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Showing posts with label Twilight of the Gods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Twilight of the Gods. Show all posts
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Review: Witch Bound by Eleri Stone
Witch Bound
Author: Eleri Stone
Release Date: June 24, 2013
Publisher: Carina Press
Twilight of the Gods #2
ISBN: #978-1426895678
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Raquel Lindgren knows what her future holds. An arranged marriage. A new home in Ragnarok, Iowa, with another clan of refugees from Asgard. She should be happy. But there's a mental block preventing her from tapping in to her true abilities as a witch. And she's more attracted to the best man than she is to the groom…
Fen can't believe he's falling for his best friend's future wife. As a hound, a wolf shifter, his duty lies with the pack. He's seen too many hounds destroyed by love, and he's sworn never to take a mate, never to have children of his own. He can't deny his desire for Raquel, but she deserves more than he can offer her.
Raquel's been raised to trust in magic, her clan and her destiny. But when a vengeful demon threatens to break out of Asgard and destroy the clan, Raquel learns she must trust in love if she is to take the future into her own hands.
What I’m talking about:
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The return trip to Ragnarok, Iowa, takes the reader a bit forward in time (one year maybe) past the conclusion of Ms. Stone’s Demon Crossings. We learned in the first story of the Twilight of the Gods that clan huntsman Christian is bound to marry a witch from outside their clan to replace their retiring one. The start of Witch Bound introduces us to Raquel, Christian’s bride-to-be.
The pair meet in person for the first time, and although there is some mutual attraction, Raquel quickly learns that Christian wants out of the contract, however his sense of duty would never let him renege on the promises made by his parents. In addition, we learn that although Raquel has the potential to be one of the most powerful witches in recent history, she cannot tap into her magic. Both of these circumstances lead to immediate tension and an interesting story!
It is difficult for me to put a finger on exactly why I enjoyed this book and loved its characters so much--I just did! The honest and emotionally-driven dialogues between the three main characters, coupled with their innate good natures allowed me to care for their well-being. Raquel, Christian and Fen are all good people who are struggling with a situation in which they feel there is no way out. Although Raquel came to Ragnarok with hopes of a forever love with Christian, she quickly realizes that love at first sight isn’t realistic. However, she hopes, as does Christian, that maybe love could eventually come to them.
I completely admire Raquel. She has a good heart and a strong sense of right over wrong. She also stands up for herself without being pushy. She won’t let others pressure her into something she knows in her heart maybe not be the right thing to do. Although she is impulsive, everything she does is filled with good intentions.
The attraction between Fen and Raquel is quiet but powerful. It is that unattainable and unrequited type of romance that makes my heart pitter-patter and causes me to cheer so hard to see them together. It was sweet how quickly Fen falls for Raquel -- so unsure of how to deal with his emotions. And Fen is such a good guy. When he realizes his attraction is growing too large for his best friend’s girl, he tries to find a way to distance himself, while still be a friend to Raquel. He cares deeply for both Raquel and Christian, and he wants them both to heal and be happy.
Finally, I really like that Ms. Stone allows Christian to be a good man. He wants what is best for Raquel, even though he doesn't love her. He wants do what is right by her while fulfilling his duties. He realizes Fen is falling for Raquel and struggles to figure out what is best for everyone involved.
I just adore that Witch Bound is NOT a love triangle. It is a story about three good people that are struggling between duty and true desire/love. Raquel and Christian may have made a good couple if circumstances were different. But she and Fen connect from the beginning, and they fell hard for one another. No one is a bad guy!
Meanwhile, there is more going on in Ragnarok than a wedding and love stories. The fault between worlds (Asgard and Earth) is growing increasingly unstable, with more frequent demon escapes. Raquel is expected to fix the shields that protect Ragnarok, but with her magic blocked up, she’s having difficulties. Solving the mystery of why this is occurring, plus a return visit with the Vanir on Asgard (from Demon Crossings), creates a bit of tension and suspense in the mix. I really enjoyed how it all played out. The trip to Asgard wasn't as prolonged as it was in Demon Crossing, and it fit with the story better this second time around.
All in all, I just love the mythology and characters that Ms. Stone has created. Witch Bound is an enjoyable, exciting and well-written story. I adore Fen and Raquel something hard. I felt the flow of the story was much tighter then the first book in the series. In addition, there is just enough left open to leave me wanting the next story now!
My Rating:
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Thursday, May 30, 2013
Review: Demon Crossings by Eleri Stone
Demon Crossings
Author: Eleri Stone
Release Date: Jan. 2, 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Twilight of the Gods #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Private investigator Grace tracks a kidnapped child to middle-of-nowhere Iowa. Encountering a strange creature she knows can't be a local animal, she doesn't need her psychic abilities to figure out the sleepy town is not what it seems. When she meets the intriguing Aiden, she's plunged into a world of Norse gods and fire demons where the Wild Hunt still rides the night.
Aiden needs Grace's help to cross the portal between worlds and rescue his daughter. Grace is unlike any woman he's ever met. He's drawn to her courage, distressed by her vulnerability, and doubtful of her motives. But he knows that her visions are the key to defeating the enemy and bringing everyone home alive.
Grace wants a future with Aiden, even if it means she'll never have a normal life. When a test run to the portal takes a terrifying turn, they must learn to finally trust each other or Aiden's daughter, and their chance at love, will be lost forever...
What I’m talking about:
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On a case, Grace finds herself driving through the dark, dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, Iowa, instead of on her much needed vacation to Hawaii. Grace has an innate ability to find missing children, and her police buddy Mike often sends those in need of help her way. Suddenly, Grace begins to see and sense things around her that aren’t normal - to include a giant beast that runs her car off the road.
After Aiden comes to rescue Grace, he realizes that she is special - like him, like the entire town. Hoping that Grace will help Aiden find his own missing daughter, he slowly brings her into his world which includes demons, gods and other fun things from Norse mythology. Unable to let go of her need to help children, Grace reluctantly agrees to stay and suddenly, her life is changed.
Demon Crossings is an exciting paranormal adventure, with a unique mythology that completely hooked me. Ms. Stone creates a world that is full of everyday people who are much more than they appear. Her distinct and fascinating take on Norse mythology keeps some of the traditional ideas such as the nine worlds tied together with Asgard as the home. However, the Asgardians are not gods, and after the fire demons destroyed their home, they took refuge on Midgard, aka Earth.
I loved the opening few chapters - the story unfolds through the point-of-view of Grace, and the manner in which it is written makes it feel like Grace had entered the Twilight Zone, adding to the overall mystique of the setting. And you know that Grace must have been REALLY spooked if she's focusing on the unknown creature and NOT the two complete strangers that are taking her into an unknown house. I loved that even as I was thinking that, Aiden picked up on the fact that it was odd that Grace wasn't too worried about staying with a stranger. It was like the author could read my mind!
Overall the story is extremely gripping. I'm was nervous for Grace. and the decisions she makes regarding the missing/kidnapped girl she was hired to find, the choice to stay and find Aiden’s daughter, and her reluctance to open up to Aiden. Add to that the mysterious fire demons and the need to cross dimensions to another world... I was captivated.
One of the things I appreciated about the story of Aiden and Grace was the honest and raw emotions Ms. Stone puts into her characters. They are both hurting. They both have isolated themselves and their emotions, building much needed walls of protection around their hearts. Sometimes a person cannot just let down those walls and let someone new inside, and both Aiden and Grace were very open about their concerns. Yet at the same time, they both were good about hiding what was at the center of their hearts. Their individual histories, coupled with Aiden’s duties to his people and daughter, make for an emotional journey that I enjoyed reading.
In addition, Aiden’s friends and the citizens of the town are similar when it comes to the truth. They can be brutally honest with their opinions; however, the bonds created over the years are evident in their actions to help one another. I also enjoy how they bring Grace into the fold, forming fun and meaningful friendships.
Towards the end of the book, something significant happens to Grace, and I felt the tempo and feel of the book changed. Her new “situation” was interesting to read about, but I felt that much of what happened may be a setup for future installments of the series. Overall it didn’t spoil the read for me, but it did change the tempo enough that it was a bit disruptive to my enjoyment because I felt the story was going in one direction, and then it took a slight detour.
Overall, I enjoyed Demon Crossings and look forward to reading more in the Twilight of the Gods series. Ms. Stone’s series has a lot of potential with its unique mythology and motley crew of companions. The story is exciting and gripping, with an ending you come to expect and appreciate in a romance.
My Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
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