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The Dark Crescent Sisterhood #4
Captive Spirit
Trapped by temptation, bound by desire
Saving humanity from the supernatural has been challenging lately—even for a well-trained earth Sybil like Bela Argos, who must harness the magic of a fractious group of warrior sisters and battle a new wave of paranormal attacks. Another challenge is Duncan Sharp, the hunky NYPD detective who might turn into a demon overnight and devour Bela in her sleep. Still, the darkness taking over Duncan’s body can’t stop the molten heat unleashed by the intense attraction between them.
Duncan has two major problems: First, he has the soul of a suspected serial killer hitching a ride on his vibe. Worse (yes, worse) he’s got a demonic fever raging inside that promises a world of hurt for everybody, especially Bela. Now he’s all about getting even with the demons that put this freak curse in his blood—satanic forces that dare to unleash their savage lust on Duncan’s soul, his city, and the woman he loves.
Saving humanity from the supernatural has been challenging lately—even for a well-trained earth Sybil like Bela Argos, who must harness the magic of a fractious group of warrior sisters and battle a new wave of paranormal attacks. Another challenge is Duncan Sharp, the hunky NYPD detective who might turn into a demon overnight and devour Bela in her sleep. Still, the darkness taking over Duncan’s body can’t stop the molten heat unleashed by the intense attraction between them.
Duncan has two major problems: First, he has the soul of a suspected serial killer hitching a ride on his vibe. Worse (yes, worse) he’s got a demonic fever raging inside that promises a world of hurt for everybody, especially Bela. Now he’s all about getting even with the demons that put this freak curse in his blood—satanic forces that dare to unleash their savage lust on Duncan’s soul, his city, and the woman he loves.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 23, 2010
4 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
Anna Windsor
14 books166 followersI'm in my 40's now, and finally living my lifelong dream of loving all my jobs. I still work in psychology, I farm, I write--and I have a blast.
I'm southern by birth, and I've lived in the south most of my life. My foothill farm is beautiful, and I couldn't ask for a better place to live or write. I find inspiration, peace, joy, and beauty in my family, my home, the woods, and the love of all my many animals. And I do have a lot of animals. I mean, a lot. Dogs, cats, chickens, turkeys, peafowl, guineas, ducks, geese, and oh, yeah--a parrot. Who is a perfect parrot-pain, but I do love him.
Urban fantasy, high fantasy, futuristic science fiction, and historical fantasy are my favorite genres to write or to read. I write almost every day, and I try to finish at least one manuscript every few months. In between time spent practicing psychology, writing, tending the animals, and spending time with my family, I also try to dedicate a few hours to playing my guitar and piano, photography, playing video games, watching old movies, and walking.
I'm thrilled to be able to write, and thrilled that readers enjoy my stories. Thank you for stopping by my site, for meeting me--and most of all, thanks for reading! I'd love to hear from you, and I'd love to know what you think about my books.
I'm southern by birth, and I've lived in the south most of my life. My foothill farm is beautiful, and I couldn't ask for a better place to live or write. I find inspiration, peace, joy, and beauty in my family, my home, the woods, and the love of all my many animals. And I do have a lot of animals. I mean, a lot. Dogs, cats, chickens, turkeys, peafowl, guineas, ducks, geese, and oh, yeah--a parrot. Who is a perfect parrot-pain, but I do love him.
Urban fantasy, high fantasy, futuristic science fiction, and historical fantasy are my favorite genres to write or to read. I write almost every day, and I try to finish at least one manuscript every few months. In between time spent practicing psychology, writing, tending the animals, and spending time with my family, I also try to dedicate a few hours to playing my guitar and piano, photography, playing video games, watching old movies, and walking.
I'm thrilled to be able to write, and thrilled that readers enjoy my stories. Thank you for stopping by my site, for meeting me--and most of all, thanks for reading! I'd love to hear from you, and I'd love to know what you think about my books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 23, 2013
Captive Spirit
3 Stars
Series Note: This in book #1 in the 2nd Dark Crescent Sisterhood trilogy. The first trilogy should be read for the backstory.
Disappointing. The opening scenes have potential but it all fizzles out as the story develops and the book ultimately pales in comparison to the first trilogy.
Most significantly, Bela Argos, the take no prisoners Sibyl from the earlier books, is now a mere shadow of her former self. She is no longer a confident warrior and leader but someone who constantly questions her decisions and abilities. The hero's characterization is also contradictory. On the one hand, Duncan is described as a determined fighter with an amazing strength of will who succeeds against all odds yet he accepts his fate as inevitable and his willing to sacrifice himself without fight.
Duncan and Bela's romance and its resolution are problematic as well. Their relationship comes out of nowhere with no foundation or build up. They are simply together with no explanation of exactly what they see in each other. Similarly, the solution to Duncan's demon possession appears out of the blue and feels tacked on.
In terms of the villains, Raksasha from Hindu mythology, it is impossible not to compare them to the same creatures in Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews. Unfortunately, Windsor's portrayal comes off as a diluted version of the monstrous creatures in Andrews' book. A number of scenes in the beginning are presented from their perspective, which initially serves to ratchet up the tension. However, these disappear toward the middle and the villains are nowhere to be seen until the final anti-climactic showdown.
The secondary characters make a better impression, especially Andy, now a water Sibyl, and John Blackmore, whose adversarial relationship is definitely leading somewhere. The next book is that of Camille, the fire Sibyl, and Duncan's childhood friend, John Cole. Hopefully, it will be better than this one.
3 Stars
Series Note: This in book #1 in the 2nd Dark Crescent Sisterhood trilogy. The first trilogy should be read for the backstory.
Disappointing. The opening scenes have potential but it all fizzles out as the story develops and the book ultimately pales in comparison to the first trilogy.
