Aren't all myths rooted in basic truths? Carmen DeSousa takes this possibility and runs with it. The premise is original, fascinating, entertaining, and leaves me asking, "What if?"

I would swear these characters are real people. They are all unique, with their own little quirks and personality traits. Perhaps most importantly, like people, their behavior isn't always predictable. They change their minds, hide their true feelings, react badly to situations, and, sometimes, behave heroically in the face of danger.

The plot here has some surprising twists. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, the author takes us somewhere else. I loved that DeSousa was able to catch me completely off guard, while at the same time I could look back and see that the twists all made sense.

While each book could be read as a stand-alone, this series, I think, works best if read in order. The characters and the storyline carry over from one book to the next. Certain subtleties in relationships might not be understood as well if you haven't read the previous books.

If you like mystery, suspense, adventure, romance, all sprinkled with a supernatural element, this is absolutely the series for you. ( )