berls's review
5.0
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
My Initial Reaction…
I picked Bitter Night as an Amazon Freebie, along with books #2 and #3 in the series, on a whim a while back. They sounded good enough and I can’t seem to resist free books. I’m so glad I couldn’t resist it, because this is the start to what has become one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series. It is unique, exciting, sexy, and full of action. What more could you ask for?
The Characters…
Besides the incredible world Francis created, Max is the main reason I adore this book. Max is the Shadowblade Prime in Giselle’s coven. A Shadowblade is a human turned into a supernatural creature with a sole purpose, defending the witch she was created to serve; for Max that’s Giselle. Except Max has other ideas – she is not thrilled about her supernatural strength, healing, or youth, since it came with forced service to Giselle, whom she had thought was her friend. Her anger boils below the surface constantly, adding another layer of complexity to her character. But despite her desire to kill Giselle, she’s great at what she does – so great that she’s Prime, leader of Giselle’s Shadowbladewarriors. It’s no accident that she’s the Prime; Max is one tough cookie!! She can handle ridiculous amounts of pain, all while kicking some serious ass. But she’s so much more than a fighting machine. Max is a warrior – in the old fashioned sense; she has honor and is protective of her people. She inspires loyalty to an amazing degree in all who surround her and you can’t help but love her, despite the solid wall she builds up around her. I loved getting to know Max and can’t wait to watch her grow throughout the series.
We’re also taken into the mind of Alexander, another Shadowblade Prime. He was as complex as Max, but in an entirely different way. For one, he’s much older having lived at least 100 years. Unlike Max, he willingly became a Shadowblade, but it hasn’t worked out too well for him either. He’s the balance to Max’s anger though – Alexander is resigned, playing the part of the tragic hero a bit. He too, though, is incredibly loyal and strong, but in different ways. His emotional struggle is no less than Max’s, yet so very different once again. They were the perfect balance to each other and I loved watching their cautious dance, as two of the world’s strongest predators sizing each other up all the while feeling an intense attraction to each other.
I loved the supporting characters as well. I suspect we’ll get to know them better in later books, but already they are exciting and well-written. They each have their distinct roles in this odd sort of family Giselle has put together and I can’t wait to see more of each of them.
The Story…
This book seems to be the start of a refreshing, exciting, and fun series. Admittedly it took me a little bit to get into the first few chapters, but once I started to understand the supernatural world Francis has created, I was hooked. Unlike so many of the fantasy books out there, this book does not depend on vampires, werewolves or the like (not that I don’t like those traditional characters, but this is so refreshingly different). You have witches, so it’s not all different, but the key players are Shadowblades and Sunspears. Both are created by the head coven Witch (in this case Giselle) to have certain abilities to protect him/her. The Shadowblades are restricted to the night, as sunlight will kill them. The Sunspears are the opposite – the shade will kill them. Two groups of warriors, built with one purpose and yet still holding on to pieces of their humanity, makes for one interesting makeshift family.
These supernatural groups exist all over the world, without humans knowing any better. This delicate balance is off though, as magic dwindles on the earth, and the Guardians aren’t happy about it. When the guardians act though, they threaten the safety of Max’s home, her Shadowblades, and Giselle, and Max is forced to decide make difficult decisions about who she can trust, what she wants, and what matters most.
Concluding Sentiments…
This one isn’t for the squeemish reader – the action is intense and very graphic – but if that doesn’t bother you, this is a must read. The world-building takes a little time to wrap your head around, but when you do, it will blow your mind. Urban Fantasy at its finest!
My Initial Reaction…
I picked Bitter Night as an Amazon Freebie, along with books #2 and #3 in the series, on a whim a while back. They sounded good enough and I can’t seem to resist free books. I’m so glad I couldn’t resist it, because this is the start to what has become one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series. It is unique, exciting, sexy, and full of action. What more could you ask for?
The Characters…
Besides the incredible world Francis created, Max is the main reason I adore this book. Max is the Shadowblade Prime in Giselle’s coven. A Shadowblade is a human turned into a supernatural creature with a sole purpose, defending the witch she was created to serve; for Max that’s Giselle. Except Max has other ideas – she is not thrilled about her supernatural strength, healing, or youth, since it came with forced service to Giselle, whom she had thought was her friend. Her anger boils below the surface constantly, adding another layer of complexity to her character. But despite her desire to kill Giselle, she’s great at what she does – so great that she’s Prime, leader of Giselle’s Shadowbladewarriors. It’s no accident that she’s the Prime; Max is one tough cookie!! She can handle ridiculous amounts of pain, all while kicking some serious ass. But she’s so much more than a fighting machine. Max is a warrior – in the old fashioned sense; she has honor and is protective of her people. She inspires loyalty to an amazing degree in all who surround her and you can’t help but love her, despite the solid wall she builds up around her. I loved getting to know Max and can’t wait to watch her grow throughout the series.
We’re also taken into the mind of Alexander, another Shadowblade Prime. He was as complex as Max, but in an entirely different way. For one, he’s much older having lived at least 100 years. Unlike Max, he willingly became a Shadowblade, but it hasn’t worked out too well for him either. He’s the balance to Max’s anger though – Alexander is resigned, playing the part of the tragic hero a bit. He too, though, is incredibly loyal and strong, but in different ways. His emotional struggle is no less than Max’s, yet so very different once again. They were the perfect balance to each other and I loved watching their cautious dance, as two of the world’s strongest predators sizing each other up all the while feeling an intense attraction to each other.
I loved the supporting characters as well. I suspect we’ll get to know them better in later books, but already they are exciting and well-written. They each have their distinct roles in this odd sort of family Giselle has put together and I can’t wait to see more of each of them.
The Story…
This book seems to be the start of a refreshing, exciting, and fun series. Admittedly it took me a little bit to get into the first few chapters, but once I started to understand the supernatural world Francis has created, I was hooked. Unlike so many of the fantasy books out there, this book does not depend on vampires, werewolves or the like (not that I don’t like those traditional characters, but this is so refreshingly different). You have witches, so it’s not all different, but the key players are Shadowblades and Sunspears. Both are created by the head coven Witch (in this case Giselle) to have certain abilities to protect him/her. The Shadowblades are restricted to the night, as sunlight will kill them. The Sunspears are the opposite – the shade will kill them. Two groups of warriors, built with one purpose and yet still holding on to pieces of their humanity, makes for one interesting makeshift family.
These supernatural groups exist all over the world, without humans knowing any better. This delicate balance is off though, as magic dwindles on the earth, and the Guardians aren’t happy about it. When the guardians act though, they threaten the safety of Max’s home, her Shadowblades, and Giselle, and Max is forced to decide make difficult decisions about who she can trust, what she wants, and what matters most.
Concluding Sentiments…
This one isn’t for the squeemish reader – the action is intense and very graphic – but if that doesn’t bother you, this is a must read. The world-building takes a little time to wrap your head around, but when you do, it will blow your mind. Urban Fantasy at its finest!
alice2000's review
4.0
This is the first urban fantasy I've picked up in a while and I really enjoyed it - looks like the series is finished and Libby has them all!
jonetta's review
4.0
Max was transformed into an extraordinary warrior by a witch named Giselle over thirty years ago. Because she's bound by Giselle's spell, Max must fight as her Prime ShadowBlade and protect her at all costs. She's really good at what she does but her bitterness and hatred of Giselle lives within her all the while she's fighting on her behalf.
The story begins when Max is dispatched by Giselle to another witch's territory to find out what was amiss. Max is seen by the witch's Prime ShadowBlade, Alexander, and Giselle is challenged as a result, pitting the two Primes in a lethal match. All the while, it is clear that something even more lethal is underway, possibly being perpetrated by the ancient Guardians, and it will take unknown and extraordinary measures for the world as they know it to survive.
I struggled with the beginning of this book (about the first 70 pages) as it was filled with quite a bit of repetition of Max's bitterness towards Giselle. While it probably could have been handled better, it did do its job in preparing me for what comes later in the story. The world created here is one of the more diverse and creative I've read in quite some time. Life isn't easy for anyone and tensions seem to be a high as part of the norm. The romantic tension between Max and Alexander is also interesting as Francis used a technique that allowed some scenes to be replayed from both of their perspectives. The end of the story couldn't be more exciting as the weight of the situation is placed squarely on Max's shoulders and she delivers.
I'm glad I stuck with this story and do plan to continue. This is urban fantasy at its finest.
The story begins when Max is dispatched by Giselle to another witch's territory to find out what was amiss. Max is seen by the witch's Prime ShadowBlade, Alexander, and Giselle is challenged as a result, pitting the two Primes in a lethal match. All the while, it is clear that something even more lethal is underway, possibly being perpetrated by the ancient Guardians, and it will take unknown and extraordinary measures for the world as they know it to survive.
I struggled with the beginning of this book (about the first 70 pages) as it was filled with quite a bit of repetition of Max's bitterness towards Giselle. While it probably could have been handled better, it did do its job in preparing me for what comes later in the story. The world created here is one of the more diverse and creative I've read in quite some time. Life isn't easy for anyone and tensions seem to be a high as part of the norm. The romantic tension between Max and Alexander is also interesting as Francis used a technique that allowed some scenes to be replayed from both of their perspectives. The end of the story couldn't be more exciting as the weight of the situation is placed squarely on Max's shoulders and she delivers.
I'm glad I stuck with this story and do plan to continue. This is urban fantasy at its finest.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Fantastic book with amazing characters! I loved the world, and I can't wait to see where things are going to go from here! I need more! Yeah that there's 3 more books!
traecrochet's review
3.0
Max is a the Prime Shadowblade of the Witch Giselle, that is, her top night warrior. Tricked into sacrificing her life by Giselle, Max wants nothing more than to kill her and end her slavery. However, with a war brewing that can wipe out existence for all of mankind, Max has to put her hatred aside and help Giselle.
To be honest, I found this book to be confusing at first. Diana Pharaoh Francis either throws too much information at you, or not enough. Max was an okay character, but lacked the depth and emotion I would have expected from someone forced into eternal slavery. Alexander, Max's love interest, constantly being leered at by Max, but they lacked sexual tension you so often expect in Urban Fantasy novels. Overall, I've read worse, but I hope this series picks up in the second book.
Also: No steamy love scenes??
To be honest, I found this book to be confusing at first. Diana Pharaoh Francis either throws too much information at you, or not enough. Max was an okay character, but lacked the depth and emotion I would have expected from someone forced into eternal slavery. Alexander, Max's love interest, constantly being leered at by Max, but they lacked sexual tension you so often expect in Urban Fantasy novels. Overall, I've read worse, but I hope this series picks up in the second book.
Also: No steamy love scenes??
rosetyper9's review
5.0
I have lately had an issue with getting into books, it's a weird and inconvenient problem in the book blogging hobby. I started reading this book after dinner last night and continued reading to about 2am today. It was amazing, it was a bit slow to start and there was a part of the plot that I was a bit lost on but everything else was amazing. The dialogue was witty, funny, and full of a few fun pop-culture references. I love the strength of Max's character and the tension between her and Alexander. I love the angels, witches, faerie folk, creatures, spells, magic, etc. I loved it all. There was so much action going on in this book, it is non-stop the whole way through, no joke, there is like 2 pages in the whole book that something is not going on. It was a complete thrill ride, one I will gladly take again when the next book is released, and I can hardly wait to see whats up with Scooter
vailynst's review
3.0
3.5 Stars
The world isn't exactly the way you think it is. There's magic, witches, and warriors that used to be human but changed into something more by magic and sacrifice. One of those warriors is Max. She used to be a normal college girl with a normal life and a broken heart by a normal guy. In a drunken girls' night out, Max made inconsequential affirmation to be something stronger than average and living forever young. In a heartbeat, an eternity of agony or what was really a month of time, Max is changed into a Shadowblade and she has become a supernatural warrior that is forbidden the sun.
The Horngate series is different from what I've read by Diana. The story takes place in the present, the characters are gritty, the plot line harsh and unforgiving. There's some crass language, dark emotions, fierce fighting that pushes the boundaries of possibilities and characters that I'm intrigued to know more about.
It's not a clear cut vision of right and wrong or black and white. I like that. There's human frailty, uncommon strength, and mythological creatures that makes me go, "Awww!" It's true. Sometimes, I really do react like a young girl.
The character building in the book for Max is pretty good. Clear plot line, introduction of several key features & characters, and a taste of violence that is more normal than not. Not really believing in the magical aspects because it's hard to suspend my believe on that but it's not distracting enough to keep me from reading the book.
Overall, this is a promising start to a series and I look forward to where it will go.
The world isn't exactly the way you think it is. There's magic, witches, and warriors that used to be human but changed into something more by magic and sacrifice. One of those warriors is Max. She used to be a normal college girl with a normal life and a broken heart by a normal guy. In a drunken girls' night out, Max made inconsequential affirmation to be something stronger than average and living forever young. In a heartbeat, an eternity of agony or what was really a month of time, Max is changed into a Shadowblade and she has become a supernatural warrior that is forbidden the sun.
The Horngate series is different from what I've read by Diana. The story takes place in the present, the characters are gritty, the plot line harsh and unforgiving. There's some crass language, dark emotions, fierce fighting that pushes the boundaries of possibilities and characters that I'm intrigued to know more about.
It's not a clear cut vision of right and wrong or black and white. I like that. There's human frailty, uncommon strength, and mythological creatures that makes me go, "Awww!" It's true. Sometimes, I really do react like a young girl.
The character building in the book for Max is pretty good. Clear plot line, introduction of several key features & characters, and a taste of violence that is more normal than not. Not really believing in the magical aspects because it's hard to suspend my believe on that but it's not distracting enough to keep me from reading the book.
Overall, this is a promising start to a series and I look forward to where it will go.
samwardhaugh's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Torture
kribu's review
4.0
Oh YES. 4.5 stars, easy. So much wonderful gore and bloodshed and fighting and darkness and it's all awesome shades of grey.
And no love triangles. Some acknowledged lust at first sight, but that I can deal with. And no romance focus - instead it's all awesome world-building (without massive infodumps!) and fighting and hard choices and tough people and magic and toughness coming at a cost.
And no love triangles. Some acknowledged lust at first sight, but that I can deal with. And no romance focus - instead it's all awesome world-building (without massive infodumps!) and fighting and hard choices and tough people and magic and toughness coming at a cost.