TeamNerd Reviews: Book Review: Of Covens and Packs (Watchtower Series, #3) by Darke Conteur

Of Covens and Packs (Watchtower Series, #3)

Author: Darke Conteur

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Synopsis: Terin Global is on the brink of exposure. Something Detective Raleigh Darch could do with a simple warrant.

Yet there are other problems. The increase of paranormal activity worries Jezryall and dregs up personal demons for some of her staff. A planned visit to the Spire-a forgotten relic from the ancient world leaves them with more questions than answers, along with a cryptic message from the spirit of a werewolf.

One thing is certain; something is stirring within the bowels of Hell. Jezryall and her team must discover the reason behind the increase in demon activity before things become too big for even them to handle.

Brought to you by TeamNerd Reviewer Annabell Cadiz

Review: I have had the pleasure of reading the first two installments in the Watchtower Series, The Watchtower and Under the Cover of Wicca, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was more than happy to return to the characters I have bonded with and I couldn’t wait to explore more of the dark world that has been building from the beginning of the series. Of Covens and Packs delivers in even greater depth what goes bump in the night and offers unique takes on age old myths.

The crew of Terin Global has returned—Jezryall the half demon, half human boss; Martin, the new PR liaison, Aslin or the Scot, the powerful Druid, Barbara, who can see past timelines through touch, and Daniel, Ghost Whisperer-embarking on a journey to find out answers they desperately need in order to combat the evil that is on the horizon.

One of the great elements in Of Covens and Packs was being able to discover more about Aslin’s character. Readers will get a chance to visit his home land and meet his family. It was nice being able to get a bit more a backstory on my favorite character of the series. I also enjoyed the author’s unique approach at the legend of vampires. Inside of surviving on simply draining humans of their blood, vampires or vampyres, feed on memories and knowledge. They have an insatiable appetite for the two. I liked how the vampyres tale mixed in with the tale of the Greek Gods as well as the werewolves. The concept is very clever and refreshing.

Of Covens and Packs also focused more on Barbara’s character and revealed more of her backstory and what brought her to wind up working for Jezryall. I did like being able to see more of Barbara’s character but the problem was that she came off too over dramatic in his book. I was used to her being strong and ready to stand her ground but she came off too needy and angsty. She did have a few moments though where she did stand firm and showed her inner strength. But the sacrifice she ends up making was really not much of a sacrifice and the fact that it was treated as such a big deal thing had me rolling my eyes. I just couldn’t buy that there was no way for Jezryall and crew to help get Detective Darch off their butts. The entire situation just seemed absurd.

Martin seems to be losing more and more of his character as the series continues. By now Martin should have adjusted to life with Jezryall and crew but he keeps acting too distant from everything. He still complains about being apart of Jezryall’s crew and living at his place instead of Terin Global. I just want Martin to stop whinnying. He took the job. He realized what the job entailed. Now shut up and get to work. I was also frustrated with how much talk there was about Martin’s special gift. It’s been hinted at in the other novellas and finally revealed in Of Covens and Packs but nothing really happens with the information. I expected something more to come with the big revelation.

Detective Darch comes back into the story and I like him. He’s brash, stubborn as a bull, and a total pain in the butt but that’s what makes him a good cop. My favorite scene with him was when he helped rescued Martin. It was the only real action scene in the book and showed how Detective Darch reacts on years of instinct and reflex and asks questions later. I like that about his character.

Of Covens and Packs has pretty slow pacing. There’s barely an existent plot and most of the story consist of a lot of background story, explanations, and history. I enjoyed delving deeper into the world in which Jezryall moves in but I expected more spark to the plot. It got a bit boring with the characters basically just discussing endlessly (and at times repeating) various pieces of information. The lackluster tension that came with the revelations and questioning aided the pacing a little but didn’t help much. The only action scene that happens is at Martin’s apartment with a demon and it ends as soon as it begins.

I liked this installment in the series and really enjoyed learning about the Greek Gods, vampires and werewolves. Kane (a werewolf) was a new favorite character! He’s blunt, crass, and scary strong. I hope the author brings him back in the next novella in the series. I liked seeing Aslin’s family and friends and him finally making peace with his past.

Overall, Of Covens and Packs, was a pretty good read. I would have preferred more of a punch to the plot and for both Barbara and Martin to get their acts together but I still had fun venturing back into the world of Jezryall and crew.

Fantasy and paranormal lovers will enjoy this series!

About the Author: Darke Conteur is a Stay at Home Mom with a passion for writing and a Wiccan. She creates works of fiction ranging from the paranormal genre to the science fiction genre. When she isn’t working on her latest inspired piece by her Muse, she can be found taking care of her Husband and her son (Sithboy). She also has two cats, one kitten and a ghost dog who like to demand her attention as much as possible. She first jumped into the world of e-publishing back in 2011 with The Watchtower, the first novella in her Watchtower Series.