View our feature on Jessa Slade’s Forged of Shadows.
The new novel in the seductively sinister paranormal romance series
After surviving the Irish Potato Famine, Liam Niall was possessed by a demon in search of redemption. Now, he heads the Chicago league of taylan in their fight against evil. Jilly Chan is a mentor to the local homeless youth-and warrior against the criminals who prey upon her charges. She's already half-taken by a demon, so Liam reluctantly tries to guide her into full power.
Even as the proudly independent Jilly tries to remain true to her own soul, Liam's fiercely passionate touch leaves a mark on her desirable flesh as enduring as her new demonic tattoo...
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Jessa Slade spent her childhood chore money on science fiction and fantasy and aspires to someday write about FTL unicorns. She is a hopeless cynic who secretly believes the flow of the universe can be positively altered by a well-told love story. The hard rains of the Pacific Northwest and the quest for the perfect extended metaphor keep her chained at her computer.
Despite a grade school career aptitude test that indicated farming would be her best bet, Jessa always knew she wanted to be a writer. Her early works include "MY POMES," a poetry chapbook rampant with unicorns and misspellings, and, later, a torrid teen cowboy romance which her editor-mother asked her to revise and resubmit, changing the love scene to "soul mates."
Now she writes urban fantasy romance with soul mates AND love scenes. She is the author of the Marked Souls series (SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, FORGED OF SHADOWS, VOWED IN SHADOWS, DARKNESS UNDONE), and her first science fiction romance novella "Enslaved By Starlight" is available now in the HOTTER ON THE EDGE anthology. Her first dark fae story will be out the summer of 2012 with Harlequin Nocturne Cravings.
She likes to connect with readers (and have an excuse to goof off) so you can often find her at the usual online haunts.
FORGED OF SHADOWS by Jess Slade is the second in the new MARKED SOULS series.
In Book 1 - SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, readers are introduced to the league of talya, possessed by teshuva, keeping the streets of Chicago relatively clean of a legion of demonic emanations. The talya, as immortal repentant demons are really good at cleaning up the slime but their job takes a new turn with a female talya. What happens when you introduce a determined woman into a cluster of warriors? The world implodes!
In Book 2 - FORGED OF SHADOWS begins four months later with all the slimy brilliance, amazing dynamics and another female talya. Liam has led the league in the battle against evil seeping through the veil for over a century, but everything changed with the mating of Archer and Sera. Now Liam has a greater challenge. Jilly Chan is a rebel in search of a cause and not displeased at superhuman powers but there is no way she's mating with Liam just so he can control her as a new warrior for his cause. The evil has morphed beyond the powers of the teshuva and the league now have to learn to fight as a team instead of rouge warriors.
Jessa Slade has created a dark and dramatic world where the action flies off the page and the dialogue is vibrant. Every page is rich with a full cast of unique characters and graphic action. FORGED OF SHADOWS takes the reader deeper into the horrors hidden from mortal sight and the dark powers that are working to benefit humanity, even though they really just want to redeem themselves.
This is a series that shows great promise for many books to come. Ms. Slade's talent for metaphor and dark quips is enhanced by sensual scenes and a wonderful romance that requires a huge sacrifice with potential for immortal rewards.
I think I like the first one in this series more, but I thought Forged of Shadows kept a good momentum for this series. Definately different characters and not the same old, same old. The leaders of the Atoned group is fighting his own inter-conflict in that he believes he must sacrifice all for his men. It take a lot from both the hero and heroine to reach out to each other. The story reminds me of the old superhero comic books. I enjoyed it.
Jessa Slade has yet again created a wonderful action-packed, dark and edgy paranormal romance. I really enjoyed Ms. Slade's first book, Seduced by Shadows, and if anything the series just gets better. Forged by Shadows gets right into the action and delivers a fast-paced plot line to the climatic end. I positively loved the spunky heroine, Jilly, with her determination to continue aiding the street-kids even though she's been 'taken of the job' so to speak. Liam was similarly likable, in a very alpha hero with issues kind of way. The best thing about this book, however, is how the author is able to suck you right into the action of a scene, leaving the reader flipping the pages with the easy to read prose and spot-on pacing. In conclusion, if you want a well-constructed paranormal story with danger that will make your spine tingle and a hefty dish of romance on the side, read this book!
Couldn't put this one down. Loved the first book, SEDUCED BY SHADOWS. This her second book, FORGED OF SHADOWS is better yet. Compelling characters I can't forget even though I'm through reading. Intriguing world. Great premise. Hope. Redemption. What more can you ask for in a story. Can't wait for Ms. Slade's next book in the Marked Soul Novels.
In Chicago, Jilly Chan is stunned when she loses her job working with street kids as the cause in her mind is not apparent. She is even more shocked with the Ascendant of a penitence demon seeking atonement who possesses her to fight evil.
Liam Niall informs the feisty Jilly that she has been asked to join a team of warriors also possessed by demons. However, he also rejects their apparent psychic bond. Meanwhile club owner Bella hangs around Liam while Jilly's allies are dying as a new form of malevolence has surfaced. Liam begins to question whether Lilly is the evil or the other half of his Mated-Talyn Bonds.
This is an exciting urban fantasy starring two likable individuals who lost half their souls during a demon Ascendant although a century and a half apart as he came from Ireland during the Irish Famine of the mid nineteenth century. The story line is fast-paced with a strong cast making the two realms (human and demon) and the separating veil seem real. Although Liam's guilt and doubts seem off kilter and unnecessarily forced, fans will relish his dilemma mindful of Frank Stockton's The Lady or the Tiger as he considers trusting in the love soul mating bonding or killing his love.
This is the second book in the Marked Souls series. It introduces Jilly as the newest member of the league of Souls. Liam is the league's leader and Jilly's reluctant mate. The league faces a new threat and also an old one. I love the premise of fallen angels looking for redemption and pairing with a human partner. I want to know more about that world. The book choses to focus on Jilly and Liam's emotional turmoil which is where the book goes wrong because neither character was presently clearly or with depth. Jilly especially is a mess. She works with at risk kids at a half way home and is presented as tough but where is her experience and toughness when she is handling her crack whore sister? She spends alot of the book agonizing over Liam's reluctance to enter into a relationship. She just met the dude! Show a little self-respect. She is suppose to be this rebel but she just comes off as unintelligent and immature. At the end, I felt sorry that Liam was eternally stuck with her. The other parts of the story were OK. The first book was better, read that one.
