The Black Sun’s Daughter, Book 3

Synopsis: When you’re staring evil in the eye, don’t forget to watch your back . . .
For the first time in forever, Jayné Heller’s life is making sense. Even if she routinely risks her life to destroy demonic parasites that prey on mortals, she now has friends, colleagues, a trusted lover, and newfound confidence in the mission she inherited from her wealthy, mysterious uncle. Her next job might just rob her of all of them. At Grace Memorial Hospital in Chicago, something is stirring. Patients are going AWOL and research subjects share the same sinister dreams. Half a century ago, something was buried under Grace in a terrible ritual, and it’s straining to be free. Jayné is primed to take on whatever’s about to be let loose. Yet the greatest danger now may not be the huge, unseen force lurking below, but the evil that has been hiding in plain sight all along—taking her ever closer to losing her body, her mind, and her soul. . . .

Review: I think the more I advance in the series the more I like it but I do not think that it will become one of my favorite one day. These are books that are read very quickly and I have to say that the story was interesting even if some small points bothered me. Did I put Aubrey in the small points? (tell me that I can say yes!). I still do not understand why he irritates me so much but then that’s really the case! I hope that one day it will pass (I hope so because I’d be annoyed if not).

So we find our little group called by Aubrey’s (yes the same one) ex-wife: Kim. So of course the only thing that bothers Jayne is what her beloved will do when he will see Kim. And it must be said that despite his explanations, Jayne is not convinced by what is going to happen. It must be said that a big part of the story is based on our little trio and the future of their relationship. That still leaves finally little for the rest.

As for the intrigue, therefore, the problems will take place in a strange hospital, specifically the Grace Memorial. Indeed, a doctor conducts researches to discover people’s dreams but when each patient began to dream of the same thing, and that some fled away, he sees himself forced to ask for help to understand what it is happening. However, the research is advancing and the danger is approaching.

I confess that I did not expect this course of history. Especially not such a purpose. Oh and I had a little moment of joy anyway (you will understand why if you read it). Jayne is changing more and more in the books, but she is still the same girl looking for a family who is willing to love her. The concern is that it also affects her every act and at the same time, she wants to be the worthy Eric’s heir. It’s something that she manages to deal with in some cases when of course she does not doubt about herself (something that happens very often). It makes sense, it is true, she can not be transformed directly into someone she is not, but sometimes we would like it to be the case. I confess that the last sentence of the book surprised me. I told myseld “AAAh finally!”, Yes, because I wondered if she would understand what was happening. Well I did not agree with her hypothesis, I found mine much more logical but it’s still brought perfectly. So I’m really curious to read the fourth book to learn more (especially after all these events).

We are intrigued by the story throughout the book, trying to understand what is behind these dreams without getting to really know the reason until the end (or at least that was the case for me). I was quite surprised when I learned the truth and I think that M.L.N. Hanover had worked well to lead us and make us believe many facts throughout the book.

So it was finally a really nice story and the novel is enjoyable to read. I really think my favorite character is Jack Chogi. He has so many facets and is so quiet, it’s really interesting to have a character so different from the others. To see what the fourth volume will reserve us!

The Black Sun’s Daughter, Book 2

Synopsis: In the battle between good and evil, there’s no such thing as a fair fight.

When Jayné Heller’s uncle Eric died, she inherited a fortune beyond all her expectations — and a dangerous mission in a world she never knew existed. Reining in demons and supernatural foes is a formidable task, but thankfully Jayné has vast resources and loyal allies to rely on. She’ll need both to tackle a bodyswitching serial killer who’s taken up residence in New Orleans, a city rich in voodoo lore and dark magic.
Working alongside Karen Black, a highly confident and enigmatic ex-FBI agent, Jayné races to track down the demon’s next intended host. But the closer she gets, the more convinced she becomes that nothing in this beautiful, wounded city is exactly as it seems. When shocking secrets come to light, and jealousy and betrayal turn trusted friends into adversaries, Jayné will soon come face-to-face with an enemy that knows her all too well, and won’t rest until it has destroyed everything she loves most….

Review: I was a little hesitant to get into this second volume. In fact, I had a little trouble with the first one that I found rather flat and long but I was wondering if it would be the same for this one. It is true that since it was a first novel it is always difficult to make a strong impression. Or maybe it’s the French translation which is for something? It is always a bit tricky to know exactly the reason.

I was completely surprised by cons with this second volume. I think having read the two volumes the one after the other allowed me to really tell the difference between them. I even also immediately also chained with the third one (yes I know nothing can stop me).

Jayne is given a new mission, to go to New Orleans to help a former FBI agent who fights against the demons (I really love novels featuring this city as its history is always so fascinating ). So you can imagine, we have Voodoo here. I think it is an intriguing practice and I always love to learn a little more about it. Our group will be facing this time some new threats and demons they have never experienced before.

The plot is really well found, there are some pretty twists. It’s always nice to be sure of a few things for a part of the novel and to understand that the author finally had wandered us throughout the book to finally reveal us the truth. What bothered me, however, is that we understand many things before Jayne. And when I say that, I mean that there are facts so easy to understand and our heroine does not even begins to discern a bit of them. I wondered how it was possible! Really, there are thoughts that make us straight on the track, but then this is not the case for Jayne. Even at the end of the book. I still hoped that she would achieve all this in the third book because it makes her really naive. And when I thought it was finally finished with Aubrey, to my great relief, well, here we go again! Yay! Not bad I agree, but I do not know why I have so much trouble with this character. He’s very cute, everything is nice about him, also brave, but then I still do not understand how she manages to turn to him when two other men are really more interesting. But hey it’s true that these are just details, and I still hope (perhaps in vain) that she’ll realize what is good for her. There also may be another little thing to add. I hoped in this volume to understand a little better the origin of the Invisible College (same name in English?) because ultimately we do not know much about it, but I think it will not be this time. With luck it will be the case for the next book.

However, this is also a nice read and it’s true that I’m curious to see what will happen now be the following novel. We meet some exciting new characters and I hope we’ll have the opportunity to meet them again.

The Black Sun’s Daughter, Book 1

Synopsis: In a world where magic walks and demons ride, you can’t always play by the rules.

Jayné Heller thinks of herself as a realist, until she discovers reality isn’t quite what she thought it was. When her uncle Eric is murdered, Jayné travels to Denver to settle his estate, only to learn that it’s all hers — and vaster than she ever imagined. And along with properties across the world and an inexhaustible fortune, Eric left her a legacy of a different kind: his unfinished business with a cabal of wizards known as the Invisible College.

Led by the ruthless Randolph Coin, the Invisible College harnesses demon spirits for their own ends of power and domination. Jayné finds it difficult to believe magic and demons can even exist, let alone be responsible for the death of her uncle. But Coin sees Eric’s heir as a threat to be eliminated by any means — magical or mundane — so Jayné had better start believing in something to save her own life.

Aided in her mission by a group of unlikely companions — Aubrey, Eric’s devastatingly attractive assistant; Ex, a former Jesuit with a lethal agenda; Midian, a two-hundred-year-old man who claims to be under a curse from Randolph Coin himself; and Chogyi Jake, a self-styled Buddhist with mystical abilities — Jayné finds that her new reality is not only unexpected, but often unexplainable. And if she hopes to survive, she’ll have to learn the new rules fast — or break them completely….

Review: I was really curious about this series. I saw some nice reviews on the latest volumes released but I also have read many mixed reviews about this first volume… I was not sure what to expect about it.

Jayne Heller is a young woman like any other who is however somewhat distant from her family for personal reasons. She finds herself now dealing with the estate of her uncle murdered in a strange way. She is however very surprised by what he has left behind him. Money more than she could ever spend, and some dangerous problems she couldn’t have expected.

So the big question is… What did I think about the book? Well I must say that I also had a mixed feeling. The ideas are very interesting, it’s true. Indeed, it’s always nice to discover new creatures and MLN Hanover has created some new villains who are feared from the beginning. They are part of a kind of sect: the invisible college, targeting humans without any reasons. We know a little bit about the topic, but we discover the details with our heroine Jayne, I however finally think that we still do not know much about them at the end. Which is quite a shame because I would have liked to understand the origins of these creatures, I’ll perhaps know it in the second volume.

In terms of characters, I must say that I struggled to hold on to Jayne. I do not really know why, but I could not put myself in her place or really understand her. And then what I do not understand at all is the reason why she is attracted to Aubrey. He is the softest and boring guy in the book … So you can understand now my feelings. Ex and Chogyi Jake were so much better, the two of them are mysterious and intriguing. This is perhaps their bad boy attitude which rather makes me want to know more about them while Aubrey would rather be the nice guy of the band.

In terms of the story I also struggled to hang out with all that was going on. It’s pretty long actually. Nothing happens (or not so much) for more than half the book. That’s right, it takes some time for get our heroine to settle down and to understand what is happening. It may be interesting to see the history and know the context, but I must say that it was a little too much, or at least for me. So I did not have as much enthusiasm as I would have thought at first.

You will think that I did not like the book now, but this is not the case, however, it is a good start to the series but I think I will have to read the second to really get an idea about the following events.