WITCH BOUND is Book two in the Twilight of the Gods series by Eleri Stone. This is the first book that I've read by this author, but was able to enjoy this story without having read the previous one in this series. I ended up loving WITCH BOUND and could not put it down once I started reading it. WITCH BOUND is a story full of magic, adventure, and romance, but it is also largely about a young woman's journey of self-discovery.

The book starts out with Raquel, a young witch, traveling to her new home in Ragnarok, Iowa. She will be going through with an arranged marriage in three weeks. Raquel is one of the many interesting and complex characters in WITCH BOUND. Her feelings of self-doubt are very easy to relate to. Not only is she anxious about meeting her fiancée, a man she's never met, but she is not confident in her magical abilities. She has a lot of inherent power, but has trouble accessing that power. Shortly after arriving in Ragnarok, some of her worst fears are confirmed and she badly needs a friend.

Fen, wolf shifter and best man, becomes that much needed friend. Fen has his issues as well. Hounds become forever bonded to the first person they have sex with. One bad decision can have dire consequences that last for years. After seeing his friend, and fellow hound, emotionally destroyed after picking the wrong person, Fen is extremely cautious about trusting someone to be intimate with.

One of the things I loved about WITCH BOUND is the easy friendship that develops between Fen and Raquel before things get on a romantic level. The intense attraction between them and the chemistry that develops is electric. They have intimacy without taking their relationship to a physical level. Fen is a sexy, fun, and sensitive guy. Raquel teases him by saying he's a nerd who looks nothing like what you'd expect a nerd to look like -- he's too hot. The romantic triangle between Fen, Raquel, and Christian makes for some compelling drama. The ending of WITCH BOUND is very satisfying and a perfect cap to a fascinating story.

WITCH BOUND is filled with lots of unique, magical beings. I look forward to reading more about Kamis, Julian, Elin, and Christian in future books. I recommend WITCH BOUND to anybody who loves tales of witches and magic, romance, and a great story!