Finding the Lost

Shannon K. Butcher

Andra has a talent for finding lost children. Especially kidnapped children. Especially children kidnapped by monsters. The same monsters who killed her mother, kidnapped and killed her baby sister, and drove her other sister mad seven years ago. Now she spends all her time trying to get the children back and kill the monsters before the monsters take their minds.

This night, she finds there are more monsters than she expects. She is going to fail. She can see it's already to late for the young boy - his eyes reveal his mind is broken. Then two brawny men with swords appear from seemingly nowhere. They slay all the monsters. Then one, Paul, is able to gaze into the boy's eyes and soul and repair the damage done. The child won't remember the monsters or his terror.

Andra thanks the men, then tries to leave. Paul refuses to let her go. He has been searching for her for weeks. He believes she is a Theronai, like himself. She is his soulmate and is the only person who can prevent him from dying. He has to keep her. She has to stay willingly, though. He won't force her. She agrees to stay with him for a few days - for a fee. Then they, along with his other brawny friend Madoc and a pale, slender man, Logan, go to visit her sister Nika in the mental institution.

Nika has hurt herself again and drawn blood. This night the blood draws the monsters, the Synestryn, to her. Paul and his friends rescue Nika from the institution and take her and Andra to their hidden Sentinel home for the Theronai. Now Paul has to convince Andra to accept him for the rest of their lives rather than a few days. What is a few more battles with the monsters to prevent him from what he wants and needs?

Shannon K. Butcher has created an eerie United States with demon monsters and hot, hunky long-lived men to fight them. Finding the Lost is the second of her Sentinel Wars series. The Sentinels were laid out in the first novel, Burning Alive. Now Finding the Lost brings them into sharper focus, hinting at more problems for the Theronai, Sanguinar, and humans. The Synestryn want to destroy all of them. The Theronai and Sanguinar are dying out unless they can find more Theronai women and some miracles. Finding the Lost also builds more into the story line, helping to set the stage for future novels.

The characters in Finding the Lost aren't real deep, but are satisfying. The good vs evil story keeps the reader on edge. sure that everyone will survive but afraid that some of the important secondary characters may not last until the end of the book.

Finding the Lost is a good romantic fantasy full of luscious men, independent women, monsters, sword fights, and sex.

Notice:  Graphic violence, Indecent language, Strong sexual content

Sentinel Wars:

Burning Alive
Finding the Lost
Running Scared
Living Nightmare
"On the Hunt" - The Collector
Blood Hunt
Bound by Vengeance
Dying Wish
Falling Blind