Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison - PJV Review

Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison
Review copy provided by author.

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PJVs QUICKIE POV: I’m always happy to experience a new author’s voice, it’s exciting to read a debut, like trying a new wine or if you are not into that...a new dish with all your favorite ingredients. Sometimes these experiments leave you disappointed, running back to your old favorites...but other times they push aside the rest, soar to the top and leave you hungry for more. This, my friend, is what Shadow Bound did for me.

REVIEW: Talia O’Brien is the spawn of death himself. Half fae, whom are the guardian of the in betweens, and half human, Talia can wrap shadows around herself, more comfortable in the dark than she is in the light with the living.

On a day that changed her life forever, Talia came face to face with a monster and watched it suck the soul from her roommates body. The only thing that saved her was death - she has been running ever since. Now trapped in an alley with a wraith hunting her, on verge of heat stroke and dehydration, Talia must make a choice. Should she trust the man that has come for her? Should she put her life in his hands and her powers behind his cause? His natural charm and his casual good looks don’t make it any easier for her and as more and more comes out into the open about both Adam and Talia it might not just be their lives on the line, but their hearts also.

This book had me saying “wow” as I scrolled through it. The author's tone drips with old world depth and verse that historical authors try but very rarely achieve, which was surprising for a modern urban fantasy. The tone was reminiscent of one of my favorite YA authors, Maggie Stiefvater.  Like Steifvater you could almost drink in the words as if they were a humid evening instead of two dimensional words on a page. As the novel progresses the tone did evolve into a more modern narrative, but oddly I was not disturbed by the shift. It worked with the story.  Much as the shifting POV did. The POV shifts seamlessly from Adam to Talia leaving the reader with a varied world view, yet it didn't lead to confusion like often happens in ambiguous POV changes. The storyline was also very original, I have read before of soul sucking, and kisses of death...but the author paired it together in an original way.  I was highly impressed with Shadow Bound...and I can’t wait to read the second installment Shadow Fall.

The one short-coming that I did find with the novel was more of a “taste” preference. The heroine was a little more malleable than I would have liked and the hero a bit too one-tracked, leaving the romance a bit on the fizzle side instead of the passionate. But, like I said this is a personal preference - reading too much PNR I like my girls with snark and my boys with bite. (Insert Kitty Rrrrr here)

RECOMMENDATIONS:  Adult novel, for mature readers. This novel has a more fantasy feel than UF, even though it really is UF, so this might be a great transition book for fantasy lovers.






BWB RATING: 4/4

WIN THIS BOOK! Win Erin's novels, Shadow Bound & Shadow Fall on the BWB. Click here.

Wraiths: Pucker up. Guest Post with Erin Kellison

Erin Kellison is the author of the Shadow Series, which includes Shadow Bound and Shadow Fall. Stories have always been a central part of Erin Kellison's life. She attempted her first book in sixth grade, a dark fantasy adventure, and still has those early hand-written chapters. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English Language and Literature, and went on for a masters in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on oral storytelling. When she had children, nothing scared her anymore, so her focus shifted to writing fiction. She lives in Arizona with her two beautiful daughters and husband, and she will have a dog (breed undetermined) when her youngest turns five.

There is also a NOOK giveaway on Erin's Web Site, so go on over there and check it out! Also, win Erin's novels, Shadow Bound & Shadow Fall on the BWB. Click here.

Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter | Facebook 

And without further ado... here is Erin Kellison:

Wraiths: Pucker up.
My Shadow series (including Shadow Bound and its sequel Shadow Fall) is all about the creatures that exist at the brink of life and death. I guess I’m twisted that way. Spirits (Ghosts) are the souls of people who fight against moving on from mortality to the afterlife. They exist by will alone and cannot act on the mortal world (because they have no body to do so).

Wraiths are almost their complete opposite. They have bodies, but have given up their souls for immortal life. The longer they go without feeding, the less connection with humanity they have. They are inhumanly strong, with exceptional senses.  Where did I get the idea for them? Well, I’ll tell you.
When I was a kid, I watched a cartoon in which a young man walks down a country dirt road. He sees a really pretty young woman down the way and approaches her. She immediately puts her arms around him in an embrace. He is surprised. She puts her lips to his, but instead of making out, she sucks the life out of him. He ages rapidly, then falls to the ground, a near corpse. Lovely story, right? (By the way, I have no idea what the name of the cartoon is or even how old I was when I saw it or I’d give it credit here. If anyone can name it, I’ll give you a copy of both my upcoming releases. I’d love to see this show again. I’ve seen variations on this idea in TV and film, but would love to see the original cartoon from childhood.)

The story stuck with me, like a nightmare I couldn’t shake. BUT, as I grew up and the story replayed itself in my head time and time again, I started to think through the idea. A kiss, bringing death. Later, after acquainting myself with more and more fantasy, I named this creature wraith.  I picked up the idea for a wraith creature from this cartoon, so I owe it a big fat thank you. With one difference: The wraiths of my Shadow series don’t suck life-energy. They suck souls.

Here’s an excerpt from Shadow Bound showing the wraiths in action.  The main character is Talia O’Brien, who has a few special gifts of her own.  This is her first introduction to the wraiths. 


    The woman smiled with edged condescension. “Ms. O’Brien. It’s my honor to serve you. My master sends his regards and looks forward to meeting you in person.” She turned to her companion. “Finish that one quickly, Grady. We need to get going.”

    Grady lifted Melanie off the floor. 

    “Stop it!” The room was getting darker, but Talia couldn’t help it. “Put her down!” Melanie was almost purple. “Please let her go. I’ll do whatever you want.”

    “You’ll do that anyway,” the woman answered. “And Grady’s hungry. If he doesn’t eat now, he’ll be pestering me all the way back to stop for a little human takeout. And I can’t have that.”

    Melanie’s eyes flickered back in her head like some kind of waking REM.

Talia looped her arms over Grady’s outstretched one and put her weight into pulling them both down. He would not budge. He smiled at her efforts. She kicked at him. He seemed flesh enough, but he reacted like stone.

    The woman grabbed Talia’s shoulder and pulled her away with such unexpected strength that Talia stumbled backward. 

“You can’t hurt him,” the woman said, “it’s useless to try.” 

    Talia swiped at the tears of frustration blurring her vision. Please let this be a nightmare.

    Then Grady opened his mouth. Opened and opened beyond anything human. He bared his teeth, all sharply pointed and strangely extended, and pulled Melanie toward him. Mouth clamped over mouth. 

    Talia froze midbreath in horror. She felt a tug in her gut. A tug from a well of life and soul. Not hers, still seated snugly in her body. But an echo of Melanie’s self being ripped out, fed upon in a desecration of spirit that scored Talia’s mind and heart.

Utter blackness fell as Talia screamed.

 

Spirits & Deathly Hauntings Week - Giveaway!

UPDATE
Win Both Shadow Bound & Shadow Fall (releasing July 2010)! Fill out the form below.

And so begins Spirits and Deathly Hauntings Week! Our Author Feature is the talented Erin Kellison, author of Shadow Bound. All this week, stop in for chilling tales of Spirits, Death and Hauntings... and today you have the chance to win Shadow Bound!

"Powerful and fast-paced. With compelling characters, chilling evil, and a fascinating premise, Erin Kellison has fashioned a riveting read."
~ New York Times Bestselling author Nina Bangs

 

Death

Some people will do anything to avoid it. Even trade their immortal souls for endless existence.

Wraiths

Secretly, inexorably, they are infiltrating our world, sucking the essence out of unsuspecting victims with their hideous parody of a kiss.

Segue

Adam Thorne founded the Institute to study and destroy his monster of a brother, but the key to its success is held in the pale, slender hand of a woman on the run. There is something hauntingly different about Talia O’Brien, her unknowing sensuality, her uncanny way of slipping into Shadow.

Twilight

This is the place between life and what comes after - a dark forest of fantasy, filled with beauty, peril, mystery. And Talia is about to open the door. 

About Erin Kellison:

Erin Kellison is the author of the Shadow Series, which includes Shadow Bound and Shadow Fall. Stories have always been a central part of Erin Kellison's life. She attempted her first book in sixth grade, a dark fantasy adventure, and still has those early hand-written chapters. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English Language and Literature, and went on for a masters in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on oral storytelling. When she had children, nothing scared her anymore, so her focus shifted to writing fiction. She lives in Arizona with her two beautiful daughters and husband, and she will have a dog (breed undetermined) when her youngest turns five.

There is also a NOOK giveaway on Erin's Web Site, so go on over there and check it out!

Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter | Facebook

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