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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
UFR Reviews In Shadows, February 10, 2012
This review is from: In Shadows (Kindle Edition)
I am one of those people who loves the idea of using history as part of a book. The problem for me is that while I like history as a backdrop for some reason it almost never completely works for me. Either the historical elements don't seem that necessary (either the book could take place at any time and it wouldn't matter, or the author just didn't do enough specific research in their time period to really draw me into the setting). Even so I am sucker for historical books, so even though a lot of them never completely satisfy my reading appetite, I keep trying them out and I probably always will. I think the first thing I should mention is that the reader should continue through even though the beginning starts off bumpy. I am one of those readers who once I start a book I can't put it down even if I hate (don't ask me how many books I have read that I absolutely hated, trust me you don't want to know the number). But for those of you who need to be sucked into a book rather quickly, this one does not exactly accomplish that. I felt like the beginning was a bit disjointed and it took a while to not only pick up on the action side of things, but also for me to feel a real connection to the characters. That being said, one the book got started and the action started to pick up I found it easy to identify with a lot of the characters. Seeing as how most of the characters are vampires, there actions are not exactly, how should I put it, moral? Which hey, is part of the appeal of vampires, and part of the reason we as readers enjoy vampire novels. Following along with Ariana is really what made the book for me. She starts off as a human and then becomes a vampire and is introduced into a world she could have never imagined existed. This makes it easy to identify with her as well as bring you to a pretty good understanding of the world building from her point of view. While Ariana made the book for me, there was one other element in the book that peaked my interest and made me want to find out what was on the next page. Even though a lot of the book is focused on Ariana and her learning not just about the world she now lives within and her powers, but there is also an element of mystery going on. I love a book where I spend a lot of time trying to figure out where the book is going to go, who did what, what the mystery is, is there some kind of conspiracy going on. This book did a good job of hooking me into the mystery. Overall this was a pretty okay book. It was a short read and it was an enjoyable read, even though the beginning started on the slow side. Other than that I would recommend it to people who like fantasy with vampires, or for those of you who like books that carry a historical element within them.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Paranormal Read!, December 29, 2011
This review is from: In Shadows (Kindle Edition)
This book was a really great read and I just could not put it down! The story starts off in a town set in the 1800's where people tend to disappear for no apparent reason. People just seem to write off the disappearances and assume that nothing out of the normal is going on. Ariana was one of these people until her world was turned upside down. She was charmed away from her friends and family by a vampire named Dimitri. He gives her the choice of immortal life or death. Dimitri becomes Ariana's guide threw her new life as a vampire. Ariana takes a bit to adapt to her new life, but she is a fast learner. Teaching Ariana new skills has become a daily routine for Dimitri and his feelings toward her start to change. The same goes for Ariana though, as she starts to second guess how she actually feels about her new guide. There are a ton of plot twists in this book, and I loved that. Ariana's new life is very much linked to her old one by history. This new found information could very well be the most important thing to happen to the vampire realm in a long time At times it did seem that the story was moving slowly, but the author's attention to detail makes up for this. The beginning of the book is a bit bumpy but the author seems to get a feel quickly and it all just starts to flow together nicely. This story is filled with intrigue, battle, love, trust, compassion, and good old detective work. And of course, a romantic story filled with vampires! I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great story of inner battle and triumph.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Enchanting Read!, November 14, 2011
This review is from: In Shadows (Kindle Edition)
The story opens in a town where strange disappearances are rumored but dismissed as "old wives tales." It becomes apparent very early on that the stories are very true. Dimitri travels and hunts with his brother, Trevaun, sometimes even making a game of it. During a challenge of who can kill the most, Dimitri abducts Ariana Dallenhauf upon her leaving a social event, and determines to make her his protégé. When Ariana awakes to her new life, she finds it difficult to adjust. Although her abilities come oddly easy to her, some of which even Dimitri is astonished by; she has a hard time parting with her mortal life much to Dimitri's annoyance. She soon discovers a whole new world before her, however, one that existed right beneath her nose that is as complex as it is frightening. But with Dimitri by her side to guide her, it's bound to be an exciting, eye opening experience. When Dimitri and Trevaun are summoned back to the d'Avange castle by their uncle, the Grand Ruler of the Vampire Realm, to investigate a possible conspiracy, Ariana soon learns there is more to her than meets the eye, and the source of uncovering the mystery lies at D'Avange castle. I liked following along with Ariana as she tried to make sense of this new world she found herself in and of her instructor, Dimitri. It is obvious that he is a man hardened by his past. But as he and Ariana interact, a certain softness is revealed. I also found myself a little on edge when it came to Trevaun and his wife, Katrine. They are a ruthless couple that takes utmost pleasure in scouting and killing their victims. I often times felt the panic of the couples they targeted when they found out they were staring down the mouths of predators and they were the prey. Since I love a little darkness in my reading, it was very entertaining! Overall, the story had a bit of a jerky beginning, but was quickly found its footing. I felt it was a little slow paced, and at times a little too descriptive as far as detailing every step and movement each character made. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. Foote is very good at describing even the smallest detail, which transported me back in time and made it easy for me stay firmly rooted in the story. The story took some interesting and unexpected turns as well, including dark magic and demonic influences that melded nicely with the vampire lore. I highly enjoyed trying to unravel who was behind the conspiracy, feeling like a bit of a detective and suspecting everyone in play at one time or another. The action sequences were lovely and delightfully gruesome. But if you are expecting an epic love story, you won't find it here. Instead, I found the connection between Dimitri and Ariana to be very fitting of the times and generally very sweet and endearing. In short, Dimitri is a complete gentleman, which I loved. I recommend In Shadows to anyone looking for a story that combines mystery, revenge, love, friendship, and, of course, vampires. It's truly an enjoyable read.
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