I’m a witch, a shifter, a self-proclaimed vampire slayer, and more than a little ticked off. The Soulless took my sister, and I’m determined to find where the elite group of vampires is hiding.
But before I can go after her, I get a warning from a high witch. There’s a vamp after a dark and dangerous artifact, one that would allow him to control magic and sell it to the highest bidder. I must pursue him if I hope to survive my sister’s rescue.
I have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into. All I know is that my friends and I have to get to the artifact first… even if it means facing our worst nightmares to stop him.
Alicia Rades is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over forty young adult and new adult paranormal novels. Her stories follow characters in equal-dynamic romantic relationships and feature themes of discovering and claiming one's inner power. When she's not dreaming up magical stories, she's either binge-watching paranormal TV shows, meditating, or making crafts and cooking with her family. Her favorite tropes are small-town mysteries, witches, and magical academies set in the modern world. She has an unhealthy obsession with psychic characters and writes with a deck of tarot cards next to her computer.
I’ve been so addicted to vampire stories lately. This series has been great so far. Actually very suspenseful and entertaining. I can’t wait to read more!
This was okay but not as god as book 1. I would categorize this as YA. There were revelations about past lives in this one which drove destined soulmates and Insta love for Venn and Rachel. That drove some internal Rachel monologue about Venn which seemed immature to me. Also, I listened to part of this one in audible. The narrator was OK but she over enunciated which distracted from the story. One review indicated they listened to the narrator at almost double speed. Maybe that would help. I would not have listened if I was not multi tasking in the kitchen.
Rae learns to develop her witch powers and is learning to be in tune with Synchronity to take control of her powers. She and the gang (venn, Ryland, etc) rescue Ryland ‘s sister, Sondra. They also meet a powerful witch called Genievieve who assists them in finding the Artefact
Rae also learns some shocking facts about herself and the gang, especially her and Venn
I was secretly encouraging Rae to improve her witch powers and also hoping that Venn and Rae cement their relationship and romance. I liked how funny Alicia is in using hilarious nicknames to describe unknown characters.
There are a few twists and turns in this book but you definitely won’t be bored.
I listened to the audiobook with my 8th grader. He likes the book. I hate it. I can't stand the narrator's voice, she's so nasally and it irritates my ears.
Keeping in mind the MCs are mostly a bunch of 18 and 19 year olds, I tried to give the immaturity of Rachel a pass. But I really couldn't avoid rolling my eyes with her impulsive and dangerous choices at the end of the book.
Rae and her friends have a tense meeting with Matias Vayne and are finally able to free Sondra in exchange for the Leora Locket. Their happiness at being reunited with their matriarch is shortlived when Sondra reveals that Vayne intends to use the locket to find the whereabouts of an ancient artefact, capable of wiping out magic for everyone other than its owner. Realising the ramifications should Vayne acquire the relic before they do, Rae is forced to put her search for her sister on hold as they race against time to thwart Vayne’s plans.
Rae comes to realise that in one of her past lives, she was one of the witches who helped to create the spell that helped to imprison Valkas. Sondra also recognises Rae from another previous life, as Abigail Williams, the witch who created the shifters so they could track vampires. Rae is shocked to learn that Venn was her husband in that life. He became the first shifter after their three daughters were murdered by vampires.
Sondra turns to her fellow witch and mentor, Genevieve, for answers on the whereabouts of the Artifact. Recognising that it must be destroyed, Genevieve agrees to help them. As Rae and her friends set out on a perilous quest in which they are forced to confront their worst nightmares, Rae is unprepared when the enemy finally closes in and lets slip a devastating revelation..
Resilience is the second instalment in the Vengeance and Vampires series and picks up from the events of the previous book. Sondra is a welcome addition to the group and it was nice to see the way they all bonded as they set out on their mission to obtain the artefact.
Some surprising revelations come to light, particularly regarding Rae’s past lives. One was particularly shocking.
The author has once again created an interesting and unique approach on the witch/shifter and vampire lore. The character and plot development as well as the surprising reveal at the end has ensured that this reader will definitely be looking out for the next instalment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have to hand it to Alicia Rades, she pours these books out like water and excels at writing back cover blurbs.
I always forget that I don't like what she writes. In all of the books I've read from her so far she gives teeny boppers a potty mouth and sets them free.
I think the biggest problem I have is that the author does not know what a 'badass' is. Everyone one of her characters are mock badasses.
Badass characters are ones that are strong, confident, self-assured and most importantly they are full of conviction, enough so that they would lay down their life doing what they think is right and they look cool doing it. They make mistakes and are not perfect, but they are role models.
Rades' characters are Mary-sues fresh from Hot Topics. They have no substance and cannot back up their big talk. Rachael tries to be a badass but then doubts herself completely and is not self-sufficient. The only thing that the author does is gives her some 'witty' comebacks, some black leather, and a libido.
Nothing in this book makes sense, it is not interesting, and I'm dreadfully tired of the fake badasses. I hate that the target audience is the youngsters that can still be influenced by this BS badassness.
All my other issues are the juvenile plot littered with plotholes, which is most likely from writing so many books so quickly
I’ve been on a bit of an Alicia Rades binge lately, having gone directly from The Fire Prophecy (Academy of Magical Creatures, Book 1), which she co-authors with Megan Linski (a great book by the way, see my separate review) to her equally superb Vengeance and Vampires series and it’s second book, Resilience. In a world full of things that go bump in the night, be they vampires, witches or shifters, Resilience is the perfect example of the “dark, fast-paced urban fantasy adventure” promised in its publisher’s blurb. Rae, the lead here, is a fantastic character, shifter witch and vampire slayer she is one heck of a kick-a** gal and I adore her. Add in a great thriller of a (well written) plot supported by a superbly crafted cast of characters and the result is thorough enjoyment. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.
An awesome, paranormal & urban fantasy romance. Rachel Collins, Rae, is a vampire slayer. Now, she's found a home with a group of shifters and a witch. She wants to find her sister, Jenna. However, distractions continue to get in her way.
Alicia Rades has done exceedingly well in expanding upon the first book. By the end of this story, significant progress is made to detail the background of some of the characters. The ending is a mixed bag. I intend to continue the series.
Action-packed. Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Page-turner. Romantic. Scary. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
I received a review copy of this book from a third party. This is my honest review.
I received a free copy for an honest review. Finally got to meet Sondra! She's wonderful! Fiona is still my favorite and she's really adorable. Teagan is hilarious and her and Ryland together are funny even though half the time, Ryland acts like he has a stick up his butt. Rae and Venn become closer and learn more about their connection. After the family finally has Sondra, they embark on a dangerous quest that could hold the fates of everyone. Throughout their adventure, they gain an unexpected ally. We meet some new characters as well. Overall, it's a really great book to read and the very first line will have you hooked in. The ending will leave you craving for more!
I don’t like to leave spoilers, so I will be as careful as i can...Resilience describes this book down to a tee. This is exactly what our favourite characters have to be full of, and need to get through this next part of the storyline in book.2. In the Vengeance & Vampires Series. I think this series is an absolute credit to the author, as she transcends our traditional ideas of what should be, replacing it with her brilliant imagination. We start off seamlessly from the ending of Ravenite Book.1. Which Introduces you to the characters and the world built for them, it shows us how Rae found Venn and his family, progressing from being a loner with a personal fight to finding a family who willingly wanted and expected nothing from her, a rarity in the life Rae had lived. In Resilience we continue to pick up the mantle and run with the families fights, after they get Sondra back, the family has a new quest to fulfill. Rae is the star of this show, so once again her own quest to find her sister has to be shelved until she helps the family once again. her new relationship with Venn is tested with each step they take. With raw emotions They are made to live through their own individual nightmares. We learn who Rae really is, which shocks everyone..They have to continually fight for each other and their lives as this quest tests their loyalties to each other. Previous characters re-surface adding more conflict. New characters demand and nearly derail them...you will have to read to the end to find out if they all survive.. This series is captivating, it grabs you from the first page, not letting go to the very last word...you experience mental uncertainty & excitement as the apprehension wraps around you...I can’t wait for the rest of this series
I received an advanced/review copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content and honesty of my review.
Ugh, this was such a good sequel to the first book. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The relationship between Venn and Rae grows and you learn a lot of the backstory regarding the vampires and why Rae is so important to magic users. I definitely enjoyed the read and I can't wait for the next one <3
Book 2, doesn’t disappoint. I listened to the audiobook and very much enjoyed it!! Rae is a great character. I loved how she is a relatable character to a lot of people. Many of us doubt ourselves and when we finally get our stuff together the things we can accomplish is fantastic. This is what we see Rae do. You can certainly see her character grow in this book. We end up discovering a lot about Rae in this installment. I loved to see how her relationship has grown with the group. Looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book!!
The second book in the Vengeance and Vampires continues where Ravenite left off. The team is working to free Sondra and then discover that it is not going to be as simple as they think. I think that the characters are developing well. It is obvious that they are young and dealing with emotions and situations where they are in over their heads. I could see the ‘plot twist’ that was coming and was annoyed with Rae for not seeing it earlier. Some of the ideas mentioned in Ravenite were elaborated on in this book. Some of it was made from small comments made in the first book that I had disregarded. Once again it was an easy and enjoyable read.
The group is about to finish their job and retrieve Sondra back. But when they run into Matias for the switch, a look at Rae seems as if he knows who she is. Sondra has learned what exactly Matias wants and they plan to get the artifact before he can. There are many obstacles the group has to go through and unfortunately Rae needs to help her new family before she can go after her sister. Anxious to see what’ll happen in the next book to see how this will all end!
The kids are working tirelessly to rescue Sondra. They have the "Leora Locket" that Matias Vayne demanded in exchange for Sondra. Rachel better known as Rae, along with her soulmate Venn, Ryland, Reagan and Fiona are all there to get her. They are going on a quest to find an ancient artifact that can control who has magic. What will happen when they get there and will they be able to find Rae's sister and rescue her too. I receives a copy of this book and chose to review it.
This is the second book in the series. The soulless took her sister, so she is determined to find the elite group of vampires. But first my group needs to find an artifact. Can we find we find it before its to late. This is just as fantastic as the first book. Its fast paced and action packed with plenty of twists and turns. These characters are brought out so well. And the scenes are written so well that you can vividly see them as you read. A definite must read. Shauna Joesten
I give 3.5 stars. This was a fun quick read with plenty of action and some suspense. We learn more about Rae's past lives and how it affects the present. There was a couple twists you may or may not have seen coming. The character development is okay, but still a little weak. This is YA, so that may explain it. Still, this is a decent installment and I will continue on.
Oh wow...lots happening in this book...it has kept me reading from the first line to the end. I love the reincarnation aspect in the book. We get to know more about our characters and I cannot just fall in love all over again with them all. I cannot wait to find out what happen to Rachel a Venn in book 3 Resolute.
Rachel and her new family go on the hunt for a powerful artifact. New allies and past history become clearer. They must enter a spooky cave that plays upon your worst fears. Past lives become clearer and Rachel is starting to remember her past identity. Her witch powers grow and she saves the day in getting the group out of the cave.
I felt a bit lost not reading the first one. The story line was good and there was plenty of action. I just wasn't connected to the characters and I think it was mainly in part that this one you really need to read the first book.
Another amazing read by Alicia! The characters are truly the best, the storyline is strong and the world building is incredible! I'm really enjoying this series and I can't wait to read the next book!
I’ve read Rades books before and I absolutely love her writing. The stories keep you glued to your seat and you can’t stop reading. Well done, loved them and can’t wait for number 3.
This is so good and hard to put down! It's well written and flows nicely. I'm enjoying Rachel's journey of discovery, as she realises who she is and what she can do. Venn has a lot on his hands with her. I think there may be more to Sondra??
Absolutely loved this book. Its fast paced and keeps you reading (listening). The book hangover is so worth it. Vampire, shifters and everything in between. I cant wait to read (listen) the next book.
I was given a Audiobook by author in return for a Review. Thought I like this 2nd book the Narrator could have been a lot better. Some of the characters voices were just plain Bad. If this book had a better Narrator it would have been a much more enjoyable experience.
This is a great series with plenty of drama, feeling and action. I love the reincarnation aspect and this writers take on witches and vamps. Very cool.
I really enjoyed this book but it’s starting to drag a little. The ending of book 2 is similar to book 1. All in all, I like it and can’t wait to read book 3.