What happens when you mix a half-merman with a reformed siren - all sorts of salty goodness! Ok so that might have been a little over the top, but this was a really great story. Both Zander and Ianthe were incredibly unique, but with just enough of the traditional lore mixed in to merge the two in a very believable manner.

This next edition of The World in Shadows series get very interesting. Winter is on the hunt for an artifact, sending Zander off on the chase. But he'll need a siren (his arch-enemy) to get the job done. He never expects to find Ianthe - probably the only siren on earth that won't kill him on sight - and now he just needs to convince her to join him in the treasure hunt.

Ianthe is so much, I'm not even sure where to begin. I love her personality so much - soft spoken, but quick to laugh, protective but not afraid to fight back or pull a prank or two (quite hilarious). She plays incredibly well off Zander and I just loved them together.

A couple times the story didn't quite live up to what it promised. A scene fizzled out or didn't quite build up the the excitement I felt like it should have. But others....well others went above and beyond and really pulled me away from reality into an amazing world.

I love going to visit World in Shadows.  There is such a great build up of the story that continues from book to book that is hard to resist.  The characters are so dynamic and developed.  While each book has its own story, they also add a new layer and progression to the overall series.

Elisavet is the first of her kind in hundreds of years.  Her change is dramatic and the shock waves travel well beyond her family.  The world is outraged than a human can be changed and this could be devastating to the constantly evolving relations between humans and the preternatural community.  The build up for this was amazing!

Now Manias is a man full of responsibility.  He has sooo much on his plate, but he gladly takes the care and teaching of Elisavet on - there's just something about her.  As a vampire that is constantly in control, he quickly finds himself overwhelmed and the only way he can guarantee Elisavet's safety is a very drastic step.  I got to learn a lot about the vampire culture and history, and it really helped build the world to something even more than it already was.

The ending just about gave me a heart attack.  It was so well done.  I had a feeling of satisfaction and conclusion for Manias and Elisavet, but there's a hook - not a cliffhanger - that is pulling me back to the world to read some more as soon as I can.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

*Warning - this book begins with a non-graphic depiction of rape and torture that may be a trigger for some people*

Scarlet Fury is more than just a romance - it is Madalaina (Mads) story of coming out of a very bad mental place and finding herself in the darkness.  There are subtle and not so subtle lessons about life on every page and I really enjoyed watching her overcome.  I thought Blackwood did a brilliant job of showing the struggle and how hard it is to get your life back after an experience like this.

But this is a romance.  Cleary is perfect for Mads, but she's not sure she will ever be whole enough again to be worth his time.  He has to prove to her that it he wants her no matter what.  It was really quite beautiful.

We also get to see more into the political world of these paranormals and more about the over-all series story arc as well.  It was a great second story and this world is fascinating to read about.

Apparently I wasn't the only one worried about Winter's fate at the end of Rising Shadows. To help calm us readers down and lead the way into Book Two (expected late Aug it looks like), Bridget Blackwood was nice enough to provide us with a little filler to let us know what's been going on. 

I loved seeing Winter again and was so glad that she might still have a chance at her own HEA. It also set up a very tastely little conflict to add to the problems she's already having. I loved it! Can't wait to see how things end up in book two. 

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

I don't usually go with half stars on a review, but this book was too good to be considered average, but had just a handful of small things that kept it from a four. The beginning of the book was incredibly confusing at first. We are thrown into a world with very little explanation - very much like the main character is. The author does a good job of showing the reader the confusion Rachel experiences, but I just don't like being confused - a personal thing. 

Once Rachel hooked up with the paranormals things got much much better. I love the world Bridget Blackwood has created. It was a great mix of reality and fantasy with the paranormal trying to fit in, but never quite being able to all the way. But Rachel is an anomaly, she doesn't fit in either world and her abilities and trust will be pushed to their limits. 

I don't want to give too much away about the romance because it comes fast and sudden and is a turning point to the story. They are incredibly sweet and loyal to each other and seem like a great match. Their relationship was a great way to develop and really show off the good and bad of both characters. 

There were tons of side characters that I would love to know more about. I think the politics and relationships Blackwood has started to develop here could turn into a very successful series. *This book was received in exhange for an honest review*