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A review by kathydavie
Changeling: An Otherworld Novel by Yasmine Galenorn
4.0
Second in the Otherworld paranormal romance series revolving around three sisters, agents of the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (OIA). The series is based in the Seattle area.
My Take
There's a lot happening and yet...nothing happening. It's Delilah's turn for romance and she may have a plethora of it, but there are too many questions and way too much bigotry for her to handle.
Mostly, we're meeting new people and setting the stage for the future.
The Story
Life is hotting up for the D'Artigo sisters. It's open rebellion in the Otherworld with their family joining the defiant; Shadow Wing continues to send out his Degath Squads in his world takeover attempts; and, that squad just may have picked up some allies. Some very dangerous shifting allies. And, somehow in all this confusion, the girls still manage to have a life as they perform their enforcement duties for the OIA. A rapidly deteriorating agency that seems, fortunately, to not be what the Queen may be expecting.
The Characters
Delilah D'Artigo is a werecat with her own private detective agency. Any kind of upsets trigger her change response and she turns into a house kitty with a preference for chasing butterflies and exploring the woods. But she's a kitty with a dirty little secret that Trillian is holding over her head. The other two D'Artigo sisters are employed in OIA-owned enterprises as part of their cover: Camille a magically-challenged witch with a connection to the Moon Mother who runs the Indigo Crescent bookstore and Menolly, a vampire working the night shift at the Wayfarer Bar & Grill.
Iris Kuusi is a Finnish house sprite who has come to work at the bookstore and lives in the old Victorian along with the girls. Maggie is a baby gargoyle Camille rescued from being Harpy snack food. Chase Johnson is an FBH, a full-blooded human who works for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (OIA) along with the sisters and created the Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigations (FH-CSI) team---the fae version of CSI. He's currently seeing Delilah.
Trillian is back with Camille even though she doesn't see very much of him as he's carrying messages back and forth between Tanaquar and King Vodox while keeping the girls in news about the war. Something about his being Svartan has caused a sexual bond to form between him and Camille and they can't be parted---but he is willing to share with Morio, a kitsune who is also involved with Camille. Smoky the dragon also has an interest in Camille and makes a bargain with her for his help. A bargain that does not make Trillian or Morio happy.
The D'Artigo sisters' family is hit hard by the war. Their father, Sephreh ob Tanu, goes into hiding when he refuses to war against the Svartans while Aunt Rythwar must also escape when her former friend, Lethesanar, discovers she has been spying. Their cousin Shamas has been convicted of treason against Queen Lethesanar for spying and is scheduled for torture and eventual execution. All without Shamas' parents, Aunt Olanda and Uncle Tryys, knowing any of this.
Sharah and Mallen are both elvish medics with FH-CSI. Cleo Blanco, a.k.a., Tim Winthrop, is a drag queen and computer geek about to be drafted to the OIA. He has a daughter with his ex-wife and is currently engaged to Jason Binds, the girls' mechanic. Erin Mathews owns the Scarlot Harlot, a lingerie store where Camille picks up a lot of her designer BDSM wear.
Siobhan Morgan is a wereselkie and provides Delilah with background information on the were packs in the area. She's having a problem conceiving and Delilah thinks the OIA medics might be able to help. Georgio Profeta, a.k.a., Saint George the Dragon Killer, has moved into Tom Lane's old house---Smoky the dragon is looking after him. Estelle Dugan used to work for Georgio's grandmother; Smoky found her and hired her to take care of him.
Civil war has broken out in OW: Tanaquar, Queen Lethesanar of Y'Elestrial's sister has challenged her for the throne. She rather objects to her sister's opium addiction and obsessive partying as well as her jailing anyone who objects.
Asteria, the Elfin Queen, seems a better bet and she has formed an alliance with her former enemy, King Vodox of Svartalfheim. Both the elves and the Svartans are backing Tanaquar while Lethesanar has allied with the goblins. Trenyth is the Queen's assistant and the girls' liaison with the elfin court. Ronyl is an elvish technomagi sent to re-tune the girls' Whispering Mirror to contact Trenyth now that their father is out of the picture. He's quite helpful around the house as well.
