Mystery around Michael's magic and Sasha's prophecy, and a push me pull you relationship that keeps you guessing how things will work out ( )

Skykeepers
4 Stars

Synopsis
The daughter of a prominent Mayanist, Sasha Ledbetter travels to South America in search of her missing father but is kidnapped by Xilbalbans. Eventually rescued by the Nightkeepers, Sasha is confronted with the destiny that she has always denied as well as an intense attraction to Michael Stone, who fears their connection because of the intensifying power of his dark side. Can Michael and Sasha accept themselves and each other before it is too late?

Review
This series improves with each installment. The Mayan mythology is intense and original, the world building detailed and intricate, and the characters complex and compelling.

The romantic leads, Michael and Sasha, are more engaging that in the previous book. While couples who push and pull at each other and run hot and cold usually irritate me, Sasha and Michael's difficult relationship actually works very well.

Michael keeps Sasha at arms length out of fear that his Other may harm her. He must come to terms with all aspects of his personality in order to become a complete person capable of loving and being loved. Similarly, Sasha has to accept all facets of Michael's nature as well as her own if she is to become a true Nightkeeper. At first, her innate skepticism prevents her from seeing the truth but fortunately she embraces her destiny as a warrior and a healer once she is confronted with irrefutable evidence. The complimentary natures of Michael and Sasha's magic talents is another great aspect of their romance.

There are interesting and surprising developments in the ongoing conflict between the Nightkeepers and the Xibalbans. The concept of ancestral magic that is split into good and evil is excellent and reminded me of the ancient magic in Harry Potter.

Jade and Lucius's book is next and it should be exciting given that Lucius is one of the most tortured characters in the series. ( )

I loved this book! My heart broke for Michael and Sasha when it seemed as though they were not going to get together. It was full a lot of twists and turns and it was hard to put it down. There was a wonderful mixture of happiness, laughter, tears, danger, love and destiny. Thank goodness Michael and Sasha realized that while their love didn't fit into a mold that they had hoped for, in the end it more than worked for them. Goes to show you just how powerful love can be. I was surprised when I came to the end of the book as I wanted to read more. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!! ( )

This is the 3rd book in the series dealing with the 2012 Prophecy. This one tells the story of the night keeper Michael Stone.

While I am a fan of this series, this installment didn't quite grab me like the others. There isn't really any one thing that I can point out as to why. Details were just as rich and the plot was just as emotionally charged as the other two I have read...it just didn't quite tip the scale for me. Still, it was worth reading, and I shall continue with the next. ( )

Skykeepers was a considerable improvement compared to the previous stories. I wasn't throwing the book straight into the wall out of frustration or boredom. Still, it was too complicated at times, illogical at others. And sometimes simply felt as a piece of homework on Mayan or Aztec civilization rather than an engaging story to pull you in.

I did like the leads better than the ones from previous books, though the reasoning of their fighting and making up didn't ring true in my heart.

The book itself was the following of the events from Nightkeepers and Dawnkeepers centering on the continuing fight between good and evil. The Nightkeepers and the Xibalbans with Iago as the main antagonist. And the good were not doing so great I might add.

It seemed Iago was always one step further, which is common in romance books up till the end, but here, it seemed it reached the next level.

It was not only frustrating to read, it was simply illogical the way Iago's magic always worked and the magic of Nightkeepers always seemed to fail. It was either the wrong location, the inability to reach the gods, the wrong day, or mark, or simply not mastered ability - plenty of reasons - and too complicated to follow.

The other part of Skykeepers - the romance - was not as developed as I would have liked to. There was an instant attraction between Sasha and Michael, but not much development. The romance itself falls into the 'get together, get separated (usually during a fight) and get back together' pattern. It is a common one. This time however, it was not entirely believable or fluid, since the separation scene felt forced. And the get together part - illogical. There is no other way to put it, since the heroine simply changed her mind with no substantial reasoning other than it had to be done for the story. Instead, what it managed to do - convert the heroine into an annoying character I really didn't care about.

I am not sure why I even bother to read Final Prophecy series. It has not proven itself yet, though the idea was a nice and fresh one. I guess Jessica Andersen's writing has to improve a lot to engage this reader. Hopefully, one day it will.

Some books are to be tasted; others swallowed; and some to be chewed and digested. ( )