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Abby Sinclair #2
A Sliver of Shadow
WAR IS HELL. AND WAR WITH HELL IS NO FUN EITHER.
Just when her new life as a TouchStone—a mortal bound to help OtherFolk cross between Faery and human worlds—seems to be settling down, Abby Sinclair is left in charge when the Protectorate, Moira, leaves for the Faery Court. And when the Protectorate’s away . . . let’s just say things spiral out of control when a spell on Abby backfires and the Faery Queen declares the Doors between their worlds officially closed. The results are disastrous for both sides: OtherFolk trapped in the mortal world are beginning to fade, while Faery is on the brink of war with the daemons of Hell. Along with her brooding elven prince Talivar and sexy incubus Brystion, Abby ventures to the CrossRoads in an attempt to override the Queen’s magic. But nothing in this beautiful, dangerous realm will compare to the discoveries she’s making about her past, her destiny, and what she will sacrifice for those she loves.
Just when her new life as a TouchStone—a mortal bound to help OtherFolk cross between Faery and human worlds—seems to be settling down, Abby Sinclair is left in charge when the Protectorate, Moira, leaves for the Faery Court. And when the Protectorate’s away . . . let’s just say things spiral out of control when a spell on Abby backfires and the Faery Queen declares the Doors between their worlds officially closed. The results are disastrous for both sides: OtherFolk trapped in the mortal world are beginning to fade, while Faery is on the brink of war with the daemons of Hell. Along with her brooding elven prince Talivar and sexy incubus Brystion, Abby ventures to the CrossRoads in an attempt to override the Queen’s magic. But nothing in this beautiful, dangerous realm will compare to the discoveries she’s making about her past, her destiny, and what she will sacrifice for those she loves.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2012
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1674 people want to read
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September 19, 2016
I'm not sure about this series. I like the whole Fae aspect, magic creatures, etc., but I feel like the main character is everyone's stooge. She is basically used as the savior for all and I feel like all the characters in the book expect this of her. I don't like main characters that are at such a disadvantage compared to all others and then used. She's mortal, the Fae and etc are basically immortal, or at least live 100's of years in comparison to Abby. And yet, she's the one that's supposed to be figuring out everyone's problems and fixing them, even if it means she gets dead. I really feel like only Phin and Melanie care about her. Ion and Talivar seem to care about her, but they're both douches. Talivar is slightly less, but I still feel like he's not 100% in because of how entangled he is in family drama. The rest are users and I don't like how that reflects upon the other characters and Abby.
Abby also annoys me in that she gets into everyone's business. She seems too inept to have any importance in this Fae world. And basically she doesn't. Her worth is via an important tool she's wearing and of course she can't take it off till death. It's kind of like idiot savant powers. I'm not sure why she was written so klutzy. It's not appealing to have the heroine make everything more entangled than it already was. I like ones that solve problems and end wars, not cause them because they're inept.
The daemon bad guys are rather the most likable characters in the story. I preferred them. Tresa and Maurice were annoying. The Queen was a real bitch, just like her daughter. Thomas is pretty worthless as anything other than the queen's lackey. Really, all characters that just existed to show how much they didn't give a crap about Abby.
A quality I'm finding to be rampant in UF female mc's is not asking anyone for help. Especially the ones that know jack about anything and are basically a fetus in age and knowledge compared to all others. They never ask for help, preferring to blunder along, ruin things, make a mess, get people maimed, captured, or killed, all so they can do it on their own. That's fine if you don't want to take others with you, but could you ask for info first, like do some research vs making uninformed decisions. It's really ruining a lot of UF books for me having the female mc being a blatantly obvious idiot.
A tentative 3 stars, all mainly for the Fae world building. Jimmy Squarefoot was the best character.
Abby also annoys me in that she gets into everyone's business. She seems too inept to have any importance in this Fae world. And basically she doesn't. Her worth is via an important tool she's wearing and of course she can't take it off till death. It's kind of like idiot savant powers. I'm not sure why she was written so klutzy. It's not appealing to have the heroine make everything more entangled than it already was. I like ones that solve problems and end wars, not cause them because they're inept.
The daemon bad guys are rather the most likable characters in the story. I preferred them. Tresa and Maurice were annoying. The Queen was a real bitch, just like her daughter. Thomas is pretty worthless as anything other than the queen's lackey. Really, all characters that just existed to show how much they didn't give a crap about Abby.
A quality I'm finding to be rampant in UF female mc's is not asking anyone for help. Especially the ones that know jack about anything and are basically a fetus in age and knowledge compared to all others. They never ask for help, preferring to blunder along, ruin things, make a mess, get people maimed, captured, or killed, all so they can do it on their own. That's fine if you don't want to take others with you, but could you ask for info first, like do some research vs making uninformed decisions. It's really ruining a lot of UF books for me having the female mc being a blatantly obvious idiot.
A tentative 3 stars, all mainly for the Fae world building. Jimmy Squarefoot was the best character.
March 2, 2012
Originally posted at: http://addicted2heroines.blogspot.com...
In this latest installment of the Abby Sinclair series, author Allison Pang takes us on a fast-paced, intriguing ride through the world of TouchStones, Daemons, Celestials and Unicorns. This book takes place approximately 6 months after the events of A Brush of Darkness.
We learn that Abby isn't in much contact with incubus Brystion (Ion for short), and that she is learning how to control her dreams with the help of Sonja, the succubus sister of Ion. Talivar the sexy and mysterious elven prince is serving as Abby's bodyguard. Moira, the faerie princess who is Protectorate and ToushStoned to Abby, is absent again, having been called back to the Faery Court.
As the action begins, the Queen of the Faery Court closes down the CrossRoads, which is the path between the human world and the faery world. This is significant, because it means that the OtherFolk are trapped in the human world and are beginning to fade away. Without a TouchStone, Otherfolk can die if they cannot return to their realm.
Allison Pang does an excellent job with character development. All of the characters in this book are layered and deep. I enjoy the snarkiness of Abby and Phin the unicorn, and I love the brooding, tortured vibes from Brystion and Talivar. Pang does a great job balancing the darkness in this book with humor.
I didn’t wait to be asked twice, arching on tiptoe to find him again, the whiskey hot on his breath as he groaned. He trapped me against the wall, his arms bent on either side of my face.
“You don’t seem that sorry.”
“Mayhap I’m not,” he agreed, coming up for air a moment later. “You just seemed so…sad.”
“And the prescription for sadness in Faerie is kisses?”
Abby is a loyal and giving character, sometimes to her detriment. She has survived a frightening past, and is still learning to overcome her fears in this book. Unfortunately, Abby finds herself in the damndest situations. One thing after another happens plot wise that seems to be a run of bad luck. Abby finds herself in a situation where she needs to save the human and faerie worlds and the creatures that inhabit both.
Abby is one lucky girl to have Talivar helping her out in this book. I was disappointed when he was introduced in A Brush of Darkness because I was already sold on the Abby-Brystion relationship. In this book, we see much more of Talivar than Brystion, and I appreciate the introduction of Talivar very much. Talivar has his own secrets and issues, and he has a dark and sexy vibe. Who doesn't love a tortured hero with an eye patch and a slew of scars? Abby and Talivar have a lot more in common than what can be seen on the surface.
Talivar grunted in assent, watching Benjamin for a moment before heading past the bar and beelining for the stage. I watched the prince’s ass, simply because I could. There was something about that slim-hipped swagger that had my Lord of the Rings inner geek demanding some sort of fan service. Preferably the mostly undressed sort.
Phin the unicorn is as horny and crude as ever. I like to think of Phin as an amusing, wise-cracking, bacon-loving, ass-biting unicorn but he had a few of his own secrets in this book, too. I was taken aback at one of Phin’s secrets and I don’t think I’d have been as forgiving as Abby. Phin does still bring a touch of levity to this story that had me laughing out loud.
Brystion doesn’t get as much page time in this book as in the previous one. There is angst surrounding every situation Brystion is found in. Abby still feels an undeniable pull towards the incubus, and Brystion obviously has a “thing” for Abby. But this is complicated. Brystion has his own problems, and one of them is the belief that he could never be the man he wants to be for Abby. As many times as he breaks Abby’s heart, I think he’s breaking his own at the same time.
“When I see you here, standing in the Dreaming…I can think of nothing else. You shine so brightly and I am so utterly helpless before it.”
A good portion of this book takes place in Faery, and Allison Pang does a lovely job of world building. From Abby’s Heart of Dreaming, to Faery, to the characters we are introduced to along the way, this is top-notch world immersion.
My only complaint with this book is the dreaded love triangle. I was upset at the end of A Brush of Darkness when it seemed like there was no hope for Abby and Brystion. I still wanted them to work out their problems. However, as we got to know Talivar, I started rooting for the Crippled Prince. There is something so vulnerable about him, and although Brystion has the sexy going on, I think Taliver at this point is better all-around for Abby. I don’t want to see Abby pulled into a bad love triangle, but I have confidence that Pang will make it all work. I would also like Abby to stop being made a pawn in other people’s games. It’s time Abby takes her life by the reins and puts an end to this faery manipulation.
This book ends on a cliff hanger. The type of cliff hanger that will have me breaking down the doors to the bookstore the day that A Trace of Moonlight is released (10/30/12).
In this latest installment of the Abby Sinclair series, author Allison Pang takes us on a fast-paced, intriguing ride through the world of TouchStones, Daemons, Celestials and Unicorns. This book takes place approximately 6 months after the events of A Brush of Darkness.
We learn that Abby isn't in much contact with incubus Brystion (Ion for short), and that she is learning how to control her dreams with the help of Sonja, the succubus sister of Ion. Talivar the sexy and mysterious elven prince is serving as Abby's bodyguard. Moira, the faerie princess who is Protectorate and ToushStoned to Abby, is absent again, having been called back to the Faery Court.
As the action begins, the Queen of the Faery Court closes down the CrossRoads, which is the path between the human world and the faery world. This is significant, because it means that the OtherFolk are trapped in the human world and are beginning to fade away. Without a TouchStone, Otherfolk can die if they cannot return to their realm.
Allison Pang does an excellent job with character development. All of the characters in this book are layered and deep. I enjoy the snarkiness of Abby and Phin the unicorn, and I love the brooding, tortured vibes from Brystion and Talivar. Pang does a great job balancing the darkness in this book with humor.
I didn’t wait to be asked twice, arching on tiptoe to find him again, the whiskey hot on his breath as he groaned. He trapped me against the wall, his arms bent on either side of my face.
“You don’t seem that sorry.”
“Mayhap I’m not,” he agreed, coming up for air a moment later. “You just seemed so…sad.”
“And the prescription for sadness in Faerie is kisses?”
Abby is a loyal and giving character, sometimes to her detriment. She has survived a frightening past, and is still learning to overcome her fears in this book. Unfortunately, Abby finds herself in the damndest situations. One thing after another happens plot wise that seems to be a run of bad luck. Abby finds herself in a situation where she needs to save the human and faerie worlds and the creatures that inhabit both.
Abby is one lucky girl to have Talivar helping her out in this book. I was disappointed when he was introduced in A Brush of Darkness because I was already sold on the Abby-Brystion relationship. In this book, we see much more of Talivar than Brystion, and I appreciate the introduction of Talivar very much. Talivar has his own secrets and issues, and he has a dark and sexy vibe. Who doesn't love a tortured hero with an eye patch and a slew of scars? Abby and Talivar have a lot more in common than what can be seen on the surface.
Talivar grunted in assent, watching Benjamin for a moment before heading past the bar and beelining for the stage. I watched the prince’s ass, simply because I could. There was something about that slim-hipped swagger that had my Lord of the Rings inner geek demanding some sort of fan service. Preferably the mostly undressed sort.
Phin the unicorn is as horny and crude as ever. I like to think of Phin as an amusing, wise-cracking, bacon-loving, ass-biting unicorn but he had a few of his own secrets in this book, too. I was taken aback at one of Phin’s secrets and I don’t think I’d have been as forgiving as Abby. Phin does still bring a touch of levity to this story that had me laughing out loud.
Brystion doesn’t get as much page time in this book as in the previous one. There is angst surrounding every situation Brystion is found in. Abby still feels an undeniable pull towards the incubus, and Brystion obviously has a “thing” for Abby. But this is complicated. Brystion has his own problems, and one of them is the belief that he could never be the man he wants to be for Abby. As many times as he breaks Abby’s heart, I think he’s breaking his own at the same time.
“When I see you here, standing in the Dreaming…I can think of nothing else. You shine so brightly and I am so utterly helpless before it.”
A good portion of this book takes place in Faery, and Allison Pang does a lovely job of world building. From Abby’s Heart of Dreaming, to Faery, to the characters we are introduced to along the way, this is top-notch world immersion.
My only complaint with this book is the dreaded love triangle. I was upset at the end of A Brush of Darkness when it seemed like there was no hope for Abby and Brystion. I still wanted them to work out their problems. However, as we got to know Talivar, I started rooting for the Crippled Prince. There is something so vulnerable about him, and although Brystion has the sexy going on, I think Taliver at this point is better all-around for Abby. I don’t want to see Abby pulled into a bad love triangle, but I have confidence that Pang will make it all work. I would also like Abby to stop being made a pawn in other people’s games. It’s time Abby takes her life by the reins and puts an end to this faery manipulation.
This book ends on a cliff hanger. The type of cliff hanger that will have me breaking down the doors to the bookstore the day that A Trace of Moonlight is released (10/30/12).
March 30, 2012
OK. I have to start out by telling you that this book ends on a massive, hairy cliffhanger. I want to get this out of the way because it's the only thing that did not absolutely rock about this story. I loved it from beginning to... well, ALMOST the very end.
The action picks up about six months after the events of the last book. Brystion is still gone. Abby is working to become stronger in the Dreaming. And Moira has left again. This time, she is in Faery, taking care of her sick mother, the Fae Queen. Abby is watching over the baby and maintaining her job as the Touchstone of the Protectorate.
All that is plenty to deal with --but things get more complicated when a Fae woman shows up, claiming to be Moira's replacement. And then it really hits the fan when the Queen shuts down the paths between human and Faery realms, leaving many Fae trapped on the wrong side of the doors. Abby joins forces with Moira's brother Talivar and those closest to her --to travel to Faery, hoping to convince the Queen to re-open the paths.
There is so much going on, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I love the world-building in these books, which are heavily steeped in the Fae. But even more than that, I love the rich and fleshed out characters at the heart of the story. Allison Pang does such a fantastic job, I feel like I know them. Abby: the woman trying to learn her place in the world and striving to do the right thing by everyone, while struggling to know her own heart. Talivar: the crippled prince with vulnerability and a nobility that extends far beyond his royalty. Brystion... OK, I still don't know what the deal is with Brystion, but he does come back. And the spark is still there.
Speaking of which, we've got a love triangle all of a sudden. I understand why Abby is torn (though if my vote counts, it goes to Talivar.) There is great chemistry with both men, though their relationships are very, very different. I still feel like the reason Brystion left at the end of the last book was lame; and it's made worse that he seems to change his tune for no tangible reason at all. Whereas, Talivar is broken. But his role in Abby's life --and their blooming relationship-- are healing him. He is a good man and he is good to her.
There's satisfying sex, family drama, action, danger, legend, blossoming love and sacrifice on a massive scale. And somehow, during it all, it still manages to make me laugh. Frankly, who doesn't love a cantankerous, horny, miniature unicorn? There's so much more that I want to say, but I already feel like I am rambling. I'll leave you with this: I have no idea what is going to happen next, but I can't wait to find out. Almost 5 stars.
*ARC Provided by Pocket Books
The action picks up about six months after the events of the last book. Brystion is still gone. Abby is working to become stronger in the Dreaming. And Moira has left again. This time, she is in Faery, taking care of her sick mother, the Fae Queen. Abby is watching over the baby and maintaining her job as the Touchstone of the Protectorate.
All that is plenty to deal with --but things get more complicated when a Fae woman shows up, claiming to be Moira's replacement. And then it really hits the fan when the Queen shuts down the paths between human and Faery realms, leaving many Fae trapped on the wrong side of the doors. Abby joins forces with Moira's brother Talivar and those closest to her --to travel to Faery, hoping to convince the Queen to re-open the paths.
There is so much going on, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I love the world-building in these books, which are heavily steeped in the Fae. But even more than that, I love the rich and fleshed out characters at the heart of the story. Allison Pang does such a fantastic job, I feel like I know them. Abby: the woman trying to learn her place in the world and striving to do the right thing by everyone, while struggling to know her own heart. Talivar: the crippled prince with vulnerability and a nobility that extends far beyond his royalty. Brystion... OK, I still don't know what the deal is with Brystion, but he does come back. And the spark is still there.
Speaking of which, we've got a love triangle all of a sudden. I understand why Abby is torn (though if my vote counts, it goes to Talivar.) There is great chemistry with both men, though their relationships are very, very different. I still feel like the reason Brystion left at the end of the last book was lame; and it's made worse that he seems to change his tune for no tangible reason at all. Whereas, Talivar is broken. But his role in Abby's life --and their blooming relationship-- are healing him. He is a good man and he is good to her.
There's satisfying sex, family drama, action, danger, legend, blossoming love and sacrifice on a massive scale. And somehow, during it all, it still manages to make me laugh. Frankly, who doesn't love a cantankerous, horny, miniature unicorn? There's so much more that I want to say, but I already feel like I am rambling. I'll leave you with this: I have no idea what is going to happen next, but I can't wait to find out. Almost 5 stars.
*ARC Provided by Pocket Books
October 24, 2012
Spoilers
When the CrossRoads between the mortal world and Faerie is closed, it's up to Abby as Touchstone to the Protectorate to get help from the fae. Abby races to find a way to reach her fae boss, Moira, and get her to open the CrossRoads because if they aren't opened, the Otherfolk stuck in the mortal world will eventually die.
-The writing was good, the plot however was boring, the romance between Abby and Talliver was enjoyable but most of the characters were rubbish.
-I didn't like Abby AT ALL this time around, her never ending snarkiness and quips grated on me. I prefer heroines that are witty but that also have a gravitas about them in dire situations. Abby's humour wasn't very funny or welcome - I couldn't take any of the plot seriously because she didn't take anything seriously. I was also irritated by how many too stupid to live (TSTL) moments she had. I don't mind there being a few because sometimes for exciting things to happen the heroine has to be stupid but it gets annoying when the heroine does one too many TSTL things and never seems to learn from her mistakes..it's actually quite exhausting to read an overly stupid main character.
Moving on, Abby's marytr-ish ways and the way she felt responsible for what happened to the fae was dumb and annoying. She seemed to forget that she was human and that everything fae, demon and Otherfolk related had nothing to do with her. I hate heroines that are martyrs and that act like its up to them to fix other peoples mess.
Another thing that pissed me off about Abby was how she had no respect for herself. One of her love interests, Brystion, betrayed her, dumped her and then slept around and Abby let him get away with everything he did. He let her down time and time again and was never there for her but for some reason she forgot that and rewrote history and instead claimed that Brystion had always been there for her and protected her, when he clearly hadn't!!
Abby and Brystion's entire relationship lasted for a grand total of two weeks and the only reason he got with her in the first place was so he could use her, manipulate her and hand her over to a psychotic killer. Yet Abby went on and on about their connection and the 2 week relationship with Brystion as if it were some epic beautiful romance.
Abby seemed to conveniently forget that even though Brystion claimed to be in love with her, he still let her be tortured and almost killed.
I can't believe that after everything he did to her, she just forgave him — even after he betrayed her he was the one that dumped her and abandoned her because he no longer needed her. Even with all that WTFery she still wanted him and had feelings for him… She doesn't stop to think that though he claimed to love her he still knowingly almost got her killed. Or that if they were in a relationship, would he sacrifice her again if he needed to since love didn't stop him last time? It's fucked up that she wanted someone that would happily let her be killed. All she seemed to like about him was how hot he was and how good he was in bed. Abby's relationship with Brystion was superficial, unromantic and unrealistic.
On top of everything else, when Abby showed an interest in Talliver, she just let Brystion interfere in her new relationship as if he had a right to say who she dated. After all the bullshit he put her through, she just let him bulldoze his way back into her life and demand all sorts and he even made her feel bad for starting another relationship… she was such a doormat.
-Bastion was a dick and a hypocrite. He treated Abby like shit and then acted like he gave a damn about her..ugh. After sacrificing Abby's life in the first book he gets all pissed and self righteous when someone else risks her life for the greater good… so it was okay for him to put her in danger for his own selfish reasons but no one else could even though it could save thousands of lives?!
On top of that, he then even admits that he would have left her to die if it wasn't for the powers she had..ugh. He was such a rubbish love interest.
-Talliver was a great love interest and an interesting character. Unfortunately, because Abby kept going on and on about how attractive Brystion was and how good the sex was with him and how she had a so called 'connection' with him… I'm fairly certain that she's going to choose Brystion at the end.
-Abby's father, Thomas, was a bastard. The guy abandoned her as a child and left her unprotected from the Otherfolk for over 20 years and then he acted like he cared about her..ugh. Sure, he sent Phin to her but why didn't he send someone to watch over her when she was growing up? And also sending a horny unicorn was hardly a lot of help.
And then after not seeing his daughter for decades instead of trying to make amends, he acted like a dick and shouted at her when his girlfriend attacked her and tried to kill her. He was a wanker — he should have been protecting and comforting Abby but instead he made her feel like shit and then stood by and watched when her life was in danger. He was such a dick.
I hated that Abby called him dad when he was basically a stranger to her — it was ridiculous. I hate all these characters that reunite with long lost parents and call them mum and dad straight away, when no relationship has been established and when the parents haven't earnt the right to be called mum and dad.
I suspect that in the next book, they'll be all chummy with each other and act like they love each other after sharing a conversation or two. It's just bullshit if that happens because it's so unrealistic for them to be like normal father and daughter when they're strangers and also when there should be years of resentment and bitterness for being abandoned as a child. I really hope Abby tells him to fuck off in the next book.
-Caroline was a doormat. I can't believe she carried on dating Robert after he had an affair and child with someone else… not only that she didn't even mind looking after his love child… What a weak, pathetic bitch.
-Why the fuck do so many authors think that sexy love interests are ones that threaten to kill the heroine or actually try to kill her or treat the heroine like shit or fuck around with other girls or don't help the heroine when she's in trouble or act like mother fucking douches?? I'm so sick of these so called 'heroes'. Love interests can be mysterious, strong and swoon-worthy without resorting to them being abusive fuckers.
This was disappointing. Abby was insufferable and the plot was blah.
When the CrossRoads between the mortal world and Faerie is closed, it's up to Abby as Touchstone to the Protectorate to get help from the fae. Abby races to find a way to reach her fae boss, Moira, and get her to open the CrossRoads because if they aren't opened, the Otherfolk stuck in the mortal world will eventually die.
-The writing was good, the plot however was boring, the romance between Abby and Talliver was enjoyable but most of the characters were rubbish.
-I didn't like Abby AT ALL this time around, her never ending snarkiness and quips grated on me. I prefer heroines that are witty but that also have a gravitas about them in dire situations. Abby's humour wasn't very funny or welcome - I couldn't take any of the plot seriously because she didn't take anything seriously. I was also irritated by how many too stupid to live (TSTL) moments she had. I don't mind there being a few because sometimes for exciting things to happen the heroine has to be stupid but it gets annoying when the heroine does one too many TSTL things and never seems to learn from her mistakes..it's actually quite exhausting to read an overly stupid main character.
Moving on, Abby's marytr-ish ways and the way she felt responsible for what happened to the fae was dumb and annoying. She seemed to forget that she was human and that everything fae, demon and Otherfolk related had nothing to do with her. I hate heroines that are martyrs and that act like its up to them to fix other peoples mess.
Another thing that pissed me off about Abby was how she had no respect for herself. One of her love interests, Brystion, betrayed her, dumped her and then slept around and Abby let him get away with everything he did. He let her down time and time again and was never there for her but for some reason she forgot that and rewrote history and instead claimed that Brystion had always been there for her and protected her, when he clearly hadn't!!
Abby and Brystion's entire relationship lasted for a grand total of two weeks and the only reason he got with her in the first place was so he could use her, manipulate her and hand her over to a psychotic killer. Yet Abby went on and on about their connection and the 2 week relationship with Brystion as if it were some epic beautiful romance.
Abby seemed to conveniently forget that even though Brystion claimed to be in love with her, he still let her be tortured and almost killed.
I can't believe that after everything he did to her, she just forgave him — even after he betrayed her he was the one that dumped her and abandoned her because he no longer needed her. Even with all that WTFery she still wanted him and had feelings for him… She doesn't stop to think that though he claimed to love her he still knowingly almost got her killed. Or that if they were in a relationship, would he sacrifice her again if he needed to since love didn't stop him last time? It's fucked up that she wanted someone that would happily let her be killed. All she seemed to like about him was how hot he was and how good he was in bed. Abby's relationship with Brystion was superficial, unromantic and unrealistic.
On top of everything else, when Abby showed an interest in Talliver, she just let Brystion interfere in her new relationship as if he had a right to say who she dated. After all the bullshit he put her through, she just let him bulldoze his way back into her life and demand all sorts and he even made her feel bad for starting another relationship… she was such a doormat.
-Bastion was a dick and a hypocrite. He treated Abby like shit and then acted like he gave a damn about her..ugh. After sacrificing Abby's life in the first book he gets all pissed and self righteous when someone else risks her life for the greater good… so it was okay for him to put her in danger for his own selfish reasons but no one else could even though it could save thousands of lives?!
On top of that, he then even admits that he would have left her to die if it wasn't for the powers she had..ugh. He was such a rubbish love interest.
-Talliver was a great love interest and an interesting character. Unfortunately, because Abby kept going on and on about how attractive Brystion was and how good the sex was with him and how she had a so called 'connection' with him… I'm fairly certain that she's going to choose Brystion at the end.
-Abby's father, Thomas, was a bastard. The guy abandoned her as a child and left her unprotected from the Otherfolk for over 20 years and then he acted like he cared about her..ugh. Sure, he sent Phin to her but why didn't he send someone to watch over her when she was growing up? And also sending a horny unicorn was hardly a lot of help.
And then after not seeing his daughter for decades instead of trying to make amends, he acted like a dick and shouted at her when his girlfriend attacked her and tried to kill her. He was a wanker — he should have been protecting and comforting Abby but instead he made her feel like shit and then stood by and watched when her life was in danger. He was such a dick.
I hated that Abby called him dad when he was basically a stranger to her — it was ridiculous. I hate all these characters that reunite with long lost parents and call them mum and dad straight away, when no relationship has been established and when the parents haven't earnt the right to be called mum and dad.
I suspect that in the next book, they'll be all chummy with each other and act like they love each other after sharing a conversation or two. It's just bullshit if that happens because it's so unrealistic for them to be like normal father and daughter when they're strangers and also when there should be years of resentment and bitterness for being abandoned as a child. I really hope Abby tells him to fuck off in the next book.
-Caroline was a doormat. I can't believe she carried on dating Robert after he had an affair and child with someone else… not only that she didn't even mind looking after his love child… What a weak, pathetic bitch.
-Why the fuck do so many authors think that sexy love interests are ones that threaten to kill the heroine or actually try to kill her or treat the heroine like shit or fuck around with other girls or don't help the heroine when she's in trouble or act like mother fucking douches?? I'm so sick of these so called 'heroes'. Love interests can be mysterious, strong and swoon-worthy without resorting to them being abusive fuckers.
This was disappointing. Abby was insufferable and the plot was blah.
February 17, 2012
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/02/...
Abby Sinclair has her hands full. She’s taking care of Moira’s half angel/half faerie son Benjamin while Moira is off on the Queen’s business, her bodyguard Talivar (also Moira’s brother) is showing more than a passing interest in doing a little more than just guarding Abby’s body, she’s becoming more and more proficient in the Dreaming, while also fielding “Dear Abby” letters from the OtherFolk of Portsmyth. See, Abby is Moira’s TouchStone, which gives Moira the ability to stay in the mortal world without limitations and travel the CrossRoads of Faerie at will. Abby is also a KeyStone, which means that she can be TouchStoned to someone without a contract, just by physical contact. Abby’s also still reeling a bit from her breakup with Brystion (incubus and full on hottie.) Full plate! Things start getting really weird when a kidnap attempt is made on Benjamin by a woman claiming to be the new Protectorate of Portsmyth. That’s a big problem, since the current Protectorate is Moira. So, where exactly is Moira?
Unfortunately, that’s not all that’s gone wrong. The Queen is not acting like herself, and some pretty severe steps have been taken, which are taking their toll on Faerie, and war may be brewing between daemons and faeries. I really enjoyed A Brush of Darkness, but Allison Pang really brings the awesome with this one. Still have questions about Abby’s past ( I know I did)? Don’t worry, lots of those will be answered here, and then some. Were you hoping for a sweeter love story for Abby, as well? Talivar certainly fits that bill. I could go on a bit about Talivar…but I digress. I mean, Ion was hot, but fickle, and sometimes a bit of a jerk, but what do you expect from an incubus? If you love Faerie, again, you’ve come to the right place. The author’s world building is nothing short of excellent. Seriously, it was good in the first book, but it’s awesome in this one. Abby will not only have to navigate her new and delicate relationship with Talivar, but she’ll also have to do it while navigating the labyrinthine intrigues of Faerie, including a rather memorable trip through the outskirts of Faerie and some sticky negotiation with the Unseelie. Court intrigue abounds, and the author is expert at weaving in some pretty cool pop culture references while tying together multiple plot strings with some pretty intricate knots. I mean, she references Portal…how cool is that?
Abby is one of my favorite characters in urban fantasy right now, and her supporting cast is almost as awesome. Phin, your favorite wee, ass-biting, panty wallowing unicorn is back in all his glory, and shockingly enough, you get to see a more serious side of that rude little guy in this one. It’s kind of…disconcerting, yet also very cool. Allison Pang actually takes the time to really flesh out her minor characters and you find yourself caring about them almost as much as her major players. How she does it, I don’t know, but she’s captured magic in a bottle twice, and I’m also counting on the third time being a charm. Trust me, at the end of this one, your jaw will drop and you’ll begin the countdown for the next book. Very, very highly recommended!
Abby Sinclair has her hands full. She’s taking care of Moira’s half angel/half faerie son Benjamin while Moira is off on the Queen’s business, her bodyguard Talivar (also Moira’s brother) is showing more than a passing interest in doing a little more than just guarding Abby’s body, she’s becoming more and more proficient in the Dreaming, while also fielding “Dear Abby” letters from the OtherFolk of Portsmyth. See, Abby is Moira’s TouchStone, which gives Moira the ability to stay in the mortal world without limitations and travel the CrossRoads of Faerie at will. Abby is also a KeyStone, which means that she can be TouchStoned to someone without a contract, just by physical contact. Abby’s also still reeling a bit from her breakup with Brystion (incubus and full on hottie.) Full plate! Things start getting really weird when a kidnap attempt is made on Benjamin by a woman claiming to be the new Protectorate of Portsmyth. That’s a big problem, since the current Protectorate is Moira. So, where exactly is Moira?
Unfortunately, that’s not all that’s gone wrong. The Queen is not acting like herself, and some pretty severe steps have been taken, which are taking their toll on Faerie, and war may be brewing between daemons and faeries. I really enjoyed A Brush of Darkness, but Allison Pang really brings the awesome with this one. Still have questions about Abby’s past ( I know I did)? Don’t worry, lots of those will be answered here, and then some. Were you hoping for a sweeter love story for Abby, as well? Talivar certainly fits that bill. I could go on a bit about Talivar…but I digress. I mean, Ion was hot, but fickle, and sometimes a bit of a jerk, but what do you expect from an incubus? If you love Faerie, again, you’ve come to the right place. The author’s world building is nothing short of excellent. Seriously, it was good in the first book, but it’s awesome in this one. Abby will not only have to navigate her new and delicate relationship with Talivar, but she’ll also have to do it while navigating the labyrinthine intrigues of Faerie, including a rather memorable trip through the outskirts of Faerie and some sticky negotiation with the Unseelie. Court intrigue abounds, and the author is expert at weaving in some pretty cool pop culture references while tying together multiple plot strings with some pretty intricate knots. I mean, she references Portal…how cool is that?
Abby is one of my favorite characters in urban fantasy right now, and her supporting cast is almost as awesome. Phin, your favorite wee, ass-biting, panty wallowing unicorn is back in all his glory, and shockingly enough, you get to see a more serious side of that rude little guy in this one. It’s kind of…disconcerting, yet also very cool. Allison Pang actually takes the time to really flesh out her minor characters and you find yourself caring about them almost as much as her major players. How she does it, I don’t know, but she’s captured magic in a bottle twice, and I’m also counting on the third time being a charm. Trust me, at the end of this one, your jaw will drop and you’ll begin the countdown for the next book. Very, very highly recommended!
March 20, 2012
Life has been going along nicely for Abby with the exception of the Protectorate, Moira, who's been in Faerie and has left Abby with not only her responsibilities but with her son to take care of. Of course, that does keep her quite busy and helps keep her mind off Brystion. Unfortunately, a new person enters the scene claiming to be the new Protectorate and casts a spell which ends up making the Faery Queen close the doors for the OtherFolk. This causes all kinds of chaos and forces Abby to do something since it appears to be her fault...again.
It had been awhile since I read the first book and I was a bit apprehensive that I wasn't remembering everything that had happened but luckily, AP does a good job of reviewing things for us bit by bit. The beginning has a lot of plot building going on but before I knew it, I was sucked in. I think a lot of that has to do with what's going on with Abby/Brystion/Talivar.
I was surprised at the depth of the relationship Abby has with Talivar even though it is very early in its stages. Is it just from loneliness or shared affliction or something more? It's hard to tell. I really came to like him so much more as well although I'm a bit hesitant on what his true reasons are. Or...it could be that I really love Brystion even though I still want to wring his neck!
There are a lot of surprising turns in this book and we learn so much more about Abby, the Faery Court and Melanie (although I'm still kind of confused about her!) We still get a lot of the old characters but there are plenty new and interesting ones to keep things lively. Some of the semantics of Fae were a bit tiresome for me but I forgot that somewhere around the ninety percent mark when my heart was yanked out of my chest. OMG and WTH can't even explain it...I think I read the whole rest of the book with my mouth open! Thank goodness we get a preview of the next book, A Trace of Moonlight, or I don't know what I would've done! And talking of that preview....Holy Cow, my mind is whirling....can October get here any faster??
Favorite quotes:
♥ “It’s like having my very own pet Legolas.”
♥ “Why can’t I quit you?” {{sob!}}
It had been awhile since I read the first book and I was a bit apprehensive that I wasn't remembering everything that had happened but luckily, AP does a good job of reviewing things for us bit by bit. The beginning has a lot of plot building going on but before I knew it, I was sucked in. I think a lot of that has to do with what's going on with Abby/Brystion/Talivar.
I was surprised at the depth of the relationship Abby has with Talivar even though it is very early in its stages. Is it just from loneliness or shared affliction or something more? It's hard to tell. I really came to like him so much more as well although I'm a bit hesitant on what his true reasons are. Or...it could be that I really love Brystion even though I still want to wring his neck!
There are a lot of surprising turns in this book and we learn so much more about Abby, the Faery Court and Melanie (although I'm still kind of confused about her!) We still get a lot of the old characters but there are plenty new and interesting ones to keep things lively. Some of the semantics of Fae were a bit tiresome for me but I forgot that somewhere around the ninety percent mark when my heart was yanked out of my chest. OMG and WTH can't even explain it...I think I read the whole rest of the book with my mouth open! Thank goodness we get a preview of the next book, A Trace of Moonlight, or I don't know what I would've done! And talking of that preview....Holy Cow, my mind is whirling....can October get here any faster??
Favorite quotes:
♥ “It’s like having my very own pet Legolas.”
♥ “Why can’t I quit you?” {{sob!}}
February 29, 2012
Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks
A Sliver of Shadow is the second book in Allison Pang’s Abby Sinclair series and it is a very good follow up to one of my favorite books of 2011. The first book, A Brush of Darkness, easily made it to my favorites list and now the second book is sitting right alongside it.
A Sliver of Shadow is book two in an urban fantasy series. That is important to remember when going into this book. This is not a romance book or a stand-alone novel. It is a typical urban fantasy book two which means it is different from the first book and that there is a whole bunch of stuff going on. So much so, I am not going to go into details because then this review would be even longer than my usual reviews – and that’s saying something. But I will say this, once you get past the initial 60 or so pages where there is set-up and chatter and reminders of events from the first installment, the story is quick and interesting and…well, there is a cliffhanger ending but we’ll just talk about that in a sec.
Abby is the main protagonist in this series. She is human but she is special. The world you are introduced to in these books is the world of the Fae and Daemons. And there is a unicorn – but Phin is not your typical fairy tale fluffy cutesy unicorn. He is a little crass and tons of fun. He is Abby’s companion and is the source of many of the series’ humorous moments. In the first book, Abby was pretty clueless to her involvement in this world that Allison has created. Oh, she knew that the Fae existed and that she sort of worked for one, but exactly how she fit into it all was a mystery to her. In A Sliver of Shadow, she is more comfortable with her role and she is so much stronger for it. She has guts and heart and is overall very likable and a great heroine to read. I loved how she grew from the first book to this one and how she grew within this one too. She is stronger against the Fae, against her friends and even against Brystion.
Brystion is an incubus and he was Abby’s main interest in the first book – but that didn’t quite work out the way either of them had planned. I was warned by Allison, pretty much right after reading book one, that Brystion didn’t play as big of a role in the second book so I was prepared. Besides, after reading the ending to book one, it should not come to anyone’s surprise that he isn’t the main guy this time around. Don’t get me wrong, he does appear quite a bit in this second installment but it’s in a slightly different capacity. (How’s that for vague? *g*) He’s still yummy and brooding and all that good stuff…and he’s still a bit of an arse. I don’t know what it is about men with attitudes and why we think they are perfect matches for our dear heroines but we do. Or do we?…
Enter Talivar. He is the Fae Prince who was sent to guard Abby in the first book. By the time book two opens, he’s been living with Abby for 8 months or so and they have grown somewhat close and quite comfortable with each other. I really enjoyed seeing how their friendship develops – how he sees in Abby someone who is open and true. My heart went out many times to Talivar in this book, but even though his story is a sad one, it made his character stronger and more appealing. He’s not weak in the least – all the opposite. And now that Brystion is out of the way – so to speak – Abby and Talivar are growing even closer. Yes, basically, what I am saying is that a love-triangle of sorts has developed. But no need to fret, it’s not an annoying one. Each man works in a different way for Abby. Both are right and both are wrong and neither would truly work long term, but it will be very interesting to watch and see where it all goes. I am ‘used’ to Brystion with Abby but I really like her with Talivar. Decisions decisions…
Melanie is Abby’s best friend and plays a complicated role in this series and world. And by the end of book two, she is still a mystery just a little less of one. I hope we get to dive into her story a bit more in the third book because it really seems interesting. And there are a few new characters introduced in this book and each is interesting…and some have to do with Melanie’s story and some don’t. There is one nasty piece of work then there is the Queen and Jimmy…all very well done.
Now on to that cliffhanger I teased about earlier. Yeah…it’s a good one. I think it’s exactly along the lines of Carolyn Crane’s cliffhanger in Double Cross. It’s the kind that really really really makes you want the next book but not the kind that makes you want to drive to the author’s house and tickle the continuation of the story of out her or, even easier, bang your head against the wall. It was really well done and I didn’t see that ending coming at all. Allison assures me that things will be resolved in the third book, A Trace of Moonlight, coming out later this year, because the current story arc will pretty much wrap up in that one.
After reading A Brush of Darkness, I had high hopes for book two and I’m glad to say that for me, A Sliver of Shadow reached my expectations. I will be looking at this book for years to come as it sits comfortably on my keeper shelf next to Abby Sinclair, book one.
4.5 stars
A Sliver of Shadow is the second book in Allison Pang’s Abby Sinclair series and it is a very good follow up to one of my favorite books of 2011. The first book, A Brush of Darkness, easily made it to my favorites list and now the second book is sitting right alongside it.
A Sliver of Shadow is book two in an urban fantasy series. That is important to remember when going into this book. This is not a romance book or a stand-alone novel. It is a typical urban fantasy book two which means it is different from the first book and that there is a whole bunch of stuff going on. So much so, I am not going to go into details because then this review would be even longer than my usual reviews – and that’s saying something. But I will say this, once you get past the initial 60 or so pages where there is set-up and chatter and reminders of events from the first installment, the story is quick and interesting and…well, there is a cliffhanger ending but we’ll just talk about that in a sec.
Abby is the main protagonist in this series. She is human but she is special. The world you are introduced to in these books is the world of the Fae and Daemons. And there is a unicorn – but Phin is not your typical fairy tale fluffy cutesy unicorn. He is a little crass and tons of fun. He is Abby’s companion and is the source of many of the series’ humorous moments. In the first book, Abby was pretty clueless to her involvement in this world that Allison has created. Oh, she knew that the Fae existed and that she sort of worked for one, but exactly how she fit into it all was a mystery to her. In A Sliver of Shadow, she is more comfortable with her role and she is so much stronger for it. She has guts and heart and is overall very likable and a great heroine to read. I loved how she grew from the first book to this one and how she grew within this one too. She is stronger against the Fae, against her friends and even against Brystion.
Brystion is an incubus and he was Abby’s main interest in the first book – but that didn’t quite work out the way either of them had planned. I was warned by Allison, pretty much right after reading book one, that Brystion didn’t play as big of a role in the second book so I was prepared. Besides, after reading the ending to book one, it should not come to anyone’s surprise that he isn’t the main guy this time around. Don’t get me wrong, he does appear quite a bit in this second installment but it’s in a slightly different capacity. (How’s that for vague? *g*) He’s still yummy and brooding and all that good stuff…and he’s still a bit of an arse. I don’t know what it is about men with attitudes and why we think they are perfect matches for our dear heroines but we do. Or do we?…
Enter Talivar. He is the Fae Prince who was sent to guard Abby in the first book. By the time book two opens, he’s been living with Abby for 8 months or so and they have grown somewhat close and quite comfortable with each other. I really enjoyed seeing how their friendship develops – how he sees in Abby someone who is open and true. My heart went out many times to Talivar in this book, but even though his story is a sad one, it made his character stronger and more appealing. He’s not weak in the least – all the opposite. And now that Brystion is out of the way – so to speak – Abby and Talivar are growing even closer. Yes, basically, what I am saying is that a love-triangle of sorts has developed. But no need to fret, it’s not an annoying one. Each man works in a different way for Abby. Both are right and both are wrong and neither would truly work long term, but it will be very interesting to watch and see where it all goes. I am ‘used’ to Brystion with Abby but I really like her with Talivar. Decisions decisions…
Melanie is Abby’s best friend and plays a complicated role in this series and world. And by the end of book two, she is still a mystery just a little less of one. I hope we get to dive into her story a bit more in the third book because it really seems interesting. And there are a few new characters introduced in this book and each is interesting…and some have to do with Melanie’s story and some don’t. There is one nasty piece of work then there is the Queen and Jimmy…all very well done.
Now on to that cliffhanger I teased about earlier. Yeah…it’s a good one. I think it’s exactly along the lines of Carolyn Crane’s cliffhanger in Double Cross. It’s the kind that really really really makes you want the next book but not the kind that makes you want to drive to the author’s house and tickle the continuation of the story of out her or, even easier, bang your head against the wall. It was really well done and I didn’t see that ending coming at all. Allison assures me that things will be resolved in the third book, A Trace of Moonlight, coming out later this year, because the current story arc will pretty much wrap up in that one.
After reading A Brush of Darkness, I had high hopes for book two and I’m glad to say that for me, A Sliver of Shadow reached my expectations. I will be looking at this book for years to come as it sits comfortably on my keeper shelf next to Abby Sinclair, book one.
4.5 stars
March 9, 2012
Pace wise, the second book is better than book 1. I enjoy the change of place from the Market Place to the world of Faerie. I think the description of the fae world and the OtherFolks (including Unseelie Cour faes) is very good. Nevertheless, I'm frustrated in the lack of aggresivity in Abby. Most of the times, I feel like she lets herself being used as pawn for Fae's politic. Her "sacrifice" which leads to the sort of cliff-hanger, most especially (). There is no significant improvement in her ability and roles as TouchStone and the only living KeyStone as well. There is quite a twist in the story, especially about Abby's father's.
Now, the love triangle part ... Brystion is notably absent in this and gives way to Talivar to charm readers. I find it quite interesting to see the first love interest disappears almost completely like that (I can only remember Parker Blue's book, that also switch the love interest completely) -- because usually, the first love interest's role is still significant. While Talivar has that 'dark emo' vibe, but personally, I'm still tilting my favor to Brystion -- simply because a redeemed daemon/incubus plays better to my taste, than a crippled fae. So, the whole time, I'm missing Brystion *sigh*.
I will stick to this series, though. I'd like to know more about the consequence that Abby takes in this book. Plus, the combination of human, fae, angels, daemons, is quite intriguing.
Now, the love triangle part ... Brystion is notably absent in this and gives way to Talivar to charm readers. I find it quite interesting to see the first love interest disappears almost completely like that (I can only remember Parker Blue's book, that also switch the love interest completely) -- because usually, the first love interest's role is still significant. While Talivar has that 'dark emo' vibe, but personally, I'm still tilting my favor to Brystion -- simply because a redeemed daemon/incubus plays better to my taste, than a crippled fae. So, the whole time, I'm missing Brystion *sigh*.
I will stick to this series, though. I'd like to know more about the consequence that Abby takes in this book. Plus, the combination of human, fae, angels, daemons, is quite intriguing.
June 7, 2017
Review to come. But, I LOVED the first book, A Brush of Darkness, and yeah I'll admit to being one of those pesky readers who made it known to the author just how much I wanted A Sliver of Shadow (known forever as simply book 2 *G*). When I was offered the chance to review it for Literary Escapism, you know I jumped and squee'd over it. Now...where is my time machine because I WANT BOOK 3 NOW *G*. LOL.
First read: 11/8/11
Re-read: 6/5/17
First read: 11/8/11
Re-read: 6/5/17
April 7, 2021
Muchisimo más dinamico y lleno de eventos que el anterior! el tema del triangulito amoroso no me fascina, pero nunca me fascinan los triángulos amorosos.
El resto genial, muy atrapante, a pesar de que Abby muchas veces es una máquina de tomar decisiones erradas (y Brystion tiene razón, dependen demasiado de ella). Cuando lo leí la primera vez pensé que era muy desinteresada, ahora supongo que sigo pensando lo mismo, pero también es bastante poco pensante. Supongo que es intencional porque muchas veces es ella la que desencadena el siguiente problema a solucionar.
Me encanta Kitsune, por cierto, la sigo imaginado como a Yuuko, sería interesante ver alguna historia corta sobre ella en algún momento.
Y lo que si, esta saga tiene muy buenos finales. No pensaba seguir tan rápido con el siguiente pero ya lo empecé.
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Opinión anterior:
Si esperaban algo similar al libro anterior sigan esperando, porque la segunda parte de esta ¿saga? ¿trilogía? es muy diferente de lo que vimos ya.
Pasaron 6 meses desde el final de A Brush of Darkness y Abby ya está físicamente recuperada... y con nueva cicatriz. Moira se fue (si, de nuevo) dejándola a cargo de su bebé, así que ahora además de TouchStone, Abby es niñera con la ayuda de Talivar (que sigue viviendo con ella y siendo su guardaespaldas) y la "ayuda" de Phineas, que afortunadamente sigue igual de incorregible, y de quien se ve bastante más participación con más comentarios ácidos y mucha más perversión... y a quien imagino con una voz similar a la de Benedict Cumberbatch.
La aparente calma obviamente no va a durar. En Faerie se está llevando a cabo el juicio a Maurice, el reino Faerie está a punto de entrar en guerra con los Demonios y sumado al detalle de que la Reina Faerie se ha vuelto un poquito bastante loca, Moira tiene suficientes razones que la retienen en el Otro Mundo.
Es por eso que aparece una nueva elfo -muy desagradable- para ocupar el cargo de Protectorado en el mundo humano (aunque nadie sabe nada sobre eso), y está más que decidida a convertirse en TouchStone de Abby cueste lo que cueste... incluso si eso involucra un hechizo dudoso que hace que todos los Otros tengan convulsiones como Abby y pierdan el conocimiento indefinidamente. ¿El pequeño daño colateral? La Reina Faerie decide cerrar las Puertas entre los mundos, y todos quedan atrapados en donde sea que estén, sin importar si tienen un TouchStone para mantenerlos con vida o no.
¡Oops!
Así que ahora el problema es volver a abrir los CrossRoads y para eso hace falta una llave mítica que, como no podía ser de otro modo, nadie sabe dónde está.
Pero ésto es sólo el comienzo. La ubicación de dicha llave es tan obvia que se cae de madura a penas la nombran por primera vez y afortunadamente aparece muy rápido, contrario a otras historias que la estarían buscando hasta pasada la mitad del libro. Gracias Allison Pang por no pensar que somos idiotas y alargar lo obvio innecesariamente. Si hay algo que demuestra esta autora (y por lo que la aprecio cada día más) es que no le gustan los clichés.
Sin embargo hay una vuelta de tuerca que vuelve el argumento más interesante y a partir del cual una enorme cantidad de información será revelada. Y con eso, además de la posibilidad de viajar entre los mundos, comienzan los verdaderos problemas.
Abby está más tranquila con su lenguaje de marinero, y demuestra que además de ser una gran protagonista, es ingeniosa y tiene muchos recursos. Y si no los tiene, busca hasta que encuentra.
Es muy noble, realmente, y enormemente desinteresada.
Ahora el personaje masculino protagonista es Talivar, el Príncipe Tullido despreciado por los de su clase por sus cicatrices y sus fallas físicas adquiridas.
Brystion durante una buena parte del libro no es más que una referencia o un recuerdo involuntario. Debo decir que eso me alegró bastante en su momento. No porque Ion no me guste (aunque tampoco erasanto demonio de mi devoción) sino para que el libro no caiga en el consabido y gastado triángulo ¿amoroso?. Sí veremos a Brystion más adelante... y la forma de encarar este "conflicto" (la misma Abby menciona varias veces que no hay tiempo para estas cosas) es bastante inusual y muy cómica.
Lo curioso es que durante aproximadamente la mitad del libro, Talivar me simpatizó más y durante la segunda mitad cayó un poco de mi gracia, siendo Brystion el que más me gustaba. Hacia el final sin embargo se equilibró.
En este segundo tomo ocurren muchísimas más cosas que en el primero. Muchísimas.
También hay menos humor a partir de que encuentran la llave, pero no por eso la historia es menos atrapante. Están los personajes de siempre y hay algunos nuevos muy interesantes, como es el caso de Jimmy y su super olfato, o Kitsune, a quien sospecho que la autora la puede haber imaginado un poco como a Yuuko... en versión "azorrada". O al menos esa es la imagen que me proyectó a mí.
Hay una gran cantidad de referencias a El Señor de los Anillos y a ciertos temas de la cultura japonesa... y una sorpresiva y muy cómica referencia a Crepúsculo.
El final es excelente. Excelente.
Y si, ya estoy leyendo la continuación.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
El resto genial, muy atrapante, a pesar de que Abby muchas veces es una máquina de tomar decisiones erradas (y Brystion tiene razón, dependen demasiado de ella). Cuando lo leí la primera vez pensé que era muy desinteresada, ahora supongo que sigo pensando lo mismo, pero también es bastante poco pensante. Supongo que es intencional porque muchas veces es ella la que desencadena el siguiente problema a solucionar.
Me encanta Kitsune, por cierto, la sigo imaginado como a Yuuko, sería interesante ver alguna historia corta sobre ella en algún momento.
Y lo que si, esta saga tiene muy buenos finales. No pensaba seguir tan rápido con el siguiente pero ya lo empecé.
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Opinión anterior:
AVISO DE SPOILERS DEL LIBRO ANTERIOR
Si esperaban algo similar al libro anterior sigan esperando, porque la segunda parte de esta ¿saga? ¿trilogía? es muy diferente de lo que vimos ya.
Pasaron 6 meses desde el final de A Brush of Darkness y Abby ya está físicamente recuperada... y con nueva cicatriz. Moira se fue (si, de nuevo) dejándola a cargo de su bebé, así que ahora además de TouchStone, Abby es niñera con la ayuda de Talivar (que sigue viviendo con ella y siendo su guardaespaldas) y la "ayuda" de Phineas, que afortunadamente sigue igual de incorregible, y de quien se ve bastante más participación con más comentarios ácidos y mucha más perversión... y a quien imagino con una voz similar a la de Benedict Cumberbatch.
La aparente calma obviamente no va a durar. En Faerie se está llevando a cabo el juicio a Maurice, el reino Faerie está a punto de entrar en guerra con los Demonios y sumado al detalle de que la Reina Faerie se ha vuelto un poquito bastante loca, Moira tiene suficientes razones que la retienen en el Otro Mundo.
Es por eso que aparece una nueva elfo -muy desagradable- para ocupar el cargo de Protectorado en el mundo humano (aunque nadie sabe nada sobre eso), y está más que decidida a convertirse en TouchStone de Abby cueste lo que cueste... incluso si eso involucra un hechizo dudoso que hace que todos los Otros tengan convulsiones como Abby y pierdan el conocimiento indefinidamente. ¿El pequeño daño colateral? La Reina Faerie decide cerrar las Puertas entre los mundos, y todos quedan atrapados en donde sea que estén, sin importar si tienen un TouchStone para mantenerlos con vida o no.
¡Oops!
Así que ahora el problema es volver a abrir los CrossRoads y para eso hace falta una llave mítica que, como no podía ser de otro modo, nadie sabe dónde está.
Pero ésto es sólo el comienzo. La ubicación de dicha llave es tan obvia que se cae de madura a penas la nombran por primera vez y afortunadamente aparece muy rápido, contrario a otras historias que la estarían buscando hasta pasada la mitad del libro. Gracias Allison Pang por no pensar que somos idiotas y alargar lo obvio innecesariamente. Si hay algo que demuestra esta autora (y por lo que la aprecio cada día más) es que no le gustan los clichés.
Sin embargo hay una vuelta de tuerca que vuelve el argumento más interesante y a partir del cual una enorme cantidad de información será revelada. Y con eso, además de la posibilidad de viajar entre los mundos, comienzan los verdaderos problemas.
El Destino se ondula con su propia voluntad y el camino hacia tus metas puede no ser tan directo como te gustaría.
Abby está más tranquila con su lenguaje de marinero, y demuestra que además de ser una gran protagonista, es ingeniosa y tiene muchos recursos. Y si no los tiene, busca hasta que encuentra.
Es muy noble, realmente, y enormemente desinteresada.
Ahora el personaje masculino protagonista es Talivar, el Príncipe Tullido despreciado por los de su clase por sus cicatrices y sus fallas físicas adquiridas.
Brystion durante una buena parte del libro no es más que una referencia o un recuerdo involuntario. Debo decir que eso me alegró bastante en su momento. No porque Ion no me guste (aunque tampoco era
Lo curioso es que durante aproximadamente la mitad del libro, Talivar me simpatizó más y durante la segunda mitad cayó un poco de mi gracia, siendo Brystion el que más me gustaba. Hacia el final sin embargo se equilibró.
Dado todo lo que había ocurrido hasta ahora en el dia de hoy, decidí que no valía la pena sorprenderme por estar andando en un caballo parlante.
En este segundo tomo ocurren muchísimas más cosas que en el primero. Muchísimas.
También hay menos humor a partir de que encuentran la llave, pero no por eso la historia es menos atrapante. Están los personajes de siempre y hay algunos nuevos muy interesantes, como es el caso de Jimmy y su super olfato, o Kitsune, a quien sospecho que la autora la puede haber imaginado un poco como a Yuuko... en versión "azorrada". O al menos esa es la imagen que me proyectó a mí.
Hay una gran cantidad de referencias a El Señor de los Anillos y a ciertos temas de la cultura japonesa... y una sorpresiva y muy cómica referencia a Crepúsculo.
El final es excelente. Excelente.
Y si, ya estoy leyendo la continuación.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
April 1, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A love triangle, with occasional sexual harassment from a unicorn, in the midst of dealing with a Faery Queen’s decent into madness.
Opening Sentence: “Run, Abby.”
The Review:
Abby Sinclair had thought that things were finally going to settle down in her life. But when the OtherFolk are shut out of the CrossRoads, the only way for them to travel from the mortal realm back to their own world, it’s up to Abby and her friends to make things right. Unfortunately, the only person that can reopen the CrossRoads is the Faery Queen, who is drifting farther and farther into madness. Abby will learn secrets kept from her by her mother and father. Secrets that include a powerful fae relic and who her biological father really is.
Even though she is still holding a torch for ex-lover, the very sexy incubus Brystion, she starts to develop feelings for her bodyguard, Prince Taliver. These two men couldn’t be more opposites in every way but one; their feelings toward Abby. I always enjoy a good love triangle. Brystion has started to pursue Abby once again after he learns about her involvement with Taliver. Brystion is distrustful of the fae prince, and not just because he’s a demon and they have a species hatred toward each other. Brystion thinks that problems facing the OtherFolk should be handled by someone else. His heart is in the right place, he doesn’t want Abby to get caught up in something that could hurt her in any way, but he shows it poorly. He can’t handle the fact that Abby might be moving on in her life and he tends to attack her verbally instead of debate his case.
Taliver, on the other hand, really feels like there is a connection between himself and Abby. They both can relate to the physical limitations of their bodies and the emotional scars that define their characters. We get to learn all about his motivations, hopes, and dreams. Talivar’s family, though have hurt him in the past, is still the most important thing to him. And unlike Brystion, instead of demanding that Abby stay out of harm’s way, he accompanies her in an effort to protect her. Brystion is a commitment-phobe and Talivar is bound by his duty to his family and his race. Honestly, Abby’s would-be-suitors are as different as night and day. I am eager to see which she will choose.
Of course, Abby’s love life takes back stage to the larger picture. While Abby tries to convince the Faery Queen to open up the CrossRoads, she learns that her familial connections to the fae court are more of a liability than an asset. The Queen’s madness has left her little in the way of peaceful options. Her only recourse is to seek out a cure for the Queen by going to get answers from a known traitor. But cruising around the Faery Realm is dangerous business these days due to the fact that the daemons and fae are on the brink of war. Does Abby have a snowball’s chance in getting what she needs before a war breaks out? Will her newly discovered family be all that she wanted and more? Or will they end up using her for their own nefarious purposes?
A Sliver of Shadow is a worthy sequel to the first novel. It is still as fast-paced and packed full of intrigue. We learn more about some of the side character’s backgrounds, including Melanie’s Deal with the Devil. But this book seems to be all about family: The family we are born to and the family we make. Ms. Pang emphasizes the importance of each and the choices each of us makes in who we allow within our hearts, be they blood or friend.
Notable Scene:
“You okay?”
“As good as I might expect,” he said dryly. “But we haven’t found Roweena yet.” He paused. “Did you see?”
“See what? Dude, I saw the seizure, but don’t worry about it. Not like you haven’t seen me at my worst, right?”
“I meant the scars, Abby.” There was a world of hurt in that statement, but it didn’t jive with the warrior mind-set if his. I’d always thought scars were signs of manhood, or some shit.
“I don’t think that they’re as bad as you think,” I said slowly.
Maybe it depends on how he got them.
“And maybe it’s none of my business,” I muttered under my breath. I heard a muffled grunt in return. I decided to change the subject. “How’s Phin?”
“He’s fine.” A flutter of amusement tinged the prince’s voice. “I’ve got him in your backpack. He insisted on taking a pair of your panties as a security blanket.”
I rolled my eyes. “Guess he’s earned it.” Although, how someone earned the right to roll around in my underwear I couldn’t say, but he’d been through quite a lot, so I figured I’d give him a pass. Just for now.
The Abby Sinclair Series:
1. A Brush of Darkness
2. A Sliver of Shadow
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books provided me with a copy of A Sliver of Shadow. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.
Quick & Dirty: A love triangle, with occasional sexual harassment from a unicorn, in the midst of dealing with a Faery Queen’s decent into madness.
Opening Sentence: “Run, Abby.”
The Review:
Abby Sinclair had thought that things were finally going to settle down in her life. But when the OtherFolk are shut out of the CrossRoads, the only way for them to travel from the mortal realm back to their own world, it’s up to Abby and her friends to make things right. Unfortunately, the only person that can reopen the CrossRoads is the Faery Queen, who is drifting farther and farther into madness. Abby will learn secrets kept from her by her mother and father. Secrets that include a powerful fae relic and who her biological father really is.
Even though she is still holding a torch for ex-lover, the very sexy incubus Brystion, she starts to develop feelings for her bodyguard, Prince Taliver. These two men couldn’t be more opposites in every way but one; their feelings toward Abby. I always enjoy a good love triangle. Brystion has started to pursue Abby once again after he learns about her involvement with Taliver. Brystion is distrustful of the fae prince, and not just because he’s a demon and they have a species hatred toward each other. Brystion thinks that problems facing the OtherFolk should be handled by someone else. His heart is in the right place, he doesn’t want Abby to get caught up in something that could hurt her in any way, but he shows it poorly. He can’t handle the fact that Abby might be moving on in her life and he tends to attack her verbally instead of debate his case.
Taliver, on the other hand, really feels like there is a connection between himself and Abby. They both can relate to the physical limitations of their bodies and the emotional scars that define their characters. We get to learn all about his motivations, hopes, and dreams. Talivar’s family, though have hurt him in the past, is still the most important thing to him. And unlike Brystion, instead of demanding that Abby stay out of harm’s way, he accompanies her in an effort to protect her. Brystion is a commitment-phobe and Talivar is bound by his duty to his family and his race. Honestly, Abby’s would-be-suitors are as different as night and day. I am eager to see which she will choose.
Of course, Abby’s love life takes back stage to the larger picture. While Abby tries to convince the Faery Queen to open up the CrossRoads, she learns that her familial connections to the fae court are more of a liability than an asset. The Queen’s madness has left her little in the way of peaceful options. Her only recourse is to seek out a cure for the Queen by going to get answers from a known traitor. But cruising around the Faery Realm is dangerous business these days due to the fact that the daemons and fae are on the brink of war. Does Abby have a snowball’s chance in getting what she needs before a war breaks out? Will her newly discovered family be all that she wanted and more? Or will they end up using her for their own nefarious purposes?
A Sliver of Shadow is a worthy sequel to the first novel. It is still as fast-paced and packed full of intrigue. We learn more about some of the side character’s backgrounds, including Melanie’s Deal with the Devil. But this book seems to be all about family: The family we are born to and the family we make. Ms. Pang emphasizes the importance of each and the choices each of us makes in who we allow within our hearts, be they blood or friend.
Notable Scene:
“You okay?”
“As good as I might expect,” he said dryly. “But we haven’t found Roweena yet.” He paused. “Did you see?”
“See what? Dude, I saw the seizure, but don’t worry about it. Not like you haven’t seen me at my worst, right?”
“I meant the scars, Abby.” There was a world of hurt in that statement, but it didn’t jive with the warrior mind-set if his. I’d always thought scars were signs of manhood, or some shit.
“I don’t think that they’re as bad as you think,” I said slowly.
Maybe it depends on how he got them.
“And maybe it’s none of my business,” I muttered under my breath. I heard a muffled grunt in return. I decided to change the subject. “How’s Phin?”
“He’s fine.” A flutter of amusement tinged the prince’s voice. “I’ve got him in your backpack. He insisted on taking a pair of your panties as a security blanket.”
I rolled my eyes. “Guess he’s earned it.” Although, how someone earned the right to roll around in my underwear I couldn’t say, but he’d been through quite a lot, so I figured I’d give him a pass. Just for now.
The Abby Sinclair Series:
1. A Brush of Darkness
2. A Sliver of Shadow
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books provided me with a copy of A Sliver of Shadow. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.
June 6, 2012
Review also posted at Under the Covers Book Blog
Ms. Pang got me addicted to the main characters as well as plot in this series. I just cannot get enough of the humor, the action, the snarky comments, sexual innuendos, and the frustrating yet alluring love triangle in this book. I could not put this book down.
This installment takes off about six months after the last book had ended. Abby Sinclair is Touchstone to Moira, Fae Princess and Protectorate of this world. She has left Abby to fend for herself yet again. My reaction was…What? Again? …Apparently, yes.
But this time, she is left with a bodyguard, Talivar (Moira’s Prince brother) and Benjamin, Moira’s son to take care of.
During Moira’s absence, Abby continues to take over the protectorate issues, storefront, hone her powers with Brystion’s sister and take care of Benjamin.
Everything well and dandy until a Fae woman shows up claiming to be Moira’s replacement and hell breaks lose. A betrayal and revenge plot strong in the air but bottom line is there is a war brewing between the Dark and Light Fae that will affect all creatures in and out of the human world. Talivar and Abby work close together to find out what’s going on with Moira with hopes save the day.
I have to say, that Abby continues to be the strong willed and kindhearted heroine that she was from the last book. She does try to live her life after Brystion left and will get to know the honorable, crippled Prince, Talivar. And let me tell you, crippled Prince he is…but oh so very skilled. I actually didn’t think I would like him for Abby but he is handsome, kind, very sweet, took care of her and the sexual tension between them was very strong. And of course, the sexual innuendos between them made me laugh and giddy. I admit he may even be a good match for her.
That is until Brystion comes back. And man, I knew he would. He wouldn’t be able to stay away from her. Now, you want to talk sexual tension? Abby and Ion definitely has it. There's
is definitely more to Brystion then meets the eye. Yeah, I’m still Team Brystion, no change there.
The ending left us with a big cliffhanger and I can barely handle the anticipation. But patience is a virtue and really, I have no choice until A Trace of Moonlight comes out late October.
October 13, 2012
If you haven't read the first book, Stop! There are events discussed here from that story that may be spoilers for you.
The story picks up six months from the end of the first book. Abby is coping with (or trying to) her breakup with Brystion. Moira leaves for the Faery Court and soon after, all hell breaks loose and Abby's in charge. Talivar is still staying with Abby as her personal bodyguard, along with Phineas the unicorn and Benjamin, Moira's baby who she left in Abby's care.
Unlike the first book, this story takes off seemingly from the first page. Abby still has missteps but she's still got very good instincts and has gained the respect of those OtherFolk in Portsmyth. When an Elven woman shows up claiming to be the new Protectorate, Abby kicks into high gear to determine the authenticity of the claim and figure out what's going on. With Talivar and Phineas at her side, she stumbles into one discovery after another, including astonishing revelations about her own past. Her relationship with Talivar develops into an intimate one and becomes more complicated when Brystion re-enters the picture. Together they navigate the complicated Faery world in an attempt to have the Queen reopen the CrossRoads and stave off a war with the daemons from Hell.
The story is fast paced and all action. Even though the love triangle (hate them) is a constant, it doesn't overwhelm and they have to work in tandem. I haven't decided yet whether I'm team Brystion or team Talivar (leaning towards him) as they both are extremely appealing in different ways.
Abby continues to use good judgment as she faces the unknown and grapples with understanding the protocols and politics of a foreign world. There are so many twists and shifts here in this fantastical world that you can't stop reading for fear you won't keep up. I had a tough time finding stopping points that didn't keep me from rushing back when life showed up.The ending was so startling, exciting and surprising I didn't have a choice but to jump right into the next book. This was spectacular!
The story picks up six months from the end of the first book. Abby is coping with (or trying to) her breakup with Brystion. Moira leaves for the Faery Court and soon after, all hell breaks loose and Abby's in charge. Talivar is still staying with Abby as her personal bodyguard, along with Phineas the unicorn and Benjamin, Moira's baby who she left in Abby's care.
Unlike the first book, this story takes off seemingly from the first page. Abby still has missteps but she's still got very good instincts and has gained the respect of those OtherFolk in Portsmyth. When an Elven woman shows up claiming to be the new Protectorate, Abby kicks into high gear to determine the authenticity of the claim and figure out what's going on. With Talivar and Phineas at her side, she stumbles into one discovery after another, including astonishing revelations about her own past. Her relationship with Talivar develops into an intimate one and becomes more complicated when Brystion re-enters the picture. Together they navigate the complicated Faery world in an attempt to have the Queen reopen the CrossRoads and stave off a war with the daemons from Hell.
The story is fast paced and all action. Even though the love triangle (hate them) is a constant, it doesn't overwhelm and they have to work in tandem. I haven't decided yet whether I'm team Brystion or team Talivar (leaning towards him) as they both are extremely appealing in different ways.
Abby continues to use good judgment as she faces the unknown and grapples with understanding the protocols and politics of a foreign world. There are so many twists and shifts here in this fantastical world that you can't stop reading for fear you won't keep up. I had a tough time finding stopping points that didn't keep me from rushing back when life showed up.The ending was so startling, exciting and surprising I didn't have a choice but to jump right into the next book. This was spectacular!
March 5, 2012
This review was originally published at Vampire Book Club.
Remember how you fell in love with Brystion in A Brush of Darkness? I didn’t think anyone would be more appealing to me in Abby’s world.
I. Was. Wrong.
So very wrong. We come back into Abby’s world eight months after the end of the first book. Brystion broke up with Abby because it “just wouldn’t work” with him being an immortal succubus and her being a human, albeit one with serious fae ties. Moira placed her brother Talivar as Abby’s bodyguard. And they fell into a complementary friendship — both caring for Moira’s son.
Talivar is emotionally wounded, an outcast and recognizes Abby’s strength. And, honestly, after spending more than 350 pages with him — I just want to climb the guy like a tree. I love the way he interacts with Abby and the obvious burdens that come with being the unwanted royal.
A Sliver of Shadow isn’t about Talivar, though. It’s about a struggle for power. (Isn’t it always with the fae?) Once again, Abby’s found herself mixed up in the Fairy Court’s troubles. In order to help, she has to challenge her past. She’s given access to missing memories and reconciling the truth and the implications on her life forces her into a more mature role.
All the characters are dealing with regret in A Sliver of Shadow. Many want to wish away past deals, others past hurts and most of all those past actions that read like betrayal in hindsight. There’s a beautiful story arc of Abby — and others — making the move to make peace with her life, without foregoing the snort-induing one-liners.
After you’ve finished, you’ll love Abby even more. You’ll care about Taliver and Ion. You’ll be enraptured in the drama of the Crossroads. And you may be tempted to immediately re-read.
Snarky, sexy and action-packed, A Sliver of Shadow is a must-read.
Sexual content: Sex and plenty of sexual references (Phineas is around, after all.)
Remember how you fell in love with Brystion in A Brush of Darkness? I didn’t think anyone would be more appealing to me in Abby’s world.
I. Was. Wrong.
So very wrong. We come back into Abby’s world eight months after the end of the first book. Brystion broke up with Abby because it “just wouldn’t work” with him being an immortal succubus and her being a human, albeit one with serious fae ties. Moira placed her brother Talivar as Abby’s bodyguard. And they fell into a complementary friendship — both caring for Moira’s son.
Talivar is emotionally wounded, an outcast and recognizes Abby’s strength. And, honestly, after spending more than 350 pages with him — I just want to climb the guy like a tree. I love the way he interacts with Abby and the obvious burdens that come with being the unwanted royal.
A Sliver of Shadow isn’t about Talivar, though. It’s about a struggle for power. (Isn’t it always with the fae?) Once again, Abby’s found herself mixed up in the Fairy Court’s troubles. In order to help, she has to challenge her past. She’s given access to missing memories and reconciling the truth and the implications on her life forces her into a more mature role.
All the characters are dealing with regret in A Sliver of Shadow. Many want to wish away past deals, others past hurts and most of all those past actions that read like betrayal in hindsight. There’s a beautiful story arc of Abby — and others — making the move to make peace with her life, without foregoing the snort-induing one-liners.
After you’ve finished, you’ll love Abby even more. You’ll care about Taliver and Ion. You’ll be enraptured in the drama of the Crossroads. And you may be tempted to immediately re-read.
Snarky, sexy and action-packed, A Sliver of Shadow is a must-read.
Sexual content: Sex and plenty of sexual references (Phineas is around, after all.)
March 26, 2012
What a fun read. I fell in love with Abby Sinclair pretty easy in 'A Brush of Darkness' and with this book she's only gotten better.
I take to some Urban Fantasy heroines easier than others. It doesn't mean I'm more alike one rather than another, but I have some connection to them that helps me route them on. I feel that way with Abby. She gets a rough go from her enemies as well as her friends. So much is always expected of her, that it's a surprise she hasn't yet cracked.
As always, I love Phin. The sex crazed, panty snuggler unicorn is a hoot. Something big happens between their relationship which is a turning point for a good part in this book, but I won't give away anything.
