What do you think?
Rate this book
Mirus #1.1
Forsaken By Shadow
Cade Shepherd is on top of the world as this year's Ultimate Fighting Champion. He doesn't even remember his life as Gage Dempsey, a Shadow Walker with the ability to magically transport himself from shadow to shadow. In fact, he can't remember anything before waking up in a cheap motel room ten years ago with mysterious burns on his hands--not even the woman he almost died for.
Embry Hollister has picked up the pieces of her life, learned to control her ability to generate flame, and now works an enforcer for the Council of Races. But when her father is captured by the human military and the Council refuses mount a rescue mission, Embry has no choice but to go rogue. All she has to is find the man with the new name and new life who was completely wronged by her people, give him back the memories they stole, convince him to join her on what's probably a suicide mission, and hope that after ten years of living as a regular guy he still remembers what her father taught him.
And after that, she just has to leave him. Again.
Embry Hollister has picked up the pieces of her life, learned to control her ability to generate flame, and now works an enforcer for the Council of Races. But when her father is captured by the human military and the Council refuses mount a rescue mission, Embry has no choice but to go rogue. All she has to is find the man with the new name and new life who was completely wronged by her people, give him back the memories they stole, convince him to join her on what's probably a suicide mission, and hope that after ten years of living as a regular guy he still remembers what her father taught him.
And after that, she just has to leave him. Again.
Nook
First published March 25, 2010
10 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
About the author
Kait Nolan
154 books1,366 followersKait Nolan is a RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin', and can wield a 'Bless your heart' like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements. She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world's most perfect food. When she's not writing, reading, working the evil day job, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off.
Sign up for her newsletter! rebrand.ly/kaitsnewsletter
Sign up for her newsletter! rebrand.ly/kaitsnewsletter
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 28, 2010
I guess I am on a bit of a paranormal lilt this week, at least a little more than usual. I have been digging deep trying to find some real gems for you, some different stuff with excellent content and character. Here we go Kait Nolan’s Forsaken by Shadow. Here is a synopsis of the action, pay close attention, because things happen hard and fast throughout this novel: ”Cade Shepherd is on top of the world as this year's Ultimate Fighting Champion. He doesn't even remember his life as Gage Dempsey, a Shadow Walker with the ability to magically transport himself from shadow to shadow. In fact, he can't remember anything before waking up in a cheap motel room ten years ago with mysterious burns on his hands--not even the woman he almost died for.
Embry Hollister has picked up the pieces of her life, learned to control her ability to generate flame, and now works an enforcer for the Council of Races. But when her father is captured by the human military and the Council refuses mount a rescue mission, Embry has no choice but to go rogue. All she has to is find the man with the new name and new life who was completely wronged by her people, give him back the memories they stole, convince him to join her on what's probably a suicide mission, and hope that after ten years of living as a regular guy he still remembers what her father taught him.
And after that, she just has to leave him. Again.”
I would say that is a mouth full. The plotline is unique and moving, in many ways. Nolan introduces us to many characters, develops them well, makes us believe and care about them and crafts good dialogue to move the story quickly along. Forsaken by Shadow has all the right elements in it and more: heartache, love, commitment, romance, action and good old fun. Don’t forsake this novel, it is well worth the $1.99 price tag.
You can find Kait at any of these web addresses:
Website: http://kaitnolan.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kaitnolan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kait-Nolan...
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/346...
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Embry Hollister has picked up the pieces of her life, learned to control her ability to generate flame, and now works an enforcer for the Council of Races. But when her father is captured by the human military and the Council refuses mount a rescue mission, Embry has no choice but to go rogue. All she has to is find the man with the new name and new life who was completely wronged by her people, give him back the memories they stole, convince him to join her on what's probably a suicide mission, and hope that after ten years of living as a regular guy he still remembers what her father taught him.
And after that, she just has to leave him. Again.”
I would say that is a mouth full. The plotline is unique and moving, in many ways. Nolan introduces us to many characters, develops them well, makes us believe and care about them and crafts good dialogue to move the story quickly along. Forsaken by Shadow has all the right elements in it and more: heartache, love, commitment, romance, action and good old fun. Don’t forsake this novel, it is well worth the $1.99 price tag.
You can find Kait at any of these web addresses:
Website: http://kaitnolan.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kaitnolan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kait-Nolan...
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/346...
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
May 24, 2010
Embry Hollister is a woman with a mission. A mission that involves Ultimate Fighter Cade Shepherd, or, as she once knew him, Gage Dempsey. I shouldn’t really be surprised by how three-dimensional she seemed. Her author does have a degree in clinical psychology after all. Embry’s not just any one thing. There’s real depth there. In fact, there isn’t any character in Forsaken by Shadow that struck me as flat. Kait brings quite a few side characters into the fray that I could definitely see myself wanting to get to know better.
Even Matthias, a character that I suspect we were supposed to see as an asshole. I couldn’t help myself. I have Fall In Love With Side Character Syndrome. I’m hoping one day Kait might give him an HEA of his very own, if he doesn’t already have one. Not to mention Orrin, who’s tentatively been set as the next hero in Revelations, the second novella in the Mirus series.
Kait dabbled in Romantic Suspense for awhile and I think it shows in her work. In a good way. A very good way. There’s quite a number of nail-biting scenarios the couple finds themselves in. And Kait sure as hell doesn’t make it easy for them to get out of. She doesn’t pull punches. Ever. There’s no fluff, no sugar-coating what so ever. That grit, the inner brutal streak in a writer, is what keeps me coming back to their work. And Kait’s got it.
There’s also a fair amount of intrigue in FBS. A lot of the Mirus world is teased into the story. Dashes of it, like spice. Just enough to seduce potential readers for later books while still keeping them grounded in the story, the situation at hand.
And as if that wasn’t enough. The sex scene is scorching. (Literally.) And the fight scenes are absolute WIN. They were concise, I could follow them easily and, if my admittedly short time in Karate serves me well, very realistic. I was pumped any time Gage got into the ring.
This novella was better written than a lot of full length Paranormal Romance novels I’ve read lately. I frickin’ kid you not. I cannot wait for Revelations and any other work she has in the pipeline because what ever it is? I. am. SO. there.
Even Matthias, a character that I suspect we were supposed to see as an asshole. I couldn’t help myself. I have Fall In Love With Side Character Syndrome. I’m hoping one day Kait might give him an HEA of his very own, if he doesn’t already have one. Not to mention Orrin, who’s tentatively been set as the next hero in Revelations, the second novella in the Mirus series.
Kait dabbled in Romantic Suspense for awhile and I think it shows in her work. In a good way. A very good way. There’s quite a number of nail-biting scenarios the couple finds themselves in. And Kait sure as hell doesn’t make it easy for them to get out of. She doesn’t pull punches. Ever. There’s no fluff, no sugar-coating what so ever. That grit, the inner brutal streak in a writer, is what keeps me coming back to their work. And Kait’s got it.
There’s also a fair amount of intrigue in FBS. A lot of the Mirus world is teased into the story. Dashes of it, like spice. Just enough to seduce potential readers for later books while still keeping them grounded in the story, the situation at hand.
And as if that wasn’t enough. The sex scene is scorching. (Literally.) And the fight scenes are absolute WIN. They were concise, I could follow them easily and, if my admittedly short time in Karate serves me well, very realistic. I was pumped any time Gage got into the ring.
This novella was better written than a lot of full length Paranormal Romance novels I’ve read lately. I frickin’ kid you not. I cannot wait for Revelations and any other work she has in the pipeline because what ever it is? I. am. SO. there.
August 2, 2010
3.5 stars. I found this book after it was recommended in my YA group. The first part was posted on the authors blog with weekly installments. I couldn't wait to see what would happen so I went and bought it on Amazon - straight to my Kindle, you gotta love that!
I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this! I didn't read a synopsis so I didn't know what it was about, all I read was the first part on her blog. It's got all sorts of paranormal goodies. Some strange beings that I'd love to read more about in her next book.
I liked Ember. Though I didn't really understand why, at first, she held so much back from Gage. But then I used my smarts and figured it out (really, it was spelled out and I missed it the first couple of times). She was tough but she loved her daddy and it was nice to see her not give up on him (or Gage).
