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Deadglass #0.5
Hearts of Fire
In the prequel to a stunning new paranormal series, one woman's desire for a forbidden man will spark a centuries-long supernatural conflict--and a love nothing can destroy.
She's the heiress to Seattle's most powerful shifter clan. Her destiny is as controlled and certain as moonrise. However, from the moment Alice Corbette encounters the man known as Brand, she will defy all constraint and break every rule to make this dragon-shifter hers. Brand is determined to repay the clan leader he owes his life to. But one taste of Alice's exquisite spirit will make him question his loyalty--and plunge them both into the middle of a ruthless power play. Their only chance at freedom is a gamble that could risk the future of humans and shifters alike. . .
KIRA BRADY developed a passion for the historic, haunted places of Seattle as an urban planning graduate student before following her writing dream.
20,000 Words
She's the heiress to Seattle's most powerful shifter clan. Her destiny is as controlled and certain as moonrise. However, from the moment Alice Corbette encounters the man known as Brand, she will defy all constraint and break every rule to make this dragon-shifter hers. Brand is determined to repay the clan leader he owes his life to. But one taste of Alice's exquisite spirit will make him question his loyalty--and plunge them both into the middle of a ruthless power play. Their only chance at freedom is a gamble that could risk the future of humans and shifters alike. . .
KIRA BRADY developed a passion for the historic, haunted places of Seattle as an urban planning graduate student before following her writing dream.
20,000 Words
61 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2012
15 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Kira Brady
7 books129 followersKira Brady is an award-winning author of paranormal and contemporary romance. Her debut, Hearts of Darkness, was named one of the Best Books of Summer 2012 by Publishers Weekly, which called it, "Dazzling...thrilling...irresistible."
Kira grew up in a small Scandinavian town on the shores of Puget Sound, where she fell in love with cardamon braid and Kringle, which inspired her new series of interconnected sweetly spicy, humorous, sport romances set in a cozy, small Scandinavian town in the Pacific Northwest. Up next: LOVE AND PICKLEBALL, Salmon Bay book 1, in which a cinnamon roll pickleball coach falls for the sexy crossword-obsessed divorcee, with solvable crosswords, bad pickle-puns, and hot closet escapades.
Her Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance series, The Deadglass Trilogy, was published in print, ebook, and audiobook by Kensington Zebra and Blackstone Audio. This apocalyptic series is set in a grisly, fantasy Seattle where ghosts and shapeshifters fight to control the cracked gate between the living and the land of the dead. Publishers Weekly hailed the series as, “Seamlessly weaving threads of Babylonian, Norse, and Northwest Native American fables, Brady creates a dark, rich tapestry. The trilogy ends as it began: with beautifully rendered prose and multidimensional characters who capture readers’ hearts.”
When not writing, Kira loves reading, hiking, pottery, knitting, learning to play pickleball, and spending time with her family. She loves hearing from readers!
Let’s connect!
Website: kirabrady.com
Newsletter: subscribepage.io/kirabrady
Instagram: instagram.com/kirabrady
YouTube: youtube.com/@KiraBradyAuthor
Facebook: facebook.com/kira.brady
Kira grew up in a small Scandinavian town on the shores of Puget Sound, where she fell in love with cardamon braid and Kringle, which inspired her new series of interconnected sweetly spicy, humorous, sport romances set in a cozy, small Scandinavian town in the Pacific Northwest. Up next: LOVE AND PICKLEBALL, Salmon Bay book 1, in which a cinnamon roll pickleball coach falls for the sexy crossword-obsessed divorcee, with solvable crosswords, bad pickle-puns, and hot closet escapades.
Her Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance series, The Deadglass Trilogy, was published in print, ebook, and audiobook by Kensington Zebra and Blackstone Audio. This apocalyptic series is set in a grisly, fantasy Seattle where ghosts and shapeshifters fight to control the cracked gate between the living and the land of the dead. Publishers Weekly hailed the series as, “Seamlessly weaving threads of Babylonian, Norse, and Northwest Native American fables, Brady creates a dark, rich tapestry. The trilogy ends as it began: with beautifully rendered prose and multidimensional characters who capture readers’ hearts.”
When not writing, Kira loves reading, hiking, pottery, knitting, learning to play pickleball, and spending time with her family. She loves hearing from readers!
Let’s connect!
Website: kirabrady.com
Newsletter: subscribepage.io/kirabrady
Instagram: instagram.com/kirabrady
YouTube: youtube.com/@KiraBradyAuthor
Facebook: facebook.com/kira.brady
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
July 3, 2012
Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner
I have a love/hate relationship with prequel novellas. Some are fantastic because they feel like they’re all about their story, truly belong to the series and aren’t there to sell you something else. But then there are those whose only purpose is to sell you the next book. Unfortunately, Hearts of Fire falls under the latter category.
The story takes place in 1889. Alice, our heroine, is the daughter of the Kivati’s leader – a shifters clan residing in Seattle. One day, she meets a dashing stranger. Just by looking at him she can tell there’s more to him than meets the eye, and by the mighty power of the insta-love, she falls for him. Fortunately for her, the same happens to him. But this guy isn’t even a regular shifter, nope, his name is Bran and he’s a Drekar, an ancient dragon-shifter race that happens to be the Kivati’s mortal enemies. So we also have a Romeo and Juliet situation in our hands. Will love conquer hate?
This novella has an interesting premise, or I think it would be interesting had we gotten more details. It’s yet a new take on shifters, but this time it’s intertwined with different mythologies, which is refreshing and unique. The clans have a different dynamics and complexities that are going to be interesting to explore, so in a way, the novella achieved its purpose of making me curious about the series. The potential is there, yet the execution was poor, first because I’m not that clear as to what is going on, and second and most important, because the romance was a failure. Not to mention that the ending was weak, an ending that’s tied to the main couple.
As I said, Bran and Alice fall instantly in love, and it’s never clear what they see in each other, not surprisingly since they spend about five minutes together in total. Bran was an interesting character because despite being an ancient and powerful shifter, he came across as beta. In a genre that’s filled with domineering alphas, a hero that’s everything but, was a pleasant surprise. He was, by far, the most layered character in the story. I wasn’t so fond of Alice mostly because she wasn’t developed as a character. But in the end, their story fail to impress because it happens way too quick to allow me to connect and to care about their relationship.
The ending was the weakest part. Bran and Alice make a selfish decision that makes sense for him, but not for her. I won’t spoil it but I’ll say that I thought it was the easy –and coward—way out. Not romantic at all, but very surprising.
I wasn’t impressed by the story, although I enjoyed some aspects of it. As I said, I can see the potential in both the series and Ms. Brady’s talent. I won’t recommend this one to you, but I think I’ll read the next book to see if said potential is fully explored and developed. I’m ready to give these books a second chance because I know from experience that more often than not, good series have weak beginnings.
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
I have a love/hate relationship with prequel novellas. Some are fantastic because they feel like they’re all about their story, truly belong to the series and aren’t there to sell you something else. But then there are those whose only purpose is to sell you the next book. Unfortunately, Hearts of Fire falls under the latter category.
The story takes place in 1889. Alice, our heroine, is the daughter of the Kivati’s leader – a shifters clan residing in Seattle. One day, she meets a dashing stranger. Just by looking at him she can tell there’s more to him than meets the eye, and by the mighty power of the insta-love, she falls for him. Fortunately for her, the same happens to him. But this guy isn’t even a regular shifter, nope, his name is Bran and he’s a Drekar, an ancient dragon-shifter race that happens to be the Kivati’s mortal enemies. So we also have a Romeo and Juliet situation in our hands. Will love conquer hate?
This novella has an interesting premise, or I think it would be interesting had we gotten more details. It’s yet a new take on shifters, but this time it’s intertwined with different mythologies, which is refreshing and unique. The clans have a different dynamics and complexities that are going to be interesting to explore, so in a way, the novella achieved its purpose of making me curious about the series. The potential is there, yet the execution was poor, first because I’m not that clear as to what is going on, and second and most important, because the romance was a failure. Not to mention that the ending was weak, an ending that’s tied to the main couple.
As I said, Bran and Alice fall instantly in love, and it’s never clear what they see in each other, not surprisingly since they spend about five minutes together in total. Bran was an interesting character because despite being an ancient and powerful shifter, he came across as beta. In a genre that’s filled with domineering alphas, a hero that’s everything but, was a pleasant surprise. He was, by far, the most layered character in the story. I wasn’t so fond of Alice mostly because she wasn’t developed as a character. But in the end, their story fail to impress because it happens way too quick to allow me to connect and to care about their relationship.
The ending was the weakest part. Bran and Alice make a selfish decision that makes sense for him, but not for her. I won’t spoil it but I’ll say that I thought it was the easy –and coward—way out. Not romantic at all, but very surprising.
I wasn’t impressed by the story, although I enjoyed some aspects of it. As I said, I can see the potential in both the series and Ms. Brady’s talent. I won’t recommend this one to you, but I think I’ll read the next book to see if said potential is fully explored and developed. I’m ready to give these books a second chance because I know from experience that more often than not, good series have weak beginnings.
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
October 16, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A refreshing dose of mythology with a strong heroine.
Opening Sentence: She didn’t want to like him.
The Review:
Hearts of Fire is a prequel short story in the Deadglass series set many years before the novel Hearts of Darkness. Set in Seattle during the late 1800’s, Alice is a young woman of supernatural descent. Her chance at love is limited to only those of her kind but when she sets her heart on Brand she knows he is the one for her. Alice knows that Brand is also a supernatural just not what he is. Her friends and family try to discourage her against a relationship. Alice takes matters into her own hands and learns an evil truth that will be the beginning in a long supernatural war.
Since this is a short story, the romance is instant attraction and plays out pretty quickly even though Brand is trying to steer clear of Alice. The supernatural mythology in Hearts of Fire, while only just given enough information for the story, was a refreshing dose in the paranormal genre. I can’t wait to learn more about both of these creatures that can fly.
Hearts of Fire is a fun, interesting read. Read it for the mythology more so than the relationship. Readers who enjoy women fighting for what they want will enjoy this story.
Notable Scene:
Alice couldn’t believe Brand Haldor was on the terrace with her. The dance still rang in her ears, and she twirled as much for her own benefit as for his. She could dance all night if he would only dance with her. She wanted to escape the press of bodies and fly away with him, to dance with wings beneath the grinning stars over the churning sea.
Hattie had been wrong. Brand moved with feral grace, but his other form wasn’t feline. The drums had shown her. In the whirl and heat she had caught a sense of Aether about him. Wings, she was almost sure of it. The phantom wings stretched over his human form. Not feathers precisely. And the eyes slit in emotion. In anger they would be enough to knock the breath out of a man and make him roll over and pray for death. But there in the ballroom, with Brand’s hands on her waist and his body a hairbreadth from her own, with the heat and the musk of him saturating her underclothes and shooting straight to the secret heart of her, his inhuman irises were slit in some other fierce emotion.
FTC Advisory: Zebra/Kensington provided me with a copy of Hearts of Fire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A refreshing dose of mythology with a strong heroine.
Opening Sentence: She didn’t want to like him.
The Review:
Hearts of Fire is a prequel short story in the Deadglass series set many years before the novel Hearts of Darkness. Set in Seattle during the late 1800’s, Alice is a young woman of supernatural descent. Her chance at love is limited to only those of her kind but when she sets her heart on Brand she knows he is the one for her. Alice knows that Brand is also a supernatural just not what he is. Her friends and family try to discourage her against a relationship. Alice takes matters into her own hands and learns an evil truth that will be the beginning in a long supernatural war.
Since this is a short story, the romance is instant attraction and plays out pretty quickly even though Brand is trying to steer clear of Alice. The supernatural mythology in Hearts of Fire, while only just given enough information for the story, was a refreshing dose in the paranormal genre. I can’t wait to learn more about both of these creatures that can fly.
Hearts of Fire is a fun, interesting read. Read it for the mythology more so than the relationship. Readers who enjoy women fighting for what they want will enjoy this story.
Notable Scene:
Alice couldn’t believe Brand Haldor was on the terrace with her. The dance still rang in her ears, and she twirled as much for her own benefit as for his. She could dance all night if he would only dance with her. She wanted to escape the press of bodies and fly away with him, to dance with wings beneath the grinning stars over the churning sea.
Hattie had been wrong. Brand moved with feral grace, but his other form wasn’t feline. The drums had shown her. In the whirl and heat she had caught a sense of Aether about him. Wings, she was almost sure of it. The phantom wings stretched over his human form. Not feathers precisely. And the eyes slit in emotion. In anger they would be enough to knock the breath out of a man and make him roll over and pray for death. But there in the ballroom, with Brand’s hands on her waist and his body a hairbreadth from her own, with the heat and the musk of him saturating her underclothes and shooting straight to the secret heart of her, his inhuman irises were slit in some other fierce emotion.
FTC Advisory: Zebra/Kensington provided me with a copy of Hearts of Fire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
July 23, 2012
So this is a novella prequel to a new series. I actually preordered this novella because the first book in the series looked interesting and then forgot about it, so it was one of those surprises that showed up on my Kindle!
Anyway, I didn't like this much, but novellas can be so hit and miss. It was instalove and, not just that, but I didn't get to know either of these characters well in their own right. I also didn't get a good enough idea of the world.
So I finished it unsure if I would check out the actual book or not, BUT THEN I read the preview included for the book and it was a lot better, so I think I'll read it. But it'll probably be a library book.
PS: The novella is set in 1889 and the series is set in present day, so that might make a difference, too.
Anyway, I didn't like this much, but novellas can be so hit and miss. It was instalove and, not just that, but I didn't get to know either of these characters well in their own right. I also didn't get a good enough idea of the world.
So I finished it unsure if I would check out the actual book or not, BUT THEN I read the preview included for the book and it was a lot better, so I think I'll read it. But it'll probably be a library book.
PS: The novella is set in 1889 and the series is set in present day, so that might make a difference, too.
August 25, 2013
I liked the setting and the worldbuilding but I wasn't crazy about the way it was written. It was wordy and somewhat florid. Perhaps the author was going for a period feel, I don't know. I'm intrigued enough to give the next book a shot. B-/C+
June 12, 2012
This was a great tale very reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet.
And while this was just the begining, a novella, this series promises to be action packed and one that you won't want to miss.
And while this was just the begining, a novella, this series promises to be action packed and one that you won't want to miss.
January 27, 2021
Love at first site, literally, and a world that includes magical creatures, including dragons hidden/living among humans. As usual, I must say I am not a fan of short stories or shorter novellas, and that was part of the issue with this selection for me. STILL, there was no reason for the insta-love other than looks and the sensing of some magical energy, and there was not enough detail about how this world works other than the fact that the 2 in love are on opposite sides, which some considered good vs evil.
This series introduction was not enough for me to want to continue with the series. There are too many other things out there I enjoy more to read/listen to.
This series introduction was not enough for me to want to continue with the series. There are too many other things out there I enjoy more to read/listen to.
March 6, 2019
I feel like this was a good outline to a much longer story. I wanted more. Though I’m thinking that may have been the intention. I admit I get bored of stories where two people see each other and instantly fall in love. BOOM and they’re so happy. I mean, nice read and all but I want substance. I’ll try to get a hold of one of the other full sized novels and see how the author handles that.
July 31, 2019
Short and sweet novella that gives so many good tidbits! Explains the deadglass monocle, Emory's dislike of Alice's mate, and the start of the feud! Wish it was longer because I just really enjoyed the characters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2020
Great teaser! I’ve had my eye on this series for a while and now I definitely can’t wait to read more of this series.
November 18, 2020
I read this and I guess it was interesting. I remember parts of it 2 weeks later but I'm not sure how much I loved it.
May 25, 2021
This story has so much potential but the instalust and poor decisions made by the main characters put a damper on it. I will read second book to see if it improves for me. Not bad though.
September 17, 2021
If you like sex with EVERY encounter, theis series is for you. It is not for me. The romance overtakes the great plot.
February 19, 2022
Looking forward to more in this series. Why is one considered soulless?
June 17, 2022
Cute prequel, not necessary for the rest of the series.
December 31, 2022
unfortunately I have to DNF this one I just couldn't get into it maybe a different book by the same author will be more my speed
January 11, 2023
This is a novella for the Deadglass series. I have not read any of the series but this novella did spark my interest in this paranormal romance series set in Seattle.
December 30, 2023
2.5 stars
November 30, 2025
Cool concept but was also chaotic
April 30, 2022
I listened to it on audible and hated the narrator she sounded like everything she said was a sexual suggestion. Hated her trying to do the guys voice. The story was a good little novella. I liked the spice scene though. The world it was set in was good though
January 15, 2018
*Review courtesy of http://bthreviews.com
"Hearts of Fire" is a prequel story (#.5) to the Deadglass series by Kira Brady.
This paranormal romance novella was published in ebook format by eKensington on June 26, 2012.
I read "Hearts of Fire" because I downloaded a free copy on Nook a long time ago. I have been wanting to read something by Kira Brady, and I finally got around to starting this series.
Quick Review: Strong worldbuilding, unique mythology, but insta-love and underdeveloped characters
The Story
In 1889, Brand travels to Seattle because he has to make a Deadglass for Norgard. While in Seattle, he meets a woman, Alice, who is the daughter of a rival tribe leader. He is a dragon shifter; she's a bird shifter. They are supposed to be enemies. But, they are drawn to one another and quickly become lovers.
I liked how the author gave hints that some sort of trouble was coming. But, the trouble never really came. The story was taken over by what was going on between Brand and Alice. Although there is trouble, they basically ignore it and do what is best for them.
I didn't like the 'love conquers all' theme, at least not in the way it was employed. Perhaps if the story had been longer and more developed, I would have warmed to the idea. The love between Alice and Brand was superficial and rushed. I couldn't see how it could conquer anything.
In the epilogue, the author basically states that it's true--their love didn't make a difference. "Over a century later, the blood of both sides soaked the cursed earth." Once I read this, I wondered what the point of the story had been.
The best thing about the story was the original mythology and world-building.
The Characters
Brand is said to be soulless. He has to eat souls to survive. This makes him repulsive and evil, in the eyes of the Kivati.
Alice came across to me as prejudiced, jaded, naive, and idealistic...all at the same time. To understand her, I would have needed to spend more time with her. There just wasn't an opportunity because of the length of the story.
Brand is a little more interesting. Out of the two main characters, I think the author put more thought into developing his character.
By the third chapter, Brand and Alice are already in love. I couldn't comprehend it. One minute she hated him because he didn't have a soul. The next minute she proclaimed her love.
They didn't know one another. All they had to go on was their physical attraction. It just wasn't enough to convince me of any real feelings.
The Writing
The author repeated herself too much. Given that this was a novella, she couldn't afford to do that. Every word counted. And instead of giving new information that would flesh out the characters and plot, she kept saying the same things in different ways. Even early on, I got annoyed by this. There was a line in chapter two, "He realized she was waiting," for which I wrote a note: So am I. Repeating too much. I get it that he likes Alice. Let's move on.
If you don't like it when authors use euphemisms for male body parts (ex: shaft, manhood, rod, etc.), then you should skip this story.
The actual writing was good, without errors or inconsistencies. I just couldn't get into the characters or the plot. However, because I think Kira Brady writes well, I am willing to continue the series.
Do I Recommend?
Unless you are obsessed with reading every single prequel and in-between story, I would recommend skipping "Hearts of Fire." If it weren't for the backstory and worldbuilding about the Drekar and Kivati, I would have given this 2 stars. Perhaps that's enough reason to read this one, but I have a feeling you can still read Hearts of Darkness without knowing all this backstory.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (C)
"Hearts of Fire" is a prequel story (#.5) to the Deadglass series by Kira Brady.
This paranormal romance novella was published in ebook format by eKensington on June 26, 2012.
I read "Hearts of Fire" because I downloaded a free copy on Nook a long time ago. I have been wanting to read something by Kira Brady, and I finally got around to starting this series.
Quick Review: Strong worldbuilding, unique mythology, but insta-love and underdeveloped characters
The Story
In 1889, Brand travels to Seattle because he has to make a Deadglass for Norgard. While in Seattle, he meets a woman, Alice, who is the daughter of a rival tribe leader. He is a dragon shifter; she's a bird shifter. They are supposed to be enemies. But, they are drawn to one another and quickly become lovers.
I liked how the author gave hints that some sort of trouble was coming. But, the trouble never really came. The story was taken over by what was going on between Brand and Alice. Although there is trouble, they basically ignore it and do what is best for them.
I didn't like the 'love conquers all' theme, at least not in the way it was employed. Perhaps if the story had been longer and more developed, I would have warmed to the idea. The love between Alice and Brand was superficial and rushed. I couldn't see how it could conquer anything.
In the epilogue, the author basically states that it's true--their love didn't make a difference. "Over a century later, the blood of both sides soaked the cursed earth." Once I read this, I wondered what the point of the story had been.
The best thing about the story was the original mythology and world-building.
The Characters
Brand is said to be soulless. He has to eat souls to survive. This makes him repulsive and evil, in the eyes of the Kivati.
Alice came across to me as prejudiced, jaded, naive, and idealistic...all at the same time. To understand her, I would have needed to spend more time with her. There just wasn't an opportunity because of the length of the story.
Brand is a little more interesting. Out of the two main characters, I think the author put more thought into developing his character.
By the third chapter, Brand and Alice are already in love. I couldn't comprehend it. One minute she hated him because he didn't have a soul. The next minute she proclaimed her love.
They didn't know one another. All they had to go on was their physical attraction. It just wasn't enough to convince me of any real feelings.
The Writing
The author repeated herself too much. Given that this was a novella, she couldn't afford to do that. Every word counted. And instead of giving new information that would flesh out the characters and plot, she kept saying the same things in different ways. Even early on, I got annoyed by this. There was a line in chapter two, "He realized she was waiting," for which I wrote a note: So am I. Repeating too much. I get it that he likes Alice. Let's move on.
If you don't like it when authors use euphemisms for male body parts (ex: shaft, manhood, rod, etc.), then you should skip this story.
The actual writing was good, without errors or inconsistencies. I just couldn't get into the characters or the plot. However, because I think Kira Brady writes well, I am willing to continue the series.
Do I Recommend?
Unless you are obsessed with reading every single prequel and in-between story, I would recommend skipping "Hearts of Fire." If it weren't for the backstory and worldbuilding about the Drekar and Kivati, I would have given this 2 stars. Perhaps that's enough reason to read this one, but I have a feeling you can still read Hearts of Darkness without knowing all this backstory.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (C)
September 28, 2016
Huh. Starts out with Alice out and about when she sees this hawt guy (Brand). She then declares she's going to marry him. He sees her and boom. It's love at first sight. Should have been an interesting world- the Wild West with paranormals. I just couldn't get into this one. I would have liked more world and relationship-building. The length hurt this I think. I didn't buy into it.
June 29, 2012
Sounds great! Can' t wait for Hearts of Darkness.
My Thoughts
This is a prequel to the first book Hearts of Darkness in the Deadglass series. Because Hearts of Darkness is only 55 pages the limited word count allows little time for romance, story line or world building, but just enough to interest you that you want to read the first book of the Deadglass series, Hearts of Darkness . The first book Hearts of Darkness will be released August 7th 2012.
My Thoughts
This is a prequel to the first book Hearts of Darkness in the Deadglass series. Because Hearts of Darkness is only 55 pages the limited word count allows little time for romance, story line or world building, but just enough to interest you that you want to read the first book of the Deadglass series, Hearts of Darkness . The first book Hearts of Darkness will be released August 7th 2012.
March 23, 2014
review posted on Got Fiction? blog
Well, this novella has me hooked.
This book begins in 1889 Seattle, but it’s a Seattle of shifters. Native shifters called the Kivati are fierce, but few. They have been living amongst humans, and for the most part, happily intermingling.
The chief is very welcoming to the new peoples, recognizing that if they are to survive, they can’t hide, they’ll have to learn to adapt. However, not all of his people feel the same. This is brought to the forefront as the Drekar (Dragons) move in. The Drekar are their natural enemies, and the Kivati hunted and killed them all years ago, but they don’t realize the new Norsemen who are moving to Seattle are Drekar. At least not at first.
Alice, the Kivati Raven Lord’s daughter, sees a beautiful man and knows she will marry him. It’s just part of her. She knows he is IT for her. So she convinces her father to host a ball to welcome their new guests.
Brand is in debt to his Drekar regent (isn’t everyone?), but his chance to move to Seattle is about new beginnings. When he finds out Norgard’s true reasons for moving there, he just wants to repay his debt and go on his way. His debt is to duplicate the deadglass, something his father made to enable him to see ghosts.
Alice and Brand have a swift romance, but when Alice finds out he’s Drakar, she believes his motives in wooing her were for her soul. Drakar are soulless. Kivati have dual souls-one for them, and one for their totem animal. The world-building and history is really great, and has a new concept for PNR.
The ending is really not an ending at all. It’s the set-up for the dystopian Seattle we see in Hearts of Darkness…
***Minor shift to talk about the next book***
…A modern Seattle, but the gates that keep the dead where they belong have crashed. Seattle is now a desolate, dark place where Norgard rules, and everyone owes him something. The dead have to pay the debts the living cannot, and the Kivani are fighting with Alice’s brother at the lead. But the Kivani are no longer the peaceful people who want to coexist with humans.
I really enjoyed this novella, and it sets up the next book really well, however you do not need to read this to enjoy the first book, and I think you could even read this after the first book and it would just add depth to that story.
Well, this novella has me hooked.
This book begins in 1889 Seattle, but it’s a Seattle of shifters. Native shifters called the Kivati are fierce, but few. They have been living amongst humans, and for the most part, happily intermingling.
The chief is very welcoming to the new peoples, recognizing that if they are to survive, they can’t hide, they’ll have to learn to adapt. However, not all of his people feel the same. This is brought to the forefront as the Drekar (Dragons) move in. The Drekar are their natural enemies, and the Kivati hunted and killed them all years ago, but they don’t realize the new Norsemen who are moving to Seattle are Drekar. At least not at first.
Alice, the Kivati Raven Lord’s daughter, sees a beautiful man and knows she will marry him. It’s just part of her. She knows he is IT for her. So she convinces her father to host a ball to welcome their new guests.
Brand is in debt to his Drekar regent (isn’t everyone?), but his chance to move to Seattle is about new beginnings. When he finds out Norgard’s true reasons for moving there, he just wants to repay his debt and go on his way. His debt is to duplicate the deadglass, something his father made to enable him to see ghosts.
Alice and Brand have a swift romance, but when Alice finds out he’s Drakar, she believes his motives in wooing her were for her soul. Drakar are soulless. Kivati have dual souls-one for them, and one for their totem animal. The world-building and history is really great, and has a new concept for PNR.
The ending is really not an ending at all. It’s the set-up for the dystopian Seattle we see in Hearts of Darkness…
***Minor shift to talk about the next book***
…A modern Seattle, but the gates that keep the dead where they belong have crashed. Seattle is now a desolate, dark place where Norgard rules, and everyone owes him something. The dead have to pay the debts the living cannot, and the Kivani are fighting with Alice’s brother at the lead. But the Kivani are no longer the peaceful people who want to coexist with humans.
I really enjoyed this novella, and it sets up the next book really well, however you do not need to read this to enjoy the first book, and I think you could even read this after the first book and it would just add depth to that story.
August 23, 2012
While I quite enjoyed HEARTS OF DARKNESS, the first novel in Kira Brady’s Deadglass trilogy, I was underwhelmed by HEARTS OF FIRE, the e-prequel that was released last month. Set in the late 1800s at a pivotal point in Seattle’s history, HEARTS OF FIRE documents the building of the city, a forbidden love, and the beginning of the outright hostilities between the Kivati and the Drekar, two shapechanging clans. The Kivati transform into all sorts of creatures, including those of legend like Thunderbirds, while the Drekar are dragons who have no souls and seek to consume human ones.
The main focus of this 20,000 word novella is the blooming relationship between Alice, the daughter of the Kivati leader, and Brand, a Drekar glass artist who has just come to Seattle at the behest of Norgard, the main villain from HEARTS OF DARKNESS. Some of the events that occur in this novella are referenced in HEARTS OF DARKNESS; now we get to see how they happened. Although this was something I was interested in, there was a bit too much going on in HEARTS OF FIRE and it felt overly full. Generally, I enjoy it when an author has multiple threads but I felt like HEARTS OF FIRE had too much action and not enough development. That being said, there were some great moments. For example, I loved Alice and Brand’s first meeting. It was classic but a lot of fun. There was some serious smoulder between the two characters throughout the novella, which I really liked. You could feel their passion for each other. The building conflict between the Kivati and the Drekar adds a nice flavour but I felt like this part of the story got the short end of the proverbial stick because a lot of it happened off the page. From a writing mechanics perspective, it made sense since the story was being told from Brand and Alice’s points of view but it gave the conflict and resulting tragedy less gravitas.
I may also be a bit biased because there’s so much wonderful world and character development in HEARTS OF DARKNESS. I shouldn’t expect it because the novel is probably 4 or 5 times longer than HEARTS OF FIRE but I was so enamored of the world that I guess I was wishing for too much. In any case, I do hope you’ll check out HEARTS OF DARKNESS and see what a modern alternate Seattle looks like because it’s an original and creative setting for a lovely paranormal romance.
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com
The main focus of this 20,000 word novella is the blooming relationship between Alice, the daughter of the Kivati leader, and Brand, a Drekar glass artist who has just come to Seattle at the behest of Norgard, the main villain from HEARTS OF DARKNESS. Some of the events that occur in this novella are referenced in HEARTS OF DARKNESS; now we get to see how they happened. Although this was something I was interested in, there was a bit too much going on in HEARTS OF FIRE and it felt overly full. Generally, I enjoy it when an author has multiple threads but I felt like HEARTS OF FIRE had too much action and not enough development. That being said, there were some great moments. For example, I loved Alice and Brand’s first meeting. It was classic but a lot of fun. There was some serious smoulder between the two characters throughout the novella, which I really liked. You could feel their passion for each other. The building conflict between the Kivati and the Drekar adds a nice flavour but I felt like this part of the story got the short end of the proverbial stick because a lot of it happened off the page. From a writing mechanics perspective, it made sense since the story was being told from Brand and Alice’s points of view but it gave the conflict and resulting tragedy less gravitas.
I may also be a bit biased because there’s so much wonderful world and character development in HEARTS OF DARKNESS. I shouldn’t expect it because the novel is probably 4 or 5 times longer than HEARTS OF FIRE but I was so enamored of the world that I guess I was wishing for too much. In any case, I do hope you’ll check out HEARTS OF DARKNESS and see what a modern alternate Seattle looks like because it’s an original and creative setting for a lovely paranormal romance.
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com
July 25, 2012
Hearts of Fire is a prequel novella to the upcoming paranormal Deadglass trilogy by debut author Kira Brady. In this Romeo and Juliet inspired story, readers are introduced to a unique world of shifters living in an alternate, gritty city of Seattle, unbeknownst to humans. The year is 1889 and the Kivati clan has long established Seattle territory as their own, protecting humans from the threat of the nearby cracked Gate to the Land of the Dead. Now the dangerous soulless dragon-shifting Drekar clan arrives in the city, threatening to disrupt the relative peace.
Alice Corbette is the young heiress of the Kivati clan and notices a handsome, enigmatic man--Brand Haldor, in the streets of Seattle. As soon as she catches his eye, he, too, is drawn to her. The attraction between Alice and Brand is undeniable, as if destiny has brought them together. It turns out Brand has arrived in Seattle on a debt to Sven Norgard, the leader of the Drekar Clan, sworn enemies of the Kivati. The love between Alice and Brand is doomed but
If Hearts of Fire accomplishes one thing, it's that it gives the reader a solid background to the two warring clans, the Kivati and the Drekar. We learn a bit about each of their histories and inherent traits, why they are at odds with each other and how determined they both are to be in control of the Gate in Seattle. As for the romance, it's very quick, if not too quick. The romance does have a fairy-tale quality to it with dual love at first sight and star crossed lovers thing going on, but would have been stronger if we were more convinced that Alice and Brand were meant to be together. All is not lost, though, since the romance helps set up the world building of the Deadglass trilogy, which is unique and very intriguing and the writing is very sharp.
Hearts of Darkness, Book One of the Deadglass trilogy releases on August 7, 2012. It takes place in modern day Seattle and the tension between the Kivati and Drekar clans still runs high. The story is smart, gritty and very tense. [I'm reading it now!]
Alice Corbette is the young heiress of the Kivati clan and notices a handsome, enigmatic man--Brand Haldor, in the streets of Seattle. As soon as she catches his eye, he, too, is drawn to her. The attraction between Alice and Brand is undeniable, as if destiny has brought them together. It turns out Brand has arrived in Seattle on a debt to Sven Norgard, the leader of the Drekar Clan, sworn enemies of the Kivati. The love between Alice and Brand is doomed but
If Hearts of Fire accomplishes one thing, it's that it gives the reader a solid background to the two warring clans, the Kivati and the Drekar. We learn a bit about each of their histories and inherent traits, why they are at odds with each other and how determined they both are to be in control of the Gate in Seattle. As for the romance, it's very quick, if not too quick. The romance does have a fairy-tale quality to it with dual love at first sight and star crossed lovers thing going on, but would have been stronger if we were more convinced that Alice and Brand were meant to be together. All is not lost, though, since the romance helps set up the world building of the Deadglass trilogy, which is unique and very intriguing and the writing is very sharp.
Hearts of Darkness, Book One of the Deadglass trilogy releases on August 7, 2012. It takes place in modern day Seattle and the tension between the Kivati and Drekar clans still runs high. The story is smart, gritty and very tense. [I'm reading it now!]
June 26, 2012
3.5 stars
Hearts of Fire is a prequel novella for Kira Brady's new Deadglass series, the first full length book Hearts of Darkness will be published in August. As a prequel this story definitely did the job of creating excitement for the series, I'm intrigued by the world building and definitely want to learn more about both the Kivati and the Drekar.
The Kivati are a race of shapeshifters who have made their home in Seattle and worked hard to build a life where they can live in secret amongst the human population. There are a lot of different animal tribes amongst them but their leader, Halian, is a raven shifter. When a group of newcomers arrive from Sweden the Kivati can sense that they are not human but the Drekar (dragon shifters) are not forthcoming about what they actually are. The Kivati and Drekar have been natural enemies for years so things aren't going to go well when the Kivati find out more about the new arrivals.
Halian's daughter Alice is immediately drawn to new arrival Brand, she knows in her heart that they are meant to be together and Brand feels the same way. I would have liked their romance to have been drawn out a little longer but I can understand why there wasn't time to do that in a short novella. It would have been nice to see the couple get to know each other better though, as it felt more like they were in lust than actually in love. I'm hoping that we will get to see more of them in future novels though because I did like them both and would like to see what happened to them after the end of this story.
Overall I thought this was an interesting start to the series and it was enough for me to add Hearts of Darkness to my wish list. I have a lot of questions regarding the Deadglass that was created by Brand's father (I'm assuming this will be important considering the series title!) but also about the different kinds of shapeshifters we were introduced to. I've always had a soft spot for dragons so I'm excited about seeing more of them!
Hearts of Fire is a prequel novella for Kira Brady's new Deadglass series, the first full length book Hearts of Darkness will be published in August. As a prequel this story definitely did the job of creating excitement for the series, I'm intrigued by the world building and definitely want to learn more about both the Kivati and the Drekar.
The Kivati are a race of shapeshifters who have made their home in Seattle and worked hard to build a life where they can live in secret amongst the human population. There are a lot of different animal tribes amongst them but their leader, Halian, is a raven shifter. When a group of newcomers arrive from Sweden the Kivati can sense that they are not human but the Drekar (dragon shifters) are not forthcoming about what they actually are. The Kivati and Drekar have been natural enemies for years so things aren't going to go well when the Kivati find out more about the new arrivals.
Halian's daughter Alice is immediately drawn to new arrival Brand, she knows in her heart that they are meant to be together and Brand feels the same way. I would have liked their romance to have been drawn out a little longer but I can understand why there wasn't time to do that in a short novella. It would have been nice to see the couple get to know each other better though, as it felt more like they were in lust than actually in love. I'm hoping that we will get to see more of them in future novels though because I did like them both and would like to see what happened to them after the end of this story.
Overall I thought this was an interesting start to the series and it was enough for me to add Hearts of Darkness to my wish list. I have a lot of questions regarding the Deadglass that was created by Brand's father (I'm assuming this will be important considering the series title!) but also about the different kinds of shapeshifters we were introduced to. I've always had a soft spot for dragons so I'm excited about seeing more of them!
June 19, 2012
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
In a few months, Kensington Books is launching The Deadglass Trilogy, a brand new “apocalyptic paranormal romance [series] set in a grisly and gothic modern day Seattle” beginning with HEARTS OF DARKNESS on August 7th. On June 26th, the prequel novella, HEARTS OF FIRE hits shelves with a story set more than a century earlier and providing the history for the feud between the Kivati (bird shifters) and Drekar (dragon shifters) races. In Romeo and Juliet fashion, a love affair begins between members of the enemy races and tragedy befalls both sides.
This is a very short story (about 75 pages on my Kindle), and I’m afraid the page length more than anything else hurt the romance. Alice and Brand see each other and are both hit with insta-love. There are long passages where each evaluates and waxes poetic about the other’s physical attributes: her violet ringed eyes, his amber-gold hair…which would have been fine if it was at least balanced by an appreciation of some internal qualities too. But it wasn’t. Ever. That shallow, superficial ‘love’ made it challenging to believe that they would essentially betray their families and start a war for eachother.
I will say that the worldbuilding was intriguing, and the idea of a feud between these two races stemming from a forbidden love affair as merit, and I’m hopeful that this history will provide richer, more satisfying romances in the full length novels. The Deadglass Trilogy includes HEARTS OF DARKNESS on August 7, 2012, followed by HEARTS OF SHADOW in May 2013, and finally HEARTS OF CHAOS in February 2014.
Sexual Content:
One moderately graphic sex scene
In a few months, Kensington Books is launching The Deadglass Trilogy, a brand new “apocalyptic paranormal romance [series] set in a grisly and gothic modern day Seattle” beginning with HEARTS OF DARKNESS on August 7th. On June 26th, the prequel novella, HEARTS OF FIRE hits shelves with a story set more than a century earlier and providing the history for the feud between the Kivati (bird shifters) and Drekar (dragon shifters) races. In Romeo and Juliet fashion, a love affair begins between members of the enemy races and tragedy befalls both sides.
This is a very short story (about 75 pages on my Kindle), and I’m afraid the page length more than anything else hurt the romance. Alice and Brand see each other and are both hit with insta-love. There are long passages where each evaluates and waxes poetic about the other’s physical attributes: her violet ringed eyes, his amber-gold hair…which would have been fine if it was at least balanced by an appreciation of some internal qualities too. But it wasn’t. Ever. That shallow, superficial ‘love’ made it challenging to believe that they would essentially betray their families and start a war for eachother.
I will say that the worldbuilding was intriguing, and the idea of a feud between these two races stemming from a forbidden love affair as merit, and I’m hopeful that this history will provide richer, more satisfying romances in the full length novels. The Deadglass Trilogy includes HEARTS OF DARKNESS on August 7, 2012, followed by HEARTS OF SHADOW in May 2013, and finally HEARTS OF CHAOS in February 2014.
Sexual Content:
One moderately graphic sex scene
June 28, 2012
3.5 Feathers
Review also posted at Under the Covers Book Blog
This is my first read of Kira Brady’s work and I have to say that she has captured my interest in this world of Dragons and other Shifters.
Set in the late 1800s in Seattle, a world of Shifters/Other beings living among humans but not necessarily in peace. A Bomb waiting to explode, the tension between the Drekar Dragons and Kivati (other) Shifters has worsen.
Brand Haldor, a Drekar dragon has recently migrated from Scandinavia hoping for a new beginning and has found it with Kivati shifter, Alice Corbette. Unfortunately, this Romeo and Juliet story will have hell before getting their HEA and not without a tragic after math. Due to the forbidden love, the duel between the Drekar and Kivati had exploded to an even worse predicament then before. It's definitely a big set up for the upcoming novel Hearts of Darkness and it is actually well explained at the end of the book.
The world building was heavy with information (in my opinion), but I’m pretty sure that it is all pertinent to the next book. The character build up was okay but it really is hard to get a good grasp of it being that it is a novella. And unfortunately, same goes for the romance. It was certainly too fast for my liking. I understood the instant attraction, however I felt like romance was not believable.
On the plus side, Ms. Brady’s story is very promising. It has qualities I’d look for in a book. Alpha males, worthy H/h, a complex history and/or a good story line and with a regular length book, I'm expecting an epic romance.
I am eager to delve in to the next book and see what Ms. Brady has in store for us.
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