ARC Review: Taken (Rune Witch Mysteries #1) by Victoria DeLuis

There's always a price to pay with magic. The question is, who pays?

I’m Summer Daniels. Friend. Foe. Witch.
It was never going to be a simple day: visiting my childhood home and finding the murderer of a house fairy. Whose master happens to be a heartless goblin... Yet, as it turns out, the goblin is the least of my problems.
A lover endangered. A friend betrayed. A memory taken.
The cards are stacked against me but hell hath no fury like an angry Witch.
I’m Summer Daniels and my life is about to change.

Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed will love this modern take on witchcraft and Welsh mythology.

I received this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book or influence the content of my review.

Read: 2^nd – 3^rd December 2017

Rune Witch Mysteries  – an urban fantasy/ paranormal mystery that blends our modern ideas about witchcraft and magic with Welsh mythology. Our protagonists are rune witch, Summer Daniels, and her long time boyfriend, Thomas Heart. Thomas is human and a master in the martial art of Krav Magna. We’re also introduced to a host of supernatural beings while our sleuths investigate each mystery including: house fairies, goblins and witches.

What did I like about Taken?

Victoria DeLuis is not a new-to-me author. I’ve read A Matter of Death (Independent Necromancers’ Bureau #1) and really enjoyed it.

Don’t be put off that Taken is only a novella.

The writing style, plot development and characters all impressed me – I didn’t feel short-changed. I found this book very easy to read. The pace was good, the plot was intelligent, the setting was a wonderful mix of fantasy and reality. The story engaged me almost from the first page – the way Victoria crafted it, sparked my interest.

I liked the way that we were introduced to our two main characters. The way we got to know their personalities and what they did for a living in the very first chapter. When the female protagonist is intelligent, resilient and has a good sense of humour, I enjoy the story more. Thankfully Summer Daniels was all of these and more. I appreciated the fact that Summer and Thomas were already in a long term relationship. Their love, companionship and loyalty to each other felt very real for me. I loved how their back-stories were seamlessly included in the tale.

Confession time.

There were a couple of scenes that brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. However fear not, avid readers, this is no romantic weepy. Like most Brits, I do love a bit of banter and this story has some laughs too.

I enjoyed the twists and turns that Victoria took us on. I wasn’t ever sure how things were going to pan out. However, I couldn’t stop turning the pages to find out.

Was there anything I didn’t like?

Nope. I enjoyed every page. My only gripe was that it wasn’t longer, I was enjoying the characters and the world and I was greedy for more! Lol!

As a first in series, I was bracing myself for the inevitable cliffhanger. However I’m happy to confirm that the case Summer and Thomas are working on is concluded before the end. Woop!Woop! (‘cause you all know how I feel a about cliffhangers, grrr). I think I’m going to enjoy this new series.

Basically, what I’m saying is…

I really loved this novella. It had everything that I look for in a story. Plus Victoria manages to pack it in within so few pages! There’s mystery, action, humour and even a sprinkling of romance.

There are no explicit or graphic violent or sexual scenes. Therefore I feel comfortable recommending this book to any reader.

I’d recommend Taken to readers who love a mystery to solve and enjoy fantasy, adventures themes. There is a bit of romance thrown, however it’s part of an existing stable relationship.

Has my review of TAKEN (RUNE WITCH MYSTERIES #1) encouraged you to find out more? Click on any of the links below to check out the book yourself.

Keep reading to find out more about the series and its author.

Rune Witch Mysteries by Victoria DeLuis

I’m Summer Daniels. Friend to few. Foe to many. And one angry witch.

There’s no rest for the wicked, or, at least, that’s what they say. From a murdered house fairy, to heartless goblins, and untrustworthy fairy folk, I sure have my work cut out for me.

As soon as one case is solved another lands on my doorstep. But the biggest mystery of all is that of my family curse.

I’ll fight to the end to discover the truth, but what do I do when the man I love wants to fight for me? What do I do when he’s threatened?

The cards are stacked against me, but I’m Summer Daniels, Rune Witch of the Ogham Faith, and Hell hath no fury like an angry Witch.

Books in the Series

Click to find out more about each book and read my review.

• Taken (Rune Witch Mysteries #1) (2017)
• Hidden (Rune Witch Mysteries #2) (2017)
• Forgotten (Rune Witch Mysteries #3) (2018)
• Unbroken (Rune Witch Mysteries #4) (2019)

Buy the whole series in print or ebook:

Amazon UK ¦ Amazon US

Or buy the whole series of ebooks in a handy box set:

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK

Read the Rune Witch Mysteries stories for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription!

About Victoria DeLuis

Victoria DeLuis is a short story author and novelist, who loves reading – everything – and writing urban fantasy, mystery stories, paranormal romantic suspense, and even the occasional sci-fi.

She was born and raised in South Wales, which offers her a rich heritage and mythology to use in her stories.

After the birth of her daughter, Victoria decided to abandon the corporate life, return to education, and pursue her lifelong passion for writing. So, she studied creative writing and gained a first-class honours degree. After which, she put on a brave face and headed out into the big scary world of publishing.

Victoria is now busy, busy, busy: Being a mum, writing (and doing all the additional tasks that come with publishing), and running her small book promotion site – magicbookdeals.com. Victoria has now also completed a Master’s Degree in Novel Writing.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and reading this review. I hope you’ll add Taken to your TBR piles. 😉

Have you read any of Victoria’s books? Drop me a comment below.

Bye for now,

Flora x