Official Review: Shadow Falls by Wren West
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- Prisallen
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Official Review: Shadow Falls by Wren West
Remy Ortiz bought her mother an ancestral DNA kit for Christmas as a fun gift. After sending in the kit, there were some incomplete results with her DNA test, and her mother sent a used toothbrush to be tested. Remy realized later that the toothbrush had belonged to her and not her mother.
She is mourning her mother’s death when two private investigators, Gabriel and Xander, show up. After being told her mom has an extremely rare DNA, Remy informs them she has been murdered and can no longer aid them.
Remy had recently gotten divorced from her husband, Clay, and he is not taking the divorce well. While grieving, she suddenly hears her mother saying, " 'Get out. You’re not safe. Go to Gabriel. He can keep you safe.’ ” Shaking all over and with a pounding heart, she rapidly packs her things and heads to Gabriel and Xander’s hotel. Remy makes them a deal; if they will leave immediately and take her with them to where they live in New Mexico, she will provide them all the blood they want. While on their way, she learns Gabriel and Xander are shapeshifters and are hoping her DNA results can lead to research that can help their race. Remy is strongly attracted to Gabriel, and he clearly reciprocates the feeling.
For many years, Remy has had frequent nightmares in which she is trying but failing to save a young female, Cassie, from drowning. After reaching Shadow Falls, a ranch that Gabriel and Xander own, she senses Cassie’s presence while stepping out of the car. When Cassie and Remy touch, electricity passes between them and paralyzes Remy for a short time. They feel like they are soulmates; however, Cassie is also captivated by Gabriel, and Remy is determined to not hurt her.
Shadow Falls by Wren West is listed in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, but it is additionally a romance novel, which is told to us from Remy’s first-person point of view. The author demonstrates an excellent ability to draw the readers into the story, causing them to experience what the characters are going through. Several underlying threads in the story are all woven together seamlessly with all of the questions except one answered by the end. The importance of family, friends, loyalty, and trust represents a significant theme in the novel.
The superb character development is my favorite aspect of the book. Like in real life, they are believable with multiple layers, not all good and not all bad. Cassie is caring, loyal, and brave. However, she is also insecure, stubborn, feisty and quick-tempered. Gabriel is also an appealing character. He is strong, brooding, easily angered, jealous, loving, and protective. Their attraction to each other feels magnetic. Xander, Cassie, Yoli (Gabriel’s sister), and others are also well described and developed.
There are several rather explicit sex scenes as well as profanities in the book. Therefore, it is unsuitable for children and readers offended by those things.
Even though I adored this story, I did not enjoy the numerous errors, and this was my least favorite aspect of the novel. Occasionally, these were distracting and hard to make sense of. An example is, “The popularity of ancestry has taken a research by storm people.” In addition, there were a couple of scenes where I felt like something was left out. In one instance, everyone is sitting around the kitchen table talking, and all of a sudden, they are outdoors, and Remy’s skirt is hung up on a barbed-wire fence. I reread this several times to try to make sense of it. The book is 657 pages long, and I feel like some things were cut to shorten the book. However, in these instances, it made it confusing. Some of the other scenes could have been cut more easily. A good professional editor should be able to help with these issues.
However, the intriguing plot and the excellent character development greatly outweigh the negatives. Therefore, this book achieves a rating of three out of four stars. If the issues above were fixed, I think it would deserve the highest rating. I enthusiastically recommend this to readers who like romance and fantasy novels. Women likely would enjoy it more than men because of the romance in the story.
******
Shadow Falls
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- Erandi Ekanayake
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Thanks for the wonderful review with a great summary!
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It was very interesting. Thank you for stopping by and commenting!Erandi Ekanayake wrote: ↑16 Apr 2020, 10:50 The story sounds quite interesting. But it is pitiful to have some errors with editing in such a fascinating plot.
Thanks for the wonderful review with a great summary!
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It is, indeed! Thanks for reading my review!
- Prisallen
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Yes, it is. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for the kind words!NetMassimo wrote: ↑17 Apr 2020, 01:59 Romance is not my thing, but this novel seems well developed with an intriguing plot and great characters. Thank you for your terrific review!
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Prisallen wrote: ↑13 Apr 2020, 15:39 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shadow Falls" by Wren West.]
Remy Ortiz bought her mother an ancestral DNA kit for Christmas as a fun gift. After sending in the kit, there were some incomplete results with her DNA test, and her mother sent a used toothbrush to be tested. Remy realized later that the toothbrush had belonged to her and not her mother.
She is mourning her mother’s death when two private investigators, Gabriel and Xander, show up. After being told her mom has an extremely rare DNA, Remy informs them she has been murdered and can no longer aid them.
Remy had recently gotten divorced from her husband, Clay, and he is not taking the divorce well. While grieving, she suddenly hears her mother saying, " 'Get out. You’re not safe. Go to Gabriel. He can keep you safe.’ ” Shaking all over and with a pounding heart, she rapidly packs her things and heads to Gabriel and Xander’s hotel. Remy makes them a deal; if they will leave immediately and take her with them to where they live in New Mexico, she will provide them all the blood they want. While on their way, she learns Gabriel and Xander are shapeshifters and are hoping her DNA results can lead to research that can help their race. Remy is strongly attracted to Gabriel, and he clearly reciprocates the feeling.
For many years, Remy has had frequent nightmares in which she is trying but failing to save a young female, Cassie, from drowning. After reaching Shadow Falls, a ranch that Gabriel and Xander own, she senses Cassie’s presence while stepping out of the car. When Cassie and Remy touch, electricity passes between them and paralyzes Remy for a short time. They feel like they are soulmates; however, Cassie is also captivated by Gabriel, and Remy is determined to not hurt her.
Shadow Falls by Wren West is listed in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, but it is additionally a romance novel, which is told to us from Remy’s first-person point of view. The author demonstrates an excellent ability to draw the readers into the story, causing them to experience what the characters are going through. Several underlying threads in the story are all woven together seamlessly with all of the questions except one answered by the end. The importance of family, friends, loyalty, and trust represents a significant theme in the novel.
The superb character development is my favorite aspect of the book. Like in real life, they are believable with multiple layers, not all good and not all bad. Cassie is caring, loyal, and brave. However, she is also insecure, stubborn, feisty and quick-tempered. Gabriel is also an appealing character. He is strong, brooding, easily angered, jealous, loving, and protective. Their attraction to each other feels magnetic. Xander, Cassie, Yoli (Gabriel’s sister), and others are also well described and developed.
There are several rather explicit sex scenes as well as profanities in the book. Therefore, it is unsuitable for children and readers offended by those things.
Even though I adored this story, I did not enjoy the numerous errors, and this was my least favorite aspect of the novel. Occasionally, these were distracting and hard to make sense of. An example is, “The popularity of ancestry has taken a research by storm people.” In addition, there were a couple of scenes where I felt like something was left out. In one instance, everyone is sitting around the kitchen table talking, and all of a sudden, they are outdoors, and Remy’s skirt is hung up on a barbed-wire fence. I reread this several times to try to make sense of it. The book is 657 pages long, and I feel like some things were cut to shorten the book. However, in these instances, it made it confusing. Some of the other scenes could have been cut more easily. A good professional editor should be able to help with these issues.
However, the intriguing plot and the excellent character development greatly outweigh the negatives. Therefore, this book achieves a rating of three out of four stars. If the issues above were fixed, I think it would deserve the highest rating. I enthusiastically recommend this to readers who like romance and fantasy novels. Women likely would enjoy it more than men because of the romance in the story.
******
Shadow Falls
View: on BookshelvesAmazing! I did not think that shapeshifters would have such romantic feelings. I did not see any connection with the DNA ancestral kit. Maybe I have to read the book in order to get a better understanding of the story. Your positive criticisms were well addressed.
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Caribqueen16 wrote: ↑17 Apr 2020, 11:52Remy needed to figure out what her unique DNA meant for her. Does she have special abilities and, if so, what are they? Also, if it wasn't for the DNA samples, Gabriel and Xander wouldn't have shown up and taken her away with them. I hope you get a chance to read it, as I think you would enjoy it.Prisallen wrote: ↑13 Apr 2020, 15:39 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shadow Falls" by Wren West.]
