Accidents happen and innocent people die. Heloise has done a bad thing but her penance is worse than any might have imagined. She's pierced with twenty-five, broken-off needles of magience and they weave a unique and unknown magic into her being. Ghosts can use her as a receptacle to complete what they lost on death.
The ramifications of her new ability unravel in an unpredictable way. Ghosts have memories and powers.
What happens when those memories and powers sift into the body of person who is very much alive?
But Heloise is not the only one who must pay for a mistake. Her fate interlocks with that of Samos, a warrior who betrays the empire rather than abandon his wife-to-be, and of Thom Drager, the Needle Master, a man who fails everyone he's ever loved, as well as a few he once thought he hated.
Sometimes, redemption must lie down with revenge. If hate doesn't destroy these three, love might step in and give them a helping hand.
Cari Silverwood lives in Australia and is a New York Times bestselling writer of kinky darkness or sometimes dark kinkiness, depending on her moods and the amount of time she's spent staring into the night.
Check out this page to avoid falling into the wrong dark and shocking book, because she really does write some weird stories: www.carisilverwood.net/my-books-liste...
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Wow! This is my first Cari Silverwood read. Recommended to me by a friend who thought I would like the story, I started reading it with zero expectations and boy was I impressed.
From the very start this book appealed to me.
Cari's writing style is sharp, punchy and quick, allowing her to expose just enough of the world she has created to allow the scenes to play out, all the while slowly building up a much more detailed world view.
Her blending of fantasy and steam punk was marvellous and the "magic" that her world includes is well thought out and very intriguing. I am hoping to see more from her on this as I am definitely left wanting to explore more story arcs from this world.
The ending was completely unpredictable until it was happening. Thank you Cari, I will be getting more of your work for sure!
Very original. Call me surprised, this was nothing like I would have expected it to be; compared to the author's other genre. This was steampunk, magic and ghost. Well written and thought out. I liked the magic-science melding with steampunk
Needle Rain isn't like most of Cari Silverwood's work. But it is similar in one way, that it's an extremely unique story.
Needle Rain isn't your typical fantasy novel. Think fantasy mixed with a little steampunk, and a pinch romance and seduction thrown in, just to make things a bit interesting. Because we all know Silverwood doesn't do boring.
Heloise, Throm, and Samos are three strangers who's lives end up intertwined in a major way. Even though they all go their separate ways, they're once again brought together, needing one another's help if they are to survive the tangled web of events that brought them together.
This is a fun, light read that will keep readers on their toes, rooting for the good guys, and hoping that the bad guys get what they deserve!
Needle Rain by Cari Silverwood had to be one of my favourite fantasy books without a shadow of a doubt! This isn't your typical book by Cari Silverwood it's not erotic instead it's the perfect blend of fantasy with a bit of added romance.
Needle Rain is set in the Magience World. Magience, is a YA book, is under Ms.Silverwoods pen name Cari Silver. It's a must read for any fantasy fans.
Needle Rain revolves around 3 people, 25 needles and 1 story. Heloise,Thom and Samos. Heloise a debt collector working for her uncle. Thom, a somm (drug) addict trying to come to terms with the death of his wife while raising a 10 year old girl, Leonie. And Samos, a warrior who is about to become a Immolator sworn to protect the Imperator. As the story progresses their lives become entwined with each other and they find that through differences and difficulties they need each other in order to defeat a bigger threat that lurks in the shadows.
At one point while reading I nearly threw my kindle off the wall in despair thinking how could Silverwood do this! You will know exactly what I mean once you get to it. It'll pull on your heart strings and have you grabbing for tissues.
As with all Cari Silverwoods books they stories are original, well written with characters that stay with you making you wish you lived in their world. I love the use of objects such as ghesit pistol, needle masters and trinketologist, just to mention a few. This shows the unique mind of the author. I am hoping that the series will continue for another few books, there is plenty of scope and characters to allow this series to continue. I would especially love to hear what happened to Titiana while in the prison.
This is a story that you pick up time and time again to reread and it will never get old. It definitely deserves more than five stars!
Sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, action and adventure - Needle Rain is unique and thrilling, and can't be so easily tossed in a category as if comparable to anything else. The world building is kaleidoscopic and impressive, introducing objects (trinkettons!) and societies (Needle Masters :o) I've never imagined, yet thoroughly enjoyed. Heloise is a great character, and I really liked her strength metered with vulnerability. Thom is someone I can't say too much about in fear of spoilers. He's not a good man (not at first, anyways) with his heavy burdens to bear, but he's definitely not a bad one, either. I actually adore Thom and his part in the story. The selection of warrior Samos becoming an Immolator subtly creates a domino effect of situations where seemingly disconnected people and storylines merge into a larger understanding. Like a fine web, the author impressively spins a tale which begins vast and encompasses many, but ultimately narrows to its key plot point and characters. As someone who reads [too] much, I'm usually able to see early in a story where the author is leading, but that's not the case here, and I appreciate it so much! I'll definitely be re-reading this in future, where I'm sure to pick up on things missed the first time around. Needle Rain is supremely entertaining and I was most happy to be along for the ride.
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Three peoples lives will forever be entwined. Samos the Warrior, Thom the Needle Master and Heloise the Debt Collector. When their paths cross their lives will be changed forever.
This was a really fun story to read. I really enjoyed the world building. From the animals to the politics to the characters way of life, everything is original and fantastical with a little bit of reality so as to not make the story seem too out there. I loved how all the characters come into contact with each other then go on to have their own adventures before they are reunited to fight a common foe. Heloise's part of the story was really fun, I don't want to spoil anything but it was interesting to see how she reacted to the things that were happening to her. Thom falls apart but with the help of a new friend manages to come out of the darkness and ask for forgiveness of others and himself. My favorite part of the book was Samos' adventure which had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would turn out for him. Tatiana is another character that plays a big part in the story and I did not like her, she was a real bitch. Loved the story, the characters the world and all it's components. A really good book if you are looking for a fantasy read with interesting characters, plot and world.
If I had not been offered a free copy of Needle Rain to read, I probably would not have picked it up because of its awful title. "Needle" make me think of drugs, and a rain of drugs and needles is not my choice of a fiction topic. Thankfully, the title fooled me.
Two things distinguish Needle Rain: There are 3 protagonists, not the usual two. Second, the magic element - caused by needles that are in the same genus as acupuncture needles, but in a different species - was new for me and held my interest.
That all the protagonists have done something non-heroic - bad! - is another way in which Needle Rain distinguishes itself from the common tropes of fantasy or the steampunk sub-genre. I like books that aren't cookie cutter.
But, it took me a bit of time to catch up with each POV change, as the 3 lives of the MCs were told in alternating fashion.
Cari Silverwood, an author whose books I quite enjoy, usually writes more sensuous, more erotic tales. Her Iron Dominance is such a tale. For me, Needle Rain is a nice change of pace, one were fantasy/magic is dominant.
I went into this one skeptical but with an open mind since it's not the type of book that I would normally read. But Cari Silverwood is an amazing writer so I was willing to give it a go. And I'm so glad that I did because again, she didn't disappoint. The story was very original and full of action. I really liked Heloise's character from the very beginning. The whole story was magical and a bit dark which I really enjoyed.
(I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review)
Something that I edited at the start of the year that's releasing now. I don't rate books I've written or edited, but I'm *so* overjoyed that Cari is releasing this book FINALLY. I've been hakking her for years. This is fantasy with a steampunk flavour that is quite different from the usual fare. Gritty, dark and yet *NOT* without hope. And I love the magic system.
EDIT: Yes, I forgot the "not" Cari but I put it back in, SEE!!! :-)
This book is very unique and captivating. Cari creates this imaginative world, very different from books I have read to date. The concept is intriguing and the plot is very well thought through and developed to ensure it is difficult to put the book down. This book has a very steam punk feel to it and that I haven't found much when reading paranormal books.
Heloise, Thom and Samus are great characters that beautifully invite you into their world. They develop and grow past their trouble and really make a well put together cast. Even though there is no true "enemy" there are some "shady" characters who would be considered the foe and complete the cast for this book.
I think this book would adapt very well to be made into a movie!
I have received this book from the author for an honest review. (LoP, Lovers of Paranormal)
Picked this one up for free, and it is well worth a read if you looking for something a bit different, in the fantasy genre with an original storyline. Cari has come up with a world where acupuncture is a form of magic that can heal, enhance or kill, the story follows three people: Heloise (debt collector), Samos (Imperial soldier) and Drager (Needle Mage) and how each's decisions impact on each other in a chain of consequences, I must admit I enjoyed it thoroughly even though I was more partial to Heloise story and would have liked to see more of her in another book.
I don't generally review here - only on Amazon, but as a nerd sci-fi fantasy fan when I am not reading mommy porn, this book was pretty damned amazing. Extremely elaborate world build, more than one flawed hero with conflict, a flawed heroine with conflicts - yeah, sci-fi worthy pathos. Loved it and would love to see more.
I came to know and love Cari Silverwood’s work through her erotic novels. Over the years, I’ve delved into her works in other genres and have never failed to be impressed. She even made me a fan of erotic sci-fi, which would normally be quite a stretch for me! Needle Rain is a fantasy adventure and utterly unique. There’s a touch of steampunk for fans who are into that genre as well. Far from one dimensional, this story revolves around three main characters: Heloise the debt collector, Thom, a somm (aka drug) addict, and Samos, a warrior in love who has unluckily been called up to become an Immolator, a protector of the Imperator. Their lives intersect as Silverwood weaves their tales together skilfully and unpredictably.
True to the author’s style, these characters are flawed, having made mistakes at varying costs, some graver than others. Traditional fantasy often deals with good/bad in a more predictable black/white fashion and it’s a breath of fresh air to get none of that here. I was drawn to each of the characters for various reasons. Maybe I could identify a bit of myself in each one of them. I found the use of implanted needles to be both creepy and fascinating at the same time. There’s a big component of magic as well. You won’t get the erotic edge that comes with Silverwood’s BDSM focused books, but I didn’t miss it here. The story is fast paced, heart wrenching at times, and unpredictable as can be. The action scenes hold you on the edge of your seat and the dialog is, as always, genuine and with such a natural flow. Bravo, Ms. Silverwood for another captivating tale!