What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadows of Destiny #5
Destiny Forgiven
When shifter rebel, Felicity, is thrown into the sorcerer's prison, she meets the legendary torturer known as Inkman. The menacing guard with the gruesome tattoos is almost unrecognizable, but she could never forget her childhood sweetheart, Maddox Blackwell.
But he has no memory of her. Brainwashed and broken, his human emotions have been destroyed, leaving him bereft, without an identity. Now only darkness remains. As she fights to make him remember their past, forgotten feelings reignite. Love was once a breath away. Can she save him before he must take that final step and execute her?
But he has no memory of her. Brainwashed and broken, his human emotions have been destroyed, leaving him bereft, without an identity. Now only darkness remains. As she fights to make him remember their past, forgotten feelings reignite. Love was once a breath away. Can she save him before he must take that final step and execute her?
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2013
5 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 6, 2013
CLICK HERE TO OBSERVE REVIEW IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT
I've been waiting for Maddox's story since I read Destiny Divided, where I first met him. He had a mischievous boyishness about him. He seemed to be light hearted, always quick with a joke, yet there was something brewing underneath the surface. Loyalty, courage...secrets... When I was reintroduced to him in Destiny Forgiven, I was a little bit heart broken for him and for my own expectations. For what he had become and for the things he had lost - time, friends, memories, hope... Felicity was a great counter-balance to Maddox. She was full of hope and firmly believed in the good that she glimpsed in Maddox's...Inkman's eyes. She remembered their time together, grieved for the loss of innocence - Maddox's and her own. But despite all odds being stacked against her, against her people, and against her cause, she believed and worked very hard to dig out the goodness that was buried in Maddox, in order to save herself, and him. I loved her strength. Maddox might have been bigger and stronger, but true strength isn't always physical and she was a good example of that.
There were some really sexy moments. Maddox is definitely very alpha and I'm a huge fan of that. I got a few heart squeezes in the story as well. It was emotional and had some suspense. Some of my favorite characters made appearances - James and Sage - which, of course, made me very happy. I love visiting with old friends. And you know that since Sage made an appearance, there was some fun action. And get your mind out of the gutter. I mean like blowing-things-up-action. But you'll have to read it to find out what got blown up...or if it got blown up at all.
I think that this book was a bit more somber than the rest of the series, which fit with the scenery and the theme. It's kind of hard to be cracking jokes while ensconced within the walls of Marwolaeth Du. But there was still some trademark Leia Shaw humor here - "She shifted her stiff body on the hard floor and groaned. Being a martyr sounded so much better on paper." ...With some of the somber, though.
And the romantic - "I’d spend so long breathing your air, it was like the only thing keeping me alive was you.”
And the HOLY POOP - "When he broke away, he looked into her eyes, trying to communicate the depth of his love. 'I will find you.'
Then he pushed her off the edge of the cliff."
And, just saying, my heart just stopped.
And on that note, I'm going to find a defibrillator now.
**Review copy provided by author in return for an honest review. I also beta read this book.**
I've been waiting for Maddox's story since I read Destiny Divided, where I first met him. He had a mischievous boyishness about him. He seemed to be light hearted, always quick with a joke, yet there was something brewing underneath the surface. Loyalty, courage...secrets... When I was reintroduced to him in Destiny Forgiven, I was a little bit heart broken for him and for my own expectations. For what he had become and for the things he had lost - time, friends, memories, hope... Felicity was a great counter-balance to Maddox. She was full of hope and firmly believed in the good that she glimpsed in Maddox's...Inkman's eyes. She remembered their time together, grieved for the loss of innocence - Maddox's and her own. But despite all odds being stacked against her, against her people, and against her cause, she believed and worked very hard to dig out the goodness that was buried in Maddox, in order to save herself, and him. I loved her strength. Maddox might have been bigger and stronger, but true strength isn't always physical and she was a good example of that.
There were some really sexy moments. Maddox is definitely very alpha and I'm a huge fan of that. I got a few heart squeezes in the story as well. It was emotional and had some suspense. Some of my favorite characters made appearances - James and Sage - which, of course, made me very happy. I love visiting with old friends. And you know that since Sage made an appearance, there was some fun action. And get your mind out of the gutter. I mean like blowing-things-up-action. But you'll have to read it to find out what got blown up...or if it got blown up at all.
I think that this book was a bit more somber than the rest of the series, which fit with the scenery and the theme. It's kind of hard to be cracking jokes while ensconced within the walls of Marwolaeth Du. But there was still some trademark Leia Shaw humor here - "She shifted her stiff body on the hard floor and groaned. Being a martyr sounded so much better on paper." ...With some of the somber, though.
And the romantic - "I’d spend so long breathing your air, it was like the only thing keeping me alive was you.”
And the HOLY POOP - "When he broke away, he looked into her eyes, trying to communicate the depth of his love. 'I will find you.'
Then he pushed her off the edge of the cliff."
And, just saying, my heart just stopped.
And on that note, I'm going to find a defibrillator now.
**Review copy provided by author in return for an honest review. I also beta read this book.**
October 31, 2013
I don't read a lot of paranormal stories, but I might just have to rethink that after devouring Leia Shaw's Destiny Forgiven. Featuring a tortured hero (my favorite kind) with memory loss, and a damaged, resilient heroine with a backbone of steel, this story transcends the genre to deliver not just a fine paranormal novel about sorcerers, shifters, and vamps, but a fine romance that holds its own against most any story set in the "normal" world. By the end of it you'll want shifter Felicity kicking some butt on your behalf and you'll want to spend some quality time with the yummily tattooed sorceror Maddox. I've not read the other books in the series (a mistake I plan to remedy by picking up the other books in the series), but I had no trouble following the storyline. All in all, this is a fine offering from Leia Shaw and I now consider her a must-read. Highly recommended!
July 14, 2020
5 stars and it has earned itself space on my favourite books of all time. Captivating, breathtaking and original!
November 10, 2013
Angeline‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Felicity and Maddox were childhood sweethearts. Best friends that were torn apart by fate. Fighting on opposite sides of a supernatural war; they are reunited when she is captured and held prisoner by him.
Destiny Forgiven has an original-to-me plot. I love that I did not feel as if I had read the same basic story before. It was a fantastic feeling!
Maddox is one of the most broken characters ever. Felicity is the light that brings him back. There was no easy way about it. This is an intense story that shows that sometimes you will do anything for your soul mate.
I have made it no secret that I love the Shadows of Destiny series. The world building is one of the best I have read in a long time. While you can read Destiny Forgiven as a standalone, I would recommend starting with book 1. We know that a series is connected in some way and this amazing world makes more sense if you start from the beginning. Leia Shaw’s writing and stories just keep getting better and better. Start with book 1. You won’t regret it.
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Felicity and Maddox were childhood sweethearts. Best friends that were torn apart by fate. Fighting on opposite sides of a supernatural war; they are reunited when she is captured and held prisoner by him.
Destiny Forgiven has an original-to-me plot. I love that I did not feel as if I had read the same basic story before. It was a fantastic feeling!
Maddox is one of the most broken characters ever. Felicity is the light that brings him back. There was no easy way about it. This is an intense story that shows that sometimes you will do anything for your soul mate.
I have made it no secret that I love the Shadows of Destiny series. The world building is one of the best I have read in a long time. While you can read Destiny Forgiven as a standalone, I would recommend starting with book 1. We know that a series is connected in some way and this amazing world makes more sense if you start from the beginning. Leia Shaw’s writing and stories just keep getting better and better. Start with book 1. You won’t regret it.
November 6, 2013
"Destiny Forgiven" is just the latest installment in the fantastic "Shadows of Destiny"series.
in this book, Maddox the sorceror makes another appearance and we get to see what his life becomes as he is transformed from a lovable guy to the Inkman. He is a torn soul. beleiving he is one thing when his past will tell him another sory. You get mad at him, you feel sorry for him, you lust after him... All these different emotions generated by one character - FANTASTIC!!
We also meet the love of his life, his best friend, the woman he's forgotten - but still desires!
Felicity is a great heroine. She's young, strong, loyal, and still in love with the man that disappeared from her life. She's faithful and a force to be reckoned with.
Saito is a good evil antagonist. He is cruel, sadistic, and familiarly related to Maddox - LOVE the development of that relationship... You'll just have to see what happens!
The "Underworld" war continues with species battling each other and character stories building on one another but revolve around different main characters. It's a series where each book is independent and can be read alone yet each adds more to the overall picture!
in this book, Maddox the sorceror makes another appearance and we get to see what his life becomes as he is transformed from a lovable guy to the Inkman. He is a torn soul. beleiving he is one thing when his past will tell him another sory. You get mad at him, you feel sorry for him, you lust after him... All these different emotions generated by one character - FANTASTIC!!
We also meet the love of his life, his best friend, the woman he's forgotten - but still desires!
Felicity is a great heroine. She's young, strong, loyal, and still in love with the man that disappeared from her life. She's faithful and a force to be reckoned with.
Saito is a good evil antagonist. He is cruel, sadistic, and familiarly related to Maddox - LOVE the development of that relationship... You'll just have to see what happens!
The "Underworld" war continues with species battling each other and character stories building on one another but revolve around different main characters. It's a series where each book is independent and can be read alone yet each adds more to the overall picture!
November 7, 2013
Destiny Forgotten is an epic fantasy that I was quickly enthralled in. I couldn’t put it down at all. It’s the fifth book of Shadows of Destiny series by Leia Shaw but it’s easily read as a stand-alone story. Watching Felicity struggle to get Inkman to remember himself as her Maddi was hard to watch at times, but the times when he melted and remembered, I swooned.
The byplay between these two was amazing. I enjoyed the banter between them, and this is definitely up there as one of my favorite erotic fantasy stories. Ms. Shaw does an amazing job building a unique world, and does a phenomenal job dropping enough information into this story that reading past books isn’t necessary. I honestly believe if a new reader picks this book up, they’ll find themselves quickly scrambling to read the rest in the series.
I highly recommend this story to fans of fantasy, erotic romance and stories that touch the heart and prove that love always conquers.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.
The byplay between these two was amazing. I enjoyed the banter between them, and this is definitely up there as one of my favorite erotic fantasy stories. Ms. Shaw does an amazing job building a unique world, and does a phenomenal job dropping enough information into this story that reading past books isn’t necessary. I honestly believe if a new reader picks this book up, they’ll find themselves quickly scrambling to read the rest in the series.
I highly recommend this story to fans of fantasy, erotic romance and stories that touch the heart and prove that love always conquers.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.
September 7, 2016
This is the first book I’ve read in the Shadows of Destiny series and you bet I’m going to go back and read the others. At no time did I feel that I wasn't able to follow the storyline. This book is about Felicity and Maddox, she is a rebel fighter against The Council and he is the guard meant to break her into giving them information about the rebels. Maddox and Felicity knew each other as children and grew up together forging a deep friendship that turned into love. However, since Maddox was away a trusted person betrayed him making him forget about his past life. It’s up to Felicity to make him remember before he hurts her even more.
Gah! I shed some tears during their first few scenes together. I felt her love for him and how he struggled against it because of what he was led to believe. The story was an emotional roller-coaster, lots of paranormal activity, and the fact that forgiveness can be so sweet.
Review copy provided by author in return for an honest review.
Gah! I shed some tears during their first few scenes together. I felt her love for him and how he struggled against it because of what he was led to believe. The story was an emotional roller-coaster, lots of paranormal activity, and the fact that forgiveness can be so sweet.
Review copy provided by author in return for an honest review.
April 1, 2016
I enjoyed Destiny Forgiven as much as I have all the other books in Shaw's Shadows of Destiny series. I also love that some familiar characters make an appearance. This is a great story and it's so wonderful to see the transformation of Maddox and the proof that true love can overcome anything.
November 14, 2013
I absolutely love this series and can't wait for the next installment.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews