Welcome Back to the World of The Grid. Where heroic bad-asses looking for a second chance fight a war among us in the shadows.
McKenzie Miller had never needed anyone. Not since she lost both her parents to a crime of passion at a young age. Shuffled from foster home to foster home, Kenzie finally took control of her own life and lived on the streets. Now she's an adult and has a hard-wired survivalist core to never be used or abused again. She's strong and no one will ever hurt her—because she will never let someone inside the one part of her that can still feel—her heart. Now part of The Grid, Kenzie copes to become what she now is forced to be—but one thing is very strange when you’re a Keeper. Love.
Lana Penchez had everything that her parent's money could buy and until they lost it all in the economy crash, the young ballet dancer had a bright future with the San Francisco Ballet Company. Now she struggles to reach for her dream and still survive. And do so, alone. Until one night when she was saved and a whole different world of shadows gives her a chance she never thought she’d have. Love.
Have no fear Twiz Keeper fans, there is also plenty of your favorite Candyman, Reno Sundown and his witch, Emma. As well as BOUNCE and of course, Lucifer. And twists? Oh there is ALWAYS twists with a Ward book.
The Shadow-Keepers Reading Order - these are full-length novels and crucial to the complex story that takes place throughout the entire Book One of the Shadow-Keepers Series Book Two of the Shadow-Keepers Series Book Three of the Shadow-Keepers Series
Companion Novellas/Ebooks Only (Stories from the Grid). These novellas enhance the series as they include the background stories of some of the characters as well as interesting "easter eggs" to the ongoing story of the whole series. They are also wonderful series starters at any stage of the Before the Madness Before the Lust
Born and raised in Texas, Ward is a mixed bag of creativity spinning tales of paranormal, urban fantasy and even dark romance and horror; wrapped within a love story.
She’s been dared by her readers to write a few contemporary romances but even those reads have characters that are real and twisted by their creator. It did, however, spawn her romance tag line: Romance - The Ward Way.
Mother of three diverse and independent bold children, Ward prides herself for being the “Queen Niche’ Bitch” which is a handy way of saying she sucks writing to market. But her readers don’t seem to mind.
I can't wait for fans to read the story of McKenzie Miller as the continuation of the Shadow-Keepers unfolds. I loved writing this book and creating a bad-ass, strong and as alpha as any male hero was a challenge but well worth it.
The fans of Reno won't be disappointed either, nor the ones of Bounce. Both are in this book and play a pivotal role in Kenzie's story.
Welcome to the Grid...let the next part of the story begin.
Jas T. Ward is back with her latest, Lust. If the intriguing title doesn’t grab you, remember, we are going back to the grid, where unsung heroes brave the darkness to keep the souls of humanity safe. McKenzie Miller was a lone wolf in a world where the pack mentality rules. She is tough, hardened and in need of no one, because really, she’s never had anyone to depend on and why start now? Safely locked away, her heart is a fortress, protected and sealed off from involvement.
Lana has always had everything money can but, times have changed and her dream to be a prima ballerina has become a struggle to achieve. When Kenzie comes into her life, both of their worlds will be changed forever in more ways than they could ever know. Two hearts, both beating only for each other, one goes silent when they are apart. Kenzie is more than she seems, she has undergone the ultimate life-changing experience and has been taken over by the demon, Lust. Now she will learn of the world of the grid and her place with this unlikely group of supernatural beings.
They’re baaaacckkk! Bounce will endure heart-wrenching pain, as more of his tale is unveiled, but can he survive alone or will it take another to control his fiery emotions? Reno and Emma share the joy of their child in a supernatural way and Kenzie will be there to find that there is a place she belongs, it just wasn’t her time, before!
Be prepared to expect the unexpected from Jas T. Ward, to feel like its old home week at the Grid and reminisce with old friends, while danger once again rears its ugly head and the ultimate puppet master starts tugging on strings with painful results. Is there no rest for our hidden heroes? Ms. Ward writes with a well-timed sense of humor, using bold strokes and going done her own uniquely twisted path. From start to finish, each addition to this series is magnetic, intense and filled with details beyond imagination! That she adds the magic of hearts beating in time to love, is the icing on the cake!
