You may recall our review of Lotus’s Journey Part I, Lotus (Daughter of Darkness), last month. And today is the release of Watcher, Part II of Lotus’s Journey by one of our favourite authors, C.J. Pinard. Lotus is one of four ‘daughters of darkness’, with the other three daughters being written about by authors Chrissy Peebles, Kristen Middleton and W.J. May. These female heroines are clearly connected by their father, Vlad Montour, or Vlad the Impaler, known to be an evil villain in history. But, some of the sisters are unacquainted with each other. In Watcher, Vampire Vlad now wants all four daughters to be brought to him – alive. But, what are his intentions?

Title: Watcher (Daughter of Darkness): Lotus’s Journey Part II

Author: C.J. Pinard

Genre: Paranormal mystery, crime, thriller, romance

Release date: October 27th, 2015

Length: 103 pages

Blurb:

As hybrid vampire/faery Lotus’s journey has taken her from solving the vampire-committed murders in Denver to Las Vegas, she begins to learn a lot more about herself and the evil vampire of a father who has been searching for her for years. She has to make a decision on whether she’s going to run from Vlad or search for him and confront him as he continues to terrorize her dreams. She wonders if finding him will lead her to her faery mother, or if it will just lead to more death, destruction, and heartbreak.

With the relationship between her sexy neighbor, Drew, and her beginning to blossom, Lotus wonders if she should just give up the search and try to lead a normal life for once. She’s finally found a decent guy who is not only gorgeous, but seems to want to protect her. Something she’s never needed, but is now finding she wants. That is, until she finds out Drew’s got his own secrets.

This is part II of Lotus’s journey. Part III will be out in early 2016.

REVIEW ***** (5* rating)

When author C.J. Pinard released her last paranormal series, Rebel Riders, I knew with the first book it was my favourite of her work to date. However, I am now indecisive as Lotus (Daughter of Darkness) is definitely a contender. Lotus provides a great deal of action, nice, hot romantic scenes, and a story that includes both vampires and Lycans at an equal balance.

Watcher begins with Lotus, half-faery and half-vamp, having caught a vampire suspected of following her. She learns that it is her vampire father, Vlad Montour, who has sent him to bring her to him, along with his three other daughters: Jezebel, Blair, and Victoria. Sisters she has only recently learned of having. Lotus realises at this point that a psychic faery she had visited years before actually had some real meaning behind what she said.

Does she use this as an opportunity to meet her father at last? Or, does she have a reason to run in the opposite direction? With very little knowledge of the supernaturals, she has been living for over a century as humanlike as possible. Will she now have to use her faery and vampire skills to deal with her father and sisters?

Fans of Lotus’s Journey Part I will love to hear that Lotus’s hot, sexy neighbour, Drew, plays a larger role in Watcher. And, who can’t love him? We saw his lighter, flirtatious and cheeky moments in part I, and now we learn that he had been watching Lotus all along to protect her. The relationship between them is a little more serious in Watcher due to the circumstances of the story and the deeper attraction they both feel towards each other. Drew is cute and kind, and strong and direct when he has to be, and yet not overwhelmingly flirtatious or pushy. This makes it very easy for Lotus and the reader to fall for him and believe that he is someone to be trusted!

Some of my favourite moments in both parts I and II of Lotus’s Journey have been Lotus’s dreams of her father. They are a little nightmarish at times, being creepy and eerie. The use of fog, Lotus being in a forest and in her nightgown all help create a great sense of atmosphere. Vlad’s character is seemingly dark, powerful and frightful, yet spell-binding. I actually felt some attraction to his evilness, gripped by his hold. Does he want to kill his daughters? Or, is there another purpose for them to all meet with him? The mystery surrounding this vampire villain is killing me and pulling me towards him so badly!

C.J. Pinard’s writing is becoming more and more addictive. I LOVE this series and cannot wait for Part III of Lotus’s Journey. Especially after that fantastic cliff-hanger!

A copy of Watcher, Lotus’s Journey Part II was provided by the author in return for a fair and honest review.

Watcher (Daughter of Darkness): Lotus’s Journey Part II by C.J. Pinard is available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

You can also check out our review of Lotus (Daughter of Darkness): Lotus’s Journey Part I here.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker