What do you think?
Rate this book
It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until...
Kato Amadi...born of darkest sorcery, unstoppable on the battlefield, his magic is as deadly as his blade. But not even magic could save him from vicious betrayal. Trapped for millennia in darkness and silence, he is freed at last, only to find himself in the middle of a battle against the very beasts of hell he was created to destroy.
Grace Van Allen is a scholar of ancient languages who toils in the dim recesses of a museum basement with only a beautiful stone warrior to keep her company. But when Grace calls upon her silent warrior to help her translate an obscure new language, she breaks the ancient curse holding him prisoner...and frees three deadly demons to rampage through her city.
Tracking demons is what Kato was born to do, but he’ll need Grace’s help. And when they discover that Kato’s enemy is still alive and still plotting against him, their hunt takes a dangerous turn, one that might just prove fatal for both of them...
Kato Amadi...born of darkest sorcery, unstoppable on the battlefield, his magic is as deadly as his blade. But not even magic could save him from vicious betrayal. Trapped for millennia in darkness and silence, he is freed at last, only to find himself in the middle of a battle against the very beasts of hell he was created to destroy.
Grace Van Allen is a scholar of ancient languages who toils in the dim recesses of a museum basement with only a beautiful stone warrior to keep her company. But when Grace calls upon her silent warrior to help her translate an obscure new language, she breaks the ancient curse holding him prisoner...and frees three deadly demons to rampage through her city.
Tracking demons is what Kato was born to do, but he’ll need Grace’s help. And when they discover that Kato’s enemy is still alive and still plotting against him, their hunt takes a dangerous turn, one that might just prove fatal for both of them...
242 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2017
123 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
July 6, 2017
Another exciting, shouldn’t be missed novel in the Stone Warriors series by the author who gave us Vampires in America.
I just love this intro, it’d be hard not to get hooked right from the start and have you wondering who will unbound the next warrior from his prison and what will he do once he’s free. This time, it’s Kato and Grace’s story that kept me turning pages. Theirs is an unlikely romance or perhaps it was destined.
Grace Van Allen loves the challenge of translating ancient scrolls and she enjoys doing so at night with only a statue as her companion who she likes to talk to. One night, while asking for his help she unwittingly releases her gorgeous stone warrior from his curse along with some lethal demons.
Kato Amadi, son of the Dark Witch, whose blood was infused with magic that feed his soul. A fierce warrior who fought equally well with his blade as he did with his magic. He has now emerged from captivity to fight demons once more, but has discovered that being a man out of time requires a reliable guide, but as they track down the threats they realize that a greater evil is behind them. Kato and Grace will need to trust each other in order to survive.
I have come to expect strong, possessive and protective alpha male heroes and equally strong and smart heroines from D.B. Reynolds and she certainly delivers in Kato. What surprised me a bit was Kato’s vulnerability, but Grace’s brashness didn’t surprise me one bit. Even though her world was rocked by the discovery of demons, magic and millennia old warriors come to life, she believed in said warrior, fought for him and beside him. There’s more to Kato besides good character development though, it has an ingenious, fast paced plot that wraps around a sizzling romance.
Devoted D.B. Reynolds’ fans will love it. Kato is gripping, sexy, and buoyed by Reynolds’ ability to describe fast paced, nail biting action sequences that are so vivid I can practically see the movie in my mind’s eye. I loved catching up with Damian and Casey and I can’t wait to get my hands on Nick Katsaros’ story, but between now and then, Reynolds is sure to give us more kick@ss Stone Warriors stories.
Kato is book #2 in the Stone Warriors series by D.B. Reynolds. It is a standalone, full-length paranormal romance. Told from two points of view with a happy ending.
Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2u0IvE6
4.5 stars
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts taken are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until...
I just love this intro, it’d be hard not to get hooked right from the start and have you wondering who will unbound the next warrior from his prison and what will he do once he’s free. This time, it’s Kato and Grace’s story that kept me turning pages. Theirs is an unlikely romance or perhaps it was destined.
“It was as if his energy recognized her energy as was tugging at it, trying to get its attention.”
Grace Van Allen loves the challenge of translating ancient scrolls and she enjoys doing so at night with only a statue as her companion who she likes to talk to. One night, while asking for his help she unwittingly releases her gorgeous stone warrior from his curse along with some lethal demons.
Kato Amadi, son of the Dark Witch, whose blood was infused with magic that feed his soul. A fierce warrior who fought equally well with his blade as he did with his magic. He has now emerged from captivity to fight demons once more, but has discovered that being a man out of time requires a reliable guide, but as they track down the threats they realize that a greater evil is behind them. Kato and Grace will need to trust each other in order to survive.
I have come to expect strong, possessive and protective alpha male heroes and equally strong and smart heroines from D.B. Reynolds and she certainly delivers in Kato. What surprised me a bit was Kato’s vulnerability, but Grace’s brashness didn’t surprise me one bit. Even though her world was rocked by the discovery of demons, magic and millennia old warriors come to life, she believed in said warrior, fought for him and beside him. There’s more to Kato besides good character development though, it has an ingenious, fast paced plot that wraps around a sizzling romance.
Devoted D.B. Reynolds’ fans will love it. Kato is gripping, sexy, and buoyed by Reynolds’ ability to describe fast paced, nail biting action sequences that are so vivid I can practically see the movie in my mind’s eye. I loved catching up with Damian and Casey and I can’t wait to get my hands on Nick Katsaros’ story, but between now and then, Reynolds is sure to give us more kick@ss Stone Warriors stories.
Kato is book #2 in the Stone Warriors series by D.B. Reynolds. It is a standalone, full-length paranormal romance. Told from two points of view with a happy ending.
Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2u0IvE6
4.5 stars
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts taken are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
June 27, 2025
10/15/19
Now available in audio!!! 🎧
Audible link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Stone-...
Blog Review posted on Release Day 6/23/17: http://sweptawaybyromance.com/release...
5 Action Packed Sexy Stars!
Kato is a millennia old warrior who’s not only very powerful in magic but, also has a powerful presence once he is finally released from his stone prison. When he is freed from his prison by unsuspecting Grace, Kato (along with Grace) embark on a mission to track down and eliminate the dangerous demons Grace unwittingly unleashed while attempting to decode three ancient scrolls.
Grace is a strong independent woman disguised as a mild-mannered museum employee. She’s fluent in several languages with a specialty of deciphering ancient scrolls and finding the secrets they hold within their long obscure symbols and lettering. But Grace is only play-acting at the mild-mannered women we’re first introduced to, she’s a total bad ass under her museum twinset wardrobe (as are all DBR’s fantastic heroines!). I LOVED Grace!!
Kato is fast-paced, action-packed, humorous at times, and Kato is very sexy! Long after reading Kato, you’ll have a new DBR hero lust after along with all her vampires, warriors, and shifters! Naturally, we get some action with Nick, Damian (Damian is truly a God, I love him!!), and Casey. It was fun catching up with one of my favorite couples and of course, Nick’s presence is always appreciated!
As usual, we are treated to one of DBR’s teasing signature endings and I must say, I’m excitedly looking forward to meeting our next Stone Warrior, Gabriel and his leading lady Hana.
Joint Blog review with Karla Reads, check out her awesome review here on GR's https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... or on our blog!!
Lastly, there's this......I have to admit, I didn't see it till someone pointed it out to me! Naturally, I huge fangirl squeeeeeeed!!
Amazon USA link: https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Warriors...
Now available in audio!!! 🎧
Audible link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Stone-...
Blog Review posted on Release Day 6/23/17: http://sweptawaybyromance.com/release...
5 Action Packed Sexy Stars!
Kato is a millennia old warrior who’s not only very powerful in magic but, also has a powerful presence once he is finally released from his stone prison. When he is freed from his prison by unsuspecting Grace, Kato (along with Grace) embark on a mission to track down and eliminate the dangerous demons Grace unwittingly unleashed while attempting to decode three ancient scrolls.
“They’ll never let us in there.”
“Yes, they will,” he said with such irritating confidence that she wanted to slug him.
Grace is a strong independent woman disguised as a mild-mannered museum employee. She’s fluent in several languages with a specialty of deciphering ancient scrolls and finding the secrets they hold within their long obscure symbols and lettering. But Grace is only play-acting at the mild-mannered women we’re first introduced to, she’s a total bad ass under her museum twinset wardrobe (as are all DBR’s fantastic heroines!). I LOVED Grace!!
“And you agreed to do whatever I said.”
“In your dreams, pal. I agreed to follow your lead when it came to magic, which doesn’t include staying home like a good little woman while you go hunting. So where do we start?”
Kato is fast-paced, action-packed, humorous at times, and Kato is very sexy! Long after reading Kato, you’ll have a new DBR hero lust after along with all her vampires, warriors, and shifters! Naturally, we get some action with Nick, Damian (Damian is truly a God, I love him!!), and Casey. It was fun catching up with one of my favorite couples and of course, Nick’s presence is always appreciated!
As usual, we are treated to one of DBR’s teasing signature endings and I must say, I’m excitedly looking forward to meeting our next Stone Warrior, Gabriel and his leading lady Hana.
Joint Blog review with Karla Reads, check out her awesome review here on GR's https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... or on our blog!!
Lastly, there's this......I have to admit, I didn't see it till someone pointed it out to me! Naturally, I huge fangirl squeeeeeeed!!
Amazon USA link: https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Warriors...
June 16, 2023
Demon hunting!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💜💚
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😠☺️😋😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Solo Narration
The heroine: Grace - she works in a museum studying antiquities. She is a linguistic scholar who knows many ancient languages. Her current project was to decipher ancient scrolls and when she copies the text onto paper, a man breaks out of a stone statue and a demon is summoned from the scroll she was looking at.
The Hero: Kato - son of the dark witch who had his own magic. Though he was cursed and turned to stone ages ago. Though he was still awake inside the stone. For the last years his statue was inside a museum basement where Grace Van Allen worked and talked to his statue on occasion.
The Story: Kato is able to kill the demon that was after Grace and is determined to deal with the other two scrolls which he know are each spells to conjure demons. When they find that another demon was unleashed at Grace’s apartment, they go searching for it. Kato also wants to find his three brothers in arms who were also cursed, Sotiris the sorcerer who cursed them and his leader Nicodemas who was left alive and searching for them when the four were cursed, turned to stone and scattered around the world.
This series is quite different than any I had read before. The four warriors were not gargoyles, but were cursed in stone until they are each freed by a different woman. The story in this one was good, there was a lot of adventure as Kato and Grace went demon hunting. There were some steamy scenes and a good backstory for Kato.
This book is told in multiple points of view via solo narration and was narrated by Tor Thom. He is one of my favorite male narrators and has a deep voice that I really enjoy. He did a great job on this book which was original and exciting.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💜💚
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😠☺️😋😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Solo Narration
The heroine: Grace - she works in a museum studying antiquities. She is a linguistic scholar who knows many ancient languages. Her current project was to decipher ancient scrolls and when she copies the text onto paper, a man breaks out of a stone statue and a demon is summoned from the scroll she was looking at.
The Hero: Kato - son of the dark witch who had his own magic. Though he was cursed and turned to stone ages ago. Though he was still awake inside the stone. For the last years his statue was inside a museum basement where Grace Van Allen worked and talked to his statue on occasion.
The Story: Kato is able to kill the demon that was after Grace and is determined to deal with the other two scrolls which he know are each spells to conjure demons. When they find that another demon was unleashed at Grace’s apartment, they go searching for it. Kato also wants to find his three brothers in arms who were also cursed, Sotiris the sorcerer who cursed them and his leader Nicodemas who was left alive and searching for them when the four were cursed, turned to stone and scattered around the world.
This series is quite different than any I had read before. The four warriors were not gargoyles, but were cursed in stone until they are each freed by a different woman. The story in this one was good, there was a lot of adventure as Kato and Grace went demon hunting. There were some steamy scenes and a good backstory for Kato.
This book is told in multiple points of view via solo narration and was narrated by Tor Thom. He is one of my favorite male narrators and has a deep voice that I really enjoy. He did a great job on this book which was original and exciting.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
June 23, 2017
5 Stars! A magical read!
After a fantastic start with the first book in this series, Damian, the author once again proves why she is one of the best voices in paranormal romance because Kato “ROCKED”! Always consistent, the author adds all the elements we expect from her in this read; a strong, protective swoon-worthy hero, a smart kick-ass heroine, witty banter, an original and creative plot, and enough heat to crack a stone!
You can’t help but fall in love with Kato and Grace. Kato’s a big tough warrior with a vulnerable side…swoon! Grace is a spitfire and walks head on into danger to protect her man. When she challenges Nick and stands up to Damian, I crushed on her big time. She was a hoot!
The camaraderie, devotion, and love that the men in this series have for each other is another appealing element. Nothing sweeter than cracking the macho man façade and exposing your true feelings for someone, it makes them all the more appealing.
The Stone Warriors series is fast becoming a new favorite and I can’t wait to see how the author entwines this series with another favorite, Vampires in America. But for now, I’m looking forward to the next installment, Gabriel, the next warrior to break free of his stone prison!
*ARC provided by the publisher courtesy of NetGalley*
After a fantastic start with the first book in this series, Damian, the author once again proves why she is one of the best voices in paranormal romance because Kato “ROCKED”! Always consistent, the author adds all the elements we expect from her in this read; a strong, protective swoon-worthy hero, a smart kick-ass heroine, witty banter, an original and creative plot, and enough heat to crack a stone!
You can’t help but fall in love with Kato and Grace. Kato’s a big tough warrior with a vulnerable side…swoon! Grace is a spitfire and walks head on into danger to protect her man. When she challenges Nick and stands up to Damian, I crushed on her big time. She was a hoot!
The camaraderie, devotion, and love that the men in this series have for each other is another appealing element. Nothing sweeter than cracking the macho man façade and exposing your true feelings for someone, it makes them all the more appealing.
The Stone Warriors series is fast becoming a new favorite and I can’t wait to see how the author entwines this series with another favorite, Vampires in America. But for now, I’m looking forward to the next installment, Gabriel, the next warrior to break free of his stone prison!
*ARC provided by the publisher courtesy of NetGalley*
August 2, 2017
What a wonderful addition to the series!
Both Kato and Grace were great! I appreciated the fact that Grace was not an empty-headed Young idiot who went crazy when faced with demons, but had a very honest and natural reaction to everything she encountered in this story!
First she's bewildered, then disbelieving, then understanding, then angry, then reacting! Just as it should be!
Also, she’ve never hidden her attraction to Kato and didn’t have any problem with asking for what she wanted! ;-)
Kato was also very good! He never treated Grace like a stupid human, but, at the same time, he’s aware of her limitations, but never disrespected her or ignored her opinion! Very, very nice!!
If you’ve ever read Ms. Reynolds’ book, you know that she writes some mean love/sex scenes and this one is a good example! LOL
The story is a kind of sequel to Damian. It can be read as a standalone, but I think you’ll appreciate it better if you read Damian first.
Kato is the second of four great warriors to be freed from his stone prison by a woman who, as we romancelandia fan know in advance, will become his love and mate!
The ongoing story of both books is the mayhem the evil sorcerer Sotiris is wreaking to get more power and defeat Nick and his warriors. Sotiris is the one who imprisoned them all in the first place leaving only Nick to search for them without being able to find them or free them.
So he’s here too trying to kill Kato and absorb the magic in his blood. Standard procedure! LOL
The action is well thought and executed, except for two very small things:
1) When Kato, Damian and Nick are reunited, after a brief search they part way and go everybody in their rooms (hotel, house, beachfront resort) to sleep. I know that that is a prop for Kato to be attacked and abducted, but for me it was too lame…
2) After the battle where they defeat Sotiris and his acolytes, there’re a lot of dead in the field. They decide to leave them because, supposedly, nobody could connect the massacre to them. But, Grace have shot a lot of them with her registered gun… So, if you like crime series like me, you’ll see that these bullets inside the dead DO link them to Grace…
But apart from these two times, the action and the story is surprisingly coherent and logical!
I’ll be looking to see how Gabriel story develops! It seems so interesting because it starts in Japan!!!!
Both Kato and Grace were great! I appreciated the fact that Grace was not an empty-headed Young idiot who went crazy when faced with demons, but had a very honest and natural reaction to everything she encountered in this story!
First she's bewildered, then disbelieving, then understanding, then angry, then reacting! Just as it should be!
Also, she’ve never hidden her attraction to Kato and didn’t have any problem with asking for what she wanted! ;-)
Kato was also very good! He never treated Grace like a stupid human, but, at the same time, he’s aware of her limitations, but never disrespected her or ignored her opinion! Very, very nice!!
If you’ve ever read Ms. Reynolds’ book, you know that she writes some mean love/sex scenes and this one is a good example! LOL
The story is a kind of sequel to Damian. It can be read as a standalone, but I think you’ll appreciate it better if you read Damian first.
Kato is the second of four great warriors to be freed from his stone prison by a woman who, as we romancelandia fan know in advance, will become his love and mate!
The ongoing story of both books is the mayhem the evil sorcerer Sotiris is wreaking to get more power and defeat Nick and his warriors. Sotiris is the one who imprisoned them all in the first place leaving only Nick to search for them without being able to find them or free them.
So he’s here too trying to kill Kato and absorb the magic in his blood. Standard procedure! LOL
The action is well thought and executed, except for two very small things:
1) When Kato, Damian and Nick are reunited, after a brief search they part way and go everybody in their rooms (hotel, house, beachfront resort) to sleep. I know that that is a prop for Kato to be attacked and abducted, but for me it was too lame…
2) After the battle where they defeat Sotiris and his acolytes, there’re a lot of dead in the field. They decide to leave them because, supposedly, nobody could connect the massacre to them. But, Grace have shot a lot of them with her registered gun… So, if you like crime series like me, you’ll see that these bullets inside the dead DO link them to Grace…
But apart from these two times, the action and the story is surprisingly coherent and logical!
I’ll be looking to see how Gabriel story develops! It seems so interesting because it starts in Japan!!!!
June 17, 2017
Kato has some good and interesting wordbuilding, especially how Reynolds is portraying and using demons in this world. Grace is a good character, not tstl or weak. The author has usually done well by her female characters, and Grace pretty much holds her own with Kato. As with the with the character of Damian in the first book, Kato is an ancient warrior encased in stone by magic until someone breaks the curse.
Also as with the first book, Kato takes to the unknown world of the 21st century with an amazing ease. There is not an over abundance of book time spent catching him up in the current world. A little unrealistic, but necessary to keep the story moving. Kato is a little too protective, and there is the insta-lust trope that Reynolds is known for; as well as too much talking, thinking about, and having sex, often at inappropriate times.
Grace is a historian who is trying to interpret an ancient scroll. Not only does she free Kato while working on the scrolls, she also unwittingly releases three demons who wreak havoc. As she and Kato hunt the demons to destroy them, they are aided by Damian and Nick, the sorcerer who was their comrade in arms from ancient times. Nick was never encased in stone by a curse as was his comrades; and he has been working for several thousand years to free them and defeat the evil sorcerer Sotiris, whose curse put them there.
Kato is overall a very good read if a little on the slow side in the beginning. It took too long for the story to really get going, leaving the reader a bit impatient. When the plotline kicked into gear, however, it was nonstop action. I will say that this book did more to further the overarching plot of the series.
Props to Reynolds for being able to get the book out at such a difficult time in her life. I'm amazed she was able to get it finished by deadline. Probably gave her something to occupy herself, but it was bound to be difficult. I'm sorry for her loss.
Looking forward to this, but not happy with the price point. Will only read if I get an arc...
Also as with the first book, Kato takes to the unknown world of the 21st century with an amazing ease. There is not an over abundance of book time spent catching him up in the current world. A little unrealistic, but necessary to keep the story moving. Kato is a little too protective, and there is the insta-lust trope that Reynolds is known for; as well as too much talking, thinking about, and having sex, often at inappropriate times.
Grace is a historian who is trying to interpret an ancient scroll. Not only does she free Kato while working on the scrolls, she also unwittingly releases three demons who wreak havoc. As she and Kato hunt the demons to destroy them, they are aided by Damian and Nick, the sorcerer who was their comrade in arms from ancient times. Nick was never encased in stone by a curse as was his comrades; and he has been working for several thousand years to free them and defeat the evil sorcerer Sotiris, whose curse put them there.
Kato is overall a very good read if a little on the slow side in the beginning. It took too long for the story to really get going, leaving the reader a bit impatient. When the plotline kicked into gear, however, it was nonstop action. I will say that this book did more to further the overarching plot of the series.
Props to Reynolds for being able to get the book out at such a difficult time in her life. I'm amazed she was able to get it finished by deadline. Probably gave her something to occupy herself, but it was bound to be difficult. I'm sorry for her loss.
Looking forward to this, but not happy with the price point. Will only read if I get an arc...
May 20, 2019
Kato by D.B. Reynolds
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Suspense
4.75 Stars
Loaded with action.
Great characters. Grace & Kato are fantastic mc's.
Grace kicks butt 👢(!)
More later...
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Suspense
4.75 Stars
Loaded with action.
Great characters. Grace & Kato are fantastic mc's.
Grace kicks butt 👢(!)
More later...
June 23, 2017
My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 Unicorns - I loved it!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! Yes, I received a review copy of this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book!
This is the 2nd book in a spin-off from Vampires in America. This is for adults only due to the steamy content. I highly recommend reading this series in order, but I also highly recommend reading Vampires in America because you will understand this world better and Nick. Of course, the characters and world will be much richer too!
As always in D.B. Reynolds work, this is action packed, vivid, and just awesome! She is one of my favorite authors. I love all the attitudes and snark to puts into all of her characters as well as their fierce loyalty and love.
Kato has an amazing story just on his own, but you add Grace, and it is just magical. In the beginning, they keep reading more into what each other say, but they come together quickly and are an unstoppable team. I love how they both jump in to stand for each other, if they think someone is insulting the other. They are all family (Nick, Kato, Grace, Damian, and Casey) which endears them to me more with each book. This book has warriors, mages, demons, magic, curses, love, and more!
I highly recommend this book and series to all paranormal fans who want a fantastic story that has everything you want! I can’t wait to see what D.B. comes up with next!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! Yes, I received a review copy of this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book!
This is the 2nd book in a spin-off from Vampires in America. This is for adults only due to the steamy content. I highly recommend reading this series in order, but I also highly recommend reading Vampires in America because you will understand this world better and Nick. Of course, the characters and world will be much richer too!
As always in D.B. Reynolds work, this is action packed, vivid, and just awesome! She is one of my favorite authors. I love all the attitudes and snark to puts into all of her characters as well as their fierce loyalty and love.
Kato has an amazing story just on his own, but you add Grace, and it is just magical. In the beginning, they keep reading more into what each other say, but they come together quickly and are an unstoppable team. I love how they both jump in to stand for each other, if they think someone is insulting the other. They are all family (Nick, Kato, Grace, Damian, and Casey) which endears them to me more with each book. This book has warriors, mages, demons, magic, curses, love, and more!
I highly recommend this book and series to all paranormal fans who want a fantastic story that has everything you want! I can’t wait to see what D.B. comes up with next!
March 15, 2017
D.B. Reynolds second instalment in the Stone Warriors explodes off the pages in a maelstrom of danger, magic and mayhem; with fast-paced, adrenaline-packed, thrill a minute action, there’s no doubt Kato will reel in a whole new cohort of devoted fans.
And why wouldn’t it? Kato’s story has it all; an evil so profound it taints the very air you breathe, a deep seated mystery of epic proportions, and a slow rising desire that ignites the senses and erupts in an explosion of fast burning passion.
A millennia old warrior with a powerful presence, yet a restrained and calm demeanour; Kato is a man who has suffered the anguish of his stone prison and the many years of darkness, but refused to surrender his hope or his mind. Finally freed from his confinement, Kato is dedicated to the protection of the innocent as he embarks on a mission to rid the world of an unprecedented foe.
Grace is the embodiment of the geeky nerd; fluent in many languages of old, her specialty is deciphering ancient scrolls and finding the secrets hidden within. But Grace is far more that her surface appearance, and when this ancient warrior emerges to answer her call, Grace is an absolute pleasure to behold as she preens under Kato’s strong, but caring hands.
Kato is a flawless example of why dedicated readers of Ms Reynolds have continued to come back time and time again, and count the seemingly endless days until each novel is released. Thank you Ms Reynolds for this gripping and thoroughly moving tale.
And why wouldn’t it? Kato’s story has it all; an evil so profound it taints the very air you breathe, a deep seated mystery of epic proportions, and a slow rising desire that ignites the senses and erupts in an explosion of fast burning passion.
A millennia old warrior with a powerful presence, yet a restrained and calm demeanour; Kato is a man who has suffered the anguish of his stone prison and the many years of darkness, but refused to surrender his hope or his mind. Finally freed from his confinement, Kato is dedicated to the protection of the innocent as he embarks on a mission to rid the world of an unprecedented foe.
Grace is the embodiment of the geeky nerd; fluent in many languages of old, her specialty is deciphering ancient scrolls and finding the secrets hidden within. But Grace is far more that her surface appearance, and when this ancient warrior emerges to answer her call, Grace is an absolute pleasure to behold as she preens under Kato’s strong, but caring hands.
Kato is a flawless example of why dedicated readers of Ms Reynolds have continued to come back time and time again, and count the seemingly endless days until each novel is released. Thank you Ms Reynolds for this gripping and thoroughly moving tale.
July 9, 2017
The fight scenes were good. The repetition really got to me. This could have been 50 pages shorter.
June 15, 2017
Loved it as usual, anything written by this lady is a 5++++++ for me.
October 26, 2018
Every time Ms Reynolds mentioned the Dark Witch I wanted to bang my head on a hard surface, anything :))
June 25, 2017
Some people are good writers and are able to create a solid story with memorable moments and likable characters. Others are master storytellers and able to create new worlds full of thrills, chills, swoons, and gasps. For me, DB Reynolds definitely falls into the master storyteller category. Whenever I pick up a new book from her I always have a quiet conversation with myself before I start reading. It goes something like, "Don't get your hopes up. She couldn't possibly outdo her last 5-star book and the 5-star book before that and the 5-star book before that..." Well, you get the picture. I try not to get my hopes up in the event the book isn't a Grand Slam. However, I don't why I even have this conversation with myself anymore DB NEVER disappoints. I am always immediately immersed in the world she creates, never putting the book down until the words "the end." And wonderfully, Kato was no exception to this rule.
I will not provide a summary of the story because that would completely ruin the experience for readers. However, what I will say is that Kato and Grace, his lady love, were pure magic together. Kato felt a little different than Damian (the first book in the Stone Warriors series) to me because of how he was crafted. He got to "know" Grace in a fashion so when she set him free he knew her so their coming together was organic because it almost felt like a friends to lovers romance. I know, weird as it sounds, that it how it felt to me. Read it, you'll understand :). And, I adore the fact that Grace was not all that she seemed. She was equal parts nerd and "I don't need anybody to save me. I can save myself!" That's a common thread in all of DB's book that keeps me coming back for more. Her heroines are not wilting flowers. They are strong, determined, and smart.
There are several sweet moments in the story -- when Kato reunites with Damian and Nick are two of them. I got a little teary because it truly felt like long lost friends finding one another again. There are also total swoon-worthy and face fanning moment in the story as well. Another hallmark of DB's book. Let me just say that Kato and Grace made my reader SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZZLE!
Kato was well-woven together and connected various aspects of Grace's life to Kato and to Nick and Damian. I appreciate how each story builds upon the other and the teaser at the end to Gabriel's story.... Dude! I kept trying to flip pages to read more. I cannot wait to see what happens there either!
I highly recommend this series to paranormal romance lovers. Don't delay in picking this one up.
I will not provide a summary of the story because that would completely ruin the experience for readers. However, what I will say is that Kato and Grace, his lady love, were pure magic together. Kato felt a little different than Damian (the first book in the Stone Warriors series) to me because of how he was crafted. He got to "know" Grace in a fashion so when she set him free he knew her so their coming together was organic because it almost felt like a friends to lovers romance. I know, weird as it sounds, that it how it felt to me. Read it, you'll understand :). And, I adore the fact that Grace was not all that she seemed. She was equal parts nerd and "I don't need anybody to save me. I can save myself!" That's a common thread in all of DB's book that keeps me coming back for more. Her heroines are not wilting flowers. They are strong, determined, and smart.
