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Pryde: A Clean Urban Fantasy Novel
Will she be devoured by the shadows?When her foolish actions lead to her brother's death, Kai vows to become a great hunter to restore her honor. But her beloved guardian, Lavanya, pushes her dreams to the side, claiming it is too dangerous for her. The cursed binding mark on Kai's wrist might break.In order to prove herself, Kai sneaks on one of Lavanya's missions. She saves Lavanya from a bloodthirsty vampire, but at a cost. The vampire she attacks is none other than Sadiq, one of the most cunning and cruelest vampires imaginable.Kai and Lavanya now have to defend themselves as Sadiq hunts them down. However, there's something Lavanya isn't telling Kai about Sadiq.Kai isn't telling the whole truth, either, and her binding mark is cracking. The beast inside is breaking loose.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 10, 2021
9 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
E.N. Chaffin
7 books12 followersE.N. Chaffin is an American author born and raised on country cooking and Japanese anime. She has made it her mission to upset the fiction world and change it for the weirder, moving even closer with each story she writes. Her debut novel, Loading Life, booted up in 2017. Ever since then, Chaffin has made massive plans to launch her career beyond plus ultra, even if she does currently inhabit a small room in Northwest Arkansas with three wonderful dogs.
Learn more about her schemes on enchaffin.com or @enchaffin on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.
Learn more about her schemes on enchaffin.com or @enchaffin on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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October 3, 2025****DNFed at 38%****
So this is gonna sound familiar buuuttt…I DNFed this because I didn’t care. My most common “excuse” for DNFing a book, but oh well, it’s the truth. 🤷🏼♀️
Nothing’s wrong with the writing aside from extremely sparse worldbuilding that I was tired of trying to figure out—I’ve come to realize I like more detailed worldbuilding then just “yeah there’s magic and vampires, but I ain’t gonna elaborate on any of it or why it matters, just roll with it”—plus by this point in the story nothing was happening aside from random events and lots of talking with no context for what any of it meant in regards to the world or plot as a whole.
I might not have cared so much about this if I was interested in any of the characters but I wasn’t, as they were just there and kept more secrets and lies from and to each other then I could shake a stick at, which was super annoying when I actually had an emotion to care about it.
The action scenes were FABULOUS though and I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been watching so much My Hero Academia right now or not, but they felt very “anime style” that I could picture clearly and were super well written, hands down my favorite parts of the book. Sadly there aren’t many of those scenes which sucks.
Ultimately not engaging enough for me to keep going with, but I’m certain others can and will like it much better then me.
‼️Content (up to 38%)‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: trafficking of children and people for magical experiments/slaves
Language: gah; heck
Violence: fighting with weapons, hand to hand, and magic (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed)
Other: magic; magical abilities and powers; a shadow like monster tries to enter a character and then another proceeds to stalk them; people are enslaved and used as “blood donors” for vampires; vampires/shifters/witches/magically enhanced humans; shadow monsters; trafficking of children and people for magical experiments/slaves
So this is gonna sound familiar buuuttt…I DNFed this because I didn’t care. My most common “excuse” for DNFing a book, but oh well, it’s the truth. 🤷🏼♀️
Nothing’s wrong with the writing aside from extremely sparse worldbuilding that I was tired of trying to figure out—I’ve come to realize I like more detailed worldbuilding then just “yeah there’s magic and vampires, but I ain’t gonna elaborate on any of it or why it matters, just roll with it”—plus by this point in the story nothing was happening aside from random events and lots of talking with no context for what any of it meant in regards to the world or plot as a whole.
I might not have cared so much about this if I was interested in any of the characters but I wasn’t, as they were just there and kept more secrets and lies from and to each other then I could shake a stick at, which was super annoying when I actually had an emotion to care about it.
The action scenes were FABULOUS though and I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been watching so much My Hero Academia right now or not, but they felt very “anime style” that I could picture clearly and were super well written, hands down my favorite parts of the book. Sadly there aren’t many of those scenes which sucks.
Ultimately not engaging enough for me to keep going with, but I’m certain others can and will like it much better then me.
‼️Content (up to 38%)‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: trafficking of children and people for magical experiments/slaves
Language: gah; heck
Violence: fighting with weapons, hand to hand, and magic (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed)
Other: magic; magical abilities and powers; a shadow like monster tries to enter a character and then another proceeds to stalk them; people are enslaved and used as “blood donors” for vampires; vampires/shifters/witches/magically enhanced humans; shadow monsters; trafficking of children and people for magical experiments/slaves
September 13, 2022
An intense, heart-pounding urban fantasy...
This is book was amazing! First, the characters were very well-developed. Lavanya, Kai, and Sadiq came to life on the page. I understood their motivations and personalities, and I really related to Lavanya, who was the "mother" kind of character. Kai, though she could be a brat at times, she grew on me. And Sadiq! I wanted to make him stop being evil and be good all at the same time.
The plot was fast-paced and interesting. At first, it seemed to all center around Kai wanting to become an official hunter. Then, Sadiq got more involved, and there were more twists and turns that I didn't see coming! The plot itself resolves in this book, but there are hints for what is to come, so it isn't a cliffhanger per say (though it made me preorder book 2!). Overall, I felt like it built in intensity until I couldn't stop reading.
The world-building was like throwing you in a pool and expecting you to swim. I was never sure what city or place the story was in, but I think it was mostly at a mansion in the middle of a forest? There was a mall, a hotel, and a restaurant at one time, but they are all faceless buildings. The most interesting part of Chaffin's world was the different beings: vampires, fae, shapeshifters, endowed ones. They all have unique powers and stones that enable them to use magic in a natural way that doesn't involve chanting spells. There's several guilds, and I think they rescue children from being trafficked by magical beings, but I'm not sure.
Even though the world was a bit underdeveloped, I didn't mind because of the characters and plot. Both were so well-developed that it made up for the lack of setting and worldbuilding. Plus, since it is modern day, it was pretty easy to guess what the places looked like based on my own experiences.
Overall, I recommend it for people who like urban fantasy!
I have one small thing that I don't like, but it is a spoiler, so fair warning. *SPOILERS AHEAD*
I didn't like the use of shadows as a good thing. It reminds me too much of agreeing to have demons possess you so that you can use their power. I will say that Terrence, Kai's friend, carries my same misgivings. This makes me think there is something not too good about the shadows and that this may be something Kai has to overcome in the future. If that is the case, I may be more forgiving of this story element. But right now, it reminds me of demon possession, so those who are sensitive may want to steer clear. But, other than, I really liked the book.
This is book was amazing! First, the characters were very well-developed. Lavanya, Kai, and Sadiq came to life on the page. I understood their motivations and personalities, and I really related to Lavanya, who was the "mother" kind of character. Kai, though she could be a brat at times, she grew on me. And Sadiq! I wanted to make him stop being evil and be good all at the same time.
The plot was fast-paced and interesting. At first, it seemed to all center around Kai wanting to become an official hunter. Then, Sadiq got more involved, and there were more twists and turns that I didn't see coming! The plot itself resolves in this book, but there are hints for what is to come, so it isn't a cliffhanger per say (though it made me preorder book 2!). Overall, I felt like it built in intensity until I couldn't stop reading.
The world-building was like throwing you in a pool and expecting you to swim. I was never sure what city or place the story was in, but I think it was mostly at a mansion in the middle of a forest? There was a mall, a hotel, and a restaurant at one time, but they are all faceless buildings. The most interesting part of Chaffin's world was the different beings: vampires, fae, shapeshifters, endowed ones. They all have unique powers and stones that enable them to use magic in a natural way that doesn't involve chanting spells. There's several guilds, and I think they rescue children from being trafficked by magical beings, but I'm not sure.
Even though the world was a bit underdeveloped, I didn't mind because of the characters and plot. Both were so well-developed that it made up for the lack of setting and worldbuilding. Plus, since it is modern day, it was pretty easy to guess what the places looked like based on my own experiences.
Overall, I recommend it for people who like urban fantasy!
I have one small thing that I don't like, but it is a spoiler, so fair warning. *SPOILERS AHEAD*
I didn't like the use of shadows as a good thing. It reminds me too much of agreeing to have demons possess you so that you can use their power. I will say that Terrence, Kai's friend, carries my same misgivings. This makes me think there is something not too good about the shadows and that this may be something Kai has to overcome in the future. If that is the case, I may be more forgiving of this story element. But right now, it reminds me of demon possession, so those who are sensitive may want to steer clear. But, other than, I really liked the book.
June 20, 2025
(4.5/5)
Okay, first the good things! All of the characters are very interesting and well-rounded, with their own personal flaws, which I really enjoyed. Lavanya isn’t a perfect ‘mother’, Kai can be a bit of a brat, and Sadiq, despite being the villain, had some more redeemable moments.
There are plenty of cool urban fantasy races—vampires, fae, shapeshifters, and ‘endowed ones’. It has a classic coming-of-age plot of Kai trying to prove herself and getting caught up in a mess of her own making, and it’s nice to see her grow throughout the story. There’s a lot of action, humor, and some wonderful found family moments that make this a worthwhile read!
Now, onto the not so good things. The worldbuilding was a little sparse and I was very confused as to what was going on in the prologue. I know its not good to info dump so I stuck with it, but there just isn’t enough description to really let me ‘see’ things. (I’m very much a visual person so I need all the description). There was also the problem of the ‘shadows’. I won’t say any more about it, but I’m more intrigued than anything to see where this goes and how the author plans to develop it in the future. The writing sometimes felt a little choppy but if you can get past that the story itself is really good.
Overall, Pryde is a wonderful YA with its own flaws but still a great read, perfect for those who enjoy books such as The Mortal Instruments and The Raven Cycle but looking for a clean read.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the author for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Okay, first the good things! All of the characters are very interesting and well-rounded, with their own personal flaws, which I really enjoyed. Lavanya isn’t a perfect ‘mother’, Kai can be a bit of a brat, and Sadiq, despite being the villain, had some more redeemable moments.
There are plenty of cool urban fantasy races—vampires, fae, shapeshifters, and ‘endowed ones’. It has a classic coming-of-age plot of Kai trying to prove herself and getting caught up in a mess of her own making, and it’s nice to see her grow throughout the story. There’s a lot of action, humor, and some wonderful found family moments that make this a worthwhile read!
Now, onto the not so good things. The worldbuilding was a little sparse and I was very confused as to what was going on in the prologue. I know its not good to info dump so I stuck with it, but there just isn’t enough description to really let me ‘see’ things. (I’m very much a visual person so I need all the description). There was also the problem of the ‘shadows’. I won’t say any more about it, but I’m more intrigued than anything to see where this goes and how the author plans to develop it in the future. The writing sometimes felt a little choppy but if you can get past that the story itself is really good.
Overall, Pryde is a wonderful YA with its own flaws but still a great read, perfect for those who enjoy books such as The Mortal Instruments and The Raven Cycle but looking for a clean read.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the author for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 31, 2025
4.5 STARS. UMM THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD.
It's been a while since I've read this book but I didn't realize I hadn't reviewed it yet!
This book was kind of different from what I normally read but I enjoyed it a lot! There was never a dull moment. It had really fun characters and I loved the pacing and the vibe. Vampires, adventure, training, family. I really liked the multi pov and the depth to each character. You can really tell how much time and effort the author put into this book. I really wish there was a paperback version so I could own it physically. Seriously, so good. Highly recommend! (Also I might be obsessed with Sadiq)
(Side note: one of my favorite things about this author is that she has a peak sense of humor :)
It's been a while since I've read this book but I didn't realize I hadn't reviewed it yet!
This book was kind of different from what I normally read but I enjoyed it a lot! There was never a dull moment. It had really fun characters and I loved the pacing and the vibe. Vampires, adventure, training, family. I really liked the multi pov and the depth to each character. You can really tell how much time and effort the author put into this book. I really wish there was a paperback version so I could own it physically. Seriously, so good. Highly recommend! (Also I might be obsessed with Sadiq)
(Side note: one of my favorite things about this author is that she has a peak sense of humor :)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews