The Empath (Mills & Boon Nocturne) [Paperback]

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Nicholas was the greatest Draicon (werewolf) warrior until he did the unspeakable - teach a mortal how to use magic. Now he is banished from his pack, forced to survive on his own against the Morphs, evil shape shifters who have corrupted their natural magic into something dark and twisted. However, Nicholas is given one chance to redeem himself... he must find the pack's long missing empath and return her to their home in New Mexico so she can save their dying pack leader. If he fails, he will never be allowed to return.

Maggie Sinclair is a veterinarian who has sworn to only heal, never kill, all that need her help. When her beloved dog and companion falls deathly ill from an unknown disease, Maggie will do anything to save her. She has no clue that she is the woman destined to save the Draicon and destroy the Morphs once and for all. All she has are strange visions that haunt her... blood, lots of blood, and an odd feeling there is something else within her skin.

When Nicholas finds Maggie, he knows immediately she is his draicara, his mate, and will do anything to protect her. First he must teach her about what she is and what she can do, in spite of her resistance to the tasks set before her. However, the Morphs have found her as well, and their one mission is to destroy her before she can kill them. Is the love between Maggie and Nicholas enough to overcome their secrets and fears in time?

Bonnie Vanak's first Nocturne, and her first paranormal, will delight readers. She has taken the usual werewolf concept and altered, or dare I say, "Morphed" it into her very own. (Yes I know the Morphs are the bad guys, but I couldn't resist the play on words...) The origin of the Draicon is quite different from traditional werewolf lure as well though I don't want to say anything to give away how they came to be. Then there is the fascinating deviation of the Morphs from Draicon and how they came to be what they are. We definitely have an appealing society found within the pages of The Empath.

I was a little bit jarred initially however by the definition of am empath in Draicon society. The basis for what an empath is is similar to what I've always thought of when I heard the term, but it is also very different. I personally wouldn't have chosen that term for what Maggie is, but that is part of the beauty of this book and is why Bonnie Vanak is the author, not me. It never would have occurred to me to define some things the way they are here.

Nicholas and Maggie each have the respective secrets they are dreadfully afraid to share. Nicholas fears Maggie would hate him if she knew his darkest mysteries and Maggie is afraid to confront her own demons. These fears make it very difficult for them to bond the way true mates do in Draicon society and therefore complicates things when it comes to fighting the Morphs. The gradual dissolution of the walls between them provides for a wonderful love story. It made me all the more thrilled when the last vestiges of separation fall away and they truly come together.

There are plenty of surprises found in The Empath as well. Granted, a couple of them I figured out pretty quickly, but Bonnie did get me with a couple of the stunning revelations. Probably the greatest one was discovering the true nature of Nicholas' crimes against the pack. I was floored by that one and a little bit angry as well, since I felt so awful for Nicholas having to suffer as much as he did for what happened. However, this huge surprise opens new doors as well, or rather, new books to come, since some of the Draicon involved in this greatest twist are obviously begging for their stories to be told. Bonnie, that means I'm begging too... I'd love to see what became of these people I can't decide if I should love or hate. So here's to hoping we don't have long to wait for another brilliant story from the mind of Bonnie Vanak.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, October 2007. All rights reserved.

Step inside a new world, where werewolves and magic collide....

Nicholas Keenan has a duty to his pack, the same pack from which he is considered an outcast. As a Draicon werewolf warrior, Nicholas is charged with finding the pack's lost empathy and bringing her home. After all, only can THE EMPATH defeat the menace to the Draicon, the deadly Morphs (shape shifters) who have infected the pack leader, Damian. However, THE EMPATH is veterinarian Maggie Sinclair, a woman who has sworn to not kill a single living soul. In fact, Maggie doesn't even realize she is a Draicon! How will these two very different individuals handle the love that grows between them? Will Maggie's return defeat the Morphs? And just what other secrets will be uncovered?

What a powerful tale! Bonnie Vanak delivers an emotionally charged tale that has the perfect balance of plot and passion. Her writing is exquisite as the deep emotional turmoil of the characters simmers throughout this fascinating werewolf story. I could feel Maggie's anguish at being forced into inflicting violence while Nicholas' loneliness was piercing in its intensity.

The Morphs provided an interesting twist to the storyline. Their powers gave me the shivers as the image of the ants is one that will haunt my nightmares for quite awhile! However, the Morphs are not the only twist in this story as Bonnie Vanak has some surprises in store for her readers. A sequel is obviously intended as there are a few loose threads that I cannot wait to see resolved.

THE EMPATH is a sensuous and heartbreakingly beautiful tale that is sure to be loved by paranormal readers. Bonnie Vanak takes the werewolf legends and shapes them into her own stunning mythology. Bravo, Ms. Vanak, and keep the stories coming!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Silhouette and Harlequin books can be good for a quick read and I was looking forward to The Empath based on other reviews elsewhere. That said, I finished the book but it could have been so much better. Let's talk about Nicolas-the-Man-Tease. Supposedly Maggie-the-Empath doesn't know her history. She was raised by foster parents and had blacked out the past prior to living with humans. She thinks she is human, too. Add to that, she is a virgin. Here comes Nicolas who believes in control, control, control. He starts something with her, she lets down her inhibitions and then, "No. Not now." This goes on for awhile. Puh-lease.

Then there is the continual explaining of the Morphs, and what evil they can do. Once, yes....twice, OK.....three times, boring. I gave Maggie credit since she had the intellect to become a veterinarian that she didn't need the constant explanations. But Ms. Vanak plays her differently. She is in constant denial and Nicolas repeats himself on these issues numerous times throughout the story.

Also, Maggie knows she can heal animals sometimes yet she doesn't want to believe she is the Empath-a healer. Again, come on. I love a good paranormal book but I don't like it when the characters are written as stupid. I know, I know, I shouldn't expect so much from a Silhouette but if I pay for a book I want it to at least be interesting. This book just didn't cut it.