I can't say that I read much Fantasy romance, but I was intrigued when I read the description of this book. It made it seem like the book would be fulI can't say that I read much Fantasy romance, but I was intrigued when I read the description of this book. It made it seem like the book would be full of uncertain politics and tense relations between two factions. The politics and twists and turns were one of the things I loved about the Tairen Soul series, another Fantasy Romance series I've read, so I was hoping for the same thing here.
Although I found the world idea interesting, it wasn't developed as well as I'd hoped. In the beginning we're introduced to Annika, a Na'Chi (AKA a Na'Reish/Light Blade halfbreed), Kalan, a Light Blade warrior (human), and the Na'Reish, the race of demons who captured Kalan. The plot develops from there, with Annika striking a bargain with Kalan to help him escape. They both initially distrust each other, and even occasionally fear each other, but they are forced to learn to rely on one another in order to successfully survive the escape.
Unfortunately, not much more development happens in regards to the world setup. The author developed the broad strokes of the world, like... There are demons and there are humans and they don't like each other. Halfbreeds are abominations that are rarely allowed to survive. The Na'Reish seem to have no religion, but the Light Blades believe in a goddess--who is indicated by the incessant use of italics and capitalization of the words "Her" and "She"--and their whole culture seems to be based around her, excuse me, Her influence. But that's about it for worldbuilding. At the very end more detail is given, but even then it wasn't enough. I needed more depth to the world and characters to truly become engaged.
One thing that I really enjoyed was the tension and wariness between Annika and Kalan in the beginning. Both of them took a big leap in trusting each other, but there was no other alternative. Their wariness was not cured in an instant, and they both spent a lot of time watching for betrayal. Of course, I didn't like that the heroine only proved that she was different from the other demons by showing her humanity. That seemed to translate into her showing her soft and caring side. Basically, she had to be emotional. This left the heroine feeling rather young and overly emotional, at least for me. Then again, I found the whole tone of the book flowery and overly emotional in general. Given that the Tairen Soul series reads the same way, I have to wonder, given my relative inexperience with the genre, if that's just the style of most Fantasy Romances.
The romance took its cue from the rest of the book and stayed underdeveloped. Kalan and Annika were likable characters, but their connection came too easily once they got past their initial mistrust. Love came way too quickly for both of them, and given Kalan's position and the responsibility on his shoulders, I expected more of a struggle over divided loyalties. The lack of it gave the whole Light Blade culture, and the romance, a superficial feel. Even at the end, when Annika is faced with the threat of an addiction she'd fought to avoid, we're still only given a bare minimum focus on it. It wasn't gone into at all, and I had to wonder why the author even felt the need to bring it up if she wasn't going to treat it as important.
I liked the book's focus on prejudice, and especially liked that the author wasn't afraid to play with who was to blame in the situation between the Na'Reish and the Light Blades, but I found the overall plot to be predicable and the conflict to be too easily solved. The situation lacked the intensity I was looking for and I was left feeling ho-hum about it when it ended.
Favorite Quote:
"Hesia was right. The real test of a person is whether they can see past the names and labels." His gaze was steady. "I've seen you. You laugh, you fear, you cry, you love. You're as human as me, Na'Chi."
Eh. This one started off well, but it didn't last. I was very pleased by how much I was enjoying the book but then the relationship started to get a vEh. This one started off well, but it didn't last. I was very pleased by how much I was enjoying the book but then the relationship started to get a vibe to it that I didn't like. After that I kept losing interest, especially once the relationship delved into cutesy territory.
I have one simple question to ask after finishing the book: Where was the romance? Oh, there was a hero and heroine who hooked up at the end of the boI have one simple question to ask after finishing the book: Where was the romance? Oh, there was a hero and heroine who hooked up at the end of the book, but there was no relationship that would require, you know, actual interaction between them.
Although I had issues with the first book in the series, Never Again, I liked it. I found the story's 'voice' very readable and really liked the cast of characters the author assembled. The paranormal aspects of it were interesting, and I liked the small town vibe. This book had a lot of the same positives, which is what's keeping it from being an F, but the bad outweighed the good in this case.
First off, was it necessary to have so many POV's running around? The romance needed all the help it could get, so taking time to pay attention to every Tom, Dick, and Harry in the story was a mistake. But that wasn't the only factor causing me to dislike the POV's. They were, in a word, boring. I liked Gray and I liked Ant, just as I did in the first book, but did we have to spend so much time with them, especially in addition to all the other POV's we were treated to? I'm all for getting a well rounded look at the story, but maybe we could hold off on reading about some of those characters until, I don't know, their own book? Oh, wait, Gray already had his book, didn't he? (/sarcasm) Maybe (although I doubt it) this wouldn't have bothered me so much if the author had actually devoted time to the main relationship. That's a pretty important factor in a Romance and the lack of it was glaring and left me a touch resentful of all the time spent on other people.
Speaking of the relationship... It is not a good sign when the hero and heroine do not interact--barring the extremely brief rescue of the heroine, where they barely spoke since she was in such bad shape--until page 129 in a 296 page book. And even then they weren't exactly making up for lost time since the heroine was temporarily unable to speak. Norie and Taylor were attracted to each other for some reason that I'm still not sure of. They never actually had any insightful or deep conversations, or even an emotional connection of any kind. They just had some random, magical dreams which somehow replaced actual relationship (and personality) development. Apparently magical dreams are now shorthand for true love. Good to know.
But never fear that the relationship was pushed aside and replaced with meaningless sex scenes. (<--sarcasm) Nope, none of that. In fact, they don't even kiss until page 249. I thought that there was an obligatory, awkward sex scene shoehorned in there, too, but a review of the book tells me I was wrong. I must have mixed that up with one of the magical dreams. Yes, once again actual development was brushed aside by being told everything in a dream.
And in addition to too many POV's and a lackluster romance, the plot was confusing. *tears hair out* Events seemed to jump around and take us from one situation to the next with no real flow to it. The plot felt jumbled and randomly cobbled together. All in all, it was just not a good read for me.
I really had no expectations going into this book, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself with an absolutely engrossing story. There is a definiI really had no expectations going into this book, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself with an absolutely engrossing story. There is a definite romantic angle at work here, but it would be a mistake to go into this expecting a HEA at the end. I’ll get into that more a little later, but I just wanted to make that clear up front. Sins of the Angels stays true to Urban Fantasy and has set up a romantic arc to span multiple books.
One thing I loved about this book was the fact that the romance never overshadowed the main storyline. I know that is an odd compliment coming from me–since I’m usually the opposite–but it really worked for me here. The connection between Aramael and Alex was intense enough that you could feel the tension in the background, waiting to spring up, the minute they let their eyes lock. There is barely any sexual contact in this book (they only kiss once) but the tension sizzled for me.
She didn’t know how long they’d stared at one another, neither moving, before she had blinked and the wings had disappeared. Before his eyes had taken on the torment that made her want, once again, to reach out to him, as if her touch could heal something in him. Heal something in herself.
I just loved them together. The romance was “forbidden” at its finest; A woman who refused to open her mind to the impossible and an angel unable to love a human. What made it all so excellent was the fact that their star-crossed status made complete sense. Alex spent a lot of the book in denial, which could be occasionally frustrating, but it felt authentic for a character with her background. I also appreciated the dislike she had for his role as her partner. Her fear of the flashes she saw of his true angelic self drove her dislike and determination to end their partnership, but it felt lifelike for her role as detective. Who wouldn’t be angry and suspicious over someone with no experience and a sealed file? Then again, her boss’s decision and eventual frustration with her also felt authentic.
Those realistic actions are one of the things that made me enjoy this book so much. It’s also why I liked the relationship staying low key. It wouldn’t have been realistic for a lead detective investigating a serial killer to let her hormones get in the way of finding the killer. At times the daily grind of Alex doing her job and investigating the murders felt slow, but it also fit. I occasionally wished that Alex would hurry up and face the truth so that we could hurry the story along, but I think I would have found it a little too unrealistic if she had. (See how fickle I am?) The author spent her time slowly developing Alex’s eventual belief and convinced me that the way it unfolded was the only natural way for it to have occurred.
The author’s take on the angelic and demonic world felt pretty fresh and new. I found parts of it a little frustrating–which had me a bit personally conflicted since the one I was frustrated with was the One (aka God)–but I really liked it overall. I felt religion was flirted with a tiny bit, but was avoided for the most part. What we learned about the angels had me intrigued. There were so many factors to it–The Highest Seraph, the Anointed, the Dominion, the Powers, the Guardians, the Fallen, the One…it all came together into a really interesting world.
Although I enjoyed most of the book, there were a few things that bothered me. One was the multiple POV’s we were treated to. I understand why they were included, but I got a bit impatient with being drawn away from the main storyline to peek into someone else’s head. It gave the reader a more well rounded picture of the events, I know, but it got a bit boring. Luckily they weren’t too long and I was able to quickly sink back into the main storyline. The other thing that I did not like was the ending. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, and while this one did wrap up some of the main threads of the plot, it also left us hanging on quite a few. Namely, the future for Alex and Aramael. We’re left with hope that they’ll hook up eventually, but I hate leaving a book like that. I don’t even know where the next book will find them individually, let alone what will happen to them together. I just find it frustrating to be left with so many questions after such a climactic event at the end. I’m definitely going to pick up the next book (and would have even without being left hanging) but I’m hoping the end of the next won’t be as jarring. I hate closing a book feeling frustrated.
Favorite Quote:
Time, and Alex’s heart, stood still. For what seemed an eternity, she felt nothing but Aramael’s hand against her cheek. His truth. And then, with a ferocity that stole her capacity to breathe, elation exploded through her entire being and the universe narrowed until it encompassed just the two of them. Until she became nothing more than the heat of his body, the whisper of his breath against her face, the longing that flooded her veins.
I finished this book last night and I’m still conflicted. I honestly don’t know whether I liked it or not. It’s one of those grey books that leaves yoI finished this book last night and I’m still conflicted. I honestly don’t know whether I liked it or not. It’s one of those grey books that leaves you with murky feelings and makes you wonder if you should check out the next book before you make up your mind.
I found this book really hard to get into. The writing felt distancing, although it became apparent to me later that this was on purpose, and I didn’t warm up to the characters easily. The world itself was a little hard to figure out, but I eventually got a handle on all the particulars of it—I still struggled until the end, though. I really think this book spent way too much time trying to be mysterious and not enough time on development.
The new world is filled with Shredders and Intel dogs and Text speak (which was seriously like nails on a chalkboard for me) and it got a little confusing. I didn’t understand that why’s of it all. I got that old people—or at least old compared to the new desirable age group—were no longer acceptable and that the hubs had turned into a wastrel’s paradise, but why? I still don’t understand how society got to that point. And when exactly did the vampires and demons and werecreatures come into play? I got the impression it was around the time everything else went to hell, but this wasn’t explained at all. I eventually shrugged it off, but it still continues to nag at me. Maybe we could have just had a quick opening page/prologue offering a quick explanation to ease us in?
In the beginning I didn’t like Gabriel very much. I found his motives for following the mysterious Abby less than sympathetic and was a bit repelled by the way his vampirism was presented. I suppose I prefer my vampires more controlled and sexy and less easily swayed by bloodlust. It’s all right, though. I adjusted to how it was presented in the book. I eventually came to appreciate his struggle to be more than just a monster and was sympathetic to his search to find Abby as more symbolic than not. He ended up being the most well developed character in the book and I found that he was really the only one I found sympathetic, other than the oldster, when the book ended.
The book was slow and grim and felt a bit claustrophobic because of being stuck in such a small area with so few people. It didn’t help that those people were prickly and secretive and getting any information out of them was like pulling teeth. I’m honestly surprised that it didn’t bother Gabriel more than it did, because it drove me nuts. I had a really hard time adjusting to the narrative style changes the author employed. In Mariah’s pov it was first person but in everyone else’s it was third. I did not like this, but I know that’s not going to be the same for everyone.
Midway through the book I started to get tired of the lack of information and deliberate mysterious air the author was employing. It became tedious and irritating. I knew exactly where it was going and I was tired of character development being circumvented by the distance necessary to achieve that air. After all was finally revealed toward the end, we ended up getting a huge infodump to bring us up to speed on all the information that had been kept from us. It made a lot of behaviors and situations make more sense, but it didn’t really change the fact that I spent most of the book bored with the way it was written.
There is a romantic arc in the book, but it doesn’t end with a HEA or even a HFN. Gabriel ends the book fulfilled in one sense but absolutely destroyed in another. He’s going to have to work through a lot of things before he can even like Mariah without feeling conflicted. I think it’ll be the same with me. I didn’t like her much when the book ended, and not much before that if I’m being honest. I found the romantic development we saw to be sad and not really romantic at all. It felt more like a creation of close quarters, desperation and loneliness, and a difficulty controlling the monster, than anything actually tender or soft. It was interesting to watch develop, but I can’t say I’m invested in any way.
I’m not sure if I will continue with this series or not. It’s not one that I can out and out recommend, but it’s not one that I can not recommend either.
Favorite Quote:
"Don't ask me to explain, but I've had my time with evil. Every one of us out here has, and that's why I'm glad Stamp's men are dying. Bad guys deserve their comeuppance, and they sure don't get it back in society. There, unchecked greed is rewarded. Out here, it's punished, and that's why you don't go outside if you've got something to answer for. That's the way of the world here."
Where have I been hiding? This book is the first time I have heard of this series or this author. It definitely won’t be the last, though. I enjoyed iWhere have I been hiding? This book is the first time I have heard of this series or this author. It definitely won’t be the last, though. I enjoyed it so much that I jumped on Amazon and ordered the previous books in the series so I could read those too. Here’s hoping I enjoy them just as much!
Frostbound is part of The Dark Forgotten series, but it stands on its own very well. The author does a great job of introducing the world and the characters without making the reader feel lost. We’re dropped straight into the action, but I never felt like I was scrambling to understand what was happening. I really appreciate an author who can strike a nice balance between bulky info dumps and leaving a reader to puzzle the world out on her (or his) own.
I really liked how the author turned some of my expectations on their ear. At one point Talia is held hostage. At first it was because Lore was keeping her until he found out if she was guilty or innocent, but then he didn’t want to let her go for her own good. Instead of letting this go (as I’ve seen many, many PNR heroines do) Talia is angry and resentful. She also finds his plan to weaken her with lust (once again, something I’ve seen frequently in PNR) pretty insulting. Refreshingly, Lore’s friends also tell him that he’s not exactly walking the straight and narrow by “protecting” her that way. I really enjoyed that because too often I find myself frustrated by the heroines’ abnormal reactions to some of the heroes’ behavior.
Although there is a lot of witty dialogue and quite a few funny scenes, it’s not all fun and games. Lore and Talia deal with some very serious issues and stressful emotions that added a nice depth to their characters. Talia is almost broken in the beginning of the book and I think the author did a fabulous job of showing us her loss and despair. I loved that her feelings felt so real and that Lore was able to help her grow and heal.
I was very pleased that the author delved so far into the culture of the hellhounds. Lore’s dilemma over following his heart or staying true to his people worked very well for me. I loved that we got a firsthand view of his people and their opinion on the matter. The pressure he faced was no laughing matter, but I thought he dealt with it brilliantly. I also liked that a character that seemed pretty pushy and villainous was shown to possess depth and honor. I may not have respected the tactics used, but I was quite impressed with that character’s motivations in the end.
We were introduced to quite a few interesting characters—some previous characters, some new. We got to experience the POV of some of these characters in addition to seeing through the eyes of the hero and heroine. I never felt that the hero or heroine were being shortchanged on time, though. I actually felt that those POV scenes added an interesting level to the book. I especially liked getting to know Errata. She was pretty interesting and I can’t wait to read more about her later.
I really loved Lore and Talia together. I thought they had great sexual tension between them and that their personalities complimented each other nicely. The obstacles that they face on the road to happiness felt real, not like they were just thrown in to keep the characters apart. In addition to normal hindrances, they both have to figure out how a relationship will work between an immortal and a mortal. I liked the solution that the author came up with. It wasn’t perfect, and that right there made me appreciate it more than any solution that would have wrapped things up neatly.
Although I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book, there were a few issues that kept me from bumping it up to a full 5 hearts. I really liked that Talia didn’t insist that she be involved in every bit of investigation when Lore went out. It was smart and rational of her—which I loved—but it also had the unfortunate side effect of keeping them separate more than I wanted. I still enjoyed the romance, I just felt that there could have been a bit more development and togetherness if the separations had been fewer.
I also didn’t like that sometimes a chapter would end and we would skip to a new scene without having the closure and resolution I was looking for. It just felt like we would skip to a new section without letting me have the full impact of the first scene. They weren’t huge issues, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take away a bit of my enjoyment in Lore and Talia’s relationship.
Other than those two small issues, I thought that this was a great book. I loved the details about the hellhound culture and thought that Lore and Talia were great protagonists. I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Favorite Quote:
“It means we share something deep. It means I’ll always find you, no matter where you go. I’ll walk at your side. I’ll sleep beside you and watch over you. I’ll walk the passages between life and death to come back to you.”
One thing I’ve learned while reading the Dirk & Steele series is that defeating the bad guy doesn’t necessarily mean that things are over. Storylines One thing I’ve learned while reading the Dirk & Steele series is that defeating the bad guy doesn’t necessarily mean that things are over. Storylines and characters are interwoven throughout the series and things have a way of coming back around. Such is the case with Soul Song. When we meet M’cal his situation seems eerily familiar. We have to wonder, is it coincidence or is history repeating itself?
Imagine falling in love and opening yourself to a person. But instead of happiness you find yourself made a slave; your will stripped. You are compelled to do unspeakable things, and over the years you find yourself emptier and emptier. You have no relief from the torment—the only pleasure you are allowed to feel is from the touch of the woman who enslaved you, and that in itself is a form of torture. That is the M’cal we are introduced to in the beginning of the book. He is a man lost and my heart broke for him. Watching him find happiness gave me a warm feeling inside.
I really appreciated having a book with Kitala Bell in it. Ever since being introduced to her in Tiger Eye I’ve been curious to get to know her better. I was very surprised to find that she is more than just the good friend of Dela, she has a hidden magical ability of her own. She’s gone out of her way to avoid further developing her abilities, so she’s stuck in a plateau. She can’t avoid seeing how these people will be killed, but she can’t seem to change anything and is frustrated by her inability. When she meets M’cal, suddenly she finds out that she has been living in a world filled with supernatural people, just like her, and never even knew it. She’s helplessly fascinated by him and his deadly music and can’t resist the urge to feel his music and add to it. Her abilities unwittingly compliment his own and give them both the opportunity to try to defeat M’cal’s captor and survive.
There are still twists and turns to be found here, but on the whole it’s a lot smoother than the previous book was. I didn’t have any of those odd moments of disorientation, where I wasn’t really sure if I had missed something or not. The plot unfolds smoothly and sucks you into the joy and helpless despair M’cal and Kit find in their situation. Once again Liu has managed to provide complex characters who will leave you questioning yourself as the details are revealed. Does personal tragedy make what the villain is doing okay? What exactly are you willing to forgive? Can one good act change your feelings about a lifetime of neglect? These are all things I asked myself as I read the book. Nothing is clear cut, and sometimes you’ll find yourself uncomfortable with how easy it is to sympathize with the villain.
I really enjoyed Kit and M’cal together and thought that they were both exactly what each other needed. I still winced a little over how quickly they fell for each other, but that was easily swept aside as I was sucked into the rest of the book. At times I found Kit’s actions a little idiotic, but she’s a steady enough character for the rest of the book that I didn’t hold it against her too much. My favorite crow, Koni, is back in the action and I am really hopeful that we might one day have a story about him. Sometimes he’s the only (much needed) voice of levity in a very serious situation. We also got to see some of the other previous Dirk & Steele characters, which gives us a nice character refresher before we head into the next book.
Favorite Quote:
”Keep your hands above the covers.”
“Give me a break,” Koni replied, staring at the ceiling. “I am not a total pervert. Although, to be honest, consider the night we’ve been having. First handcuffs, and now this? Way more kinky than I expected.”
“Please,” M’cal said. “Do not talk.”
“You like the strong and silent type, huh?”
“If you do not shut up, I will kill you with my voice.”
“I love it when you talk dirty.”
“Fine. Which do you prefer to lose first? Your soul or your testicles?”
“You know, you’re just a bit obsessed with chopping off balls. Do you have issues with your masculinity?”
Yet another fun episode in the Lords of the Underworld series. I’ve noticed that word crops up almost every time I write a review for one of ShowalterYet another fun episode in the Lords of the Underworld series. I’ve noticed that word crops up almost every time I write a review for one of Showalter’s books—fun. The characters are always so funny, and even when they don’t get along, their dislike of each other always includes funny situations and verbal sparring.
I was a little uncertain of Kaia and Strider as a couple. I wasn’t exactly thrilled to have one of the protagonists have a sexual history with the other protagonist’s friend, but the author actually pulled it off pretty well. Strider was bothered by it, yes, but he eventually got over it and he never tried to “forgive” her, because he knew there was really nothing for him to forgive. I also thought the reason for a big part of his reluctance to be with her made a lot of sense. I never thought about what it would mean for a competitive guy like him to come after “the sexorcist.” I imagine anyone would have anxiety about that.
The setup for putting Strider and Kaia in close proximity was pretty weak, but once they were stuck in each other’s company it wasn’t too hard to ignore that and move on. The harpy games were exciting on their own, so throwing in a little extra heat with Kaia and Strider made it even better. The harpies were one of my favorite parts of the book! They were all so bloodthirsty and off the wall that any scene with them in it—which was most of them—really popped. The violence and heckling between them reminded me of the valkyries in Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series and Shelly Laurenston’s characters in her Pride series. In other words, they were a riot.
I was surprised to hear the backstory on Kaia. I felt bad for her having such a rough life based on that one incident. Especially when they were blaming the wrong person! I was a little surprised she was so emo about her mom not being proud of her, though. How long has it been? Shouldn’t you be over this by now? Either way, her determination to be better was endearing and it was sad to see her be underestimated by those closest to her.
Kaia and Strider were great together. They were both cocky as hell and enjoyed their constant challenges, although Kaia had a tendency to use his inability to refuse a challenge against him when she wanted to get her way. Honestly, I have a sneaking suspicion that no one else out there would put up with their egos so it’s lucky they found each other. ;)
We get to see some of the side characters, but the author kept them from taking over, which has been a complaint of mine in the past. William and Kane get some page time and it seems like there will be an interesting storyline developing with them from the events we see here. We also got a peek at Legion and how she’s doing. I was really surprised with how she seemed in this book. Is it possible that I might actually one day like her now that she seems so different??? That would be pretty shocking. We also got to see more of Sabin and Gwen, which thrilled me because I really enjoyed their story. Plus, more Paris. His storyline really seems to be heating up. I haven’t had much interest in him in the past, but he seems to be getting a darker edge and a bitterness about his demon that quite intrigues me.
I enjoyed most of this book but it was not quite as action filled as most of the other ones, so I felt like I was spinning my wheels quite a few times. It slowed the pacing down and occasionally caused my attention to wander. Luckily the rest of the book pleased me enough that this was not a huge issue. I’m really looking forward to the next entry in the series.
Favorite Quote:
That damn kiss had ruined everything. Had he kept his tongue to himself, he could have continued thinking of Kaia as a friend and only a friend. Now, he just wanted to convince her that blow jobs were a mandatory part of their arrangement.
This was an entertaining read. I can’t say that it was very original, as I saw many familiar elements mixed together, but that’s not something I requiThis was an entertaining read. I can’t say that it was very original, as I saw many familiar elements mixed together, but that’s not something I require for every read. What matters most is that the author took the world and tweaked it enough to make it her own. The world rules occasionally felt a bit complicated and bulky, but the author explained it all well and kept me from getting confused. I liked the unique spin Day gave on the reason lycans and vampires existed in the world. I, unfortunately, felt that some of the elements she featured were not given the weight they needed, but I’ll get into that more shortly.
I was uncertain about whether or not I would like this book in the beginning. It felt a bit overdone and I got tired of the overuse of adjectives and the fawning adoration of how hot the angels were. I was surprised by how modern the ancient angels felt, as well. I had to adjust mindsets and shed the expectations I had for a more serious, intense PNR, so I could enjoy what the book actually was.
I thought the premise of this book was pretty interesting. I’m not much of a fan of reincarnation, but I didn’t mind how the author handled it here. I originally got the impression that the author was just going to throw it in there without delving into it much but she surprised me at the end. I wasn’t too keen on Adrian punishing others for the same transgressions he was committing, but I understood why he thought it was necessary. It did make it a bit ridiculous, though.
I liked the angle about Shadoe dying again and again throughout time as a punishment for Adrian. But after getting a peek at Shadoe’s core personality I thought Adrian wasn’t missing much with her gone. She seemed very unlikable and it was hard to see what inspired the love that drove him to reunite with her again and again. Lindsay, on the other hand, I liked. I felt her character occasionally lacked nuance, but she stood out as thoughtful, considerate, strong, and a fighter. She was completely unlike the previous incarnations of Shadoe and we got to see Adrian fall for Lindsay instead of just falling for the girl housing Shadoe’s soul.
I thought the attraction and the desperation to be together before time ran out was really well done. Lindsay finds herself unable to resist Adrian without knowing why. Finding him attractive would be normal, but she feels a compulsion to touch him, to claim him. She’s a straightforward girl and is willing to act on those feelings—which I liked—but she also finds herself “falling” for him within just a few hours of knowing him—which I didn’t like. In addition to that, she has no problem sleeping over the first night (not for sex) despite barely knowing him and having already heard him proclaim that she couldn’t leave. Once we got into the thick of the romance I liked it, but I winced over how unrealistic I found some of the beginning stages, before that point.
Although I liked the world Day created, I thought she played with things that I felt needed to have more weight to them. For one, she linked the angels to God and by extension, religion, instead of going the usual route and casting the angels as removed from religion. Souls were mentioned frequently, but they didn’t seem to be an important factor in the world (other than to create a line between angels, lycans, and vampires) which surprised me because God/religion was brought into play, and souls are definitely important in that. And reading about the actual transgressions that made the angels lose their wings led the reader to regard God as the villain more than anyone else. Added to that, the way the lycan slavery was treated made me uncomfortable. Lindsay, a girl from the regular world, didn’t like it, but she didn’t really make a stand against it either. Even though her friend/guard, Elijah (loved him), was directly impacted by it and was in a particularly dangerous situation for a lycan. I just needed more focus placed on these things so I could feel more comfortable with it.
I’m curious to see where Day is planning to take us in this trilogy. I’m a bit nervous about the punishment that might eventually come down on Adrian, but I’m trying not to lose my HEA high by dwelling on it. I’m eager to get my hands on the second book so I can delve into Elijah’s story. He ended this book in a tight spot and it’ll be interesting seeing him try to wiggle out of it.
Favorite Quote:
"I'm yours."
Lindsay shook her head. "No."
Adrian's features lit with a glorious smile. He twisted swiftly and she found herself beneath him, filled with him.
"I know what it means when you say that," he murmured, hooking his arm beneath her leg and drawing it up, opening her so completely he hit the end of her.
Panting in exquisite torture, she managed, "It means run. Save yourself."
"All of which says, 'I'm falling for you. Adrian.'"
Ah, the conclusion to the Living in Eden series. I didn’t realize this was going to be a trilogy, so that was a bit of a surprise, but it was a welcomAh, the conclusion to the Living in Eden series. I didn’t realize this was going to be a trilogy, so that was a bit of a surprise, but it was a welcome one. I love that the author didn’t draw it out too long. I’m sorry to say goodbye to Eden and Darrak, but I’d much rather end on a high note, still wanting more, than have the series drag on forever.
This has been a really fun series. If you haven’t read the two previous books, I don’t recommend you start here. It doesn’t stand on its own very well. For the past two books we have seen Darrak and Eden struggle to come to terms with their feelings and the fact that they are stuck together. They haven’t had the smoothest path, but they’re both still hopeful that they can find a way to get Darrak out of Eden’s body, without hurting him. Also, they’re highly motivated to find a solution, given that they can’t have sex without repercussions until they fix his curse. Sounds simple, right? Right…
The Darrak we see in this book is a bit of a change from the guy we’ve known in the past two books. I’ve always enjoyed his voice, so I noticed right off that he was a bit more subdued than he was before. He still had some nice lines, but the jokes and sarcasm weren’t as frequent as before. Instead, we saw a more vulnerable side of him. He’s finally come to realize what Eden means to him and struggles to reconcile that with their situation and the person he used to be. He also has to come to terms with the fact that he and Eden might not being seeing eye to eye on their feelings and their hopes for the future.
Eden is not quite as likable as she was in the past, but it’s (mostly) understandable, given what all has happened to her. She’s trying to roll with the punches, but it seems like the hits just keep coming and it’s wearing on her. She’s stressed and having a hard time controlling her magic and just wants her body back to herself. She cares about Darrak too much to take the easy way out, but she could use a break right about now. She just doesn’t have the energy to deal with feelings and what-ifs when they don’t even know how to get out of their current situation. Eden’s desperate for a solution, but when things are taken out of her hands and solved for her, she starts to reevaluate how she actually feels.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book, and this trilogy in general, is that not all the characters are nice people. They’re not the “bad” guys of the story, per se, they’re just crappy people who sometimes make crappy choices. I liked that the author didn’t feel the need to excuse their actions and make everyone friends in the end. I know that some people like everyone singing “Kumbaya” at the end, but I’m not one of them. Take Ben, for example. I loathe him with a fiery passion. If I had watch him be excused for his douche behavior then I might have had to punch my book. And I don’t want to do that. Because that would be the final straw in convincing my husband that I’ve gone ‘round the bend. That loathing goes double for a person close to Eden who popped back up, by the way. They did some things in this book that cut even the slight amount of sympathy I had for them.
I found this book really readable and enjoyed seeing it all wrapped up, but it wasn’t perfect. As I mentioned before, Eden was less likable and Darrak was more subdued. We also ended up seeing much less of him than usual, due to things that I won’t discuss, so the usual dynamic was a bit off and not as gripping. I felt that things were a little too easy for Eden in regards to her magic. She never got any control of herself—no matter how much Darrak nagged—she just had the equivalent of an “Easy” button to clear up her problem. Way too convenient.
I found the developments with Lucifer very interesting. I like that the author didn’t make things as black and white as they originally seemed. I was surprised to hear the particulars of Lucifer’s connection to hell, but it made sense once I thought about it. I enjoyed how it all resolved and liked getting a little glimpse of the future for Darrak and Eden in the epilogue. I’m sorry to say goodbye to this series, but it was a fun ride while it lasted.
Favorite Quote:
”Stanley?” Darrak said after a moment. “Do you know who this is?” A pause. “No, it’s okay. Don’t be scared. I’m not going to do that to you.” Another pause. “Seriously, I’m not. Evisceration is extremely messy and the cleanup is a—Come on. Stop crying. Be a man.”
I usually don’t bother summarizing the plot in my reviews because I find it rather tedious and awkward, but I have to point something out about the baI usually don’t bother summarizing the plot in my reviews because I find it rather tedious and awkward, but I have to point something out about the back cover. To me, the back cover blurb reads like Lucinda is kind of sassy and spunky but is in a bind and needs her ex-brother-in-law’s help. It gives the impression that there is more action than there actually is by mentioning all the people out to get Lucy. The book didn’t read that way to me at all.
For one, Lucy is not spunky. She’s been through some really tough times lately and is pretty beaten down. She’s not all emo, but it was hard not to feel bad for her.
He opened his senses wider, and emotions filtered through his shields: desperation, relief, panic.
Lucy.
"Where did she go?
"Don't know." She shook her head. "Sometimes, when people are damaged, dey view tings from upside down."
Gray's brows went up. "What does that mean?"
She sighed, as if he'd disappointed her. Irritation flashed through him. He wasn't a damn novice, and he hated that she made him feel like one. Battling his own impatience, he kept his gaze on her and waited.
"You ever play the opposite game?" she asked.
"Sure," said Gray, "when I was a kid."
She nodded. "Right. So everything you say and do during the game is the opposite of what you mean. But for Lucy, it's no game. She freed herself from a bad situation. Bad people. She learned to believe she has no worth. So, when someone is kind to her..." She trailed off and looked at him.
Gray felt like Ember had punched him in the stomach. Lucy had expected him to be a jerk, even though some small part of her had hoped he would be different from everyone else who'd rejected and shamed her.
"You were nice to her," he said softly, "and she couldn't handle it."
"Opposite game," Ember murmured. "She need some time to figure out how to right her world." She looked at him, one dark eye visible through the single purple lens of her weird glasses. "Maybe she not the only one."
Two, this book isn’t really that action packed. Even at the end when things started coming to a head, I never really got the sense that it was meant to be action-y. This didn’t bother me, but I wanted to give a head’s up.
I really, really enjoyed the beginning of this book. Lucinda’s struggle to survive—the fact that she had no pride left—really broke my heart for her. Pair it with Gray’s struggle with shame and you have some very compelling characters. At least for me.
I liked that Gray wasn’t willing to help Lucy at first. Who could really blame him? His struggle and eventual change of heart made his decision seem more realistic. It also said a lot about his character. I liked that Lucy never backed down from accepting the wrong the Rackmore’s did him. She also didn’t spend a lot of time bemoaning her fate as a Rackmore. I’m a lot more apt to sympathize with a character when I don’t feel like I’m being beaten over the head with how much I should pity them.
I found the setup very intriguing. I liked the idea of all the magicals living beside the mundane in a magically open society. I particularly liked the town, Nevermore, and all the characters we met there. Lucy’s power was actually really interesting as well. I particularly liked all that I discovered about the curse she was under.
I also liked a lot of the side characters, like the sheriff and his brother and the female character that popped up toward the end. I’m hoping that we’ll get to see more about them as the series continues.
Although I liked all that, I was kind of disappointed with the romance. I mentioned that I really liked the first part of the book, and I did, but what started to depress my enjoyment was when Lucy and Gray hooked up. Suddenly everything was happening too fast. He was affectionately calling her “Baby” and she was constantly reminding herself not to get too attached. Plus, they seemed to have sex all the time. It just felt out of place and less developed than I had been hoping for.
Also, the tone seemed to shift after their hookup into something a little lighter and cuter. I know that they both could use some happy in their lives, but I preferred the beginning tone.
Other than that, the only thing that bothered me was the caricature the exes turned into. I rolled my eyes a bit over how extreme their ‘badness’ was portrayed as. Couldn’t they have had a bit more depth and been less simple ‘eeevil?’
Despite those gripes, I still enjoyed my time reading this book. I’m already looking forward to getting my hands on the next book. The excerpt at the end of this one made the heroine seem pretty powerful.
I cannot believe I did this to myself again. I opened this book and didn’t stop until I had inhaled it. And it was so good * Originally Read 8/21/11*
I cannot believe I did this to myself again. I opened this book and didn’t stop until I had inhaled it. And it was so good to revisit this world, but now I’m horribly aware of the looooong wait for the final book. And it’s Michael’s book, so that just makes it even harder. I don’t want to say goodbye, but I want it so bad. I know I’m not going to be able to hold out a whole year. I’m going to crack and have to reread them all to torture myself some more.
I was really surprised to discover how different this entry felt from the earlier books in this series. That’s not a bad thing, I actually liked seeing things from another perspective, but it was unexpected. I think if you were completely new to the series you could jump into this book without a lot of the same issues you would experience by jumping into one of the other ones. The third book, Demon Night, also seems like an easy place to jump in. I DO NOT recommend it, however, because I think this series is best experienced from the beginning, so you can watch each twist and turn develop in the story arc. And I seriously cringe in horror over the thought of someone starting with this book and spoiling themselves for the intense events in Demon Forged.
One of the most surprising things about this book was how removed it was from the Guardians. The hero tried his hardest to steer clear of them so he could fulfill his own mission, so we spent most of the story solely focused on Ash and Nicholas. We occasionally cut away to spend some time in Taylor’s POV (squee!) and eventually get some time with the Guardians, but for the most part it’s just them. Luckily, they were great together. Ash was especially hilarious, owing to her problem feeling emotion, and watching Nicholas become frustrated by her lack of memory was fun.
Ash is the worst demon ever, but that’s what makes her so fun. She cannot remember anything, so we get a crash course on the ins and outs of demons right alongside her. I really enjoyed getting a deeper look at the Rules and what was and was not allowed and how that could be twisted. Nicholas finds her a little frustrating at first, and is very suspicious of her—big surprise. Who isn’t he suspicious of? I loved watching him be bothered by her staring—she’s isn’t worried about making people uncomfortable—and I laughed to myself as he tried to figure out whether or not she really was that clueless and actually did want him. I can’t blame him for being suspicious, especially because what he knew about demons was pretty concrete, but I wish he had let it go earlier. Luckily, neither of them were unreasonable and both were willing to own when they screwed up.
I loved watching Ash and Nicholas grow into themselves together. They both started the book in a kind of childlike state. They inadvertently helped each other discover themselves, but it wasn’t without bruised feelings along the way. I also really, really liked how the author played with what makes a person who they are. I, personally, agree with the decision that Ash made, and the reason she did. I would have been very unhappy if it had gone any other way. I am firmly of the belief that the person you are is what life and experience has made you. Change one thing and it might change everything. You might never had ended up the person you are today.
In addition to a lovely romance, we are also treated to an ever deepening story arc. Each book has layered onto this storyline, which is why I really think people cheat themselves if they skip around. I am constantly impressed by the depth and intensity we get in each book and am amazed at how well balanced they are. Not only do we get a great romance, we also get an intricate story full of well developed characters and plots galore. I am really excited to see how this will all resolve in the end.
Favorite Quote:
"And I wasn't thinking of a plane." When she looked at him blankly, Nicholas clenched his teeth and counted to three. "I know you can fly."
Her eyes widened and she looked down at her hands. "I can shape-shift into a bird? How?"
Jesus H. Christ. The next time he made a bargain, Nicholas would damn well make certain the demon knew more than a bag of bricks.
I had heard excellent things about this book and it turns out that everyone was right. I loved it! I was quite impressed with the fresh and complex woI had heard excellent things about this book and it turns out that everyone was right. I loved it! I was quite impressed with the fresh and complex world Pang created. The reader is dropped directly into the story and left to figure things out without any excessive infodumps. That style doesn't always work, leaving the reader too confused, but I think this author pulled it off nicely. The heroine, Abby, was relatively new to the OtherWorld, giving the author an easy way to pull the reader into the world without it feeling clunky.
Abby was in a bad place mentally six months ago and did something rash. She signed a contract making her the TouchStone of the Protectorate in return for seven years of agelessness and a wish granted upon fulfillment of the contract. She also got an enchanted iPod thrown in for good measure. She had no clue what she was getting herself into and the situation is made worse by the fact that the faery she's contracted to, Moira, hasn't bothered to teach her much about the new world she's a part of. When the book opens we see that Abby has been holding down the fort alone for the past couple months. Moira left her a vague note and disappeared. As Abby finds herself pulled into a search for some missing succubi she finds her lack of knowledge getting her into one bad spot after another.
I really liked Abby. Her personality made her very approachable for the reader. She had some baggage that made her insecure and vulnerable, but she didn't let it turn her into a whiner. She didn't let people get close too easily and she tended to lie to herself, but who could blame her? She was witty and occasionally self deprecating and had an easy charm to her. She was fully aware that she was in over her head, but she did her best to keep her chin up and brazen her way through it. She found herself in hot water again and again, the last one to realize how she had messed up, but I think she handled herself very well. She had her moments of ignorance and obliviousness, but she never strayed into the TSTL territory.
Brystion was another surprise. He was brooding and sexy and had his jerk moments (often in the beginning), which I expected, but he also was surprisingly thoughtful and sad. He struggled with his feelings of inferiority and unworthiness. His worry over a future between them rang true for me. Hooking up with someone like an incubus is not going to be easy. They may have laughed about him being a walking orgasm and may have teased each other about the his powers of seduction, but the reality of what he is and what he does is not something to take lightly. The author did a great job with making him likable and sympathetic, despite some of his more mercenary qualities. Actually, maybe because of those very qualities. It's hard to fault someone for intense loyalty.
In addition to Abby and Brystion, Pang created a wonderful set of secondary characters that gave us a glimpse of many different creatures in the four paths. I loved quite a few of them, including Phineas, the adorable little unicorn, but I could have quite cheerfully beaten the crap out of Robert. Man, that angel was a giant douche. I could do with less of him in the next book. I liked that the author managed to make each of Abby's friends have a bit of depth to them. That's quite an impressive feat considering how many characters there were and that the main characters were never shortchanged.
Pang has a very readable voice that made the pages turn quickly. She easily shifted between funny and serious without ever jarring the reader. This one didn't end on a cliffhanger but not everything was wrapped up at the end. I am quite eager to see what she has in store for us in the second book.
Favorite Quote:
"Throw me a goddamned rope!" I wasn't sure if he could hear me, given the howl of the wind, but he signaled my words with a shrug.
"I tried to bring one, but it couldn't come through the *bleep*." His voice was husky, a midnight fury laced with the metallic edge of bullets. He paused. "Hold on! I've got something here, but it won't be quite long enough, so you're going to have to time it with the waves."
"You'd better not be talking about your dick. I mean, you're well hung and all, but it's a Shadow Realm, not Fantasyland," I snorted, trying not to laugh.
Hmmm. This book was pretty different than I expected. I still liked it, don't get me wrong, but nowhere near as much as I liked the first two books.
FrHmmm. This book was pretty different than I expected. I still liked it, don't get me wrong, but nowhere near as much as I liked the first two books.
From the blurb on the back cover and stray comments I heard, I had the impression that this book focused on Cullen and Cynna. While they were given more depth and pov time, I would be hesitant to actually say they were main characters in this book. It still felt like they were secondary characters, just given more page time. It was different than I was expecting because I thought I'd get a lot more insight into what makes them tick.
I think this book's biggest problem was the pacing. We kept skipping around between characters and events. Usually that adds a bit of excitement, but here it was just too much. I'd get into one storyline and get caught up and then we'd switch characters and I would lose all the momentum and have to start over again.
I also found myself confused by some of the events. They just seemed to skip along a little too fast. It was like this book had too many happenings crammed into it so things could be successfully set up for the rest of the series.
I also am not sure how I feel about the development that occurred near the end involving Cynna. I won't say I dislike it yet, because I'll give the author time in the next book to develop it before I make a decision, but I'm really not on the bandwagon yet. I haven't gotten to know those two characters enough to really feel comfortable with things going that quickly. But like I said, I'll give the author some time.
Now, it may sound that I didn't like the book at all, but I did. I really liked all the added details we learned about the world and what exactly is happening. I also really enjoyed learning more about Lily's grandmother. She is a fabulous character.
Lily and Rule are firmly established as together in this book and it's really nice to watch the familiarity and ease they have now. I'm also glad to see them continue to deal with what Lily and Rule went through in the last book. It was a tough thing that didn't deserve to be taken lightly. I just really appreciate that the author didn't take the easy way out and ignore it.
I see a lot of interesting things on the horizon and I'm excited to watch them unfold. Right now I still prefer Lily and Rule, but I'm hoping the next book will change that for me....more
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