Category: Paranormal Romance
The Legend of the Blue Eyes by B. Kristin McMichael
(Cover picture courtesy of My Book Addiction.)
Arianna Grace liked her boring, Midwestern, teenage life where she ignored the many unanswered questions of her childhood. Why were her parents dead? Why did she not have family? Where was she raised until she was five? When someone offers to explain it all, Arianna thinks she’s just getting answers. Instead, she is thrown into a world of night humans who drink blood.
On Arianna’s sixteenth birthday, her world is thrown upside down when she changes into a vampire. Night humans, or demons, as some call them, live in normal society. Learning all of the new rules of a world she didn’t know existed might be hard enough, but it’s further complicated by two former-friends that now want to help her take her role as the successor to her grandfather.
There is a war going on between the night humans. Sides have been taken and lines are not crossed. Four main clans of night humans are struggling for control of the night. Divided into two sides, clans Baku and Tengu have been at war for centuries with the clans Dearg-dul and Lycan. That is, until Arianna Grace finds out the truth; she’s the bridge of peace between the two sides. But not everyone wants peace. With the night humans divided, Arianna is now a pawn in the war between them. She must choose a side—her mother’s family or her father’s—and for once in her life, decide her own fate.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Unfortunately, The Legend of the Blue Eyes is an example of how a good premise can be ruined by mediocre writing.
The premise of B. Kristin McMichael’s world is not a new one but she puts such an unique spin on things that you can’t help but fall in love with it. She goes back to the origins of vampires and incorporates some of the old myths into a modern, sophisticated type of vampire called a Dearg-dul. The Baku and Tengu are sort of vampire/incubus/succubus combination while Lycans are quite obviously werewolves. They aren’t the typical sort of creatures you find in urban fantasy, particularly YA, because McMichael actually took the time to make her creatures unique. I honestly can’t fault any aspect of her world-building because it really is fantastic.
Her writing is not, however. It’s by no means bad but it’s not up to the quality of her world-building. She spends pages and pages on Arianna’s boy-craziness until it crosses the line from typical boy-crazy teenager to the realm of “make up your mind already!”. I’m not a big fan of romance but when done right it’s great. But it really was just not done right in The Legend of the Blue Eyes. The male leads are kind of stereotypes, one dimensional people designed to exist for the gratification of the female protagonist. While it’s sadly refreshing to see men objectified for once in fiction it doesn’t make it enjoyable or right.
I really couldn’t connect with Arianna. She’s just such a walking cliché of pretty much every YA heroine in popular fiction. Arianna can’t make up her mind about which boy she even likes, she’s a small town sort of girl thrust into the middle of a rich urban world, she’s special even amongst her own people, etc. It would have been different had McMichael put some twists on these clichés but she really didn’t.
Instead, the wasted potential of this book makes me sad. The world-building is absolutely fantastic and could be a model for pretty much every author out there, but the rest of the novel is lackluster at best. If it sounds interesting to you I’d say go ahead but I’m not going to go out of my way to recommend this one.
I give this book 2.5/5 stars.
Andromeda’s Fall by Abigail Owen
(Cover picture courtesy of Masquerade Tours.)
Mountain lion shifters have allied into ten groups called Dares which together form the Shadowcat Nation. A rocky alliance at best, its success is vital to their survival against other species of shifters who threaten their very existence.
Andie Reynolds is being hunted. After witnessing her mother’s violent death at the hands of a pack of wolf shifters, Andie has devoted her life to protecting her community of cougar shifters from a similar fate. But now, a greater threat lies within her own dare, and she must run. If she stays, Kyle Carstairs will try to force their Mating, seeking the added power their union would provide.
Andie would rather chew off her own foot than end up with Kyle. Though, knowing him, she won’t live long either way. Andie’s only hope of survival is to Mate the Alpha of the Keller Dare with which she is seeking asylum. But before she can get to him, Andie must first go through A.J., one of the Alpha’s Protectors. The incredibly frustrating shifter insists on challenging her story, her skills, her trust… and her heart.
Andie is running out of options and out of time. But risking the life of someone she loves – just to save herself – goes against every instinct she has.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through the Andromeda’s Fall blog tour in exchange for an honest review.]
I was quite pleasantly surprised by Andromeda’s Fall. It was my first real shapeshifter book so I didn’t quite know what to expect but I’m definitely pleased with how the book turned out.
First off, the characters are awesome. Andie is probably one of my favourite heroines in paranormal romance because she’s just an incredible woman. She’s a high-ranking female in a world where high-ranking females are few and far between. At the same time, not many people recognize and/or respect her power. They still see her as just a woman in her old dare, which is why I like how Andie is allowed to show her real self in the Keller Dare. Her uncertainty of her position in the new dare as well as her growing feelings for A.J. certainly make things interesting plot-wise. But the thing I liked most about Andromeda’s Fall is how she slowly comes to realize that the Keller Dare is her new home and that maybe, just maybe, she’s found where she really belongs.
The world-building in this book was excellent. I like how Abigail Owen had the characters maintain some of their cat-like personalities while in human form. Cougar shifters don’t like being cooped up and they certainly prefer their own company in human form, creating just that extra bit of tension for the novel. Not a lot of authors do this, but I liked how there was just a brief one page introduction to the history of the formation of the cougar dares before the novel even started. It wasn’t an info-dump, but rather it gave us important background information that was just enough to get the story started. I don’t think an intro like that should be used often, but it definitely worked for this book.
The plot was incredibly fast-paced considering that this novel was largely character-driven. Abigail Owen played A.J. and Andie off each other well, heightening the character tension while at the same time, having external forces try to keep them apart. By the end you’re really wondering whether they’re going to end up together or not, but I won’t spoil the ending by telling you how it turns out. I will tell you, however, that the ending is very satisfying.
In short, even if paranormal romances aren’t really your thing, you’ll probably like Andromeda’s Fall. This was an excellent book and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series plays out.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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As a bonus for the tour there’s a giveaway for a $40 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash! It’s open internationally. All you have to do is click the Rafflecopter link below to get started on entering. But hurry! The giveaway ends on April 7.
Reborn in Shadow by Cynthia Luhrs
(Cover picture courtesy of Cynthia Luhrs’ site.)
A GHOST GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE…
Hamish Campbell committed so many sins he’d lost track of them all. The worst? Murdering his brother in a fit of rage. Granted another chance by the god of Shadow, Lord Campbell joins the Shadow Walker brotherhood.A WOMAN FULL OF LIGHT…
Anna Duncan is goodness personified, casting warmth on everyone she encounters. A chance encounter throws everything she knows upside down when she meets a man with haunted eyes. When a murderer sets his sights on Anna, she realizes the line between good and evil isn’t black and white but made up of varying shades of gray.OUT OF DARKNESS, HOPE RISES
Though death draws them together, Hamish has too many secrets. If he’s not careful those secrets may spell the ruin of humanity and cost him the only woman he’s ever truly loved.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
I honestly didn’t expect to like Hamish. His actions make him an evil, cheating, lying, brother-killing traitor so why on earth would he be brought back from the dead 400 years later to be one of the good guys? And yet Hamish seems to have changed. He really does regret all the actions and events leading up to his murder of Colin. His horrible childhood really doesn’t excuse his actions toward his own brother, but I am definitely more sympathetic toward him than I was before. I feel like I can understand what led to his jealousy of Colin and his affair with Abigail.
The characters in this one were wonderful. Hamish goes through a very powerful personal journey of forgiveness, proving that with a little help no one is beyond redemption. Anna is a little naive and sweet but her refusal to see the bad things in the world reminds me of a friend of mine. Yes, she’s rather naive, but it’s realistically so and her views on humanity do change slightly the more she’s with Hamish. Even if the rest of the novel was awful, Cynthia Luhrs’ characters would be enough reason to read it.
The rest of the novel is not awful, thankfully. I found the plot was much more fast-paced than the previous books in part because of the rising tensions between Shadow Walkers and Day Walkers are reaching the boiling point. Dayne and Thorne are at each others’ throats and we really learn the importance of Draken being introduced in Desired by Shadow. There’s actually a greater, overarching plan for the series rather than just a bunch of vaguely connected romances that end with each book. Cynthia Luhrs ends this one on such a cliffhanger that I can’t wait for Embraced by Shadow.
I love how she also expanded on the world of Shadow Walkers and Day Walkers. We learn a little more about Draken and Fury as well as the fae. It was interesting to see things from Thorne’s point of view as he’s tormented by the apparition he believes is the long-lost love he killed in a jealous rage. I don’t fully understand his reasons for bringing Hamish back but it seems they’ll be fully revealed in the next novel. For now the explanation presented in Reborn in Shadow is satisfying.
If you’ve loved the series so far, you’ll love Reborn in Shadow as well. Hamish will surprise you, I guarantee!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Novella: Iced in Shadow by Cynthia Luhrs
(Cover picture courtesy of Wicked Green Smoothies.)
