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Shaede Assassin #2
Blood Before Sunrise
“She needed a bargaining chip and this was it. Raif’s daughter’s life for hers. And he knew damn good and well I was right. Just like he’d assured me the night I’d killed Azriel, this was far from over. His daughter was alive. I knew it. And I was going to find her.”
For months, Darian and her Shaede guardian, Raif, have searched for the Oracle who attempted to overthrow the Shaede Nation—and kill Darian in the bargain. But now that they’ve finally found the half-crazed Oracle, they are granted a possibility too painful for Raif to imagine and too enticing for Darian to ignore.
Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead, but her mission quickly proves dangerous when her lover, Tyler, is almost killed. And when a brooding and mysterious Fae warrior offers his guidance—at an extraordinary price—Darian finds herself willing to risk everything. As her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession, and she and Tyler grow further apart, Darian finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother and the man whose love she can’t live without.…
For months, Darian and her Shaede guardian, Raif, have searched for the Oracle who attempted to overthrow the Shaede Nation—and kill Darian in the bargain. But now that they’ve finally found the half-crazed Oracle, they are granted a possibility too painful for Raif to imagine and too enticing for Darian to ignore.
Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead, but her mission quickly proves dangerous when her lover, Tyler, is almost killed. And when a brooding and mysterious Fae warrior offers his guidance—at an extraordinary price—Darian finds herself willing to risk everything. As her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession, and she and Tyler grow further apart, Darian finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother and the man whose love she can’t live without.…
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2012
24 people are currently reading
1284 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Bonilla
17 books428 followersAmanda Bonilla lives in rural Idaho with her husband and two kids. She’s a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshipper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. When she’s not writing she’s either reading or talking about her favorite books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 31, 2021
2021
⭐⭐⭐
Still a fantastic read but for some reason the 2nd time around for this one didn't quite hit the spot 😔
2014
What an ending - but not surprising... I kind of guessed what would happen but that didn't make it any less wrenching!
I wondered what this book would bring considering Amanda Bonilla had built up a world and its characters in book one, with surprising finesse and detail... But this book sprung just as many shocking events, if not more, than the first.
Darian, in all her pearls of wisdom and stubbornness, fought her way through the evils thrown at her but still kept her Jinn out of her quarrels, thus making life difficult for all...
Moira turned out to be a character I favoured in this book, I was a little disappointed not seeing so much of Anya but Raif, a definite 'top notch' character graced us with his presence throughout - I love this Shaede more than any of them!!! Raif's daughter went missing a long time ago and Darian is determined to find out what happened to her for her friend, some answers may lie with the Oracle...
A great book, kept me hooked but a lot of what happened I did second guess, the bits in-between, I had no idea about and those are what kept me going... I needed to know all the details and I got them and a whole lot more..
I am really looking forward to finding out what happens to Tyler and hearing more from Xander and Anya. I'm sure the fight in those characters has still to show the best bits...
⭐⭐⭐
Still a fantastic read but for some reason the 2nd time around for this one didn't quite hit the spot 😔
2014
What an ending - but not surprising... I kind of guessed what would happen but that didn't make it any less wrenching!
I wondered what this book would bring considering Amanda Bonilla had built up a world and its characters in book one, with surprising finesse and detail... But this book sprung just as many shocking events, if not more, than the first.
Darian, in all her pearls of wisdom and stubbornness, fought her way through the evils thrown at her but still kept her Jinn out of her quarrels, thus making life difficult for all...
Moira turned out to be a character I favoured in this book, I was a little disappointed not seeing so much of Anya but Raif, a definite 'top notch' character graced us with his presence throughout - I love this Shaede more than any of them!!! Raif's daughter went missing a long time ago and Darian is determined to find out what happened to her for her friend, some answers may lie with the Oracle...
A great book, kept me hooked but a lot of what happened I did second guess, the bits in-between, I had no idea about and those are what kept me going... I needed to know all the details and I got them and a whole lot more..
I am really looking forward to finding out what happens to Tyler and hearing more from Xander and Anya. I'm sure the fight in those characters has still to show the best bits...
September 19, 2016
Darian is possibly the dumbest female mc ever. I can't even. She has endless old as hell supernatural creatures all around her that would help her out at anytime and she employs none of them. Nothing. That's like trying to learn a foreign language and using a bilingual dictionary as a doorstop. She's such an idiot. I really hate her because of how she disregards everyone but herself. She just learned there were other supernatural creatures in the world a few months ago and now she thinks she can roll about solving all her problems without knowing anything. Dumbest person ever.
I'd also like to point out that I'm tired as fuck of listening to her spout her undying love for Tyler, the 1,000+ yr old djinn and then leaving him in the lurch when she has to do anything besides grocery shopping. How do you think your badass bf survived all those thousands of years without you keeping him safe. Yeah, it's baffling that he's been able to take care of himself without you for eons. Idiot, idiot, idiot. How can anyone like her? Really. She's one of those people that believes no one but herself. You tell her the sky is blue, have 6 million other people and every scientist ever tell her the sky is blue, but nope, she thinks it's purple, and because she only listens to her own faulty brain, it's purple.
I could deal with her being an idiot in book 1 because it's the beginning of the series and all the supernatural world was new to her. Got it, she's a noob. But now, she knows where to go for info, has powerful friends and a djinn bf, and yet, nothing has changed. She's making every single mistake possible. I think she even goes out of her way to make more mistakes. Is someone keeping score? I don't understand how the author thought this was a good idea.
Besides my hatred of the female mc, I liked all the usual secondary characters, minus Fallon and Delilah. I got really bored with the villain because he was so blatantly the bad guy, which Darian didn't notice - that it's like thinking a polar bear is a vegetarian that loves to eat coconuts. That's how ridiculous it was to not know how the bad guy was.
The rest of the story was interesting in the world building part, but it couldn't keep the story going for me, there was just too much of Darian and her stupidity. I must be reading a video game kind of book that she keeps getting extra chances at life. I'd say I want her dead, and I do, but I really don't care about her and I finished this book by straight up super skimming. It was a waste of time. I should've watched grass grow.
I'd also like to point out that I'm tired as fuck of listening to her spout her undying love for Tyler, the 1,000+ yr old djinn and then leaving him in the lurch when she has to do anything besides grocery shopping. How do you think your badass bf survived all those thousands of years without you keeping him safe. Yeah, it's baffling that he's been able to take care of himself without you for eons. Idiot, idiot, idiot. How can anyone like her? Really. She's one of those people that believes no one but herself. You tell her the sky is blue, have 6 million other people and every scientist ever tell her the sky is blue, but nope, she thinks it's purple, and because she only listens to her own faulty brain, it's purple.
I could deal with her being an idiot in book 1 because it's the beginning of the series and all the supernatural world was new to her. Got it, she's a noob. But now, she knows where to go for info, has powerful friends and a djinn bf, and yet, nothing has changed. She's making every single mistake possible. I think she even goes out of her way to make more mistakes. Is someone keeping score? I don't understand how the author thought this was a good idea.
Besides my hatred of the female mc, I liked all the usual secondary characters, minus Fallon and Delilah. I got really bored with the villain because he was so blatantly the bad guy, which Darian didn't notice - that it's like thinking a polar bear is a vegetarian that loves to eat coconuts. That's how ridiculous it was to not know how the bad guy was.
The rest of the story was interesting in the world building part, but it couldn't keep the story going for me, there was just too much of Darian and her stupidity. I must be reading a video game kind of book that she keeps getting extra chances at life. I'd say I want her dead, and I do, but I really don't care about her and I finished this book by straight up super skimming. It was a waste of time. I should've watched grass grow.
May 7, 2024
DNF 51%
The heroine had such pick me vibes and it feels like each book in this series is in a contest with itself to see how badly it can fail the Bechdel test.
Not for me.
The heroine had such pick me vibes and it feels like each book in this series is in a contest with itself to see how badly it can fail the Bechdel test.
Not for me.
June 29, 2012
Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks
Is it possible for an author who writes a stellar ‘knock them out of the ballpark’ first book to write an equally good second installment? Yes. Yes it is. Amanda Bonilla has proven this with Blood Before Sunrise, the second book in her Shaede Assassin series.
Blood Before Sunrise starts a few months after Shaedes of Gray. Everything seems to be going well for Darian until she decides she wants to help Raif, a man who has quickly become a brother figure to her, and all goes to sh*t. Actually…no pretty much, it all goes to sh*t.
Darian has been alone for the last century then suddenly she finds out she’s not. She is not the only Shaede as she first suspected and she has a wonderful circle of friends and a super yummy and amazing boyfriend. (Yes, as you can tell, I like Tyler. Very much.) She has great intentions and a big heart…but not always the best way of doing things. This time, she really wants to help Raif find his daughter Brakae, but Raif doesn’t want Darian’s help because he’s convinced his daughter is dead. In fact, he has mourned her for years and finally feels as much at peace as he could feel under the circumstances. But Darian won’t listen because she is convinced that Brakae is alive and she really wants to do this for her friend. So she does what Darian does best: she jumps in with both feet.
I love Darian. Really I do. She is a great character and is written beautifully. But in this book she often drove me nuts. She wasn’t listening to anyone’s advice and it was getting her in trouble. I know you are probably wondering why, if Darian drove me nuts off and on in this book, did I give it five stars? It’s because not once did I feel like strangling the book nor did I feel like I had to put the book down to step away from it for a bit. I did want to smack Darian but Amanda wrote this so skilfully that right when you got to that point where you wanted to yell at our dear heroine, she redeemed herself just enough. She confides in someone or she says something that lets us know that she won’t be doing anything like this ever again. And in the end, Darian knows her issues and learns from her mistakes. She grows so much in this book (her character growth is absolutely phenomenal in this installment) that it works out and makes it all okay. Darian, with the way she was raised and the way she has lived her solitary life for so long, needs to be put through hell to learn anything. It’s just a shame we need to watch her growing pains. Then again, no it’s not because it gives us one hell of a ride!
I mentioned Raif. He is just amazing. He’s not even in this book all that much and I still adore him. I don’t even mind Xander. There is just something about his arrogance that draws you in. You want to try to knock him down a bit but then you don’t because then it wouldn’t be as much fun to watch him with Darian. I am curious to see if we will one day see his ‘honestly compassionate’ side or if we’ll always think he’s a bit of a jerk. And Moira, I like her too. And Tyler… Oh my heart went out to this man more than once along the journey that is this book. I love how he ended the book. Okay, love might be the wrong word here, but I did appreciate it. It’s real and it made sense…no matter how much it sucked. It’s all part of Darian’s learning curve and seeing that he understands that makes me love him all the more and really makes me know that he is the right man for her. (Cryptic enough for you ;) – go read the book!)
Fallon, the “brooding and mysterious Fae warrior” that is mentioned in the blurb above, is one hell of a character. You know there is something not quite right about him and when you really see what is going on…holy jumpin’! He is creepy and eerie and all that is good in a villain. But is he truly a villain here or just a misunderstood character? Hmm…I guess you’ll just have to read him to see.
The story in Blood Before Sunrise is fascinating. We find out more about Darian and what exactly happens to her at the end of Shades of Gray. We discover that she is linked to the fae world and how exactly is neat. An interesting twist that I would not have seen coming in the last book and one that makes me very curious to see how it will affect everything in the next book.
This book is awesome. This series is awesome. I am already drooling over the next book and a release date hasn’t even been announced yet. This is a truly fabulous urban fantasy read and I encourage all fans of the genre to check it out.
Is it possible for an author who writes a stellar ‘knock them out of the ballpark’ first book to write an equally good second installment? Yes. Yes it is. Amanda Bonilla has proven this with Blood Before Sunrise, the second book in her Shaede Assassin series.
Blood Before Sunrise starts a few months after Shaedes of Gray. Everything seems to be going well for Darian until she decides she wants to help Raif, a man who has quickly become a brother figure to her, and all goes to sh*t. Actually…no pretty much, it all goes to sh*t.
Darian has been alone for the last century then suddenly she finds out she’s not. She is not the only Shaede as she first suspected and she has a wonderful circle of friends and a super yummy and amazing boyfriend. (Yes, as you can tell, I like Tyler. Very much.) She has great intentions and a big heart…but not always the best way of doing things. This time, she really wants to help Raif find his daughter Brakae, but Raif doesn’t want Darian’s help because he’s convinced his daughter is dead. In fact, he has mourned her for years and finally feels as much at peace as he could feel under the circumstances. But Darian won’t listen because she is convinced that Brakae is alive and she really wants to do this for her friend. So she does what Darian does best: she jumps in with both feet.
I love Darian. Really I do. She is a great character and is written beautifully. But in this book she often drove me nuts. She wasn’t listening to anyone’s advice and it was getting her in trouble. I know you are probably wondering why, if Darian drove me nuts off and on in this book, did I give it five stars? It’s because not once did I feel like strangling the book nor did I feel like I had to put the book down to step away from it for a bit. I did want to smack Darian but Amanda wrote this so skilfully that right when you got to that point where you wanted to yell at our dear heroine, she redeemed herself just enough. She confides in someone or she says something that lets us know that she won’t be doing anything like this ever again. And in the end, Darian knows her issues and learns from her mistakes. She grows so much in this book (her character growth is absolutely phenomenal in this installment) that it works out and makes it all okay. Darian, with the way she was raised and the way she has lived her solitary life for so long, needs to be put through hell to learn anything. It’s just a shame we need to watch her growing pains. Then again, no it’s not because it gives us one hell of a ride!
I mentioned Raif. He is just amazing. He’s not even in this book all that much and I still adore him. I don’t even mind Xander. There is just something about his arrogance that draws you in. You want to try to knock him down a bit but then you don’t because then it wouldn’t be as much fun to watch him with Darian. I am curious to see if we will one day see his ‘honestly compassionate’ side or if we’ll always think he’s a bit of a jerk. And Moira, I like her too. And Tyler… Oh my heart went out to this man more than once along the journey that is this book. I love how he ended the book. Okay, love might be the wrong word here, but I did appreciate it. It’s real and it made sense…no matter how much it sucked. It’s all part of Darian’s learning curve and seeing that he understands that makes me love him all the more and really makes me know that he is the right man for her. (Cryptic enough for you ;) – go read the book!)
Fallon, the “brooding and mysterious Fae warrior” that is mentioned in the blurb above, is one hell of a character. You know there is something not quite right about him and when you really see what is going on…holy jumpin’! He is creepy and eerie and all that is good in a villain. But is he truly a villain here or just a misunderstood character? Hmm…I guess you’ll just have to read him to see.
The story in Blood Before Sunrise is fascinating. We find out more about Darian and what exactly happens to her at the end of Shades of Gray. We discover that she is linked to the fae world and how exactly is neat. An interesting twist that I would not have seen coming in the last book and one that makes me very curious to see how it will affect everything in the next book.
This book is awesome. This series is awesome. I am already drooling over the next book and a release date hasn’t even been announced yet. This is a truly fabulous urban fantasy read and I encourage all fans of the genre to check it out.
June 20, 2012
Mon avis en français
My English review
I really loved the first volume and I was more than curious to have the possibility to get into this new book. I confess I was a little anxious to be disappointed as it’s always a little complicated to surpass a book we really enjoyed. But WOW, I loved this one as well, it’s just amazing. When I think that I doubted about it, what nonsense!
This second volume perfectly follows the first one. Indeed, we find Darian who investigates about the Oracle, Delilah, as she left after the big battle in book 1. But everything is more complicated and when they finally find her, she claims to everyone that she knows where Brakae, the Raif’s daughter, is. Of course Darian is immediately intrigued by these words, despite Raif tells her to not care about that. But you know how is Darian, she is so stubborn, and it’s not Raif who will change her mind about this new quest, nor anyone else. However, everything is turned upside down when many persons try to prevent her about a new real danger and when Tyler is weakened and very moody all the time.
It was so pleasant to see Darian with our little Djinn, as she always was alone before. We understand that this relation will also be complicated between an overprotective Tyler and a shaede a little too independent for her own good. It was really surprising to see the efforts that they both try to do to make their relationship work, but it’s also a difficult situation. I confess I asked myself a lot of questions all along the book about Tyler because I didn’t understand what was going on. It’s heartbreaking to see him so possessive and jealous, but he will also do everything to help and protect Darian.
Amanda Bonilla was able in to beautifully recreate the feelings of the characters throughout the book, love as sorrow. It’s difficult for Darian to know what she really want to do and in the same time it’s impossible for her to be totally opened to Tyler as she is afraid about the follow events, for protecting him as well. But she doesn’t realize that the consequences of her acts are terrible. The reactions of Tyler and Darian broke my heart all along the story. It was so sad to see what it generates on their relationship. But our heroin needs all these events to really understand how it is to have someone in her life, a thing she is not used to have. It’s difficult for her to learn but we know she couldn’t leave her Djinn as he is now a real part of her life. But when she knows she could help Raif, another person she cares about, she is ready to put everything in peril. We totally understand the choices of each character but it’s difficult to assist to all these events without saying anything.
Many things happen in this novel and Darian will end up with more responsibilities than she would have thought at first, or even us. I confess that everything was a real surprise; I didn’t expect that at all. The author succeeded in this challenge to make of this story a wonderful book, really! I was hooked by the book from the start, and it was quite complicated to not read the whole volume at once. The writing style is very fluid and perfectly rhythmic with no dead time. The fights are one more time perfectly described and we’re each time in the center of the action.
It’s always really easy to relate ourselves to Darian from the start as always. We perfectly feel the complexity of her feelings. She has evolved a lot since the first volume and she is now more vulnerable. It’s the reason why we can easily understand her acts.
It’s been a while since I hadn’t read a book with a lump in my throat, a book that broke my heart like that. What a wonderful story! This novel is just awesome and if you enjoyed the first one I’m sure you’ll love this one. If you haven’t started the series yet, what are you waiting for? It’s so pleasant to have a book like that, a book so different from others.
To conclude, as I said, this book was really beautiful and now I really want to accelerate the time to read book 3.
My English review
I really loved the first volume and I was more than curious to have the possibility to get into this new book. I confess I was a little anxious to be disappointed as it’s always a little complicated to surpass a book we really enjoyed. But WOW, I loved this one as well, it’s just amazing. When I think that I doubted about it, what nonsense!
This second volume perfectly follows the first one. Indeed, we find Darian who investigates about the Oracle, Delilah, as she left after the big battle in book 1. But everything is more complicated and when they finally find her, she claims to everyone that she knows where Brakae, the Raif’s daughter, is. Of course Darian is immediately intrigued by these words, despite Raif tells her to not care about that. But you know how is Darian, she is so stubborn, and it’s not Raif who will change her mind about this new quest, nor anyone else. However, everything is turned upside down when many persons try to prevent her about a new real danger and when Tyler is weakened and very moody all the time.
It was so pleasant to see Darian with our little Djinn, as she always was alone before. We understand that this relation will also be complicated between an overprotective Tyler and a shaede a little too independent for her own good. It was really surprising to see the efforts that they both try to do to make their relationship work, but it’s also a difficult situation. I confess I asked myself a lot of questions all along the book about Tyler because I didn’t understand what was going on. It’s heartbreaking to see him so possessive and jealous, but he will also do everything to help and protect Darian.
Amanda Bonilla was able in to beautifully recreate the feelings of the characters throughout the book, love as sorrow. It’s difficult for Darian to know what she really want to do and in the same time it’s impossible for her to be totally opened to Tyler as she is afraid about the follow events, for protecting him as well. But she doesn’t realize that the consequences of her acts are terrible. The reactions of Tyler and Darian broke my heart all along the story. It was so sad to see what it generates on their relationship. But our heroin needs all these events to really understand how it is to have someone in her life, a thing she is not used to have. It’s difficult for her to learn but we know she couldn’t leave her Djinn as he is now a real part of her life. But when she knows she could help Raif, another person she cares about, she is ready to put everything in peril. We totally understand the choices of each character but it’s difficult to assist to all these events without saying anything.
Many things happen in this novel and Darian will end up with more responsibilities than she would have thought at first, or even us. I confess that everything was a real surprise; I didn’t expect that at all. The author succeeded in this challenge to make of this story a wonderful book, really! I was hooked by the book from the start, and it was quite complicated to not read the whole volume at once. The writing style is very fluid and perfectly rhythmic with no dead time. The fights are one more time perfectly described and we’re each time in the center of the action.
It’s always really easy to relate ourselves to Darian from the start as always. We perfectly feel the complexity of her feelings. She has evolved a lot since the first volume and she is now more vulnerable. It’s the reason why we can easily understand her acts.
It’s been a while since I hadn’t read a book with a lump in my throat, a book that broke my heart like that. What a wonderful story! This novel is just awesome and if you enjoyed the first one I’m sure you’ll love this one. If you haven’t started the series yet, what are you waiting for? It’s so pleasant to have a book like that, a book so different from others.
To conclude, as I said, this book was really beautiful and now I really want to accelerate the time to read book 3.
June 12, 2012
I love badass heroines. I love the swagger, the snarky attitude, and the way that they hold their gun, sword, or other weapon of choice. One of my favorite badass heroines has got to be Darian Charles from Amanda Bonilla’s Shaede Assassin series.
In Blood Before Sunrise the second book of the series, Darian has made herself quite the “to-do” list. Topping her list is her quest to find Raif’s long lost daughter Brakae. There is also the matter of a mysterious green gem, the man from the ring, and Darian is asked to steal something powerful. Darian is also having some strange dreams too.
Darian hasn’t changed much since the first book. She is, however, the only shaede able to remain corporeal day and night. That makes her very special. Darian is still stubborn and sometimes does things that put her safety at risk. This kind of bothered me as she had a whole slew of very strong, muscular men at her disposal. Darian is not the kind to ask for help even when it is clearly warranted.
I loved how Darian and Tyler’s relationship developed in this book. Tyler was both Darian’s lover and her bound jinn which resulted in some sticky possessive situations. At times Tyler was overbearing, an alpha-caveman, but he was completely devoted to Darian and her safety. And wow…the sexy times were steamy hot.
Part of the attraction of this series is the secondary characters. One of my favorites is Levi, the human bartender. Levi has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things preternatural. I hope that we get to learn more about him in future books.
Raif is also an intriguing character. As a shaede, he is quite old. His history and background would be fascinating. And Xander – I’m not sure if I like him yet, but I do enjoy the banter between Xander and Darian.
Honorable mention goes to a really cool nightclub in this book, Seven. Each room in the nightclub was based on the seven deadly sins. Definitely a great place to meet a villain.
The second half of the book was my favorite. There was so much excitement and action! The trip into the fae realms was quite the trip. I loved how things constantly changed in the realms. The inhabitants were also very interesting.
What an ending! I really can’t wait for the next book. March 2013 is so far away. If you enjoy dark urban fantasy add the Shaede Assassin books to your to-read list.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
You can also see our interview with Amanda Bonilla here.
In Blood Before Sunrise the second book of the series, Darian has made herself quite the “to-do” list. Topping her list is her quest to find Raif’s long lost daughter Brakae. There is also the matter of a mysterious green gem, the man from the ring, and Darian is asked to steal something powerful. Darian is also having some strange dreams too.
Darian hasn’t changed much since the first book. She is, however, the only shaede able to remain corporeal day and night. That makes her very special. Darian is still stubborn and sometimes does things that put her safety at risk. This kind of bothered me as she had a whole slew of very strong, muscular men at her disposal. Darian is not the kind to ask for help even when it is clearly warranted.
I loved how Darian and Tyler’s relationship developed in this book. Tyler was both Darian’s lover and her bound jinn which resulted in some sticky possessive situations. At times Tyler was overbearing, an alpha-caveman, but he was completely devoted to Darian and her safety. And wow…the sexy times were steamy hot.
Part of the attraction of this series is the secondary characters. One of my favorites is Levi, the human bartender. Levi has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things preternatural. I hope that we get to learn more about him in future books.
Raif is also an intriguing character. As a shaede, he is quite old. His history and background would be fascinating. And Xander – I’m not sure if I like him yet, but I do enjoy the banter between Xander and Darian.
Honorable mention goes to a really cool nightclub in this book, Seven. Each room in the nightclub was based on the seven deadly sins. Definitely a great place to meet a villain.
The second half of the book was my favorite. There was so much excitement and action! The trip into the fae realms was quite the trip. I loved how things constantly changed in the realms. The inhabitants were also very interesting.
What an ending! I really can’t wait for the next book. March 2013 is so far away. If you enjoy dark urban fantasy add the Shaede Assassin books to your to-read list.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
You can also see our interview with Amanda Bonilla here.
July 3, 2012
"Fuck it. What was done was done. I'd walked through these gates a woman on a mission, bent on helping a friend and obsessed with discovering the truth. I walked out a fugitive."
Blood Before Sunrise begins shortly after the events that occurred in Shaedes of Gray. From the beginning I was completely immersed into the assassin world and felt completely captivated by the dark world Darian lives in. Amanda Bonilla has an exceptional knack for world building that captivating me from beginning to end while tugging at my heart strings, while charming me simultaneously. This speaks volumes to just how exceptionally talented Amanda Bonilla truly is.
Blood turned to ice in my veins. "Leave him out of this. Or you won't need me to steal a damned thing for you because I'll take your head right off your shoulders." Razor blades would not have been as sharp as my warning.
Darian is a Shaede, she's a snarky powerful assasin and she's been living a life filled with loneliness and despair for an entire century prior to meeting other Shaedes exactly like herself. She's now living a fulfilling life with friends, a wonderful boyfriend and people she can actually rely on. Unfortunately she fails to realize just how supportive and devoted her newfound group of fellow Shaedes truly are. She remains guarded, and still seeks to solve all her problems on her own and that contributes to more pain than truly unnecessary behavior leaving her lonely and broken once again.
"Raif is....." What is he? The Prince? An earl? I had no idea what the King's brother's official title was. "The High King's brother. And all around badass," I added.
Raif has easily slipped into the role of Darian's best friend, fierce protector and all around badass. I'm a huge fan of the intoxicatingly sexy Raif and I find myself reveling in the sibling like relationship between Raif and Darian. He's her rock in a hard place, that is if she's willing to lean on that rock.
"Darian," Raif said, calm as a still pond, "I'm afraid you're going to have to fight me for the right to kill this piece of shit." Did he know me, or what? "Because I swear to you now, he's going to fall beneath my sword." God I hoped so. I could live with knowing it wouldn't be me ripping his soul from his body as long as the bastard was dead.
Poor Raif has lived a tortured life with his wife sacrificing her life for return of their daughter Brakae whom has been missing leaving him to mourn her loss for many long torturous years. After years of finally coming to terms with the tragic loss of a daughter and accepting that she is no longer among the living, Darian steps in and turns Raif's world upside down with the desire to seek her out as an encounter with an enemy has led her to believe that perhaps Brakae may still be alive. Raif's is strongly against this search and though he desires Darian to abort this mission, her love for him blinds her from any other route but bringing peace to her beloved friend. I admire her tenacity and loyalty towards her friend and the selfless desire to heal a friends broken heart.
"Don't ever doubt me," he said in a steel-hard tone that set me back a little. His emotions were teetering close to manic--or at the very least, bipolar. I tried to pull away, but he held me, refusing me even an inch in freedom. "I belong to you. Mind, heart, soul." He paused. "And flesh. I'm strong enough."
I really love Tyler, he's Darian's boyfriend and he's an ubber sexy Jinn also known as a genie. Except this genie is alluring with model good looks, and strength and devotion to back it up. *Sigh* With his salacious good looks and, charm and heroic behavior he kept me swooning the entire book. I was eager to turn the pages quicker, sadly Tyler and Darian's relationship suffers tremendously in this installment of the Shaede Assassins series. Darians behavior towards Tyler has put a wedge in between their relationship and it's heartbreaking to endure. His health has been deteriorating slowly and unfortunately that leads Darian wanting to protect him, without even realizing that she's leaving emasculated and broken with the desire to protect and care for her. This leads to just one more issue that Darian can include on her desired obstacles to overcome. Poor Darian just can't get a break, as benevolent as she truly is.
"What if I told you I dream about you nightly? Your skin glorious and bare beneath my hands. What if I said I crave you like a drug and won't rest until I have you in my bed?"
"I guess you're going to have to look forward to many sleepless days and nights, Xander."
Fallon is a character that will leave you desiring to know more about his mysterious, yet somewhat charming background. Levi the human bartender a master of all things supernatural and Xander the foxy King of the Shaedes. He dazzled me empathically from beginning to end. The ending left me heartbroken, and yet fulfilled because without those actions from a particular character I would have lost all respect, therefore as much as the ending hurt it was fitting.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're very arrogant?"
Sure. In so many words, almost everyone I'd ever met. But in my line of work you had to be a little cocky. "You have a problem with arrogance?"
Blood Before Sunrise was an exceptionally written Urban Fantasy book that I cannot recommend highly enough. If your a fan of urban fantasy, with a kick-ass heroine, gorgeous Alpha men, passionate relationships and world building that leaves you mesmerized, then this is the book for you. Amanda Bonilla enchanted me with her dark and gritty Assassin world. Don't wait to read this book, do yourself a favor and read Blood Before Sunrise immediately!!! The only disappointment is that the third installment of the Shaede Assassin series doesn't release until March 2013.
"I will protect you with my dying breath. If you need me, you know what to do."
ARCprovided for review by Author
You can also find my review here: http://missvainsparanormalfantasy.com...
Blood Before Sunrise begins shortly after the events that occurred in Shaedes of Gray. From the beginning I was completely immersed into the assassin world and felt completely captivated by the dark world Darian lives in. Amanda Bonilla has an exceptional knack for world building that captivating me from beginning to end while tugging at my heart strings, while charming me simultaneously. This speaks volumes to just how exceptionally talented Amanda Bonilla truly is.
Blood turned to ice in my veins. "Leave him out of this. Or you won't need me to steal a damned thing for you because I'll take your head right off your shoulders." Razor blades would not have been as sharp as my warning.
Darian is a Shaede, she's a snarky powerful assasin and she's been living a life filled with loneliness and despair for an entire century prior to meeting other Shaedes exactly like herself. She's now living a fulfilling life with friends, a wonderful boyfriend and people she can actually rely on. Unfortunately she fails to realize just how supportive and devoted her newfound group of fellow Shaedes truly are. She remains guarded, and still seeks to solve all her problems on her own and that contributes to more pain than truly unnecessary behavior leaving her lonely and broken once again.
"Raif is....." What is he? The Prince? An earl? I had no idea what the King's brother's official title was. "The High King's brother. And all around badass," I added.
Raif has easily slipped into the role of Darian's best friend, fierce protector and all around badass. I'm a huge fan of the intoxicatingly sexy Raif and I find myself reveling in the sibling like relationship between Raif and Darian. He's her rock in a hard place, that is if she's willing to lean on that rock.
"Darian," Raif said, calm as a still pond, "I'm afraid you're going to have to fight me for the right to kill this piece of shit." Did he know me, or what? "Because I swear to you now, he's going to fall beneath my sword." God I hoped so. I could live with knowing it wouldn't be me ripping his soul from his body as long as the bastard was dead.
Poor Raif has lived a tortured life with his wife sacrificing her life for return of their daughter Brakae whom has been missing leaving him to mourn her loss for many long torturous years. After years of finally coming to terms with the tragic loss of a daughter and accepting that she is no longer among the living, Darian steps in and turns Raif's world upside down with the desire to seek her out as an encounter with an enemy has led her to believe that perhaps Brakae may still be alive. Raif's is strongly against this search and though he desires Darian to abort this mission, her love for him blinds her from any other route but bringing peace to her beloved friend. I admire her tenacity and loyalty towards her friend and the selfless desire to heal a friends broken heart.
"Don't ever doubt me," he said in a steel-hard tone that set me back a little. His emotions were teetering close to manic--or at the very least, bipolar. I tried to pull away, but he held me, refusing me even an inch in freedom. "I belong to you. Mind, heart, soul." He paused. "And flesh. I'm strong enough."
I really love Tyler, he's Darian's boyfriend and he's an ubber sexy Jinn also known as a genie. Except this genie is alluring with model good looks, and strength and devotion to back it up. *Sigh* With his salacious good looks and, charm and heroic behavior he kept me swooning the entire book. I was eager to turn the pages quicker, sadly Tyler and Darian's relationship suffers tremendously in this installment of the Shaede Assassins series. Darians behavior towards Tyler has put a wedge in between their relationship and it's heartbreaking to endure. His health has been deteriorating slowly and unfortunately that leads Darian wanting to protect him, without even realizing that she's leaving emasculated and broken with the desire to protect and care for her. This leads to just one more issue that Darian can include on her desired obstacles to overcome. Poor Darian just can't get a break, as benevolent as she truly is.
"What if I told you I dream about you nightly? Your skin glorious and bare beneath my hands. What if I said I crave you like a drug and won't rest until I have you in my bed?"
"I guess you're going to have to look forward to many sleepless days and nights, Xander."
Fallon is a character that will leave you desiring to know more about his mysterious, yet somewhat charming background. Levi the human bartender a master of all things supernatural and Xander the foxy King of the Shaedes. He dazzled me empathically from beginning to end. The ending left me heartbroken, and yet fulfilled because without those actions from a particular character I would have lost all respect, therefore as much as the ending hurt it was fitting.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're very arrogant?"
Sure. In so many words, almost everyone I'd ever met. But in my line of work you had to be a little cocky. "You have a problem with arrogance?"
Blood Before Sunrise was an exceptionally written Urban Fantasy book that I cannot recommend highly enough. If your a fan of urban fantasy, with a kick-ass heroine, gorgeous Alpha men, passionate relationships and world building that leaves you mesmerized, then this is the book for you. Amanda Bonilla enchanted me with her dark and gritty Assassin world. Don't wait to read this book, do yourself a favor and read Blood Before Sunrise immediately!!! The only disappointment is that the third installment of the Shaede Assassin series doesn't release until March 2013.
"I will protect you with my dying breath. If you need me, you know what to do."
ARCprovided for review by Author
You can also find my review here: http://missvainsparanormalfantasy.com...
June 8, 2012
4.5 stars
Posted on Under the Covers
Darian’s to do list just keeps getting longer. In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian has her hands full as she tries to reacquaint Raif, the man whom she loves as a brother with his daughter. It sounds simple enough, right? However, things seldom are for Darian. Her boyfriend, Ty is attacked and things only begin to worsen from there...
Readers who loved SHAEDES OF GRAY will surely get a kick out of this book! I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I can truly say that Ms. Bonilla has outdone herself. Not only is this book action-packed from beginning to end, but Bonilla fuses interesting elements together that make for a world that is totally unique and engaging.
The Fae world is explained in detail and along with that, stories of characters that are tied to the world are revealed as well. There is one character that was particularly compelling to me. In his very first scene, Fallon intrigued me. I instantly wanted to know more about this mysterious Fae warrior and Bonilla delivered his stories in spades! My emotions were tugged from opposite ends of the corner as easily as his emotions changed. Any author who is able to make me love a character, change my mind and then redeem him is spectacular in my eyes. I would love to read more about Fallon!
In this book, I noticed that there is more emphasis on Ty and Darian’s relationship. I loved reading about the romance because it was interesting to see how a woman as independent as Darian find a balance to be in a relationship with a man as protective and possessive as Ty. In SHAEDES OF GRAY, sometimes I felt that Darian pushed Ty away too much and it did nothing but make her feel lonely. She has survived alone for so long so, how does she let go of that independence she grips so tightly to and open herself up to Ty? It’s not always pleasant. They argue and get jealous of others, but I definitely saw some growth in character on Darian’s part. With the way the book ended, I am dying for the next one!
BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE is a tightly written, edge-of-your-seat read! You do not want to miss out on this series.
*ARC provided by publisher
Posted on Under the Covers
Darian’s to do list just keeps getting longer. In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian has her hands full as she tries to reacquaint Raif, the man whom she loves as a brother with his daughter. It sounds simple enough, right? However, things seldom are for Darian. Her boyfriend, Ty is attacked and things only begin to worsen from there...
Readers who loved SHAEDES OF GRAY will surely get a kick out of this book! I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I can truly say that Ms. Bonilla has outdone herself. Not only is this book action-packed from beginning to end, but Bonilla fuses interesting elements together that make for a world that is totally unique and engaging.
The Fae world is explained in detail and along with that, stories of characters that are tied to the world are revealed as well. There is one character that was particularly compelling to me. In his very first scene, Fallon intrigued me. I instantly wanted to know more about this mysterious Fae warrior and Bonilla delivered his stories in spades! My emotions were tugged from opposite ends of the corner as easily as his emotions changed. Any author who is able to make me love a character, change my mind and then redeem him is spectacular in my eyes. I would love to read more about Fallon!
In this book, I noticed that there is more emphasis on Ty and Darian’s relationship. I loved reading about the romance because it was interesting to see how a woman as independent as Darian find a balance to be in a relationship with a man as protective and possessive as Ty. In SHAEDES OF GRAY, sometimes I felt that Darian pushed Ty away too much and it did nothing but make her feel lonely. She has survived alone for so long so, how does she let go of that independence she grips so tightly to and open herself up to Ty? It’s not always pleasant. They argue and get jealous of others, but I definitely saw some growth in character on Darian’s part. With the way the book ended, I am dying for the next one!
BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE is a tightly written, edge-of-your-seat read! You do not want to miss out on this series.
*ARC provided by publisher
June 21, 2012
This review is spoiler free, but assumes a basic familiarity with the first book.
Most of you know that the first Shaede Assassin book, Shaedes of Gray , was one of my favorite premier UF books of 2011, so I was chomping at the bit to get my eyeballs on the second book in the series, Blood Before Sunrise. I am pleased to say it totally lived up to my expectations.
Darian is working with her friend and Shaede guardian, Raif, to find the Oracle who she THOUGHT had been her friend, but who totally bamboozled them all in trying to take out the Shaede Nation. Once they finally find Delilah she starts spouting some pretty crazy things, but one of those things is about Raif's presumed-dead daughter... and that's when things get bananas.
The book starts off with a bang! and never lets up steam. There were many moments when I really wanted to shake the heroine, Darian. Initially, she does some seemingly bone-headed things in Blood Before Sunrise, but she sure does pay dearly for her missteps, and she learns from the missteps as well. Additionally, the missteps are not exactly what they seem, either, as other influences come to play with her free will. Her newly developed romantic relationship with Tyler, her dreamy Jinn, hits some pretty tumultuous times. Without giving away too much, Darian really needs to go off on her own and learn from her {very vast, ahem} mistakes... and Tyler also needs to do what is right for him, in the end. But I certainly was not mad at Darian, because after all her stumbles, her growth in character was significant.
We see the tough-talking badass Darian of Now, but we also see a dark and disturbing glimpse in to her past again, as well. There are some very violent scenes involving Darian and the villain that are so well narrated and depicted that they made me uncomfortable. Darian is subjected to some pretty similar events that have her remembering her time at her abusive husband's hands, and she is continuously kicked when she is down. The glimpses we are shown of how it felt to be a battered wife really got to me, and I had to take some deep breathes to read through the scenes. Very very very well done. I went from being really frustrated with her, to feeling horribly sad for her, to then really rooting for her again.
Amanda Bonilla does such an incredible job with all the secondary characters, some recurring from the previous book. I was sad to see one of the Baddies die. She may have been playing for the Team Evil, but she sure had moxie, and I loved that about her (not mentioning names, to avoid spoilers). Seriously, I was bummed when she met her demise! Darian is taken on a trip to the Sidhe flipside with fantastic mythology and helpful Sprites and not-so-helpful Nymphs. We do get a little bit of Xander, but not much. And Darian experiences some flashbacks to her time with Azriel, and a new character is introduced in her memories, Lorik, and a new mystery is presented, which I loved. It left me wanting more, more, more!!
I said last year that this was one of my new favorite Urban Fantasy series, and with Blood Before Sunrise, I can say that it remains as one of my favorites. Dang it, we have to wait until 2013 for the next installment!
Originally posted at WickedLilPixie Reviews
Most of you know that the first Shaede Assassin book, Shaedes of Gray , was one of my favorite premier UF books of 2011, so I was chomping at the bit to get my eyeballs on the second book in the series, Blood Before Sunrise. I am pleased to say it totally lived up to my expectations.
Darian is working with her friend and Shaede guardian, Raif, to find the Oracle who she THOUGHT had been her friend, but who totally bamboozled them all in trying to take out the Shaede Nation. Once they finally find Delilah she starts spouting some pretty crazy things, but one of those things is about Raif's presumed-dead daughter... and that's when things get bananas.
The book starts off with a bang! and never lets up steam. There were many moments when I really wanted to shake the heroine, Darian. Initially, she does some seemingly bone-headed things in Blood Before Sunrise, but she sure does pay dearly for her missteps, and she learns from the missteps as well. Additionally, the missteps are not exactly what they seem, either, as other influences come to play with her free will. Her newly developed romantic relationship with Tyler, her dreamy Jinn, hits some pretty tumultuous times. Without giving away too much, Darian really needs to go off on her own and learn from her {very vast, ahem} mistakes... and Tyler also needs to do what is right for him, in the end. But I certainly was not mad at Darian, because after all her stumbles, her growth in character was significant.
We see the tough-talking badass Darian of Now, but we also see a dark and disturbing glimpse in to her past again, as well. There are some very violent scenes involving Darian and the villain that are so well narrated and depicted that they made me uncomfortable. Darian is subjected to some pretty similar events that have her remembering her time at her abusive husband's hands, and she is continuously kicked when she is down. The glimpses we are shown of how it felt to be a battered wife really got to me, and I had to take some deep breathes to read through the scenes. Very very very well done. I went from being really frustrated with her, to feeling horribly sad for her, to then really rooting for her again.
Amanda Bonilla does such an incredible job with all the secondary characters, some recurring from the previous book. I was sad to see one of the Baddies die. She may have been playing for the Team Evil, but she sure had moxie, and I loved that about her (not mentioning names, to avoid spoilers). Seriously, I was bummed when she met her demise! Darian is taken on a trip to the Sidhe flipside with fantastic mythology and helpful Sprites and not-so-helpful Nymphs. We do get a little bit of Xander, but not much. And Darian experiences some flashbacks to her time with Azriel, and a new character is introduced in her memories, Lorik, and a new mystery is presented, which I loved. It left me wanting more, more, more!!
I said last year that this was one of my new favorite Urban Fantasy series, and with Blood Before Sunrise, I can say that it remains as one of my favorites. Dang it, we have to wait until 2013 for the next installment!
Originally posted at WickedLilPixie Reviews
August 13, 2014
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Shaedes of Gray made my top 5 fav books of 2011 list and as a result, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of Blood Before Sunrise ever since. In this installment, Bonilla continues to expand upon her Shaede Assassin universe which is an impressive feat in itself considering she already did this the first time around. Apparently, Amanda's imagination and creativity knows no bounds because Darian is back in full force and the ride is wilder than ever. Aside from the extraordinary world building, this story is uplifting, heartbreaking, eye opening and just plain shocking. As for the ending... don't even get me started!
The story picks up right where it left off and Darian finds herself in the eye of the storm. There are battles being waged all around her which means that there's no lack of action but she does have to prioritize in which order to fight them. In Shaedes of Gray Darian's world gets turned upside down when she learns that she's not the last of her kind. In Blood Before Sunrise it happens all over again again except this time it's Faerie that makes its presence known. I really enjoyed watching some of the lose ends left over from the first installment come into play and propel the story forward. It's rare for me to love an author's world as much as her characters but in this instance I find myself enamored by both.
Ooh Darian, where do I even begin? I understand that she's just had the proverbial rug pulled out from under her but talk about frustrating. I just wanted to strangle her! Over and over again! Her decisions are questionable but if you take her past into consideration they then become understandable. As Amanda kindly pointed out to me: "This book is her hitting bottom". The good thing about bottoming out is the fact that you can only go up from there and Darian does exactly that. She learns from her mistakes (the hard way), grows and then becomes a better person as a result. This is character development at its best.
Darian's commitment to her friendship with Raif is admirable and her love for Tyler is limitless but when the two men in her life end up at odds all hell breaks lose. This is when a few of her "questionable decisions" really come into play. In my eyes, the right call was obvious from the get-go but Darian likes to do things the hard way. I personally think that she chose wrong but then again, I guess that's how we learn, from our mistakes. I understand why the book ended the way that it did but that doesn't mean that I have to like it!
Blood Before Sunrise delivers a one-of-a-kind story with as many highs as there are lows; in other words, it'll rock your world!
Shaedes of Gray made my top 5 fav books of 2011 list and as a result, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of Blood Before Sunrise ever since. In this installment, Bonilla continues to expand upon her Shaede Assassin universe which is an impressive feat in itself considering she already did this the first time around. Apparently, Amanda's imagination and creativity knows no bounds because Darian is back in full force and the ride is wilder than ever. Aside from the extraordinary world building, this story is uplifting, heartbreaking, eye opening and just plain shocking. As for the ending... don't even get me started!
The story picks up right where it left off and Darian finds herself in the eye of the storm. There are battles being waged all around her which means that there's no lack of action but she does have to prioritize in which order to fight them. In Shaedes of Gray Darian's world gets turned upside down when she learns that she's not the last of her kind. In Blood Before Sunrise it happens all over again again except this time it's Faerie that makes its presence known. I really enjoyed watching some of the lose ends left over from the first installment come into play and propel the story forward. It's rare for me to love an author's world as much as her characters but in this instance I find myself enamored by both.
Ooh Darian, where do I even begin? I understand that she's just had the proverbial rug pulled out from under her but talk about frustrating. I just wanted to strangle her! Over and over again! Her decisions are questionable but if you take her past into consideration they then become understandable. As Amanda kindly pointed out to me: "This book is her hitting bottom". The good thing about bottoming out is the fact that you can only go up from there and Darian does exactly that. She learns from her mistakes (the hard way), grows and then becomes a better person as a result. This is character development at its best.
Darian's commitment to her friendship with Raif is admirable and her love for Tyler is limitless but when the two men in her life end up at odds all hell breaks lose. This is when a few of her "questionable decisions" really come into play. In my eyes, the right call was obvious from the get-go but Darian likes to do things the hard way. I personally think that she chose wrong but then again, I guess that's how we learn, from our mistakes. I understand why the book ended the way that it did but that doesn't mean that I have to like it!
Blood Before Sunrise delivers a one-of-a-kind story with as many highs as there are lows; in other words, it'll rock your world!
July 3, 2012
If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy and you have not tried the Shaede Assassin books, you are really missing out. These books bowl me over with fantastic world building and characters I care deeply about. This book took me on a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat until the big emotional finish that left me shredded.
The story picks up several months after the events of Shaedes of Gray. Darian is happy and in love with Tyler. Together with Raif and Xander's men, they are searching for the Oracle who escaped at the end of the last book. Things get more complicated once they find her and she reveals that Raif's daughter is alive and she knows where to find her. Raif can't allow himself to believe it's true but Darian can't ignore the possibility. So she makes it her mission to find the girl who has been lost for centuries.
At this point, a ton of stuff starts piling up on Darian's plate. She starts having terrifying dreams and visions filled with cryptic prophesies she can't understand. The Oracle gets placed in the custody of supernatural law enforcement, forcing Darian to make an unsavory alliance to get access to her again. Plus, there is something seriously wrong with Ty. He is flying into jealous rages, losing his self-control. And he says there is a problem with their bond.
It's really all too much for Darian to take on at once. She tries. But her actions merely accentuate her character flaws. She is impetuous and over confident. She is unable to trust in others, to allow them to help her. And it's in her inability to reach out and share her burdens that she makes terrible mistakes and some Very Bad Decisions.
I do believe Darian's heart is in the right place, though. So while she frustrates me, I still empathize with her. I love, love, love Ty, even though he is batshit crazy at times. I spent the entire book in constant fear that Darian would break her bond with him "for his own good." --And Raif. He's such an interesting character and I adore his relationship with Darian. I understand why she feels so loyal him. Xander, eh, I could take or leave.
Amanda Bonilla opens up her world even more in this story, taking us inside the Fae world, and explaining more about what makes Darian so special. It's... different. Unique. My only beef is one Darian shares toward the end of the book, which is Why the Hell didn't anyone tell her what she was? If two relevant characters would have just taken a moment to explain things, it would have saved everyone a lot of pain and heartbreak.
Yes. I said heartbreak. I feel hollow in my chest, dammit. How am I going to wait until March for this all to be fixed? (Are you listening Amanda Bonilla? This must be fixed. Or I am breaking up with you.)
Rating: A-
*ARC provided by author for review
The story picks up several months after the events of Shaedes of Gray. Darian is happy and in love with Tyler. Together with Raif and Xander's men, they are searching for the Oracle who escaped at the end of the last book. Things get more complicated once they find her and she reveals that Raif's daughter is alive and she knows where to find her. Raif can't allow himself to believe it's true but Darian can't ignore the possibility. So she makes it her mission to find the girl who has been lost for centuries.
At this point, a ton of stuff starts piling up on Darian's plate. She starts having terrifying dreams and visions filled with cryptic prophesies she can't understand. The Oracle gets placed in the custody of supernatural law enforcement, forcing Darian to make an unsavory alliance to get access to her again. Plus, there is something seriously wrong with Ty. He is flying into jealous rages, losing his self-control. And he says there is a problem with their bond.
It's really all too much for Darian to take on at once. She tries. But her actions merely accentuate her character flaws. She is impetuous and over confident. She is unable to trust in others, to allow them to help her. And it's in her inability to reach out and share her burdens that she makes terrible mistakes and some Very Bad Decisions.
I do believe Darian's heart is in the right place, though. So while she frustrates me, I still empathize with her. I love, love, love Ty, even though he is batshit crazy at times. I spent the entire book in constant fear that Darian would break her bond with him "for his own good." --And Raif. He's such an interesting character and I adore his relationship with Darian. I understand why she feels so loyal him. Xander, eh, I could take or leave.
Amanda Bonilla opens up her world even more in this story, taking us inside the Fae world, and explaining more about what makes Darian so special. It's... different. Unique. My only beef is one Darian shares toward the end of the book, which is Why the Hell didn't anyone tell her what she was? If two relevant characters would have just taken a moment to explain things, it would have saved everyone a lot of pain and heartbreak.
Yes. I said heartbreak. I feel hollow in my chest, dammit. How am I going to wait until March for this all to be fixed? (Are you listening Amanda Bonilla? This must be fixed. Or I am breaking up with you.)
Rating: A-
*ARC provided by author for review
July 3, 2012
4 ½ Stars
Blood Before Sunrise starts couple of months after the events in Shaedes of Gray. Darian and Raif have been searching for months for the Oracle, Delilah. When they finally find her her mind is not as once was, she is talking so much nonsense that is difficult to understand what she is really saying, but in one of her ramblings she says that Raif daughter, Brakae is not dead. Raif doesn’t want to hear anything about it; he has suffered for Brakae’s disappearance for years and won’t believe a crazy maniacal Oracle. But something in Darian tells her Delilah is telling the truth.
Raif is her best friend, the man she loves like a brother. Darian knows how much he has suffered because of the disappearance of his daughter, for that reason she wants to find her for him and sets her mind in finding Brakae.
Reading some books is like taking a ride in a roller coaster of emotions. Reading Blood Before Sunrise is like taking a ride in the first row of that roller coaster. This book grabs you from page one to the end without letting you go, not even to take a breath, be ready to swoon, laugh and almost cry. You heart will rise and hurt and you will experience every feeling in between. Mrs. Bonilla’s writing is so good and vivid that she will make you experience this and more with her words.
Darian has come a long way since we met her in Shaedes of Grey. She is learning to live a life where she is not alone, where she has people that care for her and she can count with them. She has Tyler who loves her unconditionally and is willing to die for her, Raif who is more than a brother to her and even Xander who publicly admires her and covets her.
But getting there has not been an easy road. All this is new to her and sometimes she just doesn’t know how to do it. She doesn’t know how to trust others or how to ask for help when she needs it. This places her in difficult situations where not only her life is in peril but also her relationships strain because of her trusting issues.
Darian made many mistakes and makes same amount of bad decisions in this book, sometimes it was painful to watch, it was almost as watching a train wreck in slow motion, you know is coming but there is nothing you can do to stop it. I would have preferred for her to make better decisions (my heart would have suffered a lot less) but at the same time that was just what she needed to learn from her mistakes and become a better person.
We also learn more about her past, about her human life and the time she shared with Azriel. From those glimpses we learn something that it may affect her in the future.
My heart broke for Tyler in this book, I know how much he loves Darian and everything he has done for her. Seeing him suffer in this book was not easy, I understood that his behavior was something completely out of his control and it pained me to see him like that.
I know Darian loves him but I wish she would have been trust-worthier with him, if somebody deserves her entire trust is Tyler.
Raif was more in Darian’s thoughts than in the pages but still we see how good he is and how much he loves Darian. For him Darian is much more than a simple friend, their relationship has progressed a lot and slowly they have become family.
We see some of Xander, he is still the self-assured leader of the Shaedes and his interest in Darian hasn’t diminished one bit. I really wonder about his real intentions towards Darian. Is it only an attraction? Is it one of those cases where you want what you can’t have? Or does he really have feelings for her? I hope Mrs. Bonilla will answer some of my questions in future books.
The villain in this book is bad and creepy and scary. He is one of those characters that really believe his craziness making him even more dangerous. He is a fanatic of his beliefs and in his head he has the right to do what he does. Mrs. Bonilla writes him so good that even though you wish him a slow and painful death you can help but sympathize with him and his “cause”.
We meet new characters in this book, some I would love to see more in future books like Moira. We also learn more about recurring characters, but still there is a lot to be discovered. Mrs. Bonilla has created in her Shaede Assassin Series a unique and extraordinary world very rich in mythology, with compelling and complex characters and a very well written plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Mrs. Bonilla also does a great job recounting events of previous book without being repetitive; this helped me a lot because I had forgotten a lot of what happened in Shaedes of Grey.
The end broke my heart in thousand shards, it was what was needed but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Have tissues close by, you may need them.
All in all Blood Before Sunrise is a Great addition to a Great series and a book I recommend to all Urban Fantasy lovers. If you love this genre this book and this series are a Must Read for you. If you haven’t read Shaedes of Grey… What are you waiting for? You need to read it today! I recommend you to read them in order to get the whole effect of the magic world Mrs. Bonilla has created for us.
I’m really looking forward to March of next year to the release of the next installment of this series, Crave the Darkness.
Blood Before Sunrise starts couple of months after the events in Shaedes of Gray. Darian and Raif have been searching for months for the Oracle, Delilah. When they finally find her her mind is not as once was, she is talking so much nonsense that is difficult to understand what she is really saying, but in one of her ramblings she says that Raif daughter, Brakae is not dead. Raif doesn’t want to hear anything about it; he has suffered for Brakae’s disappearance for years and won’t believe a crazy maniacal Oracle. But something in Darian tells her Delilah is telling the truth.
Raif is her best friend, the man she loves like a brother. Darian knows how much he has suffered because of the disappearance of his daughter, for that reason she wants to find her for him and sets her mind in finding Brakae.
Reading some books is like taking a ride in a roller coaster of emotions. Reading Blood Before Sunrise is like taking a ride in the first row of that roller coaster. This book grabs you from page one to the end without letting you go, not even to take a breath, be ready to swoon, laugh and almost cry. You heart will rise and hurt and you will experience every feeling in between. Mrs. Bonilla’s writing is so good and vivid that she will make you experience this and more with her words.
Darian has come a long way since we met her in Shaedes of Grey. She is learning to live a life where she is not alone, where she has people that care for her and she can count with them. She has Tyler who loves her unconditionally and is willing to die for her, Raif who is more than a brother to her and even Xander who publicly admires her and covets her.
But getting there has not been an easy road. All this is new to her and sometimes she just doesn’t know how to do it. She doesn’t know how to trust others or how to ask for help when she needs it. This places her in difficult situations where not only her life is in peril but also her relationships strain because of her trusting issues.
Darian made many mistakes and makes same amount of bad decisions in this book, sometimes it was painful to watch, it was almost as watching a train wreck in slow motion, you know is coming but there is nothing you can do to stop it. I would have preferred for her to make better decisions (my heart would have suffered a lot less) but at the same time that was just what she needed to learn from her mistakes and become a better person.
We also learn more about her past, about her human life and the time she shared with Azriel. From those glimpses we learn something that it may affect her in the future.
My heart broke for Tyler in this book, I know how much he loves Darian and everything he has done for her. Seeing him suffer in this book was not easy, I understood that his behavior was something completely out of his control and it pained me to see him like that.
I know Darian loves him but I wish she would have been trust-worthier with him, if somebody deserves her entire trust is Tyler.
Raif was more in Darian’s thoughts than in the pages but still we see how good he is and how much he loves Darian. For him Darian is much more than a simple friend, their relationship has progressed a lot and slowly they have become family.
We see some of Xander, he is still the self-assured leader of the Shaedes and his interest in Darian hasn’t diminished one bit. I really wonder about his real intentions towards Darian. Is it only an attraction? Is it one of those cases where you want what you can’t have? Or does he really have feelings for her? I hope Mrs. Bonilla will answer some of my questions in future books.
The villain in this book is bad and creepy and scary. He is one of those characters that really believe his craziness making him even more dangerous. He is a fanatic of his beliefs and in his head he has the right to do what he does. Mrs. Bonilla writes him so good that even though you wish him a slow and painful death you can help but sympathize with him and his “cause”.
We meet new characters in this book, some I would love to see more in future books like Moira. We also learn more about recurring characters, but still there is a lot to be discovered. Mrs. Bonilla has created in her Shaede Assassin Series a unique and extraordinary world very rich in mythology, with compelling and complex characters and a very well written plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Mrs. Bonilla also does a great job recounting events of previous book without being repetitive; this helped me a lot because I had forgotten a lot of what happened in Shaedes of Grey.
The end broke my heart in thousand shards, it was what was needed but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Have tissues close by, you may need them.
All in all Blood Before Sunrise is a Great addition to a Great series and a book I recommend to all Urban Fantasy lovers. If you love this genre this book and this series are a Must Read for you. If you haven’t read Shaedes of Grey… What are you waiting for? You need to read it today! I recommend you to read them in order to get the whole effect of the magic world Mrs. Bonilla has created for us.
I’m really looking forward to March of next year to the release of the next installment of this series, Crave the Darkness.
June 12, 2012
Darian and her Shaede guardian Raif have searched for months to find the Oracle who attempted to kill Darian. But after they have found her Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead. Of course you know Darian her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession and she finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother, and her jinn Tyler whose love she can’t live without.
My Thoughts
Amanda Bonilla has done it again. Blood before Sunrise is a brilliant follow-up to the great Shaede Assassin series first book Shaedes of Grey. With a strong and determined kick-ass heroine and full of paranormal beings such as Darian's sexy jinn Tyler, sylphs, guardians, keepers and the sexy shaede king.
Blood before sunrise is fast-paced read with a fantastic story line, full force action without loosing the 'love' story-line that i like!
Definitely a 5 star +!
Just as with the first book I couldn't put it down afraid to miss something. Readers who loved SHAEDES OF GRAY will get there Shaede Assassin Fix out of this book! This exciting addition to the UFRW (Urban Fantasy Readers World) gets you hooked and craving for more and that is probily for the best because this series keeps getting better and better with each book. Be prepared to late nights when you start this one!
You can read the complete review on Paranormal Cravings!
My Thoughts
Amanda Bonilla has done it again. Blood before Sunrise is a brilliant follow-up to the great Shaede Assassin series first book Shaedes of Grey. With a strong and determined kick-ass heroine and full of paranormal beings such as Darian's sexy jinn Tyler, sylphs, guardians, keepers and the sexy shaede king.
Blood before sunrise is fast-paced read with a fantastic story line, full force action without loosing the 'love' story-line that i like!
Definitely a 5 star +!
Excerpt: “ Love really was an amazing thing. It could mends hearts, break them, and bend the very fabric of time and space. It bowed to no one, and could bring you to your knees for the right person.” ― Amanda Bonilla, Blood before Sunrise
Just as with the first book I couldn't put it down afraid to miss something. Readers who loved SHAEDES OF GRAY will get there Shaede Assassin Fix out of this book! This exciting addition to the UFRW (Urban Fantasy Readers World) gets you hooked and craving for more and that is probily for the best because this series keeps getting better and better with each book. Be prepared to late nights when you start this one!
You can read the complete review on Paranormal Cravings!
June 20, 2012
*Rating* 4.0
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Review based on the ARC I received from the author*
"Neither Shaede nor Lyhten be - You are other. Dangerous to some, a savior to others. You will be the instrument of destruction. Creature of nothing and everything. He's coming for you."
Amanda Bonilla's "Blood Before Sunrise" is the second installment in her Shade Assassin series. The story picks up several months after the conclusion of "Shaedes of Gray" with Darian and crew searching high and low for Delilah, the oracle who has information on the whereabouts of Rafe's daughter and who tried to overthrow the Shaede nation in her desire for revenge.
At the same time that Darian and Rafe are looking for Delilah, a new threat in the form of Fallon (Faolin) arrives on the scene and changes the direction of Darian's focus. Faolin is looking to use Darian to open the gates to Faerie where he intends to cause chaos on the mortal realm. Faolin is a nasty piece of work who is able to control anyone, including Darian, to do his bidding.
If you haven't already read SOG, please go back and do so before trying to read this book. I'm saying this in good cheer because that is exactly what I ended up doing when I received this book from the author.
Although Amanda Bonilla does a decent job of paraphrasing what happened in SOG, there was a lot of action, surprises, and information provided in SOG that really comes full circle in this story. The whole transformation of Darian into something else entirely is revisted and enlightened by Bonilla.
"I had a tendency to get on people's nerves. And on the nerves of Shaedes. And Sidhe. And Lythans. And Fae."
Darian is still feisty, sarcastic, slightly overbearing, and distrustful of those around her. She truly believes that everyone has their own agenda since being betrayed by Azriel and lied to about others of her kind. Even though she loves Tyler, she can't truly open up to him for fear that she will end up driving him away.
Her one and only mission now is to find Rafe's daughter (Brakae) and bring her home if possible. No matter what the cost to her, or those around her, even if it costs her the love of her life. For those who enjoyed Xander the first time around, he doesn't appear all that much over the course of this novel.
"You have potential to do good things for those you love. But you will only cause them to suffer."
My one and only complaint, which may be a minor one, is how possessive and annoying Tyler is at times. Yes, there are reasons for his possessiveness and willingness to put himself on the line for Darian. He did, afterall, bind himself to Darian shortly after meeting her. Yet, I find controlling characters to be slightly passe and unnecessary to the overall scheme of things. On the other hand, the romance between the two characters was off the charts steaming with desire and wanting. It's like you can't have one thing without the other.
There was yet another character briefly introduced named Lorik, who has yet to be revealed in his entirety. We know that Azriel had some sort of connnection to him and he's been sending postcards from whereever he lands in the world to Darian. What this means in the long term is anyone's guess.
The ending of this book really tore my heart out and left me in a relative state of shock. I can't say I didn't see the ending coming from what happens over the course of this story. There will definitely be surprises coming our way when CTD is released.
IMHO, this book was better than the first book because the world building had already been laid out for us in SOG. You can read by the synopsis that a lot of things happen with not only Darian, but Tyler as well.
In conclusion, I anxiously await the release of "Crave The Darkness" the next installment in this series. I want to see where Bonilla takes not only Darian's character now that we know she's special, but her relationship between Xander, Tyler, and Rafe as well.
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by NAL/Signet Eclipse
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Review based on the ARC I received from the author*
"Neither Shaede nor Lyhten be - You are other. Dangerous to some, a savior to others. You will be the instrument of destruction. Creature of nothing and everything. He's coming for you."
Amanda Bonilla's "Blood Before Sunrise" is the second installment in her Shade Assassin series. The story picks up several months after the conclusion of "Shaedes of Gray" with Darian and crew searching high and low for Delilah, the oracle who has information on the whereabouts of Rafe's daughter and who tried to overthrow the Shaede nation in her desire for revenge.
At the same time that Darian and Rafe are looking for Delilah, a new threat in the form of Fallon (Faolin) arrives on the scene and changes the direction of Darian's focus. Faolin is looking to use Darian to open the gates to Faerie where he intends to cause chaos on the mortal realm. Faolin is a nasty piece of work who is able to control anyone, including Darian, to do his bidding.
If you haven't already read SOG, please go back and do so before trying to read this book. I'm saying this in good cheer because that is exactly what I ended up doing when I received this book from the author.
Although Amanda Bonilla does a decent job of paraphrasing what happened in SOG, there was a lot of action, surprises, and information provided in SOG that really comes full circle in this story. The whole transformation of Darian into something else entirely is revisted and enlightened by Bonilla.
"I had a tendency to get on people's nerves. And on the nerves of Shaedes. And Sidhe. And Lythans. And Fae."
Darian is still feisty, sarcastic, slightly overbearing, and distrustful of those around her. She truly believes that everyone has their own agenda since being betrayed by Azriel and lied to about others of her kind. Even though she loves Tyler, she can't truly open up to him for fear that she will end up driving him away.
Her one and only mission now is to find Rafe's daughter (Brakae) and bring her home if possible. No matter what the cost to her, or those around her, even if it costs her the love of her life. For those who enjoyed Xander the first time around, he doesn't appear all that much over the course of this novel.
"You have potential to do good things for those you love. But you will only cause them to suffer."
My one and only complaint, which may be a minor one, is how possessive and annoying Tyler is at times. Yes, there are reasons for his possessiveness and willingness to put himself on the line for Darian. He did, afterall, bind himself to Darian shortly after meeting her. Yet, I find controlling characters to be slightly passe and unnecessary to the overall scheme of things. On the other hand, the romance between the two characters was off the charts steaming with desire and wanting. It's like you can't have one thing without the other.
There was yet another character briefly introduced named Lorik, who has yet to be revealed in his entirety. We know that Azriel had some sort of connnection to him and he's been sending postcards from whereever he lands in the world to Darian. What this means in the long term is anyone's guess.
The ending of this book really tore my heart out and left me in a relative state of shock. I can't say I didn't see the ending coming from what happens over the course of this story. There will definitely be surprises coming our way when CTD is released.
IMHO, this book was better than the first book because the world building had already been laid out for us in SOG. You can read by the synopsis that a lot of things happen with not only Darian, but Tyler as well.
In conclusion, I anxiously await the release of "Crave The Darkness" the next installment in this series. I want to see where Bonilla takes not only Darian's character now that we know she's special, but her relationship between Xander, Tyler, and Rafe as well.
Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by NAL/Signet Eclipse
July 9, 2012
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Paranormal
RECEIVED: Review for Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
I so love reading a second book in the series and loving it as much as I did the first book. Blood Before Sunrise, second book in the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla rocked! It was full of everything I love about Urban Fantasies, the characters are better than ever, the action is always keeping me on my toes and of course the romance that turns the heat up. This series has climbed to the top of my list as one of my favorites. Let just say Bonilla knows how to keep her readers wanting more with this fantastic world she has created.
Blood Before Sunrise follows Darian, who once again puts herself in the middle of a whole lot of chaos. After finally tracking down the Oracle, who in her crazy state mentions that, Darian’s Guardian and friends Raif’s daughter is actually still alive. She sets off trying to find out where she is and getting herself deeper into danger, thus putting her lover and Jinn in the same boat. But she doesn’t seem realize her actions could have major consequences and that she could get more than she bargained for.
Darian, I could talk about this girl for hours, good and frustrating but she’s awesome no matter what. She tough and knows it very well, but what she doesn’t realizes is that by putting herself in the line of fire is having an extreme effect on her friends and lover. In this book she does a lot of acting and not a lot of thinking, which with the situation of finding her friends daughter it’s understandable but has a some fall backs. She gets sucked into the realm of the faerie and what she finds there is one heck of a wakeup call. Her life takes a whole new turn and at the end she’s dealt with a major hit that I hope she can fix.
Raif and Xander are back again of course, the Guardian and his arrogant High King of a brother seem to help Darian keep busy. Raif has become such a close friend and support; he really tries to keep her out of trouble but seems to fail at every turn. I really enjoyed that the readers get some more background on him and he has become one of my favorite characters. I also liked finding out about his
daughter, who she is and how she so important and connected to Darian. Xander, well he’s still the same full of himself jerk that makes me smile. But I’m interested to see what he does next to irritate Darian, especially after the sparring session.
Ty is once again the guys who heats up the pages in every scene he’s in, both in anger and in passion. I love this guy and really felt bad for him this time around, Darian really just didn’t see what she was doing to him and he was really at a loss of what to do. His temper and jealousy was sure entertaining and he really was trying to figure things out. But no matter what his love and devotion to Darian is heartfelt and I can’t get enough of these two together.
Overall I loved every page, every fight, every sarcasm and every bit of romance that Blood Before Sunrise had to offer. The villain is every bit of evil and dangerous and I couldn’t figure out how it was going to end, but boy was it awesome. For this book Darian is challenged in many ways and I hope she can learn from her many mistakes. I can’t wait to continue this series and if you haven’t started this one yet, then you’re missing out!
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with some mature sexual content. Fans of M.J. Scotts the Half-Light City and Jennifer Estep Elemental Assassin series will absolutely getting addicted to the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla.
THEME: Romance, Paranormal
RECEIVED: Review for Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
I so love reading a second book in the series and loving it as much as I did the first book. Blood Before Sunrise, second book in the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla rocked! It was full of everything I love about Urban Fantasies, the characters are better than ever, the action is always keeping me on my toes and of course the romance that turns the heat up. This series has climbed to the top of my list as one of my favorites. Let just say Bonilla knows how to keep her readers wanting more with this fantastic world she has created.
Blood Before Sunrise follows Darian, who once again puts herself in the middle of a whole lot of chaos. After finally tracking down the Oracle, who in her crazy state mentions that, Darian’s Guardian and friends Raif’s daughter is actually still alive. She sets off trying to find out where she is and getting herself deeper into danger, thus putting her lover and Jinn in the same boat. But she doesn’t seem realize her actions could have major consequences and that she could get more than she bargained for.
Darian, I could talk about this girl for hours, good and frustrating but she’s awesome no matter what. She tough and knows it very well, but what she doesn’t realizes is that by putting herself in the line of fire is having an extreme effect on her friends and lover. In this book she does a lot of acting and not a lot of thinking, which with the situation of finding her friends daughter it’s understandable but has a some fall backs. She gets sucked into the realm of the faerie and what she finds there is one heck of a wakeup call. Her life takes a whole new turn and at the end she’s dealt with a major hit that I hope she can fix.
Raif and Xander are back again of course, the Guardian and his arrogant High King of a brother seem to help Darian keep busy. Raif has become such a close friend and support; he really tries to keep her out of trouble but seems to fail at every turn. I really enjoyed that the readers get some more background on him and he has become one of my favorite characters. I also liked finding out about his
daughter, who she is and how she so important and connected to Darian. Xander, well he’s still the same full of himself jerk that makes me smile. But I’m interested to see what he does next to irritate Darian, especially after the sparring session.
Ty is once again the guys who heats up the pages in every scene he’s in, both in anger and in passion. I love this guy and really felt bad for him this time around, Darian really just didn’t see what she was doing to him and he was really at a loss of what to do. His temper and jealousy was sure entertaining and he really was trying to figure things out. But no matter what his love and devotion to Darian is heartfelt and I can’t get enough of these two together.
Overall I loved every page, every fight, every sarcasm and every bit of romance that Blood Before Sunrise had to offer. The villain is every bit of evil and dangerous and I couldn’t figure out how it was going to end, but boy was it awesome. For this book Darian is challenged in many ways and I hope she can learn from her many mistakes. I can’t wait to continue this series and if you haven’t started this one yet, then you’re missing out!
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with some mature sexual content. Fans of M.J. Scotts the Half-Light City and Jennifer Estep Elemental Assassin series will absolutely getting addicted to the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla.
July 2, 2012
To read this review and others like it check out my review site www.ufreviews.com
I am a huge fan of Amanda Bonilla, and it's really not just her writing that I love. She is one of those authors who is very accessible to readers and I love that about her. But her writing is really awesome too. I really loved the first book in the series, and I really enjoyed the novella (seriously if authors keep putting out these great novellas I'm going to have to rethink my anti-novella stance). So I have been waiting for book two and it finally arrived. I was very curious to see what was going to happen to Darian now that the big battle from book 1 was over.
The plot of the book was not exactly what I was expecting. Shaedes of Gray was very much a book where the plot action based and you had this feeling when you were reading it that the stakes couldn't get any higher. I did not get that feeling from BBS. For me this entire book is so character driven, although there is plenty of action scenes, and when you finally find out what is really going on you realize the stakes are pretty high), but mostly it's so about the characters.
Darian is still finding her way as this new "changed" being that the events of book one left her in. She has also found herself in a relationship with Tyler who she does truly love, but after not letting anyone close to her in 100 years there are certainly some growing pains that need to be worked out. It also doesn't help that someone is clearly messing with Tyler's bond to her and it's make their situation all the more tense.
Raif is such a great character, and you really get to see how much Darian loves him. He has become really like family to her, Bonilla refers to him as a brother type love, but he kind of feels like a cross between brother and father type figure. He has done so much for her so of course she wants to do anything she can for him, like help find his daughter. By the time the book ends I love Raif all the more, and I am so glad that Darian has him to lean on.
My one complaint is that I would have loved to actually see more Xander in the book. He is referred to a lot, and has a few scenes, but generally speaking I missed his whole high and mighty routine/trying to convince Darian to be with him.
Overall I really enjoyed the book. Like I said it is super character driven, and you get to meet some new ones along the way, but you also get to know the old ones a lot better. At the end of the book I really felt like the whole theme was about love, and so many different kinds of love are included in this book. And the ending was so bittersweet, it really made me want to know where everyone was going to go from here. If I had to pick I think the first book is still my favorite, but only by a hair, this is a great follow up book and I would recommend it to anyone (but read the first one too!).
I am a huge fan of Amanda Bonilla, and it's really not just her writing that I love. She is one of those authors who is very accessible to readers and I love that about her. But her writing is really awesome too. I really loved the first book in the series, and I really enjoyed the novella (seriously if authors keep putting out these great novellas I'm going to have to rethink my anti-novella stance). So I have been waiting for book two and it finally arrived. I was very curious to see what was going to happen to Darian now that the big battle from book 1 was over.
The plot of the book was not exactly what I was expecting. Shaedes of Gray was very much a book where the plot action based and you had this feeling when you were reading it that the stakes couldn't get any higher. I did not get that feeling from BBS. For me this entire book is so character driven, although there is plenty of action scenes, and when you finally find out what is really going on you realize the stakes are pretty high), but mostly it's so about the characters.
Darian is still finding her way as this new "changed" being that the events of book one left her in. She has also found herself in a relationship with Tyler who she does truly love, but after not letting anyone close to her in 100 years there are certainly some growing pains that need to be worked out. It also doesn't help that someone is clearly messing with Tyler's bond to her and it's make their situation all the more tense.
Raif is such a great character, and you really get to see how much Darian loves him. He has become really like family to her, Bonilla refers to him as a brother type love, but he kind of feels like a cross between brother and father type figure. He has done so much for her so of course she wants to do anything she can for him, like help find his daughter. By the time the book ends I love Raif all the more, and I am so glad that Darian has him to lean on.
My one complaint is that I would have loved to actually see more Xander in the book. He is referred to a lot, and has a few scenes, but generally speaking I missed his whole high and mighty routine/trying to convince Darian to be with him.
Overall I really enjoyed the book. Like I said it is super character driven, and you get to meet some new ones along the way, but you also get to know the old ones a lot better. At the end of the book I really felt like the whole theme was about love, and so many different kinds of love are included in this book. And the ending was so bittersweet, it really made me want to know where everyone was going to go from here. If I had to pick I think the first book is still my favorite, but only by a hair, this is a great follow up book and I would recommend it to anyone (but read the first one too!).
July 21, 2012
* * * 4.5 Stars * * *
Outstanding sequel! Fast-paced mystery with multiple story lines that are seamlessly woven together. It all leads to an interesting twist that reveals a purpose and obligation that Darian never knew she had.
Bonilla has really blown me away with her second installment in the Shaede Assassin series. The pages are filled with action and by the story's conclusion I was still left wanting more. More ass-kickings delivered by Darian, more jealous, irrational Tyler, more time with Raif, and more secrets revealed. I just couldn't get enough!
I found Darian's character to be even more likable than in the debut. I wouldn't necessarily say that she shows a large amount of growth or makes any drastic personality changes. She's still stubborn, still too independent, and she doesn't trust others as completely as she should. But her hang-ups are easy to understand given the additional insight into Darian's time with Azriel, separated from the Shaede world, and we are better able to understand how deep her feelings were for him and the many ways that he manipulated her.
I also enjoyed the time that was spent with Tyler's character. Xander definitely takes a backseat to the Jinn this time around. Not only is he loyal, attentive, and easy on the eyes, but he is incredibly powerful! His magical displays were very impressive. If Darian could only learn to put more faith and trust in him, those two would make an unstoppable duo.
During the story, Tyler has moments of severe mood swings and is extremely possessive when it comes to Darian. He isn't himself and it's suspected that this is due to an outsider's magical influence. So in addition to the many complications that arise, Ty has to spend time trying to find the cause of this magic and determine how to stop it.
Another large focus of this story is Darian's attempts to locate Raif's missing daughter and trying to decipher the cryptic warnings and threats she receives. This proves to be a difficult task because no one will provide a straight answer and everyone seems to prefer talking in circles.
The story's ending was emotional and heartbreaking. I was torn between feeling Darian's desperation over the situation she caused and wanting to shake some sense into her for not preventing it in the first place. I loved it and hated it. It was great.
I will be counting down the days until the release of the third installment, "Crave the Darkness".
For those of you who enjoy fast-paced urban fantasy with heroines who possess unique ass-kicking abilities, the Shaede Assassin series is a must read.
Outstanding sequel! Fast-paced mystery with multiple story lines that are seamlessly woven together. It all leads to an interesting twist that reveals a purpose and obligation that Darian never knew she had.
Bonilla has really blown me away with her second installment in the Shaede Assassin series. The pages are filled with action and by the story's conclusion I was still left wanting more. More ass-kickings delivered by Darian, more jealous, irrational Tyler, more time with Raif, and more secrets revealed. I just couldn't get enough!
I found Darian's character to be even more likable than in the debut. I wouldn't necessarily say that she shows a large amount of growth or makes any drastic personality changes. She's still stubborn, still too independent, and she doesn't trust others as completely as she should. But her hang-ups are easy to understand given the additional insight into Darian's time with Azriel, separated from the Shaede world, and we are better able to understand how deep her feelings were for him and the many ways that he manipulated her.
I also enjoyed the time that was spent with Tyler's character. Xander definitely takes a backseat to the Jinn this time around. Not only is he loyal, attentive, and easy on the eyes, but he is incredibly powerful! His magical displays were very impressive. If Darian could only learn to put more faith and trust in him, those two would make an unstoppable duo.
During the story, Tyler has moments of severe mood swings and is extremely possessive when it comes to Darian. He isn't himself and it's suspected that this is due to an outsider's magical influence. So in addition to the many complications that arise, Ty has to spend time trying to find the cause of this magic and determine how to stop it.
Another large focus of this story is Darian's attempts to locate Raif's missing daughter and trying to decipher the cryptic warnings and threats she receives. This proves to be a difficult task because no one will provide a straight answer and everyone seems to prefer talking in circles.
The story's ending was emotional and heartbreaking. I was torn between feeling Darian's desperation over the situation she caused and wanting to shake some sense into her for not preventing it in the first place. I loved it and hated it. It was great.
I will be counting down the days until the release of the third installment, "Crave the Darkness".
For those of you who enjoy fast-paced urban fantasy with heroines who possess unique ass-kicking abilities, the Shaede Assassin series is a must read.
July 4, 2012
Originally posted at PaperbackDolls.com.
Last year, Amanda Bonilla captivated me with the first in her Shaede Assassin series, her debut release Shaedes of Gray featuring cold hearted, damaged, and lonely Darian making my top 5 favorites for 2011. Now she’s back with her second, Blood Before Sunrise, and I have to say that I absolutely love this series!
I’m completely fascinated by the world Ms. Bonilla has created. Set in Seattle, Fae, Shaedes (creatures of shadows), Lyhtans (creatures of light) Djinns and Oracles all try to coexist with the human populous – and other unknown beasties – in a convoluted and elaborate world in which no one seems to know how to share knowledge, tell the truth or say things outside of riddles.
Darian is a Shaede, able to switch between blending in with the night and her corporeal form. An assassin by trade and mistreated for most of her life, I can understand her standoffish detachment, but it’s her haughtiness that throws me and has me screaming at her from page to page. Darian isn’t a TSTL character by any means, but her arrogance leads her and, more often than not, drags her farther and farther down the wrong path.
It’s this arrogance that propels her in Blood Before Sunrise. After a passing word from the desperate Delilah to save her own skin, Darian becomes obsessed with finding her friend and mentors missing daughter, Brakae. Like many times before, Darian’s assumptions and inability to trust her new found friendships lands her in situations that are far more than she can handle and costs her more than she can bear.
Not a single word or scene is wasted, and the payoff at the end is well worth the journey in this fast-paced mystery-driven plot. With fascinating characters and awesome world building, Blood Before Sunrise is exactly what urban fantasy was meant to be. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Darian when Crave the Darkness hits shelves next year.
Last year, Amanda Bonilla captivated me with the first in her Shaede Assassin series, her debut release Shaedes of Gray featuring cold hearted, damaged, and lonely Darian making my top 5 favorites for 2011. Now she’s back with her second, Blood Before Sunrise, and I have to say that I absolutely love this series!
I’m completely fascinated by the world Ms. Bonilla has created. Set in Seattle, Fae, Shaedes (creatures of shadows), Lyhtans (creatures of light) Djinns and Oracles all try to coexist with the human populous – and other unknown beasties – in a convoluted and elaborate world in which no one seems to know how to share knowledge, tell the truth or say things outside of riddles.
Darian is a Shaede, able to switch between blending in with the night and her corporeal form. An assassin by trade and mistreated for most of her life, I can understand her standoffish detachment, but it’s her haughtiness that throws me and has me screaming at her from page to page. Darian isn’t a TSTL character by any means, but her arrogance leads her and, more often than not, drags her farther and farther down the wrong path.
It’s this arrogance that propels her in Blood Before Sunrise. After a passing word from the desperate Delilah to save her own skin, Darian becomes obsessed with finding her friend and mentors missing daughter, Brakae. Like many times before, Darian’s assumptions and inability to trust her new found friendships lands her in situations that are far more than she can handle and costs her more than she can bear.
Not a single word or scene is wasted, and the payoff at the end is well worth the journey in this fast-paced mystery-driven plot. With fascinating characters and awesome world building, Blood Before Sunrise is exactly what urban fantasy was meant to be. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Darian when Crave the Darkness hits shelves next year.
August 29, 2015
Really wished I hadn't waited about 2.5 years between reading Shaedes of Gray (book 1) and Blood Before Sunrise. It took me a while to get back into the feel of the world and remember what happened in Shaedes of Gray. But Amanda Bonilla did a good job of recapping some of the events in the first few chapters without it being an information dump. I won't wait as long to read the next book, that's for sure!
Bonilla took her world building from Shaedes of Gray and kicked it up a notch. There's more Fae mythology through in and the plot that revolved around it kept me guessing. And just when our heroine, Darian thinks she knows how to play the game, the chess pieces are changed on her.
One thing I got a little tired of was Darian doing what many UF heroines do, runs off to fight the "world" by herself. She tries to keep all her loved ones safe by running into danger without their help. I can only hope that she will learn to let them in. Even a kick-ass heroine needs help from time to time.
I was all about Tyler in the first book but he got on my nerves a little this time. But the Jinn couldn't help it. He was under the influence of some serious magic mojo so I'll forgive him for his caveman attitude against Darian's friendship with Raif. Although Darian needs to learn to balance her relationships between the to guys.
I liked seeing more of Xander. He's the perfect character that you love to hate and hate to love. I can't wait to learn more about him and see him and Darian interact.
I'm enjoying the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla and I'm going to continue with book 3, Crave the Darkness but first I'm going to read the two short stories, When Shadows Call (a prequel about how Darian became a Shaede) and Lost to the Gray (book 2.5 told from Tyler's POV).
Bonilla took her world building from Shaedes of Gray and kicked it up a notch. There's more Fae mythology through in and the plot that revolved around it kept me guessing. And just when our heroine, Darian thinks she knows how to play the game, the chess pieces are changed on her.
One thing I got a little tired of was Darian doing what many UF heroines do, runs off to fight the "world" by herself. She tries to keep all her loved ones safe by running into danger without their help. I can only hope that she will learn to let them in. Even a kick-ass heroine needs help from time to time.
I was all about Tyler in the first book but he got on my nerves a little this time. But the Jinn couldn't help it. He was under the influence of some serious magic mojo so I'll forgive him for his caveman attitude against Darian's friendship with Raif. Although Darian needs to learn to balance her relationships between the to guys.
I liked seeing more of Xander. He's the perfect character that you love to hate and hate to love. I can't wait to learn more about him and see him and Darian interact.
I'm enjoying the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla and I'm going to continue with book 3, Crave the Darkness but first I'm going to read the two short stories, When Shadows Call (a prequel about how Darian became a Shaede) and Lost to the Gray (book 2.5 told from Tyler's POV).
July 15, 2012
Blood Before Sunrise is the second book in the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla. Bonilla takes us back to the paranormal world in Seattle, WA where we find Darian adjusting to her new powers and her relationships with the love of her live and powerful Jinn, Tyler, her mentor, Raif, and the always trying Shaede King, Xander.
When Darian finally locates the missing Oracle who's betrayal nearly cost her her life in Shaedes of Gray, she receives a cryptic message that Raif's daughter, who he believes is dead, is actually alive. Darian makes it her personal quest to reunite Raif with Brakae. Darian attempt to protect her beloved Jinn could lead to devestating consequences for their relationship and instead of putting her trust in those that she loves she aligns herself with Fallon, a mysterious Fae. Her quest ultimately leads her to O Anel, the Faerie Ring, where allies become enemies, enemies become allies, and time itself must be protected.
Bonilla's fast paced action draws you in and Darian's struggles resonate with issues that we mere mortals also face. Throughout Bonilla has woven threads linking to the third installment this excellent series, Crave the Darkness out March 2012.
When Darian finally locates the missing Oracle who's betrayal nearly cost her her life in Shaedes of Gray, she receives a cryptic message that Raif's daughter, who he believes is dead, is actually alive. Darian makes it her personal quest to reunite Raif with Brakae. Darian attempt to protect her beloved Jinn could lead to devestating consequences for their relationship and instead of putting her trust in those that she loves she aligns herself with Fallon, a mysterious Fae. Her quest ultimately leads her to O Anel, the Faerie Ring, where allies become enemies, enemies become allies, and time itself must be protected.
Bonilla's fast paced action draws you in and Darian's struggles resonate with issues that we mere mortals also face. Throughout Bonilla has woven threads linking to the third installment this excellent series, Crave the Darkness out March 2012.
January 26, 2015
Smitten With Bad Boy Heroes Blog Review
My Thoughts
Urban Fantasy fans are going to be so happy with this novel. Everything that makes this genre fabulous is in this novel. Tons of action, great storylines, plot twists and turns, kick-ass heroine, sexy men, inner turmoil and more. Well-written, perfectly paced so not to overwhelm, outstanding character development, Shaede Assassin is definitely a new addition to my favorite UF series list.
________________________________________
About the story…
________________________________________
Our heroine, Darian, is a Shaede assassin who had lived for years unaware of the entire supernatural community around her. Head down, keeping out of trouble. Killing the occasional bad guy. Life has drastically changed for her since finding out she has a much larger role to play in the supernatural world that she ever thought possible.
In this second installment of the series, Darian has some especially difficult choices to make. Should she follow her instincts and do whatever it takes to find Raif’s daughter that he’s believed dead for years? If she does, it may cost her the relationship she has with the man she desperately loves.
As Darian sets out on this dangerous road, she runs into way more than she ever could have expected. As well as her mission to find Raif’s daughter, she’s also on a path to self-discovery. The plot thickens and is full of suspense and intrigue.
________________________________________
About the Characters…
________________________________________
Darian is a fabulous character. She handles each situation that is thrown her way the only way she knows how…headfirst and fearlessly. And she has a lot of difficult situations thrown her way. She’s sarcastic and witty, and I particularly enjoyed her internal dialogue - especially when dealing with the men in her life. I misunderstood Darian at first and didn’t get why she chose to do things the way she did. But eventually I started to understand her a little better. Thanks to the author’s brilliant writing. She’s lived alone taking care of only herself for so long, she has trouble letting anyone help her. Darian is at the precipice of self-actualization and she has a way to go yet.
Tyler is Darian’s model-gorgeous lover and protector. He is a Jinn and very much in love with Darian. He’s bonded himself to Darian - which is the way of the Jinn. They can bond themselves to another three times in their long lifetime. Being Darian’s protector is no easy feat. She’s headstrong and doesn’t always make the right choices. Tyler is very understanding and patient with Darian. However, when someone starts messing with their bond, he starts to become a tad unhinged and possessive. Ok, well maybe a bit more than a tad, but that’s all I can say about that without going into spoiler territory.
Then we have Raif. Umm, I like this mysterious one. Darian’s mentor and friend, he’s probably the only person she cares what he thinks of her. He’s the King’s brother and protector of the Shaede Nation. Not to mention hot-as-hell. Might be the whole mystery thing, but I can’t wait to see what further role the author is going to give him in the story.
Xander, King of Shaede Nation, has all the arrogance that comes with being a King of anything. His unabashed flirting with Darian adds a lot to the story. The way she handles him adds even more. She’s not completely unaffected by him but is too much in love with Tyler to even go there. I love it when she puts him in his place.
Our sleazy villain, Fallon, is batshit crazy. And what an amazing villain he makes! As no one is entirely good or evil, we get to hear about his personal demons that motivate him. The way the author developed his character and delivers his story is pure brilliance. When it all comes out, it was one of my favorite parts of the entire story.
________________________________________
My favorite Darian quote in the novel:
“Posturing is just part of the battle. Elk paw at the earth and thrash their massive racks of antlers; birds display and puff their feathers; canines circle one another, hackles raised and lips curled. We upright animals, we talk shit.”
________________________________________
Bottom Line
________________________________________
If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, kick-ass heroines and sexy supernaturals, I highly recommend you read this one. Blood Before Sunrise is very well written and a great read. The author has created compelling characters, a great storyworld and gives us an edge-of-you-seat reading experience.
Happy Reading!!
5 Bad Boys – Absolutely Loved It!!!!!
My Thoughts
Urban Fantasy fans are going to be so happy with this novel. Everything that makes this genre fabulous is in this novel. Tons of action, great storylines, plot twists and turns, kick-ass heroine, sexy men, inner turmoil and more. Well-written, perfectly paced so not to overwhelm, outstanding character development, Shaede Assassin is definitely a new addition to my favorite UF series list.
________________________________________
About the story…
________________________________________
Our heroine, Darian, is a Shaede assassin who had lived for years unaware of the entire supernatural community around her. Head down, keeping out of trouble. Killing the occasional bad guy. Life has drastically changed for her since finding out she has a much larger role to play in the supernatural world that she ever thought possible.
In this second installment of the series, Darian has some especially difficult choices to make. Should she follow her instincts and do whatever it takes to find Raif’s daughter that he’s believed dead for years? If she does, it may cost her the relationship she has with the man she desperately loves.
As Darian sets out on this dangerous road, she runs into way more than she ever could have expected. As well as her mission to find Raif’s daughter, she’s also on a path to self-discovery. The plot thickens and is full of suspense and intrigue.
________________________________________
About the Characters…
________________________________________
Darian is a fabulous character. She handles each situation that is thrown her way the only way she knows how…headfirst and fearlessly. And she has a lot of difficult situations thrown her way. She’s sarcastic and witty, and I particularly enjoyed her internal dialogue - especially when dealing with the men in her life. I misunderstood Darian at first and didn’t get why she chose to do things the way she did. But eventually I started to understand her a little better. Thanks to the author’s brilliant writing. She’s lived alone taking care of only herself for so long, she has trouble letting anyone help her. Darian is at the precipice of self-actualization and she has a way to go yet.
Tyler is Darian’s model-gorgeous lover and protector. He is a Jinn and very much in love with Darian. He’s bonded himself to Darian - which is the way of the Jinn. They can bond themselves to another three times in their long lifetime. Being Darian’s protector is no easy feat. She’s headstrong and doesn’t always make the right choices. Tyler is very understanding and patient with Darian. However, when someone starts messing with their bond, he starts to become a tad unhinged and possessive. Ok, well maybe a bit more than a tad, but that’s all I can say about that without going into spoiler territory.
Then we have Raif. Umm, I like this mysterious one. Darian’s mentor and friend, he’s probably the only person she cares what he thinks of her. He’s the King’s brother and protector of the Shaede Nation. Not to mention hot-as-hell. Might be the whole mystery thing, but I can’t wait to see what further role the author is going to give him in the story.
Xander, King of Shaede Nation, has all the arrogance that comes with being a King of anything. His unabashed flirting with Darian adds a lot to the story. The way she handles him adds even more. She’s not completely unaffected by him but is too much in love with Tyler to even go there. I love it when she puts him in his place.
Our sleazy villain, Fallon, is batshit crazy. And what an amazing villain he makes! As no one is entirely good or evil, we get to hear about his personal demons that motivate him. The way the author developed his character and delivers his story is pure brilliance. When it all comes out, it was one of my favorite parts of the entire story.
________________________________________
My favorite Darian quote in the novel:
“Posturing is just part of the battle. Elk paw at the earth and thrash their massive racks of antlers; birds display and puff their feathers; canines circle one another, hackles raised and lips curled. We upright animals, we talk shit.”
________________________________________
Bottom Line
________________________________________
If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, kick-ass heroines and sexy supernaturals, I highly recommend you read this one. Blood Before Sunrise is very well written and a great read. The author has created compelling characters, a great storyworld and gives us an edge-of-you-seat reading experience.
Happy Reading!!
5 Bad Boys – Absolutely Loved It!!!!!
October 24, 2012
Blood Before Sunrise, Shaede Assassin #2, by Amanda Bonilla
Grade: A
“And when I’ve been offended, I’m not a runaway-and-cry-in-my-pillow type of girl. I’m a jab-someone-with something-sharp kind of girl, and is he wanted to be with me, he’d just have to get used to that.”
Blood Before Sunrise is the second book in Amanda Bonilla’s amazing urban fantasy series Shaede Assassin and her heroine Darian. This books picks up a few months after Shaedes of Grey with Darian, Raif and Tyler still looking for the Oracle who escaped them and may hold information on the whereabouts of Raif’s long lost daughter. When catching the Oracle turns out to be too easy, Darian learns of a bigger force looking for her that will make her old enemies look like kittens. Darian has never had a family before or friends and she is determined to find Raif’s daughter for him even if it ruins her own happiness.
Blood Before Sunrise is not only the best urban fantasy book I’ve read this year but it tops my list for favorite book of 2012 so far. Darian has grown a lot since we first met her but she still has trust issues and is horrible about asking people for help. This comes back to bite her a lot in this book and even though I understand why she was acting that way it still drove me crazy. Amanda Bonilla is great at making you love and hate Darian at the same time. I love that she’s not perfect, is very flawed but would do anything for someone that she cares about.
Darian is determined to find Raif’s daughter and she is even willing to put her life in danger to do so. The journey that Darian goes on in this book not an easy one and it will twist with your heart strings over and over again. I love the relationship that Darian and Raif have and it seems to only grow stronger as time goes on. I did wish that there was more Xhander just because he has such a great way of getting to Darian and their banter is hilarious.
Darian’s relationship with Tyler is still going on but someone or thing is messing with their bond. The only times that Darian acts like a complete idiot is when she’s dealing with her relationship with Tyler. I was so happy that these two got together but it obvious that Darian still has issues and they come out in full force. I think what I love so much about this series is that the characters don’t have perfect lives or relationships. They are all fighting to be happy but no one is used to being happy and it’s a very big struggle.
The Shaede Assassin series is one of the best that I have read in a very long time and I am so sad that we don’t get the third book until March 2012. Amanda Bonilla has created a world and characters that are violent and dangerous but also fiercely loyal and loveable. Darian might not be the easiest person to like at times but she always means well and will fight to the death to save those she loves. Blood Before Sunrise is an brilliantly written book that all urban fantasy readers will love.
Grade: A
“And when I’ve been offended, I’m not a runaway-and-cry-in-my-pillow type of girl. I’m a jab-someone-with something-sharp kind of girl, and is he wanted to be with me, he’d just have to get used to that.”
Blood Before Sunrise is the second book in Amanda Bonilla’s amazing urban fantasy series Shaede Assassin and her heroine Darian. This books picks up a few months after Shaedes of Grey with Darian, Raif and Tyler still looking for the Oracle who escaped them and may hold information on the whereabouts of Raif’s long lost daughter. When catching the Oracle turns out to be too easy, Darian learns of a bigger force looking for her that will make her old enemies look like kittens. Darian has never had a family before or friends and she is determined to find Raif’s daughter for him even if it ruins her own happiness.
Blood Before Sunrise is not only the best urban fantasy book I’ve read this year but it tops my list for favorite book of 2012 so far. Darian has grown a lot since we first met her but she still has trust issues and is horrible about asking people for help. This comes back to bite her a lot in this book and even though I understand why she was acting that way it still drove me crazy. Amanda Bonilla is great at making you love and hate Darian at the same time. I love that she’s not perfect, is very flawed but would do anything for someone that she cares about.
Darian is determined to find Raif’s daughter and she is even willing to put her life in danger to do so. The journey that Darian goes on in this book not an easy one and it will twist with your heart strings over and over again. I love the relationship that Darian and Raif have and it seems to only grow stronger as time goes on. I did wish that there was more Xhander just because he has such a great way of getting to Darian and their banter is hilarious.
Darian’s relationship with Tyler is still going on but someone or thing is messing with their bond. The only times that Darian acts like a complete idiot is when she’s dealing with her relationship with Tyler. I was so happy that these two got together but it obvious that Darian still has issues and they come out in full force. I think what I love so much about this series is that the characters don’t have perfect lives or relationships. They are all fighting to be happy but no one is used to being happy and it’s a very big struggle.
The Shaede Assassin series is one of the best that I have read in a very long time and I am so sad that we don’t get the third book until March 2012. Amanda Bonilla has created a world and characters that are violent and dangerous but also fiercely loyal and loveable. Darian might not be the easiest person to like at times but she always means well and will fight to the death to save those she loves. Blood Before Sunrise is an brilliantly written book that all urban fantasy readers will love.
July 15, 2012
This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.
If you love an angst-y read, Blood Before Sunrise is for you.
Get wrapped up in yelling at the heroine making infuriating and dangerous decisions? You’ll love Blood Before Sunrise.
Enjoy seeing a heroine handing big tough men their asses in fights? Oh, you need Blood Before Sunrise.
In the Shaedes of Gray, heroine Darian discovered she wasn’t the only one of her kind. She started to learn not only who she is but also what she is. Just as she began to understand her new role as a Shaede — she can fade into shadow, nothingness in the dark — an ancient prophecy changed things.
Now Darian is something else, more. She can disappear in the light and the dark, feel the passage of time. And she’s powerful. She still trains with Raif, but he can’t keep up with her. She’s powerful and gets accustomed to the idea she’s the biggest, baddest thing on the block.
She isn’t.
Not only does her ego put her in danger when trying to find Raif’s daughter and while she tries to determine what her new-found obsession with the passage of time means, but it wreaks havoc on her relationship with Tyler. He isn’t just her boyfriend, remember. Tyler is a jinn, and his job is to protect Darian. The only hitch is he has to obey her wishes. She’s worried about protecting him, and though she doesn’t recognize it, she behaves in a way that illustrates she doesn’t need his protection or want it. Expect big relationship drama on this front.
I love books that are an emotional challenge. Ones where by the end of the book the main character has truly grown. There’s no question we get that with Blood Before Sunrise. There are moments when you’ll grip your book and pretend to be shaking some sense into Darian. Don’t expect easy answers in this novel, but I can promise one hell of a journey with lush descriptions. Even when Darian is making poor decisions, I want to be her friend.
Sexual content: Sex
If you love an angst-y read, Blood Before Sunrise is for you.
Get wrapped up in yelling at the heroine making infuriating and dangerous decisions? You’ll love Blood Before Sunrise.
Enjoy seeing a heroine handing big tough men their asses in fights? Oh, you need Blood Before Sunrise.
In the Shaedes of Gray, heroine Darian discovered she wasn’t the only one of her kind. She started to learn not only who she is but also what she is. Just as she began to understand her new role as a Shaede — she can fade into shadow, nothingness in the dark — an ancient prophecy changed things.
Now Darian is something else, more. She can disappear in the light and the dark, feel the passage of time. And she’s powerful. She still trains with Raif, but he can’t keep up with her. She’s powerful and gets accustomed to the idea she’s the biggest, baddest thing on the block.
She isn’t.
Not only does her ego put her in danger when trying to find Raif’s daughter and while she tries to determine what her new-found obsession with the passage of time means, but it wreaks havoc on her relationship with Tyler. He isn’t just her boyfriend, remember. Tyler is a jinn, and his job is to protect Darian. The only hitch is he has to obey her wishes. She’s worried about protecting him, and though she doesn’t recognize it, she behaves in a way that illustrates she doesn’t need his protection or want it. Expect big relationship drama on this front.
I love books that are an emotional challenge. Ones where by the end of the book the main character has truly grown. There’s no question we get that with Blood Before Sunrise. There are moments when you’ll grip your book and pretend to be shaking some sense into Darian. Don’t expect easy answers in this novel, but I can promise one hell of a journey with lush descriptions. Even when Darian is making poor decisions, I want to be her friend.
Sexual content: Sex
June 28, 2012
Sometimes those things that we must love are realized just as they are gone. Sometimes it is darkest just before the dawn, and this may soon become Darian's darkest time. Blood Before Sunrise is a story riddled with good intention gone array and a thirst for power that overcomes just about any obstacles.
Darian fights against her past while avoiding her future, as the same time she embraces lies that may destroy her. Darian is keeping Tyler away from her causing unrest between them as she tries to protect Tyler from the world and from herself. Tyler is quickly deteriorating in his health and sanity as something influences him and Darian is torn between aiding Tyler and solving a new mystery. The mystery Darian is hiding from everyone as she tries to solve it is whatever happened to Raif's daughter but she will soon she is far more tied to Brakae than she ever knew. Power and responsibility are closing in on Darian and her reluctance to fully embrace both may be her destruction, or possibly her whole world's.
Blood Before Sunrise is a powerhouse of manipulation for our main character Darian's life, and as the story unfolds it turns heart wrenchingly catastrophic. Taken into the the world of the Ring and hunt for control and power of time and destiny may change everyone's fate as Blood before Sunrise catches readers and pulls them into Darian's tragic story and her quest for finding the truth.
Darian fights against her past while avoiding her future, as the same time she embraces lies that may destroy her. Darian is keeping Tyler away from her causing unrest between them as she tries to protect Tyler from the world and from herself. Tyler is quickly deteriorating in his health and sanity as something influences him and Darian is torn between aiding Tyler and solving a new mystery. The mystery Darian is hiding from everyone as she tries to solve it is whatever happened to Raif's daughter but she will soon she is far more tied to Brakae than she ever knew. Power and responsibility are closing in on Darian and her reluctance to fully embrace both may be her destruction, or possibly her whole world's.
Blood Before Sunrise is a powerhouse of manipulation for our main character Darian's life, and as the story unfolds it turns heart wrenchingly catastrophic. Taken into the the world of the Ring and hunt for control and power of time and destiny may change everyone's fate as Blood before Sunrise catches readers and pulls them into Darian's tragic story and her quest for finding the truth.
September 3, 2012
I am not that crazy about this book... :P
I read the first one as a buddy read with Ashleigh last December and I thought it had promise! The world was fun to read about and a couple of the main characters were really well written (eg Raif, Alexander, etc). Now D was this tortured thing in the first book, who still managed to pull through and survive. Her ordeals had made her skin thicker, but she still showed some wickness which made her more relatable. Now she's just annoying! She whines all the time and she says she trusts people, but then goes behind their backs and lies to their faces. When Tyler finally told her off I said 'Hallelujah! He finally grew a backbone!'.
I don't know if I 'll read the next book... Maybe if I'm in a really forgiving mood and find myself curious... Who knows?
P.S. I loved the weird senarios we made too Ash! That's probably the only reason I finished this! ;D
I read the first one as a buddy read with Ashleigh last December and I thought it had promise! The world was fun to read about and a couple of the main characters were really well written (eg Raif, Alexander, etc). Now D was this tortured thing in the first book, who still managed to pull through and survive. Her ordeals had made her skin thicker, but she still showed some wickness which made her more relatable. Now she's just annoying! She whines all the time and she says she trusts people, but then goes behind their backs and lies to their faces. When Tyler finally told her off I said 'Hallelujah! He finally grew a backbone!'.
I don't know if I 'll read the next book... Maybe if I'm in a really forgiving mood and find myself curious... Who knows?
P.S. I loved the weird senarios we made too Ash! That's probably the only reason I finished this! ;D
July 27, 2012
Can't wait for the next book in the series!! Putting this one on my keeper shelf.
December 19, 2018
Another great installment in the Shaede Assassin series.
My actual rating is closer to 4.5 but I rounded up.
I will have to grab the next one soon!
My actual rating is closer to 4.5 but I rounded up.
I will have to grab the next one soon!
July 9, 2012
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/07/review-...
Favorite Quote: “I truly had a knack for getting the shitty end of the stick. “
Note: There are some spoilers from book one below, so read at your own risk.
Recap from Shaedes Of Gray: Darian spent the first half of her life as an abused wife. When a friend of her husband’s appears on the scene, he frees her from her life of pain and transforms her into a Shaede – a creature able to transform from solid to shadow. Her lover keeps her well hidden, telling her that she and he are the only of their kind in existence. He disappears suddenly from her life, leaving her alone and unsure of her place in the universe. She becomes an assassin for hire and falls in love with her boss, Tyler. When she takes a job and finds out that she just tried to kill the King of her kind, she realizes her lover and maker lied to her. When Darien’s old lover reappears and attempts to use her to overthrow the king and take the throne for himself, Darien uncovers secrets, gains new powers and defeats her lover.
Blood Before Sunrise picks up where Shaedes Of Gray left off and once again submerges us into the dark and dangerous world that Darian lives in. Set in Seattle, this noir and Machiavellian Urban Fantasy will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. Darien’s past comes back to haunt her when she blatantly ignores everyone’s advice and sets out to find Raif’s daughter. I would classify this book as a character growth book. Especially for Darian. Having spent a majority of her life alone, she has a hard time allowing anyone in to help her. Her protective instincts are strong and they often blind her to the fact that she is guilty of doing what she adamantly hates being done to her. Her pit bull mentality causes a considerable amount of grief and pain but it is an experience she must go through if she is to grow beyond the boundaries originally set up for her character.
I enjoy Darian’s character. She is a perfect blending of what I love in my UF heroines. Smart and sassy with deeply buried vulnerability. She is so protective of those she loves and considers friends, you can’t help but cheer for her even as she does some things that make you want to shake some sense into her.
There is still small love triangle in here but I found it seems to be morphing into something different. She and Tyler, her boss, have acknowledged the attraction between them and are acting on it. Darian still learning about the jinn side of Tyler and what exactly their "bonding" entails. But her actions at the end of Shaedes Of Gray more then cement the fact that Darian loves Tyler. The sexual tension between Darian and Tyler is VERY hot and sensual and we get some nice smexy times in here. I like how Bonilla includes the romance storyline without making the story dependent on it. After this book, I find myself rooting even more Team Tyler.
Xander, the king of the Shaede nation is STILL a pain in Darian’s arse and she doesn’t hesitate to let him know that repeatedly. Watching these two together is not so much sexual to me as more of a battle of the wills. The chase matters more to Xander then the capture and I foresee a reluctant friendship developing. I don’t believe that Xander has ever had a female friend that didn’t involve some sort of sexual interaction and I look forward to seeing how he handles this. Rest assured though, Xander will always flirt and cross the line. Jerking Darian’s chain is probably the most fun he’s had in centuries.
A diabolically complicated secondary cast only heightens the excitement of this story. Raif remains a favorite character of mine. He has become an important part of Darian’s life. Their relationship is sibling like and no matter what happens, Darian knows Raif will always have her back. Anya is another favorite with her snarky jealousy of Diarian and bad fashion taste. We meet some new characters and learn some new information about old ones in here who further expand on the complicated world Darian is now part of. I am very interested in Moira’s brother and look forward to seeing more of both of them in the future. Tyler, Darian’s boyfriend, plays a huge part in here as their relationship is taken to new levels and decisions are made for better or worse. I felt for him. I could see what was happening and my heart broke as we see him and Darian struggle against external and internal influences.
The main conflict is a delicious blend of lies, manipulations, and deception. The nature and level of the duplicity Darian uncovers and yes, exhibits herself, is mind boggling. I won’t lie and say I didn’t want to smack her around a little in here but as I mentioned before, characters often have to experience adversity and heartbreak in order to grow. She makes some decisions in here that cost her, and she struggles with the price she is forced to pay. There were times when I became aggravated by the main plot as it is convoluted and it takes a while to get to the meat of it. It’s also hard to watch those you have come to love make careless mistakes.
This entire book is an emotional roller coaster ride of twists and turns that will keep you riding the edge to the end. The ending is a climatic shock that left me blinking in surprise as the villain’s motivations are revealed. The main conflict is resolved, but once again, Bonilla uses that to open another doorway, leaving us with unanswered questions and concerns. I look forward to the third book in this series, Crave The Darkness, set to release March 5, 2013.
Overall Rating: B
Favorite Quote: “I truly had a knack for getting the shitty end of the stick. “
Note: There are some spoilers from book one below, so read at your own risk.
Recap from Shaedes Of Gray: Darian spent the first half of her life as an abused wife. When a friend of her husband’s appears on the scene, he frees her from her life of pain and transforms her into a Shaede – a creature able to transform from solid to shadow. Her lover keeps her well hidden, telling her that she and he are the only of their kind in existence. He disappears suddenly from her life, leaving her alone and unsure of her place in the universe. She becomes an assassin for hire and falls in love with her boss, Tyler. When she takes a job and finds out that she just tried to kill the King of her kind, she realizes her lover and maker lied to her. When Darien’s old lover reappears and attempts to use her to overthrow the king and take the throne for himself, Darien uncovers secrets, gains new powers and defeats her lover.
Blood Before Sunrise picks up where Shaedes Of Gray left off and once again submerges us into the dark and dangerous world that Darian lives in. Set in Seattle, this noir and Machiavellian Urban Fantasy will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. Darien’s past comes back to haunt her when she blatantly ignores everyone’s advice and sets out to find Raif’s daughter. I would classify this book as a character growth book. Especially for Darian. Having spent a majority of her life alone, she has a hard time allowing anyone in to help her. Her protective instincts are strong and they often blind her to the fact that she is guilty of doing what she adamantly hates being done to her. Her pit bull mentality causes a considerable amount of grief and pain but it is an experience she must go through if she is to grow beyond the boundaries originally set up for her character.
I enjoy Darian’s character. She is a perfect blending of what I love in my UF heroines. Smart and sassy with deeply buried vulnerability. She is so protective of those she loves and considers friends, you can’t help but cheer for her even as she does some things that make you want to shake some sense into her.
There is still small love triangle in here but I found it seems to be morphing into something different. She and Tyler, her boss, have acknowledged the attraction between them and are acting on it. Darian still learning about the jinn side of Tyler and what exactly their "bonding" entails. But her actions at the end of Shaedes Of Gray more then cement the fact that Darian loves Tyler. The sexual tension between Darian and Tyler is VERY hot and sensual and we get some nice smexy times in here. I like how Bonilla includes the romance storyline without making the story dependent on it. After this book, I find myself rooting even more Team Tyler.
Xander, the king of the Shaede nation is STILL a pain in Darian’s arse and she doesn’t hesitate to let him know that repeatedly. Watching these two together is not so much sexual to me as more of a battle of the wills. The chase matters more to Xander then the capture and I foresee a reluctant friendship developing. I don’t believe that Xander has ever had a female friend that didn’t involve some sort of sexual interaction and I look forward to seeing how he handles this. Rest assured though, Xander will always flirt and cross the line. Jerking Darian’s chain is probably the most fun he’s had in centuries.
A diabolically complicated secondary cast only heightens the excitement of this story. Raif remains a favorite character of mine. He has become an important part of Darian’s life. Their relationship is sibling like and no matter what happens, Darian knows Raif will always have her back. Anya is another favorite with her snarky jealousy of Diarian and bad fashion taste. We meet some new characters and learn some new information about old ones in here who further expand on the complicated world Darian is now part of. I am very interested in Moira’s brother and look forward to seeing more of both of them in the future. Tyler, Darian’s boyfriend, plays a huge part in here as their relationship is taken to new levels and decisions are made for better or worse. I felt for him. I could see what was happening and my heart broke as we see him and Darian struggle against external and internal influences.
The main conflict is a delicious blend of lies, manipulations, and deception. The nature and level of the duplicity Darian uncovers and yes, exhibits herself, is mind boggling. I won’t lie and say I didn’t want to smack her around a little in here but as I mentioned before, characters often have to experience adversity and heartbreak in order to grow. She makes some decisions in here that cost her, and she struggles with the price she is forced to pay. There were times when I became aggravated by the main plot as it is convoluted and it takes a while to get to the meat of it. It’s also hard to watch those you have come to love make careless mistakes.
This entire book is an emotional roller coaster ride of twists and turns that will keep you riding the edge to the end. The ending is a climatic shock that left me blinking in surprise as the villain’s motivations are revealed. The main conflict is resolved, but once again, Bonilla uses that to open another doorway, leaving us with unanswered questions and concerns. I look forward to the third book in this series, Crave The Darkness, set to release March 5, 2013.
Overall Rating: B
February 18, 2013
Also posted at my blog, the TBR Mountain Range.
If you love Urban Fantasy, then this series deserves a spot in your immediate to-be-read pile. Fascinating world-building with love-to-hate villains, you're never quite sure if the lead couple and their friends will live through the evil that's determined to destroy them.
In the beginning, we are reunited with Shaede Assassin Darian, her friend and mentor, Raif, and her boyfriend, Tyler, while they're searching for the elusive Oracle. The Oracle caused so much trouble in book one that catching her to atone for her behavior is high priority. The Oracle is a seer of the future, which can be good or bad, depending on whose future she's spouting about. Spoken mostly in riddles, the Oracle's clues can be more frustrating, sometimes, than knowing nothing at all. This time is no different because when they find the Oracle, she announces she knows where Raif's daughter is, the daughter who has been missing for years but assumed dead.
Raif isn't interested, assuming that the Oracle is spouting more lies or has basically flipped out, spiraling into the abyss of madness. But Darian believes that all clues should be followed, especially since she feels that she owes it to Raif to find his daughter, giving him back some of what he's lost. Loss is something very familiar to Darian and Raif means everything to her, so she vows to help find his daughter whether he wants the help or not.
Tyler becomes extremely jealous of Darian's relationship with Raif and his brother, Xander, the High King. Tyler is a genie or Jinn and has bonded to Darian, meaning that he will protect her at all costs. The fact that they have fallen in love and have committed to each other makes the bonding even more precarious. Yes, they are committed to one another but they're both very independent with responsibilities beyond what they have together. It's not like Tyler to be so jealous of Darian's friends or colleagues, and they both know it's becoming a problem.
In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian's abilities are changing, giving her more ammunition against the evil that's always jockeying for control. Her independence isn't always an asset, often testing her strength close within its limits. Will she learn to lean on those who have her back, or go after what she wants alone, only to regret her decision after it's too late?
BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE shouldn't be read unless you've read the first book in the SHAEDE ASSASSIN series, SHAEDES OF GRAY. You might understand book two without reading book one, but you'll miss the essence in book one that makes book two a more emotional read. Since Darian's relationships continue from book to book, you'll ruin the depth of this series by reading it out of order.
Darian is a kick-ass heroine quite confident of her skills as a warrior. She's an assassin, ridding her world of the worst creatures who threaten her world that is shared with humans. Darian is madly in love with Tyler, devoted to him so much that she'll risk his anger in order to protect him. Even though Darian seems to be so hardened that she's beyond caring, we get to see a different side of her in this book. She's still deadly when needed, but emotion plays a bigger role in book two. Darian's relationship with Tyler is very sensual as well as loving even though Darian has issues with trusting anyone completely.
BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE should be considered more urban fantasy fiction than romance. It combines paranormal and fantasy elements in a world on the fringe of war. There's romance but it's not traditional, nor does the book always focus on the lead couple. There's also some physical abuse that may be upsetting to some readers.
I love the grit in this series. I might have a few "ewww, that's gross" moments but I get a kick out of it. It's that fine line that seems horror-influenced that keeps me riveted even though I don't always want to see what happens. Darian is far from your preconceived heroine. She's also not so convinced of her own abilities not to aspire to change for the better. Oh sure, she's often snarky and hardened enough to believe she's the best warrior, but part of that is posturing to give her confidence to win. She's not so detached that she's not willing to change, for the right person, and my hope is that much of what she experienced in book two will be considered lessons learned for the better in book three.
Besides all that, Darian attracts some of the sexiest alpha men. If they're not attracted to her, they're interested in using her for their own purpose, so recognizing friend from foe is never easy. This includes an unexpected villain in this book who will probably make your skin crawl.
If you love imaginative world-building with action-packed twists and turns, then BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE will captivate you. There's some creepy evil to overcome in this novel, with gory details of battles against malevolence of the mind and body. Never a boring page, BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE paces the jittery edge of good against evil, leaving you desperate for book three, CRAVE THE DARKNESS.
Review and book courtesy of Romance Junkies.
If you love Urban Fantasy, then this series deserves a spot in your immediate to-be-read pile. Fascinating world-building with love-to-hate villains, you're never quite sure if the lead couple and their friends will live through the evil that's determined to destroy them.
In the beginning, we are reunited with Shaede Assassin Darian, her friend and mentor, Raif, and her boyfriend, Tyler, while they're searching for the elusive Oracle. The Oracle caused so much trouble in book one that catching her to atone for her behavior is high priority. The Oracle is a seer of the future, which can be good or bad, depending on whose future she's spouting about. Spoken mostly in riddles, the Oracle's clues can be more frustrating, sometimes, than knowing nothing at all. This time is no different because when they find the Oracle, she announces she knows where Raif's daughter is, the daughter who has been missing for years but assumed dead.
Raif isn't interested, assuming that the Oracle is spouting more lies or has basically flipped out, spiraling into the abyss of madness. But Darian believes that all clues should be followed, especially since she feels that she owes it to Raif to find his daughter, giving him back some of what he's lost. Loss is something very familiar to Darian and Raif means everything to her, so she vows to help find his daughter whether he wants the help or not.
Tyler becomes extremely jealous of Darian's relationship with Raif and his brother, Xander, the High King. Tyler is a genie or Jinn and has bonded to Darian, meaning that he will protect her at all costs. The fact that they have fallen in love and have committed to each other makes the bonding even more precarious. Yes, they are committed to one another but they're both very independent with responsibilities beyond what they have together. It's not like Tyler to be so jealous of Darian's friends or colleagues, and they both know it's becoming a problem.
In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian's abilities are changing, giving her more ammunition against the evil that's always jockeying for control. Her independence isn't always an asset, often testing her strength close within its limits. Will she learn to lean on those who have her back, or go after what she wants alone, only to regret her decision after it's too late?
BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE shouldn't be read unless you've read the first book in the SHAEDE ASSASSIN series, SHAEDES OF GRAY. You might understand book two without reading book one, but you'll miss the essence in book one that makes book two a more emotional read. Since Darian's relationships continue from book to book, you'll ruin the depth of this series by reading it out of order.
Darian is a kick-ass heroine quite confident of her skills as a warrior. She's an assassin, ridding her world of the worst creatures who threaten her world that is shared with humans. Darian is madly in love with Tyler, devoted to him so much that she'll risk his anger in order to protect him. Even though Darian seems to be so hardened that she's beyond caring, we get to see a different side of her in this book. She's still deadly when needed, but emotion plays a bigger role in book two. Darian's relationship with Tyler is very sensual as well as loving even though Darian has issues with trusting anyone completely.
BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE should be considered more urban fantasy fiction than romance. It combines paranormal and fantasy elements in a world on the fringe of war. There's romance but it's not traditional, nor does the book always focus on the lead couple. There's also some physical abuse that may be upsetting to some readers.
I love the grit in this series. I might have a few "ewww, that's gross" moments but I get a kick out of it. It's that fine line that seems horror-influenced that keeps me riveted even though I don't always want to see what happens. Darian is far from your preconceived heroine. She's also not so convinced of her own abilities not to aspire to change for the better. Oh sure, she's often snarky and hardened enough to believe she's the best warrior, but part of that is posturing to give her confidence to win. She's not so detached that she's not willing to change, for the right person, and my hope is that much of what she experienced in book two will be considered lessons learned for the better in book three.
Besides all that, Darian attracts some of the sexiest alpha men. If they're not attracted to her, they're interested in using her for their own purpose, so recognizing friend from foe is never easy. This includes an unexpected villain in this book who will probably make your skin crawl.
If you love imaginative world-building with action-packed twists and turns, then BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE will captivate you. There's some creepy evil to overcome in this novel, with gory details of battles against malevolence of the mind and body. Never a boring page, BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE paces the jittery edge of good against evil, leaving you desperate for book three, CRAVE THE DARKNESS.
Review and book courtesy of Romance Junkies.
July 25, 2012
I really wanted to like this book. I think the world is unique and I love a good (or bad!) Jinn so I was hoping this book would build on Shaedes of Gray, but it just didn't seem to for me. The first problem is that the main setup for the drama in the story just didn't make sense to me. The whole story is based on the premise that Darian needed to make a deal with Fallon so that she could question the Oracle. Why didn't she question her while she was at Xanders? Then, why did she forget that when she turned her over that they had spelled her so she couldn't talk to anyone? It just seemed contrived to me to set up the situation with Fallon. But I probably could have lived with that if it wasn't for Darian constantly going off on her own and having that go spectacularly badly and then doing it again five minutes later! And regretting it and saying she probably shouldn't do this but...what the heck, just one more time? It got to be a bit over the top. Add in a side story about mysterious postcards that never really develops (I can only assume it will be the basis for the next book) and, well, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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