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Diamond City Magic #3
Whisper of Shadows
War is coming . . .
When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley's boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can't rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.
With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she's still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead--the same dad who'd been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.
What's a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.
When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley's boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can't rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.
With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she's still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead--the same dad who'd been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.
What's a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2016
99 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Diana Pharaoh Francis
44 books760 followersI was raised on a cattle ranch in Northern California (outside a town called Lincoln which is now part of an enormous sprawl). I taught myself to ride a horse at the age of six, as no one had the time to teach me—they were all busy learning how to irrigate, how to cajole an angry bull into another field, how to pull a calf… Afraid of heights, and absolutely sure I was going to die, I managed to scramble up on the back of a very patient and lazy strawberry roan destrier, and plod off into the sunset.
Thereafter, I spent much of my early life on horseback, or so far buried into a book that the rest of the world ceased to exist (much to the annoyance of my family—it took several attempts to get my attention). We all had very specific jobs on the ranch and mine was horses and cattle—out rounding up at dawn. And since I rode bareback, my standing request was to wake me up 5 minutes before everyone else headed for the barn—time enough to dress and eat my Wheaties, and no sleep time wasted on saddling.
After high school, I attended college after college, racking up a BA and MA in creative writing and a Ph.D. in literature and theory. My very patient and supportive husband traipsed across the Midwest and back to Montana for me (though my husband insists that he’s been running and hiding and I just keep finding him), where I now teach at the University of Montana-Western. We also a son Q-ball, who in our humbly unbiased opinions, is the most wonderful son ever produced, and a daughter, Princess Caesar, who is the most wonderful daughter ever produced.
I have a fascination for the Victorians, weather, geology, horses, plants and mythology, I like spicy food, chocolate and cheesecake, and I have an odd sense of humor. (Or so I’ve been told. Often.) Incidentally, the Pharaoh is in fact my real name, and oddly enough, is of British origin.
Some of my current favorite sf/f writers are Ilona Andrews, Carol Berg, C.E. Murphy, Patty Briggs, Lynn Flewelling, Rachel Caine, David Coe, and Anne Bishop.
Thereafter, I spent much of my early life on horseback, or so far buried into a book that the rest of the world ceased to exist (much to the annoyance of my family—it took several attempts to get my attention). We all had very specific jobs on the ranch and mine was horses and cattle—out rounding up at dawn. And since I rode bareback, my standing request was to wake me up 5 minutes before everyone else headed for the barn—time enough to dress and eat my Wheaties, and no sleep time wasted on saddling.
After high school, I attended college after college, racking up a BA and MA in creative writing and a Ph.D. in literature and theory. My very patient and supportive husband traipsed across the Midwest and back to Montana for me (though my husband insists that he’s been running and hiding and I just keep finding him), where I now teach at the University of Montana-Western. We also a son Q-ball, who in our humbly unbiased opinions, is the most wonderful son ever produced, and a daughter, Princess Caesar, who is the most wonderful daughter ever produced.
I have a fascination for the Victorians, weather, geology, horses, plants and mythology, I like spicy food, chocolate and cheesecake, and I have an odd sense of humor. (Or so I’ve been told. Often.) Incidentally, the Pharaoh is in fact my real name, and oddly enough, is of British origin.
Some of my current favorite sf/f writers are Ilona Andrews, Carol Berg, C.E. Murphy, Patty Briggs, Lynn Flewelling, Rachel Caine, David Coe, and Anne Bishop.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 26, 2016
4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
War is coming . . .
When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley’s boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can’t rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.
With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she’s still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead–the same dad who’d been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.
What’s a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.
REVIEW:
Whisper of Shadows begins where book two ended, right in the middle of Riley confronting her mobster-like father for abandoning her as a child...or about how he set a magical trap in her brain that nearly killed her. But things become sidetracked when the FBI raid the house and arrest her boyfriend Clay on suspicions of having some fictional magical talent that could put the whole city at risk if triggered. The law has a week to file charges, during which time they will use any means they deem necessary to discover Clay's hidden talent and pry out his every secret. Unsure if they were truly after Clay or trying to bring down his brother's criminal dynasty, Riley and her family are determined to rescue him, but they never excepted the pure hell they'd have to endure just to survive.
Diana Pharaoh Francis has a talent for crafting an intricate world of magic and mobsters. The non-stop action kept me at the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the pure grittiness and violence of the story. While I enjoyed learning about the many fascinating magical talents, things became a little convoluted as Riley tried to figure out the limits to her gift. I applaud Riley's never quit attitude, but it left me with mixed feelings...there didn't seem to be anything that she couldn't fix. That said, the storyline was just so good, I didn't mind. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't as strong as the previous two. Whisper of Shadows ended on a cliffhanger, where only part of the mystery was solved. It left me feeling that the book was unfished...or maybe I just desperately waited to find out what happens next!?! These books need to be read in order.
Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com
DESCRIPTION:
War is coming . . .
When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley’s boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can’t rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.
With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she’s still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead–the same dad who’d been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.
What’s a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.
REVIEW:
Whisper of Shadows begins where book two ended, right in the middle of Riley confronting her mobster-like father for abandoning her as a child...or about how he set a magical trap in her brain that nearly killed her. But things become sidetracked when the FBI raid the house and arrest her boyfriend Clay on suspicions of having some fictional magical talent that could put the whole city at risk if triggered. The law has a week to file charges, during which time they will use any means they deem necessary to discover Clay's hidden talent and pry out his every secret. Unsure if they were truly after Clay or trying to bring down his brother's criminal dynasty, Riley and her family are determined to rescue him, but they never excepted the pure hell they'd have to endure just to survive.
Diana Pharaoh Francis has a talent for crafting an intricate world of magic and mobsters. The non-stop action kept me at the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the pure grittiness and violence of the story. While I enjoyed learning about the many fascinating magical talents, things became a little convoluted as Riley tried to figure out the limits to her gift. I applaud Riley's never quit attitude, but it left me with mixed feelings...there didn't seem to be anything that she couldn't fix. That said, the storyline was just so good, I didn't mind. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't as strong as the previous two. Whisper of Shadows ended on a cliffhanger, where only part of the mystery was solved. It left me feeling that the book was unfished...or maybe I just desperately waited to find out what happens next!?! These books need to be read in order.
Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com
July 13, 2018
Francis heightens the intensity of this series with this third book: Riley's father returns (and I'm sure that he's up to no good), Clay Price -- Riley's boyfriend -- is arrested by FBI under Magical Crimes Act, and later we have the FIRST casualty from one of the secondary characters ().
On top of that, Francis also adds more tidbits of information () that I'm sure will play a significant plot in the next books.
The pace of this book is quite fast -- although it swindles down a bit while Riley trying to save Price (OMG, Price's latent magical ability is SUPERNOVA!).
And I LOVED Riley's family!! I loved the sense of family in this book -- not only Leo (which played quite a significant role in the previous book, Edge of Dreams), this time Taylor, Riley's younger sister, also had quite shining moments of ass-kicking! Despite her having no magical talent at all. There's also Jamie, another brother of Riley, who has the same talent as Leo.
I still cannot see where Francis is going to take this series, because it seems that we have quite a number of players showing their hands of creating havoc in Diamond City WITHOUT revealing their identities. And there's Riley's dead mother, who have been communicating with Riley in the spirit world, which I'm sure has been keeping a HUGE secret of her own.
I already have book #4 with me, but maybe I'll postpone reading it until there's news of book #5. Because that book ends in cliffhanger, and I am not exactly a fan of that. The ending of this book is not too open () so I think I can wait.
On top of that, Francis also adds more tidbits of information () that I'm sure will play a significant plot in the next books.
The pace of this book is quite fast -- although it swindles down a bit while Riley trying to save Price (OMG, Price's latent magical ability is SUPERNOVA!).
And I LOVED Riley's family!! I loved the sense of family in this book -- not only Leo (which played quite a significant role in the previous book, Edge of Dreams), this time Taylor, Riley's younger sister, also had quite shining moments of ass-kicking! Despite her having no magical talent at all. There's also Jamie, another brother of Riley, who has the same talent as Leo.
I still cannot see where Francis is going to take this series, because it seems that we have quite a number of players showing their hands of creating havoc in Diamond City WITHOUT revealing their identities. And there's Riley's dead mother, who have been communicating with Riley in the spirit world, which I'm sure has been keeping a HUGE secret of her own.
I already have book #4 with me, but maybe I'll postpone reading it until there's news of book #5. Because that book ends in cliffhanger, and I am not exactly a fan of that. The ending of this book is not too open () so I think I can wait.
July 18, 2016
Miss Francis knows how to tell a story! I fell in love with this series as soon as I finished Trace of Magic. Her fictional world was so different from the others within the same genre. Good guys became bad, and vice versa. Riley is a strong yet feminine heroine that women could really look up to and learn from. That being said, the series itself is intriguing and spell-binding.
Whispers of Shadows starts off in the midst of Riley’s turmoil from book #2. Things have gone from worse to hell on earth when her boyfriend gets kidnapped by the FBI and hidden away from her. Add in the fact that they are now hunting her to the mix, and you get a heart-stopping read that will leave you on the edge of your seat. This book is very well-written, and keeps the reader very engaged.
But, Whisper of Shadows felt a little off to me. Maybe it was the length of time between books that sucked away a portion of my love for this series, but I never truly got sucked back into while I read this book. Don’t get my wrong, the story itself was great, but there was something lacking with this book that I still have not identified even weeks after finishing it. I could chalk it up to an off day of reading for me or possibly my mood, but I just couldn’t love this book as hard as I wanted to love it. I don’t want to outwardly admit my love for this series is waning, but I hope with the next book that I might be able to renew my love again.
June 1, 2016
I don't know how, but I completely forgot about the ending of EDGE OF DREAMS. It all quickly came back to me as I started reading the first chapter of WHISPER OF SHADOWS and I enjoyed every minute of it. I absolutely love how close Riley is with her step mother and her siblings. They have each others backs at every turn and are willing to follow each other no matter where it might take them. WHISPER OF SHADOWS brings some pretty heartbreaking moments that will be felt in every situation from here on out. I know the characters strong bonds will help them get through future trials, but I can already tell how hard it will be for all of them.
One person that really surprised me in WHISPER OF SHADOWS was Riley's sister. She really stuck up for herself and put her siblings in their place. She was sick of being treated like she was made of glass and she showed them how helpful and capable she can be when they let her. I loved it. Riley and Clay continue to grow closer. I honestly wasn't sure where their relationship would go in book one, but now I can't imagine them without each other and they can't either. Clay's brother has definitely grown on me. He is a great ally for Riley and her crew and he is really starting to show a different side of himself.
There was a ton of action in WHISPER OF SHADOWS. I think it is my favorite book of the series so far. I can't imagine Riley and her gang not being in danger, but I look forward to seeing them get out of their next jam.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
One person that really surprised me in WHISPER OF SHADOWS was Riley's sister. She really stuck up for herself and put her siblings in their place. She was sick of being treated like she was made of glass and she showed them how helpful and capable she can be when they let her. I loved it. Riley and Clay continue to grow closer. I honestly wasn't sure where their relationship would go in book one, but now I can't imagine them without each other and they can't either. Clay's brother has definitely grown on me. He is a great ally for Riley and her crew and he is really starting to show a different side of himself.
There was a ton of action in WHISPER OF SHADOWS. I think it is my favorite book of the series so far. I can't imagine Riley and her gang not being in danger, but I look forward to seeing them get out of their next jam.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2016
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Riley and Price have decided to move in together. Thinking it best to break the news to her family, they go to Mel's for a nice family dinner. Nothing goes as planned! An unexpected visitor from Riley's past is there when they show up. The night goes downhill from there. Apparently, the FBI wants Price for magical crimes. Price doesn't even have a magical talent. Or does he? Loyalties will be questioned, unspeakable acts committed, and people are just not who we thought they were. As always with this series, I was very happy with the way it turned out. I am ready for the next one!
April 21, 2016
Diana Pharoah Francis is achingly good at world-building, and the tension from the first sentence is almost a physical thing. The first couple of books are an unspooling of story. Riley is built as a character, her enemies and friends are introduced and bonds grow.
Then Whisper of Shadows comes and blows it all up. No spoilers, but this is the kind of top shelf urban fantasy you don't want to miss.
Then Whisper of Shadows comes and blows it all up. No spoilers, but this is the kind of top shelf urban fantasy you don't want to miss.
January 13, 2017
I've really liked this series up until now. This book just felt like it was filled with action that didn't move the story forward at all. More questions than answers. I felt nothing when a important character died because there was so little development of their relationship. Disappointing. I will continue to read the series, but less swimming around pulling on trace and more time interacting with others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2020
I don't know if because it's been so long since I read the other books in this series, but this one was tough to connect to. I even went back and read the blurbs and my reviews, that helped a bit, but I was still bored while I was reading. I finally gave up at 30%, realized that I didn't care if Clay realized what he was hiding or if Riley got him back. This one just wasn't for me.
May 21, 2020
I feared this might happen.
I was holding out hope until the absolute last moment but it wasn't to be.
The entire plot construction is incredibly naive.
The certain ruthlessness and cunning necessary for a plot like this to work just aren't there.
The mc stays this soft-hearted and limp dishrag.
But somehow against all odds, she will succeed through some incredibly unlikely scenario.
The world suffers from this weird disconnect from reality.
The different organizations are constantly shadowing each other while having incredible abilities like teleportation, blocking all magic or even just making an entire room full of people fall unconscious.
But for some never explained reasons abductions need to follow some kind incredibly far fetched protocol which basically just consists of "be dramatic or it doesn't count".
The circumstances necessary to abduct or kill someone described in the series so far are utter rubbish.
There constantly are these elaborate setups that somehow are necessary to do a thing but it really makes no sense whatsoever.
This is probably the most frustrating thing in the series so far. It makes no sense and completely robs me of the ability to take the world serious.
Now that I mentioned it the world just doesn't fit the available magic in general. The possible interactions of the magic system with society is basically completely missing.
Magic only works (or doesn't) if it's convenient for the plot. The story never really keeps to its own rules.
