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Shadowblood Souls #1
Shattered Vow
We vowed to escape together. I broke that promise. Now the men I loved just might break me.
There were six of us. Caged, turned into monsters, and tormented with brutal tests of our horrific emerging abilities.
We had only each other to count on... until our escape attempt ended with one dead, the others recaptured, and me dragged away into a different nightmare.
Now I've finally fought my way back to rescue them. Except the men I set free are hardened, beastly versions of the devoted boys I remember.
They see me as a traitor and a murderer—but they refuse to let me go now that they have me back.
They have no idea that the greatest threat may be the new darkness that’s woken up inside me.
I don’t know how to control it. And if these men break me, I could destroy us all.
*Shattered Vow is the first in a new urban fantasy series for those who love savagely possessive men and fierce heroines who'll fight for what's theirs.*
There were six of us. Caged, turned into monsters, and tormented with brutal tests of our horrific emerging abilities.
We had only each other to count on... until our escape attempt ended with one dead, the others recaptured, and me dragged away into a different nightmare.
Now I've finally fought my way back to rescue them. Except the men I set free are hardened, beastly versions of the devoted boys I remember.
They see me as a traitor and a murderer—but they refuse to let me go now that they have me back.
They have no idea that the greatest threat may be the new darkness that’s woken up inside me.
I don’t know how to control it. And if these men break me, I could destroy us all.
*Shattered Vow is the first in a new urban fantasy series for those who love savagely possessive men and fierce heroines who'll fight for what's theirs.*
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 26, 2022
5183 people are currently reading
10834 people want to read
About the author
Eva Chase
124 books3,792 followersEva Chase lives in Canada with her family. She loves stories both swoony and supernatural, and strong women and the men who appreciate them. You can visit her online at www.evachase.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 661 reviews
November 15, 2022
Not another “bully” romance. Those two words don’t belong together. Ever.
May 29, 2023
There’s potential here. Outside of the annoying repetitiveness of Riva being ‘so tiny, petite and smol’ (SCREAMS pick me choose me, it gets exhausting. She’s so tiny, all the guys call her some nickname about how small she is compared to them), it was still interesting enough to keep me reading. But the reason I’m rating it so low?
Jacob.
Of all the guys, he’s SO despicably awful. I know he’s supposed to be the rough, “cranky” one of the group but Riva is supposed to still LIKE him? After he takes enjoyment digging through her body and TWISTING UP HER VEINS, we’re supposed to believe Riva wanting to kill herself magically changed his mind about her? It feels like a scramble to get things moving positive for book 2, and was jarring. I know Riva is going to forgive them and fall into bed with them, that’s just how these stories go, but I don’t think any amount of groveling would make up for getting enjoyment out of telepathically twisting up her insides. And I know there’s a short available from his POV during the train scene but I can’t describe how much I don’t want or care about that. The 180 spin on his attitude is grating.
As for the other guys….they’re there? They don’t feel very developed in comparison to other why choose books I’ve read, the author is leaning heavily on them all growing up together and not developing their personalities to stand on their own.
Jacob.
Of all the guys, he’s SO despicably awful. I know he’s supposed to be the rough, “cranky” one of the group but Riva is supposed to still LIKE him? After he takes enjoyment digging through her body and TWISTING UP HER VEINS, we’re supposed to believe Riva wanting to kill herself magically changed his mind about her? It feels like a scramble to get things moving positive for book 2, and was jarring. I know Riva is going to forgive them and fall into bed with them, that’s just how these stories go, but I don’t think any amount of groveling would make up for getting enjoyment out of telepathically twisting up her insides. And I know there’s a short available from his POV during the train scene but I can’t describe how much I don’t want or care about that. The 180 spin on his attitude is grating.
As for the other guys….they’re there? They don’t feel very developed in comparison to other why choose books I’ve read, the author is leaning heavily on them all growing up together and not developing their personalities to stand on their own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2022
ehhh no
Can’t stand a female lead that just takes abuse and forgives because the abusers think they had a right to abuse. And she just forgives and forgets because she loves them? It went as far as her killing herself. Just because they felt bad that she killed her self and that was there ah ha moment and they did a 180 instantly ( personality wise) and they were able to bring her back does not make all the abuse that drove her to do what she did ok. I’m gonna have to stop reading this author, it seems she has a new theme going on in her books and I’m not liking it. That’s not love. That’s just toxic.
Can’t stand a female lead that just takes abuse and forgives because the abusers think they had a right to abuse. And she just forgives and forgets because she loves them? It went as far as her killing herself. Just because they felt bad that she killed her self and that was there ah ha moment and they did a 180 instantly ( personality wise) and they were able to bring her back does not make all the abuse that drove her to do what she did ok. I’m gonna have to stop reading this author, it seems she has a new theme going on in her books and I’m not liking it. That’s not love. That’s just toxic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2024
Interesting reverse harem paranormal storyline!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😊😘😟🤓
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: DualNarration
The heroine: Riva - she was locked up in an underground institution with Jacob, Zian, Andreas, Dominic and Griffin, since they were little kids because of their emerging powers and the eerie substance that ran through their veins. Until the night they planned to escape from the nightmare in which they were living. The guardians always made sure there were more of them than the kids. The guardians weren’t as worried about what they could do with their talents as they should have been. However, that night everything went wrong. Griffin was killed and Riva was taken away to a new hell.
The Heroes: Griffin, Jacob, Zian, Andreas and Dominic - shadowbloods.
Griffin - his gift was to feel and control the emotions of others. He wasn’t much of a fighter, and he is the twin brother of Jacob.
Jacob - his talent is to catch a person with his power and force them to his will, in addition to a telekinetic ability. He is also able to shoot out spikes with poison.
Zian - his powers are keen hearing and ability to see through solid surfaces. He is a wolf shifter.
Andreas - he is able to retrieve memories from other people. He was able to get the codes to their cells out of the heads of guardians. He is also able to turn invisible.
Dominic - he has a healing ability and is the smallest of the guys. He always wears a trench coat.
The Story: Riva’s gifts were unnatural strength and speed. The guys blamed her for what happened the night they tried to escape. They hated her and she was sent away. She had feelings for all of them, but never mentioned it to them, except Griffin who had read her emotions. She was sold and was away from her guys for over four years, made to fight to the death in a cage in an arena as the star attraction. She is short and tiny and always underestimated, especially when fighting large men. Until the night she feels dizzy right before her fight and knows her owner planned this so she would fall.
Now, she is back to rescue her guys, but they are very different than the four guys she last saw four years ago. They are drugged and their skills diminished. Jacob is determined to make every last person who killed his brother pay for what they did. Riva tells the guys what happened to her, though they don’t believe her since the guardians told them a different story, about her getting privileges and working with the guardians.
The story was good, and I like the idea of people with special abilities or powers. Though I am not too fond of the fact that this series is five books. That is a bit too long for one reverse harem series. I don’t know if I will get all the books or not. Though I did like the storyline about the group going after information on what was done to them. They want to see if they can reverse it and be normal.
This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Amber Lee Connors and Adam Gold. I really liked Amber Lee’s soft and feminine voice. It was age appropriate and perfect for Riva. Adam Gold has a deep voice and is able to do different voices for the different male characters.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😊😘😟🤓
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: DualNarration
The heroine: Riva - she was locked up in an underground institution with Jacob, Zian, Andreas, Dominic and Griffin, since they were little kids because of their emerging powers and the eerie substance that ran through their veins. Until the night they planned to escape from the nightmare in which they were living. The guardians always made sure there were more of them than the kids. The guardians weren’t as worried about what they could do with their talents as they should have been. However, that night everything went wrong. Griffin was killed and Riva was taken away to a new hell.
The Heroes: Griffin, Jacob, Zian, Andreas and Dominic - shadowbloods.
Griffin - his gift was to feel and control the emotions of others. He wasn’t much of a fighter, and he is the twin brother of Jacob.
Jacob - his talent is to catch a person with his power and force them to his will, in addition to a telekinetic ability. He is also able to shoot out spikes with poison.
Zian - his powers are keen hearing and ability to see through solid surfaces. He is a wolf shifter.
Andreas - he is able to retrieve memories from other people. He was able to get the codes to their cells out of the heads of guardians. He is also able to turn invisible.
Dominic - he has a healing ability and is the smallest of the guys. He always wears a trench coat.
The Story: Riva’s gifts were unnatural strength and speed. The guys blamed her for what happened the night they tried to escape. They hated her and she was sent away. She had feelings for all of them, but never mentioned it to them, except Griffin who had read her emotions. She was sold and was away from her guys for over four years, made to fight to the death in a cage in an arena as the star attraction. She is short and tiny and always underestimated, especially when fighting large men. Until the night she feels dizzy right before her fight and knows her owner planned this so she would fall.
Now, she is back to rescue her guys, but they are very different than the four guys she last saw four years ago. They are drugged and their skills diminished. Jacob is determined to make every last person who killed his brother pay for what they did. Riva tells the guys what happened to her, though they don’t believe her since the guardians told them a different story, about her getting privileges and working with the guardians.
The story was good, and I like the idea of people with special abilities or powers. Though I am not too fond of the fact that this series is five books. That is a bit too long for one reverse harem series. I don’t know if I will get all the books or not. Though I did like the storyline about the group going after information on what was done to them. They want to see if they can reverse it and be normal.
This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Amber Lee Connors and Adam Gold. I really liked Amber Lee’s soft and feminine voice. It was age appropriate and perfect for Riva. Adam Gold has a deep voice and is able to do different voices for the different male characters.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Pinterest|BookBub
November 8, 2022
The X-Men meets Corrupt by Penelope Douglas 🖤🔥 I binged this book last night. It's THAT addictive.
A group of 6 powerful beings, Riva and 5 guys, are held captive by a secret and mysterious organization who conducts tests and intense training on them. The 6 of them form a strong unbreakable bound that ties them together. That is.. until Riva breaks that bound.
After a failed scape attempt, one ends up dead and the rest are separated from her for 4 years. As she is sold to a fighting ring she wishes nothing but to get back to her boys and rescue them. Problem is, when she finally gets the opportunity, they do not welcome her with open arms. They are no longer the boys she once knew...
That's when I started to get Corrupt vibes! Her men blame Riva for what happened 4 years ago. However they won't let her go.. she's hers to do with as they please, to payback for the pain that she caused...🔥 The romance is a slow burn reverse harem full of chemistry, my favorite of the boys was Drey ofc!
Now these men are no ordinary men, Eva Chase gives us a dash of Chosen by Villains ... These monsters just might break Riva for good and doom them all.
A group of 6 powerful beings, Riva and 5 guys, are held captive by a secret and mysterious organization who conducts tests and intense training on them. The 6 of them form a strong unbreakable bound that ties them together. That is.. until Riva breaks that bound.
After a failed scape attempt, one ends up dead and the rest are separated from her for 4 years. As she is sold to a fighting ring she wishes nothing but to get back to her boys and rescue them. Problem is, when she finally gets the opportunity, they do not welcome her with open arms. They are no longer the boys she once knew...
That's when I started to get Corrupt vibes! Her men blame Riva for what happened 4 years ago. However they won't let her go.. she's hers to do with as they please, to payback for the pain that she caused...🔥 The romance is a slow burn reverse harem full of chemistry, my favorite of the boys was Drey ofc!
Now these men are no ordinary men, Eva Chase gives us a dash of Chosen by Villains ... These monsters just might break Riva for good and doom them all.
November 20, 2022
Fooled again by BookTok. The biggest plot hole and piece of plot convenience EVER came about right at the beginning and carried on throughout this book. Why the beep would the guys in this RH believe the guardians, a.k.a. the bad guys, over the FMC?! They were dumb as rocks for believing the provided “proof” and it took far too long for them to pull their heads out of their asses. This was a corny bully romance. It reminded me of The Bonds That Tie series, but this was the knock off store brand version. The ending was abrupt, even for a cliff hanger, and it’s over before we get to see any groveling, which is the entire reason I read bully romance. There was no chemistry or sexual tension between the characters. There was only a sprinkle of steam. The best part about this book is the cover. I won’t be reading the next book. On KU.
February 19, 2025
it had potential, but I kept waiting for something to happen and not a lot happened 😅
the guys are lowkey annoying (or douchebags).. she needs to learn to stick up for herself!
their magic is cool though.
I don't remember if the book had a list with trigger warnings in the beginning, so if not; be aware of there being a suicide-attempt
the guys are lowkey annoying (or douchebags).. she needs to learn to stick up for herself!
their magic is cool though.
I don't remember if the book had a list with trigger warnings in the beginning, so if not; be aware of there being a suicide-attempt
January 17, 2023
This was an intriguing beginning to the series it’s a paranormal reverse harem with an enemies-to-lovers theme. I wouldn’t really describe this as a bully romance more of a misunderstanding leading to lots of hateful actions and words and Jacob seemed to be the main source.
Riva grew up in a facility with her boys all of them are very other with emerging abilities that are growing and evolving as they age. Bred and raised together in a lab this is all they have ever known after an incident results in tragedy Riva is separated and confined away from what she considers her only family and blood. it’s been a long hard four years alone so after she discovers a new terrifying ability and finds herself unexpectedly liberated she obviously heads back to what she considers her one safe haven her boys only to discover they now all seem to hate her and for something she is entirely innocent of.
Jacob Andreas Zian and Dominic all blame Riva for what they consider her betrayal. They believe her actions and disloyalty caused the death of Jacobs's twin Griffin. The only thing Riva can do now Is attempt to prove her loyalty through her actions which isn’t easy when all that gets thrown at her is suspicion and hate.
As the group grow closer to their end-goal bonds will need to be reaffirmed and allegiances cemented. Riva will also be driven to the brink as she discovers that the boys she once loved with all of her heart don’t hold her in the same regard.
The endgame when it finally arrived was bloody brutal and the aftermath of Rivas's actions means she’s once again terrified that her family will reject her for the monster she feels she now is.
This was an easy read and the action was non-stop I’m intrigued to discover where this is going to go next especially with Riva revealing her new talent so unexpectedly.
This was told from multiple POVs but this first book was for the majority of Riva and her thoughts with just cameos from the boys. I would like to get to know them much better as I did think some individuals here shone brighter than others. Overall though I’m invested in what’s to come and this series has definitely captured my imagination.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
December 17, 2023
Darker Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy with a Monster factor. The main characters are prisoners and test subjects at first, then break free of thier captures. Most of this story will be of them traveling and hunting for clues about themselves. The FMC will have to put up with a lot of bullying and Us vs Her situations. I think book one is Medium to Slow Burn, as only one of the MMCs gets intimate with her.
I kept all spoilers to a minimum. I don't think anything I wrote would spoil the storyline, it's mainly facts that are made known at the start of the story. But you'll have to be the judge of whether or not you want to read ahead...
Small spoilers about the relationship status at the end of book 1, like whether or not bullying is still present and my thoughts about the FMC and if she will forgive easily...
All in All, I enjoyed the story it's engaging, and the mystery of who the main characters are started to get very good at the end. I don't currently care for the MMCs, but they certainly weren't meant to be portrayed in a good light in this book so we will have to see how they grow and learn in the next book before I decide if they deserve the FMC. Most people want to read about super strong badass FMCs while I personally like kind loving ones with a good heart. Riva was a good mix of both and I look forward to exploring more about her.
I could see how some might not like this type of FMC because she let the guys walk all over her. Unless you know what it's like to have no one and nothing in this world you might not understand the FMC's motives by allowing abuse from the only family and loved ones she has ever known in an attempt to keep them in her life. Also when she thinks all hope is lost with the guys she does something risky. Some people will dislike an FMC who did something so foolish. I felt it showed how selfless she truly is and it made her more realistic because I know what it feels like when you have nothing left and no hope and how reckless that state of being can make a person. You don't always think things through all the way, acting without regret because nothing is holding you back. But not everyone who reads this story will agree with my assessment.
Questions and predictions about the series, Major spoilers ahead...
I kept all spoilers to a minimum. I don't think anything I wrote would spoil the storyline, it's mainly facts that are made known at the start of the story. But you'll have to be the judge of whether or not you want to read ahead...
Small spoilers about the relationship status at the end of book 1, like whether or not bullying is still present and my thoughts about the FMC and if she will forgive easily...
All in All, I enjoyed the story it's engaging, and the mystery of who the main characters are started to get very good at the end. I don't currently care for the MMCs, but they certainly weren't meant to be portrayed in a good light in this book so we will have to see how they grow and learn in the next book before I decide if they deserve the FMC. Most people want to read about super strong badass FMCs while I personally like kind loving ones with a good heart. Riva was a good mix of both and I look forward to exploring more about her.
I could see how some might not like this type of FMC because she let the guys walk all over her. Unless you know what it's like to have no one and nothing in this world you might not understand the FMC's motives by allowing abuse from the only family and loved ones she has ever known in an attempt to keep them in her life. Also when she thinks all hope is lost with the guys she does something risky. Some people will dislike an FMC who did something so foolish. I felt it showed how selfless she truly is and it made her more realistic because I know what it feels like when you have nothing left and no hope and how reckless that state of being can make a person. You don't always think things through all the way, acting without regret because nothing is holding you back. But not everyone who reads this story will agree with my assessment.
Questions and predictions about the series, Major spoilers ahead...
February 18, 2024
Safety for the series:
• Virgin h
• 1 of the guys is not a virgin (an almost Dnf because they have been friends with the FMC since birth) but he said the “guardians” arranged it and he felt like he had to do it. (Still wtf why not just make him a virgin?!) It felt pointless to be added because it had nothing to do with the storyline
• I believe the rest of the guys are virgins, some stated outright but others implied
• in total all Virgin relationship except one person (one of the H’s)
• no OW but mentions of an OW raping the H and then touching another H without his consent but he killed her before she could rape him
• no OM
• Virgin h
• 1 of the guys is not a virgin (an almost Dnf because they have been friends with the FMC since birth) but he said the “guardians” arranged it and he felt like he had to do it. (Still wtf why not just make him a virgin?!) It felt pointless to be added because it had nothing to do with the storyline
• I believe the rest of the guys are virgins, some stated outright but others implied
• in total all Virgin relationship except one person (one of the H’s)
• no OW but mentions of an OW raping the H and then touching another H without his consent but he killed her before she could rape him
• no OM
November 8, 2022
Rating: 4.5 stars
You cannot expect me to have a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers reverse harem and expect me to be okay. I am not okay. What I am is in dire need of the sequel!
Shattered Vow gave me romantic and angsty X-Men vibes, except that instead of going to a school for gifted youngsters, these kids were born and raised in a creepy military facility and forced to undergo rigorous, brutal training aimed to turn them into weapons. Growing up, the six kids—Riva and her guys—form a very tight bond and dream of escape, but once they try, things go horribly wrong. Riva is separated from the group, and four years later, when she’s finally able to escape and save the guys, they believe her to be a traitor.
Cue in my emotional distress.
The whole book we follow these characters as they try to find the person who might be responsible for the creation of the facility, and why they have these powers. In the meantime, we see Riva doing everything within her power to make the guys trust her again. So there is an investigation alongside the romance plot, which are two things that together, they just make sense. Mystery, romance and fantasy are the three pillars of my reading life.
The plot’s pacing and the guys’ group dynamic were fantastic, and the whole relationship drama held my heart in a vice and crushed me completely. I lost count of how many times I wanted to scream into my pillow because the guys were so obtuse in regards to Riva—especially that asshat Jacob (I love him so much though. Damn cheekbones.) The struggle came all from the fact that I know things, because as a reader, I saw all of their perspectives, but they do not. My shipper heart hurt, but it was all very well done. It successfully messed with my mind. Jacob and Andreas were the ones I loved the most, and therefore the ones who had the most power to completely destroy me. And do not get me started on Griffin…
There were several points in the story where my heart ached, especially towards the end. I won’t go into detail to avoid spoilers, but I’m very curious to see how the dynamic evolves in the second book. There is some serious groveling to be done.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own!
You cannot expect me to have a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers reverse harem and expect me to be okay. I am not okay. What I am is in dire need of the sequel!
Shattered Vow gave me romantic and angsty X-Men vibes, except that instead of going to a school for gifted youngsters, these kids were born and raised in a creepy military facility and forced to undergo rigorous, brutal training aimed to turn them into weapons. Growing up, the six kids—Riva and her guys—form a very tight bond and dream of escape, but once they try, things go horribly wrong. Riva is separated from the group, and four years later, when she’s finally able to escape and save the guys, they believe her to be a traitor.
Cue in my emotional distress.
The whole book we follow these characters as they try to find the person who might be responsible for the creation of the facility, and why they have these powers. In the meantime, we see Riva doing everything within her power to make the guys trust her again. So there is an investigation alongside the romance plot, which are two things that together, they just make sense. Mystery, romance and fantasy are the three pillars of my reading life.
The plot’s pacing and the guys’ group dynamic were fantastic, and the whole relationship drama held my heart in a vice and crushed me completely. I lost count of how many times I wanted to scream into my pillow because the guys were so obtuse in regards to Riva—especially that asshat Jacob (I love him so much though. Damn cheekbones.) The struggle came all from the fact that I know things, because as a reader, I saw all of their perspectives, but they do not. My shipper heart hurt, but it was all very well done. It successfully messed with my mind. Jacob and Andreas were the ones I loved the most, and therefore the ones who had the most power to completely destroy me. And do not get me started on Griffin…
There were several points in the story where my heart ached, especially towards the end. I won’t go into detail to avoid spoilers, but I’m very curious to see how the dynamic evolves in the second book. There is some serious groveling to be done.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own!
October 23, 2024
I've learned a lot from books like this. Committing suicide really does make people love you more. Who would have thought?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
.5🌶️/5
This book feels like Suicide Squad, X-Men, and The Bonds That Tie series all combined into a why choose paranormal romance.
Tropes: why choose, friends to enemies to lovers, slow burn
What I liked:
- I was immediately hooked, it started with action and kept going with a fast pace that kept me entertained. I always like when the first book in a series is fast paced!
- I liked the way the story was set up, and that we got to see the group before and after the moment that everything went to hell. Although the guys version of events differ from Riva’s, it made it easier to understand their actions.
- The way Riva’s feelings about the guys are written is SO GOOD!! I could physically feel the pain of rejection that she was feeling. Like the way it was described and her feeling like a burden to them, I felt it too and it hurt. (In a good writing kind of way lol)
What I didn’t like:
- I did keep getting the guys confused (especially in the beginning), so I wish they had more frequent descriptions about them. They are there, but not frequent enough that I remember them all 😅
- I think maybe it was a bit too easy for the group to track down Ursula with little to no clues. It didn’t feel very believable. I would’ve liked the process to be more complex.
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Riva is kept in an underground facility with her 5 male friends: Zian, Dominic, Andreas, and twins Jacob and Griffin. They each possess different abilities and are tested, tortured, and sometimes sent on individual missions. After a failed escape attempt, Griffin is killed and Riva is taken to a fighting pit. Over 4 years later, Riva blacks out during a fight and screams, and her scream causes everyone in attendance to be brutally killed, allowing her to escape and head to where the guys are being kept. Once there, she assists them in escaping, although the guys believe that Riva made a deal with their captors and sacrificed Griffin for better treatment, leaving the other 4 behind, and they now loathe her. Also at this point, there has been no romantic relationship between any of them, just friendship (Riva did kiss Griffin right before he died). The guys have a plan to find someone that used to work at the facility (Ursula) and question her about what was done to them and how to fix it. They go to a college where they can blend in and use the resources to find Ursula, and move into a townhome. Meanwhile, Jacob used his powers to poison Riva enough to keep her weak and make it so that she can’t run away, while Dominic heals her enough every day that she won’t die. Andreas finds a hacker that can help them find Ursula, and in exchange Riva steals a valuable action figure for him. Their new neighbor, Brooke, is a bit concerned that Riva isn’t safe with the guys. The hacker finds info on Ursula’s location, and the group finds out she owns land in Kansas. Before leaving the townhome, Brooke talks to Riva alone to offer her help, as she believes Riva is in an abusive relationship with the guys. While they’re talking, the townhome is attacked by guardians from the facility the group escaped from. They escape, but Brooke is killed during the attack (although the guardians were shooting tranquilizers at the rest of the group). Riva is also struggling with her new scream power, as it keeps rising up but she doesn’t want to use it because she’s not sure how to control it. They make it to Kansas, where the find an abandoned underground facility where they were raised from birth by Ursula. While looking for clues at the facility, a group of guardians shows up to investigate, and Andreas looks into their memories to find where Ursula could be. They find a lead to Canada, and hitch a ride on a train there. While resting at an abandoned house, Riva confesses to Andreas that she kissed Griffin during their escape attempt, and that she blames herself for his death. She also tells him that she loves all of the guys. Andreas confesses his love for her too and they have $ex, afterward noticing matching marks on their chests. Riva then overhears Andreas telling the other guys he “got cozy” with her so she would open up to him. They realize Riva heard the conversation and Jacob antagonizes her about the situation. Riva gets even more upset, and her scream power starts to come out, so she runs away so she won’t hurt the guys. While running, she stands in front of a train to kill herself, but Jacob yells for her and she tries to move at the last second, but is still hit by the train. Dominic is able to mostly heal her, as well as fully remove Jacob’s poison from her. Riva is understandably still mad at the guys, but Jacob gives her back her necklace (that Griffin gave her) that she had broken during the argument. Riva wants to leave, but Andreas shows her his memory of the night Griffin died. The guys were shown footage from the guardians that makes it look like Riva was working with the guardians. Riva reluctantly decides to stay with the guys and continue searching for Ursula, but she no longer has any warm feelings toward them, although they now have pretty much all realized they were being jerks. They make it to Canada (Glenlily) and find Ursula, who reveals she arranged for them to be born, and calls them her shadowbloods. She says that there are creatures that enter the world and prey on humans, so she joined the Company of Light to fight them. Ursula realized they could never defeat the shadow creatures on their own, so she used the creatures’ essence to create the shadowbloods. She tells them that there’s no way to take out the shadow parts of them, as it’s entwined with their DNA. They are then attacked and realize Ursula wants them dead because she believes they’re too dangerous, as she claims a hybrid like them destroyed the Company of Light group. Cornered and with 3/4 guys seriously injured, Riva unleashes her scream power, killing all of their attackers including Ursula. The book ends with Riva not knowing how the guys will react to her destruction.
.5🌶️/5
This book feels like Suicide Squad, X-Men, and The Bonds That Tie series all combined into a why choose paranormal romance.
Tropes: why choose, friends to enemies to lovers, slow burn
What I liked:
- I was immediately hooked, it started with action and kept going with a fast pace that kept me entertained. I always like when the first book in a series is fast paced!
- I liked the way the story was set up, and that we got to see the group before and after the moment that everything went to hell. Although the guys version of events differ from Riva’s, it made it easier to understand their actions.
- The way Riva’s feelings about the guys are written is SO GOOD!! I could physically feel the pain of rejection that she was feeling. Like the way it was described and her feeling like a burden to them, I felt it too and it hurt. (In a good writing kind of way lol)
What I didn’t like:
- I did keep getting the guys confused (especially in the beginning), so I wish they had more frequent descriptions about them. They are there, but not frequent enough that I remember them all 😅
- I think maybe it was a bit too easy for the group to track down Ursula with little to no clues. It didn’t feel very believable. I would’ve liked the process to be more complex.
⚠️⚠️ FULL SPOILER SUMMARY ⚠️⚠️
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
Riva is kept in an underground facility with her 5 male friends: Zian, Dominic, Andreas, and twins Jacob and Griffin. They each possess different abilities and are tested, tortured, and sometimes sent on individual missions. After a failed escape attempt, Griffin is killed and Riva is taken to a fighting pit. Over 4 years later, Riva blacks out during a fight and screams, and her scream causes everyone in attendance to be brutally killed, allowing her to escape and head to where the guys are being kept. Once there, she assists them in escaping, although the guys believe that Riva made a deal with their captors and sacrificed Griffin for better treatment, leaving the other 4 behind, and they now loathe her. Also at this point, there has been no romantic relationship between any of them, just friendship (Riva did kiss Griffin right before he died). The guys have a plan to find someone that used to work at the facility (Ursula) and question her about what was done to them and how to fix it. They go to a college where they can blend in and use the resources to find Ursula, and move into a townhome. Meanwhile, Jacob used his powers to poison Riva enough to keep her weak and make it so that she can’t run away, while Dominic heals her enough every day that she won’t die. Andreas finds a hacker that can help them find Ursula, and in exchange Riva steals a valuable action figure for him. Their new neighbor, Brooke, is a bit concerned that Riva isn’t safe with the guys. The hacker finds info on Ursula’s location, and the group finds out she owns land in Kansas. Before leaving the townhome, Brooke talks to Riva alone to offer her help, as she believes Riva is in an abusive relationship with the guys. While they’re talking, the townhome is attacked by guardians from the facility the group escaped from. They escape, but Brooke is killed during the attack (although the guardians were shooting tranquilizers at the rest of the group). Riva is also struggling with her new scream power, as it keeps rising up but she doesn’t want to use it because she’s not sure how to control it. They make it to Kansas, where the find an abandoned underground facility where they were raised from birth by Ursula. While looking for clues at the facility, a group of guardians shows up to investigate, and Andreas looks into their memories to find where Ursula could be. They find a lead to Canada, and hitch a ride on a train there. While resting at an abandoned house, Riva confesses to Andreas that she kissed Griffin during their escape attempt, and that she blames herself for his death. She also tells him that she loves all of the guys. Andreas confesses his love for her too and they have $ex, afterward noticing matching marks on their chests. Riva then overhears Andreas telling the other guys he “got cozy” with her so she would open up to him. They realize Riva heard the conversation and Jacob antagonizes her about the situation. Riva gets even more upset, and her scream power starts to come out, so she runs away so she won’t hurt the guys. While running, she stands in front of a train to kill herself, but Jacob yells for her and she tries to move at the last second, but is still hit by the train. Dominic is able to mostly heal her, as well as fully remove Jacob’s poison from her. Riva is understandably still mad at the guys, but Jacob gives her back her necklace (that Griffin gave her) that she had broken during the argument. Riva wants to leave, but Andreas shows her his memory of the night Griffin died. The guys were shown footage from the guardians that makes it look like Riva was working with the guardians. Riva reluctantly decides to stay with the guys and continue searching for Ursula, but she no longer has any warm feelings toward them, although they now have pretty much all realized they were being jerks. They make it to Canada (Glenlily) and find Ursula, who reveals she arranged for them to be born, and calls them her shadowbloods. She says that there are creatures that enter the world and prey on humans, so she joined the Company of Light to fight them. Ursula realized they could never defeat the shadow creatures on their own, so she used the creatures’ essence to create the shadowbloods. She tells them that there’s no way to take out the shadow parts of them, as it’s entwined with their DNA. They are then attacked and realize Ursula wants them dead because she believes they’re too dangerous, as she claims a hybrid like them destroyed the Company of Light group. Cornered and with 3/4 guys seriously injured, Riva unleashes her scream power, killing all of their attackers including Ursula. The book ends with Riva not knowing how the guys will react to her destruction.
June 1, 2025
I loved this one. It was amazing and I loved the guys. I can't wait to read the next book.
December 20, 2024
I needed a book to get me away from the reading slump, and this did the trick. Eva Chase never fails me! While I prefer her newer series a bit more, this one also has that same *something*. Easy to read writing, characters you instantly know and cheer for. You feel confident that while some situations are tough, Eva will bring you through it.
May 28, 2025
Updated: I finished it but was so boring and repetitive ....
There is no logic to this story. None of it adds up at all. Even if you just try and let it play out there is nothing that makes sense. at all. Suspend all logic and even then nope ...
There is no logic to this story. None of it adds up at all. Even if you just try and let it play out there is nothing that makes sense. at all. Suspend all logic and even then nope ...
December 24, 2022
I’m stuck between a 3.5 and a 4 on this book. Overall I love the story, six children that had their DNA infused with shadow blood to make them these supreme creatures that can take on these shadow blood creatures that have been feeding on humanity for a long period of time. The reader learns all the torture these children endure and how they just want to be normal human beings. Looks like there is 3 books in this series and Book 2 does not come out until the 28th of this month. Which I plan on reading… the only reason for a lower rating of a 3.5 is due to the editing errors. Some sentences I had reread to actually understand what the author was saying. But besides the editing errors, Shadow Vow was an amazing story and I plan on adding all three books to my physical library.
May 16, 2024
This book reminded me a lot of a webtoon I read a while ago. I'm talking about Code Adam—it's pretty underrated, but I loved it so much.
I think this would be perfect for fans of The Bonds that Tie series by J. Bree.
I'll come back with a more detailed review soon, I'll leave you with a short list of expectations though.
⤏ What to expect:
∘ New Adult Dark Paranormal Romance
∘ Urban-fantasy
∘ Reverse Harem - size: medium (5)
∘ X-men vibes
∘ Monstrous abilities
∘ Tension & angst
∘ Virgin FMC & MMC(s?)
∘ Revenge Plot
∘ Betrayal & secrets
∘ Ends of a cliffhanger
⤏ Tropes:
∘ Childhood bestfriends to Enemies to Lovers
∘ Forced Proximity
∘ Found Family
∘ Slowburn
∘ Fated Mates
∘ Second Chance
⤏ Trigger Warnings: physical and emotional abuse, bullying (within the harem), gaslighting, trauma, violence & gore, self-harm (on page), suicide attempt, torture, death
*i would've appreciated if there was a list of trigger warnings included in the book though*
January 8, 2025
I didn't like this nearly as much as I thought I would. It just felt so flat. I was reading the emotions and tension but wasn't feeling it, so it left me unconnected from both the characters and the story.
November 18, 2025
Audio:
5 stars for Amber Lee Connors
5 stars for Adam Gold
Book: 3 stars
5 stars for Amber Lee Connors
5 stars for Adam Gold
Book: 3 stars
November 12, 2022
This was SUCH a unique book! I felt like a really cool sci-fi / urban fantasy crossover and it made for super fast paced story that held my attention from start to finish.
I thought the characters were all very complex and I was super impressed with the way each character had a level of depth, even though there were 5 main characters to examine. Typically, a few characters remain flat in these situations, but that didn’t feel like the case here.
I also loved the quest they were in and loved how we as the reader learned bits and pieces of their history at the same time that they did. It made the whole unraveling and unveiling of their past very suspenseful and kept you turning the page because you were just SO curious to find out who they are and why they were created.
Super curious to see where this story goes in book two! There are definitely TW to be mindful of while reading, so be sure to check for those.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I thought the characters were all very complex and I was super impressed with the way each character had a level of depth, even though there were 5 main characters to examine. Typically, a few characters remain flat in these situations, but that didn’t feel like the case here.
I also loved the quest they were in and loved how we as the reader learned bits and pieces of their history at the same time that they did. It made the whole unraveling and unveiling of their past very suspenseful and kept you turning the page because you were just SO curious to find out who they are and why they were created.
Super curious to see where this story goes in book two! There are definitely TW to be mindful of while reading, so be sure to check for those.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 25, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️.5
I saw that someone said this book reminds them of The Bonds That Tie….. I mean.. maybe? The only similarities that I felt was that the guys in the RH loved and also hated her and that they were separated for four years while the FMC went through a lot. But anyway!
This was my first Eva Chase novel and I really enjoyed it!
Riva and the guys (Andreas, Dominic, Jacob, Zian and Griffin) grew up in a facility that puts them through training and torture to test the limits on their powers. Riva is taken from the facility in a botched escape attempt leaving behind Griffin who was killed (this actually made me so sad). It takes four years for them to reunite but Riva isn’t given the reunion she was expecting. This is a multi pov book that follows the story of a RH group who are trying to find out why they have powers and how to get rid of them. They’re all faced with problems from the past that they are reluctant to talk about or forgive and move on.
It ends in a cliffhanger (thank god it’s only another month for the next one) that I’m excited to see how it goes. I hope they all grovel at her feet forever imo.
The plot had me confused and sometimes I couldn’t picture exactly what Riva was doing/where she was but the vibes were there enough that I wasn’t put off from it. I did like that they had seemingly good powers but they didn’t know how to take advantage of them completely. For example, Andreas can see memories (which could’ve fixed everything) but he can’t attempt to find a particular one. But the powers were able to solve almost every problem they came across which was anticlimactic at times.
Overall, I had a really fun time reading this. The pacing was good, the characters were fun and the vibes were great! Excited for the next one! This universe is also within another one of her series so I’ll probably check that out too
🌶️.5
I saw that someone said this book reminds them of The Bonds That Tie….. I mean.. maybe? The only similarities that I felt was that the guys in the RH loved and also hated her and that they were separated for four years while the FMC went through a lot. But anyway!
This was my first Eva Chase novel and I really enjoyed it!
Riva and the guys (Andreas, Dominic, Jacob, Zian and Griffin) grew up in a facility that puts them through training and torture to test the limits on their powers. Riva is taken from the facility in a botched escape attempt leaving behind Griffin who was killed (this actually made me so sad). It takes four years for them to reunite but Riva isn’t given the reunion she was expecting. This is a multi pov book that follows the story of a RH group who are trying to find out why they have powers and how to get rid of them. They’re all faced with problems from the past that they are reluctant to talk about or forgive and move on.
It ends in a cliffhanger (thank god it’s only another month for the next one) that I’m excited to see how it goes. I hope they all grovel at her feet forever imo.
The plot had me confused and sometimes I couldn’t picture exactly what Riva was doing/where she was but the vibes were there enough that I wasn’t put off from it. I did like that they had seemingly good powers but they didn’t know how to take advantage of them completely. For example, Andreas can see memories (which could’ve fixed everything) but he can’t attempt to find a particular one. But the powers were able to solve almost every problem they came across which was anticlimactic at times.
Overall, I had a really fun time reading this. The pacing was good, the characters were fun and the vibes were great! Excited for the next one! This universe is also within another one of her series so I’ll probably check that out too
November 13, 2022
I devoured this book!
For fans of the bonds that tie series & are hurting now that it’s over.. this one is for you!
It’s very similar in style & themes - but the plot is different enough.
All MC’s have been held in a faculty & experimented on, until something goes wrong & the FMC is split up from the 4 mmc.
The mmcs believe that she went against them, so when - years later - she is finally able to help break them out… they all hate her! (Cue angst ❤️🔥)
There is a lot of mystery about their powers & they are also trying to find out information about themselves which propels the story forward.
There were moments I wanted a bit more tension between them all, but I was still satisfied with how everything played out.
In the last 100 pages we got a lot of answers & resolutions between the characters… but the ending left us with so much more to explore within the world! Especially the relationships between all the mc’s
The spice was ok, but hoping that expands in future books - which I am expecting it too.
Overall I think it was a great solid start to a series, I’m hooked & cant wait to keep reading
For fans of the bonds that tie series & are hurting now that it’s over.. this one is for you!
It’s very similar in style & themes - but the plot is different enough.
All MC’s have been held in a faculty & experimented on, until something goes wrong & the FMC is split up from the 4 mmc.
The mmcs believe that she went against them, so when - years later - she is finally able to help break them out… they all hate her! (Cue angst ❤️🔥)
There is a lot of mystery about their powers & they are also trying to find out information about themselves which propels the story forward.
There were moments I wanted a bit more tension between them all, but I was still satisfied with how everything played out.
In the last 100 pages we got a lot of answers & resolutions between the characters… but the ending left us with so much more to explore within the world! Especially the relationships between all the mc’s
The spice was ok, but hoping that expands in future books - which I am expecting it too.
Overall I think it was a great solid start to a series, I’m hooked & cant wait to keep reading
June 10, 2023
Oh dear. This was… horrible. I refuse to support this author, sorry. I think the themes of abuse and assault were handled SO poorly and it was just awful. Right from the beginning I knew it would be rough ride, but at the end I couldn’t believe this book was actually published.
It’s a no from me 🫣🙄
It’s a no from me 🫣🙄
June 27, 2024
This was my first book by Eva and it was amazing, truly it was. However, there was one main theme that was just a little too imbalanced for my particular liking.
What I liked:
-Okay, the plot line was insanely addictive! I could not put this book down. It was like an X-Men/Resident Evil story line that turns into a Stranger Things mashup. Experiments breaking out and going on this time limit quest, racing against their captors to find answers to their origins. It was fun and interesting.
-I love, love, lovedddd the FMC Riva. She was incredibly likeable! I was rooting for this woman the entire way through the book.
-I loved the action in here, it was so full to the brim of action packed/high adrenaline moments.
-I loved the gore. The carnage took me by surprise honestly, because not a lot of books cross over that brutal line. But, I ate it up.
-The plot progressed in a page turning pace.
-And lastly, I love that as readers we got enough answers to keep us going. But, still enough questions to keep me (at least) interested in the plot development.
What I disliked:
The MMC's unfortunately. Except for Griffin, who is an absolute stud. But, the rest of the guys (Jacob, Zian, Dominic, and Andreas) were unrelenting in their cruelty. I felt that it went beyond the "Bully"/"Friends to Enemies to Lovers" trope and was really just a cruel unfairness that prickled me a little too harshly to want to immediately jump into book 2. I think the cruelty was taken slightly too far, that I actually need a little break. Because, Riva was so faithful and loyal...yet continued to be unfairly treated like filth for the entire book.
She did get random bits of nice behavior from the guys, but as soon as they warmed up they put those walls right back up and it only made Riva feel worse once that happened. So, in turn it just made me want to hug Riva and dropkick all of the guys.
Something severe happens near the end, that I think needed more space to air out. Rather than the quick turnabout it took. The effects of what could have happened to Riva in this event, is something that I personally felt would have been a much bigger obstacle to get over then how it was handled in the book.
What I liked:
-Okay, the plot line was insanely addictive! I could not put this book down. It was like an X-Men/Resident Evil story line that turns into a Stranger Things mashup. Experiments breaking out and going on this time limit quest, racing against their captors to find answers to their origins. It was fun and interesting.
-I love, love, lovedddd the FMC Riva. She was incredibly likeable! I was rooting for this woman the entire way through the book.
-I loved the action in here, it was so full to the brim of action packed/high adrenaline moments.
-I loved the gore. The carnage took me by surprise honestly, because not a lot of books cross over that brutal line. But, I ate it up.
-The plot progressed in a page turning pace.
-And lastly, I love that as readers we got enough answers to keep us going. But, still enough questions to keep me (at least) interested in the plot development.
What I disliked:
The MMC's unfortunately. Except for Griffin, who is an absolute stud. But, the rest of the guys (Jacob, Zian, Dominic, and Andreas) were unrelenting in their cruelty. I felt that it went beyond the "Bully"/"Friends to Enemies to Lovers" trope and was really just a cruel unfairness that prickled me a little too harshly to want to immediately jump into book 2. I think the cruelty was taken slightly too far, that I actually need a little break. Because, Riva was so faithful and loyal...yet continued to be unfairly treated like filth for the entire book.
She did get random bits of nice behavior from the guys, but as soon as they warmed up they put those walls right back up and it only made Riva feel worse once that happened. So, in turn it just made me want to hug Riva and dropkick all of the guys.
Something severe happens near the end, that I think needed more space to air out. Rather than the quick turnabout it took. The effects of what could have happened to Riva in this event, is something that I personally felt would have been a much bigger obstacle to get over then how it was handled in the book.
November 11, 2022
Rating: 4.5 stars
SHATTERED VOW is my first book by Eva Chase, but it definitely won’t be the last! If you’re a fan of X-Men but also can’t get enough of romance, I highly recommend this book, and also find it perfect for both veterans and newbies to reverse harem thanks to its slow-burn/forced proximity dynamic.
A strong heroine and a group of men devoted to her are elements I expect to find in this subgenre, but I loved that the heroine was not the only link uniting the men. A lifetime of friendship—and their belief that the heroine, Riva, has betrayed them—added so much more depth to the whole dynamic. Their loyalty toward one another was one of my favorite aspects of the story, and I’ve found this is a key element for my full enjoyment of reverse harems in general. I really appreciated the pacing of the romance as it didn’t feel rushed at all. The author took her time characterizing each character and fleshing out the different relationship dynamics to the point where I feel a deep love for each of them. Of course I have a favorite—it’s Andreas and I won’t be accepting any objections at this time—but I definitely see myself shipping everything and everyone as soon as we get to see more of these micro-relationships at play.
Although the romance was definitely the highlight of the story, I did appreciate that it wasn’t the only focus. The group is involved in a sort of investigation/get-away mission to understand the origins of their strange gifts and the reason why they’ve been locked up and experimented on their entire lives, and I was invested! There is still so much to unpack, and I’m so excited to find out more in the next installments—and to watch Jacob on his knees begging for redemption. If you know, you know.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
SHATTERED VOW is my first book by Eva Chase, but it definitely won’t be the last! If you’re a fan of X-Men but also can’t get enough of romance, I highly recommend this book, and also find it perfect for both veterans and newbies to reverse harem thanks to its slow-burn/forced proximity dynamic.
A strong heroine and a group of men devoted to her are elements I expect to find in this subgenre, but I loved that the heroine was not the only link uniting the men. A lifetime of friendship—and their belief that the heroine, Riva, has betrayed them—added so much more depth to the whole dynamic. Their loyalty toward one another was one of my favorite aspects of the story, and I’ve found this is a key element for my full enjoyment of reverse harems in general. I really appreciated the pacing of the romance as it didn’t feel rushed at all. The author took her time characterizing each character and fleshing out the different relationship dynamics to the point where I feel a deep love for each of them. Of course I have a favorite—it’s Andreas and I won’t be accepting any objections at this time—but I definitely see myself shipping everything and everyone as soon as we get to see more of these micro-relationships at play.
Although the romance was definitely the highlight of the story, I did appreciate that it wasn’t the only focus. The group is involved in a sort of investigation/get-away mission to understand the origins of their strange gifts and the reason why they’ve been locked up and experimented on their entire lives, and I was invested! There is still so much to unpack, and I’m so excited to find out more in the next installments—and to watch Jacob on his knees begging for redemption. If you know, you know.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
June 8, 2023
This book felt like the tip of the iceberg to the series. Like the plot and idea of the book is good, but I know it can be better.
This book is about six people. Riva (the FMC), Griffin and Jacob (the twins), Dominic, Zian, and Andreas. They all have varying abilities such as empathy, super strength, super speed, X-ray vision, healing, telekinesis, etc. They are all in a facility where they are guarded and trained for some reason that won't be revealed until the end of the book. And they attempt an escape that they have thoughtfully planned out, but things don't go their way. One of the men "dies" and I put this in quotations because I'm holding out hope that he is alive and he's in hiding somewhere (Not a spoiler, but I'm hoping for that outcome) because how cruel is it to introduce five men to the harem and a romantic moment happens between him and the FMC and they kill him off, so no I choose not to believe it. So, after this it jumps to four years later and they are all reunited, but it's not all happy and sunshine. The men are hostile and cruel to her because they blame her for the death of their friend because they believe she betrayed them. And if I'm being honest, do I wish they were crueler to her? Yes. Is that messed up? Yes. Does she deserve it? No. Absolutely not, but I feel it would've had more of an impact. So, this is similar to Corrupt by Penelope Douglas where the men blame the FMC for something she didn't do, and that's what happens here. Throughout all of their hostility and cruelty they put her through, she perseveres, she does not lash out on them. She's holding out hope that they will come to their senses and see the truth. Some of the guys have conflicting feelings of believing her and their old feelings coming to light, but they can't get over her "betrayal," so it's definitely a journey.
There is not much of a cliffhanger, but it definitely leads to a new path for them by how the books ends, and I'm excited to see how the author chose to continue the series and like I said I'm hoping that the men that's dead is not actually dead.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
-"It's like an unexpected gift, the way her expression softens just slightly when I use her old nickname, taking her from pretty to ethereal. My heart skips a beat." (Andreas)
-"He smells just like he should, like sunshine and warm amber. I want to sink right into him." (Riva talking about Andreas)
-"She belongs with us. She left us behind, but now she's back, and she is ours." (Dominic, obviously she didn't leave them but unfortunately that's what they think)
-"She's absolutely perfect exactly they she is. The perfect size for tucking into my arms and carrying to safety. The perfect size for shielding if danger descends on us." (Zian)
-"I love you, and I've loved you for as long as I had any idea what the word even meant. It's a fucking honor to be connected to you however I am." (Andreas)
This book is about six people. Riva (the FMC), Griffin and Jacob (the twins), Dominic, Zian, and Andreas. They all have varying abilities such as empathy, super strength, super speed, X-ray vision, healing, telekinesis, etc. They are all in a facility where they are guarded and trained for some reason that won't be revealed until the end of the book. And they attempt an escape that they have thoughtfully planned out, but things don't go their way. One of the men "dies" and I put this in quotations because I'm holding out hope that he is alive and he's in hiding somewhere (Not a spoiler, but I'm hoping for that outcome) because how cruel is it to introduce five men to the harem and a romantic moment happens between him and the FMC and they kill him off, so no I choose not to believe it. So, after this it jumps to four years later and they are all reunited, but it's not all happy and sunshine. The men are hostile and cruel to her because they blame her for the death of their friend because they believe she betrayed them. And if I'm being honest, do I wish they were crueler to her? Yes. Is that messed up? Yes. Does she deserve it? No. Absolutely not, but I feel it would've had more of an impact. So, this is similar to Corrupt by Penelope Douglas where the men blame the FMC for something she didn't do, and that's what happens here. Throughout all of their hostility and cruelty they put her through, she perseveres, she does not lash out on them. She's holding out hope that they will come to their senses and see the truth. Some of the guys have conflicting feelings of believing her and their old feelings coming to light, but they can't get over her "betrayal," so it's definitely a journey.
There is not much of a cliffhanger, but it definitely leads to a new path for them by how the books ends, and I'm excited to see how the author chose to continue the series and like I said I'm hoping that the men that's dead is not actually dead.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
-"It's like an unexpected gift, the way her expression softens just slightly when I use her old nickname, taking her from pretty to ethereal. My heart skips a beat." (Andreas)
-"He smells just like he should, like sunshine and warm amber. I want to sink right into him." (Riva talking about Andreas)
-"She belongs with us. She left us behind, but now she's back, and she is ours." (Dominic, obviously she didn't leave them but unfortunately that's what they think)
-"She's absolutely perfect exactly they she is. The perfect size for tucking into my arms and carrying to safety. The perfect size for shielding if danger descends on us." (Zian)
-"I love you, and I've loved you for as long as I had any idea what the word even meant. It's a fucking honor to be connected to you however I am." (Andreas)
November 10, 2022
Maybe 3.5
December 3, 2022
A nice little Three star read. It wasn't great, but it was still pretty enjoyable. It also read fast, which I'll never complain about.
Starting off with the good things, I LOVED the concept of Shattered Vow. If you were to mix the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson with The Bonds that Tie series by J. Bree you'd get Shattered Vow, and personally I cannot think of a more iconic mash-up. I also liked that the guys didn't instantly accept her back into their group. There had to be some growth and development on their side. I think the fact that they lost such an integral member of their friend circle added some depth and stakes to their relationships. I hate it when the reason our characters aren't getting along is petty, so seeing the emotional impact of Griffin's loss on every member was a nice touch. The climax of the book was PHENOMENAL. The emotional stakes . . . I was ShOoKeTh. And finally, I also like the relationship between Riva and the boys wasn't immediately fixed after the climax. This author really understands the importance of trust, no matter how much you love a person and it was extremely refreshing to see.
The most off-putting thing to me was the author's writing style. This is going to be difficult to explain, but it lacked nuance and flow. It felt very to-the-point, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just prefer a little bit more depth to my writing. I want lyrical disruptions, and paragraphs that are so immersive that I feel like I was there. I want quotable moments, all without being too drawn-out and repetitive or overly pretentious. It sounds like a lot, but some authors just get it and others don't. Again, it's not a bad thing, the directness of it just didn't appeal to my tastes. Beyond that the pacing was a little off, with too little action scenes and a plot that I didn't totally vibe with, and the ending also wasn't my favorite, given that it was exactly what you would expect from a Paranormal Reverse Harem romance written by an Indie Author with this type of cover (another one of those things where you either get it or you don't). Finally, the ratio of Riva's amount of povs to the boy's povs is way off. A lot of authors do this, and it's never not annoying. If you didn't actually want your book to multiple povs, let's just cut our losses and make it single pov instead of teasing me like this.
Overall, I can't see myself rereading or recommending this to anyone, but it was a fine book that I could see helping someone reach their Goodreads goal if they needed it.
Starting off with the good things, I LOVED the concept of Shattered Vow. If you were to mix the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson with The Bonds that Tie series by J. Bree you'd get Shattered Vow, and personally I cannot think of a more iconic mash-up. I also liked that the guys didn't instantly accept her back into their group. There had to be some growth and development on their side. I think the fact that they lost such an integral member of their friend circle added some depth and stakes to their relationships. I hate it when the reason our characters aren't getting along is petty, so seeing the emotional impact of Griffin's loss on every member was a nice touch. The climax of the book was PHENOMENAL. The emotional stakes . . . I was ShOoKeTh. And finally, I also like the relationship between Riva and the boys wasn't immediately fixed after the climax. This author really understands the importance of trust, no matter how much you love a person and it was extremely refreshing to see.
The most off-putting thing to me was the author's writing style. This is going to be difficult to explain, but it lacked nuance and flow. It felt very to-the-point, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just prefer a little bit more depth to my writing. I want lyrical disruptions, and paragraphs that are so immersive that I feel like I was there. I want quotable moments, all without being too drawn-out and repetitive or overly pretentious. It sounds like a lot, but some authors just get it and others don't. Again, it's not a bad thing, the directness of it just didn't appeal to my tastes. Beyond that the pacing was a little off, with too little action scenes and a plot that I didn't totally vibe with, and the ending also wasn't my favorite, given that it was exactly what you would expect from a Paranormal Reverse Harem romance written by an Indie Author with this type of cover (another one of those things where you either get it or you don't). Finally, the ratio of Riva's amount of povs to the boy's povs is way off. A lot of authors do this, and it's never not annoying. If you didn't actually want your book to multiple povs, let's just cut our losses and make it single pov instead of teasing me like this.
Overall, I can't see myself rereading or recommending this to anyone, but it was a fine book that I could see helping someone reach their Goodreads goal if they needed it.
January 13, 2023
Soooo I read this whole book but I didn’t really enjoy it. The Broken Bonds series is far superior if you’re in the market for a supernatural reverse harem series. I think maybe I could have liked this more if I hadn’t read Broken Bonds and been so aware of all the many rip offs (mild spoiler warning):
Young heroine with silver hair ✅
Reverse harem all guys think she betrayed them due to misunderstanding ✅
One of guys angrier and more an asshole/bully than others ✅
Heroine has uber power to kill massive number of people without touching them✅
Everyone feels guilty for their monstrous powers ✅
Both stories have a character named Griffin ✅
Heroine gets humiliated and beat up constantly✅
I just don’t think I can continue this series y’all. I was super excited by the premise but just can’t get past the author piggybacking so hard off Broken Bonds and I don’t really care about these characters. Also, a little too depressing for my tastes.
Young heroine with silver hair ✅
Reverse harem all guys think she betrayed them due to misunderstanding ✅
One of guys angrier and more an asshole/bully than others ✅
Heroine has uber power to kill massive number of people without touching them✅
Everyone feels guilty for their monstrous powers ✅
Both stories have a character named Griffin ✅
Heroine gets humiliated and beat up constantly✅
I just don’t think I can continue this series y’all. I was super excited by the premise but just can’t get past the author piggybacking so hard off Broken Bonds and I don’t really care about these characters. Also, a little too depressing for my tastes.
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