Title: Deadlock
Author: Moira Rogers
Series: Southern Arcana #3
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romantic suspense, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2010

Throughout the first two Southern Arcana books, I really enjoyed getting to know Alec as his own person. But, it really surprised me that the third book in the series was going to be about him and finding his happily ever after. I was expecting Kat and Andrew to be the centre of the next book after the actions in Crux. But, I can’t say that I’m disappointed in the slightest. I really liked getting to know Alec, finding out more about his past love life. And then getting to go along the journey with him and Carmen to find their happily ever after.

To start with throughout the series, Alec seemed a little bit emotionally withdrawn and tough. The alpha male who is separated from his peers and friends to a degree. And yet, upon learning more about how he lost his wife and the nonsense of werewolf politics, it becomes clear that he has one of the biggest hearts of the cast. He just isn’t sure how willing he is to let it all get shattered and broken again. Plus this really drives home just how corrupt and frustrating werewolf politics are – they’re the root of all evil in much of this series, I swear.

Although it’s taken a number of atrocities, I love that through Carmen and Alec finding each other, the whole team in New Orleans are starting to push back against the Conclave. It is very much the whole idea that these characters have just been pushed too far. And now, rather than bending or breaking, they are shoving right back at their oppressors. The actions and finale of Deadlock most definitely are setting up the rest of this series to take place in a time of change.

Deadlock is, ultimately, all about breaking with tradition and forging a new path. Not for the sake of it, but for the sake of others. Everything that Alec chooses to do throughout this story is about protecting others. Even when he starts to fall for Carmen, his primary focus is on protecting her and how to go about doing this. It’s only as he truly allows himself to trust though, that he is able to find true peace and happiness – in not always being the sole protector, but truly a part of the team.

Image source: Amazon

Title: Crossroads
Author: Moira Rogers
Series: Southern Arcana #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romantic suspense, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2009

I finally ended up caving in the past month and getting Kindle Unlimited. Mostly so I could finish off the series like Southern Arcana – ones that I have started, and then don’t have access to on Kobo. I’m incredibly grateful that I caved too. I honestly couldn’t put this book down at all. It was brilliant and unforgettable. Plus, unlike some of the happier stories I’ve been reading, it was dark and filled with horrible twists and turns. It meant that I want to dive into Deadlock even more because there are so many parts of the tale unfinished. But, it also hurt my heart a little the way in which Derek and Nick are put through their paces in their new relationship.

Even though this novel might have been about Nick and Derek’s love story, I also spent the entirety of this wanting Michelle to get her happily ever after. After all, she’s being punished for the powers she was born with. And not allowed to have a romantic entanglement because people want to control her. Nick might try everything she can think of for her twin’s happily ever after. But, you can tell from the beginning and the foreshadowing that things are not all going to end in a positive manner. Yet, even with the knowledge that there is going to be a tragedy, I was still surprised and horrified. Rogers may have even managed to bring a tear or two to my eye.

I absolutely adored gaining the insight into the Council and their far reaching arm in this story. It was a bit chilling considering all of the parallels I can draw to our own powers that be. But I also love how they kind of feel like they’re being set up for a fall in this series. I really want to read more of this series to see how their mistakes of being overly controlling are going to come back and bite them in the butt. Plus, now that Nick and Michelle manage to escape some of the nonsense that they grew up surrounded by, there is a whole lot more change on the way. Change that is going to produce some more amazing and fun stories down the road.

Southern Arcana is a world built with a number of different paranormal beings running free. I love that they are of a variety of different groups and types, and each subgroup has their own subculture. The fact that these guys all team up and try to stop injustices in their own way was absolutely gorgeous. I also love that the destructive side of empathy is touched upon, with lots of hints for the stories that are to come. Derek’s plight of getting used to being a shifter is part of this journey, letting each and every character in this to grow and become who they want to be.

Image source: Amazon

Title: Crux
Author: Moira Rogers
Series: Southern Arcana #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romantic suspense, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2009

I read Zola’s Pride many years ago, and I kept meaning to actually get into Crux. But, mostly I didn’t actually have a copy of it to read and it kind of fell to the wayside. And then I finally picked it up. And it is wonderful and amazing. The biggest downfall of how much I enjoyed this is the fact that I now have to wait until Crossroads comes off of Kindle Unlimited and lets me buy it in Kobo…

This was a wonderful and brilliant introduction to a paranormal romance world. And just a really nice romance in general. I mean, although Mackenzie and Jackson are obviously attracted to one another immediately, they spend most of this story trying to solve the crimes and fight the bad guy. And it turns out he’s a pretty scary bad guy. I’m not actually sure how they’re going to top this villain in the next Southern Arcana novel.

I seriously enjoyed Jackson – he’s one of my more recent favourite male leaders. He is wonderfully yummy and has that nice protective streak that I find so attractive. But, he is also happy to let Mackenzie be her own woman and stand on her own two feet. He is content to protect from the shadows and act as a support in some circumstances, instead of just taking control (even when he wants to), and taking over. I loved this balance, and it’s one I wish we saw more of in the protective males that are written in a lot of the romances that I enjoy.

Mackenzie’s journey is actually pretty intense throughout this. Not only does she have a whole discovery of a paranormal world to go through. And a man to fall in love with. But she also has to find out a lot about her tragic past, whilst dealing with a psychotic and neurotic man intent on turning her into breeding stock. Just one of these moments would be pretty intense, but all of them? Well, I’d be running for the hills… or sitting in the corner, rocking back and forth, chewing my hair…

I have a feeling that although Mackenzie and Jackson were able to triumph over the Big Evil (with plenty of help), there’s going to be some pretty potent repercussions to their actions. I’m fully imagining that the next books will reveal some crazy, secret cabal or underground society of paranormals just waiting to wreak havoc upon the next lucky couple in this series…

Image source: Amazon