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Colbana Files #5
Shadowed Blade
Something wicked this way comes…
The arrival of a very important person in her office seemed to be the start of a lot of problems for Kit Colbana, investigator extraordinaire. Claiming that he needed somebody with her special skill set, he sends her on a series of jobs that made little to no sense until one culminated with both her and her partner, Justin barely escaping with their lives.
Back in Orlando, they go their separate ways to recover, Justin heading to the house of a local witch, while Kit returns to the Lair, where she’s recently been living with her lover Damon, the Alpha of the Southern Cat Clans.
There’s barely a chance for Kit to catch her breath before trouble of the highest order comes knocking on her door. This time, it’s the form of a psychic by the name of Nova. Nova has bad, bad news…Justin has gone missing and so has the witch who was going to put him up while he healed, Colleen, one of Kit’s closest, dearest friends.
With all sorts of non-humans disappearing, fury doesn’t even touch what Kit is feeling as she heads out to hunt down the people responsible.
But Kit isn’t the only one out on a hunt…somebody is hunting for her…somebody Kit would rather never, ever see again.
The arrival of a very important person in her office seemed to be the start of a lot of problems for Kit Colbana, investigator extraordinaire. Claiming that he needed somebody with her special skill set, he sends her on a series of jobs that made little to no sense until one culminated with both her and her partner, Justin barely escaping with their lives.
Back in Orlando, they go their separate ways to recover, Justin heading to the house of a local witch, while Kit returns to the Lair, where she’s recently been living with her lover Damon, the Alpha of the Southern Cat Clans.
There’s barely a chance for Kit to catch her breath before trouble of the highest order comes knocking on her door. This time, it’s the form of a psychic by the name of Nova. Nova has bad, bad news…Justin has gone missing and so has the witch who was going to put him up while he healed, Colleen, one of Kit’s closest, dearest friends.
With all sorts of non-humans disappearing, fury doesn’t even touch what Kit is feeling as she heads out to hunt down the people responsible.
But Kit isn’t the only one out on a hunt…somebody is hunting for her…somebody Kit would rather never, ever see again.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2016
144 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Daniels
39 books643 followersI read, I write and you can find more about me here at my other author name...
Shiloh Walker
My professional bio:
J.C. Daniels is the alter ego of author Shiloh Walker. J.C./Shiloh has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more...ah...serious works of fiction. She loves reading and writing just about every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest. She writes urban fantasy, romantic suspense and paranormal romance, among other things.
Shiloh Walker
My professional bio:
J.C. Daniels is the alter ego of author Shiloh Walker. J.C./Shiloh has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more...ah...serious works of fiction. She loves reading and writing just about every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest. She writes urban fantasy, romantic suspense and paranormal romance, among other things.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
May 7, 2016
Spoilers
I don't know how this managed to get published. The writing and grammar were atrocious. I could barely get past the first few chapters, the dialogue was terrible and nothing made sense. The story was disjointed and all over the place, I had no idea what was going on even with re-reading. Did the author not bother with an editor or proof reader? I don't think she even cared enough to read over her own work before letting it get published.
It took ages for the story to finally make some sense, which shouldn't have been the case when it was the usual main character has to kill the one-dimensional-bad-guy-of-the-week.
Rana was the most entertaining part of the story, her relationship with Kit and Doyle was actually quite interesting to read. Damon on the other hand was a joke, he was too over the top and possessive, pretty much every thing he said or did made me roll my eyes.
I don't know how this managed to get published. The writing and grammar were atrocious. I could barely get past the first few chapters, the dialogue was terrible and nothing made sense. The story was disjointed and all over the place, I had no idea what was going on even with re-reading. Did the author not bother with an editor or proof reader? I don't think she even cared enough to read over her own work before letting it get published.
It took ages for the story to finally make some sense, which shouldn't have been the case when it was the usual main character has to kill the one-dimensional-bad-guy-of-the-week.
Rana was the most entertaining part of the story, her relationship with Kit and Doyle was actually quite interesting to read. Damon on the other hand was a joke, he was too over the top and possessive, pretty much every thing he said or did made me roll my eyes.
February 28, 2017
2.5 Meeeehhh...
It took me, like, a week to read this whole thing! It's been a looong long time since it took me more than a few days to finish a book (and I had time to read). I chose to watch movies and series and shows rather than finishing this book, so all I can say is that it was kind of boring.
It wasn't awful and it was a bit better than the last one, but it just couldn't hold my interest.
It took me, like, a week to read this whole thing! It's been a looong long time since it took me more than a few days to finish a book (and I had time to read). I chose to watch movies and series and shows rather than finishing this book, so all I can say is that it was kind of boring.
It wasn't awful and it was a bit better than the last one, but it just couldn't hold my interest.
June 11, 2016
I know it's hard to wait for a new book when you love a series. I'm right there with you, griping and wondering if that precious story is ever going to get here. This book, in particular, was one we had to wait on. And I hate to say it, but we should have waited a little bit longer. The story is a good one. As it unfolds, there are some major revelations. It unlocks secrets and it changes Kit's life. It's a big deal and the ideas are really good. But the book feels so unfinished. By that, I don't mean that there's a problem with the ending. I mean, it needed more work. It needed more time, and maybe as fans, that's partly our fault for pushing so hard for it to come out. It wasn't ready and you'll be able to tell.
I felt a huge disconnect in the first few chapters. We jumped right in to this mission with Kit and Justin. And I felt so lost. Where was Damon? How long have they been separated? Where did the events of the Frankie novella take place? Is Kit broken or fixed? How much was I forgetting from a previous book and how much was supposed to be new? Just... everything. It took a while for me to find a rhythm, for it to feel like a Kit Colbana book.
Once it did, the story itself was great. Kit and Justin are investigating cases for the President, but something feels really wrong, and eventually, they become hunted. The story follows Kit and her people as they try to figure out who the villain is and how this all ties to the missing supernaturals we learned about earlier in the series. Kit's broken bond to her weapons is finally addressed --and we're getting back to her past and her family that is hunting for her. Plus, Damon and Doyle and Chang and all the great characters that help make this series sing.
But there are editing issues. Everything from spelling to grammar... to punctuation... even sentences that basically repeat themselves. All things common in early drafts of a book. All things that if given proper time and attention could be fixed and allow for a much better reading experience. Every book in the series has been self-published. But this is the first one that didn't feel like it could have come through a publishing house.
Fans of the series shouldn't skip this one, but prepare yourself for some dips in the road. Hopefully, the next installment will return to the quality I know these books are capable of.
I felt a huge disconnect in the first few chapters. We jumped right in to this mission with Kit and Justin. And I felt so lost. Where was Damon? How long have they been separated? Where did the events of the Frankie novella take place? Is Kit broken or fixed? How much was I forgetting from a previous book and how much was supposed to be new? Just... everything. It took a while for me to find a rhythm, for it to feel like a Kit Colbana book.
Once it did, the story itself was great. Kit and Justin are investigating cases for the President, but something feels really wrong, and eventually, they become hunted. The story follows Kit and her people as they try to figure out who the villain is and how this all ties to the missing supernaturals we learned about earlier in the series. Kit's broken bond to her weapons is finally addressed --and we're getting back to her past and her family that is hunting for her. Plus, Damon and Doyle and Chang and all the great characters that help make this series sing.
But there are editing issues. Everything from spelling to grammar... to punctuation... even sentences that basically repeat themselves. All things common in early drafts of a book. All things that if given proper time and attention could be fixed and allow for a much better reading experience. Every book in the series has been self-published. But this is the first one that didn't feel like it could have come through a publishing house.
Fans of the series shouldn't skip this one, but prepare yourself for some dips in the road. Hopefully, the next installment will return to the quality I know these books are capable of.
January 24, 2022
Review coming soon 📚📚📚📗📗📘📚📙📒📓📚📔📖
September 26, 2017
*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
J.C. Daniels' Shadowed Blade is the Fifth installment in the Colbana Files. If you are new to this series, please allow me to summarize what has happened to this point. Kitasa aka Kit Colbana is a 1/2 human, 1/2 Aneiri warrior, private investigator. She has faced her fair share of challenges since leaving her island behind and finding her way to East Orlando where she is still considered to be an illegal. As the story opens, Kit is working with Justin Greaves.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Review*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
J.C. Daniels' Shadowed Blade is the Fifth installment in the Colbana Files. If you are new to this series, please allow me to summarize what has happened to this point. Kitasa aka Kit Colbana is a 1/2 human, 1/2 Aneiri warrior, private investigator. She has faced her fair share of challenges since leaving her island behind and finding her way to East Orlando where she is still considered to be an illegal. As the story opens, Kit is working with Justin Greaves.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Review*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
August 1, 2016
This series is a favorite of mine, and I have been waiting on this book for a very long time.
I must admit the beginning of the book had me feeling disorientated and lost. I actually thought that I missed a couple of chapters. This is not something that I’m used to from this series, and I must say I didn’t appreciate the feeling. Luckily as the story progressed the beginning started to make sense, I just wish it did right from the start.
Despite the rocky beginning, the rest of the book was as good as I’ve come to expect, and I enjoyed it. It was action-packed and the romance was wonderful.
“I know you’d walk into hell for me, Damon—and probably stroll out, carrying the devil’s head by the horns.”
“Sometimes, baby girl, I think you are the devil. My devil, anyway.”
My favorite parts were of course Damon, the sexy alpha of the Southern Cat Clans. I adore him, and the romance between him and Kit was very sweet and hot. Although I do like Kit’s need for independence, there were parts where I felt she went too far, and a little understanding on her part of why Damon wants to keep her safe, especially after what happened to her before, would certainly help their relationship. Hopefully this is something that will change for the better as the story continues.
As always Kit’s partner, Justin and her friend Colleen were great additions to this book. I’m really interested in seeing how things will work out with them after all they had to survive in this instalment. We also find out more about Doyle, and an unexpected member from her evil grandmother’s clan makes an appearance.
All in all this was a good addition to a series that I LOVE.
May 31, 2016
Kit's story comes to the climax that the last couple of books have been teasing, with missing non-humans and revelations aplenty. (Note: it's just a periodic climax; there's plenty left in Kit's story).
The first third of this book is a mess. The author tries something with mixed time-frames and a recollection narrative, but it just doesn't work and ends up being barely coherent. After that though this becomes largely a normal entry in the series and it comes together fairly well, and gives some payoff to things that have been teased since the first book of the series.
The first third of this book is a mess. The author tries something with mixed time-frames and a recollection narrative, but it just doesn't work and ends up being barely coherent. After that though this becomes largely a normal entry in the series and it comes together fairly well, and gives some payoff to things that have been teased since the first book of the series.
April 14, 2018
This counts towards my 2016 Cliterary Genius A to Z book challenge. Letter S.
