Something About Witches by Joey W. Hill

Something About Witches by Joey W. Hill

Books Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release date: February 7th 2012

Series: Arcane Shot #1

Source: Personal Shelf

Reviewed by: Christine

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Ruby Night Divine is a gun shop owner. She’s also a witch who knows magic can fail. She’s experienced it firsthand, with full-blown tragic consequences. Smith & Wesson is a whole hell of a lot more reliable, and nothing’s as cathartic as the ability to put a few holes in the things that piss you off. Like Derek Stormwind.

A powerful sorcerer, Derek is determined to get to the bottom of why she pushed him away and ran three years before. He also needs her help. A coven needs training to help them fight a demon and his minions. While Ruby is willing to do it, she’s sure it’s just a ruse to get back in her heart—and her bed. The thing is, that’s where she wants him. Unfortunately, her bed’s already made, she’s this close to losing her soul, and she fears nothing can save her. Not Derek. Not even Smith & Wesson.

I´ve heard a lot about the books of Joey W. Hill, but I have to admit that I have never been brave enough to read one, as they are labeled as Paranormal BDSM. When I found out that there would be a new series with a lighter tone and a blurb that sounded more like my cup of tea, I finally caved in and bought it.

The story focuses on Ruby, a witch/gun shop owner and her ex boyfriend Derek Stormwind, a sorcerer and Guardian of the light. Even though they broke up years ago, there is a lot of unfinished business and unresolved feelings between them. Especially Derek is very upset about their break-up, even more so when he finds out the real reasons behind it.

Ruby is convinced that said break up was necessary and is less than happy when he reappears after all that time. Even more so as he is intent on finding out the truth and setting things right between them. Ruby can´t hide the fact that her soul is in danger of being lost forever, but still, she tries to keep him at a distance.There are things in her past she is not ready to talk about, least of all with Derek.

The chemistry and sexual tension between the two of them throughout the book is enormous. From the minute I read the scene where Derek saunters into her store, I knew he could be a hero I would like. The fact that he seems to genuinely love her (instead of just lusting after her) completely won me over. In fact, I actually liked him more than Ruby (and not just because of his hotness, though that undeniably helped). He is both dominant and at the same time very caring when it comes to Ruby. Derek has known her pretty much her whole life and felt like there was something special between them very early (not in a creepy way, as he reassures Ruby). He was also always the only one to recognize her talents as a witch and was there for her despite his travelling, while her mother only used her to further her own career.

Ruby´s actions and choices sometimes seemed very self-destructive to me. Especially her relationship (if you want to call it that) with Mikael was very unsettling. It´s basically just about sex, domination and punishment. Like I said, I am not familiar with Joey W Hill´s books or any BDSM books in general, so it took me some time to make myself comfortable with it. I may not become a fan of BDSM books, but for this story and for Ruby, Mikael´s character seemed necessary.

The story about the demon attack (while pretty interesting) only played a secondary role in my opinion. Later on in the book, a group of angels is briefly mentioned and it is hinted that Mikael is rival and counterpart to Derek. Those two tidbits are something I would definitely like to read more about.

All in all, it was good to see how Ruby slowly tried to break her old patterns and how the relationship between her and Derek evolved throughout the book. Though the darker sexuality in this book took some time to get used to and is probably not for everyone, there are still a lot of aspects I really liked about the book.

So, is it just me or are there others out there who have not yet ventured into the realm of darker, twisted sexuality? If so, are there books you would recommend to a newbie like me? 

Curious about the book? Read an excerpt here.

Posted by Christine at 07:34

 Joey W Hill, Penguin, Review, Witch  6 People left their mark

Christine lives in Munich and studies psychology to find out what makes people tick. Hopelessly addicted to books, she can often be found reading the latest urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels. When she´s not reading, you can find her going to concerts, at a swimming pool or riding horseback through Andalusia with her older sister.