Most significantly, Bela Argos, the take no prisoners Sibyl from the earlier books, is now a mere shadow of her former self. She is no longer a confident warrior and leader but someone who constantly questions her decisions and abilities. The hero's characterization is also contradictory. On the one hand, Duncan is described as a determined fighter with an amazing strength of will who succeeds against all odds yet he accepts his fate as inevitable and his willing to sacrifice himself without fight.
Duncan and Bela's romance and its resolution are problematic as well. Their relationship comes out of nowhere with no foundation or build up. They are simply together with no explanation of exactly what they see in each other. Similarly, the solution to Duncan's demon possession appears out of the blue and feels tacked on.
In terms of the villains, Raksasha from Hindu mythology, it is impossible not to compare them to the same creatures in Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews. Unfortunately, Windsor's portrayal comes off as a diluted version of the monstrous creatures in Andrews' book. A number of scenes in the beginning are presented from their perspective, which initially serves to ratchet up the tension. However, these disappear toward the middle and the villains are nowhere to be seen until the final anti-climactic showdown.
The secondary characters make a better impression, especially Andy, now a water Sibyl, and John Blackmore, whose adversarial relationship is definitely leading somewhere. The next book is that of Camille, the fire Sibyl, and Duncan's childhood friend, John Cole. Hopefully, it will be better than this one.
February 20, 2015
As with the first trilogy, the hero this time round is not completely human - despite his incredible strength of will, NYPD detective Duncan Sharpe is losing his battle to fight the demon infection which will steal his life and his humanity. It is only a magical medallion, some major healing mojo by the sybil 'Mothers' and a little help from a 'friend' that has bought him a little time to help track down his murderous attackers. The little bit of time that Duncan has left is in no way enough for earth-powered Sybil Bela Argos who fell half-way in love with Duncan while he was sleeping. No stranger to loss, Bela still can't help opening her heart to Duncan even though she has enough challenges to face with turning her ragtag group of Sybils into a solid fighting quad - the first quartet to have a water Sybil in ages - all while fighting an enemy who is dangerous, devious, and hard to kill.
I liked Captive Spirit even better than books in Windsor's first Dark Crescent Sisterhood Sybil trilogy - Windosr appears to have developed a lighter touch in building the attraction between the leads this time round while still keeping some of the elements that I enjoyed in the first book. Though where the cohesive sybil trio in the first book was interesting, the dynamics between Bella and her fellow emotionally battered misfits offers more story potential in than the former sybil team in that not does Bela's group have to face their demon enemies but there own inner demons as well, and I am really looking forward to seeing the four women come into their own both individually and as a group over the next couple books. So I am really looking forward to Captive Soul and Captive Spirit but I am also wondering - couldn't find any info on this since Winsor's website is defunct - whether there is a fourth book planned for this group. It just seems like it would make sense that Dio get a book of her own too, but I'll know better after reading the other two.
I liked Captive Spirit even better than books in Windsor's first Dark Crescent Sisterhood Sybil trilogy - Windosr appears to have developed a lighter touch in building the attraction between the leads this time round while still keeping some of the elements that I enjoyed in the first book. Though where the cohesive sybil trio in the first book was interesting, the dynamics between Bella and her fellow emotionally battered misfits offers more story potential in than the former sybil team in that not does Bela's group have to face their demon enemies but there own inner demons as well, and I am really looking forward to seeing the four women come into their own both individually and as a group over the next couple books. So I am really looking forward to Captive Soul and Captive Spirit but I am also wondering - couldn't find any info on this since Winsor's website is defunct - whether there is a fourth book planned for this group. It just seems like it would make sense that Dio get a book of her own too, but I'll know better after reading the other two.
May 2, 2018
Second trilogy in the Dark Crescent Sisterhood (which feels like 6 linked books, but in two separate trilogies almost). See book one for series thoughts.
Bela Argos is a great character, and so is her love interest, Duncan Sharp. Great twists in this and I love Duncan's battle and Bela's ascerbic wit.
Bela Argos is a great character, and so is her love interest, Duncan Sharp. Great twists in this and I love Duncan's battle and Bela's ascerbic wit.
June 13, 2018
New power, new threat
The brilliant series continues as the Triad now becomes a Quad. (When they were first released this was the first of the new series) Can they help their new sister into her power? Can they contain the new threat. A simply wonderful start. If you love books on paranormal, magic, romance and strong female characters then this is a must have.
The brilliant series continues as the Triad now becomes a Quad. (When they were first released this was the first of the new series) Can they help their new sister into her power? Can they contain the new threat. A simply wonderful start. If you love books on paranormal, magic, romance and strong female characters then this is a must have.
September 18, 2018
all i have to say is read the series!
November 18, 2018
Another installment to this group of books. It brings in new characters and expands the paranormal world that as all sorts of different creatures in it. All in all a good read.
May 11, 2011
I spent my weekend with Captive Spirit by Anna Windsor – #4 of the Dark Crescent Sisterhood.
It had been some time since I had read the first three in this series by Anna Windsor. And when I finished, I was kind of glad. Because even with more then a year between installments for me, I felt like I was reading the same book for the third time.
The frist three in this series are bound by Shadow, Bound by Flame and Bound by Light. Then we have Captive Spirit. And planned are Captive Soul and Captive Heart. The series premise is that we have a group of Sybils. They are women who can manipulate and control elements. And they protect humanity in triads – with a mortar, pestle and broom. Each woman can control one element – fire, air, earth. Water doesn’t come into play until Bound by Light. In the first three, the Sybils are battling the Legion, an ancient group of evil. But each book is dedicated to a couple. And while we see a little of the group from the first three in this installment, it’s not really as if the group of women is really one group. And that makes sense since we were set up for a triad initially. And now we have a quad with Dio, Camille, Bela and Andy. So, this book seemed to me more along the lines of the distinction between Larissa Ione’s Demonica and Horesmen series – two very heavily related series with cross over characters but a distinct separation in the groups of characters at the same time.
