Crooked Shadows

Whitethorn Agency #2

by M.A. Grant

Everyone has secrets. Especially those who live in the shadows.

Cristian Slava doesn’t fear much. After he was betrayed by the man he called an uncle, leaving upstate New York for the Carpathian Mountains of his childhood is more a matter of practicality than fear. With him is Atlas Kinkaid, a former marine turned fierce bodyguard…and fierce lover, albeit a hell of a complicated one.

Cristian’s cunning is tested by the politics and intrigue of the vampire families of Romania, and the warm welcome he and Atlas were assured of quickly turns to ash as they race to unravel the mystery of an old friend’s disappearance. Searching for the missing vampire draws them into a web of betrayal and half-truths that reaches further than Cristian ever could have imagined, and they uncover a string of grisly murders that bear a striking similarity to the attack that changed Atlas’s life forever.

Stalked by the past and uncertain of the future, Cristian learns he does have something to fear after all…

Losing the man he loves.


Whitethorn Agency
Book 1: Rare Vigilance
Book 2: Crooked Shadows
Book 3: Imitate the Dawn

The Darkest Court
Book 1: Prince of Air and Darkness
Book 2: The Marked Prince
Book 3: The Iron Crown
 

Genres: Vampires, M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, LGBT

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 14, 2021

About the author

M.A. Grant fell in love with the romance genre while working at an independent bookstore. She spent a decade in the rugged beauty of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula before moving to the mountains of Eastern Washington. When she’s not calling out to passing ravens or making a cup of tea, she’s writing dark and moving stories.

She is represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency.

Reviews

[☆ Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, that was a fast-paced, non-stop RIDE, folks, let me tell you.



This one began where the first book left off, with Christian and Atlas fleeing the states for Romania to avoid being captured by Christian's mother's evil, powerful family, the Wharrams.

However, once arriving, in addition to dealing with Atlas' past trauma of the strigoi attack that killed his entire platoon, Christian and Atlas were immediately pulled into the search for the missing son and heir of the local vampire leader in Romania.

Unlike the first book, which focused quite a bit on the developing romance between Christian and Atlas, this one tended to sit the feels firmly in the back seat and press the gas pedal to the floor as the story careened from one scene of action and intrigue to the next.

I did love the mile-a-minute thrills that the book delivered fully upon, but I do admit that I kept wishing that there had been many more open conversations about the relationship, which only really happened a time or two, which sort of felt as though they were an after-thought.

I don't want to get too spoilery, so I'll just say that my favorite part of the book was the scene with the strigoi "pack" and how that played out. It left me with soooooo many questions and I'm on the edge of my seat to see where Ms. Grant takes us next.

While book one was my favorite, this 4-star story was a nice continuation and I'll definitely continue reading the series to its conclusion, while also holding out hope that the romance factor is amped up a bit.

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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher though NetGalley for a fair, unbiased review.

See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)

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[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Hearts

Starting immediately after Rare Vigilance ends, our heroes Cristian and Atlas are on the run for their lives determined to find some answers about strange monstrous attacks that have made their way across the ocean to the United States. As they wend themselves throughout Cristian’s birthplace of Romania, the very place that still haunts Atlas’s nightmares from his military past, these two really truly need to get their shit together if they’re going to survive another day.

This time the story is told from Cristian’s POV, lending more insight to the enigmatic character who has seen and suffered much, who has maybe skirted/avoided his responsibilities a lot, but is now ready to do anything to help save himself, his lover, and his father’s empire. As other reviewers have said, this is more steeped in the mystery, trying to find who is hunting fellow vampires, investigating a friend’s mysterious disappearance, and avoiding the brutal machinations of a clan that won’t take no for an answer, all the while landing smack dab in the middle of a decades in the making power grab.

To say the least, this was atmospheric and dark, heavy with paranoia, as Grant further expands on the paranormal world she has created. There’s a very complex plot being woven here that is not quite finished, and the reader is lured by the growing bond between Cristian and Atlas (along with my utter disbelief that bodyguard Atlas’s only weapon is a small silver sword) amongst a compelling setup where enemies are a dime a dozen, true allies are a rarity if at all, and betrayal around every corner should always be expected.

Overall, an intense read with a very appreciated organic plausible growing romance. Some questions were answered, but be forewarned that this ends abruptly on one hell of a cliffhanger! The next book to come will indeed be a very long wait!

Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook - 4 stars

Story- 3.5 stars

Hmm! I am still not that convinced about this series.

I found everything just okay, nothing to gush about.

[Rosabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just wanna say, before I start this review that I love this cover model, the books where he is in, is always a good book. And that has nothing to do with my personal feelings, noooope! 🤣🤣

Anyways, Crooked Shadows is the second of this series and it was action to the max!!! Every second of this book something was happening and they couldn't trust no one but each other, gold! Romantic as fuck!

I enjoyed the pace, the new discoverys that are made, the new paths, new people and also... Hello Cristian's pov, how are you darling? I'm telling you how you are, FINE AS HELL!! 😍😵😍😵

Cristian was a really mysterious guy in the first book, sarcastic, sassy and had a way with his words that was just awesome! And in here being in his brain I got surprised by how much in love he is with Atlas and how much he wanted to get better as a person/vampire/whatevs for him, his devotion was lovely to read and to see Atlas through his eyes was fun!!

Now, I do think that Atlas is really strong and invincible like for a human, so I wished there was a balance there, (unless.my theory is right) but he is my hero too so I don't really care. 🤣🤣

I really enjoyed this and can't wait for the next clusterfuck. *watches how everything burns*.

9:28pm and done with my reviews. ✊🏻✊🏻

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that ending wasn't what I was expecting!

***

For the last 20% of this book my heart was racing so fast I thought it would beat out of my chest, the tension build up throughout this second installment in the Whitethorn Agency series is perfectly pitched.

As Atlas and Cristian venture to Romania to seek help from his father's allies and find out more about the origins of the strigoi, we get to see inside the vampire's head for the first time.

I love that MA is switching POVs for this series and it was fascinating to see how Cristian's emotional connection to his bodyguard is not only strong, but supportive and loving - even if Atlas isn't ready to accept it.

Throughout this book there is an edge of danger, the two men are walking a tightrope from the off with the politics of the vampire world dogging their every movement.

We also get to meet a wonderful new character, Daria, in this book and I loved her. She's strong, a survivor of the strigoi herself and, while wary of Cristian, has the grace to not immediately try to skewer him!

It's more focused on the investigation and the paranormal elements than the romance but there is still a major move forward for both men which comes after they've faced the thought of the other's death being an all too likely outcome rather than an abstract scenario and I loved this bit especially.

But, bloody hell, that ending! OMG talk about dropping a WTF moment and then signing off. I am absolutely dying now to find out just what that means for Cristian's family going forward.

As a PS, I think this cover is more indicative of a paranormal romance than the one for the first book was.

ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review

[M.A. Grant]

Content Warning:
Crooked Shadows contains descriptions of PTSD, anxiety, violence, blood, kidnapping, intense bodily harm and death.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Vampires, after all, were the solid stones standing in the river of history...steady, unchanging and always aware of the ebb and flow of humanity buffeting about them."

Another fabulous read from the wonderful M.A. Grant. Crooked Shadows is book two in the Whitethorn Agency series and it continues directly where Rare Vigilance finished, with Christian and Atlas on the run from Christian's mother's family, the Wharrams, trying to develop alliances and track down the missing son and heir of one of his father's allies in Romania.

Unsure of who to trust, and on the trail of the Strigoi who are leaving a trail of death through Romania, this second installment is much more of an action read, rather than focussing on the developing romance and sexy time we enjoyed between our MCs in book 1. Never fear, we do get some steamy action between the vampire and his human partner, but it comes as secondary to the story building in this one 🔥.

"Mr Slava," Atlas called from inside the yard."You coming?" "I wish. Might help relieve the stress," he said, loud enough he knew Atlas would hear. He hoped the man was rolling his eyes. Bastard deserved it for making him worry."

Betrayal, political posturing, paranormal elements and of course the underlying trauma that Atlas has suffered at the hands of the Strigoi previously, really come to the fore in this book, threatening to prevent a true bonding between our MCs.

And, of course, let's not forget that shocker of a WHAT THE HELL ending??!?!

I can't wait for book three.......🤐

Highly recommended (but read book 1 first!)

5 ✨✨✨✨✨

[Ronie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still can't get over the fact. That this is a Harlequin trilogy. Who could have predicted. That the company famous for short standalone novels. Would add a trilogy to their portfolio?!

By the way, the plot thickens. More innocent people are gone to their resting place. I just hope the family aren't sleeping with the fishes.

[the kevin (vaguely alive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a cliffhanger!! Glad I can move straight into the third book (which is out next week!) because !!!😱😱😱

This was a great second book in this series - I loved getting to see Cristian and Atlas's relationship grow deeper and more understanding, even as they continue to work together on the external issues that threaten them. The balance between Cristian trying to communicate with Atlas being a prickly boi, so fun to read.

The external plot and tension was excellent! Slowly builds throughout the book, and that ending! Plus, I can never say enough how much I love reading a bodyguard who actually gets to competently bodyguard!

My only issue so far with the writing is that it has a tendency to gloss over some things, and I sometimes feel like I totally missed something or am confused, especially when it comes to their more detailed communication events. The thing I was confused by in book 1, was actually addressed (almost) in this one, so maybe it just takes forever for them to get around to talking about the parts I think I missed. ....what a confusing sentence.

Overall! Very enjoyable, this is shaping up to be a very fun and solid paranormal mystery same-couple series.



Read more reviews on my blog: 
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A- at AAR, so 4.5 stars rounded up.

Crooked Shadows is the second intriguing and exciting instalment in M.A. Grant’s paranormal/urban fantasy  Whitethorn Security  series, and as it picks up immediately after the first book – Rare Vigilance– ended, I’d strongly advise reading that before jumping into this one or you’ll be a bit lost.

Note: There are spoilers for the previous book in this review.

Rare Vigilance ended with its two protagonists, Cristian Slava and Atlas Kincaid, about to go on the run following an attack by the strigoi – a terrifying creature that even vampires fear – at Cristian’s family home.  Barely escaping with their lives, they need to find whoever is controlling the strigoi, stop them, and in the process, prove that Cristian’s father isn’t responsible for their creation and prevent his overthrow by the ruling Council. They’re both convinced that the Wharrams – Cristian’s mother’s family – are behind the increased strigoi activity and the attack on Decebal Vladislavic’s nest, and they travel to Romania intending to find out more about the creatures and to seek help from Decebal’s allies there.

It’s apparent from the moment they arrive that neither of those things is going to be easy.  Cristian and Atlas have to navigate the complex and dangerous politics of the vampire world at every turn, never knowing who to trust and forever looking over their shoulders for the next betrayal.  The author does a fantastic job here of creating and sustaining an atmosphere of uncertainty and near-paranoia and conveying just how exhausting and knife-edged a situation the two men are facing.  Their first port of call is to meet with Voivode Mehai, a former associate of Decebal’s who, if not precisely a friend, should at least offer Cristian basic courtesy and safe passage through his territory.

But even more bad news awaits them.  Mehai’s son Radu – a friend of Cristian’s – disappeared while investigating a recent spate of attacks and killings in their territory, attacks which result in injuries which could only have been caused by strigoi – and now the Council is about to pay Mehai a visit not to help, but to attempt to assign blame for the current rise in violence to him and his leadership.  With the Council members – including Theo Wharram – due to arrive any day, it’s imperative that Atlas and Cristian leave as soon as possible. The timing of the Council’s visit and Radu’s disappearance can’t be coincidental; if Radu has learned something that could help Mehai prove his innocence to the Council, they’d want him out of the way.  Cristian tells Mehai that he and Atlas will search for Radu, hoping to bring him back in time for whatever information he’s found to be of use.

M.A. Grant really ramps up the action in this book; there’s danger on all sides and Atlas and Cristian are forced to confront some of their deepest fears and to rely on each other as never before.  The relationship they began to develop in Rare Vigilance is still on somewhat shaky ground emotionally – for a number of reasons – and everything they go through in this story really pushes at its boundaries and tests its limits.  This book is more action-focused than the previous one, but it does include some solid relationship development, with a deeper, stronger connection gradually forming between the two men as they face ordeal after ordeal together.

The PoV in this book switches to Cristian (Rare Vigilance was told solely from Atlas’ perspective) which brings him into much sharper focus than before, when he was quite enigmatic for most of the story.  When I reviewed that book, I said that there were hints at a different man behind the cocky exterior, and those words are borne out here as we see a much more thoughtful, gentler side to Cristian.  He’s clearly head-over-heels for Atlas but fears Atlas doesn’t feel as deeply for him, and I loved seeing that vulnerable side of Cristian, and how he tries so hard to be patient and open with Atlas, and encourage a similar openness in him.  He worried that bringing Atlas back to the place he and his unit were attacked was bound to bring back horrific memories that would trigger Atlas’ PTSD, but he will do whatever is necessary to keep Atlas safe – from his nightmares and from whatever creatures are lurking in the woods.

I really enjoyed this instalment in the series, but there were a couple of things that didn’t quite work for me.  The first part is a little slow in places, and although I absolutely love stories that feature intrigue and political manouevering, I occasionally had trouble keeping track of who was who and how they related to each other.  And then there’s the sudden switch from Cristian’s to Atlas’ PoV at around the 90% mark.  For spoilery reasons I won’t go in to, there was no other way for the author to continue the story, but it was jarring nonetheless.

Crooked Shadows is otherwise a terrific follow-up to Rare Vigilance.  It’s thrilling and sexy, with plenty of high-stakes action as well as some lovely, tender moments between the two leads. Be warned, however, that it ends on a real humdinger of a cliffhanger, one that is sure to complicate our heroes’ lives still further and plunge them into yet more danger in book three.  I’ll definitely be here for that when it’s released in 2022.

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okkkkkkkkkkk, I know I must be a simpleton for not seeing that ending coming, but I am a simple girl so M.A. Grant gets stars for my fish mouth.

Before getting into it, I’d like to thank Carina Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! I do so enjoy everything that CP puts out, and this Whitehorn Agency series delivers what I’ve come to expect from one of their reads, which is basically my guys being guys in love, whatever dafuq that looks like.

In this installment’s case, it’s a bit angsty with feelings confessed/expresssed only after a serious wringing, be it nerves, necks or near deaths. But it’s there and that’s mostly what I care about to be honest!



So imagine my surprise when Crooked Shadows read grittier and bloodier than the first installment in the series, Rare Vigilance, and really dug into its whole vampy-Godfather III-esque “family” drama, which was a lot higher on plot and action than I had anticipated, but enjoyed nonetheless.

It also had a tad more intimate moments between Cristian and Atlas than the first (though not nearly enough for my romantic heart) and gained another star because it was set in strigoi motherland, which was such a mood, and making it my favourite in the series so far. No one goes back to Romania to mix business with pleasure anymore, amirite?

And while Cristian and Atlas were a checklist of vulnerabilities, hang ups and past pains, something still kept me emotionally at arms length. It’s probably just me. I mean, despite the cocktail of elements actively working to make this story immersive, I was entertained but not really invested until the very end.

Maybe it’s because I have unreasonable expectations for a love connection that slaps in under a month and I love smoochies?



Either way, I think this series is fun so far and I am excited to see where it goes next, though I do hope that the boys gain some more emotional depth (read: sexy times) in the next one so that I’m not just stock rooting for the good guys to win.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

I wrote in my review of book 1 that it didn't quite live up to the promise of the premise, and that was even moreso here.

This was just a shrug in book form. The writing was perfectly competent, but mostly just shuffling us from scene to scene. The action was unnecessarily hard to follow. The romance was thwarted by repeated mis/non-communication between Atlas and Cristian. Every time it seemed like there was a breakthrough in their relationship, it somehow fizzled and we were back to the default of I love him but he doesn't love me so I must hide my love to protect him/ myself, yawn. Compounding the frustration engendered by the non-communication trope, we were in Cristian's head 95 percent of the time -- Atlas could have been a brick wall for all we had access to him -- and for a supposedly worldly vampire, Cristian sure vacillates between dull and dumb. The sex scenes were meh. And the whole bond thing still isn't satisfactorily explained.

It ended on a good twist but I'm simply not invested enough to keep reading.

This Least Helpful Review of All Time is brought to you by apathy. Apathy: the spirit of 2022!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, finally here to review! I will say I highly recommend reading this directly after Book 1, because it picks up where the first book left off and it's a nonstop ride from there on out. I really enjoyed that this book was told from Christian's POV, it was great getting inside his head and knowing his true feelings, and boy does he have feelings for Atlas! The movement in the romance department is slow and steady, but it fits with all these two have been through and continue to go through. There's so much going on, in the best way, and you will definitely be hurting for book three as soon as you finish this one. Betrayal, intrigue, and wonderful worldbuilding.

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know what to say after that ending... Crooked Shadows picks up right after the end of Rare Vigilance. Cristian and Atlas are on the run trying to find out more about the mysterious attacks all while trying to figure out their relationship and search for a missing friend. Atlas and Cristian have to face some of their deepest fears head on. All kinds of new betrayals arise. The first part of the book was a little slow and monotonous. It's a lot of political exchanges that, I, personally, didn't care that much about. The second half is where the action picks up and stuff gets real. I read the entire second half in one sitting. As always, the writing is beautiful. M.A. Grant's stories are heavily character driven with the characters being the heart of the story. I loved getting the story mostly from Cristian's perspective this time. And the ending left me reeling because I. Don't. Understand. Anything. And. My. Whole. Life. Is. A. Lie.

[erraticdemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this certainly wasn't a standalone book! It picks up right where book 1 left off and then ends on a cliffhanger. Highly recommend starting at the beginning and reading all three books in the trilogy.

Even though it begins where book 1 ended and continued a lot of the story lines it still managed to feel like a whole new (albeit not standalone) story. The change in setting from New York to Romania and the bloody vampire road trip vibes were fun. I also enjoyed seeing Christian and Atlas grow closer and take care of each other more.

My main gripe is there is far too much that is glossed over and not explained enough. For example, there is an emotional feeding between Christian and Atlas which goes bad but it's never explained why it goes bad or what exactly it means??? It seemed to be going fine to me? Maybe it's because I am not educated in all the ways of the vampire and don't know any better. But still, give me a few more sentences of exposition please!

Anyway, a fun continuation of the series. Stay tuned for my book 3 review!


Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/

[Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Mir · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Sooooo good. The ending has me shook!

I loved how this was just absolutely non-stop entertaining. So much happened and I was captivated entirely. I wish there had been a bit more romance in the budding relationship between Cristian and Atlas but there was enough to keep me satisfied between the intense political and/or action scenes. There is a lot of love and dedication here, especially since we finally get Cristian’s POV, and it’s just such a treat. These two are so into each other.

I am immediately starting book three and I’m thrilled about it.

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus -]

DNF @ 34% after 9 days of reading

Well, trying to anyway. If someone could point me to the edition that includes the world-building? Thank you!

Sincerely,

a confused and bored reader 🥱

[Santy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

If you've read book 1 (and I hope you have because this does NOT do well as a standalone), you'd know it ended on a cliffhanger. This book continues right where that ended but this time, we get the story from Cristian's point of view.

Our MCs after the events at the end of the previous book were forced to place themselves in new situations where no one could be trusted. Old enemies resurfaced and new enemies revealed themselves.Every new person they encountered could be a friend or foe and everywhere they turned , things just kept getting worse.

I loved the writing, the storytelling and the pacing of this book. It kept me glued to the pages and kept me wondering what next was going to happen since nothing was certain and everything was up in the air. I devoured it once I got started.

A lot more light was thrown on the vampiric world but even with that, some of the events of the book left more questions than answers. Case in point being everything that happened with Atlas getting to the end of the book. I know that was deliberately done by the author to intrigue the reader and I must say it worked like a charm because I need to know what was up with all of that.

Relationship-wise, though Atlas was his usual stoic self, we finally got some admission of feelings here and hopefully this is further solidified in the final book.

This ends on an even worse cliff hanger than the previous book. I DON'T know why I keep doing this to myself but wonder of all wonders I didn't really mind because I know all hell is going to break loose in the final book of this trilogy and all will be revealed and explained in due time. Needless to say, I will be first in line to read it like my life depends on it.

If you've read the first book, I highly recommend you read this, it just might be better than that and if you've not read the first book, WHAT are you waiting for? Go read it and this one as well. You will not regret it.

* eARC Provided by Publisher via Netgalley in Exchange for an Honest, Unbiased Review*

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the vampire story/mystery part of this. It's fast paced and entertaining. I'm not feeling the romance at all though.

[Agalactiae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread better than the first 🤍🤍

*****
4,25/5

Dans cette suite, nous retrouvons bien évidemment Atlas et Cristian qui se rendent cette fois en Roumanie afin d'aider un allié du père de ce dernier. Ils vont en apprendre plus sur les strigoi et nous allons en savoir plus sur tout cet univers.

J'aime vraiment beaucoup l'ambiance de cette série. Je trouve que l'auteur mêle bien le côté fantastique au monde réel. J'ai adoré bien évidemment retrouver les personnages et en savoir plus sur l'intrigue, mais je ne peux trop rien en dire au risque d'en dévoiler un peu trop...

J'aime beaucoup les personnages, mais surtout la dynamique qu'il y a entre Atlas et Cristian. Entre eux, une alchimie est présente depuis le début et ils ont une complicité indéniable. Cependant, même si par moment, ils franchissent le pas et effacent la distance, la réalité prend le dessus sur le désir...à savoir qu'Atlas est bel et bien un employé et garde-du-corps de Cristian, du moins c'est ce que l'un, voire l'autre, pense. J'aurais souhaité avoir plus de moments entre eux deux dans ce roman, mais honnêtement, les quelques passages où ils s'ouvrent l'un à l'autre nous laissent entrevoir la réelle connexion qui existe entre eux, en tout cas moi je l'ai ressentie.

Comme souvent dans les romans de M.A. Grant, on ne s'ennuie pas une seconde. Pas mal de tensions pour nos personnages, on stresse pour eux à de nombreuses reprises. Le dernier tiers du livre est d'ailleurs à couper le souffle tellement le rythme s'accélère.
Dans ce second tome, l'auteur nous permet aussi de réellement nous plonger dans l'univers de ces vampires, elle se concentre vraiment sur l'avancée de l'intrigue et dans la découverte de ce monde paranormal. Attention, même si on peut dire que la romance est moins présente, l'évolution des personnages et du couple est au rendez-vous. Et personnellement, j'aime lorsqu'une relation prend son temps, lorsqu'elle est naturelle, plutôt discrète mais où les personnages progressent selon leur rythme.

J'ai bien sûr hâte de pouvoir lire la suite, surtout avec la fin que nous offre l'auteur dans ce second tome !

[Kaylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding beauty in the place that had destroyed you could be worse than finding it as terrible as you remembered.

I really liked it. Not as much as the first but definitely still did. It was great getting Cristian's POV (we do have a bit of Atlas' here as well but it is absolutely necessary so didn't mind at all). It was also great how we learn that he wears the chamomile scent for his mother, in remembrance.

I also thought I'd be able to get back to this review sooner than I have so... yep.

There were a lot of really great parts to this, and some not so great. Cristian was wonderful at times, naive af at times and frustrating. You'd think for someone as old as he was supposed to be he'd know a bit more, at least be a bit more cautious. However, I guess that is all about what his character was supposed to be. Also, how he was raised essentially. Like with Emil... Don't get me started. I mean what the actual fuck. I can't even... They tried a back-and-forth bit about him but then really made it obvious but then he still goes on his own?! Soo ridiculous. I don't even care if him and Atlas got into an argument right beforehand. You still wait. Talk about the most ridiculous, frustrating part of a book I've read in a very, very long time. Not to mention how awful he was at keeping his and Atlas' names secret. Everyone and their uncle knew their aliases. Ugh.

"Is it your right to make that decision for him?"

But he's also so sweet and understanding of Atlas and his PTSD. Asking if he could touch Atlas during one of the scenes, waking him by literally just talking to him in Romanian cuz he realized that it was soothing/Atlas liked it, being overall aware of his state of mind.
"Cristian?" Atlas's voice was sleep-rough and confused.
"Just me," he murmured, withdrawing his hands and moving so there was more space between them. "I needed you to wake up before the nightmares started."
"Hmm," Atlas grumbled. He rolled over, tucking his head beneath Cristian's chin. "Good idea."
"I thought so," Cristian whispered. His heart was beating too fast and a soft, foolish hope fluttered beneath his ribs, even as he didn't move for fear of ruining the moment. He was always the first to reach out, to offer the invitation for touch and comfort. For Atlas to be the one to close the gap now, for him to be the one to seek out Cristian, was a marvel.
"Keep talking," Atlas mumbled into his chest. "Helps."
"What do you want me to say?"
"Anything. I like it all.

He does slip occasionally but it's completely understandable imo. They haven't known each other that long and they're in a very stressful situation. It also isn't as if Atlas is that open to begin with...
"You can barely bring yourself to acknowledge our physical attraction, but you'll tell me when you can't handle your trauma," he said, disbelieving. "Really, Atlas?" The question came out sharper than he intended. He blamed the raw nerve ending of emotion he couldn't shake, but it didn't matter. The damage was already done.

Speaking of Atlas, it's weird how, in both books, it always refers to Atlas' medication as just "migraine" and/or "headache medication" but then it randomly says that he takes his trazodone or whatever along those lines. Out of all the medications to take for migraine/headaches trazodone is not one I would have ever guessed and makes very little sense. Especially since it's literally only mentioned by name the one time so... Why? Why call it out and make it be trazodone of all medications...? Yes, nit-pick but... Seriously?

That aside, I really do like the understanding as well on Atlas' end. So often is it portrayed as everyone has to be jealous. No matter how old the other is, how much life experience they may or may not have and then it's just "expected" that the other won't have sex with others...? Or they're jealous of others that came before them even though it makes absolutely no sense. I loved this and the perspective was so refreshing. It was super appreciative.
Cristian had been unusually cagey about his friendship with Radu. If it had been in an effort to keep Atlas from being jealous, it was a misguided decision. Cristian had been alive for centuries. Atlas prayed he'd found happiness with others during that time, or else the near-immortality was more curse than blessing. And if Radu had been one of those lucky few, so be it. If he wasn't, and he and Cristian were nothing more than friends, it boded equally well. Radu struck him as someone worth knowing, one of those people Cristian said was worth the risk of trusting.

Another thing I appreciated was that Cristian realized he needed space and took it (currently ignoring the fact that he was ridiculous immediately after), and let Atlas know about it! Talk about another rarity. In general.
[...]He adjusted his sleeves and held Atlas's gaze. "I will wait as long as you want me to. I love you, and I'm not walking away for good. But I need some space to think."
He knew it was the right choice when Atlas didn't follow him outside. As much as it hurt, it was better in the long run. It meant Atlas had listened to him. Atlas was thoughtful, and there was a chance they could still work this entire clusterfuck out when Cristian came back in a few hours.

As you can tell, quite a bit of back and forth here between the two MCs but overall, really enjoyed this book too. I liked a couple of the side characters here and it is very sad with Radu as well... I will definitely be checking out the next but don't own it like this and the previous (thanks to the author in participating in an event that I won a signed copy of book 1 and 2!!) so it might be a minute before I'm able to get my hands on it.

Atlas reached up a shaky hand and traced Cristian's lower lip with his thumb. "Your fangs are showing," he whispered.
"Sorry," Cristian whispered back, his gut sinking.
Atlas's pupils were dilated, his focus burning in its intensity. His grip on Cristian's chin tightened when he tried to pull away, and it took him a second to realize Atlas wasn't turned off by the sight of his fangs. Far from it, in fact.
"You're so careful with them," Atlas mused, still playing with Cristian's lip, a maddening back and forth of his thumb against the sensitive skin. "Would you still be so careful if you were on your knees for me?"

--

Really enjoyed this! However, some parts were rather lacking...

Full RTC!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an arc. My review is my own.

Upping all the (ha) stakes from book 1 is a hard thing to do well for the middle book of a trilogy. MA Grant world builds so excellently without sacrificing character growth either. Crooked Shadows does both of these things. The plots thicken, the tension between Cristian and Atlas is off the charts, and I can't wait to see how this finishes up!

[gimmethosebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one hell of a great sequel to book one.

Fast paced, adrenaline-fueled, nonstop stealing your breath, fun and suspense. WOW!

Cristian and Atlas pick up right where they left off and the story just zooms. I can’t say much more because I’m afraid I’ll spoil it, but this left me beyond ready for book three!

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly that ending! 😲 Talk about a cliffhanger that makes you gasp! The farther down the rabbit hole we go, the more I worry about who can actually be trusted. Can't wait for book 3!

[BeckieLouLou · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Really great bodyguard story, low fantasy where vampires exist in the current world but that knowledge is kept from the masses. There’s a mystery to solve and personal demons to overcome along with trauma and grief. A very well told story, great writing, great world building and great character development. The MCs growth is significant by the end and the journey, which is fraught with danger, suspense and adventure. Must be read in order, must read all three for the HEA and culmination of the mystery. Each book leads directly into the next and it’s one big conspiracy that unfolds over all three books, follows the same couple.

Lots of action throughout the series, good number of side characters with scenery and location changes to keep things interesting. Spice is mild, the scenes are detailed but few.

HEA, series, m/m, vampire, human, bodyguard, vers.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one may have started a little slow, but the last few chapters totally made up for it – in a big way. I have to admit that I think I liked Rare Vigilance a little bit better than Crooked Shadows, but not enough to give this one less than 5 stars. ❤

I’m a fan of varying points of view within a story, but when it’s necessary, I don’t mind getting only one character’s POV. In the case of Rare Vigilance and Crooked Shadows, M.A. Grant did things a little differently. Rare Vigilance was told in Atlas’ POV, while Crooked Shadows was mostly told by Cristian. I kind of liked that approach, especially since there were so many secrets being kept by Cristian in the first book. It was nice getting inside his head in Crooked Shadows, especially from an emotional standpoint. It gave readers some insight, even though Atlas was still mostly in the dark.

Crooked Shadows was definitely action packed and even more suspenseful than Rare Vigilance. Atlas and Cristian found more than they bargained for while on the run. More secrets were revealed, old alliances were strengthened and more betrayal was discovered. Not all mysteries were solved though and finding out what’s really going on is going to prove to be extremely interesting. I can’t wait for the Whitethorn Agency series to continue because Atlas and Cristian’s story is far from over.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Crooked Shadows. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Iz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My first reaction upon finishing M.A. Grant's upcoming masterpiece of a sequel (and my subsequent discovery that there were no other pages left) was just a very loud and distressed moan. Then a: "OH MY GOD, what was that ending and how am I supposed to wait for the next book?!!!"

I loved "Crooked Shadows" so damn much, even more than the first book.
It starts where "Rare Vigilance" leaves off, with Atlas and Cristian escaping Scarsdale and heading off to Romania to investigate and hopefully discover more about the mysterious (and enormously creepy) Strigoi and the reason behind their attacks. Romania brings about new characters and new vampiric families, even more political maneuverings and lots and lots of action-packed moments and shocking discoveries. It also brings about new challenges to Cristian and Atlas' slowly-blossoming relationship and intimacy.

I utterly loved the change in setting of the book: I think this might be my first romance where the whole of the story is set in a different country other than the usual USA or UK. I loved how different the atmospheric vibe was to the previous book, the vivid and colourful and realistic descriptions of the countryside, towns and mountains.
The writing was, as usual, gorgeous and poetic and transported you right into the pages of the book: I was so immersed in the story I actually hadn't realized the end of the novel was near until I looked down and saw the dreaded "95%" on my kindle screen.

The thing I really appreciated of this sequel, and I think one of the main reasons I loved it even more than the first book, was the fact that we finally get Cristian's POV. And what a POV. When you first meet him, through Atlas' eyes, he comes across as an arrogant brat , and even after discovering that there's more to him than his bratty exterior, you don't actually get to see how vulnerable and deep his inner self is. He still acts arrogant and snarky in this second book, but his thoughts and feelings are so soft, so vulnerable and his care (and yes, love) for Atlas runs so deep you'll want to dive inside the book, hug him and shelter him from the world. I only wanted to shout at him (and Atlas) a couple of times, because they were acting like insecure, self-sacrificing "he doesn't deserve me" idiots, but still, I loved how far both of them come throughout the book and the chemistry and care between them is *chef's kiss*
I loved the new characters, especially Daria (whom I'm hoping we'll get more of in the third book), and the few interactions we get with the Dunării family members are promising.
Those last few chapters were WILD: they left me with even more questions (especially about the Strigoi and Atlas) and a desperate need to speed up time to when I'll have the third book in my greedy hands.
I'm so so looking forward to reading what else M.A. Grant has planned for Atlas and Cristian: I'm sure it will be great (and involve lots of tears and screaming).

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Rare Vigilance first. I gave it 5 stars, this series is well worth the read so far!

Crooked Shadows by M.A. Grant follows vampire Cristian Slava and his human bodyguard Atlas Kinkaid. This sequel did a great job furthering the plot and exploring some very interesting worldbuilding. The relationship dynamic was compelling; as Atlas' complicated history with vampires with the Strigoi, clashed with his growing desire for Cristian. And vice versa, as immortal Cristian comes to terms with the very human Altas.

While I loved the exploration of their relationship here, I do wish we got a bit more romance. Hopefully, the next book will have more room for this.

The Plot (beware of spoilers for book 1)

After the events of book one, Cristian and Atlas leave New York for Romania. Atlas' trauma from the strigoi attack, that left him scarred, is all too fresh. As reports of bear attacks in the area start, Atlas and Cristian investigate the all to familiar signs of strigoi attacks.

With Cristian's friend, and heir to the local vampire clan gone missing, it's clear betrayal and political machinations has followed our duo overseas.

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a non-stop ride. Just when you thought our MC's could stop & catch their breath, bam, something else was thrown at them & they were off again. So this one picks up where the last book ends, so it isn't a stand-a-lone read. Now they have escaped US & made it to Romania, they are pulled into an investigation to find Radu, the missing son of the vampire leader of Romania, who is being investigated himself. That took us down a rabbit hole of what is going on with the council? There was a lot going on here. We also get Christian's POV & I loved seeing what was going on in his head. You can truly see how much he loves Atlas. We have fighting for their lives, to finding a safe place to land to a betrayal on high and a betrayal that I never saw coming ever that was closer to home. That person would not have been anywhere on my list of "bad guys". I love Daria, she makes a great addition to the story. So yes this one ends in a huge cliffhanger with a WTF moment. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.