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Southern Arcana #4
Cipher
Their desire could be their destruction...or their greatest strength.
Southern Arcana, Book 4
Fourteen months ago, Kat Gabriel learned a brutal truth. Under the wrong circumstances, her empathic ability is no gift. It’s a deadly weapon. Now her soul bears the inescapable weight of those deaths—and it aches for the loss of the easy relationship she once shared with Andrew Callaghan. Unleashing her power saved his life, but she couldn’t save his humanity.
Since the attack that turned him into a werewolf, Andrew’s sole focus has been to make himself stronger. Pushing her away hurt like hell, but Kat doesn’t need a friend. She needs a protector strong enough to shield her from the supernatural world that forced her to kill. Strong enough to resist their volatile connection.
As Kat’s quest to understand the violent legacy of her past leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is at her side. Yet every step forward rips open old emotional wounds and shakes their control. Where they’re headed, distractions of any kind can be fatal—especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.
This book contains a dangerous shapeshifter who could kill you with his bare hands, an empathic hacker who could kill you with her mind, a psychic cult determined to kill everyone, a lot of violence, a little bit of hope, and a happily-ever-after seven years in the making.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2010
40 people are currently reading
662 people want to read
About the author
Moira Rogers
83 books907 followersHow do you make a Moira Rogers? Take a former forensic science and nursing student obsessed with paranormal romance and add a computer programmer with a passion for gritty urban fantasy. Toss in a dash of whimsy and a lot of caffeine, and enjoy with a side of chocolate by the light of the full moon.
By day, Bree and Donna are mild-mannered ladies who reside in the Deep South. At night, when their husbands and children are asleep, they combine forces to unleash the product of their fevered imaginations upon the page.
By day, Bree and Donna are mild-mannered ladies who reside in the Deep South. At night, when their husbands and children are asleep, they combine forces to unleash the product of their fevered imaginations upon the page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
September 12, 2011
Kat and Andrew have quite a history together. A year ago, Andrew and Kat had feelings for each other. They wanted a relationship – but that was until the one fateful night Kat lost control of her empath abilities, and as a result, Andrew was turned into a shapeshifter. Both of them not wanting to hurt the other, they lost contact. Kat went to her mentor Callum, to learn control and discipline with her extremely strong empath abilities. She also must deal with the fact that she can and does kill people. Bad, people, but still it happens. Andrew went to fellow shapeshifter , Alec to learn how to lead his new life. How to protect the ones he loves, and use his shifter abilities to take down those that try to hurt his friends.
Now a year later, these two have awkward, stilted conversations. They both feel it is their fault for what happened all those months ago. When Kat learns of information about her mother and the cult she was involved in, the only person around she can turn to is Andrew. Forced to take a road trip, they have lots of time to be together, and talk about the past. As Kat digs deeper into the psychic world her mother tried to protect her from, she discovers there are those that want to harm her, and now Andrew and herself are put to the test.
Cipher is book four in the Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers. I really love this paranormal series. The characters and the world building flow through so well in each book. I had become quite invested in Andrew and Kat. Their tension, and emotional angst of being together and not being together set this book up well for me. And while I like this book, Andrew and Kat didn’t quite live up to my great anticipation.
As this book starts, they are both so exhausted and defeated. Granted, they’ve had a very difficult year. And now they are forced to work together, and there is much emotional ground that needs to be covered. I missed that spark of intense attraction so present in previous books between them. In this book, they get together quite quickly. For lovers of this series, maybe the build up of them in previous books will be enough to not have that tension present in this book. For me, I wanted more conflict or tension between them. I think their relationship is sweet, and quiet, but I just wanted a little more drama and I wanted to be put on edge a little more than what we are given. They basically start in a relationship right from the start. And while there are moments of blame and questioning about the night that changed their lives, overall, their relationship comes really easy. Like I said, it is a low key, easy affair. I also thought we didn’t get a good feel for Andrew in this book. We get a lot from Kat, and I liked her a lot and have her figured out. Andrew didn’t seem to get as much page time – at least that is how I felt when I finished.
I’m pretty sure I’ve said this in previous reviews but I’ll say it again – Moira Rogers writes such great sensual love scenes. They have that little edge of dirty, sexy, hot moments that set them apart from other authors. And they definitely deliver those scenes here. There are actually my favorite scenes of the book. They are very intimate and really well done.
I also like the conflict in this one, especially at the end with the big action scene. I enjoy that Moira Rogers doesn’t always hold back on the violence and death and it makes the world, the dangerous world these characters live in more real.
Cipher isn’t my favorite book in this series, but I still recommend it and this entire series as a whole.
Rating: B-
Now a year later, these two have awkward, stilted conversations. They both feel it is their fault for what happened all those months ago. When Kat learns of information about her mother and the cult she was involved in, the only person around she can turn to is Andrew. Forced to take a road trip, they have lots of time to be together, and talk about the past. As Kat digs deeper into the psychic world her mother tried to protect her from, she discovers there are those that want to harm her, and now Andrew and herself are put to the test.
Cipher is book four in the Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers. I really love this paranormal series. The characters and the world building flow through so well in each book. I had become quite invested in Andrew and Kat. Their tension, and emotional angst of being together and not being together set this book up well for me. And while I like this book, Andrew and Kat didn’t quite live up to my great anticipation.
As this book starts, they are both so exhausted and defeated. Granted, they’ve had a very difficult year. And now they are forced to work together, and there is much emotional ground that needs to be covered. I missed that spark of intense attraction so present in previous books between them. In this book, they get together quite quickly. For lovers of this series, maybe the build up of them in previous books will be enough to not have that tension present in this book. For me, I wanted more conflict or tension between them. I think their relationship is sweet, and quiet, but I just wanted a little more drama and I wanted to be put on edge a little more than what we are given. They basically start in a relationship right from the start. And while there are moments of blame and questioning about the night that changed their lives, overall, their relationship comes really easy. Like I said, it is a low key, easy affair. I also thought we didn’t get a good feel for Andrew in this book. We get a lot from Kat, and I liked her a lot and have her figured out. Andrew didn’t seem to get as much page time – at least that is how I felt when I finished.
I’m pretty sure I’ve said this in previous reviews but I’ll say it again – Moira Rogers writes such great sensual love scenes. They have that little edge of dirty, sexy, hot moments that set them apart from other authors. And they definitely deliver those scenes here. There are actually my favorite scenes of the book. They are very intimate and really well done.
I also like the conflict in this one, especially at the end with the big action scene. I enjoy that Moira Rogers doesn’t always hold back on the violence and death and it makes the world, the dangerous world these characters live in more real.
Cipher isn’t my favorite book in this series, but I still recommend it and this entire series as a whole.
Rating: B-
May 6, 2011
Chat with Sophia from Fiction Vixen and Mandi from Smexybooks. Originally posted here: http://www.fictionvixen.com/2011/09/s...
The Hero: After Andrew Callaghan was turned in a vicious attack, he distanced himself from Kat. He was out of control and dangerous and he spent their time apart training trying to adjust to his new shifter nature. He worked hard to learn control and skills to be able to protect the woman he loves. Now he has begun to find his place in his new life as a shifter and he has never stopped loving Kat.
The Heroine: Kat is a powerful empath. When Andrew was attacked and nearly killed she lost control of her powers and destroyed Andrew’s attackers. She was totally devastated and felt responsible for what happened to Andrew. When he left her broken hearted she focused on learning how to control her empath powers and trying to make sense of her life. Now she has received information about her mother and the cult she was involved in and Kat has called on Andrew to help her investigate.
Summary: A year ago, Andrew and Kat had feelings for each other – they wanted a relationship. But that was until the one fateful night Kat lost control of her empath abilities, and as a result, Andrew was turned into a shapeshifter. Both in a bad place, they drifted apart. Kat went to her mentor Callum, to learn control and discipline with her extremely strong empath abilities. Andrew went to fellow shapeshifter , Alec to learn how to lead his new life. How to protect the ones he loves, and use his shifter abilities to take down those that try to hurt his friends.
Now a year later, these two have awkward, stilted conversations. They both feel it is their fault for what happened all those months ago. When Kat learns of information about her mother and the cult she was involved in years ago, the only person around she can turn to is Andrew. Forced to take a road trip, they have lots of time to be together, and talk about the past. As Kat digs deeper into the psychic world her mother tried to protect her from, she discovers there are those that want to harm her, and now Andrew and herself are put to the test.
Nicole: I always love the friends to lovers stories, and the fact that after EVERYTHING Kat and Andrew had been through, they were finally able to put aside their fears and guilt and just be together, as they always wanted to be… *sigh*
Honestly, there wasn’t much I didn’t like about this book. The plot moved quickly and advanced the overall story arc, the sexy times were smokin’ hot and I thought the romance was on par given their history. I guess the only thing that grated on my nerves was the fact that they both had such a hard time forgiving themselves (and honestly, each other) for that “dreadful night”
The Hero: After Andrew Callaghan was turned in a vicious attack, he distanced himself from Kat. He was out of control and dangerous and he spent their time apart training trying to adjust to his new shifter nature. He worked hard to learn control and skills to be able to protect the woman he loves. Now he has begun to find his place in his new life as a shifter and he has never stopped loving Kat.
The Heroine: Kat is a powerful empath. When Andrew was attacked and nearly killed she lost control of her powers and destroyed Andrew’s attackers. She was totally devastated and felt responsible for what happened to Andrew. When he left her broken hearted she focused on learning how to control her empath powers and trying to make sense of her life. Now she has received information about her mother and the cult she was involved in and Kat has called on Andrew to help her investigate.
Summary: A year ago, Andrew and Kat had feelings for each other – they wanted a relationship. But that was until the one fateful night Kat lost control of her empath abilities, and as a result, Andrew was turned into a shapeshifter. Both in a bad place, they drifted apart. Kat went to her mentor Callum, to learn control and discipline with her extremely strong empath abilities. Andrew went to fellow shapeshifter , Alec to learn how to lead his new life. How to protect the ones he loves, and use his shifter abilities to take down those that try to hurt his friends.
Now a year later, these two have awkward, stilted conversations. They both feel it is their fault for what happened all those months ago. When Kat learns of information about her mother and the cult she was involved in years ago, the only person around she can turn to is Andrew. Forced to take a road trip, they have lots of time to be together, and talk about the past. As Kat digs deeper into the psychic world her mother tried to protect her from, she discovers there are those that want to harm her, and now Andrew and herself are put to the test.