The Autumn Lord is an Elemental to whom the girls appeal for help and information. Unfortunately, he gives them more than they had expected.
Otherworld (OW) is the land of all the fae. Titania and Tom Lane get a mention. Grandmother Coyote is an Elemental spirit bound to Earth; she can't be charmed, harmed, or killed. Wisteria is a floraed fae who was spying for Shadow Wing and is currently imprisoned by Asteria. Jill Tucker runs a clothing store, The Fairy Tale, making custom clothing. Wade Stevens still runs Vampires Anonymous. He and Mennolly have been dating, but it's not looking good for Wade when Mennolly meets his mother, Mrs. Belinda Stevens...eek! Somehow, I don't think Wade would object if someone staked his mom. Sassy Branson, wealthy socialite, was turned into a vampire some time ago but she's managed to keep it secret. Seems the director of the OIA is also a double agent working for Tanaquar---could be the reason no one has fired Camille yet for her associating with Trillian.
Zachary Lyonnesse is a werepuma and his Rainier Puma Pride needs Delilah's help with finding the serial killer murdering his pridemates. Venus the Moon Child is the pride shaman. Other members include Tyler Nolan, Ajax Savanaugh, and Rhonda who elects to fight in the final battle in this installment.
Hunters Moon Clan is a pack of hobo werespiders, unnatural weres created by a very powerful shaman, Kyoka, who was killed by Einar of the Iron Hand. A pack of which every other were is terrified enough to either not speak about or only speak in whispers...after checking the room for spiders and locking the doors! Geph von Spynne seems to be their leader sending out his spies and assassins to remove the threat the girls pose.
Shadow Wing is a powerful demon overlord planning to destroy both Earth and the Otherworld. In preparation for that event, he keeps sending demon scout crews, Degath Squads, through.
The Elwing Blood Clan is the group of vampires who tortured and turned Mennolly. It seems they're about to enter the action---on the wrong side, naturally.
My Take
There's a lot happening and yet...nothing happening. It's Delilah's turn for romance and she may have a plethora of it, but there are too many questions and way too much bigotry for her to handle.
Mostly, we're meeting new people and setting the stage for the future.
The Story
Life is hotting up for the D'Artigo sisters. It's open rebellion in the Otherworld with their family joining the defiant; Shadow Wing continues to send out his Degath Squads in his world takeover attempts; and, that squad just may have picked up some allies. Some very dangerous shifting allies. And, somehow in all this confusion, the girls still manage to have a life as they perform their enforcement duties for the OIA. A rapidly deteriorating agency that seems, fortunately, to not be what the Queen may be expecting.
The Characters
Delilah D'Artigo is a werecat with her own private detective agency. Any kind of upsets trigger her change response and she turns into a house kitty with a preference for chasing butterflies and exploring the woods. But she's a kitty with a dirty little secret that Trillian is holding over her head. The other two D'Artigo sisters are employed in OIA-owned enterprises as part of their cover: Camille a magically-challenged witch with a connection to the Moon Mother who runs the Indigo Crescent bookstore and Menolly, a vampire working the night shift at the Wayfarer Bar & Grill.
Iris Kuusi is a Finnish house sprite who has come to work at the bookstore and lives in the old Victorian along with the girls. Maggie is a baby gargoyle Camille rescued from being Harpy snack food. Chase Johnson is an FBH, a full-blooded human who works for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (OIA) along with the sisters and created the Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigations (FH-CSI) team---the fae version of CSI. He's currently seeing Delilah.
Trillian is back with Camille even though she doesn't see very much of him as he's carrying messages back and forth between Tanaquar and King Vodox while keeping the girls in news about the war. Something about his being Svartan has caused a sexual bond to form between him and Camille and they can't be parted---but he is willing to share with Morio, a kitsune who is also involved with Camille. Smoky the dragon also has an interest in Camille and makes a bargain with her for his help. A bargain that does not make Trillian or Morio happy.
The D'Artigo sisters' family is hit hard by the war. Their father, Sephreh ob Tanu, goes into hiding when he refuses to war against the Svartans while Aunt Rythwar must also escape when her former friend, Lethesanar, discovers she has been spying. Their cousin Shamas has been convicted of treason against Queen Lethesanar for spying and is scheduled for torture and eventual execution. All without Shamas' parents, Aunt Olanda and Uncle Tryys, knowing any of this.
Sharah and Mallen are both elvish medics with FH-CSI. Cleo Blanco, a.k.a., Tim Winthrop, is a drag queen and computer geek about to be drafted to the OIA. He has a daughter with his ex-wife and is currently engaged to Jason Binds, the girls' mechanic. Erin Mathews owns the Scarlot Harlot, a lingerie store where Camille picks up a lot of her designer BDSM wear.
Siobhan Morgan is a wereselkie and provides Delilah with background information on the were packs in the area. She's having a problem conceiving and Delilah thinks the OIA medics might be able to help. Georgio Profeta, a.k.a., Saint George the Dragon Killer, has moved into Tom Lane's old house---Smoky the dragon is looking after him. Estelle Dugan used to work for Georgio's grandmother; Smoky found her and hired her to take care of him.
Civil war has broken out in OW: Tanaquar, Queen Lethesanar of Y'Elestrial's sister has challenged her for the throne. She rather objects to her sister's opium addiction and obsessive partying as well as her jailing anyone who objects.
Asteria, the Elfin Queen, seems a better bet and she has formed an alliance with her former enemy, King Vodox of Svartalfheim. Both the elves and the Svartans are backing Tanaquar while Lethesanar has allied with the goblins. Trenyth is the Queen's assistant and the girls' liaison with the elfin court. Ronyl is an elvish technomagi sent to re-tune the girls' Whispering Mirror to contact Trenyth now that their father is out of the picture. He's quite helpful around the house as well.
The Autumn Lord is an Elemental to whom the girls appeal for help and information. Unfortunately, he gives them more than they had expected.
Otherworld (OW) is the land of all the fae. Titania and Tom Lane get a mention. Grandmother Coyote is an Elemental spirit bound to Earth; she can't be charmed, harmed, or killed. Wisteria is a floraed fae who was spying for Shadow Wing and is currently imprisoned by Asteria. Jill Tucker runs a clothing store, The Fairy Tale, making custom clothing. Wade Stevens still runs Vampires Anonymous. He and Mennolly have been dating, but it's not looking good for Wade when Mennolly meets his mother, Mrs. Belinda Stevens...eek! Somehow, I don't think Wade would object if someone staked his mom. Sassy Branson, wealthy socialite, was turned into a vampire some time ago but she's managed to keep it secret. Seems the director of the OIA is also a double agent working for Tanaquar---could be the reason no one has fired Camille yet for her associating with Trillian.
Zachary Lyonnesse is a werepuma and his Rainier Puma Pride needs Delilah's help with finding the serial killer murdering his pridemates. Venus the Moon Child is the pride shaman. Other members include Tyler Nolan, Ajax Savanaugh, and Rhonda who elects to fight in the final battle in this installment.
Hunters Moon Clan is a pack of hobo werespiders, unnatural weres created by a very powerful shaman, Kyoka, who was killed by Einar of the Iron Hand. A pack of which every other were is terrified enough to either not speak about or only speak in whispers...after checking the room for spiders and locking the doors! Geph von Spynne seems to be their leader sending out his spies and assassins to remove the threat the girls pose.
Shadow Wing is a powerful demon overlord planning to destroy both Earth and the Otherworld. In preparation for that event, he keeps sending demon scout crews, Degath Squads, through.
The Elwing Blood Clan is the group of vampires who tortured and turned Mennolly. It seems they're about to enter the action---on the wrong side, naturally.