The entire null business for example. Apparently, everyone is constantly nulling everything but the mc was still able to expose organized crime undercover for years? What the hell happened? Was there some kind of null revolution that brought down their price to a tiny fraction and now suddenly everyone is nulling himself and their pet? If you make up rules you have to stick to them instead of scooting around them for plot convenience any way you want.
Another problem with this particular book is that shit is being made up on the spot constantly.
Well, one can never tell for sure if something was planned long-term but the reader is only being told one paragraph in advance but I feel justified in the assumption in this case as a lot of the stuff even somewhat conflicts with the previous books.
Related to that are the constant black and white decisions but none of the shades of grey is even being considered. Either trust someone or don't. No middle ground in which you keep the person away from vital information or locations while using their services. There are countless examples of this. Why the hell can't you let a person help you without exposing your back to them? Ohhhh, but then the plot wouldn't work. Dear authors, we can tell!
On another note, there is a lot of complete hogwash logic flying around in general. example:
Well, in conclusion, it's just the same old story. The series is just generally lacking which is only unmistakably confirmed far into the series at which point the reader is supposed to be so emotionally invested that he puts up with the flimsy excuse for a coherent story.
I was holding out hope until the absolute last moment but it wasn't to be.
The entire plot construction is incredibly naive.
The certain ruthlessness and cunning necessary for a plot like this to work just aren't there.
The mc stays this soft-hearted and limp dishrag.
But somehow against all odds, she will succeed through some incredibly unlikely scenario.
The world suffers from this weird disconnect from reality.
The different organizations are constantly shadowing each other while having incredible abilities like teleportation, blocking all magic or even just making an entire room full of people fall unconscious.
But for some never explained reasons abductions need to follow some kind incredibly far fetched protocol which basically just consists of "be dramatic or it doesn't count".
The circumstances necessary to abduct or kill someone described in the series so far are utter rubbish.
There constantly are these elaborate setups that somehow are necessary to do a thing but it really makes no sense whatsoever.
This is probably the most frustrating thing in the series so far. It makes no sense and completely robs me of the ability to take the world serious.
Now that I mentioned it the world just doesn't fit the available magic in general. The possible interactions of the magic system with society is basically completely missing.
Magic only works (or doesn't) if it's convenient for the plot. The story never really keeps to its own rules.
The entire null business for example. Apparently, everyone is constantly nulling everything but the mc was still able to expose organized crime undercover for years? What the hell happened? Was there some kind of null revolution that brought down their price to a tiny fraction and now suddenly everyone is nulling himself and their pet? If you make up rules you have to stick to them instead of scooting around them for plot convenience any way you want.
Another problem with this particular book is that shit is being made up on the spot constantly.
Well, one can never tell for sure if something was planned long-term but the reader is only being told one paragraph in advance but I feel justified in the assumption in this case as a lot of the stuff even somewhat conflicts with the previous books.
Related to that are the constant black and white decisions but none of the shades of grey is even being considered. Either trust someone or don't. No middle ground in which you keep the person away from vital information or locations while using their services. There are countless examples of this. Why the hell can't you let a person help you without exposing your back to them? Ohhhh, but then the plot wouldn't work. Dear authors, we can tell!
On another note, there is a lot of complete hogwash logic flying around in general. example:
Well, in conclusion, it's just the same old story. The series is just generally lacking which is only unmistakably confirmed far into the series at which point the reader is supposed to be so emotionally invested that he puts up with the flimsy excuse for a coherent story.
July 17, 2023
Suddenly, Book 3 in the series, we’re being informed that religious zealots (led, of course, by some guy from Tennessee) have moral objections to magic. There’s not info-dumping too much information in early books and then there’s inventing totally new world-building three books into the series. Personally I would characterize this as the latter. We’re also informed that the FBI in fact tortures its detainees. It’s not that I’m interested in defending the FBI, but it feels like using an existing organization in an alternate reality is shorthand for “basically the same organization” (just like Francis’s references to Justin Bieber) and making the choice to adjust that to “wildly anti-magic to the point that they will torture detainees to get them to admit to magic use (?) while keeping that quiet” just feels sloppy, like Francis couldn’t be bothered to build up the concept of her evil anti-magic organization until she decided she needed one. Similarly, it falls to an FBI agent to explain how the criminal underworld works to Riley - despite the fact that Riley has thrown her loyalties in with a criminal leader whom she has now decided to consider family. It comes across as revisionism, since the only other explanation is that Riley is insanely stupid and ill-informed.
There are the usual infodumps (multiple pages about the history of Riley’s apartment building and interior design descriptions). Riley forms split-second assessments of people’s character and whether or not they’re evil based on looking at them and we’re supposed to assume she’s correct. It’s very unsubtle, and it makes it difficult to trust her judgment, particularly since she so often trusts people she shouldn’t (and then afterwards is like “wow, I shouldn’t have trusted them!”).
Complaints aside, the plot is moving at a good clip and Francis clearly has some sort of end goal in mind, so I'm continuing to read.
