I’m the kind of gal who really hates writing reviews.

I mean really.

They feel too much like high school book reports for me, and I always did really badly on those. However, when I started self-publishing my own novels, I began to realize how important those reviews could be for an author. I started to tell myself that I would just support independent publishers by purchasing their works and sharing their information with friends when I could.

And I have been. Almost exclusively these last two years, I’ve been reading independent authors (well, except for George RR Martin. I went through those books as if they were free)

During this time, I have found some new favorite authors, and one of them has just recently released her second book in a planned three book series. I’d like to share with you my thoughts on that because it was a very satisfying read and made me applaud how clean independent fiction could be. (something many authors struggle with, because even when we purchase editing, it takes a while before we can find the right editor for our work.)

Witch’s Curse by Debra Martin and David Small is the second in the Witch Stone Prophecy trilogy and as a sweeping saga in the world of magic and assassins, it promised me some of my favorite things. Witches, of course, but also female assassins and characters that begin their journeys as flawed beings who ultimately find some sort of redemption.

The story takes the reader through twists and turns worthy of epic fantasy while managing to keep the reins of tension taut and the characters true. We get to see through the eyes of evil-doers and heroes alike, and that feature brought a freshness to the plot that I enjoyed. Even minor characters became favorites. The authors grabbed my attention with all the keywords that make me take notice of a piece of fiction, and the writing kept me reading. I look forward to the finale.

If you’re looking for book 1, you can find it here: Do yourself a favour, and grab both of these. You won’t be disappointed.