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The Veil Keeper #1
Shadow Touched
My name is Lorn, and I’m a witch. Or at least, I thought I was.
Turns out, things aren’t always what they seem.
My magic has always been different from others of my kind—untamed. Something to hide, even in my own world, along with my monster-filled dreams and odd ‘episodes.’
When my entire life is turned upside down with a single drop of blood, the mysterious magick I’ve been trying to hide finally catches up to me.
Deserted and stranded on my own, four strangers offer me asylum and a place to call home. At least, for now.
With the help of Dason, Chayton, Axel, and Kota, I’m discovering the truth about myself as my past and my future collide. The world I grew up in was a lie, and now I’m learning how to use my magick, who my enemies are, and that the beasts stalking my sleep are actually real. And they’re my problem.
Surrounded by deadly threats, the guys and I navigate a world full of supernatural creatures, each with their own agendas, to gather the intel we need to defeat the darkness. Hopefully for good.
There’s danger in the shadows, but I’ll be dead before I let it win.
And I’m just getting started.
Turns out, things aren’t always what they seem.
My magic has always been different from others of my kind—untamed. Something to hide, even in my own world, along with my monster-filled dreams and odd ‘episodes.’
When my entire life is turned upside down with a single drop of blood, the mysterious magick I’ve been trying to hide finally catches up to me.
Deserted and stranded on my own, four strangers offer me asylum and a place to call home. At least, for now.
With the help of Dason, Chayton, Axel, and Kota, I’m discovering the truth about myself as my past and my future collide. The world I grew up in was a lie, and now I’m learning how to use my magick, who my enemies are, and that the beasts stalking my sleep are actually real. And they’re my problem.
Surrounded by deadly threats, the guys and I navigate a world full of supernatural creatures, each with their own agendas, to gather the intel we need to defeat the darkness. Hopefully for good.
There’s danger in the shadows, but I’ll be dead before I let it win.
And I’m just getting started.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2019
1014 people are currently reading
2108 people want to read
About the author
Harper Wylde
33 books1,006 followersHarper Wylde is a bestselling paranormal romance and urban fantasy author who lives in the countryside of Pennsylvania. As a wife and mother of three young children, she spends her days chasing after little ones and making notes all around her house about magical worlds, strong heroines, and the men who would do anything to protect them. When she’s not writing, she can often be found curled up with a good book, binge watching reruns of The Vampire Diaries, or gaming with her boys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
want-to-read-but-not-that-badly
July 5, 2019Does everything that looks good have to be a reverse harem these days? Is this trend just a plot on behalf of the vaginal rejuvenation plastic surgery industry?
January 21, 2021
You know its generally not a good sign when you consider DNFing at about 20%,bit keep going because it's not bad, it's just not engaging you. That was my trouble with this book.
It didn't help that it had two things I don't like, and didn't pick up from the blurb: a youngish heroine with that naieve and sheltered narrative voice, and fated mates.
I generally, unless done very well, find fated mates to be a somewhat lazy story telling device and that it cheapens the relationship. While this is instant fated mates, the relationships themselves are slow burn in the physical side, but not the emotional side, which always seems incongruous to me.
I also wasn't really interested in any of the characters. The MC had that YA vibe going on, particularly at the start (it's never a good sign when they live with their parents) which I don't enjoy being in the head of, and the men were reasonably generic.
While I'm sounding negative, the book itself wasn't bad. It was a decent enough storyline and not badly written. But I'm somewhat fussy when it comes to what I can tolerate in my RH books nowadays, after being burnt out with the genre last year, so I'm sure others won't have my hang ups with it.
It didn't help that it had two things I don't like, and didn't pick up from the blurb: a youngish heroine with that naieve and sheltered narrative voice, and fated mates.
I generally, unless done very well, find fated mates to be a somewhat lazy story telling device and that it cheapens the relationship. While this is instant fated mates, the relationships themselves are slow burn in the physical side, but not the emotional side, which always seems incongruous to me.
I also wasn't really interested in any of the characters. The MC had that YA vibe going on, particularly at the start (it's never a good sign when they live with their parents) which I don't enjoy being in the head of, and the men were reasonably generic.
While I'm sounding negative, the book itself wasn't bad. It was a decent enough storyline and not badly written. But I'm somewhat fussy when it comes to what I can tolerate in my RH books nowadays, after being burnt out with the genre last year, so I'm sure others won't have my hang ups with it.
December 29, 2022
The plot wasn't awful or anything, but the book, overall, was boring.
The characters were a bit meh, I can't say that I liked any of them too much, they were a bit too flat for my taste.
The writing style, though... I expected more after reading the blurb. I just wasn't engaged in this read and that kind of sucks. I really don't like it when I see a good idea, a good plot with amazing potential, get lost in a mediocre writing style.
But oh well, I'm not giving up on the author yet, just on this series.
The characters were a bit meh, I can't say that I liked any of them too much, they were a bit too flat for my taste.
The writing style, though... I expected more after reading the blurb. I just wasn't engaged in this read and that kind of sucks. I really don't like it when I see a good idea, a good plot with amazing potential, get lost in a mediocre writing style.
But oh well, I'm not giving up on the author yet, just on this series.
June 1, 2021
The first 20% was honestly a slog, and I was pretty close to bailing. The FMC felt tedious and stupid, and ... I don't know, everything felt tentative in a really non-engaging way.
But then it got into the meat of the story and I liked it a lot - I felt like the author maybe had a hard time getting through the setup, but once she landed in the "situation" she found her footing and things firmed up. The characters got smarter and more 3-dimensional, and I was really engaged. So I'm going to give it 3 stars, and hope that trend continues into the next book!
But then it got into the meat of the story and I liked it a lot - I felt like the author maybe had a hard time getting through the setup, but once she landed in the "situation" she found her footing and things firmed up. The characters got smarter and more 3-dimensional, and I was really engaged. So I'm going to give it 3 stars, and hope that trend continues into the next book!
June 11, 2019
Great read!
This book has been different from any other RH that I’ve read. It starts you off thinking this witch is going to learn her specialty and hence a fiancé, hopefully the warlock she met in the woods earlier in the day. What happens couldn’t be farther from the truth! Once you recover from that plot twist- BAM! Here comes another one. They are unexpected and perfect. Can’t wait to read the next one!
This book has been different from any other RH that I’ve read. It starts you off thinking this witch is going to learn her specialty and hence a fiancé, hopefully the warlock she met in the woods earlier in the day. What happens couldn’t be farther from the truth! Once you recover from that plot twist- BAM! Here comes another one. They are unexpected and perfect. Can’t wait to read the next one!
November 5, 2023
Rating: 4.5/5
Spice: .5/5
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for in a reverse harem read. Oh my god I loved everything about it!!
There was so much plot mixed into the romance which I always need in my romances. With so many love interests I know that’s hard but this author definitely pulled it off. Not only that, but she the relationships are still forming themselves. They are aware they are mated but they are still taking the time to get to know each other on an emotional level too. It’s not just the physical attraction which I really applaud this author for.
Our main character is very likable. She has had so much thrown at her and it isn’t just breaking her down. For the first time in her life she feels like she belongs and will do anything in her power to learn her role and also keep her mates safe. I think all of her mate’s personalities are amazing and their questions or concerns about this whole thing are completely valid. However, they aren’t pushing Lorn away, which is another pet peeve I have with some books. They realize it does take time to accurately form a relationship even if you’re fated to be with someone.
The plot is a lot of fun! It’s easy to understand and definitely kept me guessing on a few things. The action is also something I find exciting to read about! All easy to understand.
I’ll be starting the next one right away! Need to get more answers and also see how these relationships get stronger!!!
Spice: .5/5
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for in a reverse harem read. Oh my god I loved everything about it!!
There was so much plot mixed into the romance which I always need in my romances. With so many love interests I know that’s hard but this author definitely pulled it off. Not only that, but she the relationships are still forming themselves. They are aware they are mated but they are still taking the time to get to know each other on an emotional level too. It’s not just the physical attraction which I really applaud this author for.
Our main character is very likable. She has had so much thrown at her and it isn’t just breaking her down. For the first time in her life she feels like she belongs and will do anything in her power to learn her role and also keep her mates safe. I think all of her mate’s personalities are amazing and their questions or concerns about this whole thing are completely valid. However, they aren’t pushing Lorn away, which is another pet peeve I have with some books. They realize it does take time to accurately form a relationship even if you’re fated to be with someone.
The plot is a lot of fun! It’s easy to understand and definitely kept me guessing on a few things. The action is also something I find exciting to read about! All easy to understand.
I’ll be starting the next one right away! Need to get more answers and also see how these relationships get stronger!!!
June 7, 2019
3.5 stars. Good concept but would have liked the relationships to have been built up more.
July 6, 2019
What is it About:
Lorn believed that she was a witch until a witch right of passage shows that she's mistaken. Her adopted coven turns on her and her only means of escape is a man that she was an intense connection to. It turns out that Axel is just like her and her mate. But he doesn't come alone. His pack of Dason, Kote and Chayton will protect Lorn with their lives as she discovers her heritage and what makes her so special, more special than any other woman of her kind.
What I Did and Didn't Like:
I'll start with the positives, although it doesn't come naturally to me. The plot was actually quite interesting. A woman discovers that she's a supernatural that is the enemy of her adopted family. It actually made me curious about her powers and history since females of her kind were rare. I think that the execution was a bit off though. Lorn kept saying that she can do things herself and doesn't need help, but when it got tough she wasn't as badass as I would have liked. She came across as a bit stupid since every single time that she tried to help, she ended up close to death and distracting the guys helping her. Even if she did help, to put herself in harms way when it's the guys job to hunt and fight monsters just shows how young she is.
Character-wise, it didn't impress me. I've already criticised Lorn, but the men just blurred together. I think it's a hard part of a reverse harem romance that not a lot of authors do right, there's so many men in a small space of time that there needs to be a focus to allow the readers to get to know them individually rather than as only a collective. Dason and Kota didn't really have much of a connection with Lorn so that kind of ruined the pack romance. I don't mind reverse harem romances were men get added to it, but I didn't like the execution at the end. It was like the author just randomly chucked them into the mix. Considering how sexually parts of this book got, nothing happened. She kissed one guy a few times; about two kisses with one guy of four isn't a particularly good ratio to have for a reverse harem.
Final Thoughts:
I recently gone through a phase of reverse harem novels, so I suppose it doesn't help when I can compare this so recently to other books that I find better.
Would I recommend it? I don't think so, other better Reverse Harem books come to mind before this one.
Will I be carrying on the series? Probably not, I wasn't invested in any of the characters.
Lorn believed that she was a witch until a witch right of passage shows that she's mistaken. Her adopted coven turns on her and her only means of escape is a man that she was an intense connection to. It turns out that Axel is just like her and her mate. But he doesn't come alone. His pack of Dason, Kote and Chayton will protect Lorn with their lives as she discovers her heritage and what makes her so special, more special than any other woman of her kind.
What I Did and Didn't Like:
I'll start with the positives, although it doesn't come naturally to me. The plot was actually quite interesting. A woman discovers that she's a supernatural that is the enemy of her adopted family. It actually made me curious about her powers and history since females of her kind were rare. I think that the execution was a bit off though. Lorn kept saying that she can do things herself and doesn't need help, but when it got tough she wasn't as badass as I would have liked. She came across as a bit stupid since every single time that she tried to help, she ended up close to death and distracting the guys helping her. Even if she did help, to put herself in harms way when it's the guys job to hunt and fight monsters just shows how young she is.
Character-wise, it didn't impress me. I've already criticised Lorn, but the men just blurred together. I think it's a hard part of a reverse harem romance that not a lot of authors do right, there's so many men in a small space of time that there needs to be a focus to allow the readers to get to know them individually rather than as only a collective. Dason and Kota didn't really have much of a connection with Lorn so that kind of ruined the pack romance. I don't mind reverse harem romances were men get added to it, but I didn't like the execution at the end. It was like the author just randomly chucked them into the mix. Considering how sexually parts of this book got, nothing happened. She kissed one guy a few times; about two kisses with one guy of four isn't a particularly good ratio to have for a reverse harem.
Final Thoughts:
I recently gone through a phase of reverse harem novels, so I suppose it doesn't help when I can compare this so recently to other books that I find better.
Would I recommend it? I don't think so, other better Reverse Harem books come to mind before this one.
Will I be carrying on the series? Probably not, I wasn't invested in any of the characters.
April 21, 2020
Not Safe:
Triggers:
Triggers:
January 18, 2021
Kindle Unlimited.
This was fun. I liked Lorn, and I think the world building was interesting. The RH plot line definitely has some potential (nothing steamy in this book, but mates are discovered). I like the mystery of what's going on with the demons (who's summoning them? why?). I even liked the side plots of mystery cape wizard who helped in LA, and the whole Fae community. Good stuff all around.
Lorn throwing herself into action seemed a bit ridiculous. A girl who doesn't exercise, and can't seem to walk through the woods without falling in the beginning of the book suddenly decides to fight a demon at the end of the book? Ehhhh....
I will pick up book two and see which plot lines get developed.
This was fun. I liked Lorn, and I think the world building was interesting. The RH plot line definitely has some potential (nothing steamy in this book, but mates are discovered). I like the mystery of what's going on with the demons (who's summoning them? why?). I even liked the side plots of mystery cape wizard who helped in LA, and the whole Fae community. Good stuff all around.
Lorn throwing herself into action seemed a bit ridiculous. A girl who doesn't exercise, and can't seem to walk through the woods without falling in the beginning of the book suddenly decides to fight a demon at the end of the book? Ehhhh....
I will pick up book two and see which plot lines get developed.
September 24, 2019
I really liked this book but I still feel confused to a degree. I don’t feel like I know everything and the way of the world. Even with the POVs of the Hs I was hoping we’d get more info.
So this book starts with Lorn who thinks she’s a witch. And she needs to do a ceremony to sort her into the coven. Except it doesn’t go as planned and she’s actually a skinwalker which are apparently enemies to the witches and wizards, because they believe that they use “dark magic” and summon evil. Not realizing that that’s what skinwalkers are for. Ugh.
And then there’s the mates.
A lot happens but where the book ended it was a bit untied. First we didn’t get to see Mara and Lorn talk cause Mara is going to be a problem I feel like since she was going to be the mate. We didn’t get to see the aftermath that happened after the big demon fight. A lot started to happen and then the book stopped.
I’m still in.
Another thing though, this book says at the end that the next book in the series will be out in September 2019, September is almost over, and there at least isn’t a book up on KU to anticipate release. So will this be happening? I’ll have to wait even though I really wanted to read the rest!
Can’t wait to see what comes.
So this book starts with Lorn who thinks she’s a witch. And she needs to do a ceremony to sort her into the coven. Except it doesn’t go as planned and she’s actually a skinwalker which are apparently enemies to the witches and wizards, because they believe that they use “dark magic” and summon evil. Not realizing that that’s what skinwalkers are for. Ugh.
And then there’s the mates.
A lot happens but where the book ended it was a bit untied. First we didn’t get to see Mara and Lorn talk cause Mara is going to be a problem I feel like since she was going to be the mate. We didn’t get to see the aftermath that happened after the big demon fight. A lot started to happen and then the book stopped.
I’m still in.
Another thing though, this book says at the end that the next book in the series will be out in September 2019, September is almost over, and there at least isn’t a book up on KU to anticipate release. So will this be happening? I’ll have to wait even though I really wanted to read the rest!
Can’t wait to see what comes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2019
Good start
This one slams into the action and sets a break neck speed through a paranormal world on the edge of disaster. When Lorn learns she isn’t what she always thought she was, it sets up a series of events that thrust her into an entirely new culture - one where she is far more than she always thought, along with a handful of fated mates that really have no idea of what to do with her.
Pros:
- Good set up, can see this being a great series.
- Lorn. Can’t help but love her.
- Crew has real life issues,not just supernatural problems.
Cons:
- Minor Editing issues.
This one slams into the action and sets a break neck speed through a paranormal world on the edge of disaster. When Lorn learns she isn’t what she always thought she was, it sets up a series of events that thrust her into an entirely new culture - one where she is far more than she always thought, along with a handful of fated mates that really have no idea of what to do with her.
Pros:
- Good set up, can see this being a great series.
- Lorn. Can’t help but love her.
- Crew has real life issues,not just supernatural problems.
Cons:
- Minor Editing issues.
February 21, 2021
Love how being fated mates isn't translated to immediate sexual tension. Relationships need time to develop, for all to get to know each other, and that is wonderfully portrayed in this book. Add it in a journey of self discovery and demons threatening to rip out your intestines at every turn, and you have quite an enjoyable read!
June 23, 2019
Excellent book
I loved this book. A good thought out storyline, Navajo lore, shifters, and sexy men all in one book! Worth your time to read.
I loved this book. A good thought out storyline, Navajo lore, shifters, and sexy men all in one book! Worth your time to read.
May 10, 2021
It wasn't bad, just boring.
September 10, 2021
nope, I like RH but don't like that book at all.
June 26, 2019
Really enjoyed the book!
Looking forward to the next one.
Looking forward to the next one.
June 24, 2022
Review for the entire series. Overall I give it a 2.5 as a series. Some minor spoilers, but kept as vague as possible while still describing things. Bigger spoilers will have a warning before them.
Generally while I like the premise, the FMC is really weak, way too submissive. There were a number of times I was bored, especially when the characters where having the same argument over and over. It felt like the series was stretched to get a money grab book 4, that was shorter than the rest without much content other than sex. And despite the fact the series felt stretched out and drug at times, there were a number of areas left under developed. Instill don't feel like I know much about the guys other than the very surface of their stories. If someone asked if they should read this, I would say no.
Lorn, FMC is a witch, adopted daughter to a high ranking witch with a father who adores her but is absent, gone on work, and a mother who is cold and uses Lorn as a prop, ignoring her when others aren't watching. In this universe, supes live among humans but hidden. We get zero interaction with the human world, other than a few scenes where they talk about how the magic will conceal the supernatural activity from any humans in the area. I. The witch world, witches go to a witch college from 18-20, and after graduation they return to their coven for a ceremony where their strongest power is revealed, they join that group of witches (I'm not entirely sure if each coven specialized or if there was a specialist group in each coven) and based upon how strong they are, the witches are matched for a future arranged marriage. Lorn's powers have never worked correctly, so she is nervous about the ceremony. Nervous about letting her dad down, and embarrassing her mom, by getting a low ranking specialty, and worried she will be matched to someone awful because she is so low ranking.
In this universe the witches and warlocks keep to themselves, thinking the shadows/skin walkers, the shifters, the vampires, and the fae are below them. The other groups mingle some. It's mostly presented as they only interact for business when necessary, with the vamps having NYC, the Fae having Los Angeles, the witches and the shifters, who seem to be limited to wolves, spread out all over the place, and the city of New Orleans being a treaty mixing spot for everyone.
So, you have FMC who feels like she never fit in, who gets the surprise of her life, ends up with a bunch of sexy men, some who are reluctant, and has to navigate this new supernatural world she knew nothing about while dealing with a gaggle of men with pasts of their own, and betrayals, all while saving the world. I like all of those things. I just don't like how they were done here.
First, the last book is significantly shorter. It comes in at under a hundred pages. At one point there are five chapters in a row where all the FMC does is have sex. Then, in two pages there is a major death, and then another two chapters of sex. So we get an already shortened book where the actual story is thrown to the wayside for hookup after hookup. There are a couple of big battles and they are so unsatisfying the way they are rush and with no development or build up, especially in comparison to the excruciating detail that is put into each of the sex scenes.
Second, the FMC is literally put on this planet to save the world, yet the guys spend the entire series trying to prevent her from doing the one thing she exists to do. And the kicker is, there is no where she can hide, so it's no like they can run off and hide on an island or conjured yacht while the world goes to shit around them. She, and the rest of the world, will literally die if they don't let her do her thing, but every time she has to do her thing there is this massive argument with the guys saying you stay here. X you are assist to protect her and keep her away. I will end you if she joins the fight. That makes no sense! She is more powerful than all of the guys put together and was literally designed to do this!
Third, there are a number of characters who are introduced and set up as though they are going to have a richer role in the story, and then they are all just dropped. A number appear in the big battle at the end, but it's just oh, look, the gang is all here. But they haven't been weaved into the story in a convince way as you go. They just show up to fight and then maybe they do something, i don't know, it's all off camera. Honestly the supporting characters mostly feel like they are cameos to set up other series. You have the powerful witch couple, the fae, the vamps, and the seer who all are owed but nothing comes due in this series. Don't just throw other characters in as ads. If they are in the story, make them part of the story. I don't have any investment in these people to find out their stories. They are one dimensional background characters.
Fourth, the main cast gets a warning basically immediately that something has to happen or else duh duh duh and then proceedes to do nothing to make that thing happen despite increasingly dire circumstances until the last half of the last book. That seems incredibly stupid, especially when the thing is necessary to keep Lorn alive. Seeing as they won't let her do the one thing she was put on this earth to do because they cant risk her you would think they would immediately have this other thing wrapped up.
Fifth, there is an awkward and far fetched push for an age tension. Everyone in the book is under 30, well, the important people. Despite this one of the guys spends books agonizing over being way too old for the FMC, who is 20. How old was Vampire Bill or Vampire Erik compared to Sookie? How old was Edward to Bella? I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be scandalized by a nine year age difference? That isn't even scandalous in the human world. It is so forced and a slog to get through every time it comes up.
Sixth, Lorn is not a bad ass, she is super weak. Whenever she get upset she runs, literally, but stays in her little cage because they told her she has to. She is an alpha in her own right, stronger than the guys, but submits to them all the time. She is always begging to do what she was literally out on the earth to do rather than just saying yeah I'm doing it. You can back me, which I hope you will, or not, but I'm doing it. She is a grown adult, she can't sass someone.
Seventh there are a bunch of plot holes. Skip this one if you don't want bigger spoilers. Okay, so the guys are all under 30 but they are about to mate to another woman because they are so old and have been searching for their mate for years. YEARS! So, assuming they want to settle down at 18, theyve been looking for twelve years and saw whew, the oldest of us is approaching 30, and I know we live longer than humans, but man, we better settle down and give up on ever finding out fated mates because we are SOOOOO over the hill. Apparently these are Amish supes. Especially considering they are all basically virgins who had barely even kissed their would be mate despite abstaining not being a thing for them.
Everyone knew who Lorn was the second she walked into town, despite never having seen her and her being this secret who was being hidden...
Bigger spoiler. Did J force everyone to become his? How did that power swap happen? And couldn't they just swap back if it just took a submissive bite?
They talk about not wanting kids for a while, but within 6 months she is pregnant. Okay, guess you ran out of that birth control. What 20 year old doesn't want to be pregnant...
Bigish spoiler. I'm still not entirely sure if the shadows were witches that became shifter like or shifters that became witch like. Other than Kota's hatred for witches and wizards, because of what they did, and the fact that they live near pack grounds, which I think was because the had a symbiotic relationship, the shadows seemed far more witches/warlocks who gained the power to be any shifter than shifters who also gained the power to shift into anything and have magic?? I don't know, maybe a few fewer pages of things being wet and a few more pages on what people actually were.
Bigish spoiler. How is that a punishment for Mara???? Oh no! You have to go become a second kind of sup without losing any of the abilities of your first kind, so, now you you will be stronger. That will teach you!!
So, are we just not gonna talk about Grams or the bookstore? No? Okay. Guess they both disappeared.
Major spoiler in this paragraph. Then there is Lorn's mother's mates. Like, did none of them know? She didn't, i dunno, whisper down the mate line, psst, that one. We should talk about him. And then they were just suddenly with him with no explanation for the big battle. What was their motivation??
The whole sexual assault thing. That was so forced. And it was just so you could have the one scene with shades. That could have been done so much better than a i don't remember any of it because I was dead and high on vampire v, but now I suddenly remember it all (no, not a flashback, this was not a survivor unblocking and remembering or having flashes) and am incapacitated. This was one of those check off a box and shove it in even if it doesn't really fit and then once you've used it for this one place forget about it forever.
Bigger spoiler. If the shadow walkers are shifters/witches who are proximate to a death (because that's a it takes. First it's they caused the death, then it was well they blame themselves, then it was eh they were nearby.) then why didn't they just solve their lack of females problem by having women kill people/be near by when others killed people/stop offering OBGYN services? The last one isn't the smartest plan unless you get a few pups first. Shadow walkers aren't born, so there is no explanation for the lack of females.
There was more, but this is long.
In conclusion: meh.
Generally while I like the premise, the FMC is really weak, way too submissive. There were a number of times I was bored, especially when the characters where having the same argument over and over. It felt like the series was stretched to get a money grab book 4, that was shorter than the rest without much content other than sex. And despite the fact the series felt stretched out and drug at times, there were a number of areas left under developed. Instill don't feel like I know much about the guys other than the very surface of their stories. If someone asked if they should read this, I would say no.
Lorn, FMC is a witch, adopted daughter to a high ranking witch with a father who adores her but is absent, gone on work, and a mother who is cold and uses Lorn as a prop, ignoring her when others aren't watching. In this universe, supes live among humans but hidden. We get zero interaction with the human world, other than a few scenes where they talk about how the magic will conceal the supernatural activity from any humans in the area. I. The witch world, witches go to a witch college from 18-20, and after graduation they return to their coven for a ceremony where their strongest power is revealed, they join that group of witches (I'm not entirely sure if each coven specialized or if there was a specialist group in each coven) and based upon how strong they are, the witches are matched for a future arranged marriage. Lorn's powers have never worked correctly, so she is nervous about the ceremony. Nervous about letting her dad down, and embarrassing her mom, by getting a low ranking specialty, and worried she will be matched to someone awful because she is so low ranking.
In this universe the witches and warlocks keep to themselves, thinking the shadows/skin walkers, the shifters, the vampires, and the fae are below them. The other groups mingle some. It's mostly presented as they only interact for business when necessary, with the vamps having NYC, the Fae having Los Angeles, the witches and the shifters, who seem to be limited to wolves, spread out all over the place, and the city of New Orleans being a treaty mixing spot for everyone.
So, you have FMC who feels like she never fit in, who gets the surprise of her life, ends up with a bunch of sexy men, some who are reluctant, and has to navigate this new supernatural world she knew nothing about while dealing with a gaggle of men with pasts of their own, and betrayals, all while saving the world. I like all of those things. I just don't like how they were done here.
First, the last book is significantly shorter. It comes in at under a hundred pages. At one point there are five chapters in a row where all the FMC does is have sex. Then, in two pages there is a major death, and then another two chapters of sex. So we get an already shortened book where the actual story is thrown to the wayside for hookup after hookup. There are a couple of big battles and they are so unsatisfying the way they are rush and with no development or build up, especially in comparison to the excruciating detail that is put into each of the sex scenes.
Second, the FMC is literally put on this planet to save the world, yet the guys spend the entire series trying to prevent her from doing the one thing she exists to do. And the kicker is, there is no where she can hide, so it's no like they can run off and hide on an island or conjured yacht while the world goes to shit around them. She, and the rest of the world, will literally die if they don't let her do her thing, but every time she has to do her thing there is this massive argument with the guys saying you stay here. X you are assist to protect her and keep her away. I will end you if she joins the fight. That makes no sense! She is more powerful than all of the guys put together and was literally designed to do this!
Third, there are a number of characters who are introduced and set up as though they are going to have a richer role in the story, and then they are all just dropped. A number appear in the big battle at the end, but it's just oh, look, the gang is all here. But they haven't been weaved into the story in a convince way as you go. They just show up to fight and then maybe they do something, i don't know, it's all off camera. Honestly the supporting characters mostly feel like they are cameos to set up other series. You have the powerful witch couple, the fae, the vamps, and the seer who all are owed but nothing comes due in this series. Don't just throw other characters in as ads. If they are in the story, make them part of the story. I don't have any investment in these people to find out their stories. They are one dimensional background characters.
Fourth, the main cast gets a warning basically immediately that something has to happen or else duh duh duh and then proceedes to do nothing to make that thing happen despite increasingly dire circumstances until the last half of the last book. That seems incredibly stupid, especially when the thing is necessary to keep Lorn alive. Seeing as they won't let her do the one thing she was put on this earth to do because they cant risk her you would think they would immediately have this other thing wrapped up.
Fifth, there is an awkward and far fetched push for an age tension. Everyone in the book is under 30, well, the important people. Despite this one of the guys spends books agonizing over being way too old for the FMC, who is 20. How old was Vampire Bill or Vampire Erik compared to Sookie? How old was Edward to Bella? I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be scandalized by a nine year age difference? That isn't even scandalous in the human world. It is so forced and a slog to get through every time it comes up.
Sixth, Lorn is not a bad ass, she is super weak. Whenever she get upset she runs, literally, but stays in her little cage because they told her she has to. She is an alpha in her own right, stronger than the guys, but submits to them all the time. She is always begging to do what she was literally out on the earth to do rather than just saying yeah I'm doing it. You can back me, which I hope you will, or not, but I'm doing it. She is a grown adult, she can't sass someone.
Seventh there are a bunch of plot holes. Skip this one if you don't want bigger spoilers. Okay, so the guys are all under 30 but they are about to mate to another woman because they are so old and have been searching for their mate for years. YEARS! So, assuming they want to settle down at 18, theyve been looking for twelve years and saw whew, the oldest of us is approaching 30, and I know we live longer than humans, but man, we better settle down and give up on ever finding out fated mates because we are SOOOOO over the hill. Apparently these are Amish supes. Especially considering they are all basically virgins who had barely even kissed their would be mate despite abstaining not being a thing for them.
Everyone knew who Lorn was the second she walked into town, despite never having seen her and her being this secret who was being hidden...
Bigger spoiler. Did J force everyone to become his? How did that power swap happen? And couldn't they just swap back if it just took a submissive bite?
They talk about not wanting kids for a while, but within 6 months she is pregnant. Okay, guess you ran out of that birth control. What 20 year old doesn't want to be pregnant...
Bigish spoiler. I'm still not entirely sure if the shadows were witches that became shifter like or shifters that became witch like. Other than Kota's hatred for witches and wizards, because of what they did, and the fact that they live near pack grounds, which I think was because the had a symbiotic relationship, the shadows seemed far more witches/warlocks who gained the power to be any shifter than shifters who also gained the power to shift into anything and have magic?? I don't know, maybe a few fewer pages of things being wet and a few more pages on what people actually were.
Bigish spoiler. How is that a punishment for Mara???? Oh no! You have to go become a second kind of sup without losing any of the abilities of your first kind, so, now you you will be stronger. That will teach you!!
So, are we just not gonna talk about Grams or the bookstore? No? Okay. Guess they both disappeared.
Major spoiler in this paragraph. Then there is Lorn's mother's mates. Like, did none of them know? She didn't, i dunno, whisper down the mate line, psst, that one. We should talk about him. And then they were just suddenly with him with no explanation for the big battle. What was their motivation??
The whole sexual assault thing. That was so forced. And it was just so you could have the one scene with shades. That could have been done so much better than a i don't remember any of it because I was dead and high on vampire v, but now I suddenly remember it all (no, not a flashback, this was not a survivor unblocking and remembering or having flashes) and am incapacitated. This was one of those check off a box and shove it in even if it doesn't really fit and then once you've used it for this one place forget about it forever.
Bigger spoiler. If the shadow walkers are shifters/witches who are proximate to a death (because that's a it takes. First it's they caused the death, then it was well they blame themselves, then it was eh they were nearby.) then why didn't they just solve their lack of females problem by having women kill people/be near by when others killed people/stop offering OBGYN services? The last one isn't the smartest plan unless you get a few pups first. Shadow walkers aren't born, so there is no explanation for the lack of females.
There was more, but this is long.
In conclusion: meh.
November 16, 2021
DNF 70%. Look, I tried okay but at this point I might stab myself through the eye if I have to continue. Honestly, this story is not overly ridiculous or badly written, I’ve read far worse RH. It’s that the story is super bland and contains all the RH tropes that make me cringe. Such as:
- fated mates: gives me full body shudders.
- young heroine with unknown powers vs older more experienced men.
- calling each other mate, male or female (gag)
- having uncontrollable physical attraction with absolutely no emotional connection.
- instant acceptance of the new situation. Nonresistance to life altering change whatsoever.
- heroine who interferes (and thinks she knows best) regarding things she knows nothing about.
- sexual jokes and taunts between MCs (incl heroine) when they don’t even know each other.
And then things that annoyed me about this book specifically: the way magic manifests in this book.
- conjure up new (brand name) clothes? Sure done.
- I need a motorcycle! Sure just snap your fingers.
- I want to go on a vacation. Here is a portal to anywhere you would like.
I just really didn’t like this story.
- fated mates: gives me full body shudders.
- young heroine with unknown powers vs older more experienced men.
- calling each other mate, male or female (gag)
- having uncontrollable physical attraction with absolutely no emotional connection.
- instant acceptance of the new situation. Nonresistance to life altering change whatsoever.
- heroine who interferes (and thinks she knows best) regarding things she knows nothing about.
- sexual jokes and taunts between MCs (incl heroine) when they don’t even know each other.
And then things that annoyed me about this book specifically: the way magic manifests in this book.
- conjure up new (brand name) clothes? Sure done.
- I need a motorcycle! Sure just snap your fingers.
- I want to go on a vacation. Here is a portal to anywhere you would like.
I just really didn’t like this story.
June 9, 2019
Mind blown! Skin walkers are soo cool!
For a first solo debut Harper you have out done yourself!
I flove this book so much, seriously!
I have never read much about skin walkers so when I heard that's what Harper's new book was based on I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, and boy am I pleased that I did.
The world building is incredible. Harper has created such an intricate world with different casts of supes with powers I wouldn't normally associate with that paranormal and yet it mashes so well. There's high councils, princes, evil lords we know not of, grumpy mates and flirty mates and best of all the FMC is a naive yet kickass skin walker with unimaginable power and demons are gunning for her. Seriously what more could we want in a story.
This story doesn't even have any nooky in it and yet I was enraptured throughout this entire book, so much so that I read it in a day.
This was a great intro into what I can only imagine is going to be a spectacular new series. I can't wait to find out more about Lorn and her mates and the journey/s they will embark on.
For a first solo debut Harper you have out done yourself!
I flove this book so much, seriously!
I have never read much about skin walkers so when I heard that's what Harper's new book was based on I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, and boy am I pleased that I did.
The world building is incredible. Harper has created such an intricate world with different casts of supes with powers I wouldn't normally associate with that paranormal and yet it mashes so well. There's high councils, princes, evil lords we know not of, grumpy mates and flirty mates and best of all the FMC is a naive yet kickass skin walker with unimaginable power and demons are gunning for her. Seriously what more could we want in a story.
This story doesn't even have any nooky in it and yet I was enraptured throughout this entire book, so much so that I read it in a day.
This was a great intro into what I can only imagine is going to be a spectacular new series. I can't wait to find out more about Lorn and her mates and the journey/s they will embark on.
February 21, 2022
Awesome start...
HOLY ALPHA!!❤😩🤌🤌 This is the one yall!! The possessive alpha(s) we all adore! Even tho I know there's one alpha...😁 theres strong alpha vibes from each of the guys in the harem. (Swoon)
If you're into the trope of protective mates and we'll hurt you if you harm her type of deal then this is the book for you!!
HOLY ALPHA!!❤😩🤌🤌 This is the one yall!! The possessive alpha(s) we all adore! Even tho I know there's one alpha...😁 theres strong alpha vibes from each of the guys in the harem. (Swoon)
If you're into the trope of protective mates and we'll hurt you if you harm her type of deal then this is the book for you!!
June 1, 2021
Safe to say, I got bored, moved on to other books and never came back to this one. It started off interesting, but quickly became tropey and annoying for me. Did not finish.
August 7, 2019
Nightmare come to life
You know that reoccurring dream? The horrible one where you are standing naked and you don't know how you came to be that way? Yeah, that's how we greet Lorn. Poor girl is naked in the woods on her family's land. No clue why this keeps happening to her. Worse, this time there's a witness to her indignity. A handsome man is standing there, as curious about her as she is to why he's on her property. And that's just the beginning of the questions she will have because Lorn just fell down the rabbit hole.
Spoilers ahead.
Lorn isn't a complete ninny. Knowing she's adopted, her magic doesn't function at all like anyone else in her community's, the naked random sleepwalking and a dozen or so other things would have had me asking a lot more questions than she did, though. The guys are introduced fairly quickly, the bond snaps in place quickly, but the actual relationship is taken slowly. Which is greatly appreciated in a PNR. The initially met one becomes a rock right off the bat. The next 3 are revealed as the caretaker, the healer and the alpha. There is some discord because they'd given up on true mates knowing that there were no more females like them in existence. They'd agreed to a regular matehood to at least bring more little ones into the world, since their numbers are dropping fast. So, yeah, there's some quickly shuffled feelings and allegiances. The quickness of some is explained as them not wanting to "settle for less" and joy at a true mate. One, though, really doesn't like change and drags his feet. Also, for a precious mate that sleepwalks, that one left her alone without warning anyone else of her nocturnal habits. Knowing she's being targeted by demons, witches and warlocks, among other beings. In fact, he stayed the night with family, never once notifying his pack that she did that and that she could be in danger. Only his "alpha voice" kept her from leaving the boundaries to change at whatever she could see that he didn't. For fun, the next morning he runs into his would-be bride, who he breaks up with. Horribly. Still fixated on her and her feelings, even though he's repulsed at her kiss. We get he doesn't like change, glad he's not a heartless ass to a long time friend, but he still treats his true mate like a wayward child left on his doorstep to become a burden. It isn't as drama filled as this makes it out to be. These are just things that seemed like they could have been handled better. Then there are the feature changes of a couple characters. Eyes changed color from one paragraph to the next, among other things. I liked the plot line. The whole Veil title and keeper and need for anchors is a little reminiscent of The Veil Diaries, but the rest is explained away without many other overlaps. Oh, the mystic's accent coming and going was a little off, too. On many of her words "th" sounds became a soft "d". But not all. Example: Dem instead of them but still saying the and rather without the accent. A little tweak of stating she spoke with an accent but typing it normally, or changing all the words with those sounds to sound the same, would nip that inconsistency. Especially since another character is stated as speaking with a creole accent but all his conversation is typed normally. I'm not sure why the 2 characters, who are both in the same geographical location- and would speak similarly, would be typed out so differently. But, as a whole, I'm intrigued enough to look for book 2. There's a mystery behind all this and I want to see if my hunch is right.
You know that reoccurring dream? The horrible one where you are standing naked and you don't know how you came to be that way? Yeah, that's how we greet Lorn. Poor girl is naked in the woods on her family's land. No clue why this keeps happening to her. Worse, this time there's a witness to her indignity. A handsome man is standing there, as curious about her as she is to why he's on her property. And that's just the beginning of the questions she will have because Lorn just fell down the rabbit hole.
Spoilers ahead.
Lorn isn't a complete ninny. Knowing she's adopted, her magic doesn't function at all like anyone else in her community's, the naked random sleepwalking and a dozen or so other things would have had me asking a lot more questions than she did, though. The guys are introduced fairly quickly, the bond snaps in place quickly, but the actual relationship is taken slowly. Which is greatly appreciated in a PNR. The initially met one becomes a rock right off the bat. The next 3 are revealed as the caretaker, the healer and the alpha. There is some discord because they'd given up on true mates knowing that there were no more females like them in existence. They'd agreed to a regular matehood to at least bring more little ones into the world, since their numbers are dropping fast. So, yeah, there's some quickly shuffled feelings and allegiances. The quickness of some is explained as them not wanting to "settle for less" and joy at a true mate. One, though, really doesn't like change and drags his feet. Also, for a precious mate that sleepwalks, that one left her alone without warning anyone else of her nocturnal habits. Knowing she's being targeted by demons, witches and warlocks, among other beings. In fact, he stayed the night with family, never once notifying his pack that she did that and that she could be in danger. Only his "alpha voice" kept her from leaving the boundaries to change at whatever she could see that he didn't. For fun, the next morning he runs into his would-be bride, who he breaks up with. Horribly. Still fixated on her and her feelings, even though he's repulsed at her kiss. We get he doesn't like change, glad he's not a heartless ass to a long time friend, but he still treats his true mate like a wayward child left on his doorstep to become a burden. It isn't as drama filled as this makes it out to be. These are just things that seemed like they could have been handled better. Then there are the feature changes of a couple characters. Eyes changed color from one paragraph to the next, among other things. I liked the plot line. The whole Veil title and keeper and need for anchors is a little reminiscent of The Veil Diaries, but the rest is explained away without many other overlaps. Oh, the mystic's accent coming and going was a little off, too. On many of her words "th" sounds became a soft "d". But not all. Example: Dem instead of them but still saying the and rather without the accent. A little tweak of stating she spoke with an accent but typing it normally, or changing all the words with those sounds to sound the same, would nip that inconsistency. Especially since another character is stated as speaking with a creole accent but all his conversation is typed normally. I'm not sure why the 2 characters, who are both in the same geographical location- and would speak similarly, would be typed out so differently. But, as a whole, I'm intrigued enough to look for book 2. There's a mystery behind all this and I want to see if my hunch is right.
July 12, 2021
Needs some work
I love the potential in this story. Shadow touched (basically shifters combined with angels sans wings) are the guardians of earth. They protect it against anything and everything that strays beyond the veil, namely demons. Despite their guardian status they are seen as pure evil by the rest of the supernatural community. Our heroine is a shadow touched raised by witches. She doesn't know it and her adoptive parents don't know it, and all is revealed at the Cohen's Solstice ceremony. Everyone tries to murder her but she escapes on the back of a stranger's bike. She is immediately thrust into a pack of shadow touched males who just happen to be her mates. Now the part I struggled with was the complete lack of emotion in regards to the huge life changing event she just went through. Where is the grief and desolation? Her family and friends want to murder her for what she is! Something she didn't even know about. Where is the fear of being surrounded by four huge males who seemed to have helped her for no good reason? Where is the uncertainty about her future? Our heroine seems strangely emotionless and just goes with the flow in a pretty carefree manner. Ok, beyond that lets just come back to this Reverse Harem concept... Thrust onto a nineteen year old who has probably only ever been with one boy... I would think that would freak her out. The author goes so far as to detail the pack's exploits, and even throw in a current relationship that they're all a part of. It's just a lot that's missing from this book. It bugs me when the heroine isn't relatable via actual emotions that an actual female would feel. The writing style is very clumsy, full of big words that she obviously looked up and stuck in there. Some of them don't fit, sorry. It was a good effort, but if you don't normally use big words you really shouldn't be trying them out in your book. It's just one more thing that kept jarring me out of this story. I really want to like it, and the fact that she's done nothing but detail her plot and build sexual tension in this first book, gives me hope. We'll see what the next book has to bring. Three out of five stars to Shadow Touched.
I love the potential in this story. Shadow touched (basically shifters combined with angels sans wings) are the guardians of earth. They protect it against anything and everything that strays beyond the veil, namely demons. Despite their guardian status they are seen as pure evil by the rest of the supernatural community. Our heroine is a shadow touched raised by witches. She doesn't know it and her adoptive parents don't know it, and all is revealed at the Cohen's Solstice ceremony. Everyone tries to murder her but she escapes on the back of a stranger's bike. She is immediately thrust into a pack of shadow touched males who just happen to be her mates. Now the part I struggled with was the complete lack of emotion in regards to the huge life changing event she just went through. Where is the grief and desolation? Her family and friends want to murder her for what she is! Something she didn't even know about. Where is the fear of being surrounded by four huge males who seemed to have helped her for no good reason? Where is the uncertainty about her future? Our heroine seems strangely emotionless and just goes with the flow in a pretty carefree manner. Ok, beyond that lets just come back to this Reverse Harem concept... Thrust onto a nineteen year old who has probably only ever been with one boy... I would think that would freak her out. The author goes so far as to detail the pack's exploits, and even throw in a current relationship that they're all a part of. It's just a lot that's missing from this book. It bugs me when the heroine isn't relatable via actual emotions that an actual female would feel. The writing style is very clumsy, full of big words that she obviously looked up and stuck in there. Some of them don't fit, sorry. It was a good effort, but if you don't normally use big words you really shouldn't be trying them out in your book. It's just one more thing that kept jarring me out of this story. I really want to like it, and the fact that she's done nothing but detail her plot and build sexual tension in this first book, gives me hope. We'll see what the next book has to bring. Three out of five stars to Shadow Touched.
August 10, 2019
3.5/5 it's a good setup for the futures books
This is the first book in a paranormal reverse harem series. It includes all manner of beings including witches, shifters, demons, etc. We are introduced to a creative new being that is a mix between a witch and a shifter known as skinwalkers- they're more powerful and don't need wands to cast their magic but are hated by the witches/warlocks. This is unfortunate for our main character Lorn who happens to be the adopted daughter of a coven leader. Needless to say this book really serves as a base because it's all about her finding out about what she is, that she has mates, learning about the world around her that she was never taught, and generally just how to come to terms with the fact that her world has turned upside down and oh, that she has a Destiny that she needs a bunch of mates for. While this is a reverse harem, so far there is no explicit sex and instead centers on more Insta-attraction themes (duh, she just met them). The male characters range in personalities between alpha, comedian, healer, and somewhat angry but not totally unfriendly guy BUT they're all ridiculously good looking and attractive. While there is fighting I wouldn't say it is violent or gory just action oriented.
The story is told from multiple perspectives but settles mainly with Lorn's as she traverses her new situation. The characters are engaging with naturally flowing dialogue between them. The only issue for me was that she seems to instantly 'know' them all with lines like "he always.." When she hasn't known them 2 days to instantly have their numbers. That's a personal quirk of mine with romances and shouldn't distract other romance readers.
All in all, I believe this series is going to really pick up once lorn learns her powers and capabilities as well as begins to 'seals the deal' w her men *wink wink*. It's a good base and I'm excited for it to pick up.
This is the first book in a paranormal reverse harem series. It includes all manner of beings including witches, shifters, demons, etc. We are introduced to a creative new being that is a mix between a witch and a shifter known as skinwalkers- they're more powerful and don't need wands to cast their magic but are hated by the witches/warlocks. This is unfortunate for our main character Lorn who happens to be the adopted daughter of a coven leader. Needless to say this book really serves as a base because it's all about her finding out about what she is, that she has mates, learning about the world around her that she was never taught, and generally just how to come to terms with the fact that her world has turned upside down and oh, that she has a Destiny that she needs a bunch of mates for. While this is a reverse harem, so far there is no explicit sex and instead centers on more Insta-attraction themes (duh, she just met them). The male characters range in personalities between alpha, comedian, healer, and somewhat angry but not totally unfriendly guy BUT they're all ridiculously good looking and attractive. While there is fighting I wouldn't say it is violent or gory just action oriented.
The story is told from multiple perspectives but settles mainly with Lorn's as she traverses her new situation. The characters are engaging with naturally flowing dialogue between them. The only issue for me was that she seems to instantly 'know' them all with lines like "he always.." When she hasn't known them 2 days to instantly have their numbers. That's a personal quirk of mine with romances and shouldn't distract other romance readers.
All in all, I believe this series is going to really pick up once lorn learns her powers and capabilities as well as begins to 'seals the deal' w her men *wink wink*. It's a good base and I'm excited for it to pick up.
July 29, 2019
I have to admit right off the bat that I haven’t really read much in the reverse harem sphere outside of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry series, and I honestly didn’t know how I would feel about that aspect in this new series debut by Harper Wylde. However, the hesitation that I felt diving into this story was soon met with a little surprise. Good and bad. The story itself was engaging. The storyline wasn’t something that I had found in all my years of reading PNR so that definitely was a win. The reverse harem aspect was treated with a slow burn affect, which for someone like me who usually doesn’t read that type of romantic story, was nice.
But where did I not love this book? It was a bit of a slow start as world building is to a multi-book series. Also, the sudden revelation of.. hey, we are your mates could have been executed a bit better in terms of how that information is revealed. Her acceptance seemed way too fast for someone who had her entire life ripped away from her, and her parentage throwing her into an entirely different set of problems. The addition of more men to the furry group love at the end pushed it a bit over the top as we barely got to know the men in her current circle right now. I understand that dramatic flair of adding in even more men at the end, but again, the right execution wasn’t there for me. It wasn’t believable or as believable enough since we are talking fictional people and worlds here.
That being said, this one was a middle of the road for me. Would I continue on with the series? Probably not, but it’s not a definite no either.
Read
June 12, 2019Strong start, but faded like all the rest
Started out strong, fizzled in the inbetween. So this story finally got a little interesting and picked up at the end. I loved how this book captured me in the beginning, I felt like this was going to be a good one, but as we read on about 30% till 75% it was just boring, it's mostly them idk trying to come to terms as mates I suppose, but it's weird, it felt weird as she's like whoa " I got mates I do not know, " and is really tripping about the whole revelation, yet she's like, I'm your mate I'm trying to help you! and it just feels right " us being mates" all in the same day. honestly I feel that the mate stuff should have taken a backseat instead of taking up so much of the the actual story. This book is beautiful written but drags on so much I unfortunately found myself skipping through pages. I found I didn't care to much about our heroine as time went on, another girl attracted to these sexy strangers, and if I had to hear about their scents one more time, or her "excuse me," or her hands on her hips I might have lost it. There was nothing amazing about lorn, she was just ur typical scared chick, who only acted brave and rash and got herself hurt when we had our few action scenes. To be honest I really don't care about a second book other then finding out who those last two other mates were who entered about 96% in, that was truly the only thing that grabbed me, who is the big God like looking dude? Lol, other then that this book didn't do it for me, and I probably won't remember it enough when a second book comes out anyways.
Started out strong, fizzled in the inbetween. So this story finally got a little interesting and picked up at the end. I loved how this book captured me in the beginning, I felt like this was going to be a good one, but as we read on about 30% till 75% it was just boring, it's mostly them idk trying to come to terms as mates I suppose, but it's weird, it felt weird as she's like whoa " I got mates I do not know, " and is really tripping about the whole revelation, yet she's like, I'm your mate I'm trying to help you! and it just feels right " us being mates" all in the same day. honestly I feel that the mate stuff should have taken a backseat instead of taking up so much of the the actual story. This book is beautiful written but drags on so much I unfortunately found myself skipping through pages. I found I didn't care to much about our heroine as time went on, another girl attracted to these sexy strangers, and if I had to hear about their scents one more time, or her "excuse me," or her hands on her hips I might have lost it. There was nothing amazing about lorn, she was just ur typical scared chick, who only acted brave and rash and got herself hurt when we had our few action scenes. To be honest I really don't care about a second book other then finding out who those last two other mates were who entered about 96% in, that was truly the only thing that grabbed me, who is the big God like looking dude? Lol, other then that this book didn't do it for me, and I probably won't remember it enough when a second book comes out anyways.
May 29, 2020
Shadow Touched had potential but after the scene that propels the story it simmers down into a lukewarm thing that just gets mildly interesting only towards the end for the cliffhanger, duh.
The world building was the most intriguing part of the book, I was left wanting more exploration after the Summer Solstice scene but it's like the book lost steam after that going into isolation mode that doesn't leave much room for adding depth to this world or having a much more active story telling when it's just her mates.
I didn't mind the insta mates thing probably something that can be seen as a copout for relationship development but this book really slowed down the mates mushiness to not feel boring. There is OW presence, despite the mentions there is only scene with her and there is a kiss involved but the way it's played out didn't bug me as it would have any other time.
FMC was completely generic. If it wasn't for her snowflake powers, she would have been boring. The harem is made of the same generic guys and there is nothing unique in their personalities or their interactions with Lorn. There was always a tinge of familiarity in their romance that's not elevating this from the other hundred books of similar themes.
This one could have been more interesting if it had not dropped focus from the world building and used that content more than just the beginning and end.
The world building was the most intriguing part of the book, I was left wanting more exploration after the Summer Solstice scene but it's like the book lost steam after that going into isolation mode that doesn't leave much room for adding depth to this world or having a much more active story telling when it's just her mates.
I didn't mind the insta mates thing probably something that can be seen as a copout for relationship development but this book really slowed down the mates mushiness to not feel boring. There is OW presence, despite the mentions there is only scene with her and there is a kiss involved but the way it's played out didn't bug me as it would have any other time.
FMC was completely generic. If it wasn't for her snowflake powers, she would have been boring. The harem is made of the same generic guys and there is nothing unique in their personalities or their interactions with Lorn. There was always a tinge of familiarity in their romance that's not elevating this from the other hundred books of similar themes.
This one could have been more interesting if it had not dropped focus from the world building and used that content more than just the beginning and end.
November 4, 2022
"Whoever is summoning these demons is after Lorn. They want her dead.”“That will never happen.” The vehemence in Kota’s voice warmed my heart, even as dread descended on me at the thought of the threat. Dason looked around at each man in the room— including the newcomers— and I knew they were having a private, mental conversation I wasn’t privy to. Finally, he turned to me, his grey gaze set and determined as he made a decision and spoke. “Now, we protect what’s ours.”
Pontos que gostei do livro:
• Apesar de demorar muito para pegar ritmo, assim que pega, envolve bastante na leitura.
• Tem várias tiradas fofas e engraçadas durante todo o livro.
• Tem muito sentimento de proteção e possessividade.
• O grupo de mates é bem organizado, tendo uma divisão bem clara acerca do que cada um trás pro Pack deles e também pra Lorn.
• Não há divisão de favoritos ou tratamento diferenciado.
Pontos que não gostei:
• Demora muito para pegar ritmo.
• Muitas partes com descrições exageradas ou apenas focando no pensamento da personagem.
• O surgimento no fim do livro de dois novos mates, quando nós leitores já estávamos habituados com o funcionamento dos quatro originais.
• Levou muito tempo desenvolvendo no início para ter pouca ação logo no fim do livro, que foi resolvida muito rapidamente também.
• Lutas que não trazem peso real para o livro, parecendo apenas uma situação cotidiana.
Pontos que gostei do livro:
• Apesar de demorar muito para pegar ritmo, assim que pega, envolve bastante na leitura.
• Tem várias tiradas fofas e engraçadas durante todo o livro.
• Tem muito sentimento de proteção e possessividade.
• O grupo de mates é bem organizado, tendo uma divisão bem clara acerca do que cada um trás pro Pack deles e também pra Lorn.
• Não há divisão de favoritos ou tratamento diferenciado.
Pontos que não gostei:
• Demora muito para pegar ritmo.
• Muitas partes com descrições exageradas ou apenas focando no pensamento da personagem.
• O surgimento no fim do livro de dois novos mates, quando nós leitores já estávamos habituados com o funcionamento dos quatro originais.
• Levou muito tempo desenvolvendo no início para ter pouca ação logo no fim do livro, que foi resolvida muito rapidamente também.
• Lutas que não trazem peso real para o livro, parecendo apenas uma situação cotidiana.
October 20, 2022
Muitooooo bom! Não é um dos meus favoritos, mas definitivamente entra na categoria de livros que eu adorei. Vou colocar bem superficialmente o que achei:
- Protagonista legal. Meio infantil às vezes, mas é meio que esperado, já que ela tem 19 anos. O desenvolvimento da personalidade e dos poderes dela é bem coerente, respeita a lógica de que é impossível um personagem saber fazer tudo depois de acabar de descobrir que tem poderes; ela treina, ela erra, ela tenta fazer as coisas mesmo não sabendo, e achei isso muito ""realista"".
- Gostei dos mocinhos. Achei meio exagerada a hesitação de alguns em aceitar a Lorn, talvez porque os motivos não me convenceram muito, mas no geral achei eles diferentes uns dos outros e legais.
- Gostei muito da construção do universo e da "mitologia" da história. Tudo é apresentado em um ritmo bom e a autora soube criar bem uma vibe de mistério.
Acho que só não dou cinco porque não é um livro SUPER ULTRA ESPETACULAR, mas ainda assim achei muito bom. Já estou começando o próximo.
- Protagonista legal. Meio infantil às vezes, mas é meio que esperado, já que ela tem 19 anos. O desenvolvimento da personalidade e dos poderes dela é bem coerente, respeita a lógica de que é impossível um personagem saber fazer tudo depois de acabar de descobrir que tem poderes; ela treina, ela erra, ela tenta fazer as coisas mesmo não sabendo, e achei isso muito ""realista"".
- Gostei dos mocinhos. Achei meio exagerada a hesitação de alguns em aceitar a Lorn, talvez porque os motivos não me convenceram muito, mas no geral achei eles diferentes uns dos outros e legais.
- Gostei muito da construção do universo e da "mitologia" da história. Tudo é apresentado em um ritmo bom e a autora soube criar bem uma vibe de mistério.
Acho que só não dou cinco porque não é um livro SUPER ULTRA ESPETACULAR, mas ainda assim achei muito bom. Já estou começando o próximo.
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