Crystalfire by Kate Douglas
Crystalfire by Kate Douglas
* I received this ARC/book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
The Demon King still lives, stronger than ever, devouring souls in search of immortality. Against him stands the scholar Taron, a newly-minted warrior of Lemuria, and Willow, a woman of unearthly loveliness, born of mist…Taron must pass through the waterfall of molten gold that shields the secret portal to his beloved land. His brilliant mind and the speaking sword called CrystalFire are his weapons against evil. But nothing can protect him from the power of love. Willow, whom he once knew as a sprite who could dance in his hand, has been changed by a master stroke of magic into the form of a beautiful, highly sensual woman, desiring a thousand pleasures that she insists he alone can give her. Innocent and eager, Willow arouses his deepest needs and sexual hunger – and his love. He will risk all to save her, even if it means a battle to the death with the ultimate foe…
Taron of Lemuria is frustrated with his crystal sword because it still hasn’t spoken to him. He feels like he must not be a true warrior but there is more to it than that. He doesn’t have any confidence in himself or his abilities; he is a scholar not a warrior. When his sword decides to speak, it’s to warn him that he is needed in Evergreen for the final battle. He never expected that he and Willow would be facing the Demon King on their own.
As the other members of their group are dealing with their own battles, Eddy ends up in the Abyss and her father is taken over by the Demon King. More and more demons are escaping through the portal and taken over everything from non-sentient beings to small animals. Nothing is going the way it should but this small band of warriors is determined not to let the Demon King take over Earth.
With the final battle upon him and a strange blast of magic, Taron finds himself face to face with a beautiful woman that looks vaguely familiar. He has been fascinated with Willow since he first held her in his hand, now he has the chance to hold her in his arms and love her like he has always desired. He is afraid to love her though, he fears that something will happen to her if he lets her into his heart. She is so different from the women of Lumeria, she wants to experience everything and not miss out on anything.
Willow has been inside Bumper ever since the demon ate her small sprite body. She has gotten used to seeing the world through the dogs eyes and relying on Bumper to help her spot the demons. She never dreamed that through a twist of fate she would get to experience the world as a full grown woman. She is so excited that she has the opportunity to act on her desire toward Taron, if she can only get him to take a chance on love.
This was the final installation of the demon hunter series and it did not disappoint. The story picks up right where the last one left off and the Demon King has continued to gain power. The gang is stranded in Sedona when he seals all the portals except the one to the Abyss, which leaves Taron on his own. The story is action packed with some unexpected twists and turns, leaving the reader wondering what was going to happen next.
All of the beloved characters made an appearance but as with each book, this one was focused on the main couple – Tarin and Willow. I couldn’t believe what the Demon King had in store for Ed and was happy with how everything turned out. The scene in the caves below Lemuria was very powerful and a unique bonding moment for the warriors involved.
The attraction between Taron and Willow has been growing since she was a sprite but now that she is a full grown, beautiful woman it is even stronger. They complement each other in all aspects and she helps Taron come to grips with some of the issues he has been dealing with. They are on their own and have to rely on Bumper’s help to defeat the Demon King. They never expected to face the final battle alone.
I think this was my favorite story in the series. It was action packed, with a romantic element and contained all of the characters I have grown to love. I give Crystalfire 4 Flaming Hearts. 
