Scan barcode
bookloversofantastic's review
5.0
I really wanted to read it and was so happy to finally have it. I had a hard time to start it, but soon after I just couldn’t stop. This story is great, it’s an interesting universe, I’m sad to know that it will be difficult for Gena Showalter to publish others.
Vale is an orphan who only has a foster sister, during a trip in Arctic they found a group of immortal warrior trap in the ice. Knox is an immortal participating into the All Wars, an immortal battle to win the Earth. Despise his wariness, he decided to take Vale as an ally when she’s irrevocably involved in the war.
Fierce characters who fall for each other, there are lot of possible turnaround.
Vale is an orphan who only has a foster sister, during a trip in Arctic they found a group of immortal warrior trap in the ice. Knox is an immortal participating into the All Wars, an immortal battle to win the Earth. Despise his wariness, he decided to take Vale as an ally when she’s irrevocably involved in the war.
Fierce characters who fall for each other, there are lot of possible turnaround.
meagen's review
3.0
This book was okay it was lacking a lot of the humor you get with Showalter's LOTU. I don't know if that was intentional it honestly felt as though it was someone else writing for her. Vale was okay Knox was a little better. All the names of the other characters where so confusing. Union, Bold, and Rush just to name a few. You didn't know if it was a random word in the sentence until you realized it was a combatants name. So little outside character development. I don't know if I'm alone in disliking Knox's power, Shadows? I could get into it until the Cyclone or Vortex tidbit was added. I liked when it kept Vale out of his weapons but lost me after that. Also my heart hurts for Shiloh. Not fair and he's only mentioned a few times after. I've loved a lot of Showalter's writing so I gave the second book a chance. I have to say it's better.
chllybrd's review against another edition
2.0
I could not connect with the story in SHADOW AND ICE.
A lot happened in SHADOW AND ICE, but I was both confused and bored for most of the book. The world was confusing, there was a lot of info dumping—which caused more confusion—and I had to force myself to read until the end. I will admit that I did skim quite a few pages.
The world didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. Details were sparse, but when you did find out information, it didn't really make a lot of sense.
I liked both Knox and Vale as individual characters, but I didn't feel the chemistry between the two. It didn't feel believable. I actually really liked Vale's sister Nola and would have liked to have more of her in the story.
Knowing that Nola's story is next kinda makes me want to read it, but I don't know if I could force myself to read it if it was more of what SHADOW OF ICE brought us.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A lot happened in SHADOW AND ICE, but I was both confused and bored for most of the book. The world was confusing, there was a lot of info dumping—which caused more confusion—and I had to force myself to read until the end. I will admit that I did skim quite a few pages.
The world didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. Details were sparse, but when you did find out information, it didn't really make a lot of sense.
I liked both Knox and Vale as individual characters, but I didn't feel the chemistry between the two. It didn't feel believable. I actually really liked Vale's sister Nola and would have liked to have more of her in the story.
Knowing that Nola's story is next kinda makes me want to read it, but I don't know if I could force myself to read it if it was more of what SHADOW OF ICE brought us.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
thenovellush's review
2.0
Meeeeeeeh. The world seemed kind of haphazardly thrown together and the rules were all over the place. 'We're vikings! No wait, futuristic space vikings! Just kidding, this is actually 1300 years in the past.' It was an attempt at a different take on lore/mythos that already exists by creating Vikings who travel using bifrost and fight in an All War to gain control of Midgard, so sounds a little Thor/Avengers-esque yes?
Sorry, don't get excited. Vikings is actually a general term to mean 'not natives' but I didn't read far enough to see what the natives were called, and the rules of this world seem to shift based on how conveniently a character needs to be or do a thing.
Speaking of characters...
There were so many character issues that drove me crazy that I couldn't even force myself to finish this one. I'm all down for a smutty read and characters being "caught in the moment" so to speak, but Vale was kidnapped but Knox who'd just ruthlessly murdered someone who was trying to help him, in a moment amidst battle that was totally unnecessary, (We figured by now that he was ruthless, this was overkill) and snatched away from her sister who apparently desperately needed the medication that Vale carried or she would go into severe withdrawals, but 2 seconds after Knox refused to take her to her sister even though Vale said that it was basically life or death, along with threatening her every other breath, her entire inner monologue amounts to: "Dooooo meeeeeeee! *pants*"
There was no chemistry whatsoever, and well before Knox showed a single 'maybe he's not actually an ax murderer' redeeming quality, she was like a cat in heat.
She also waxes on and on about how she prayed for and dreamed of being needed by a male. Gag. Not a person's head I want to be stuck in for 400+ pages.
Knox, for his part, was all the bad parts of a hate to love trope. He didn't care if her sister lived or died, no matter if he was attracted to Vale or not, and that's just not one of those things that someone so adamant about taking care of her sibling would overlook because he's hot. NOTHING about his personality warranted the rampant cornball cat in heat behavior of the 'heroine', but no worries, we'll fix that! She accidentally killed a several centuries old warrior and inherited not only her status in an interplanetary war (of which that seemed like a random af rule, but okay let's let that slide), but the warrior's pheromones that will now make Knox a Tom Cat to match her inner cornball. Hurrah! -_-
Sorry, don't get excited. Vikings is actually a general term to mean 'not natives' but I didn't read far enough to see what the natives were called, and the rules of this world seem to shift based on how conveniently a character needs to be or do a thing.
Speaking of characters...
There were so many character issues that drove me crazy that I couldn't even force myself to finish this one. I'm all down for a smutty read and characters being "caught in the moment" so to speak, but Vale was kidnapped but Knox who'd just ruthlessly murdered someone who was trying to help him, in a moment amidst battle that was totally unnecessary, (We figured by now that he was ruthless, this was overkill) and snatched away from her sister who apparently desperately needed the medication that Vale carried or she would go into severe withdrawals, but 2 seconds after Knox refused to take her to her sister even though Vale said that it was basically life or death, along with threatening her every other breath, her entire inner monologue amounts to: "Dooooo meeeeeeee! *pants*"
There was no chemistry whatsoever, and well before Knox showed a single 'maybe he's not actually an ax murderer' redeeming quality, she was like a cat in heat.
She also waxes on and on about how she prayed for and dreamed of being needed by a male. Gag. Not a person's head I want to be stuck in for 400+ pages.
Knox, for his part, was all the bad parts of a hate to love trope. He didn't care if her sister lived or died, no matter if he was attracted to Vale or not, and that's just not one of those things that someone so adamant about taking care of her sibling would overlook because he's hot. NOTHING about his personality warranted the rampant cornball cat in heat behavior of the 'heroine', but no worries, we'll fix that! She accidentally killed a several centuries old warrior and inherited not only her status in an interplanetary war (of which that seemed like a random af rule, but okay let's let that slide), but the warrior's pheromones that will now make Knox a Tom Cat to match her inner cornball. Hurrah! -_-
lovehina154's review
2.0
I hate giving gena that rating. I love her and her books. But not this series. It took me a long time to read the book. So many things about it that I disliked. The fact that she killed off three characters I would have loved to get to know better made me upset. I don't think I can bring myself to read the next book and continue the series. The characters sucked too. Val was so lame. I yawned. I will try to continue the series for the character guide but it may be excruciating.
somewherelostinbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Gena Showalter has always been gifted in creating paranormal worlds combined with a modern setting. Her new Gods of War series has a very similar feel to Lords of the Underworld series. The immortals were larger than life and locked in a centuries long battle with the victor claiming Earth. The heroine, Vale, accidentally unlocks the immortal warriors from their frozen cage and gets pulled into the middle of this battle. She and one of the warriors, Knox, are forced to depend on each other as she navigates the War and he learns about the modern world. It took me a while to warm up to Knox and Vale as a couple. Their relationship grew through the trials of the war but it took them a long time to trust each other. I think this book suffered from first book series as Gena tried to set up a new world and introduce new characters. But at the same time, it felt very similar to Lords of the Underworld and I kept expecting William the Ever Randy to show up. I'm still looking forward to the next book and I'm hopefully Gena will sort out the kinks of this new world.
nicolelynnreads's review
5.0
RTC but really liked this one. It had an awesome concept that I hadn’t really read before. Well written & developed characters. Interested to read the next in the series and see what happens next.
terri_1974's review against another edition
5.0
Gena has done it again!
KNOX! BANE! ZION! how does Gena write such damaged yet sexy warriors again and again?
I don't know but I love that she does!
Please do not make us wait long for book 2!!
KNOX! BANE! ZION! how does Gena write such damaged yet sexy warriors again and again?
I don't know but I love that she does!
Please do not make us wait long for book 2!!
thatbooknerd__'s review against another edition
4.0
This is first book by Gena Showalter I have read and it wont be my last. She has a way with words, a way that slowly draws you into the story then gets hooked.
I do have to say that it took me ages to get into the story because of it being a new series, with a brand new world, so there was a lot of world building going on. But once I got past it I has hooked.
After finishing the book I was still slightly confused with some of the characters. I got who most of them were and their abilities but some of the distant ones confused me. But hopefully that will become clearer with the ongoing books.
I have to say I LOVED Knox, he's all alpha, sexy god. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
I also loved Vale, she's the kind of female characters I love to read about. She's strong and over comes everything that comes her way. She was also really funny, with her witty comebacks. I loved their chemistry and not just the sexual chemistry. They clicked on more then a sexual level, the were able to joke with each other as well, well when they weren't at each others throats lol I lived for their interactions and I really enjoyed their fighting scenes together.
The story kept me on the edge of my seat for the most part and I loved where the author was taking it. There were some twists and turns thrown in.
I can't wait for more of this series!
I do have to say that it took me ages to get into the story because of it being a new series, with a brand new world, so there was a lot of world building going on. But once I got past it I has hooked.
After finishing the book I was still slightly confused with some of the characters. I got who most of them were and their abilities but some of the distant ones confused me. But hopefully that will become clearer with the ongoing books.
I have to say I LOVED Knox, he's all alpha, sexy god. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
I also loved Vale, she's the kind of female characters I love to read about. She's strong and over comes everything that comes her way. She was also really funny, with her witty comebacks. I loved their chemistry and not just the sexual chemistry. They clicked on more then a sexual level, the were able to joke with each other as well, well when they weren't at each others throats lol I lived for their interactions and I really enjoyed their fighting scenes together.
The story kept me on the edge of my seat for the most part and I loved where the author was taking it. There were some twists and turns thrown in.
I can't wait for more of this series!