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Realm Walker #1
Realm Walker
An estranged mate, a mangled body and a powerful demon who calls her by name…
As a Realm Walker for the Agency, Juliana Norris tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. She excels at her job, but her friends worry about her mysterious habit of dying in the line of duty without staying dead. That's only the first of her secrets.
Most people don't know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago. Most people don't know the horrors she endured at the hands of the vampire he left in command. Most people don't know her true parentage, or why a demon on a world-threatening rampage has taken a personal interest in her….
Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can't reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.
As a Realm Walker for the Agency, Juliana Norris tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. She excels at her job, but her friends worry about her mysterious habit of dying in the line of duty without staying dead. That's only the first of her secrets.
Most people don't know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago. Most people don't know the horrors she endured at the hands of the vampire he left in command. Most people don't know her true parentage, or why a demon on a world-threatening rampage has taken a personal interest in her….
Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can't reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
28 people are currently reading
1892 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Collins
10 books117 followersKathleen Collins has been writing since Kindergarten. And while her ability has drastically improved, her stories are still about fantasy worlds and the people who play in them. After surviving two strokes, she managed to finish pending projects, but new works are few and far between. She appreciates hearing from her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
July 19, 2018
☠ DNF at 41% ☠
When I finished
See? Even my man Spocky is surprised.
But anyway.
You might wonder why I decided to read this particular Piece of Crap. Especially since the blurb is of full of Somebody Please Kill Me Now Material (SPKMNM™):
“Most people don’t know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago […] Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can’t reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.”This type of crap screams "Sarah is going to kill this book with fire," right? Right. So why did I read this? People, people, people. Don't you know me at all? Don't you know that I'm 1/an idiot, 2/a masochist and 3/a idiotic masochist? Besides, I am currently on a "let's wipe all these
Why thank you for your support, Bert the Cool Doggie of the Sexy Glasses and Super Luscious HairCut!
I'm sorry, where you waiting for a review here or something? Hey, I said it wasn't going to be as ranty as originally planned, I never said it would be:
a) Short
b) Informative
c) Coherent
d) All of the above
e) Ha
Okay, let me try and resurrect my two synapses here. The truth is, this could have been a pretty decent story, set in a world full of potential. Nothing gloriously mind-blowing mind you, but entertaining enough. It's pretty much your typical Procedural Type UF Thingie (PTUFT™), only that the world is a teensy little bit more original than in your typical PTUFT™. I mean, most of the creatures in the story are Zoorem-worthy (remember about my newly inaugurated harem for awesome pets?), and you know how much I love exotic pets. This one has Ambrosia-drunk ogres, selkies, nymphs, harpies and stuff. So that's pretty cool. And there are yummy demons, too. And you know how much I love me some yummy demons. Unfortunately there are also yawn-worthy vampires and silly fae, but I guess that cannot be helped.
Anyway, things weren't going too bad at first. The heroine was okay. Well, she tended to act like a 12-year-old
You got that right, Darthy.
So. Thomas the Pompous Ass happened. And the author had the most glorious idea to write most glorious chapters from his most glorious POV. And let me tell you, this ridiculously pathetic specimen of yawn-worthy vampire would put many an overbearing PNR asshole to shame. The guy is all, MINE MINE MINE MATE MATE MATE BRIDE BRIDE BRIDE, which made me go all, SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM KILL KILL KILL DIE DIE DIE.
To be disgustingly honest, the guy is actually quite nice once he shuts the hell up. Also, he's got pretty fantastic fashion sense. If you like silk shirt-wearing 70s pimps that is. On super classy days, I'm pretty sure he rocks the Saturday Night Fever/John Travolta look. Yeah, the guy is THAT hot. And not tacky at all. Absolutely not. Hey, he even calls What's Her Face "Jewel." Isn't that totally cute and completely cool and stuff? Yeah, I think so, too. Okay, so it would have been super corny if he’d used the English word for "Jewel", but what I didn’t tell you is that actually uses the Spanish word for it, and calls her "Joya" (he's awesome and multilingual like that). Which makes it sound super hot, obviously. Because everything you say in Spanish sounds automatically super hot and not corny at all, right? Right.
From the moment Thomas the Pompous Ass made his grand entrance in this grand story, it was all pathetically pathetic romantic crap, and I-Love-Him-But-He-Abandoned-Me-And-He's-A-Dick-But-I-Still-Love-Him-But-He-Musn't-Find-Out-How-I-Feel-And-Woe-Woe-Woe-Is-Us-Mine-Mine-Mine-She-Is-Mine-Mine-Mine-My-Mate-Mate-Mate-We-Love-Love-Love-Each-Other-But-No-One-Must-Know-Of-Our-Union-Seven-Years-Ago-And-We're-Always-Fighting-Anyway-But-I-Love-Him-Still-And-He's-So-Damn-Hot-But-I-Will-Be-Strong-And-Will-Resist-My-Urges-And-Will-Not-Jump-His-Bones-And-She's-Mine-Mine-Mine-And…
And that's pretty much all I can remember. Yes, I read
➽ And the moral of this Could Have Been Ranty But Wasn't Yay Lucky You Review (CHBRBWYLYR™) is:
February 10, 2021
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Contain spoilers*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Juliana ‘Jules’ Norris (27), a Realm Walker for the Agency, who tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. Her mate, Thomas Kendrick (nearly a 1000 years ), a master vampire, who abandoned her seven years ago, are suddenly back and on top of that, there are demons on the loose. Overall, the book was not as good as I remembered. While I lik the story itself and Juliana's world, I still would've liked that Thomas - who apparently everyone feared - where more powerful, more dominant and alpha male. I do understand that that is what he's supposed to be, the writing didn't make me feel it. He was easily taken over by the demon and I felt like his people didn't care for him or his authority. It didn't feel like there was any loyalty.
I also struggled a bit to feel the chemistry between Juliana and Thomas, and I didn't quite connect with Juliana. Then there was the fact that Michael was supposed to be Thomas's most trusted, yet there was so much lying from Michael side that I felt no friendship there. In some ways, I kinda compared this book to Raphael by D.B. Reynolds , and it felt truly short compared to it. Nothing can beat Raphael, and Thomas wasn't even close. That said, I still like the book, but I couldn't remember a shit from my first read. I hope I finally managed to finish this series.. I've taken Thomas away from my "sexy alpha male" shelf. And technically shouldn't be on my "possessive controlling men" list either but he is possessive, he just holds back. I hope in the sequel - which I don't remember either - he is more possessive and alpha male.
Warden of the High Order:
Other characters:
→ Nathaniel West, a 150-year-old werewolf with an immunity to silver and Juliana's mentor at the Agency.
→ Michael Bishop, the only one Thomas trust with his life and, more importantly, Juliana’s. He's also Juliana's lover. Michael was Thomas’s second, the one that would take over his territory should anything happen to him.
→ Sara Piper (several 100 years younger than Thomas), Thomas's sister. Her husband, James Piper, Thomas’s brother-in-law, was also an inkmage and the leader of the Gathering. The Gathering was the mage equivalent of the vampire Council, only much larger and more structured. Rachel, James and Sara’s daughter.
→ Jeremiah Grace, Juliana’s screener with the Agency. All Walkers had one as there were a lot of cases and a relatively small number of Walkers. The screeners went in, assessed the situation and decided whether the Walker needed to be called at all or if it could be handled by the lower level agents. He was a fire elemental and the natural heat of his body kept hair from growing anywhere on it. He didn’t even have eyelashes. Jeremiah might not look a day over thirty but he’d been married to Anna for seventy years. And their boys, twins, Simon and Seamus, were in their fifties. Anna had been a Celtic demigoddess of love once upon a time and she looked it. She’d given it up when she fell in love with a fire elemental from northern Africa. Not that one could ever quit being a demigod, but she’d retired from the responsibilities that had come with her former position.
→ Ben Nichols, vampire and Juliana's boss.
→ Raoul, had been a black mage before his sire turned him into a vamp in medieval Spain. He was one of the last mages turned. Raoul was the only vampire Juliana’d ever met whose signature was tainted with black magic. When Thomas left, he left Raoul as the leader of the local coven. Raoul then tortured and 'killed' Juliana.
→
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Urban Fantasy (M/F)
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Thomas Kendrick?
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Unsure.
Rating - 3 stars.
First read review:
Rate: 4/3 Stars.
October 27, 2013
4*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Realm walker was book candy to me, the kind I devour and enjoy immensely.
Juliana was a great character, as a Realm Walker for a paranormal policing type agency you expect her to be who she is…a strong, kick ass female who lives for her job, she trusts few people and even those that she does aren’t privy to her secrets. One being that she is or rather was the mate of a master vampire who abandoned her seven years ago, yeah they knew she had feelings for him but no one guessed the depth of those feelings that got stomped on. No one could have guessed what that event would lead to and in turn how it moulded Juliana into the person she is today. So when he turns up out of the blue, demanding reconciliation – she ain’t having it! Even if he does evoke temptation within , she must resist, she must remember what his leaving meant for her and why she can never be dependent on him again. But, when her partner is possessed by a demon, running around with another possessed, killing people & baiting her …. She is forced to work with her mate Thomas to bring an end to the carnage. The thing is, the demon is fixated on her & it all becomes too personal when it starts targeting those closest to her and when it gets it’s hooks into Thomas, Juliana has some harsh decisions to make as everyones secrets start to reveal themselves.
So, I really enjoyed this book, if I had a choice of one genre to read forever – this would be that genre. I enjoy PNR/UF so much but it has to hit the spot with a blend of action, mystery & romance, even the pacing has to be right and this was all of that with a nice dose of secrets on the side and who doesn’t love those when they unravel? As I mentioned, Juliana was a great character, even though she was kick ass, she was still flawed & Thomas had made her emotionally vulnerable when he left plus a few other things happened to harden the outer shell. I like when a character has these sort of depths, I like to empathise with a character & feel for them which I certainly did for Juliana. I liked the relationship drama between her & Thomas, it was complicated but I appreciate a man/vamp who is willing to fight for his woman, he was very alpha male and I like that but I also liked that he had to learn that Juliana wasn’t the same person he left behind and that she can defend herself which goes against everything he wants to be for her. I would say that I wished there had been more time devoted to the romance, more interaction, more sexytime… basically more of Juliana & Thomas together. The storyline was good, I liked how it all played out… it was pretty violent, gruesome in some ways but I like that in this genre. I liked how the magic & demons were used in the plot, I liked that it wasn’t just another case for ‘the Agency’ and that it became personal to our leading lady and when all the dots are connected, it made the story even better. There are a good few secrets throughout this, some small & some big but always good and the pacing was great, always on the move, holding my interest until the very end. This was definitely an impressive start to the Realm Walker series and I will be looking out for the sequel for sure.
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Realm walker was book candy to me, the kind I devour and enjoy immensely.
Juliana was a great character, as a Realm Walker for a paranormal policing type agency you expect her to be who she is…a strong, kick ass female who lives for her job, she trusts few people and even those that she does aren’t privy to her secrets. One being that she is or rather was the mate of a master vampire who abandoned her seven years ago, yeah they knew she had feelings for him but no one guessed the depth of those feelings that got stomped on. No one could have guessed what that event would lead to and in turn how it moulded Juliana into the person she is today. So when he turns up out of the blue, demanding reconciliation – she ain’t having it! Even if he does evoke temptation within , she must resist, she must remember what his leaving meant for her and why she can never be dependent on him again. But, when her partner is possessed by a demon, running around with another possessed, killing people & baiting her …. She is forced to work with her mate Thomas to bring an end to the carnage. The thing is, the demon is fixated on her & it all becomes too personal when it starts targeting those closest to her and when it gets it’s hooks into Thomas, Juliana has some harsh decisions to make as everyones secrets start to reveal themselves.
So, I really enjoyed this book, if I had a choice of one genre to read forever – this would be that genre. I enjoy PNR/UF so much but it has to hit the spot with a blend of action, mystery & romance, even the pacing has to be right and this was all of that with a nice dose of secrets on the side and who doesn’t love those when they unravel? As I mentioned, Juliana was a great character, even though she was kick ass, she was still flawed & Thomas had made her emotionally vulnerable when he left plus a few other things happened to harden the outer shell. I like when a character has these sort of depths, I like to empathise with a character & feel for them which I certainly did for Juliana. I liked the relationship drama between her & Thomas, it was complicated but I appreciate a man/vamp who is willing to fight for his woman, he was very alpha male and I like that but I also liked that he had to learn that Juliana wasn’t the same person he left behind and that she can defend herself which goes against everything he wants to be for her. I would say that I wished there had been more time devoted to the romance, more interaction, more sexytime… basically more of Juliana & Thomas together. The storyline was good, I liked how it all played out… it was pretty violent, gruesome in some ways but I like that in this genre. I liked how the magic & demons were used in the plot, I liked that it wasn’t just another case for ‘the Agency’ and that it became personal to our leading lady and when all the dots are connected, it made the story even better. There are a good few secrets throughout this, some small & some big but always good and the pacing was great, always on the move, holding my interest until the very end. This was definitely an impressive start to the Realm Walker series and I will be looking out for the sequel for sure.
August 5, 2016
<2
I didn't like this novel. It has nothing engrossing, nothing new or fresh and, worse, it has some serious pacing problem. I can't fault the author if I'm burning through UF and really have read a lot of it. Still, I can't rate it more than "ok".
The plot is supposed to be a UF/procedural about a hunt for a demon, on a killer spree, that has a serious hard-on for the heroine. What the book is mostly about is ... nothing. There's a lot of promised or hinted conflict that literally went nowhere. The story wavers between a PNR-like reunion of lovers and some form of UF, and for me it failed at both.
As a romance you were left with an Uh? expression, as there's nothing really gripping or romantic in their lack of chemistry. Personally, I despise this kind of setting where we have a woman who can't function without her man. She doesn't really live without him and after 7 years she's still pining and hasn't moved on a single inch. All of it is worse in a UF setting where you promise a kick-ass heroine and then do not deliver. I kept hoping she could kick some ass, starting from her mate. He's dislikeable in his Neanderthal stupidity. I guess he should be alpha, I got a "ass" vibe instead.
But then you don't really get a grip on characters, they aren't particularly deep nor coherent. They seemed dummies to me, starting from her friend Nathaniel. (By the way being saved from possession shouldn't make you a little understanding when it happens to some one else? This is why I say they are flat. Things happened and characters should grow or change..)
There's next to nothing in world-building. At the beginning I was confused, because in a world where there are witches and mages, a kiss of vampire is called a coven, while the rest is a congregation. But it took a moment to understand what is what. I still don't know why they are called realm walkers.
As I said, this wasn't a satisfying read for me. But Angela Carr gave it a five star rating and a review that's opposite mine:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... check it out.
I didn't like this novel. It has nothing engrossing, nothing new or fresh and, worse, it has some serious pacing problem. I can't fault the author if I'm burning through UF and really have read a lot of it. Still, I can't rate it more than "ok".
The plot is supposed to be a UF/procedural about a hunt for a demon, on a killer spree, that has a serious hard-on for the heroine. What the book is mostly about is ... nothing. There's a lot of promised or hinted conflict that literally went nowhere. The story wavers between a PNR-like reunion of lovers and some form of UF, and for me it failed at both.
As a romance you were left with an Uh? expression, as there's nothing really gripping or romantic in their lack of chemistry. Personally, I despise this kind of setting where we have a woman who can't function without her man. She doesn't really live without him and after 7 years she's still pining and hasn't moved on a single inch. All of it is worse in a UF setting where you promise a kick-ass heroine and then do not deliver. I kept hoping she could kick some ass, starting from her mate. He's dislikeable in his Neanderthal stupidity. I guess he should be alpha, I got a "ass" vibe instead.
But then you don't really get a grip on characters, they aren't particularly deep nor coherent. They seemed dummies to me, starting from her friend Nathaniel. (By the way being saved from possession shouldn't make you a little understanding when it happens to some one else? This is why I say they are flat. Things happened and characters should grow or change..)
There's next to nothing in world-building. At the beginning I was confused, because in a world where there are witches and mages, a kiss of vampire is called a coven, while the rest is a congregation. But it took a moment to understand what is what. I still don't know why they are called realm walkers.
As I said, this wasn't a satisfying read for me. But Angela Carr gave it a five star rating and a review that's opposite mine:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... check it out.
November 25, 2013
Problems and Potential Both
In a world that's been knowingly coping and coexisting with magic and magical creatures since the Rending, half-dark fae, half-mage Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker, an officer of the International Law Enforcement Agency that polices the Altered. She is most often assigned to tracking and, when necessary, hunting those nonhuman creatures who are causing trouble with their human neighbors.
Given as she can see the signature that every being leaves as it travels along its way, sort of like a magical scent trail, and identify them by their colors, she is uniquely qualified for the job. The only creatures she can't see, that leave no signature behind in their wake, are demons. That does, however, make more than a little problematic the fact that someone has summoned one and set it on a course of death and destruction straight at Juliana.
Then there's the vampire she once loved, Thomas Kendrick. Seven years ago he took her as his mate, then disappeared from her life before the blood was even dry. Losing him nearly destroyed her. The aftermath of his leaving changed her irrevocably. Now he's returned and is of the opinion that it would be the perfect time to force his way back into her life. Because she obviously doesn't have enough to worry about.
With a demon slaughtering everything in its path and Thomas dogging her every step, Juliana is running out of time to save the city and is in serious danger of losing her heart. The vampire has already proven he is just as capable of ripping it out of her chest as the demon is, and while the demon may provide a bloodier and more deadly sort of evisceration, it may not be the most devastating in the long run.
~*~
This series debut by Collins marks the second time in a handful of months where I had to stop a few chapters into a book and make sure there wasn't a preceding book or novella, or even a main series from which this one spun, because I felt like I was missing a lot of previously laid groundwork almost from the very beginning. There's plenty of tidbits of information about things that happened in the past to set up the story, but the characters, their backstory, and significant elements of the world-building are disclosed in a way that seemed far better suited as reminders than introductions.
Julianna and Thomas have a lot of personal history, that much is plain, but I never felt like I was given a good grasp of it. Details about their past were either glossed over or doled out in drips and drabs throughout the tale and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was supposed to have already known the whole story before I started the book. Though I'm not really sure how.
That problem wasn't limited to Thomas, either. All of Julianna's friends and acquaintances suffer similarly. There are several who have obvious history with her, but without the all-important context to let me know how and why they were as valuable to her as we're told they are, I never really felt any of those connections. That put a big crimp in the emotional impact of several crucial scenes as the conflict with the Big Bad heated up, and it confused me in general when it came to characters like Raoul and Michael.
And not for nothing, but I'm still not sure how I feel about Thomas. I was completely thrown by the weird way he showed up and inserted himself into Juliana's life, offering sketchy detail on what he does and doesn't know about her origins and her life since he left and making some pretty high-handed demands with all kinds of attitude. My first impression of him was of an overbearing, utterly egotistical asshat, and while that did improve the longer I read, it didn't completely go away.
Maybe it would have if he hadn't kept referring to Juliana as "his bride." Ugh. Not only did that bug me with its repetition, it seemed pretty offensively objectifying to me. Like he didn't see her as her own person with her own identity, she was just his bride. It was weird. Not sexy. Weird.
On the other hand, it quickly becomes clear that Juliana is absolutely everything to him and he would do anything for her. I would have preferred seeing a bit more of that in application, though, and a smidge of honest communication wouldn't have been remiss, either. I'm starting to wonder if there is just no other way to breed conflict between two stubborn, self-sacrificing characters, as often as that has been the sole source of major relationship conflict in stories I've read lately. Still, his devotion to her did temper my negative opinion of the guy and kept him from being utterly unlikable, but he was definitely not to my personal taste in romantic hero types.
There were, however, some very nice things going on, too. It was nice reading an urban fantasy series debut that didn't make me want to poke the heroine with something sharp. First time that's happened in a while. And no inklings of a love triangle, either, which is virtually unheard of in the genre of late. Those were two big positives in a book with a well-conceived (if not perfectly defined) world and solid story, and that's what kept my feelings generally positive overall as I dealt with some of the less favorable elements.
I actually liked Juliana. She's not the most original character, is in fact fairly typical for the genre. In Juliana's case, thankfully, her emotional maturity seemed slightly higher than that of an average twelve year old (a welcome change), and she's more palatable than most I've read recently. She's certainly the sort of smart-mouthed, kick-ass rule breaker I seem to gravitate towards most in the genre. You know the sort: she would sacrifice herself to save anyone she considers "hers" but guards her heart and her secrets like a jealous lover and doesn't actually let anyone in very far.
It's a common malady in urban fantasy heroines, but one I've always sort of enjoyed, or at the very least, never minded.
I did enjoy the glimpses of the world I got in this book, and there were several secondary and ancillary characters with nice page presence, though Michael in particular needed a hell of a lot more explanation. There is also a solid plot conflict going on around and in addition to Juliana's personal crisis with Thomas. It lacked sufficient setup and didn't come close to answering all my questions, especially after that rather odd but revealing climax, but on the surface it provided plenty of action and certainly a high body count.
Without the sufficient framework for everything that went on in this book, though, it just wasn't quite executed well enough for me to feel completely satisfied with the story as a whole. And did anyone figure out how Juliana knows who her father is if she can't remember anything from her first twelve years? I think I missed something there.
Well...I missed something in a lot of places, but that one still niggles me.
The plot execution may have been a bit odd, and it had some pacing issues and abrupt transitions, inconsistent progression and a general lack of the sort of detail found in the more complex urban fantasy series, but it still managed to keep me entertained. With more fleshing out in some crucial areas and another fifty or so more pages this could have really built into a gripping, multi-layered, complex tale with memorable characters. It didn't quite reach that level this time, but the potential is definitely there for the series.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
In a world that's been knowingly coping and coexisting with magic and magical creatures since the Rending, half-dark fae, half-mage Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker, an officer of the International Law Enforcement Agency that polices the Altered. She is most often assigned to tracking and, when necessary, hunting those nonhuman creatures who are causing trouble with their human neighbors.
Given as she can see the signature that every being leaves as it travels along its way, sort of like a magical scent trail, and identify them by their colors, she is uniquely qualified for the job. The only creatures she can't see, that leave no signature behind in their wake, are demons. That does, however, make more than a little problematic the fact that someone has summoned one and set it on a course of death and destruction straight at Juliana.
Then there's the vampire she once loved, Thomas Kendrick. Seven years ago he took her as his mate, then disappeared from her life before the blood was even dry. Losing him nearly destroyed her. The aftermath of his leaving changed her irrevocably. Now he's returned and is of the opinion that it would be the perfect time to force his way back into her life. Because she obviously doesn't have enough to worry about.
With a demon slaughtering everything in its path and Thomas dogging her every step, Juliana is running out of time to save the city and is in serious danger of losing her heart. The vampire has already proven he is just as capable of ripping it out of her chest as the demon is, and while the demon may provide a bloodier and more deadly sort of evisceration, it may not be the most devastating in the long run.
~*~
This series debut by Collins marks the second time in a handful of months where I had to stop a few chapters into a book and make sure there wasn't a preceding book or novella, or even a main series from which this one spun, because I felt like I was missing a lot of previously laid groundwork almost from the very beginning. There's plenty of tidbits of information about things that happened in the past to set up the story, but the characters, their backstory, and significant elements of the world-building are disclosed in a way that seemed far better suited as reminders than introductions.
Julianna and Thomas have a lot of personal history, that much is plain, but I never felt like I was given a good grasp of it. Details about their past were either glossed over or doled out in drips and drabs throughout the tale and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was supposed to have already known the whole story before I started the book. Though I'm not really sure how.
That problem wasn't limited to Thomas, either. All of Julianna's friends and acquaintances suffer similarly. There are several who have obvious history with her, but without the all-important context to let me know how and why they were as valuable to her as we're told they are, I never really felt any of those connections. That put a big crimp in the emotional impact of several crucial scenes as the conflict with the Big Bad heated up, and it confused me in general when it came to characters like Raoul and Michael.
And not for nothing, but I'm still not sure how I feel about Thomas. I was completely thrown by the weird way he showed up and inserted himself into Juliana's life, offering sketchy detail on what he does and doesn't know about her origins and her life since he left and making some pretty high-handed demands with all kinds of attitude. My first impression of him was of an overbearing, utterly egotistical asshat, and while that did improve the longer I read, it didn't completely go away.
Maybe it would have if he hadn't kept referring to Juliana as "his bride." Ugh. Not only did that bug me with its repetition, it seemed pretty offensively objectifying to me. Like he didn't see her as her own person with her own identity, she was just his bride. It was weird. Not sexy. Weird.
On the other hand, it quickly becomes clear that Juliana is absolutely everything to him and he would do anything for her. I would have preferred seeing a bit more of that in application, though, and a smidge of honest communication wouldn't have been remiss, either. I'm starting to wonder if there is just no other way to breed conflict between two stubborn, self-sacrificing characters, as often as that has been the sole source of major relationship conflict in stories I've read lately. Still, his devotion to her did temper my negative opinion of the guy and kept him from being utterly unlikable, but he was definitely not to my personal taste in romantic hero types.
There were, however, some very nice things going on, too. It was nice reading an urban fantasy series debut that didn't make me want to poke the heroine with something sharp. First time that's happened in a while. And no inklings of a love triangle, either, which is virtually unheard of in the genre of late. Those were two big positives in a book with a well-conceived (if not perfectly defined) world and solid story, and that's what kept my feelings generally positive overall as I dealt with some of the less favorable elements.
I actually liked Juliana. She's not the most original character, is in fact fairly typical for the genre. In Juliana's case, thankfully, her emotional maturity seemed slightly higher than that of an average twelve year old (a welcome change), and she's more palatable than most I've read recently. She's certainly the sort of smart-mouthed, kick-ass rule breaker I seem to gravitate towards most in the genre. You know the sort: she would sacrifice herself to save anyone she considers "hers" but guards her heart and her secrets like a jealous lover and doesn't actually let anyone in very far.
It's a common malady in urban fantasy heroines, but one I've always sort of enjoyed, or at the very least, never minded.
I did enjoy the glimpses of the world I got in this book, and there were several secondary and ancillary characters with nice page presence, though Michael in particular needed a hell of a lot more explanation. There is also a solid plot conflict going on around and in addition to Juliana's personal crisis with Thomas. It lacked sufficient setup and didn't come close to answering all my questions, especially after that rather odd but revealing climax, but on the surface it provided plenty of action and certainly a high body count.
Without the sufficient framework for everything that went on in this book, though, it just wasn't quite executed well enough for me to feel completely satisfied with the story as a whole. And did anyone figure out how Juliana knows who her father is if she can't remember anything from her first twelve years? I think I missed something there.
Well...I missed something in a lot of places, but that one still niggles me.
The plot execution may have been a bit odd, and it had some pacing issues and abrupt transitions, inconsistent progression and a general lack of the sort of detail found in the more complex urban fantasy series, but it still managed to keep me entertained. With more fleshing out in some crucial areas and another fifty or so more pages this could have really built into a gripping, multi-layered, complex tale with memorable characters. It didn't quite reach that level this time, but the potential is definitely there for the series.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
January 29, 2014
Fantastic book. Just as good as the series from Amanda Carlson or Ilona Andrews. I look forward to the next book. The only thing I missed was a little more heat in the romance department. But I hope that will be compensated in the next installment. I think this book will be big hit with most of the paranormal readers.
November 20, 2018
Juliana is a Walker, and a very good one at that. She's very good at her job, and even though she's been living a pretty lonely existence since her mate left, and now he makes a surprising appearance again. Juliana isn't ready for Thomas to be back, and she isn't sure how to deal with it. But when a demon makes itself known to her, and it seems like it is after her and her friends she will do everything in her power to stop it.
This book was a great start to this series. I really enjoyed the world, and how awesome Juliana was. She had a great personality, and didn't take crap from anyone. I did get a bit annoyed with some of her actions, but towards the end it made more sense.
I'm excited to read more in this series now.
This book was a great start to this series. I really enjoyed the world, and how awesome Juliana was. She had a great personality, and didn't take crap from anyone. I did get a bit annoyed with some of her actions, but towards the end it made more sense.
I'm excited to read more in this series now.
April 19, 2014
http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
3.5 stars
At A Glance
I think Realm Walker was a solid urban fantasy. The action was great but the love interest was not.
The Good
Realm Walker is an action packed thrill ride from start to finish. I loved how the story progressed and how it all came together at the end. We got the whole picture in pieces when it came to the characters and the main plot which made the mystery that much more exciting.
Juliana was a fascinating character. She was so mysterious. We never really knew her whole story till the very end. And boy, what a story. She has had a troubled and sad past, some of which she still doesn't remember. Her breakup with master vampire Thomas only added to the misery. But she has grown into a tough chick because of it. She kicks supernatural ass and doesn't let anyone get too close to her. But she has created a family for herself with her friends. I respected Juliana for the way she always picked herself back up right after a beat down, be it physical or emotional. I just wish she could have withstood Thomas's charms longer, she deserves better.
Though Thomas wasn't my favorite character, I did love the few times we saw his true love for Juliana shine through. He may be arrogant and demanding, but he does have a soft spot, that that soft spot is Juliana.
The world in Realm Walker was gritty and dark. I loved the supernatural characters and freaky monsters. I think great world building is what sets good and bad urban fantasies apart. You need that amazing world building to really set the tone.
The writing was solid and the dialogue was smooth. The plot kept me interested and the pacing was perfect. The action was the best part. A lot of great action and fight scenes. Really kept me on my toes.
The Bad
The third person POV bothered me, it was confusing. I think this book would have been way better as first person with Juliana.
Thomas wasn't my favorite. As a love interest, I did not like him at all. I don't think he is good for Juliana, and I was rooting for her to get him out of her life completely. He's far too arrogant and selfish.
Though I liked Realm Walker, I found myself unsure if I would continue the series. I take my urban fantasies very seriously, and this one didn't leave enough for me to want to pick up book two, even though it was a good book overall. I know, I am being confusing, but I hope you guys know what I mean.
The Snuggly
Since I didn't care for Thomas, I didn't like him with Juliana. If I was Juliana, I could never forgive what Thomas did and what his decision led to.
There is some very hot kissing moments, but no sex. Fine for a new adult audience and up.
Final Thoughts
I was entertained the whole way through with Realm Walker. Definitely worth the read. Though it did not reel me in as much as a I hoped, because I am still unsure if I want to continue the series. I think not liking Thomas had a lot to do with that. But overall, recommended.
Quotes
It chuckled. “I grow tired of playing with you. You would have caught me eventually at any rate. You’re much better than the others. Maybe it’s because you’re female. You are, aren’t you?”
“Then what in the name of all the dark gods is going on?” She maintained her stance, waiting for him to answer.
He opened his mouth and froze, eyes locked on a point over her shoulder. His already pale skin blanched to a new shade of white. She reached for her gun. At the same time, a warm breeze caressed her neck like a lover’s tease. Her breath caught. Her pulse raced. She stayed her hand though part of her still ached to palm the weapon. She shut down her gift but left the glasses on. She knew this enemy.
“I left everything for you. My money, my home, my coven. It’s all yours. It always has been.” He pushed both hands through his hair. “I gave you what you wanted. As much as it killed me to do it, I gave it to you. I only wanted you to be happy.”
“Yeah, my life’s been a regular carnival.” She sighed. “You just left me, Thomas. You left all of us. They assumed I was no longer under your protection. I assumed that. You left me alone under the authority of a vampire who resented my connection to you from the moment you brought me into the coven. There was no protection there for me. No home.”
*Free book from author for honest review*
3.5 stars
At A Glance
I think Realm Walker was a solid urban fantasy. The action was great but the love interest was not.
The Good
Realm Walker is an action packed thrill ride from start to finish. I loved how the story progressed and how it all came together at the end. We got the whole picture in pieces when it came to the characters and the main plot which made the mystery that much more exciting.
Juliana was a fascinating character. She was so mysterious. We never really knew her whole story till the very end. And boy, what a story. She has had a troubled and sad past, some of which she still doesn't remember. Her breakup with master vampire Thomas only added to the misery. But she has grown into a tough chick because of it. She kicks supernatural ass and doesn't let anyone get too close to her. But she has created a family for herself with her friends. I respected Juliana for the way she always picked herself back up right after a beat down, be it physical or emotional. I just wish she could have withstood Thomas's charms longer, she deserves better.
Though Thomas wasn't my favorite character, I did love the few times we saw his true love for Juliana shine through. He may be arrogant and demanding, but he does have a soft spot, that that soft spot is Juliana.
The world in Realm Walker was gritty and dark. I loved the supernatural characters and freaky monsters. I think great world building is what sets good and bad urban fantasies apart. You need that amazing world building to really set the tone.
The writing was solid and the dialogue was smooth. The plot kept me interested and the pacing was perfect. The action was the best part. A lot of great action and fight scenes. Really kept me on my toes.
The Bad
The third person POV bothered me, it was confusing. I think this book would have been way better as first person with Juliana.
Thomas wasn't my favorite. As a love interest, I did not like him at all. I don't think he is good for Juliana, and I was rooting for her to get him out of her life completely. He's far too arrogant and selfish.
Though I liked Realm Walker, I found myself unsure if I would continue the series. I take my urban fantasies very seriously, and this one didn't leave enough for me to want to pick up book two, even though it was a good book overall. I know, I am being confusing, but I hope you guys know what I mean.
The Snuggly
Since I didn't care for Thomas, I didn't like him with Juliana. If I was Juliana, I could never forgive what Thomas did and what his decision led to.
There is some very hot kissing moments, but no sex. Fine for a new adult audience and up.
Final Thoughts
I was entertained the whole way through with Realm Walker. Definitely worth the read. Though it did not reel me in as much as a I hoped, because I am still unsure if I want to continue the series. I think not liking Thomas had a lot to do with that. But overall, recommended.
Quotes
It chuckled. “I grow tired of playing with you. You would have caught me eventually at any rate. You’re much better than the others. Maybe it’s because you’re female. You are, aren’t you?”
“Then what in the name of all the dark gods is going on?” She maintained her stance, waiting for him to answer.
He opened his mouth and froze, eyes locked on a point over her shoulder. His already pale skin blanched to a new shade of white. She reached for her gun. At the same time, a warm breeze caressed her neck like a lover’s tease. Her breath caught. Her pulse raced. She stayed her hand though part of her still ached to palm the weapon. She shut down her gift but left the glasses on. She knew this enemy.
“I left everything for you. My money, my home, my coven. It’s all yours. It always has been.” He pushed both hands through his hair. “I gave you what you wanted. As much as it killed me to do it, I gave it to you. I only wanted you to be happy.”
“Yeah, my life’s been a regular carnival.” She sighed. “You just left me, Thomas. You left all of us. They assumed I was no longer under your protection. I assumed that. You left me alone under the authority of a vampire who resented my connection to you from the moment you brought me into the coven. There was no protection there for me. No home.”
*Free book from author for honest review*
February 9, 2014
Review provided by Netgalley.
This is a really good urban fantasy. I like the heroine and her particular talent, the fact that she is able to see and track the energy of supernatural creature. Her past with the vampire coven and her husband was also very interesting to me.
Juliana's job as a Realm Walker is fairly classic for an urban fantasy novel and the plot is solid if not original. I like the diverse cast of friends and allies Juliana has; contrary to many urban fantasy, she is not friendless and I like a lot some of those characters and their talents.
Juliana has no memories of her past before she was adopted by the vampires coven, and I was really intrigued by what happened to her. In the course of the novel, we learn more about that and about her family and I found them to be fairly original. However, most of those secrets are still hidden
As for the romance between Thomas and Juliana, I have mixed feelings about this. My principal problem is about Thomas: the author wanted to show his aged and his otherness, his lack of humanity and of understanding human, but it is pushed to the extreme and done too awkwardly for me. Juliana was in love with Thomas as an adolescent and Thomas has only accepted to sleep with her if they married and established a magical bond between them, which she accepted. The following day however she get frightened when Thomas speak of presenting her to the vampire council and of the political role she will have to play. She asked Thomas for time and he reacted by vanishing completely from her life for seven years. He did not contact her in any way, justifying himself by saying that he would not have been able to restrain himself otherwise. When he came back to her at the beginning of the novel, he doesn't understand why she is angry with him. I found this really ridiculous, as well as the fact that he did not think at all of the way other would perceive his actions and of the danger he put her in by abandoning her like that. For me it was not credible when he was presented as an old and powerful vampire, really proficient in politics, in addition to his remarks about Juliana's future place in vampire politics.
In addition,
Also, I have a problem with Michael, Thomas' second.
However, Thomas and Juliana's relationship was still very interesting for me despite those problem. In the end, Thomas is a classical urban fantasy and paranormal romance hero, very protective and possessive of his mate, and Juliana had no problem putting him in his place and affirming her independence despite her love for him.
Thus this novel was a good read for me, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series and to finding more about Juliana's still numerous secrets. I would recommend this book to any fans of classic urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
This is a really good urban fantasy. I like the heroine and her particular talent, the fact that she is able to see and track the energy of supernatural creature. Her past with the vampire coven and her husband was also very interesting to me.
Juliana's job as a Realm Walker is fairly classic for an urban fantasy novel and the plot is solid if not original. I like the diverse cast of friends and allies Juliana has; contrary to many urban fantasy, she is not friendless and I like a lot some of those characters and their talents.
Juliana has no memories of her past before she was adopted by the vampires coven, and I was really intrigued by what happened to her. In the course of the novel, we learn more about that and about her family and I found them to be fairly original. However, most of those secrets are still hidden
As for the romance between Thomas and Juliana, I have mixed feelings about this. My principal problem is about Thomas: the author wanted to show his aged and his otherness, his lack of humanity and of understanding human, but it is pushed to the extreme and done too awkwardly for me. Juliana was in love with Thomas as an adolescent and Thomas has only accepted to sleep with her if they married and established a magical bond between them, which she accepted. The following day however she get frightened when Thomas speak of presenting her to the vampire council and of the political role she will have to play. She asked Thomas for time and he reacted by vanishing completely from her life for seven years. He did not contact her in any way, justifying himself by saying that he would not have been able to restrain himself otherwise. When he came back to her at the beginning of the novel, he doesn't understand why she is angry with him. I found this really ridiculous, as well as the fact that he did not think at all of the way other would perceive his actions and of the danger he put her in by abandoning her like that. For me it was not credible when he was presented as an old and powerful vampire, really proficient in politics, in addition to his remarks about Juliana's future place in vampire politics.
In addition,
Also, I have a problem with Michael, Thomas' second.
However, Thomas and Juliana's relationship was still very interesting for me despite those problem. In the end, Thomas is a classical urban fantasy and paranormal romance hero, very protective and possessive of his mate, and Juliana had no problem putting him in his place and affirming her independence despite her love for him.
Thus this novel was a good read for me, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series and to finding more about Juliana's still numerous secrets. I would recommend this book to any fans of classic urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
October 29, 2013
Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker with mixed heritage: half-dark fae and half-mage. She has a gift that allows her to see the signatures of the various Altered that walk among the humans for tracking purposes and and uncanny ability to spring back to life after being declared dead. Her mentor, Nathaniel, is a 150 year old werewolf who is, contrary to popular lore, immune to silver. And, she's been United to a master vampire named Thomas who abandoned her seven years ago right after claiming her as his mate.
The heartache and pain that Juliana endured after Thomas left was more than just the heartbreak and emotional turmoil. Her true nightmare came in the form of the vampire Thomas left in charge to protect and lead the coven. After he abused her and tried to kill her, Raoul and his henchmen fled the area. Juliana and Nathaniel manage to track down and dispose of Raoul's posse but are unsuccessful in capturing Raoul.
When Juliana suddenly sees signatures that can only be identified as being Raoul she doesn't realize just how dire the situation will become. These sightings also coincide with the sudden reappearance of Thomas, who after seven years, feels that they've been apart long enough. In Juliana's eyes, however, it's been too long and her anger prevents her (or tries anyway) from accepting him fully back into her life. That is until Nathaniel becomes the host for one of two demons that start reeking havoc around town. Realizing that there is much larger problem than her vampire popping back into town, Juliana joins forces with Thomas.
Realm Walker is a gritty urban fantasy that keeps the reader intrigued from the get go. Juliana is a likable main female character. She's endure a lot in her young life and is very independent. The independence actually becomes a problem for her as the story moves through all of the events as she tries to rely less on others and more on herself. Fortunately, she is able to push some of the stubbornness aside and work together as a team with those around her. She discovers the truth behind Thomas leaving her, helping her to rectify emotional stresses that she still holds onto. They don't go away but she's able to work with them until they don't hurt as much ~ in other words ~ we see Juliana realize that maybe Thomas wasn't really trying to devastate her, but we also don't see her cave to his every whim.
Thomas is a likable vampire and mate. He had his reasons for leaving Juliana for the length of time he did but also comes to understand why he should have gone about things a different way. His actions, and the actions of those Thomas left in charge, molded Juliana into something that could have been prevented. When faced with choosing to kill Thomas or attempt to save him, we find that Juliana doesn't dislike him nearly as much as she lets people believe.
I enjoyed the entire novel, never becoming bored or tempted to skim along. Each scene is vital to the inner workings of Realm Walker, making it a powerful tale of demon rising, demon hunting, and demon defeating. There are events that unfold that will take your breath away and leave you stunned. Be prepared for a fantastic ride-along with urban fantasy's brand new heroine ~ Julian Norris - Realm Walker.
Review Copy Courtesy Of: The author, via the tour company, at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
The heartache and pain that Juliana endured after Thomas left was more than just the heartbreak and emotional turmoil. Her true nightmare came in the form of the vampire Thomas left in charge to protect and lead the coven. After he abused her and tried to kill her, Raoul and his henchmen fled the area. Juliana and Nathaniel manage to track down and dispose of Raoul's posse but are unsuccessful in capturing Raoul.
When Juliana suddenly sees signatures that can only be identified as being Raoul she doesn't realize just how dire the situation will become. These sightings also coincide with the sudden reappearance of Thomas, who after seven years, feels that they've been apart long enough. In Juliana's eyes, however, it's been too long and her anger prevents her (or tries anyway) from accepting him fully back into her life. That is until Nathaniel becomes the host for one of two demons that start reeking havoc around town. Realizing that there is much larger problem than her vampire popping back into town, Juliana joins forces with Thomas.
Realm Walker is a gritty urban fantasy that keeps the reader intrigued from the get go. Juliana is a likable main female character. She's endure a lot in her young life and is very independent. The independence actually becomes a problem for her as the story moves through all of the events as she tries to rely less on others and more on herself. Fortunately, she is able to push some of the stubbornness aside and work together as a team with those around her. She discovers the truth behind Thomas leaving her, helping her to rectify emotional stresses that she still holds onto. They don't go away but she's able to work with them until they don't hurt as much ~ in other words ~ we see Juliana realize that maybe Thomas wasn't really trying to devastate her, but we also don't see her cave to his every whim.
Thomas is a likable vampire and mate. He had his reasons for leaving Juliana for the length of time he did but also comes to understand why he should have gone about things a different way. His actions, and the actions of those Thomas left in charge, molded Juliana into something that could have been prevented. When faced with choosing to kill Thomas or attempt to save him, we find that Juliana doesn't dislike him nearly as much as she lets people believe.
I enjoyed the entire novel, never becoming bored or tempted to skim along. Each scene is vital to the inner workings of Realm Walker, making it a powerful tale of demon rising, demon hunting, and demon defeating. There are events that unfold that will take your breath away and leave you stunned. Be prepared for a fantastic ride-along with urban fantasy's brand new heroine ~ Julian Norris - Realm Walker.
Review Copy Courtesy Of: The author, via the tour company, at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2013
4.5 Stars
Realm Walker reminds me very much of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, Amanda Carlson’s Jessica McClain Series, and Keri Lake’s Sons of Wrath series. With that being said, you know this book will also have a kick-ass heroine which I LOVE reading about. Realm Walker is action packed, suspenseful and it has a very dark world where survival is the fittest.
Vampires, Demons, Shifters and other supes roam this world and Julliana Norris can track them with her ability to see magical creatures. As a supernatural being herself, she hunted creatures that technically didn’t follow the rules. Unfortunately, this time, she has become the hunted along with the people she loves.
The world building was good. I love that there were plenty of elements to go around. It shows how big Ms. Collins’ plan for this book and she explained the world good enough that I did not get lost. I thought there was a perfect blend of action and suspense. Some scenes made me sit up, eager to find out what’s about to happen. I have to admit though, there were some scenes that were a bit bloodier than I expected. It was pretty awesome though.
I really like Juliana. This girl can kick-ass like there’s no tomorrow but she is also humanizes by her feelings from the past. She was loved, tormented and heartbroken…a recipe for a well jaded woman. It was good seeing through her eyes, the empathy for her was almost immediate when I found out what happened between her and mate. But as always, there is more than meets the eye. There was a well good enough reason why her mate, Thomas had left. Now that he is back, there will be a chance to find out the why’s of it all. Though I wasn’t in love with Thomas, I was drawn to his power as a leader and of course the “I’m-on-top-of-the-food-chain….so-back-off” persona just pulled me right in.
The romance was light and the smexy was very low but you feel how strong the love is between Juliana and Thomas. There was a bit of angst, but in all honesty it was all justified. Though there was no happy-ending, there is a promise of a stronger romance element for the next book (crossing my fingers). I would like to explore more of this powerful Thomas.
If you like Urban Fantasy novels with a mentally and physically strong heroine then, I recommend you give this novel a chance.
*ARC provided by publisher
Realm Walker reminds me very much of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, Amanda Carlson’s Jessica McClain Series, and Keri Lake’s Sons of Wrath series. With that being said, you know this book will also have a kick-ass heroine which I LOVE reading about. Realm Walker is action packed, suspenseful and it has a very dark world where survival is the fittest.
Vampires, Demons, Shifters and other supes roam this world and Julliana Norris can track them with her ability to see magical creatures. As a supernatural being herself, she hunted creatures that technically didn’t follow the rules. Unfortunately, this time, she has become the hunted along with the people she loves.
The world building was good. I love that there were plenty of elements to go around. It shows how big Ms. Collins’ plan for this book and she explained the world good enough that I did not get lost. I thought there was a perfect blend of action and suspense. Some scenes made me sit up, eager to find out what’s about to happen. I have to admit though, there were some scenes that were a bit bloodier than I expected. It was pretty awesome though.
I really like Juliana. This girl can kick-ass like there’s no tomorrow but she is also humanizes by her feelings from the past. She was loved, tormented and heartbroken…a recipe for a well jaded woman. It was good seeing through her eyes, the empathy for her was almost immediate when I found out what happened between her and mate. But as always, there is more than meets the eye. There was a well good enough reason why her mate, Thomas had left. Now that he is back, there will be a chance to find out the why’s of it all. Though I wasn’t in love with Thomas, I was drawn to his power as a leader and of course the “I’m-on-top-of-the-food-chain….so-back-off” persona just pulled me right in.
The romance was light and the smexy was very low but you feel how strong the love is between Juliana and Thomas. There was a bit of angst, but in all honesty it was all justified. Though there was no happy-ending, there is a promise of a stronger romance element for the next book (crossing my fingers). I would like to explore more of this powerful Thomas.
If you like Urban Fantasy novels with a mentally and physically strong heroine then, I recommend you give this novel a chance.
*ARC provided by publisher
April 11, 2015
I had this one on my wishlist for a long time before I was able to get my hands on it for free through a friend...I was hyped up about reading it but I found it a bit of a let down.
It got off to a good start. Juliana's job is to relocate or kill non humans using portals, to get them away from humans or where they can cause trouble. Juliana does have some morals which she shows when dealing with the upset troll who says that he lived there long before the humans came along and it isn't fair to force him out of his home. I agreed with the troll and so did she but her job was to remove him. The fight scene was good and I had high hopes for the book as we moved location.
Sadly, this is where it went totally flat for me as the plot vanished in favour of one of those damned love triangles. There is Thomas who she is sort of betrothed to and when he tried to rush her into a union she asked him for more time. So he vanishes for 7 years then comes back expecting her to fall into his arms again. Thomas is a spoiled, arrogant cretin who treats her like crap yet she moons over him and can't resist him, however much she protests. Her lack of backbone with this jerk annoyed me and there was no speck of chemistry between them or anything to indicate that you should WANT them to be together. It was a bland attempt at romance. Meanwhile, while he was away, Juliana got involved with Michael, the trusted second in command to Thomas. Of course she does.
After the exciting start, I was expecting kickass heroine but what we got instead was a woman who even after seven years is incapable of getting on with her life without the guy who abandoned her. What she sees in the jerk is questionable to me. He acts like a spoiled brat. The demon hunting plot falls pretty flat for me and I feel that I did not get the book that the blurb promised me and that is so annoying. And had I known what the book was going to be like, I wouldn't have picked it up.
It got off to a good start. Juliana's job is to relocate or kill non humans using portals, to get them away from humans or where they can cause trouble. Juliana does have some morals which she shows when dealing with the upset troll who says that he lived there long before the humans came along and it isn't fair to force him out of his home. I agreed with the troll and so did she but her job was to remove him. The fight scene was good and I had high hopes for the book as we moved location.
Sadly, this is where it went totally flat for me as the plot vanished in favour of one of those damned love triangles. There is Thomas who she is sort of betrothed to and when he tried to rush her into a union she asked him for more time. So he vanishes for 7 years then comes back expecting her to fall into his arms again. Thomas is a spoiled, arrogant cretin who treats her like crap yet she moons over him and can't resist him, however much she protests. Her lack of backbone with this jerk annoyed me and there was no speck of chemistry between them or anything to indicate that you should WANT them to be together. It was a bland attempt at romance. Meanwhile, while he was away, Juliana got involved with Michael, the trusted second in command to Thomas. Of course she does.
After the exciting start, I was expecting kickass heroine but what we got instead was a woman who even after seven years is incapable of getting on with her life without the guy who abandoned her. What she sees in the jerk is questionable to me. He acts like a spoiled brat. The demon hunting plot falls pretty flat for me and I feel that I did not get the book that the blurb promised me and that is so annoying. And had I known what the book was going to be like, I wouldn't have picked it up.
September 27, 2020
3.5 stars = I liked it (with nits.) Despite a good beginning this Realm Walker series starter was slow to grab me, but at about half way everything - the world, the supporting cast - solidified and the conflict became personal enough to the heroine - and seemingly without any possibility of a happy resolution - that I was invested in seeing how things played out.
The things that worked for me in Realm Walker were the heroine Juliana - she's suitably tough for a UF heroine, has an interesting skill set and parentage, and the fact that she is death resistant (though the reason isn't discovered until later so is confusing early on) adds an intriguing side note. She is surrounded by some great supporting characters in her coworkers and 'family' (a werewolf, a fire elemental, his demigoddess wife and 'kids', and her inkmage 'brother-in-law') and there is a good mixed paranormal world in the background with demons, vampires, trolls, selkie and fae.
What what worked less well for me (except in the big conflict) was her love interest the powerful vampire, Thomas, who 'married' her and then left her behind and heartbroken and who is now back to claim her. This is a first book so there was a lot of ground work to lay in both the world and the characters, but Thomas was the least fleshed out to me and I just didn't 'feel' his relationship with Julia.
But then again, despite the third person 'voice' (instead of the typical 'first') Realm Walker seems to fall into the Urban Fantasy genre so I am not going to ding the book just because the romance element didn't really make it out of the woodwork. And really that may have been on purpose because with all that the author has set up in this first book, she's left plenty of room for more from this Realm Walker world.
The things that worked for me in Realm Walker were the heroine Juliana - she's suitably tough for a UF heroine, has an interesting skill set and parentage, and the fact that she is death resistant (though the reason isn't discovered until later so is confusing early on) adds an intriguing side note. She is surrounded by some great supporting characters in her coworkers and 'family' (a werewolf, a fire elemental, his demigoddess wife and 'kids', and her inkmage 'brother-in-law') and there is a good mixed paranormal world in the background with demons, vampires, trolls, selkie and fae.
What what worked less well for me (except in the big conflict) was her love interest the powerful vampire, Thomas, who 'married' her and then left her behind and heartbroken and who is now back to claim her. This is a first book so there was a lot of ground work to lay in both the world and the characters, but Thomas was the least fleshed out to me and I just didn't 'feel' his relationship with Julia.
But then again, despite the third person 'voice' (instead of the typical 'first') Realm Walker seems to fall into the Urban Fantasy genre so I am not going to ding the book just because the romance element didn't really make it out of the woodwork. And really that may have been on purpose because with all that the author has set up in this first book, she's left plenty of room for more from this Realm Walker world.
October 12, 2013
Favorite Quotes
It chuckled. “I grow tired of playing with you. You would have caught me eventually at any rate. You’re much better than the others. Maybe it’s because you’re female. You are, aren’t you?”
After putting more distance between them, she put her Taser away and drew her sword. It left the sheath with a ring of steel. She adjusted her hand on the grip. Nathaniel came to stand beside her, leaning his weight into her leg to let her know he was near. “You okay there, Mr. Troll?” He opened his blazing red eyes and looked at her. “I’ve had your blood, Juliana Norris. It tells me things.” Apparently it told him her name, because she’d never given it.
She pointed to her badge. “I have one piece of hard- ware that you lack. It lets me get away with a lot more.” He went to the table beside his bed, opened the drawer and pulled out a badge similar to hers. She frowned. “Where did you get that?” He grinned. “It’s possible I found it laying around someplace and picked it up.” “I’m going to pretend we didn't have this conversation, so I can feign ignorance later.”
I was given this book for an honest review.
This was a good story, but didn't flow like I would like it too. This story was done as a third person which I like but sometimes it confused me and had to go back and read it again. Juliana and Thomas relationship was a letdown because there did seem to be much of a sizzle. Thomas was arrogant and older than Juliana. Now Michael was a character I would really like to know more about. Maybe from his point of view. Overall it was worth reading and I will read the next one.
FOUR FIGHTING ANGELS
It chuckled. “I grow tired of playing with you. You would have caught me eventually at any rate. You’re much better than the others. Maybe it’s because you’re female. You are, aren’t you?”
After putting more distance between them, she put her Taser away and drew her sword. It left the sheath with a ring of steel. She adjusted her hand on the grip. Nathaniel came to stand beside her, leaning his weight into her leg to let her know he was near. “You okay there, Mr. Troll?” He opened his blazing red eyes and looked at her. “I’ve had your blood, Juliana Norris. It tells me things.” Apparently it told him her name, because she’d never given it.
She pointed to her badge. “I have one piece of hard- ware that you lack. It lets me get away with a lot more.” He went to the table beside his bed, opened the drawer and pulled out a badge similar to hers. She frowned. “Where did you get that?” He grinned. “It’s possible I found it laying around someplace and picked it up.” “I’m going to pretend we didn't have this conversation, so I can feign ignorance later.”
I was given this book for an honest review.
This was a good story, but didn't flow like I would like it too. This story was done as a third person which I like but sometimes it confused me and had to go back and read it again. Juliana and Thomas relationship was a letdown because there did seem to be much of a sizzle. Thomas was arrogant and older than Juliana. Now Michael was a character I would really like to know more about. Maybe from his point of view. Overall it was worth reading and I will read the next one.
FOUR FIGHTING ANGELS
November 11, 2014
As the first in the Realm Walker series, Realm Walker is a fast-paced, entertaining story. Juliana has the ability to see magical signatures and uses this ability, along with others that we discover throughout the story, to track down supernatural creatures who are breaking the laws. Along with her past lover, Thomas, and other supporting characters, the author takes us through this magical world where anything is possible.
I thought the characters were well written. Juliana was likable and fun, and the chemistry between her and Thomas is undeniable. Additionally, the world the author created for her story was unique and well thought out.
I would have loved to have a bit more backstory, especially on Juliana, as at times I felt a bit lost. Hopefully more of her past will be revealed later in the series. There was a lot going on in this book, and overall I thought the author did a good job with the details and explanations. I loved the diversity of the supernatural creatures, fae, werewolves, vampires, and demons…and more. I'm looking forward to the next book to find out what happens to my favorite characters.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the characters were well written. Juliana was likable and fun, and the chemistry between her and Thomas is undeniable. Additionally, the world the author created for her story was unique and well thought out.
I would have loved to have a bit more backstory, especially on Juliana, as at times I felt a bit lost. Hopefully more of her past will be revealed later in the series. There was a lot going on in this book, and overall I thought the author did a good job with the details and explanations. I loved the diversity of the supernatural creatures, fae, werewolves, vampires, and demons…and more. I'm looking forward to the next book to find out what happens to my favorite characters.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2015
Juliana Norris has a unique gift. She can see magical signatures allowing her to know what kind of paranormal creature inhabited a space. This makes her an exceptional Realm Walker for the Agency.
Juliana has a number of secrets. This includes who is her father, how she can come back to life after she dies, and that she is the mate of master vampire, Thomas Kendrick; a vampire that has been out of her life for the past seven years. Now Kendrick has returned, no longer able to fight his need for Juliana.
If all that is not enough, a demon has taken a personal interest in Juliana. She has to stop the demon before he destroys all her friends and loved ones, including Thomas.
Kathleen Collins does a commendable job with the first book to the series. Her characters are multidimensional giving the story credibility.
Realm Walkers is full of excitement and action. There is a ton of stuff going on, but it is easy to follow and a hard book to put down. Realm Walker is an excellent book. I am really looking forward to continuing reading this series.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Juliana has a number of secrets. This includes who is her father, how she can come back to life after she dies, and that she is the mate of master vampire, Thomas Kendrick; a vampire that has been out of her life for the past seven years. Now Kendrick has returned, no longer able to fight his need for Juliana.
If all that is not enough, a demon has taken a personal interest in Juliana. She has to stop the demon before he destroys all her friends and loved ones, including Thomas.
Kathleen Collins does a commendable job with the first book to the series. Her characters are multidimensional giving the story credibility.
Realm Walkers is full of excitement and action. There is a ton of stuff going on, but it is easy to follow and a hard book to put down. Realm Walker is an excellent book. I am really looking forward to continuing reading this series.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2015
Realm Walker is what Anita Blake was in the beginning. With a strong and kick-assed heroine, a sexy vamp lover, and a dark world could easily fit in the TV show Grim. No wishy washy beings need apply.
Read my rest of the review at http://www.ismellsheep.com/2015/12/do...
September 26, 2018
Realm Walker is the first in a terrific new to me UF series. I met the author at a conference and she said she wrote UF and introduced me to an incredible world of paranormal creatures and especially to Walker Juliana Norris. Her gifts help her track the bad guys and her kick butt attitude makes it fun for us to tag along. I was sucked in and read this in one sitting and started the next in the series.
October 28, 2013
**I was given an ARC of this novel as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.**
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
With an interesting mystery, addictive world building, and an engaging heroine, Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins is a promising start to a new urban fantasy series that I think will appeal to many fans of the genre.
I liked Realm Walker for several reasons but mainly because I enjoyed being in the world Collins created. With vampires, werewolves, witches, trolls, demons, mages…this world is inhabited by all walks of supernatural life. It‘s dark and violent but also rich and varied. The politics between groups and the day-to-day policing done by the Agency adds a nice crime novel feel to the story and there’s a tangible sense of danger in this world which keeps it exciting. All in all, this is a world I want to come back to.
The other element that made Realm Walker so engaging is its cast of characters. Juliana is a great UF heroine – strong, independent, totally capable but not invincible. She has a mysterious past, interesting powers, and a mate who abandoned her. Enter Thomas Kendrick, powerful leader of the local vampire coven, who comes back to town to claim what’s his, namely Juliana. I thought Thomas bordered on being your typical alpha UF male lead but he had an added layer of complexity due to his ambiguous intentions. Perhaps one of the weakest parts of the story is the conflict between Juliana and Thomas. She’s hurt and angry that Thomas abandoned her and his leaving down had a domino effect. Without his protection, Juliana suffered horrific abuse at the hands of the coven. Thomas doesn’t know this but it’s a large part of why Juliana feels so betrayed. I had a hard time believing that Thomas would just pick up and leave town without a clear explanation and this is what Collins needs you to believe. It adds to Thomas’s ambiguity, to the depth of Juliana’s betrayal, and to the anticipation of a resolution. When you learn why he left, it’s a hard sale to ask a reader to believe Thomas wouldn’t have explained it to Juliana before actually doing it thereby avoiding a lot of the drama that ensued. Yet one aspect I appreciated about this conflict was that an argument can be made for the fact that, though Juliana suffered and suffered horrifically, she also survived and found her place in the world working for the Agency, something that might not have happened had Thomas stuck around.
The supporting cast is great. I want to know about Michael, Juliana’s close friend, partner in crime, and Thomas’s right hand man. He’s mysterious. You wonder what his true feelings for Juliana are and how he’s going to repair his relationship with Thomas. Other characters include Nathaniel, the brawny werewolf partner who likes to read, the fire elemental handler with a wife and kids who wishes Juliana would take less chances, and Ben the vampire boss who questions Juliana’s loyalty. These are all interesting and engaging characters that round out the story and it’s the camaraderie and banter between them all that gives Realm Walker some of its best moments. This supporting cast is dominated by men which is something I am slowly growing a bit weary of in UF. Is it possible to have strong female heroines with strong female friends who play more than bit roles in the heroine’s life? But I digress, the cast Collins creates is an interesting one and I’m looking forward to seeing how these relationships play out over the course of the series.
Finally, the climax of the story was a bit of a letdown. Juliana is tracking a powerful demon who is hopping body from body and leaving death and destruction in its wake. The demon is also targeting Juliana and she has to get to it before it gets to her first. Collins did a good job of building up the anticipation and tension in this chase but once the demon is cornered, after a long cat and mouse game, the solution to it all was quick and a bit unexciting. There’s also a sense of, why didn’t they think of that earlier?
Regardless of some small issues, I really enjoyed Realm Walker. In fact, I practically inhaled it. The world is absorbing and both its heroine and its supporting cast of characters piqued my interest enough to want to spend more time with them. I’m definitely looking forward to the follow-up to this debut and I recommend it to all fans of urban fantasy looking for something new. 3.5 Stars!
This review is courtesy of the blog She-Wolf Reads.
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
With an interesting mystery, addictive world building, and an engaging heroine, Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins is a promising start to a new urban fantasy series that I think will appeal to many fans of the genre.
I liked Realm Walker for several reasons but mainly because I enjoyed being in the world Collins created. With vampires, werewolves, witches, trolls, demons, mages…this world is inhabited by all walks of supernatural life. It‘s dark and violent but also rich and varied. The politics between groups and the day-to-day policing done by the Agency adds a nice crime novel feel to the story and there’s a tangible sense of danger in this world which keeps it exciting. All in all, this is a world I want to come back to.
The other element that made Realm Walker so engaging is its cast of characters. Juliana is a great UF heroine – strong, independent, totally capable but not invincible. She has a mysterious past, interesting powers, and a mate who abandoned her. Enter Thomas Kendrick, powerful leader of the local vampire coven, who comes back to town to claim what’s his, namely Juliana. I thought Thomas bordered on being your typical alpha UF male lead but he had an added layer of complexity due to his ambiguous intentions. Perhaps one of the weakest parts of the story is the conflict between Juliana and Thomas. She’s hurt and angry that Thomas abandoned her and his leaving down had a domino effect. Without his protection, Juliana suffered horrific abuse at the hands of the coven. Thomas doesn’t know this but it’s a large part of why Juliana feels so betrayed. I had a hard time believing that Thomas would just pick up and leave town without a clear explanation and this is what Collins needs you to believe. It adds to Thomas’s ambiguity, to the depth of Juliana’s betrayal, and to the anticipation of a resolution. When you learn why he left, it’s a hard sale to ask a reader to believe Thomas wouldn’t have explained it to Juliana before actually doing it thereby avoiding a lot of the drama that ensued. Yet one aspect I appreciated about this conflict was that an argument can be made for the fact that, though Juliana suffered and suffered horrifically, she also survived and found her place in the world working for the Agency, something that might not have happened had Thomas stuck around.
The supporting cast is great. I want to know about Michael, Juliana’s close friend, partner in crime, and Thomas’s right hand man. He’s mysterious. You wonder what his true feelings for Juliana are and how he’s going to repair his relationship with Thomas. Other characters include Nathaniel, the brawny werewolf partner who likes to read, the fire elemental handler with a wife and kids who wishes Juliana would take less chances, and Ben the vampire boss who questions Juliana’s loyalty. These are all interesting and engaging characters that round out the story and it’s the camaraderie and banter between them all that gives Realm Walker some of its best moments. This supporting cast is dominated by men which is something I am slowly growing a bit weary of in UF. Is it possible to have strong female heroines with strong female friends who play more than bit roles in the heroine’s life? But I digress, the cast Collins creates is an interesting one and I’m looking forward to seeing how these relationships play out over the course of the series.
Finally, the climax of the story was a bit of a letdown. Juliana is tracking a powerful demon who is hopping body from body and leaving death and destruction in its wake. The demon is also targeting Juliana and she has to get to it before it gets to her first. Collins did a good job of building up the anticipation and tension in this chase but once the demon is cornered, after a long cat and mouse game, the solution to it all was quick and a bit unexciting. There’s also a sense of, why didn’t they think of that earlier?
Regardless of some small issues, I really enjoyed Realm Walker. In fact, I practically inhaled it. The world is absorbing and both its heroine and its supporting cast of characters piqued my interest enough to want to spend more time with them. I’m definitely looking forward to the follow-up to this debut and I recommend it to all fans of urban fantasy looking for something new. 3.5 Stars!
This review is courtesy of the blog She-Wolf Reads.
December 29, 2013
Kathleen Collins Realm Walker is an action thriller, complete with demons, vampires and werewolves, agencies of supernaturals, or Altereds, and a smoking hot dark fae heroine who likes to slug one back with the boys when she isn't working a case, only instead of whisky, she prefers vampire blood. Julianna Norris is a Walker, a kind of cop for the real world to keep supernatural beings in their place. She’s feisty, private, and has a track record for getting into scrapes and getting out of them with the hair on her fae head just barely intact.
If her supernatural cop duties weren’t stressful enough, Julianna Norris is the mate of vampire Thomas Kendrick who like a lot of literary vampires carries himself with a holier than thou attitude. I kept wanting Julianna to smack him in the face, but like many obnoxious characters, he grew on me, mostly because Collins turns him into a shadowy protective figure who gets to whine about how kick ass his bride is. Julianna's fae magic combined with Kendricks power via union makes her a deadly agent, and a member of the coven. And she can bring it when it comes to work, fighting demons and such. But she's ill prepared for Kendrick's return. In Collins' world a vampire union is akin to marriage. Power is garnered through unions, both superatural and political. Kendrick left Julianna shortly after their union, which was both a powerful and humbling experience for both of them. As a result few know about the union, an affront to Kendrick's ego. The fallout of his leaving is the emotional landscape of the novel. Julianna, in Kendrick's wake, took up a lover, Kendrick's assistant. Julianna’s close friend is Kendrick's sister, who offers her assistance when she needs. Julianna is surrounded by people who wish to protect her from Thomas Kendrick; not to mention her team of altereds, Jeremiah, an elemental, and a werewolf named Nathaniel.
The novel's action sequences revolve around the chase for Nathaniel, Julianna's partner who is possessed by a demon, and the subsequent chase for the demon behind the caper, a demon after Julianna. Along the way, Kendrick has to come to grips with his love for his bride, the demon hunting her, and his own place in Julianna's world. The majority of the book shifts between Julianna and Thomas' perspectives as the action pushes towards a dark fae vampire mage conclusion that will rock supernatural action fans. There's demon possession, and vampire coven betrayal, and lots of red herrings to keep you guessing about character's fates and fortunes.
However, Collins real story is centered around relationships. Marriage, mostly, and how to navigate distances between hearts. Collins' mythology is fairly derivative, but this opening book in a series seeks to lay a foundation. Collins throws words like "union," "the gathering," and "coven" around with abandon. Needless to say much of these words, and words like them, are overdone, but thankfully Collins relies on character descriptions and action more than overused terms for supernatural social norms. I particularly enjoyed the elemental family, and the camaraderie between Julianna and her work mates. Besides the complex relationships she frames, her other strength is her world building skills, mashing up our world with a supernatural bureaucracy that smacks of satire. Sure to please readers of urban fantasy, Realm Walker is an action packed debut. 3 stars.
If her supernatural cop duties weren’t stressful enough, Julianna Norris is the mate of vampire Thomas Kendrick who like a lot of literary vampires carries himself with a holier than thou attitude. I kept wanting Julianna to smack him in the face, but like many obnoxious characters, he grew on me, mostly because Collins turns him into a shadowy protective figure who gets to whine about how kick ass his bride is. Julianna's fae magic combined with Kendricks power via union makes her a deadly agent, and a member of the coven. And she can bring it when it comes to work, fighting demons and such. But she's ill prepared for Kendrick's return. In Collins' world a vampire union is akin to marriage. Power is garnered through unions, both superatural and political. Kendrick left Julianna shortly after their union, which was both a powerful and humbling experience for both of them. As a result few know about the union, an affront to Kendrick's ego. The fallout of his leaving is the emotional landscape of the novel. Julianna, in Kendrick's wake, took up a lover, Kendrick's assistant. Julianna’s close friend is Kendrick's sister, who offers her assistance when she needs. Julianna is surrounded by people who wish to protect her from Thomas Kendrick; not to mention her team of altereds, Jeremiah, an elemental, and a werewolf named Nathaniel.
The novel's action sequences revolve around the chase for Nathaniel, Julianna's partner who is possessed by a demon, and the subsequent chase for the demon behind the caper, a demon after Julianna. Along the way, Kendrick has to come to grips with his love for his bride, the demon hunting her, and his own place in Julianna's world. The majority of the book shifts between Julianna and Thomas' perspectives as the action pushes towards a dark fae vampire mage conclusion that will rock supernatural action fans. There's demon possession, and vampire coven betrayal, and lots of red herrings to keep you guessing about character's fates and fortunes.
However, Collins real story is centered around relationships. Marriage, mostly, and how to navigate distances between hearts. Collins' mythology is fairly derivative, but this opening book in a series seeks to lay a foundation. Collins throws words like "union," "the gathering," and "coven" around with abandon. Needless to say much of these words, and words like them, are overdone, but thankfully Collins relies on character descriptions and action more than overused terms for supernatural social norms. I particularly enjoyed the elemental family, and the camaraderie between Julianna and her work mates. Besides the complex relationships she frames, her other strength is her world building skills, mashing up our world with a supernatural bureaucracy that smacks of satire. Sure to please readers of urban fantasy, Realm Walker is an action packed debut. 3 stars.
December 30, 2013
Original review here: http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2013/10/release-day-blitz-arc-review-giveaway.html
Realm Walker is a story that follows a woman named Juliana. Juliana has a very interesting job. She is a tracker of sorts. The agency she works for sends her out to retrieve paranormal creatures who cause havoc. She is the best at her job. The job is extremely dangerous. It is so dangerous, that she has died a few times. But no one knows the why. Things get even more dangerous when it seems someone has brought demons into our world and they are killing and possessing people. Sadly, one of the people that are possessed is one of Juliana's closest friends. On top of that, the man she has been running away from for seven years has made an appearance. No one can know what he was to her and she can't be near him due to his possessive ways. She doesn't know what he has up his sleeve, but she knows she won't like it
I really liked this book a lot. You know I love my Urban Fantasy reads and this was a good one. Our main character, Juliana, was quite the lead. I wasn't sure about her at first, but that quickly changed. She is tough and a bit standoffish, but we see how much she cares about those around her. She has a very small group of people that she lets into her world. I loved Jeremiah, her supervisor. He really cares and watches over Juliana. She is super stubborn and he worries her stubbornness will get her killed, permanently. He was like a father to her. I also loved Jeremiah's family. His wife, Anna, was great and their twin sons were quite the sexy duo. They were a riot. I loved them a lot.
We also meet Thomas, the man Juliana has been avoiding for seven years. He seemed a bit controlling and cold. But after we get to see things from his side, we see that he really loves her. He wants to look out for her, he just doesn't know how to go about it. I would like to get to know and understand him a bit more in the next book, but I enjoyed him here. I don't blame Juliana for her feelings for him. Juliana is way too independent and he needs to respect that. He is a bit old school (well, a bit old period) and it shows when reading the book. But all the characters were very intriguing. We are introduced to quite a bit in this book.
The book begins with a bang. The story was action packed and fast. I really enjoyed the pace of the book. Demons are appearing in our world and one has taken quite a shine to Juliana. She doesn't know how or why, but needs to figure it out before it is too late. The demons were very scary in this book. No one doesn't really know how to get rid of them. It was quite exhilarating trying to see how they would get rid of them. This book kept me at the edge of my seat.
Overall, this was a great debut. I loved the world Collins gave us. It was interesting and original. One thing to take note of, this is definitely more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. i don't have a problem with it, but for some expecting it, the romance is very slight. I still enjoyed this book though. If you are a fan of Ilona Andrews, Laurell K. Hamilton, Keri Arthur or Chloe Neill (just to name a few of my personal favorites) this book is perfect for you. This was a great debut. I will be keeping a very close eye on Collins. Waiting impatiently for book 2.
Realm Walker is a story that follows a woman named Juliana. Juliana has a very interesting job. She is a tracker of sorts. The agency she works for sends her out to retrieve paranormal creatures who cause havoc. She is the best at her job. The job is extremely dangerous. It is so dangerous, that she has died a few times. But no one knows the why. Things get even more dangerous when it seems someone has brought demons into our world and they are killing and possessing people. Sadly, one of the people that are possessed is one of Juliana's closest friends. On top of that, the man she has been running away from for seven years has made an appearance. No one can know what he was to her and she can't be near him due to his possessive ways. She doesn't know what he has up his sleeve, but she knows she won't like it
I really liked this book a lot. You know I love my Urban Fantasy reads and this was a good one. Our main character, Juliana, was quite the lead. I wasn't sure about her at first, but that quickly changed. She is tough and a bit standoffish, but we see how much she cares about those around her. She has a very small group of people that she lets into her world. I loved Jeremiah, her supervisor. He really cares and watches over Juliana. She is super stubborn and he worries her stubbornness will get her killed, permanently. He was like a father to her. I also loved Jeremiah's family. His wife, Anna, was great and their twin sons were quite the sexy duo. They were a riot. I loved them a lot.
We also meet Thomas, the man Juliana has been avoiding for seven years. He seemed a bit controlling and cold. But after we get to see things from his side, we see that he really loves her. He wants to look out for her, he just doesn't know how to go about it. I would like to get to know and understand him a bit more in the next book, but I enjoyed him here. I don't blame Juliana for her feelings for him. Juliana is way too independent and he needs to respect that. He is a bit old school (well, a bit old period) and it shows when reading the book. But all the characters were very intriguing. We are introduced to quite a bit in this book.
The book begins with a bang. The story was action packed and fast. I really enjoyed the pace of the book. Demons are appearing in our world and one has taken quite a shine to Juliana. She doesn't know how or why, but needs to figure it out before it is too late. The demons were very scary in this book. No one doesn't really know how to get rid of them. It was quite exhilarating trying to see how they would get rid of them. This book kept me at the edge of my seat.
Overall, this was a great debut. I loved the world Collins gave us. It was interesting and original. One thing to take note of, this is definitely more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. i don't have a problem with it, but for some expecting it, the romance is very slight. I still enjoyed this book though. If you are a fan of Ilona Andrews, Laurell K. Hamilton, Keri Arthur or Chloe Neill (just to name a few of my personal favorites) this book is perfect for you. This was a great debut. I will be keeping a very close eye on Collins. Waiting impatiently for book 2.
October 30, 2013
4.5
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker. She works for the Agency and tracks down any Altered (supernaturals) that pose a threat to humanity. She’s one of the best walkers they have. Juliana is used to working herself to the max, as noted by the fact that she’s died three times already, but with the emergence of two demons into this realm, she’s really got her work cut out for her. Add to that the return of her mate, Thomas, after a seven-year absence and she may have more on her plate than even she can handle.
However, thoughts of her romantic past have to be put aside when one of the demons targets a dear friend of hers. She is determined to get her friend back alive, but doing so means pursuing both demons, one of which knows her by name. With the demon targeting her specifically, will she be able to keep those she cares about out of harm’s way?
I appreciate when Kathleen Collins tells us that Juliana is one of the best walkers, she means it. Juliana is really good at her job. One thing I dislike immensely when reading is when a character is supposed to be the best at something but then, for the sake of the story, everything with their skills and/or powers seem to go wrong making them look like novices. Well, Juliana has the talent to back up any talk, but her friends worry it just may be the thing to get her killed for real one day. She doesn’t back down from assignments, no matter what she’s sent to hunt. She strives as much as possible to protect any innocent caught in the crossfire. She takes every loss personally, but in the end will do what has to be done.
Juliana has been a survivor her entire life. She doesn’t remember what happened in her life before the age of twelve. She was taken in by a vampire coven and when she grew up she eventually became the mate to Thomas Kendrick, a master vampire. She told him she needed space and time to fully understand what it means to be mated to a master. His solution to this problem was to abandon her without word for seven years, leaving her absolutely heartbroken. It also left her open to the whims and tortures of other vampires who didn’t necessarily like Juliana’s status within the group.
The romance, while definitely a central plot point, felt guarded to me. But when I look back and think about the characters, it seems justified. Neither Thomas nor Juliana had it easy the past seven years. Regardless, her experiences were a lot worse and she feels he should work for it if he wants her back. She definitely guards herself, not wanting to be broken again. I liked that Thomas, even not fully understanding what his actions caused, is not deterred by her icy reception upon his return.
Realm Walker is a promising start to a new series. I’m definitely invested in the relationship between Thomas and Juliana. While the main storyline is solved, not everything is figured out by the end of the book, leaving a few things to follow up on in the sequel.
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker. She works for the Agency and tracks down any Altered (supernaturals) that pose a threat to humanity. She’s one of the best walkers they have. Juliana is used to working herself to the max, as noted by the fact that she’s died three times already, but with the emergence of two demons into this realm, she’s really got her work cut out for her. Add to that the return of her mate, Thomas, after a seven-year absence and she may have more on her plate than even she can handle.
However, thoughts of her romantic past have to be put aside when one of the demons targets a dear friend of hers. She is determined to get her friend back alive, but doing so means pursuing both demons, one of which knows her by name. With the demon targeting her specifically, will she be able to keep those she cares about out of harm’s way?
I appreciate when Kathleen Collins tells us that Juliana is one of the best walkers, she means it. Juliana is really good at her job. One thing I dislike immensely when reading is when a character is supposed to be the best at something but then, for the sake of the story, everything with their skills and/or powers seem to go wrong making them look like novices. Well, Juliana has the talent to back up any talk, but her friends worry it just may be the thing to get her killed for real one day. She doesn’t back down from assignments, no matter what she’s sent to hunt. She strives as much as possible to protect any innocent caught in the crossfire. She takes every loss personally, but in the end will do what has to be done.
Juliana has been a survivor her entire life. She doesn’t remember what happened in her life before the age of twelve. She was taken in by a vampire coven and when she grew up she eventually became the mate to Thomas Kendrick, a master vampire. She told him she needed space and time to fully understand what it means to be mated to a master. His solution to this problem was to abandon her without word for seven years, leaving her absolutely heartbroken. It also left her open to the whims and tortures of other vampires who didn’t necessarily like Juliana’s status within the group.
The romance, while definitely a central plot point, felt guarded to me. But when I look back and think about the characters, it seems justified. Neither Thomas nor Juliana had it easy the past seven years. Regardless, her experiences were a lot worse and she feels he should work for it if he wants her back. She definitely guards herself, not wanting to be broken again. I liked that Thomas, even not fully understanding what his actions caused, is not deterred by her icy reception upon his return.
Realm Walker is a promising start to a new series. I’m definitely invested in the relationship between Thomas and Juliana. While the main storyline is solved, not everything is figured out by the end of the book, leaving a few things to follow up on in the sequel.
February 8, 2016
"Realm Walker"
by: Kathleen Collins
Juliana Norris, a "wonder woman" realm walker with special powers, works to keep the altered and humans from dangerous situations. Of course she is an independent, no thought for her own safety, kick-butt type of character. She also is 7 years estranged from her mate who just happens back in town when there seems to be demons "hunting" for Juliana.
As I began reading this story I had a nagging in the back of my brain that perhaps this was not the first in the series. The intro was fine but about 2-3 chapters in I had questions that were not being answered. Little tidbits of a past for the main character Juliana that I needed (or wanted if I am being truthful) a little more information about. "Secrets" don't set well with me but as I kept reading, I realized secrets were one of the main themes to this book. Perhaps I should say "well played" to the author for giving us the same emotion as Thomas (the vampire mate to Juliana) had when trying to rekindle his relationship with Juliana.
Some of the secrets made sense but some of didn't. Such as, how did Juliana call on her father to help in a crisis situation when she said she didn't recall anything from the first 12 years of her life? She doesn't even know who her mother is. And why keep the secret of your father when you know he can help you out of a really bad situation if only you would have been smart enough to call him earlier!? There was a lot of rage, violence, death and gore before Juliana finally got a great idea and called her father to help control the demon she was hunting. Then pretty much zip/zap and the demon is under control. A father who is the dark fae god of Death might be pretty useful.
In truth the author did a pretty good job of filling in most information and it really didn't detract a lot from the story but was frustrating in the beginning. I enjoyed the cat and mouse play between Juliana and Thomas but would like to have seen a little more resolution to their situation. I mean, it WAS one of the reasons I choose this book for review, who doesn't want to know what happens to a returning mate after 7 years absent trying to reclaim what he considers his! That storyline was used as "fodder" on the book description for a reason. I am hopeful it will play out in future Realm Walker installments. All in all the story was a quick and fun read (fun? with secrets and gore?) OK, my idea of fun is a book that I don't want to give up on in the first few chapters and kept my attention throughout.
Will I pick up the next installment of the Realm Walker? Yep, just to see what happens with the relationship between Juliana and Thomas. That, in my opinion, is the real story. You can get "bad ass" characters, violence and gore in almost any urban fantasy but a good love story is always a hook for most readers.
Giving this 3 1/2 "sshhheep"
Jeanie G
by: Kathleen Collins
Juliana Norris, a "wonder woman" realm walker with special powers, works to keep the altered and humans from dangerous situations. Of course she is an independent, no thought for her own safety, kick-butt type of character. She also is 7 years estranged from her mate who just happens back in town when there seems to be demons "hunting" for Juliana.
As I began reading this story I had a nagging in the back of my brain that perhaps this was not the first in the series. The intro was fine but about 2-3 chapters in I had questions that were not being answered. Little tidbits of a past for the main character Juliana that I needed (or wanted if I am being truthful) a little more information about. "Secrets" don't set well with me but as I kept reading, I realized secrets were one of the main themes to this book. Perhaps I should say "well played" to the author for giving us the same emotion as Thomas (the vampire mate to Juliana) had when trying to rekindle his relationship with Juliana.
Some of the secrets made sense but some of didn't. Such as, how did Juliana call on her father to help in a crisis situation when she said she didn't recall anything from the first 12 years of her life? She doesn't even know who her mother is. And why keep the secret of your father when you know he can help you out of a really bad situation if only you would have been smart enough to call him earlier!? There was a lot of rage, violence, death and gore before Juliana finally got a great idea and called her father to help control the demon she was hunting. Then pretty much zip/zap and the demon is under control. A father who is the dark fae god of Death might be pretty useful.
In truth the author did a pretty good job of filling in most information and it really didn't detract a lot from the story but was frustrating in the beginning. I enjoyed the cat and mouse play between Juliana and Thomas but would like to have seen a little more resolution to their situation. I mean, it WAS one of the reasons I choose this book for review, who doesn't want to know what happens to a returning mate after 7 years absent trying to reclaim what he considers his! That storyline was used as "fodder" on the book description for a reason. I am hopeful it will play out in future Realm Walker installments. All in all the story was a quick and fun read (fun? with secrets and gore?) OK, my idea of fun is a book that I don't want to give up on in the first few chapters and kept my attention throughout.
Will I pick up the next installment of the Realm Walker? Yep, just to see what happens with the relationship between Juliana and Thomas. That, in my opinion, is the real story. You can get "bad ass" characters, violence and gore in almost any urban fantasy but a good love story is always a hook for most readers.
Giving this 3 1/2 "sshhheep"
Jeanie G
August 10, 2016
I love a good paranormal book especially with a feisty kick butt heroine and this book totally fit the bill. I received this book from Net Galley in return for a fair and honest review.
Juliana is part dark fae, has some really different powers and is mated to a powerful master vampire named Thomas. Thomas left her seven years ago-the day after their mating. Now he’s back and so is a powerful demon that is on a killing rampage. Juliana works for an agency that takes care of problems like this, so she is called in on the case. Even though she pretends to not want to be with Thomas, he gets involved in the case with her.
This book is full of action and suspense and actually a lot of gore. The demon jumping around in and out of bodies made for a interesting premise, instead of who done it, it was who has a demon inside of them? Of course it’s not a mystery long because this demon has an agenda and Juliana is definitely his end game.
Juliana, while being a major supernatural being fighter/killer, is also portrayed to be vulnerable and caring. I wasn’t expecting that and it was refreshing in a main character of this type. Thomas is a big time alpha male but is shown to be vulnerable when it comes to Juliana and that really worked too. I also liked Juliana’s partner, Nathaniel. He is a werewolf and he is a great, sympathetic character. The demon isn’t the only bad guy in this book. Juliana has the boss from hell and I wanted to personally knock him upside the head before this was finished.
**** Mild Spoiler Ahead***Aside from the great characterization, the author has made this book realistic in another part of the telling also. Instead of having her main characters immediately fall into bed upon finding each other again, that just doesn’t happen. Juliana isn’t happy about the seven years he was gone and Thomas has some making up to do.That was pretty refreshing in a book of this genre.
I am wondering if it is going to be a series because if so, I can see where it can easily be one-so many different supernatural characters that can get into trouble. Which brings me to the world building. This world as written by the author is a world where supernatural beings are not secret and live among humans. It had a pretty different premise about how that happened too. The dialogue was pretty snappy and flowed easily. Juliana is sarcastic and had some pretty funny comebacks at times.
I will definitely be reading any sequels because this was an enjoyable, fast read and I rated it 4.25 stars.(Pure Textuality.com)
Juliana is part dark fae, has some really different powers and is mated to a powerful master vampire named Thomas. Thomas left her seven years ago-the day after their mating. Now he’s back and so is a powerful demon that is on a killing rampage. Juliana works for an agency that takes care of problems like this, so she is called in on the case. Even though she pretends to not want to be with Thomas, he gets involved in the case with her.
This book is full of action and suspense and actually a lot of gore. The demon jumping around in and out of bodies made for a interesting premise, instead of who done it, it was who has a demon inside of them? Of course it’s not a mystery long because this demon has an agenda and Juliana is definitely his end game.
Juliana, while being a major supernatural being fighter/killer, is also portrayed to be vulnerable and caring. I wasn’t expecting that and it was refreshing in a main character of this type. Thomas is a big time alpha male but is shown to be vulnerable when it comes to Juliana and that really worked too. I also liked Juliana’s partner, Nathaniel. He is a werewolf and he is a great, sympathetic character. The demon isn’t the only bad guy in this book. Juliana has the boss from hell and I wanted to personally knock him upside the head before this was finished.
**** Mild Spoiler Ahead***Aside from the great characterization, the author has made this book realistic in another part of the telling also. Instead of having her main characters immediately fall into bed upon finding each other again, that just doesn’t happen. Juliana isn’t happy about the seven years he was gone and Thomas has some making up to do.That was pretty refreshing in a book of this genre.
I am wondering if it is going to be a series because if so, I can see where it can easily be one-so many different supernatural characters that can get into trouble. Which brings me to the world building. This world as written by the author is a world where supernatural beings are not secret and live among humans. It had a pretty different premise about how that happened too. The dialogue was pretty snappy and flowed easily. Juliana is sarcastic and had some pretty funny comebacks at times.
I will definitely be reading any sequels because this was an enjoyable, fast read and I rated it 4.25 stars.(Pure Textuality.com)
December 3, 2013
See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!
Realm Walker had some interesting ideas, but I felt like a lot of the background explanations were missing. The book read like there should have been a prequel novella that set everything up. I do think I will check out the next book to see if it fills in the missing information because I did enjoy Juliana and would like to learn more about her.
Juliana is part dark fae and part mage. She works for a supernatural police department called the Agency and spends her days preventing the human world from magical destruction. In this book, her vampire husband Thomas has returned after a seven-year absence and his appearance just happens to coincide with a demon attack. Juliana must stop the demon and figure out if she has room in her heart to take Thomas back.
Juliana was reminiscent of the best urban fantasy heroines - snarky, kick ass, strong, and a little bit damaged. I really liked all the different supes that inhabit her world and the ways she dealt with them. It was also refreshing to see her familial secrets laid out in the first book instead of keeping them a secret and drawing out that plot line. I thought Kathleen Collins did a very good job of showing us why Juliana was the top Walker instead of just having the other characters constantly tell us. There was an episode with a demon possession and a blessed pool that I thought was pretty ingenious.
Now Thomas, I didn't like him so much. He was the typical alpha vampire with the typical alpha bullshit. He left Juliana for seven years because she told him she needed a little time to get used to their relationship before they shouted their marriage from the rooftops. She meant like a day or two and he left for seven years.... seven years. I just didn't buy his explanation at all and didn't really feel the connection between him and Juliana.
I do think the world that Ms. Collins has created was very interesting and she filled it with side characters that I would love to learn more about. I just hope that she fleshes out some of the details behind Juliana's past and the situations that shaped her. Events and characters were mentioned in passing without being fully explained and they seemed very important to the development of Juliana's character. I hope to see these issues cleared up in the next Realm Walker installment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for providing an ARC copy of this book!
Realm Walker had some interesting ideas, but I felt like a lot of the background explanations were missing. The book read like there should have been a prequel novella that set everything up. I do think I will check out the next book to see if it fills in the missing information because I did enjoy Juliana and would like to learn more about her.
Juliana is part dark fae and part mage. She works for a supernatural police department called the Agency and spends her days preventing the human world from magical destruction. In this book, her vampire husband Thomas has returned after a seven-year absence and his appearance just happens to coincide with a demon attack. Juliana must stop the demon and figure out if she has room in her heart to take Thomas back.
Juliana was reminiscent of the best urban fantasy heroines - snarky, kick ass, strong, and a little bit damaged. I really liked all the different supes that inhabit her world and the ways she dealt with them. It was also refreshing to see her familial secrets laid out in the first book instead of keeping them a secret and drawing out that plot line. I thought Kathleen Collins did a very good job of showing us why Juliana was the top Walker instead of just having the other characters constantly tell us. There was an episode with a demon possession and a blessed pool that I thought was pretty ingenious.
Now Thomas, I didn't like him so much. He was the typical alpha vampire with the typical alpha bullshit. He left Juliana for seven years because she told him she needed a little time to get used to their relationship before they shouted their marriage from the rooftops. She meant like a day or two and he left for seven years.... seven years. I just didn't buy his explanation at all and didn't really feel the connection between him and Juliana.
I do think the world that Ms. Collins has created was very interesting and she filled it with side characters that I would love to learn more about. I just hope that she fleshes out some of the details behind Juliana's past and the situations that shaped her. Events and characters were mentioned in passing without being fully explained and they seemed very important to the development of Juliana's character. I hope to see these issues cleared up in the next Realm Walker installment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for providing an ARC copy of this book!
October 28, 2013
Book Review- Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins
Juliana Norris is a realm walker for The Agency, where she has to police special beings. She has the power to see the color signatures that every type of being has. As a result, she is sent on the dangerous missions, plus she is that good.
She has a partner, Nathaniel West, who is a werewolf. He has been her mentor since she entered the agency. He always has her back.
So when a demon is summoned and has taken over Nathaniel, Juliana is called in. Even though she is close to the case, she is the only one who can track the demon. He doesn’t have a signature, only species who doesn’t, but she can smell them. Juliana has to find Nathaniel and separate the demon from him without killing him. Then she finds out there are two demons and the other knows her by name. That is not good. Something is going on here that she can’t put her finger on.
To top things off, her mate comes back into her life. Thomas Kendrick is a vampire. In fact he is the head vampire. When she asked for time, he gave it to her, seven years. So now he is back and adding complications to her life. Her feelings are all over the place as are her thoughts. She is having a hard time concentrating on her job.
Thomas is back to claim his mate. He decides to stay close to her to keep her safe, knowing he can’t stop her from doing her job. He covers her back and helps her track the demon.
Unfortunately the demon leads her on a merry chase and goes after those she is close to. The demon jumps from host to host playing his game and taunting her. She is left with tough choices about Thomas, her job, and taking down the level one demon. She doesn’t know what will be standing when it is all over.
I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it, but was immediately drawn in. I absolutely loved Juliana’s character. She was tough and could take care of herself. She always followed her heart and tried to do the right thing. When Thomas comes back into her life, I love the vulnerability that she shows the reader. He broke her heart and she didn’t get over it. The sparks are still there.
It was fun to watch the interactions between the two play out. She exasperated him with her “reckless behavior”. He did the same to her with his arrogance and air of authority.
The reader was also treated to some wonderful secrets along the way. I would recommend this book and give it a 4 out of 5.
Juliana Norris is a realm walker for The Agency, where she has to police special beings. She has the power to see the color signatures that every type of being has. As a result, she is sent on the dangerous missions, plus she is that good.
She has a partner, Nathaniel West, who is a werewolf. He has been her mentor since she entered the agency. He always has her back.
So when a demon is summoned and has taken over Nathaniel, Juliana is called in. Even though she is close to the case, she is the only one who can track the demon. He doesn’t have a signature, only species who doesn’t, but she can smell them. Juliana has to find Nathaniel and separate the demon from him without killing him. Then she finds out there are two demons and the other knows her by name. That is not good. Something is going on here that she can’t put her finger on.
To top things off, her mate comes back into her life. Thomas Kendrick is a vampire. In fact he is the head vampire. When she asked for time, he gave it to her, seven years. So now he is back and adding complications to her life. Her feelings are all over the place as are her thoughts. She is having a hard time concentrating on her job.
Thomas is back to claim his mate. He decides to stay close to her to keep her safe, knowing he can’t stop her from doing her job. He covers her back and helps her track the demon.
Unfortunately the demon leads her on a merry chase and goes after those she is close to. The demon jumps from host to host playing his game and taunting her. She is left with tough choices about Thomas, her job, and taking down the level one demon. She doesn’t know what will be standing when it is all over.
I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it, but was immediately drawn in. I absolutely loved Juliana’s character. She was tough and could take care of herself. She always followed her heart and tried to do the right thing. When Thomas comes back into her life, I love the vulnerability that she shows the reader. He broke her heart and she didn’t get over it. The sparks are still there.
It was fun to watch the interactions between the two play out. She exasperated him with her “reckless behavior”. He did the same to her with his arrogance and air of authority.
The reader was also treated to some wonderful secrets along the way. I would recommend this book and give it a 4 out of 5.
November 4, 2013
3.5 almost 4 stars.
This book was very promising. I truly enjoyed this story. It was engaging and suspenseful. Juliana lives in a world where Vampires, Fae, werewolves and so much more are a part of every day life. She is part of a enforcement group called the Realm Walkers. She tracks down these badly behaving creatures and handles it accordingly. Juliana is a special walker, she is part Dark Fae and Mage. Although, she has no idea where she came from or who her parents are. She was raised by a coven of Vampires since she was twelve. A case of amnesia or something else has left her with no memories from before that age. As she grew older, she fell head over heels with Thomas Kendrick. The vampire who changed her life. They MATED and he left, Leaving her confused and vulnerable. Instead of rolling over and playing dead. She made something of herself with the help of a few friends. 7 years later. Thomas makes his way back into her life. Only she's not having it. But she doesn't have time to figure all the issues going on in her life out. She has to choose the ones killing people. It's her job. Demons hijacking friends and loved ones. Someone is after Juliana and its up to her and her friends to save the day. But Can she save the one person she's denied.
This story is definitely an urban fantasy. I enjoyed the story and was engaged the entire time. Unfortunately,there were somethings about the story that stood out and not in a good way for me. One, was the fact that Thomas left for 7 years and the reason behind it. It didn't seem like a good enough reason for 7 years and no contact. I wish it would have been more involved or more serious. I understood his reason for leaving. It's just the time frame that didn't work for me. I guess.
Two, there were a couple spots in the book where it felt repetitive or as though the paragraph really had the same sentences as the above paragraph. At times, this caused some confusion. Three, the transitions were sometimes abrupt.Looking past those I could rate it at a 4.
This mysterious adventure was a good one, with some bumps along the way. This series has the potential to be really GREAT. It has all the makings there. I will be very interested in reading the next installment. I did most definitely love the characters of the story and can't wait to see where their next adventure takes them.
This book was very promising. I truly enjoyed this story. It was engaging and suspenseful. Juliana lives in a world where Vampires, Fae, werewolves and so much more are a part of every day life. She is part of a enforcement group called the Realm Walkers. She tracks down these badly behaving creatures and handles it accordingly. Juliana is a special walker, she is part Dark Fae and Mage. Although, she has no idea where she came from or who her parents are. She was raised by a coven of Vampires since she was twelve. A case of amnesia or something else has left her with no memories from before that age. As she grew older, she fell head over heels with Thomas Kendrick. The vampire who changed her life. They MATED and he left, Leaving her confused and vulnerable. Instead of rolling over and playing dead. She made something of herself with the help of a few friends. 7 years later. Thomas makes his way back into her life. Only she's not having it. But she doesn't have time to figure all the issues going on in her life out. She has to choose the ones killing people. It's her job. Demons hijacking friends and loved ones. Someone is after Juliana and its up to her and her friends to save the day. But Can she save the one person she's denied.
This story is definitely an urban fantasy. I enjoyed the story and was engaged the entire time. Unfortunately,there were somethings about the story that stood out and not in a good way for me. One, was the fact that Thomas left for 7 years and the reason behind it. It didn't seem like a good enough reason for 7 years and no contact. I wish it would have been more involved or more serious. I understood his reason for leaving. It's just the time frame that didn't work for me. I guess.
Two, there were a couple spots in the book where it felt repetitive or as though the paragraph really had the same sentences as the above paragraph. At times, this caused some confusion. Three, the transitions were sometimes abrupt.Looking past those I could rate it at a 4.
This mysterious adventure was a good one, with some bumps along the way. This series has the potential to be really GREAT. It has all the makings there. I will be very interested in reading the next installment. I did most definitely love the characters of the story and can't wait to see where their next adventure takes them.
February 10, 2014
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Release Date: October 28, 2013
Publisher: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://kathleencollins.wordpress.com/
My Source for This Book: Carina Press
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Realm Walker Series
Series Best Read In Order: Unknown
Genre: Urban Fantasy
REALM WALKER is the first book in the Realm Walker series by Kathleen Collins. I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker with the Agency. The agency she works for sends her out to retrieve paranormal creatures who cause havoc. She is the best at her job and the job is extremely dangerous. It is so dangerous, that she has died a few times, but no one knows why. Her supervisor doubles as a father figure and she has been unofficially adopted into his family, including his wife and their twin sons. Seven years ago, she was secretly mated to Master Vampire, Thomas, then left to fend for herself. Juliana overcame many obstacles to continue on with her life, forming relationships and becoming the best Realm Walker in the Agency. Now Thomas is back, demons are loose and those Juliana cares for are being targeted.
Overall, REALM WALKER is a good beginning to the series, but it was slow to start and somewhat confusing. I was left wondering at the beginning if I had missed something, making it feel like the 2nd book in the series. Once things began to pick up, the book could not be put down. If not for the slow, confusing start, this book would have been a 4 star read.
REALM WALKER is definitely more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. I am okay with this. In fact I prefer Urban Fantasy, but if you are expecting PNR, you will be disappointed. Although there was a slow and confusing start, I still recommend REALM WALKER and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Now that I am "caught up," The story should fly from here.
Release Date: October 28, 2013
Publisher: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://kathleencollins.wordpress.com/
My Source for This Book: Carina Press
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Realm Walker Series
Series Best Read In Order: Unknown
Genre: Urban Fantasy
REALM WALKER is the first book in the Realm Walker series by Kathleen Collins. I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Juliana Norris is a Realm Walker with the Agency. The agency she works for sends her out to retrieve paranormal creatures who cause havoc. She is the best at her job and the job is extremely dangerous. It is so dangerous, that she has died a few times, but no one knows why. Her supervisor doubles as a father figure and she has been unofficially adopted into his family, including his wife and their twin sons. Seven years ago, she was secretly mated to Master Vampire, Thomas, then left to fend for herself. Juliana overcame many obstacles to continue on with her life, forming relationships and becoming the best Realm Walker in the Agency. Now Thomas is back, demons are loose and those Juliana cares for are being targeted.
Overall, REALM WALKER is a good beginning to the series, but it was slow to start and somewhat confusing. I was left wondering at the beginning if I had missed something, making it feel like the 2nd book in the series. Once things began to pick up, the book could not be put down. If not for the slow, confusing start, this book would have been a 4 star read.
REALM WALKER is definitely more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. I am okay with this. In fact I prefer Urban Fantasy, but if you are expecting PNR, you will be disappointed. Although there was a slow and confusing start, I still recommend REALM WALKER and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Now that I am "caught up," The story should fly from here.
November 17, 2013
For some reason the majority of this book I felt I was waiting for the actual story to begin. As it turns out, all those things that needed to get done before the real story began, WERE the story. Needless to say I was kind of disappointed.
I was also kind of frustrated with how this protagonist seriously has no regard for her own well-being. I know sometimes this can be cool when they make a sacrifice to someone of something and if its beyond her control its all fine, but this was just over the top.
I dunno, for some reason after reading the blurb, I definitely expected more. I mean if you take a second to think about it, what actually happened in this book?
That's all there is to it.
I was also kind of frustrated with how this protagonist seriously has no regard for her own well-being. I know sometimes this can be cool when they make a sacrifice to someone of something and if its beyond her control its all fine, but this was just over the top.
I dunno, for some reason after reading the blurb, I definitely expected more. I mean if you take a second to think about it, what actually happened in this book?
That's all there is to it.
September 26, 2013
Maybe I'm just over the whole series thing, but this book didn't really feel like a satisfying first book and left me really nothing to come back to in the second. Sure she didn't resolve her relationship with her vampire, but I'm sure it will work out eventually and I'll just choose to think they are together now and be perfectly fine with that conclusion.
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