Here, Bela, who lost the other two members of her triad in the battle with the Legion goes to each of the Motherhouses to reconstitute her triad. Except she forms the first quad in many years by asking Andy to be part of the group too. And her group is going to be hard to unite since Dio lost her sister a blames Bela (and is a weather creator which is rare and usually doesn’t make for a good fighter) and Camille has power problems too. They find they are fighting a new threat – a group of ancient demons who are part human part tiger.
Bela meets Duncan Sharpe, a police office investigating a serial killer. And he thinks the serial killer is his very good friend. Turns out his friend is battling the evil tigers. And Duncan is infected and going to become an evil tiger too – and he’s also possessed (sort of) by his friend John.
Where does that leave us? The typical show down between good and evil. The typical battle at the end which kills a bunch of bad guys, creates some havoc with the good guys, and ends up postponing the big showdown, since otherwise the series would be over.
I don’t expect anything tremendously unique in this genre. There’s only so many different approaches that can be taken. But recalling with happened in the first three books (the man is half demon half human and struggles to get control over the demon half and is saved when he figures out how to do it and then he and the woman get together), I had huge senses of deja vu. Yet another half demon struggle which ends the same way. So, really, three out of 4 so far have felt like the same darn story. Different woman, different type of demon, but the same way to get them together.
I was captivated by the murder mystery in the story – it helped keep the plot moving and that felt newer and more unique then the rest of the story. And there’s still plenty left unanswered to move us into the next book(s).
We do get a decent amount of other story – relationship development between the woman is pretty good. I expect we will see more of that in the next three books. And there were a number of peripheral characters that were introduced (Blackstone and his buddies, the new neighbor) and that we saw more of (some of the Mothers) and they were great. I expect we will see more of them too and that will be welcomed. And I hope Andy’s book is next – she’s awesome. And she’s funny too.
None of these books (or really any of the books in this genre) are classic literature; they won’t win any nobel price for writing. But despite the repetitive nature of the stories and how the couple couples, they are a nice escape from reality. I expect to pick up the next one when it comes out.
It had been some time since I had read the first three in this series by Anna Windsor. And when I finished, I was kind of glad. Because even with more then a year between installments for me, I felt like I was reading the same book for the third time.
The frist three in this series are bound by Shadow, Bound by Flame and Bound by Light. Then we have Captive Spirit. And planned are Captive Soul and Captive Heart. The series premise is that we have a group of Sybils. They are women who can manipulate and control elements. And they protect humanity in triads – with a mortar, pestle and broom. Each woman can control one element – fire, air, earth. Water doesn’t come into play until Bound by Light. In the first three, the Sybils are battling the Legion, an ancient group of evil. But each book is dedicated to a couple. And while we see a little of the group from the first three in this installment, it’s not really as if the group of women is really one group. And that makes sense since we were set up for a triad initially. And now we have a quad with Dio, Camille, Bela and Andy. So, this book seemed to me more along the lines of the distinction between Larissa Ione’s Demonica and Horesmen series – two very heavily related series with cross over characters but a distinct separation in the groups of characters at the same time.
Here, Bela, who lost the other two members of her triad in the battle with the Legion goes to each of the Motherhouses to reconstitute her triad. Except she forms the first quad in many years by asking Andy to be part of the group too. And her group is going to be hard to unite since Dio lost her sister a blames Bela (and is a weather creator which is rare and usually doesn’t make for a good fighter) and Camille has power problems too. They find they are fighting a new threat – a group of ancient demons who are part human part tiger.
Bela meets Duncan Sharpe, a police office investigating a serial killer. And he thinks the serial killer is his very good friend. Turns out his friend is battling the evil tigers. And Duncan is infected and going to become an evil tiger too – and he’s also possessed (sort of) by his friend John.
Where does that leave us? The typical show down between good and evil. The typical battle at the end which kills a bunch of bad guys, creates some havoc with the good guys, and ends up postponing the big showdown, since otherwise the series would be over.
I don’t expect anything tremendously unique in this genre. There’s only so many different approaches that can be taken. But recalling with happened in the first three books (the man is half demon half human and struggles to get control over the demon half and is saved when he figures out how to do it and then he and the woman get together), I had huge senses of deja vu. Yet another half demon struggle which ends the same way. So, really, three out of 4 so far have felt like the same darn story. Different woman, different type of demon, but the same way to get them together.
I was captivated by the murder mystery in the story – it helped keep the plot moving and that felt newer and more unique then the rest of the story. And there’s still plenty left unanswered to move us into the next book(s).
We do get a decent amount of other story – relationship development between the woman is pretty good. I expect we will see more of that in the next three books. And there were a number of peripheral characters that were introduced (Blackstone and his buddies, the new neighbor) and that we saw more of (some of the Mothers) and they were great. I expect we will see more of them too and that will be welcomed. And I hope Andy’s book is next – she’s awesome. And she’s funny too.
None of these books (or really any of the books in this genre) are classic literature; they won’t win any nobel price for writing. But despite the repetitive nature of the stories and how the couple couples, they are a nice escape from reality. I expect to pick up the next one when it comes out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2011
Bela and her Quad mates are still suffering the effects of the battles waged in the Bound trilogy, all having lost loved ones. A large part of the story is how these four women learn to be a team, overcoming their personal demons and regrets to defeat a new threat to the Sybils and the humans they protect.
Duncan Sharpe is a cop on the trail of a suspected serial killer who happens to be his best friend. He enters the story early, but spends about a fourth of the book unconscious. Believe it or not, this does not detract from either his character or the story. John Cole, the above mentioned suspect, also plays a large part, and I have a feeling we will be seeing more of him.
Back to Duncan - he is a fighter. Former Ranger, currently a cop...he does not know the meaning of the word quit. He catches a brief glimpse of Bela before he goes into a coma, and his "Angel" helps give him the strength to fight his way back to the world. He doesn't like Bela's Sybil duties and her being in danger, but acknowledges that her warrior status is part of who she is, and doesn't try to inhibit her activities. He is in a sort of limbo status, believing he only has a few weeks or months to live, and doesn't waste any time letting Bela know she is important to him.