There are several sweet moments in the story -- when Kato reunites with Damian and Nick are two of them. I got a little teary because it truly felt like long lost friends finding one another again. There are also total swoon-worthy and face fanning moment in the story as well. Another hallmark of DB's book. Let me just say that Kato and Grace made my reader SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZZLE!
Kato was well-woven together and connected various aspects of Grace's life to Kato and to Nick and Damian. I appreciate how each story builds upon the other and the teaser at the end to Gabriel's story.... Dude! I kept trying to flip pages to read more. I cannot wait to see what happens there either!
I highly recommend this series to paranormal romance lovers. Don't delay in picking this one up.
June 17, 2017
DBR doesn't let you down, you know when you spend your hard earned money you are going to get a well thought out plot, with romance, suspense, alpha heroes, kickass heroines and twists you don't see coming. Kato speaks to all this.
Thanks Netgalley for the sneak peak but I'm still buying this novel for my favorites shelf. Kato is another stone warrior and it takes a special woman to break him out of his curse and we have that woman in spades. Demons are the villain in this outing and our heroes nemesis Sotiris is there as well.
Fast moving plot, suspense and solid story makes this a summer 2017 must read. 4.5 stars and a superduper recommendation.
Thanks Netgalley for the sneak peak but I'm still buying this novel for my favorites shelf. Kato is another stone warrior and it takes a special woman to break him out of his curse and we have that woman in spades. Demons are the villain in this outing and our heroes nemesis Sotiris is there as well.
Fast moving plot, suspense and solid story makes this a summer 2017 must read. 4.5 stars and a superduper recommendation.
August 10, 2017
This is book 2 in the Stone Warrior series. While this does stand alone there are characters and a background story arc from the previous book mentioned in this book. I would suggest reading them in order but it's necessary to enjoy the book.
Kato is a fairly serious and self contained warrior. He posses dark magic so his life had been full of challenges, snap judgements, and some fear until he met up with his 'brothers.' Once he and his brothers are cursed, Kato is trapped in stone for millennia waiting for his curse to be broken. Time passes until late one night, in the dark musty museum basement, Grace accidently sets him free. From there we have action, adventure, romance, mystery and magic. It was a wild and fun ride that was very enjoyable.
The story opens slowly. We get glimpses of Grace and her life but it takes some time before we really get a lot of backstory from her. There is a lot of character development that was very enjoyable to read. I liked how it felt like Kato and Grace got to know one another and they didn't just jump straight into bed with one another. There was some buildup so that when it did happen it was very satisfying. There is a bit of open-endedness to this story. It's more a happy for now ending which I guess plays into it being part of a bigger series. I would like a little more information on where Kato and Grace are as a couple but I guess we will see in later books.
I will say that I am not all that keen on this bad guy that was introduced in book 1. It is said over and over that Nick is the supreme sorcerer. He the most powerful, so strong, unbeatable blah blah...and yet it has taken millennia for his warriors to turn up and every time he fights Sotiris, the bad guy gets away. Now it's not been too clear (to my recollection) if he fought him much over the centuries but I don't believe so. In fact I do think that Nick thought he was dead. But once he realizes he's not he still is unable to beat him. Now I know this is just for the plot since if the bad guy died in the first book where would we go? But if Nick is so powerful I why is he having so much trouble? Something does happen at the end of this book that touches on this so I guess we will see in the next book if that particular thread continues. It would explain Nick not being able to kill Sotiris yet.
I am really enjoying this series and I can't wait to read more. I read that the next book will intersect with her vampire series so I am very excited to see where it goes. The teaser at the end of this book was very good and I really looking forward to more.
Kato is a fairly serious and self contained warrior. He posses dark magic so his life had been full of challenges, snap judgements, and some fear until he met up with his 'brothers.' Once he and his brothers are cursed, Kato is trapped in stone for millennia waiting for his curse to be broken. Time passes until late one night, in the dark musty museum basement, Grace accidently sets him free. From there we have action, adventure, romance, mystery and magic. It was a wild and fun ride that was very enjoyable.
The story opens slowly. We get glimpses of Grace and her life but it takes some time before we really get a lot of backstory from her. There is a lot of character development that was very enjoyable to read. I liked how it felt like Kato and Grace got to know one another and they didn't just jump straight into bed with one another. There was some buildup so that when it did happen it was very satisfying. There is a bit of open-endedness to this story. It's more a happy for now ending which I guess plays into it being part of a bigger series. I would like a little more information on where Kato and Grace are as a couple but I guess we will see in later books.
I will say that I am not all that keen on this bad guy that was introduced in book 1. It is said over and over that Nick is the supreme sorcerer. He the most powerful, so strong, unbeatable blah blah...and yet it has taken millennia for his warriors to turn up and every time he fights Sotiris, the bad guy gets away. Now it's not been too clear (to my recollection) if he fought him much over the centuries but I don't believe so. In fact I do think that Nick thought he was dead. But once he realizes he's not he still is unable to beat him. Now I know this is just for the plot since if the bad guy died in the first book where would we go? But if Nick is so powerful I why is he having so much trouble? Something does happen at the end of this book that touches on this so I guess we will see in the next book if that particular thread continues. It would explain Nick not being able to kill Sotiris yet.
I am really enjoying this series and I can't wait to read more. I read that the next book will intersect with her vampire series so I am very excited to see where it goes. The teaser at the end of this book was very good and I really looking forward to more.
September 17, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Kato is a book that I have been pretty eager to grab up ever since reading the first book "Damian". This series is about five warriors, who united many years previous to fight against a great evil. But then they were all betrayed and were magically turned into stone warriors. In this story our warrior is Kato, who had been cursed by his mothers genes who was a evil witch. He is a honorable fighter, and brother and this is his story.
In this book, however we see a hero just wanting to be free. When his statue is brought into a museum, a young woman is working on a translation. And when she "asks" for help, he is set free only to save her from a demon that she accidently unleashes. This chain of events has Kato and Grace working together, as they try to narrow down the search for demons that have been cropping up accidentally. Kato and Grace are a wonderful couple together and they balance each other out. Kato, is a man of brawn. He is smart but in other ways. However our heroine, Grace is really intelligent. I loved her brain, she is quick witted and thinks on her feet. She did some time with the military, so she knows her way around weapons as well and isn't afraid to defend herself or anyone else she cares about. I loved that she wa a fighter, of course, with D.B. Reynolds, you just can expect her to write this style of heroine as well.
There was so much to love about Kato. Now I will admit that these books aren't my favorite from this author, I do think her vampire series is the best. However there is something unique about this series. These warriors are so sexy and strong, but also make great lovers and partners for their women they fall for. I really admired Kato so much. He has been mocked all of his life about his mother's evil deeds and the fact that he isn't the most intellectual man on the block. But he is courageous and kind too. And there is also a strong bond between Kato and his brothers. Just to see him reunited with Damien and Nick again, just about brought a tear to my eye. Honestly, these sweet moments really balanced out the suspenseful elements that are a strong focus in this story. The romance that builds between Kato and Grace is fully loaded. They make a great fighting team of course, and their minds just work so well together. But there is also a sizzling bond between them that builds in this book, a bond that is both fierce and passionate and sweet and loving too. I just couldn't get enough and boy I just can't wait for Nick's story. He is such a great leader and friend and we see so many good things about him even if he likes to be in control of every situation.
Overall Kato is a story that brings more to this world, a book of danger and intrigue, of evil demons and tricks, of good overcoming evil and a passionate love story that leaves the reader breathless!!
[foogallery id="44280"]
Kato is a book that I have been pretty eager to grab up ever since reading the first book "Damian". This series is about five warriors, who united many years previous to fight against a great evil. But then they were all betrayed and were magically turned into stone warriors. In this story our warrior is Kato, who had been cursed by his mothers genes who was a evil witch. He is a honorable fighter, and brother and this is his story.
In this book, however we see a hero just wanting to be free. When his statue is brought into a museum, a young woman is working on a translation. And when she "asks" for help, he is set free only to save her from a demon that she accidently unleashes. This chain of events has Kato and Grace working together, as they try to narrow down the search for demons that have been cropping up accidentally. Kato and Grace are a wonderful couple together and they balance each other out. Kato, is a man of brawn. He is smart but in other ways. However our heroine, Grace is really intelligent. I loved her brain, she is quick witted and thinks on her feet. She did some time with the military, so she knows her way around weapons as well and isn't afraid to defend herself or anyone else she cares about. I loved that she wa a fighter, of course, with D.B. Reynolds, you just can expect her to write this style of heroine as well.
There was so much to love about Kato. Now I will admit that these books aren't my favorite from this author, I do think her vampire series is the best. However there is something unique about this series. These warriors are so sexy and strong, but also make great lovers and partners for their women they fall for. I really admired Kato so much. He has been mocked all of his life about his mother's evil deeds and the fact that he isn't the most intellectual man on the block. But he is courageous and kind too. And there is also a strong bond between Kato and his brothers. Just to see him reunited with Damien and Nick again, just about brought a tear to my eye. Honestly, these sweet moments really balanced out the suspenseful elements that are a strong focus in this story. The romance that builds between Kato and Grace is fully loaded. They make a great fighting team of course, and their minds just work so well together. But there is also a sizzling bond between them that builds in this book, a bond that is both fierce and passionate and sweet and loving too. I just couldn't get enough and boy I just can't wait for Nick's story. He is such a great leader and friend and we see so many good things about him even if he likes to be in control of every situation.
Overall Kato is a story that brings more to this world, a book of danger and intrigue, of evil demons and tricks, of good overcoming evil and a passionate love story that leaves the reader breathless!!
[foogallery id="44280"]
July 7, 2017
3.5*
An improvement on the first book - I found Kato more appealing than Damian, who, IMHP was an ass. And while it got steamy - no one can despute that Ms Reynolds can give you hot flushes, somehow I found chemistry between Kato and Grace pretty inert and romance not convincing . Still, there is at least 2 or maybe 3 books to go ( will Nico get one as well?) and from the snippet at the end action happens in Japan. Looking forward to the change of scenery.
An improvement on the first book - I found Kato more appealing than Damian, who, IMHP was an ass. And while it got steamy - no one can despute that Ms Reynolds can give you hot flushes, somehow I found chemistry between Kato and Grace pretty inert and romance not convincing . Still, there is at least 2 or maybe 3 books to go ( will Nico get one as well?) and from the snippet at the end action happens in Japan. Looking forward to the change of scenery.
June 28, 2017
Safety
Enjoyable book. But one question that bothered me when it came into play - if he meet Gabler in the beginning of the book and he has the ability to detect
Enjoyable book. But one question that bothered me when it came into play - if he meet Gabler in the beginning of the book and he has the ability to detect
November 26, 2017
Kato is book 2 in the Stone Warriors series. I really liked how this one started with the words of the curse, I don't remember that with Damian but it was a great addition. Kato was awesome, he is very powerful being the son of the Dark Witch but with that power comes pain from the curse his mother put on him. Grace is the woman who frees Kato from his stone prison. I enjoyed her very much but again like Casey she became a little annoying by the end. Her attitude toward Nick was not necessary, she doesn't know the warrior or Nick and really doesn't understand his love nor the extent of his guilt for the men. The story arc continues since their enemy escaped again but that Epilogue has me excited for book 3.
***ARC provided by NetGalley***
***ARC provided by NetGalley***
June 26, 2017
3.5 Stars. I loved the first book in this series but this one just didn't work for me as well as the previous one. It started a bit slow and took awhile to really get going for me. I also never really felt the chemistry between the main characters. They fell instantly in lust and I was never really sure why they fell in love. Kato also was able to function in the 21st century a little too easily for a guy who had been locked in stone for 1000's of years.
But I still enjoyed the book and the second half of the book moved at a much better pace with plenty of action, some fun scenes with the characters from the first book and a plot that moved the overall arc forward. I'm a big fan of D.B. Reynolds and while this wasn't my favorite book of hers I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
I love the world she's built and the use of magic. I also love the relationship between Nick and his "lost brothers". I'm definitely a fan of the series and looking forward to the next book.
A copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
But I still enjoyed the book and the second half of the book moved at a much better pace with plenty of action, some fun scenes with the characters from the first book and a plot that moved the overall arc forward. I'm a big fan of D.B. Reynolds and while this wasn't my favorite book of hers I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
I love the world she's built and the use of magic. I also love the relationship between Nick and his "lost brothers". I'm definitely a fan of the series and looking forward to the next book.
A copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
August 4, 2017
3.5/5
I think I'm jinxed with this series, peeps. I adore D.B.'s Vampires in America series, but I can not buy into romantic lines in Stone Warriors. Love the overall plot, but not the instalove. I far prefer slow burn attraction, but I totally understand that the format of this series dictates otherwise.
Saying all that, I loved Kato and Grace. They were interesting, and layered. Grace kept pulling rabbits out of the hat when I least expected it, and Kato knew far more than you could have expected from his "illiteracy" issues.
And can I reiterate how much I love Nick? I can not wait for his love story, guys. *grinning* The villain is kinda cartoonish though, don't you think?
Overall, a sweet read. Tons of cool magic, kickass heroines and flashy fighting. I'm going to just roll my eyes at the love story, and keep reading.
* * *
Ну вот что-то никак не везет мне с этой серией, дамы и господа! Обожаю серию Вампиры в Америке от Д.Б., а вот любовная линия в Каменных Воинах меня только раздражает. Я вообще не фанат инсталюбви, но конечно понимаю, что формат серии ее к сожалению диктует. Дайте мне пожалуйста медленное нарастание напряжения и влечения друг другу, и я проглочу их с восторгом. Но, увы! Не здесь.
Сами главные герои мне очень понравились. Грэйс все удивляла меня скрытыми талантами и я постоянно меняла свое мнение о ней. Като был не настолько прост как он себя представлял, особенно с его смущением от собственного неумения читать и писать.
И можно я повторю опять как же я люблю Ника? Жду- не дождусь его истории! *смеясь* И кстати, никому больше не показалось, что злодей был какой-то мультяшный здесь, что ему не хватало апломба?
А в общем, милая история. Куча классной магии, сильные волевые героини и яркие боевые сцены. Я перестану обращать внимание на инсталюбовь в будущем потому как общая сюжетная линия мне очень интересна. Буду читать дальше.
I think I'm jinxed with this series, peeps. I adore D.B.'s Vampires in America series, but I can not buy into romantic lines in Stone Warriors. Love the overall plot, but not the instalove. I far prefer slow burn attraction, but I totally understand that the format of this series dictates otherwise.
Saying all that, I loved Kato and Grace. They were interesting, and layered. Grace kept pulling rabbits out of the hat when I least expected it, and Kato knew far more than you could have expected from his "illiteracy" issues.
And can I reiterate how much I love Nick? I can not wait for his love story, guys. *grinning* The villain is kinda cartoonish though, don't you think?
Overall, a sweet read. Tons of cool magic, kickass heroines and flashy fighting. I'm going to just roll my eyes at the love story, and keep reading.
* * *
Ну вот что-то никак не везет мне с этой серией, дамы и господа! Обожаю серию Вампиры в Америке от Д.Б., а вот любовная линия в Каменных Воинах меня только раздражает. Я вообще не фанат инсталюбви, но конечно понимаю, что формат серии ее к сожалению диктует. Дайте мне пожалуйста медленное нарастание напряжения и влечения друг другу, и я проглочу их с восторгом. Но, увы! Не здесь.
Сами главные герои мне очень понравились. Грэйс все удивляла меня скрытыми талантами и я постоянно меняла свое мнение о ней. Като был не настолько прост как он себя представлял, особенно с его смущением от собственного неумения читать и писать.
И можно я повторю опять как же я люблю Ника? Жду- не дождусь его истории! *смеясь* И кстати, никому больше не показалось, что злодей был какой-то мультяшный здесь, что ему не хватало апломба?
А в общем, милая история. Куча классной магии, сильные волевые героини и яркие боевые сцены. Я перестану обращать внимание на инсталюбовь в будущем потому как общая сюжетная линия мне очень интересна. Буду читать дальше.
December 2, 2020
Gah, the stone warriors had me believe it would be about gargoyles, but alas it wasn't so. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the plot of warriors trapped in stone, alive for millennia, by a sorcerer who has small man syndrome and hates his opponent more than anything else and casts his spell to hurt the other sorcerer, making it impossible to find his friends. I found it a great plot twist to have different spells for each warrior to make it as hard as possible to free those soldiers. I was totally happy with the female characters, something that isn't necessarily the way in romance and historical love novels.
Book two is telling the story of Kato, who is stuck in the catacombs of a museum in his stone cast. He watches a museum employee, Grace working on a manuscript with an ancient language. When Grace gets a bit desperate she asks the statue for help, not knowing that she frees the warrior within but also frees demons to run out of control in the city. I love the emotional connection between Grace and Kato, I liked that they clicked but what was extremely over the top for me were the sex scenes. All that pounding gave me headaches and the simultaneous orgasms were over the top and maybe only possible because there was a magical man involved. The characters were compatible and the conversations were realistic as much as one could expect.
While the books can stand alone, I would suggest to read them in order. I read book 2, 3 and four. While I missed the first couple's adventure I didn't feel that I had missed much. I enjoyed the diversity of the men who had banded around Nick, the brothers from different mothers (or sorcerer in Damien's case). Kato is the only son of the Dark Witch, who used her son to fight her battles until he distances himself from her to follow the call of Nicodemus. All in all the plot and the chemistry of Grace and Kato were engaging and I really loved reading this book.
The writing was well done and I found only a few mistakes in each book.
Book two is telling the story of Kato, who is stuck in the catacombs of a museum in his stone cast. He watches a museum employee, Grace working on a manuscript with an ancient language. When Grace gets a bit desperate she asks the statue for help, not knowing that she frees the warrior within but also frees demons to run out of control in the city. I love the emotional connection between Grace and Kato, I liked that they clicked but what was extremely over the top for me were the sex scenes. All that pounding gave me headaches and the simultaneous orgasms were over the top and maybe only possible because there was a magical man involved. The characters were compatible and the conversations were realistic as much as one could expect.
While the books can stand alone, I would suggest to read them in order. I read book 2, 3 and four. While I missed the first couple's adventure I didn't feel that I had missed much. I enjoyed the diversity of the men who had banded around Nick, the brothers from different mothers (or sorcerer in Damien's case). Kato is the only son of the Dark Witch, who used her son to fight her battles until he distances himself from her to follow the call of Nicodemus. All in all the plot and the chemistry of Grace and Kato were engaging and I really loved reading this book.
The writing was well done and I found only a few mistakes in each book.
June 29, 2017
One of the things I like most about Reynolds is that she writes the best female characters, except one who I can’t really stand to read about so even though I’ve read and re-read each of her books I avoid Rajmund like it has the plague. Grace was a wonderful character. She was strong, smart, perceptive, and flexible when it came to the weird/magic. I love reading about her loyalty to Kato and how she stood up to Nick and Damian when she thought he was being wronged. Grace’s interactions with Kato were gold too … she didn’t let him get away with anything and forced her way in when it came to helping. I admired her desire to set things right and go along with Kato even though it was a dangerous situation.
I really liked Kato and his character’s background. You would think that a character with it would be an evil character, but to me it showed a lot of strength and I liked him very much. He has the perfect amount of strength and vulnerability to him. One of the things I like most about this series is the comradery between Nick and his warriors. You don’t normally see that amount of emotion between guys in a book. It is all macho, macho stuff and showing that a guy can care along with be able to kick demon butt is a nice bit of freshness to this genre.
One of the best things about this book for me was the portrayal of demons. I mean, yes they were scary ugly, gross, and all that fun stuff. But for me that extra part where they rip out a weapon from their body to fight with was that much more awesome and added a nice twist to it all. I can’t think of another book where a demon does that, I’m thinking I might’ve read one but I can’t remember it right now. I was really interested by Kato’s explanation about the different circles and abilities of certain demons and look forward to reading more about that. I really like the world building Reynolds did when it came to magic use in the world though I’m still a little confused about the fact that if there is so little … or if it is so limited how is this stuff getting done?
The extra part in the epilogue looks awesome and I can’t wait for the next book.
I really liked Kato and his character’s background. You would think that a character with it would be an evil character, but to me it showed a lot of strength and I liked him very much. He has the perfect amount of strength and vulnerability to him. One of the things I like most about this series is the comradery between Nick and his warriors. You don’t normally see that amount of emotion between guys in a book. It is all macho, macho stuff and showing that a guy can care along with be able to kick demon butt is a nice bit of freshness to this genre.
One of the best things about this book for me was the portrayal of demons. I mean, yes they were scary ugly, gross, and all that fun stuff. But for me that extra part where they rip out a weapon from their body to fight with was that much more awesome and added a nice twist to it all. I can’t think of another book where a demon does that, I’m thinking I might’ve read one but I can’t remember it right now. I was really interested by Kato’s explanation about the different circles and abilities of certain demons and look forward to reading more about that. I really like the world building Reynolds did when it came to magic use in the world though I’m still a little confused about the fact that if there is so little … or if it is so limited how is this stuff getting done?
The extra part in the epilogue looks awesome and I can’t wait for the next book.
August 20, 2017
(RabidReads.com)D.B. Reynolds is the author of the series, Vampires in America, a series that I happen to love. For some reason, I missed the first book in this new series, but when I saw this book on Net Galley, I knew I had to request it in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Grace Van Allen is doing her post doctoral fellowship at a museum in Southern California. She is an expert in deciphering ancient languages and is working diligently on some ancient scrolls. Her workstation is in the basement of the huge museum and she works day and night-alone when she works at night. Also located in the basement is an ancient statue of a warrior. It sits around the corner from Grace’s desk and during her long hours, she occasionally talks to it. One night she manages to inadvertently break a curse while speaking to it and the statue comes to life. Kato was cursed to live as a statue thousands of years before by an evil sorcerer. He is part of a group of four immortal warriors that this happened to at the same time. Kato’s mother was the Dark Witch, and she created and used him and all his energy for her own evil purposes. He has her dark magic inside of him and can recognize magic in all of its forms. Even the small amount of magic that Grace has, although she has no idea she has it.
With this beginnng, the book immediately goes into action mode. Grace is swept up in a thrill ride with Kato that involves ancient magic, curses, sorcerers, demons, deaths, and last, but not least, romance. Grace and Kato fall into lust easily. Grace is single and Kato is the epitome of the best looking man in the world. And of course Kato has been alone in his stone prison for what seems like an eternity, able to hear and see, but unable to do anything else. He has enjoyed Grace’s one sided conversations with him and he feels he knows her. So it was easy to see them start to hookup early on in the story. Hookups that happen between all the action and mayhem that is occurring around them. And that’s because his breaking free of the curse has angered someone immensely.
This book couldn’t have been more different from her Vampires in America books. A whole different feel to the book, and for a good bit of the story I just wasn’t really sure I liked it. I had to separate it from the other series and get those expectations out of my mind. Once I did that, I did enjoy the read. As I said before, there is plenty of action and there’s a lot of demon hunting as well. The warrior, Damian, and his love from the last book come into the story as well as the warrior’s mentor, sorcerer, Nico. I did enjoy these characters as well as Kato and Grace. However, I did have one more small problem with the read. Kato comes from thousands of years before and the curse also involved him being able to understand all languages just to make it harder for him to be alone. And while there are moments when he is totally confused by everyday colloquialisms, there were other times that he comes out with phrases that just didn’t fit him, as they were too up to date. I found myself pulled out of the story at times to wonder about it. And while that certainly didn’t ruin the book, it took me out of the story enough that I feel it needs to be mentioned. Kudos to the author though, for being able to write a story with a character whose words might cause a problem throughout. In the end, I do think she did a good job with it.
This book ended up being a good read for me. I don’t think I am as invested as I am with Vampires in America, but I will be trying the other books as well. Hopefully, it gets even better from here. As with everything from this author, it’s well written with good characters and a well thought out original premise and world. Recommended to adult paranormal romance readers that don’t mind murders and mayhem in their reads. Adult due to sensual scenes.
Grace Van Allen is doing her post doctoral fellowship at a museum in Southern California. She is an expert in deciphering ancient languages and is working diligently on some ancient scrolls. Her workstation is in the basement of the huge museum and she works day and night-alone when she works at night. Also located in the basement is an ancient statue of a warrior. It sits around the corner from Grace’s desk and during her long hours, she occasionally talks to it. One night she manages to inadvertently break a curse while speaking to it and the statue comes to life. Kato was cursed to live as a statue thousands of years before by an evil sorcerer. He is part of a group of four immortal warriors that this happened to at the same time. Kato’s mother was the Dark Witch, and she created and used him and all his energy for her own evil purposes. He has her dark magic inside of him and can recognize magic in all of its forms. Even the small amount of magic that Grace has, although she has no idea she has it.
With this beginnng, the book immediately goes into action mode. Grace is swept up in a thrill ride with Kato that involves ancient magic, curses, sorcerers, demons, deaths, and last, but not least, romance. Grace and Kato fall into lust easily. Grace is single and Kato is the epitome of the best looking man in the world. And of course Kato has been alone in his stone prison for what seems like an eternity, able to hear and see, but unable to do anything else. He has enjoyed Grace’s one sided conversations with him and he feels he knows her. So it was easy to see them start to hookup early on in the story. Hookups that happen between all the action and mayhem that is occurring around them. And that’s because his breaking free of the curse has angered someone immensely.
This book couldn’t have been more different from her Vampires in America books. A whole different feel to the book, and for a good bit of the story I just wasn’t really sure I liked it. I had to separate it from the other series and get those expectations out of my mind. Once I did that, I did enjoy the read. As I said before, there is plenty of action and there’s a lot of demon hunting as well. The warrior, Damian, and his love from the last book come into the story as well as the warrior’s mentor, sorcerer, Nico. I did enjoy these characters as well as Kato and Grace. However, I did have one more small problem with the read. Kato comes from thousands of years before and the curse also involved him being able to understand all languages just to make it harder for him to be alone. And while there are moments when he is totally confused by everyday colloquialisms, there were other times that he comes out with phrases that just didn’t fit him, as they were too up to date. I found myself pulled out of the story at times to wonder about it. And while that certainly didn’t ruin the book, it took me out of the story enough that I feel it needs to be mentioned. Kudos to the author though, for being able to write a story with a character whose words might cause a problem throughout. In the end, I do think she did a good job with it.
This book ended up being a good read for me. I don’t think I am as invested as I am with Vampires in America, but I will be trying the other books as well. Hopefully, it gets even better from here. As with everything from this author, it’s well written with good characters and a well thought out original premise and world. Recommended to adult paranormal romance readers that don’t mind murders and mayhem in their reads. Adult due to sensual scenes.
June 15, 2017
Kati is book 2 in the Stone Warriors series and Wow what a great addition it is. Ms. Reynolds never fails to be able to draw me in, living the story with the characters never know what will come next. Powerful stone warriors from the past, an evil like no other and a passion that won’t be denied this one has it all.
Read
September 11, 2017Very much enjoyed this! This reminds me of julia mills kings of the blood series. The characters were all interesting to read.
This is a voluntary review and I do not get paid for this review.
This is a voluntary review and I do not get paid for this review.
October 17, 2017
Finally done with the second book!
Looking forward to the next!!
The setting is in JAPAN!!
Looking forward to the next!!
The setting is in JAPAN!!
January 8, 2019
3+, I sort of feel the same way as I did with book one. "The story for this series started a little slow for me. I found myself setting it down often and coming back to it later. This doesn't usually happen with this author. I still think it was a great book, just a little slower then I would have like." Also, I didn't want to hear about the Dark Witch so often, it was too much for me too.
June 30, 2017
Maybe 4 1/2. Good but I couldn't quite latch on to Kato and Grace. Not sure what was missing for me. Still good. I know it was Grace and Kato's story but I kind of wish that Damian and Nic had gotten involved a bit earlier.
December 22, 2018
This was ok but not as engaging as Damian in the first book. The tracking and killing of 3 demons was really tedious. I liked Kato but not Grace so much. She was ridiculous charging after Kato herself near the end and I really disliked her attitude to Nick. I will read on but this was a disappointment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews