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Alice Worth #5
Heart of Shadows
Mage private investigator Alice Worth must solve the most difficult case of her career: her own.
A magic-induced bloodbath during a Vampire Court gala leaves Alice and her boyfriend, alpha werewolf Sean Maclin, wounded. Alice and her ghost sidekick Malcolm reluctantly agree to investigate the deadly supernatural attack.
When they vanish without a trace, Sean, his pack, and the Court form an uneasy alliance to locate them. Days later, Sean finds Alice on the side of the road far from home, with no memory and no magic - and no sign of Malcolm.
For Sean, Alice's condition means starting over with the woman he loves. For Alice, it's a chance to escape painful memories of her violent past, but she knows she needs her power back before her enemies learn she's vulnerable.
To find Malcolm and her stolen magic, she and Sean team up with his pack, a white witch, the Court, and a pair of dangerous black witches. Their investigation unearths an ancient vendetta and a shadowy enemy so powerful and ruthless, no one involved - most of all Alice - will ever be the same.
A magic-induced bloodbath during a Vampire Court gala leaves Alice and her boyfriend, alpha werewolf Sean Maclin, wounded. Alice and her ghost sidekick Malcolm reluctantly agree to investigate the deadly supernatural attack.
When they vanish without a trace, Sean, his pack, and the Court form an uneasy alliance to locate them. Days later, Sean finds Alice on the side of the road far from home, with no memory and no magic - and no sign of Malcolm.
For Sean, Alice's condition means starting over with the woman he loves. For Alice, it's a chance to escape painful memories of her violent past, but she knows she needs her power back before her enemies learn she's vulnerable.
To find Malcolm and her stolen magic, she and Sean team up with his pack, a white witch, the Court, and a pair of dangerous black witches. Their investigation unearths an ancient vendetta and a shadowy enemy so powerful and ruthless, no one involved - most of all Alice - will ever be the same.
510 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2020
643 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Edmonds
26 books827 followersLisa Edmonds was born and raised in Kansas. She studied English and forensic criminology at Wichita State University. After acquiring her Bachelor’s degree, she considered a career in law enforcement as a behavioral analyst before earning a Master's from Wichita State and then a Ph.D. in English from Texas A&M University.
For ten years, she was an associate professor of English at a college in Texas, where she taught a variety of writing and literature courses.
Now a full-time author, she shares a cute little Victorian-style home called the Storybook House with her husband and their cats. She enjoys writing, reading, traveling, spoiling her niece and nephew, and singing karaoke.
For ten years, she was an associate professor of English at a college in Texas, where she taught a variety of writing and literature courses.
Now a full-time author, she shares a cute little Victorian-style home called the Storybook House with her husband and their cats. She enjoys writing, reading, traveling, spoiling her niece and nephew, and singing karaoke.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
November 4, 2024
✅ Intrigue
✅ Characters
✅ Romance
✅ Pace
✅ Big confrontation at the end
✅🆗 Amnesia plot
✅🆗 Time jumps
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths, attempted murder, torture (not graphic), blood, kidnapping
3.5 stars
When Alice is found on the side of the road after being missing for four days, Sean realizes that she ahs no memories at all of her life before she was kidnapped, or her time in captivity. Even worse, Malcolm seems to be gone, and Alice’s magic is missing too. Sean and his pack must find out who stole Alice’s memories and her magic and get them back before Alice’s wolf dies from lack of shifter magic, or before one of Alice’s numerous enemies finds her and manages to kill her, now that she doesn’t have her powers to protect herself.
I am not the biggest fan of time jumping, and this book went back and forth between the present day, and events that happened a week prior. It is not a huge time jump, but the back and forth made it harder to keep a good pace. On the other hand, it ensured that the mystery was revealed little by little and that we kept guessing what happened and what would happen until the very end.
Sean shows us again why he’s the perfect book boyfriend, and that probably makes me one very picky reader, but I still find him too perfect to be truly interesting. Sure, he is kind, respectful, protective, loyal, and amazing overall, but I still don’t find him to be particularly intriguing.
Charles, my dude… I loved him since the first book, despite his questionable morality and choices, but some facts about him that are brought to light in this book are making it harder and harder to keep on loving him.
Sadly, Malcolm was mostly absent from this book, and at one point I even got a little scared because it was hinted that he might not be part of the adventure anymore,
If you enjoyed the four previous books sin this series, you will probably like this one too. The vibe is similar, and the characters are still growing and maturing. Alice especially changed a lot since the first book, and her relationship with Sean changed too in a good way. It was nice to see her finally go forward and stop being afraid of commitment and going out of her emotional comfort zone. I am eager to see what the rest of the series has in store for Alice and her gang!
