Shadow Born, Book 1
Synopsis: Redemption lies beyond the veil between truth and lies.
After witnessing her husband’s brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. Her penance: one hundred years policing hordes of supernatural misfits that spilled onto the Earthly plane after a cataclysmic war.
She’s on a routine exorcism run when she learns she’s been assigned a new partner. But there’s something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash.
Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. Yet as he skillfully manipulates his way past her distrust, he begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman.
As they work to put together the pieces of a killer’s macabre puzzle, an attraction deeper than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets,
Product Warnings
A thrill ride of supernatural proportions. Contains violent battle scenes, nail-biting suspense, crazy hot sexual tension, and enough twists and turns to make your head spin.
Review: I’m not often disappointed by the novels of the publisher and when I saw the release of this new series, I was immediately intrigued.
Since the death of her husband in her former kingdom, Brenna, Shadow Bearer, is now exiled in the earthly world. Yes, because she has messed up with the designs of her father when the young woman rebelled to avenge the man she loved. Today, she is forced to stay on earth to redeem herself, away from her family but with a whole new family of friends present for her. These friends are also very different, so we have vampires, ghosts and others. But when these people are in danger, and are even murdered, Brenna is obliged to take part of that! Oh yes, and she is determined to understand what is happening and to manage this problem. Yet if it were not just that … because a new Shadow Bearer is in town and she is assigned to this new partner. But is this charming and mysterious man here on the orders of her father to kill her? To spy on her? Why is he so interested in her past and about what happened to her deceased husband?
We fairly understand all that was happening over Brenna and Gray but I found it surprising that the young woman does not think of it even for a second. By cons I was really heartbroken for the young woman. Gray charms her constantly but also reminds her all the time about what she has lost, to make her feel guilty and I admit that I found it a little too much in the end. It’s quite sad to see our heroine suffer so much and see Gray playing with her to discover what really happened in the past. In terms of history, it remains basic and common enough for an urban fantasy novel but the author’s style is quite interesting and addictive and I spent a good time with the whole.
It’s a nice story found here despite a little lack of originality. We discover with pleasure the characters and we follow them throughout their adventures. I am curious to see if we have a sequel and what will happen exactly to our protagonists after all the events.
blodeuedd
I am still a bit interested, but the lack of originality scares me
Melliane
I can understand too
Joy // Joyousreads
It’s tough finding original novels nowadays. Everything sounds like a recycled story in one form or another.
Melliane
that’s true
Red Iza
If the writer’s style is addictive, I’m adding it to my list – but I don’t know when I’ll read it ! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Melliane
yes it’s quite good!
Kirsty-Marie
Seems like a good mix, I love having different paranormal/supernatural beings, and see, I don’t think originality is the problem anymore, it’s the execution of it, which sounds like it was done okay, but could’ve been better.
Melliane
you’re right when it’s well done it’s the principal
Ramona
Wow, I guess this is a perfect example of “don’t let the book blurb fool you”, lol 🙂 From reading that description I would’ve thought this was amazing. Reality? Not so much… Thanks for an enlightening review 🙂
Melliane
it’s good, just not as much as I thought at first.
Jenny @ Supernatural Snark
The relationship between Brenna and Gray sounds a bit brutal, but I also can’t help but be curious about the two of them. Obviously since this is book one they’re going to have a way to go before everything gets sorted, and I kind of want to know how things unfold!
Melliane
I wonder what will happen later for them
kindlemom1
It seems anymore it is hard to find anything original in any genre. I am sorry this wasn’t just a bit more. It does sound super interesting though.
Wonderful review Deliah!
Melliane
thank you my friend!
Emma @ Never Judge a Book
Like the others said its really hard to find an original story. Sometime it can be a good thing I think. Especially if you’ve read so much of a particular genre your not used too, sometimes something that may have been done before is a welcome change. If that makes sense. Sounds like an intriguing series though. Thanks for putting it on my radar. 🙂
Braine
i have to be in the right mood for me to enjoy a formula read. Sometimes I find comfort in the familiar, it’s nice to just relax an watch a story unfold
Melliane
yes it’s always nice to have something like that
lupdilup
I’m having a hard time being surprised anymore, but my things is how much I enjoyed the book, and if I did then it’s all good with me. Sometimes even an old plot can surprise us 🙂 and the main thing (the character) seems to work here. What I finding harder and harder it’s to be truly wowed by a new book 🙁
Thanks Mellanie!
Alise
I like the concept of her being exiled into a new experience and all the creatures! I can definitely see where your issues come from though, it definitelty sounds like a lot of other books. Nice review!
ShootingStarsMag
Sorry this one wasn’t all that original! Gray sounds like a character that might start to annoy me a bit too much too.
Missie
I am sad about the lack of originality, but I can see how hard it is to write some new with all the books out there
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Carole Rae
Gah. Bummer. I shall pass.
Faye le Potato
I find it sad an Urban Fantasy feels like a rehash of other books and when it lacks originality, because this is a sub genre that has SO many possibilities to explore! 🙁 But at least you enjoyed it somewhat, even if the romance was exhausting 🙂
Faye at The Social Potato
anna (herding cats & burning soup)
I don’t think I’d seen this one yet. The heroine. Goodness. Sounds good though. I’m good with unoriginal as long as it has some good bits to hook me 🙂
Jennifer Bielman @ Bad Bird Reads
I hate reading about other people suffering, but this does sounds pretty exciting.
Melissa (Books and Things)
Too bad it didn’t feel different but much of the same. Still, it sounds like a good enough UF start and perhaps like a lot of them, gets better as the series progresses. Might have to check this one out.