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lisa_me's review against another edition
This is the first time I’ve ever DNFed a book by Gena Showalter. It was bloodthirsty—not my thing—and yet still managed to be a bit boring. I skimmed to the end.
Spoiler
The story is ongoing and ended on a HFN.samie_k3's review against another edition
4.0
Info dump man, but it was done well. I'm definitely willing to check out the next book, especially as Nova and Bane intrigued me.
booklovershangout's review against another edition
3.0
I adore Gena Showalter and her paranormal stories. I would give this one 3.5 stars. I was so excited that she was starting a new series. I could not wait to dig in. I really enjoyed the start to this new series. I liked the ideas behind the world these characters live in and I am curious to learn more. The world building was very well done. The only trouble I had with this story, is it just felt a convoluted at times and I was a little lost in places, but I am definitely interested in continuing on with this story and learning more. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
cerizeseries's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you National Bookstore for my Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book. (I actually won it, lol)
I have tried reading several new adult novels in the past and I’ve liked a lot of them but after reading this one, I doubt if I would dive for another of the same genre very soon. I really did not enjoy this book. I struggled to finish it and almost DNFed it but fought the urge because I really wanted to write a review for an ARC this year.
The way this was written was so confusing it makes me say ‘Hold on, what is happening now?’ sometimes making me question if passages are missing. One moment they are here, the next, another thing is happening. The rules regarding the All War has so many loopholes. The characters are very questionable with very little mention of the others and the scenes other than the sex parts are not explained well, hence making the reader confused at times. The character development was really bad. For example, Knox kidnapped Vale out of pure lust and even though Vale has mentioned constantly that she loves her sister, still, Knox doesn’t care if Nola dies or not. But even though that sounded really bad, I hate Vale the most. She’s confusing. She said that she doesn’t want anything to do with Knox and that she’d do whatever it is to win the All War and then the next she wants him to take his pants off and jump her. There’s 400 plus pages in this book and 90% of it is about Vale and Knox’s desperate need to alleviate the heat they feel in their groins. I’m not even kidding. Sure i’m up for some hot scenes but this is wayyyyyyy too much. I mean come on, lustful scenes page after page making the plot seem unnecessary.
If you ask me what this book is about, i’d say: Horny girl meets equally horny immortal guy from another realm who is currently fighting a battle with other immortals. Girl becomes immortal and grows more lusty.
In all honesty, I wouldn’t suggest this book to anyone. Would I read book 2? No. I’d tell you to grab a different one.
How about you, have you read the book? What are your thoughts?
Thank you for reading!
I have tried reading several new adult novels in the past and I’ve liked a lot of them but after reading this one, I doubt if I would dive for another of the same genre very soon. I really did not enjoy this book. I struggled to finish it and almost DNFed it but fought the urge because I really wanted to write a review for an ARC this year.
The way this was written was so confusing it makes me say ‘Hold on, what is happening now?’ sometimes making me question if passages are missing. One moment they are here, the next, another thing is happening. The rules regarding the All War has so many loopholes. The characters are very questionable with very little mention of the others and the scenes other than the sex parts are not explained well, hence making the reader confused at times. The character development was really bad. For example, Knox kidnapped Vale out of pure lust and even though Vale has mentioned constantly that she loves her sister, still, Knox doesn’t care if Nola dies or not. But even though that sounded really bad, I hate Vale the most. She’s confusing. She said that she doesn’t want anything to do with Knox and that she’d do whatever it is to win the All War and then the next she wants him to take his pants off and jump her. There’s 400 plus pages in this book and 90% of it is about Vale and Knox’s desperate need to alleviate the heat they feel in their groins. I’m not even kidding. Sure i’m up for some hot scenes but this is wayyyyyyy too much. I mean come on, lustful scenes page after page making the plot seem unnecessary.
If you ask me what this book is about, i’d say: Horny girl meets equally horny immortal guy from another realm who is currently fighting a battle with other immortals. Girl becomes immortal and grows more lusty.
In all honesty, I wouldn’t suggest this book to anyone. Would I read book 2? No. I’d tell you to grab a different one.
How about you, have you read the book? What are your thoughts?
Thank you for reading!
kaydanielsromance's review against another edition
5.0
From the start I was loving the new world Showalter created. The old-world/sci-fi boy that meets today's millennial girl is a fantastic mashup that I just plain loved.
As the first in new series, Shadow and Ice, this book had me hooked right from the beginning. It's been awhile since I've read a Showalter novel and I forgot how much I love her writing. The passion mixed with just the right amount of humor is always spot on. I can hardly wait for more Gods of War.
Knox of Iviland, The God of Darkness - and no that doesn't mean he's Satan - his literal power is over shadows and darkness - although with his cold personality and icy way he treats his enemies some might consider him similar to the Lord of the Underworld. Shadow and Ice is a book filled with war and blood, but it is also filled with lots of humor, it's a wonderful balance. Given Knox's name - there are lots of adorable (p.s. he hates that word) opportunities to sex up his name that he doesn't understand. He's a man who is centuries years old and all the euphemisms and slangs of the twenty-first century don't easily translate to a God of his time.
