Sacrifice the Wicked (Dark Mission #4)
by Karina Cooper
Blurb:
Parker Adams has always done what’s expected of her . . . until a double agent with nothing to lose ignites a passion she doesn't dare give in to.
Mission Agent Simon Wells is everything Parker Adams has
been trained to fight: manipulator, murderer, spy… witch. But for her, what
makes Simon most dangerous is his mesmerizing sexual magnetism, powerful enough
to tempt even the famed ice queen of the Mission. Though she knows better, each
encounter with the deceptive agent leaves her craving more.
Simon isn't a man to let go of what’s his, and his pursuit
forces Parker, a woman he can’t get out from under his skin, to make a stand
that could destroy her. If they can work together, they might survive the
politics that have enslaved their devastated world—or fall victim to the
pitfalls of desperation, bone-deep mistrust, and a hunger that threatens to
consume them.
Review:
I began this series on a whim when I found the first book at a used bookstore, and have been keeping up. This was another intriguing installment in the series for sure. Set in post-apocalyptic Seattle, after a huge worldwide catastrophe has left most settlements cut off from each other and a large gap in the classes, the world is not a friendly place for witches. The church blames witches for the disasters that have befallen the world and the masses have turned against any and all forms of magic in fear of something like this happening again.
Parker is the new leader of the enforcement arm of the
church-the Mission, the group that is actively hunting and disposing of these
hated individuals. She suspects witches are beginning to eat away at the
foundation of her Mission, and is confronted with the proof in the form of
Agent Simon Wells. Both a Witch and a Mission agent, he is riding the rim
between his assignments and his peers, all while trying to protect himself and
save his own life from ending in a terrifying and extremely explosive fashion.
Together they are faced with their own mortality and
morality as they race to stop a modern day Dr. Mengele who is causing the
deaths of hundreds of "subjects", i.e. witches. Faced with the truth of
the organization and the love of a good man, who just happens to also be a
witch, Parker must decide if she is willing to give it all up to save her lover
and prevent the coming destruction or all she had ever believed in.
The heat between these two is palpable and has been from
their interaction at the end of the last story.
They are thrown together in some very unique circumstances and Parker
comes to realize early on that trusting him might well be a mistake, but it is
really her only choice. The action
throughout the story is well written, without taking anything away from the
overall romance of the story and adding detail to the plotline instead of just
being action for action’s sake. As
secrets are slowly uncovered Parker and Simon come to realize that, though they
are on opposite sides of certain issues, they need to work together to save
their own lives, and protects the innocents on both sides of the equation.
There are some interesting points from both a scientific and
a magical standpoint, but sometimes the overlap between the two viewpoints can
leave the reader a bit confused as to whether it’s magic or science really
causing the problems. I look forward to
finding out more about the genetics and the supernatural of Cooper’s version of
witchcraft and how deep her imagination on those subjects really goes.
With the return of several favorite characters and lots of
action and suspense this installment of the story was definitely worth the
read, though I did feel there were a lot of loose ends. Can't wait to read the
next in the series to see if some of those are all nicely tied up.
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