1. Heart of Malice ⭐⭐⭐
1.5 Just for one Night ⭐⭐.5
1.75 Blood Money ⭐⭐⭐
1.8 Ghosting 101 ⭐⭐
2. Heart of Fire ⭐⭐⭐.5
3. Heart of Ice ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Heart of Stone ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Characters
✅ Romance
✅ Pace
✅ Big confrontation at the end
✅🆗 Amnesia plot
✅🆗 Time jumps
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths, attempted murder, torture (not graphic), blood, kidnapping
3.5 stars
When Alice is found on the side of the road after being missing for four days, Sean realizes that she ahs no memories at all of her life before she was kidnapped, or her time in captivity. Even worse, Malcolm seems to be gone, and Alice’s magic is missing too. Sean and his pack must find out who stole Alice’s memories and her magic and get them back before Alice’s wolf dies from lack of shifter magic, or before one of Alice’s numerous enemies finds her and manages to kill her, now that she doesn’t have her powers to protect herself.
I am not the biggest fan of time jumping, and this book went back and forth between the present day, and events that happened a week prior. It is not a huge time jump, but the back and forth made it harder to keep a good pace. On the other hand, it ensured that the mystery was revealed little by little and that we kept guessing what happened and what would happen until the very end.
Sean shows us again why he’s the perfect book boyfriend, and that probably makes me one very picky reader, but I still find him too perfect to be truly interesting. Sure, he is kind, respectful, protective, loyal, and amazing overall, but I still don’t find him to be particularly intriguing.
Charles, my dude… I loved him since the first book, despite his questionable morality and choices, but some facts about him that are brought to light in this book are making it harder and harder to keep on loving him.
Sadly, Malcolm was mostly absent from this book, and at one point I even got a little scared because it was hinted that he might not be part of the adventure anymore,
If you enjoyed the four previous books sin this series, you will probably like this one too. The vibe is similar, and the characters are still growing and maturing. Alice especially changed a lot since the first book, and her relationship with Sean changed too in a good way. It was nice to see her finally go forward and stop being afraid of commitment and going out of her emotional comfort zone. I am eager to see what the rest of the series has in store for Alice and her gang!
1. Heart of Malice ⭐⭐⭐
1.5 Just for one Night ⭐⭐.5
1.75 Blood Money ⭐⭐⭐
1.8 Ghosting 101 ⭐⭐
2. Heart of Fire ⭐⭐⭐.5
3. Heart of Ice ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Heart of Stone ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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March 13, 2021
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Might Contain Spoilers*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Hmm, this one wasn't so bad. Though I skimmed a bit, I did like that we get to see Alice ‘Allie’ Evelyn Worth (29, turns 30), a licensed private investigator was more vulnerable - though not weak. I like that we got to see her with her guard down even though Sean Maclin (42), werewolf alpha of the Tomb Mountain Pack has been through enough. I still wish Sean was more; more powerful, more dominant, more alpha. But I guess I understand why as the author is QUITE focused on Alice being the most powerful. There will never be any equality between Alice and Sean, that's for sure. And that is a bother to me.
That said, I am really glad Alice finally saw Charles Vaughan (200), a member of the Vampire Court and a broker of mostly treasures and secrets for who he was. A manipulating son of a bitch who deserves nothing. Overall, this one was better than the last three books in the series as I'm glad we got to see Sean's POV. But the constant Alice being the powerful one, the one who gains even more power, it's starting to get annoying. I understand that she is unique and all that but come on...
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Urban Fantasy (M/F)
Series: - Series, Book Five.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Sean Maclin.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5/3 (weak) stars.
March 27, 2020
Never trust the vampires…
I’ll admit that with all of the bad stuff going on in real life with Covid 19, I am looking for my reads to be completely un…real. Paranormal and historical romance is what I’m craving, so I’m not trying to gauge how they (the characters) would be coping with the Corona Virus. Sure, I wouldn’t mind having the vampires come in and give back to the community by donating their blood to cure the virus. I also wouldn’t mind a werewolf or two sharing their noses to ‘sniff out’ the carriers. I’m also a little bit jealous of the characters getting to go out on coffee dates. Sure, I can have coffee dates…as long as I apply social distancing, don’t sit down in a public eating area… Or better yet, stay home and make it myself. Maybe unreal doesn’t really shut out the real from creeping in.
I really enjoyed reading Heart of Shadows and getting to visit with Alice and Sean again. While I finished the story with a smile on my face, it did take a wee bit of time to settle in and get my bearings. I also had to deal with ‘time-jumping’ which I’m not a huge fan of. Once I did settle in and Alice’s journey was a little clearer, I remembered how much I love this series.
While Heart of Shadows storyline was interesting, and Alice’s mission as riveting as all of her previous ones, I found myself completely distracted by some new revelations. In this story, we get to know a LOT more about the vampires and how they’ve been playing the game up until now. To be honest, I’m a little disappointed at what was revealed about Charles. On one hand, I think I’m ready to cut ties with him after what was revealed. On the other hand, I feel like we might have missed something or maybe we’re not seeing the full picture clearly. I just can’t give up on him completely…YET!
Sean is still the love of my (bookish) life… I mean the perfect book boyfriend… I mean perfect for Alice. I am a sucker for a growly, possessive and bossy hero and Sean does it SO WELL!! I absolutely loved seeing him care for Alice when she was going through her memory loss. Sean just keeps improving with each new instalment to the series. Lisa Edmonds, please, Please, PLEASE do not change Sean or mess with the love of my... I mean Alice's life.
Honestly, in the first quarter of the book I was missing the old Alice. While I love seeing Alice and Sean’s relationship develop, there’s a little part of me that misses her strong, independent and slightly reckless behaviour. She still has a bit of this, but it’s like she’s maturing or something. How dare she mature and start caring about her loved ones and their feelings. 😉
My beloved Malcolm does not play as huge a part in this story as he has in previous ones. This story is mostly about Sean and Alice’s deeper feelings and seeing their relationship move to the next level. There is a lot more ‘team effort’ in this one and we finally see Alice turn to her ‘pack’ for help.
I am a huge fan of this series and after that little glimpse into the next instalment, I can’t wait for more. If you haven’t tried the Alice Worth series yet, I definitely recommend giving it a try.
I’ll admit that with all of the bad stuff going on in real life with Covid 19, I am looking for my reads to be completely un…real. Paranormal and historical romance is what I’m craving, so I’m not trying to gauge how they (the characters) would be coping with the Corona Virus. Sure, I wouldn’t mind having the vampires come in and give back to the community by donating their blood to cure the virus. I also wouldn’t mind a werewolf or two sharing their noses to ‘sniff out’ the carriers. I’m also a little bit jealous of the characters getting to go out on coffee dates. Sure, I can have coffee dates…as long as I apply social distancing, don’t sit down in a public eating area… Or better yet, stay home and make it myself. Maybe unreal doesn’t really shut out the real from creeping in.
I really enjoyed reading Heart of Shadows and getting to visit with Alice and Sean again. While I finished the story with a smile on my face, it did take a wee bit of time to settle in and get my bearings. I also had to deal with ‘time-jumping’ which I’m not a huge fan of. Once I did settle in and Alice’s journey was a little clearer, I remembered how much I love this series.
While Heart of Shadows storyline was interesting, and Alice’s mission as riveting as all of her previous ones, I found myself completely distracted by some new revelations. In this story, we get to know a LOT more about the vampires and how they’ve been playing the game up until now. To be honest, I’m a little disappointed at what was revealed about Charles. On one hand, I think I’m ready to cut ties with him after what was revealed. On the other hand, I feel like we might have missed something or maybe we’re not seeing the full picture clearly. I just can’t give up on him completely…YET!
Sean is still the love of my (bookish) life… I mean the perfect book boyfriend… I mean perfect for Alice. I am a sucker for a growly, possessive and bossy hero and Sean does it SO WELL!! I absolutely loved seeing him care for Alice when she was going through her memory loss. Sean just keeps improving with each new instalment to the series. Lisa Edmonds, please, Please, PLEASE do not change Sean or mess with the love of my... I mean Alice's life.
Honestly, in the first quarter of the book I was missing the old Alice. While I love seeing Alice and Sean’s relationship develop, there’s a little part of me that misses her strong, independent and slightly reckless behaviour. She still has a bit of this, but it’s like she’s maturing or something. How dare she mature and start caring about her loved ones and their feelings. 😉
My beloved Malcolm does not play as huge a part in this story as he has in previous ones. This story is mostly about Sean and Alice’s deeper feelings and seeing their relationship move to the next level. There is a lot more ‘team effort’ in this one and we finally see Alice turn to her ‘pack’ for help.
I am a huge fan of this series and after that little glimpse into the next instalment, I can’t wait for more. If you haven’t tried the Alice Worth series yet, I definitely recommend giving it a try.
August 13, 2020
3.5 Better than I expected
I don't normally like books in a series where the MC forgets their memory, so I was very pleasantly surprised to see that I really enjoyed this one (yay again for Alice!).
Unfortunately, I felt like I was reading a filler book. Not much happened in the main plot, and I was very excited to see how it would go on.
Oh well, still a very good series, and I'm still very excited to see where the story goes and what happens in the next book.
Only half a year left to wait until the next book is released *sigh*
I don't normally like books in a series where the MC forgets their memory, so I was very pleasantly surprised to see that I really enjoyed this one (yay again for Alice!).
Unfortunately, I felt like I was reading a filler book. Not much happened in the main plot, and I was very excited to see how it would go on.
Oh well, still a very good series, and I'm still very excited to see where the story goes and what happens in the next book.
Only half a year left to wait until the next book is released *sigh*
April 22, 2020
I love this series in general, and I re-read the first four in preparation for this fifth release. Unfortunately this turned out to be my least favorite by far. The author still writes well, I still love the series and plan to continue, but for the bad parts:
1. Amnesia. I hate it. Loathe it. If it's the plot of a standalone, I avoid it. Having Amnesia in the main character for almost the entire book right in the middle of a series is a nightmare. I don't feel like seeing her meet people all over again and discover things all over again --- I'd rather get plot progression from the events of the last book. More development in relationships instead of her not remembering anyone. Argh.
2. Dual POV. Alice was always single pov. The author, probably due to the amnesia or maybe wanting to change this more to PNR than Urban Fantasy/Mystery, mainly told this through Sean's POV. I love Sean, but I don't like romantic dual POV. We already know how he feels about her, so having it repeated in her head, then his directly, made it repetitive and dull.
3. Not much plot. There's some back and forth time shifts in the storyline, but really this one has the slowest plot out of the Alice Worth books. The majority is spent with her and Sean going over a lot of the same ground they've already covered in previous books, and a few scenes with Nan and Carly. There's a cool sorcerer battle but the book is large and it needed more action and direction. I will say we got a potent moment out of the real Alice's past that was well written.
4. The author has decided to kill any good relationship with Charles. I'm team Sean all the way but I liked Alice's bond of at least friendship with the vamp. That was pretty much tossed out the window now.
5. There's no connection to anything with Moses, which has the been the large story of the first four books, and the ending cliffhanger of the fourth - nothing is progressed there at all. In addition, we don't get anything more resolved with her potential new family member other than a cliffhanger. Lake and others from previous books aren't here at all. There isn't a big mystery other than Alice trying to recover power and memories.
6. For someone who is supposedly so powerful, can we please have her stop getting hurt every other chapter in every book?
7. It's a personal pet peeve of mine that the powerful can have their powers easily stolen. If that's the case with the worldbuilding, I can't be that impressed by their power.
8. The wolf thing is awesome - but I still want her to be in her roots involved with all the supe groups and herself instead of making it all about wolves, which is where the story seems to be suddenly heading.
Sadly the book was mainly dull, it pains me to admit it. Some of my dislike of it is personal pet peeves that aren't the books fault (my irritation at convenient amnesia or powers being stolen), but otherwise the book's shift of POV made it feel basic and repetitive, the filler quality without much story and not continuing any of Alice's personal story was a disappointment after the wait, I was saddened to see every character associated with the vamps at all to now being enemies again (she's even rude to Brian instantly at the beginning).
1. Amnesia. I hate it. Loathe it. If it's the plot of a standalone, I avoid it. Having Amnesia in the main character for almost the entire book right in the middle of a series is a nightmare. I don't feel like seeing her meet people all over again and discover things all over again --- I'd rather get plot progression from the events of the last book. More development in relationships instead of her not remembering anyone. Argh.
2. Dual POV. Alice was always single pov. The author, probably due to the amnesia or maybe wanting to change this more to PNR than Urban Fantasy/Mystery, mainly told this through Sean's POV. I love Sean, but I don't like romantic dual POV. We already know how he feels about her, so having it repeated in her head, then his directly, made it repetitive and dull.
3. Not much plot. There's some back and forth time shifts in the storyline, but really this one has the slowest plot out of the Alice Worth books. The majority is spent with her and Sean going over a lot of the same ground they've already covered in previous books, and a few scenes with Nan and Carly. There's a cool sorcerer battle but the book is large and it needed more action and direction. I will say we got a potent moment out of the real Alice's past that was well written.
4. The author has decided to kill any good relationship with Charles. I'm team Sean all the way but I liked Alice's bond of at least friendship with the vamp. That was pretty much tossed out the window now.
5. There's no connection to anything with Moses, which has the been the large story of the first four books, and the ending cliffhanger of the fourth - nothing is progressed there at all. In addition, we don't get anything more resolved with her potential new family member other than a cliffhanger. Lake and others from previous books aren't here at all. There isn't a big mystery other than Alice trying to recover power and memories.
6. For someone who is supposedly so powerful, can we please have her stop getting hurt every other chapter in every book?
7. It's a personal pet peeve of mine that the powerful can have their powers easily stolen. If that's the case with the worldbuilding, I can't be that impressed by their power.
8. The wolf thing is awesome - but I still want her to be in her roots involved with all the supe groups and herself instead of making it all about wolves, which is where the story seems to be suddenly heading.
Sadly the book was mainly dull, it pains me to admit it. Some of my dislike of it is personal pet peeves that aren't the books fault (my irritation at convenient amnesia or powers being stolen), but otherwise the book's shift of POV made it feel basic and repetitive, the filler quality without much story and not continuing any of Alice's personal story was a disappointment after the wait, I was saddened to see every character associated with the vamps at all to now being enemies again (she's even rude to Brian instantly at the beginning).
March 7, 2020
I’d like to thank the author for gifting me with an ARC to read and review.
Since I discovered the Alice Worth Series a couple of years ago I’ve become a stalwart fan. She doesn’t disappoint.
In Heart of Shadows the story starts off with Alice having been hurt. I admit I felt reluctant to dive in at first because I just wanted the poor woman to have a break! But, once things got going, the world building and characters grabbed me, as always.
One thing I really liked about this addition was that we saw a different side of Alice and she continues to grow in her relationship with not only Sean and the pack but also with a few other characters. In the early books she was pretty much like a scary dangerous hedgehog! In this book she is still gutsy and powerful but also not so busy pushing everyone away.
The action was non-stop as usual and the I couldn’t put the book down for the second half of the story.
The only reason I didn’t give this five stars was because the timeline format used in this book was one where it jumps from the present to past a few times and I really dislike that. My analytical brain gets sidetracked on a continuous loop trying to calculate ‘was it really four days ago or was it three?’.
I hope Edmonds plans to either wrap up this particular series and start another one or wrap up this story arc within the next book or two. I really like the world she has built and would love more stories set in this world .
Since I discovered the Alice Worth Series a couple of years ago I’ve become a stalwart fan. She doesn’t disappoint.
In Heart of Shadows the story starts off with Alice having been hurt. I admit I felt reluctant to dive in at first because I just wanted the poor woman to have a break! But, once things got going, the world building and characters grabbed me, as always.
One thing I really liked about this addition was that we saw a different side of Alice and she continues to grow in her relationship with not only Sean and the pack but also with a few other characters. In the early books she was pretty much like a scary dangerous hedgehog! In this book she is still gutsy and powerful but also not so busy pushing everyone away.
The action was non-stop as usual and the I couldn’t put the book down for the second half of the story.
The only reason I didn’t give this five stars was because the timeline format used in this book was one where it jumps from the present to past a few times and I really dislike that. My analytical brain gets sidetracked on a continuous loop trying to calculate ‘was it really four days ago or was it three?’.
I hope Edmonds plans to either wrap up this particular series and start another one or wrap up this story arc within the next book or two. I really like the world she has built and would love more stories set in this world .
July 31, 2020
I just feel like this series keeps getting better and better. But now that I'm all caught up I can't wait for the next book to come out!
Oh, and P.S.--Sean is a freakin top teir book boyfriend.
Give him the gold!
Oh, and P.S.--Sean is a freakin top teir book boyfriend.
Give him the gold!
September 24, 2023
3.5/5.0
Have I mentioned lately how much I abhor amnesia tropes? Yeah? Well, I HATE the amnesia trope!! So, it says an awfully lot about how good the overall series is that I actually rated this a 4 instead of a 3 star. If I thought I could have jumped this installment in the otherwise amazing series, I would have in a second. BUT, I worried I would miss important plot points if I did.
And, if I step away from my snit a moment, I must admit this amnesia aspect is done better than almost any I have ever read. There is a reason for it and it ties seamlessly into the overall progression of the series. And yes, there are some serious plot points that grow from the circumstances around Alice’s memory loss that not only deeply affect her life but the story, as well. And, it really is a great story!
SOPE…. If you don’t mind a main character who remembers nothing of her life for most of this story, this may just be a five star read.
Have I mentioned lately how much I abhor amnesia tropes? Yeah? Well, I HATE the amnesia trope!! So, it says an awfully lot about how good the overall series is that I actually rated this a 4 instead of a 3 star. If I thought I could have jumped this installment in the otherwise amazing series, I would have in a second. BUT, I worried I would miss important plot points if I did.
And, if I step away from my snit a moment, I must admit this amnesia aspect is done better than almost any I have ever read. There is a reason for it and it ties seamlessly into the overall progression of the series. And yes, there are some serious plot points that grow from the circumstances around Alice’s memory loss that not only deeply affect her life but the story, as well. And, it really is a great story!
SOPE…. If you don’t mind a main character who remembers nothing of her life for most of this story, this may just be a five star read.
November 22, 2021
Things that were interesting:
- Alice without trauma is more reasonable
- The backstory of Valas
Things that I did not like:
- Alice is becoming more Mary Sue with three new and special magical abilities
- The random insertion of Dracula into the story again
- The Moses storyline is just completely dropped for the whole book
- Alice without trauma is more reasonable
- The backstory of Valas
Things that I did not like:
- Alice is becoming more Mary Sue with three new and special magical abilities
- The random insertion of Dracula into the story again
- The Moses storyline is just completely dropped for the whole book
October 14, 2020
First read: 04/2020 - 5 stars
Re-read: 10/2020 - still 5 stars!
Another brilliant addition to this series.
I feel like all the praise I want to unleash on this book, I've already said in my previous reviews, so I'll keep this short and simple:
I haven't come across any other series or any other author that has managed to satisfy my reading needs as perfectly as Lisa Edmonds and her Alice Worth. 5 books, 5 stars each. Unheard of for me!
♥ ♥ ♥
December 17, 2020
4 1/2 to 5 stars
March 17, 2020
I discovered this series at the end of last year and binge read all of the current books, so imagine my delight when I got an ARC!
