Customer Reviews

Shadow Fall

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I loved Shadow Bound and I jumped right into Shadow Fall. Here, the fight with the wraiths continue but the story focuses on Custo and a ballerina named Annabella. As much as I liked Adam and Talia from Shadow Bound, I found Custo and Annabella more exciting because they are quirkier, darker, and sexier. Custo's mission is to save Adam and Talia from a traitor at Segue Institute and he will go through any lengths to achieve his goal. But he is side-tracked by lovely Annabella who is being pursued by a wolf from the other world. Because of Shadowman's crossing years before, the boundary between the Shadowlands and our world has thinned making it possible for creatures of the dark to penetrate our side. Custo must juggle his loyalty for Adam and his mounting interest in Annabella and it was a fantastic ride to see how he did it. I wasn't too thrilled about the final resolution because I wanted to see Custo unscathed but hey, it's not my story. Erin Kellison did a wonderful job and that's saying a lot because most sequels don't live up to the first one and hers certainly did. Love ya Erin!

Custo Santovari endured torture and then death to keep his best friend Adam safe. But he never excepted to land in heaven and become an angel. He decides fleeing heaven is his best course of action, because Adam is still in danger. But when doing so -- he ends up crossing paths with ballerina, Annabella and he's captivated by her. Even though danger is at their heals there is no turning back for either of them. Their desire for each other is too strong to stay apart.

This second installment of the Shadow series is dark and brilliant. I was so glad to see Custo get his own book. His time in Shadow Bound was too short. This story is much more magical - new creatures emerge... mermaids and shape-shifters. Shadow Fall is a magical tale filled with action, danger and wonderful romance. Ms. Kellison writes at a pace that delights the senses. I really enjoyed this installment, I loved the dark fantasy feel to it. If you haven't check this series out yet, I highly recommend you do.

Ballerina Annabella's dancing is truly magical. While practicing for her debut as Giselle, Annabella transcends the mundane world and touches the shadow world of the fae - and unwittingly allows a creature of the shadow to pass through. But at the same time a creature of light also enters the world. Custo, who somehow ended up as an angel after his death (in Shadow Bound), returns to bring intel to aid Adam in the battle against the Wraiths but ends up as captivated by Annabella as the shadow hunter who seeks to claim Annabella for his own.

I enjoyed the first book in Kellison's Shadow series, but this one has a slightly different flavor from the first, and in adding the fallen angel Custo to the mix I liked Shadow Fall even better. I loved Custo and Annabella was a wonderful leading lady and her years of training actually served to provide what she needs to help fight in the battle against the Shadow - she is a good combination of grace, strength and determination.

I also enjoyed seeing Talia and Adam from the first book, as well as the powerful, yet sympathy stirring Shadowman - his is the next book.

Custo Santavari has been murdered. After two years of being in limbo, he wants to return to Earth because he feels he is still needed on the mortal plane. His good friend, Adam Thorne runs The Segue Institute, which is a research facility that focuses on the growing wraith population. Wraiths are a type of paranormal creature that causes havoc on Earth. A select group of mortals are at war with the wraiths who have given up their humanity for immortality. Custo has found a way to return to Earth by making a dangerous deal with a Shadowman.

When Custo returns sans clothes, the first person he sees is Annabella, a ballet dancer, who through dance has opened a portal to the Shadowlands. Because of her untapped power, Custo can cross through, as well as a wolf that begins stalking her. The wolf now wants Annabella as his mate and will kill to make that happen. Custo rescues Annabella, even though she is not sure she can trust him. But she has no choice and things become even more complicated when Adam grabs both Custo and Annabella and places them in his facility. Adam thinks Custo has returned as a wraith and can't trust him. All Annabella wants to do is dance and live a normal life, but with the wolf on the prowl and her gift that is never fully explained, she may have to turn her back on everything she has known. But she is not alone and Custo is there to protect her as well as one she can turn to for comfort and support.

Shadow Fall should please readers that are into the mystical and supernatural. Custo is a borderline alpha hero, who the moment he sees Annabella, wants to keep her for his own. Annabella is forced into a situation that should drive her mad. Not only is she introduced to a world that shouldn't be a real, she has a crazed animal on the loose that won't stop until she is his. Annabella's emotions are very unstable and only Custo can keep her sane and not give into that part of herself that wants to embrace the Shadowland realm.

I wish I could recommend Shadow Fall because it does have an intriguing premise, but Erin Kellison's writing is all over the place. The story suffers a great deal because of this. Things occur that just don't help the story move along and Custo and Annabella aren't fleshed out enough to really get a handle on. Their actions are very questionable and the build up to the final battle of sorts is a big let down. There was just too much dialogue and not enough action to keep me engaged and the plot with the wolf lusting after Annabella was very confusing at times.

Erin Kellison's writing may appeal to a specific audience, but unfortunately I was not one of them. And although Shadow Fall is a Leisure Books Guaranteed Read, I would say it's a pass for me

Katiebabs

Shadow Bound

From the moment I finished the stunning prologue (not for the squeamish, btw), I knew this was going to be a great read. I loved Custo's character from the first book Shadow Bound (though I have to say Shadowman is my favorite) and was really excited to get my hands on this one so I could read more about him. The book did not disappoint. Overall I would say it was a little darker than Shadow Bound, the story and characters a little more gritty, but it has the great lyrical quality that Erin Kellison excels at too, especially in the ballet scenes and the scenes set in the Shadowlands. Now I can't wait for the third book to come out...I read online that it will be called "Shadowman" so I'm guessing he's the main character - very cool.

I just met Erin's characters in the first book and reviewed it elsewhere and said how much I hoped she would be creating a series and that I could read more about these people from the shadowlands. Then I turn around and find out she had written a second book and Custo was available as were Adam and Talia from Shadow Bound. Now I am even happier with the people I have met and hope to soon read a third in this series, wishing for a long and devoted audience encouraging the author to keep on writing. This is my first encounter with "paranormal" and I am hooked.

While trying to save the life of his best friend, Custo Santovari was murdered by traitorous Spencer, an apparent wraith supporter. The Shadowman brings Custo to heaven where his courage and willingness to die for his buddy makes him an angel. However, Custo's goal is to get back to America to warn his BFF Adam Thorne; besides he rationalizes he is too much a sinner to be an angel.

In Manhattan Annabella the ballerina magically dances causing a rift between realms. Custo returns to earth, but also making it through is Wolf the shadow hunter. Custo knows his mission is to go to the New York Segue Institute safe house to warn Adam and to keep safe Annabella from a nightmare; but nothing goes right as Adam thinks he must be a wraith and he falls in forbidden love with the :angel" he protects.

This is a fascinating urban romantic fantasy starring an obsessed lead male fleeing heaven on a quest and the woman who enables him to escape from the angels. The story line is fast-paced, as the city comes across grim and foreboding. Readers learn a little more about the wraiths since the events of Shadows Bound (Adam's romance), but Shadowman remains enigmatic. Sub-genre fans will relish the second wraith war thriller as the shadows continue to darken the earth.

Harriet Klausner

I love this follow up to shadow bound. Custo is a great character with lots of guts and heart. I, again, think that these characters were creative and unique and I hope that Erin Kellison writes more! I love her theories and detailed descriptions of what is happening. She really puts you in the scene. It's like watching a movie in my head. I love it!

This book was a great sequel to the original Shadow Bound. Personally, I found the characters to be more interesting then the previous book. Custo is a dark hero and I find that very sexy. If you are a reader of romance, urban fantasy, dark fantasy you will love this book. This is not for hard core science fiction or urban fantasy folks, but if you love a bit of romance in your reads then Erin Kellion's book will leave you well satisfied.

[...]

***mild spoilers for first book, must highlight to read spoiler part****

I really enjoy the world Kellison has built. In the first book we learn about the Shadowlands, a place in between that is filled with Fae magic. The Shadowman, Death, ushers souls from the mortal realm through this area to Heaven or Hell, but he fell in love with a mortal woman and abandoned his job. This caused a thinning of the boundary and let an evil demon escape to Earth, who created the soul-sucking Wraiths that now plague humans. There is an organization called The Segue Institute, lead by Adam, whose mission is to wipe out the Wraiths. Custo is Adam's best friend and is fiercely loyal to Adam and his cause.

*** He is killed by a traitor in Segue and wakes up to discover he is an angel in Heaven, the last place he thought he would ever be.***

This is where book two picks up. Custo doesn't feel like he belongs among the angels and pulls a fast one on Death to get out of Heaven. It's probably not the smartest thing to do, but he is desperate to get back to Earth and protect Adam. On his way back to the mortal realm he sees a beautiful ballerina dancing in the Shadowlands named Annabella. Annabella is able to unconsciously access the Shadowlands through her dancing, but she doesn't belong there so a Fae creature called a Hunter (wolf) goes after her. However the Hunter is drawn to her creative power and decides he wants her for his own.

This book introduces us to Angels and their role in the clever and fascinating world Kellison has created. We also learn more about the Shadowlands and the Fae creatures that live there. We didn't learn much more about Death and his quest to find Kathleen, but since the next book in the series is called Shadowman I am hoping for more of his sexy tortured self <G>.

The ending is action packed and suspenseful and Kellison's personal knowledge of ballet adds depth to Annabella's character. Custo and Annabella's romance was decent, but it is the forwarding of the major story arc that interests me the most about this book.