Devon’s review of Bound by Flame (The Dark Crescent Sisterhood, book 2) by Anna Windsor
Paranormal Romance released by Ballantine 29 Jul 08

Bound by Flame is the second in the Dark Crescent Sisterhood trilogy, which has been given back to back to back June-July-August release dates. I recently read and reviewed Bound by Shadow and found it disappointing. The hero and heroine were wooden, the world building was confusing, and the plot moved slowly. But it picked up at the end, so I decided to press on. I’m glad to say that Bound by Flame was a significant improvement.

After getting off to a rocky start, Cynda and Nick turned out to be a pretty good couple. Cynda, the Fire Sybil, seemed like she was going to be an abrasive bitch, but her characterization deepened into someone with a lot of defenses, but who was a good listener and friend. Though there was some annoying mental lusting, I got the sense that she and Nick were really friends. She also refrained from keeping ridiculous secrets from him, and TSTL behavior (always a plus).

Nick comes off as a confident guy, but not arrogant. He is at peace with his demon side. They work together, and he’s even given him a name. He is also comfortable with the power that Cynda and her fellow Sybils wield. They complement each other, rather than one taking the lead.

The storyline is much tighter this time around. Someone is targeting Fire Sybils, and using a legion of demons to do it. I did figure out who the bad guy was, but only a few pages before Cynda did, so it wasn’t too obvious. I found the supporting cast of characters to be more interesting as well. I am definitely interested in the next book, because I liked Jake and the other Astaroth demons.

The book moves pretty fast, but some of the action made me giggle. The Sybils get all decked out in leather jumpsuits and full face masks. The idea of them running around the Upper East Side with their bows and arrows and flaming Celtic broadswords…?? I don’t think it would be fun to be a Fire Sybil. They’re always smoking, literally, like from their shoulders and knees and stuff.

While some aspects of the Sybil’s world seem a bit nonsensical, overall this was a decent read. I suspect one could muddle along all right without reading the first. I am looking forward to Bound by Light, and hoping that it’s even better.

Grade: B-

The Summary:
Gorgeous flame-haired Cynda Flynn knows fire—its heat, its power, its magic. A fully trained Sybil warrior priestess, Cynda’s weapon is flame. But she’s unprepared for the passion ignited by Nick Lowell, an undercover cop in the NYPD’s Occult Crime Unit. He’s half human, half demon, and hotter than hell, with fathomless black eyes that ignite something buried deep inside Cynda, making her melt in all the right places.

Luckily, Nick has found a way to control his dark side, but he’s done it old-school—through steel-willed self-control. And after five years working secretly within the deadly Legion cult, he’s unbreakable. Or he was, until Cynda came along. Now it’s personal—and even his big bad love may not be enough to halt a terrible new evil snuffing out fire Sybils like Cynda. It’s nasty. And if it can’t be stopped, they’re all going to fry.

Read an excerpt

Read Devon’s review of Bound by Shadow

Other books in the series: