Review Witch Creek by Laura Bickle

Witch Creek by Laura Bickle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A page turning adventure I could not put down. I started the book right before midnight on Saturday and finished it around 11:30 pm Sunday night. I just couldn't stop reading.

This is book four of Petra and Gabe's story- and the most emotional and in depth one yet.

This book pulled no punches when it came to making you feel the story. Witch Creek proves that Bickle's strengths are definitely character development and world building as she takes us deep into the wild and weird world of Temperance from the current mess involving Owen the latest Rutherford heir, all the way back to the town's dark beginnings with Lascaris.

We finally get Gabe's backstory in bits and pieces as Petra searches for him while he's being held prisoner by Owen Rutherford. Petra fears the worst, that she may never see her love again and that heartbreak will yank at your emotions as you ache for the two of them to be reunited.

We are introduced to new characters and we see a couple characters fleshed out that were previously just in the shadows. We learn a lot about Lev, the bartender, who becomes an integral player in Petra's story. We learn about his past and we suffer his heartbreak. I wonder how he'll play into future books. I wouldn't mind seeing him become Petra's ally.

And Sig, Petra's coyote sidekick, we learn a little more about him in each book. I love how Bickle usually incorporates an animal sidekick into her books- and slowly reveals that the animal is much more than what they appear to be.

The most gripping part of Witch Creek is that it takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotions as characters deal with death and rebirth from different perspectives.

Petra faces death from cancer. Gabe faces death at Owen and The Mermaid, Muirenn's hands.

Other characters deal with the death or impending death of loved ones. Even the Tree of Life, The Lunaria, is dealing with its own version of death and rebirth.

Parts of this book are truly heart wrenching. It was so well written, so deep...I was in tears several times.

The Wildlands Series is the perfect blend of alchemy, folklore, and magic with Petra and Gabe's love story at the heart of it. Urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, with touches of horror and romance. This multi genre mash up is a must read.

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