I received this copy from Jas. T. Ward in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Shadow-Keepers - Book 2 Publication Date: November 17, 2015 Publisher: Dead Bound Publishing Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy Print Length: 252 pages Available from: Amazon For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Actually, good is a too gentle a word to accurately describe the wild ride Ms. Ward continues to take readers on. All I can say is ...hold onto something!
Returning to the Grid, we meet MacKenzie Miller, tough, spunky and determined to kick as much ass as possible, names optional. She is suddenly thrust into a world she isn't prepared for and her tour guide is the bombastic 'newborn', Reno, our dashingly dark hero from Madness. Now, things are about to get very intense...and educational. For both.
Toss the lovely Lana into this eclectic mix and Kenzie's world takes on even more of a twist. With familiar faces we met in Madness, along with a few new ones, prepare yourself for a whole new experience. Ms. Ward's intelligent, pithy and addictive worlds and words draw you in, but its her affinity for flawed, brokenly beautiful characters that keep you riveted.
Lust is my first Jas T. Ward book. Her fans will definitely be delighted with this second installment. It is lustful (smirk), suspenseful and exciting. Jas gives us several great twists that keep me turning pages. My emotions were everywhere and that is just how I like a good book; .one that has me running the gamut.
Being the second in the series and not having read the first, it took me a second to catch up but I did so with little difficulty. Granted I didn't get the full extent of Reno and Emma's relationship until later in the book but I figured it out along the way. Ms. Ward's excellent descriptive skills were great in helping me move along with the story but I would definitely recommend reading these in order to get a full grasp on the story.
I love Reno and hearing is inner dialogue was always entertaining. He has a lot on his plate and struggles at time to keep everything under control. The Candyman is a special character.
McKenzie Miller is just plain bad-ass. She had a rough go of it growing up, losing both her parents and then being in the foster system. I enjoyed her banter with Reno especially, but everyone really. She hides behind her sarcasm.
Lana is about as sweet as they come. Don't want to spoil the plot, but you can't help but love her.
I appreciated that all men don't fall for their passing urges and stick to their hearts. It was refreshing.
Lust (Shadow Keepers Bk 2) - Jas T. Ward 4.5 Stars
This follows on from book one and they do need to be read in order!
Here we have more from Reno and Emma and their beautiful journey. Also we meet McKenzie and Lana with their strong chemistry and lovely new relationship. Whilst there's no major cliffhanger this book does leave you wanting so much more.
I really enjoyed this book, more so than the first book which sadly I personally found a bit confusing until I got nearer to the end ! However, starting this book with all the answers and facts in place, made this a really great and addictive read. These books are really unique and have a completely different take from the usual paranormal out there, I particularly love the dark and dangerous elements mixed in with the sweet and romantic parts.
Lust, Book Two in the Shadow-Keepers series is an excellent continuation to Madness (Book One). Beloved characters from the previous book (and novella!) make unforgettable appearances and wonderful new ones are introduced. There is humor, there is angst, there is sweetness. Everything you've come to expect from a Ward book is there and she does not disappoint. Action packed from beginning to end, Ward takes the reader into a journey that they will not soon forget.
Infected with LUST...and all I can say is, "more, PLEASE!!!" LUST is all that a great book should be - full of complex, insane characters, who pull you into their world & then take you on a fantastic, wild roller coaster ride. You'll laugh, cry, & your family will think that you are crazy for talking to the people that you meet at THE GRID. And in the end, you'll be like me, left asking for more. Can't wait for the next installment in this series!
“Lust” is a welcome and creative addition to the paranormal genre. Its unique storyline and well-constructed characters draw the reader into its complex tale from page one.
Jas writes books that are fast paced, intelligent, intriguing and fascinating. Her characters come alive to me. Her writing style switches characters from one paragraph to the next. So you literally not knowing what or who comes next. The storyline in lust is so much more than girl meets girl and fall in love. It's about survival any way you can. L It's about life kicking you again and again and still you survive to find there is more than just surviving
This is another great addition to the Shadow-Keeper series. Plenty of Emma, Reno, and Rugrat in addition to meeting Kenzie and Lana. Madness and Lust are fascinating developments. There are some great revelations about Jess and Bounce, and I am curious to see how their stories pan out. Great work!