In my opinion, the previous books were some of the best new Urban Fantasy I have read in a long time, and this new installment was no different.
Alice is an incredibly complex, well drawn character, who has undergone really carefully thought out character development throughout the series. That level of characterisation is rare in the paranormal genres, in books that, as enjoyable as many of them can be, are just entertaining trashy reads. This series really stands out for me because of that.
The world building is excellent and keeps growing and twill has so much potential for more. I love the way we keep greeting new layers in each book, slowly building up our knowledge and impressions.
Alice really goes through the wringer in this one. It is fast paced and action packed, with the duel narrative of Alice post and ore memory loss working really well in the first half of the book. The way it all resolved was a little predictable, but with some surprises thrown in, too.
Alice and Sean's relationship also undergoes some welcome development. One of my only gripes with the series has been the level of angst between them, but they really move past that here and the memory loss has a good, rather than a negative effect on their relationship. I really love Sean. He seems too good and understanding to be true, but it is nice to have an alpha character who is unashamedly just a good guy.
My only small issue is Charles and the revelations and the way this was dealt with. I've never thought Charles was a viable option for Alice and I don't think the author has ever made it appear so, which is why I've been able to tolerate it, as I despise love triangles as a lazy plot device to manufacture relationship drama. This has never really felt like a love triangle, although it has, at times, come close. Charles is an interesting side character and I felt like he was one is a bit of a disservice here, as he never got a chance to explain himself.
The next book has been set up to deal with all sorts of issues exciting and challenging for Alice, Sean and the gang and I absolutely cannot wait to real more!
In my opinion, the previous books were some of the best new Urban Fantasy I have read in a long time, and this new installment was no different.
Alice is an incredibly complex, well drawn character, who has undergone really carefully thought out character development throughout the series. That level of characterisation is rare in the paranormal genres, in books that, as enjoyable as many of them can be, are just entertaining trashy reads. This series really stands out for me because of that.
The world building is excellent and keeps growing and twill has so much potential for more. I love the way we keep greeting new layers in each book, slowly building up our knowledge and impressions.
Alice really goes through the wringer in this one. It is fast paced and action packed, with the duel narrative of Alice post and ore memory loss working really well in the first half of the book. The way it all resolved was a little predictable, but with some surprises thrown in, too.
Alice and Sean's relationship also undergoes some welcome development. One of my only gripes with the series has been the level of angst between them, but they really move past that here and the memory loss has a good, rather than a negative effect on their relationship. I really love Sean. He seems too good and understanding to be true, but it is nice to have an alpha character who is unashamedly just a good guy.
My only small issue is Charles and the revelations and the way this was dealt with. I've never thought Charles was a viable option for Alice and I don't think the author has ever made it appear so, which is why I've been able to tolerate it, as I despise love triangles as a lazy plot device to manufacture relationship drama. This has never really felt like a love triangle, although it has, at times, come close. Charles is an interesting side character and I felt like he was one is a bit of a disservice here, as he never got a chance to explain himself.
The next book has been set up to deal with all sorts of issues exciting and challenging for Alice, Sean and the gang and I absolutely cannot wait to real more!
July 11, 2020
The Year of the Brief Review...and this year is already 12 months to long
Despite being a HUGE fan of Lisa's books, this one just wasn't for me...I just can't stand the use of moving back and forward in time in a story. Despite the fact that it didn't reveal all and there was a nice twist at the end it still felt like, reading the end first ...I am clearly too linear in thinking (Yes, I did have something ruder in mind ).
So please don't let this review stop you reading the book, I am sure you will enjoy it.
Despite being a HUGE fan of Lisa's books, this one just wasn't for me...I just can't stand the use of moving back and forward in time in a story. Despite the fact that it didn't reveal all and there was a nice twist at the end it still felt like, reading the end first ...I am clearly too linear in thinking (Yes, I did have something ruder in mind ).
So please don't let this review stop you reading the book, I am sure you will enjoy it.
December 18, 2020
Alice's latest case is to track down who is responsible for orchestrating a blood bath at the vampire court; however, in the course of the investigation, Alice's memories are wiped and all her powers taken, including her bond with Malcolm. Sean literally finds her on the side of the road, alone, mumbling to herself. Her friends rally around her to help and despite not knowing who she is, Alice still finds a way to get to the bottom of the case.
I usually don't like amnesia as a plot development, but in this case, I like what the author did with it with regards to Alice's relationship with Sean. She spends most of the book not knowing who he is nor all of the baggage she carries around about her past that usually gets in the way of growing their relationship. Without that block, what they have between them really shines. It was sweet. As for the rest of the plot, I'm getting a little sick of the vampires and their games and I'm glad Alice is too. I hope she can figure out a way to remove herself from their hold on her.
I usually don't like amnesia as a plot development, but in this case, I like what the author did with it with regards to Alice's relationship with Sean. She spends most of the book not knowing who he is nor all of the baggage she carries around about her past that usually gets in the way of growing their relationship. Without that block, what they have between them really shines. It was sweet. As for the rest of the plot, I'm getting a little sick of the vampires and their games and I'm glad Alice is too. I hope she can figure out a way to remove herself from their hold on her.
April 18, 2020
Okay, I was worried until about halfway through this book. I really like this series and look forward to every new release but.....memory loss is NOT a trope I like so the first half of the book was ok. I was going to bitch slap Alice for a while there but she got her shit together and finally realized what a dick the vampire is.
I will say I thought there would be more about her grandfather as that is where (imo) the storyline is going. This felt a bit like a filler book but enjoyed the writing and characters nonetheless.
READ THIS SERIES - if your into urban fantasy
I will say I thought there would be more about her grandfather as that is where (imo) the storyline is going. This felt a bit like a filler book but enjoyed the writing and characters nonetheless.
READ THIS SERIES - if your into urban fantasy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2021
Ugh. Amnesia books are a waste of paper or megabytes.
March 18, 2020
New characters, friends, allies, and villains. New types and uses of magic. Revelations and new perspectives. Each book in this series is its own episode with fresh content that's blended with the same old goodies that make this such a good series.
When a dangerous case takes a bad turn, and Alice's memories & abilities are stolen from her, Alice must rely more than ever on her friends to help her survive a new threat and to retrieve her identity.
I didn't like seeing Alice as the helpless victim. She's always been a strong leading main character, that it hurt me to see her from such a vulnerable position. The story fluctuated between present day helpless Alice and the events leading up to her situation, which helped balance out her powerlessness with her prior confidence and abilities. It was a very different storyline that I both enjoyed and hated.
It was also nice to read the story from Sean's perspective. While I already knew him from the previous books, it was a nice change of pace and view.
This series constantly introduces new types of magic and villains. While the plot and theme feel a bit repetitive after a while, I still enjoyed the series, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest. There are lots of unanswered questions that I need to knew how they'll be resolved.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
When a dangerous case takes a bad turn, and Alice's memories & abilities are stolen from her, Alice must rely more than ever on her friends to help her survive a new threat and to retrieve her identity.
I didn't like seeing Alice as the helpless victim. She's always been a strong leading main character, that it hurt me to see her from such a vulnerable position. The story fluctuated between present day helpless Alice and the events leading up to her situation, which helped balance out her powerlessness with her prior confidence and abilities. It was a very different storyline that I both enjoyed and hated.
It was also nice to read the story from Sean's perspective. While I already knew him from the previous books, it was a nice change of pace and view.
This series constantly introduces new types of magic and villains. While the plot and theme feel a bit repetitive after a while, I still enjoyed the series, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest. There are lots of unanswered questions that I need to knew how they'll be resolved.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2020
I enjoyed it, but I've got to say, I'm really ready for Alice and Sean to get 2 days free of drama, to put their lives together. I was shocked when I realized the entire shitshow of this book happened 2 days or something after the last book ended.
I wouldn't mind the next book jumping ahead a few months, because ... I feel like they've had relationship growth that is serious, but that's hard to believe when we're reminded that they met like 2 months ago. I'd like to feel that settle in, you know?
I wouldn't mind the next book jumping ahead a few months, because ... I feel like they've had relationship growth that is serious, but that's hard to believe when we're reminded that they met like 2 months ago. I'd like to feel that settle in, you know?
May 18, 2020
The fifth installment in Lisa Edmonds’ Alice Worth series is absolutely fantastic! Readers who have read the first four books will not be disappointed with the continuing saga of Alice, Malcolm, and Sean.
Read full review in the 2020 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2020 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.
February 29, 2020
Another great Alice Worth story! I love this series so much.
This installment is constructed a bit differently as we move forward and back in time.
At the start Alice is found by Sean and the others, walking down a highway without memories or her magic. Malcolm is missing. What has happened? Who kidnapped her and where is her magic and Malcolm? Flashback to days earlier ....
I cannot say much more without spoiling the story, but I really liked and enjoyed this one. Sean for one was again amazing and we get to know more and more about Alice, her background and what might lie ahead. I for one can't wait for the next installment. Step into the mirror Alice...
*** I received an ARC from the author but this is my honest and voluntary review. Again, I have already pre-ordered a digital copy for myself. ***
This installment is constructed a bit differently as we move forward and back in time.
At the start Alice is found by Sean and the others, walking down a highway without memories or her magic. Malcolm is missing. What has happened? Who kidnapped her and where is her magic and Malcolm? Flashback to days earlier ....
I cannot say much more without spoiling the story, but I really liked and enjoyed this one. Sean for one was again amazing and we get to know more and more about Alice, her background and what might lie ahead. I for one can't wait for the next installment. Step into the mirror Alice...
