Book Review: Lost in Paradise (World in Shadows #4) By Bridget Blackwood

Lost in Paradise (World in Shadows #4)
By Bridget Blackwood

July 27th 2016

262 pages

Outcast

Determined not to be ruled by Siren law, Ianthe of the Lorelei suffers the consequences of a quickly intensifying Fae Civil War. Seeking refuge from the violence Ianthe agrees to join a quest to aid Winter Summersun, a contender for the Fae thrones.

Outsider

Zander Rush is the half-Mer treasure hunter hired by Winter to retrieve an ancient prize from the sea. He’ll need a Siren’s help if he wants to get close enough to touch the shipwreck where it's hidden. Sirens aren’t known for being helpful; they thrive on death and misery. His only chance of success lies with the unusual Ianthe.

Outnumbered

On their journey, they’ll face storms, sharks, Sirens, Mer, diminished gods of old, and untold monsters of the deep. Zander will learn that his reluctance to learn about Fae history hinders him. Ianthe will see she’s stronger than she ever knew and that she's more than an outcast Siren. Together they’ll find that Life's greatest treasures can’t be held in your hands.

Lost in Paradise is a high seas adventure set in the World in Shadows universe. Rogue siren Ianthe of the Lorelei, confidante to the Bonvillian family, finds herself thrust into danger as a result of the looming fae civil war. Helpless in her current situation, Ianthe agrees to join the dangerous mission of Zander Rush, a half human/half-merman treasure seeker. Their goal: retrieve a magical relic that will give Winter Summersun an edge in her fight for the fae throne.

World in Shadows is a consistently entertaining and engaging paranormal series. The characters are well crafted, the setting creative, and the over-arching story line complex. I enjoyed the fantastic nautical aspects of this installment. Sirens, mermaids, mermen, sea gods, and monsters were fun additions to the series. The romantic relationship between Ianthe and Rush is a slow bloom; it’s a more realistic evolution as opposed to some of the instant attraction stories common to the genre.

My basic criticism of Lost in Paradise centres on want. In my review of book three, Belong to the Night, I noted the momentum of this series and my adamant belief it’s headed towards an explosive conclusion. While I enjoyed Lost in Paradise, I felt the series slightly stall. Winter and Varian are my favourite character. It’s clear they’re going to factor heavily in the future, it’s just taking a long time to get there; their plot advanced only marginally in this installment.

I’m unsure of the planned trajectory for this series, but I hope the main event begins to unravel more quickly as frustration is beginning to mount.

Review: Rising Shadows (World in Shadows #1)
Review: A Scarlet Fury (World in Shadows #2)

Review: Belong to the Night (World in Shadows Book Book 3)

Three Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
website-FB-twitter-blog
I'm a hopeless romantic and a sucker for love stories with a happy ending. I grew up in East Texas, where I met and married my high school sweetheart. Together we moved to Southern Illinois and have called it home for over a decade now.

The characters in my head are loud and bossy. I began writing down their stories in self defense. My first book, Rising Shadows, comes out on February 14, 2014, the first in a paranormal romance series called World in Shadows.

A social butterfly by nature, I love to talk. When I am not writing, I enjoys video games, going out for dinner so I don't have to cook, and laughing as much as possible. I am a big horror movie junkie, I watch gobs of them. I have an addiction to eye shadow, crazy hair colors, tattoos, and glitter.

At home, I'm a wife and mother of three children, Blackwood Boy, Ballerina Blackwood, and Baby Blackwood. I also claim my fur babies; a pug, a boxer, and four cats bent on world domination.

Book Review: Belong to the Night (World in Shadows Book Book 3) by Bridget Blackwood

Belong to the Night (World in Shadows Book Book 3)

by Bridget Blackwood
Kindle Edition, 268 pages
April 17th 2016 by Booktrope Editions
Humans can’t become Vampires.

Elisavet Katsaros defies this belief when she wakes up in a hospital as a Sanguinarian, or human born vampire. She is the first of her kind in over three hundred years. The transformation was an accident, but there’s no going back now. Questions surround Elisavet. Why her? How did it happen? Who is responsible? Above all else, what will the ramifications be for the rest of the World in Shadows? To find peace, she will look for the answers to these questions and more. In digging for the truth, Elisavet uncovers long-buried secrets and the keys to unraveling a murder. With the help of the Vampire Regis, Manias Artotias, she will attempt to right the wrongs of others and start a new chapter in history. Working side by side, powerful emotions flare. Manias finds himself wanting to claim her for his own despite the consequences. She yearns to capture his heart, to be more than just another vampire under his rule. To have a chance they must defy traditions, put their love on the line and risk it all.

Belong to the Night is book three in Blackwood’s World in Shadows series. World in Shadows chronicles the lives of paranormal characters learning to live alongside human beings after their worldwide discovery. Often in this series, humans are the real monsters, not the vampires, werewolves, and fae. The results of inhumane scientific experimentation on imprisoned paranormals continues to wreak havoc on the paranormal community long after exposure.

Elisavet Katsaros is turned vampire; a phenomenon believed to be impossible in present day. As the only human turned vampire in existence, Elisavet is coveted by her duplicitous boss as something to be dissected and studied. Protection is offered to Elisavet by vampire Regis Manias Astorias. Together, Elisavet and Manias unravel the reason for Elisavet’s turning and attempt to find meaning and purpose for young, ambitious Elisavet within the vampire community.

One of the things I really love about this series is the number of intersecting storylines and characters. While this book could be read as standalone, favourite personalities from the previous two books make frequent appearances in this installment. In addition, the plotline involving Fae heir apparent Winter Summersun continues to gather steam. I look forward to the full fruition of this series, but especially Winter and Varian.

Elisavet and Manias’s story is well-told. The romance unfolds nicely and the action is adequate. In the end, the conflict was a little understated and threats too easily defused at times. Overall, this remains an excellent series with some exciting momentum. I look forward to following this series throughout.

Review: Rising Shadows (World in Shadows #1)
Review: A Scarlet Fury (World in Shadows #2)

4 Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
website-FB-twitter-blog
I'm a hopeless romantic and a sucker for love stories with a happy ending. I grew up in East Texas, where I met and married my high school sweetheart. Together we moved to Southern Illinois and have called it home for over a decade now.

The characters in my head are loud and bossy. I began writing down their stories in self defense. My first book, Rising Shadows, comes out on February 14, 2014, the first in a paranormal romance series called World in Shadows.

A social butterfly by nature, I love to talk. When I am not writing, I enjoys video games, going out for dinner so I don't have to cook, and laughing as much as possible. I am a big horror movie junkie, I watch gobs of them. I have an addiction to eye shadow, crazy hair colors, tattoos, and glitter.

At home, I'm a wife and mother of three children, Blackwood Boy, Ballerina Blackwood, and Baby Blackwood. I also claim my fur babies; a pug, a boxer, and four cats bent on world domination.

Book Review: A Scarlet Fury (World in Shadows #2) by Bridget Blackwood

A Scarlet Fury (World in Shadows #2)
by Bridget Blackwood

January 20th 2016

by Booktrope Editions

Paperback, 208 pages

It has been almost a year since mankind became aware of the world in shadows. Where peace prevails, prejudice still lurks among the masses. Madalaina Bonvillian believed nothing could harm her; she's the daughter of the former alpha and the sister of the current one. She counted on her status to keep her safe. Little did she know how naive she was. After surviving a brutal attack, Madalaina must try to move forward, but where do you go when you feel like you've lost yourself? Cleary Neil has kept his feelings for Madalaina to himself. He's been nothing more than a friend to her, and now that's what she needs more than anything. The only problem is he can't shut off the part of himself that wants to protect his mate from the pain and confusion he sees in her. Together they will go on an emotional journey to find out if love can heal all wounds. Time is of the essence, because enemies are gathering.

amazon

Last month marked the re-release of A Scarlet Fury, the second installment in Bridget Blackwood’s Rising Shadows series. The series is an urban fantasy telling of paranormal creatures and their struggle for survival and, at times, dominance. Humankind has only recently become aware of the existence of supernatural beings and the reaction vacillates between acceptance and extreme aggression. 

I fell in love with this series after reading the re-release of book one, Rising Shadows and the following novella Winter’s Kiss. I found the characters thoroughly intriguing and the plot irresistible. Book two surrounds Madalaina Bonvillian, a female shifter from a high-profile ruling class-type family. At the beginning of the book, Madalaina is abducted by a group of rogue militant humans and consequently suffers horrific, brutal abuse. Unlike other stories featuring a daring rescue where, with a little TLC, the heroine quickly bounces back, Blackwood writes about a broken woman and her long and winding road to recovery.

Eventually, the book develops into a tender love story between Madalaina and Clearly Neil, the seemingly laissez-faire lion-man. The long-time friends struggle with new feelings that develop alongside Madalaina’s trauma and recovery. The love story is poignantly written.

Ultimately, A Scarlet Fury is a reflective book and Blackwood has written a responsible tale about violence and sexual assault. She does not gloss over the healing process or the ugly side of survival. As a reader, my objective is to read books that provide an entertaining escape from the realities of life. So in spite of its descent writing and character development, the book didn’t meet my personal criteria. It was a slow read for me, which, given the subject matter, was appropriate I suppose. For me, it was a little too real for an urban fantasy. Nevertheless, I’m invested in this series and look forward to more from the World in Shadows series.

4.5 Sheep Review: Rising Shadows (World in Shadows #1)

Three Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
website-FB-twitter-blog
I'm a hopeless romantic and a sucker for love stories with a happy ending. I grew up in East Texas, where I met and married my high school sweetheart. Together we moved to Southern Illinois and have called it home for over a decade now.

The characters in my head are loud and bossy. I began writing down their stories in self defense. My first book, Rising Shadows, comes out on February 14, 2014, the first in a paranormal romance series called World in Shadows.

A social butterfly by nature, I love to talk. When I am not writing, I enjoys video games, going out for dinner so I don't have to cook, and laughing as much as possible. I am a big horror movie junkie, I watch gobs of them. I have an addiction to eye shadow, crazy hair colors, tattoos, and glitter.

At home, I'm a wife and mother of three children, Blackwood Boy, Ballerina Blackwood, and Baby Blackwood. I also claim my fur babies; a pug, a boxer, and four cats bent on world domination.

Book Review: Rising Shadows (World in Shadows #1) by Bridget Blackwood

Rising Shadows (World in Shadows #1)
by Bridget Blackwood

ebook
October 28th 2015

Booktrope 

Labeled an Arcane, Rachel Ryan wonders if she’s human anymore. After she’s thrown headlong into the world of The Preternatural Rachel learns Shapeshifters, Faeries, and Vampires aren’t legends. They’ve been living hidden in plain sight among humans. In her quest to save a child she will set off a cataclysmic chain of events. Her actions will disrupt the carefully balanced political chess board, casting once powerful pieces to the floor. A werewolf protector, a lost princess, a mad vampire, and an exiled Fae named Winter will rise up to challenge the status quo. A war that has been brewing in the shadows for centuries is ready to explode. Rachel must choose where her allegiance lies, tipping the scales, but who is an enemy and who is a friend?

amazon-amazonUK-amazonCA-amazonAU

Rising Shadows, originally published in 2014, was rereleased November 27 with a new cover design. The rerelease combines Rising Shadows (World in Shadows #1) and the novella Winter’s Kiss (World in Shadows 1.5) as one text. The book chronicles the tale of super-human Rachel Ryan. Exploited for her psychic gifts, Rachel is held hostage in a medical testing facility and injected with ‘magic’ to make her a supernatural killing machine. Once Rachel breaks free, she is met with a formidable cast of characters including shifters, vampires, and fae. 

I tore through this book like a fanatic. I loved every moment of the action-packed tale as well as the burgeoning romance between a few character pairs. I enjoyed the sci-fi aspect of the book and the idea of the manufactured superhuman. The characterization in this book is first rate. Many of the characters are beyond intriguing, which will nicely propel the series.

My only head-scratching moment came with what I perceived to be an odd story arc. Upon research, I realized that Winter’s Kiss had been included as part of the book, accounting for the additional story line towards the end of the book. I’m torn, because as much as I adored reading more about the exiled fae princess Winter, the inclusion in the original text just didn’t flow for me.

Overall, a fantastic read. I look forward to reading and reviewing subsequent installments.

4 ½ sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
website-FB-twitter-blog
I'm a hopeless romantic and a sucker for love stories with a happy ending. I grew up in East Texas, where I met and married my high school sweetheart. Together we moved to Southern Illinois and have called it home for over a decade now.

The characters in my head are loud and bossy. I began writing down their stories in self defense. My first book, Rising Shadows, comes out on February 14, 2014, the first in a paranormal romance series called World in Shadows.

A social butterfly by nature, I love to talk. When I am not writing, I enjoys video games, going out for dinner so I don't have to cook, and laughing as much as possible. I am a big horror movie junkie, I watch gobs of them. I have an addiction to eye shadow, crazy hair colors, tattoos, and glitter.

At home, I'm a wife and mother of three children, Blackwood Boy, Ballerina Blackwood, and Baby Blackwood. I also claim my fur babies; a pug, a boxer, and four cats bent on world domination.