VISIONS OF MAGIC - Regan Hastings
Awakening , Book 1
Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-23246-5
February 2011
Paranormal Romance

Present Day

Shea Jameson is afraid.  The reemergence of magic in the world has been met with fear and suspicion.  Witches and suspected witches are chased down, incarcerated, and killed with little to no evidence.  Shea knows the heartbreak of this as her aunt was captured and burned at the stake in front of Shea when she was a little girl.  Now, the fears she's suppressed for years have come back full force and, along with them, evidence of her own powers.

Torin is an Eternal, a magical being who has waited generations for his beloved to Awaken and remember her past.  He has watched over Shea through multiple lifetimes and is happy the time has finally come for him to claim his mate.  Before that can happen though, he'll have to save her from the witch hunters, convince her he's someone she should trust, and start teaching her how to use her powers.  An already difficult task is made even more challenging with a rogue witch on the loose, one who only has her own interests at heart.

Shea's visions are getting stronger, and she finally realizes what she's seeing are memories.  The Eternals have been patiently waiting for their witches to begin the process of Awakening, both to their powers and their memories.  Shea has never thought of herself as courageous, but she will need to be to get through the trials she must undertake to take charge of her future.  Will she succeed?

Though it doesn't offer anything truly differentiating or outstanding, VISIONS OF MAGIC is a nice addition to the paranormal genre.  Shea Jameson is a worthy heroine, a mild-mannered human one minute, and a scared, but learning to control her powers witch in the next.  Shea and Torin's romance is a little difficult to believe as it mostly consists of the 'pull' mates feel for each other.  So, though she doesn't know Torin beyond vague memories initially, it doesn't take long before the two are burning up the sheets, even as they are being chased by friends and foes alike.  The overall tale is a bit lackluster, with a few shining moments, including a spectacular prison break.  Torin and Shea are both likeable characters but, unfortunately, not too memorable.

Kathy