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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Serena's Fall by M. K. Smith Review from LASR

Serena’s Fall by M.K. Smith

FALL
Serena’s Fall by M.K. Smith
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (267 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia
Betrayed by her once-upon-a-naive-time friends, Serena, the last Water Fey, can’t touch any man she would ever want without dooming him to a hero’s brutal death. So she lives outcast among her own kind, caring for orphaned Fey children, casualties of an ancient war that broke magic and doomed the Fey to possible extinction.
Now her friends are back, desperate to use her powers to stop the return of the greatest evil the Fey have ever faced. Prophesy says if she doesn’t magic-up a hero and bond him to a mysterious, mystical sword, the human world will be the next to fall.
Two potential heroes surface—Lance, the free spirited surfer, and the doomed warrior Gramm. Both men want her, both need her, and both have a claim to her heart.
But Serena’s tired of human heroes dying because some Water Fey said so. With her combat boots strung tight and her corset even tighter, it’s time to weave some new lines of destiny.
Serena has certainly found herself in an impossible situation. As the last Water Fey, her powers and the hero of her choosing are the only chance left at saving the world for humans as well as the Fey. Serena’s life hasn’t been easy, and she isn’t at all sure the world is worth saving. However, when her old friend Chloe calls for her help, Serena reluctantly agrees to a meeting, even if it means seeing Rachel again. Once I read how dire the situation is, I couldn’t fault Serena for walking away, but even in the first pages of this story I could tell that Serena isn’t a quitter. Chloe wants to save the world and I could tell that Serena was going to figure out a way to make it happen.
Serena is an interesting character. She has suffered a lot at the hands of people she should have been able to trust. Consequently, she is understandably very guarded. She wears her makeup and corset like armor against the rest of the world. As I read, I couldn’t believe how many hard choices Serena faced. She has to make a lot of personal sacrifices for the good of the mission as well as for the sake of repairing relationships. Once Serena is fully on board with the plan to save the world, she takes on immense responsibility. She is uncompromising and unwilling to sacrifice anyone along the way.
The relationship between Serena, Chloe, and Rachel is beyond toxic. It was quite painful to read, especially when the trio first reconnected. Few details were initially revealed concerning the tragic circumstances that caused the friendship to fracture. However, the little I knew left me very confused about why Chloe and Rachel seemed so indifferent to the pain Serena endured. Gradually more details were revealed that went a long way to explaining everyone’s behavior. I do wish those details had been provided sooner in the story.
I am pleased to say that Serena and Chloe truly mend their relationship. Unfortunately, Serena and Rachel will never be close again. They can barely manage to be polite to each other. The only reason they tolerate each other is for the sake of the mission and Chloe. From what I read, I don’t believe Rachel has any redeeming qualities. While I know that Rachel’s life has been far from perfect, it certainly doesn’t in any way excuse her behavior.
Overall, I liked reading Serena’s Fall. Serena is an intriguing and well rounded character, and I’m curious to know what will happen next. Serena and Chloe accomplished a lot in this book, but the world is still in peril. I hope that Mr. Smith has a sequel planned for Serena and her friends.

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