GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Sheep Book Review: Soul Avenged by Keri Lake | I Smell Sheep

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Sheep Book Review: Soul Avenged by Keri Lake

Soul Avenged by PNR author Keri Lake is the first installment to her new Sons of Wrath series. While I LOVED a previous story written by this talented author, HALOS: Somnium, I did have a harder time getting into this darker tale of prejudice and pain. There's a lot here to like but truly I was holding out for more. 

Plot:
Passion is blind in vengeance and love … Ayden’s suburban home was invaded by a pack of Lycans. The brutal attack is the only memory she carries of her former life. Now, one motive burns in her soul: KILL THEM ALL. 

The Sons of Wrath—a brood of vengeance-dealing warrior demons—band with Ayden to hunt the Lycans on Detroit’s most deadly feeding grounds. Kane Walker should’ve been her easiest kill. Unfortunately, the newly bitten Lycan has something she wants—clues that may finally lay her past to rest. 

To reach them, she must be willing to submit to the sensual pleasures awakened by his touch. Time is running out. In seven days, Kane will become what Ayden despises most. She can halt his transformation but the antidote requires the ultimate sacrifice. As the beast takes hold, Kane becomes more of a threat. Ayden must choose between her lust for revenge, or surrender to her enemy and discover a horrible truth.

There're writers who are brilliant in building a world, or selling an audience with spectacle in spades, then those who lack the character interactions that truly count. There're authors who jam-pack the stories with action and adventure, so much flare to cover up all the fluff. Then there is Keri Lake, a woman who has the ability to give an even balance of character depth, action, romance and struggle. This is an author who has a fine tuned writing craft and while I may not have fallen head over coffin in love with THIS story, I know the potential is here. I am willing to take the worst story this woman will ever write, not saying this one is by any means, over half the books on the shelf today. 

Getting on to the review for this story, I'll start with the positives because there are a lot of them! Ayden is by far and wide a tough chick who can kill you with a flick of her wrist. A trained assassin who's main goal is to take out the bad guys; Lycan's. The hairy beasts are a menace, and while the human population is unaware of these heinous creatures, Ayden's prowling the city for blood. You would not want to bump into this chick down a dark alley. No sir! Loved this side of her. 

Thrown into this world of madness is a young doctor, Kane. After a recent wolf attack he is now on the top of her killing list. Though they are drawn to each other, he's the forbidden fruit. I loved the drama between the pair and how it made Ayden have to overcome obstacles in her life and reevaluate how she perceives the world . It's a long road they travel but one that's emotionally rewarding. The interaction between the pair is heartbreaking at times but it's all part of Keri's mastermind plan to draw you in! 

Some intense action reminded me a lot of the Underworld movies and certainly not in a bad way. Overall the meat of this saga is great, I can see where things are heading in the future and I love it. The introduction of quiet a few fascinating side characters was awesome! By the end, I was both pleased and wanting to get my hands on the next installment. 

The only points that I personally wished for more were on the main couple. While I get that, as an author, you want to continue a story arc by adding other characters; there has to be a better balance. I felt like Ayden and Kane got overshadowed at times by the sons of Wrath. It was unclear if this was in fact about the pair or about the brothers as a whole. A little more focus on where this story was going and the characters in the drivers seat would have added so much. 

Overall this is a story with potential for any PNR reader to enjoy...you would be mad to pass it up! I'm looking forward to the next installment and keeping the bar set high for Keri, because she can take it! 


Getting 3 and 1/2 'Logan loving" Sheep 
KD

2 comments:

  1. Nice review, and yes, it sounds like a promising new series.

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  2. i only regret that the print edition of this book is only available on amazon... i would have loved to try it

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