"Vale" Valerina London is just your ordinary girl out on vacation with her sister, Nola. Sure they might have been abandoned by their guide and left to potentially freeze to death in the vast tundra of the arctic, but every vacation has its setbacks, right? While venturing out to save their own lives, Vale stumbles upon the Gods who have been trapped in ice for centuries (they were mid-battle when they locked into their icy prisons and it just so happens that they begin to thaw when Vale stumbles upon them.)
"He'd known centuries had passed. He just hadn't realized he'd gone thirteen hundred years without speaking with Ansel."
Knox has more than just the gift of shadows and darkness, he also has a very intuitive insight he calls his eyaer. That insight speaks to him and has saved his life over and over again. The eyaer also tells him that Vale is necessary. As much as Knox does not want the complication of a woman in his life, he picks up the mortal - against her will mind you - and brings her with him as he escapes his icy prison. Knox has always worked alone. Alone is good. Alone has always kept him alive. His eyaer better be right or this mortal woman will get him killed before he has a chance to win the war.
"I'm not your friend. If you trust me, even for a moment, you'll regret it."
Vale isn't keen on being kidnapped, even though it saves her from dying in the freezing tundra. She is ripped away from her sister, Nola, and that weighs on her mind throughout the entire story. Vale is no wallflower and gives as good as she gets. She didn't have an easy life growing up and she isn't willing to just sit around waiting for Knox to ravage her, kill her, or send her home without her sister. She either wants his help, wants to bed him, or just have him go through with his numerous threats already. She doesn't sit patiently overly well. Willing to fight for what she wants may end up getting her killed, but it also may work in her favor when the time is right.
"Considering she'd beheaded a woman, gotten stabbed, been captured and kissed by a murderer only to be kidnapped by other murderers, today's threats were just more of the same. Part of her new normal."
Their push and pull, their give and take, neither trusting the other as neither should because who really trusts any stranger upon meeting them especially a man who calls himself the God of Darkness and a woman who can melt the icy heart of the very god himself?
The war is waging on, who will win?
As the first in new series, Shadow and Ice, this book had me hooked right from the beginning. It's been awhile since I've read a Showalter novel and I forgot how much I love her writing. The passion mixed with just the right amount of humor is always spot on. I can hardly wait for more Gods of War.
Knox of Iviland, The God of Darkness - and no that doesn't mean he's Satan - his literal power is over shadows and darkness - although with his cold personality and icy way he treats his enemies some might consider him similar to the Lord of the Underworld. Shadow and Ice is a book filled with war and blood, but it is also filled with lots of humor, it's a wonderful balance. Given Knox's name - there are lots of adorable (p.s. he hates that word) opportunities to sex up his name that he doesn't understand. He's a man who is centuries years old and all the euphemisms and slangs of the twenty-first century don't easily translate to a God of his time.
"Vale" Valerina London is just your ordinary girl out on vacation with her sister, Nola. Sure they might have been abandoned by their guide and left to potentially freeze to death in the vast tundra of the arctic, but every vacation has its setbacks, right? While venturing out to save their own lives, Vale stumbles upon the Gods who have been trapped in ice for centuries (they were mid-battle when they locked into their icy prisons and it just so happens that they begin to thaw when Vale stumbles upon them.)
"He'd known centuries had passed. He just hadn't realized he'd gone thirteen hundred years without speaking with Ansel."
Knox has more than just the gift of shadows and darkness, he also has a very intuitive insight he calls his eyaer. That insight speaks to him and has saved his life over and over again. The eyaer also tells him that Vale is necessary. As much as Knox does not want the complication of a woman in his life, he picks up the mortal - against her will mind you - and brings her with him as he escapes his icy prison. Knox has always worked alone. Alone is good. Alone has always kept him alive. His eyaer better be right or this mortal woman will get him killed before he has a chance to win the war.
"I'm not your friend. If you trust me, even for a moment, you'll regret it."
Vale isn't keen on being kidnapped, even though it saves her from dying in the freezing tundra. She is ripped away from her sister, Nola, and that weighs on her mind throughout the entire story. Vale is no wallflower and gives as good as she gets. She didn't have an easy life growing up and she isn't willing to just sit around waiting for Knox to ravage her, kill her, or send her home without her sister. She either wants his help, wants to bed him, or just have him go through with his numerous threats already. She doesn't sit patiently overly well. Willing to fight for what she wants may end up getting her killed, but it also may work in her favor when the time is right.
"Considering she'd beheaded a woman, gotten stabbed, been captured and kissed by a murderer only to be kidnapped by other murderers, today's threats were just more of the same. Part of her new normal."
Their push and pull, their give and take, neither trusting the other as neither should because who really trusts any stranger upon meeting them especially a man who calls himself the God of Darkness and a woman who can melt the icy heart of the very god himself?
The war is waging on, who will win?
crochetchrisie's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favourite of Gena Showalter's books, but I am still interested to read the next one when it comes out.
I felt like the characters were pretty well motivated, but it was kind of a weird situation and I never really connected with either of them.
Either way, as always, the 'love' scenes were pretty good. ;)
I felt like the characters were pretty well motivated, but it was kind of a weird situation and I never really connected with either of them.
Either way, as always, the 'love' scenes were pretty good. ;)