I'm a bit disappointed with this book. Anna is a very strong character, but she did some pretty stupid things. The plot was decent though. I liked reading more of how the witches interact in this world. The main thing that annoyed me was the animosity between her and Williams. It got on my nerves and I couldn't decide who I wanted to slap more. Anna resists fully embracing her supernatural side and Williams is very resentful of that. I can't say I enjoyed the ending. I don't like where the story seems to be heading.

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Urban Fantasy by Jeanne C Stein, and Book 5 in the Anna Strong Chronicles. Anna's friend Culabra is dying from a spell cast by a strong Black Witch. Anna races against the clock to stop the witch before he dies. Someone is also killing newly turned vampires, and Anna gets involved in this, too. Anna has ongoing conflict with Williams. Enjoyed the book, even though its been so long since I read the previous books, I don't remember all the history. There's one thing that bothers me, though, a couple of characters mention to Anna that she is special. She's no dummy, so, why doesn't she stop a minute, and ask what that's about? This seems to be the lead-in to the next: Chosen.

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This was all right but I liked her earlier books in this series better. Williams annoys me and Anna seems stuck. Hopefully this was a set up for the next one.

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I'm getting familiar enough with this world that I'm starting to have a lot of questions (and I am deliberately not looking at reviews for later books, I don't want spoilers). For instance: Anna is a new vampire, less than a year old. Everyone seems to know she's "the one". Why isn't she more curious about that? When Williams tells her she's absolutely immortal, that nothing can hurt her, wouldn't you think she'd ask a few questions? Another: Culebra has been around for a long time, he knows everyone and everyone knows him. Why is Anna the one that's called when he gets cursed? Is it because she's "the one"? They don't seem to make much of it if so, she can't do anything about it except find another witch, and so it seems to me that she gets called only because the author needs it for the plot. I am impatiently waiting for Anna to stop acting like a petulant child and begin figuring out her new life. I am giving Stein a pass on this because in the book timeline, it's not even been a year yet, and it takes time for people to adjust to major life changes. But as a reader, 5 books of Anna stomping off and doing the opposite of the advice she's given is getting old.
So, that said...it's got a lot of tension, some new characters - the new vampires are intriguing, that opens up a different niche. I'd like to know more about the witches - are they born that way? Do they learn it? Do you have to have the ability first before you can learn it? I like Williams, too bad they seem doomed to be adversaries. Anna should dump her insecurities and enjoy Avery's riches, I'm sure Stein can still make Anna's life difficult even if she does have money.

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