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Tortuous Shadows
OBSOLETE VERSION; NO LONGER AVAILABLE. Re-edited and republished as TREACHEROUS SHADOWS.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2013
About the author
Jennifer Parr
7 books121 followersJENNIFER PARR discovered her love of writing in 2010 and set to work creating a magical fantasy world called Avalon Valley. She is currently working on Better Shade, book two in the Avalon Valley trilogy. Jennifer lives in California with her husband, their four children, an English Bulldog named Zen, a pair of super fluffy chinchillas, and their latest addition, a Great Dane pup named Spartacus.
Connect with Jennifer online:
Facebook: Treacherous Shadows
Instagram: @author_jenniferparr
Wattpad: @author_jenniferparr
Connect with Jennifer online:
Facebook: Treacherous Shadows
Instagram: @author_jenniferparr
Wattpad: @author_jenniferparr
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 28, 2014
2.5 stars I'm so sorry I didn't even finish the book because I couldn't take it.
When I first heard about this book, it was on Instagram. So I contacted the author-hello Jennifer Parr-and told her that I would love to review her book, and so here it is.
I thought I would love it, honestly. It isn't bad, don't get me wrong, I think it's just me.
The first thing I noticed was that I personally don't like the way Parr writes. In Tortuous Shadows, she writes in a way that gives you a sort of medieval feel. Again, it's not that I don't like it, the whole medieval thing, I love it actually, but it's just the way that she delivered it that I didn't like. But that didn't stop me reading until about a hundred pages in though, because as a bookworm, I know not to give up on a book that fast, sometimes it gets better.
I guess in a way, her writing in this novel can be viewed in different perspectives. A bad way, was mine, and a good way would be that it offers a new kind of "dystopian". It's not the kind of other YA dystopian novels centered in the future wherein technology reigns or something.
Okay, next another reason why I didn't like this book.
It says that Aria's family has a dark past, but where are the clues? It seems like the focus is on Liam, Liam whom we know nothing about. Liam who seems to know everything about Aria, and Aria doesn't even care?
The rest of this review will contain spoilers
The other thing that got me so pissed about this novel was that fact that Aria was nearly raped, and she doesn't seem traumatized at all . I mean, yeah, I seemed so 2 pages after it happened, but after that?
Liam, oh, Liam, you're so hot, I think I'm in love with you!
Man, I so do hope that they met in a previous life or something for the romance to escalate that quickly. Barely, 80 pages in, and they think they're in love? No.
When I first heard about this book, it was on Instagram. So I contacted the author-hello Jennifer Parr-and told her that I would love to review her book, and so here it is.
I thought I would love it, honestly. It isn't bad, don't get me wrong, I think it's just me.
The first thing I noticed was that I personally don't like the way Parr writes. In Tortuous Shadows, she writes in a way that gives you a sort of medieval feel. Again, it's not that I don't like it, the whole medieval thing, I love it actually, but it's just the way that she delivered it that I didn't like. But that didn't stop me reading until about a hundred pages in though, because as a bookworm, I know not to give up on a book that fast, sometimes it gets better.
I guess in a way, her writing in this novel can be viewed in different perspectives. A bad way, was mine, and a good way would be that it offers a new kind of "dystopian". It's not the kind of other YA dystopian novels centered in the future wherein technology reigns or something.
Okay, next another reason why I didn't like this book.
It says that Aria's family has a dark past, but where are the clues? It seems like the focus is on Liam, Liam whom we know nothing about. Liam who seems to know everything about Aria, and Aria doesn't even care?
The rest of this review will contain spoilers
The other thing that got me so pissed about this novel was that fact that Aria was nearly raped, and she doesn't seem traumatized at all . I mean, yeah, I seemed so 2 pages after it happened, but after that?
Liam, oh, Liam, you're so hot, I think I'm in love with you!
Man, I so do hope that they met in a previous life or something for the romance to escalate that quickly. Barely, 80 pages in, and they think they're in love? No.
June 24, 2014
"Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." -Forrest Gump
It's the same with self-published novels. You never really know. Some of them, such as Angelfall, are excellent reads, and others well, would probably fare better on Wattpad. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started Parr's Tortuous Shadows, but I found the story to be very enjoyable, and it was incredibly well written.
Before I go any further, I would like to say that the best part of the book is certainly Parr's writing. There weren't many high-tension scenes that would keep me flipping pages in a state of total engrossment, but her writing pulled me into her story all the same. It was reminiscent of Laini Taylor's, and that woman writes beautifully. Some people might complain of purple prose with both of these authors, but I have no complaints. Parr certainly has a way with words most authors don't nowadays.
So, there has to be a reason why I didn't give this five stars. It's not that Tortuous Shadows is not my usual type of story. I'll be honest, the summary is misleading- I was expecting a much darker, more-action oriented book but I got a love story. I'm perfectly fine with romance in books, in fact I prefer it, but I have yet to read a book where the romance is really the main plot point. This is not my issue- Parr executed it well. The romance between Aria and Liam was steadily built, and praise the lord, no instalove! Sure, the two developed attraction very fast, but they were not all over each other professing undying and eternal love two pages after meeting.
My reason for a four star rating is I was confused on well, a lot of things. The book is the first in an intended trilogy, so there is obviously questions meant to be left unanswered, but I felt like the book ended with very little closure at all. So yes, I need the next one! But, from the start, I didn't have much of a grip on the setting. I believed it was a fantasy story, so we're in a eh, Medieval village or so, but then the characters use very modern words like "couch" and "sofa" and I was never sure when exactly the story is taking place. Otherwise, Parr's worldbuilding was good. But, towards the end, Aria has a dream that warns her of something. The dream was not clear to the reader at all, and Aria wakes up and makes a very startling decision that I won't say because spoilers, but we never know what in the dream made her make that decision. I understand Parr wanting to induct mystery into her story (which she did a lot of!), especially in those final pages, but I at least wanted to know what exactly it was in that dream that made her think that, and I found nothing that would have driven me to make the decision she did.
Confusion aside, I was impressed with this. I wasn't really sure what to expect recently, but my last two professionally published reads have been a letdown, and Tortuous Shadows was not. Different than what I was expecting, sure, but it's nice to be pleasantly surprised. I'll be picking up the sequel.
It's the same with self-published novels. You never really know. Some of them, such as Angelfall, are excellent reads, and others well, would probably fare better on Wattpad. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started Parr's Tortuous Shadows, but I found the story to be very enjoyable, and it was incredibly well written.
Before I go any further, I would like to say that the best part of the book is certainly Parr's writing. There weren't many high-tension scenes that would keep me flipping pages in a state of total engrossment, but her writing pulled me into her story all the same. It was reminiscent of Laini Taylor's, and that woman writes beautifully. Some people might complain of purple prose with both of these authors, but I have no complaints. Parr certainly has a way with words most authors don't nowadays.
So, there has to be a reason why I didn't give this five stars. It's not that Tortuous Shadows is not my usual type of story. I'll be honest, the summary is misleading- I was expecting a much darker, more-action oriented book but I got a love story. I'm perfectly fine with romance in books, in fact I prefer it, but I have yet to read a book where the romance is really the main plot point. This is not my issue- Parr executed it well. The romance between Aria and Liam was steadily built, and praise the lord, no instalove! Sure, the two developed attraction very fast, but they were not all over each other professing undying and eternal love two pages after meeting.
My reason for a four star rating is I was confused on well, a lot of things. The book is the first in an intended trilogy, so there is obviously questions meant to be left unanswered, but I felt like the book ended with very little closure at all. So yes, I need the next one! But, from the start, I didn't have much of a grip on the setting. I believed it was a fantasy story, so we're in a eh, Medieval village or so, but then the characters use very modern words like "couch" and "sofa" and I was never sure when exactly the story is taking place. Otherwise, Parr's worldbuilding was good. But, towards the end, Aria has a dream that warns her of something. The dream was not clear to the reader at all, and Aria wakes up and makes a very startling decision that I won't say because spoilers, but we never know what in the dream made her make that decision. I understand Parr wanting to induct mystery into her story (which she did a lot of!), especially in those final pages, but I at least wanted to know what exactly it was in that dream that made her think that, and I found nothing that would have driven me to make the decision she did.
Confusion aside, I was impressed with this. I wasn't really sure what to expect recently, but my last two professionally published reads have been a letdown, and Tortuous Shadows was not. Different than what I was expecting, sure, but it's nice to be pleasantly surprised. I'll be picking up the sequel.
July 12, 2014
Read full review at: www.bookaholic-reads.blogspot.com
*I RECEIVED THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*
NO SPOILERS!
*3.5/5 stars*
Tortuous Shadows by Jennifer Parr is the first novel in a romance series. This novel was based around the romance of Aria and Liam, the main protagonists of the story. Aria's character was personally my favourite as she was quite strong and brave but also faced a lot of hardships. I adored how she overcame each adversity in her relationship with Liam as she always remained strong. Aria also proved to be a multi-dimensional character as, at times I felt she was quite dependent on others but I loved how realistic her character was, making her easier to relate too. Liam's character was one of the cutest male fictional character that I have read about. Liam and Aria's relationship is not rushed at all but I felt in the beginning they moved into this relationship quite fast, making it less realistic as 'love at first sight' doesn't really happen in reality. But apart from that, I adored their relationship as they did not force each other into anything and Liam was quite mature in the entire relationship- never taking advantage of Aria. He respected her decisions, supported her and always kept hope in her even when there were community/ family complications. Parr's novel was left in a cliff hanger having me dying to read the next novel as soon as possible. The setting of the novel was conveyed in almost a dystopian style which I loved as I am a huge dystopian fan. Jennifer Parr definitely explained the setting of the novel thoroughly through her phenomenal writing style. A negative from this novel would have to be the main issue and complication. I felt the main issue wasn't 'stressed' enough to us, the readers, and the complication wasn't such a big issue. I really wished there was another storyline apart from romance as it would've definitely given this novel a more interesting plot to read about. Since this is a series, I am eagerly waiting for the next novel to be released as I really want answers to unsolved questions from this novel. I love how Jennifer Parr kept the suspense all throughout the novel and her writing style is quite elegant and descriptive which made me really enjoy this novel more. I definitely recommend this novel to teenagers who love reading romance and dystopian novels. This novel was a fun read and it has been a great experience entering Jennifer Parr's dystopian world.
*I RECEIVED THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*
NO SPOILERS!
*3.5/5 stars*
Tortuous Shadows by Jennifer Parr is the first novel in a romance series. This novel was based around the romance of Aria and Liam, the main protagonists of the story. Aria's character was personally my favourite as she was quite strong and brave but also faced a lot of hardships. I adored how she overcame each adversity in her relationship with Liam as she always remained strong. Aria also proved to be a multi-dimensional character as, at times I felt she was quite dependent on others but I loved how realistic her character was, making her easier to relate too. Liam's character was one of the cutest male fictional character that I have read about. Liam and Aria's relationship is not rushed at all but I felt in the beginning they moved into this relationship quite fast, making it less realistic as 'love at first sight' doesn't really happen in reality. But apart from that, I adored their relationship as they did not force each other into anything and Liam was quite mature in the entire relationship- never taking advantage of Aria. He respected her decisions, supported her and always kept hope in her even when there were community/ family complications. Parr's novel was left in a cliff hanger having me dying to read the next novel as soon as possible. The setting of the novel was conveyed in almost a dystopian style which I loved as I am a huge dystopian fan. Jennifer Parr definitely explained the setting of the novel thoroughly through her phenomenal writing style. A negative from this novel would have to be the main issue and complication. I felt the main issue wasn't 'stressed' enough to us, the readers, and the complication wasn't such a big issue. I really wished there was another storyline apart from romance as it would've definitely given this novel a more interesting plot to read about. Since this is a series, I am eagerly waiting for the next novel to be released as I really want answers to unsolved questions from this novel. I love how Jennifer Parr kept the suspense all throughout the novel and her writing style is quite elegant and descriptive which made me really enjoy this novel more. I definitely recommend this novel to teenagers who love reading romance and dystopian novels. This novel was a fun read and it has been a great experience entering Jennifer Parr's dystopian world.
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