January 16, 2025
Trouble finds Kit and Jason again, they are getting closer to finding the hidden facility (known as the hospital ) to which non humans can be admitted against their will if they are deemed too dangerous and uncontrolled, added to that number is any non human the government deems a problem. Justin once nearly ended up a resident there, and it's one.of those places you may go in but you will never get out. Justin is determined to take the place down, Kit is just as determined to help him, but it's not easy when the only non humans who know where it is no longer exist outside the facility. Then there is Kit's new client, someone she would rather say goodbye to but feels unable to turn down................ For some reason all his jobs end with Kit running for her life......coincidence?. Helping Kit Justin is severely injured and while recuperating he is snatched up, his kidnappers have left a trail one which Kit is determined to follow but before she can there are a few surprises, one is an old friend his name is Nova and he is psychic, he always knows everything that is going to happen, he even knows when and how he will die and he can use his brain to manipulate anything or anyone. Nova is one of Jason's and Kit's closest friends. Kit doesn't get know it but this is a fight she cannot possibly my win without the help of everyone around years she faces off against an enemy that is more powerful than any other being on earth....................
August 21, 2019
I really hate to do this, especially since the author has been having health problems; but quite frankly this book was a mess. The plotline was sound, and quite interesting, as always. The writing itself, however, was just not up to par. Confusing, choppy, convoluted scenes and poor editing throughout. There were scenes that started at the end of one chapter, and when the next chapter began the action was all over. Later in the chapter or the next, Daniels would revisit the long gone scene to explain what happened. So confusing, and there was quite a bit of wordbuilding left unexplained. I had to go back to read the last chapter of Edged Blade again, and was still often lost as to what was going on. Even as a regular reader of the series I had difficulty following the storyline because of the odd way it was laid out, and what was left out that might clue me in.
It was great to be back in Kit Colbana's world; I just wish I could say I enjoyed the visit a little more than I did. This was a good story in desperate need of better wordbuilding and proper editing for coherence.
It was great to be back in Kit Colbana's world; I just wish I could say I enjoyed the visit a little more than I did. This was a good story in desperate need of better wordbuilding and proper editing for coherence.
April 25, 2016
I love J.C. Daniel's Colbana Files Series. Love it. It was my most favourite urban fantasy series. I bought this book at midnight and slept well so that I could read it with a fresh mind.
But the writing was unsatisfactory. The novel did not make much sense. There were things happening that needed a bit of description, more depth but were were just given dialogue. It ruined the whole book. I have just finished this book and I can tell you I couldn't understand 30% of it. I don't know why J.C. Daniels chose to write it the way she did, but her writing is quite different than the others in this series.
There were also a lot of editing mistakes. It just isn't good enough. We as readers pay for these books. Amongst other things I expect an absence of editing mistakes and grammar. This is why editors exist, to review their work and resolve any mistakes or incorrect sentencing. J.C. Daniels either hasn't hired an editor or she needs to hire a new one because this one has done a poor job.
But the writing was unsatisfactory. The novel did not make much sense. There were things happening that needed a bit of description, more depth but were were just given dialogue. It ruined the whole book. I have just finished this book and I can tell you I couldn't understand 30% of it. I don't know why J.C. Daniels chose to write it the way she did, but her writing is quite different than the others in this series.
There were also a lot of editing mistakes. It just isn't good enough. We as readers pay for these books. Amongst other things I expect an absence of editing mistakes and grammar. This is why editors exist, to review their work and resolve any mistakes or incorrect sentencing. J.C. Daniels either hasn't hired an editor or she needs to hire a new one because this one has done a poor job.
June 18, 2017
3.5 stars
I would have given it 4 stars if not for the disjointed beginning, the first few chapters made no sense, there was no context to why all this craziness for happening, the later developments in the book have me very intrigued.
I would have given it 4 stars if not for the disjointed beginning, the first few chapters made no sense, there was no context to why all this craziness for happening, the later developments in the book have me very intrigued.
May 26, 2016
I've been a huge fan of this series since I read Blade Song nearly four years ago (where the hell does the time go?) so I'm always itching to get the next instalment and I couldn't wait to start reading Shadowed Blade. You definitely need to read these books in order to get the most out of them though so I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review has already read at least as far as Edged Blade. I'd also recommend reading the short story Misery's Way before starting this book, if you haven't already bought that story separately you're in luck because it's included at the end of this one (this is one of the very rare occasions when it's better to start at the end of the book LOL). This story jumps in as if you already know the new character introduced in that short so you could end up feeling a little lost if you haven't.
I have to say that the beginning of Shadowed Blade felt a little choppy anyway, it jumped around a bit and skips chunks of time so I was initially left wondering what was going on but once the story kicks off it was everything I'd hope for from this series. Kit and Justin are working together on a case but everywhere they go a crazy witch appears and tries to kill them. There's plenty of action as Kit and Justin try to figure out who is targeting them and it looks like they have a new and incredibly dangerous enemy to deal with. While this is going on we finally get the chance to find out whether Frankie's magic had any effect on Kit.
We also get to meet a few interesting people from Kit's past which I really enjoyed. Nova is a fab addition to the cast, he has some incredibly interesting abilities and he added a lot of humour but we also have an encounter with a member of Kit's family and let's just say things don't go as expected! I'm not going to say more than that so I don't spoil the surprise but I think we're going to see the series take a very interesting turn over the next few books. This series continues to be as much fun as always and I'm settling in and preparing myself for the long wait for the next book.
I have to say that the beginning of Shadowed Blade felt a little choppy anyway, it jumped around a bit and skips chunks of time so I was initially left wondering what was going on but once the story kicks off it was everything I'd hope for from this series. Kit and Justin are working together on a case but everywhere they go a crazy witch appears and tries to kill them. There's plenty of action as Kit and Justin try to figure out who is targeting them and it looks like they have a new and incredibly dangerous enemy to deal with. While this is going on we finally get the chance to find out whether Frankie's magic had any effect on Kit.
We also get to meet a few interesting people from Kit's past which I really enjoyed. Nova is a fab addition to the cast, he has some incredibly interesting abilities and he added a lot of humour but we also have an encounter with a member of Kit's family and let's just say things don't go as expected! I'm not going to say more than that so I don't spoil the surprise but I think we're going to see the series take a very interesting turn over the next few books. This series continues to be as much fun as always and I'm settling in and preparing myself for the long wait for the next book.
April 28, 2016
To be blunt; unlike the other Colbana books, I will never re-read this one.
I have been a fan of J.C Daniels and have loved reading the Colbana files series...which all makes this review all the more painful.
It was only my love of the series and the author that forced me to continue reading after the first few disjointed chapters. The first chapters do not create a good impression but rather leave the reader disorientated and confused.
Even if you manage to get past the opening chapters and you manage to clue yourself into the convoluted opening, things do not improve by much. The story doesn't entice the reader along but rather drags them by teleportation from one point of the plot to another.
The elements of the story were there: Solid character interactions(both old and new) and a fairly good plot idea which should have allowed for character development, entertainment, witty banter, action, suspense and all the usual things you expect from a Colbana book...yet it was so poorly written!
Also, the overprotective Alpha Cat card was played way too much. It seemed to be used just to fill pages and word counts, rather than ever offering anything new for progression in their relationship or characters.
Scenes were disjointed, tediously long in places and explanations for scenes or events were given in later scenes by which time we had forgotten about them or were so confused about why they had been cut off prematurely before that we had stopped caring.
The elements of a good book are here but the execution is not up to the authors usually high standard. Such a disappointing installment. Major editing needed to make it readable.
I have been a fan of J.C Daniels and have loved reading the Colbana files series...which all makes this review all the more painful.
It was only my love of the series and the author that forced me to continue reading after the first few disjointed chapters. The first chapters do not create a good impression but rather leave the reader disorientated and confused.
Even if you manage to get past the opening chapters and you manage to clue yourself into the convoluted opening, things do not improve by much. The story doesn't entice the reader along but rather drags them by teleportation from one point of the plot to another.
The elements of the story were there: Solid character interactions(both old and new) and a fairly good plot idea which should have allowed for character development, entertainment, witty banter, action, suspense and all the usual things you expect from a Colbana book...yet it was so poorly written!
Also, the overprotective Alpha Cat card was played way too much. It seemed to be used just to fill pages and word counts, rather than ever offering anything new for progression in their relationship or characters.
Scenes were disjointed, tediously long in places and explanations for scenes or events were given in later scenes by which time we had forgotten about them or were so confused about why they had been cut off prematurely before that we had stopped caring.
The elements of a good book are here but the execution is not up to the authors usually high standard. Such a disappointing installment. Major editing needed to make it readable.
January 22, 2017
Again, great story! And we finally get to learn more about her past and her family AND learn more about the things and reasons for the way things turned out in her life.
I am having some serious trouble with the Damon/Kit aspect. I get that she is independent and capable on her own (and I enjoy that aspect of the story) but it seems to be at the expense of Damon's need and desire to be a good mate to her. He is written as such a strong Alpha who is more than capable of protecting those he loves. BUT... in every single instance that arises where Kit is involved, she demands that he stay out of it. It gets to the point that he even tells her she is pushing him past the limit of his ability. Still, she just keeps walking all over his need to help her. Leaving him looking eviscerated. She even allows Justin to help her more than the man she loves and is a mate to. Could we not at least see him work together WITH her as a team and play a part in her protection? It really can be done well and without dimming her abilities... All we need do is look to the very character all compare her to - Kate Daniels to see an example of how beautifully it can be accomplished.
I am having some serious trouble with the Damon/Kit aspect. I get that she is independent and capable on her own (and I enjoy that aspect of the story) but it seems to be at the expense of Damon's need and desire to be a good mate to her. He is written as such a strong Alpha who is more than capable of protecting those he loves. BUT... in every single instance that arises where Kit is involved, she demands that he stay out of it. It gets to the point that he even tells her she is pushing him past the limit of his ability. Still, she just keeps walking all over his need to help her. Leaving him looking eviscerated. She even allows Justin to help her more than the man she loves and is a mate to. Could we not at least see him work together WITH her as a team and play a part in her protection? It really can be done well and without dimming her abilities... All we need do is look to the very character all compare her to - Kate Daniels to see an example of how beautifully it can be accomplished.
April 28, 2016
This book, unfortunately, reads like a first draft.
The opening chapters are disjointed and confusing. Even if you recently have read both the previous book and the associated short Misery's Way, they are hard to follow. (A quickie overview for those who haven't: Kit has enlisted Justin to help her on several seemingly unrelated missions assigned to her by the president. None go as planned.) Even after the first several chapters, though the narrative becomes clearer, there are numerous errors, with missing or extraneous words as well as occasional things that are difficult to follow or simply that don't make sense.
That said, for fans of the series--and I am one--you won't want to skip this book. There are important revelations and developments, and the interactions/relationship between Kit and Damon are satisfying. Although this book was a bit rough, I do wish the best for the author and look forward to the next book in the series.
The opening chapters are disjointed and confusing. Even if you recently have read both the previous book and the associated short Misery's Way, they are hard to follow. (A quickie overview for those who haven't: Kit has enlisted Justin to help her on several seemingly unrelated missions assigned to her by the president. None go as planned.) Even after the first several chapters, though the narrative becomes clearer, there are numerous errors, with missing or extraneous words as well as occasional things that are difficult to follow or simply that don't make sense.
That said, for fans of the series--and I am one--you won't want to skip this book. There are important revelations and developments, and the interactions/relationship between Kit and Damon are satisfying. Although this book was a bit rough, I do wish the best for the author and look forward to the next book in the series.
June 20, 2016
Glad to see our young Kit back in the saddle. I struggled getting into the story, because I felt like I came in the story in the middle of a big scene and I had missed the first part of it. It took me awhile to catch up, but I eventually did and was completely onboard with Kit and band of merry fellows. The editing was a little off. Can't wait to see where the story goes next.
May 2, 2016
So, in the previous book in the series, Edged Blade, J.C. Daniels left us with a kind of cliffhanger. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but it did have me furiously trying to turn the pages on my kindle, hoping that maybe there was a hidden chapter somewhere. In Shadowed Blade we continue on and get into the mystery of what Kit’s mysterious and well known new ‘client’ wants. Of course, things just aren’t quite adding up, and the more Kit discovers, the more she realises that this ‘client’ isn’t all he appears.
I love this series, it has a little bit of everything that I love, romance, action, magic, mayhem and a sexy alpha shifter; for me, this is the winning formula. With Shadowed Blade Daniels continues to give me what I want, and even a little bit more. In the previous book in the Colbana Files series I remember complaining that it was a little slow, but in this book once again the pace has been picked up and Daniels throws us right into the middle of the action.
Although I admit the first 5% of this book was a bit of a bumpy ride, it hadn’t quite settled into a pleasing pace and at times left me a little confused, but once it settled it was smooth cruising and I delved straight in, not coming up for air until I had read the final word. One of the things I love most about the series is Kit, our heroine, tough, smart and brave, she has been through a lot, both growing up and very recently and once again she is thrown in to a bad situation and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her thinking and fighting her way out.
Kit does this surrounded by her friends and the man in her life, Damon, the alpha of the feline shifters. As a romance junkie I fully appreciate the hint of sexy romance that Daniels has put through this book and Damon and Kit continue to be smoking hot together, even if Kit does drive him a little mad with her adventures. This book also reveals a little more about Kit’s past, things that not even she knew and I can’t wait to how these new revelations affect the rest of the series.
This is another winner in the Colbana Files series, if you haven’t picked this series up yet, then you need to give it a try, it’s an Urban Fantasy with plenty of action, romance and a new and interesting world the Daniels has created. The only thing I am disappointed about is having to wait a year for the next book!
September 13, 2017
I REALLLLLY enjoy this series. Sure, it likes to shove a knife in your guts and twist it with painful accuracy, but it's a good type of hurt. The type that makes you cheer when the good guys survive bad things. Well, excluding that incredibly painful thing that happened in book 2. But, really, the healing that came after all the pain and bloodshed worked, so, yeah. This series is good.
Now, I like Kit's balls to the walls attitude when it comes to, umm, just about everything. She's willing to do whatever needs to be done to stop those aforementioned bad things from coming to fruition. That said, Damon takes an emotional beating with some of her actions this book. He says more than once that she pushes him to the edge and YEAH, SHE DOES. It's not so much what she does to him as the risks she takes with herself. The guy loves her to distraction and losing her would gut him.
This time around we got some answers about Kit's messed up family and an...is "unfracturing" a word? Because that's what it felt like happened. The damaged parts of her didn't necessarily heal, but the bonds were reforged and she unfractured.
I do recommend reading Misery's Way before this book. I think it will make the beginning a little less choppy since Frankie's part in Kit's story was somewhat glossed over here. It makes sense because Kit isn't in Frankie's head and doesn't quite know what she did and the novella clears some of that up.
I'm almost tempted to attempt to reread book 2 again. Maybe.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Now, I like Kit's balls to the walls attitude when it comes to, umm, just about everything. She's willing to do whatever needs to be done to stop those aforementioned bad things from coming to fruition. That said, Damon takes an emotional beating with some of her actions this book. He says more than once that she pushes him to the edge and YEAH, SHE DOES. It's not so much what she does to him as the risks she takes with herself. The guy loves her to distraction and losing her would gut him.
This time around we got some answers about Kit's messed up family and an...is "unfracturing" a word? Because that's what it felt like happened. The damaged parts of her didn't necessarily heal, but the bonds were reforged and she unfractured.
I do recommend reading Misery's Way before this book. I think it will make the beginning a little less choppy since Frankie's part in Kit's story was somewhat glossed over here. It makes sense because Kit isn't in Frankie's head and doesn't quite know what she did and the novella clears some of that up.
I'm almost tempted to attempt to reread book 2 again. Maybe.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
May 15, 2016
When this series first debuted, I couldn't get enough of it. I blazed through each book desperately hoping the next one would come out immediately. It was fast paced, exciting, sensual, and took you to places that broke your heart.
This entry is a hot mess. It appears to be self-published, barely edited (if at all), and severely disjointed, story wise. I expected more from Daniels (aka Shiloh Walker), and it was a major disappointment. If nothing else, a proofreader would have caught the multiple misspellings found throughout the book.
D+
This entry is a hot mess. It appears to be self-published, barely edited (if at all), and severely disjointed, story wise. I expected more from Daniels (aka Shiloh Walker), and it was a major disappointment. If nothing else, a proofreader would have caught the multiple misspellings found throughout the book.
D+
June 6, 2017
Who could ever resist an urban fantasy series with kick-ass heroine and a lot of growly shifters? Not me. :)
Shadowed Blade follows the usual path like the rest of the books in this series.
# Kit solves different cases that somehow tie together in the end.
# We get one step closer to solving the big mystery that looms from the beginning of this series.
# Kit heals a bit more from trauma she got in Night Blade
There was only one unpleasant surprise for me: I thought this was the last book in the series and expected a resolution. But it's not. There will be a sequel Haunted Blade in September.
Another thing that bothered me is that I read too many books from this series in a row and by book #5 it all started to feel the same. But I've got only me to blame.
In the end, after five books Colbana Files stays solid urban fantasy series. Recommended for the fans of the genre.
Shadowed Blade follows the usual path like the rest of the books in this series.
# Kit solves different cases that somehow tie together in the end.
# We get one step closer to solving the big mystery that looms from the beginning of this series.
# Kit heals a bit more from trauma she got in Night Blade
There was only one unpleasant surprise for me: I thought this was the last book in the series and expected a resolution. But it's not. There will be a sequel Haunted Blade in September.
Another thing that bothered me is that I read too many books from this series in a row and by book #5 it all started to feel the same. But I've got only me to blame.
In the end, after five books Colbana Files stays solid urban fantasy series. Recommended for the fans of the genre.
April 26, 2016
Note: This review contains spoilers from the previous book. Shadowed Blade continues a couple of story arcs from earlier titles in the series, and therefore should not be read as a standalone.
Opening shortly after the jaw-dropping conclusion of Edged Blade, we find Kit working for President of the United States: a man whom we discovered is a Non-Human (NH). The book moves quickly, as Kit and Justin search for NHs on behalf of President Whitmore and get caught up in some seriously perilous situations.
Having absolutely loved the first three books in the Colbana Files series, I found myself struggling a bit on the direction of the past two books (Edged Blade and the novella, Misery’s Way). While I’m happy to report that I enjoyed Shadowed Blade much more than these two titles, I still had some issues with confusing, obtuse scenes. The first three chapters were extremely cryptic, and I wasn’t sure if Kit was having flashbacks, or if some of the events were abbreviated references and overlaps with the novella.
However, after these initial problems I had getting into the book, the flow of the story smoothed out and the story was a bit more coherent and definitely more gripping. As Kit pieces together what Whitmore is and is not, she also must dance along a dangerous edge with someone from her past. I liked the introduction of the mysterious stranger who appears to help Kit. Her presence shakes up much of Kit’s world and adds some interesting twists that will need to be addressed in future titles. However, I felt Kit and Damon’s continuing romantic storyline is petering out. They don't communicate and aren't careful with the other. Their relationship is all fire but no substance.
Part of the problem I’ve been having lately with this series is the cryptic nature of scenes. A successful first person story works because the author pulls the reader inside the head of the main character. Readers are privy to thoughts, feelings, and theories that the heroine experiences. But not so with Kit. I feel that I am constantly left in the dark, making for an extremely frustrating and confusing read. While this wasn’t the case as much in Shadowed Blade, there were still too many times that I wanted and needed more from Kit to keep me in the loop and completely engaged.
Additionally, I am struggling with the dark nature of the Colbana Files. While previous titles have taken Kit to very ugly, dark lows, I’ve been able to embrace the scenes because of the nature of the well-written storylines. However, now I feel like too much is happening to Kit and/or those she cares about. Some people love dark, but I find lately, it’s harder for me to enjoy.
In the end, Shadowed Blade was an entertaining read. Despite my own early confusion with the storyline, overall, the book flowed much more smoothly than the previous title. Both the Whitmore and mysterious stranger storylines were strong and engrossing. However, I felt that Damon and Kit’s journey left much to be desired. Shadowed Blade is an Interesting story with definite ending, yet opens doors to future storylines.
My Rating: B- Liked It, but I had a few small issues
Review copy provided by author
Opening shortly after the jaw-dropping conclusion of Edged Blade, we find Kit working for President of the United States: a man whom we discovered is a Non-Human (NH). The book moves quickly, as Kit and Justin search for NHs on behalf of President Whitmore and get caught up in some seriously perilous situations.
Having absolutely loved the first three books in the Colbana Files series, I found myself struggling a bit on the direction of the past two books (Edged Blade and the novella, Misery’s Way). While I’m happy to report that I enjoyed Shadowed Blade much more than these two titles, I still had some issues with confusing, obtuse scenes. The first three chapters were extremely cryptic, and I wasn’t sure if Kit was having flashbacks, or if some of the events were abbreviated references and overlaps with the novella.
However, after these initial problems I had getting into the book, the flow of the story smoothed out and the story was a bit more coherent and definitely more gripping. As Kit pieces together what Whitmore is and is not, she also must dance along a dangerous edge with someone from her past. I liked the introduction of the mysterious stranger who appears to help Kit. Her presence shakes up much of Kit’s world and adds some interesting twists that will need to be addressed in future titles. However, I felt Kit and Damon’s continuing romantic storyline is petering out. They don't communicate and aren't careful with the other. Their relationship is all fire but no substance.
Part of the problem I’ve been having lately with this series is the cryptic nature of scenes. A successful first person story works because the author pulls the reader inside the head of the main character. Readers are privy to thoughts, feelings, and theories that the heroine experiences. But not so with Kit. I feel that I am constantly left in the dark, making for an extremely frustrating and confusing read. While this wasn’t the case as much in Shadowed Blade, there were still too many times that I wanted and needed more from Kit to keep me in the loop and completely engaged.
Additionally, I am struggling with the dark nature of the Colbana Files. While previous titles have taken Kit to very ugly, dark lows, I’ve been able to embrace the scenes because of the nature of the well-written storylines. However, now I feel like too much is happening to Kit and/or those she cares about. Some people love dark, but I find lately, it’s harder for me to enjoy.
In the end, Shadowed Blade was an entertaining read. Despite my own early confusion with the storyline, overall, the book flowed much more smoothly than the previous title. Both the Whitmore and mysterious stranger storylines were strong and engrossing. However, I felt that Damon and Kit’s journey left much to be desired. Shadowed Blade is an Interesting story with definite ending, yet opens doors to future storylines.
My Rating: B- Liked It, but I had a few small issues
Review copy provided by author
May 16, 2016
3.5 stars
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
I’m a huge fan of the Colbana Files. I’ve listed as one of my favorite UF series. I’ve also frequently touted it as one of the most underappreciated series in the UF genre. This book though didn’t live up to those statements. I still enjoyed it, but there are some issues that kept me from enjoying this book as much as previous books in the series.
To start, the beginning of this story was a bit confusing. It kinda read like it might have been flashbacks, but I wasn’t sure. The whole story about the druid and Frankie was confusing to me. As I kept reading, I did eventually figure out what was going on. There are parts that overlap with the novella, Misery’s Way, which is included at the end. I highly recommend you read it first, you can find it in the table of contents.
As per usual in this series, it is full of great characters. I love Kit. She is a wonderful character. She is very strong, no matter how many times she has been broken. She puts herself back together, though that is not an easy process for her. She surrounds herself with great friends who have finally become the family that she’s never had with her actual blood relation. I loved seeing Damon, Chang, Justin, Colleen, Doyle and Nova. There is even a new addition who I expect to have a large part to the story going forward.
I can’t really go into much about this story without giving away series spoilers. I’ll just say that this story follows a lot of Kit and Justin the most as they are working for a very mysterious “client” of Kit’s. You can see throughout the story that there is still some issues between humans and non-humans, also known as NH, though there are people who are willing to serve anyone who is willing to pay. It is also hard to tell who is the good guys and who are the bad guys, but other times, it is very obvious who the bad guys are and they are very bad.
This story did have everything that I love in a great Urban Fantasy. Great characters. An excellent world. A ton of action. Romance. Wonderful characters, yes, I know I said that already, but I love these characters, a lot. Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I have to call out the weak beginning. I also need to call out the lack of editing. Normally, that is not an issue with this series, but there was a lot of editing issues in this one. It would not be fair to future reader to recommend this book without calling that out. I had a purchased copy from Amazon, not an ARC. This is the first book by Ms. Daniels that I’ve had editing issues. I would still recommend this book, but I would recommend that you start with book one, as I would with pretty much all UF series.
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
I’m a huge fan of the Colbana Files. I’ve listed as one of my favorite UF series. I’ve also frequently touted it as one of the most underappreciated series in the UF genre. This book though didn’t live up to those statements. I still enjoyed it, but there are some issues that kept me from enjoying this book as much as previous books in the series.
To start, the beginning of this story was a bit confusing. It kinda read like it might have been flashbacks, but I wasn’t sure. The whole story about the druid and Frankie was confusing to me. As I kept reading, I did eventually figure out what was going on. There are parts that overlap with the novella, Misery’s Way, which is included at the end. I highly recommend you read it first, you can find it in the table of contents.
As per usual in this series, it is full of great characters. I love Kit. She is a wonderful character. She is very strong, no matter how many times she has been broken. She puts herself back together, though that is not an easy process for her. She surrounds herself with great friends who have finally become the family that she’s never had with her actual blood relation. I loved seeing Damon, Chang, Justin, Colleen, Doyle and Nova. There is even a new addition who I expect to have a large part to the story going forward.
I can’t really go into much about this story without giving away series spoilers. I’ll just say that this story follows a lot of Kit and Justin the most as they are working for a very mysterious “client” of Kit’s. You can see throughout the story that there is still some issues between humans and non-humans, also known as NH, though there are people who are willing to serve anyone who is willing to pay. It is also hard to tell who is the good guys and who are the bad guys, but other times, it is very obvious who the bad guys are and they are very bad.
This story did have everything that I love in a great Urban Fantasy. Great characters. An excellent world. A ton of action. Romance. Wonderful characters, yes, I know I said that already, but I love these characters, a lot. Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I have to call out the weak beginning. I also need to call out the lack of editing. Normally, that is not an issue with this series, but there was a lot of editing issues in this one. It would not be fair to future reader to recommend this book without calling that out. I had a purchased copy from Amazon, not an ARC. This is the first book by Ms. Daniels that I’ve had editing issues. I would still recommend this book, but I would recommend that you start with book one, as I would with pretty much all UF series.
December 9, 2017
I'm about halfway through this book and I'm not entirely sure I can make it all the way through. Firstly, I don't know if the author had her editor read through because there are misspellings, grammatical errors and random additional or missing words all over the place. Secondly, the beginning of the book leaves a lot to be desired - the story feels disjointed and doesn't really flow or make much sense, and most of the dialogue is just ... meh. I'm not convinced it enhances the story overall as most of it feels like fluff and could be skimmed over or skipped entirely without losing track of the story. Here's hoping I can get through it, if only because I dislike leaving books unfinished.
Update:
Ok, I finally made it through, and I stand by my previous review/rating. Another reviewer said she rolled her eyes each time Damon said anything, and I came to the point where I was doing the same. Additionally, what turned me off was how the interactions between Kit and Damon in this book followed a similar pattern: Damon would try to lay down the law, Kit would scream at and/or insult him regardless of who was around, Damon would back down; rinse and repeat. It didn't feel loving or romantic or even like there was a lot of mutual respect there, and for this being the 5th book in the series, they didn't come across as two people who knew each other well. Frankly, I didn't like either of them too much in this installment.
Update:
Ok, I finally made it through, and I stand by my previous review/rating. Another reviewer said she rolled her eyes each time Damon said anything, and I came to the point where I was doing the same. Additionally, what turned me off was how the interactions between Kit and Damon in this book followed a similar pattern: Damon would try to lay down the law, Kit would scream at and/or insult him regardless of who was around, Damon would back down; rinse and repeat. It didn't feel loving or romantic or even like there was a lot of mutual respect there, and for this being the 5th book in the series, they didn't come across as two people who knew each other well. Frankly, I didn't like either of them too much in this installment.
June 15, 2016
Reviewed for: Where the Night Kind Roam
I LOVED this book, it is non-stop action from beginning to end. When we end the last book its on a WTF moment. Starting this book Kit realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew this time. Her new client is sending her on increasingly strange and dangerous missions. Justin has barely healed from a last mission when she drags him out again and they end up almost dying.. Again. They are in bad shape, but there is no rest for the wicked but as soon as Kit’s healed up she’s out again.
We’ve heard about the mysterious Nova, but in this book we get to meet him and I got to say, I wish we had met him earlier! He is AWESOME and hella powerful. He has changed the fate of many over the years and he is not getting left behind on this mission. In addition to Nova, kit has been getting help from another mysterious ally?? A person that keeps calling her and directing her out of danger but when Colleen and Justin are kidnapped and the trail leads to this anonymous helper.. Are they friend or foe? There is just so much that happened in this book. I’d say it was worth the wait! I just hope we don't have to wait so long for the next one because I can’t wait.
I LOVED this book, it is non-stop action from beginning to end. When we end the last book its on a WTF moment. Starting this book Kit realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew this time. Her new client is sending her on increasingly strange and dangerous missions. Justin has barely healed from a last mission when she drags him out again and they end up almost dying.. Again. They are in bad shape, but there is no rest for the wicked but as soon as Kit’s healed up she’s out again.
We’ve heard about the mysterious Nova, but in this book we get to meet him and I got to say, I wish we had met him earlier! He is AWESOME and hella powerful. He has changed the fate of many over the years and he is not getting left behind on this mission. In addition to Nova, kit has been getting help from another mysterious ally?? A person that keeps calling her and directing her out of danger but when Colleen and Justin are kidnapped and the trail leads to this anonymous helper.. Are they friend or foe? There is just so much that happened in this book. I’d say it was worth the wait! I just hope we don't have to wait so long for the next one because I can’t wait.
June 11, 2017
I was a bit disturbed after reading the first couple of chapters of this book because it felt like after every dozen or so pages I was starting a new book. I actually re-read quite a few pages thinking I had missed something, as it just didn’t make sense. It’s only because Kit is one of my favourite heroines that I kept going, had this been a new series I would have given up and just decided the author was incompetent!
Fortunately the book does improve and the story begins to make sense, although it never completely recovers.
My main problem with the story is that it seems so disjointed, it was like reading a book that had several pages missing; I always felt the author had forgotten to write part of the story and I was trying to reconstruct the account with crucial pieces missing.
The latter half of the book was better, but not perfect, it didn’t take long to get fed up of Damon’s macho posturing and it seemed Kit spent most of the last fight falling over or standing around doing nothing. However the end of the book was much better than the beginning.
Fortunately the book does improve and the story begins to make sense, although it never completely recovers.
My main problem with the story is that it seems so disjointed, it was like reading a book that had several pages missing; I always felt the author had forgotten to write part of the story and I was trying to reconstruct the account with crucial pieces missing.
The latter half of the book was better, but not perfect, it didn’t take long to get fed up of Damon’s macho posturing and it seemed Kit spent most of the last fight falling over or standing around doing nothing. However the end of the book was much better than the beginning.
April 30, 2016
Part of my problem is I didn't reread the series before starting this as it has been a while since the last book came out. The first two books in this series are some of my favorite urban fantasy I've read. If you are a fan of the Kate Daniels series it's similar but not so much that it doesn't feel like it's own world. Then into the next books they were okay but meandered a bit and I wasn't as invested. Here, again this could be also my own fault, it just felt clunky and I had a hard time following what's going on. I didn't really care as much for the characters as I didn't really feel like they grew from the past few books. I still like the first few books enough that I'd read more by the author but I don't know if I'll bother to read more in this series.
August 24, 2016
Two stars...mainly because it wasn't awful....but pretty darn close. I really like this series, but this installment was lacking. I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on half the time. I feel like it was one of those stories that made perfect sense in the authors head, but was seriously lost in translation. And Damon was a douche canoe.
February 15, 2017
I really enjoyed this installment in the series! Kit takes a job that leads to a maze of interesting revelations and dangers. Can't wait for the next book.
September 12, 2016
It's not really a 4 star read, this book is too full of mistakes and unexplained grammar :/ It's really a draft rather than the final version.
But I love Kit, and that's it basically.
But I love Kit, and that's it basically.
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