Blood-Mage Rising (The Dream-Walker War) [Kindle Edition]

Loved it, better than the first book. Okay, now for the details. I know that some prefer their protag's to follow the letter of the law, (as they see written) but I prefer to have things shaken up a bit. I do not like my protag's to all be cut from the same cloth, and Tory Michaels does shake things up very well. Not many authors I have read or know can pull off a character's change of soul or heart or mind, whichever you prefer, into a smooth transition within one book. She does and explains it all very well. Most are not believable when you have a huge about face in order for the protag to get involved in a romance. They have to have a heart, somewhere in there, to begin with. Tory's plot transitions from Jordan the evil-mister to Jordan the man who falls in love are believable. She weaves us along on a get-to-know-you-feet-of-clay characters in a well paced storyline. This plot builds and is interwoven within the ongoing mystery, which IMHO is not an easy feat to pull off. I like her worldbuilding and the backstory which is ongoing throughout her books. You get a much better view of the world, as if you were there looking around for the first time, while you are reading. Tory Michaels, like all authors should, gets better as she goes along with each new book. Looking forward to another in the Dream-Walker War series. This war is just getting started and I want a front row seat.

Definitely not the way I thought Tory would go with the second book of series, but still an enjoyable and great read that was surprising, exciting, sensual and adventurous. New characters were introduced and old ones revisited. I found this addition to the series to be a great one with even more fun than the last. It also brought about more clarity of what happened in the last book of the series. I definitely feel it can be read as a stand-alone because Tory wrote it with the past intertwined which made for a complete and satisfying read. Any paranormal lover whether vampire, shape shifters or witch enthusiasts will have great fun reading Blood Mage Rising :)

Chris is a true delight! She's kick butt, full of spunk, practically fearless, and has many secrets (even another side to her person). Some secrets are known to less than a handful. Others are known to no one she associates with on a daily basis. That's no one but Jordan, the master of death and destruction himself, in the flesh! Wa ha ha ha...

Jordan is looking to clear his name and get revenge for the murder of his wife. He has become a suspect to all of the murders that have been happening and needs to clear his name and the one he goes to for help is Chris. Now he needs to convince her he is not guilty and wants justice served so she will agree to assist him. There's also a little tid bit of his attraction to her that he would like resolved. But Chris is not an easy woman and it will take a lot of convincing on his part to get her where he wants her.

Together they are solving the who's who of multiple murders of both paranormals and humans alike by a group that calls themselves the aristocrats. Secrets long kept by both are revealed, appreciated and accepted. I look forward to the next in the series and what unfolds. Especially after the way the book ended!!