Beware… there’s a nasty spirit threatening to ruin Christmas. Come spend the holiday at Ravensmore Castle with your favorite Shadow Walkers. Iced in Shadow may be read standalone. It takes place after Desired by Shadow.
If you enjoy persnickety gods, supernatural creatures and ghosts with the ability to manifest physical bodies, then try Iced in Shadow.
[Full disclosure: Cynthia Luhrs contacted me and asked me to review her novella after seeing my reviews of the first two books in the series. She provided me a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.]
Most novellas in series don’t actually add anything to the series. They’re just sort of a slice-of-life of the characters that can be read as a standalone novella or are just rehashings of events already covered in the previous novel(s). This is not the case in Iced in Shadow! It’s not necessary to read before Reborn in Shadow (book 3) but it does some really important setting up for the novel that gives it a little more depth.
Hamish, Colin’s brother that quite deliberately caused his downfall, is back as a Shadow Walker. How does such a villain get to fight on the side of good, the side that protects humans? Is he really all that evil in the first place? I won’t spoil too much but I have to say that maybe things aren’t as straightforward as they seemed in regards to Hamish’s character from the first two novels. He’s more complicated than I thought and it adds quite a bit of depth to someone who’s shaping up to be a very three dimensional character.
Also unlike a lot of novellas, this one actually has a plot. There’s a very deliberate reason behind writing this and I loved the surprise ending. I don’t want to give too much away again but let me just say there’s going to be some family in-fighting in Reborn in Shadow because of the confrontation at the end of this novella. I also think there will be a little more romantic tension between our two Shadow Walkers and their wives because of the events that take place here.
Yes, this can be read as a standalone but you will get so much more out of it after you read Lost in Shadow and Desired by Shadow. It really builds on the story and it makes me even more eager to get a start on the third book, Reborn in Shadow.
I give this novella 5/5 stars.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
(Cover picture courtesy of The Caster Chronicles Wiki.)
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
You know what the funny thing is about this book? While it was absolutely dreadful I could not and still cannot muster up the effort of actively loathing it. It’s not even worth the effort.
My number one problem with the book is the writing itself. I had a very hard time believing that this was written in the point of view of a teenager boy because honestly, these two authors had no clue how to write male points of view. Throughout the whole novel while Ethan and Lena are kissing behind lockers, going out driving, etc. Ethan never once thinks of taking things to the next level. Are you kidding? As much as I hate to stereotype, we’re talking about a teenage boy here. Do any (straight) teenage boys you know wax eloquently on the styles of dresses girls wear without even a hint of lust? Ethan was just a conduit for the two female authors to write the story. The real story was supposed to be about Lena.
Unfortunately if you totally ignore Ethan, Lena really isn’t all that interesting. I mean, she acts scared about going Dark and says she’s scared but I just never really connected to her through that fear. I didn’t really feel any of her emotions. She was just an idealized girl-next-door like pretty much every other YA love interest/lead. There was nothing really special about her, even when she made her supposedly ground-breaking choice on the night of her sixteenth birthday.
Can we also talk about the cliché overload? I’m from a small town that’s pretty much the epitome of the small town Hell stereotype and yet I found the portrayal of Gatlin disgusting. Ethan thinks he’s above everyone in the town, even going so far as to say he doesn’t speak with a traditionally Southern accent because his parents were educated. I don’t care how educated you are, if you live in a region your whole life you’re going to pick up some sort of accent. The behaviour of the townspeople is absolutely ridiculous and unbelievable. I know what small towns are really like and although they can be incredibly, ridiculously vicious toward any outsiders, I highly doubt that even with the help of evil the events in Beautiful Creatures would not happen in this day and age. Possibly 50-100 years ago, but not now.
The only thing even remotely interesting throughout the novel were all of the magical elements, even though they were not clearly explained. I like the idea of Casters being able to choose to go Light or Dark at their sixteenth birthday. I don’t like how poorly the curse on Lena’s family was explained because I still am not totally clear on why they are not able to choose hundreds of years after the event. Kind of vindictive spirits, don’t you think? Although the idea was somewhat unique, not much could salvage Beautiful Creatures.
For all my criticisms, I still can’t honestly say that I hate this book. It was poorly written, badly paced and the characters were all Mary Sues but it was so boring that I had to really struggle with myself just to finish it. I couldn’t even ‘hate-read’ it (to use the trendy term). I just really don’t care about this book and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
I give this book 0.5/5 stars.