Warriors of the Rift

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world-or send it spiraling into chaos.

Half-demon, half-human, Nix de la Fuente is accepted by neither and mistrusted by both. Determined to prove she's more human than not, she devotes herself to solving crimes between the world's mortals and its most unsavory undead. But her latest case brings her face to face with the one vampire she could never resist . . .

Called in to investigate a string of violent murders, special agent Tobias Caine isn't interested in rekindling his relationship with Nix. Yet one look and the vampire knows his need for her is as strong as ever. Once, their all-consuming passion nearly cost Nix her fragile.

Review

Nix da la Fuente is an enforcement officer that is half human and half demon. She rides the fence, not sure which world she really fits in. When a former vampire friend of Nix ends up dead, she is pulled on a case lead by her former beau, Tobias Caine. She has to put all of her emotions aside if she wants to remain on the case but being in close proximity of Tobias is not an easy defeat. She can’t forget the hot passionate nights they had shared and the love that consumed her.

Tobias has to put the case he has been working on to come back into town and help solve the murder mystery of his friend. His emotions are all over the place as he realizes he must work with the woman he has always loved, Nix. To make matters worst, Tobias works for the Council of Peternaturals (a term the supernaturals in this book like to be called) and they have little trust for Nix since she is half demon. They fear she might turn to her demon side and go insane. Whenever Tobias is around, he brings out the demon in her, the reason he left her.  As Tobias and Nix fight the strong attraction that draws them together, more vampire bodies’ pile up and pretty soon they realize they world they know is being threatened by something/one more powerful they could have realized.

While this is a great start to the series, there are a few issues that made it less than perfect for me. I never really connected or cared for Tobias and Nix. I came to appreciate Tobias and I understand his reasons for leaving but honestly their romance falls short. There is no background story on how Tobias and Nix met and why they are madly in love. The author drops a few paragraphs stating they were in love a few years ago and they never resolve their issues. Once they make love again, their issues are gone and they are back in love. What? The author could have built up to that. Also, there is nothing spectacular about Nix and by the end she has a turn of events that changed her. The ploy felt force and I didn’t care for the direction she went in.

Garner puts a refreshing unique twist to this paranormal series. The creatures (vampires, werewolf, etc) might be the same but they come through the rift and inhabit human’s body. The sci-fi aspects that are blended with the paranormal components makes for a thrilling story.  Garner shows a great deal of promise and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Reviewed by Samantha

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