Remy Ortiz bought her mother an ancestral DNA kit for Christmas as a fun gift. After sending in the kit, there were some incomplete results with her DNA test, and her mother sent a used toothbrush to be tested. Remy realized later that the toothbrush had belonged to her and not her mother.
She is mourning her mother’s death when two private investigators, Gabriel and Xander, show up. After being told her mom has an extremely rare DNA, Remy informs them she has been murdered and can no longer aid them.
Remy had recently gotten divorced from her husband, Clay, and he is not taking the divorce well. While grieving, she suddenly hears her mother saying, " 'Get out. You’re not safe. Go to Gabriel. He can keep you safe.’ ” Shaking all over and with a pounding heart, she rapidly packs her things and heads to Gabriel and Xander’s hotel. Remy makes them a deal; if they will leave immediately and take her with them to where they live in New Mexico, she will provide them all the blood they want. While on their way, she learns Gabriel and Xander are shapeshifters and are hoping her DNA results can lead to research that can help their race. Remy is strongly attracted to Gabriel, and he clearly reciprocates the feeling.
For many years, Remy has had frequent nightmares in which she is trying but failing to save a young female, Cassie, from drowning. After reaching Shadow Falls, a ranch that Gabriel and Xander own, she senses Cassie’s presence while stepping out of the car. When Cassie and Remy touch, electricity passes between them and paralyzes Remy for a short time. They feel like they are soulmates; however, Cassie is also captivated by Gabriel, and Remy is determined to not hurt her.
Shadow Falls by Wren West is listed in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, but it is additionally a romance novel, which is told to us from Remy’s first-person point of view. The author demonstrates an excellent ability to draw the readers into the story, causing them to experience what the characters are going through. Several underlying threads in the story are all woven together seamlessly with all of the questions except one answered by the end. The importance of family, friends, loyalty, and trust represents a significant theme in the novel.
The superb character development is my favorite aspect of the book. Like in real life, they are believable with multiple layers, not all good and not all bad. Cassie is caring, loyal, and brave. However, she is also insecure, stubborn, feisty and quick-tempered. Gabriel is also an appealing character. He is strong, brooding, easily angered, jealous, loving, and protective. Their attraction to each other feels magnetic. Xander, Cassie, Yoli (Gabriel’s sister), and others are also well described and developed.
There are several rather explicit sex scenes as well as profanities in the book. Therefore, it is unsuitable for children and readers offended by those things.
Even though I adored this story, I did not enjoy the numerous errors, and this was my least favorite aspect of the novel. Occasionally, these were distracting and hard to make sense of. An example is, “The popularity of ancestry has taken a research by storm people.” In addition, there were a couple of scenes where I felt like something was left out. In one instance, everyone is sitting around the kitchen table talking, and all of a sudden, they are outdoors, and Remy’s skirt is hung up on a barbed-wire fence. I reread this several times to try to make sense of it. The book is 657 pages long, and I feel like some things were cut to shorten the book. However, in these instances, it made it confusing. Some of the other scenes could have been cut more easily. A good professional editor should be able to help with these issues.
However, the intriguing plot and the excellent character development greatly outweigh the negatives. Therefore, this book achieves a rating of three out of four stars. If the issues above were fixed, I think it would deserve the highest rating. I enthusiastically recommend this to readers who like romance and fantasy novels. Women likely would enjoy it more than men because of the romance in the story.
******
Shadow Falls
View: on BookshelvesAmazing! I did not think that shapeshifters would have such romantic feelings. I did not see any connection with the DNA ancestral kit. Maybe I have to read the book in order to get a better understanding of the story. Your positive criticisms were well addressed.
- Prisallen
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Since her mother had sent in Remy's toothbrush by accident, and it was tested, Remy has unique DNA as well. Remy has special abilities, but one has to read the book to find out what they are. I know what you mean about explicit sexual content in books. I don't mind some, but I don't want it to be a major part of the book. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!kandscreeley wrote: ↑17 Apr 2020, 17:43 Explicit content does turn me off. However, if I'm reading it for pleasure, I can probably skip that. I'm curious why her mother's DNA is so unique. Thanks for your thoughts on this one!
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Thanks so much for reading my review and commenting!
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