*** I received an ARC from the author but this is my honest and voluntary review. Again, I have already pre-ordered a digital copy for myself. ***
March 3, 2020
I received a digital ARC of this book directly from Lisa Edmonds, in exchange for an honest review. The short review is, I loved it! This is a terrific series, and Edmonds does a fantastic job of growing the characters and upping the stakes with each new book. Heart of Shadows is another fast-paced, nail-biter of a ride, from start to finish. Alice is a great character, and I really enjoy spending time with her. Her support team gets better and better, also. My only quibble is not having the next book in my hands IMMEDIATELY, because HOLY COW THAT ENDING!
May 2, 2020
I wasnt crazy about the time swotcheng and the memory loss is usually something i hate but this was really good
November 15, 2021
It's been awhile since I've read one of these [or much urban fantasy in general really] so I'm not sure if this book is less good than some of the others in the series or if it's just me. I think that for me personally I didn't like that we got so much of Sean and so little of Malcolm here. I don't mind Sean as a love interest and I'm glad that he's not like super controlling like a lot of werewolf love interests in UF/PNR are, but I just have next to no patience for straight male werewolves in general and I hated all the stereotypical werewolf stuff in his POV chapters so much. It's easy for me to be okay with him when he's just kind of there but I don't like him to be this front and center.
On the other hand I absolutely love the friendship between Alice and Malcolm so I was sad that he wasn't in this one a lot but hopefully he'll be around more in the next one. Also not super excited that . If that becomes more of the main focus of the series then I'll probably have to drop it but I'm planning on at least trying the next one especially since I found out my library has them on audio.
On the other hand I absolutely love the friendship between Alice and Malcolm so I was sad that he wasn't in this one a lot but hopefully he'll be around more in the next one. Also not super excited that . If that becomes more of the main focus of the series then I'll probably have to drop it but I'm planning on at least trying the next one especially since I found out my library has them on audio.
March 17, 2020
Amazing!!
This series is absolutely amazing. These books belong on bookstore shelves competing with those of Kim Harrison, Illona Andrews, and Faith Hunter. Every single book keeps getting better and better.
In this installment of the Alice Worth series, Alice loses her magic and memories. While she works to gain everything back we learn some juicy tidbits about her, Valas, Charles, Carly, and even Nan. Alice's relationship with Sean and the pack finally makes some progress and we learn some hard truths.
I'm even more in love with this series after reading this book. It was brilliantly written and executed. I'm already pumped for the next book.
This series is absolutely amazing. These books belong on bookstore shelves competing with those of Kim Harrison, Illona Andrews, and Faith Hunter. Every single book keeps getting better and better.
In this installment of the Alice Worth series, Alice loses her magic and memories. While she works to gain everything back we learn some juicy tidbits about her, Valas, Charles, Carly, and even Nan. Alice's relationship with Sean and the pack finally makes some progress and we learn some hard truths.
I'm even more in love with this series after reading this book. It was brilliantly written and executed. I'm already pumped for the next book.
March 18, 2020
This series has become one of my favorites. Each book keeps getting better and better. I highly recommend this if your looking for action, magic, and awesome paranormal characters. Alice has had a hard road, but she is a fighter. Shes learning to accept herself and help from loved ones as needed. Can't wait for her story to continue. Start at the beginning you won't be disappointed!
Read
February 23, 2020The book had my full attention from start to finish, you can feel the character growth in the book more so, I believe, in this one than the previous four.
Sean's character in particular shows a lot more depth in this book and Alice is finally coming to terms with their relationship and the changes it has lead to in her own character.
I love the entire Alice Worth series and its unbelievable how much better the story gets with each book.
Cant wait for the next book 😁
Sean's character in particular shows a lot more depth in this book and Alice is finally coming to terms with their relationship and the changes it has lead to in her own character.
I love the entire Alice Worth series and its unbelievable how much better the story gets with each book.
Cant wait for the next book 😁
February 23, 2020
For a fabulous UF series, this is the author to go to. Alice is a powerful mage. Sean, her lover, is the alpha werewolf. When a blood bath happens at the vampire ball, the investigation in to it leads Alice down a deadly path. The pack, the vampire court, and horrendous magic weaves this into an action packed mystery thriller. Read in order. You will not be disappointed.
November 13, 2020
Not my favorite
I have to say this book was not as good for me as others was. I don't like jumping around in different times. This one did that. Nothing against the book as I am sure others enjoy books like this. I do not. Sorry
I have to say this book was not as good for me as others was. I don't like jumping around in different times. This one did that. Nothing against the book as I am sure others enjoy books like this. I do not. Sorry
May 2, 2021
Competently enough done, but the amnesia trope isn't high on my list of favorites. In fact it's not on my list of favorites at all.
Listenable, and we got to see some personal growth for the MC, but overall it's not my favorite entry in the series.
Listenable, and we got to see some personal growth for the MC, but overall it's not my favorite entry in the series.
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