There are the usual infodumps (multiple pages about the history of Riley’s apartment building and interior design descriptions). Riley forms split-second assessments of people’s character and whether or not they’re evil based on looking at them and we’re supposed to assume she’s correct. It’s very unsubtle, and it makes it difficult to trust her judgment, particularly since she so often trusts people she shouldn’t (and then afterwards is like “wow, I shouldn’t have trusted them!”).
Complaints aside, the plot is moving at a good clip and Francis clearly has some sort of end goal in mind, so I'm continuing to read.
October 2, 2017
It had been a while since I read the previous book in this series so it took me a bit to get my head back into the story. As in the previous two books, there was enough action and excitement to keep things interesting, and the author's description of the main character's use of magic is very descriptive and imaginative. It's one thing I really like about this series. There are boundaries and limitations. This part is not glossed over and is not just a convenience to forward the story along. The book ends with plenty of questions left and in a way, it feels like we're just getting into the overall story. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
June 29, 2017
Enthralling
Welcome to a book that has everything you could want packed inside; crime, drama, love and a tank load of action and Magic. Each book gets better and sucks you in further. You will not want to stop at the end. Highly recommended.
Welcome to a book that has everything you could want packed inside; crime, drama, love and a tank load of action and Magic. Each book gets better and sucks you in further. You will not want to stop at the end. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2017
Fantastic read!!
This series has everything! Pulse pounding suspense and bone melting romance, along with a lot of surprising twists and turns! I'd recommend it to everyone who loves a well crafted story.
This series has everything! Pulse pounding suspense and bone melting romance, along with a lot of surprising twists and turns! I'd recommend it to everyone who loves a well crafted story.
February 5, 2018
Tense storytelling will leave your parched and willing to take side
Second book is where the story get entangled enough for you sit up and notice everything! The characters will draw you in and force you ask what does mean to me?
Second book is where the story get entangled enough for you sit up and notice everything! The characters will draw you in and force you ask what does mean to me?
August 2, 2021
Dear old dad arrives and chaos erupts in the already not quiet life of Riley and her family. The surprise that Clay is a suppressed, immensely powerful talent and the layers of intrigue kept me glued to the pages to find out what would happen next. Equal parts awesome and awful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2017
Cliffhanger
October 4, 2017
3.5 stars
December 5, 2018
The world building kills
The author catches you and drags you in, right from the very first sentence. Amazing read, very enjoyable and imaginative.
The author catches you and drags you in, right from the very first sentence. Amazing read, very enjoyable and imaginative.
March 8, 2017
This book had alot of words... I mean she talked too much! Seriously we got that you hate the man who spawned you. You don't need to keep telling us. I guess I'm crabby because I love this series but seriously I needed more. No not more words. More action. I didn't want it to end there. Grrr.
September 1, 2016
Riley is back in book 3 in the series, picking up where book 2 left off. Riley and her boyfriend Price are going to dinner at her family’s house when all hell breaks loose and the FBI storm the house. Price is arrested for unknown reasons and his mafia brother may be the only person who can help Riley get him back. With her family on her side, multiple obstacles directly in her path, and some scary secrets revealed, Riley tries to save the day. Oh and don’t forget the return of her father, thought dead for years, but recently returned to use Riley for her gifts. Just another day in the ##.
I have really enjoyed this series, and this title is no exception. If you have not read the first 2 books, this one would not make any sense at all. The book picks right up from the last, with almost no recap (which I personally like) and makes reference to past events as to motivations for the here and now. These books are made to be read in order and I highly recommend it (and I loved every minute of the adventure). So any way, this story was incredibly dark. Not to say that the last two were full of happy bunnies since they dealt with missing people, torture, death, dark magic and manipulation, just to name a few topics, but this was magnified. We see here just what Riley would do for Price, and the answer is just about anything.
The whole story takes place in like 2 days, with so much heartache and danger crammed into the pages, making it impossible for me to put down. This was the most emotional of all the books, at least in my opinion. The reader learns more about Price, his brother, Riley’s family, Dalton and the inner workings of the city dynamics. So many preconceived notions that Riley thought had to be thrown out, like her belief that her sister is delicate, that Price’s brother is evil, that her father loved her, who is in power, and what the FBI do. I did like how some strange alliances were created out of desperation, but they have the potential to do some good in the next book.
The ending was terrible and twisty, making me desperate to get my hands on the next book. I have so many questions that are currently pending and I need to know how this will work out. I have no idea how many books will be in this series, but I know that I will read on forever if I have to. I root for a happy ending for Riley, but I may be reading the wrong story for that.
I received this title from the publisher in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
April 23, 2016
Time’s running out and Riley must rescue her boyfriend from the FBI before they unleash a disaster of epic proportions in this thrilling Diamond City Magic story.
In order to rescue Clay, Riley and her family will have to depend on two people who are more likely to stab them in the back than actually help and the readers can’t help but get caught up in the thrills as Riley does some major butt kicking, takes a heck of a lot of names and protects those that she cares about no matter the cost. There’s not a whole lot of actual romance in this story because of the situation but what’s more romantic than saving the man you love by whatever means necessary which in this case has Riley and Clay becoming closer than anybody would ever dream someone can get (sorry you’ll have to read the book to figure that one out). The characters are strong, compelling and easily grab the reader’s attention while the fast paced and smooth flowing plot keeps readers on the edge of their seat with lots of suspense, action and romance.
The story starts off with some gnarly tension as someone from Riley’s past makes an appearance and then the FBI starts knock down doors which sets off an exhilarating and suspenseful chain of events that keeps anticipation building throughout the story with some magical and deadly scenes adding additional excitement. Riley, family and frienemies find they themselves on a rescue mission that never has a dull moment and the well written scenes are full of vivid details that bring every second of the story to life with some unexpected twists adding spice and emotional turmoil to the story.
This was one story that I couldn’t not be put down because there was just so much happening and I kept wanting to know what was next and I can’t wait to visit Diamond City again and find out what happens next.
In order to rescue Clay, Riley and her family will have to depend on two people who are more likely to stab them in the back than actually help and the readers can’t help but get caught up in the thrills as Riley does some major butt kicking, takes a heck of a lot of names and protects those that she cares about no matter the cost. There’s not a whole lot of actual romance in this story because of the situation but what’s more romantic than saving the man you love by whatever means necessary which in this case has Riley and Clay becoming closer than anybody would ever dream someone can get (sorry you’ll have to read the book to figure that one out). The characters are strong, compelling and easily grab the reader’s attention while the fast paced and smooth flowing plot keeps readers on the edge of their seat with lots of suspense, action and romance.
The story starts off with some gnarly tension as someone from Riley’s past makes an appearance and then the FBI starts knock down doors which sets off an exhilarating and suspenseful chain of events that keeps anticipation building throughout the story with some magical and deadly scenes adding additional excitement. Riley, family and frienemies find they themselves on a rescue mission that never has a dull moment and the well written scenes are full of vivid details that bring every second of the story to life with some unexpected twists adding spice and emotional turmoil to the story.
This was one story that I couldn’t not be put down because there was just so much happening and I kept wanting to know what was next and I can’t wait to visit Diamond City again and find out what happens next.
May 7, 2016
Thoughts: I first discovered Diana Pharaoh Francis with Trace of Magic, the first book in this series and I was suitably impressed. (You can check out that review here: Trace of Magic) I fell in love with Trace of Magic, the interesting magical world that the author developed, and the fascinating characters she created. I was eager to read the next, Edge of Dreams, although I have to say that I did not enjoy it nearly as much as book one. I was a little worried about this installment, although I did not hesitate to pick it up and give it a try. And I absolutely loved it!
The story is complex, original, and very, very creative. While it didn’t quite hit the mark like Trace of Magic, it came pretty darn close to it! I was fascinated until the very end and eagerly turned the pages, desperate to see how the story went. Riley is as strong as ever, always testing herself and her limits, particularly when it comes to helping those she loves. Riley always thinks outside the box and that is what I really love about her character – it is not that she is indestructible or immune to injury, it is just that she is able to puzzle out her situation, follow her instincts, and take the risks needed to overcome the odds. We definitely see a lot of that from her in this book – and also bear witness to her limitations.
This series is very definitely meant to be read in order. Not only do the books build off of one another, but it is necessary to really gain an understanding of the ‘world’ that Riley and her friends live in.
Rate: A
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
The story is complex, original, and very, very creative. While it didn’t quite hit the mark like Trace of Magic, it came pretty darn close to it! I was fascinated until the very end and eagerly turned the pages, desperate to see how the story went. Riley is as strong as ever, always testing herself and her limits, particularly when it comes to helping those she loves. Riley always thinks outside the box and that is what I really love about her character – it is not that she is indestructible or immune to injury, it is just that she is able to puzzle out her situation, follow her instincts, and take the risks needed to overcome the odds. We definitely see a lot of that from her in this book – and also bear witness to her limitations.
This series is very definitely meant to be read in order. Not only do the books build off of one another, but it is necessary to really gain an understanding of the ‘world’ that Riley and her friends live in.
Rate: A
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
August 22, 2022
Now that the Diamond City Magic series has finally wrapped up with the release of Scatter of Light this year I was inspired to do a reread of the earlier books. I am pretty surprised - considering how much UF I've read in the years since I read this book - that this series is just as enjoyable the second tome around. This is book three and everything about the series really starts to gel here: Riley is finding hidden depths and learning to trust herself and her loved ones. More of the supporting characters are gaining depth - especially some of the ones originally painted as black hats - and the background plot with multiple conspiracies is ramping up. This was worth the reread .
