I adored Veiled Magic, the first in this series and was quite excited to get my hands on Veiled Menace. While book two didn’t quite live up to the expectations set by the first in the series, it ultimately delivered a solid urban fantasy with great momentum.

Donata Santori is a witch on police payroll. Dead men tell no tales, except to Donata who has the ability to talk to the departed. Through these spiritual visits, Donata is able to gather evidence for the good guys. She likes her work and is slowly gaining the respect and notice of her colleagues. And while witches are ‘out of the broom closet’ other paranormal races prefer to be hidden. As such, Donata must do double duty protecting the public, but also the best interests of the paranormal community. Recently, Donata finds, her dual role is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Crimes are being uncharacteristically committed by paranormals, raising suspicion of law enforcement. Donata must race against the clock to uncover the uprising all the while navigating her particularly complicated personal life.

I like a strong female mains and Dontata is no exception. She’s a talented, self-assured, witch who enjoys the occasional stiff drink. As a bit of a family black sheep, Donata is use to standing alone and is quite comfortable in her role as an independent woman. Ricky the Kobold and Cassandra Havens, the buxom coroner, are back for book two and serve as a nice compliment to Donata’s character.

In the end, while I enjoyed this read, I wasn’t quite as hooked on this second installment. The plot was fairly predictable and I wasn’t really shocked by the story’s revelations. But I like the cast of characters and the direction of Donata’s story, particularly her romantic entanglements. Nothing is too neatly woven together at the end of book two and I’m definitely anticipating the third in the series.

Be careful what you wish for. Donata used to find her job with the police as a Witness Retrieval Specialist boring, but after saving her Chief’s granddaughter he now throws her the more “unusual” cases that seem to have Paranormal involvement. And the amount of cases seems to be increasing dramatically, putting all the five Paranormal races in danger of another inquisition. Donata needs to find who is stirring up unrest in the Paranormal community and whether this may be connected to the mysterious forgotten sixth Paranormal race.

The first book in the series was one of my favourites of the year…in 2015. I was beginning to doubt that I would ever read a second. But here it is and yet again it becomes one of my favourite books of the year. It has some action, some romance, some magic, a kobold house mate and a sassy best friend, all the kind of things that have me gripped to the page. And gripped I was.

As an urban fantasy, one of my favourites, this doesn’t actually add anything new to the genre. It has all the things you would expect, a kick ass, yet underestimated heroine, lots of magic and mystery and a few potential love interests. But, although none of these things alone are particularly unique, I really enjoyed the way they were thrown together. Even though the events in the book were predictable I enjoyed the journey. I especially didn’t mind because all the characters that Blake has created are likeable and I wanted to see what would happen with them next.

This isn’t a dark and gritty urban fantasy, but fairly light easy reading. I am a fan of both types and everything in between, but if you are in the mood for a book that offers you some action and some romance without dragging you in to something dark and twisted, this is something you should pick up and give a try. Now, I am waiting for the next book, hopefully I won’t have to wait another 2 years.

While I haven't read book one in this series and this is my first book by this author I found this one was engaging and the paranormal elements were really intriguing. Book 1's events were recapped so I wasn't confused. Every new bit of information about the paranormal kept me wanting to learn more.

And then i stumble on this: a character being described as having "Exotic slanted eyes..." and the longest of siiiighs. NOPE NO. plz authors for the love of everything do not describe people or any of their body parts as exotic. it's very othering. And is something done to POC. It's not a compliment. and this felt so unnecessary to me. There are ways to describe eyes without being offensive, please employ them. i beg of you.

Now another thing: Donata, the MC, frustrated me so damn much!

Especially when it came to dealing with Anton.

Donata believes she owes hearing her boyfriend out cuz they’d been dating some months even though he drugged her wine with a potent herb!! WTF woman! Why would she feel like she owes him anything. He has been repeatedly drugging her wine to lower her defenses so he can manipulate her dreams. Then he tells her his kind needs her to save them by having their children. How is she still allowing this guy to be in her apt to hear him out? You are a cop what are you thinking!!! SMH

And she kept trying to explain away his despicable behaviour. Which was maddening to me. Anton could have just explained it all to her. Not slip stuff into her drink.
So of course when she finallyyyy learns Anton’s been lying—what a shocker—I just had to shake my head.

Also why TF would she even entertain the idea of birthing a child for the Major Anemoi. because you ffeel guilty about them dying out and you're apparently their only hope??? You just got together with Peter, even if he was being an annoying idiot at the moment, how can she really think she’d just tell him oh BTW I’m thinking of having a kid with this here Anemoi.

Listen Peter acted a fool. when Donata figured out the symbols on Anton’s neck by seeing Peter’s bare neck which triggered Donata to recall the symbols and Peter basically flips out thinking Donata had sex with Anton. Which Peter my dude you vanished from her life, ya’ll weren’t even together. He’s insinuating all sorts of things when he doesn’t even have the right to be acting up like this. I'll admit Peter was a douce in this situation. BUT even I’d side with Peter on this, her even considering this being downright nonsense.

Have I mentioned that Donata frustrated me right through?

One of the main reasons i like D's bestie, Doc, a lot though? because she tried to talk some sense into Donata! lol

I think what really kept me hooked was the paranormal elements, and well the plot too with the unexpected twists, more so than the characters themselves since as I said Donata just annoyed me right through, but I kept wanting to read on. Even as pissed off as she made me. and that ending??? Made me want to know what happens next. Darn it!

This book had some good pacing I have to say. I was never bored, not once (just supremely side eyeing Donata the entire time and that use of "exotic" grrr).

VEILED MENACE was an enjoyable followup to the first book in the series. I admit I had a little bit of a struggle at first to remember what happened in the previous book, but the author did a good job at easing readers back into this world. I really enjoy how rich the entire world is and how the author masterfully crafts her reveals with all the twists and turns in-between. The characters, Donata in particular, are utterly fabulous as well.

I have to admit that the romance in this series is one place where things just aren't quite up to par. At least not in comparison to Deborah's Baba Yaga series. There's just something about the romance arcs in this one that aren't working for me. First off there's two potential love interests, which in itself isn't the problem as I don't mind a love triangle when it's handled well. It's that there's too much back and forth of will they or won't they. Too many misconceptions and misunderstandings. And then when the tide seemed to fully turn to one of the men, immediately after a ridiculous fight happens and things are back to will they won't they status. I guess it was just too much of a tennis match for this romance lover's heart.

All in all this was an enjoyable installment in a series that I hope to see plenty more books from. I feel like we've only scratched the surface, and I want to see more.

VEILED MENACE by Deborah Blake is the second book in the Veiled Magic series. Almost six months have passed since the events of book one, and there is an increase in paranormal crime against humans. Donata hasn't been sleeping well, and her new love interest might be to blame. While this wasn't as fast paced as VEILED MAGIC, Blake offers plenty of reveals as Donata's role for the police department expands.

Donata is busy assisting the Cheif on cases, and missing both Peter and Magnus, both of whom haven't even bothered to drop her a postcard. She has begun dating wealthy businessman Anton Eastman, and while being wined and dined is fun, she isn't feeling a connection and misses Peter. Meanwhile, there has been an increase in paranormal crimes against humans. This shocks her because most aren't willing to break the agreement with the Church. To do so would mean death by the Council. To complicate matters, she isn't sleeping well, and Ricky is about to tell her why. Oh and that painting that burned...it's still around. Yep. Things are about to get crazy for Donata.

I was excited to return to this world, and Blake rewarded us with progression in the overall arc and answers to questions. The world is well developed, and the introduction of Anton proved an interesting one. When the painting and dragons resurface Blake gives us a compelling case, but it didn't have the edge I loved from the first book. Middle book syndrome? Mayhaps.

Donata spends time with her great aunt practicing spells. This was perhaps my favorite part of VEILED MENACE. We learn about their family history, the Pentacle Pentimento and Donata herself. She wants to strength her skills as her job on the police department increases. The magic is familiar, but Blake adds her own uniqueness to it. We also spend time with the family and surprise, surprise they are impressed by the black sheep of the family.

The romantic threads are perhaps my least favorite. While it's not truly a love triangle or square, it's messy, and I prefer no romance or one suitor. While Magnus isn't present, we have Anton and Peter. While one is dismissed rather quickly, the resulting tumble in the sheets lacked chemistry or emotional connection leaving me unsatisfied.

While I had some minor issues with VEILED MENACE, I enjoyed the book as a whole. I look forward to returning to this world and its magic.

I didn't feel like VEILED MENACE was as strong as VEILED MAGIC, but there was still some good and I had no trouble reading until the end.