I liked Gage. I felt bad that he had to deal with so much junk throughout his life. I'm not into MMA or even reading about it, but it was done pretty well. I wasn't grossed out by what I read and I never even had the urge to skip a fight scene. The action is really good! I swear, the last chapter or so was nonstop action. It would have been a crazy movie scene!
Only one part of the book felt a little contrived, but it worked because it set the stage for the rest of the book. And I did have to remind myself that this was a novella so it wouldn't be different from a novel.
So, I am glad that I read this. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal books (even if it is a series!). You could be a cheapie (I usually am) and just read it as she posts it. It'd be better to buy it as it's really inexpensive and you could get it at a few places online. Sheesh, do I sound like a talking billboard, or what?! I promise I've never talked to or met the author or anything like that, was just impressed with what I read!
I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this! I didn't read a synopsis so I didn't know what it was about, all I read was the first part on her blog. It's got all sorts of paranormal goodies. Some strange beings that I'd love to read more about in her next book.
I liked Ember. Though I didn't really understand why, at first, she held so much back from Gage. But then I used my smarts and figured it out (really, it was spelled out and I missed it the first couple of times). She was tough but she loved her daddy and it was nice to see her not give up on him (or Gage).
I liked Gage. I felt bad that he had to deal with so much junk throughout his life. I'm not into MMA or even reading about it, but it was done pretty well. I wasn't grossed out by what I read and I never even had the urge to skip a fight scene. The action is really good! I swear, the last chapter or so was nonstop action. It would have been a crazy movie scene!
Only one part of the book felt a little contrived, but it worked because it set the stage for the rest of the book. And I did have to remind myself that this was a novella so it wouldn't be different from a novel.
So, I am glad that I read this. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal books (even if it is a series!). You could be a cheapie (I usually am) and just read it as she posts it. It'd be better to buy it as it's really inexpensive and you could get it at a few places online. Sheesh, do I sound like a talking billboard, or what?! I promise I've never talked to or met the author or anything like that, was just impressed with what I read!
September 16, 2010
Cade has no idea who he really is. He wakes up one night in a hotel room in Vegas with burnt hands and no memory of who he is. 10 years later he is a successful UFC fighter.
Embry has never forgotten Cade or Gage as he was known to her, now that she needs his help she will release the spell that has been blocking his memory for so many years. Whether he chooses to help her is another matter all together.
It’s not often that I am pleasantly surprised by a debut authors novel, thankfully Kait Nolan not only surprised me but she also got me hooked. I absolutely loved the way Ms. Nolan told the story, it sucked me right in and I wanted to keep reading to find out what was next. The way she weaves the story is nothing short of intense, you feel the emotions in Gage right from the start. Plus, Ms. Nolan can snark and thats always a plus with me!
The tension between Gage and Embry was intense, you truly felt for Gage and his lost memories. Never mind, a UFC fighter in a PR..umm hello? Pixie is a huge UFC/MMA fan so this couldn’t have made me happier! Forsaken by Shadow can pass for a UF or a PR, it’s got a bit of both in it with a wicked action packed spin.
If you are looking for something a little different and a quick read, grab a copy of Forsaken by Shadow you won’t be disappointed.
4.5/5 stars
Embry has never forgotten Cade or Gage as he was known to her, now that she needs his help she will release the spell that has been blocking his memory for so many years. Whether he chooses to help her is another matter all together.
It’s not often that I am pleasantly surprised by a debut authors novel, thankfully Kait Nolan not only surprised me but she also got me hooked. I absolutely loved the way Ms. Nolan told the story, it sucked me right in and I wanted to keep reading to find out what was next. The way she weaves the story is nothing short of intense, you feel the emotions in Gage right from the start. Plus, Ms. Nolan can snark and thats always a plus with me!
The tension between Gage and Embry was intense, you truly felt for Gage and his lost memories. Never mind, a UFC fighter in a PR..umm hello? Pixie is a huge UFC/MMA fan so this couldn’t have made me happier! Forsaken by Shadow can pass for a UF or a PR, it’s got a bit of both in it with a wicked action packed spin.
If you are looking for something a little different and a quick read, grab a copy of Forsaken by Shadow you won’t be disappointed.
4.5/5 stars
June 20, 2011
Here's the deal I'm going to make with you. Read this book and then come back to me and tell me your thoughts of shadow walkers?
What? You're still going to keep reading this review? Fine. I suggest you pick this up. I think it's a pretty good premise. I like the fact that it's just what you need where you're stuck in YA hell like I feel I've been for the last few weeks.
I don't want to ruin the read for you but it's about 45k words (~130 pages) so it's quick - and I loved every minute of it. I really appreciated the NOLA setting and found I was into the book pretty quickly. Yes it's about a man with amnesia and yes of course he's got a past with secrets but as far as I'm concerned it worked for Long Kiss Goodnight why can't we work it here. From the first word we're thrown in with a man who's has no one idea what's going on, but he's a decent enough thinker and he tries to right himself instead of standing around going "whoa is me" for a bit until someone else finds him, falls in love, and helps him out of his sticky situation.
What sucked for me was as I was totally into the story, wanting to know more about the Mirus universe, it's done. I know there is more to come but I want more now.
What? You're still going to keep reading this review? Fine. I suggest you pick this up. I think it's a pretty good premise. I like the fact that it's just what you need where you're stuck in YA hell like I feel I've been for the last few weeks.
I don't want to ruin the read for you but it's about 45k words (~130 pages) so it's quick - and I loved every minute of it. I really appreciated the NOLA setting and found I was into the book pretty quickly. Yes it's about a man with amnesia and yes of course he's got a past with secrets but as far as I'm concerned it worked for Long Kiss Goodnight why can't we work it here. From the first word we're thrown in with a man who's has no one idea what's going on, but he's a decent enough thinker and he tries to right himself instead of standing around going "whoa is me" for a bit until someone else finds him, falls in love, and helps him out of his sticky situation.
What sucked for me was as I was totally into the story, wanting to know more about the Mirus universe, it's done. I know there is more to come but I want more now.
June 24, 2011
I really enjoyed this book! I received a free copy ages ago with the promise to review it, and I had the chance on a cross-country flight. I finished this novella in the time it took to fly from Ohio to California, and I was hooked from the first page where the main character doesn't know who he is. Nolan impressed me with her characterization; this book didn't read like a novella and I felt I understood who the characters were, their relationships and history very well.
Next time I'm in the mood for a paranormal, Nolan is at the top of the list.
Next time I'm in the mood for a paranormal, Nolan is at the top of the list.
May 24, 2010
I found this author and book mentioned on the blog of another author friend, so I thought I would check it out. I was expecting a paranormal romance with otherworldly creatures and a little sex thrown in. Well, I got that and much more! I was surprised and pleased to find that there was lots of action, too. I liked how she got the characters out of a difficult situation. This was a fantastic book and I look forward to reading much more from Ms. Nolan.
April 11, 2010
Loved it! Nicely conceived universe, well implemented, with engaging characters and a compelling narrative. Can't wait to see more stories set in this world. Loads of potential!
As usual with e-books, I recommend you buy from a source which will give you choice of format and the author better royalties. I got mine from Smashwords.
As usual with e-books, I recommend you buy from a source which will give you choice of format and the author better royalties. I got mine from Smashwords.
May 3, 2023
Having been on my kindle reader forever finally got around to reading one of this author’s earlier works.
I think it has something here and there that is familiar to me now after having read so many books in the Urban Fantasy genre along with some more stuff that is not.
I have second novella also and reading it next.
I think it has something here and there that is familiar to me now after having read so many books in the Urban Fantasy genre along with some more stuff that is not.
I have second novella also and reading it next.
February 10, 2018
Good Book!
December 2, 2010
I like the cover image of this novel. There’s something tantalizing about it, something that keeps drawing my eye again and again. The font is cool, too. But what about the insides of this book?
Forsaken By Shadow is a gripping urban fantasy romance which follows Cade Shepherd as he wakes up injured and alone in a motel with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Making a life for himself as a champion boxer, Cade cannot shake the nagging sensation that something is missing from his life. Then Embry — a gorgeous, strangely familiar woman — turns up and gives Cade his old life back, bringing back his memories of the hidden paranormal world and his life as a Shadow Walker. But the memories come at a price, for Embry’s father has been kidnapped and Cade is her only hope to rescue him….
This story starts with a bang. Cade wakes up alone in a seedy motel, disoriented, panicked, his hands severely burned. There was someone he wanted to save, someone he was willing to die for, but who? Jump forward several years and Cade is walking onto the Ultimate Fighter arena — he may not remember who he is, but his body sure remembers how to fight. This is one tough protagonist who can kick ass and won’t let anything bring him down. He’s a survivor.
Embry is a survivor in a different way. She arrives on the scene set to seduce Cade and rope him into helping her father, and it soon becomes clear that for her young(er) age, she’s toughed up fast, although vestiges of her innocence remain. She’s determined to rescue her father from a high-security army base no matter the risk, even if the Counsel has specifically told her not to. A woman with spunk, then. (It certainly helps that she can produce flames at will.)
Illegality and physical danger aside, the situation is made even more difficult by the attraction between Cade and Embry, which amnesia and time did not manage to erase. The reluctance is more on Cade’s part than Embry’s, for Cade admires Embry’s father and thinks he should treat Embry as a little sister. But it’s impossible to deny his feelings, and things tend to get heated with a firestarter around (pun intended).
I don’t know whether this story simply came at the right time, but I really enjoyed it. The characters are believable, the romance isn’t overdone, and there are some wicked, well-written action scenes. The worldbuilding was equally intriguing, with a host of unusual magical talents and the feeling that much more lies beneath the surface — I can only hope Nolan comes out with a sequel soon.
Perhaps my only nitpick? I didn’t find Cade as sexy as I wanted him to be. I’m a pretty tough customer that way, but I much preferred amnesiac Cade to himself-with-memories — the devil-may-care attitude of the former was far more gripping than the duty-torn responsible version. Not to say he wasn’t sexy; I’m just picky. :-D
In sum, a suspensful, entertaining urban fantasy set in an intriguing world where the paranormal hides beneath the known. Worth checking out!
Forsaken By Shadow is a gripping urban fantasy romance which follows Cade Shepherd as he wakes up injured and alone in a motel with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Making a life for himself as a champion boxer, Cade cannot shake the nagging sensation that something is missing from his life. Then Embry — a gorgeous, strangely familiar woman — turns up and gives Cade his old life back, bringing back his memories of the hidden paranormal world and his life as a Shadow Walker. But the memories come at a price, for Embry’s father has been kidnapped and Cade is her only hope to rescue him….
This story starts with a bang. Cade wakes up alone in a seedy motel, disoriented, panicked, his hands severely burned. There was someone he wanted to save, someone he was willing to die for, but who? Jump forward several years and Cade is walking onto the Ultimate Fighter arena — he may not remember who he is, but his body sure remembers how to fight. This is one tough protagonist who can kick ass and won’t let anything bring him down. He’s a survivor.
Embry is a survivor in a different way. She arrives on the scene set to seduce Cade and rope him into helping her father, and it soon becomes clear that for her young(er) age, she’s toughed up fast, although vestiges of her innocence remain. She’s determined to rescue her father from a high-security army base no matter the risk, even if the Counsel has specifically told her not to. A woman with spunk, then. (It certainly helps that she can produce flames at will.)
Illegality and physical danger aside, the situation is made even more difficult by the attraction between Cade and Embry, which amnesia and time did not manage to erase. The reluctance is more on Cade’s part than Embry’s, for Cade admires Embry’s father and thinks he should treat Embry as a little sister. But it’s impossible to deny his feelings, and things tend to get heated with a firestarter around (pun intended).
I don’t know whether this story simply came at the right time, but I really enjoyed it. The characters are believable, the romance isn’t overdone, and there are some wicked, well-written action scenes. The worldbuilding was equally intriguing, with a host of unusual magical talents and the feeling that much more lies beneath the surface — I can only hope Nolan comes out with a sequel soon.
Perhaps my only nitpick? I didn’t find Cade as sexy as I wanted him to be. I’m a pretty tough customer that way, but I much preferred amnesiac Cade to himself-with-memories — the devil-may-care attitude of the former was far more gripping than the duty-torn responsible version. Not to say he wasn’t sexy; I’m just picky. :-D
In sum, a suspensful, entertaining urban fantasy set in an intriguing world where the paranormal hides beneath the known. Worth checking out!
July 13, 2012
Expect my review Monday, January 31, 2011 on my blog: http://reenajacobs.com/blog/2011/01/n...
First off, I have to say Forsaken by Shadow had an awesome set up. Chapter 1 begins with Cade Shepard (age 23) waking up, not knowing who he was, and trying to piece a life together–quite a bold plot. I had no idea what to expect, and neither did Cade. I was thrilled to have my first young male protagonist. I quickly learned chapter 1 was more of a prologue, occurring 10 years earlier from the rest of the novella and not giving any pertinent info which wasn’t revealed later. I have to admit, I was rather bummed since that put my young male protagonist at a ripe ole age of 33. I think time clues at the beginning of the first two chapters would have curbed a bit of disappointment. I didn’t realize the story had a 10 year gap until deeper into chapter 2. Guess that’s what I get for skipping the blurb, right?
So I got over my sadness of little Cade growing into a man and got full swing into the story. Cade reminded me a lot of Downey in the Sherlock Holmes movie. He seemed to anticipate future moves. Not sure if it was an supernatural ability or just his natural ability to guess how things would go. The novella never really went into that. I did like Cade. He was a friendly sort of chap and made friends wherever he went. The guy knew his limits and was quite practical at times even when pushed by Embry.
Embry wasn’t so bad either. She was the wild card in this story. Headstrong, reckless–I never knew when she’d screw things up. She’s the type of gal who needs a handler so she doesn’t get into too much trouble. A lot of times I didn’t understand Embry. She really frustrated me with her secretiveness. I couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t more forthcoming with her information. She had everything Cade wanted–his past… his affection. The girl was a mystery to me. But I guess some folks are like that. As the reader, I would have liked to be a bit deeper in her head. Most of the time I knew as much as Cade when I was in her POV. It made it difficult to connect with her as a character, at least early in the story.
Plot wise! Their plan was so mission impossible. All I could think about is, how are they going to pull this off. Even Cade AKA Gage knew the plan sucked, which totally rocked cause it kept me wondering what’s next.
Overall, I thought this was an okay read. I liked the idea of different supernatural creatures, though I never got a clear definition of what the Mirus species was. I’m thinking it’s all supernatural creatures, but the term species makes me think they’re related in a scientific classification kind of way. There were a few plot holes in my mind and a bit of missing information. I think this work could have benefited from a bit more fleshing in some areas, but all in all, it was a fun read.
First off, I have to say Forsaken by Shadow had an awesome set up. Chapter 1 begins with Cade Shepard (age 23) waking up, not knowing who he was, and trying to piece a life together–quite a bold plot. I had no idea what to expect, and neither did Cade. I was thrilled to have my first young male protagonist. I quickly learned chapter 1 was more of a prologue, occurring 10 years earlier from the rest of the novella and not giving any pertinent info which wasn’t revealed later. I have to admit, I was rather bummed since that put my young male protagonist at a ripe ole age of 33. I think time clues at the beginning of the first two chapters would have curbed a bit of disappointment. I didn’t realize the story had a 10 year gap until deeper into chapter 2. Guess that’s what I get for skipping the blurb, right?
So I got over my sadness of little Cade growing into a man and got full swing into the story. Cade reminded me a lot of Downey in the Sherlock Holmes movie. He seemed to anticipate future moves. Not sure if it was an supernatural ability or just his natural ability to guess how things would go. The novella never really went into that. I did like Cade. He was a friendly sort of chap and made friends wherever he went. The guy knew his limits and was quite practical at times even when pushed by Embry.
Embry wasn’t so bad either. She was the wild card in this story. Headstrong, reckless–I never knew when she’d screw things up. She’s the type of gal who needs a handler so she doesn’t get into too much trouble. A lot of times I didn’t understand Embry. She really frustrated me with her secretiveness. I couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t more forthcoming with her information. She had everything Cade wanted–his past… his affection. The girl was a mystery to me. But I guess some folks are like that. As the reader, I would have liked to be a bit deeper in her head. Most of the time I knew as much as Cade when I was in her POV. It made it difficult to connect with her as a character, at least early in the story.
Plot wise! Their plan was so mission impossible. All I could think about is, how are they going to pull this off. Even Cade AKA Gage knew the plan sucked, which totally rocked cause it kept me wondering what’s next.
Overall, I thought this was an okay read. I liked the idea of different supernatural creatures, though I never got a clear definition of what the Mirus species was. I’m thinking it’s all supernatural creatures, but the term species makes me think they’re related in a scientific classification kind of way. There were a few plot holes in my mind and a bit of missing information. I think this work could have benefited from a bit more fleshing in some areas, but all in all, it was a fun read.
February 8, 2011
Forsaken By Shadow starts with a cliché of a man waking in a motel room with no memory of his past. Instead of uncovering his past right away, the story advances a decade, after Cade has built a new life for himself without his memory. Despite not knowing who he is, he retains the instincts of a fighter, and so he competes in the UFC. During one of his matches, he is distracted by a "hot chick" named Embry, who is really a fire elemental.
As the story plays out and Embry helps Cade remember his life as Gage, a Shadow Walker, the dialogue, scene setting and character development are all solid. But once Gage's memory is back, Embry reveals that the reason she's been allowed to revive Gage's memory is that she needs him for a rescue mission. Everything that leads up to the mission is fast paced reading, in particular Gage and Embry's inevitable moment of passion before the rescue.
But the method of infiltration is unrealistic and makes the antagonists look like world class buffoons rather than elite soldiers capable of holding many powerful beings prisoner. All the momentum gained in the early development is lost in staggering hesitant steps. Gage's "match" takes him directly to the point of his visit in an unbelievable way. Embry "hacks" a computer, though the description is really weak compared to the rest of the book. If this were an action movie, this would be the scene where the actor assaults the keys and pretends that's hacking. The bad guys continue making rookies mistakes, as if they haven't read the evil overlord handbook. The ending generates some false drama, but this is resolved with roughly four lines of dialogue, wrapping up things far too neatly, and without addressing the revelations raised in the rescue scenes.
To be fair, this is the first book in a novella series, so future stories may address some of these issues. But the shaky execution of the rescue and the rushed ending hurt what was otherwise a great book. The writer does have some quirks too, such as characters grinding or growling words to avoid using "he said." So there's places where "he ground."
But setting aside these momentary quirks, the writing is good. The descriptions are just enough to build a mental picture without dipping into purple prose. The characters are likable and easy to understand, though Embry is extremely impulsive, making her the catalyst for most events in the story. I'm still interested in checking out other books in the same world, so I would say the writing is strong, even if certain parts of the story felt a bit unbelievable to me.
I give Forsaken By Shadow 3.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of paranormal romance urban fantasy, or dark fantasy.
As the story plays out and Embry helps Cade remember his life as Gage, a Shadow Walker, the dialogue, scene setting and character development are all solid. But once Gage's memory is back, Embry reveals that the reason she's been allowed to revive Gage's memory is that she needs him for a rescue mission. Everything that leads up to the mission is fast paced reading, in particular Gage and Embry's inevitable moment of passion before the rescue.
But the method of infiltration is unrealistic and makes the antagonists look like world class buffoons rather than elite soldiers capable of holding many powerful beings prisoner. All the momentum gained in the early development is lost in staggering hesitant steps. Gage's "match" takes him directly to the point of his visit in an unbelievable way. Embry "hacks" a computer, though the description is really weak compared to the rest of the book. If this were an action movie, this would be the scene where the actor assaults the keys and pretends that's hacking. The bad guys continue making rookies mistakes, as if they haven't read the evil overlord handbook. The ending generates some false drama, but this is resolved with roughly four lines of dialogue, wrapping up things far too neatly, and without addressing the revelations raised in the rescue scenes.
To be fair, this is the first book in a novella series, so future stories may address some of these issues. But the shaky execution of the rescue and the rushed ending hurt what was otherwise a great book. The writer does have some quirks too, such as characters grinding or growling words to avoid using "he said." So there's places where "he ground."
But setting aside these momentary quirks, the writing is good. The descriptions are just enough to build a mental picture without dipping into purple prose. The characters are likable and easy to understand, though Embry is extremely impulsive, making her the catalyst for most events in the story. I'm still interested in checking out other books in the same world, so I would say the writing is strong, even if certain parts of the story felt a bit unbelievable to me.
I give Forsaken By Shadow 3.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of paranormal romance urban fantasy, or dark fantasy.
March 31, 2011
Forsaken By Shadow by Kait Nolan was an exciting, interesting read. I do not remember ever reading a book about shadow-walkers before, which immediately makes this one standout. It's an urban fantasy/paranormal romance that does not center around werewolves, shape-shifters or vampires. To me, that is a feat all it's own.
Yes, it is a novella, but I still wanted it to be longer. It’s not that the story was confusing, because it wasn’t. Nolan provides a glossary of terms at the beginning of the book that proves to be extremely helpful and makes it possible for her to skip drawn out explanations during the story. It’s simple that I wanted more story. I am a greedy reader and I honestly enjoyed the characters and unfortunately, I didn’t get my fill of them. It looks as though the following books in the series don’t deal directly with Gage and Embry; they are take place in their world. A 165 pages were not enough for me.
Embry (or as Gage calls her, Ember) is determined, strong-willed and tough. She will do anything to get her father back, even open painful doors to her past. Embry is a fire elemental; a sort of witch who can produce, control and manipulate fire.
Gage is equally as awesome; he is a shadow-walker, which means he can travel from shadow to shadow. I am a bit iffy on the details, but from what I was able to gather, he just needs to envision the shadow he wants to appear in and he can bounce amongst them. Does that make sense? He can teleport between shadows – that is probably a better description. When we first meet Gage, he is living under the name Cade; he has lost his memory and has now made a career for himself as an ultimate fighter. he is a funny mix of characteristics; he is extremely tough and can be brutal, but he is also rather loyal and a bit of a southern gentleman.
Nolan's writing style lends itself to the fast paced story, she isn't overly concerned with descriptions. I do not mean to say that she doesn't adequately cover things - she does, but her writing is more centered around the movement of the story, as opposed to the setting.
My major complaint with the book is that the way that Gage and Embry go about rescuing her father is extremely far-fetched. Even for a fantasy novel. I just cannot believe the way they got in to rescue him – it’s just so incredibly unlikely. I get that this was a novella, and the plot cannot be too complicated, but that was one big coincidence.
Overall, Forsaken By Shadow was a quick, enjoyable read. There were some predictable plot elements and sometimes things were a bit far-fetched, but the majority of the story was creative, unique and exciting.
Yes, it is a novella, but I still wanted it to be longer. It’s not that the story was confusing, because it wasn’t. Nolan provides a glossary of terms at the beginning of the book that proves to be extremely helpful and makes it possible for her to skip drawn out explanations during the story. It’s simple that I wanted more story. I am a greedy reader and I honestly enjoyed the characters and unfortunately, I didn’t get my fill of them. It looks as though the following books in the series don’t deal directly with Gage and Embry; they are take place in their world. A 165 pages were not enough for me.
Embry (or as Gage calls her, Ember) is determined, strong-willed and tough. She will do anything to get her father back, even open painful doors to her past. Embry is a fire elemental; a sort of witch who can produce, control and manipulate fire.
Gage is equally as awesome; he is a shadow-walker, which means he can travel from shadow to shadow. I am a bit iffy on the details, but from what I was able to gather, he just needs to envision the shadow he wants to appear in and he can bounce amongst them. Does that make sense? He can teleport between shadows – that is probably a better description. When we first meet Gage, he is living under the name Cade; he has lost his memory and has now made a career for himself as an ultimate fighter. he is a funny mix of characteristics; he is extremely tough and can be brutal, but he is also rather loyal and a bit of a southern gentleman.
Nolan's writing style lends itself to the fast paced story, she isn't overly concerned with descriptions. I do not mean to say that she doesn't adequately cover things - she does, but her writing is more centered around the movement of the story, as opposed to the setting.
My major complaint with the book is that the way that Gage and Embry go about rescuing her father is extremely far-fetched. Even for a fantasy novel. I just cannot believe the way they got in to rescue him – it’s just so incredibly unlikely. I get that this was a novella, and the plot cannot be too complicated, but that was one big coincidence.
Overall, Forsaken By Shadow was a quick, enjoyable read. There were some predictable plot elements and sometimes things were a bit far-fetched, but the majority of the story was creative, unique and exciting.
October 24, 2012
Blurb: Banished from their world with his memory wiped, Ultimate Fighter Cade Shepherd doesn’t remember his life as Gage Dempsey, not even the woman he nearly died for. But when Embry Hollister’s father is kidnapped by military scientists, the only one she can turn to for help is the love from her past. Will Gage remember the Shadow Walker skills he learned from her father, and if they survive, will Embry be able to walk away a second time?
Oh what a tangled web we weave....This book isn’t only a paranormal romance, it’s an action filled thriller from start to finish.
This story carries us into a magical world filled with fiery elementals, fey, vampires, shifters, seers, drakyn, shadow walkers and others. This is the world of Mirus where secret human military bases capture, torture and do experiments on supernatural beings. It’s a world where preternaturals are ruled by the Council of Races who have their own agencies, agents and policies regarding interactions with humans and the protection of their own kind. This is a reality where realities collide, twist and turn at a break neck speed and, often, with fatal consequences.
Kait Nolan has created a marvelous world interlaced with the world we’re all familiar with in believable and, sometimes, shocking ways. The main characters - Embry and Cade are nicely developed - as are the others. The relationship between Embry and Cade grows and expands naturally, even as they attempt to resolve what tore them apart and what now brings them back together again. I do wish there had been more sexual tension and more sex but, honestly, I don’t know when Embry and Cade would have had time for it!
The action is non-stop through the story. The characters barely have time to make it through one problem or issue before several others are thrown at them. In other words, it’s a page turner so stock up on coffee and snacks and forget about trying to read this in bits and pieces. It’s a Big Gulp read. Right here. Right now.
Any fan of Joss Whedon’s work will fall in love with this world, story and the characters and constantly wonder what’s going to be thrown at them next and worry if any of them are going to survive. This book is well worth the read.
Kait Nolan states that Forsaken By Shadow is the first novella in a series about the Mirus world. I look forward to seeing more of these characters and learning more about the world in which they live.
Oh what a tangled web we weave....This book isn’t only a paranormal romance, it’s an action filled thriller from start to finish.
This story carries us into a magical world filled with fiery elementals, fey, vampires, shifters, seers, drakyn, shadow walkers and others. This is the world of Mirus where secret human military bases capture, torture and do experiments on supernatural beings. It’s a world where preternaturals are ruled by the Council of Races who have their own agencies, agents and policies regarding interactions with humans and the protection of their own kind. This is a reality where realities collide, twist and turn at a break neck speed and, often, with fatal consequences.
Kait Nolan has created a marvelous world interlaced with the world we’re all familiar with in believable and, sometimes, shocking ways. The main characters - Embry and Cade are nicely developed - as are the others. The relationship between Embry and Cade grows and expands naturally, even as they attempt to resolve what tore them apart and what now brings them back together again. I do wish there had been more sexual tension and more sex but, honestly, I don’t know when Embry and Cade would have had time for it!
The action is non-stop through the story. The characters barely have time to make it through one problem or issue before several others are thrown at them. In other words, it’s a page turner so stock up on coffee and snacks and forget about trying to read this in bits and pieces. It’s a Big Gulp read. Right here. Right now.
Any fan of Joss Whedon’s work will fall in love with this world, story and the characters and constantly wonder what’s going to be thrown at them next and worry if any of them are going to survive. This book is well worth the read.
Kait Nolan states that Forsaken By Shadow is the first novella in a series about the Mirus world. I look forward to seeing more of these characters and learning more about the world in which they live.
October 17, 2011
I wanted to write this review while fresh from reading Forsaken By Shadow. It’s clear from page one that Kait Nolan is a talented wordsmith. Her novella opens as the central character awakens in a Nevada motel room with his badly burned hands bandaged and his memory nonexistent. Immediately the reader is both sympathetic and curious. In a word, hooked.
A dissociative fugue, the assigned case worker explains the amnesia, most likely brought on by some type of trauma. She is then able to solve the puzzle of this character’s identity using fifteen year old fingerprints. Hmmm . . . a finger-printed eight year old boy? Why, was the question that jumped into my mind. Though Nolan’s tale is intriguing, with likeable and easily related to characters, and sparks of romance (literally), I would’ve liked to have seen her take her tale a step further. To take a bit more time setting her stage and back story, as there’s a jarring leap from that Nevada motel room to the present day, some ten years later.
The return of Cade Shepherd’s memory takes him on a treacherous journey of fire and shadow. Light and dark. Who, from his past, is worthy of trust? With whom can he forge a future? Will an old love rekindle, or will the return of his memory also be Cade’s death warrant?
Action sequences abound in Forsaken By Shadow, and these scenes are well played. They generate excitement, elevate tension and move the story forward at a good clip. A huge plus. However, being relatively new to the supernatural genre, I would’ve preferred explanations of lesser characters and their varying mystic talents worked in throughout the story instead of contained in a glossary at the book’s beginning — which I, unfortunately, had to refer back to. But, and it’s a big but, this inconvenience did not sway me from reading Nolan’s entire novella in one sitting. If you love this genre, even if you’re new to it as I am, Forsaken By Shadow does not disappoint — and proves a promising start to a worthwhile series. I’m giving this one four stars.
You can find out more about Kait Nolan and her writing at http://kaitnolan.com/about-me/
A dissociative fugue, the assigned case worker explains the amnesia, most likely brought on by some type of trauma. She is then able to solve the puzzle of this character’s identity using fifteen year old fingerprints. Hmmm . . . a finger-printed eight year old boy? Why, was the question that jumped into my mind. Though Nolan’s tale is intriguing, with likeable and easily related to characters, and sparks of romance (literally), I would’ve liked to have seen her take her tale a step further. To take a bit more time setting her stage and back story, as there’s a jarring leap from that Nevada motel room to the present day, some ten years later.
The return of Cade Shepherd’s memory takes him on a treacherous journey of fire and shadow. Light and dark. Who, from his past, is worthy of trust? With whom can he forge a future? Will an old love rekindle, or will the return of his memory also be Cade’s death warrant?
Action sequences abound in Forsaken By Shadow, and these scenes are well played. They generate excitement, elevate tension and move the story forward at a good clip. A huge plus. However, being relatively new to the supernatural genre, I would’ve preferred explanations of lesser characters and their varying mystic talents worked in throughout the story instead of contained in a glossary at the book’s beginning — which I, unfortunately, had to refer back to. But, and it’s a big but, this inconvenience did not sway me from reading Nolan’s entire novella in one sitting. If you love this genre, even if you’re new to it as I am, Forsaken By Shadow does not disappoint — and proves a promising start to a worthwhile series. I’m giving this one four stars.
You can find out more about Kait Nolan and her writing at http://kaitnolan.com/about-me/
November 13, 2010
Michelle's Review:
Kait was asking if anybody wanted to read her novella, so my hand shot up in the air , and so I did.
According to my digital e-book reader it is 110 pages long.
This is the first in a series of the Mirus World. I enjoyed this little read. I liked the way the novella started!!
I found it easy to read and short!!, hence being a Novella. I would have loved to know more about Micajah Guidry , a wolf shifter. I was drawn to him.
Characters were introduced with short roles as I think if more in the series they will turn up with a story.
I loved Embry's/Ember ( get it!!) name as she is a Firecaster.
Shadow Walkers travel through shadows. Without giving anything away to the story ,Embry is on a mission and she must save her father.
I certainly would have liked the story to have been longer so as maybe not to have been rushed into a novella as this story could have filled a book:D
MARISSA'S REVIEW:
A huge thank you to Kait Nolan for offering her ebook to be read and reviewed. Kait......you have certainly got talent my girl!!
I know that 109 pages is rather short and it is a Novella......but Kait was putting this out there to drum up character interest before she delves further into the story. Well Kait, you certainly succeeded in getting my interest. I would totally love it if you wrote Forsaken by Shadow into a full length book. It is a great story. The characters are really likeable.
Kait touched on a couple of characters throughout that I felt will make for fantastic leads in future storylines. and I would definitely love to read more of Embry/Ember and Cade/Gage. Their chemistry is wicked. Embry's pride and stubbornness will make for exciting adventure sequences and Gage's sultry and raw ruggedness makes him a very dream-worthy hero!
Kait Nolan is certainly one author I will be keeping an eye on and snapping up any future books she publishes. Look out for Devil's Eye which Kait will hopefully be releasing soon!!!!
Kait was asking if anybody wanted to read her novella, so my hand shot up in the air , and so I did.
According to my digital e-book reader it is 110 pages long.
This is the first in a series of the Mirus World. I enjoyed this little read. I liked the way the novella started!!
I found it easy to read and short!!, hence being a Novella. I would have loved to know more about Micajah Guidry , a wolf shifter. I was drawn to him.
Characters were introduced with short roles as I think if more in the series they will turn up with a story.
I loved Embry's/Ember ( get it!!) name as she is a Firecaster.
Shadow Walkers travel through shadows. Without giving anything away to the story ,Embry is on a mission and she must save her father.
I certainly would have liked the story to have been longer so as maybe not to have been rushed into a novella as this story could have filled a book:D
MARISSA'S REVIEW:
A huge thank you to Kait Nolan for offering her ebook to be read and reviewed. Kait......you have certainly got talent my girl!!
I know that 109 pages is rather short and it is a Novella......but Kait was putting this out there to drum up character interest before she delves further into the story. Well Kait, you certainly succeeded in getting my interest. I would totally love it if you wrote Forsaken by Shadow into a full length book. It is a great story. The characters are really likeable.
Kait touched on a couple of characters throughout that I felt will make for fantastic leads in future storylines. and I would definitely love to read more of Embry/Ember and Cade/Gage. Their chemistry is wicked. Embry's pride and stubbornness will make for exciting adventure sequences and Gage's sultry and raw ruggedness makes him a very dream-worthy hero!
Kait Nolan is certainly one author I will be keeping an eye on and snapping up any future books she publishes. Look out for Devil's Eye which Kait will hopefully be releasing soon!!!!
February 16, 2011
"He didn't open his eyes when he heard the scream."
Fantastic first line. It pulls you into the action immediately and makes you wonder who the hell is screaming and why he didn't open his eyes. Does he not give a shit about who's screaming? Has he been drugged or put under a spell and he can't open his eyes? Most people at least open their eyes when they hear a scream. Why not him? (See what I mean? Freaking awesome first line).
Gage/Cade waking up and not knowing who is he (especially his reactions and thoughts) broke my heart. He's so freaked out at finding himself an amnesiac -with good reason- and all he can think about is *her* ...except he has no idea who *she* is.
I haven't been in a reading funk lately, but I've DNF'd a fair amount of books in the past few weeks. Why? My interest hasn't been piqued and the story hasn't engaged me from the start. If I can't get into the book by chapter 5, there's pretty much no way I'm going to finish it. Forsaken By Shadow pulled me in from sentence one and kept it there. This is the first book in a while that's kept me up late and made me spend more money at the salon because I didn't want to leave so that I could keep reading.
The characters are interesting and likeable, and the story is captivating from the very beginning. The back story isn't over or under told, and the glossary of terms at the beginning of the book is very helpful (so that we're not bogged down with a bunch of unnecessary exposition). The only issue I really have with the story is that I felt that it could have been longer, mostly because I wanted more of the story. More Gage. More Embry. More of them together. (What can I say? I'm greedy). I hope that this isn't the last we've seen of Gage and Embry.
Fantastic first line. It pulls you into the action immediately and makes you wonder who the hell is screaming and why he didn't open his eyes. Does he not give a shit about who's screaming? Has he been drugged or put under a spell and he can't open his eyes? Most people at least open their eyes when they hear a scream. Why not him? (See what I mean? Freaking awesome first line).
Gage/Cade waking up and not knowing who is he (especially his reactions and thoughts) broke my heart. He's so freaked out at finding himself an amnesiac -with good reason- and all he can think about is *her* ...except he has no idea who *she* is.
I haven't been in a reading funk lately, but I've DNF'd a fair amount of books in the past few weeks. Why? My interest hasn't been piqued and the story hasn't engaged me from the start. If I can't get into the book by chapter 5, there's pretty much no way I'm going to finish it. Forsaken By Shadow pulled me in from sentence one and kept it there. This is the first book in a while that's kept me up late and made me spend more money at the salon because I didn't want to leave so that I could keep reading.
The characters are interesting and likeable, and the story is captivating from the very beginning. The back story isn't over or under told, and the glossary of terms at the beginning of the book is very helpful (so that we're not bogged down with a bunch of unnecessary exposition). The only issue I really have with the story is that I felt that it could have been longer, mostly because I wanted more of the story. More Gage. More Embry. More of them together. (What can I say? I'm greedy). I hope that this isn't the last we've seen of Gage and Embry.
March 8, 2011
This novella pulled me in from the start and didn't let go. It starts out with this guy Cade Shepard who wakes up in a motel room in Las Vegas. He has no memory of who he is or what has happened. He finds his way to New Orleans and makes a life for himself as an Ultimate Fighting Champion. At one of his matches he meets this woman who seems familiar to him. He takes her to a friend's bar and then they go back to her motel room. There she gives him an antidote that gives him back his memory of who he really is Gage and who she is Embry. He remembers that he is a Shadow Walker. It has a few flashbacks to what happened ten years ago and then goes back to present day. Then the action really starts when they sent out on a dangerous mission to save Embry's father.
I loved this story. I thought the characters were strong and fit well together. The chemistry between Gage and Embry was great. They make a great couple. The plot was good and flowed along really well. I loved how the author brought so many mythical beings together and they worked well with one another to make it out of their situation. I enjoyed reading about Shadow Walkers, that was a new thing for me. It was well thought out. The entire time it was a rollarcoaster ride with so much action, adventure and romance. I thought the ending was great. I am sad that it ended and hope that Kait writes more to Gage and Embry's story. I want to read more from this author!
* I would recommend this to adults because of language and sexual situations. *
I loved this story. I thought the characters were strong and fit well together. The chemistry between Gage and Embry was great. They make a great couple. The plot was good and flowed along really well. I loved how the author brought so many mythical beings together and they worked well with one another to make it out of their situation. I enjoyed reading about Shadow Walkers, that was a new thing for me. It was well thought out. The entire time it was a rollarcoaster ride with so much action, adventure and romance. I thought the ending was great. I am sad that it ended and hope that Kait writes more to Gage and Embry's story. I want to read more from this author!
* I would recommend this to adults because of language and sexual situations. *
November 10, 2010
This book is an instant attention grabber that pulls you in from the very first page and never lets you go. It has mystery, suspense, danger, violence, romance, and fun all wrapped in an action packed little package.
Gage aka Cade is a human turned Shadow Walker, the only problem is that he can't remember who he once was or who he once loved. He starts a new life as a UFC fighter, but he is left with a gaping hole that he wants filled - who is he and where did he come from? More importantly, who is she? The faceless girl in his mind that makes his heart ache.
In walks Embry, the one who holds the key to Gage's past and his heart. Instantly drawn to her as she sits in the crowd, he seeks her out, but what she has planned for him isn't what he expected. Her father has been taken and she needs Gage's help to get him back. He is finally given back is past, while heading toward a new and dangerous future.
Will there love for each other surpass the danger they are in or will it tear them apart? Can he remember his training as a Shadow Walker in time to save her father, or are they walking into a suicide mission?
Once I started, I could not put this book down. Forsaken by Shadow is fresh, well-written and an absolute must read. You will be on the edge of your seat trying to keep up with this fast paced paranormal romance that will leave you breathless!
Gage aka Cade is a human turned Shadow Walker, the only problem is that he can't remember who he once was or who he once loved. He starts a new life as a UFC fighter, but he is left with a gaping hole that he wants filled - who is he and where did he come from? More importantly, who is she? The faceless girl in his mind that makes his heart ache.
In walks Embry, the one who holds the key to Gage's past and his heart. Instantly drawn to her as she sits in the crowd, he seeks her out, but what she has planned for him isn't what he expected. Her father has been taken and she needs Gage's help to get him back. He is finally given back is past, while heading toward a new and dangerous future.
Will there love for each other surpass the danger they are in or will it tear them apart? Can he remember his training as a Shadow Walker in time to save her father, or are they walking into a suicide mission?
Once I started, I could not put this book down. Forsaken by Shadow is fresh, well-written and an absolute must read. You will be on the edge of your seat trying to keep up with this fast paced paranormal romance that will leave you breathless!
August 4, 2011
3.95 ****STARS
Cade woke up not knowing who he is. All he knew from a report is that he was reported missing since he was 9 years old under the name Cade. After losing his memory, 10 years later he is now a famous UFC fighter. Embry shows up to one of Cade's UFC fight and confirms with herself that Cade is Gage, a shadow walker and he is alive. Now that she has helped Gage to get back his memory she will need his help. Embry has the ability to create fire; Embry and Gage are known the Mirus people.
I bought this book because I read the short novella Blindsight, and decided to read the other books in the series. I definitely like the world the author created. This was ok and then it started to get better. The characters and names were interesting. This is my second book by the author and really hope to read more. I am also eagerly anticipating the complete version of Blindsight, I thought that teaser was interesting.
Storyline: GOOD
Enjoyment: FAIR
Ebook length: book stops at 2656
**********************
"LIKE" us here --> www.Facebook.com/romance.novel.junkies , this is our fan page dedicated to book reviews.
"JOIN" our group here --> www.facebook.com/groups/47100110777?ap=1 this is our group that has 600+ members. This group includes authors and avid readers who would love to hear about new books and opinions. We are also on goodreads....
Cade woke up not knowing who he is. All he knew from a report is that he was reported missing since he was 9 years old under the name Cade. After losing his memory, 10 years later he is now a famous UFC fighter. Embry shows up to one of Cade's UFC fight and confirms with herself that Cade is Gage, a shadow walker and he is alive. Now that she has helped Gage to get back his memory she will need his help. Embry has the ability to create fire; Embry and Gage are known the Mirus people.
I bought this book because I read the short novella Blindsight, and decided to read the other books in the series. I definitely like the world the author created. This was ok and then it started to get better. The characters and names were interesting. This is my second book by the author and really hope to read more. I am also eagerly anticipating the complete version of Blindsight, I thought that teaser was interesting.
Storyline: GOOD
Enjoyment: FAIR
Ebook length: book stops at 2656
**********************
"LIKE" us here --> www.Facebook.com/romance.novel.junkies , this is our fan page dedicated to book reviews.
"JOIN" our group here --> www.facebook.com/groups/47100110777?ap=1 this is our group that has 600+ members. This group includes authors and avid readers who would love to hear about new books and opinions. We are also on goodreads....
November 9, 2010
Synopsis
A man wakes up alone and with bandaged hands in a cheap motel room. His only memory is the need to protect a girl, but he can't remember what her name is. After a trip to the hospital, his finger prints reveal that his name is Cade and that he went missing 15 years ago. He makes a successful new life for himself as a UFC fighter, but everything spirals out of control when a mysterious redhead catches his eye in the front row of a fight. Can she help him fill in the missing years of his life?
Review
I enjoyed this debut novella. While many of the familiar paranormals are on the scene, there are some new ones that I haven't seen before, like the Shadow Walkers. The pace of the novella was good, and the sex scenes were not overdone, which is always nice for anything with a tag of "romance." I would be very interested in reading more about the characters in a future novel.
My Recommendation
A fun read for a mature audience. The story feels like a quick introduction into a new series, and will leave you wanting more. I give it a 4/5.
***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***
A man wakes up alone and with bandaged hands in a cheap motel room. His only memory is the need to protect a girl, but he can't remember what her name is. After a trip to the hospital, his finger prints reveal that his name is Cade and that he went missing 15 years ago. He makes a successful new life for himself as a UFC fighter, but everything spirals out of control when a mysterious redhead catches his eye in the front row of a fight. Can she help him fill in the missing years of his life?
Review
I enjoyed this debut novella. While many of the familiar paranormals are on the scene, there are some new ones that I haven't seen before, like the Shadow Walkers. The pace of the novella was good, and the sex scenes were not overdone, which is always nice for anything with a tag of "romance." I would be very interested in reading more about the characters in a future novel.
My Recommendation
A fun read for a mature audience. The story feels like a quick introduction into a new series, and will leave you wanting more. I give it a 4/5.
***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***
October 27, 2010
This was a wonderfully written book about supernaturals called Mirus. This book had a great plot and gret characters. This is original. I wish this was a series. I would like to see where the author goes with this that is if she plans to write more books that are sequels.
Cade Shepherd wakes up in a hotel room, remembering nothing about him. I feel sorry for the guy. He doesn't know where he is from, what his name is, or anything else about him. I would be completely freaked out if I ended up in a motel room and had no idea as to how I got there. Cade's life is one big mystery. Cade must find out who he is.
Embry goes after Cade, because she wants her father set free. Embry and Cade's love is tested many times. Embry loves him, but can't be with him. Cade has no idea what is really going on. Embry does restore his memories, but you can tell their still are some gaps.
I absolutely loved the ending. You';; find out why when you read it. The author for the most part did a good job. No overuse of bad language. The sex wasn't all that great. It could have been written better, but hey she did a good job on the first one.
Cade Shepherd wakes up in a hotel room, remembering nothing about him. I feel sorry for the guy. He doesn't know where he is from, what his name is, or anything else about him. I would be completely freaked out if I ended up in a motel room and had no idea as to how I got there. Cade's life is one big mystery. Cade must find out who he is.
Embry goes after Cade, because she wants her father set free. Embry and Cade's love is tested many times. Embry loves him, but can't be with him. Cade has no idea what is really going on. Embry does restore his memories, but you can tell their still are some gaps.
I absolutely loved the ending. You';; find out why when you read it. The author for the most part did a good job. No overuse of bad language. The sex wasn't all that great. It could have been written better, but hey she did a good job on the first one.
October 13, 2011
Actual rating: 3.5
Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2011/09/21/r...
I liked it, but it was short. And not just short as in the equivalent of 165 pages, but short as in the story was over at 80% on my Kindle. Of course, being more of a novella also explains why the story felt rushed and that everything happened really fast. It was, as I said, a nice break from the previous books I read, but I do believe that Forsaken by Shadow would have been better as a full length novel, with more space to flesh out the characters and their story, which was pigeonholed into a few events that we’re aware of. I wanted to know more.
There is a lot of potential in Forsaken by Shadow and it provides a glimpse into a new world, but doesn’t give us much world building. Which wouldn’t have been bad necessarily, except I wanted to know more about how their powers worked. Perhaps if I had known this was supposed to be shorter (or that it would end at 80%), I would have liked it more. Or maybe I’m just being overly cranky and critical. One never knows.
Ultimately, Forsaken by Shadow is a good, quick read that provides a good escape.
Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2011/09/21/r...
I liked it, but it was short. And not just short as in the equivalent of 165 pages, but short as in the story was over at 80% on my Kindle. Of course, being more of a novella also explains why the story felt rushed and that everything happened really fast. It was, as I said, a nice break from the previous books I read, but I do believe that Forsaken by Shadow would have been better as a full length novel, with more space to flesh out the characters and their story, which was pigeonholed into a few events that we’re aware of. I wanted to know more.
There is a lot of potential in Forsaken by Shadow and it provides a glimpse into a new world, but doesn’t give us much world building. Which wouldn’t have been bad necessarily, except I wanted to know more about how their powers worked. Perhaps if I had known this was supposed to be shorter (or that it would end at 80%), I would have liked it more. Or maybe I’m just being overly cranky and critical. One never knows.
Ultimately, Forsaken by Shadow is a good, quick read that provides a good escape.
November 22, 2010
He wakes up in a seedy motel, injured and with no memories of who he is and where he has been. It is only after he drives himself to a hospital that he learns his own name, Cade Shepard, and that he has been missing since he was a small child. But Cade still has no memory of his life so he has to rebuild his life. He becomes a well-known ultimate fighter, enjoying his new life but always feeling like something is missing for him. In the midst of a fight one night, he spots a woman in the crowd, a woman who is about to change his life once again.
I enjoyed this book. The story was engaging, a great blend of the paranormal, romance and action. The blend of reality and otherworld aspects was flawless. My only criticism of the book is personal and has nothing to do withthe quality of the writing and storytelling, and that is the portrayal of the military as relatively evil. I'm an Army vet and an Army wife, so that's the explanation. Did it keep from enjoying the novella and wanting to read the next? Absolutely not!
I enjoyed this book. The story was engaging, a great blend of the paranormal, romance and action. The blend of reality and otherworld aspects was flawless. My only criticism of the book is personal and has nothing to do withthe quality of the writing and storytelling, and that is the portrayal of the military as relatively evil. I'm an Army vet and an Army wife, so that's the explanation. Did it keep from enjoying the novella and wanting to read the next? Absolutely not!
August 12, 2010
I ended up liking it, but I had a hard time connecting to the characters which is probably why it took me FOREVER to get through. Maybe it was the lack of explanation going in as to what paranormal/supernatural powers they had because once we hit the part where the other paranormals were teaming up with our mains and kicking ass, I found myself becoming much more interested. Cade has been living the last ten years of his life with a big fat hole in his memories. In fact, he remembers nothing prior to waking up in a hotel room with burned hands. For the past ten years, Embry believes the man she loved is dead and it isn't until her father is kidnapped and she has to mount a rescue mission that she finds out the truth. Finding him, giving him back his memories and convincing him to infiltrate a secure military base are just the beginning of her problems. Like I said, I ended up liking it, I just had a hard time plodding through the first half.
November 10, 2010
Kait was asking if anybody wanted to read her novella, so my hand shot up in the air , and so I did.
According to my digital ebook reader it is 110 pages long.
This is the first in a series of the Mirus World. I enjoyed this little read. I liked the way the novella started!!
I found it easy to read and short!!, hence being a Novella. I would have loved to know more about Micajah Guidry , a wolf shifter. I was drawn to him.
Characters were introduced with short roles as I think if more in the series they will turn up with a story.
I loved Embry's/Ember ( get it!!) name as she is a Firecaster.
Shadow Walkers travel through shadows. Without giving anything away to the story ,Embry is on a mission and she must save her father.
I certainly would have liked the story to have been longer so as maybe not to have been rushed into a novella as this story could have filled a book:D
According to my digital ebook reader it is 110 pages long.
This is the first in a series of the Mirus World. I enjoyed this little read. I liked the way the novella started!!
I found it easy to read and short!!, hence being a Novella. I would have loved to know more about Micajah Guidry , a wolf shifter. I was drawn to him.
Characters were introduced with short roles as I think if more in the series they will turn up with a story.
I loved Embry's/Ember ( get it!!) name as she is a Firecaster.
Shadow Walkers travel through shadows. Without giving anything away to the story ,Embry is on a mission and she must save her father.
I certainly would have liked the story to have been longer so as maybe not to have been rushed into a novella as this story could have filled a book:D
February 3, 2011
This book was fantastic!
I thought that Kait Nolan brought forward a world that has been somewhat explored, but not completely developed, in YA Paranormal novels.
The story was unique, and fresh. I especially liked the characters. The lead female character was strong, confident and strong willed - all things that are important to me. I believe she displayed clear and strong role models.
I am aware this book was aimed probably more to an older demographic than most YA books, but I'm sure it will draw just as many YA readers as many other authors these days.
I think that if the book was longer Kait Nolan would have been able to explore much more, and explain much more, as the story progressed. At times I felt like it was almost a little bit rushed. But, that is the way of a Novella I suppose.
Anyway, hopefully we will see much, much more from Kait Nolan as I really loved this story! I can't wait to read more of her work.
Thanks.
Megan
I thought that Kait Nolan brought forward a world that has been somewhat explored, but not completely developed, in YA Paranormal novels.
The story was unique, and fresh. I especially liked the characters. The lead female character was strong, confident and strong willed - all things that are important to me. I believe she displayed clear and strong role models.
I am aware this book was aimed probably more to an older demographic than most YA books, but I'm sure it will draw just as many YA readers as many other authors these days.
I think that if the book was longer Kait Nolan would have been able to explore much more, and explain much more, as the story progressed. At times I felt like it was almost a little bit rushed. But, that is the way of a Novella I suppose.
Anyway, hopefully we will see much, much more from Kait Nolan as I really loved this story! I can't wait to read more of her work.
Thanks.
Megan
June 17, 2011
I loved the world-building in this novella. The story starts off with action from the very first sentence and makes you want to continue reading. The hero Cade/Gage is an ultimate fighter/Shadow Walker, a hugely successful combination that totally works for this story. He's a badass and he knows it.
Unfortunately the story is bogged down by two things: a heroine I want to bitch slap and flashbacks that don't always make sense. To say that Embry was both a little selfish and a little annoying (to me anyway) is an understatement. She comes across as juvenile in her actions even though she's somewhere in her early 30s. She was totally wasted on the hunk hero. I would have loved to have seen him with a character like Anna from Patricia Brigg's ww series. The flashbacks are confusing as well, and you don't always realize you're reading a flashback until its over. Again, annoying.
Still I think its a series that has potential and I'm going to keep reading.
Unfortunately the story is bogged down by two things: a heroine I want to bitch slap and flashbacks that don't always make sense. To say that Embry was both a little selfish and a little annoying (to me anyway) is an understatement. She comes across as juvenile in her actions even though she's somewhere in her early 30s. She was totally wasted on the hunk hero. I would have loved to have seen him with a character like Anna from Patricia Brigg's ww series. The flashbacks are confusing as well, and you don't always realize you're reading a flashback until its over. Again, annoying.
Still I think its a series that has potential and I'm going to keep reading.
October 28, 2010
Forsaken by Shadow
4 out of 5 stars
Kait Nolan’s premiere novella is an engaging, fast-paced entry into the world of paranormal romance. The reader is hooked from the first pages--a man with severe burns on his hands wakes up in a cheap motel with no memory of who he is.
Using the name Cade Shepherd, he makes a name for himself a decade later as Ultimate Fighting Champion. All goes well until Embry Hollister, enforcer for the Council of Races comes back into his life…a life that was ripped from his mind a decade earlier.
Face-paced action, romance and desperate race to find Embry’s father are interwoven brilliantly in the novella. Nolan has a way with words that paints a rich world and leaves the reader on the edge of their seat.
My only nit is that I wanted to know more--much more about the world in which we are introduced. I look forward to the next installment.
4 out of 5 stars
Kait Nolan’s premiere novella is an engaging, fast-paced entry into the world of paranormal romance. The reader is hooked from the first pages--a man with severe burns on his hands wakes up in a cheap motel with no memory of who he is.
Using the name Cade Shepherd, he makes a name for himself a decade later as Ultimate Fighting Champion. All goes well until Embry Hollister, enforcer for the Council of Races comes back into his life…a life that was ripped from his mind a decade earlier.
Face-paced action, romance and desperate race to find Embry’s father are interwoven brilliantly in the novella. Nolan has a way with words that paints a rich world and leaves the reader on the edge of their seat.
My only nit is that I wanted to know more--much more about the world in which we are introduced. I look forward to the next installment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews