Review: Lord's Fall by Thea Harrison

Book Description

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them…

Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom.

In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Series: Elder Races #5
Does the series need to be read in order? No. I jumped right in without having read the previous books, but as with most series, I think you'll get a little extra if you've read the other installments.

Quick Synopsis

Pia and Dragos are separated for the first time since they've been together as a couple. The distance is hard on them but duty calls each of them. The couple soon reunites when an old force resurfaces and puts the Elves in terrible danger. Pia, Drago and the rest of the Wyr must work with the Elves before the peril spreads beyond their demesne.

Review

Liked
• The world-building is pretty solid. I enjoy the wide variety of magical beings - shapeshifters, vampires, elves - and the interactions between them. The relationships between the groups are not always easy and that gives it a nice realism. I also loved the larger mythology of the God Machines. It's an intriguing concept.
• Pia and Dragos definitely have a passionate relationship, but it's also a maturing one. At this stage they are learning to work together, trust one another's abilities and compromise. It's rare to see this stage of a relationship in romance or even a book with romantic elements. It's refreshing to watch a couple progress beyond the new love glow (and lust).
• Pia and Eva's relationship was fun.
• The plot was well-paced right up until the end (more on that below). Once the craziness got going in the Elven lands, I was completely sucked in.

Liked Less
• Nothing to do with the writing, but the print in this paperback was tiny. It made it a little difficult to read. Maybe I'm just getting old.
• Sometimes there were so many people involved in a scene that I lost track of who was who. The confusion didn't detract from the overall story arc, but it sometimes pulled me out of the story a bit until I figured out the significance of a particular character. It might be easier for someone who has read the previous books in the series.
• The disposal of the main villain was too easy. (Spoiler-avoiding vagueness follows.) There were explanations as to why that solution was not used earlier but I didn't buy it. Everything could have been settled a lot sooner and with less damage. Also, after all the buildup, the villain's easy defeat was kind of a letdown.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read that I feel happy recommending to other readers. I will likely read the other books in the series.

Disclosure: I won this book in a contest. A positive review was not required nor was any compensation offered or received for a review.

Amazon | B & N

Review: Blade Song by J.C. Daniels

Book Description

Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.

So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.

Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.

If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee…

(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Fantasy

Series: Colbana Files #1
Does the series need to be read in order? N/A, first in series

Quick Synopsis

Kit gets hired to find a missing kid and is stuck with Damon, a sexy shifter, for the duration of the project. She also has to deal with a vampire stalker named Jude.

Review

Liked
• Kit is a great character. She has a traumatic past and though she copes really well, she still experiences echoes of her abuse. She can never shove it completely down and just keep blithely going every time. Her trauma is given its due without taking over her life completely. The author keeps it nicely balanced.
• The world of the book has the typical vampires, shifters and witches. I found the paranormal races to be fairly typical for UF but I found the interactions between the races to be interesting.
• Kit is something different - aneira. Aneira are a paranormal race similar to Amazons but different enough to keep it fresh. I like the set of powers that Kit has and how accepting she is that she is weaker because she’s half-human. She works with what she has.
• Damon starts out as a total asshole. At first I was pretty annoyed with him (as Kit was), but then he grew on me. I think his finally starting to trust Kit made the difference to me.
• The Walgreens scene is comedy gold.

Liked Less
• There were a few typos in this book. The mistakes were not enough to throw me out of the story, but they definitely shouldn’t have been there.
• I really wish that more had been explained about Jude’s business venture (to explain more would spoil). Why did he set something like that up in the first place? I also thought that his business was very cliched and I was a little disappointed because of it.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read that I feel happy recommending to other readers. I will likely read the next in the series.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Amazon | B & N