When last we saw Max, she’d been traded away to a mysterious being, held captive to a promise. How will Horngate survive without her, and where will this next quest take her? I enjoy this series for its complex magical world and its heart – this book didn’t let me down in that regard, but my goodness, if there was a drinking game based on how often someone clenches/tenses/tightens in this book, I doubt you’d make it through the first 50 pages. ( )

I love this series. Max is fun and Alexander is growing as a character too. Wonder how she'll bring the angels back to life and what Scooter will do now. ( )

I love this series and am frustrated that this was published this year and I probably have to wait months for the next one. 

But that’s not the worse part. This was really sad in parts—if you’re a crier, prepare to weep. Parts were absolutely heartbreaking.

But I did love the story. Lots of action, peril, passion and other intense emotions, totally up my alley. I just didn’t like that Alexander and Max were separated through most of the story. Peril is best when the romantic partners are trying to save and/or crying over one another. But this allowed for more relationship-building with other members of the coven and that was good.

Both parts were interesting. For a while I actually preferred Alexander’s story as there was more angst. That’s the one where a Fury is being born. At first the fact that it’s made of a woman’s anger and betrayal seemed sexist, and it bothered me, but the reality is that that kind of thing steeped in lore from more than one mythological tradition and the rest of the book is not sexist in any other way. Max is the strongest of all, and most respected. Both men and women are witches. Both men and women are Blades. There’s only one mage--the really powerful magical practitioners--but he’s an asshole so that kind of makes up for it. I don’t hate him the way the characters do. He’s an ass but there’s something redeeming there.

The book isn’t sexist but still acknowledges sexism. At one point, Holt (the mage) tells Alexander that Alexander should be trying to get his sister away from a brewing battle but Alexander says, “I am her brother, not her keeper. She is a powerful smoke witch. If she wants to risk herself, that is her choice. You will notice she’s not trying to stop me from risking myself. Can I do any less for her?” (Pg 253)

There are two creatures that are possibly powerful mages, or more likely gods or demigods, but Max is able to take one in a fight. The other she is tasked with saving. Here the two are talking after Max steps up to the first in order to protect the second:
(This describes Ilanion as a witch but later he is described otherwise.)

“What is she?” Ilanion asked Scooter, respect coloring his voice.
“She is Max.”
The answer frustrated the winged witch. “What is a Max?”
“Max is … unique. And she is about to kill you.” Pg115

“
The second has no doubts about her abilities.

Like the others in this series, this volume also marks significant changes for Horngate in both good and bad ways. While some plot devices are predictable, there are also twists that were a surprise. The ending was a cliffhanger, of course, but it didn’t relate to the plot of this one, just something that happened during it.

There were a couple of very minor problems I noticed that were inconsequential. But there are two good things I want to point out. First, Max actually had to pee! They actually had her go into a bathroom and pee, and it wasn’t relevant to the plot at all. It’s so unusual in fiction. There were a couple minor things: at one point she goes somewhere without shoes and then suddenly has them.

The last great thing? Dogs. Yes, canines. More than one. I won’t tell you more, but it made me happy.

( )

I honestly had no clue what to think of the situation at the end of CRIMSON WIND. I didn't think Scooter was out to get Max hurt or do anything bad with her but I never expected he was looking for her help in saving his life either. I was very frustrated that Max and Alexander hadn't hooked up, the sexual tension was seriously at an all time high, and I couldn't imagine how book 3 was going to play out with her being gone from Horngate. I really thought that some of my favorite characters might not be in SHADOW CITY. What I ended up getting in CRIMSON WIND was worth the frustration of my ever turning thoughts. It brought the same amount of action that I loved from the previous books. The romance was HOT, finally went somewhere instead of around in frustrating circles. Unfortunately we do lose some more characters =( I hate when that happens. We gain a few new friends and Diana brought us a whole new world to explore.

Alexander and the rest of the crew left at Horngate are on their own for a good portion of the book while Max is off with Scooter. The POV switches back and forth to keep us up to date on what is going on in each situation. It was kinda nice seeing Alexander take control of a dire situation without Max there. We got to see another side of Alexander as the "Alpha" and I think them together will continue to make a great team on more of a balanced field in the future. Surprisingly the witch we love to hate ends up making some changes to herself and her beliefs and we see a whole new side to her as well. I liked Scooter before now but I really enjoyed getting to know his past and learning about his world and the people in it. The world was creative and really complemented the situation that Max was put in. I also liked seeing Max work with someone else (don't worry just as friends). In the previous two books she started fitting herself in a little more instead of trying to be a loner and it really helped her with the situation she is in in SHADOW CITY. The whole Horngate team with their new allies finish off the book with some great action. I'm excited to see where Diana takes Max and the gang next. We got some great leads at the end of the book pointing us towards what might come. The Horngate Witches series is a favorite on my book shelf. ( )