Bela - ah, Bela. A tortured heroine if there ever was one. She lost 2 members of her previous triad, and is having trouble getting her Quad to perform as a cohesive unit. There is a new threat in town, and she is unbelievablly attracted to the unconscious man in her basement. The one who is probably dying. Who will leave her, as everyone important to her has done. So she does what any super heroine would do- she kicks butt! Love, love, love Bela. Duncan brings out everything good in her, and she in him.
Duncan and Bela together are breathtaking. With the threat of impending death, Duncan and Bela don't have a lot of time to mess around with games. They admit their feelings and their attraction to each other. It's refreshing to have that instant bond. There are so many sweet moments with these two, as well as many, many steamy ones. LOVED them together.
There are lots of secondary characters running about. The Mothers, the triad from the Bound series and their mates, the new leader of the OCU and his henchmen. I can't figure out how the 2 henchmen play into the story as they had no lines at all, and seemed largely superfluous. They did have some comic relief moments, though.
The story flowed well overall. The plot was tight, and there was a partial resolution, yet the door is left open for the remaining books in the trilogy. The author uses descriptive language well, and there is a lot of depth to the background. I could "see" everything in my mind's eye. However, some of the fight scenes left me feeling like I had missed something, even after going back and rereading the passages. Not sure if that was an imagery or an editing issue, and overall, it really didn't lessen my enjoyment of the story.
The one thing I would like to see cease and desist from these novels is the overt expression of the Sibyl in question's talent. The fires, the water dripping, the gusts of wind...I find it very distracting. Due to the nature of the personalities of Dio and Camille, the fire and wind were toned down, but Andy was just dripping away, left and right. I do understand from Captive Spirit that these outward manifestations of the talent is the sign of a healthy Sibyl, but still... Tears me out the story every time. I keep thinking, there is no way these women can interact with "normal" people.
I really enjoyed Captive Spirit, and I am so glad the other 2 books are out already, so I don't have to wait to read them!
Duncan Sharpe is a cop on the trail of a suspected serial killer who happens to be his best friend. He enters the story early, but spends about a fourth of the book unconscious. Believe it or not, this does not detract from either his character or the story. John Cole, the above mentioned suspect, also plays a large part, and I have a feeling we will be seeing more of him.
Back to Duncan - he is a fighter. Former Ranger, currently a cop...he does not know the meaning of the word quit. He catches a brief glimpse of Bela before he goes into a coma, and his "Angel" helps give him the strength to fight his way back to the world. He doesn't like Bela's Sybil duties and her being in danger, but acknowledges that her warrior status is part of who she is, and doesn't try to inhibit her activities. He is in a sort of limbo status, believing he only has a few weeks or months to live, and doesn't waste any time letting Bela know she is important to him.
Bela - ah, Bela. A tortured heroine if there ever was one. She lost 2 members of her previous triad, and is having trouble getting her Quad to perform as a cohesive unit. There is a new threat in town, and she is unbelievablly attracted to the unconscious man in her basement. The one who is probably dying. Who will leave her, as everyone important to her has done. So she does what any super heroine would do- she kicks butt! Love, love, love Bela. Duncan brings out everything good in her, and she in him.
Duncan and Bela together are breathtaking. With the threat of impending death, Duncan and Bela don't have a lot of time to mess around with games. They admit their feelings and their attraction to each other. It's refreshing to have that instant bond. There are so many sweet moments with these two, as well as many, many steamy ones. LOVED them together.
There are lots of secondary characters running about. The Mothers, the triad from the Bound series and their mates, the new leader of the OCU and his henchmen. I can't figure out how the 2 henchmen play into the story as they had no lines at all, and seemed largely superfluous. They did have some comic relief moments, though.
The story flowed well overall. The plot was tight, and there was a partial resolution, yet the door is left open for the remaining books in the trilogy. The author uses descriptive language well, and there is a lot of depth to the background. I could "see" everything in my mind's eye. However, some of the fight scenes left me feeling like I had missed something, even after going back and rereading the passages. Not sure if that was an imagery or an editing issue, and overall, it really didn't lessen my enjoyment of the story.
The one thing I would like to see cease and desist from these novels is the overt expression of the Sibyl in question's talent. The fires, the water dripping, the gusts of wind...I find it very distracting. Due to the nature of the personalities of Dio and Camille, the fire and wind were toned down, but Andy was just dripping away, left and right. I do understand from Captive Spirit that these outward manifestations of the talent is the sign of a healthy Sibyl, but still... Tears me out the story every time. I keep thinking, there is no way these women can interact with "normal" people.
I really enjoyed Captive Spirit, and I am so glad the other 2 books are out already, so I don't have to wait to read them!
December 11, 2012
This is the fourth book of Anna Windsor's Dark Crescent Sisterhood series. If you haven't yet read the first trilogy (Bound by Shadow, Bound by Flame, & Bound by Light), a little background info is in order. The series is about a collective of kick-ass women with elemental powers, called Sibyls, who fight demons and the forces of darkness. It's a delightfully superheroine-esque series with plenty of action, lots a sex appeal, and strong draws on mythology and folklore of all sorts.
If you couldn't already tell, I really enjoy this series. Windsor's style of writing is fast and engaging, and I love her use of mythology; she pulls from popular folklore like Greco-Roman myths and voodoo practices, but she also brings out lesser-known entities from around the world. Her books satisfy both my itches for action and romance: tastefully violent and fabulously sexy. I absolutely recommend Anna Windsor's books to fans of Gena Showalter -- they're quite similar in style and overall vibe.
Now that I've raved about the series as a whole, let's talk about Captive Spirit in particular...
Captive Spirit takes place a couple of years after Bound by Light The Sibyls and their OCU allies are recovering from the longstanding war against the Legion. Bela Argos, a temperamental earth sibyl, has the unenviable task of choosing replacements for her fallen comrades. Against all advice, she recruits other Sibyls who are as devastated by their losses as Bela is, but she's determined to bring them all together for the sake of the mission. And the sooner she can pull it off, the better, because there's a new battle on the front.
Then there's Duncan Sharp, a warrior and protector to the core. After his years in the military, fighting in the deserts of Afghanistan, he's taken up the badge as one of New York City's finest. He's tough enough to take on anything -- except maybe the otherworldly threat behind a string of violent murders. Caught up in the conflict between Sibyls and demons, Duncan finds himself sharing his body with another man's soul and a demonic infection. Both threaten to taken him over, and only the Sibyls can help him now.
I feel like Windsor has amped up her writing since the last book, Bound by Light. It was always good, but now it seems much more memorable. Some of the scenes here, especially the opening sequence with Duncan vs. the bad guys, are fabulously written. Incredible imagery and creative wording really bring a lot of moments to full, vivid glory. It's the kind of skilled writing that I, quite honestly, don't ever expect from a romance novel of any sort. Moreover, I appreciate the balance between comic book-worthy action, angsty drama, sizzling romance, and silly fun. There's entertainment to be found, cover to cover.
As for the not-so-fun stuff, Bela as a main protagonist didn't really work for me. I couldn't connect with her, not like I do several of the other characters. I don't think that's really through any fault of the character or the writing -- she's a decent character, depicted well. And there was plenty of buildup for her story in the first three books. I don't know... she just didn't do it for me. Even though I enjoyed reading this book, I was in a constant state of distraction. Instead of focusing on the primary story that was centered on Bela and Duncan, I was more interested in the secondary characters and what was developing with them. Happily, the next two books are slated for release in the near future.
http://booknerdsbrain.blogspot.com/20...
If you couldn't already tell, I really enjoy this series. Windsor's style of writing is fast and engaging, and I love her use of mythology; she pulls from popular folklore like Greco-Roman myths and voodoo practices, but she also brings out lesser-known entities from around the world. Her books satisfy both my itches for action and romance: tastefully violent and fabulously sexy. I absolutely recommend Anna Windsor's books to fans of Gena Showalter -- they're quite similar in style and overall vibe.
Now that I've raved about the series as a whole, let's talk about Captive Spirit in particular...
Captive Spirit takes place a couple of years after Bound by Light The Sibyls and their OCU allies are recovering from the longstanding war against the Legion. Bela Argos, a temperamental earth sibyl, has the unenviable task of choosing replacements for her fallen comrades. Against all advice, she recruits other Sibyls who are as devastated by their losses as Bela is, but she's determined to bring them all together for the sake of the mission. And the sooner she can pull it off, the better, because there's a new battle on the front.
Then there's Duncan Sharp, a warrior and protector to the core. After his years in the military, fighting in the deserts of Afghanistan, he's taken up the badge as one of New York City's finest. He's tough enough to take on anything -- except maybe the otherworldly threat behind a string of violent murders. Caught up in the conflict between Sibyls and demons, Duncan finds himself sharing his body with another man's soul and a demonic infection. Both threaten to taken him over, and only the Sibyls can help him now.
I feel like Windsor has amped up her writing since the last book, Bound by Light. It was always good, but now it seems much more memorable. Some of the scenes here, especially the opening sequence with Duncan vs. the bad guys, are fabulously written. Incredible imagery and creative wording really bring a lot of moments to full, vivid glory. It's the kind of skilled writing that I, quite honestly, don't ever expect from a romance novel of any sort. Moreover, I appreciate the balance between comic book-worthy action, angsty drama, sizzling romance, and silly fun. There's entertainment to be found, cover to cover.
As for the not-so-fun stuff, Bela as a main protagonist didn't really work for me. I couldn't connect with her, not like I do several of the other characters. I don't think that's really through any fault of the character or the writing -- she's a decent character, depicted well. And there was plenty of buildup for her story in the first three books. I don't know... she just didn't do it for me. Even though I enjoyed reading this book, I was in a constant state of distraction. Instead of focusing on the primary story that was centered on Bela and Duncan, I was more interested in the secondary characters and what was developing with them. Happily, the next two books are slated for release in the near future.
http://booknerdsbrain.blogspot.com/20...
July 4, 2023
Posted At: Riverina Romantics
My Rating: 4 out of 5 *
Hotness Rating: 3 out of 5 <3
The Dark Crescent Sisterhood is in shambles after the events of Bound by Light. Triads have been destroyed, horrible losses, and everyone is trying their best to pick up the pieces and move on.
I can understand how devastated people can be when they lose those they care about, especially in large numbers in an epic fight. I also understand that it takes time to grieve, but I felt like Bela was taking it a tad to the extreme. Every other paragraph, it seemed like, she was blaming herself for her old triad's death, she was doubting herself, she was pretty much mentally abusing herself. Not to mention the rest of her new quad got along like vinegar and water. It was constant arguing, constant fighting, messing up in battles...just a whole lot of issues. I know new groups don't always mesh together right away, but with them it was like there was a solid wall around each of them and nobody cared to even try. Honestly, that really was the only issue I had with this book.
Bela herself was a good heroine, but she was so messed up I felt disconnected from her for most of the book. I could see her relationships with her quad and Duncan developing, but I felt a void where I should have felt her emotions. Otherwise she was an incredibly strong and determined woman. She did her best to hold her quad together and defeat the brand new bad guys in town. She knew her role in her quad and did everything in her power--literally--to be the foundation of their group. When it came to Duncan, things happened so strangely I'm not even sure if I believe her feelings for him. From the moment she saw him, things just kinda went into warp speed and the next thing I know, she can't stand being away from him. I'm not saying that it can't happen, but when there is a void of emotion; it makes it a little harder to keep up. But overall she was a good heroine and a good leader.
I don't think I could have adored Duncan anymore than I did. He was good to his core, despite the infection spreading through him. I could feel his connection to Bela, his emotions were deep and real. He just wanted to find a way to stop his infection and help the Sisterhood at the same time. He used every one of his skills and abilities to give them even the slightest head start against the Rakshasa. Now only did he connect with Bela, but he forged genuine connections with the rest of her quad. He became an integral part of them. He sacrificed his sanity and his life for them, which made him a hero in my eyes. He was selfless and caring, and in the end, he was perfect.
The new enemy, honestly, is kinda frightening. They seem almost impossible to defeat, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the Sisterhood manages to do it. I just wish the chemistry between Duncan and Bela didn't seem so one-sided. It would have been a lot more potent. But overall it was a very good book and good continuation into the next trilogy.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 *
Hotness Rating: 3 out of 5 <3
The Dark Crescent Sisterhood is in shambles after the events of Bound by Light. Triads have been destroyed, horrible losses, and everyone is trying their best to pick up the pieces and move on.
I can understand how devastated people can be when they lose those they care about, especially in large numbers in an epic fight. I also understand that it takes time to grieve, but I felt like Bela was taking it a tad to the extreme. Every other paragraph, it seemed like, she was blaming herself for her old triad's death, she was doubting herself, she was pretty much mentally abusing herself. Not to mention the rest of her new quad got along like vinegar and water. It was constant arguing, constant fighting, messing up in battles...just a whole lot of issues. I know new groups don't always mesh together right away, but with them it was like there was a solid wall around each of them and nobody cared to even try. Honestly, that really was the only issue I had with this book.
Bela herself was a good heroine, but she was so messed up I felt disconnected from her for most of the book. I could see her relationships with her quad and Duncan developing, but I felt a void where I should have felt her emotions. Otherwise she was an incredibly strong and determined woman. She did her best to hold her quad together and defeat the brand new bad guys in town. She knew her role in her quad and did everything in her power--literally--to be the foundation of their group. When it came to Duncan, things happened so strangely I'm not even sure if I believe her feelings for him. From the moment she saw him, things just kinda went into warp speed and the next thing I know, she can't stand being away from him. I'm not saying that it can't happen, but when there is a void of emotion; it makes it a little harder to keep up. But overall she was a good heroine and a good leader.
I don't think I could have adored Duncan anymore than I did. He was good to his core, despite the infection spreading through him. I could feel his connection to Bela, his emotions were deep and real. He just wanted to find a way to stop his infection and help the Sisterhood at the same time. He used every one of his skills and abilities to give them even the slightest head start against the Rakshasa. Now only did he connect with Bela, but he forged genuine connections with the rest of her quad. He became an integral part of them. He sacrificed his sanity and his life for them, which made him a hero in my eyes. He was selfless and caring, and in the end, he was perfect.
The new enemy, honestly, is kinda frightening. They seem almost impossible to defeat, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the Sisterhood manages to do it. I just wish the chemistry between Duncan and Bela didn't seem so one-sided. It would have been a lot more potent. But overall it was a very good book and good continuation into the next trilogy.
February 14, 2012
Even though this is the fourth book in the series you can read it as a stand alone, the author doesn’t leave you wondering about anything that has happened in previous books. I have not read the first three books and this book still made perfect sense. I love when an author can pull that off. Like i mentioned in a previous post i could not wait to share my thoughts on this book with you guys! It was so refreshingly different. Not only are there sybils but there are were-demons as well! The sybils are warriors, but not just any warriors they are women with control of certain elements.
Bela Argos can control the earth, she can also sense where someone is within like a fifty mile radius(approximately). She lost her first group of sybils during the war with the Legion. Three years later she is bringing together all of the elements; Air, Water, Fire, and Earth also known as Dio, Andy, Camille and herself. These women have been through a lot and they are all damaged. Not to mention Dio’s sister was one of Bela’s first triad members, and she was killed. Dio holds Bela personally responsible. This adds a lot of tension to the quad-the first quad in history- and Bela already has plenty of problems to deal with.
Then there is Duncan Sharp, he is a NYPD detective. He has seen war and death and now he is tracking the killer who is moving up the coast killing women. That’s not even the worst part, the main suspect is John Cole, a childhood friend. When he finds John some crazy shit happens and lets just say Duncan doesn’t exactly believe what he is seeing. Especially when a group of women in leather come to his rescue after he is attacked. That is when he meets his angel, Bela.
John Cole seems to think that there are supernatural beings at work and is out to find who is killing women. He works for a special branch of the police that deals with these particular problems. John has a pretty good idea of who is killing these women, they are called the Rakshasa.
The Rakshasa can change form into humans but their true form is a large cat, sort of like a lions without souls. Strada is the leader of the pride in New York and he is out to kill the man who killed his brothers-John Cole. There are a few things that have changed though, John Cole is in Duncan Sharps head and Duncan is being protected by a large group of sybils.
Now as you can see there is a lot going on in the book, not to mention all the things i didn’t spoil for you :) And let me tell you there is so much that i didn’t tell you. This book had such a different story line that i didn’t even realize that i was reading a book. I felt like i was living inside Duncan and Bela’s heads. I must say i am glad i chose to read this book! If you guys like a steamy romance (which is implied considering what the main focus is on my blog) and a crazy enemy coming after the hero and heroine than you will most definitely love this read! :D
Bela Argos can control the earth, she can also sense where someone is within like a fifty mile radius(approximately). She lost her first group of sybils during the war with the Legion. Three years later she is bringing together all of the elements; Air, Water, Fire, and Earth also known as Dio, Andy, Camille and herself. These women have been through a lot and they are all damaged. Not to mention Dio’s sister was one of Bela’s first triad members, and she was killed. Dio holds Bela personally responsible. This adds a lot of tension to the quad-the first quad in history- and Bela already has plenty of problems to deal with.
Then there is Duncan Sharp, he is a NYPD detective. He has seen war and death and now he is tracking the killer who is moving up the coast killing women. That’s not even the worst part, the main suspect is John Cole, a childhood friend. When he finds John some crazy shit happens and lets just say Duncan doesn’t exactly believe what he is seeing. Especially when a group of women in leather come to his rescue after he is attacked. That is when he meets his angel, Bela.
John Cole seems to think that there are supernatural beings at work and is out to find who is killing women. He works for a special branch of the police that deals with these particular problems. John has a pretty good idea of who is killing these women, they are called the Rakshasa.
The Rakshasa can change form into humans but their true form is a large cat, sort of like a lions without souls. Strada is the leader of the pride in New York and he is out to kill the man who killed his brothers-John Cole. There are a few things that have changed though, John Cole is in Duncan Sharps head and Duncan is being protected by a large group of sybils.
Now as you can see there is a lot going on in the book, not to mention all the things i didn’t spoil for you :) And let me tell you there is so much that i didn’t tell you. This book had such a different story line that i didn’t even realize that i was reading a book. I felt like i was living inside Duncan and Bela’s heads. I must say i am glad i chose to read this book! If you guys like a steamy romance (which is implied considering what the main focus is on my blog) and a crazy enemy coming after the hero and heroine than you will most definitely love this read! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2011
This is the fourth book of Anna Windsor's Dark Crescent Sisterhood series. If you haven't yet read the first trilogy you have no idea what you are missing. For this series a little background info is in order. So much happens in the first three books I wouldn't want you to miss a single beat. The series is about women who can kick some ass with elemental powers, called Sibyls. They fight demons and the forces of darkness to make the world a better place. This series has plenty of action, sex appeal, and strong story line that keeps you just captivated by its characters and intriguing plot.
Bela Argos is a earth sibyl that has lost her fallen comrades in a major battle. Now against all the advice she has been given, she is recruiting other Sibyls who are as devastated by their losses as Bela is, to join her quad. Not only is Bela determined to bring them all together for the sake of the mission, but the sooner she can pull it off, the better, because there's a new battle on the front. And everyone will need to be ready and in place for it.
Duncan Sharp is a warrior and protector to the bottom of his soul. Being one of New York City's finest. He's tough enough to take on anything, well, except maybe the otherworldly threat behind some violence that has been going on. Caught up in the conflict between Sibyls and demons, Duncan will find himself sharing his body with another soul. The soul is threatening to take him completely over but can the Sibyls can help him now.
Although I liked this book, I just feel more of an connection to the previous books more then I did with this book. Some of the scenes here with Duncan are written fan freaking static. Windsor lets you for sure live out every moment she has written. Not only do you get a chance for the romance but the romance its self keeps your interest.
Bela was kind of hard to connect with her. I connected with her quad more than her, but still I felt she was missing something. Now don't get me wrong she isn't a bad character, I just think I expected more from her from hearing about her in the first three books. And there was plenty of buildup for that. I did enjoy reading this book, I was dying to know how will everything play out in the world Anna Windsor has created.
Although I didn't love this book as much as I was expecting, I am still looking forward to the rest of their journey to saving the world. Next up is Captive Soul and I am dying to start it and get all the answers to my unanswered questions.
Bela Argos is a earth sibyl that has lost her fallen comrades in a major battle. Now against all the advice she has been given, she is recruiting other Sibyls who are as devastated by their losses as Bela is, to join her quad. Not only is Bela determined to bring them all together for the sake of the mission, but the sooner she can pull it off, the better, because there's a new battle on the front. And everyone will need to be ready and in place for it.
Duncan Sharp is a warrior and protector to the bottom of his soul. Being one of New York City's finest. He's tough enough to take on anything, well, except maybe the otherworldly threat behind some violence that has been going on. Caught up in the conflict between Sibyls and demons, Duncan will find himself sharing his body with another soul. The soul is threatening to take him completely over but can the Sibyls can help him now.
Although I liked this book, I just feel more of an connection to the previous books more then I did with this book. Some of the scenes here with Duncan are written fan freaking static. Windsor lets you for sure live out every moment she has written. Not only do you get a chance for the romance but the romance its self keeps your interest.
Bela was kind of hard to connect with her. I connected with her quad more than her, but still I felt she was missing something. Now don't get me wrong she isn't a bad character, I just think I expected more from her from hearing about her in the first three books. And there was plenty of buildup for that. I did enjoy reading this book, I was dying to know how will everything play out in the world Anna Windsor has created.
Although I didn't love this book as much as I was expecting, I am still looking forward to the rest of their journey to saving the world. Next up is Captive Soul and I am dying to start it and get all the answers to my unanswered questions.
July 7, 2011
*4.5 STARS*
I loved this book! And I loved Bela, as I new I would from the minute I first met her in this series. I already knew she was a tough badass but through her story I got to know her better and found her to also be kind, caring, loyal, willful and so strong; most definitely a mortar. Part of the greatness and I guess realism of this story is Bela and her quad's hardships and the suffering they've gone through over losing loved ones. It's through overcoming these hardships that they become stronger. The quote at the beginning of the book is very apt for what they all go through:
"Not till we are lost, in other words not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves."
I liked how Bela, Dio and Camille were so different, both in their personalities and their abilities, from Riana, Cynda and Merilee. And then Andy is just one in a million LOL. But them being so different from Riana's triad was refreshing and also didn't make this book just the start of a similar trilogy as the first three books, which I was worried about.
Duncan I liked alot too and what he goes through is very interesting and different from the other males in the series so far.
There was alot of humor in this book too, which I loved. Bela's inner ramblings and sarcasm was funny as well as just about everything Andy says, especially when she's fighting with the new OCU captain, Jack Blackmore.
This book also hints at relationships to come like Andy and Jack Blackmore and I think Camille's book is next and I think John Cole just might be the one for her, even though it looks like he's trapped in a rakshasha's body. Sigh, it looks like there' will be no smooth sailing for these Sybils.
I loved this book! And I loved Bela, as I new I would from the minute I first met her in this series. I already knew she was a tough badass but through her story I got to know her better and found her to also be kind, caring, loyal, willful and so strong; most definitely a mortar. Part of the greatness and I guess realism of this story is Bela and her quad's hardships and the suffering they've gone through over losing loved ones. It's through overcoming these hardships that they become stronger. The quote at the beginning of the book is very apt for what they all go through:
"Not till we are lost, in other words not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves."
I liked how Bela, Dio and Camille were so different, both in their personalities and their abilities, from Riana, Cynda and Merilee. And then Andy is just one in a million LOL. But them being so different from Riana's triad was refreshing and also didn't make this book just the start of a similar trilogy as the first three books, which I was worried about.
Duncan I liked alot too and what he goes through is very interesting and different from the other males in the series so far.
There was alot of humor in this book too, which I loved. Bela's inner ramblings and sarcasm was funny as well as just about everything Andy says, especially when she's fighting with the new OCU captain, Jack Blackmore.
This book also hints at relationships to come like Andy and Jack Blackmore and I think Camille's book is next and I think John Cole just might be the one for her, even though it looks like he's trapped in a rakshasha's body. Sigh, it looks like there' will be no smooth sailing for these Sybils.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2016
I'm giving up on page 232 because I honestly can't deal with the characters anymore. It kinda hurts to give up, because the plot is amazing and there are so many strong female characters, and I want to know what happens - I'm probably going to Google the plot synopsis - but the characters feel the need to overreact every 5 pages or cause a new set of drama or have a competition to see who can be the whiniest. I understand their whining is justified because there's a lot of shit going on. Probably too much. The characters are overloaded and overburdened with emotional conflict and strife to the point where the entire novel is no longer enjoyable to me and I can't justify reading until the end when I'm trying to clear out shelf space. So I'm giving this book to my friend Liz, who hopefully can tolerate this book better than I can. It's not bad, I'm just personally over it.
January 23, 2016
Book 4 in the Black Crescent Sisterhood but book 1 in the series-within-a-series about Bela's quad of Sybils. I think I liked this book as much as the previous trilogy. Having read that set I know in advance that this is going to be a group of 4 books - one for each member of the quad. These are pretty well written characters so it's an interesting story, both the primary romance (so of course there's an HEA) and the back story. This isn't an alternate NYC, so it's not Urban Fantasy. At this point I think I'm going to hold off reading the other books for a while and read some other one-offs or series. PR series get to be tiring to read after a while when each primary story is pretty much the same. There's some sex but not as much as in prior books, and not porny.
January 30, 2011
This is the next trilogy in the Dark Crescent Sisterhood and it's been a long wait. This book was a slow start for me, there is some back story being told and a lot of work to pull the new fighting "quad" together. At times it was boring for me, but each member of the new group is interesting and unique, even Duncan and John. The Legion is gone, but not all of the Legion followers are gone, and now they are trying to create a whole new enemy. Once the fighting started with the new enemy, a group of tiger-shifting demons, the story took off. I look forward to the next two books.
October 5, 2024
suuuper cool new magical world building with the new ways to channel elements, new flavor of demons, and the dinar channeling coins. but this book has been the weakest of the series thus far. the characters were developed decently but their motivations and actions were absent or rushed respectively. not enough time was really spent on bela’s grief despite it being a defining trait for her and her whole quad. as always i don’t think windsor is very good at writing combat cause that last 100 pages were a slog, but god i do love this universe
May 7, 2012
Another great installment to the Dark Crescent Sisterhood; a little obvious what was going to happen; but isn't that really the fun of these books, that you know exactly what's going to happen in terms of the protagonists relationships?! Anyhow, the story was good, but sadly the "fun" scenes of this book were not quite as engaging as the first three books. Fingers crossed that they're better in the next one!
September 2, 2012
I've really enjoyed this series. This book seemed a bit different than the others though. Quite a few times I found myself getting "lost" in a paragraph due to long sentences or such incredibly detailed information that I would have to start over again, and sometimes again. I love detailed information as it brings you further into the story, but parts of this book went too far, giving us useless info that at times had already been included earlier in the book.
February 12, 2011
I am really surprised that I enjoyed this book. Been awhile since I read the first dark crescent sisterhood series and had to remember who was who and what. Loved Bela and her quad and felt for them for what they went thru. Also, Duncan wasn't so bad either. I laughed in this book and got teary eyed. Looking forward to the next. Happy Reading!
February 17, 2011
I would have to say that it wasn't as good as the first three books, but I still enjoyed it overall. There were parts that I couldn't stand in this one, but I got through it. Hopefully the books to come in this series will be better.
January 4, 2011
It took a few chapters to get into it but it was good.
May 23, 2011
Great characters; superb plot.
Want to read
December 29, 2009The Dark Crescent Sisterhood #4
Read
April 20, 2010I am excited for this book! I fell in love when I randomly found the first three and read them all within a week or so. I have been waiting a while for Anna to get these next three out!
Read
March 20, 2011It was hard to get into this one for some reason. But now that the groundwork is laid for the next two books, I'm excited to see what happens.
September 5, 2011
I forgot how much I liked this series. Can't wait to start the next one.
January 30, 2011
I love all the books in this series, Anna Windsor is an author that I always buy and read her new books....
May 11, 2015
This is an excellent series and one you cannot put down and look forward to the next book. I have read this series twice and the characters are what keeps you coming back for more.
July 21, 2011
Finally! I fell like I've watied FOREVER for the continuation of this series. All I can say is that I really hope there are more than these next three to come!
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