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Amber Lee #2

Dark Witch

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An ancient evil reborn. An old friend in trouble. One witch stands between them.

The strangest thing about near-death experiences is they put the world into perspective, and when your world stopped making sense some time ago, moments of clarity become precious commodities. But perspective alone isn’t enough to prepare me against the kind of terror I’m about to face.

Something evil has wormed its way into my town, maybe even into my house. It's already started affecting me, and it may be affecting my friends. I don’t know what it is, who woke it up, or what it wants, but whatever it is, it’s destroying what little stability I've been able to create in the wake of the attempt on my life. The worst part isn't that my life is falling apart, or the awful truth I learn about Damien; the worst part is when I see Aaron. I thought I had it bad, but Aaron has it worse. In fact, he could be the reason why all of this is happening to me.

This Yuletide, there's going to be blood in the snow.

Note that this book was once called The Rule of Three, and was the second book Katerina Martinez ever wrote and published. It has been remastered and re-branded in order to bring it up to speed, but it is the same book; the story has only changed in minor ways.

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2015

128 people are currently reading
398 people want to read

About the author

Katerina Martinez

92 books520 followers
Katerina Martinez is a widely known author who writes supernatural fiction with a creepy, thrilling, and romantic bent. A veteran of many years of writing, she is the author of Dark Siren, the first book in the breakout Half-Lich Trilogy which became an instant bestseller in 2016. She continues to expand her back-list with books such as Wings of Light, and Heart of the Thief, and Night Hunter - three series starters that all take place in the same world.

If you would like to keep in touch with Katerina, learn about her work, and receive an exclusive short story set in the Blood and Magick universe, just follow this link, sign up, and don't be shy to drop her an email.

https://www.katerinamartinez.com/

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5 stars
117 (37%)
4 stars
108 (34%)
3 stars
67 (21%)
2 stars
10 (3%)
1 star
8 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for L.A. Wild.
Author 6 books67 followers
January 25, 2015
Filled to the brim with tension, this is my type of book—fast paced, good synergy, great characters with depth. The honesty and frankness with which Amber shares her journey is great dialogue, Katerina Martinez had me hooked at, like a duck relaxing on the head of an alligator. I just love quirky similes and metaphors and this author has nailed the use of them.

The main plot is thick with twists and turns and nightmares and stalkers all of which haunt Amber, and if they’re not bad enough, she’s got relationship issues. Scenes are well crafted with great development, I couldn't put this down. Katerina Martinez is definitely an author to watch out for. Five stars from me!
Profile Image for cRistina.
33 reviews14 followers
February 9, 2015
Witchy meetings, creepy ghosts, unexpected boy trouble, violent encounters, and a hairy revelation tug readers along in the second installment of the Amber Lee Series. The Rule of Three picks up a few months after Midnight Magick when Amber’s life is spiraling out of control and has much the same feel as book one with an attractive premise full of supernatural thrills, the only hiccup is pacing and story progression.



After discovering the power within her and a near death experience, Amber is left to deal with the aftermath: bouts of insomnia, school expulsion, and a disconnect from loved ones. Posttraumatic stress doesn’t begin to cover all that goes astray in Amber’s life, especially not when a specter starts to haunt her, ghoulish nightmares invade her waking life, and a shadow of the man Aaron was begins to stalk her… Amber has her hands full as she scrambles to piece together the sinister events that shroud her and her friends before time runs out.



I wouldn’t recommend reading this without first reading Midnight Magick as there really isn’t any world building. The story jumps right in to established relationships and preexisting dynamics that drive the first portion of the novel which ultimately affects pacing and plot development. My enthusiasm for the story definitely surges once Aaron shows up all bedraggled and all. His exit in the first book was disappointing, however the way he was woven back into the story is so disconcerting that it becomes impossible to put the book down!



In case you can’t tell, Aaron is my favorite. I perked up immensely with his involvement in the story. The other characters are a toss up, though they did receive more attention this time. Damien has always been two-dimensional and only important by circumstance. Eliza and Evan were fun, happy go lucky people, but they only serve as fillers in this novel. Frank on the other hand becomes essential with his crazy sense of humor and dark past. It’s fun to watch his role and contributions to the events that unfold. Amber, well she’s Amber. She has a knack for causing and attracting trouble! I’m happy to see that showed some personal growth this time around.



Overall, this is a quick, creepy, and enjoyable read with quite the cliffhanger. Martinez stepped up her game in this addition and I cannot wait to see what is in store for these characters.




*** This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. ***
Profile Image for Amphitrite.
243 reviews21 followers
January 31, 2015
What I liked: After reading Midnight Magick back in November of 2014 I've talked to Katerina Martinez, author of the Amber Lee Mysteries series and she even gave my blog its opening day post in that same month! When she asked me if I wanted to read The Rule of Three I was curious to see how Amber and the others were doing and what they were up to. And this book did not disappoint me while reading it. This book is filled with tension in all the right places and a few moments even gave me chills! I know when I reached the climax of this book I raced through, trying to see what was going to happen and hoping that the characters would be okay. There's also plenty of a mystery factor with trying to guess what's really happening in Raven's Glen and I had pegged one of the characters from Midnight Magick to be the person behind all this craziness but I was wrong about who it was. And Damien was a character who really managed to surprise me with his actions. I don't want to spoil what he does but know that my jaw dropped with his reveal in this story. I totally can agree with Amber's actions to what he does, and I actually applaud her with how she handles it by the end. Aaron also makes a return and his impact on the story is larger than it was in the first book, and I believe that he will be returning in the next book to have yet another big impact on what happens in this series.

What I didn't like: I did notice the problem with some mispelled words/missing letters in words and some missing words scattered throughout the book, but for the most part they didn't take much away and it was easy for me to keep reading.

Overall Review: There's plenty of development among the characters in this book and I can't wait to read book three and see what's going to happen with the characters. I was hoping for a little more Eliza than we got because I like her, but I'm curious about what happened to her after Yuletide. Hopefully we get to find out! Look out for how the title plays into this book and how the holidays change the playing field for these characters. As for Frank, I have to say that I really enjoyed him in this books. He was hilarious sometimes, with what he said and I can't wait to see what happens with him in the next book as well. Overall I believe that Katerina Martinez's writing has both strengthened and changed since her debut, and it has become captivating in a way I hadn't expected! With reveals placed in the right spots and the elements of foreshadowing done in subtle ways that I didn't catch when they were mentioned I really liked this book.

Recommend?: Yes definitely! If you were hesitate to continue after Midnight Magick do pick up The Rule of Three!
Profile Image for Linda.
1,371 reviews
November 6, 2016
This one was definitely better than the first, but one of the things that still need to be addressed, which if it were minor wouldn't be so bad, is the missing words. Usually I can overlook that, but it wasn't just an "a" here or there. In some cases, it was a noun / item so it kind of got a little frustrating if you couldn't guess what was missing based on the sentence or paragraph. It is distracting. However, that being said, I have to admit I was surprised by where the story did go. I wasn't expecting what happened with Aaron, nor did I guess it would lead back to Amber...although in hindsight, I should have given she is the main character. Interestingly enough, the Damien situation bothered me. Not sure why since I wasn't really connected to him, he just seemed like a nice guy...aside from their one indiscretion in the last book. Would I have chosen him for Amber? No, I liked Aaron better, but understood why she would feel a connection with him because he was a True Witch too. It is just the situation itself that bothers me, not the end result. ;)

Overall, I have to say the author did a good job setting up for the next book. No major cliffhanger and yet you know it is not finished. That more is to come and that it should be interesting given what happened in this one. I'll definitely continue with the series because I want to see where it "ends".
Profile Image for Denise.
1,771 reviews24 followers
December 7, 2015
I'm not sure where to start with 'The Rule of Three'. I guess my rating would be a good place. I rounded up to a 4, but I give it 3 1/2 stars. I really feel horrible when I can't give a higher rating, but I also refuse to lie or sugarcoat things. The story needs editing. Some sentences were just not complete sentences, as in main words were omitted. And then we have the setting being in California, U.S., but some wording was from the UK or there abouts. The storyline was pretty good and it played out well. Seems that everyone had secrets in this book. From Amber to Damien to Aaron to the very colorful Frank. Frank was awesome. His sense of humor cracked me up. Oh, and beware, this story leaves off with a cliffhanger. But I have enjoyed the series, 'An Amber Lee Series', so I will read the next book.
210 reviews5 followers
August 11, 2017
Idk... I liked the first one better. That was interesting, and I could connect with the character and learn about true witches along with her. Without giving away spoilers, I just have to say that this book was way too negative. Everything being torn down, lots of anger, never any answers till you get to the end. I almost didn't finish it, but I persevered. I hope that you find it better, but I won't be reading the next one, even though the ending was actually a good turn around. Alas, too little too late for me.
Profile Image for Eirlys.
1,763 reviews16 followers
May 17, 2017
Amber Glows

I loved learning more about Amber and her friends. I loved the pace of the story as Amber struggled to understand what was happening to her. Characters and story lines combine to enchant the reader.
Profile Image for Danielle.
166 reviews11 followers
September 28, 2019
This felt like a teenage love triangle was going on. I'm not going to read the rest, I liked this one less than the first and Amber started to irritate me. There were more errors in this too, simple things a proof read would have picked up! So annoying.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,429 reviews63 followers
June 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, even more than the first one. Lots of twists and turns in the plot kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. I whole-heartedly recommend this read!
Profile Image for Rachel.
338 reviews25 followers
July 4, 2017
Fairly entertaining follow up to True Witch. Boatloads of relationship drama, a nasty surprise for Amber and an entity that just won't stop.
Profile Image for Brenda.
156 reviews1 follower
September 30, 2018
Loved it

Katerina,
I want to thank you for writhing this book. Out was great. Now I'm off the read the next one. So here I go.
Profile Image for Sarah Atkins Mascorro.
77 reviews
December 3, 2019
Another great book

Wow things have changed so much from the first book total plot twist lol love it. Time for book three.
Profile Image for Alani.
37 reviews
May 25, 2023
The very poor editing continues into this book. She drops her best friend like a hot potato and hooks up with a new coven, leaving them behind. Not feeling it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Deeann Pullman.
130 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2015
starting from the first book of the book of the series it was interesting enough for me to want to read the rest of the series. since this is the second book of the series that ive ever read of this Author I think so far an awesome series and cant wait to read the rest.
Ambers magick keeps getting stronger which brings more intense and dangerous situations with the help of her coven with its newest members Frank and Damien shes figuring out her powers as she goes along.
thinking her love life with Damien is finally on track she finds out he wasnt totally truthful and didnt breakup with his girl friend Natelie. now having to face more enemys isnt the right time tto dwell on that fact as demons, inhumanly strong hooded priests, possession, blackened mass and ghostly white skin with almost purple lips.
the priests and their holy lady named Linezka are wanting to guage Ambers strength because of a prophecy of a witch, a demon, and a wolf.
her ex-boyfriend Aaron comes back into the picture ragged and disheveled and possessed by a demon or is he going threw a different matter all together and could his situation be related to whats going on with the priests you must read the book to find out.
Profile Image for Jamie Johnson.
14 reviews2 followers
December 30, 2015
This book hooked me much faster than book one! I highly recommend this to anyone who likes witch stories. The second book in this series started off with Magick much faster than the first one. The character Amber, I am still enjoying her. She has her flaws, as everyone does, and makes her mistakes but you can't help but like her. Her ignorance with magick and being unable to trust people is her downfall though. I hope she has learned lessons in this book, but it won't be as interesting if she has. The character Frank is warming up to me, I am starting to like him. Damien, I still hate him. I didn't trust him in the first book, and I now I have reason as to not trust him. Aaron, I still love him! He may be pigheaded, but with the twist towards the end, it will be great to see where he is headed. Eliza still hasn't caught me either way. She sounds like a big character, but you never really get to know her. I didn't like that we didn't get an answer to how she and the baby really is, hopefully in the next book we will.

Hooded figures, magick, betrayal and a surprise twist at the end (I won't ruin it for people). What more could you want from a book? Can't wait to start book 3!
Profile Image for Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews).
1,989 reviews17 followers
May 22, 2016
I was sooooooooo upset about the way this book turned out. I literally screamed out a very loud, “OH MY GOD!” at a certain point in this book. I am also very anti-Damien right now. He sucks. I’m mad at him. He’s no longer on my nice guy list. He’s actually on my shit list right now.

Don’t let my rant up there deter you from reading this book, though! Seriously, it was awesomely done. I was simply full of angst about how it was going. Which means, despite me NOT liking where it was going, the author did an AWESOME job. She got me hooked into it, made me like and root for characters, and caused a huge ass reaction when the shocking developments I can’t talk about happened. Honestly, awesomely done. Despite my hissy fit on how the book is going, I really enjoyed the ride.

This author will shock and amaze you with twists you never see coming!

However, the next few installments have to hook me too now that I’m sad about certain events in this novel….

Regardless of that, 4 stars!

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
99 reviews
November 28, 2016
I'm committing to see Amber through all the books!

As I am drawn further into the Amber Lee Mysteries, I just can't seem to put my book down. I'm happy to announced that I'm hooked on the series and have purchased all the books and novellas. I can't wait to see what evil continues to follow Amber or if she brews up some troubles of her own.

And Frank! I love Frank! I think he's that friend we all have that knows just enough about everything to get you into trouble, but is also there for for laughter and healing. He's the one who loves gossip & the latest drama. And j love that he's cleaned up his act... Maybe a love interest will come along for him soon as a reward.

I am taking the author's advice and reading the 2 novellas, Forged in Darkfire and Forged in Moonfire before getting back to Amber's story. I love the build of the backstory & this IS the right place to add more.

Thank you again, Katerina, for giving me something fun to read and bring engrossed in that world we all find so intriguing; keep on writing!
Profile Image for Donna Thompson.
659 reviews47 followers
September 14, 2015
This second book in the Amber Lee series by Katerina Martinez is atmospheric, intriguing, mysterious and full of surprises and revelations. The author must employ a bit of magic of her own in weaving her tales, because once you start this book, you will be unable to stop. One of the ways her writing stands out is in her use of atmosphere and setting and in a slowly growing sense of menace.

In this entry, many things come to light, although many things are still unresolved. I love the way the author wraps things up in each book, yet still leaves enough suspense to pull you immediately to the next book. You just want to keep reading, not only to see what happens next, but because it's hard to leave Amber's world. This series truly is magical and will wrap you in its spell before you know it.
Profile Image for Andretta Schellinger.
Author 4 books44 followers
May 29, 2015
The Rule Three continues the story of Amber Lee, a real witch who along with Frank and Damien have a nice little coven. However, not all is the way it is supposed to be and Aaron, a man from her past comes to shake things up.



I liked this one more than the first honestly. I guess for me it had more going on, or had more connection. Either way I felt that I connected with the characters more than I did in the last one. The issue that I had in the first one about it hurrying up to wait did not happen in this book. There was a consistency that I think was lacking in the last one. Not only that but she really left this one wide open for future books but at the same time she completed it. There wasn't a cliff hanger that many people hate. There are two more in the series and I hope that both of them follow more this book than the first one.
42 reviews2 followers
June 22, 2015
The book starts off several months later after the end of book 1, Midnight Magick. Was there improvement, some. I noticed some missing words, one inaccuracy n a few unnecessary words. Did that deter me from finishing. Uh uh, not one bit!! Even with all the aforementioned typos, the author draws u further into the story of Amber, Frank, Damien, n Aaron.... plus adds another twist to the story in the form of a demon. I wish Amber could get her sh.. together n pay more attention to Frank. Will she eventually find out who is bent on destroying or possessing her, or will she finally realize her full potential as a "True Witch"? That won't happen in this sequel , maybe in the future, or will this series end in a cliffhanger. God, this sucks, it will take me awhile to find out!!!
Profile Image for Debbie.
136 reviews15 followers
August 22, 2015
Power, friends, secretes...

A witch growing into her power. Out of anger, Amber has accidentally opened herself up to evil. While one friend is developing life, others are fighting for their lives. Well if there are real witches then there has to be real demons as well as other mythical creatures. Amber has to right wrongs, change the structure of her coven and relationships, and prepare for more than the fight for just her life. I am enjoying this series and hope to continue it. The only problem I have found with it is that there are words missing in many sentences. That makes it confusing and breaks the moment. Other than that, this is a fun series.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Profile Image for Susan Harrowa.
239 reviews
March 11, 2015
Book 2 is everything I loved about book 1 and then a whole lot more. Amber seems set in self destruct mode after her near fatality. As she struggles to right her life while it seems to keep crumbling, she also takes on the task if helping an old friend. Little do they know that everything is connected and could be leading them to put their very lives right back in danger.
Profile Image for Kerry.
1,077 reviews5 followers
August 29, 2015
4.5 rating
A witch with normal problems yet some created in turn by the rule of three.
This is going to be an interesting series to follow and I really enjoyed the book. It has drama, a little action, friendship and normal everyday problems but add in with a little magic and you've got a book worth reading.
Profile Image for Jennifer Daniels.
Author 19 books50 followers
January 27, 2015
Awesome! Wonderful! Great! I really enjoyed this book. I loved the twist and turns and just when you think ok I got it....it changes. Katerina Martinez is a wonderful new writer with a very promising future ahead of her. I strongly recommend this series!
Profile Image for Cindy Cunningham.
Author 1 book21 followers
May 17, 2015
Needed to tone it down

When a novel is on high priority for the entire time, it loses the ability to surprise the reader or make her care. I just wanted it to be over after the millionth exclamation point.
Profile Image for Leslie Sanchez.
1,774 reviews2 followers
June 8, 2015
Fantastic series!

Starting from the first book this series is really great. Amber's Magick keeps getting stronger and the conflicts more intense and dangerous. With the help of her Coven she figuring things out as she goes.
Profile Image for E Reader.
1,016 reviews5 followers
August 3, 2015
Lots of twists

There is so many twists and unexpected things in this story. Amber annoyed me in this story, she was very self centered. However it ended up being important to the story. I definitely want to continue the series to find out what happens
Profile Image for Noxwitchbooklife.
864 reviews12 followers
August 26, 2022
It's been sevenish years since I read this for the first time and I remembered enjoying it and I did again this time around.

Amber Lee is a great sassy goth character and I really enjoy all the magical realism in this series as well as the really easy to read great writing.
15 reviews
April 16, 2015
Well written

Another great read. A new little witch with life lessons to learn. She also finds out that things and people are not always what they seem.
Profile Image for Sue.
856 reviews1 follower
Read
May 21, 2015
no rating. Couldn't get into this book so just deleted it.
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