Nicole: I always love the friends to lovers stories, and the fact that after EVERYTHING Kat and Andrew had been through, they were finally able to put aside their fears and guilt and just be together, as they always wanted to be… *sigh*
Honestly, there wasn’t much I didn’t like about this book. The plot moved quickly and advanced the overall story arc, the sexy times were smokin’ hot and I thought the romance was on par given their history. I guess the only thing that grated on my nerves was the fact that they both had such a hard time forgiving themselves (and honestly, each other) for that “dreadful night”
December 30, 2015
Book 4 of the Southern Arcana. This is the one I started with, the one that sent me right back to Book One so I could read all of the stories in this terrific series.
May 22, 2014
Out of all of the books in the series so far this one leaves me the most disappointed, mostly because I had ridiculously high hopes for it. I've been waiting for this story since the first book. I wanted Kat to be my favorite character because she had the potential to be the perfect balance for me between innocent in need of protection and bad-ass independent female. I wish she had been more of the latter and less of the former. I also had trouble with the flow of this story; I thought it had ended at least once before it actually did. However, I liked the relationship development between Kat and Andrew and his character's maturation. The sex scenes were also more intense in this book. I was confused, after reading Carmen and Alec's story, why Kat and Andrew couldn't find a better balance for the empathic sex, but it didn't detract from their relationship. I think the author emphasized too much the limits that continued to define their relationship; all of the characters in this series had the potential for losing control and harming their partners, and yet it only continues to be an issue for Kat and Andrew - possibly because of their relative youth - it just never made sense to me. That said, I'd read it again, and it is another good addition to the series, just not quite what I was hoping for.
Update: Upon my second reading, I did like this book more than the first time around. My critique of Kat is more sympathetic, and I just connected with the characters more. That said, I still had trouble with the flow and ending.
Update: Upon my second reading, I did like this book more than the first time around. My critique of Kat is more sympathetic, and I just connected with the characters more. That said, I still had trouble with the flow and ending.
December 6, 2023
Kat and Andrew finally get their book as there is a cult targeting psychics
What I enjoyed:
* I'm glad Kat and Andrew got together and were smart and talked things out
* I liked Kat's roommate and will be glad to read her story next
* I'm very curious about Patrick
What could have been better:
*
* It was a long time between the previous book and this one and I would have preferred more info on the tons of other characters (or less of them) from the previous books.
What I enjoyed:
* I'm glad Kat and Andrew got together and were smart and talked things out
* I liked Kat's roommate and will be glad to read her story next
* I'm very curious about Patrick
What could have been better:
*
* It was a long time between the previous book and this one and I would have preferred more info on the tons of other characters (or less of them) from the previous books.
September 7, 2011
Well, that was exciting, fun, interesting, different and freaking SAD!!! Thank the book gods there was a HEA. Moira Rogers takes no prisoners.
I wonder if Anna and Patrick are slated next... hmm sparks there :)
Or maybe Julio and Crap I forgot her name! Rena, Lena, Reyna? {I'll look it up after when I write my formal review
I wonder if Anna and Patrick are slated next... hmm sparks there :)
Or maybe Julio and Crap I forgot her name! Rena, Lena, Reyna? {I'll look it up after when I write my formal review
September 5, 2015
Kat and Andrew finally together! Kat finally has full self-acceptance. The deaths were sad, but furthered the story line. I probably would have enjoyed this immensely more, if it hadn't been 2 years since reading book 3 (Deadlock).
August 12, 2018
Kat Gabriel is an empath of the highest calibre; one of the Gabriel women. But learning to control her ability has been a long process given she’s been doing most of it on her own. Her mother died when Kat was about twelve. She always had the biggest crush on Andrew and the night they were alone in the office they were attacked. Kat’s fear pushed the men into shifting and they nearly killed Andrew before she fried their brains.
She has never forgiven herself for that moment of panic that left Andrew as a shapeshifter. He wouldn’t have survived without being newly turned but he also wouldn’t be the super strong bitten wolf he is and be drawn into the Conclave business in just over a year.
[This is a world where the strength level of the biter determines the power of the bitten, and Andrew’s an alpha.]
Each is so terrified of hurting the other that they’ve tried to stay away from one another for fourteen months… but circumstances force them back together.
Kat is still searching for any news about her mother and one day, someone reaches out. Andrew insists on going with her. The contact manages to hand Kat a safe deposit key. Kat can tell how terrified she is and the woman is shot before she can say anymore. A second bullet hits Kat. Andrew doesn’t like it when people hurt Kat.
***
It appears Kat’s mother was in a cult obsessed with collaring psychics and using them as weapons. Kat can already kill people with her brain AND feel what they feel as she does it.
When she is attacked again, she realises that she never hurt Andrew that first time. She built her mind shield wall with Andrew on the inside, which means she projects at him everything she’s feeling. And he has feelings of his own that get folded back at her and so on like sara lee pastry; layer upon layer.
It’s a lot to handle and it’s so intense, sometimes they forget to use their words.
Psychic hackers sound cool. Ben is a friend of Kat’s and his brother Patrick sounds awesome. Magic tattoed motorbike riding bounty hunter. Nice.
Kat and Andrew try to handle the whole thing on their own, and it does not go well. [for this series, it’s a step back from the shifter world politics]
Derek’s partner Nick is pregnant, and speaking of empaths, that baby (if it’s a girl) will probably be as strong as Nick’s twin sister from book #2.
Alec is busy with Carmen and conclave business. But Carmen’s brothers Julio and Miguel have become friends with Kat and her flatmate Sera.
The cast gets bigger with each book in the series but this pairing had been hinted at from the first book. So I was glad to see them get their turn
4 stars
She has never forgiven herself for that moment of panic that left Andrew as a shapeshifter. He wouldn’t have survived without being newly turned but he also wouldn’t be the super strong bitten wolf he is and be drawn into the Conclave business in just over a year.
[This is a world where the strength level of the biter determines the power of the bitten, and Andrew’s an alpha.]
Each is so terrified of hurting the other that they’ve tried to stay away from one another for fourteen months… but circumstances force them back together.
Kat is still searching for any news about her mother and one day, someone reaches out. Andrew insists on going with her. The contact manages to hand Kat a safe deposit key. Kat can tell how terrified she is and the woman is shot before she can say anymore. A second bullet hits Kat. Andrew doesn’t like it when people hurt Kat.
***
It appears Kat’s mother was in a cult obsessed with collaring psychics and using them as weapons. Kat can already kill people with her brain AND feel what they feel as she does it.
When she is attacked again, she realises that she never hurt Andrew that first time. She built her mind shield wall with Andrew on the inside, which means she projects at him everything she’s feeling. And he has feelings of his own that get folded back at her and so on like sara lee pastry; layer upon layer.
It’s a lot to handle and it’s so intense, sometimes they forget to use their words.
Psychic hackers sound cool. Ben is a friend of Kat’s and his brother Patrick sounds awesome. Magic tattoed motorbike riding bounty hunter. Nice.
Kat and Andrew try to handle the whole thing on their own, and it does not go well. [for this series, it’s a step back from the shifter world politics]
Derek’s partner Nick is pregnant, and speaking of empaths, that baby (if it’s a girl) will probably be as strong as Nick’s twin sister from book #2.
Alec is busy with Carmen and conclave business. But Carmen’s brothers Julio and Miguel have become friends with Kat and her flatmate Sera.
The cast gets bigger with each book in the series but this pairing had been hinted at from the first book. So I was glad to see them get their turn
4 stars
June 7, 2018
Finally, real emotion! Real personal conflict! Endlessly satisfying psychic angst!
Kat and Andrew are by far my favorite couple so far from this series, and I can't help but feel it's because their backstory has been woven into the first three books. We've gotten to see Kat's growing up process from a precociously gifted young woman to a flawed but deeply caring adult who's finally unafraid of her own power. We've gotten to see Andrew go from a regular human life as a construction firm partner to a bad-ass werewolf utterly committed to doing the right thing, even when it causes him personal pain or leaves him out in the cold.
We get to see the two of them grapple with their issues, their history, their tangled feelings for each other. I hate angst as a trope for its own sake, or wielded to make a love story seem edgy, but this is the real thing. These two lovers could hardly have more obstacles between them, and more than half of their own making, as they grew apart before being forced back together by outside (and of course DANGEROUS) circumstances.
This is paranormal romance gold, right here.
One gripe that doesn't affect my rating, though--I know the covers have been updated since I got these, but this particular set of graphics are practically indistinguishable from each other, style-wise. It didn't bother me before because the men's faces at least mostly lined up with their physical descriptions, but I was thrown on this one because I thought Andrew was a redhead? At least auburn, and definitely with green eyes. This guy (though handsome and fine with my personal taste) doesn't look anything like him.
Kat and Andrew are by far my favorite couple so far from this series, and I can't help but feel it's because their backstory has been woven into the first three books. We've gotten to see Kat's growing up process from a precociously gifted young woman to a flawed but deeply caring adult who's finally unafraid of her own power. We've gotten to see Andrew go from a regular human life as a construction firm partner to a bad-ass werewolf utterly committed to doing the right thing, even when it causes him personal pain or leaves him out in the cold.
We get to see the two of them grapple with their issues, their history, their tangled feelings for each other. I hate angst as a trope for its own sake, or wielded to make a love story seem edgy, but this is the real thing. These two lovers could hardly have more obstacles between them, and more than half of their own making, as they grew apart before being forced back together by outside (and of course DANGEROUS) circumstances.
This is paranormal romance gold, right here.
One gripe that doesn't affect my rating, though--I know the covers have been updated since I got these, but this particular set of graphics are practically indistinguishable from each other, style-wise. It didn't bother me before because the men's faces at least mostly lined up with their physical descriptions, but I was thrown on this one because I thought Andrew was a redhead? At least auburn, and definitely with green eyes. This guy (though handsome and fine with my personal taste) doesn't look anything like him.
February 14, 2025
Kat Gabriel and Andrew Callaghan skated the edge of romance for years. They had to forgo their moment a year ago when a trio of thugs came to kill or capture Kat. During the fight; Amdrew was turned into a werewolf and Kat flexed her empath skills more than ever, killed the trio and saved Andrew’s life. Guiltily, Andrew quickly adapted to his new reality and rose in the werewolf ranks but avoided Kat, afraid he’d hurt her. Shredded with guilt over killing with her power, angry about Andrew’s avoidance, Kat grew her fighting skills.
Finally getting a lead on her mother, after years of searching Kat wants to check it out and Andrew lets her know he’s going with her. Seconds after Kat’s lead passes on the info and a clue, she’s killed in front of them. Andrew and Kat escape but not before Kat gets wounded. The info and clue detail a cult intent on controlling empaths and the world. Realizing she has to choose to use her power or be coddled, Kat makes a decision after bringing in new characters; Andrew loses his training wheels and leads a team to shoot a hella shot against the cult.
Rating: 4.5stars
Finally getting a lead on her mother, after years of searching Kat wants to check it out and Andrew lets her know he’s going with her. Seconds after Kat’s lead passes on the info and a clue, she’s killed in front of them. Andrew and Kat escape but not before Kat gets wounded. The info and clue detail a cult intent on controlling empaths and the world. Realizing she has to choose to use her power or be coddled, Kat makes a decision after bringing in new characters; Andrew loses his training wheels and leads a team to shoot a hella shot against the cult.
Rating: 4.5stars
August 30, 2011
If you have not yet read the Southern Arcana series…where in all that is paranormal romance have you been? I stumbled onto Crux shortly after daring to enter the world paranormal novels. I typically get books from the library; however, mine fails to carry any Moira Rogers eBooks (someone get on that, will ya’?). Alas, I was drawn in enough by the excerpt I read that I purchased the Kindle eBook.
And have NEVER regretted it.
Fast forward three books, and I stand in awe at the power in the pen that these ladies wield…well, keyboard is probably more appropriate (who writes with a pen these days, Geesh!). I make no secret of the fact that I love the Southern Arcana novels. Each time I find myself thinking, “This is it. This is the best one yet.” So, given my propensity to love all of them, I worked hard to analyze what about this novel in particular that gave me a drug-like addiction. Seriously, I actually told them they were like drug dealers. Note to self, filter.
Okay, first let’s talk characters. Our main characters are Kat and Andrew, who we meet way back in book 1 and 2. They were so well defined in this and subsequent books that I was dying for their story to be told. Kat stole my heart in Crux, when she first met Mackenzie:
Kat bolted upright. “Are you going to let her stay here? You can’t let her leave. Something’s wrong. Really, really wrong.”
I’m not sure how, exactly, these two pin her character down into just two simple lines. But there it is; there is Kat in all her empathic glory. So concerned about someone she’d never met before, so scared for her. I fell in love with Kat in this scene and her character has remained true.
Now, Andrew didn’t make as big of an impression on me – not his fault. He had some major male competition: Jackson, Derek, Alec…need I go on? We meet him in Crossroads, unless I somehow missed him in Crux, as Derek’s best friend and Kat’s…um, friend. However, readers. I may have dismissed him in favor of the others in previous books, but now I'd like to just say: Humana Humana...Yeah. that's about right.
In Cipher, we meet back up with the pair who’ve avoided each other since the fateful night when both their lives hit their respective lowest. Both hold baggage, which is not glossed over. We get to see, to feel the struggle with them. Nothing feels rushed between the two of them since we’ve known them for so long. They not only have history with each other, they have history with us.
Now, another reason I love a Moira Rogers novel is for the secondary characters. Although, it is difficult to pin down secondary characters in these novels because each one seems to get the spot light eventually. We meet the characters, get their back story and have a connection before they are shining in their own spotlight. I love, love, love that. Each character has a distinct voice, shown in what they say and how they react. We get to meet some newcomers in Cipher and I already feel a connection to them. Who knows…maybe they will get the spotlight soon.
Other than the characters, I would say the writing style is another major player in my ever-constant need to read and (ahem) reread these books. Some books are so distant or disjointed, either in dialogue or narration. I don’t like being jarred from the story because the flow is broken. Cipher doesn’t disappoint me in this either. The flow of dialogue holds true to how people would talk; it’s not forced or corny. In particular, I find myself cackling like crazy (which my 5-year-old truly enjoys watching) when they bring in words like “meh” and popular references from my own experiences: Princess Leia in the gold bikini, anyone?
One of my favorite examples of their writing style comes in the tense moments before a big scene when everyone is feeling stressed. “Kat couldn’t get her bangs to stay out of her eyes. In lieu of calling off the vital mission until she could get a grown-up haircut, Kat settled on unfashionable but practical pigtails.” I love the crazy ass details like this that make me smile in the heat of a moment. It doesn't remove me from the story, I'm still there and thinking of the absurdity of having hair issues when dealing with such bigger, life-threatening issues. And being annoyed at wearing my hair in childish pigtails while trying to be taken seriously.
Beyond that (as if we need more), I love the twisty plot. I had NO CLUE where this story was going at times. I found myself excited, mad, sad, happy…so many different emotions rolling around inside me. The power of words and experiences just never ceases to amaze me.
All right, I’ll stop praising now. Not that I have anything bad to say. I tried people, really. I wanted to show you I’m objective about this book…I may have failed you. However, know this: if I looked that hard to find something I could reveal with less excitement, then perhaps it’s worth zipping over to Amazon or Barnes and Noble for a look see.You can also get excerpts from their website, 'cus they rock like that.
My Favorite Lines
This seems like a lot of favorite quotes…I narrowed it down. I did. But I highlighted SO MUCH on my Kindle app.
It was condescending. And it was hard to stay mad when protective custody meant spending time with Andrew—even if he had gone over to the dark side by joining the ranks of the overprotective assholes.
…a black hoodie with the word meh emblazoned across the front in all its apathetic glory. Meh pretty much covered it.
Andrew to Kat: “I’m just saying there’s a lot of scary going around, and if you’re going to condemn yourself for being dangerous, move over. There are a lot of us who belong on that bench with you.”
Kat: “He and Nicole have crazy epic love. I think epic love is an epidemic. Seems like everyone’s coming down with a case of it.”
Her studious disregard had passed casual a few months ago, but Julio remained oblivious to the way Sera avoided him. He was less oblivious to her ass...
Like living the porno version of their lives, where every situation dissolved into impractical sex.
And have NEVER regretted it.
Fast forward three books, and I stand in awe at the power in the pen that these ladies wield…well, keyboard is probably more appropriate (who writes with a pen these days, Geesh!). I make no secret of the fact that I love the Southern Arcana novels. Each time I find myself thinking, “This is it. This is the best one yet.” So, given my propensity to love all of them, I worked hard to analyze what about this novel in particular that gave me a drug-like addiction. Seriously, I actually told them they were like drug dealers. Note to self, filter.
Okay, first let’s talk characters. Our main characters are Kat and Andrew, who we meet way back in book 1 and 2. They were so well defined in this and subsequent books that I was dying for their story to be told. Kat stole my heart in Crux, when she first met Mackenzie:
Kat bolted upright. “Are you going to let her stay here? You can’t let her leave. Something’s wrong. Really, really wrong.”
I’m not sure how, exactly, these two pin her character down into just two simple lines. But there it is; there is Kat in all her empathic glory. So concerned about someone she’d never met before, so scared for her. I fell in love with Kat in this scene and her character has remained true.
Now, Andrew didn’t make as big of an impression on me – not his fault. He had some major male competition: Jackson, Derek, Alec…need I go on? We meet him in Crossroads, unless I somehow missed him in Crux, as Derek’s best friend and Kat’s…um, friend. However, readers. I may have dismissed him in favor of the others in previous books, but now I'd like to just say: Humana Humana...Yeah. that's about right.
In Cipher, we meet back up with the pair who’ve avoided each other since the fateful night when both their lives hit their respective lowest. Both hold baggage, which is not glossed over. We get to see, to feel the struggle with them. Nothing feels rushed between the two of them since we’ve known them for so long. They not only have history with each other, they have history with us.
Now, another reason I love a Moira Rogers novel is for the secondary characters. Although, it is difficult to pin down secondary characters in these novels because each one seems to get the spot light eventually. We meet the characters, get their back story and have a connection before they are shining in their own spotlight. I love, love, love that. Each character has a distinct voice, shown in what they say and how they react. We get to meet some newcomers in Cipher and I already feel a connection to them. Who knows…maybe they will get the spotlight soon.
Other than the characters, I would say the writing style is another major player in my ever-constant need to read and (ahem) reread these books. Some books are so distant or disjointed, either in dialogue or narration. I don’t like being jarred from the story because the flow is broken. Cipher doesn’t disappoint me in this either. The flow of dialogue holds true to how people would talk; it’s not forced or corny. In particular, I find myself cackling like crazy (which my 5-year-old truly enjoys watching) when they bring in words like “meh” and popular references from my own experiences: Princess Leia in the gold bikini, anyone?
One of my favorite examples of their writing style comes in the tense moments before a big scene when everyone is feeling stressed. “Kat couldn’t get her bangs to stay out of her eyes. In lieu of calling off the vital mission until she could get a grown-up haircut, Kat settled on unfashionable but practical pigtails.” I love the crazy ass details like this that make me smile in the heat of a moment. It doesn't remove me from the story, I'm still there and thinking of the absurdity of having hair issues when dealing with such bigger, life-threatening issues. And being annoyed at wearing my hair in childish pigtails while trying to be taken seriously.
Beyond that (as if we need more), I love the twisty plot. I had NO CLUE where this story was going at times. I found myself excited, mad, sad, happy…so many different emotions rolling around inside me. The power of words and experiences just never ceases to amaze me.
All right, I’ll stop praising now. Not that I have anything bad to say. I tried people, really. I wanted to show you I’m objective about this book…I may have failed you. However, know this: if I looked that hard to find something I could reveal with less excitement, then perhaps it’s worth zipping over to Amazon or Barnes and Noble for a look see.You can also get excerpts from their website, 'cus they rock like that.
My Favorite Lines
This seems like a lot of favorite quotes…I narrowed it down. I did. But I highlighted SO MUCH on my Kindle app.
It was condescending. And it was hard to stay mad when protective custody meant spending time with Andrew—even if he had gone over to the dark side by joining the ranks of the overprotective assholes.
…a black hoodie with the word meh emblazoned across the front in all its apathetic glory. Meh pretty much covered it.
Andrew to Kat: “I’m just saying there’s a lot of scary going around, and if you’re going to condemn yourself for being dangerous, move over. There are a lot of us who belong on that bench with you.”
Kat: “He and Nicole have crazy epic love. I think epic love is an epidemic. Seems like everyone’s coming down with a case of it.”
Her studious disregard had passed casual a few months ago, but Julio remained oblivious to the way Sera avoided him. He was less oblivious to her ass...
Like living the porno version of their lives, where every situation dissolved into impractical sex.
July 25, 2017
If you like your paranormal crammed full every sort of paranormal there might be, this series is for you. Warning, the volumes in this series must be read in order as all the world building takes place in the first volume and then each story flows from the one before.
I really loved these. Complicated plots, full of unexpected twists and turns, well-developed characters.
Something I especially appreciated and something that is not common enough on the part of series writers is that the author did the world-building and then told each story and didn't waste my time by building up for the fifth or ending on a cliffhanger. She allowed this story to be this story, not an ad for the next.
So glad I read the entire series.
I really loved these. Complicated plots, full of unexpected twists and turns, well-developed characters.
Something I especially appreciated and something that is not common enough on the part of series writers is that the author did the world-building and then told each story and didn't waste my time by building up for the fifth or ending on a cliffhanger. She allowed this story to be this story, not an ad for the next.
So glad I read the entire series.
September 25, 2018
I absolutely loved this. I've been super invested in Kat and Andrew's star-crossed relationship since the very first book in the series, and I loved all the layers to it here - Kat's emotional reactions to what her empathy can do, the way Andrew has been centering his new life as a wolf (and my GOD how hard he's working to NOT BE AN OVERBEARING ALPHOLE please settle my fluttering heart). I loved Sera in this, and Anna, and Kat being angry at how hard everyone's wrapping her in gentleness and love. I loved Miguel and their friendship. and oh, my word, empath sex. *fans self vehemently*
I also loved how this book had its own very distinct story but it still ties back to the main arc of the series, and how well the two are interwoven. This series is so enjoyable for me.
I also loved how this book had its own very distinct story but it still ties back to the main arc of the series, and how well the two are interwoven. This series is so enjoyable for me.
March 25, 2017
I love this series.
This series is still exciting, upsetting and uplifting. It is easy to immerse oneself in the New Orleans shifter world.
This story is Andrew and Kat. A violently turned wolf shifter with uncontrolled shifter instincts, Andrew pushes his friend's sister Kat away for her own safety. Kat is an empath. She has never been able to read Andrew. When Andrew was turned and almost died, she could out her powers could kill. She needed him but was afraid of hurting him - and anyway - he doesn't want her. Can they get together. Characters are flawed and beautifully described. Can't wait for Julio's story.
This series is still exciting, upsetting and uplifting. It is easy to immerse oneself in the New Orleans shifter world.
This story is Andrew and Kat. A violently turned wolf shifter with uncontrolled shifter instincts, Andrew pushes his friend's sister Kat away for her own safety. Kat is an empath. She has never been able to read Andrew. When Andrew was turned and almost died, she could out her powers could kill. She needed him but was afraid of hurting him - and anyway - he doesn't want her. Can they get together. Characters are flawed and beautifully described. Can't wait for Julio's story.
April 16, 2023
Such a good book, but the ending fell a little flat for me. I gave it 4.5 but rounded up to 5 for how strong of a start the book had.
This is idiots to lovers done so well. Kat and Andrew are stupidly in love. Kat's story was to heartbreakingly earnest that I couldn't help but identify with her. The way her empathy and emotions were woven into everything was so compelling.
I took off half a star because, for a couple that spent so much of the book fighting their reconnection and then achieving it, the resolution didn't have a satisfying connection moment. For example, other characters take care of Kat in ways I felt Andrew should have.
This is idiots to lovers done so well. Kat and Andrew are stupidly in love. Kat's story was to heartbreakingly earnest that I couldn't help but identify with her. The way her empathy and emotions were woven into everything was so compelling.
I took off half a star because, for a couple that spent so much of the book fighting their reconnection and then achieving it, the resolution didn't have a satisfying connection moment. For example, other characters take care of Kat in ways I felt Andrew should have.
February 26, 2021
Another really enjoyable instalment in this series - and again, I don't have the brainspace to review it properly.
Generally, I loved it, loved the relationship development between Kat and Andrew, and loved that all of their lack-of-communication and misunderstandings happened offscreen before the beginning of the book - so that by the time the book starts, they're both grown-ass adults who can communicate as such. That doesn't mean there isn't fallout, but it's a lot less frustrating.
Looking forward to seeing where the story is going from here.
Generally, I loved it, loved the relationship development between Kat and Andrew, and loved that all of their lack-of-communication and misunderstandings happened offscreen before the beginning of the book - so that by the time the book starts, they're both grown-ass adults who can communicate as such. That doesn't mean there isn't fallout, but it's a lot less frustrating.
Looking forward to seeing where the story is going from here.
October 17, 2017
The Moira Rogers team is fantastic! I find myself continually drawn into their worlds and caring about their characters to such an extent that I actually cry and feel for them. And the romance is steamy hot! If you love sexy, engaging stories with strong heros and equally strong heroines plus a HEA, I highly recommend any of their books! (Though I am partial to the Bloodhounds series... C'mon, yall - give me some more books, please!)
October 25, 2011
Fourteen months ago, Kat Gabriel's life changed forever when she used her empathy as a weapon. Now she can't escape the weight of those deaths--or the loss of the easy friendship she and Andrew once shared. Obsessed with her mother's violent past, Kat is determined to learn the truth of her inner-darkness by understanding her legacy.
Since the attack that turned him into a wolf, Andrew Callaghan has done everything possible to make himself stronger. More capable of protecting Kat--both from the supernatural world that forced her to kill, and from their own volatile connection. Pushing her away hurt them both, but he's finally made himself into the protector she needs. As Kat's quest leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is determined to be at her side. But every step forward reopens old emotional wounds and shakes their control. For a dangerous alpha and a deadly psychic, distraction could be fatal--especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.
Cipher is one of those books that I was unsure how it was going to go but was oh so desperate to read it. And I’ve read it twice since I received my copy from the author. I could read it another dozen times too before I memorised it or even became bored of it. There is so much sadness and emotion in Cipher due to what Kat and Andrew have been through and what they have to overcome but they do overcome it. Cipher is so beautifully written; you can’t but help but fall in love with the story and have such hopes for Kat and Andrew that they can be the people they want to be together. Finally. And they do, they really do. Each time I read Cipher I found something new that I hadn’t remembered from before, I realised new things about the couples that were mentioned in Cipher other than just Kat and Andrew, although Kat and Andrew are the primary couple in Cipher, Moira Rogers doesn’t let us down with the set-up of possible new couples and how their stories may unravel. Which is great stuff! I’m super excited for the next book due out in 2012 however I’m getting ahead of myself we’re talking about Cipher. Kat and Andrew have really changed and grown as people but they have never truly been whole without having each other in their lives and until this point that just hasn’t been possible for them. I loved how Cipher brought some redemption for Kat mother and her behaviour and how with Andrews help Kat gets some of the answers she wanted. I really did feel such an emotional pull with Kat and Andrew’s story possibly because I’d been rooting for them through all of the books and the sexual build up between these two is intense. I felt most of the book was a huge build-up for Kat and Andrew again because they had really changed from the people they once were. Kat is or has been trying to get a job but it wasn’t really what she wanted to do with her life and in doing so acted up and tried to make it impossible for the interviewers to want to employer her and she sees the last clue she might get about her mother to be her last bid before she decides to grow up and buy a suit and join the real world but with help from Andrew Kat releases she wants to do more with her life and with what she can do. Andrew in comparison feels a little like he’s more settled into what he’s doing with his life and but that it doesn’t feel that it fit’s him as well as it should until Kat becomes part of his life again and he seems to embrace it more fully. One of my favourite parts of Cipher is that Kat keeps pushing herself and Andrew to admit the truth about what happened in their past with each other and whether they can forgive each other and start something new I think without Kat doing this Andrew would have left many things unsaid which would have left a pink elephant in the new relationship Kat and Andrew were forming and in doing so that may not have lead them to where they end up.
With it Cipher brings a start of new relationships with some new and some not so new people to the series and takes us back to revisit relationships from previous books that I immensely enjoyed!
Favourite Quotes:
"So, you don't want to punch me with your brain." He blinked. "A surprisingly weird thing to say out loud, actually."
Her gaze shifted back to the fight, and her mouth softened. "For him, I have even learned more English. What will you learn for Katherine?" A simple answer, despite how long it had taken him to come up with it. "Everything."
“She was past broken, careening into deadly. And maybe the woman torturing them knew it. This time, when she put away her knives and turned to face Kat, that triumphant little smile slipped away. Kat didn't need empathy to see uncertainty in the woman's eyes or fear in her too-quick steps as she retreated to the door.”
“And there it was. The answer to the question she hadn't dared to ask all those endless days ago. The reason he'd learned first aid and weapons and fighting. Everything. Andrew didn't want to be a hero. He wanted to be her hero.”
Overall another truly brilliant addition to the Southern Arcana series and it really drew me in to what may happen next and who the next couples with be! Exciting stuff. Recommended read.
Since the attack that turned him into a wolf, Andrew Callaghan has done everything possible to make himself stronger. More capable of protecting Kat--both from the supernatural world that forced her to kill, and from their own volatile connection. Pushing her away hurt them both, but he's finally made himself into the protector she needs. As Kat's quest leads her into the darkest underbelly of the psychic world, Andrew is determined to be at her side. But every step forward reopens old emotional wounds and shakes their control. For a dangerous alpha and a deadly psychic, distraction could be fatal--especially when the greatest threat they pose is to each other.
Cipher is one of those books that I was unsure how it was going to go but was oh so desperate to read it. And I’ve read it twice since I received my copy from the author. I could read it another dozen times too before I memorised it or even became bored of it. There is so much sadness and emotion in Cipher due to what Kat and Andrew have been through and what they have to overcome but they do overcome it. Cipher is so beautifully written; you can’t but help but fall in love with the story and have such hopes for Kat and Andrew that they can be the people they want to be together. Finally. And they do, they really do. Each time I read Cipher I found something new that I hadn’t remembered from before, I realised new things about the couples that were mentioned in Cipher other than just Kat and Andrew, although Kat and Andrew are the primary couple in Cipher, Moira Rogers doesn’t let us down with the set-up of possible new couples and how their stories may unravel. Which is great stuff! I’m super excited for the next book due out in 2012 however I’m getting ahead of myself we’re talking about Cipher. Kat and Andrew have really changed and grown as people but they have never truly been whole without having each other in their lives and until this point that just hasn’t been possible for them. I loved how Cipher brought some redemption for Kat mother and her behaviour and how with Andrews help Kat gets some of the answers she wanted. I really did feel such an emotional pull with Kat and Andrew’s story possibly because I’d been rooting for them through all of the books and the sexual build up between these two is intense. I felt most of the book was a huge build-up for Kat and Andrew again because they had really changed from the people they once were. Kat is or has been trying to get a job but it wasn’t really what she wanted to do with her life and in doing so acted up and tried to make it impossible for the interviewers to want to employer her and she sees the last clue she might get about her mother to be her last bid before she decides to grow up and buy a suit and join the real world but with help from Andrew Kat releases she wants to do more with her life and with what she can do. Andrew in comparison feels a little like he’s more settled into what he’s doing with his life and but that it doesn’t feel that it fit’s him as well as it should until Kat becomes part of his life again and he seems to embrace it more fully. One of my favourite parts of Cipher is that Kat keeps pushing herself and Andrew to admit the truth about what happened in their past with each other and whether they can forgive each other and start something new I think without Kat doing this Andrew would have left many things unsaid which would have left a pink elephant in the new relationship Kat and Andrew were forming and in doing so that may not have lead them to where they end up.
With it Cipher brings a start of new relationships with some new and some not so new people to the series and takes us back to revisit relationships from previous books that I immensely enjoyed!
Favourite Quotes:
"So, you don't want to punch me with your brain." He blinked. "A surprisingly weird thing to say out loud, actually."
Her gaze shifted back to the fight, and her mouth softened. "For him, I have even learned more English. What will you learn for Katherine?" A simple answer, despite how long it had taken him to come up with it. "Everything."
“She was past broken, careening into deadly. And maybe the woman torturing them knew it. This time, when she put away her knives and turned to face Kat, that triumphant little smile slipped away. Kat didn't need empathy to see uncertainty in the woman's eyes or fear in her too-quick steps as she retreated to the door.”
“And there it was. The answer to the question she hadn't dared to ask all those endless days ago. The reason he'd learned first aid and weapons and fighting. Everything. Andrew didn't want to be a hero. He wanted to be her hero.”
Overall another truly brilliant addition to the Southern Arcana series and it really drew me in to what may happen next and who the next couples with be! Exciting stuff. Recommended read.
January 6, 2018
Still love this series. This book is sort of a detour from the previous 3. It has a contained plot that doesn't really advance the larger story of the series. It's satisfying nonetheless, pairing a strong empath with an alpha werewolf, both of whom were seen and deeply affected in a previous book.
October 22, 2018
Another great story!! loved reading about Kat and Andrew and how they finally got together!! Sorry to hear about Julio and Miguel and definitely about Ben and Patrick.
December 21, 2012
Reviewed for www.bookchickcity.com
The Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers, really is a superb series. It’s paranormal romance, that rides that dark line where it could also easily be classed as urban fantasy, and Rogers is certainly not afraid to pack a punch with the storyline. Every book so far has had a surprise, a gritty death or a brutal scene I just didn’t see coming. CIPHER was no exception.
Book four is Andrew and Kat’s story, and it’s a story that has been building right from the beginning of the series. It had that powerful unrequited, forbidden love desperation to it. The passion and pain between the two characters screamed off the page.
The tone of Kat and Andrew’s story was set several books back during a brutal scene when they were attacked. Andrew turned into a werewolf, and Kat’s empath ability exploded out of her control, and she destroyed people’s minds with her own. Both characters have their own pain, issues that have driven them apart and fans of the series have witnessed every raw step. I felt like I have waited to long to see them finally get together.
CIPHER took a step back from the big political developments in the shifter world we witnessed in the last book. It was there of course, but less overt. Instead it focused on a supernatural cult, bent on forcing psychics to their power against their will. A plot that is deeply interlinked with Kat’s past. And as a powerful empath it’s inevitable that Kat becomes a target for the ruthless group.
There wasn’t an element of this book that didn’t work for me. The dark plot surrounding the enslavement of physics was dark and violent. I mentioned earlier that I love that this series doesn’t shy away from from the grit, and there is a torture scene in this that isn’t for the faint-hearted. There was love, there was pain and there was grief and I embarked on the roller coaster of emotion, loving every minute of it.
But, most of all, I was so excited to see Kat and Andrew finally together! Kat is not your typical heroine, she’s brave, and also vulnerable. She doesn’t pretend to be a sword-wielding heroine, and while she has worked hard to learn self defence skills, she is equally happy to run aware from trouble if the situation requires it. Then there’s Andrew, an alpha werewolf who was only bitten two years ago, who finds himself reluctantly in a position of power for the greater good. A man who just a couple of years ago was just a humble architect. It was so painful to watch them until now, both desperately trying to ignore the feelings they had for one another. I found the scenes of them finally getting together thrilling and as a consequence the scenes seemed heightened, more sexy, more intense. Just more!
There were also some deeper series developments during the story too. We get to revisit Derek and Nick, we see Alec and Carmen. But this book sees the biggest development for Julio. Ooh Julio….. Poor Julio. And that’s really all I can say without spoiling things…
VERDICT:
I really cannot recommend this series enough to paranormal / urban fantasy fans. I think this is my favourite so far, but there is nothing like forbidden or unrequited love. It makes that final moment all the more satisfying. I personally wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone novel and I think you would get more enjoyment from reading the series through. But oh how I loved seeing Kat and Andrew finally overcoming their issues and coming together.
RATING: 4.5/5
The Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers, really is a superb series. It’s paranormal romance, that rides that dark line where it could also easily be classed as urban fantasy, and Rogers is certainly not afraid to pack a punch with the storyline. Every book so far has had a surprise, a gritty death or a brutal scene I just didn’t see coming. CIPHER was no exception.
Book four is Andrew and Kat’s story, and it’s a story that has been building right from the beginning of the series. It had that powerful unrequited, forbidden love desperation to it. The passion and pain between the two characters screamed off the page.
The tone of Kat and Andrew’s story was set several books back during a brutal scene when they were attacked. Andrew turned into a werewolf, and Kat’s empath ability exploded out of her control, and she destroyed people’s minds with her own. Both characters have their own pain, issues that have driven them apart and fans of the series have witnessed every raw step. I felt like I have waited to long to see them finally get together.
CIPHER took a step back from the big political developments in the shifter world we witnessed in the last book. It was there of course, but less overt. Instead it focused on a supernatural cult, bent on forcing psychics to their power against their will. A plot that is deeply interlinked with Kat’s past. And as a powerful empath it’s inevitable that Kat becomes a target for the ruthless group.
There wasn’t an element of this book that didn’t work for me. The dark plot surrounding the enslavement of physics was dark and violent. I mentioned earlier that I love that this series doesn’t shy away from from the grit, and there is a torture scene in this that isn’t for the faint-hearted. There was love, there was pain and there was grief and I embarked on the roller coaster of emotion, loving every minute of it.
But, most of all, I was so excited to see Kat and Andrew finally together! Kat is not your typical heroine, she’s brave, and also vulnerable. She doesn’t pretend to be a sword-wielding heroine, and while she has worked hard to learn self defence skills, she is equally happy to run aware from trouble if the situation requires it. Then there’s Andrew, an alpha werewolf who was only bitten two years ago, who finds himself reluctantly in a position of power for the greater good. A man who just a couple of years ago was just a humble architect. It was so painful to watch them until now, both desperately trying to ignore the feelings they had for one another. I found the scenes of them finally getting together thrilling and as a consequence the scenes seemed heightened, more sexy, more intense. Just more!
There were also some deeper series developments during the story too. We get to revisit Derek and Nick, we see Alec and Carmen. But this book sees the biggest development for Julio. Ooh Julio….. Poor Julio. And that’s really all I can say without spoiling things…
VERDICT:
I really cannot recommend this series enough to paranormal / urban fantasy fans. I think this is my favourite so far, but there is nothing like forbidden or unrequited love. It makes that final moment all the more satisfying. I personally wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone novel and I think you would get more enjoyment from reading the series through. But oh how I loved seeing Kat and Andrew finally overcoming their issues and coming together.
RATING: 4.5/5
September 13, 2011
Kat and Andrew had not so secret feelings for one another and before they could be together, they're attacked and forever changed. Kat was forced to use her empathy as a weapon to kill her attackers but not before they had the chance to turn Andrew into a wolf. Even though it hurt him, Andrew pushed Kat away until the time came where he had his wolf under control and was strong enough to protect and not harm her. Now over a year later, Kat is looking into her mother's troubled past. Andrew is an alpha wolf and when he learns of what Kat is doing, he'll be by her side whether she wants him there or not. The deeper Kat's investigation takes them, the more dangerous it becomes and they'll need to trust each other if they hope to make it out alive.
You see some of the geeky, sweet Kat that you first meet in Crux but fourteen months after the attack on her and Andrew, there are noticeable changes. Her psychic abilities are stronger and there's an edge to her. Even when she's scared, she wanted to confront things head on. I wouldn't say she's a new Kat but rather the Kat you've come to love with a few improvements. As much as I want to hate Andrew for pushing Kat away and hurting her the way he did, I see why he did it. His feelings for her never wane and he's hurting just as much as she is but he keeps his distance so he can become not only a better man, but a better and more in control wolf. There's no hesitation to help Kat when she needs him during her search to find answers about her mother. Now that I've read his book, I see the good man Kat does and know he's right for her.
Kat and Andrew each place blame on themselves for what happened fourteen months ago and whenever the other gets hurt. I understand why each may think that something is their fault because they want to protect the other but I started to get a little tired of the blame game towards the end. Another problem I had was with the lack of any real heat between Kat and Andrew in the bedroom. There's no question of their love for one another but when they're finally intimate, there wasn't any real spark to it. I was expecting more from a series with some real scorching sex scenes.
The story went in a direction that I didn't expect it to. I thought we'd be finding all about what Kat's mom was into before she died but that was just the start of things. We're taken into the world of powerful psychics and a deadly cult with a terrifying agenda. The last two books in this series focused on werewolf politics and while that's still present, it's second to what's happening with Kat and Andrew. I was a little worried it would overshadow what was going on with Kat but thankfully it never did.
Like many Moira Rogers fans I've been waiting for Kat and Andrew's book. Despite the couple problems I had and, I felt they delivered a really good book. Cipher plays with all your emotions and takes readers on a suspenseful, paranormal journey that I'm sure fans of this series will enjoy. If you're new to the series, I say go back and start with book one. You could jump into the series at this point but you'd be missing a lot of great moments and characters.
-Stephanie
You see some of the geeky, sweet Kat that you first meet in Crux but fourteen months after the attack on her and Andrew, there are noticeable changes. Her psychic abilities are stronger and there's an edge to her. Even when she's scared, she wanted to confront things head on. I wouldn't say she's a new Kat but rather the Kat you've come to love with a few improvements. As much as I want to hate Andrew for pushing Kat away and hurting her the way he did, I see why he did it. His feelings for her never wane and he's hurting just as much as she is but he keeps his distance so he can become not only a better man, but a better and more in control wolf. There's no hesitation to help Kat when she needs him during her search to find answers about her mother. Now that I've read his book, I see the good man Kat does and know he's right for her.
Kat and Andrew each place blame on themselves for what happened fourteen months ago and whenever the other gets hurt. I understand why each may think that something is their fault because they want to protect the other but I started to get a little tired of the blame game towards the end. Another problem I had was with the lack of any real heat between Kat and Andrew in the bedroom. There's no question of their love for one another but when they're finally intimate, there wasn't any real spark to it. I was expecting more from a series with some real scorching sex scenes.
The story went in a direction that I didn't expect it to. I thought we'd be finding all about what Kat's mom was into before she died but that was just the start of things. We're taken into the world of powerful psychics and a deadly cult with a terrifying agenda. The last two books in this series focused on werewolf politics and while that's still present, it's second to what's happening with Kat and Andrew. I was a little worried it would overshadow what was going on with Kat but thankfully it never did.
Like many Moira Rogers fans I've been waiting for Kat and Andrew's book. Despite the couple problems I had and, I felt they delivered a really good book. Cipher plays with all your emotions and takes readers on a suspenseful, paranormal journey that I'm sure fans of this series will enjoy. If you're new to the series, I say go back and start with book one. You could jump into the series at this point but you'd be missing a lot of great moments and characters.
-Stephanie
March 22, 2014
This is the couple we’ve been waiting for… the carrot on the string for several books now. Finally, it’s time for Kat and Andrew to break through the walls between them and get their long awaited HEA! The story does just that, and while I liked it, I will admit I wasn’t 100% satisfied with the journey.
As the story begins, we find out Kat is researching her mother’s history, looking for clues to her past and information about the powerful psychic gift passed down through the family. She gets an email offering her more information, but only if she brings along Julio or Andrew for the meet. Of course, she tries Julio first and –of course– it ends up Andrew who serves as her backup instead. This finally puts the two of them in the same orbit for the first time in the year or so since he was turned into a wolf.
The events that take place during the journey –and after– put Kat in grave danger. I won’t get into the details. But as she and Andrew spend time together, they finally move toward a relationship. Here’s the thing that bothered me, though. It was too easy. Obviously there are roadblocks and massive issues to get over. But it was like someone flipped a switch and one day Andrew is avoiding Kat like the plague and the next, he is ready to get physical. Why now? Because Alec told him to? People have been telling him for months to go to her. But now he gets the message? It seemed so arbitrary.
Then, I felt like there was a little revisionist history going on. Suddenly, Kat bears some blame in the werewolf attack. She has guilt and Andrew has anger, because she got scared. What? She should have known better. What? They have to forgive each other. Wh…? Both characters accepted equal blame, so I guess I am supposed to feel like they had an equal role in staying apart? No. Both characters talk about how maybe they weren’t really ready before, so it’s really better that they had this year apart and slept with other folks? No. Kat’s so glad she’s not a virgin, so she can enjoy the sex more, and therefore we have another reason why it was good they’ve been apart. (*pulls hair out*) –I think you get my point.
Don’t get me wrong. This book was definitely not a crushing disappointment or anything. It was angsty and action-packed. We get to spend more time getting to know the secondary characters featured in the next couple of books. Specifically, Julio and Sera are set up nicely. The sex is hot, as you can bet the bank on with Moira Rogers. And the end is satisfying.
It just wasn’t quite the romance I expected. I wanted to get inside Andrew a bit more. I wanted him to regret (really regret) how he has kept Kat at arm’s length all this time. And I feel like we are moving away from the core characters that I love in the series. They’re in Wyoming and New York and I miss them. I’d like some storyline that truly brings the old gang back into the fold, instead of just a random video call or a quick reunion. But, the new characters hold their own. And I will definitely keep reading to find out where the story takes us next.
Rating: B/B-
As the story begins, we find out Kat is researching her mother’s history, looking for clues to her past and information about the powerful psychic gift passed down through the family. She gets an email offering her more information, but only if she brings along Julio or Andrew for the meet. Of course, she tries Julio first and –of course– it ends up Andrew who serves as her backup instead. This finally puts the two of them in the same orbit for the first time in the year or so since he was turned into a wolf.
The events that take place during the journey –and after– put Kat in grave danger. I won’t get into the details. But as she and Andrew spend time together, they finally move toward a relationship. Here’s the thing that bothered me, though. It was too easy. Obviously there are roadblocks and massive issues to get over. But it was like someone flipped a switch and one day Andrew is avoiding Kat like the plague and the next, he is ready to get physical. Why now? Because Alec told him to? People have been telling him for months to go to her. But now he gets the message? It seemed so arbitrary.
Then, I felt like there was a little revisionist history going on. Suddenly, Kat bears some blame in the werewolf attack. She has guilt and Andrew has anger, because she got scared. What? She should have known better. What? They have to forgive each other. Wh…? Both characters accepted equal blame, so I guess I am supposed to feel like they had an equal role in staying apart? No. Both characters talk about how maybe they weren’t really ready before, so it’s really better that they had this year apart and slept with other folks? No. Kat’s so glad she’s not a virgin, so she can enjoy the sex more, and therefore we have another reason why it was good they’ve been apart. (*pulls hair out*) –I think you get my point.
Don’t get me wrong. This book was definitely not a crushing disappointment or anything. It was angsty and action-packed. We get to spend more time getting to know the secondary characters featured in the next couple of books. Specifically, Julio and Sera are set up nicely. The sex is hot, as you can bet the bank on with Moira Rogers. And the end is satisfying.
It just wasn’t quite the romance I expected. I wanted to get inside Andrew a bit more. I wanted him to regret (really regret) how he has kept Kat at arm’s length all this time. And I feel like we are moving away from the core characters that I love in the series. They’re in Wyoming and New York and I miss them. I’d like some storyline that truly brings the old gang back into the fold, instead of just a random video call or a quick reunion. But, the new characters hold their own. And I will definitely keep reading to find out where the story takes us next.
Rating: B/B-
August 21, 2011
Originally Posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
A Long and Short of It "BEST BOOK"
The Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers just keeps getting better. I have been waiting for Kat and Andrew’s book and it certainly was worth the wait. The New Orleans of Southern Arcana is wonderfully detailed, inhabited by the most intriguing supernatural community, a diverse and interesting group of shifters, psychics and many more too numerous to mention here.
Katherine “Kat” Gabriel and Andrew Callaghan have been tiptoeing around the elephant in the corner for fourteen months. That is when the past and politics combined to interrupt the budding love between them, causing Andrew to become the wolf he now is, and leaving Kat to deal with the guilt she feels for using her mind to kill the rogues who attacked them. Both have wondered what might have been, but then Kat receives information on a plot so terrible it caused the death of Kat’s mother when she was young.
Now Kat and Andrew, and their mutual guilt society, are on a road trip together, to meet with an informant to learn more. What they uncover could ruin the lives of supernaturals around the world, so Kat and Andrew, and a small band of friends set out to stop this threat once and for all. Can they take care of the threat to keep everyone safe, all while dealing with the elephant sitting squarely between them? Can they find the way back to the relationship, and love they had? Or will their lives be forever shadowed by events from the past?
Kat is determined to get past the events that changed her life fourteen months ago. I enjoyed watching as she honed her talent, her empathy, to better protect herself and those around her, while learning to deal with what happened in the past. Kat is a strong character, but she doesn’t realize her true strength isn’t physical, and I liked seeing her realize what was important in her life.
Andrew is the strong alpha wolf, created in the attack on him and Kat fourteen months ago. He has guilt issues and lots of anger, but one thing never wavered-his love for Kat. He is loyal to his friends, and protective of those he loves, especially Kat. I enjoyed seeing him come to terms with his feelings, and find his way back to Kat’s side.
There is a cult of supernatural people determined to control the psychic community, and use them as weapons in their goal to take over and rule the world. Kat and Andrew take on the challenge to stop them, and recruit a small band of helpers along the way.
There is a lot of danger and some very sad moments, but this is Moira Rogers. There is a lot of hot passion, but in a very unique and surprising manner. When Kat and Andrew finally resolve their issues, things go to a whole new level. I also enjoyed catching up with many of our old friends from earlier books.
This is the best of the Southern Arcana series so far, in my opinion, and I look forward to the next one.
A Long and Short of It "BEST BOOK"
The Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers just keeps getting better. I have been waiting for Kat and Andrew’s book and it certainly was worth the wait. The New Orleans of Southern Arcana is wonderfully detailed, inhabited by the most intriguing supernatural community, a diverse and interesting group of shifters, psychics and many more too numerous to mention here.
Katherine “Kat” Gabriel and Andrew Callaghan have been tiptoeing around the elephant in the corner for fourteen months. That is when the past and politics combined to interrupt the budding love between them, causing Andrew to become the wolf he now is, and leaving Kat to deal with the guilt she feels for using her mind to kill the rogues who attacked them. Both have wondered what might have been, but then Kat receives information on a plot so terrible it caused the death of Kat’s mother when she was young.
Now Kat and Andrew, and their mutual guilt society, are on a road trip together, to meet with an informant to learn more. What they uncover could ruin the lives of supernaturals around the world, so Kat and Andrew, and a small band of friends set out to stop this threat once and for all. Can they take care of the threat to keep everyone safe, all while dealing with the elephant sitting squarely between them? Can they find the way back to the relationship, and love they had? Or will their lives be forever shadowed by events from the past?
Kat is determined to get past the events that changed her life fourteen months ago. I enjoyed watching as she honed her talent, her empathy, to better protect herself and those around her, while learning to deal with what happened in the past. Kat is a strong character, but she doesn’t realize her true strength isn’t physical, and I liked seeing her realize what was important in her life.
Andrew is the strong alpha wolf, created in the attack on him and Kat fourteen months ago. He has guilt issues and lots of anger, but one thing never wavered-his love for Kat. He is loyal to his friends, and protective of those he loves, especially Kat. I enjoyed seeing him come to terms with his feelings, and find his way back to Kat’s side.
There is a cult of supernatural people determined to control the psychic community, and use them as weapons in their goal to take over and rule the world. Kat and Andrew take on the challenge to stop them, and recruit a small band of helpers along the way.
There is a lot of danger and some very sad moments, but this is Moira Rogers. There is a lot of hot passion, but in a very unique and surprising manner. When Kat and Andrew finally resolve their issues, things go to a whole new level. I also enjoyed catching up with many of our old friends from earlier books.
This is the best of the Southern Arcana series so far, in my opinion, and I look forward to the next one.
January 5, 2012
Fourteen months ago Kat and Andrew were on the verge of taking the first step towards starting a relationship but that all changed one night after a horrific attack. The attack saw Andrew turned into a werewolf and Kat devastated by the consequences of using her psychic abilities to kill their attackers. Since that moment Andrew has pushed Kat away, terrified of hurting her because he doesn't have full control over his wolf. Kat was heartbroken by Andrew's rejection and blames herself for the fact he was tuned. Can they work through their guilt and anger to find a way to be together?
I absolutely love the Southern Arcana series and it feels like I've been waiting forever to read Kat and Andrew's story. We have seen this couple throughout the series right from the attack to the way they have skirted around each other ever since so I was really excited that they were finally getting their chance at a happy ending. There has been a lot of guilt and rejection between them so I knew they wouldn't have an easy journey but we've know all along how much they both care for each other. Andrew may have been the one to push Kat away but he did it because he cares so much and his actions hurt him just as much as they hurt her.
Andrew may not have been born a shapeshifter but his instincts are all alpha and he is very protective of those he cares about. I really appreciated the fact that he tried not to be a bossy, controlling alpha because he knows Kat has had enough enough of that last her a lifetime. It wasn't always easy for him to go against his instincts but just the fact that he was willing to try showed how much he cares for her. Kat was also changed after the attack, she still has nightmares over killing their attackers and she feels that it was her fault that Andrew was changed into a wolf. She is still that geeky girl we first met but she has also grown stronger and more sure of herself since that night. I loved the chemistry between the two of them and Kat's empathic abilities certainly added an interesting dimension to their foreplay - their story is smoking!
I have to admit I wasn't expecting the direction this story took, I thought there would be more about the werewolf politics (especially after the ending of Deadlock!) so was surprised to find it was more about Kat's investigation into the psychic cult her mother was a member of. However, I really enjoyed the change in direction and it worked well as a backdrop for the development of Kat and Andrew's relationship. We did still find out a little more about what is going on in the werewolf hierarchy and I'm sure we'll see even more in the next installment.
Cipher was a great installment to the series and I'm really looking forward to reading Impulse when it comes out later this year. Although this story could be read as a stand alone I would highly recommend reading the series in order. This really is a great series and one I have been really enjoying!
I absolutely love the Southern Arcana series and it feels like I've been waiting forever to read Kat and Andrew's story. We have seen this couple throughout the series right from the attack to the way they have skirted around each other ever since so I was really excited that they were finally getting their chance at a happy ending. There has been a lot of guilt and rejection between them so I knew they wouldn't have an easy journey but we've know all along how much they both care for each other. Andrew may have been the one to push Kat away but he did it because he cares so much and his actions hurt him just as much as they hurt her.
Andrew may not have been born a shapeshifter but his instincts are all alpha and he is very protective of those he cares about. I really appreciated the fact that he tried not to be a bossy, controlling alpha because he knows Kat has had enough enough of that last her a lifetime. It wasn't always easy for him to go against his instincts but just the fact that he was willing to try showed how much he cares for her. Kat was also changed after the attack, she still has nightmares over killing their attackers and she feels that it was her fault that Andrew was changed into a wolf. She is still that geeky girl we first met but she has also grown stronger and more sure of herself since that night. I loved the chemistry between the two of them and Kat's empathic abilities certainly added an interesting dimension to their foreplay - their story is smoking!
I have to admit I wasn't expecting the direction this story took, I thought there would be more about the werewolf politics (especially after the ending of Deadlock!) so was surprised to find it was more about Kat's investigation into the psychic cult her mother was a member of. However, I really enjoyed the change in direction and it worked well as a backdrop for the development of Kat and Andrew's relationship. We did still find out a little more about what is going on in the werewolf hierarchy and I'm sure we'll see even more in the next installment.
Cipher was a great installment to the series and I'm really looking forward to reading Impulse when it comes out later this year. Although this story could be read as a stand alone I would highly recommend reading the series in order. This really is a great series and one I have been really enjoying!
September 6, 2011
Cipher (Southern Arcana #4) by Moira Rogers
Paranormal Romance
September 6, 2011
Samhain
Favorite Quote: It was like Romeo and Juliet. If Romeo was in his mid thirties with a mullet.
Kat Gabriel is a powerful psychic and empath. A talent she inherited from her mother. When she inadvertently uses her powers to save a friend, the guilt and horror she feels usig her powers to kill and the withdrawal of her friend causes her to shutdown and she tries to bury herself and her power. Kat fears that she will end up like her mother and decides the time has come to look into her mother’s past to see what happened to her so many years ago.
Andrew Callaghan is a made werewolf. He was bitten when he tried to save Kat ‘s life. Since the change is a volatile time for all wolves and more so for newly made ones, Andrew felt the best way to protect Kat is to stay away from her. Andrew knows that pushing Kat away is the only way he can keep her safe. When Kat decides to research her past, Andrew ‘s protective instincts come into play and he comes along to help her.
As Andrew and Kat dig deeper into her past, an vicious and unethical threat rises. A threat that wants Kat and will take out anyone that gets in their way.
Cipher is the 4th book in Moira Roger’s dynamic action packed Southern Arcana series. A supernatural thrilling series with plenty of hot steamy romance and edge of your seat suspense guaranteed to keep you hooked till the very end. Here we finally get the story we have all been waiting on Kat and Andrew. What I truly enjoy about this series is the ease and skill in which they write their characters. They capture your attention and wrangle their way into your heart. It’s very easy to become vested in their lives. The smooth pacing and engaging storyline makes for a fast read that comes to an end far too soon.
Cipher picks up with a where Deadlock leaves off and runs with it. The Conclave is still unsettled and the tension in the shifter world has everyone on edge. Kat and Andrew are wary of each other and their feelings; each believing they know what’s best for the other one. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they themselves are the problem. I enjoy how they “resolve” their conflicts. ;)
We see many old friends in here along with some new ones. This world keeps expanding and evolving at just the right pace. Our villian(s) are nasty evil minded individuals that you will love to hate and the ending resolves enough open ended story lines to satisfy while giving clues to what’s coming next.
While each of these could be read as a stand alone since they each revolve around a main couple and resolve a main conflict, there is a heavy bleed over of characters and storyline that will leave some confused if your not familiar with the overall arc. All in all Cipher is a powerful addition to the Southern Arcana series which stands as being one of my top favorite paranormal romantic series to date.
Rating: B
Paranormal Romance
September 6, 2011
Samhain
Favorite Quote: It was like Romeo and Juliet. If Romeo was in his mid thirties with a mullet.
Kat Gabriel is a powerful psychic and empath. A talent she inherited from her mother. When she inadvertently uses her powers to save a friend, the guilt and horror she feels usig her powers to kill and the withdrawal of her friend causes her to shutdown and she tries to bury herself and her power. Kat fears that she will end up like her mother and decides the time has come to look into her mother’s past to see what happened to her so many years ago.
Andrew Callaghan is a made werewolf. He was bitten when he tried to save Kat ‘s life. Since the change is a volatile time for all wolves and more so for newly made ones, Andrew felt the best way to protect Kat is to stay away from her. Andrew knows that pushing Kat away is the only way he can keep her safe. When Kat decides to research her past, Andrew ‘s protective instincts come into play and he comes along to help her.
As Andrew and Kat dig deeper into her past, an vicious and unethical threat rises. A threat that wants Kat and will take out anyone that gets in their way.
Cipher is the 4th book in Moira Roger’s dynamic action packed Southern Arcana series. A supernatural thrilling series with plenty of hot steamy romance and edge of your seat suspense guaranteed to keep you hooked till the very end. Here we finally get the story we have all been waiting on Kat and Andrew. What I truly enjoy about this series is the ease and skill in which they write their characters. They capture your attention and wrangle their way into your heart. It’s very easy to become vested in their lives. The smooth pacing and engaging storyline makes for a fast read that comes to an end far too soon.
Cipher picks up with a where Deadlock leaves off and runs with it. The Conclave is still unsettled and the tension in the shifter world has everyone on edge. Kat and Andrew are wary of each other and their feelings; each believing they know what’s best for the other one. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they themselves are the problem. I enjoy how they “resolve” their conflicts. ;)
We see many old friends in here along with some new ones. This world keeps expanding and evolving at just the right pace. Our villian(s) are nasty evil minded individuals that you will love to hate and the ending resolves enough open ended story lines to satisfy while giving clues to what’s coming next.
While each of these could be read as a stand alone since they each revolve around a main couple and resolve a main conflict, there is a heavy bleed over of characters and storyline that will leave some confused if your not familiar with the overall arc. All in all Cipher is a powerful addition to the Southern Arcana series which stands as being one of my top favorite paranormal romantic series to date.
Rating: B
August 29, 2011
Kat Gabriel is a powerful psychic - she can feel other people's emotions as well as project emotion into others. She knows her mother also shared this gift, and was involved in some questionable practices that may have resulted in her death. Kat is even stronger than her mother though, and fears her powers will affect Kat like they did her mother; to that end, she is looking into her mother's past to try to find out where things went wrong.
Andrew Callaghan is a "turned" werewolf - he was not born this way. Fourteen months ago he was attacked trying to save Kat. New werewolves are very unpredictable, and with Andrew's strength, he knew that to protect Kat he had to stay away from her. Neither of them are happy about it, but they both accept that that's the way things are. There had been an attraction between them before the attack, and it hasn't gone away.
When Kat needs some help tracking down a lead from her mother's past, Andrew ends up going along to assist. When Kat is almost killed, Andrew cannot overcome his instincts to protect her. Together they uncover a mysterious cult and battle for Kat's safety.
My thoughts:
I have been waiting for Kat and Andrew's story for what feels like forever; it was totally worth the wait! In Deadlock, the authors tease us up with bits of Kat and Andrew's story, and in Cipher they BRING IT!!!
Cipher is a super-sexy psychological thriller. Without giving spoilers, Moira Rogers doesn't pull any punches in this 4th installment of their Southern Arcana series - things are still unsettled in the political heirachy of the shifter world, old friends from previous books in the series are suffering, and this new threat that Kat uncovers is ruthless and will stop at nothing to attain their goal.
Because Kat is a psychic, a large portion of the book is mental - thoughts, feelings, emotions - but it's definitely not passive. Cipher is full of action - both the kick ass kind of action and sexy kind of action. Kat and Andrew are both killing machines and worry about accidentally hurting the other by not being in control of their powers. If they want to be together they must learn to trust each other and themselves. I absolutely loved the way Kat and Andrew work through their relationship issues in the bedroom *wiggles eyebrows*.
Cipher hit all the right buttons for me: An exciting mystery with creepy delusional bad guys, sexy and strong hero/heroine who compromise and work together, a few plot twists that I didn't see coming, and revisiting characters from previous books. This series just keeps getting better and better!
Andrew Callaghan is a "turned" werewolf - he was not born this way. Fourteen months ago he was attacked trying to save Kat. New werewolves are very unpredictable, and with Andrew's strength, he knew that to protect Kat he had to stay away from her. Neither of them are happy about it, but they both accept that that's the way things are. There had been an attraction between them before the attack, and it hasn't gone away.
When Kat needs some help tracking down a lead from her mother's past, Andrew ends up going along to assist. When Kat is almost killed, Andrew cannot overcome his instincts to protect her. Together they uncover a mysterious cult and battle for Kat's safety.
My thoughts:
I have been waiting for Kat and Andrew's story for what feels like forever; it was totally worth the wait! In Deadlock, the authors tease us up with bits of Kat and Andrew's story, and in Cipher they BRING IT!!!
Cipher is a super-sexy psychological thriller. Without giving spoilers, Moira Rogers doesn't pull any punches in this 4th installment of their Southern Arcana series - things are still unsettled in the political heirachy of the shifter world, old friends from previous books in the series are suffering, and this new threat that Kat uncovers is ruthless and will stop at nothing to attain their goal.
Because Kat is a psychic, a large portion of the book is mental - thoughts, feelings, emotions - but it's definitely not passive. Cipher is full of action - both the kick ass kind of action and sexy kind of action. Kat and Andrew are both killing machines and worry about accidentally hurting the other by not being in control of their powers. If they want to be together they must learn to trust each other and themselves. I absolutely loved the way Kat and Andrew work through their relationship issues in the bedroom *wiggles eyebrows*.
Cipher hit all the right buttons for me: An exciting mystery with creepy delusional bad guys, sexy and strong hero/heroine who compromise and work together, a few plot twists that I didn't see coming, and revisiting characters from previous books. This series just keeps getting better and better!
September 20, 2011
Originally posted at WickedLilPixie Reviews
Cipher is the fourth book in the Southern Arcana series by the awesome writing duo that is Moira Rogers. Andrew Callaghan and Kat Gabriel experienced a life changing and traumatic experience just over a year ago that left them both emotionally battered and scarred… and left Andrew a newly turned wolf shifter. They’d always had a thing for each other, but were both young and hadn’t had the chance to take things further.
After the attack, Kat had to deal with everyone seeing her as the broken-hearted fool when Andrew’s new strength and instincts needed to be trained and he had to learn discipline away from Kat. Just as dangerous, Kat’s empathic abilities are deadly if she doesn’t have the right training to keep the powers from bombing someone’s brains out. And so instead of growing closer after the event, they went their separate ways no matter the heartache it caused. But now something is going on that brings them back together and it’s a great ride!
I am a sucker for love stories where the hero and heroine have a complicated history together, as friends to lovers, and Cipher totally delivered for me. The minute Andrew and Kat are together again, I immediately wanted to know more about their motives for staying apart all this time. Where was all this guilt and fear coming from? I wanted them to talk and work it out because their attraction and affection is palpable. The first time they ride in a car together? Holy mama, smoke em if you got em, it’s tense. As their journey makes it clear there is no way they can continue ignoring their need to be together, it is fun to watch it play out. They both learn to accept the fact that they can cause each other severe harm, but that they have the control necessary now to never do that to each other. There were several “awwww!” moments and more than a few “holy hotness!” moments as well. They have the best foreplay scenes ever. Damn! I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to see what happens next with Julio and Sera, Anna and Patrick? ooh those are gonna be some good stories right there.
This was a solid Paranormal Romance read, with very very steamy hot action that I loved! There was also a nice dose of violence and gore, that I liked. This book can be read as a standalone with ease, but now I have to go back and read Deadlock which I somehow missed because I don’t want to miss out on this hot action. Here are all the books so far in the the Southern Arcana series:
1. Crux
2. Crossroads
3. Deadlock
4. Cipher
Cipher is the fourth book in the Southern Arcana series by the awesome writing duo that is Moira Rogers. Andrew Callaghan and Kat Gabriel experienced a life changing and traumatic experience just over a year ago that left them both emotionally battered and scarred… and left Andrew a newly turned wolf shifter. They’d always had a thing for each other, but were both young and hadn’t had the chance to take things further.
After the attack, Kat had to deal with everyone seeing her as the broken-hearted fool when Andrew’s new strength and instincts needed to be trained and he had to learn discipline away from Kat. Just as dangerous, Kat’s empathic abilities are deadly if she doesn’t have the right training to keep the powers from bombing someone’s brains out. And so instead of growing closer after the event, they went their separate ways no matter the heartache it caused. But now something is going on that brings them back together and it’s a great ride!
I am a sucker for love stories where the hero and heroine have a complicated history together, as friends to lovers, and Cipher totally delivered for me. The minute Andrew and Kat are together again, I immediately wanted to know more about their motives for staying apart all this time. Where was all this guilt and fear coming from? I wanted them to talk and work it out because their attraction and affection is palpable. The first time they ride in a car together? Holy mama, smoke em if you got em, it’s tense. As their journey makes it clear there is no way they can continue ignoring their need to be together, it is fun to watch it play out. They both learn to accept the fact that they can cause each other severe harm, but that they have the control necessary now to never do that to each other. There were several “awwww!” moments and more than a few “holy hotness!” moments as well. They have the best foreplay scenes ever. Damn! I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to see what happens next with Julio and Sera, Anna and Patrick? ooh those are gonna be some good stories right there.
This was a solid Paranormal Romance read, with very very steamy hot action that I loved! There was also a nice dose of violence and gore, that I liked. This book can be read as a standalone with ease, but now I have to go back and read Deadlock which I somehow missed because I don’t want to miss out on this hot action. Here are all the books so far in the the Southern Arcana series:
1. Crux
2. Crossroads
3. Deadlock
4. Cipher
November 2, 2011
In retrospect it seems I waited for ages to finally get my hands on Kat's and Andrew's story. Both had a constant presence in the previous novels and with every appearance my curiosity about them rose. So yes, I was giddy and excited when I held Cipher in my hands for the first time. So many obstacles and much heartbreak lays in our pair's past and I wasn't sure how Rogers would finally fix all this. But let me assure you, we get what we waited for.
Kat changed a lot since we met her for the first time in Crux. She matured but luckily didn't lose her geek wit on the way. Her life wasn't easy- at all and this whole mess with Andrew still troubles more than she wants to admit. I loved to see the "adult" Kat. She is still so much fun but now that she has at least a bit of control over her abilities she is more confident.
Andrew is just wonderful. He is, like most of Roger's alpha heroes a deeply caring person but in contrast to the rest he knows that Kat won't buy his alpha shit. So he sucks it up. That pretty much shocked me. And well it shows how much he really loves her. He acts against his instincts just because he knows that Kat need some control for herself. That so made my heart melt. But well it doesn't mean that he isn't a badass shifter. He knows how to kick ass and nothing can hold him back to protect what he deems his.
The love between those two was there from the first time we met them, so in Cipher we actually see how they finally find their way to each other. Tragic incidents, complicated family and pack dramas and more lie in their way and most of those won't just go away and leave them alone. It's a hard way but both are willing to give it a try. In contrast to the previous books I found Cipher to be a bit more focused on the love story. Yes we still have action and mayhem but Kat and Andrew just needed the time and focus they got in this one.
As always I loved the sidecast but I would have wished to see more of Alec. *g* Julio and Miguel play a bigger role in Cipher and so far they didn't win my heart as much as the others. But I'm sure Rogers will make me love them too.
Cipher is an emotionally intense and fast paced read you won't be able to put down. You will find a wonderful romance that will break your heart and put it back together in the end. For me the Southern Arcana novels are one of the best urban fantasy series out there and I'm still hungering for the next book. Highly recommended.
Kat changed a lot since we met her for the first time in Crux. She matured but luckily didn't lose her geek wit on the way. Her life wasn't easy- at all and this whole mess with Andrew still troubles more than she wants to admit. I loved to see the "adult" Kat. She is still so much fun but now that she has at least a bit of control over her abilities she is more confident.
Andrew is just wonderful. He is, like most of Roger's alpha heroes a deeply caring person but in contrast to the rest he knows that Kat won't buy his alpha shit. So he sucks it up. That pretty much shocked me. And well it shows how much he really loves her. He acts against his instincts just because he knows that Kat need some control for herself. That so made my heart melt. But well it doesn't mean that he isn't a badass shifter. He knows how to kick ass and nothing can hold him back to protect what he deems his.
The love between those two was there from the first time we met them, so in Cipher we actually see how they finally find their way to each other. Tragic incidents, complicated family and pack dramas and more lie in their way and most of those won't just go away and leave them alone. It's a hard way but both are willing to give it a try. In contrast to the previous books I found Cipher to be a bit more focused on the love story. Yes we still have action and mayhem but Kat and Andrew just needed the time and focus they got in this one.
As always I loved the sidecast but I would have wished to see more of Alec. *g* Julio and Miguel play a bigger role in Cipher and so far they didn't win my heart as much as the others. But I'm sure Rogers will make me love them too.
Cipher is an emotionally intense and fast paced read you won't be able to put down. You will find a wonderful romance that will break your heart and put it back together in the end. For me the Southern Arcana novels are one of the best urban fantasy series out there and I'm still hungering for the next book. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2011
Sometimes I feel like a broken record because I just keep repeating myself and repeating myself when it comes to this series. However, I'm not going to let that stop me from telling ya'll how FANTASTIC this book is. It was like as ice cream sundae with extra chocolate sauce and a dozen cherries thrown on top. Well, if you substitute ice cream for Alpha werewolves and chocolate sauce for magic and cherries for AWESOME! Because everyone wants to eat an Alpha werewolf covered in magic and sprinkled with awesome. Right? Wait. That somehow came out a lot dirtier than I meant it to. *ahem*
We met Kat and Andrew in book 1 and we've seen them through the worst moments of their lives. They were the couple-that-weren't that we all wanted to get together but circumstances drove them apart. Yet despite the fact that they've gone their separate ways (or as separate as two supernaturals can in a small community), they're still combustible when they get together. Put simply, those two are hot.
As always, the secondary characters absolutely shine. Alec and his inability to work technology made me laugh but all of them made me downright giddy. New characters keep the universe expanding and I'm really hoping that we get to see more of those newbies in later books. Let's face it, Moira Rogers creates great characters. It doesn't matter if they're in there for a few pages or are integral to the plot, they are fabulous.
For those that were wondering how soon the breakfast foods would make an appearance... Chapter 1, first line: Someone was cooking waffles.
Breakfast foods, FTW!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
We met Kat and Andrew in book 1 and we've seen them through the worst moments of their lives. They were the couple-that-weren't that we all wanted to get together but circumstances drove them apart. Yet despite the fact that they've gone their separate ways (or as separate as two supernaturals can in a small community), they're still combustible when they get together. Put simply, those two are hot.
As always, the secondary characters absolutely shine. Alec and his inability to work technology made me laugh but all of them made me downright giddy. New characters keep the universe expanding and I'm really hoping that we get to see more of those newbies in later books. Let's face it, Moira Rogers creates great characters. It doesn't matter if they're in there for a few pages or are integral to the plot, they are fabulous.
For those that were wondering how soon the breakfast foods would make an appearance... Chapter 1, first line: Someone was cooking waffles.
Breakfast foods, FTW!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
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