Emma was the Queen's assassin for the Seelie court and she killed Aeric's love. When she returns to have Aeric make a key to unlock another piece of the bosca fadbh. Aeric finds her and locks her up while deciding how she will suffer only she isn't the monster he expected her to be and there's more to the story than he knew. The majority of the Unseelie Court and many in the Seelie court want to kill her. Brother Gideon has the hots for her, we learn more about his plans and are introduced to the HFF outside of Piefferburg. A lot going on, some things are predictable but still a good read.
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Cruel Enchantment
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Many people would love to see Emmaline Gallagher dead but none more so than Aeric O’Malley. In her role as the Summer Queen’s assassin, Emmaline disposed of sadists and murderers but she also killed Aeric’s fiancée and now he wants revenge. However, when given the opportunity, he finds himself inexplicably attracted to his nemesis and soon learns that things are not as they seem and Emmaline may be the only chance the fae have to secure their freedom.

Review:
I absolutely adore this series. Bast is an imaginative writer and it is so easy to become immersed in the intricate world of the fae. The abundance of different races never becomes overwhelming as often happens in books of this type. The story is exhilarating with several nail-biting moments that left me breathless.

I must admit that I was somewhat skeptical about the romance between Aeric and Emmaline given the depth of animosity between them, but Bast cleverly intertwines hints and clues to demonstrate that appearances can be deceiving in more ways than one. Emmaline is a wonderful character – tortured and vulnerable but with a core of solid steel, and Aeric’s struggle against his growing feelings for her is riveting.

The secondary characters are also well developed and some will obviously have books of their own in the future. The villains are truly diabolical and I can’t wait for them get their eventual comeuppance. I do have one miniscule problem with the way in which one evil character meets his demise – he did not suffer nearly enough given his crimes.

A compelling mixture of danger, intrigue and intense romance, Cruel Enchantment is a great read and I am definitely continuing with the series. ( )

Read Abigail's review at All Things Urban Fantasy.

The ick factor was too high for me and the characters didn't make much sense. I stopped before the first sex/rape scene. I could see it coming and it's not my thing. Also, If you don't like reading about animals (or humans/fae) getting tortured, beware. ( )

Anya Bast has come to be one of my favorite authors. I came across her Elemental Witches series at a used book store and picked them up because they sounded so good. I devoured those books in about a week and had to pick up Wicked Enchantment, the first book in the Dark Magick series, simply because I love her style.I read a lot; primarily UF and PNR. That being said, most authors write sex scenes that in my opinion should be eliminated because they are so dull (i.e. Jocelynn Drake's Wait For Dusk). I'd take no sex over boring sex any day. Anya, however, makes the sex so steamy that it makes you wonder what she's like in real life. If you are put off by seriously hot, steamy sex, Anya Bast is not for you.Cruel Enchantment is the second book in the Dark Magick series. The Fae were discovered hundreds of years ago and because they were found a threat, humans and the Phaendir, a freakish religious sect decided it was best to segregate them. The Fae were banished to a prison called Piefferburg and the Phaendir use their magick to keep them trapped there. Cruel Enchantment tells the story of Emmaline, the former assassin for the Seelie Court Queen who happened to evade capture by the Phaendir and has managed to live the past 360 years outside the walls of Piefferburg. Now she is being sent into a world she barely remembers and to Aeric, a man who just happens to be the love of one of Emmaline's victims. She must go back to Piefferburg on a mission to help free the Fae and that mission requires Aeric's help. How does one approach a man when you killed his fiancee 360 years ago? Has time healed those wounds or does he still hate her and wish her harm? Regardless of the outcome, Emmaline must go to Piefferburg and find the Blacksmith as he is the only one who can help her to free their people. Fate has pushed these two people together after 360 years and like most things in life, nothing is easy. The chemistry between Emmaline and Aeric was great from the moment she set food inside the walls of Piefferburg. Though he had good reason and was really cruel at times, Aeric was a very likable character. Both he and Emmaline are severely damaged and had pasts that they needed to put behind them in order to move on with their lives. There is a thin line between love and hate after all. I really liked this book and think it was a great second installment. The excerpt from the third book, Dark Enchantment was just icing on the cake. I look forward to reading it. ( )