I was happy with the answers that were revealed in VEILED MENACE, but the storyline wasn't as action packed and exciting as book one. One of my favorite parts of VEILED MENACE had to do with what happened between Donata and her family. There was some breakthrough with how they treat her in regards to her job and I think it brought them a bit closer. One of her brother in laws even came to her for help with a problem. Now having written that, I wish I would have been more excited about the conflict of the book instead of that. VEILED MENACE would have been better with some more suspense and tension thrown in.

Let's talk about the romance. This series is urban fantasy, so romance isn't a must, but there was a lot of stuff going on in book one that I expected more out of the romance for VEILED MENACE. I was very disappointed in both Peter and Magnus in VEILED MENACE. One wasn't even present and the other was just a jerk at every turn it seemed. Then there was Anton. Not everything is what it seems with him and he rubbed me—and others—wrong from the get-go. The romance—or lack of— in VEILED MENACE was all around disappointing.

The world of the Veiled Magic series still interests me and I am keeping my fingers crossed that things will pick up in book three.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A new status for the once largely ignored witch-cop, grisly murders, a cry for help, a former lover, a new love interest, and that cursed painting all turn up in a new adventure for Donata Santori in the Veiled Magic Series.
Review

Veiled Menace is the second book following the events of Veiled Magic so needs to be read in order for certain ongoing series plot points and characters to make sense.

About six months after the events of Veiled Magic, Donata is trying to find her new normal. She hasn’t heard from either Magnus or Peter so had moved on with Anton Eastman. Oh boy, this gal sure can pick them was my first thought. And that crazy cursed painting shows up again and trouble follows. I was all set to see if the clues dropped in the last book about bigger problems coming at everybody would put us at apocalyptic excitement.

As things progressed, I realized that this second book was just not nearly as engaging as book one. Oh, yes, it continued with those threads that left me eager for more, but they were subdued and upstaged by Donata’s personal issues, her daily activities, and her need to scratch her itch. The first book was edgy and suspenseful throughout while this one’s forward progress offered little in the way of tension even when new things like murder and mounting trouble brought by that hidden race were introduced. Donata’s life was more drama-ed up than exciting for me.

I’m going to admit that the multiple love interests angle was not my cuppa. I knew it would be there going in because both Peter and Magnus were vying for her attention in book one. However, now we have Magnus off page, and now Anton in the picture with Peter. Peter and Donata take turns losing their tempers and storming off between long bouts of sex. No emotional connections made and yeah, I could care less about her love life at this point.

The most exciting and intriguing parts were Donata’s spell practice sessions with her great aunt and that Santori family dinner that was full of tension and crackle. The three Santori sisters get together and the witch claws come out. Donata is still coming into her own and figuring out she’s not exactly the ugly duckling anymore, but she struggles to believe she’s a swan at the same time.

The inclusion of the lost sixth race was pretty cool though I wish there was more done with that.

There was a quick big action scene at the end that was pretty great and oh my, the last sentence dangling a lot of promise with a surprise on Donata’s doorstep.

I was glad to get some answers and some forward progress, but was also a bit disappointed with the lack of edge and tension that was peppered throughout book one. I am going to keep going to see if things go better for me with book three. I do really hope Donata figures out her love life and also grows a bit of maturity with her temper so she’ll pause, listen, and think when someone’s trying to tell her something. It’s hard to respect her as a cop and mature witch when she leads with her temper and emotions instead of her brains, but I can see she is growing and recognizing this, too.

This series offers a strong paranormal world and I love the carefully crafted witch culture in particular. I enjoy that Donata is a witch-cop and works the murder cases for a human boss. While this one wasn’t a favorite, I love the author’s work and can easily recommend this Urban Fantasy series particularly if you love witches and spell-casting with a paranormal adventure.

I have read several of Deborah Blake's books and have loved each one. The world she created has nicely integrated with our world and I can see her characters walking around and blending in as I see people on the streets. One thing with her female characters, I can see that they are kick ass forces that can have a major effect on the world, but they never have enough confidence in themselves. Donata fits just along these lines. Her area of expertise is a pretty awesome area of study, but she doesn't have that self propelling confidence that will boost her into unstoppableness; but I am confident that she will have it by the end of the book.

There is vital information that is given, but tends to do so in large sections of the story line that personally cause me to fade off a little until I get back into the action. And I haven't personally done it, but working for 15 years as a Spiritual Witness Retrieval Specialist would be too taxing on my emotions. I would go home and curl up with a bottle of bourbon and cry myself to sleep having to hear the horribleness that a person has inflicted on another.

I can say that I was happy with the way the book ended and left more to come and I loved the sneak peek into her other series(Which I love) Broken Rider: Dangerously Divine

“Veiled Menace” is a follow-up to Deborah Blake’s “Veiled Magic” where Donata discovered a rare Pentacle Pentimento painting that can reveal the identity of the lost sixth paranormal races. In this book, Donata finds out more about the sixth race and what her Santori bloodline’s role is in the disappearance.

While I liked the progress about the lost race – and learning how they disappeared, why they disappeared, and what the future might hold among the paranormal entities and humans overall – I was frustrated over Donata’s drama with the men in her life, either present or off screen, which took too much page time and distracted from the story (and Donata herself) and what I would like to think of as the main arc.

I like romance in urban fantasy, but to me, this felt more like the heroine paid more attention to the men – and I didn’t think any of them were worthy enough – rather than the problem looming over the sixth race as well as honing her magic talent. It was like Donata was being ruled by her heart rather than her head, which was too bad because I thought she could be very good in her job.

All of Donata’s pouting and whining on why Peter and Magnus were missing (and not contacting her) and later with Donata dismissing her friend’s concern over the new boyfriend, Anton, made me want to put her aside and knocked some sense into her head. It wasn’t what I wanted to read from the sequel; so while it was good, I wasn’t completely satisfied.

Veiled Menace is set about six months after Veiled Magic, the first book in the series. "Witch-cop" Donata Santori has finally gotten out of the basement, helping the chief of police with potential paranormal cases in addition to her job as ghost yanker. She's starting to see an increase in paranormal crimes that risk bringing the supernatural world to the attention of humans, who are aware only of the existence of witches.

I'm a big fan of paranormal police procedurals, so I'm a little bit disappointed that Donata doesn't spend the book working an official case. Most of what she does is exploring the unanswered questions from the previous book. I'm relieved that Donata finally solves the mystery of the sixth supernatural race though. I had some of it already figured out and was starting to get frustrated with her. What surprised me was how her family history came into play.

The love triangle that started in Veiled Magic gets even more complicated. The romance plot reminds me of more than one Keri Arthur series, though Blake is not as generous or as graphic with her sex scenes. I still enjoy the supporting characters in the series, especially Ricky the Kobold, but I wish that more new ones were introduced. There are still some supernatural groups that we haven't learned much about.

I feel like this series wants to be a trilogy. Donata may have solved the mystery, but there are still complications to be dealt with. Not to mention something of a cliffhanger in her love life. I hope that another book is in the works - I'll definitely want to check it out.

3.5 stars

I'm sorry I didn't realize that it was book 2. The synopsis sounded so good and the cover are a bit similar but it is not book 1. I really wanted to read it but a friend told me that it would confused me so I'll buy it later after reading book 1. thank you again for letting me have it.

Veiled Menace by Deborah Blake is the second book in her Veiled Magic series. Veiled Menace picks up a few months after Veiled Menace ended. Donata Santori , our heroine, is a witch & police officer, who has been elevated from working in the basement talking to the dead, to her own desk upstairs and helping the Captain on cases involving the paranormal. In this world, Supernaturals are known to the Humans, but they must also fight the prejudice of the Cabal against them.

Donata has also been working with her aunt to learn and enhance her magical abilities. During her off time, Donata has been dating Anton Eastman, as her former boyfriends from the 1st book, Peter and Magnus have not contacted her in 6 months. Donata has been having strange dreams, which have become more sexual, and she soon discovers that Anton has been drugging her wine.

When Peter resurfaces after the death of his father, Donata will help him try to find out who killed him, as well as trying to find out clues in the painting that Peter still has, which played a major part of the previous story. The weird weather, causing deaths; Anton’s desperate attempt to win Donata to be his wife; and the discovery of a new 6th species will force Donata to find the truth about the new species and stop them before all their lives will be in danger.

This was a nice, at times exciting story line, with a very good tough heroine. I did like Donata, and many of the other secondary characters, such as Doc, Chief, her cat and Ricky, the 3 foot kobold. I liked Peter, but he annoyed me a bit with his quick anger. I look forward to the next book of this series, as it has a lot of promises for Donata to become more powerful, and the return of Magnus.

This was fun, legit I hadn't read the first book but now reading the second I one clicked the first to see how it all began. I am not going to write a long review as it will most likely give a lot away. but know this, the writing is fun, the story is unique in its own way and the characters are loveable enough to keep you invested in seeing where they are going. I really like the way Deborah writes, I loved the world she has created with this series and the series before this.