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Friday, July 27, 2012

Book Review: The Ripple Effect (ARC) by J.A. Saare

Rhiannon Murphy visited the future, witnessed hell on earth and made choices to change things for the greater good. Unfortunately there are consequences for her actions, the penalties for her interference possibly more than she can bear. Determined to sever her debt with a fallen angel, she pushes everything aside, focusing on locating Marigold Vesta’s resting place.
Until death comes knocking at her door.
When Disco’s maker arrives in New York, he resents Rhiannon on a level she can’t begin to comprehend. Yet Marius isn’t her most dangerous adversary, not by a long shot. Marius’s sire -- a half-demon -- is determined to see the necromancer who stunned the vampire world on her knees. If she won’t bend, he’ll do everything in his power to make her break. No price is too high, meaning no one is safe -- including Disco and Paine.

Dealt a blow from which she can never recover, Rhiannon turns to the only person who can help her: the fallen angel who is relying on Rhiannon to save her soul. Bartering with a creature from Heaven is probably just as dangerous as starting a war with a demon from Hell, but with nothing to lose it’s no longer about life or death.


No Spoilers
If you have read the first two books in this series then you are in for a whole lot of OMG. This story is a page turner and I ate it up like a PMSing woman in a chocolate factory. As fans know, Rhiannon is one hardened soul who doesn’t trust anyone and refuses to be controlled, but she has finally gone too far and those close to her pay the price. Rhiannon’s mouth has finally written a check her a$$ can’t cash. We have all been waiting to see the fallout between Disco, Paine and Rhiannon after the events of book two and all your questions will be answered. I have gained more respect for Disco (Gabriel); I appreciate the fact that the author doesn’t water down who Disco is because of his relationship with Rhiannon. The watering down of male characters is a persistent double standard when it comes to romance dynamics. The man has to change who he is but the woman gets to keep being herself, both the good and bad. Disco accepts all that Rhi is and it is time she accepts him.

This is dark urban fantasy, which means there is a horror element and Rhiannon is thrown into the darkest place we have seen so far. I was angry and frustrated at her behavior and then she made me cry. What more can you ask for from a book? We also get up close and personal with the demon and half-demon world Saare has created. They are truly evil creatures and the dynamics between them and the vampires has been forever changed by the end of this book.

One of my new favorite characters in this series is the fallen angel Marigold. She is trapped in Hell and has made a deal with Rhiannon to get out. She is an unknown factor and bent on vengeance. I can’t wait to see how her relationship with Rhiannon is going to develop. Another character I think I am going to love is Bane. We aren’t given much information about him, but he appears out of nowhere to help Rhiannon and he definitely has an agenda of his own. At this point we don’t know if he is human or not. Rhiannon asks him:


“Are you a shifter?”
I’d met plenty of lycanthropes during my trip to the future. Bane was large and mean enough to qualify as one, and I’d learned vampires and shifters weren’t exactly friendly with each other
when I made a trip into the future. Maybe that’s what he was—a shifter of some kind—and recognized my mark because of it.
He answered without blinking. “I’m something worse.”


Ahhh! I am dying to know what he is! Maybe in the next book… If you haven’t read this series you need to start with book one, Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between, to appreciate the growth of the characters. If you love dark urban fantasy this is a must read.

5 "I told you so" Sheep



SharonS (edited by BAK)


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4 comments:

  1. I don't really like Dark UF, but is sounds so good! You gave it 5 sheep!

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  2. Awesome review!!! This right here was perfect: Rhiannon’s mouth has finally written a check her a$$ can’t cash.

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  3. LOVED the first in this series, can't wait to read the rest.

    Kassandra
    sionedkla@gmail.com

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  4. PMSing women in a chocolate factory LOL
    I can't wait!

    ReplyDelete