In this book Kenzie/Lust comes in play as a Keeper and enters the exciting and unique world that Jas T Ward has created Each character is so well developed and has such a powerful history that I can’t put these books down. Great story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in the series and focuses on MacKenzie. She is feisty but isn’t prepared to be in The Grid. Reno will be there to guide her. I enjoyed this funny. Sweet, action packed story. I received an arc of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was super excited to finally get to read book two of the Shadow-Keepers series. I ran my fingers lovingly across the screen of my e-reader as soon as the book downloaded which weirded out the lady sitting next to me in the coffee shop. Whatever, she just didn’t understand how awesome it was to finally once again be able to hang out with Candyman and Bounce.
Last we left Reno his world, already strange and confusing, had taken a turn down an even stranger path. Reno died and then he was brought back to life to fulfill his destiny as a Shadow-Keeper. As a Shadow-Keeper he’s the host to a shadow known as Madness and well Madness is what keeps him alive without that power he’d be dead in every sense of the word which would make readers, by readers I mean me, extremely unhappy so for our love of Reno we accept Madness in all his dark glory. Since coming back to life Reno hasn’t revealed himself to anyone beyond his Witch, Rugrat and Bella but when Reno finds out that the Grid has discovered another like him he decides it’s time to head back to the Grid and reveal that he’s alive and packing some new abilities.
McKenzie Miller had a rough childhood filled with pain and disappointment. At a young age she learned to develop a tough exterior in order to survive physically and emotionally. Along her journey she’s had one constant that has helped her survive and carry on, a voice of comfort, a companion inside her head helping when she needed guidance and protection, her shadow Lust. Unlike Reno, Kenzie isn’t as excited or accepting of her new fate. Being murdered by a psychopath and waking up to find out that the voice in your head is an ancient dark force that uses lust to feed doesn’t sound that great. No, Kenzie can’t help but feel cheated by life and angry at the situation but when she meets her heartbeat in a beautiful human named Lana she’ll be able to finally break down her walls and dive straight into the life she was destined to live.
I love Kenzie and Lana together. They were beyond adorable. Kenzie’s rough edge and Lana’s sweet poise make for the perfect combination. Kenzie is one badass and her temperament in entertaining especially when countered by Reno’s childlike goofy nature. The continuation of Reno and Emma’s story was a bonus part of the book. Those two are the very definition of destined to be together. I am so glad we got some time with Bounce even though it wasn’t in the best circumstances but oh man that ending. I squealed loudly! Lacy and Bounce. I have so much love for those two. I really hope there is a future for them. I know Bounce can’t exactly move on right now but at some point, fingers crossed for an L&B HEA. As usual Jas T. Ward hits it out of the ballpark with a captivating, entertaining and action packed romance. I can’t wait for book 3. Seriously, when do we get book 3?
Copy provided for review. Reviewed by Joy for Crystal's Many Reviewers
Book two of Ms. Ward’s The Shadow Keepers series, Lust picks up where Madness left off. It’s a faster paced, amazing, story about McKenzie, Lana, and Bounce. The book sucked me in right way and wouldn’t let go. I’m fascinated by The Grid, the different personalities, and the way Kenzie is affected by what happened to her and her death and “rebirth”. We even get to see Reno and Emma! The story is gut wrenching, heart breaking, intense, dark, electrifying, and complex.
Kenzie Miller has lived a terrible life going from foster family to foster family. This has made her into a kick-ass, strong, take no crap woman who is not a wall flower like other heroines. She had terrible things done to her and that lead to her becoming like Reno. Her alternate, Lust, has always been with her, but Kenzie isn’t as accepting of her dark alter as Reno. Lust jeopardizes Reno’s relationship with Emma. I was NOT happy about that, but went with it. Then, we have Lana – Lust has some F/F action going on and is it sexy!! The steam coming off of my kindle was intense!
While this book can be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading from the beginning of the series. I promise, you won’t be disappointed! I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next, but either way, I am now a lifelong, die-hard fan!
Lust was yet another great read of this series which I couldn't pot down. I loved the way she came about in a different way to Madness and was human when she started. Like Reno she had to die before she became a keeper of balance between darkness and light, she struggled with what had happened because unlike any of the others that worked for the Grid she hadn't been to hell and given a 2nd chance into heaven she just died in the same way as Madness at the hands of her maker the devils son. I loved the storyline from start to finish and read it in a day doing nothing else! The character was brilliant and well thought out. You didn't think it was going to be a romance but it turned out to be a heart warming story and you can't help but love Lust as she grows and learns from Reno how to work as a keeper. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoyed a fantasy/ paranormal romance. Brilliant and I can't wait for the 4th in the series as I've now read all 5 including the spin offs explaining how Madness and Bounce came about.
I didn't know what to expect when I was gifted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, especially since I'm not an avid reader of paranormal romance. But once I started reading this story, I was hooked. Ward is a great storyteller and has a vivid imagination, which she is able to transform into a world of non stop action! Great descriptions make you visualize the world of the Grid, and the characters draw you in so much that you feel you're a part of it! I found myself emotionally involved in their stories and backgrounds! Even more surprising to me, was how she was able to weave some Greek mythology (one of my passions), into the action. This could make a great movie. Ward just got a new fan. Can't wait to read more of this series.
I absolutely loved this book, much like Madness, Lust has you hooked from page one. I love McKenzie and Lana. This book is full of twists, stuff that keeps you wanting to read more. It's one wild roller-coaster with this book, scenes that make you go 'aww' literally. And then there are scenes that make you mad and for me those included any and all with Epsilon. All the characters take you on a journey and it's an amazing one at that. Lust has always been my favorite from the series and reading it again hasn't changed that. I am hooked on this series and I can't wait for Murder and will be re-reading Cowboy next.
As I dive into the world of the Grid with Lust I'm in awe of these wonderful characters Jas brings to life. AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE KENZIE AND LANA!! Plus you have all the characters that you love from Madness and Bounce.
I really don't know where to begin because Lust just pulls you in and wish you could be apart of the Grid. There where times I wanted to jump into the book and go all Grrrrrrr on a few charries..That's when you know you love a book when it brings your emotions out and that's what Jas does. She pulls you in and you are left wanting more. Once you go Grid there is no going back, Love this book and you will too.
Lust picks up where Madness leaves off and picks up the pace. Mckenzie and Lana seemed to be your typical hard and soft personalities. This second book dips into the F&F sexual discovery scene. All of the characters are pretty predictable with their responses and behaviors. I was able to get past that wanting to see where the story idea was going. The story idea and history are a bit complex and deep in comparison to the characters behaviors. Two books in and I'm still a little unsure how I feel about this series. I was given this story for an honest review and this is mine.
Wow! I am constantly surprised by how lost I get in these books. It became a I'll just read for a few until I'm forcing my eyes open to finish just one more chapter. You cannot help fall in love with Kenzie and her sass. She made me laugh many times with her colorful way of putting things.
True talent is when you can feel exactly what the characters feel, and Ward does this. Be ready for some strong feelings of hate towards one character, so strong you want to jump in the book and kick him in the shin. Definitely worth the read!!
I absolutely loved this book, much like Madness, Lust has you hooked from page one. I love McKenzie and Lana. This book is full of twists, stuff that keeps you wanting to read more. It's one wild roller-coaster with this book, scenes that make you go 'aww' literally.
And then there are scenes that make you mad and for me those included any and all with Epsilon. All the characters take you on a journey and it's an amazing one at that. Lust has always been my favorite from the series and reading it again hasn't changed that. I am hooked on this series.
This series keep getting better and better with each book. McKenzie is a great bad ass, purple haired girl and I love her. I love she was able to find her happiness after going thru so much.
Another thing I like about this books is that eventhough this was Kenzie's story we get to know everything that's going on with the other characters as well. I can't wait to start the next book because I love Cowboys and I've grown to care a lot about Jess eventhough my heart is still Reno's :)
***I received a ARC for this book in exchange for a honest review***
Lust is something powerful, that can drive a relationship. This book is dark, suspenseful, sensual, and steamy goodness! The characters are H-O-T and they actually have a backstory. What more could you want? I give this book five stars!
I absolutely love this. I fell head over heels for the leading women and absolutely hated the times that I couldn't read it. Can't wait to read the third installation, Cowboy
The shadow keepers serie is always a 5 stars. Lust is so strong and so fragile at the same time. Jas T Ward writes beautiful stories. I smiled, cried (a lot) and yelled at my phone sometimes! It's the first time I fall for a female character. And the end of the book! WTF? I need the next one now! If you haven't read this serie what are you waiting for?