Summary
Disowned from her family, shunned from her history and the next in line to quell a war she has no knowledge about, Marie takes on a series of foes as she explores the muddy waters of history, discovering that witches and demons have far more in common than she is comfortable with.
***
I slid down one of the many alleys, my hand brushing the old stones that were melded together to form the wall by pure will alone. The history – the magick – the memories pulsed through my veins. The throbbing in my jaw turned from a sparsal flicker to a roaring thud that did nothing to quiet my nerves as I fought the flood of emotions that arose each time I came to this town – each time I came home.
Worse still, I couldn’t even slip away discreetly, because I felt the shadow of his presence trail behind me. Did he think I was oblivious? That I didn’t know he was following me? It wouldn’t be the first time I was trailed by a demon.
“I can think of far more enjoyable ways to put that flush on your face.”
My feet stalled of their own accord as I came face-to-face with Cort. Sighing, I resigned myself to the fact that this conversation would probably go the same way every other conversation I had had with him over the past few days.
“What do you want?”
Review
I would not cower before them-would not allow their archaic traditions to control me.
Marie and Cort were first seen in the first duet of the Tarot Club series. I believe the series consists of duets of each member of the club. Each member embodies a tarot card from the major arcana. The High Priestess, the third book in the series, is the first book of the duet about Marie and Cortland.
While reading The Empress, we get a glimpse of the club’s other members, making me want to know more about them. They’re not your typical club, but moreso a business. Yet, that doesn’t mean that the relationships and bonds were any less real. Each of them are different but brought together by a common goal.
Marie, unlike Corinne, was born into magick. A Gypsy from France. Sick from all the archaic rules, she ran away to America, looking for freedom. Marie returns home to France after her grandmother’s death for the funeral. A place she hasn’t been back to since she ran away. All Marie wants to do is grieve, but she isn’t able to because she’s not allowed to partake in an important part of the funeral from her culture. She was shunned because she was different and ran away. To them, she’s an outsider. You can never escape your past, no matter how hard you try.
I can’t decide who I like more, Corinne and Dimitri or Marie and Cort. Corinne grew immensely from The Empress to The Emperor. But The Empress also holds a special place in my heart. I relate to Marie and also want to be more like her. I loved that Marie was vulnerable. Marie’s backstory was interesting. Every snippet about Cort made me want to know more about him—the history of demons and Cort in general.
MARIE AND CORT. Them individually, together, everything. The pain, the strength. Their growth and development. Marie’s vulnerability.
THE CLIFFHANGER. I knew going in there would be a cliffhanger. It’s one of Erin’s specialties. I typically don’t like cliffhangers because I’m so impatient, yet I keep coming back for more. Erin is one of the few I’m willing to read, even with cliffhangers. I always want to read what happens next immediately. I always want more, and I try to patiently wait until the next one and read it as soon as possible.
Erin Mc Luckie quickly became an author that I would gladly read anything she writes as soon as it’s released. I enjoyed everything I’ve read so far from her. It doesn’t matter if I don’t like a main character or a main couple; I always seem to be able to resonate with the book. No matter the genre, it is realistic and relatable. Erin is not an author you should instantly give up on if you don’t like what you read. There is something for everyone because she doesn’t stick to one thing but instead writes across different genres. Even if it’s fiction, her writing has some unlying truth because she researches everything in depth. I’m glad I stumbled upon her last year. I wouldn’t mind rereading any of her works because I know from experience that every time I read it, there’s always something different I take away from it. It’s not always the same experience.
I cannot wait to read the final book of Marie and Cort’s duet and the rest of the Tarot Club series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
