Sunday, April 5, 2009

The Enchantment Emporium-Tanya Huff

The Enchantment Emporium
Tanya Huff
Daw, Jun 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9780756405557

The Gale brood can be called witches, but actually are something much more. Their magic spells come in the form of charms and are so powerful they can change future events events. The Aunties run the family, but the Cousins allow them their belief but not the control.

After Alysha Gale loses her research grant, she is at loose ends while wishing to escape from her Aunties who demand control of her life. When her Gran writes her informing her she is dead and that she bequeathed her junk store The Enchantment Emporium, Alysha travels to Calgary to look at the shop. The first person she meets in the store is Joe the Leprechaun. She soon is stalked by an assassin who is blood bonded to a sorcerer (evil witch). Alysha concludes the shop services the local fey community. SWhen Alysha learns just how much trouble is brewing in Calgary, even calling in the family to help may not be enough to save the day. Graham the assassin is assigned to keep Alysha out of his master’s business, but his feelings for her are that of man towards the woman he cherishes. She feels the same way about her him However he has a task to kill whatever crosses through the portal and Aly stops him from completing his mission. She must deal with the sorcerer while he must deal with what his love for Aly will do to him.

Tanya Huff has writeen a fantastic urban fantasy reminiscent of her Keeper’s Chronicles. The support cast is great; one of the best in recent memory, as they are quirky yet deadly and determined to save the world. There are plenty of surprising spins in THE ENCHANTMENT EMPORIUM that explain why witches and sorceresses fight to the death when they meet. The lead couple holds all this together as they struggle with a forbidden love at a time of pandemic crisis. Ms. Huff is at the top of her game with this thrilling winner.

Harriet Klausner

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