FALLING BLIND by Shannon K. Butcher

The Sentinel Wars #7

Signet Novel, April 2013

paperback

Obtained via:  publisher

ISBN: 978-0-451-23972-3

Romantic Suspense

 

Warriors, demon lords and romance?  Shannon Butcher manages it easily in her latest romantic suspense, FALLING BLIND.

Rory has been having visions for most of her life.  Keeping them secret has not been easy.  They cause her to go blind, seeing only what the vision wants her to see, while she is experiencing them.  When she is attacked by a pack of what she comes to learn are Synestryn, Cain, a Sentinel who protects mankind from the Synestryn, comes to her aid.  As a Theronai with compatible powers to him, Rory has the ability to save his life by mating with him.  As his life’s journey is quickly coming to an end, he is more than shocked when he realizes Rory is a Theronai match for him.  But he is also afraid of having hope and having it crushed as he was once before.  With a demon lord fast on their tails, Cain must keep the stubborn Rory safe while she continues to attempt to find the miracle that will keep her visions at bay.

FALLING BLIND is the seventh book in Shannon K. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars books.  Though this reader has heard that the books need to be read in order to fully appreciate them, this reader did not find that to be the case.  Ms. Butcher is a talented writer who is able to set the scene and fill in the background well enough that I wasn’t left wondering who was who and why they were showing up.  The world building, in which three races of ancient guardian Sentinels battle to keep the Synestryn and demons from causing trouble among mankind, is well developed and leaves the stage open for many future books in the series.  The story moves at a nice clip, easily capturing readers’ interest.

The only real negative that this reader encountered was Rory, the heroine.  Her main focus is searching for something to make her visions more manageable; completely understandable.  However, as soon as she touches Cain, she gets immediate and total relief from the visions.  And yet she doesn’t seem to realize, even at the end of the book, that he is the answer to all her problems.  She comes across as selfish and abrasive.  Even after she realizes Cain could die without her, she was constantly trying to get rid of him.  This reader thinks that most women who find a strong, sexy warrior who is the answer to all her problems offering to worship her for eternity, would probably want to see where their relationship would lead them.  On the other hand, Cain was all that and a bag of chips.  He refuses to give up on Rory and is ready to give up his life for her happiness.

Shannon K. Butcher’s FALLING BLIND was as powerful and engaging as it was magical and this reader thoroughly enjoyed it.  What will this talented author come up with next?

Reviewed by T. