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Heirs of Kilronan Trilogy #2
Lord of Shadows
Rickloff delivers the second book in the Heirs of Kilronan series featuring characters from a mysterious Irish family with roots going back to King Arthur.
Who is working the demon arts...
Was it her murdered father? Her fugitive brother? It has been seven years since Lady Sabrina Douglas cloistered herself with the Sisters of High Danu, but the questions remain. She is Other—a mixture of Fey and mortal—quietly using her powers to heal. That is, until she saves a half-drowned man, his soldier’s body a roadmap of scars, his fathomless eyes filled with heartbreaking loneliness. The inexplicable connection overwhelms her defenses, touching her heart, mind . . . and body.
...And to what end?
A man with no memory, Daigh MacLir seeks his past even as unknown threats fill him with monstrous rage and inhuman abilities. But as a desperate game of hunter and hunted is played out from ballrooms to bedrooms, what Daigh discovers is more chilling than anyone could possibly imagine. Defying death was only the first step in the task he has been given, and Sabrina is his last hope. But dare he risk involving her? Daigh has been summoned to find an ancient king, and even the powers of love may not be enough to win the battle against the powers of darkness.
Who is working the demon arts...
Was it her murdered father? Her fugitive brother? It has been seven years since Lady Sabrina Douglas cloistered herself with the Sisters of High Danu, but the questions remain. She is Other—a mixture of Fey and mortal—quietly using her powers to heal. That is, until she saves a half-drowned man, his soldier’s body a roadmap of scars, his fathomless eyes filled with heartbreaking loneliness. The inexplicable connection overwhelms her defenses, touching her heart, mind . . . and body.
...And to what end?
A man with no memory, Daigh MacLir seeks his past even as unknown threats fill him with monstrous rage and inhuman abilities. But as a desperate game of hunter and hunted is played out from ballrooms to bedrooms, what Daigh discovers is more chilling than anyone could possibly imagine. Defying death was only the first step in the task he has been given, and Sabrina is his last hope. But dare he risk involving her? Daigh has been summoned to find an ancient king, and even the powers of love may not be enough to win the battle against the powers of darkness.
377 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 28, 2011
2 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Alix Rickloff
13 books384 followersCritically acclaimed author of historical fiction, Alix Rickloff’s family tree includes a knight who fought during the Wars of the Roses (his brass rubbing hangs in her dining room) and a soldier who sided with Charles I during the English Civil War (hence the family's hasty emigration to America). With inspiration like that, what else could she do but start writing her own stories? She lives in Maryland in a house that’s seen its own share of history so when she’s not writing, she can usually be found trying to keep it from falling down.
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July 15, 2012Wow, as you may have noticed, I didn't rate this book. As of now, it's maybe a 2 star book, but here, around the 100 page mark, I just can't force myself to finish it. And as I didn't make it to even a third of the way, I didn't want to rate it-although I can tell that it isn't for me.
I have DNF'd about 8 books total in the past 4 years. That's not very many for someone who read about 200 books last year. My point is just that I don't take a DNF lightly.
This book is a case of the editor needs to go back to English 101. The author should never have made it to a second book (as this is book 2) if this is how she writes. The whole book (well the whole 100 pages I trudged through) are full of sentence fragments. I'm all for a sentence fragment to show emphasis-heck, I'm guilty of using them too. BUT the whole book is written in them! My status updates are full of examples, and if you guys like, I'll even add more in to this review.
So, I can barely tell you what this story is about as I had to wade through mired plot and awkward prose. The mucked up English language made it hard for me to read, and I decided that since it has been over a month and I can't make it past the 100 page mark, that I'm done. There may well be some great plot hidden inside the stilted dialogue and made up words, but I can't find it.
And on a side note: The crazy words? Really? There's no glossary. The context doesn't give you much idea of what the words mean, and one word was finally described (not really defined though) at page 57. Wow, a word used a ton! And not described til 57 pages in? yikes.
Here are the 3 most commonly used words and my guesses as to what they mean:
-bandraoi-one with magic(?)
-Duenedon-mortals without magic(?)
-Other-those with fey-tainted blood(?)
And the names were incredibly hard-this is 1815 so the names seem unusually weird, even for Ireland.
-Ard-suir
-Daigh (how do you pronounce this? Dag? Dave? My Gaelic fails me now)
-Ainnir
-Brigh
**thanks to Pocket books by Simon & Schuster for this ARC
http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...
I have DNF'd about 8 books total in the past 4 years. That's not very many for someone who read about 200 books last year. My point is just that I don't take a DNF lightly.
This book is a case of the editor needs to go back to English 101. The author should never have made it to a second book (as this is book 2) if this is how she writes. The whole book (well the whole 100 pages I trudged through) are full of sentence fragments. I'm all for a sentence fragment to show emphasis-heck, I'm guilty of using them too. BUT the whole book is written in them! My status updates are full of examples, and if you guys like, I'll even add more in to this review.
So, I can barely tell you what this story is about as I had to wade through mired plot and awkward prose. The mucked up English language made it hard for me to read, and I decided that since it has been over a month and I can't make it past the 100 page mark, that I'm done. There may well be some great plot hidden inside the stilted dialogue and made up words, but I can't find it.
And on a side note: The crazy words? Really? There's no glossary. The context doesn't give you much idea of what the words mean, and one word was finally described (not really defined though) at page 57. Wow, a word used a ton! And not described til 57 pages in? yikes.
Here are the 3 most commonly used words and my guesses as to what they mean:
-bandraoi-one with magic(?)
-Duenedon-mortals without magic(?)
-Other-those with fey-tainted blood(?)
And the names were incredibly hard-this is 1815 so the names seem unusually weird, even for Ireland.
-Ard-suir
-Daigh (how do you pronounce this? Dag? Dave? My Gaelic fails me now)
-Ainnir
-Brigh
**thanks to Pocket books by Simon & Schuster for this ARC
http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...
June 10, 2011
I thought I would never finish this book. It's virtually unreadable. The author is a huge fan of sentence fragments (paragraphs full, in rapid succession), italicized, incomprehensible names that I couldn't bother to keep straight, and choppy, awkward transitions. I never would have finished it had I not been reading it for review.
July 6, 2011
3.5 Stars
In a regency world where others are ostracized and the Fae have fled this realm spurning their magical offspring, an evil force has plans to raise the dead and take back the world for the others.
Daigh MacLir, named by the High Priestess of Danu, washes ashore with no recollections of who he is or how he got there. When he awakes though to the beautiful Lady Sabrina Douglas administrations, he knows he has met her before and feels an instant connection with her. With her help maybe he can find the key to his past and the reason for the scars that riddle his body. But when he realizes that he is not truly alive and was sent on a chilling mission by a monster to uncover the location of an ancient king who could change the world as they know it, he cannot risk having Sabrina near. Will he loose her forever by pushing her away for her own safety? Or will he loose much more than the love of both his lives?
I really wanted to love Lord of Shadows but the story just didn’t capture my attention. I pretty much have the same opinion of it as I did the first novel, Earl of Darkness. You can check out my review of that *here*. As in the first novel, the author uses numerous new terms without providing a glossary or even explaining the meanings when used in the story. This makes it very hard to get into a story when you don’t understand half of what is going on or who/what characters are referring to.The story arc itself is good and had potential, the characters could have really been great but the author’s writing style just did not work for me. Besides the above issues, the writing was overly descriptive and dragged the plot down. There were also numerous sentence fragments keeping the story from flowing smoothly.
I did like each of the main characters though; I was intrigued by Lazuarus/Daigh in the first novel and found his background and current situation fascinating. He was well developed with many dimensions, and I became invested in his plot to figure out his past and future. He is dark, sexy, protective, mysterious and scarred inside and out. Him and Sabrina were a good fit and they balanced each other very well. Their relationship developed at a good pace and it was rife with twists and turns, trust, betrayal and passion.
Sabrina herself was well written, as Aidan, the Lord of Kilronan’s younger sister though I never quite understood the animosity she had towards her eldest brother and her assumptions where him and his wife Cat were concerned. However, I did like her commitment to Daigh from the start, she didn’t fully trust Daigh but she stuck by him through thick and thin.
There were a few specific scenes where we saw glimpses of Daigh's past that confused me and I wasn’t happy with the explanation given for these occurrences. It just seemed thrown together and I was still left confused.
Though Maelodor, the villain, finally confronts the characters and we see just how evil and twisted he is. He is a truly creepy character that made my skin crawl; or maybe it was the snake!
Lord of Shadows can be read as a standalone but when Sabrina’s brothers’ show up a few scenes might confuse because they refer to incidents that happened in Earl of Darkness, I do recommend reading both novels in order if you would like the full story. Despite the number of faults I would still consider this a good book, if you have the patience for it. As in the first novel, this is a difficult read but the idea of the plot itself and the characters are creative and totally unique. And I do so love the cover, Paul Marron *dreamy sigh* That and the character of Daigh added the extra 1/2 for me making my rating a 3.5.
In a regency world where others are ostracized and the Fae have fled this realm spurning their magical offspring, an evil force has plans to raise the dead and take back the world for the others.
Daigh MacLir, named by the High Priestess of Danu, washes ashore with no recollections of who he is or how he got there. When he awakes though to the beautiful Lady Sabrina Douglas administrations, he knows he has met her before and feels an instant connection with her. With her help maybe he can find the key to his past and the reason for the scars that riddle his body. But when he realizes that he is not truly alive and was sent on a chilling mission by a monster to uncover the location of an ancient king who could change the world as they know it, he cannot risk having Sabrina near. Will he loose her forever by pushing her away for her own safety? Or will he loose much more than the love of both his lives?
I really wanted to love Lord of Shadows but the story just didn’t capture my attention. I pretty much have the same opinion of it as I did the first novel, Earl of Darkness. You can check out my review of that *here*. As in the first novel, the author uses numerous new terms without providing a glossary or even explaining the meanings when used in the story. This makes it very hard to get into a story when you don’t understand half of what is going on or who/what characters are referring to.The story arc itself is good and had potential, the characters could have really been great but the author’s writing style just did not work for me. Besides the above issues, the writing was overly descriptive and dragged the plot down. There were also numerous sentence fragments keeping the story from flowing smoothly.
I did like each of the main characters though; I was intrigued by Lazuarus/Daigh in the first novel and found his background and current situation fascinating. He was well developed with many dimensions, and I became invested in his plot to figure out his past and future. He is dark, sexy, protective, mysterious and scarred inside and out. Him and Sabrina were a good fit and they balanced each other very well. Their relationship developed at a good pace and it was rife with twists and turns, trust, betrayal and passion.
Sabrina herself was well written, as Aidan, the Lord of Kilronan’s younger sister though I never quite understood the animosity she had towards her eldest brother and her assumptions where him and his wife Cat were concerned. However, I did like her commitment to Daigh from the start, she didn’t fully trust Daigh but she stuck by him through thick and thin.
There were a few specific scenes where we saw glimpses of Daigh's past that confused me and I wasn’t happy with the explanation given for these occurrences. It just seemed thrown together and I was still left confused.
Though Maelodor, the villain, finally confronts the characters and we see just how evil and twisted he is. He is a truly creepy character that made my skin crawl; or maybe it was the snake!
Lord of Shadows can be read as a standalone but when Sabrina’s brothers’ show up a few scenes might confuse because they refer to incidents that happened in Earl of Darkness, I do recommend reading both novels in order if you would like the full story. Despite the number of faults I would still consider this a good book, if you have the patience for it. As in the first novel, this is a difficult read but the idea of the plot itself and the characters are creative and totally unique. And I do so love the cover, Paul Marron *dreamy sigh* That and the character of Daigh added the extra 1/2 for me making my rating a 3.5.
July 14, 2011
This second novel in the Heirs of Kilronan Trilogy is a wonderful paranormal romance with a good story line that combines magic, fey/human halflings, the fey, an interesting twist on the zombie theme and the legend of High King Arthur.
It was also a terribly hard book for me to read. Why? First, Rickloff has created a world that has a lot of terminology that is not explained until later in the story — in many cases, not for 30 or 90+ pages later. A quick solution would have been to provide a glossary at the beginning of the story a la Kresley Cole with her Immortals After Dark series and many other authors. Perhaps had I read the first book in the series, I would have known the terms but since this book successfully reads as a stand alone, one would not necessarily know there was a prequel to this book.
Secondly, the author's writing style is a little different in that much of the book is full of descriptive sentence fragments. It makes for a somewhat choppy read. And there is a small scene on page 21 which I feel should have been placed on page 17 before the reader's introduction to the main villain instead of afterwards.
However, the sexual chemistry between the male and female lead characters nearly jumps off the page. Since the virgin has to seduce the male lead into taking the action they both long for, there aren't many actual sex scenes but lots of steamy near misses as he falls back on his conscience. There are a couple of scenes where one of the male villains attempts to sexually assault the male lead and forces kisses on him. There is also a scene where it is so vaguely implied that this same villain actually succeeds in the sexual assault while the male lead is unconscious but I'm not exactly sure if this is what the scene was about or not.
Rickloff does a very good job of making this a historical piece which highlights the slang, mode of dress and transportation as well as the treatment of females in 16th century Ireland without the history overshadowing the story and/or the characters.
So even though it took me about a quarter of the book, approximately 100 pages, to get into the story and I struggled a little with the writing style, I still thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters. I do recommend this to paranormal romance, historical romance and urban fantasy fans who aren't afraid of a reading challenge for the reward of a good story.
Warning Spoiler Alert!!!
It does have a HEA ending.
It was also a terribly hard book for me to read. Why? First, Rickloff has created a world that has a lot of terminology that is not explained until later in the story — in many cases, not for 30 or 90+ pages later. A quick solution would have been to provide a glossary at the beginning of the story a la Kresley Cole with her Immortals After Dark series and many other authors. Perhaps had I read the first book in the series, I would have known the terms but since this book successfully reads as a stand alone, one would not necessarily know there was a prequel to this book.
Secondly, the author's writing style is a little different in that much of the book is full of descriptive sentence fragments. It makes for a somewhat choppy read. And there is a small scene on page 21 which I feel should have been placed on page 17 before the reader's introduction to the main villain instead of afterwards.
However, the sexual chemistry between the male and female lead characters nearly jumps off the page. Since the virgin has to seduce the male lead into taking the action they both long for, there aren't many actual sex scenes but lots of steamy near misses as he falls back on his conscience. There are a couple of scenes where one of the male villains attempts to sexually assault the male lead and forces kisses on him. There is also a scene where it is so vaguely implied that this same villain actually succeeds in the sexual assault while the male lead is unconscious but I'm not exactly sure if this is what the scene was about or not.
Rickloff does a very good job of making this a historical piece which highlights the slang, mode of dress and transportation as well as the treatment of females in 16th century Ireland without the history overshadowing the story and/or the characters.
So even though it took me about a quarter of the book, approximately 100 pages, to get into the story and I struggled a little with the writing style, I still thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters. I do recommend this to paranormal romance, historical romance and urban fantasy fans who aren't afraid of a reading challenge for the reward of a good story.
Warning Spoiler Alert!!!
It does have a HEA ending.
November 23, 2018
Part Fey, part human, Lady Sabrina Douglas is Other and has never really known what it is to belong. The closest she’s gotten has been in the seven years since her father’s murder that she has spent cloistered among the Sisters of the High Danu. She finds contentment in using her powers to heal, but that calm is shattered when she heals a man who was discovered half-drowned. Daigh MacLir doesn’t know who he is or where he came from, but his body is a veritable map of scars that indicate a life not easily lived. As bits and pieces of his past begin to come back to Daigh, Sabrina finds herself drawn into a dangerous situation that makes her question her judgment in falling for Daigh. Will the truth of Daigh’s past reclaim him with a vengeance that will crush any chance he and Sabrina have of a future?
Murder and magic go hand-in-hand in Lord of Shadows, the second book in Alix Rickloff’s Heirs of Kilronan trilogy. Lord of Shadows picks up where the first book, Earl of Darkness, leaves off, so it’s probably best that the trilogy is read in order. It’s now Sabrina Douglas’s turn to be thrust into the middle of a good-versus-evil battle her brother and an evil Other started. I won’t detail the plot, as the twists and turns of Earl of Darkness and Lord of Shadows are what make the books interesting. Suffice it to say that the paranormal world of nineteenth century Ireland Ms. Rickloff has created is fascinating in its detail.
Daigh is a hero that is sure to capture readers’ interest. The torment he has survived tugged on my heartstrings and the way he strives to become a better man absolutely won me over. Ms. Rickloff created a winner of a hero with Daigh. Where Lord of Shadows primarily fell short was, for me, with its heroine. For the majority of the story, Sabrina seems to simply be along for the ride rather than a useful component to the overarching storyline of the Heirs of Kilronan trilogy. Perhaps Ms. Rickloff spoiled me with Cat, the heroine of Earl of Darkness, but I expected Sabrina to be unique. She isn’t, not particularly, which is a disappointment since many of the characters in the series are. But my biggest issue with Sabrina stemmed from her almost arbitrary worship of one of her brothers, Brendan, which was matched only by her distrust of her eldest brother, Aidan. Being that Ms. Rickloff made me fall in love with Aidan in Earl of Darkness (where he was the hero), Sabrina’s snotty attitude toward him was hard to swallow and only served to highlight her immaturity in other areas.
As I previously mentioned, the Heirs of Kilronan trilogy is best read in order, beginning with Earl of Darkness. Though I did enjoy Lord of Shadows, it does suffer from feeling like a bridge book. All the same, the advancement of the overall plot left me satisfied, Daigh was a wonderful hero, and Ms. Rickloff has me on tenterhooks for the final book, Heir of Danger.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Murder and magic go hand-in-hand in Lord of Shadows, the second book in Alix Rickloff’s Heirs of Kilronan trilogy. Lord of Shadows picks up where the first book, Earl of Darkness, leaves off, so it’s probably best that the trilogy is read in order. It’s now Sabrina Douglas’s turn to be thrust into the middle of a good-versus-evil battle her brother and an evil Other started. I won’t detail the plot, as the twists and turns of Earl of Darkness and Lord of Shadows are what make the books interesting. Suffice it to say that the paranormal world of nineteenth century Ireland Ms. Rickloff has created is fascinating in its detail.
Daigh is a hero that is sure to capture readers’ interest. The torment he has survived tugged on my heartstrings and the way he strives to become a better man absolutely won me over. Ms. Rickloff created a winner of a hero with Daigh. Where Lord of Shadows primarily fell short was, for me, with its heroine. For the majority of the story, Sabrina seems to simply be along for the ride rather than a useful component to the overarching storyline of the Heirs of Kilronan trilogy. Perhaps Ms. Rickloff spoiled me with Cat, the heroine of Earl of Darkness, but I expected Sabrina to be unique. She isn’t, not particularly, which is a disappointment since many of the characters in the series are. But my biggest issue with Sabrina stemmed from her almost arbitrary worship of one of her brothers, Brendan, which was matched only by her distrust of her eldest brother, Aidan. Being that Ms. Rickloff made me fall in love with Aidan in Earl of Darkness (where he was the hero), Sabrina’s snotty attitude toward him was hard to swallow and only served to highlight her immaturity in other areas.
As I previously mentioned, the Heirs of Kilronan trilogy is best read in order, beginning with Earl of Darkness. Though I did enjoy Lord of Shadows, it does suffer from feeling like a bridge book. All the same, the advancement of the overall plot left me satisfied, Daigh was a wonderful hero, and Ms. Rickloff has me on tenterhooks for the final book, Heir of Danger.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
July 25, 2011
RATING:$>%)LORD OF SHADOWS by Alix Rickloff is an exciting historical romance with paranormal elements set in 1815 Ireland. It is Book 2 in "Heirs of Kilronan",but can be read as a stand alone. See Book 1 "Earl of Darkness". This is the story of the Douglas family,which where a mysterious Irish clan who can trace their roots back to King Arthur. "Lord of Shadows", is the story of Lady Sabrina Douglas and Daigh MacLir. Lady Sabrina has retreated to a sancturary to become a Sister of High Danu,women devoted to the contemplative life of the underworld.She is also a healer,an Other,Which is a mixture of Fey and mortal. She is surrounded by questions of her murdered father and one brother who is a fugitive throught to be dead.Her eldest brother is the sexy Earl of Darkness.Sabrina encounters a mysterious man with a body full of scars,no memory of his past on the beach,Daigh MacLir. They are drawn to inexplicably drawn to each other. Daigh is filled with rage and inhuman abilities and senses Sabrina will be the one to save him. Sabrina is overwhelmed with images of a past life with Daigh.Together Daigh and Sabrina face danger,evil,and Sabrina learns that Daigh has tried to kill her family,and was summoned to find the ancient king.While darkness pulls Daigh,Sabrina draws him into the light.Sabrina's is not only Daigh's last hope,she is his heart and soul. While darkness draws them into danger,the power of love may be able to save them both. This is a powerful story of the power of love and the forces of good vs evil. A must read and a keeper. Lord of Shadows is sure to draw any paranormal,historical,mysteries of life and romance readers. With a touch of suspense,mystery,romance,sweet sensuality,darkness,tortured soul,and the power of love who can resist this powerful story of the struggle between love and hate,light and darkness.This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher.Details can be found at Pocket Books,an imprint of Simon &Schuster and My Book Addiction Reviews.
July 5, 2011
Lord Of Shadows was a book I thought could have been so much more then what I was actually given. I enjoyed parts of it but felt there was less romance and more mystery then what would normally be considered a paranormal romance. The parts where Daigh and Sabrina are together I enjoyed. I thought them as a couple really worked and the interactions between them were really good. It was everything else that had me puzzled. First I couldn’t even begin to pronounce the names of everything in this book. I mean usually I can just think of a way to pronounce things and that’s that, I don’t care if its how it’s supposed to be pronounced or not. But in this book, things were spelled so weird, with what seemed like strange comma placements, that I couldn’t wrap my head about it. It really took away from the story IMO. Because every time I saw the names I’d have to stop and think…how does this work?
The world building was decent but again it got pretty confusing at times. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I’m thinking that wasn’t the problem. I just think it was a bit hard to follow overall. I think had there been more story directly between Sabrina and Daigh (no clue how to say that either, I went with Day-g..or sometimes Dag lol) then I would have connected much better. As it stands I just didn’t.
Normally I get into the scarred guys…come on, you know I do..and Daigh was pretty hot. All manly, muscley and brooding. His inability to remember who he was with the exception of knowing who Sabrina was (except she didn’t know him) was a great mystery. Timeless even. Her ability to heal was also a cool addition. Though she had a whole lot of unholy feelings for a woman of the cloth hehe
While I did have issues with Lord Of Shadows I’m still going to give it 3 stars because it did keep me reading. Daigh alone kept me turning hoping to catch another glimpse of his fine, albeit scarred, ass.
The world building was decent but again it got pretty confusing at times. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I’m thinking that wasn’t the problem. I just think it was a bit hard to follow overall. I think had there been more story directly between Sabrina and Daigh (no clue how to say that either, I went with Day-g..or sometimes Dag lol) then I would have connected much better. As it stands I just didn’t.
Normally I get into the scarred guys…come on, you know I do..and Daigh was pretty hot. All manly, muscley and brooding. His inability to remember who he was with the exception of knowing who Sabrina was (except she didn’t know him) was a great mystery. Timeless even. Her ability to heal was also a cool addition. Though she had a whole lot of unholy feelings for a woman of the cloth hehe
While I did have issues with Lord Of Shadows I’m still going to give it 3 stars because it did keep me reading. Daigh alone kept me turning hoping to catch another glimpse of his fine, albeit scarred, ass.
August 22, 2011
Nice cover, great synopsis and I was excited when I won it as part of a goodreads giveaway. But so not a book I'm proud to have in my library. That's really unfortunate because there's an intriguing & mysterious conspiracy wrapped inside this psuedo romance novel. Although this was marked as a romance I felt there was more mystery and more paranormal elements than romance. Actually there are probably multiple mysteries - one being how did the plot get so mired? The basics of English Composition 101 are ignored.
This book managed to touch on all my major reading peeves. 1)It was difficult to get into; 2)I never connected with the characters; 3)Too many flashbacks; 4)Overwritten to the point of distraction & confusion. Example: "So perhaps scholarly pursuits weren't Sabrina's habit, but it wasn't as if she didn't read at all. She loved a good mystery. Or a thrilling romance where ghosts rattled chains and the poor heroine wandered about cavernous passages with one stubby candle." I shouldn't have to stop & think if the ghosts are in the romance story or if punctuation is incorrect or what the sentence really means; 5)No time is spent on world building. Granted it is book 2 of a series but I felt lost with the many references to events & people that weren't actually in this book. I inferred their importance based on the number of times and variety of people mentioning them; 6)This is a paranormal world that has its own rules and words that aren't explained. There was a unique word near the beginning that wasn't defined until page 200.
Overall I had to re-read too much for clarity's sake making it less enjoyable. There was a lot of work for little reward to me.
This book managed to touch on all my major reading peeves. 1)It was difficult to get into; 2)I never connected with the characters; 3)Too many flashbacks; 4)Overwritten to the point of distraction & confusion. Example: "So perhaps scholarly pursuits weren't Sabrina's habit, but it wasn't as if she didn't read at all. She loved a good mystery. Or a thrilling romance where ghosts rattled chains and the poor heroine wandered about cavernous passages with one stubby candle." I shouldn't have to stop & think if the ghosts are in the romance story or if punctuation is incorrect or what the sentence really means; 5)No time is spent on world building. Granted it is book 2 of a series but I felt lost with the many references to events & people that weren't actually in this book. I inferred their importance based on the number of times and variety of people mentioning them; 6)This is a paranormal world that has its own rules and words that aren't explained. There was a unique word near the beginning that wasn't defined until page 200.
Overall I had to re-read too much for clarity's sake making it less enjoyable. There was a lot of work for little reward to me.
January 31, 2023
A man washes up on the shore of a secret coven of Others; women who have mixed fae and human blood. He's got no idea who he is, but he's consumed with rage and anger. The second he sees the heroine, he knows she has answers as to his identity. She doesn't know him, has never seen him before but she's instantly captivated by the man covered in horrible scars. They don't get to spend that much time together before a thief comes to the coven to steal a tapestry and the hero recognizes him and follows him back to London. He thought to never see the gentle healer again but fate has brought her back as well.
She hasn't seen her brother since her fathers murder and is very reluctant to re-develop any relationship with him again. But her other brother whom is presumed dead but she's never believed to be do becomes the focus of the stranger she meet at the coven. The whole story is mainly focused on discovering how the hero is and trying to find her missing brother. When the two characters are together, which is honestly few and far between, they had some chemistry but nothing mind blowing. They had a very simple and tame romance though the hero was actually the villain in the previous book and is still controlled by his master. I really liked the hero as he was desperately searching for a way to end his immortal existence while battling back the evil impulses he feels. I really liked the heroine because she started off as a meek quiet girl who always allowed other people to decide her destiny but by the end of the book she stepped up and grew a back bone. She was a quiet refined strong woman. Not my favorite book as I didn't feel the chemistry between the two characters.
She hasn't seen her brother since her fathers murder and is very reluctant to re-develop any relationship with him again. But her other brother whom is presumed dead but she's never believed to be do becomes the focus of the stranger she meet at the coven. The whole story is mainly focused on discovering how the hero is and trying to find her missing brother. When the two characters are together, which is honestly few and far between, they had some chemistry but nothing mind blowing. They had a very simple and tame romance though the hero was actually the villain in the previous book and is still controlled by his master. I really liked the hero as he was desperately searching for a way to end his immortal existence while battling back the evil impulses he feels. I really liked the heroine because she started off as a meek quiet girl who always allowed other people to decide her destiny but by the end of the book she stepped up and grew a back bone. She was a quiet refined strong woman. Not my favorite book as I didn't feel the chemistry between the two characters.
September 15, 2012
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
At first I was a bit hesitant to begin reading due to the amount of negative reviews. However, after reading the first page, I just couldn't put the book down. If you like Paranormal Romance that focuses more on romance than plot, then this book isn't for you. It's very rare to find a Paranormal Romance book that actually takes its time to develop a strong story with strong characterization; the author used enough romance to successfully balance the two. This book kept me wanting more with each chapter and I must say, the ending was perfect. As a side note, I did not read the first book in the series. I was afraid that I would've been confused throughout the story, but the author did a wonderful job explaining parts where readers, such as myself, would've otherwise been downright confused. That being said, this book has enough of a plot where it could easily stand on its own.
There is only one negative comment I would like to address. I agree with a few reviews stating the author's writing style was a bit fragmented but it wasn't enough to distract me from the story.
At first I was a bit hesitant to begin reading due to the amount of negative reviews. However, after reading the first page, I just couldn't put the book down. If you like Paranormal Romance that focuses more on romance than plot, then this book isn't for you. It's very rare to find a Paranormal Romance book that actually takes its time to develop a strong story with strong characterization; the author used enough romance to successfully balance the two. This book kept me wanting more with each chapter and I must say, the ending was perfect. As a side note, I did not read the first book in the series. I was afraid that I would've been confused throughout the story, but the author did a wonderful job explaining parts where readers, such as myself, would've otherwise been downright confused. That being said, this book has enough of a plot where it could easily stand on its own.
There is only one negative comment I would like to address. I agree with a few reviews stating the author's writing style was a bit fragmented but it wasn't enough to distract me from the story.
April 4, 2012
I’m pretty conflicted about how I feel about this story and I think it’s because of my expectations coming in. I was expecting more of a cross between a historical romance with some paranormal elements thrown in but it was just not that to me. Because the book was not what I was expecting I felt let down. I also picked up this series on the second book, not the first, so I was a little confused about the world I found myself in. I really enjoyed the interactions between Daigh and Sabrina and I felt that their path towards their Happily Ever After was well told. Both of those characters were well written and I enjoyed the conflict and growth that they both experienced throughout the story. I will try another story by Alix Rickloff and hope that by reading the first in the series I can appreciate this story more.
September 8, 2011
I don't know...i have a hard time with books that are set so far back in time. i'm not sure if it's because of the wording or just that i can't ever seem to immerse myself in the world since it is past not future. maybe i'm closed minded who knows...
Sabrina is a dynamic character. She is full of inner turmoil and doubt. She wants to get over her past but she just can't seem to do it. Enter Daigh(not his real name though)....He is just as confused as Sabrina and they set off on their own journey of discovery. All in All this book was okay but it just didnt capture my imagination like most books do. if you like paranormal romance that is set in the 1800s then this is the book for you. Still though, the author told the story well and it was very detailed.
Sabrina is a dynamic character. She is full of inner turmoil and doubt. She wants to get over her past but she just can't seem to do it. Enter Daigh(not his real name though)....He is just as confused as Sabrina and they set off on their own journey of discovery. All in All this book was okay but it just didnt capture my imagination like most books do. if you like paranormal romance that is set in the 1800s then this is the book for you. Still though, the author told the story well and it was very detailed.
November 21, 2014
Another amazing addition in this fantastic trilogy. I loved that the characters from the first book come back into this one to play...I found this piece even more riveting and breathtaking than the last. My thoughts hung on every page and my heart flew out to the hero. He was truly the champion in this tale. I can't say much or I risk giving too much away. Everything about this book was superior, as far as historical romance goes this is as good as it gets! Fast-paced, exciting, unpredictable with bravery and honor woven into the characters in a delicious blend of chilvary that I was unable to rip my thoughts from. Despite all the darkness and evil that takes place throughout the pages, true love reigns supreme and in the end conquers all.
I believe that I am already in love with Brendan Kilronan and am greedy to get my hands on the last addition to this series.
I believe that I am already in love with Brendan Kilronan and am greedy to get my hands on the last addition to this series.
October 15, 2011
This is the 2nd in a series. Loved this book. Loved the combination of historical and supernatural elements. And the inclusion of Arthurian legend is also great. The author creates such imagery with her writing, which is very different. The two main characters were very interesting and the twists and turns of their story kept me guessing. This can be read without reading the first. The love story is there and it is strong, but the storyline of rogue mage trying to take over the world by bringing back a warrior Arthur is very strong as well. The author weaves the two together very skillfully.
August 13, 2011
This paranormal romance is sure to hold your attention from beginning to end. "Lord of Shadows" is book two in Alix Rickloff's "Heirs of Kilronan" series. After reading this book it made me want to go back and read the first in the series. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the characters in the story and it makes you want to know as much as you can about their lives. Just when you think you've learned something monumental, something else lies waiting in the wings yet to be discovered.
March 3, 2013
This was a good story. Long. The author is very descriptive, almost to the point of distraction. Characters were well thought out and I did think the story was interesting. However it was a hard book to get through. Still it left me wondering about the next one in the series and how it will all end.
Want to read
October 16, 2011I must say that I really liked this book. It was very different from the other books that I have read. It was not all about romance and love, it was about time travel and powers. I really enjoyed reading this book. Thanks
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