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Shadow of Memory
The past was ash.
And it should have stayed that way.
Ezmeralda has no memory of the life she had before the events from two years ago and she has never wanted them back. She had simply continued living with a controlling father and her mysterious lover. They have always been with her, but what if that was not true. She has never craved her past until now
Riders arrive in her home carrying an invitation that will start a series of events that will change everything Ezmeralda thought she knew.
Julian and Lucas must face their past in order to heal their shattered hearts. One is haunted, the other is cursed and both on the same journey to be set free, but will it be enough? When one of them discovers a deadly secret and an unchangeable destiny it will divide the world they knew in half and begin an ancient war.
Filled with lies and betrayal, will Ezmeralda be able to remember her life before?
Will Julian be able to heal from his broken heart?
And will Lucas be able to set himself free?
Find out in the first book of the Forgotten Silence Series following the adventure of Ezmeralda and her path to reclaim her life.
And it should have stayed that way.
Ezmeralda has no memory of the life she had before the events from two years ago and she has never wanted them back. She had simply continued living with a controlling father and her mysterious lover. They have always been with her, but what if that was not true. She has never craved her past until now
Riders arrive in her home carrying an invitation that will start a series of events that will change everything Ezmeralda thought she knew.
Julian and Lucas must face their past in order to heal their shattered hearts. One is haunted, the other is cursed and both on the same journey to be set free, but will it be enough? When one of them discovers a deadly secret and an unchangeable destiny it will divide the world they knew in half and begin an ancient war.
Filled with lies and betrayal, will Ezmeralda be able to remember her life before?
Will Julian be able to heal from his broken heart?
And will Lucas be able to set himself free?
Find out in the first book of the Forgotten Silence Series following the adventure of Ezmeralda and her path to reclaim her life.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2019
1 person want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 18, 2019
Shadow of Memory is an intriguing addition to the world of independent authors. Although it's similar to popular fantasy romances, such as Throne of Glass, Roux's voice is unique. The story is unlike any other that I've read. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
The Plot:
Shadow of Memory seems like more of an introduction to a larger story than a solid story on its own. The central plot follows Ezmeralda who was kidnapped two years earlier than the current events of the story. Because of the torture she underwent during her kidnapping, she no longer has any memory of her time before her kidnapping. This means that she no longer remembers her close friend and lover, Julian.
When Julian arrives in her kingdom to invite her to a ball taking place at his own kingdom, Ezmeralda starts to doubt her current memories and attempts to find her journals that contain the truth. Overall, the plot did keep me intrigued. Roux establishes various interesting plot points. As I said, many of these concepts are only introduced without being established, which leads me to believe that they're going to be further explained in the sequels.
One of the most interesting parts of the story only happens during a brief tournament scene, where Ezmeralda is overcome with a dark power that gives her immense strength. This was probably the most fascinating part of the book for me but this power is barely seen again nor is it properly explained why Ezmeralda has this power. I'm looking forward to uncovering these mysteries in the next book.
The Characters:
I liked Ezmeralda enough. She didn't stand out to me like many other female protagonists because she was too perfect. I think at one point there are four men who are in love with her. On top of this, there's never any reason why anyone loves her other than because she is beautiful. Even though Julian and Ezmeralda knew each other before, there's no indication of why they loved each other in the first place. If anything, it feels more like shallow lust than love. Despite her lack of chemistry with the many, many men who love her, Ezmeralda is still often caring and brave, which I can admire.
I think my issue with the romance was that I didn't like Julian at all. There is a moment where he almost kills his best friend out of anger and this is accepted as being okay. On the surface, he seems like every girls dream guy, but to me, he just seemed brash and ill-tempered.
I liked the villain, James. He was twisted, yes, and he deserves every awful thing that happens to him, but Roux did manage to make me feel sorry for him. Ezmeralda does treat him cruelly (even though he deserves most of it) and he almost has a very human reaction to being treated this way. I love when even though I despise a villain I can still understand them.
My favourite character was definitely Lucas. I wish he had been introduced earlier in the novel because of all the characters he's the kindest. Despite being mentioned in the blurb, he's only introduced in the last third of the book. In comparison to Julian's outburst, when Lucas is mad he injures himself before he dares injure his best friend. In that scene alone you can see the difference in character between him and Julian. I kind of wish (spoiler) that he and Ezmeralda weren't related because he's a much better, healthier love interest.
The Writing:
Roux writes remarkably well. Her descriptions are atmospheric and her language is easy to read. The only reason I couldn't give this book five stars is because it needed just one more proofread. Although I usually ignore spelling and grammatical errors, especially when it comes to indie authors, there were quite a few and it became distracting. With a decent proofread and edit, this book will be formidable.
I'm looking forward to Book 2. I'm curious about Ezmeralda's powers and I would also love to see more of Lucas (who really made the whole thing worthwhile). This is an enjoyable read if you like a solid combination of fantasy and romance.
The Plot:
Shadow of Memory seems like more of an introduction to a larger story than a solid story on its own. The central plot follows Ezmeralda who was kidnapped two years earlier than the current events of the story. Because of the torture she underwent during her kidnapping, she no longer has any memory of her time before her kidnapping. This means that she no longer remembers her close friend and lover, Julian.
When Julian arrives in her kingdom to invite her to a ball taking place at his own kingdom, Ezmeralda starts to doubt her current memories and attempts to find her journals that contain the truth. Overall, the plot did keep me intrigued. Roux establishes various interesting plot points. As I said, many of these concepts are only introduced without being established, which leads me to believe that they're going to be further explained in the sequels.
One of the most interesting parts of the story only happens during a brief tournament scene, where Ezmeralda is overcome with a dark power that gives her immense strength. This was probably the most fascinating part of the book for me but this power is barely seen again nor is it properly explained why Ezmeralda has this power. I'm looking forward to uncovering these mysteries in the next book.
The Characters:
I liked Ezmeralda enough. She didn't stand out to me like many other female protagonists because she was too perfect. I think at one point there are four men who are in love with her. On top of this, there's never any reason why anyone loves her other than because she is beautiful. Even though Julian and Ezmeralda knew each other before, there's no indication of why they loved each other in the first place. If anything, it feels more like shallow lust than love. Despite her lack of chemistry with the many, many men who love her, Ezmeralda is still often caring and brave, which I can admire.
I think my issue with the romance was that I didn't like Julian at all. There is a moment where he almost kills his best friend out of anger and this is accepted as being okay. On the surface, he seems like every girls dream guy, but to me, he just seemed brash and ill-tempered.
I liked the villain, James. He was twisted, yes, and he deserves every awful thing that happens to him, but Roux did manage to make me feel sorry for him. Ezmeralda does treat him cruelly (even though he deserves most of it) and he almost has a very human reaction to being treated this way. I love when even though I despise a villain I can still understand them.
My favourite character was definitely Lucas. I wish he had been introduced earlier in the novel because of all the characters he's the kindest. Despite being mentioned in the blurb, he's only introduced in the last third of the book. In comparison to Julian's outburst, when Lucas is mad he injures himself before he dares injure his best friend. In that scene alone you can see the difference in character between him and Julian. I kind of wish (spoiler) that he and Ezmeralda weren't related because he's a much better, healthier love interest.
The Writing:
Roux writes remarkably well. Her descriptions are atmospheric and her language is easy to read. The only reason I couldn't give this book five stars is because it needed just one more proofread. Although I usually ignore spelling and grammatical errors, especially when it comes to indie authors, there were quite a few and it became distracting. With a decent proofread and edit, this book will be formidable.
I'm looking forward to Book 2. I'm curious about Ezmeralda's powers and I would also love to see more of Lucas (who really made the whole thing worthwhile). This is an enjoyable read if you like a solid combination of fantasy and romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2019
This story is definitely something different, which is what I love about it. The storyline is something new but there are still some classic elements to it. The author really knows how to portray the emotions of the characters. She gets me to route for all the characters, whereas I am normally a favourite character person. Another thing I love about this story, is that when you think there is finally a breakthrough, something else happens to make the story more interesting. This gave it the "I want to keep reading" vibe and I struggled to put the book down. There is also a fun mystery to the story, one where it's not easy to figure out what is going to happen next. I can't wait to see where it goes and how the character's handle what comes their way.
August 24, 2019
Fantastic story, amazing characters and an intriguing plot. I love the whole idea of the main character piecing together her past through her journal, it's a very unique idea and a fresh perspective compared to the otherwise generic fantasy books written nowadays.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series, Chelsey Roux is one of my favorite authors and a brilliant writer. Read this book, you won't regret it :)
I can't wait to read the rest of the series, Chelsey Roux is one of my favorite authors and a brilliant writer. Read this book, you won't regret it :)
October 10, 2019
A very enjoyable read, I was hooked as the storyline flowed nicely, characters developed well throughout and were described perfectly (just what you needed to know, enough to picture them without being bored to death) and it didn't hang about, there was always something happening that made me want to read on.
A great mix of romance, action and magic.
I would definitely recommend and I am looking forward to the next book!
A great mix of romance, action and magic.
I would definitely recommend and I am looking forward to the next book!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews