from romantic suspense to romantic comedy, from inspirational to sizzling.

Eileen covered a lot of territory before coming home to Midland, having lived in Canada and Venezuela as well as twelve U.S. cities in five states.

Profile taken from the author's site with her permission.

Reviews

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how formulaic series get after a while. It's like the TV shows where, no matter what happens, you know everything will end up back to normal by the end of the show. One of the worst offenders is the Stephanie Plum series where you can literally predict certain events that must happen in each book, and you know with certainty that Stephanie isn't going to grow as a character at all. It's also the series with the world's longest-running love triangle. They will all be in adult diapers before she makes a decision. Or, maybe one of them will die of old age and the decision will be made for her.

This series, however, does a good job of developing the characters and their relationships. Lily and Rule have come a long way in their relationship, but things are continuously changing - like in real life. In this book, Rule gets a little angsty. I'm not sure how I feel about an angsty werewolf alpha...


I'm okay with Llama angst, though. It's adorable.

So, in this book, there is a magical skull that everyone wants to steal. Yeah, a skull. I guess all these people are badasses.


They totally shop at Hot Topic..

It's always a skull, or a chalice, or a sword. You never find a magical, all powerful whistle or yoyo. Of course, a slinky is already magic, so you'd think it would be a perfect vehicle for more magic. But, no, that's not badass enough.


can't . stop . watching .....

So, there's a lot of running around, trying to get the magic skull back. Lily gets kidnapped, Rule gets shot, grandmother gets furry, Cullen is a jerk..... so I guess there is a little bit of the expected. Also, Lily has a helpful ghost partner now. I actually grew to like this guy. I'm glad he will become a reoccurring character.

The story moved fast enough after some initial slowness. I've noticed that the last 100 pages in these books are always nail-biters. Things just explode and you don't want to put it down. This makes for some late-night reading, but I'm an insomniac, so it works for me.

[edge of bubble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily;


Rule;


Cullen;


Cynna;

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great World of Lupi book!
When I start each one I admit that I'm afraid it will be bad, but, until now, I'm happy to say that that didn't happend!

As in all of them many interesting and fascinating ideas are explored. There's a ton of action and never a dull moment!

In this book another cute character is introduced: Jasper. He's Rules' mother's son with a human man, so he's not part of the Lupi. He's not exactly what Lupi consider a brother. He's also gay! And a thief!

I enjoyed very much meeting him here!

He starts stealing Cullens magic-skull quasi-artifact so he could be considered a bad guy. But, as the story goes on we discover that he had a very good reason for that!

As in all the other book, I was totally absorbed in the story and in awe of how EW manages to make such incredible things totally acceptable!

[Melindeeloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 6/2024 in graphic audio

Original review 9/ 2012 4.5 stars - When a magical object is stolen from the Nicolai Clanhome it looks like the Lupi have a traitor in their midst, and the fallout from the hunt for the traitor and the revelation of the identity of the thief both have some personal repercussions for Rule. And as Rule stuggles with those issues, he and Lily attempt to unravel all of the plots and plans surrounding the object's whereabouts in order to recover it before it falls in the hands of an old enemy.

I absolutely love this series and the start of the book is really really good because it highlights all the reasons for my fan-girl love: there are such wonderful nuances to the Lupi world, and so many of the characters are insightful and intelligent. Mortal Ties has many great moments where those insights and that intelligence is put to use, and Isen's manipulations in the hunt for the conspirators and Lily's part in the search for the missing item – including an interesting 'interview' with one of the players in the actual game which precipitated the theft - are just a few. I also really liked watching Rule sort out his feelings about a change in his role as Leidolf Rho and attempting to deal with his emotions when a long held secret associated with thief's identity opens an old wound.

Always a big plus in a series with a large continuing cast, it was fun to see more of some old favorite characters – though some have just short cameos – I am greedy for as much Cullen, Cynna, Isen, and Madame Lu as I can get. (Sam, Benedict, Arjenie and Ruben are offscreen though, sniff.) And I thought that the new characters introduced in the story – Jasper, Tony and Alycithin all added some wonderful elements to the story too. But above all, I love Rule and Lily together – I don't think that I will ever get enough of them.

The last part of the book, when all of the elements of the plot start unfolding and all of the players start making their moves against Rule and Lily, is good too, and as events built up to the big finish, I was so worried that Wilks was going to leave us with a cliff-hanger ending that I sneaked a peek at the final scene to prepare myself for that eventuality. In case you are wondering, the events from this story do come to a resolution before the end of the book, which is good in some ways but the way things wrapped up - and as much as I enjoyed Mortal Ties - I am not sure what this book actually 'added' to the forward motion of the series arc itself. But then again I was confused about the final fate of the object that caused the entire mess, so it maybe that is the piece that will stir things up in the next book or maybe some changes in Rule will cause some shake-ups in Nicolai.

Either way, I can't wait to find out what happens next when the story continues in 2013 with Ritual Magic and even though I am not sure where Wilks will take us in the next book, I hope that there are still a few more books left to go in the series before the final confrontation between the Lupi's mortal enemy who is not named and the Lupi's Lady goddess, because I am going to be sad when this series is finally done.

World of the Lupi:
]


And the short story that started it all (it was reworked into Tempting Danger):

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic book in Eileen Wilks World of the Lupi series. If you have not yet started this series, what are you waiting for? Mortal Ties is book 9 in the series. These books must be read in order and the first book is Tempting Danger. This is an awesome series with werewolves, magic, dragons, and one of the most kick ass grandmothers ever.

The author builds an intricate world where magic has gone a little crazy. The main character Lily is a touch sensitive; she is able to sense magical powers of others by touch. Because of her power, Lily is unaffected by magic. Lily is of Asian descent, and herein lies one of the best parts of the background story - Lily's grandmother who is an enigma in her own right. Lily's better half is Rule Turner who is a werewolf and the Lu Nuncio (heir to) the Alpha position (Rho). The werewolves all revere The Lady, who is a kind of god to them. Lily is very special as she is one of the Chosen.

I won't go into what happens in this installment because I don't want to spoil. Let's just say that there is a crazy, power hungry magical villain, a ghost, some sidhe, and lots of fur flying. This is an action packed series and well worth the read.

Highly recommended.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5; 3 stars; B

I enjoyed this book but not as much as some of the others in the series. There isn't anything really wrong with it but I felt like I was chasing my tail for the whole thing and didn't really get anywhere in terms of the overall story arc.

I just wish someone would kill that bastard Robert Friar and then he would stop showing up as the bad guy. I get the impression that he is a crutch rather than a real and developed character.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ninth in the World of the Lupi urban fantasy series revolving around Lily Yu and Rule Turner outside San Diego, California.

My Take
Nice move, Rule, telling Lily that her guards are her backup. Even the FBI has to call in backup sometimes…

This story is more of an opportunity for Drummond to rehabilitate himself, to look back over the decisions which led him to throw in with the wrong side. It's also an interesting peek into life after death; Wilks has some intriguing ideas about this, from the ghostly to the penitential to the acceptance to the possibilities of life everafter. I could enjoy this version of the everafter.

Although, Drummond does think that "God...has one sick sense of humor"!

We learn a new trick of a Rho. One that Rule is able to shrug off. An ability that will have unfortunate consequences for Rule and Lily. It's also our first treason trial at Nokolai. With four clans. I gained a greater appreciation for Lily in her very practical approach to questioning those who had information.

Oh, I love it, the ringtone Lily gave her mother is the theme from Jaws! How is it that Beth is so clueless? That she doesn't understand the danger Friar poses to Lily?

It's an action-packed story with lots of new back history. And the tension really ratchets up when Lily is kidnapped and betrayals abound.

Wilks has really spent time on creating the world in which this series revolves. There are the rules, customs, and expectations in two non-human cultures: the lupi and the sidhe. We've had time to become accustomed to the lupi culture, although Wilks is providing even more back history on general and personal histories in this installment. The sidhe way of doing business, however, is much more involved and I'm impressed with the very nice and detailed degree to which Wilks has set this up. It's likely that a lot of it is part of the set-up for a future story, but it certainly creates a panicky tension in this one. The meals that Lily shares with Alycithin are remarkable [to me] for their politeness and affability. I could never do be that polite to an enemy!

Oh...I did like the way the lupi celebrate New Year's Eve. Much better than resolutions! I also liked Grandmother's solution to Lily's desire to kill. It would be nice if we could incorporate something like this for others.

The Story
Lily and Rule are living at Nokolai Clanhome these days as is every Nokolai shifter who can manage it, especially the children. With the Great Bitch opening hostilities, every shifter is at risk. No shifter would hurt a child, but that moral pathway is not one followed by the Lady's greatest enemy and Robert Friar wouldn't hesitate to hurt a child.

When a sudden explosion rocks the compound, it's startling, but neither Lily nor Rule ignore the other possibilities for that blast. An assassination attempt on Isen or Toby. A diversion to an attack on Clanhome. What wasn't expected was a breach of the wards Cullen had set up to protect a device worth mega-millions; a counter to magic. One should never use shortcuts on objects of great value…

The Characters
Special Agent Lily Yu is FBI with Unit Twelve, a touch sensitive, a null for magic, and Rule's mate, a Chosen. Al Drummond is Lily's personal haunt after he was killed in Death Magic . Not a consummation either wishes, seeing as Drummond betrayed the FBI and Lily, but it does prove very useful.

Rule Turner is too gorgeous for words and, in a twist of Fate, he's the Rho (ruler) for the Leidolf as well as Lu Nuncio (Heir and enforcer) for his Nokolai birth clan. Due to their mate bond, neither Rule nor Lily can be more than a few miles from each other. As the Leidolf Rho, he has a bodyguard of sixteen Leidolf lupi with him at Clanhome and include Scott White, a.k.a., Geek Guy; Mike, a.k.a., Tough Guy; José; and, Ian.

Toby Asteglio is Rule's son. Cullen Seabourne is a rare breed: a wolf shifter and a sorcerer. He's now the Nokolai sorcerer, married to Cynna Weaver, an FBI agent and the clan's Rhej, and they have a daughter, Ryder. Pete is second-in-command of security at Nokolai Clanhome. Brenda Hyatt has only recently returned to Clanhome to spend time with her dad. Hank Jamison is Laban. Arjenie Fox is mated to Benedict, Rule's older brother and the Nokolai head of security. She's half-sidhe, Benedict's Chosen, and an FBI researcher. Isen is Rule and Benedict's father, the Rho of Nokolai.

Beth is Lily's sister and she's involved with Sean Friar. A wealthy, older man who happens to be Robert's brother. It's a working relationship, but Beth wants to go much further. Dierdre is one of Beth's roommates in San Francisco with an irritating penchant for borrowing Beth's shoes; Susan (not the sister) is another roommate. Susan is the eldest Yu sister and the most respectful. Julia Yu, their mother, finds Lily the most rebellious, although Beth isn't far behind. The formidable Madame Li Lei Yu is Lily's Grandmother and a tiger shifter; she is also Sam the dragon's partner.

Jasper Machek is Rule's half-brother, alius kin, otherkin, through their mother, Celeste Babineaux, who has ranted and raved all his life against the lupi. Part of his hate for Rule is his own expectation as to how Rule will see his relationship with Adam. He's also a thief, known as Umbra, who has been coerced and, in turn, stolen from. Adam King is his life partner. Anson "Hugo" Bierman has been Umbra's go-between for hiring Umbra for jobs.

Ruben Brooks is Lily's boss at Unit Twelve. Special Agent Bergman is the FBI rep in San Francisco. Detective Rachel Jones is with the SFPD.

Anne Murdock is the Etorri Rhej, a clan priestess. You might also think of a Rhej as an historian or a wise woman, and the main requirement is a Gift of mediumship.

The Sidhe Trade Delegation from the Edge
Benessarai An'Cholai is the leader with some very unsavory friends; Lord Thierath is his father (and as stupid as his son) and Lord Sessena is his much more intelligent mother. Alycithin is a halfling---half-Rekklat and half dtha—and covered in fur. Technically she is co-leader, but Benessarai's mother expects her to work miracles. Dinalaran and Aroglian are Alycithin's cohorts.

Robert Friar has given himself over to the Great Bitch, who is just itching to take down the Lupi and their Lady. His Gifts include clairaudience and patterning. It's Helen Whitehead's grave Lily visits at the beginning. Carrie Ann Rucker is a longtime scammer and drug "mule".

Detective Thomas James, a.k.a., T.J. is the guy who trained Lily when she first became a cop.

Of the twenty-four Lupi clans in the world, those in the U.S. includes Laban and Vochi as Nokolai's subordinate allies; Leidolf (a former enemy of Nokolai); Szós; Ybirra; and, Wythe. The Kyffin and Etorri are both Canadian clans.

Abe is the Rho of Vochi, a clan good with money that breeds too many submissives. Leo is the Laban Rho, a clan of contentious fighters. Tony Romano is a slow-thinking lupi, but definitely NOT stupid!

Lupi are wolf shifters. The Lady is their goddess. The Great Bitch (you can't say her name!) is the Lady's enemy, a fellow goddess. Hmmm, it sounds weird saying a fellow goddess...

The Cover
The cover is disturbing on several levels from the smoking skull with its runes and glowing eyes to the too-young-looking Lily, squatting in a cemetery and leaning up against a tombstone, holding the skull in her hands.

The title is a subtle reference to a half-brother Rule never knew existed. A half-brother with a much-loved partner, creating some new Mortal Ties.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still enjoying The World of the Lupi, but I’m starting to feel like it’s past its prime. The procedural elements of this ninth installment work pretty well. Once again, Lily and her gang have to solve a mystery, which in this case, centers on the theft of a magic device created by Cullen. The worldbuilding is great and even continues to expand somewhat as we delve more into the sidhe and the workings of their culture. With all of these things going for it, despite a somewhat slow start, I liked the book. But I didn’t love it. And I think that’s because we’re losing some of the great character focus in the novels, in lieu of an action driven storyline.

Cullen’s device was stolen from Clanhome, so we get to spend some time there, and we explore some of the dynamics with Rule becoming more fully the Leidolf Rho. At the same time, we learn he has a human half-brother who is tied to the theft. Lily, meanwhile, is struggling with the ghost of Al Drummond and his purpose in her life. Plus the fae. And our old bad guy Robert Friar. It’s interesting, and it picks up the pace with some good action in the second half.

But there is very little in the way of an emotional component. I felt like there was nothing new with the Lily/ Rule dynamic. Cynna makes only a minor appearance, as do frankly, most of our other secondary characters, and I felt the lack. The lack of Benedict. The lack of Ruben. There is no romance, but beyond that, there is very little feeling of any kind.

I like the continuing evolution of Rule’s two mantles and the exploration of how they fit in his heart and in his life. I also liked the new characters we met, like Rule’s brother Jasper. Like Tony Romano, the new Laban Rho. And the fae Alycethin. I hope we see more of them in future books. But what I hope even more is that Eileen Wilks builds on these characters –or even builds on the ones we’ve already grown to love. Develop them, instead of just using them to further the action. I know this series is capable of it, but it’s fallen along the wayside a little (except maybe in the novellas.) I’m ready for the feels to come back.

Rating: B/B-

[D.B. Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't agree with the reviewers who felt there wasn't enough passion between Lily and Rule in the last Lupi book (Death Magic.) But I agree with them on this one. There's a distance between Lily and Rule that is disorienting. I suspect it's because for much of the book Rule is struggling with his identity, conflicted between the Leidolf and Nokolai mantles. Also, Lily and Rule are hardly ever alone in this book. They're living in Isen's house (Rule's father) and when they finally leave Clanhome to go off and solve the crime, they're in a hotel suite with a bunch of other Lupi, and we all know how good Lupi hearing is! So, while there are a couple of nice moments, overall there's not much passion between Lily and Rule this time. Also, there's quite a bit of technical/magical info relayed, which really slows down the narrative. But having said all of that, I love the world Wilks created, and there's a lot of mystery and action in this book, too. Plus those couple of sweet encounters between Lily and Rule are very nice, and I love the series overall.

[Tim Mercer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eileen Wilks manages to keep the series fresh by constantly growing the World of the Lupi. This is a fast paced action in the the continuing war against the Great Bitch. It steps the action down from the massive battle of the last book with a much smaller kidnap pursuit plot. 4.5 stars

[Bookmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thief makes it not only into Clanhome, but gets past Cullen's wards and from his workshop, steals a magical device he's been working on. The plan had been to sell the device to raise more money for Nokolai, but it isn't ready and causes some pretty serious side effects to nulls. It's an inside job and the perp turns out to be shocking.

The majority of the story takes place in San Francisco and involves another clan new to us, a couple of characters that will probably continue to be important in the future, and visiting sidhe. All of the major characters are involved, although some are not on scene. It's nice to see the FBI actually willing to work with the lupi for a change. Robert Friar is definitely alive and more of a threat than they imagined.

There's plenty going on, action and danger, and as is true in the last few books, the ongoing back story which began early in the series, has become more of the major focus. We finally learn more about Lily's sister Beth, grandma is on scene (now there's a character you have to love, yet probably never want to meet) and Rule's position as Rho of Leidolf is making things interesting.

What I really enjoy about this series, and is quite evident in this book, is the politics involved both within a clan, between the clans and how they deal with others--and why. The other thing is magical theory. It blows me away that this author makes the theories seem not only reasonable, but highly likely; as if she lived in that world and uses it. Some of it does get rather deep, but as often happens, another character will step in and say it's too much explanation.

My one and only criticism is that as we're approaching the story's climax, one of the scenes just seems to go on too long; probably because I was anxious for the resolution. But a relationship is being formed that becomes important to this story and possibly in the future.

The first couple of books started out with a great deal more romance, but as Rule and Lily became comfortable with being mated, the focus shifted to different challenges and furthering the back story. We're never in doubt about how Rule and Lily feel for the other, but don't expect hearts, flowers and a lot of sex in this one. The anticipated wedding is still over a month away.

We also get an excerpt from the next book, Ritual Magic. Wow. I'm more anxious than ever to get my hands on the next book.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed each new installment in this series, but this one had the added element of family complications. Lily's sister Beth has a larger secondary role in this one as does a surprising and startling member of Rule's family.

This is the ninth book in the series and it really is a series that is best read in order. I'm glad I didn't skip the novella because it takes place parallel to this one and is referenced.

The story opens right at the holiday season with Lily and Rule recovered from the troubles in book eight and living protected now that the Lupi are at war with the evil goddess and her followers led by Robert Friar. Lily chafes under the lack of privacy, but understands the necessity.

Things mix up when Cullen's lab is broken into and an important project is stolen. There is a traitor at clanholme who is working with someone on the outside who wants what Cullen has invented. Lily and Rule follow the clues that lead them to investigating in San Francisco. Lily's sister and a surprise relation of Rules are deeply involved. Their enemy is plotting in the shadows and leading them along a certain path. They must figure it out quickly before it's too late. With the help of friends and dubious allies they work hard to recover Cullen's project and stop the new plot against them.

Each book provides an exciting and intriguing mystery plot, a bit more about the Lupi world, and an element of reflection. Lily and Rule both learn more about trust and communication, but also actions meant for protection. Both also are faced with new family elements and another layer to their mate bond. Surprising new characters are introduced and a carryover from the last book has an important role to play. I enjoyed it all though was a little impatient as the book set up for the excitement in the last half. Well worth it.

All in all, another strong installment in the series for me. Looking forward to where things go next for Lily, Rule and the rest.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please pardon me while I gush. Others may feel differently but let me say upfront that World of the Lupi is one of my favorite series. I look forward to each new release and I couldn't put Mortal Ties down until I'd read every single word. Ms. Wilks has a phenomenal flair for inventive world-building and with each book the Lupi world becomes richer. She's also created some great characters to inhabit it, and with each release I either learn something new about a returning personality or she introduces an interesting new individual that plays an important role in the current plot. I appreciate that she constantly surprises me with her plot twists and turns.

Mortal Ties is a great addition to the series and takes up shortly after the last book left off. As you can guess, these books are all part of an ongoing story arc and are meant to be read in order or you'll be totally lost. If you've never read any of these well written and plotted books before don't worry, you have plenty of time to catch up before Ritual Magic is released next August. From reading the excerpt at the back of this book I'm expecting it to be another good one.

As with the other books in the series, there's a lot going on and this time Lily and Rule don't get to spend as much time together as I'd have liked. That doesn't mean they don't love each other and while some have complained about their 'lack of passion', you much remember that this isn't a romance. It's a complicated urban fantasy with a romance component between two strong-willed individuals. Ms. Wilks does a good job with Rule and Lily, and balancing all the components of their relationship, Lily's FBI job, their mate bond and Rule's pack life with multiple pack members and friends. And you can't forget Lily's family either--this book has her sister Beth. Then Ms. Wilks adds in all the other problems Lily and Rule have to deal with--danger, action, betrayal, near death experiences and other races that want to hurt them. It's a well thought out juggling act that introduces conflicts, warring racial factions and in Mortal Ties even a ghost.

So as you can see there's a little bit of everything going on and Ms. Wilks handles it all well. If you're a fan of shapeshifter books--werewolves in particular or urban fantasy's then I recommend that you give this action packed series a try. I love it and will be sad when it eventually comes to an end.

[Raquel (Rocki) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't the best I found this one wasn't a lot of action it was more about figuring things out and sitting around till things happened. At the end it really picked up, Lily really came into her own and had to rely on herself which may have brought up some dark memories from her past but she pushed through it. She wasn't alone no never alone but she did feel that way when the dragon couldn't help her. I can understand why she would be mad at Sam but can also understand his side of it they will have to come to an agreement or she will have to end up forgiving him. I am getting tired about how close this wedding is though seriously have it or don't have it but come on already I know it is just trying to lay the time line and for the reader to understand not much time has gone by between books but still. I am excited about the next one though because it seems to pick back up in the action department.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Despite the slow start, I was able to appreciate the action and intense focus on the world building. However, there is less time spent on Rule and Lily in this installment. A sense of urgency pulls the plot forward so that you don't necessarily find the romance lacking, but I still would have liked to see more time spent on building a connection between Rule and Lily. After all, they will be getting married soon.

Though not always perfect in its pacing, Wilks creates an intriguing ride with MORTAL TIES. Action, top --notch procedural accuracy and some shocking twists -- Readers can expect nothing less from an author like Eileen Wilks.

Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction

[Jeanny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this series when I was a teenager in 2004 with Cravings & after a reread of the series now in 2021 I can honestly say I continue to be a fan of the world but have fallen out of love with the FMC. I’d warn everyone my original ratings do not reflect my current feelings on the series. I’d rate most of the books a strong 3. I will say the GraphicAudio dramatizations for this series is well done & highly entertaining. If you decide to start the series I’d choose the audio versions.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) I really enjoy this series. What I like the most - the characters and their relationships. The world is complex and a fantastic blend of magic and police procedural.

The first half of this installment was slow, for me, but once things got going it was difficult to put the book down. I'm anxious to read on.

These books typically introduce me to at least one new-to-me word. This one : quixotic(ally) = exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best book in the series. I shouldn't be reading these, one after another because the bad/evil guy (Friar) is just starting to get to me. And not in a good spooky way. He is becoming over-written. At least in other series, they may be battling the same evil guy in some way in each book, but it isn't always the main focus.

I also didn't get enough of our usual side characters like Toby or Isen.
*shrug* well I'll go one more book and then out the rest on pause for a short while.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Mount Hope cemetery, San Diego; sister’s San Francisco apartment; Isen’s home, Cullen’s lab, and the meeting field on Nokolai clanhome; San Francisco, his brother’s home, secure hotel, Joyce K Hammond Middle School, Dingos’ bar; warded, fae apartment, warehouse;

Characters:
Lily Yu: being Lily – working with Rule, trying to figure out what’s happening;

Rule Turner: when dad/Rho calls for clan meeting, to as a group figure out how the prototype was stolen, first Isen calls forth Rule as Rho for the Liedolf – and Rule is controlling his heartbeat and the Leidolf’s heartbeats slower than Isen/Nokolai… and for the first time, feels fully connected to Leidolf – and for the first time has trouble submitting to his father, when Isen calls for hi LuNuncio… hmmm; they go to his brother, when his brother calls, to locate the prototype;

Al Drummond: Lily’s ghost; hates magic, worked with Human First, but called Lily in when realized 20+ homeless were slotted to be murdered for death magic, and he died there; his wedding ring glows (his wife killed by a supernatural, leading him on the bad path); he had spent time in the ‘grey’ – nowhereness – until an angel (The Lady) came to him and asked him to protect Lily;

Beth Yu: Lily’s younger sister, living in San Francisco, trying to make a normal life, falling for her boss, Sean Friar; she involves Lily when Sean doesn’t show up for a meeting… and it ends up that Sean’s a good guy, even if his brother is not… and is one of the fae hostages… another way to get to Lily;

Celeste Babineaux: Rule’s mother; Rule imagined her, hoped for her… but she was bipolar, did not get treatment for a long time… and Rule paid for her treatments, etc when he realized she was in need; died a few years ago;

Cullen Seabourne: Sorcerer; developed a magic reflector prototype – using an old skull – which had side affects;

Cynna Weaver: as Nokolai’s Rhej, she extracts Lily’s promise to call her if they need her; it needs to be her decision to go (in consultation with the Lady) – and when a Finder is needed (to find Lily), she reluctantly refuses to go (the Lady ‘told’ her not to); has baby Ryder…

Jasper Machek / Adam King: Rule’s human half mother (same mothers, different fathers) and his lover/partner; he has some untrained sorcerer magic; a thief of high end magic items (Cynna ran into him once); Rule did not know of him (and that throws Rule into a tizzy); Friar and elf kidnap Adam to force Jasper to steal Cullen’s prototype; and then it is stolen from Jasper; on Friar’s instruction, he calls the Turners, requesting Rule and Cynna to come to help him; he tells them what he’s been told to tell them… Adam has been gone 9 days… and Rule can tell he’s feeling guilty, he’s wants Adam’s safety (though he doesn’t admit that to them)… two days later he sneaks into their hotel room through the vent (ala his past)… and tells them the truth…

Li Lei Yu aka Grandm other: when Lily is taken, she shows up (Ruben arranges private plane), and she helps Rule to stay focused;

Ruben Brooks: on outskirts – Lily in constant contact by phone, and Ruben cuts corners for them as they need… hmmm, wonder how he’s doing as a Rho… and how is his wife?

Tony Romano: new Laban Rho, after his father sanctioned the selling of information of the prototype – somehow not quite treason, but…; he is very tall, and built like a Michaelangelo statue; a bit slow, but smart… changes his clans relationship by offering total submission;

Alycithin / Benessarai: of a Fae delegation, where their part of faeland, has a very complicated power/trade protocols of hostages, and trades, and how to treat hostages… and Friar, manipulating Benessarai, kidnaps Jasper’s lover, so he would steal the prototype… etc… Alycithin (who has powers like Arjenie of blocking seekers, and kinda mind blast that knocks people out, kidnaps Lily, for her own trade with Friar to get Cullen’s prototype – and she and Lily have a very interesting conversation;

Robert Friar: 5 years earlier, after first spent time with the fae (bisexual), and first had contact with the Bitch, he went through a wild, sexual phase – and he had a fling with Jasper – learning of his profession, and of his brother Rule… so uses that info with the fae delegation, to get Cullen’s prototype, that was recently tested with a Board…

Summary:
The prototype kinda absorbs magic (thus allowing airplanes to fly, without the tech being damaged by magic, etc)… it is stolen by Jasper, who can get through Cullen’s 2nd ward because the ward allows Rule (plus a handful of others ) through as Cullen ‘treated’ the ward with the blood of acceptable visitors;

And Rule, Lily, and the Leidorf guards go to jasper to recover the prototype (which they fail to recover)… Grandmother is wonderful, coming and helping Rule to find Lily… realizing Rule is feeling claustrophobic, she asks the door be kept open to let in fresh air, and when Rule not sure what to do, which lead to follow, and he can see Drummond’s ghost, she helps Rule communicate with it, since he can’t hear him – thus figuring out where Lily is…

When kidnapped, Lily tries to connect to Rule through mindspeak – and gets a disjointed message to him… then she tries to get Sam … who cuts her off (he’s trying to stop 3 bombs) but tells her to send the ghost…

And Rule, et al get to the warehouse – and it is grandmother, in her tiger form, the first strikes – to give Cullen time to get through the ward… so all are safe… but Friar gets away with the prototype;

And Al follows the mate bond between Lily and Rule – even though his ‘body’ is being torn apart when Lily is in the car… his hand with the ring (the symbol of his love for his departed wife) able to stay connected… and after seeing that Lily is rescued, Lily watches him look up, and smile as he sees his love – he and his ghost wife have a wonderful reunion – but the story ends, as he tells his wife that he’s been offered a job, that will take him away for periods of time… and his wife (as always was) is good with it…

Memorable scenes:
“Lily was his partner, not his subordinate, and that she possessed her own authority that didn’t devolve from his, even if they didn’t really understand.”

“When Lily was eight years old, she’d wanted the monster who killed Sarah dead. She’d wanted to be the one who killed him. That was one of the few things she’d been able to say about what happened to her, andit had alarmed her mother. The therapist they’d sent her to had wanted to talk about feelings, not actions. She hadn’t known what to say to a child who dreamed of murder. Grandmother had. She’d patted Lily on the back and said, “Of course you wish to kill him. However, you cannot. Now go kill the weeds in my garden. Pull them out by the roots. Pull out the grass, too. Kill as much of it as you can. Lily still loved to garden. It had taken another twenty years for her to understand there had been another reason for her to become a cop. She’d needed the rules. She was capable of killing, and she’d needed to know exactly what the rules were so she wouldn’t kill unless it was absolutely necessary.”

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great new characters introduced in this one: I really like what’s happening with Drummond, and I hope to see more of Tony, Jasper, and Alycithin in future books. I liked the business with the fae hostage code too.
I’m frustrated with one of the running plotlines, that Friar keeps getting away, but that doesn’t keep me from being super invested in the world and loving the series. One of my favorite parts was when Rule found out Lily’s grandmother was coming to help. It was a sweet moment as he thought of her simply as Grandmother, and his relief that she was coming to help made me love him even more.

[Fangs for the Fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cullen Seaborn, the Nokolai werewolf and sorcerer has created a prototype that could change so much for the world – helping reduce the ongoing problem of the magical turn which is so destructive for technology. Albeit with a few side effects that still need ironing out

Those side effects make it all the more important to track it down when it is stolen. Made even more of a problem when the very existence of that prototype was supposed to be a carefully kept secret only known to Nokolai loyalists.

It becomes even more complicated when the thief gets in it – and it’s Rule’s unknown half-brother with additional problem of both Robert Friar’s evil manipulations and two different factions of sidhe.



I love Lily. I don’t think I’ve stressed this enough about how utterly awesome this character is. Because above everything else she is professional and she is sensible – and my gods that is so very rare in this genre

Lily is a cop and it permeates her character. I love to see that professionalism in everything –how she looks at every scene as a crime scene, how she sums up every person as a witness or suspect. Her logical, sensible way of summing up every situation she’s in with intelligence and logic. This is, more than anything, Lily’s super power. Not her abilities, not her immunity to magic, not any kind of fighting skill – but her intelligence and her professionalism. The way she approaches every mystery and investigation with keen intellect and steady progress is so excellent. Especially in this genre where most protagonists decide to “solve” crimes by hanging around until the bad guy tries to kill them (often with no apparent reason). Lily is a dedicated and capable investigator.

I also like the conflict of her development, especially how she needs rules to ensure she doesn’t step outside the law, I like the way she recognises what she is actually capable of rather than, again, so many protagonists who are happy to decide they are the ultimate authority and don’t need any pesky rules.

She’s also a woman of deep passion who cares desperately for those around her but makes decisions without emotion. All her decisions are rational. She cares about Beth, her sister and Rule, her fiancé but she doesn’t let caring for them make ridiculous decisions. She doesn’t have massive over-dramatic reactions to things like Rule not telling her everything or them having a disagreement. When Rule is going through difficult times Lily is so perfect, she’s there for him while giving

In fact that’s something else I love about this book – the relationships between the characters is so sensible without being emotionless. Beth, Lily’s little sister, is obviously a very different woman from Lily – but their relationship was meaningful and deep, their disagreements present but handled in a sensible manner without either side doing something ridiculous or turning against each other. I love the dramatic emotional moments of Beth, the complexities of her dealing with things like killing someone, even in self defence and what that does to someone.


Lily’s relationship with her friends and colleagues doesn’t feature as massively in this book but part of that is how awesomely those characters are presented – because Cyna, Ruben, Sam etc all have their own lives, their own issues and their own battles. They’re not all their for Rule and Cullen and Lily to call upon whenever they want – because every character is so very heavily involved in the meta plot of this world

Which, again, I say is amazing and I would head this review with that because it’s awesome – but Lily is definitely one of my top 10 favourite protagonists in the genre and has to take first billing

I love this world. I love the epic, I love the building of the ever more epic conflict. I love the development of the differing factions and societies: honestly, I would gladly read a textbook on sidhe culture in this world because the development is so excellent. Including differing factions – yes differing factions and complicated politics and beings that are not so much good or evil but just alien. This is what I really like is how we realise that the Sidhe just have radically values and culture to humanity – as they should. Even with their goal being for reasons completely beyond anything Cullen and Lily had imagined because the Sidhe goals and values are society is so different from anything they knew.

Which brings me back to relationships – because so often Lily can be in opposition to someone yet still have a lot of respect for them which we see here again. She can build a rapport even with her kidnapper because she respects them and can see their point and because they’re actually characters and not just demonised evil. This applies to the odd twist of Beth’s love interest as well.


Read More

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Eileen Wilks was once best known for her light romance novels, which she has written in great number, and which have been very popular over the years. But hiding inside this Romance writer was an Urban Fantasy author begging to be released. At least, that’s my take on it. When Wilks created the World of the Lupi in 2004, she unleashed (pardon the pun) a werewolf series of outstanding complexity upon those of us who love things that go bump in the night. Tempting Danger, the first book in the Lupi series, was truly inspired, and each succeeding book has grown in every dimension. Her character development is excellent, and her plot lines beautifully done. But it’s the political structure of the various werewolf clans around the world that fascinates me the most. Wilks pays a great deal of attention to how things work within the clans, and has developed an entire language around the levels of clan hierarchy, religion, and magic that adds a real depth to these stories beyond that which is usually found in Urban Fantasy.

Reading these books, you find yourself becoming fascinated with learning about things like the Rho of each clan, the Rhej, the Lu Nuncio, the Mantle, and the Lady; or, as we would think of them, the Ruler or Leader of each clan, the clan’s historian or priestess, the Rho’s acknowledged heir, the power that settles over a Rho upon taking control of a clan, and the Supreme Being behind their religious beliefs and power. But in addition to this, the character development is very, very good, and not just of the main players, Lily Yu and Rule Turner. The secondary characters are just as interesting and finely drawn, and the clans as a whole are engaging on every level. Even the bad guys are well done, and not quite so cardboard as they can often be. And in addition to all of these…there are dragons. Happy sigh. DRAGONS! This is the series that taught me to love them. When you read about their power and beauty and intelligence, I predict you will love them, too.

The romance between former police officer Lily Yu, who is a “touch-sensitive” and can feel magic on others, and Rule Turner, the Lu Nuncio of Clan Nokolai, is powerful and complicated, and will pull you right in. However, Romance author or not, do not expect Paranormal Romance. What Eileen Wilks has created here is pure Urban Fantasy, in the best possible sense, with a strong love story involved. The wolves, the clan activities and the complex plots are the draw in this series, with all of it occurring right alongside every day humans in busy San Diego. Rule & Lily are the focal point, and their love (and mate bond) lends strength to everything else, but not to the extent of taking away from the story line, and the struggles of the clans to find a place for themselves in today’s world.

Mortal Ties is the 9th book in the series, and continues to set the stage for an epic battle to yet to come. It is fast-moving, exciting, and has all the best elements of the series as a whole included. There are new characters and old familiar ones, and moments of real pleasure as you watch the very clever Rho of Nokolai, Isen, play his mind games to ferret out a traitor in the clan. Lily also has opportunities to use her crime solving skills in a tricky negotiation sequence that I really enjoyed. I highly recommend this series to Urban Fantasy fans. And even if you really aren’t an Urban Fantasy fan, if you’ve ever wondered about giving the genre a try, this would be a good place to start. Be sure to read the books in order.

Bookin' It

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Missing Skull

I’d probably give this 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

Cullen has been working on a gadget that will help with the overflow of magic that is damaging tech since the Turning. It appears that this gadget is very highly sought after and it gets stolen.

This theft was aided by a subordinate clan and it lead to a political shake up amongst the Lupi, including Rule finally settling into the Mantle and truly becoming Rho for Leidolf.

The path to finding the stolen gadget and the thief leads Lily and Rule several hundred miles away and brings them both face to face with family who have been roped in by their Enemy’s allies.

Once more this is a complex plot and lots happens, though there is slightly less emotional content than usual. I know that the next book will be of a similar standard to the rest of the series, so I can’t wait to read it next.

[Annie Slasher (Booked & Loaded) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an original review from Booked & Loaded (http://bookedandloaded.com)
It is rated 4.5 out of 5 Bullets.

First off…I want to say that I know I normally stick to the short & sweet reviews. However, the way I reviewed this book is slightly different. I focused more on the series as a whole and they factors that make this one of my favorite series. It is very hard not to give spoilers with a series of this depth and complexity. That factored into my decision. So. It is a long review (for me). =)

Book Review:

Mortal Ties by Eileen Wilks is the ninth book in the Lupi series. The Lupi series by Eileen Wilks is one of my all time favorites. It has a very strong Urban Fantasy feel, but is titled a Paranormal Romance. I think this is partly because of the deep world building. Eileen Wilks has created a truly exciting and clear world in this Lupi series. Eileen Wilks makes you feel as if the world she created is your world. Several key factors in this series is why it’s at the top of my list.

The first reason – Character Growth. Often I read a series and by the 5th or 6th book the stories are still great, but the characters are stagnant. The character might be well developed, but they are almost frozen in life. Not growing, not progressing, just existing. NOT this series. Every book in this series the characters are flowing with the story. The story is not simply moving around them. They are changing with it. I believe this is partially why these book feel so realistic. Rule and Lilly have been through many changes and this book is no exception.

The second reason – World Building. It is just fantastic and keeps growing. Every new book in this series adds a new element as Lilly and Rule learn more about the other races in the world and the lands they live in. I don’t want to give spoilers, so I won’t say anymore.

The third reason – The Bad Guys! They are truly evil doers of epic proportions. You have an understanding of what makes them tick and the goals they possess. Eileen has made you passionate about hating them. These three aspects is what makes this series a forever keeper and one I will reread.

I also can’t leave out my love for Rule and Lily. Rule is my perfect Alpha. Respectful, loyal, sexy, and deep just touches the surface of what I love about Rule. He is willing to break rules to follow his heart. Rule’s life is complicated and demanding, but he never whines and always thinks about his pack and chosen. Lily is his perfect counter-part. Lily is just kick-ass. She loves and fights with a passion that I can relate to and recognizes her own flaws. The way Lily and Rule love, not only one another, but their families and friends is beautiful. Mortal Ties did start out a little slow, but the second half was like entertainment crack. Overall Mortal Ties left me hungry for the next book and consumed by the World of the Lupi. I don’t want to leave! I would not try to read Mortal Ties as a stand alone. This really is a series you don’t want to miss. Mortal Ties is a great installment in the Lupi series.

*I personally purchased Mortal Ties as a paperback so that I may keep it forever…and ever! I received no compensation for this review.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

While living at Clanhome after the disastrous events of the Humans First rallies, a thief enters Clanhome and steals a prototype (for absorbing ambient magic) from Cullen's laboratory. This immediately sets Rule and Lily into investigative mode and on their way to San Diego to meet up with Jasper Marchek, Rule's previously unknown to him, half-brother. Rule has some adjusting to do as he learns about his new brother and the fate of his mother (with which he has issues). In the meantime, Lily's sister's boss, Sean Friar (yes, related to Robert) has gone missing, as well as Jasper's lover, Adam. They immediately determine that these kidnappings are linked to the missing prototype which they still haven't tracked down. They learn that elves are involved and that these elves want the prototype in the worst way possible...enough to trade Lily for it if they can.

Another strong showing in this series. I like how all of these issues that are in the background that haven't yet been dealt with (like Rule being Rho of Leidolf and Rule having mommy-issues) come up a bit at a time and are eventually dealt with. I've established a trust with this author now that issues will be dealt with somewhere in the timeline and if they aren't tied up in one story they will be in another....although I did expect there to be a bit more with Rule and his mother. I also like that we finally got a bit more of the closeness between Lily and Rule. That intimate connection is still there and I felt a bit more of their emotion this time. I could see it in Lily trying to distract Rule and also in her being completely unsure how to help Rule in his uncertainty. And Rule doesn't necessarily shut her out (because he accepts her comfort) but he also doesn't know how to reach out to her for help yet. It's pretty touching.

The suspense part of this one is crazy. Yes, there's the theft and everybody just automatically assumes that Robert Friar is behind it...which he is. But nobody realizes there are other players in the mix (and where did they come from and how did they hear about the prototype?) This is all well and good, but once Lily gets kidnapped (please don't let this be a pattern) the angst just ratchets on up. Because the elf that has her has made a deal with Friar - the prototype, for her. It's not important that Lily is going to be tortured and killed, because the deal is more important than the elf's actual liking for Lily. And on top of that, the elf has a gift that prevents Rule from finding Lily. And Rule trying to deal with Lily being "lost" to him is pretty gut-wrenching too...especially once Cynna says she can't help. In light of all that, I'd hoped for a more emotionally punchy reunion between Lily and Rule, but it doesn't happen. It's slight in the grand scheme of things, but I still wanted it. In the end, we get an awesome plot with more of the lupi war moving forward and even more at stake than ever before. Eager to see what else happens...

[Estara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really deeply liked how in this book the romance, family, relationship background intertwined so perfectly with the suspense and action plot. That Lily and Rule keep negotiating what they want from each other and can offer each other, even as the stakes in the game of war between the Lupi and their adversaries get explored in more detail.

That Lily can evolve in the way she interacts with long-standing associations, like her younger sister Beth or Cynna who is becoming her BFF (and that Cynna can do so, too - this is a Lily and Rule book, no doubt, but Wilks manages to my satisfaction to show enough of the importance of Cynna and Cullen to not make them feel like side characters. I especially like that new mother Cynna gets huge respect for her new inherited job).

I loved seeing that Lily's younger sister was trying to be proactive in that situation she is finding herself due to being Lily's sister - not gracefully, but full of resolve. Basically both are starting to see the real person behind the "sister" label and that is more than many siblings do, I think.

And both Rule and Lily can mess up and acknowledge their mistakes and learn from them (that is probably the most wishful thinking bit of the series ^^).

The interlude at Clanhome at the beginning and especially Isen's manipulation of the massed lupi to get at fast results was fascinating to follow. The new characters, Tony Romano and Alycithin didn't have much page time but were their own persons nevertheless. And Beth's prospective love interest (which all makes sense because of the power of patterners on both sides of the equation - I love when an author can give me a real reason for occasional deus-ex-machina) might have other bits of consequence dangling for other books.

And having explore Rule is maternal background was a stroke of genius. It makes him so much more relatable than just the mysterious, dangerous mystique he has easily going on outside of his relationship with his core family.

Hurray for Grandmother Yu as well!

P.S. That teaser for the next book, Ritual Magic, is agonizing.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mortal Ties" is another good installment in the World of the Lupi Series. It is carefully crafted and full of intrigue, action and excitement. So, why do I seem to be losing interest in the series? I've puzzled over this question and have now come to the conclusion that there are a core group of characters that I love (Sam, Grandma, Lily, Rule, Cynna, Cullen, Toby) and when they are all together in one big entanglement, the story line sings for me. Many of these characters had short scenes in this book but not enough for my total satisfaction. Additionally, I believe that the wedding has been an issue for so long in the series, that I'm losing hope it will occur at all.

Lily and Rule have had to give up his condo is San Diego and move into the Nokolai clanhome. Unfortunately, someone breaks onto the premises and steals a device of Cullen's making. This magical invention has the potential to cause havoc if it gets into the wrong hands and let's not even mention the potential money the clan stands to lose. When it is discovered that the person taking the device is a traitor, Lily and Rule must investigate. Yet, they have no idea how many plots and subplots await them.

The first 75 pages or so was a slow read for me; then, the story line and my interest increased with a vengeance. Wilks masterfully weaves a creative tale and when she see how she is able to pull in events from previous books and make them pivotal to the new plot, it is truly amazing. But, I must admit that after nine books and having to wait a year in between installments, I am ready for this series to draw to a close. When you have to include a glossary in the back of your book listing characters and their relationships, then, the series may have overextended the reader's interest. I'm just sayin'.

[Swee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all the books in the series and each story gets more engrossing and more exciting than the last. After 8 books about the world of the lupi, the story is still fresh although there seem to be less written about the physical relationship between Rule and Lily. Time moves slowly in the books and Rule and Lily have not yet married although in this story, the wedding is two months, one week, and two days away. I have waited and waited for them to be married so maybe in the next book it will take place. The wedding is only two weeks away in the next book "Ritual Magic".

Cullen Seabourne, a sorcerer and lupus, has invented a magical device which gets stolen right in the heart of Nikolai Clanhome. As Lily investigates the theft, she discovers the thief is Rule's half brother, Jasper. Jasper wants Rule's help before he will return the device but the device gets stolen from Jasper. Many people are kidnapped by a group of elves including Lily. Their greatest enemy Robert Friar is behind everything and as usual he escapes in the final confrontation and so the story continues!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it is true that the dynamics we have become accustomed to where Lily and Rule are concerned have changed in this book the power of their love for each other still shines through. There is as usual a lot of action taking place, at the heart of which Lily is taken captive. Not to spoil anything but we all know there are more books to come so it was no real surprise when she is finally rescued, a bit battered but still intact.

The book touches a lot on how Rule himself is changing, follows along as Al Drummond's ghost not only gives Lily good advice but does his best to make sure she stays alive and not least of all Lily's grandmother makes a late appearance and is of great help in her rescue.

I look forward to book 10!

[Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with every new book in Eileen Wilks’ Lupi series, I enjoyed exploring more of her Lupi world - it’s such an intricately-built world, and she manages to get the subtleties across without having to resort to info-dumping. This is not one for new readers IMO - it’s very much a continuation of various plotlines from previous books. Rule’s still coping with the Leidolf mantle and we get yet more complications (of the good kind). I like Wilks’ take on the mate bond and how it doesn’t mean that Lily/Rule’s relationship is magically perfect. And Lily’s Grandmother totally steals the show in this book.