I love Jane Yellowrock but for some reason I had a lot of trouble with this installment. I started it back in February and I just couldn't read more tI love Jane Yellowrock but for some reason I had a lot of trouble with this installment. I started it back in February and I just couldn't read more than a couple of chapters. It's not that the story isn't riveting, on the contrary I've been waiting to find out what happens for more than an year. And yet each time I started it I quickly put it back down. Maybe part of it is that it's been so long since the previous installment (or at least it feels as if it's been an age) or maybe it's just the emotional fatigue of the last two years. I don't know but the constant interruptions definitely diminished my enjoyment of the book and ultimately led to a rather low rating on my end.
The ending is setting things up nicely for the next book but at the same time I don't feel that urgency to find out what will happen that I felt at the end of the previous book. I don't know if that's a good thing or not as that curiosity didn't really translate in a manic reading as soon as True Dead was out. Still the developments, particularly with Leo pique my interest so I will definitely read the next one....more
The story was intriguing enough that I was almost tempted to give the second book a chance. However, the writing needs a lot of work. A good copy editThe story was intriguing enough that I was almost tempted to give the second book a chance. However, the writing needs a lot of work. A good copy editor can do wonders for this book. I can see myself giving this author another chance after a few years to see if she improved her craft....more
A few months ago I got the opportunity to read the second book of this series as an advance reader. At the time I was worried that because I hadn't reA few months ago I got the opportunity to read the second book of this series as an advance reader. At the time I was worried that because I hadn't read this one I'll have a hard time following the story. My fears were unfounded and I ended up enjoying Dominion Required. So when I had a few free hours I decided to see how the events mentioned in DR really unfolded.
Reading Magic Required was a bit weird as I already knew the highlights of the story. However that ended up being a great thing as it let me slow down and really enjoy the details instead of being driven to read faster by the need to know what will happen. It was kind of like when you're re-reading a book you've read long ago and you only remember certain events.
Based on Dominion Required I had some preconceptions about how things will unfold that proved rather inaccurate. For example I expected that all the main characters would already have a tight knit group formed at the start of this adventure. Or that at least one of them would know about Lochlan's origins. Let me say that the way things were actually written was much better and provided the background of the story in a much more structured way. it also let the information flow in a smooth stream to be easily absorbed by the reader.
What I loved most were the characters and while they could be more polished/better fleshed out it in no way diminished my enjoyment of the book. I also liked how some currently relevant themes were partially explored - immigration, xenophobia and homophobia are all still present (let's try to make sure this stays fiction and in 2047 we've moved past such idiocy) in this world. It added some realism to the story but they were mentioned in passing so I'm hoping that they'll be explored more in the context of the story at a later point.
Overall if you like Celtic myths but without too much delving in the details of the mythology I would recommend you give this series a chance. Especially if you like books that are mostly character driven. ...more
WOW what a ride! I knew things will be explosive after the what Primal Sin ended but darn it was above and beyond my expectations.
For a lot of the boWOW what a ride! I knew things will be explosive after the what Primal Sin ended but darn it was above and beyond my expectations.
For a lot of the book I wanted to strangle Mikhail. At the same time I felt bad for him because he was not only dealing with a broken heart (something painful at the best of times) but also learning to live with emotions for the very first time in his life. Observing him going from being a total psychopath to someone with a normal (somewhat) range of emotions was quite entertaining. When he had his fits I was mostly feeling bad for Severn and Solo. But mostly for Solo. He's such a sweetheart and so naive it hurts. Severn on the other hand knows how to survive and how to deal with emotional wrecks even if he's one of said wrecks. It's both painful and delightful to watch them together, though at times the drama was getting to be too much for me.
While the book mostly deals with the fallout of Mikhail's actions at Tower Bridge there's an overall story threaded between the lines - that of Seraphim and Aerius the first angel and demon. We got a glimpse in Primal Sin and now we learned a bit more. And hopefully we'll learn the rest in the final book. I have my suspicions about a certain cambion/demon but I'm not sharing them so I don't jinx it.
A lot is left for the final book as much like the previous one, Eternal Sin ends on quite the cliffhanger. I'm not really a fan of cliffhangers but they do tend to make the hype for the next book that much bigger. Wrapping up all the plotlines and bringing everything to a satisfying ending seems like a tall order right now but I don't doubt that Ariana Nash will pull it off. And knowing her we won't have too long to wait.
eARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review....more
eARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
"You're just a silly girl in a dress playing with monsters."
When Jack first said this I theARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
"You're just a silly girl in a dress playing with monsters."
When Jack first said this I thought it's just a snide remark meant to get on Lyhner's nerves. I didn't think even for a second that it's foreshadowing for things to come. And I should know better by now, shouldn't I? After the event of Twilight Seeker Lynher is desperate to keep her ragtag family together. Especially her idiotic brother Kensey, whom I distrusted somewhat since the beginning but had decided to give the benefit of the doubt. Well that experiment failed. It's still up for a debate whether he's a traitor or simply that naive and brainless. Throughout the book I wanted to slap some sense into him on so many occasions, especially when he got that whole 'holier than thou' attitude because of Lynher's closer relationship to Rafe. It's like the pot calling the kettle black considering his choice in lovers.
Speaking about Rafe, I expected to see more of him in this book compared to Twilight Seeker but was surprised that he was so central to the plot. For a big part of the book it was his relationship with Lynher, Lilith and an anger called Mastema that drove the story forward. It was subtle and at the time I didn't see it but now that I've had some time to think about it almost all that happens in Night Scourge is influenced by the magnificent incubus Raphael. And I loved every second of it. Even though I had expected things to revolve more around the resistance and the return of Jack. I thought that one of the first things that would happen would be Jack's return from Hell but I was so wrong. By the midway I wasn't sure it'll ever happen. Which made me despair as he's definitely the most interesting character fromTwilight Seeker. Did he return you might ask. Well read the book and find out ;)
I debated whether to give Night Scourge 4 or 5 starts for a couple of days now. On one hand I loved it but on the other there were parts that felt like filler. They weren't truly as they added new layers to the world and let us to see Lyhner and Kensey's faults and blind spots. The resistance being the main of those parts - I expected them to play a much bigger role but were delegated to crutch for character development. And because I feel they weren't fully utilized I'm a bit disappointed at them taking space that could have been used to say learn more about the Night Station's origins or something. Oh we do learn more about that but it only whetted my appetite and now I burn to learn every little detail. But I guess I'll have to wait until the next book comes out. At least the ending seems promising that we will learn more.
There was a lot of new information to process in this book. It makes the world richer and the characters more fleshed out. But it also opens the door to even more questions and makes you want to jump straight in the next book. Too bad it's not written yet. Night Scourge gave me the feeling that once all books of the series are out I'll have to block out an extended weekend and just binge read them all. I think it will showcase details I'll otherwise miss. It'll be one hell of a ride....more
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