Greetings Earthlings!

A Small Introduction…

Welcome to a new addition to Serenity’s Friday* review segment. It doesn’t have a name yet. But rest assured when I do think of one, it will be awesome. Because I’m the bullets and the trigger around these parts, laddie. (You should hear the shit I talk when I play Monopoly. Like sometimes the bank pays me 200 dollars just to shut the hell up. Ah, good times…)

Here’s what’s up: sometimes a nerdy witch reads more books than she actually reviews. Do you know what ends up happening? Hundreds of great diamonds are lost in the freaking jaws of the rough. Do you know what happens then? Shades of Crazy and TwiHell rain down upon us to fill the vacuum. Well, I’m on a mission to civilize in these parts, so here’s what I’ve decided: in addition to reviewing SG books, I’m going to do some collection segments similar to the SG Top 3 Shifters post. Sometimes, I’ll do some mini-reviews for a series I read. Sometimes, they’ll be themed.

Mostly, they’ll be all manner of dandy. Why? That’s right—the bullets and the trigger, partner. (I don’t know why I’m from a weird Western this Friday—but there you have it.) Now then, onto the review.

The Review Begins…

From the top: Do you ever pull so much brilliance out of your ass you wonder whether or not you’re a firework? I do—all the time. Not as much as Linda Winstead Jones does in her Columbyana series. It’s made up of three trilogies and a handful of standalones. Don’t worry, we’re only talking about the first tier today—the trilogy that started it all: The Sisters of the Sun Series.

About the Series…

The Sisters of the Sun series is a paranormal romance trilogy with enough fantasy tones to be considered fantasy. The stories all take place in the fictitious country of Columbyana. Think medieval magic. We’re talking about the kind of place that could’ve gone to war with Camelot and no one would object on the grounds of weirdness. Original (for a paranormal/fantasy romance—not for the great scope of fantasy) lush and vibrant, the world really did come off the pages. There was also the added touch of steampunk with gaslights and lifts. Descriptions were concise. Honestly, this is a series I would recommend to anyone who is interested in getting their feet wet in the fantasy spectrum of thangs. Very easy to follow. Sweet read.

Let’s talk about this curse…

About the Magic…

Way back whenever-the-fuck, there was a wizard. This wizard fell in love with a Fyne witch. She jilted him. He stuck it to her by cursing all of her descendants into ending up alone. None of the Fyne witches ever find true love. Seriously. Even the men that do manage to stick around only last till their 30th birthday before they a) die b) just wander off c) no, really—some of them just wander off into the night like a set of lips in search of chocolate…

Call the curse a connecting series arc line thingy.

Now about the Fyne witches, they’re like the best part. Well, that and the magic. White magic. Black magic. The magic in the series makes all kinds of frilly sense. But really the witches are the best part. There are three witches. Each one with a different kind of magic. Actually, the idea is that they all have different fathers. Therefore, they are coven and “something else.”

That something else usually presents itself again in the form of their delicious mates.

About the Books..

The Sun Witch: In the first book, The Sun Witch, we meet Sophie. She is the earthy, Susie Homemaker type with big boobs. Our Persephone archetype. She is actually the only sister who is: a) openly horny b) wants to fall in love c) seduces a rebel solider and has a baby d) skinny dips in pond every morning like a proper fertility goddess instead of making like lips and searching for large pieces of chocolate…

She meets her match in Kane. Kane is our somewhat strong silent, rakish rebel war vet. He is kind of what Malcolm Reynolds would’ve been if he’d been dropped in the middle of Camelot with a sword and a “fuck you.” Plus, he’s all manner of sexy. Note quite as mouthy, but rakish enough to make his living off of the businesses he wins from gambling. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t every bit the solider that will strap his woman on the back of a horse and peel off into the sunset to rescue his kidnapped infant daughter from an emperor on the edge. (Like edge. Like “makes a Butcher look like a bitch” edge.)

Oh, and remember that one time when things got real wild and your wife blew the roof off the palace? Ah, good times…

The Moon Witch: In the second book, The Moon Witch, we find out just what the quad happened to the other two sisters while Sophie was out rescuing her daughter from the clutches of evil. Well, turns out—they were being captured too! The Viking in me was all aflutter. Here’s the thing though, Juliet, the middle sister, is captured from her kidnappers by her mate. Fiery hair and slender, she’s the Hestia of the group. She’s kind of got this monkish thing going on. And that is all great, but she’s kidnapped remember…

Ryn is her mate and they’ve been fated to be together because that’s how Awyn roll. They’re werewolves, but maintain a serenity normally associated with the fey. They’ve got culture out the tail. Oh, and they mate for life. Think true mates. So, he steals her and does this whole “I’m Tarzan. No, no—that is a real loincloth. Your eyes do not deceive you. Oh, btw, you’re Jane. So, hi!” (

But oh! Isn’t his alpha ass in for a surprise when it is revealed Juliet is the Queen of the Awyn and the people of the wolf have no kings—just queens.

(This is Jane speaking—you were saying Tarzan? Wait, before you say anything…shouldn’t your lips be out doing something right now? Think chocolate.)

The Star Witch: In the third book, The Star Witch, we finally find out what happens to our dear Isadora, the last witch. She is kind of a marriage between Artemis and Athena archetypes. She is also the only sister that doesn’t start out a virgin. She was actually the one who said, “Curse? I spit on this curse. Bring me chocolate and husband.” Well, he died at age 30. Very sad and super surprising business. So yeah, she’s kind of over the whole love thing. Not to mention, she’s being held at the palace as a midwife for the empress, she’s got like bigger shit to deal with. But no, along came the…

Lips.

And then, chocolate.

No, really—it was Lucan. Think a Jedi. He even has this weird sword, monk, meditation thing going on. He is at the palace representing his country in some business affairs. Thing is, he’s the kind of guy that doesn’t use his sword unless he’s absolutely compelled to. Here’s the thing, once he’s compelled to…well, let’s just say you end up on the floor—and the bed shakes. (WTF am I saying sometimes?)

That being said, their love affair is brought to a climax when the emperor is unseated, witches are reunited, babies for the next trilogy are made and we finally find out where all the chocolate’s at! (Probably wherever all the lips have run off to.)

My Favorite Part/Character/Pairing/Quote/Whatever-I-Want…

There is a secondary romance that begins in the first book and concludes in the third. It is the love story between a sex slave/assassin, Liane, and the Emperor Sebastian (Yep. The Butcher.) Somehow Linda Winstead Jones managed to sneak in a truly beautiful love story about the power of love and redemption. You will love this villain. No, I promise. You will love him almost as much as you love the heroes. He will be a man with a family, a wife you adore and true layers like Tony Soprano or Hannibal Lector. I was really moved.

Also…the chocolate wasn’t bad–the lips were better.

The End…

Go on—you know, you wanna read it.

Read the Series: In Order from Book 1, The Sun Witch

Length: Novel

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Primary Book Format: Print / e-Book

Publisher/Imprint: Berkley Sensation

Blush Quotient: Hot Pink

Smart Girls Rating: 4 Star (Collective Score)

Buy Here: Barnes and Noble: The Sun Witch / The Moon Witch/ The Star Witch

Find out more info about the author here: Author Website

(Disclaimer: These books were purchased by the reviewer. She has elected to offer honest reviews.)

*Note from Serenity: Okay, this sucker is late. Normally, I will post these on Friday. Sorry, folks!