Chasing Shadows

The Initiative #1

by Kindra Sowder

Isabelle Van Helsing comes from a long and proud lineage, descended from the same man that went face-to-face with Dracula himself. Now that the world knows the supernatural exists, she is tasked with arresting and exterminating them, working for a government entity called The Initiative. And there are shadows lurking just waiting for the opportune moment to take it all down. After the death of a fellow Exterminator, Izzy and her snarky cohort and boyfriend Jonas McGrady, go to work investigating her death, finding that things aren't as black and white as they seemed.

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2016

About the author

Kindra Sowder was born and raised in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA until the age of 12, when her family moved to Spartanburg, SC. She graduated from high school in 2006 with full honors and as a member of her high school Literary Club and the Spanish Honor Society. In January 2014, she graduated with her second degree in Criminal NeuroPsychology. She married her husband Edd Sowder in May 2014 and still lives in Spartanburg, SC where their company Burning Willow Press is based. She is the author of the Miss Hyde Novellas that are coming to television, and the ground-breaking series The Permutation Archives. She has earned a number of award nominations and wins for her literary works. She is currently penning more works and is earning her Masters Degree in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Fiction from South New Hampshire University. As of 2018, she is undergoing treatment for Behcet's Disease. She hopes to become an advocate, and a voice for others with this rare condition.

Reviews

[Lloyd Kerns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampires are not my thing, but this kept me engaged throughout. It is not only vampires it is a mix, kind of like Dylan Dog but less humorous, darker. I read it over a year ago and some scenes remain vividly fresh in my mind to this day.

[Arien/Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I can completely put into word how much I absolutely loved this book! I want more in this story, can't wait to read what comes next. The way it is written it grabs you from the start and you don't ever want to put the book down until it's finished and then of course you're screaming for more. I am so looking forward to the next book in this series, because I know it can only get better.

[James Master · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best way to describe this book is that it is a cross between the movie “Men In Black” (1997) and the television show “Supernatural.” The book is set in a world where Abraham Van Helsing isn’t just a fictional character in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” In this book, the descendants of Van Helsing are carrying on the family tradition by hunting down supernatural forces, but now they are funded by the government and are known as The Initiative.
The story centers on Isabelle Van Helsing, a fierce warrior against all things supernatural. Everything is business as usual for her until a friend and coworker is brutally murdered by a supernatural entity. This sets her down a path that will challenge her skills as a fighter as well as test her humanity. Joining her is her lover McGrady, a Scottish version of Gerard Butler.
This book is a paranormal romance and therefore contains some ‘romantic’ scenes that surpass some other paranormal romances I’ve read.
The best part of this book isn’t the creatures, cool weapons, sex scenes, or the characters. The thing that makes this book so great is the way Kindra Sowder weaves her tale together. Anyone can throw Van Helsing and monsters together and try and make it look cool, if you don’t believe me check out the movie “Van Helsing” (2004), but Sowder delivers where others have failed.
Sowder creates such rich characters that makes the reader believe that they are real. McGrady for example talks with a heavy Scottish accent and when you read it, you’ll find yourself speaking out loud in that same accent. Sowder makes the reader care about the characters. If they live you’ll cheer, if they die you’ll most likely cry or even curse Sowder. You’ll keep reading though, because the writing hooks you from page one.
The action scenes are intense and fast paced while the ‘romantic’ scenes are steamy (I dislike this word but there’s no other way to say it) and just as intense as the action scenes.
I won’t spoil anything else with this review, but I would encourage readers of all genres, not just paranormal romance, to check out “Chasing Shadows.” It has a little bit of everything.

[Nicole Thorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Chasing Shadows is a unique take on the idea of monster hunting. Totally not what i expected when i started this, but i was pleasantly surprised with the twists and turns. All of the characters felt like real people, and i thought the relationship between Izzy and McGrady was so sweet and fun. I hope more books in this series are released because i would love to see more of these characters.