What do you think?
Deadglass #2
Hearts of Shadow
In this brilliant new novel in the Deadglass series, a fierce young woman’s quest entangles her in an apocalyptic endgame—and unexpected desire…
Grace Mercer’s unmatched wraith-killing ability made her the unofficial defender of a city shattered by supernatural catastrophe. So there’s no way she’ll allow the new regent of Seattle’s most powerful dragon shifter clan to “protect” her from a vicious evil stalking the ruined streets—and keep her from the freedom she’s risked everything to earn.
Leif’s science-honed instincts tell him Grace is the key to keeping shifters and humans safe. But helping this wary fighter channel her untapped power is burning away the dragon’s sensual self-control and putting a crucial alliance at risk. Soon the only chance Leif and Grace will have to save their world will be a dangerously fragile link that could forever unite their souls…or consume all in a storm of destruction.
Grace Mercer’s unmatched wraith-killing ability made her the unofficial defender of a city shattered by supernatural catastrophe. So there’s no way she’ll allow the new regent of Seattle’s most powerful dragon shifter clan to “protect” her from a vicious evil stalking the ruined streets—and keep her from the freedom she’s risked everything to earn.
Leif’s science-honed instincts tell him Grace is the key to keeping shifters and humans safe. But helping this wary fighter channel her untapped power is burning away the dragon’s sensual self-control and putting a crucial alliance at risk. Soon the only chance Leif and Grace will have to save their world will be a dangerously fragile link that could forever unite their souls…or consume all in a storm of destruction.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
About the author
Kira Brady
7 books131 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
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 7, 2013
When we last saw Leif Asgard, in
Hearts of Darkness
he was in dragon form, battling his deranged, meglomaniacal, brother Sven Norgard who had planned to use an ancient relic to unleash a vengeful demi-god on the world. Sven's schemes didn't work out so well, with him ending up dead, but a rogue Kivati, however, managed to rip open the metaphysical wall between the land of the dead and unleash a ghost-pocalypse and Kingu (said demi-god) on the world.
Now, in the aftermath, Leif is Regent of the dragon-shifter Drakar and not terribly happy about it. Leif, who sees himself as a man of science, would rather be hiding in his laboratory making mad science, instead of dealing with politics. Especially when everyone, human and Kivati, would do the dance of happy if his kind went extinct. Nevertheless, he is trying to help in the only way he knows, by getting gas power to the city, providing light to chase away the hungry ghosts.
Part of Leif's inheritance from his brother is a contingent of blood slaves. One of those slaves, Grace Mercer, The Reaper, catches his notice when she challenges him at a Council meeting. Leif is intrigued by the small and fierce slayer of aptrgangr (basically zombies), but Grace, whose experience with Sven Norgard was been anything by fun, thinks the only good Drakar is one with a knife in its groin. Her goal, besides keeping Seattle wraith-free, is to earn her freedom and be free of Leif and the Drakar once and for all.
So haters to eventual lovers trope. Works for me.
Meanwhile, Kingu, who has been imprisoned for centuries and, not surprisingly, is just a smidge put-out about the matter, is running (well, more like floating, since he's a wraith) around Seattle, building an army. Because, if you're a pissed off demi-god, building armies is something you must have on your resume. So too is searching for McGuffins. This time the mythical object of power is the Heart of Tiamat. Tiamat being the Babylonian goddess of chaos and mother of dragons. Of course, with the Heart, Kingu will have ultimate power over the universe, bwah-ha-ha.
(Um, for the record, I figured out the Heart's location about ten seconds after its first mention, and I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.)
So...Leif and Grace will have to team up and stop Kingu, and along the way, fall in love. Aw.
Grace is a way-more better heroine than Whatshername from the previous novel. She's actively engaged in the storyline, a real kick-butt girl, who, though attracted to the hero, Leif, doesn't instantly follow her ovaries into lust-soak Stupidville.
Consequently, even though Leif sometimes, like Hart (previous book), spends a tad too much time in gushing, "She's Teh Awesome," internal dialogues regarding Grace, he at least has good reason. I mean, he thinks Grace is tough, because he sees her being tough, taking down zombies, etc.
Plus, I just happen to find the street-smart, waif type much more relatable than the innocent, virginal healer type (who changes the hero with her magical hoo-ha, UGH).
Though not my dream beta hero, Leif is likable and a good fusion of brains and brawn. I would have loved it if the story was bold enough to make him a little more peculiar, more mad scientist type, but I imagine, constrained the requirements of Romance, he isn't allowed to stray too far from the typical, manly-man romance hero mold. So, he could have been better, but at least he wasn't the painfully cliche alpha with anger-management issues.
Also, he's a dragon, ergo, awesome.
Not a five-star book because... In general, Hearts of Shadow felt rushed, as though both author and editors were trying to get this sucker to the presses before the audience forgets the previous book and wandered off to the next big thing.
This is evident right from the first page, where the story is so desperate to get the hero and heroine together that they are introduced in the first sentence. Obliquely, yes, since Leif just knows the mystery woman creeping around the council chamber is one of the blood slaves he's inherited from his brother, but -- KAPOW!-- there are they are, as per Romance Law, together on the same page. The point is to show their adversarial relationship, straight away, but really, the story would have been better served introducing these two interesting people first as separate entities.
The above, however, could be argued as valid means of structuring the plot. (And my complaint is a function of my dislike for the genre's requirement that hero and heroine meet as soon as possible, possibly in utero.)
A bigger issue is the way the writing gets almost sloppy, particularly during action sequences, giving the feeling of a poorly edited film, with choppy transitions and an overall feeling like the author just wanted to get on with this stuff and back to the sexing. This sense of disjoint, rushed narrative is subtle; not enough to make the story unreadable, but enough to keep me from really sinking deeply into Leif and Grace's world.
I'm getting the impression, based on extra POV scenes in Hearts of Shadow, that the next story will focus on the emotionally constipated, Corbette, the leader of the Kivati and Lucia, his fiancee. Reader consensus seems to be that this is a good thing. As usual, I'm in the minority, and if those two are up next, I'm bailing on the series.
*Edited to include a story summary, so I won't look back at this review, erm, tomorrow (my memory is moosh) and wonder, "What the hell was this about?"
Now, in the aftermath, Leif is Regent of the dragon-shifter Drakar and not terribly happy about it. Leif, who sees himself as a man of science, would rather be hiding in his laboratory making mad science, instead of dealing with politics. Especially when everyone, human and Kivati, would do the dance of happy if his kind went extinct. Nevertheless, he is trying to help in the only way he knows, by getting gas power to the city, providing light to chase away the hungry ghosts.
Part of Leif's inheritance from his brother is a contingent of blood slaves. One of those slaves, Grace Mercer, The Reaper, catches his notice when she challenges him at a Council meeting. Leif is intrigued by the small and fierce slayer of aptrgangr (basically zombies), but Grace, whose experience with Sven Norgard was been anything by fun, thinks the only good Drakar is one with a knife in its groin. Her goal, besides keeping Seattle wraith-free, is to earn her freedom and be free of Leif and the Drakar once and for all.
So haters to eventual lovers trope. Works for me.
Meanwhile, Kingu, who has been imprisoned for centuries and, not surprisingly, is just a smidge put-out about the matter, is running (well, more like floating, since he's a wraith) around Seattle, building an army. Because, if you're a pissed off demi-god, building armies is something you must have on your resume. So too is searching for McGuffins. This time the mythical object of power is the Heart of Tiamat. Tiamat being the Babylonian goddess of chaos and mother of dragons. Of course, with the Heart, Kingu will have ultimate power over the universe, bwah-ha-ha.
(Um, for the record, I figured out the Heart's location about ten seconds after its first mention, and I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.)
So...Leif and Grace will have to team up and stop Kingu, and along the way, fall in love. Aw.
Grace is a way-more better heroine than Whatshername from the previous novel. She's actively engaged in the storyline, a real kick-butt girl, who, though attracted to the hero, Leif, doesn't instantly follow her ovaries into lust-soak Stupidville.
Consequently, even though Leif sometimes, like Hart (previous book), spends a tad too much time in gushing, "She's Teh Awesome," internal dialogues regarding Grace, he at least has good reason. I mean, he thinks Grace is tough, because he sees her being tough, taking down zombies, etc.
Plus, I just happen to find the street-smart, waif type much more relatable than the innocent, virginal healer type (who changes the hero with her magical hoo-ha, UGH).
Though not my dream beta hero, Leif is likable and a good fusion of brains and brawn. I would have loved it if the story was bold enough to make him a little more peculiar, more mad scientist type, but I imagine, constrained the requirements of Romance, he isn't allowed to stray too far from the typical, manly-man romance hero mold. So, he could have been better, but at least he wasn't the painfully cliche alpha with anger-management issues.
Also, he's a dragon, ergo, awesome.
Not a five-star book because... In general, Hearts of Shadow felt rushed, as though both author and editors were trying to get this sucker to the presses before the audience forgets the previous book and wandered off to the next big thing.
This is evident right from the first page, where the story is so desperate to get the hero and heroine together that they are introduced in the first sentence. Obliquely, yes, since Leif just knows the mystery woman creeping around the council chamber is one of the blood slaves he's inherited from his brother, but -- KAPOW!-- there are they are, as per Romance Law, together on the same page. The point is to show their adversarial relationship, straight away, but really, the story would have been better served introducing these two interesting people first as separate entities.
The above, however, could be argued as valid means of structuring the plot. (And my complaint is a function of my dislike for the genre's requirement that hero and heroine meet as soon as possible, possibly in utero.)
A bigger issue is the way the writing gets almost sloppy, particularly during action sequences, giving the feeling of a poorly edited film, with choppy transitions and an overall feeling like the author just wanted to get on with this stuff and back to the sexing. This sense of disjoint, rushed narrative is subtle; not enough to make the story unreadable, but enough to keep me from really sinking deeply into Leif and Grace's world.
I'm getting the impression, based on extra POV scenes in Hearts of Shadow, that the next story will focus on the emotionally constipated, Corbette, the leader of the Kivati and Lucia, his fiancee. Reader consensus seems to be that this is a good thing. As usual, I'm in the minority, and if those two are up next, I'm bailing on the series.
*Edited to include a story summary, so I won't look back at this review, erm, tomorrow (my memory is moosh) and wonder, "What the hell was this about?"
May 22, 2013
review originally posted http://thebooktart.com/new-fiction-re...
Hearts of Shadow is a story filled with danger and pain and loss… and through it all winds the strong ties of love. There is so much going on in this story! It’s a post apocalyptic battle to keep the world from going to the gods and demi-gods control. I love Kira Brady’s world building. She has created an alternate world, focusing on Seattle, with Babylonian and Norse mythology, dragons (!), a Native American shape-shifting race, magic and steampunk elements. Hearts of Shadows weaves all these cords together along with a passionate love story that sucked me in and wouldn’t let me
The heroine is Grace. She’s tormented, tortured, bound and yet still burns bright with a fierce determination for freedom, for choice. The word fierce embodies Grace in my imagination. Tiny but fierce. She has a warriors spirit. She strives to defend and protect others from the losses she’s suffered. I adored Grace. I hurt for the betrayals and indignities she’d been through… I was rooting for her to let down some of the walls she’d built around herself and give love a chance.
And the hero… Leif. *swoon* He’s a scholar and a dragon. He is the leader of the Drekar since his brother Norgard went off the deep end and died bringing chaos and hell into world. There is a lot on his plate to say the least. He didn’t ask for responsibility. He’s a genius and would prefer to tinker and invent tools to help rebuild civilization. But once he meets Grace his attitude towards ruling adjusts and I liked seeing his strength, protectiveness and intelligence channeled towards helping Grace and ultimately all of Seattle.
There are so many obstacles between them. She’s human. He’s not. She is slave bound to him because of his brother. He doesn’t have the power to release her on his own. She has to decide if she wants to give him a chance, if she wants to see him and not paint him with the hatred she feels toward the Drekar because of his brother. I loved how gentle he was with her and his perseverance in showing her how much he admired and respected her strength.
The battles in this adventure are scary and amazing. Grace is trained to fight the aptrgangr and send the wraiths back to the Land of the Dead. The Babylonian god Tiamat’s Heart is seeking freedom. And the demi-god Kingu got free when the gates between worlds fell and wants revenge for his imprisonment. Kingu doesn’t have a body yet, but he is a powerful wraith and is seeking a way to become corporeal and directing an army of aptrgangr (zombie like humans who’ve been taken over by wraiths) to help with his goal. The races of Seattle are in a battle for their city and ultimately the world. Gahhh! No pressure.
Oh! and the sex? yum! The sensuality between Leif and Grace was deliciously hot and emotional. Just how I need my steam. I loved seeing Grace’s courage in letting Leif matter to her and his determination to wait until she made up her mind.
A few of my fav lines…
♥ Forget all pretense of civilization. Throw out all notions of decency. At this moment he wanted to spirit her away to a mountain cave where he could hoard her as treasure all for himself, like the dragons of old had done.
♥ He thought she was scared, but she would kick fear in the teeth when she saw it.
♥ Warmth flooded him. She might be strong. But he was weak. Weak for her kisses. Needy for her touch. Addicted to her energy and presence. To her prickly, pugnacious, generous, giving spirit.
I was fascinated by all the threads of science and magic coming together into a cohesive whole. I enjoyed seeing how the different races approached their enemies and was on the edge of my seat for the climatic battle. If you are in the mood for an intriguingly different paranormal romance with violence, death, dragons and zombies oh my… and the strength of love winding throughout then try the Deadlass series. Hearts of Shadow is a moody, atmospheric, dangerous and sexy ride and I want more.
((hugs))) Kat
The Queen of Tarts
PS. Oh! I listened to the unabridged audio book for almost half of this story because I had a lot of driving to do and wasn’t ready to put the book down! I really enjoyed the narration by Xe Sands. :D
♦ ARC provided for review for my honest opinion. :)
Hearts of Shadow is a story filled with danger and pain and loss… and through it all winds the strong ties of love. There is so much going on in this story! It’s a post apocalyptic battle to keep the world from going to the gods and demi-gods control. I love Kira Brady’s world building. She has created an alternate world, focusing on Seattle, with Babylonian and Norse mythology, dragons (!), a Native American shape-shifting race, magic and steampunk elements. Hearts of Shadows weaves all these cords together along with a passionate love story that sucked me in and wouldn’t let me
The heroine is Grace. She’s tormented, tortured, bound and yet still burns bright with a fierce determination for freedom, for choice. The word fierce embodies Grace in my imagination. Tiny but fierce. She has a warriors spirit. She strives to defend and protect others from the losses she’s suffered. I adored Grace. I hurt for the betrayals and indignities she’d been through… I was rooting for her to let down some of the walls she’d built around herself and give love a chance.
And the hero… Leif. *swoon* He’s a scholar and a dragon. He is the leader of the Drekar since his brother Norgard went off the deep end and died bringing chaos and hell into world. There is a lot on his plate to say the least. He didn’t ask for responsibility. He’s a genius and would prefer to tinker and invent tools to help rebuild civilization. But once he meets Grace his attitude towards ruling adjusts and I liked seeing his strength, protectiveness and intelligence channeled towards helping Grace and ultimately all of Seattle.
There are so many obstacles between them. She’s human. He’s not. She is slave bound to him because of his brother. He doesn’t have the power to release her on his own. She has to decide if she wants to give him a chance, if she wants to see him and not paint him with the hatred she feels toward the Drekar because of his brother. I loved how gentle he was with her and his perseverance in showing her how much he admired and respected her strength.
The battles in this adventure are scary and amazing. Grace is trained to fight the aptrgangr and send the wraiths back to the Land of the Dead. The Babylonian god Tiamat’s Heart is seeking freedom. And the demi-god Kingu got free when the gates between worlds fell and wants revenge for his imprisonment. Kingu doesn’t have a body yet, but he is a powerful wraith and is seeking a way to become corporeal and directing an army of aptrgangr (zombie like humans who’ve been taken over by wraiths) to help with his goal. The races of Seattle are in a battle for their city and ultimately the world. Gahhh! No pressure.
Oh! and the sex? yum! The sensuality between Leif and Grace was deliciously hot and emotional. Just how I need my steam. I loved seeing Grace’s courage in letting Leif matter to her and his determination to wait until she made up her mind.
A few of my fav lines…
♥ Forget all pretense of civilization. Throw out all notions of decency. At this moment he wanted to spirit her away to a mountain cave where he could hoard her as treasure all for himself, like the dragons of old had done.
♥ He thought she was scared, but she would kick fear in the teeth when she saw it.
♥ Warmth flooded him. She might be strong. But he was weak. Weak for her kisses. Needy for her touch. Addicted to her energy and presence. To her prickly, pugnacious, generous, giving spirit.
I was fascinated by all the threads of science and magic coming together into a cohesive whole. I enjoyed seeing how the different races approached their enemies and was on the edge of my seat for the climatic battle. If you are in the mood for an intriguingly different paranormal romance with violence, death, dragons and zombies oh my… and the strength of love winding throughout then try the Deadlass series. Hearts of Shadow is a moody, atmospheric, dangerous and sexy ride and I want more.
((hugs))) Kat
The Queen of Tarts
PS. Oh! I listened to the unabridged audio book for almost half of this story because I had a lot of driving to do and wasn’t ready to put the book down! I really enjoyed the narration by Xe Sands. :D
♦ ARC provided for review for my honest opinion. :)
May 26, 2013
I read a lot of paranormal romance novels but it’s rare that I stick with a series after the first book because the world or leading couple didn’t make a lasting impression on me. This is not the case with the Deadglass series. I was so happy when I found out the heroine was going to be Grace ‘Reaper’ Mercer; she definitely stood out from the secondary characters in the first book, Hearts of Darkness. Hearts of Shadows is the second book in the Deadglass series, and it picks up six months later with Seattle’s Drekars (dragon shifters), Kivatis (totem animal shifters), and humans rebuilding after the Unraveling (Gate of Hell was open). Aptrgangr and wraiths are loose in Seattle and to make matters worse Kingu, a demi-god is wrecking havoc everywhere he goes looking for his long lost lover’s heart and the Tablet of Destiny.
Grace is the type of heroine I always love reading about, one that is strong, independent, kick-butt, and has the I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. Grace is only human but she battles Aptrgangr and wraiths daily. She wants to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Grace had a rough life. Her parents died when she was young and was left on her own defending/providing for herself on the mean streets of Seattle. Around that same time, her situation got worst. Sven Norsgad, a Drekar bound Grace to him as a blood slave making Grace his personal plaything and fighter. After Sven died, Grace wasn’t freed but found herself bound to the next Regent, Leif. Grace has a burning hatred for all Drekar after what Sven put her through, and Leif is no exception. Grace has fortified a wall around herself so she doesn’t ever get hurt again but the more time she spends with Leif her perspective starts to change…maybe not all Drekar are bad.
Leif never wanted to be King; he’s the type of person that likes to work behind the scenes. Leif is a scientist who has been building different structures and gadgets to help re-establish Seattle. Leif isn’t like most Drekar, he doesn’t have a thirst for powe, torture people like his brother Sven, or care for politics. He is kind, intellectual, genuine and passionate. Leif has always longed for a soul (Drekars are soulless), to find his love, and his one true match. Leif believe that when his time ends there will be no entry to Valhalla, but instead just a dark void of nothingness for one needs a soul to enter Odin’s hall. Leif’s belief changes after meeting Grace, instead he finds hope. He never met anyone more intriguing, strong and beautiful as Grace in all the years he’s been alive, and he’s been alive a long, long time. Grace makes him want more in life and to strive to be a better person, to be the proper king to his people and human citizens of Seattle.
Hearts of Shadows is an excellent follow-up to the Deadglass series and in my opinion better than the first book. I loved how this book picks up directly where readers left off, and though the leading characters changes in each book…the main story/book arc is the same. Brady has created a fascinating world with different mythology infused together, and strong multifaceted characters that make lasting impressions whether they are primary characters or secondary (Zetain, the female Drekar, or Thorsson). For those who read the first book, Hart and Kayla make a short appearance in the bookJ. I highly recommend this series to all PNR/UR fans. This is a series you don’t want to miss, and definitely a couple you will love! The ending gives readers an idea of what is in store for book 3, and I can’t wait…if you think the demi-god Kingu is bad, think again! I wonder which two characters Brady will pick for the final book, I’m with most readers and am hoping for Corbette and…Lucia?
Grace is the type of heroine I always love reading about, one that is strong, independent, kick-butt, and has the I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. Grace is only human but she battles Aptrgangr and wraiths daily. She wants to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Grace had a rough life. Her parents died when she was young and was left on her own defending/providing for herself on the mean streets of Seattle. Around that same time, her situation got worst. Sven Norsgad, a Drekar bound Grace to him as a blood slave making Grace his personal plaything and fighter. After Sven died, Grace wasn’t freed but found herself bound to the next Regent, Leif. Grace has a burning hatred for all Drekar after what Sven put her through, and Leif is no exception. Grace has fortified a wall around herself so she doesn’t ever get hurt again but the more time she spends with Leif her perspective starts to change…maybe not all Drekar are bad.
Leif never wanted to be King; he’s the type of person that likes to work behind the scenes. Leif is a scientist who has been building different structures and gadgets to help re-establish Seattle. Leif isn’t like most Drekar, he doesn’t have a thirst for powe, torture people like his brother Sven, or care for politics. He is kind, intellectual, genuine and passionate. Leif has always longed for a soul (Drekars are soulless), to find his love, and his one true match. Leif believe that when his time ends there will be no entry to Valhalla, but instead just a dark void of nothingness for one needs a soul to enter Odin’s hall. Leif’s belief changes after meeting Grace, instead he finds hope. He never met anyone more intriguing, strong and beautiful as Grace in all the years he’s been alive, and he’s been alive a long, long time. Grace makes him want more in life and to strive to be a better person, to be the proper king to his people and human citizens of Seattle.
Hearts of Shadows is an excellent follow-up to the Deadglass series and in my opinion better than the first book. I loved how this book picks up directly where readers left off, and though the leading characters changes in each book…the main story/book arc is the same. Brady has created a fascinating world with different mythology infused together, and strong multifaceted characters that make lasting impressions whether they are primary characters or secondary (Zetain, the female Drekar, or Thorsson). For those who read the first book, Hart and Kayla make a short appearance in the bookJ. I highly recommend this series to all PNR/UR fans. This is a series you don’t want to miss, and definitely a couple you will love! The ending gives readers an idea of what is in store for book 3, and I can’t wait…if you think the demi-god Kingu is bad, think again! I wonder which two characters Brady will pick for the final book, I’m with most readers and am hoping for Corbette and…Lucia?
April 22, 2014
Leif, is the leader of the dragon shifter clan, and unlike his brother the previous leader, he is not one to lead with fear and slavery. Leif believes he has a code of honor, and he is determined to prove himself, especially to Grace, who despite their slave bond, he desires more from her than the bond. Grace has craved freedom for years, and at first she believes Leif to be exactly like his brother, however she starts to realize how different they are, like fire and ice. With the recent catastrophe, with evils walking the streets of Seattle, there is much to do to keep the humans and shifters safe. With the truce between the shifters and the humans crumbling, and the surrounding danger to them all, Leif and Grace join forced in finding a way to save their people. A bond starts to form between them, one stronger than anything they have ever experienced, and only by working side by side, will they uncover the truth that could either save them or destroy them...
Hearts of Shadow is the second book in this Deadglass trilogy by Kira Brady. I was able to obtain this for free through the Pioneer Library, and just have fallen in love with Kira Brady. This series is intense and full of passion and plenty of danger to satisfy your adrenalin urges. This is the second book, so this is Grace and Leif's story, both of whom we see in the first book as well. Even from the first book I loved Leif. We see his brother being the bad guy, very evil at times, but Leif is so different from him. Leif is plenty bad boy, and alpha male, however he is loyal and believes in doing the right thing. I found him to be irresistible, and loved him as the hero of the story. And even though he frustrates Grace with his high handed ways, I just applauded him. Trying to protect his mate, a warrior like himself, probably would be one hell of a challenge. It was quite fascinating seeing these two come to some sort of compromise. Grace is everything you wish for in a heroine. Strong willed, a fighter, but also has a tender heart and wishes to save as many lives as she can. I felt like her character had the kind of balance you look for in heroines, but rarely find.
Overall a fascinating story of a world that is full of danger, evils, and plenty of chaos. A book that pulls you magically in and refuses to let go and until you feel fully sated by the end. Leif and Grace and wonderful character that entrench you and mystically endear you to them. Fast paced with danger, suspense, and desire.
Hearts of Shadow is the second book in this Deadglass trilogy by Kira Brady. I was able to obtain this for free through the Pioneer Library, and just have fallen in love with Kira Brady. This series is intense and full of passion and plenty of danger to satisfy your adrenalin urges. This is the second book, so this is Grace and Leif's story, both of whom we see in the first book as well. Even from the first book I loved Leif. We see his brother being the bad guy, very evil at times, but Leif is so different from him. Leif is plenty bad boy, and alpha male, however he is loyal and believes in doing the right thing. I found him to be irresistible, and loved him as the hero of the story. And even though he frustrates Grace with his high handed ways, I just applauded him. Trying to protect his mate, a warrior like himself, probably would be one hell of a challenge. It was quite fascinating seeing these two come to some sort of compromise. Grace is everything you wish for in a heroine. Strong willed, a fighter, but also has a tender heart and wishes to save as many lives as she can. I felt like her character had the kind of balance you look for in heroines, but rarely find.
Overall a fascinating story of a world that is full of danger, evils, and plenty of chaos. A book that pulls you magically in and refuses to let go and until you feel fully sated by the end. Leif and Grace and wonderful character that entrench you and mystically endear you to them. Fast paced with danger, suspense, and desire.
January 15, 2013
3.5 for me, I like the first book better. Lief is a dragon shifter and new Regent, unwillingly inheriting the crown from his brother. Grace is his blood slave, she is kick ass and fearless. She hates Lief on sight, she judges him based on her past experiance with his brother. Lief is nice, understanding and very beta. He seduces Grace with kindness and patience, he believes in her and helps her grow stronger as a fighter and a person. Grace is one tough cookie, she is honest and brave with a strong moral compass. I liked the characters and the world they live in is very complicated. I wanted Lief and Grace to have more interaction time, there was so much politics and multiple POVs, that I felt their relationship was rushed. I'm looking forward to the next story, I'm hoping its about the Raven King and his Crane.
May 4, 2014
4.5 stars
Wow. The last 10-15% of this was outstanding! There was action, tears, and romance. It was perfect. Sadly, the first part if the book was a but slow moving for me. Grace took FOREVER to come with terms over the fact that she wanted Leif, despite him being a dragon.
I can't wait to read the next one about Lucia. I've liked her from the beginning of the series and I have a feeling she will be a force to be reckoned with. It was also nice to see Alice and Brand come back (they're the couple that started the series and the current hostility between the Dreki and the Kivati.I hope they stick around.
Wow. The last 10-15% of this was outstanding! There was action, tears, and romance. It was perfect. Sadly, the first part if the book was a but slow moving for me. Grace took FOREVER to come with terms over the fact that she wanted Leif, despite him being a dragon.
I can't wait to read the next one about Lucia. I've liked her from the beginning of the series and I have a feeling she will be a force to be reckoned with. It was also nice to see Alice and Brand come back (they're the couple that started the series and the current hostility between the Dreki and the Kivati.I hope they stick around.
November 12, 2014
Hearts of Shadow is book 2 in
The Deadglass
series by Kira Brady. Again, this is a very unique story in a wrecked Seattle.
Again, the story-world building is well crafted, and the characters are as well. Grace and Leif are from different backgrounds and mentalities, but learn to overcome dishonor and deceit from previous leadership.
Action and adventure, passion and danger flow seamlessly through this second book. Lots of chaos and mayhem will keep you tied to this story to the very end.
Ah, but yes another great PNR story to equal JRR and SKenyon.
Again, the story-world building is well crafted, and the characters are as well. Grace and Leif are from different backgrounds and mentalities, but learn to overcome dishonor and deceit from previous leadership.
Action and adventure, passion and danger flow seamlessly through this second book. Lots of chaos and mayhem will keep you tied to this story to the very end.
Ah, but yes another great PNR story to equal JRR and SKenyon.
July 28, 2013
Disjointed, lacking in continuity and coherency. And silly. I do not do well with pop culture books that take themselves too seriously. Even the skilled and talented Xe Sands couldn't save it.
February 8, 2018
I did not like it and didn’t finish it. The main character of the story basically getting raped is bad enough, but to describe it erotically? No thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2013
Joint review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/06/06/...
Publisher: Zebra
Publish Date: Out now
How we got this book: eARC from the publisher via Netgalley
In this brilliant new novel in the Deadglass series, a fierce young woman’s quest entangles her in an apocalyptic endgame—and unexpected desire…
Grace Mercer’s unmatched wraith-killing ability made her the unofficial defender of a city shattered by supernatural catastrophe. So there’s no way she’ll allow the new regent of Seattle’s most powerful dragon shifter clan to “protect” her from a vicious evil stalking the ruined streets—and keep her from the freedom she’s risked everything to earn.
Leif’s science-honed instincts tell him Grace is the key to keeping shifters and humans safe. But helping this wary fighter channel her untapped power is burning away the dragon’s sensual self-control and putting a crucial alliance at risk. Soon the only chance Leif and Grace will have to save their world will be a dangerously fragile link that could forever unite their souls…or consume all in a storm of destruction.
This blurb came from Goodreads.
E: I had the first book in this series on my wishlist for a while because I thought the premise looked very fascinating. When this came up for review I went ahead and asked for it because I was reminded of my interest in the series. When I went back to read Hearts of Darkness I realized that I had read the prologue last year and thought the world building was complicated and potentially very interesting. Plus there were dragons. The first book ended with a sudden shift in the world order. The previous ruler was killed and a large portion of the infrastructure destroyed in a huge battle and the aftermath. Leif grew up interested in science and technology not in ruling so all of a sudden he has inherited his brother’s kingdom and its associated problems. The humans don’t trust the dragons or the Kivati. The Kivati and dragons are mortal enemies. The dragons think the humans are below them. However, all three species are at risk from an ancient god named Kingu who has been pulling strings as he tries to return to earth in a corporeal form. If they want the world to survive they have to start working together which is almost impossible.
MiscJoy: I also thought the premise looked fascinating and was excited to get a review copy of Hearts of Shadow. What hooked me in, however, was the author’s writing style. I enjoyed Brady’s voice and approach to the story development. She kept the writing active and the pace moving forward. Even though I had a few quibbles here and there, I can forgive much when the author’s writing style is strong.
I enjoyed how Grace and Leif’s characters developed both individually as well as together. I got a sense of who each character was as a person before the romance fully blossomed. I liked Grace’s spunky (if at times, stubborn) attitude and her courage in the face of overwhelming odds. I also enjoyed Leif’s progression from reclusive-scientist-cum-reluctant-leader to someone who fully embraced the challenge set before him. I admired both Grace and Leif’s willingness to make tough choices and find solutions to the dangerous dilemmas that faced them.
E: Leif’s political innocence really showed throughout this book and was evident from the very beginning because he thought that if he provided a logical plan/explanation than the others would see the necessity of working together to defeat their common enemy. However, the other leaders were used to playing politics so they didn’t believe anything Leif said. They reacted as if he was trying to arrange the situation to benefit him as his brother would have done. As a result Leif was forced to rely on one of his brother’s advisers who was an expert in playing the political game and who appeared to have his best interests at heart. I loved watching him transition from a pure geek to someone who understood the power he held and would use it as necessary but not in a self-centered manner. He was also a romantic at heart which I just loved.
Grace didn’t trust anyone. She had been abandoned and abused most of her life. She was extremely skilled at fighting and killing and knew some rune magic as well. All of that made her more determined to free herself from her indenture while doing what she could to save people from becoming a wraith or wraith food. As a result of her treatment from Leif’s brother Grace did everything possible to avoid him and when that didn’t work she tried to provoke him into behaving the way she expected. It was a lot of fun to watch her start to trust, learn what additional skills she provided to the struggle for survival, and decide if she was going to really live or just exist.
MiscJoy: Yes, it was great fun watching both their walls come tumbling down:-) Vulnerability is such a difficult place to get to and yet necessary for two people to come together. I thought these two characters arrived at that place of union in a realistic way and it was great fun to watch it happen.
Brady created an interesting world of blended mythologies. The Dragon society hailed from the Norse mythologies while the danger posed by Kingu came from Babylonian sources. While I appreciated this new and interesting mix, the presentation felt a bit ungrounded to me and I was confused a good bit of the time. At one point, I even had to go research the mythologies myself because it wasn’t clear to me what was “real” and what might be artistic license. I never really figured out what mythology the Kivati hailed from. The references to ravens and Thunderbirds could have been a loose tie to Norse mythology (think: Odin and his ravens), but they also could have been Native American. I *think* that the Kivati were in the Seattle area prior to the Dragon’s arrival one hundred years ago, but there wasn’t anything specific to really key me into the Kivati’s origins in a way that felt concrete. Having said that, I still found the world intriguing.
One little nit about Grace that got to me was how negative she was about her physical appearance (despite all evidence to the contrary). She was often comparing herself to other woman and falling short – her too skinny hips, her flat chest, her too thin lips, etc. And frankly, none of those “flaws” seemed all that “flawed” to me. I’m not sure if this was the presence of author bias leaking into the narrative or if it was used purposefully to show character-growth. There has got to be another way to show a character’s progression from insecurity to self-confidence than by focusing Grace’s internal dialogue on a litany of where she thinks her physical attributes fall short. There is one scene where Grace looks in a mirror to analyze herself and wonders what Leif is attracted to as if her only attractive quality is her physical appearance. While I acknowledge that this is not an uncommon thing for us women to do to ourselves, we never got to come full circle and see Grace acknowledge her value as a whole person.
E: Like Joy I found the world-building intriguing and also confusing. I can’t add much to Joy’s description of the various pieces so I am not going to try. Having read both the prologue and the first book I thought I was somewhat clear on the world until Brady included the story of Kingu, what he was after, and why. Kingu did not seem to fit into any of the pre-established mythology so I found myself floundering a bit although I enjoyed his story.
I did not have as large an issue with Grace’s view of herself because all she had ever known since the death of her parents when she was a child was abuse but it would have been nice to see that perspective also shift. I was more disappointed in the lack of growth and page time for Lucia. She had more page time in the first book (not the heroine) then in this second book (also not the heroine) but she suffered the most damage and she was a key character in the first book. Given her role there I was expecting to see her in a more prominent position here. Brady did provide flashes of her personality in the last fifth of the book when all of a sudden Lucia decided to have a backbone but to me that was too little too late. I also thought that Lucia’s betrothed regressed in his character with the actions of this book as well.
I think that Brady has created an interesting series but it currently suffers from uneven characterization and what appears to be an overly complicated world. I like the conflict between dragons, other shapeshifters, and humans because it adds to the tension but I also think that at some point the rulers need to work for their people instead of against. Leif and Grace have consolidated some sort of order amongst the Dragons but they compose a small percentage of the population. From the way that Brady ended Hearts of Shadow a significant struggle still lies ahead.
I give Hearts of Shadow a C.
MiscJoy: I’m with you there – I was like “who/what is Kingu and where did Tiamat come from all of a sudden and how does that all connect to the established Norse mythology?” and I spent much of the first half of the book quite confused about it all. But the second half of the book began to gel a bit more for me in that regard (in part due to my own research into Kingu and Tiamat) and I liked where Brady went with the mythology in the end even if it was an odd mixture. I thought the tension in the climatic ending to Hearts of Shadows was well done. I didn’t realize how invested I’d become in the main characters until I found myself misty-eyed at a poignant scene during the battle. I also agree with E that the secondary characters in this book were not fully formed leaving me wondering who they’d become, what their current motivations were in this story and why were they only playing cameos — all things I never really figured out as it pertained to Emory Corbette, the leader of the Kivati’s even though he seemed to play a pivotal role (albeit behind the scenes). Perhaps the next book will go into more detail about what’s happening there.
Problems with mythology and nits aside, I really enjoyed this story, the interesting worldbuilding and both Grace and Leif as individual characters as well as their relationship together. Despite the areas I found confusing, for me, I always come back to the writing. As I said earlier, I can forgive much about the story itself when the writing style speaks to me. I will look forward to the next book because many threads have been left dangling and I hope that some of the things I found confusing here will be cleared up.
I give Hearts of Shadow a B-.
Publisher: Zebra
Publish Date: Out now
How we got this book: eARC from the publisher via Netgalley
In this brilliant new novel in the Deadglass series, a fierce young woman’s quest entangles her in an apocalyptic endgame—and unexpected desire…
Grace Mercer’s unmatched wraith-killing ability made her the unofficial defender of a city shattered by supernatural catastrophe. So there’s no way she’ll allow the new regent of Seattle’s most powerful dragon shifter clan to “protect” her from a vicious evil stalking the ruined streets—and keep her from the freedom she’s risked everything to earn.
Leif’s science-honed instincts tell him Grace is the key to keeping shifters and humans safe. But helping this wary fighter channel her untapped power is burning away the dragon’s sensual self-control and putting a crucial alliance at risk. Soon the only chance Leif and Grace will have to save their world will be a dangerously fragile link that could forever unite their souls…or consume all in a storm of destruction.
This blurb came from Goodreads.
E: I had the first book in this series on my wishlist for a while because I thought the premise looked very fascinating. When this came up for review I went ahead and asked for it because I was reminded of my interest in the series. When I went back to read Hearts of Darkness I realized that I had read the prologue last year and thought the world building was complicated and potentially very interesting. Plus there were dragons. The first book ended with a sudden shift in the world order. The previous ruler was killed and a large portion of the infrastructure destroyed in a huge battle and the aftermath. Leif grew up interested in science and technology not in ruling so all of a sudden he has inherited his brother’s kingdom and its associated problems. The humans don’t trust the dragons or the Kivati. The Kivati and dragons are mortal enemies. The dragons think the humans are below them. However, all three species are at risk from an ancient god named Kingu who has been pulling strings as he tries to return to earth in a corporeal form. If they want the world to survive they have to start working together which is almost impossible.
MiscJoy: I also thought the premise looked fascinating and was excited to get a review copy of Hearts of Shadow. What hooked me in, however, was the author’s writing style. I enjoyed Brady’s voice and approach to the story development. She kept the writing active and the pace moving forward. Even though I had a few quibbles here and there, I can forgive much when the author’s writing style is strong.
I enjoyed how Grace and Leif’s characters developed both individually as well as together. I got a sense of who each character was as a person before the romance fully blossomed. I liked Grace’s spunky (if at times, stubborn) attitude and her courage in the face of overwhelming odds. I also enjoyed Leif’s progression from reclusive-scientist-cum-reluctant-leader to someone who fully embraced the challenge set before him. I admired both Grace and Leif’s willingness to make tough choices and find solutions to the dangerous dilemmas that faced them.
E: Leif’s political innocence really showed throughout this book and was evident from the very beginning because he thought that if he provided a logical plan/explanation than the others would see the necessity of working together to defeat their common enemy. However, the other leaders were used to playing politics so they didn’t believe anything Leif said. They reacted as if he was trying to arrange the situation to benefit him as his brother would have done. As a result Leif was forced to rely on one of his brother’s advisers who was an expert in playing the political game and who appeared to have his best interests at heart. I loved watching him transition from a pure geek to someone who understood the power he held and would use it as necessary but not in a self-centered manner. He was also a romantic at heart which I just loved.
Grace didn’t trust anyone. She had been abandoned and abused most of her life. She was extremely skilled at fighting and killing and knew some rune magic as well. All of that made her more determined to free herself from her indenture while doing what she could to save people from becoming a wraith or wraith food. As a result of her treatment from Leif’s brother Grace did everything possible to avoid him and when that didn’t work she tried to provoke him into behaving the way she expected. It was a lot of fun to watch her start to trust, learn what additional skills she provided to the struggle for survival, and decide if she was going to really live or just exist.
MiscJoy: Yes, it was great fun watching both their walls come tumbling down:-) Vulnerability is such a difficult place to get to and yet necessary for two people to come together. I thought these two characters arrived at that place of union in a realistic way and it was great fun to watch it happen.
Brady created an interesting world of blended mythologies. The Dragon society hailed from the Norse mythologies while the danger posed by Kingu came from Babylonian sources. While I appreciated this new and interesting mix, the presentation felt a bit ungrounded to me and I was confused a good bit of the time. At one point, I even had to go research the mythologies myself because it wasn’t clear to me what was “real” and what might be artistic license. I never really figured out what mythology the Kivati hailed from. The references to ravens and Thunderbirds could have been a loose tie to Norse mythology (think: Odin and his ravens), but they also could have been Native American. I *think* that the Kivati were in the Seattle area prior to the Dragon’s arrival one hundred years ago, but there wasn’t anything specific to really key me into the Kivati’s origins in a way that felt concrete. Having said that, I still found the world intriguing.
One little nit about Grace that got to me was how negative she was about her physical appearance (despite all evidence to the contrary). She was often comparing herself to other woman and falling short – her too skinny hips, her flat chest, her too thin lips, etc. And frankly, none of those “flaws” seemed all that “flawed” to me. I’m not sure if this was the presence of author bias leaking into the narrative or if it was used purposefully to show character-growth. There has got to be another way to show a character’s progression from insecurity to self-confidence than by focusing Grace’s internal dialogue on a litany of where she thinks her physical attributes fall short. There is one scene where Grace looks in a mirror to analyze herself and wonders what Leif is attracted to as if her only attractive quality is her physical appearance. While I acknowledge that this is not an uncommon thing for us women to do to ourselves, we never got to come full circle and see Grace acknowledge her value as a whole person.
E: Like Joy I found the world-building intriguing and also confusing. I can’t add much to Joy’s description of the various pieces so I am not going to try. Having read both the prologue and the first book I thought I was somewhat clear on the world until Brady included the story of Kingu, what he was after, and why. Kingu did not seem to fit into any of the pre-established mythology so I found myself floundering a bit although I enjoyed his story.
I did not have as large an issue with Grace’s view of herself because all she had ever known since the death of her parents when she was a child was abuse but it would have been nice to see that perspective also shift. I was more disappointed in the lack of growth and page time for Lucia. She had more page time in the first book (not the heroine) then in this second book (also not the heroine) but she suffered the most damage and she was a key character in the first book. Given her role there I was expecting to see her in a more prominent position here. Brady did provide flashes of her personality in the last fifth of the book when all of a sudden Lucia decided to have a backbone but to me that was too little too late. I also thought that Lucia’s betrothed regressed in his character with the actions of this book as well.
I think that Brady has created an interesting series but it currently suffers from uneven characterization and what appears to be an overly complicated world. I like the conflict between dragons, other shapeshifters, and humans because it adds to the tension but I also think that at some point the rulers need to work for their people instead of against. Leif and Grace have consolidated some sort of order amongst the Dragons but they compose a small percentage of the population. From the way that Brady ended Hearts of Shadow a significant struggle still lies ahead.
I give Hearts of Shadow a C.
MiscJoy: I’m with you there – I was like “who/what is Kingu and where did Tiamat come from all of a sudden and how does that all connect to the established Norse mythology?” and I spent much of the first half of the book quite confused about it all. But the second half of the book began to gel a bit more for me in that regard (in part due to my own research into Kingu and Tiamat) and I liked where Brady went with the mythology in the end even if it was an odd mixture. I thought the tension in the climatic ending to Hearts of Shadows was well done. I didn’t realize how invested I’d become in the main characters until I found myself misty-eyed at a poignant scene during the battle. I also agree with E that the secondary characters in this book were not fully formed leaving me wondering who they’d become, what their current motivations were in this story and why were they only playing cameos — all things I never really figured out as it pertained to Emory Corbette, the leader of the Kivati’s even though he seemed to play a pivotal role (albeit behind the scenes). Perhaps the next book will go into more detail about what’s happening there.
Problems with mythology and nits aside, I really enjoyed this story, the interesting worldbuilding and both Grace and Leif as individual characters as well as their relationship together. Despite the areas I found confusing, for me, I always come back to the writing. As I said earlier, I can forgive much about the story itself when the writing style speaks to me. I will look forward to the next book because many threads have been left dangling and I hope that some of the things I found confusing here will be cleared up.
I give Hearts of Shadow a B-.
June 14, 2022
BOOK 4 NARRATION 5
OVERALL 4.5 ⭐
Great narration and a fantastic story! This book may be part of a series but it is truly a standalone novel. I really love the interplay of using established culture, legend and history of the geography and peoples in the Seattle/pacific northwest area.
And while I'm not a steampunk fan, people who are will be over the moon with the detail and fun nuance of a world without electricity
This is a great tale of fantasy, mystery, poetic justice and of course the redemption of characters who judge themselves more harshly than anyone else could. It is also a love story that sneaks up on you and delivers an excellent HEA plus a nice little teaser for the next book without being one of those obnoxious cliffhangers.
There is violence (without being Ott or mentally scarring) there is sex there is the exploration of the psychology and mental restrictions that we place on ourselves. I also really like that the sex scenes while hot also have a deeper meaning than perhaps the first book did. emotional connection between the characters is explored much more in this second book.
Really enjoyed her take on the dragon lore. The half human half dragon body mindset, and relevant to the story, lack of soul.
Hard to write much about this novel without spoilers!
And lastly,.I love the surprise of an excellent book hidden beneath horrible cover art.x2. the cover art on the audiobook is even worse than the one goodreads shows if you can believe it.
NARRATION 5⭐
I came to this series because I love the narrator Xe Sands. And she did not disappoint. She gave another five star Plus performance. The plus because what a joy to have somebody who can actually pronounce words from another culture and language correctly and consistently!
Plus I love when a narrator can completely disappear and all that is left is the characters and the story. With marked differentiation between them and shifts in their pacing, cadence and accent.
Bravo!
OVERALL 4.5 ⭐
Great narration and a fantastic story! This book may be part of a series but it is truly a standalone novel. I really love the interplay of using established culture, legend and history of the geography and peoples in the Seattle/pacific northwest area.
And while I'm not a steampunk fan, people who are will be over the moon with the detail and fun nuance of a world without electricity
This is a great tale of fantasy, mystery, poetic justice and of course the redemption of characters who judge themselves more harshly than anyone else could. It is also a love story that sneaks up on you and delivers an excellent HEA plus a nice little teaser for the next book without being one of those obnoxious cliffhangers.
There is violence (without being Ott or mentally scarring) there is sex there is the exploration of the psychology and mental restrictions that we place on ourselves. I also really like that the sex scenes while hot also have a deeper meaning than perhaps the first book did. emotional connection between the characters is explored much more in this second book.
Really enjoyed her take on the dragon lore. The half human half dragon body mindset, and relevant to the story, lack of soul.
Hard to write much about this novel without spoilers!
And lastly,.I love the surprise of an excellent book hidden beneath horrible cover art.x2. the cover art on the audiobook is even worse than the one goodreads shows if you can believe it.
NARRATION 5⭐
I came to this series because I love the narrator Xe Sands. And she did not disappoint. She gave another five star Plus performance. The plus because what a joy to have somebody who can actually pronounce words from another culture and language correctly and consistently!
Plus I love when a narrator can completely disappear and all that is left is the characters and the story. With marked differentiation between them and shifts in their pacing, cadence and accent.
Bravo!
October 10, 2018
Quite an improvement on the first book in the series. Grace is a strong female character who overcomes the past to find love. Leif's character is different from many shifter trope characters, he is a geek (a hot geek), he would be happier not being in charge but is thrown into it and rises to the challenge. The sense of suspense rises throughout the book, leaving me looking forward to the next one.
January 9, 2019
I kind of wish this weren't a romance novel, because there was too much "oooh he's so sexy" in the middle of fights and being covered with gore from fighting. Time and a place and all. Other than that, I enjoyed this book.
Although I wish we had a little more Hart and Kayla. I kind of missed them. And yes, I know this was Grace and Leif's story, but still....
Although I wish we had a little more Hart and Kayla. I kind of missed them. And yes, I know this was Grace and Leif's story, but still....
July 25, 2024
This audiobook was slow in the beginning. I like the love story later on, but it was just so slow to get to the good stuff. The Regent is not like his brother, ans he falls for Grace. And there's a war coming and a weapon they need only Grace can wield. The humans are angry and yet some will help the dragons. It's a lot and the love with the Regent and Grace is slow but it gets there.
September 6, 2012
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2013/06/review-...
Favorite Quote: “I order you to never wear panties again.”
Grace Mercer’s unmatched wraith-killing ability made her the unofficial defender of a city shattered by supernatural catastrophe. So there’s no way she’ll allow the new regent of Seattle’s most powerful dragon shifter clan to “protect” her from a vicious evil stalking the ruined streets—and keep her from the freedom she’s risked everything to earn.
The world has shattered and darkness reigns as humans and supernaturals alike try to survive in this post apocalyptic world. Kira Brady continues her noir fantasy series that builds its dramatic world from Norse, Babylonian, and Native American legends. A faint victorian steampunk vive permeates the air as we reacquaint ourselves with the alpha shapeshifters and humans who direct and command the storyline. A heartfelt and emotional love story sits at it’s center, surrounded by a maelstrom high octane action, suspense, and mystery. The main conflict blends nicely with the plot lines and the characters’ dialogue is an engaging mixture of seriousness and snark. A smooth well plotted storyline will hook readers from page one.
We left Hearts of Darkness after Norsgad, former leader of the Drekar clan, opened the gates to Hell and unleashed chaos on the world. He died in his quest and now the world sits on the cusp of oblivion. Hearts of Shadow picks up six months later with a tattered world and the demi God Kingu seeking to reunite with his lover (The Babylonian god Tiamat’s Heart), and wanting revenge on those who separated and imprisoned them. Not yet corporal in form, Kingu and the wraiths he commands are slowly infiltrating the humans in Seattle, using them as fodder in his war. Leif, Norgard’s brother, is now the new regent of the Drekar clan. More comfortable in a lab coat then sitting on a throne, he reluctantly assumes the mantle to rule his clan. Leif was never comfortable with the cruelty his brother seemed to reveal in or the manner in which they have to survive; especially after he meets Grace.
Grave Mercier, nicknamed the reaper because death follows her, was slave bonded to Norsgad, and suffered greatly at his hands. Besieged by tragedy from an early age, she eventually found herself blood bound to Norsgad through lies and trickery. He may have owned her body, but he never owned her soul. Trained as a warrior, Grace had been working towards buying her freedom, but the war now has Grace using her formidable skills to fight the wraiths who have overrun the city and protect those who cannot protect themselves. With no thought to her own safety, Grace is a force to be reckoned with. When she inadvertently brings herself to Leif’s attention, she is disgusted by her attraction to him. She has painted Leif with the same brush as Norsgad and waits in anger and fear for him to use her as his brother did.
Leif sees Grace and is blindsided by her. She calls to a primitive part of him that he never knew existed. As he gets to know her better, he finds himself wanting to do everything possible to make her life easier. She invokes his protective nature to the point where Leif begins to take his new position seriously and we soon see him use his power to cajole and bully the other supernatural clans into working together for the good of the city.
Leif and Grace’s romance is slow building, becoming a crescendo of passion and pleasure that takes both of them by surprise. Brady takes her time, letting our hero and heroine get to know one another and learn to trust. I adored the patience and perseverance that Leif exhibits towards Grace. He knows she was severely mistreated by his brother and doesn’t trust him. Grace is the face of intelligence, beauty, and strength and Leif does everything possible to prove that to her.
The secondary characters continue to evolve, each revealing more of their personalities and solidifying their positions in this new world. Each are developed to the point of being able to hold their own story. We see old faces and are introduced to new ones. Brady published a novella after Hearts Of Darkness that offers a look into the past and at the animosity between the Drekar and the Kivati. It reveals and explains the mated pair who are reintroduced at the end of this book. Though the Kivati and Drekar still hate each other, we do see a tentative truce after the Unraveling. Corbette, leader of the Kivati, maintains a solid presence and his seemingly timid fiancee stands and shows her true colors to the clan. The overall premise in here continues to be that good and evil are subjective and redemption can be earned, even in your darkest hour.
Hearts Of Shadow is an excellent continuation to Hearts Of Darkness. No sophomore slump for Ms. Brady. She comes out swinging and hits a homerun for this reader with her fascinating mixture of magic, science and a climactic battle scene that sets the stage for book three, Hearts Of Chaos, which is set to release February 2014.
Overall Rating: B
Favorite Quote: “I order you to never wear panties again.”
Grace Mercer’s unmatched wraith-killing ability made her the unofficial defender of a city shattered by supernatural catastrophe. So there’s no way she’ll allow the new regent of Seattle’s most powerful dragon shifter clan to “protect” her from a vicious evil stalking the ruined streets—and keep her from the freedom she’s risked everything to earn.
The world has shattered and darkness reigns as humans and supernaturals alike try to survive in this post apocalyptic world. Kira Brady continues her noir fantasy series that builds its dramatic world from Norse, Babylonian, and Native American legends. A faint victorian steampunk vive permeates the air as we reacquaint ourselves with the alpha shapeshifters and humans who direct and command the storyline. A heartfelt and emotional love story sits at it’s center, surrounded by a maelstrom high octane action, suspense, and mystery. The main conflict blends nicely with the plot lines and the characters’ dialogue is an engaging mixture of seriousness and snark. A smooth well plotted storyline will hook readers from page one.
We left Hearts of Darkness after Norsgad, former leader of the Drekar clan, opened the gates to Hell and unleashed chaos on the world. He died in his quest and now the world sits on the cusp of oblivion. Hearts of Shadow picks up six months later with a tattered world and the demi God Kingu seeking to reunite with his lover (The Babylonian god Tiamat’s Heart), and wanting revenge on those who separated and imprisoned them. Not yet corporal in form, Kingu and the wraiths he commands are slowly infiltrating the humans in Seattle, using them as fodder in his war. Leif, Norgard’s brother, is now the new regent of the Drekar clan. More comfortable in a lab coat then sitting on a throne, he reluctantly assumes the mantle to rule his clan. Leif was never comfortable with the cruelty his brother seemed to reveal in or the manner in which they have to survive; especially after he meets Grace.
Grave Mercier, nicknamed the reaper because death follows her, was slave bonded to Norsgad, and suffered greatly at his hands. Besieged by tragedy from an early age, she eventually found herself blood bound to Norsgad through lies and trickery. He may have owned her body, but he never owned her soul. Trained as a warrior, Grace had been working towards buying her freedom, but the war now has Grace using her formidable skills to fight the wraiths who have overrun the city and protect those who cannot protect themselves. With no thought to her own safety, Grace is a force to be reckoned with. When she inadvertently brings herself to Leif’s attention, she is disgusted by her attraction to him. She has painted Leif with the same brush as Norsgad and waits in anger and fear for him to use her as his brother did.
Leif sees Grace and is blindsided by her. She calls to a primitive part of him that he never knew existed. As he gets to know her better, he finds himself wanting to do everything possible to make her life easier. She invokes his protective nature to the point where Leif begins to take his new position seriously and we soon see him use his power to cajole and bully the other supernatural clans into working together for the good of the city.
Leif and Grace’s romance is slow building, becoming a crescendo of passion and pleasure that takes both of them by surprise. Brady takes her time, letting our hero and heroine get to know one another and learn to trust. I adored the patience and perseverance that Leif exhibits towards Grace. He knows she was severely mistreated by his brother and doesn’t trust him. Grace is the face of intelligence, beauty, and strength and Leif does everything possible to prove that to her.
The secondary characters continue to evolve, each revealing more of their personalities and solidifying their positions in this new world. Each are developed to the point of being able to hold their own story. We see old faces and are introduced to new ones. Brady published a novella after Hearts Of Darkness that offers a look into the past and at the animosity between the Drekar and the Kivati. It reveals and explains the mated pair who are reintroduced at the end of this book. Though the Kivati and Drekar still hate each other, we do see a tentative truce after the Unraveling. Corbette, leader of the Kivati, maintains a solid presence and his seemingly timid fiancee stands and shows her true colors to the clan. The overall premise in here continues to be that good and evil are subjective and redemption can be earned, even in your darkest hour.
Hearts Of Shadow is an excellent continuation to Hearts Of Darkness. No sophomore slump for Ms. Brady. She comes out swinging and hits a homerun for this reader with her fascinating mixture of magic, science and a climactic battle scene that sets the stage for book three, Hearts Of Chaos, which is set to release February 2014.
Overall Rating: B
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.
Did Not Finish
October 7, 2026I might come back to this later, but right now I'm just not as invested in this couple or storyline as I was the first book.
April 27, 2017
When the heroine's slave master, the man who betrayed her by fooling her into believing she was in love than systematically torturing her both psychically and mentally for 4 years, dies, she is both overjoyed and furious. She's free of the man but she's not free of the slavery. Her debt has now been transferred to the hero, her former master’s brother, and up until this point he had left her alone. She works her ass off by killing possessed souls and earning as much money as she can in a collapsed economy to free herself from the bond but it seems like everything she does is never enough. She can never kill enough bad guys or cast enough spells to break the chains and now to top it all off, her new master has suddenly decided to make an appearance.
The hero has never wanted the title of King and quite honestly, he would rather avoid everything to do with politics and slave bonds- much preferring to spend his time in the lab discovering inventions that help rather than hurt. He knows his brother was not a good man but it's starting to realize just how evil the family he loved had become. Now only did he destroy the world but he created severe rifts is whatever truce the dragons had with the shifters and the humans. He also ruined a lot of peoples' lives and used people for his own sick twisted game. The heroine is one of these people. When he first lays eyes on his inherited possession, the hero is disgusted by the notion of such a proud and strong woman belonging to anyone. But something about her is drawing him closer and though she makes it obvious she hates everything about him, she can't help himself. He wants to protect her and worse, he wants her for his own. Not as his slave but as his woman. She brings out the primitive nature he's tried too hard to suppress in favour of civilities.
The heroine keeps a hard and formidable wall between herself and this dragon. She tells herself that he's just the same monster his brother was but sometimes she finds herself questioning his capability for cruelty and at times she even sees him as a man only trying to do what's best. These moments are fleeting and always she is quick to remember the head game his kind is known to play. They struggle to find some way to interact with each other that doesn't end in an argument because she wants to be free and he wants to protect her. Their search for the Tablet of Destiny and the Heart of the demigod that created the world is desperate as an old enemy has resurfaced to create chaos on earth. The hero must find it in himself to become the leader he must be and he needs to know that the heroine, his soul mate, understands he's not the enemy. By the end she can see him for what he truly is, the man she loves and the one willing to die for her if it means her safety.
I read this series out of order. I read the last book first, the first book second and the second book last. While in the process of confusing the hell out of myself, I can say that I was able to follow the plotline easily enough despite the mix up. Each book is able to stand on its own but I do recommend reading in order because the central plotline will carry over from own book to the next as the trilogy proceeds. Now to the review. The hero was a charming man/Dragon, one who is more trained for research and libraries than politics and war. At first, he admitted freely that he has been lax in his duties as new King and as such, he feels responsible for the enemy becoming so powerful without recourse. He lives in the shadow of his brother's cruelties but he is not his brother. He is kind and honestly thinks of others. It's the heroine that brings out the beast within him and that's only because she can get under his skin like nothing else. He wants her, badly. But he knows he must wait for her to warm to him and the wait is a long one. He can sense she is attracted to him but he can't rush things. She will never trust him or give herself to him if he treads over that line his brother had crossed with her. The heroine.... was a stubborn creature. She has lived through hell and because of her treatment and her tragedies at the hand of her former master, she is a distrustful woman with a zero tolerance for any attempts to get her to relent again. She did tend to fly of the handle and become irrational at times and it took the hero time to get to a place where he could calm her down. She fought everything with an iron fist. Her desire for the hero, her feelings about him and the idea that he could be a good man. I was a little over her temper tantrums by the end if I'm being honest. Over all, it was a decent book. Perhaps a wee bit slow at times but the final battle was interesting the chemistry between the ch
The hero has never wanted the title of King and quite honestly, he would rather avoid everything to do with politics and slave bonds- much preferring to spend his time in the lab discovering inventions that help rather than hurt. He knows his brother was not a good man but it's starting to realize just how evil the family he loved had become. Now only did he destroy the world but he created severe rifts is whatever truce the dragons had with the shifters and the humans. He also ruined a lot of peoples' lives and used people for his own sick twisted game. The heroine is one of these people. When he first lays eyes on his inherited possession, the hero is disgusted by the notion of such a proud and strong woman belonging to anyone. But something about her is drawing him closer and though she makes it obvious she hates everything about him, she can't help himself. He wants to protect her and worse, he wants her for his own. Not as his slave but as his woman. She brings out the primitive nature he's tried too hard to suppress in favour of civilities.
The heroine keeps a hard and formidable wall between herself and this dragon. She tells herself that he's just the same monster his brother was but sometimes she finds herself questioning his capability for cruelty and at times she even sees him as a man only trying to do what's best. These moments are fleeting and always she is quick to remember the head game his kind is known to play. They struggle to find some way to interact with each other that doesn't end in an argument because she wants to be free and he wants to protect her. Their search for the Tablet of Destiny and the Heart of the demigod that created the world is desperate as an old enemy has resurfaced to create chaos on earth. The hero must find it in himself to become the leader he must be and he needs to know that the heroine, his soul mate, understands he's not the enemy. By the end she can see him for what he truly is, the man she loves and the one willing to die for her if it means her safety.
I read this series out of order. I read the last book first, the first book second and the second book last. While in the process of confusing the hell out of myself, I can say that I was able to follow the plotline easily enough despite the mix up. Each book is able to stand on its own but I do recommend reading in order because the central plotline will carry over from own book to the next as the trilogy proceeds. Now to the review. The hero was a charming man/Dragon, one who is more trained for research and libraries than politics and war. At first, he admitted freely that he has been lax in his duties as new King and as such, he feels responsible for the enemy becoming so powerful without recourse. He lives in the shadow of his brother's cruelties but he is not his brother. He is kind and honestly thinks of others. It's the heroine that brings out the beast within him and that's only because she can get under his skin like nothing else. He wants her, badly. But he knows he must wait for her to warm to him and the wait is a long one. He can sense she is attracted to him but he can't rush things. She will never trust him or give herself to him if he treads over that line his brother had crossed with her. The heroine.... was a stubborn creature. She has lived through hell and because of her treatment and her tragedies at the hand of her former master, she is a distrustful woman with a zero tolerance for any attempts to get her to relent again. She did tend to fly of the handle and become irrational at times and it took the hero time to get to a place where he could calm her down. She fought everything with an iron fist. Her desire for the hero, her feelings about him and the idea that he could be a good man. I was a little over her temper tantrums by the end if I'm being honest. Over all, it was a decent book. Perhaps a wee bit slow at times but the final battle was interesting the chemistry between the ch
July 31, 2013
3 1/5 stars.
I was really looking forward to this book and while I enjoyed it on the whole, it wasn't without its faults.
There are 2 major plotlines and a secondary one: the romance between Leif and Grace, the "Kill Kingu the Big Bad" thing and the sequel bait of Lucia/Corbette.
Out of the 3, I thought the romance would be my favorite. Possessive dragon hero and plucky human heroine = guilty pleasure for the win. But it didn't happen that way. The first interactions between Leif and Grace were interesting but then everything went on Rince & Repeat. The romance remained stagnant while the rest of the plot moved forward. I mean... When we enter the last quarter of the book, the dynamics between Leif and Grace are the same than what we had at the beginning: Leif wants Grace but is scared of pushing her away and Grace is scared because of a bad experience.
And speaking of said bad experience, it's an ick factor for me that it happened with Leif's brother. I'm not fond of romances where one of the leads was involved with the other lead's sibling.
The "Kill Kingu the Big Bad" thing... It's one of the rare books where I didn't feel frustrated when we moved away from the romance to concentrate on other things. It's not really a testament to the greatness of that plotline though. The romance was so repetitive it almost felt like a relief to read about something else sometimes. Also, it was really obvious that the Heart of Tiamat they needed to defeat Kingu was actually . So when the truth came out, it wasn't exactly a big surprise. In the author's defense though, I don't think she was really trying to hide it from the reader. On the plus side, I really liked the post Unraveling dystopian world the author created but I wish the story had taken place later on. The world felt too "established" for something existing a mere 6 months after the Unraveling. It would have been interesting to see Seattle a few years after the event. But said event having taken place at the end of the 1st book in the series, I understand why the author didn't do a time jump.
The Lucia/Corbette sequel bait... I usually do not like sequel baits but I think this was my favorite part of the book and it did its job of making me want to know what happens next (I was pretty bummed there wasn't an excerpt for their book at the end of this one). Corbette is a very flawed character and I can't wait to see what the author will do with him. The Lucia/Corbette romance also has great potential.
So, all in all, I was a bit disappointed that all my expectations for this book weren't met but I really want to read the conclusion of this Deadglass trilogy.
I was really looking forward to this book and while I enjoyed it on the whole, it wasn't without its faults.
There are 2 major plotlines and a secondary one: the romance between Leif and Grace, the "Kill Kingu the Big Bad" thing and the sequel bait of Lucia/Corbette.
Out of the 3, I thought the romance would be my favorite. Possessive dragon hero and plucky human heroine = guilty pleasure for the win. But it didn't happen that way. The first interactions between Leif and Grace were interesting but then everything went on Rince & Repeat. The romance remained stagnant while the rest of the plot moved forward. I mean... When we enter the last quarter of the book, the dynamics between Leif and Grace are the same than what we had at the beginning: Leif wants Grace but is scared of pushing her away and Grace is scared because of a bad experience.
And speaking of said bad experience, it's an ick factor for me that it happened with Leif's brother. I'm not fond of romances where one of the leads was involved with the other lead's sibling.
The "Kill Kingu the Big Bad" thing... It's one of the rare books where I didn't feel frustrated when we moved away from the romance to concentrate on other things. It's not really a testament to the greatness of that plotline though. The romance was so repetitive it almost felt like a relief to read about something else sometimes. Also, it was really obvious that the Heart of Tiamat they needed to defeat Kingu was actually . So when the truth came out, it wasn't exactly a big surprise. In the author's defense though, I don't think she was really trying to hide it from the reader. On the plus side, I really liked the post Unraveling dystopian world the author created but I wish the story had taken place later on. The world felt too "established" for something existing a mere 6 months after the Unraveling. It would have been interesting to see Seattle a few years after the event. But said event having taken place at the end of the 1st book in the series, I understand why the author didn't do a time jump.
The Lucia/Corbette sequel bait... I usually do not like sequel baits but I think this was my favorite part of the book and it did its job of making me want to know what happens next (I was pretty bummed there wasn't an excerpt for their book at the end of this one). Corbette is a very flawed character and I can't wait to see what the author will do with him. The Lucia/Corbette romance also has great potential.
So, all in all, I was a bit disappointed that all my expectations for this book weren't met but I really want to read the conclusion of this Deadglass trilogy.
April 22, 2013
4.5 Stars
I will say that I’m sorry that I took so long to read this book. It had the perfect blend of romance (though it took long for them to finally get together), action and storyline.
Grace Mercer is a woman with an incomplete past. Her parents were killed when she was young and then she was unwillingly embroiled into the paranormal world. She is now a woman with a mission; complete her contract as a blood slave and move the heck on.
Leif Asgard never wanted to be a ruler. He is a scientist and loner. After the death of his brother, he was put into a role he never wanted and responsibilities he never desired. That was until he felt the pull of certain blood slave bond. Now he has a purpose and her name is Grace.
Confusing attraction, a world sent back to the Stone Age, backstabbing dealings and a demigod on a mission will have you on the edge of your seat. Grace and Leif have a landscape of landmines to transverse and enemies to watch. It is a time when you have to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Can Grace and Leif handle everything thrown at them and get past their own barriers to heal each other’s souls?
The first story in the trilogy Hearts of Darkness was a mixed bag for me. I really loved the story telling, but I found inconsistencies that took me out of the story. It still was a great book to read. Hearts of Shadows was a home run for me. I really do wish that I would have read it sooner. I loved Grace and Leif and together, they were brilliant.
Ms. Brady has built an amazing world and wonderful characters. I truly believe that lovers of romance, paranormal and urban fantasy will equally enjoy Hearts of Shadow. It’s a breath of fresh air to the paranormal genre with its unique plot and amazing story telling. The story isn’t a standalone though. If you jumped right in on it, you wouldn’t be totally lost, but there are several references to the prior book and trust me you will want to know how “the event” occurred. In fact, the trilogy is now actually complete and you can get all three of them into your hot little hands as we speak. I’m going to start right away on the final book, Hearts of Chaos, but there were two characters that were mentioned in this book that have a prequel short story, Hearts of Fire, that I may have to read first.
Great job Ms. Brady! It is unbelievable that this is only her second book. WOW she is going to have an amazing career if she keeps this up. She writes fantastic worlds and knows how to capture a reader. Read the Deadglass Trilogy today!
I will say that I’m sorry that I took so long to read this book. It had the perfect blend of romance (though it took long for them to finally get together), action and storyline.
Grace Mercer is a woman with an incomplete past. Her parents were killed when she was young and then she was unwillingly embroiled into the paranormal world. She is now a woman with a mission; complete her contract as a blood slave and move the heck on.
Leif Asgard never wanted to be a ruler. He is a scientist and loner. After the death of his brother, he was put into a role he never wanted and responsibilities he never desired. That was until he felt the pull of certain blood slave bond. Now he has a purpose and her name is Grace.
Confusing attraction, a world sent back to the Stone Age, backstabbing dealings and a demigod on a mission will have you on the edge of your seat. Grace and Leif have a landscape of landmines to transverse and enemies to watch. It is a time when you have to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Can Grace and Leif handle everything thrown at them and get past their own barriers to heal each other’s souls?
The first story in the trilogy Hearts of Darkness was a mixed bag for me. I really loved the story telling, but I found inconsistencies that took me out of the story. It still was a great book to read. Hearts of Shadows was a home run for me. I really do wish that I would have read it sooner. I loved Grace and Leif and together, they were brilliant.
Ms. Brady has built an amazing world and wonderful characters. I truly believe that lovers of romance, paranormal and urban fantasy will equally enjoy Hearts of Shadow. It’s a breath of fresh air to the paranormal genre with its unique plot and amazing story telling. The story isn’t a standalone though. If you jumped right in on it, you wouldn’t be totally lost, but there are several references to the prior book and trust me you will want to know how “the event” occurred. In fact, the trilogy is now actually complete and you can get all three of them into your hot little hands as we speak. I’m going to start right away on the final book, Hearts of Chaos, but there were two characters that were mentioned in this book that have a prequel short story, Hearts of Fire, that I may have to read first.
Great job Ms. Brady! It is unbelievable that this is only her second book. WOW she is going to have an amazing career if she keeps this up. She writes fantastic worlds and knows how to capture a reader. Read the Deadglass Trilogy today!
June 30, 2013
Hearts of Shadows opens with a changed world due to what some nefarious plans gone astray in an attempt for the powerful to become stronger. Those plans left Leif brotherless and also the Dreki Regent. While the position of Regent is desired by many Leif does not want it. He wants his science and his experiments. He wants to continue doing good for the survivors. He wants to make the devastation easier to live in. He also wants to prove he is not the same soulless bastard that his brother was.
Grace had a large role in the first book of the Deadglass series. She had enough mystique to leave readers constantly curious about her. I was pleased to see that she was the heroine of the next book of the series. Grace’s job of paying off her blood debt is becoming more strenuous. The new Regent is not sending her on jobs. The fallen Gate is providing more and more wraiths for her to dispense. She wants to pay off her debt and be rid of the heartless, soul sucking dragons once and for all.
I just loved watching Leif throw every single one of Grace’s opinions and ideas about the Dreki out the window. He is everything she never believed a dragon could be. Leif had to do more than earn Grace’s trust. He had to break through every belief she had about his kind. He also had to convince her that she was more than she ever believed herself to be. Grace discovers from Leif’s actions that his brother Sven was more of a despicable cretin than she had ever thought possible. Grace was an interesting read before she got her own book. Grace in her own book was amazing to read.
The Deadglass series should be in order. Kira does something in Hearts of Darkness that I’ve never seen done before. It was one of the reasons I loved that book as much as I did. If you have not read that book the following will be a bit of a spoiler. Readers enter this world when it is still normal for the most part. The thrilling ending of Darkness is the supernatural disaster as it unfolds and leaves the world very different. So you will want to read the how’s and why’s of that to get the most enjoyment out of Hearts of Shadow.
Grace had a large role in the first book of the Deadglass series. She had enough mystique to leave readers constantly curious about her. I was pleased to see that she was the heroine of the next book of the series. Grace’s job of paying off her blood debt is becoming more strenuous. The new Regent is not sending her on jobs. The fallen Gate is providing more and more wraiths for her to dispense. She wants to pay off her debt and be rid of the heartless, soul sucking dragons once and for all.
I just loved watching Leif throw every single one of Grace’s opinions and ideas about the Dreki out the window. He is everything she never believed a dragon could be. Leif had to do more than earn Grace’s trust. He had to break through every belief she had about his kind. He also had to convince her that she was more than she ever believed herself to be. Grace discovers from Leif’s actions that his brother Sven was more of a despicable cretin than she had ever thought possible. Grace was an interesting read before she got her own book. Grace in her own book was amazing to read.
The Deadglass series should be in order. Kira does something in Hearts of Darkness that I’ve never seen done before. It was one of the reasons I loved that book as much as I did. If you have not read that book the following will be a bit of a spoiler. Readers enter this world when it is still normal for the most part. The thrilling ending of Darkness is the supernatural disaster as it unfolds and leaves the world very different. So you will want to read the how’s and why’s of that to get the most enjoyment out of Hearts of Shadow.
November 12, 2012
Loved the first book in this series and was very excited to read the second. I was not disappointed. It was just as wonderfully character driven as the first book. Lief is a dragon shifter who now finds himself the leader of his people, the Drekar. He is more happy with his inventions and is odd compared to other dragon shifters. His brother's blood slaves were also passed on to Lief, including Grace. Grace has been working hard towards her freedom. She took whatever job Lief's brother, Sven, gave her, no matter how dangerous.
Grace assumes Lief is just like his brother - arrogant, violent, and demanding. It takes her awhile to see past his extremely good looks to see he is not like his brother, mostly. He's still a dragon shifter, so can get very possessive and violent when angered. He frustrates Grace when he refuses to give her dangerous jobs to keep her safe. Those are the jobs that pay well. He'd get rid of her blood slave status if he could just figure out how. Both have to look past pre-conceived ideas of the other in order for their attraction to turn into a relationship. I enjoyed Grace's toughness and determination. As for Lief, how could I not like a charming, gorgeous, nerd that can shift into a dragon? I liked the balance Lief had between his dragon side and nerdy inventor side. But he does have to learn how to be a leader when he would rather just be working in his laboratory.
We also see the politics of this post-apocalyptic Seattle as the Drekar, the Kivati (other shapeshifters), and the humans try to work together to make a better Seattle. The negotiations are a bit maddening as the shifter races hate each other and the humans don't trust any of the shifters. Add to that mix a vengeful, violent demigod and you have a very complicated situation for everybody.
This is really gritty, well written story. I think both romance and urban fantasy fans would enjoy this series.
ARC provided through NetGalley.
Grace assumes Lief is just like his brother - arrogant, violent, and demanding. It takes her awhile to see past his extremely good looks to see he is not like his brother, mostly. He's still a dragon shifter, so can get very possessive and violent when angered. He frustrates Grace when he refuses to give her dangerous jobs to keep her safe. Those are the jobs that pay well. He'd get rid of her blood slave status if he could just figure out how. Both have to look past pre-conceived ideas of the other in order for their attraction to turn into a relationship. I enjoyed Grace's toughness and determination. As for Lief, how could I not like a charming, gorgeous, nerd that can shift into a dragon? I liked the balance Lief had between his dragon side and nerdy inventor side. But he does have to learn how to be a leader when he would rather just be working in his laboratory.
We also see the politics of this post-apocalyptic Seattle as the Drekar, the Kivati (other shapeshifters), and the humans try to work together to make a better Seattle. The negotiations are a bit maddening as the shifter races hate each other and the humans don't trust any of the shifters. Add to that mix a vengeful, violent demigod and you have a very complicated situation for everybody.
This is really gritty, well written story. I think both romance and urban fantasy fans would enjoy this series.
ARC provided through NetGalley.
June 24, 2013
What I Loved
Location
I love it when books are right in my backyard. In Hearts of Shadow it literally is practically in my backyard. Grace takes a trip to Ravensdale along Maple Valley Highway, which I grew up going to Ravensdale to play soccer and grew up in Maple Valley. Love it! But this magical torn Seattle which all sorts of magical creatures is so exciting and intriguing.
Characters
Grace Mercer: I love female characters that are small and tough. Grace is one kick ass female character that I completely adore and admire. In the first book Hearts of Darkness we briefly got to meet her and I'm so glad she got to have her own book. Grace isn't the swooning type of gal, even when a hunk of a dragon keeps tempting her.
Leif Asgard: Unlike his asshole of a brother, Leif is a dragon to lust after. He actually has morals and is more into science than world domination. I adore Leif's character and I think Grace and him made for some very interesting tension and chemistry.
Paranormal Romance
Perfect amount of sexual tension, romance and bedroom scenes paired with a fantastic amount of story. I love paranormal romance books. The different creatures, the parallel universe, the story and the characters all make for an exciting combination that I can never seem to put down.
Didn't Like
Nothing. . . I now have to wait for the next book!
Location
I love it when books are right in my backyard. In Hearts of Shadow it literally is practically in my backyard. Grace takes a trip to Ravensdale along Maple Valley Highway, which I grew up going to Ravensdale to play soccer and grew up in Maple Valley. Love it! But this magical torn Seattle which all sorts of magical creatures is so exciting and intriguing.
Characters
Grace Mercer: I love female characters that are small and tough. Grace is one kick ass female character that I completely adore and admire. In the first book Hearts of Darkness we briefly got to meet her and I'm so glad she got to have her own book. Grace isn't the swooning type of gal, even when a hunk of a dragon keeps tempting her.
Leif Asgard: Unlike his asshole of a brother, Leif is a dragon to lust after. He actually has morals and is more into science than world domination. I adore Leif's character and I think Grace and him made for some very interesting tension and chemistry.
Paranormal Romance
Perfect amount of sexual tension, romance and bedroom scenes paired with a fantastic amount of story. I love paranormal romance books. The different creatures, the parallel universe, the story and the characters all make for an exciting combination that I can never seem to put down.
Didn't Like
Nothing. . . I now have to wait for the next book!
April 23, 2013
Grace and Leif! When I heard that Brady was pairing up the two of them I was really skeptical. Not only does Grace have to get over the fact that Leif is a dragon, but also that he is the brother of her former keeper/torturer/slaver whatever you want to call him. I really thought those were some huge hurdles, but Brady wrote a strong female character in Grace and she shows that throughout this book. Leif is the brainy, sexy male lead, the guy that when girls say they like nerds, they picture him. The chemistry between the two of them is explosive and that first love scene between the two of them in Leif's lab against the table was hot as hell.
As to the whole paranormal world that Brady has created and the storyline, I love everything about it. I like how she allows the characters to defeat the big bad at the end of the novel, only to have an even bigger and badder evil come upon them in the next. I really hope the final book is about Corbett as he may be one of the darkest, brooding characters out there and needs a little female attention to make him feel better. Dare I say the former princess will be his female lead? Fingers Crossed!
As to the whole paranormal world that Brady has created and the storyline, I love everything about it. I like how she allows the characters to defeat the big bad at the end of the novel, only to have an even bigger and badder evil come upon them in the next. I really hope the final book is about Corbett as he may be one of the darkest, brooding characters out there and needs a little female attention to make him feel better. Dare I say the former princess will be his female lead? Fingers Crossed!
June 6, 2013
..MiscJoy: I also thought the premise looked fascinating and was excited to get a review copy of Hearts of Shadow. What hooked me in, however, was the author’s writing style. I enjoyed Brady’s voice and approach to the story development. She kept the writing active and the pace moving forward. Even though I had a few quibbles here and there, I can forgive much when the author’s writing style is strong.
I enjoyed how Grace and Leif’s characters developed both individually as well as together. I got a sense of who each character was as a person before the romance fully blossomed. I liked Grace’s spunky (if at times, stubborn) attitude and her courage in the face of overwhelming odds. I also enjoyed Leif’s progression from reclusive-scientist-cum-reluctant-leader to someone who fully embraced the challenge set before him. I admired both Grace and Leif’s willingness to make tough choices and find solutions to the dangerous dilemmas that faced them...
Read the full joint review posted at The Book Pushers: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/06/06/...
I enjoyed how Grace and Leif’s characters developed both individually as well as together. I got a sense of who each character was as a person before the romance fully blossomed. I liked Grace’s spunky (if at times, stubborn) attitude and her courage in the face of overwhelming odds. I also enjoyed Leif’s progression from reclusive-scientist-cum-reluctant-leader to someone who fully embraced the challenge set before him. I admired both Grace and Leif’s willingness to make tough choices and find solutions to the dangerous dilemmas that faced them...
Read the full joint review posted at The Book Pushers: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/06/06/...
April 16, 2013
I LOVED Hearts of Shadow, by Kira Brady! This second book in the Deadglass Trilogy could not come fast enough for me after Hearts of Darkness. Seattle is being rebuilt by shapeshifters and humans trying to work together to restore the functions of the decimated city which involves using old technologies, evoking an interesting steampunk element. Dragon shapeshifter, Lief, is an admirable hero who takes on the responsibilities for correcting his brother's actions. He falls in love with Grace, an emotionally scarred woman who fights bravely in the shadows to save the human race. Their love story is about self-sacrifice--and the true meaning of love. Excellent storytelling and character creation! I hope to read many more books by Kira Brady!
May 3, 2013
I really wanted to like this book. Grace is a fighter, who is intelligent and learned things the hard way. Leif is dragon, a supernatural creature who is focused on science and a mystical skeptic. Unfortunately neither character is witty, but they are both very likable. The story moves to slowly. Although it was interesting, it wasn’t enough to keep me fully engaged. I really wanted to know what happened to the leads, but this was not a story I could not put down. It was a story I had to power through.
I read the Novella, but I didn’t read the first book in the series. It was okay because this is definitely a stand alone novel. I may read the next book in the series, but I am not anxious to do so.
I read the Novella, but I didn’t read the first book in the series. It was okay because this is definitely a stand alone novel. I may read the next book in the series, but I am not anxious to do so.
May 27, 2013
Grace Mercer is special. She has an ability that kills wraiths. An ability that comes in handy to protect her city. Dragon shifter Leif senses how special Grace really is and will do anything to protector her, even while having to save the world.
Hearts of Shadow is an excellent read that will have you on the edge of your seat. Grace & Leif make a great pair. Loved all the Norse mythology. I especially enjoyed dragon shifter Leif. Sexy!! It's a real shame he is just fiction. Full of paranormal delights in this gritty setting. Ms. Brady has written an exciting follow up to Hearts of Darkness, you won't want to miss this one.
***For those who don't have an ereader will be happy to know the prequel to this series (Hearts of Fire) is available in this paperback as a bonus novella.
Hearts of Shadow is an excellent read that will have you on the edge of your seat. Grace & Leif make a great pair. Loved all the Norse mythology. I especially enjoyed dragon shifter Leif. Sexy!! It's a real shame he is just fiction. Full of paranormal delights in this gritty setting. Ms. Brady has written an exciting follow up to Hearts of Darkness, you won't want to miss this one.
***For those who don't have an ereader will be happy to know the prequel to this series (Hearts of Fire) is available in this paperback as a bonus novella.
July 5, 2013
I read Hearts of Darkness. I swear I did - but when I started this one, Hearts of Shadow, the world didn't feel familiar. So it was all new to me and I liked the dragons and the other shapeshifters. I loved that the mythos was not only Norse but also Babylonian and that Brady married the two so well that I never noticed the well-integrated infodumps of background material and usually that is a huge problem for me. I immediately bought into the world and just loved the story and the characters. The ending felt planned not rushed, which is another big plus. I will now have to reread Hearts of Darkness just for the fun of it as the bonus novella at the end about Alice and Brand was such a tease! Some sex,some bondage, lots of violence, but its integral to the plot so I was ok with it.
May 11, 2013
I gave Bec McMaster another chance, and loved Tarnished Knight and Heart of Iron. So, I hope I do not regret trying Kira Brady again.
I read the novella Hearts of Fire, included at the end of Hearts of Shadow, first and liked it.
So, I started Hearts of Shadow with hope that I would not skim simply to finish. There was no skimming. I loved Grace and Leif; their story was difficult to put down. There seemed to be fewer points of view, but there are still a lot of very bad things happening in an extremely grim world.
I will be willing to read Hearts of Shadow again, although it will never make my favorites list.
I read the novella Hearts of Fire, included at the end of Hearts of Shadow, first and liked it.
So, I started Hearts of Shadow with hope that I would not skim simply to finish. There was no skimming. I loved Grace and Leif; their story was difficult to put down. There seemed to be fewer points of view, but there are still a lot of very bad things happening in an extremely grim world.
I will be willing to read Hearts of Shadow again, although it will never make my favorites list.
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