Dark Currents (Elementals) by Mima

Elementals #1

by Mima

It's not every day a woman faces down the bitch who owns her man's soul.Elementals, Book 1Xia is sick and tired of having her ass served to her every bloody night. Exhausted, she soldiers on, working the Scottish dream beat alone, seeking to identify those who plot to awaken Aqua, one of the four slumbering elements. Should Aqua fully open her eyes, she won't be happy until she picks her teeth with the bones of the last human on earth.When an assassin tags Xia, her new guardian arrives--a seal shifter linked to the very element she fears. Adam is certain that Markos, Xia's boss and sometimes lover, is putting her in unnecessary danger. But Xia has tasted the inhuman cruelty that is Aqua and will do anything to stop her, even relive a terrifying, perilous spell.Now that Adam has been assigned to protect her witchy spirit wanderings, Xia has to trust him. It isn't his power or ability she's uneasy about, but the fact he'll have to take all the pain meant for her.Then the Chamber ruthlessly deploys Xia and Adam in a dangerous ritual. Adam can protect her body and defend her mind, but nothing can safeguard her from the backlash of the world-changing knowledge she This adventure is blatantly Scottish and dives into save-the-world sex with two of the hunkiest magical men you'll ever meet.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, M F Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Adult, Fantasy

Paperback

First published June 22, 2010

About the author

Mima lives in a small village on the Erie Canal in the Finger Lakes of NY. Her passport is tattered and well-stamped, and her cats are fat and happy.

Reviews

[Penelope Merrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly my kind of story. It's intelligent. It throws you in the middle of action and situations and demands that you hold on tight for the ride. It has an incredible, detailed and very real-feeling magic system. Not to mention a tender/terrifying, funny, complicated, very sexy love story.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Dark Currents is an erotic urban fantasy with intriguing magic concepts and strong characters. There's no soppy romance here and the focus is on the fantasy and sex, in that order. So although the last 1/4 of the book is pure sex, the author does a good job of not making the plot/characters/story a sad excuse just to jump into bed with a threesome.

Xia has an ability to dream walk - to enter the consciousness of the spirits of the world. One especially, Aqua of water, is particularly nasty and deadly. Hateful Aqua is awakening and if she does, she will drown the world in a flood until she has scoured the Earth of all creatures. Xia, with the aid of a fire-wielding centaur named Marcos as well as a water-based selkie named Adam, will have to perform a particularly dangerous spell weaving air, fire, and water to once again put Aqua to sleep. But Aqua knows Xia is hunting her and will torment the dreamwalker with the horrific deaths she's caused even in her half slumber.

This is perhaps one of the densest reads I've had in a very long time. So much is spent on world building and mood building that transitions and segues are often missing. As such, it can be a very confusing read - hard to tell if a transition was left out or if words were not read carefully enough to catch plot points. But I'd much prefer a dense book to an overly light read without much flavor or depth.

Xia is a strong character and doesn't need to be saved. She works with the men as their equal and there are no soppy romantic interludes or longings. She states what she wants, when she wants it, and moves on if she doesn't get it. As well, relationships are on her own terms. But at the same time, she isn't a cold character and is someone the reader can respect.

This was a very different read than I was expecting and it was a good change a pace for being so. So many erotic or paranormal books are flat but this one is especially richly layered.

Received as an ARC from the publisher.

[Dren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark Currents was ....interesting. I've given it three stars, but it's really more like 2.75 stars (but I rounded up). I'll explain why. (I promise, no spoilers)

The storyline was a new twist. The characters were strong, but the world building fell short. I couldn't get a handle on "when" the events were occurring, so the suspension of disbelief felt "off" to me. I struggled to stay in a world that I didn't really understand beyond what was described in the book.

But I enjoyed the characters, Xia and Adam, but like I stated before, with the limited world building - I didn't really connect to Adam until midway in the story and he's introduced early on.

So overall - Dark Currents was -- ok. If you're interested in reading about Seal Shifters - then pick this book up. There's also some steamy "whoa nelly" scenes that "sort of" make up for the books missing elements. I'd be interested to read the next book in the series just to see where the author takes the story.

[Georgiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have finally felt impelled to write my first review, even though I have been a member of Goodreads for some time, as I loved this book and hope that, in writing this review, the author is going to follow up with the next book!! (purely a selfish reason, I know!

This fantasy world was unique and fascinating. I did wonder at times if I had missed prior books in this series as she writes the world as if we were already familiar with it. I came to really like that - as if we are living already in this world. I also loved the spiritual aspects of this world, it made it all the more fabulous and interesting.

The sexy and erotic side was hot, and I really cannot wait to for the next installment of Xia and Adam's story - so much I still don't know that is hinted about.

Bring it on!

[Rustye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent paranormal from MIma! This one is about the four elements and the paranormals and witches that work to keep everything in balance. It is a hot, complicated romance between a witch and a selkie and takes place in Scotland. There is one instance of a menage (mfm) during a magic ritual. I sincerely hope that this book is the first of a new series!

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been an extremely good UF, if not for some pretty confusing bits, the erotica ending and an heroine who moved from badass to a whimpering, weak, dependant gal.

As it is, it's still good enough, but the inability to choose between fully erotic and mainstream detracted a lot. It shows that Mima could, if willing, move to something different, "serious" writing. My humble 2 cents.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really good erotic read with the perfect amount of surprise.