Weekend Reads #33 – Black Venom by Tamara A. Lowery

I received this book via the author, Tamara A. Lowery. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Black Venom by Tamara A. Lowery
Series: Waves of Darkness
Published by Gypsy Shadow Publishing Company on 2014-11-01
Length: 238 pages
Reviewing eARC Rating:

Mere Venoma Noir, the fourth Sister of Power, proves to be the most challenging yet for Viktor Brandewyne. She sets him to retrieve an amulet stolen by a notorious slave trader with a reputation for ruthlessness to rival Viktor’s and a talent for black magic. She also possesses the power to turn the siren, Belladonna, against him, and the Sister will use every tool and opportunity she can to kill the pirate-turned-vampire before he can complete his quest.

I don’t know what it is about summer, but I’m drawn to all things related to the ocean….even when I’m reading. So it’s no surprise that I picked up Tamara A. Lowery‘s latest book in the Waves of Darkness series. If you enjoy a good historical fiction with a heavy dose of fantasy mixed in, then I highly suggest you check out this saga that involves not only pirates, but sirens, witches, and vampires as well.

Note: If you have not read the previous books in this series, there are minor unavoidable spoilers contained within this review. Read at your own risk.

Black Venom by Tamara A. Lowery is the fourth book in the Waves of Darkness series and picks up where Silent Fathoms left off. Captain Bloody Vik Brandee with his crew must deliver his son to one of the sisters of power to raise and then find the next sister on his quest to end the curse. Along the way he encounters the New Orleans vampires, a powerful warlock, and a betrayal that shocks him. Will Brandee make it through the task set before him?

It’s no secret that I like Vik 😉 He’s tough, vicious and cutthroat. However in this addition to the Waves of Darkness series, Vik shows his vulnerable side and his need for Belle and Grimm a little more. It endears the pirate captain to me just a bit more.

The fourth sister Mere Venoma is the worst they’ve yet to face. She can control all things poisonous, this includes Belle, and she doesn’t waste any opportunity to trick, ensnare, or kill Vik. She’s ruthless, cunning, and a bit scary with her spider-like qualities. In fact, she’s perhaps my favorite sister yet that Vik has faced just her villain quality.

 

Despite how well I like these characters (even the secondary, lesser known ones), the plot was all over the place and the whole book felt rushed, incomplete because of it. The book starts with Vik and his crew rushing back to New Orleans and then there’s a side plot with the vampires there and Vik’s son. Then off to find the fourth sister and the quest she sends them on. In addition to the main events that surround Vik and his crew, there’s the side stories with the female vampire that is hunting Vik and the Brumbles’ sister who is seeking the captain to barter for her brothers’ lives. Like I said it felt rushed and there were places that I thought I had skipped pages because of plot holes.

Overall the book is just okay and I personally didn’t think it was as good as the first three. However, the overreaching plot of the series still has me intrigued enough to keep reading. Plus the characters have me hooked 😉 If you enjoy historical fiction set during the time that pirates roamed the Caribbean, then this is the series for you.

Final Conclusion: 

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