Shadow's Fall (Shadow World, #3) (2024)

Shadow's Fall by Dianne Sylvan

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

BEWARE SHAM REVIEWS FOR THIS BOOK! This book was already ruined by the horrible book that preceded it. The story cannot be trusted to be consistent as has already been proven and the author inserts her warped morals and hatred into her writing. Keep your money, better books in PNR/UF to be bought, getting involved with this series is a mistake, you are better off reading book 1 Queen of Shadows (A Novel of the Shadow World) (a true 5 Star effort) and then either assume they all lived happily ever after or assume they all died, because after book 1 the series is corrupted beyond repair by an author with too much personal baggage unless you just enjoy reading poor propaganda and characters that change personalities from book to book. It was rumored that this author/representatives had been planting reviews so read them carefully, there are some folks that actually liked this tripe but beware the 5 Star reviews that sound like her publicist wrote them.

The bottom line to all this is that while this particular book may or may not have been an improvement, the chances of another "let me see how many people I can offend" type book would be almost certain so why indulge in literary masochism when there are better authors who understand that consistency is required if you call it a series. I still consider Queen of Shadows (A Novel of the Shadow World) (with the deleted parts) one of the better things I have read in years but conversely Shadowflame (A Novel of the Shadow World) is one of the worst things I ever read for more reason than I will list here but the author has some serious mental obsessions, distaste for happy relationships and other moral/political opinions (or lack thereof) that she inserts into her writing. I just refuse to accept any part in her continued success. There are better writers and series to read. I also don't support writers who try to force (sublimely or forcefully) their political/religious/morals on me with their writings. I read for entertainment not enlightenment and certainly not for an author to use beloved characters in a "shock jock" mentality just to see how horrible she can make them.

View all my reviews

I thought Book 1 in the series held promise. It seemed like a fairly simple and yet new and entertaining spin on vampire lore. With Book 2, the author complicated the love story. Had our Hero cheat on our heroine and gave David another soul mate in Deven. In Book 3, I'd say the author complicated her vamp lore. I prefer one or the other. If you are going to complicate a love story by having the hero cheat on the heroine, once they are settled and committed, then perhaps keep the laws you set up in place. If you are going to rattle the laws of your world, then have the relationship solid. What Sylvan did, was give us a melodrama. Its too much packed into one book.

Shadow Fall, picks up 3 years after the events in Shadowflame. Miranda and David have moved past his night if infidelity and seem to have a strong relationship. Though there is worry and concern about what will happen when Deven and David are in the same room together. The Prime Couple, are holding the annual ten year council of Prime couples.All the Primes from all over the world, land in the south to prove their power, to argue for their cause and to measure Miranda and David up.

This book opens with real concern over Miranda's singing career. David is finding ways to give his wife a reflection and make it possible for her to perform despite her vamp status. By the end of the book, I wondered why. We spent a lot of time worrying about Miranda's music career, worrying about Hart, worrying about Deven's controlling tendencies and not enough time setting up the explosive ending.

I feel cheated, because the author obviously planned this shocking ending that was going to have us wondering what was going to happen next. Unfortunately, Sylvan did not give us the true enemy. Sure, I like surprises, twists and cliffhangers, but I like them to pay off. I ended this book wondering what on earth happened. What did I just experience? What does it mean?

Also, the way this book plays out, I wondered why Sylvan decided to give Deven and David a romantic history. Had they been life long best friends, been through many things together, etc, everywhere that their relationship goes in this book still could have worked...Again, I feel like all that romantic drama/infidelity was a waste of important space.

I may be over exaggerating, but the last 10 pages are so explosive that I felt like the 300+ pages I read before it was a waste of time. The personal angst, Miranda's music, Hart's hatred of the South, all that was in the previous books. I didn't learn anything new from the situations in this book, we should have spent more time with Lydia and the people who she worked for and her religion.

Have you ever just continued to read a series simply because you read and semi liked the first one? That is where I am with this series.

I think the author is a decent writer, but this series is going to hell....on greased roller skates, wearing gasoline drawers. I cannot explain how mundane and boring I found this book to be - 1/2 star like really, just being "nice" (working on that in 2012) with the 2 stars. Nothing interesting, nothing exciting, lots of skimming of the pages and didn't do the "dnr" shelf just because I wanted to read the last two words on the very last page.

I cannot suffer another one book in this series. I'm done and actually pissed at myself for spending the money and time reading the little bit I did.

I'm done with the series, but hopefully not all of the author's future releases (on other topics of course).

Shalisha

**4.5 stars**

Three years has passed in David's and Miranda's world and things have worked out for the best. Now everyone is getting ready for the Council summit that only happens every ten years and dealing with all the Primes and mostly dealing with Hart. Unfortunately that isn't the only problem, there's an unknown vampire looking to give something to David. Of course, Deven has his hand in everything so he is working it all out ... or is he?

If you looked at any reviews then you know that this has one heck of a cliffhanger...par course for this author but it's not just the cliffhanger. She takes you on one wild ride. The first seventy-five percent is pretty normal...lots of intrigue, politics. killings and attempted murders but the last twenty-five percent is mind boggling. I'm hoping against hope that things are not as they appear but the last line was brilliant! And if you know anything about this series, you know that the author is not afraid to "go there". Shadowflame, her second book, had a lot of people upset at a particular incident and while I agree to not liking it to a certain point, I was willing to trust the author and see where she was going. Well, this book "goes there" too....just not the same "there" as book two.

I really enjoyed all the relationships with all the Primes and the Consorts. It was great having more Cora and Jonathon and of course, Deven. I love and hate him but in a good way. It was great getting more background on him. I was pretty shocked at the things David said to him but they had to be said. It will be interesting to see how things go from here. I loved the extra touch that Vrana, Cora's nighthound, brought to the book as well. Stella was a great addition and I love forward to seeing what else she will bring to the story.

I was both surprised and not regarding Jeremy and I enjoyed seeing that side of Faith. Still in denial about what happened and for now, I'm just going to act like it didn't happen. I guess I'll just have to wait for Shadow Born to find out. ~sigh~

Favorite quotes:

♦ “Hello, James,” Deven replied mildly. “Had any consensual sex lately?”

♥ "No! No! Not without me! Not without me!"

Review: Shadow's Fall by Dianne Sylvan

This is the 3rd novel in the Shadow World series. This is a vampire series for those who don't know. I was very hesitant to read this book. If you read the last one and the drama didn't piss you off, then I am impressed because I was so mad I couldn't even read anything else for DAYS. That's not to say it wasn't good. It was a fantastic read and the writing was wonderful but the characters did things that made me want to hurt them. So when I got Shadow's Fall in my possession I had to set it on the table and stare at it warily for a few minutes, take a deep breath, before picking it up to start reading.

The writing, as per usual, was wonderful. The plot was a little slower than the last 2 books but I didn't find it lacking. I was actually relieved to read that things between David and Miranda were less complicated. Not that there wasn't drama. There was. It just wasn't from the pair of them. Though I admit I was still holding a bit of a grudge at David for his past transgressions where Miranda seemed forgiving.

Jonathan, Deven's consort, is my favorite side character so I was glad to see him back. Deven was someone who I was less excited to hear from because of the last book but you can't have one without the other. Faith, David's second in command, bugged me to no end in this book. Just making poor decisions. And by poor decisions I mean a certain guy named Jeremy, who was quite the enigma of a character.

There seemed to be a bit of a theme in this book about whether or not the future was predetermined or if fate is what you make. All the consorts, including Miranda, have some precognitive abilities and so there is really a question as to whether or not those things can be changed. Because the visions tend to be vague, it's hard to know. All the consorts seem to know is that bad things are coming. And with the ending that this book had I can absolutely tell you it's true. Bad things DID happen. With most of the book on a steady pace, the end was very wham-bam-thank-you-mam. I felt blind sighted. And the ending. What a shocker. CLIFF HANGER ALERT!

This is a series worth reading for Urban Fantasy fans if you haven't. Shadow's Fall was a great addition to the series and I can't wait for more! 5/5 stars

DO NOT waste your money buying this book. (1) The prologue and the last chapter contain the entire plot. It could easily have been a short story. (2) That short story plot is a direct rip off of what happens during the climax of another book in another famous series. (3) The rest of the book is a mish-mash of rehashed plot points from the first two books of this series. (4) Characters are now one dimensional and much different from the preceding two books.

Only thing this book does correctly is make sure I will never buy another book by this author.

I think I want to read this to say how badly this series will be OR if the author can clean up the heroine's god awful doormat personality from the last book.

Honestly I don't know what the hell to say! SHADOW'S FALL pissed me off to no end(mainly because I hate cliffhangers!). I seriously wanted to throw the book across the room, and let me tell you, there is this massive end of the world cliffhangers at the end that is also part of me being pissed off! But the book was still out of this world awesome!

When I picked up SHADOW'S FALL I couldn't put the book down! It was so freaking good! We get to see all the primes again, which was my favorite part of the book. And they had this counsel meeting and this torment of all their elites against all the other primes elite.It was really cool! I loved that we get almost everyone's "point of view" in this book. We get Miranda, David, Jonathan, Deven, Cora and some new character's "point of view" as well!

David smiled. "Faith has been very driven this year---I think we have a good chance of winning."

"I hope not. I really don't want to pay India ten grand. He'd never let me live it down."

It mad everything in the book quite interesting. In the beginning of the book Jonathan got this premonition that something horrible is going to happen and yes, by the end of the book we see everything come together from what horrible event he foreseen. And it was definitely horrible. I was a bit mad at a lot of characters in this book. A lot at Miranda for doing something, that could of resulted in everything turning so horrible.

She nodded. "Thank you for coming. I think I overdid it a little." He chuckled. "You? Never."

And also at Deven as well. I hope soon in the series there will be a time where he will trust David as his friend to make the right decisions, because I feel if he would have told him all of his thoughts and conclusions from the beginning, the "horrible happening" could have been prevented. I loved seeing Jonathan and Deven's "point of view". We had some new characters that I loved and hated and I can't believe a certain someone was evil even though I expected it! I loved them!

SHADOW'S FALL definitely exceeded my expectations since the last book! It was awesome and mind blowing. I just need to not think about this book for awhile or my head is going to explode from needing the next book in this amazing series.

11 June ETA: Per Amazon, book #4 is titled "Of Shadow Born" and due out 26 Mar 2013.

In Shadow's Fall, David and Miranda are prepping for yet another Bastard Parade (as Miranda calls it). They're hosting the Signet Council, which meets every ten years. And, when the Bastards arrive, so does trouble! Miranda's still trying to balance life in the Daylight World w/her music career and the Shadow World, but Hart is over it. Three years have passed since the last book, so David and Miranda are back on solid ground. She has forgiven him for his "transgressions" with Deven. They are stronger than ever. Little comments are made early on about Faith's (more than Second) feelings for David. However, she gets some hot, Aussie lovin' to take the edge off. Deven and Jonathan, as well as Cora and Jacob are welcome faces. And, as always, Deven plays a big part in the events that occur throughout the Shadow World. When Faith meets Hart's Second, Jeremy, she knows there's more to him than he tells her. In fact, everyone has a feeling that things are ... off.

The book ends with a MASSIVE cliffhanger. So, best hold off if you cannot handle the drop and subsequent waiting period between books. Thankfully, the final sentence in the book does offer some solace, though not much, for those who do decide to read it now and suffer the wait.

First of all, I have to get this off my chest, I HATE cliffhanger endings! And, if they remind me of cliffhangers in other books that is even worse!

Okay, that being said I must say that this book was "Okay," but not as good as the previous books in the series. From the start, this book did not capture my attention. In fact, I completed two other books while reading this book. Also, I found myself checking to see how much of the book I had left to read too many times. We have new characters in this book that I did not see the point of until the very end of the book, and the point of view of the book bounce around more than a toddler on a sugar overload.

Can I recommend this book? Uhhh, no. I cannot recommend this book. Will I read the next book? I'm not to the point of saying "absolutely not", but right now it is looking highly unlikely.

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/04/review-...

Favorite Quote: “I love you. I love you, Miranda. I will always- “

Shadow’s Fall takes place three years after Shadowflame. David and Miranda have moved past the events that took place in Shadowflame and their love has survived and blossomed into something more than just the soul mate bond that binds them to one another. The Signet Council is having its ten year meeting and Miranda and David are hosting it this year. This will bring them into direct contact with Prime Hart, whom they had trouble with in Shadowflame. He wants Miranda and David dead and will stop at nothing to achieve this. One important topic that will be addressed is Miranda’s singing career. Miranda’s career is going strong but it is getting harder and harder to hide the fact she is a vampire. The time is coming where she will have to give up her singing career and that is proving to be a source of contention between her and the council. She wants a few more years and they want it stopped now. Jonathan, Prime Devon’s consort, is having more premonitions that he cannot or won’t share. Premonitions that may affect everyone he loves. When David’s long absent sire appears and hands David and Miranda a gift she claims will help them, David is sure it’s a trick but Miranda is unable to refuse. Soon, Miranda and David learn that they are merely pawns in a game that will take everything they have to survive. If they can.

Dianne Sylvan is an author I love to hate. Her dynamic characters and well crafted world demands your complete surrender as you find yourself emotionally vested in these complex peoples lives. It’s the sign of a gifted writer who can force you to live through a varied array of emotions when reading their books. In reading this series I found myself shaking with anger, crying in sorrow, and laughing with joy. There were times I wanted to skip through scenes at warp speed to see what would happen and other times I wanted to stop because I didn’t think I could bear anymore. While this series is touted as a Urban Fantasy, I feel it walks the line between a UF and a PNR due to its strong character driven storyline. While the plot is engaging and action packed, it takes second place to our two protagonists. Suspenseful and sensual, Ms. Sylvan creates a lush fantasy world originally revolved around the romance of Miranda and David and now encompasses a variety of couples we have grown to love.

Miranda and David continue to evolve and grow in their relationship despite the obstacles Ms. Sylvan tosses at them. Though we aren’t privy to what happened in the three year absence between Shadowflame and here, I truly feel that their relationship has matured and deepened in spite of what has happened in the past. I wanted David to die a slow death and Miranda to man up in Shadowflame, yet part of me understood the gauntlet they had to face. In Queen Of Shadows they just fell into their relationship without giving voice to their pasts. I felt that Ms. Sylvan was showing them and us that if it was meant to be, than it could survive the ultimate betrayal. And it did. Their chemistry together continues to burn up the pages even though the actual physical scenes are few and far between. Seductive words and sultry looks set your pulse racing and your breath stuttering as you watch these two dance together on paper and in your mind.

I enjoyed we were able to see the other Primes and their relationships. Devon continues to remain elusive and I enjoyed David dealing with him as a fellow Prime and a possible threat rather than a love sick schoolboy. Cora continues to play a role in the series and I look forward to seeing where she will go. I love the addition of her protector. A new character is introduced whose actions rip the story out of its current path and promises us a wild ride from here on out. We also may be saying goodbye to an old favorite though I have my doubts. I can only hope they return with a vengeance of biblical proportions.

The main plot and various subplots are mind blowing as Ms. Sylvan diabolically ups the stakes with plenty of politics, intrigue, murder, and mayhem. The first ¾ of the book is a smooth path filled with plenty of clues as to where the arc is going; only to explode in your face towards the end as we race towards a cliffhanger of humongous proportions. I was shocked by the liberties Ms. Sylvan takes. Once again she had managed to hide from me her true intentions and I found myself both elated and upset. My only complaint with this series is I want a chance to actually see Miranda and David enjoy their relationship without the drama and angst. In a way, it reminds me of Adrian Phoenix’s Makers Song series. the protagonists are beautifully exploited throughout that series but they NEVER get anytime to just be in love. It’s both an addicting and frustrating experience.

Shadow’s Fall is an exciting, well executed third installment to Ms. Sylvan’s wonderful Shadow World and I now wait impatiently for the fourth installment-Shadow Born-release date to be announced.

Overall Rating: B+

Shadow’s Fall is the third book in The Shadow World series by Dianne Sylvan and an ACE Urban Fantasy.

Blurb:

Spread throughout the dark corners of our world lies the Shadow World, a society of vampires who feed off the living. In Austin, Texas, one woman must figure out a way to live in both worlds without sacrificing either...

For three years, Miranda Grey-Solomon has kept her role as vampire Queen of the South separate from her Grammy-winning music career. But now her dual lives are starting to collide, threatening everything Miranda and David, her Prime, have worked for.

To make matters worse, the entire Signet Council has descended upon Austin for its ten-year summit, bringing with it Prime James Hart of the Northeast, a sworn enemy come to take his revenge on those who defied him. As Hart’s machinations lead to outbreaks of violence across the South, Miranda and David receive an unexpected offer of help from David’s sire, an ancient and powerful vampire with knowledge that may be their salvation - or their doom.
My thoughts:

It has been three years since the events of Shadow Flame and Miranda is adjusting nicely to her role as Queen. Her career is on a high note and her relationship with David is steady and growing stronger every day. In those three years the Pair have not seen Prime Deven or his Consort, Jonathan - but that is about to change.

With the Council Summit being held in Austin this year, David and Miranda will be playing host to vampire royalty. All Prime’s and their Consort’s will be present - including Deven, David’s longtime friend and one time lover - and James Hart - recent enemy to both.

Jonathan, Deven’s Consort, has had a vision and he and Deven are determined to prevent it from coming true.

When Lydia, David’s sire appears - Deven is sure that she will play a role in Jonathan’s vision. Deven is willing to sacrifice almost anything to make sure David is safe - but it may not be enough. When danger comes from an unexpected source - no one is safe.

Shadow’s Fall is a great read. I love the world Ms. Sylvan has created. Miranda is tough and no nonsense and I was glad to see David toughen up a little bit more in this installment.

We were left with a couple of cliff hangers this go round - grr! But it just leaves me wanting more.

I give Shadow’s Fall 4 out of 5 stars.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace (March 27, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937007383
ISBN-13: 978-1937007386

After the events of Book 2, SHADOWFLAME, I was...well reluctant would hardly cover how I felt. The direction Sylvan took David and Miranda's relationship left me feeling hollow. I want to stress I did not have a problem with WHO David slept with, but rather that he did it at all. I was hoping there would be more fall out and consequences to those actions in the third book. Instead Sylvan jumps our music loving Miranda three years with a Grammy-winning career and holding down her Vampire Queen status pretty smartly.

So in short everything she ever wanted, on a silver plate, with a hot guy attached.

Wouldn't be much of a book if that's all that happened of course, but honestly I'm not sure how much of the middle of the book mattered. Its pretty much the same as the last two books, just different motivations and different people attacking. Different allies coming forward and different betrayals. At the end of the day however its the same old song (see what I did there?) with a would have been shocking cliffhanger.

Where Sylvan went wrong I think is that instead of leaving things lie in the end, she just had to put that nugget of hope in there that undermined the entire chapter before it. All the pain, all the anguish, all the 'We should have done better!' regrets were trivialized by the last line of the book. If the book had ended on 'proceed', well it would have lent an urgency to things. Would have almost made up for the meandering middle.

Instead the reader now knows that eventually things will follow a certain course in the next book (or maybe the book after that if Sylvan is feeling risky). That whatever Miranda goes through until that moment is cheap and can me waved away because it doesn't really mean MUCH. My advice is to read the first book, QUEEN OF SHADOWS, and read it as a stand alone. It works amazingly well as one in fact. Forget any books there after because they will only make you grind your teeth in frustration.

Originally reviewed at Night Owl Reviews

Before I get into the actual review, I feel the absolutely overwhelming need to educate the author on a subject: SLR cameras.

Multiple times in this book we are told about how vampires (in this world) do not reflect. And how before digital cameras they couldn't get any form of image to be taken because of the mirrors in said cameras. But now, with digital cameras, they can manage some forms of image capture.

Which is all well, fine and good but for all the attempted thoughtfulness of the explanation, the author utterly fails to address a DSLR camera.

Let me quote Wikipedia for a moment: A single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is a camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex", from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to view through the lens and hence see exactly what will be captured

That's a mirror.

A DSLR uses the same mechanism except instead of the image being passed to physical film, it's being passed to a digital sensor. And thus, an SLR - digital or not - would not work due to the use of a mirror.

I realize this may be a quibble. But, if you're going to go into enough thought and detail to explain what it is about cameras that never previously allowed them to work, you simply cannot overlook that DSLR cameras are VERY popular these days, even among hobbyist photographers. I myself have a DSLR.

The author should have more correctly stated that "point and shoot" digital cameras are mirrorless, rather than make a blanket statement that digital cameras can capture vampires.

----------

Ok, anyway, onto the review itself. I liked this one significantly more than the last. I do enjoy the setting though I felt some of the plotlines were a little muddy. The ending was interesting and I wonder where it will go from here. I will read the next one as I'm curious to see the ramifications of the last pages of this book.

A Series Game Changer!

I strongly suggest you read the previous books in the series (Queen of Shadows and Shadow Flame) prior to reading this installment.

This was a fabulous installment, that continually kept me glued to my seat. The suspense and anticipation felt like danger lurked around every corner; I just couldn’t put this book down. This installment has restored my passion for this series.

Fellow Shadow World fans, this is a must read! For those jaded from the last installment, fear not, this book makes up for it in spades. I respected the last installment’s creativity and the brazenness of the author to go where many authors would not but it was definitely not my favorite.

I am so glad that David is back to himself. Last installment he was basically a weak-minded whor*, who was easily swayed by anyone’s advances. In this book, David is back to being the strong backbone and pillar Queen Miranda needs him to be.

Even throughout the risqué storyline from the last book, Miranda’s resolve never breaks. Miranda has continued to be a strong heroine who you can be proud of and also a force to be reckoned with. The HUGE cliffhanger the story ended on, gives the series potential to turn the Shadow World on its head!

I highly recommend this book and series to fellow dark urban fantasy readers and can’t wait until the next book in the series Of Shadow Born due out spring 2013.

I also recommend:
One Grave at a Time: A Night Huntress Novel - Jeaniene Frost
Lover Unleashed: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood - J.R. Ward
The Isis Collar - Cat Adams
The Renfield Syndrome (Rhiannon's Law, Book Two)- J.A. Saare
Passion Unleashed (Demonica, Book 3) - Larissa Ione

I've been waiting for this book to come out and boy was it worth the wait. I found this series by accident, never heard of the author before but the book descridption for the first book really peaked my interest. Who can pass up a book about hot vampire kings and their look for their soulmates. This series has a rags to riches feel to it with regards to the female main character, I did have to get past some pretty brutal things that happen to her in the first book but I felt this situation eventually helpeed her appreciate having a life to live. The main character is a very powerful empathy and a musician, she is so powerful she can affect the emotions of who ever is listening to her play live. She does as the series progress learn how to use this as a way to protect herself and those she loves. This author doesn't pull any punches, there is a war onnand no one is safe. She killed off one of my favorite character's in this book, and really left a cliff hanger ending this couple has been through hell and usually manages to pull themselves out by their teeth. My only problem is they never get a chance to really enjoy their relationship. It would be nice if in the next book it was a different couple fighting for their lives and the main character's can ride in on a white horse and save the day. This is a great series if you haven't read it please pick up the first book and just know they just keep getting better and better, even the author's writing seems tonimprove with each book.

Talk about cliffhangers. Miranda just can not catch a break. SHADOW'S FALL is book 3 in the Shadow World series and I would 100% recommend that you start with book 1 QUEEN OF SHADOWS if you are new to the series.

Miranda started out as a broken musician and has grown to the be the Vampire Queen of the south with her vampire king and love David beside her. They have had their ups and downs but are very much in love and rule together perfectly. I loved David in QUEEN OF SHADOWS, was really mad at David in SHADOWFLAME and fell back in love with him again in SHADOW'S FALL. Book 3 ended up being one of those books you wanted to yell at the characters and throw the book across the room at some of the awfully stupid decisions that were made and the bullheaded friends that keep things from each other. Having said that I still could not put it down. I had no clue what was going to happen and was completely shocked at the events that took place. We get to see some characters from book 2 that we loved and hated as well as meet new primes that we had not been introduced to.

The ending. I honestly have no words to explain it but........ WHAT??? WHAT??? NOOOOOO..... is what went through my head. There is a lot of unexpected loss in SHADOW'S FALL and I'm not sure how Miranda could possibly get through it. I'm still in shock and not sure what else to say without giving away spoilers. I couldn't imagine not reading book 4 when it comes out.

Sometimes it is hard to realize what is going on in a book like this when it has been so long since you read the last installment. I did not hit the ground running, I stumbled a bit. But I want to compliment Dianne Sylvan for writing PNR with a more sophisticated reader in mind. Plot lines are not rehashed ad nauseum and character descriptions are not cut and pasted. Nor are the cast of characters and vampire politics so formulaic that you simply carry over your handy structural flow chart from every other intense vampire drama. The world building in this series is well developed, easily understood and lush. Yet is not so complex that you need back up and re-read several times.

I have been emotionally rocked by this series a few times much to my surprise. In this installment I was on the edge of my seat waiting for another shoe to drop -- or better yet an emotional or literal bomb. Devon is a disastrous character and being his friend is the equivalent of paying off a deal with the devil. Again, I ended this book with my hand over my mouth and a tear on my cheek. I don't like transition books, but this was very eventful and I liked the development of many of the support characters and I am sad over the way things were left. Because Ms. Sylvan is so unpredictable I don't know how things will turn out, who will live and who will be done at the end of this series.

A+++ and my favorite in this great series even with dramatic ending that has this huge but hopeful cliff-hanger. I hate books with cliff-hangers but given the well developed story & characters throughout books #1-3, this one does work for me. One or more of my very favorite characters died in book #3 and I was shocked. Ms Sylvan takes such great risks and her readers to places we don't want to go. But with her well developed twists and very well written story, depth of characters that grow and change but still maintains my need for continuity and interest, I'm ready today to buy the next one in advance. Oh my what a ride. I hope I will be able to read book #24 before this story ends and even if one of the original characters make it, I'll buy them all!

Wow... That's all I can really say about this book.

This was a REALLY good read. It had tense moments A LOT Of them. I think in this one with David , the way he was with her, kind of made up for what happened in the first one though to be honest I still have no idea how she was able to forgive him for it... she's a better woman then me that's for damn sure... All in all a really good read and I'll definitely be reading the next one...

Shadow's Fall is book 3 in the Shadow World Series and after the emotional and controversial storyline of book 2, Shadowflame, I was really interested to see where the author was taking this series.

I was pleasantly surprised with this instalment. The aftermath of the relationship clanger in Book 2 is somewhat resolved so what follows is a well plotted and engaging urban fantay with a delicious cliffhanger to whet our appetites for Book 4.

OMG! I hate cliffhanger books.

Sh*t! Talk about cliff hangers.
3.5

This book had lots of intrigue - just not the kind that was in Book 2 of the series. I just knew, with all the premonitions, that something terrible was going to happen - and it did.

Miranda performing at the Austin Live Music Festival the same weekend that the Southern Haven is hosting the world vampire council meeting is a disaster waiting to happen.

And there are a lot of problems what with Hart going to be at the meeting, the ongoing friction between Devon & David and Miranda’s career conflicts. Adding Faith to the mix was inevitable. Faith’s character needed to be filled out more than just David’s second.

The ending was exciting, explosive and heart breaking. Couldn’t put it down and not sure how the next book with go now that everything’s so messed up.

Footnote: 1) I was surprised at the mental connection between the South, Western and Eastern Europe Signets. How did that happen?

Fave scenes: Mameha’s fortuitous interference, Miranda practicing her telekinesis, Stella in the hospital and Miranda helping at the clinic.

Don't take my rating as any sort of indictment against this book. My issues were personal. This book would have been a 5-star novel for me had I read it in my early 20s when I was heavily into Wicca and Tori Amos and thought vampires were deadly but sexy. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, and reflecting on that particular period in my life is uncomfortable. I still think these are good books. If you like all the things I mentioned, then read them. Really. They're excellent. They're colored with a lot of my own worldview, though, and that's my problem, not the author's.

I was prepared to give this book 3.5 stars, until I got to the end. There wasn't one. The book just ended like the last chapter got destroyed and they shipped it anyway. I will never read another book by this author, and wish that I hadn't read the 3 that I did.

I feel totally lost reading this series. With the exception of Book 1 the author kept referring to things that seems to happen between each novels and I don't know for you, but I cannot find these novellas or novels any where.

2.5 stars

Intriguing