*Review for book 1 in series: The Witch of Painted Sorrows See this full review on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com We see what we want to see when we look at someone. Like a diamond before it has been cut. We can guess at its brilliance, but can't see the faults until the stone has been cut and polished. Only then can we glimpse inside and see the occlusions and clarity.   At the turn of the century, the world finds itself in the midst of crisis. Nations are at war, Monarchs overthrown, and countries in shambles. Despite the tragedy surrounding France, Opaline Duplessi follows in her mother's footsteps to return to the romantic Parisian city. Employed by a Russian jeweler, Opaline learns to hone her skills with manipulating gems into Talisman to honor dead soldiers from the war. Doing so unlocks her ability of lithomancy---a form of divination with stones, and she is able to pass messages from the deceased to their loved ones. One day, a woman visits Opaline in the shop to make a Talisman to commemorate her late-son. While experimenting with the project, Opaline comes in contact with the son's spirit, who has a message for her. Opaline remained rather incredulous with this contact, yet couldn't part from the mysterious, incorporeal voice. She takes the soldier's memento and talisman of her own to remain in contact with the man within. As politics sway, war wages, and strife strickens, Opaline begins to remember the beauty around her, and a love that can permeate all boundaries. -------------------------------- I can't even handle how beautiful M.J. Rose's prose are. Seriously, she has absolutely amazing talent in writing. Once again, she drowns her reader in artistic writing, atmosphere, and subject! Despite the instances of paranormal eroticism, I really enjoyed this story.  Opaline Duplessi is much more tolerable than her mother, Sandrine, from The Witch of Painted Sorrows. She has her moments where denial of her abilities and connection with the spirit of Jean Luc are excruciatingly obvious. In my mind, I think it's hard to believe that the daughter of a known witch could deny such experiences. Opaline confesses that she doesn't want her abilities. Unfortunate for her, not wanting them doesn't make them go away. Despite her disinterest to connect with her magical lineage, Opaline finds that in order to control her abilities, she needs to do just that.  The ironic thing is that for how much she doesn't want to communicate with these spirits of deceased soldiers, she almost immediately falls for John Luc. She desires to hold him near, even though she has been involved with another living man. She ruminates on the fact that he is stuck on earth for some reason, but doesn't really contemplate helping him pass on. Clearly, selfishness has embedded itself deep into the genes of the daughters of La Lune. Her insta-love (although it is basically only lust here) for John Luc is distracting, and based on little-to-no grounds.  This is the miracle of art to me; why we must preserve and protect it. The artist alone, can take the grotesque and make it beautiful. Can take the confusing and explain it. The individuality of each one of use who creates, must be protected and encouraged. For only in art do we learn who we are, and of what we are made. As the plot progresses, the reader gets to learn more about John Luc through a series of letters he published in the local newspaper when he was off to fight in the war. Previously, he had been a journalist who wrote weekly columns on art and it's importance. When he was sent to fight, he changed paces and began a column featuring love letters to an unknown woman. These letters intertwine romance and art, and gave the reader a glimpse into the intellectual man behind the smoke. I thought this was a very creative way for the author to portray his character, and allow the reader to become attached to him, rather than simply believing Opaline's attachment was for more than just...lust. This is a tale that challenges the reader to focus on the grim, but to find joy and beauty from it. There is a lot more that happens in this story, but I don't want to discuss them because I feel it would give too much away. If you are one who enjoys atmospheric and magical plots, this one may be for you. This might be one of those guilty pleasure series for me---I love the art intertwined into all of it (just not the erotica parts.) Vulgarity: I believe there is some. Sexual content: Yes, although not nearly as much as The Witch of Painted Sorrows. This is an erotica. Violence: Little to none. There is some discussion on disfigurement of soldiers from the war.  4 stars.