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Changeling

Yasmine Galenorn

Published 2007        278 pages

Summary (from the book jacket)

We’re the D’Artigo sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we’re savvy – and sexy – operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency.  But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times.  My sister Camille is a wicked–good witch whose magic is as unpredictable as the weather.  My sister Menolly is a vampire trying to get the hang of being undead. 

And me? I’m Delilah.  When I’m under stress, I transform into a tabby cat – and a series of violent murders is really getting me bent out of shape.  Someone's been slaughtering the Weres of the Rainier Puma Pride, and my sisters and I have been enlisted to investigate by Zachary Lyonnesse, golden boy of the werepumas.

Right away we smelled demon trouble, and we tracked it directly into the snare of the Hunters Moon Clan, sworn enemies of Puma Pride. But there's more than Were rivalry at work. It's that old demon Shadow Wing who is setting a deadly snare for the pumas.  We have to find out why, which means a visit one to of the Immortals.  Unfortunately, for my sisters and me, our half-human blood is just enough to put us in mortal danger.

The Review

Changeling is the second novel in the Sisters of the Moon urban fantasy series by Yasmine Galenorn.  And these books are most definitely urban fantasy - even though they have the words paranormal romance written on the spine.  If you are looking for a HEA or romantic relationship development in story you are going to be disappointed.  However, if you are looking for a fast-paced and highly imaginative fantasy mystery then you have come to the right place.

Witchling, the first novel in the series, was narrated in first person by Camille, eldest sister and witch.  Changeling is narrated in first person by Delilah, the middle sister, who is a shapeshifter.  This ability isn’t nearly as impressive as it sounds due to the fact that Delilah changes into a cute long haired tabby cat and this can happen spontaneously if she is excited or stressed.   This, plus the fact that Delilah is soft hearted and perhaps more human in her thinking than her other two sisters, has led to them treating her as if she was their baby sister.

In Changeling Delilah takes charge of the investigation into the deaths of the werepumas (proving that she’s as capable as they are) and with the help of her sisters soon gets to the bottom of what is going on.   The Hunters Moon Clan seems to be the most likely suspects.  The Hunters Moon Clan is a group of unnatural werespiders.  With the natural cunning of spiders and the intelligence of men they make a formidable enemy, especially when teamed up with some demons who want to take over both the Otherworld and the Earth. 

What use is a tabby cat against a group of freakishly evil werespiders, I hear you cry?  Well, Delilah finds a new hidden power inside herself and while she doesn’t know where it came from it comes in handy when dealing with the spiderlings.

There isn’t too much emphasis on vampires in Changeling, but with werespiders, demons, dragons, faeries and elves to keep the reader entertained vampires would probably be superfluous (and its not often you’ll hear me say that!)  Menolly is narrating the next story (Darkling) so vampire fans should get their vampire fix then.

Changeling is a cracking good read and fantasy fans will enjoy its richly imagined mythology and fast paced mystery plot.  Entertaining and engaging, sexy and supernatural, the D’Artigo sisters promise to enthral readers for some time to come.

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