Customer Reviews

Shadow Bound

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Review courtesy of [...].

SHADOW BOUND is a shockingly good read. I mean, where did this book come from? I barely remember hearing about it before I saw it in my Shelf Awareness email. I actually thought it was a YA book based on the cover (it is definitely adult). Although the cover really does a poor job of capturing this often somber, yet darkly beautiful urban fantasy.

The prologue that sets up the mythology and history for the main character is nearly poetic. I reread it twice before continuing the story. I found my heartbeat actually racing and slowing along with the cadence of the prose. I was a little disappointed that the entire book was written the same way.

The actual story is told from the shifting POV of Talia O'Brien, a brilliant young doctor with a terrible secret, and Adam Thorne, a man consumed by guilt and rage driven to find the answers that will destroy his brother and save the world. I typically prefer female POV's but in SHADOW BOUND it was Adam's chapters that were strongest. Talia was so closed off in life, so cautious that at times I found her boring.

What was never boring was the world building. Made up of a combination of Greek mythology, Irish folklore, and traditional fey lore. The villains are the Wraiths, demon spawns who suck the soul from their victims via a Harry Potter-like Dementor's kiss. They cannot be stopped, they cannot be killed, and their numbers are growing.

Shadow Fall coverSHADOW BOUND is likely to appeal to UF/PNR lovers as well as fans of supernatural thrillers. The writing is evocative and lyrical, especially the prologue, and the mystery of the Wraiths and Talia is original and satisfying. The middle drags a bit, but that's when the romance really develops so not a bad trade. The next book in the Shadow series is called Shadow Fall and will be released next month on July 27, 2010 and I will definitely be reading it.

Sexual Content: References to sex. A scene of graphic sensuality. References to rape. Several graphic sex scenes.

I'm not ordinarily a fantasy fan, but "Shadow Bound" does an amazing job of blending current reality with the shadow world - this makes the story believable and gripping. The concept behind the book is extremely interesting, which makes for a definite page-turner (I read the entire book in two days). The characters are complex and appealing, and quickly get you emotionally invested in the story. I rarely get as absorbed into a book as I did with this one. My only complaint is that I have to wait until the follow-up book is released in another month or so. :)

I'm always happy to experience a new author's voice, it's exciting to read a debut, like trying a new wine or if you are not into that...a new dish with all your favorite ingredients. Sometimes these experiments leave you disappointed, running back to your old favorites...but other times they push aside the rest, soar to the top and leave you hungry for more. This, my friend, is what Shadow Bound did for me.

REVIEW: Talia O'Brien is the spawn of death himself. Half fae, whom are the guardian of the in betweens, and half human, Talia can wrap shadows around herself, more comfortable in the dark than she is in the light with the living.

On a day that changed her life forever, Talia came face to face with a monster and watched it suck the soul from her roommates body. The only thing that saved her was death - she has been running ever since. Now trapped in an alley with a wraith hunting her, on verge of heat stroke and dehydration, Talia must make a choice. Should she trust the man that has come for her? Should she put her life in his hands and her powers behind his cause? His natural charm and his casual good looks don't make it any easier for her and as more and more comes out into the open about both Adam and Talia it might not just be their lives on the line, but their hearts also.

This book had me saying "wow" as I scrolled through it. The author's tone drips with old world depth and verse that historical authors try but very rarely achieve, which was surprising for a modern urban fantasy. The tone was reminiscent of one of my favorite YA authors, Maggie Stiefvater. Like Steifvater you could almost drink in the words as if they were a humid evening instead of two dimensional words on a page. As the novel progresses the tone did evolve into a more modern narrative, but oddly I was not disturbed by the shift. It worked with the story. Much as the shifting POV did. The POV shifts seamlessly from Adam to Talia leaving the reader with a varied world view, yet it didn't lead to confusion like often happens in ambiguous POV changes. The storyline was also very original, I have read before of soul sucking, and kisses of death...but the author paired it together in an original way. I was highly impressed with Shadow Bound...and I can't wait to read the second installment Shadow Fall.

The one short-coming that I did find with the novel was more of a "taste" preference. The heroine was a little more malleable than I would have liked and the hero a bit too one-tracked, leaving the romance a bit on the fizzle side instead of the passionate. But, like I said this is a personal preference - reading too much PNR I like my girls with snark and my boys with bite. (Insert Kitty Rrrrr here)

RECOMMENDATIONS: Adult novel, for mature readers. This novel has a more fantasy feel than UF, even though it really is UF, so this might be a great transition book for fantasy lovers.

This book has one of the best prologues I've ever read. The first few chapters and the premise of the story are unique and well-written, it really grabbed me and I was thinking about the book all day at work till I could get home and read more. But about a third of the way through, unfortunately it fell apart for me. I was so disappointed that I put it down for a week and finishing it was not nearly as compelling. It felt to me like maybe the writer started out with a wonderfully complex plot, spending many loving hours refining the beginning and then perhaps the book was accepted by a publisher and rushed to print. Killing the big bad demon was easy and over too quickly. While the female lead was very well developed, the romance between her and the male suffered for his lack of depth, the author's focus on his bitter anger made him one-dimensional. This is a promising writer and I'll probably give her another try, but this book was overall so-so for me; couldn't in good conscience give it three stars though it's a solid two and a half. Lackluster romantic tension, PG sex, complex vulnerable female, tepid male.

Before reading this novel I didn't know this series leaned heavy in the Romance department. So, I didn't realize I was in for a clichéd romance with within a paranormal story. As in, it was very predictable and not very intriguing. And of course I made the mistake and already bought the follow-up book, before reading the first, so now I will have to push through another one of these books.

This was already on my to-read list when I saw it come up on the free kindle ebook list so I snatched it up! I think it's a promising start to the series, I just found myself a little bored by it.

The idea behind it all is very interesting. I liked Talia's connection with death. I also enjoyed all the abilities when learn she has. Some of them are even a surprise to her. I had a hard time getting a feel for her character. I think we're suppose to think she's some bad ass heroine that can escape the wraiths who are hunting her. But, she comes across as helpless and needy at first. And then we're suppose to believe the sudden transformation when she realizes who she is and what she's capable of doing. But, I still liked her.

I liked Adam quite a bit. He comes across as a nice guy, but has a lot of buried rage. His history is interesting and I enjoyed his interactions with his brother. I wasn't sure who or what his brother was at first. I liked how the author slowly uncovered the full implications of what he had done to become the way he is. I also enjoyed the sexual tension that Adam and Talia have.

I think my dissatisfaction comes from to many locations changes and a little bit of confusion. A lot goes on in this story and it's really hard to keep up. I've found that to by true in a lot of first books in a supernatural series. The author has so many to build up in the first book that sometimes the actual story gets a little loss. But, I will continue on with the next one (I already have it on my kindle waiting to read).

Talia O'Brien is twenty-six and has a PhD in anthropology. Her mother died at birth. She was raised by an aunt, also deceased. The description sounds as if she were a normal person. However, in a near-fatal car accident ten years ago, Talia came face-to-face with her biological father, Shadowman. He goes by many names. Death and Grim Reaper are used by most. He is wrapped in shadow, wields a massive scythe, and is feared by all - including Talia.

Adam Thorne founded the Segue Institute six years ago. In a concrete hole, beneath the institute, Adam keeps his brother, Jacob, in a cell. The institute exists for the express purpose of discovering how to kill a wraith. These anthropomorphic monsters are "deathless" and regenerate by sucking out the souls of humans. Jacob has become such a creature. Lead by a demon, the wraiths are organizing and call themselves The Collective. Adam has read Talia's dissertation and needs her on his staff. But locating her is difficult. Talia is being hunted by The Collective and is in hiding. The wraiths want Talia alive, though no one can figure out why. Once Adam has Talia, he must convince her that humanity is at the brink of destruction. Without her, life as we know it is over.

The situation is simple. She is the daughter of Death, able to use the shadows as a chameleon blends into its surroundings. She is destined to live apart from others and die in a war she did not understand. As horrible as the wraiths are, they are not Talia's greatest fear. That is reserved for what happens whenever she screams in fright. Death, the dark thing with red eyes inside the black wind of her scream, comes.

***** FIVE STARS! In all my years as a book reviewer, twice I have stated that a debut author would someday become well known and multiple best sellers in their futures. The first was John Grisham in the Legal Thriller genre. Years later, the second was Jacquie D'Alessandro in the Historical Romance genre. Now, again after several years, I have found a third, Erin Kellison in the Paranormal Romantic Suspense genre.

The shadows lurking within these pages are alive with horrible dangers that will keep readers quickly turning the pages until the very end. Well developed characters, a touch of romance, and overflowing with suspense, this story is unforgettable. But no matter how deeply engrossed you become, don't forget to breathe. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Shadow Bound is based on a very different point of view towards the world of the Fae and their existence. This story starts out strong and dark with a primary character known as Shadowman. Shadowman is also known to some as Death or the Grim Reaper. He lives in the Shadows, the world between ours and heaven. The atmosphere is immediately seductive and darkly intense, thus setting the pace for Shadow Bound.

The romance between Talia and Adam was palpable to me, with each having their own personal demons to deal with before they can decide on each other. Talia is the type of heroine you can grow with through the story and Adam was such a strong and stead-fast hero that you can't help but fall for him.

If your looking for something different in the world of Fae with a healthy dose of suspense peppered with villains that are truly treacherous and deadly and a romance that will fill you with hope, I highly recommend Shadow Bound. I can't wait to dive into Shadow Fall this coming weekend!

Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison starts off with an intense prologue that literally sucks you into the story and makes you crave more. We're given a brief background of our heroine, Talia O'Brien, and how she was conceived. (Her heritage is an integral part of the story!) Then Kellison kicks off the story 26 years later and takes you for a dark, fresh and thrilling ride.

Having had a near death experience at 15 years old and subsequently finding herself in the Shadowman's company, Talia has devoted her work and studies to near-death experiences. Now she has finally completed her dissertation for her doctorate and is just hours away from the start of a brilliant career. But her bright, normal life is suddenly shattered as she is thrown into the scary world of paranormal, soulless immortals that are hell bent on hunting her down. Retreating into the shadows to protect herself, our heroine is half fae. She can call the darkness for cover, becoming invisible to the wraiths tracking her and this is how she's outrun them for months... but is her luck running out?

Adam Thorne, our hero, has devoted his life's work to finding the means to slaughter all of the soulless wraiths. One of the few humans that are aware of their existence, his entire family was massacred by his brother-turned-wraith. He thinks he has discovered something that may catapult his research in the right direction- Talia's dissertation. Now desperately searching for Talia, he tracks her down. Now Adam must convince Talia that she must trust him and join his staff at his private research laboratory to work to save the world from the war against the wraiths.

The plot is magnificent. The story propelled me into an unfamiliar world where one can choose death or immortality; those willing to sacrifice their soul can trade it for everlasting life. Shadow Bound introduced me to new beings and a world that is rarely explored in most of the supernatural books I have read lately. Talia pulling in the darkness as a shield was fascinating! The romance was on the lighter side, but was enough to satiate my need for a little extra excitement. And although I felt it was a little flat, it made the characters feel both relative and pragmatic. The constant action, heartbreak and loss also kept me feeling connected to the story, I couldn't stop flipping the pages- rooting for Talia and Adam to find the answers they were seeking.

Now, even though this was a great story- I was a little disappointed with a few things. First of all, there was very little background provided for the wraiths. And the stunning Shadowman? He's bizarre! I was consistently trying to figure him out- what an amazing character. But I wanted to know more! He broke rules to conceive Talia and love her mother... I wish those rules and his world had been explored. There are descriptions and theories that could have been touched on more for me.

Shadow Bound was fun, suspenseful and action packed- making it hard to put down. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys Urban Fantasy. And good news! There is a second! Shadow Fall will be released in late July.

rex robot reviews dot com

In Appalachia, West Virginia, Adam Thorne is an obsessive dreamer wanting his Segue Institute to succeed. He has put up his vast inheritance to fund the foundation and backed that with time. His personal goal is to kill his brother Jacob a former CEO turned wraith; who he has incarcerated for six years with little success; while the institutes' mission is to study vampiric wraiths.

Adam believes he has found the solution in Talia O'Brien who suffered a near death experience. She has the uncanny paranormal ability to cloak herself in the darkness so that neither humans nor wraiths can detect her. However, she must learn to use her ability, but loathes applying it as she detests being different. Adam mentors Talia but conceals from her is motive with a caring nurturing veneer.

This is a fascinating urban romantic fantasy starring an obsessed lead male and the woman he plans to use as a tool to achieve his immediate objective of fratricide though he knows his sibling is no longer human. The story line is fast-paced, but the criticality that makes it fun to read is that wraiths and an enigmatic Shadowman seen genuine. Fans will relish this entertaining tale as Adam begins to fall in love with his latest weapon to kill his wraith sibling.

Harriet Klausner