Undertow

Port Lewis Witches #2

by Brooklyn Ray

Port Lewis, a coastal town perched on the Washington cliffs, is home to Crescent Cafe, a slew of micro-breweries, a downtown packed with antique boutiques, and violent, ancient storms. Thunder shakes rooftops and lightning cuts through dark skies, but Liam Montgomery has never been afraid.

Until now.

One night, Liam hears the scream of a kelpie, a Water horse whose cry foretells the beginning of a prophecy. Kelpies have not set foot on shore for decades, but as Liam digs into his magic and his family’s history, he uncovers a mysterious secret that could ripple into the lives of everyone around him.

Liam’s tea-leaves spells out murder. The life of someone he loves is on the line. An unwelcome kelpie speaks in riddles. The Queen of Water demands a sacrifice.

The Montgomery name is soaked in blood and secrets. Liam’s fate is sealed, but he’ll do whatever it takes to change it—even if it risks his circle, his magic, and his life.

Content Warnings: Scenes of bloodletting, consuming blood in erotic situation. Explicit sexual content. Mentions of child abuse. Depictions of anxiety. Murder and bloody death.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, M M Romance, Paranormal, LGBT, Urban Fantasy, Transgender

111 pages, ebook

First published September 10, 2018

About the author

Brooklyn Ray is a retired paranormal romance author.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 witchy stars rounded up to 5 because still no 1/2 stars here on GR and because the second story was equally as good as the first...ok, probably a tiny bit better...full review to follow soonish!

I guess I squirreled on this one because the review was finished last year and I missed adding it here...

More witches, more secrets...

'Undertow' is the second book in the 'Port Lewis Witches' series by new to me author Brooklyn Ray and while I was gobsmacked by 'Darkling' this one has totally bewitched me.

If 'Darkling' was Ryder's story and believe me it was than 'Undertow' is Liam's story, but just like Ryder's story Liam's can't be told without the members of his circle, so as things unfold we also get little pieces of Donovan, Tyler and Christy and a bit more Ryder as well.

While Ryder's element is fire we also know that he has dark magic running through him but that's for his story, so if you haven't read it and you want to know...well, off you go now because this part of Ryder's story is very, very much connected to Liam's story and yeah, you guessed it, I'm not saying more about that. Liam's magic is water but as we discover in this story it's complicated...there are secrets...so many secrets and these secrets may not only cost Liam all he holds dear but he may find his very life on the line.

Writing a story that feels as full and complete as this one in less than 100 pages is pretty damned impressive and doing it now once but twice...well, color me impressed!

Things begin to get even more complicated as Liam tries to untangle the mystery surrounding his magic and as he and Ryder maneuver a relationship that's just a little more complicated than the norm...remember that dark magic I mentioned in my review of 'Darkling'...well, we're not done with it...not by a long shot and this is only part of why I can't stress strongly enough that these books are not 'standalone' stories. Seriously start at the beginning, you'll be happier for having done so.

While I'd love the stories to be longer because really who among us don't want more if it's a story that we're enjoying. I've thoroughly enjoyed the pacing on this one. It's not so fast that I can't keep up but it also doesn't allow for those moments when I'm bored and my mind wanders. Plus I have to admit I'm enjoying the fact that I'm not having to wade through a lot of superfluous and unnecessary information to try and figure out what's relevant to the story and what's window dressing because while you might be patient on this one it's pretty much all necessary.

Ok, just a couple more things before I move on here...at the end of this book is a peek at what's coming next...it's Tyler and Donovan's story...trust me, we don't want to miss this and last but not least...

Have you looked at the covers on both of these books...they're gorgeous. It's honestly a refreshing change to see a cover that speaks more to the overall tone of the book a couple of male torsos that when all is said and done I discover bare little or no resemble to anyone in the story. Don't get me wrong I can appreciate an attractive male torso as well as the next person but sometimes it's nice just to see a book cover that has some attractive imagery that speaks to me and says 'look I have a story for you...come, sit with me and we'll discover it together...'

*************************

An ARC of 'Undertow' was graciously provided by the team at 'IndiGo' Events in exchange for an honest review.

[Casper · Rating 4 out of 5]

#1 Darkling ★★★★☆
#2 Undertow ★★★★☆
#3 ???

When the police are called and investigating my dead body withered into a fetal position on my bed and the detective asks what the cause of death is, I want it to be known that this is it. The anger and the passion that this book ignited and in which I wrote this review gave me a goddamn stroke. You thought it was going to be from my perfectionism and frequent tendency to stress myself into an aneurysm but no.

And I’ll admit that this sounds like I’m about to go off and I mean, I am but not for the reason you would assume.

Undertow picks up a few weeks after where Darkling ended and where it’s definitely a sequel and not at all a companion piece (meaning you can’t just pick this one up randomly without the other because then you’ll just have a vague idea that it’s about witches and the unambiguous knowledge that it’s extremely gay), it’s written in Liam’s POV instead of Ryder’s. So this one explores more of Port Lewis, but also more of Liam and his family and who or what he may be other than a water witch with an intense, I-don’t-think-that’s-actually-healthy-but-I-can’t-stop-you magnetism to both the ocean and Ryder’s dark magic.

Liam, my dude, my buddy. Something should have given it away before that strangely sexual rendezvous with a creepy seahorse while your boyfriend was doing himself a panic on shore.

Anyway.

Like the first book, a lot of my love was contingent on the characters (although the Port Lewis atmosphere still takes my whole heart). I loved Ryder a lot from the first book because he’s a very ‘do no harm, take no shit’ kind of witch, which he actually grew into some more in this book as he found himself more comfortable in his own skin and with his relationship with Liam. In contrast, Liam is much more reserved and quicker to play the peacekeeper even if he agrees with Ryder to avoid conflict within their circle, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have his own kind of fire. Liam actually deals with things that could break a lot of people, but he keeps on keeping on because he’s very resilient and determined, much like Ryder but in a different kind of way. I enjoyed reading in Liam’s POV very, very much.

You would be amazed at how easily I can say that this, too, wasn’t a romance and this time, Ryder and Liam were actually together from the get-go instead of playing coy with each other. It’s there (which is a pretty predictable thing to say so don’t act shocked) but the focus was put on the struggles Liam and even Ryder were dealing with both together and separately—especially when it came to their circle.

Which is basically just Civil War all over again and I don’t mean the historical event.

The thing that ignited a dramatic amount of anger and betrayal stemmed mostly from how Liam and Ryder’s circle “dealt” with them being more than what they thought, based on some closeminded and bigoted superior mindset. These people are supposed to be supportive and there for them because they’re a circle and the whole book was Tyler being a total douche, Ryder not standing for it for both himself and Liam, and a lot of goading and hypocritical jabs. Then they’re more or less ostracized because Liam was put between a rock and a hard place. Let’s just say that if someone doesn’t stop being an elitist dick and the circle doesn’t get back on track in the following books and start being decent human beings to Liam and Ryder, I’m going to light them on fire and then chuck them into the middle of the Atlantic to be both ironic and spiteful.

Also: that cliffhanger. What is that. What do you think you’re doing right now? I think I had a literal stroke when I realized I just finished the book and the door’s just out there, flapping in the wind, wide open. It felt an awful lot like looking down the barrel of a gun and going, “Ope, yep, there’s definitely a bullet in that one.” but you have no idea when or even if it’s going to go off and you don’t know where it’ll be pointed if it does. It’s just there with the promise of something horrible coming in the unforeseeable future.

I do not like it. I did not subscribe to this channel for this content.

On top of this, there’s a sneak peek of the next book coming out and let’s just say that it’s not in Ryder’s or Liam’s perspective, so there’s a high chance I’m going to be dragging myself through that one with gritted teeth just because I desperately need to see the end of this and I’m interested in everyone else.

So with all that said and done, I leave you with one last vehement statement:

*slams fists on the table* give me a story about Jordan and Thalia right now, you coward.

    —————
  

Content warnings for: explicit sex scenes (what can I say, it’s ~magic~), bloodletting / blood magic (what do you mean there’s no vampires?), and the classic dark witchy aesthetic of death and talk of murder (but what more do you want, there’s necromancers here).

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I think I am in love or at least well on my way.

This was better and the first was damn good. There was a much better feeling of knowing with this one but there is still so much to learn. So much!

Liam. Wow. I mean, I knew Ryder but now Liam and Ryder? Watch out.

Dangerous.

This was such a great second book. All that I felt reading the first book was definitely kicked up a notch or two in this one.

I can't get over how perfectly the author sets the scene visually. I compared Darkling to a TV show and this just firms that up. Reading this is like watching something. It's awesome.

There are so many secrets to discover and I can't wait to get more from this Circle.

**This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.**

[J.P. Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold on kids, this is darkness at it's best.

I HAVE to APOLOGIZE - this review was supposed to go out in September - but you know what life is like sometimes. So...yeah, there it is. My deepest apologies to Brooklyn Ray.

Now, no secret - I have a twisted dark side. I suspect Brooklyn Ray has a similar shadowy self that they dwell within while writing the Port Lewis witch series. Unbroken, the third in the series, and Predatory, the fourth, are both set to be released in 2019 - AND I WILL BE BUYING THEM.

Holy Hot Damn on a Cracker Batman.

Fair warning, these short novels are intense, hot, steamy, and dark. If you have any issues with blood-letting or questionable gray magic, these stories are not for you. But, if you desire to experience some intense sex scenes, dive deep into the wetness of water magic, to search your shadow side and siphon energy from others, get this book. Get it now.

In the first novel, Darkling, we were introduced to Ryder, who is an elemental fire witch, but also a necromancer - a powerful combination. Ryder is also transgender. In this novel, we get to see Liam, Ryder's boyfriend, as he grapples with looming, and grim prophecies of a catastrophic event that is about to unfurl - like the tentacles of an angry octopus.

One of the biggest draws for me in this story is the take on the Kelpie, a water fae that is a shapeshifter, a trickster, dangerous (like most fae), and usually takes the form of a horse with a fishtail.

I think most of us have read tales about werewolves, vampires, unicorns - you know, the usual urban fantasy fare. But here, Ray takes us into the lesser known realm of the fae, and I loved it.


Ray is able to weave words together in such a way...it envelopes the reader. I feel as if the spells cast in the book are happening besides me, and I can see the wispy trails of magic swirling around my feet, spiraling up, wrapping and gripping a stranglehold on me. Her stories are like that too. Unapologetically, the sentences act just like the magic spell. They grab you, and drag you through the story, experiencing the tale through comparisons and clever wordplay that I've not seen done by any other author.

I ate this book in a couple of sittings, and the entire time I read it, I felt damp, and cold, and could smell the salt breeze, and hear the ocean waves as they roared with ferocity. So far, this is a brilliant series and one I will always suggest to those who enjoy wallowing in the not-so-light-and-fairy-twinkle-lights of most paranormal/urban fantasy books.

This is gloomy and dark. Unsettling and morally gray.

Get it. Read it.

You will not be disappointed.

[Laura]

I received a copy of Undertow from NineStar Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[rating removed]

I enjoyed this more than I did Darkling but it’s still confusing and hard to follow in a lot of ways. I love the magic and supernatural elements of the story, and I’m still curious about the future, but in some ways it’s Weird. I hate that the friendship between the circle-mates is falling apart and how cruel Tyler can be, but I do like the growth between Liam and Ryder from the first book.

Overall, I think I’m in this for the long haul because curiosity, but sometimes it’s hard to follow what exactly is going on...

Content notes:

🌊 On Page sex
🌊 discussion of death, murder
🌊 blood-letting, blood drinking
🌊 death

[Azbaqiyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot - 4/5
Character - 4/5
World Building - 4/5
Writing Style - 5/5
Cover - 3/5

Rating - 4 / 5

[Briar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Liam's story! Loved seeing how he and Ryder are going. But I'm super keen for Michael's book next !!

[mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

➽ 3.5 to 4 stars.

I had a bit of a rough time with this novella at first. As I said in my review for the previous novella in this series, I don't seem to mesh super smoothly with the setting and tone the author is going for with this series. Maybe I'm too soft-hearted, and the level and type of angst in these stories isn't quite for me. I'm not sure. My lukewarm response to this novella feels like an "it's-not-you-it's-me" type of thing.

Maybe my issue is that I think Ryder and Liam's circle of witches is supposed to be like a found family, but they really don't read that way to me. It honestly seems like several members of the circle can barely stand each other at all, and others are nearly always uncomfortable in other characters' presences. I think I'd find it more believable if they weren't all established to have been in this circle with each other for 2 plus years prior to the start of the first novella. One other thing that I didn't enjoy, despite my impression that it was intended to be cute or endearing: Ryder continuing to call Liam "princess" despite Liam always asking him not to. If a partner of mine did that shit I would be really upset.

(Quick aside to say that my own personal stance on friendships and relationships colors my perception here: I'm a very anxious person, and I just know that if I were surrounded by people so viciously angry on such a frequent basis, I would have to olly the heck outta there for my own mental health. It'd be super toxic, imo.)

Okay, back to business: was the novella good aside from my personal gripes about the side characters? Yeah, I think so. Maybe not as good as I'd hoped it would be. The second half's plot and writing flowed much more smoothly for me than the first half's did. I enjoyed the peeks into the wider world Ray has created, though I really missed Jordan (Ryder's sister, featured more heavily in book one) - she's perhaps my favorite of the characters Ray has introduced so far.

I'd recommend you give these novellas a shot if you like modern-setting witches, lots of queer characters (with good [in my non-masculine enby self's opinion] trans rep), and maybe a bit more high drama/intense angst than I'm usually in the mood for. It's also just really cool to support indie lgbt+ authors, and some of my GR friends have enjoyed this more than I did, so I'd say to give it a shot if it strikes your fancy.

Content warnings: explicit sex scenes, blood magic, death.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie GooglyEyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7*

Let me start out by saying this is book 2 in a series and the first one needs to be read. Also, this features a trans character (f2m) that isn't fully transitioned. While I have zero issues with that, it is sometimes a little odd during sex scenes, because you completely forget Ryder still has some female attributes. If you don't think you can handle that, then I wouldn't recommend it.

That being said, Liam and Ryder's relationship begins to solidify further and their magic continues to meld. This, in turn, brings out Liam's true nature.

In this book, there are still so many secrets. While some questions are answered, many others surface and the story barely scratches their surface. The story will continue in book three, but it seems we'll be in Donovan and Tyler's POV, and after reading the excerpt from it, I cannot wait for that book. I'm super curious about Tyler, even if everyone else thinks he's a dick. I also love gingers and Donovan seems so sweet to boot.

I hope in the next installment their circle mates can figure out their issues and move forward. I think something big is coming and they're going to need to be strong.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. Note that it's Book Two and does not stand alone. We get Liam's POV in this book and he and Ryder are dabbling in some things that everyone, including them, says is risky, so of course it's going to get interesting. Just as in the first book, there's a wonderfully rich and spooky atmosphere. The magic system is neat and it's really woven into everything thoroughly. There's lots of tension and danger and secrets and darkness and I expect things are going to get lots worse before they get better in this series. This is a engaging series and it's super queer. Looking forward to the next one, which is about Donovan. Maybe we'll get some insight into Tyler's dickishness.

[Achim · Rating 4 out of 5]

And it just keeps getting better. Still a lot of secrets and the tension in the witch circle still high but this time the entry into Port Lewis is easier and while this book is all Liam's perspective and therefore about him and his love with Ryder the other 3 witches of their circle become characters of their own. Christie, always the diplomat, trying to keep everything together, knowing too much of their secrets to be able to take sides, so lonely it could hurt; Donovan, docile baby witch, still not in touch with his earth magic but keeping his own secret while struggeling with his odd relationship with Tyler and even Tyler is getting some background with an abusive father to be nearly more than the elitist ass of the first book and after all his element air isn't known for its empathy. We surely get more about them in the next books because here it's about Liam and his secrets - secrets he didn't know he had, secrets so big that Ryder is probably not the only dangerous witch and it surely doesn't help that their magic mingle while their love grows. The atmosphere gets foreboding and dark again when the sea calls and family secrets are revealed, suddenly there's more at stake than their circle, than their relationship. Liam has to make a decision and nothing good can come from it.

[Amanda Prado · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one was so much better than darkling im actually really mad the next book will be changing pov lmao

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, pay attention to the content warning. It's there for a reason and very true. Also, do not read these books out of order. If you do, you will be lost. This is an ongoing series and I encourage you to read it. If you don't, you're seriously missing out. This book went in a direction I totally did not see coming and I loved every second of it. Damn this is good. And I KNEW something was up with Donovan, and I was right to a point, but where Liam and Ryder's journey goes, holy shit. Even Christy has something up with her. There's something there I'm waiting to see.
Ryder and Liam both know their intimacy and sex is way beyond dangerous. The bloodletting, Ryder syphoning. But it's not just Ryder anymore. Liam is changing and it's scaring the shit out of him. A kelpie came to him speaking in riddles. Some of it they figured out on their own, some they demanded answers for. Some answers were evaded. But one thing everyone seems to agree on, is that what Liam and Ryder have is dangerous and not good. But the love they have seems to override it all. Until Liam discovers he has to offer Ryder to the Queen of the sea, Leviathan, as a sacrifice. And he refuses. Instead, he makes a different sacrifice. One that has the Queen making a quick visit. And with what Liam did, Ryder and Liam both are prepared to fight to the death for each other. And death may be exactly what they get.
Oh my gah, you guys have got to read these books. I can't get into detail without giving it all away but let me tell you. EVERYONE is changing. Right now, it's more about Ryder and Liam. The secrets that are coming out, the way their lives are changing, the demons they are dealing with, all of it. But what no one else is paying attention to, is the other three of their circle are changing as well. Donovan finally shared a secret about himself to Liam. Unfortunately, that secret was outed to the rest of the group by the Queen, in her eerie humor. Tyler is changing too, but not sure about him yet. But Leviathan started revealing a few things about Christy that I think is going to turn into something very interesting. Who knows. I could be dead wrong. But the bonds are changing, everyone is not themselves it seems anymore and playing in the dark magics is making people very nervous. I'm waiting to see if some kind of war is going to occur.
This series is off to a hell of a start and you guys need to read it. Especially if you love fantasy and magic and all the paranormals. It's not one you can put down.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/

[L.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Was given this book in exchange for an honest review*

First off, can we talk about this cover? Talk about gorgeous. That's what initially drew me to this book. However, I realized too late that I had made a mistake. This is the second book in a series and I had not read the first book. I'm a bit pressed for time right now, so I went ahead and read the synopsis for book 1 and pressed on into book 2 (Undertow).

Thankfully, I felt the author did a good job summarizing events in Book 1 enough that I was easily able to follow along with the events in book 2. Liam Montgomery and Ryder Wolfe are boyfriends in the middle of some sort of Witchy Circle. Liam is a Water Witch while Ryder is a Fire Witch / Necromancer with some sort of demon inside him. They practice dark and blood magic together which I gathered was taboo in their White Witch world. Liam is having visions from a fae creature from the ocean as well as visions that he will kill the man he loves (Ryder--who also happens to be trans).

This book seemed to be very diverse, which I appreciated. The writing was beautiful--lyrical and fluid like the water magic Liam practices. But, all in all, this book wasn't really for me, which was surprising. I think normally I would really enjoy a witchy fantasy, but for whatever reason, I had trouble caring about the characters. Lesson learned. Always read book 1 first, kids!

I think people who had read book 1 would definitely enjoy this book.

[Rian Durant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Undertow was so much better than Darkling in so many ways that it almost made me forget the issues I had with the first book in the series.

Here we had the same cast but almost all of them gained flesh and became interesting enough that I'd like to read more about them. A lot of depth was added to Liam (which he lacked in the first part, and now he is officially my favorite character of the book).

And voila!, there was a real conflict Undertow. It was page turning because it was complex enough without an immediate clear cut boundary between "wrong" and "right".

A bonus for me - I loved the water imagery! As Liam is water witch there were plenty of reasons for it and the author created all of it so well that are actually passages I read for the sheer poetry they contained. A little secret: There was a point were I really wished that Liam and the Kelpie would end up together :-) There was something so sensual and primeval between them that... oh well!

Talking about secrets, I can't completely get over the fact that so many secrets (here we learn more) are being kept in a small town filled with psychics, tarot readers and magicians who speak with the dead. However, in Undertow, there were enough redeemable qualities to make me enjoy the novel.

All that said, I'd definitely read Port Lewis Witches #3 when it comes out.

[N.G. Peltier · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: bloodletting

I was so glad to return to Port Lewis and my witch kids. This was a wild ride from beginning to end. Liam is dealing with some thiiiings and I was so glad just to reunite with him and Ryder and their circle. And get his POV this time. Whew. Their circle's a little shakyyyy and made for some tense moments especiallyyyyy when everything that had been building up from the start of the story came to a head.

I was so worried and on edge the entire time reading this so kudos to the author. Excellent job. The tension bled right off the page for me. I love this writing style and whenever they used their magic the images created by the author's words were so vivid.

I love Ryder and Liam's relationship. How we see our guys got each others backs no matter what. I just adore them ok! Ryder was and still is my absolute fave but getting into Liam's head for this book was great because we get more backstory on him and his family and i just love seeing Ryder through his eyes. They're soooo in love it hurts :D

The ending has me shaken cuz it hints at some things to come for our fave circle and !!!!! I just need all of them to be ok. But I'm really intrigued about Donovon and Tyler, from since book 1, and we'll get their story in book 3 via Donovon's POV. And that's gonna be soooo exciting considering his secret got revealed in this book eeep!!

[Andria Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. At first, I was hesitant in reading it because it was book two, but once I started I could not stop. While there were several confusing moments, such as not knowing who certain characters were or why they mattered to the story, I essentially liked it. I especially loved the character Liam and Ryder, though I identified more easily with Liam.

Warnings: this contains LGBT gay characters, strong sex scenes, blood magic, some light swearing, and lots of drama

This book also contains selkies, witches, warlocks, and so much more! The story was fascinating, and I am definitely interested in getting book one to discover more from this really talented author. I could not begin to describe how much I liked this book once I really started into it.

I’m giving this a four out of five stars, mostly because I was an idiot and requested book two without realizing it, and you kinda do need to read book one to understand some of the things going on in the book. Otherwise, it was beautifully and emotional roll-coaster ride.

{Review also posted on my blog and Amazon.}

[Rafa Brewster · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Reviewed for Just Love. ARC received via Netgalley in exchange for honest and fair review.

Undertow had a lot to live up to after the brilliance of Darkling, and I was over the moon that it proved to be equally as potent a read as its predecessor. The author’s prose is poetic (but nowhere near purple), using both the physical and elemental to create some highly sensual imagery in even the simplest of sentences.

Undertow picks up after Darkling left off, this time focusing on Liam via his unique POV. Similar to Ryder’s, Liam’s story has a distinct coming of age feel to it as far as discovering and navigating the newer aspects of his magical properties; their circle of witches are mostly in their early 20s so I’m guessing this will be a common theme throughout the series.

The element of the unknown really kept me guessing and the scenes involving the kelpie were particularly shiver-inducing – in all the best and confusing ways. I also like that the story takes us a little deeper into the casually cool and fascinating world of Port Lewis, including further mention of the mysterious and ancient Order.

As for Liam and Ryder, I adored how solid and goshdarn cute they were as a couple. Not gonna lie, I was especially thrilled to see that their chemistry was still steamy hot (literally) and with the added bonus – oops, I mean risk – of the dark forces at play within them. In addition to all that, Undertow quite simply contained some of the hottest, well-written trans sex scenes I’ve encountered in M/M… pretty much after Darkling.

My only gripe with Undertow is that it’s in novella format, which okay, is not a real gripe because the story was very well executed and that’s just me wanting more of this series right away. The story ends with unfinished business on several fronts, not to mention big and bad things on the horizon (although the tasty teaser that followed did plenty to lift my spirits). I highly recommend this series, full stop.

[Amy Aislin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must have been in the mood for something dark, because I loved this! I loved Liam and Ryder's relationship, that I'd-die-for-you but also I'd-kill-to-protect-you mentally.

This is the second book in a continuing series, which, silly me didn't realize before picking this up, but I have to hand it to the author: at no time did I feel like I got plopped into something with no background info. Yes, I was a little lost when it came to the dynamics of Liam and Ryder's circle, but in terms of the storyline, I was able to catch on pretty quick.

There's a lot packed in to this novella, but it's so well-written and some the descriptions actually gave me goosebumps, like I was watching a horror movie. I'm going to go back and read the first one now lol, and I look forward to book 3, which appears to be Donovan and Tyler's story.

[Elke · Rating 3 out of 5]

as a direct sequel to Darkling, it comes to no surprise i felt basically the same about this book as i did about the last. (you can find my review here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) i am obviously intrigued enough to read them (and fast, and quick after each other) and i think they're worth it. many people love them; i still think they're weird, as in, weirder than i'm used to, but that doesn't mean bad, or weird in a bad way. and i like that it diversifies my reading in that way. it's obvious by my reactions that this is not a (sub)genre or style i normally read so it's cool to open up more. and also, ownvoices queer is almost by definition worth it and worth supporting

[sage (sageshelves) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y'all remember in New Moon when Bella took up cliff diving so she could hallucinate Edward? That's me after the cliffhanger at the end of this book. I'm tossing myself over the edge in hopes of finding the next one.

[cam. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything inside him felt undone—his magic, his energy, his blood, his memories. But this—Ryder’s hand on his face, his gentle gaze and warm breath—was enough to remind Liam that he was still who he had always been.

[Ladz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked the sex, magic, and feelings of Darkling, Undertow turns everything up to 11 with Ryder and Liam exploring their budding relationship while a kelpie comes after Liam. The relationships are tense and the magic is even more dangerous this time. Where this book shines, however, is the writing of the spellcraft. The way Ray puts to page premonitions and spell-casting is absolutely astounding.

[Mariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

i thought i couldn't love ry and liam more but i was wrong

[noveldoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS SERIES

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNDERTOW is a wonderful continuation to the Port Lewis Witches series, carrying on with the same characters and places you come to love in the first book, and introducing new secrets and mythos, making you even more eager for more!

Read the full review on my blog!

[iam]

I had so much fun reading this that I completely forget about all the issues I had with Darkling.
I was only after I finished Undertow that I realized not all of those issues were resolved here, but I still enjoyed the book a ton.

I was a bit afraid that I would have trouble understanding what was going on since I couldn't remember many details from book1, but it was completely fine. I quickly remembered who characters were and there were enough small hints and references that jogged my memory, so I had no problems diving straight into it.

Undertow focuses on Liam, now boyfriend of book1's protagonist Ryder. Much like in the prequel, the book is very fast-paced and immediately jumps into the plot, so I will only say that Liam suddenly encounters dark omens and signs, and together with his circle he has to figure out what they mean before something awful happens.

Looking back, the characters aren't all that well rounded or have great personalities, but I was entirely engaged the whole time while reading, and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel. While book1 had a pretty conclusive ending, this book has a more open one which many things left open that will pass over into book3.

My main problem with Darkling was that so much things were simply not explained and overall just too vague to be understandable in context. Especially the background around magic and witches was not elaborated at all, which frustrated me a lot.
Undertow doesn't really answer any of the questions I had left over from book1, but at least doesn't spark (m)any new ones. It doesn't refer to quite as much new terms, so while I still wish there was more general worldbuilding about how magic, magic users and mythology fit into this contemporary world, I was not distracted by the lack of it.

I'm not sure if I would directly classify this book as erotica, but it does have quite a lot of explicit sexual content. Where book1 had some of the most superbly written making-out scenes I've read, here Ryder and Liam's relationship has developed as they have been together longer and they have a lot of sex, which I enjoyed reading. The sex scenes also often include all the kinky stuff from before, like cutting and bloodplay that comes with the dangerous magical sex stuff they practice.

Another thing I like is the circle which Liam and Ryder are part of. Their circlemates obviously have their own stuff going on, especially Donovan and Tyler, the latter of whom comes across as quite the a**hole but apparenlty has his reasons. I'm not so sure about him yet, but some things about them are revealed and I'm very excited for book3, which will be written from Donovan's POV!

[ngọc ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-)

february 28, 2019 update: i told myself i only reread it in order to write a review but in reality i just missed ryder and liam.

january 30, 2019 update: shit just??? went down???? and they said it was only the beginning??????

more importantly i'll have to wait until june for the next book (narrated by my favorite boy from the series so far, donovan)??????

[mars]

honestly I'm just here for the magic + smut, so the absence of plot and character development doesn't super bother me

cw: bloodletting

[Sadie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review removed due to ongoing abuse and plagiarism by this author.