Talivar is a favorite of mine since book one. I think I always love the underdog most. Don't get me wrong, I really like Brystion, but this book goes to Talivar. Although, the last bit had me torn. (Minor spoiler below)
< spoiler > And what's with the threesome talk? Did anyone else think it's too good to be true? *laughs* I'm not sure what to think of that just yet, but it opens something interesting... that's for sure.
Oh, and who else wants to see a series of Abby's friend Melanie and the Demon Nobu?? I'd love a spin off series or book at least for them. :)
Anyways, that being said, I really enjoyed this story line. It picks up eight months after the events of 'A Brush of Darkness' and Abby is nowhere near being comfortable and back to her old life.
She's the baby sitter to a half fae/half angel baby boy, torn between two men, missing her Touchstone(again) and in the middle of the burden of having to reopen the doors between the worlds..Thanks to the crazed Queen. Her life turns upside down when secrets are revealed. She doesn't seem to catch a break.
Over all, this series is a new hit, that I feel will just keep getting better. I highly recommend all Urban Fantasy lovers to check this out.
I take to some Urban Fantasy heroines easier than others. It doesn't mean I'm more alike one rather than another, but I have some connection to them that helps me route them on. I feel that way with Abby. She gets a rough go from her enemies as well as her friends. So much is always expected of her, that it's a surprise she hasn't yet cracked.
As always, I love Phin. The sex crazed, panty snuggler unicorn is a hoot. Something big happens between their relationship which is a turning point for a good part in this book, but I won't give away anything.
Talivar is a favorite of mine since book one. I think I always love the underdog most. Don't get me wrong, I really like Brystion, but this book goes to Talivar. Although, the last bit had me torn. (Minor spoiler below)
< spoiler > And what's with the threesome talk? Did anyone else think it's too good to be true? *laughs* I'm not sure what to think of that just yet, but it opens something interesting... that's for sure.
Oh, and who else wants to see a series of Abby's friend Melanie and the Demon Nobu?? I'd love a spin off series or book at least for them. :)
Anyways, that being said, I really enjoyed this story line. It picks up eight months after the events of 'A Brush of Darkness' and Abby is nowhere near being comfortable and back to her old life.
She's the baby sitter to a half fae/half angel baby boy, torn between two men, missing her Touchstone(again) and in the middle of the burden of having to reopen the doors between the worlds..Thanks to the crazed Queen. Her life turns upside down when secrets are revealed. She doesn't seem to catch a break.
Over all, this series is a new hit, that I feel will just keep getting better. I highly recommend all Urban Fantasy lovers to check this out.
March 25, 2012
Abby Sinclair returns in A Silver of Shadow, the second installment in the series written by Allison Pang. Abby is still the touchstone to Moira, the Protectorate. Like in the first book Moira is gone, though this time we know where she is. Abby has to make difficult decisions to try to reach Moira and fix everything that is going on.
I feel bad for Abby, it seems that she cannot get a break in this book. It is a constant bombardment of issues which happen one after another that Abby must take in stride and solve. She is forced to face her fears, and you can see her character grow as the story evolves.
The CrossRoads, the pathway between Faery and the human world is closed abruptly. This causes a lot of issues for Faery in the human world since they are essentially stuck. Not only that but without the CrossRoads open, they will begin to die (fade). Having a human TouchStone will give them more time, but the end result is the same. It is up to Abby to try to solve why the CrossRoads was closed and how to get it back open.
There are hunky men as usual for a possible love interest, though Brystion (Ion) is no longer the main man. Taliver, who happens to be Moira's brother is in the picture and I found myself rooting for him. When I finished reading book one I had hopes that Abby and Brystion would stay together or work things out. Now I am not so sure who I want Abby to be with. I found myself liking Taliver more and more as this book progressed.
A Sliver of Shadow ends in a cliff hanger, which is one thing that I hate in books. Well not hate, it just makes me really want the next book right now so I can see what the heck happens. So on that note, this was a great book and I cannot wait to read the next one.
I feel bad for Abby, it seems that she cannot get a break in this book. It is a constant bombardment of issues which happen one after another that Abby must take in stride and solve. She is forced to face her fears, and you can see her character grow as the story evolves.
The CrossRoads, the pathway between Faery and the human world is closed abruptly. This causes a lot of issues for Faery in the human world since they are essentially stuck. Not only that but without the CrossRoads open, they will begin to die (fade). Having a human TouchStone will give them more time, but the end result is the same. It is up to Abby to try to solve why the CrossRoads was closed and how to get it back open.
There are hunky men as usual for a possible love interest, though Brystion (Ion) is no longer the main man. Taliver, who happens to be Moira's brother is in the picture and I found myself rooting for him. When I finished reading book one I had hopes that Abby and Brystion would stay together or work things out. Now I am not so sure who I want Abby to be with. I found myself liking Taliver more and more as this book progressed.
A Sliver of Shadow ends in a cliff hanger, which is one thing that I hate in books. Well not hate, it just makes me really want the next book right now so I can see what the heck happens. So on that note, this was a great book and I cannot wait to read the next one.
March 20, 2012
Originally Reviewed at: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Bewitching Book Tours
Reviewer: Heather
It’s not very often that a story has the ability to make you laugh, and then make you cry. For me, this is typically the foundation for an entertaining story. With A Sliver of Shadow, the second book in the Abby Sinclair series, I would have to agree. I absolutely loved, loved, loved Phin the mini unicorn, and I loved how all the characters interacted with each other. Everyone flowed even during conflict, and even during the fascinating and hilarious love triangle between the ex-boyfriend incubus and faerie prince who is her bodyguard!
This story brings action, romance, sex, mystery, intrigue, and I could go on (and on) forever. What struck my heart chords was the sacrifice that Abby Sinclair gives, and gives, and gives right up to the very end of the story.
Join Abby and her collective band of friends (and lovers!) as they try to restore the virtue of the throne in the land of the faeries. Turn each page as the story unfolds before your eyes and be transported right into the flow of the words.
Due to the sexual nature, and language, I would suggest this book for adult audiences that love supernatural fantasy stories. While there is love and romance found within the pages, this story has so much more to offer. I look forward to reading the rest of the novels, and have found another great author to add to my MUST-READ list.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Bewitching Book Tours
Reviewer: Heather
It’s not very often that a story has the ability to make you laugh, and then make you cry. For me, this is typically the foundation for an entertaining story. With A Sliver of Shadow, the second book in the Abby Sinclair series, I would have to agree. I absolutely loved, loved, loved Phin the mini unicorn, and I loved how all the characters interacted with each other. Everyone flowed even during conflict, and even during the fascinating and hilarious love triangle between the ex-boyfriend incubus and faerie prince who is her bodyguard!
This story brings action, romance, sex, mystery, intrigue, and I could go on (and on) forever. What struck my heart chords was the sacrifice that Abby Sinclair gives, and gives, and gives right up to the very end of the story.
Join Abby and her collective band of friends (and lovers!) as they try to restore the virtue of the throne in the land of the faeries. Turn each page as the story unfolds before your eyes and be transported right into the flow of the words.
Due to the sexual nature, and language, I would suggest this book for adult audiences that love supernatural fantasy stories. While there is love and romance found within the pages, this story has so much more to offer. I look forward to reading the rest of the novels, and have found another great author to add to my MUST-READ list.
March 8, 2012
Who wouldn't love a book with a horny unicorn as a sidekick? Phin is so much fun to read- I wish he would have been featured a bit more in this book but that's OK I'm sure his naughty self will show up more in future books.
The second installment of Pang's Abby Sinclair series takes us out of the urban fantasy world and more into high fantasy as she takes us into fairy. This may pose a problem for some readers who prefer their fantasy on the urban side. Me I don't really care, especially when I've already fell in love with the characters.
Plus I read LKH's Merry Gentry series which moves back and forth into fairy a lot. Several other series do as well including Kalayna Price's Alex Craft books which started off in an urban fantasy world and drifted into fairy as the series developed. As long as it's a natural progression to the story I have no problem with the overlap between genres.
I was a little surprised at the revelation in this book about Abby's parentage- but it only reveals a bit of the mystery and adds depth to what's going on, especially when the end comes and you catch a glimpse of the craziness that will happen in book 3.
Abby is a unique character with the flaws and mystery an urban fantasy heroine must have, along with a quirky sidekick, strange magick, family skeletons in the closet, and a complicated love life.
I look forward to reading book 3.
The second installment of Pang's Abby Sinclair series takes us out of the urban fantasy world and more into high fantasy as she takes us into fairy. This may pose a problem for some readers who prefer their fantasy on the urban side. Me I don't really care, especially when I've already fell in love with the characters.
Plus I read LKH's Merry Gentry series which moves back and forth into fairy a lot. Several other series do as well including Kalayna Price's Alex Craft books which started off in an urban fantasy world and drifted into fairy as the series developed. As long as it's a natural progression to the story I have no problem with the overlap between genres.
I was a little surprised at the revelation in this book about Abby's parentage- but it only reveals a bit of the mystery and adds depth to what's going on, especially when the end comes and you catch a glimpse of the craziness that will happen in book 3.
Abby is a unique character with the flaws and mystery an urban fantasy heroine must have, along with a quirky sidekick, strange magick, family skeletons in the closet, and a complicated love life.
I look forward to reading book 3.
April 22, 2012
Oh my freaking gosh! Book one (A Brush of Darkness) was wonderful but I enjoyed A Sliver of Shadow even more! We are introduced to Tresa who tries to trick Abby into becoming her touchstone and when she fails she casts a spell that backfires in a huge way causing the Faery Queen to think war had broken out and she closed the crossroads leaving many stranded and possibly dying.
So on top of taking care of Benjamin, keeping the peace amongst her suitors, running a business, and trying to make sense of being a touchstone Abby now has added this to her plate. But the fun doesn't stop here folks because Abby also begins to discover things about her past and family and let me tell you I was thrown for a loop!
I feel like A Brush of Darkness kinda just introduced us to a few of the key players in this awesome story but A Sliver of Shadow tossed us right into the action and doesn't give us a moment to catch our breath before tossing more upon us! I am practically bouncing off the walls in wait for A Trace of Moonlight which will be out in October. Oh boy oh boy oh boy that sounds like a long time away! More Phin please!
So on top of taking care of Benjamin, keeping the peace amongst her suitors, running a business, and trying to make sense of being a touchstone Abby now has added this to her plate. But the fun doesn't stop here folks because Abby also begins to discover things about her past and family and let me tell you I was thrown for a loop!
I feel like A Brush of Darkness kinda just introduced us to a few of the key players in this awesome story but A Sliver of Shadow tossed us right into the action and doesn't give us a moment to catch our breath before tossing more upon us! I am practically bouncing off the walls in wait for A Trace of Moonlight which will be out in October. Oh boy oh boy oh boy that sounds like a long time away! More Phin please!
February 25, 2012
*2.5 Stars*
I don't know what happened. I didn't like this one anywhere near as much as I did the first. The humor was missing and Abby got the short end of the stick the entire book. I actually started to pity her for being stuck in a life where she was valued so little. The end picked up and had some interesting developments (that once again involved Abby sacrificing herself for the welfare of people who don't even care about her), but it wasn't enough to outweigh my boredom with the rest of the book.
*Review posted on Fiction Vixen*
I don't know what happened. I didn't like this one anywhere near as much as I did the first. The humor was missing and Abby got the short end of the stick the entire book. I actually started to pity her for being stuck in a life where she was valued so little. The end picked up and had some interesting developments (that once again involved Abby sacrificing herself for the welfare of people who don't even care about her), but it wasn't enough to outweigh my boredom with the rest of the book.
*Review posted on Fiction Vixen*
March 28, 2012
In this second installment of the Abby Sinclair series, I was blown away again by the author's imagination! I don't know who in her life has "limitations" but she makes it a point to accept flaws and give love and friendship to those who have them. The characters she comes up with are amazing. My only wish is that I came upon this series when it was finished, because even though she kind of wraps up what is going on at the moment, she leaves alot unanswered and her teaser for the next book has me on pins and needles wanting to know what will happen next!
I can recommend this to everyone, excellent writing, exciting story!
I can recommend this to everyone, excellent writing, exciting story!
April 6, 2014
Abby Sinclair, or Absinthe in Faery, is at it again. And she's flying by the seat of her pants. She's TouchStoned to .... well, just about everyone now and it's draining her. Not to mention that the Queen of Fae has gotten ill, Moira won't come back, and some seriously demented people claiming to be something they aren't are running around Portsmythe. Heart broken by Ion and a new love interest in her new guardian, Talivar, aren't making things easier. Did I mention the Crossroads slamming shut, trapping OtherFolk here? What's a girl to do but rescue the world while trying to keep the men around her from making her a possession of theirs?
November 21, 2011
So satisfying!! Awesome second book in a series. Highly entertaining, even meatier than the 1st book. Review to follow closer to release!
March 1, 2012
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2012/03/rev...
Favorite Quote: “Do you think the powers that be would mind if I asked them to make sure the next apocalypse takes place later in the day? Maybe around teatime?.“
A brief recap of book one. May spoil if you haven’t read.
Brush Of Darkness, the first book in the Abby Sinclair series, completely captivated me with its mad cap Alice In Wonderland storyline and indelible characters. Deliciously dark and wickedly funny, we are introduced to Abby Sinclair, a mortal bound into service of the fae. Known as a Touchstone, her gift allows her to keep the fae she is contracted with in the mortal realm. When her employer goes missing, Abby risks her life to save her boss and friends and meets the delectable Brystion. Circumstances force Abby to make some difficult choices and results in a unbridgeable rift between her and Bryston.
A Sliver of Shadow picks up a few weeks after Brush Of Darkness ended. Abby’s employer, Moira, is at the Faery Court to give testimony against a fellow fae’s acts of treason. This leaves Abby in charge of the shop and Benjamin. Oh, how I love Benjamin. A woman arrives at the shop, claiming she is Abby’s new boss, and tries to be spell her with disastrous consequences. The Queen of the Fae, spiraling deeper into her insanity, feels the spell attempted against Abby, takes it as an act of war, and closes the door between the Fae and mortal realm. And refuses to reopen it. With the Fae, trapped in the mortal realm, and beginning to fade, Abby appeals to Brystion to help.
“So what do I do?”
“I don’t know, but I owe nothing to the Faery Court regardless of their assumptions. And this mess is of their own making.”
“Then it’s become my mess too.” I straightened up. “And if your not willing to help us, I have to go. I’ve got things to do. A world to save. You know-the usual.”
“I am sorry Abby, but regardless of the situation, I will not get involved this time.”
“You do what you think best Ion. So will I.”
Abby, Talivar, Melinda, and Phin travel to the crossroads to try and reverse the spell. This path eventually leads them to the Faery Court. As Abby fights her way towards the answers she needs to re open the door; she learns more about her family, her friends, the dreaming, and the destiny fate has in store for her. A fate that will demand the ultimate sacrifice from her.
Oh Abby, Abby, Abby. I have honestly never met a character who deserves so much and gets so little in return. If there was a character that I would totally kick arse for, it would be her. A strong, intelligent, independent woman who uses her impressive powers of snark for good and loves bacon and Tom Jones. I mean, how could you NOT love her? She invokes a protective feeling in me. Her loyalty and honor are above reproach. She lives, loves, and fights from the heart and when dealing with the Fae, that’s just asking for trouble. We are given a deeper understanding to her emotional state; from her hurt at Brystion’s leaving to the fears that inhabit her dreaming heart.
The world Ms. Pang has created is an intricate blending of reality and dreams that is built completely on deception, betrayal, and jealousy. Convoluted and ever expanding, Ms Pang continues to divulge deeper into Abby’s past, future and and present. A strong character driven fantasy, every action is suspect, each word a double edge sword, and everyone a study in Machiavellian practices. Witty and snarky dialogue will keep you in stitches though it is more serious this time around.
On sudden impulse, I reached out to stroke the perfect point of his ear.
“You do realize that’s the elvish equivalent of cupping my balls, right?”
I jerked my hand away. I hadn’t meant to be that forward. “Apparently my knowledge of basic elven anatomy is lacking. Sorry.”
“Something we will have to remedy, no doubt.”
Ms. Pang’s wonderful voice resonates through here, breathing life into the story. She elevates a common theme of a human, with no super normal powers, fighting for a supernatural world. A brilliant mixture of unpredictability that keeps you riding the edge with each new development. The story reads fast and easy even as you fall head first down the rabbit hole. The plot and multiple sub plots build slowly through out, each adding intrigue and suspense as the tension spirals tighter and tighter only to explode in a climatic ending that leaves you speechless with shock.
To me, sacrifice is the underlying theme of this storyline. Friendship, love, honor, life. It asks the question over and over in many different ways; what would you do for the ones you love? We are gifted with an intimate view of what true sacrifice is in here and it leaves you both elated and saddened as one by one, each character answers that question.
The secondary characters are explosive with their richly developed personalities. New and old are here; from bodyguard angels, to WoW playing demons; each one plays an important part in the overall development of the story. Closely guarded secrets and agendas are beginning to unravel, leaving Abby to wonder who she can really trust. The smexy, brooding Brystion continues to tempt and taunt Abby while Talivar shows Abby a completely different side of himself and she begins to see a kindred soul in him. The sexual tension that runs between Abby, Talivar, and Brystion is delicious as the love triangle begins to make itself known.
Brystion snorted. “He’s only using you. The Fae are good at that, I’ve noticed.”
“I was there the morning you let her go, “ Taliver retorted. “Why shouldn’t I retrieve what you so casually threw away?”
Phin delights us as he struts, flounces, and generally annoys everyone with his running commentary of his sexual exploits. We see a more serious side to him though when a few secrets he’s been keeping are revealed. Melanie has to be my favorite character as she is a true friend to Abby and tries to so hard to protect and help her navigate this dangerous world.
The Wild Music had been released. The daemons eyed her warily. Nobu grasped her arm, silencing the music. “You cannot break this Contract.”
“You have no idea what I can do.”
The ending had me laughing, crying, and shaking my fist at Ms. Pang. She tosses us off into the abyss, leaving us to free fall until the release of book three. I will admit that the ending confused me. I re read it three times, discussed it with another blogger, then broke down and contacted Allison. It’s not I didn’t understand what happened but more that I didn’t understand why. Also, I’m having a little trouble with the love triangle aspect even with its wonderful sexual tension. I’m not a fan of love triangles in Urban Fantasy; especially when they look strong enough to become a long standing part of the arc. I am hoping I’m wrong because I would like the arc to continue to focus on Abby and her journeys in the OtherWorld and not fight against a continuing love triangle.
Regardless though, I cannot recommend this series enough to readers who are looking for an imaginative urban fantasy series that hits all the high notes and then some. Ms. Pang has delivered a worthy sequel to Brush Of Darkness and I for one cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in book three, a tentative release date is October 2012 with title to be announced. I don not recommend starting the series here. The arc is evolving and continues on with no re caps from the previous installment.
Overall Rating: B+
Favorite Quote: “Do you think the powers that be would mind if I asked them to make sure the next apocalypse takes place later in the day? Maybe around teatime?.“
A brief recap of book one. May spoil if you haven’t read.
Brush Of Darkness, the first book in the Abby Sinclair series, completely captivated me with its mad cap Alice In Wonderland storyline and indelible characters. Deliciously dark and wickedly funny, we are introduced to Abby Sinclair, a mortal bound into service of the fae. Known as a Touchstone, her gift allows her to keep the fae she is contracted with in the mortal realm. When her employer goes missing, Abby risks her life to save her boss and friends and meets the delectable Brystion. Circumstances force Abby to make some difficult choices and results in a unbridgeable rift between her and Bryston.
A Sliver of Shadow picks up a few weeks after Brush Of Darkness ended. Abby’s employer, Moira, is at the Faery Court to give testimony against a fellow fae’s acts of treason. This leaves Abby in charge of the shop and Benjamin. Oh, how I love Benjamin. A woman arrives at the shop, claiming she is Abby’s new boss, and tries to be spell her with disastrous consequences. The Queen of the Fae, spiraling deeper into her insanity, feels the spell attempted against Abby, takes it as an act of war, and closes the door between the Fae and mortal realm. And refuses to reopen it. With the Fae, trapped in the mortal realm, and beginning to fade, Abby appeals to Brystion to help.
“So what do I do?”
“I don’t know, but I owe nothing to the Faery Court regardless of their assumptions. And this mess is of their own making.”
“Then it’s become my mess too.” I straightened up. “And if your not willing to help us, I have to go. I’ve got things to do. A world to save. You know-the usual.”
“I am sorry Abby, but regardless of the situation, I will not get involved this time.”
“You do what you think best Ion. So will I.”
Abby, Talivar, Melinda, and Phin travel to the crossroads to try and reverse the spell. This path eventually leads them to the Faery Court. As Abby fights her way towards the answers she needs to re open the door; she learns more about her family, her friends, the dreaming, and the destiny fate has in store for her. A fate that will demand the ultimate sacrifice from her.
Oh Abby, Abby, Abby. I have honestly never met a character who deserves so much and gets so little in return. If there was a character that I would totally kick arse for, it would be her. A strong, intelligent, independent woman who uses her impressive powers of snark for good and loves bacon and Tom Jones. I mean, how could you NOT love her? She invokes a protective feeling in me. Her loyalty and honor are above reproach. She lives, loves, and fights from the heart and when dealing with the Fae, that’s just asking for trouble. We are given a deeper understanding to her emotional state; from her hurt at Brystion’s leaving to the fears that inhabit her dreaming heart.
The world Ms. Pang has created is an intricate blending of reality and dreams that is built completely on deception, betrayal, and jealousy. Convoluted and ever expanding, Ms Pang continues to divulge deeper into Abby’s past, future and and present. A strong character driven fantasy, every action is suspect, each word a double edge sword, and everyone a study in Machiavellian practices. Witty and snarky dialogue will keep you in stitches though it is more serious this time around.
On sudden impulse, I reached out to stroke the perfect point of his ear.
“You do realize that’s the elvish equivalent of cupping my balls, right?”
I jerked my hand away. I hadn’t meant to be that forward. “Apparently my knowledge of basic elven anatomy is lacking. Sorry.”
“Something we will have to remedy, no doubt.”
Ms. Pang’s wonderful voice resonates through here, breathing life into the story. She elevates a common theme of a human, with no super normal powers, fighting for a supernatural world. A brilliant mixture of unpredictability that keeps you riding the edge with each new development. The story reads fast and easy even as you fall head first down the rabbit hole. The plot and multiple sub plots build slowly through out, each adding intrigue and suspense as the tension spirals tighter and tighter only to explode in a climatic ending that leaves you speechless with shock.
To me, sacrifice is the underlying theme of this storyline. Friendship, love, honor, life. It asks the question over and over in many different ways; what would you do for the ones you love? We are gifted with an intimate view of what true sacrifice is in here and it leaves you both elated and saddened as one by one, each character answers that question.
The secondary characters are explosive with their richly developed personalities. New and old are here; from bodyguard angels, to WoW playing demons; each one plays an important part in the overall development of the story. Closely guarded secrets and agendas are beginning to unravel, leaving Abby to wonder who she can really trust. The smexy, brooding Brystion continues to tempt and taunt Abby while Talivar shows Abby a completely different side of himself and she begins to see a kindred soul in him. The sexual tension that runs between Abby, Talivar, and Brystion is delicious as the love triangle begins to make itself known.
Brystion snorted. “He’s only using you. The Fae are good at that, I’ve noticed.”
“I was there the morning you let her go, “ Taliver retorted. “Why shouldn’t I retrieve what you so casually threw away?”
Phin delights us as he struts, flounces, and generally annoys everyone with his running commentary of his sexual exploits. We see a more serious side to him though when a few secrets he’s been keeping are revealed. Melanie has to be my favorite character as she is a true friend to Abby and tries to so hard to protect and help her navigate this dangerous world.
The Wild Music had been released. The daemons eyed her warily. Nobu grasped her arm, silencing the music. “You cannot break this Contract.”
“You have no idea what I can do.”
The ending had me laughing, crying, and shaking my fist at Ms. Pang. She tosses us off into the abyss, leaving us to free fall until the release of book three. I will admit that the ending confused me. I re read it three times, discussed it with another blogger, then broke down and contacted Allison. It’s not I didn’t understand what happened but more that I didn’t understand why. Also, I’m having a little trouble with the love triangle aspect even with its wonderful sexual tension. I’m not a fan of love triangles in Urban Fantasy; especially when they look strong enough to become a long standing part of the arc. I am hoping I’m wrong because I would like the arc to continue to focus on Abby and her journeys in the OtherWorld and not fight against a continuing love triangle.
Regardless though, I cannot recommend this series enough to readers who are looking for an imaginative urban fantasy series that hits all the high notes and then some. Ms. Pang has delivered a worthy sequel to Brush Of Darkness and I for one cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in book three, a tentative release date is October 2012 with title to be announced. I don not recommend starting the series here. The arc is evolving and continues on with no re caps from the previous installment.
Overall Rating: B+
December 20, 2019
Protagonistas: Brystion & Abby
Profesiones: Sucubo & Humano
Pais: USA
Profesiones: Sucubo & Humano
Pais: USA
April 5, 2012
MICHELLE'S REVIEW:
RATING: 4.75 TALIVAR STARS!!
I absolutely loved this sequel in the Abby Sinclair series.
Brystion , Brystion where are you ? The hunky daemon, Brystion takes a nice amount of leave from this instalment. Who we do get instead is Talivar, the body guard in spades, whose character progresses in this instalment. We are introduced to Talivar, Moira’s brother at the end of ‘A Brush of Darkness’.
Brystion is keeping his distance for the most part, he packed up and left the Heart that Abby left for him. Abby is pining for Brystion but at the same time a light is glowing for Talivar and things move a lot slower than they did with Brystion. Talivar is into courting and not bamming in the cheap room , even though if Phin hadn’t been causing trouble with Melanie and Katy , it may have been the cheap room * waggles eyebrows*
Phin is still super naughty and mischievous , but we learn more about the little fellow. I liked what Allison did with his character. Phin is a total scene stealer. Whenever he pops up , his dialogue and actions steal the show.
I quite liked seeing Abby in mamma mode with baby Benjamin, it was quite cute. Baby Benjamin is very cute with his wings, but mamma Moira is in Faery attending to her mother who appears to have lost the plot a little.
Yes, I think I am Team Talivar. I do love Brystion, but he needs to pick himself up. Abby - Brystion was quite full on and smexi from the word go in ‘A Brush Of Darkness’. A total of like two weeks they knew each other.
This story takes place six months down the track.
I love at virtually the half way mark of this story we took off to the CrossRoads, due to a reason you can find out for yourself. There begins an adventure for Abby who is separated from Talivar for a short bit and we meet some great sub characters. I quite liked Jimmy, and now this is the second book only I have come across a Kitsune, oh and a talking horse that isn’t really a horse....hehe!!
Team Brystion does turn up again, but now we have me all confuzzed as I got myself a t-shirt with Team Talivar as he is gorgeous and we see things develop at a more manageable pace and it wasn’t based on sex .
I don’t like the term the Crippled Prince, but this is what he is known as. I love that he is an Elf. So we have the daemon and the elf.
We actually get some lovely twists all round with several characters. There are a lot of places Allison takes us that really made this book enjoyable. The pace was exciting and smart.
Plus the errrr.... triangle......* wink *
I am almost begging for ‘A Trace Of Moonlight’ due out October 2012.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend this series. Allison really pulled out all the stops in this instalment and then some...* wink* .
FAVE QUOTES:
The elf had changed into an outfit I hadn't seen before, dark leather vambraces at his wrists and a thick vest over his tunic. His sword hung lose at his side , but now he also had a massive bow slung over his shoulder, a quiver of nasty looking arrows bristling at his hip. His hair was neatly braided and tucked out of the way. "It's like having my very own pet Legolas."
His mouth curled up in a private smile. "You have no idea."
"Not to interrupt the whole kumbaya vibe you've all got going on , maybe we ought to can the love-in for the moment.
"What's to slander ?" I retorted. "She's like a child, running her little tea party into the ground while the big bad wolf stands outside getting ready to piss on the gates. And the rest of the pigs are sitting here in their house of straw playing canasta. What's it going to take for you guys to get out the bricks?" My voice dropped lower.
Michelle
RATING: 4.75 TALIVAR STARS!!
I absolutely loved this sequel in the Abby Sinclair series.
Brystion , Brystion where are you ? The hunky daemon, Brystion takes a nice amount of leave from this instalment. Who we do get instead is Talivar, the body guard in spades, whose character progresses in this instalment. We are introduced to Talivar, Moira’s brother at the end of ‘A Brush of Darkness’.
Brystion is keeping his distance for the most part, he packed up and left the Heart that Abby left for him. Abby is pining for Brystion but at the same time a light is glowing for Talivar and things move a lot slower than they did with Brystion. Talivar is into courting and not bamming in the cheap room , even though if Phin hadn’t been causing trouble with Melanie and Katy , it may have been the cheap room * waggles eyebrows*
Phin is still super naughty and mischievous , but we learn more about the little fellow. I liked what Allison did with his character. Phin is a total scene stealer. Whenever he pops up , his dialogue and actions steal the show.
I quite liked seeing Abby in mamma mode with baby Benjamin, it was quite cute. Baby Benjamin is very cute with his wings, but mamma Moira is in Faery attending to her mother who appears to have lost the plot a little.
Yes, I think I am Team Talivar. I do love Brystion, but he needs to pick himself up. Abby - Brystion was quite full on and smexi from the word go in ‘A Brush Of Darkness’. A total of like two weeks they knew each other.
This story takes place six months down the track.
I love at virtually the half way mark of this story we took off to the CrossRoads, due to a reason you can find out for yourself. There begins an adventure for Abby who is separated from Talivar for a short bit and we meet some great sub characters. I quite liked Jimmy, and now this is the second book only I have come across a Kitsune, oh and a talking horse that isn’t really a horse....hehe!!
Team Brystion does turn up again, but now we have me all confuzzed as I got myself a t-shirt with Team Talivar as he is gorgeous and we see things develop at a more manageable pace and it wasn’t based on sex .
I don’t like the term the Crippled Prince, but this is what he is known as. I love that he is an Elf. So we have the daemon and the elf.
We actually get some lovely twists all round with several characters. There are a lot of places Allison takes us that really made this book enjoyable. The pace was exciting and smart.
Plus the errrr.... triangle......* wink *
I am almost begging for ‘A Trace Of Moonlight’ due out October 2012.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend this series. Allison really pulled out all the stops in this instalment and then some...* wink* .
FAVE QUOTES:
The elf had changed into an outfit I hadn't seen before, dark leather vambraces at his wrists and a thick vest over his tunic. His sword hung lose at his side , but now he also had a massive bow slung over his shoulder, a quiver of nasty looking arrows bristling at his hip. His hair was neatly braided and tucked out of the way. "It's like having my very own pet Legolas."
His mouth curled up in a private smile. "You have no idea."
"Not to interrupt the whole kumbaya vibe you've all got going on , maybe we ought to can the love-in for the moment.
"What's to slander ?" I retorted. "She's like a child, running her little tea party into the ground while the big bad wolf stands outside getting ready to piss on the gates. And the rest of the pigs are sitting here in their house of straw playing canasta. What's it going to take for you guys to get out the bricks?" My voice dropped lower.
Michelle
March 8, 2012
Book 2 in an addictive yet frustrating urban fantasy series. The heroine is Abby, a Touchstone (a mortal bound to help OtherFolk cross between Faery and human worlds).
Set 6 months after book 1, Brystion has been absent from Abby's life and she has been getting to know her bodyguard, Talivar, the Crippled Prince of the Fae, while playing nanny to her Fae boss Moira's son. An attack on Abby backfires and the Fae Queen is forced to close the gates to Faery. Meaning that all fae trapped on the human side start to fade and die. Abby and her crew travel through Faery to confront the Queen and undergo many adventures and meetings along the way, as well as learning some shocking revelations about Abby's family. A crazy Queen, an old enemy, attacking demon armies and two men she can't make her mind up about are just a few of the obstacles in Abby's way.
The worldbuilding is creative and complex, and the creatures, especially the demons and Unseelie are beautiful and otherworldy. The author's wonderful descriptive passages, (e.g. a graveyard in the human world, or a bustling Unseelie fair), create an evocative and ethereal atmosphere which enhances the engrossing storyline. I really enjoyed the trip into Faerie. The book verged more on a fantasy novel than an urban fantasy at times. And I sort of wished it was a fantasy series because I want to know more about the politics, history and creatures of the OtherWorlds. This series has the possibility of becoming truly epic but I don't know if the author will take it in that direction. A glossary would certainly have helped.
The Fae are so bloody frustrating and annoying at times. Completely self-absorbed and ruthless. They treat Abby as the worst sort of pawn and blame her for everything. Most of the time I was gobsmacked she didn't tell them to eff off. But she is the heroine and is too noble for that of course. There's not a lot of growth in Abby's Dreamwalking powers in this installment. The villains are not too bad but there are numerous clunky plot devices in play to keep them in the story when in fact it would have been easy to kill them off at the beginning.
I don't know what to say about the love triangle. I'm not a fan of that device, yet I started to become very fond of Talivar, then changed my mind again by the end. I don't know who I want her to be with and sometimes I'm mad at her for not being able to make up her mind. I didn't like the dance scene in the Faerie court. I thought that was playing up the love triangle too much! Seemed a bit silly to me.
I liked Phin better in this one. He seemed caricaturish and sleazy in the first novel but this time around I became more attached and I'm worried about the implications of the 'like a bee-sting' remark. I loved the little side story about Melanie and Nobu. Very intriguing. Maybe their own story down the track (like Andrea and Rafael from the Kate Daniels series) would be fun. One of the strength of this series are all the secondary characters who seem to have many layers and secrets still to be discovered.
I think the cover is beautiful and suits what I imagine the ex-ballerina Abby to look like. I don't know if I liked Abby as much in this book but the storyline and worldbuilding were great and I will definitely be picking up book 3. Recommended for urban fantasy fans with an interest in Fae mythology.
Set 6 months after book 1, Brystion has been absent from Abby's life and she has been getting to know her bodyguard, Talivar, the Crippled Prince of the Fae, while playing nanny to her Fae boss Moira's son. An attack on Abby backfires and the Fae Queen is forced to close the gates to Faery. Meaning that all fae trapped on the human side start to fade and die. Abby and her crew travel through Faery to confront the Queen and undergo many adventures and meetings along the way, as well as learning some shocking revelations about Abby's family. A crazy Queen, an old enemy, attacking demon armies and two men she can't make her mind up about are just a few of the obstacles in Abby's way.
The worldbuilding is creative and complex, and the creatures, especially the demons and Unseelie are beautiful and otherworldy. The author's wonderful descriptive passages, (e.g. a graveyard in the human world, or a bustling Unseelie fair), create an evocative and ethereal atmosphere which enhances the engrossing storyline. I really enjoyed the trip into Faerie. The book verged more on a fantasy novel than an urban fantasy at times. And I sort of wished it was a fantasy series because I want to know more about the politics, history and creatures of the OtherWorlds. This series has the possibility of becoming truly epic but I don't know if the author will take it in that direction. A glossary would certainly have helped.
The Fae are so bloody frustrating and annoying at times. Completely self-absorbed and ruthless. They treat Abby as the worst sort of pawn and blame her for everything. Most of the time I was gobsmacked she didn't tell them to eff off. But she is the heroine and is too noble for that of course. There's not a lot of growth in Abby's Dreamwalking powers in this installment. The villains are not too bad but there are numerous clunky plot devices in play to keep them in the story when in fact it would have been easy to kill them off at the beginning.
I don't know what to say about the love triangle. I'm not a fan of that device, yet I started to become very fond of Talivar, then changed my mind again by the end. I don't know who I want her to be with and sometimes I'm mad at her for not being able to make up her mind. I didn't like the dance scene in the Faerie court. I thought that was playing up the love triangle too much! Seemed a bit silly to me.
I liked Phin better in this one. He seemed caricaturish and sleazy in the first novel but this time around I became more attached and I'm worried about the implications of the 'like a bee-sting' remark. I loved the little side story about Melanie and Nobu. Very intriguing. Maybe their own story down the track (like Andrea and Rafael from the Kate Daniels series) would be fun. One of the strength of this series are all the secondary characters who seem to have many layers and secrets still to be discovered.
I think the cover is beautiful and suits what I imagine the ex-ballerina Abby to look like. I don't know if I liked Abby as much in this book but the storyline and worldbuilding were great and I will definitely be picking up book 3. Recommended for urban fantasy fans with an interest in Fae mythology.
June 29, 2013
See my review of this book, and many more, at Tales from the Great East Road.
(Spoilers for book one.)
Abby is still adjusting to her new life as a Touchstone – someone who can help the OtherFolk cross between our world and the world of Faery – and though she is getting the hang of it, it’s not easy. Especially when Moria, the Protectorate, leaves for the Faery Court. With Abby left in charge things go from bad to worse when a spell on Abby backfires and causes the Queen of Faery seals the doors between the two worlds closed. Now OtherFolk on Earth are fading, and Faery is preparing for war with Hell. All Abby can do is travel to the CrossRoads and attempt to override the Queen’s magic, and prey she is strong enough for it to work.
This book continues the dynamic politics and magic system set up in the first book, exploring Abby’s role as a Touchstone and the relationship between Earth, Faery, and Hell. Abby herself is a great urban fantasy character, strong and brave without becoming a stereotype; she admits her fears and doubts but doesn’t let them stop her, and is willing to sacrificing herself to save Faery. However, Abby fails to live up to this when it comes to her first love interest, the incubus Brystion. He turns up half way through the book and does nothing but act self absorbed and arrogant, with no respect for what Abby wants. Sadly Abby never calls him out on his actions, only ever half-heartedly telling him to back off then giving in to him. In book one, Brystion was the classic sweet but tormented and misunderstood hero, but in A Sliver of Shadow has become the other urban fantasy cliche; the self involved jerk who can’t understand the word “no”. This change is hugely disappointing. Also, the descriptions of Faery were very interesting, but few and far between and felt like they could have been much more extensive. This was a missed opportunity, and very disappointing seeing as most of the book is set in Faery.
What saved the book though, other than Abby herself, was the elf prince Talivar and the unexpected cliffhanger ending. Talivar, the second love interest, was much more preferable than Brystion – in fact, he seemed to fill the void of positive male love interest left by Brystion. Talivar is sweet, understanding, charming, and funny; a much more favourable character in general and a better match for Abby. The cliffhanger was a complete surprise, leaving you wanting to read the sequel now, and may be a complete game changer for this series. Let’s cross our fingers and hope for the best in book three.
3.5 stars
(Spoilers for book one.)
Abby is still adjusting to her new life as a Touchstone – someone who can help the OtherFolk cross between our world and the world of Faery – and though she is getting the hang of it, it’s not easy. Especially when Moria, the Protectorate, leaves for the Faery Court. With Abby left in charge things go from bad to worse when a spell on Abby backfires and causes the Queen of Faery seals the doors between the two worlds closed. Now OtherFolk on Earth are fading, and Faery is preparing for war with Hell. All Abby can do is travel to the CrossRoads and attempt to override the Queen’s magic, and prey she is strong enough for it to work.
This book continues the dynamic politics and magic system set up in the first book, exploring Abby’s role as a Touchstone and the relationship between Earth, Faery, and Hell. Abby herself is a great urban fantasy character, strong and brave without becoming a stereotype; she admits her fears and doubts but doesn’t let them stop her, and is willing to sacrificing herself to save Faery. However, Abby fails to live up to this when it comes to her first love interest, the incubus Brystion. He turns up half way through the book and does nothing but act self absorbed and arrogant, with no respect for what Abby wants. Sadly Abby never calls him out on his actions, only ever half-heartedly telling him to back off then giving in to him. In book one, Brystion was the classic sweet but tormented and misunderstood hero, but in A Sliver of Shadow has become the other urban fantasy cliche; the self involved jerk who can’t understand the word “no”. This change is hugely disappointing. Also, the descriptions of Faery were very interesting, but few and far between and felt like they could have been much more extensive. This was a missed opportunity, and very disappointing seeing as most of the book is set in Faery.
What saved the book though, other than Abby herself, was the elf prince Talivar and the unexpected cliffhanger ending. Talivar, the second love interest, was much more preferable than Brystion – in fact, he seemed to fill the void of positive male love interest left by Brystion. Talivar is sweet, understanding, charming, and funny; a much more favourable character in general and a better match for Abby. The cliffhanger was a complete surprise, leaving you wanting to read the sequel now, and may be a complete game changer for this series. Let’s cross our fingers and hope for the best in book three.
3.5 stars
February 21, 2012
I gave it 3.5 stars
A SLIVER OF SHADOW continues the highly imaginative and fun Abby Sinclair series. In this book you will find a horny unicorn that loves underwear drawers, sexy love interests, a trip to Faery where you will meet all sorts of interesting characters and situations, some good action, suspense and a very big cliffhanger.
A SLIVER OF SHADOW seemed to read a bit different then book one. I think maybe because a large portion of the book took place in Faery. The plot was pretty big and a lot of things happen in a short amount of time, it tending to be a bit confusing. The world building in this series is one of the high points for me. I can totally get lost in picturing the surroundings that Allison creates. I was not crazy about the love triangle. I have come to dislike Brystion because of the heartbreak he put Abby through and I'm definitely rooting for Talivar and hope that they end up together. Phin just cracks me up. We actually learn a little bit more about him and the fact that Abby getting him was not a coincidence.
Abby is a really fun character. I had no problems connecting with her in book 1 and the same went for book 2. She has a lot to work out but After the ending in A SLIVER OF SHADOW there is no way that I wont read book 3.
A SLIVER OF SHADOW continues the highly imaginative and fun Abby Sinclair series. In this book you will find a horny unicorn that loves underwear drawers, sexy love interests, a trip to Faery where you will meet all sorts of interesting characters and situations, some good action, suspense and a very big cliffhanger.
A SLIVER OF SHADOW seemed to read a bit different then book one. I think maybe because a large portion of the book took place in Faery. The plot was pretty big and a lot of things happen in a short amount of time, it tending to be a bit confusing. The world building in this series is one of the high points for me. I can totally get lost in picturing the surroundings that Allison creates. I was not crazy about the love triangle. I have come to dislike Brystion because of the heartbreak he put Abby through and I'm definitely rooting for Talivar and hope that they end up together. Phin just cracks me up. We actually learn a little bit more about him and the fact that Abby getting him was not a coincidence.
Abby is a really fun character. I had no problems connecting with her in book 1 and the same went for book 2. She has a lot to work out but After the ending in A SLIVER OF SHADOW there is no way that I wont read book 3.
January 18, 2013
It had been so long since I read the first book in the series that I was a tad confused in the beginning, but it didn’t take long for me to jump right back into the story. I love Abby. She’s another of those fun, feisty heroines who don’t apologize for their inability to truly follow the rules. She does her best to work through the guidelines that are handed down to her as a Touchstone for the Protectorate. Of course, things can’t always work out for the best and trouble comes looking for Abby which sends her running to Faery to try to fix things.
The entire book is one hell of a ride and I loved being on it. I am excited to jump into book 3 and see what’s in store for Abby given what happened in the end of this one. I hope that there will be some movement in regards to the two men in Abby’s life. I am hoping for a happily ever after with Talivar. I’m also hoping that the end of book three doesn’t end with the kind of cliffhanger that this one did because at this time there are no more books being published after book three. Stupid publishers….
The entire book is one hell of a ride and I loved being on it. I am excited to jump into book 3 and see what’s in store for Abby given what happened in the end of this one. I hope that there will be some movement in regards to the two men in Abby’s life. I am hoping for a happily ever after with Talivar. I’m also hoping that the end of book three doesn’t end with the kind of cliffhanger that this one did because at this time there are no more books being published after book three. Stupid publishers….
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