Original unpaid ARC review May 2016
Whisper of Shadows was one wild ride, which opens up more questions than it answers. I liked seeing a whole lot more of Riley's family who step up to the plate when Clay is hauled off by the FBI and in serious danger because he basically no longer has rights and what they have planned for him is not good. One thing I thought was really interesting in this one is that the dark gray characters become more important and more reliable allies. Riley's magic ramps up even more and Clay, who was solid before, becomes something more interesting as well. I look forward to seeing where this goes next.
Arc via NetGalley.
Original unpaid ARC review May 2016
Whisper of Shadows was one wild ride, which opens up more questions than it answers. I liked seeing a whole lot more of Riley's family who step up to the plate when Clay is hauled off by the FBI and in serious danger because he basically no longer has rights and what they have planned for him is not good. One thing I thought was really interesting in this one is that the dark gray characters become more important and more reliable allies. Riley's magic ramps up even more and Clay, who was solid before, becomes something more interesting as well. I look forward to seeing where this goes next.
Arc via NetGalley.
November 12, 2019
Three and a half stars.
Argh, caught up already! This felt like a mid-series arc-progressing book, ie lots happened but not much gets resolved.
My previous niggles increased: Riley's super special snowflake status increased (again), although TBH some of my irritation may be because I'm not good at visualisation and I really didn't know what she was doing in and out of the trace.
The arch-villain from the last book, Percy, has fallen off the face of the earth (or so it seems) and now there are even more super-villains to contend with - any thoughts I had that magic was centred in Diamond City have been eliminated. It is everywhere and there are super-Tyets which make the local Tyets look like a church group!!
Oh, and Riley's father is back - but why? We don't even find out before Riley's step-mother's house is attacked by the FBI and Price is arrested under the Rice Act.
Whereas in the last book I was astonished at how much happened in only half the novel, in this book the opposite is true. In quick succession Price is arrested and then Touray is abducted but only one of those issues is resolved by the end of the book.
Oh, and guess what? Seems like being a special snowflake is catching!
I think the next book will inform me of whether there is a real arc to this series or whether each book has a new, even bigger badder enemy that never actually gets vanquished.
I still loved it and I'm waiting eagerly for book four.
Argh, caught up already! This felt like a mid-series arc-progressing book, ie lots happened but not much gets resolved.
My previous niggles increased: Riley's super special snowflake status increased (again), although TBH some of my irritation may be because I'm not good at visualisation and I really didn't know what she was doing in and out of the trace.
The arch-villain from the last book, Percy, has fallen off the face of the earth (or so it seems) and now there are even more super-villains to contend with - any thoughts I had that magic was centred in Diamond City have been eliminated. It is everywhere and there are super-Tyets which make the local Tyets look like a church group!!
Oh, and Riley's father is back - but why? We don't even find out before Riley's step-mother's house is attacked by the FBI and Price is arrested under the Rice Act.
Whereas in the last book I was astonished at how much happened in only half the novel, in this book the opposite is true. In quick succession Price is arrested and then Touray is abducted but only one of those issues is resolved by the end of the book.
Oh, and guess what? Seems like being a special snowflake is catching!
I think the next book will inform me of whether there is a real arc to this series or whether each book has a new, even bigger badder enemy that never actually gets vanquished.
I still loved it and I'm waiting eagerly for book four.
April 22, 2016
I received this as part of a promotion from Diana Pharaoh Francis, in return for an honest review.
Whisper of Shadows picks up shortly where the second book left off (I am still working on book two) and I was thrilled to realize that stuff had happened in book 2 that were crazy!!!!!!!
Whisper of Shadows is amazing, it starts a little more slowly then I like and then I'm used to from a DPF book. But then the middle grabs you and pulls you along for a ride. And man what a ride this is.
Some characters make an appearance and a twist happened that was likely apparent but was still shocking in its finality. DPF managed to make a book 3 that opened up the world. In previous books book’s 1/2 have opened up worlds, while book 3 has spun threads and pulled items together. Whisper of Shadows, opened up worlds, and created even more suspense. She grabbed some new characters and allowed them to shine, gave them stories, and fleshed out some reasons for Riley to be Riley.
Had a lot of fun reading this book- and can’t wait to re-read it again, slower this time to savour the development of several characters into vital players on the stage.
Super enjoyable read from one of my favourite authors. :)
Whisper of Shadows picks up shortly where the second book left off (I am still working on book two) and I was thrilled to realize that stuff had happened in book 2 that were crazy!!!!!!!
Whisper of Shadows is amazing, it starts a little more slowly then I like and then I'm used to from a DPF book. But then the middle grabs you and pulls you along for a ride. And man what a ride this is.
Some characters make an appearance and a twist happened that was likely apparent but was still shocking in its finality. DPF managed to make a book 3 that opened up the world. In previous books book’s 1/2 have opened up worlds, while book 3 has spun threads and pulled items together. Whisper of Shadows, opened up worlds, and created even more suspense. She grabbed some new characters and allowed them to shine, gave them stories, and fleshed out some reasons for Riley to be Riley.
Had a lot of fun reading this book- and can’t wait to re-read it again, slower this time to savour the development of several characters into vital players on the stage.
Super enjoyable read from one of my favourite authors. :)
April 23, 2016
Diana P Francis has done it again! This book takes us deep inside Riley and Clay Price, her love. In both a real sense and imaginative one, we delve deeper into what makes the magic work inside them and how their feelings for each other have deepened. We also get a better idea of Riley’s father and why and how he’s made such a mess in Riley’s life. There is action, angst, pain, character growth and discovery and love. Yes, love of family and mates and siblings and friends.
Riley’s dad provides a fulcrum shoving us into Riley’s angst, her very real mind-bending angst, and the events heaving them all into danger. The only issue she has with her dad is how best to kill him or make him pay for all he’s done.
As for Price, we get a much closer look at his feelings for Riley and there is no doubt of his commitment. Francis also teases us with Price’s brother and his evil/not-evil self and the need to be a certain way to restore peace. Oh, choices and decisions and sometimes making the best ones for the greater good don’t sit well with the masses! Oh, well, what’s a heroine to do?!
Oh, read this one all the way through! Don’t be a quitter and give up or you might not really understand the story and you will miss out on a superbly penned ride!
Riley’s dad provides a fulcrum shoving us into Riley’s angst, her very real mind-bending angst, and the events heaving them all into danger. The only issue she has with her dad is how best to kill him or make him pay for all he’s done.
As for Price, we get a much closer look at his feelings for Riley and there is no doubt of his commitment. Francis also teases us with Price’s brother and his evil/not-evil self and the need to be a certain way to restore peace. Oh, choices and decisions and sometimes making the best ones for the greater good don’t sit well with the masses! Oh, well, what’s a heroine to do?!
Oh, read this one all the way through! Don’t be a quitter and give up or you might not really understand the story and you will miss out on a superbly penned ride!
April 17, 2016
What a wild ride this book was! I have read the first two books in this series and was eagerly awaiting the third. In no way was I disappointed. The writing continues to be excellent, the plot is intriguing (and reached new heights in this book), characters are engaging and fully-fleshed out, and the action was pretty much non-stop. All the characters came together at the end, and it was glorious. I do have to admit it is sometimes hard to keep everyone straight in my mind, but not enough to take me out of the story. Since a character left in this book that I was a little sad to see go, I did feel a little let down, but I understood why it had to happen. I really, really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see what the future holds for all of the characters! Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Belle Books/Bell Bridge Books for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review. This exact review will also be posted on both Amazon and Goodreads.
Thanks to NetGalley and Belle Books/Bell Bridge Books for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review. This exact review will also be posted on both Amazon and Goodreads.
April 22, 2016
I received this book as an advanced reader copy (ARC) from the author with a request for a review.
Whisper of Shadows is number 3 in her newest series, Diamond City Magic. This book is the continuation of the story of Riley Hollis and her life, her love, her magic, and all of the things in between. The dashing and dangerous Clay Price is back in all his glory and then some! And Riley has a few surprises coming to her in this novel, both welcome and unpleasant. My only complaint is that the book left part of the lead-in story with Gregg Touray without resolution. I have a promise from the author that she's going to get right on that in the next book! Overall, this is a nice kicker for the third book in the series and keeps the reader close to the characters and the story. I couldn't put it down, and the book ended much too soon for me.
Whisper of Shadows is number 3 in her newest series, Diamond City Magic. This book is the continuation of the story of Riley Hollis and her life, her love, her magic, and all of the things in between. The dashing and dangerous Clay Price is back in all his glory and then some! And Riley has a few surprises coming to her in this novel, both welcome and unpleasant. My only complaint is that the book left part of the lead-in story with Gregg Touray without resolution. I have a promise from the author that she's going to get right on that in the next book! Overall, this is a nice kicker for the third book in the series and keeps the reader close to the characters and the story. I couldn't put it down, and the book ended much too soon for me.
November 12, 2016
It's been a while since I read the last book in the series and I knew this was a completely original and complicated magic system (right up my street) and had thought it might take me a while to get back into, but no fear this had me hooked and up to date within the first few chapters. This is such a unique world that I feel I have nothing to compare it to and that in itself has got to be one of the highest recommendations I can give it. The characters are family and this seems to be more and more important as we go through the books, so much so now that I am literally on the edge of my seat. Word to the wise, have a tissue handy. This book sucks you into a huge emotional story and you feel everything along with Riley. From one non stop moment of action to the last, this book had me. I wanted to throw things and shout. I loved every second of it.
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