February 2nd, 2016
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shadow-sylvain-reynard/1121863842?ean=9781101616673
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Florentine-Sylvain-Reynard/dp/0425266508/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-raven/id888019240?mt=11
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel trilogy comes the hotly anticipated follow-up to The Raven, a sensual novel set in Florence featuring the dangerously intoxicating coupling of Raven and William…
Raven Wood’s vampyre prince has returned, pledging his love and promising justice for every wrong done to her. In the wake of their reunion, Raven is faced with a terrible decision—allow the Prince to wreak vengeance against the demons of her past, or persuade him to stay his hand. But there is far more at stake than Raven’s heart…
A shadow has fallen over the city of Florence. Ispettor Batelli will not rest until he uncovers Raven’s connection to the theft of the priceless art from the Uffizi Gallery. And while the Prince hunts a traitor who sabotages him at every turn, he finds himself the target of the vampyres’ mortal enemy.
As he wages a war on two fronts, he will need to keep his love for Raven secret, or risk exposing his greatest weakness…
Review
The Shadow is the perfect title for the second installment of William and Raven’s story, because in multiple ways, there’s an ominous film cast over the unlikely couple as well as Florence’s underworld as the Prince’s enemies rally against him and threaten to not only take his throne but his immortal life as well.
William and Raven’s reunion solidifies Raven’s place by his side and the loving feelings he has for her regardless of the heart inside of him that no longer beats. Because William is an extraordinary and ancient vampire, it makes sense that he would be able to feel things that other vampires cannot, but perhaps it also speaks to the kind of woman Raven is and the fact that she brings lightness to his dark world and her fierce love and protection of him makes William powerless to not be overcome with emotions when it comes to Raven.
But the Prince’s reign and those who serve him are under attack, so while The Shadow still showcases the passionate love affair that exists between William and Raven, it also illustrates the behind the scene moves that the Prince must make in order to defend his city as well as his life and the lives of those who support him.
The previous book made it clear that there are allies who are actually enemies and those rivals look to usurp the Prince’s power and take it for themselves, but the Prince is always one step ahead of them and for every move his enemies make, he has a countermove to prevent his death, even when it seems like the odds are not in his favor.
For William and Raven to remain together and for Florence to remain under the Prince’s rule, he must destroy the shadow and make those who are against him pay for their betrayal. But when the lurking danger is not fully known and there is another group of hunters threatening his peoples very existence, the Prince may be forced to choose between his city and the woman he loves, and it’s a decision that cannot be easily made because it does not want to fail either of them.
Sylvain Reynard, once again, crafts a tale of intrigue, suspense, and romance. The world that Reynard immerses readers into is one that is effortlessly described and constructed in such a way that the places, artwork, and the entire city of Florence comes to life as the words on the page further the storyline. Even written from the third person point of view, it’s easy to see the depths of William and Raven’s feelings for one another and the Prince’s torturous dilemma when it comes to protecting everything he holds dear. It’s impossible not to sympathize with William’s plight because even though he was created to be a monster, he still stays true to certain principles and does not do things with malicious intent unless provoked. Raven has become his world and he treats her as such even when he must play a role in the eyes of his people and treat her as nothing more than his human pet.
At the end of The Shadow, the darkness has been exposed and some of it has been destroyed, but the Prince still has work to do and some of it focuses on Raven and where she fits into his life as his entire world has come under siege.
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
5 Poison Apples
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-raven/id888019240?mt=11
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery…
Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…
Cassita vulneratus.
When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-prince-sylvain-reynard/1120399274?ean=9780698192065
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-prince/id922369900?mt=11
Fairest Of All Book Reviews 