A Gathering of Crones

Just when I thought that book 2 showed more promise than book 1, and had my mouth watering for book 3... Book 3, "Game of Crones" is not available in your country. ...Not, "...at this time", but "not AVAILABLE in your COUNTRY". This right here is damaging to ratings. And I'm sure the author suffers for something she cannot control. But my hopes were lifted then dashed hard on disappointment. This book loses 3 stars because the sequel to it is not available in my country.

I very much enjoyed the first book in the series and eagerly awaited the sequel – and it did not disappoint. In the six weeks since the end of the first book, Claire has been trying unsuccessfully to learn to control her magic. Keven and Lucan discover there is a new Earth Crone, and now their allegiance is to her, not to Claire. Morok is attacking the Crones. I truly enjoy these books, watching Claire grow in spite of her insecurities and her struggles. I love the solidarity of the women. At one point, Claire talks of “All the ‘women of a certain age’ who did their part to hold together the very fabric of the same society that wanted nothing more to do with them, that wanted them to go away and be quiet and behave.” Claire, however, in spite of her losses, her fears and her insecurities, doesn’t go away, be quiet, behave or give up. She keeps on learning, keeps on pushing, and keeps on fighting. I can’t wait to see where she goes and what she does in book three.

Claire...by times I love you and totally relate as I turn 60 this year. There were moments of suck it up princess, stop your whining! What a page turner! And I realize now how the flow of the story was important to bring us to the intense, what the heck ending! Ms Hawke, I certainly hope the wait will not be too long for the next book! (I know, I KNOW, this one isn't even officially released yet!)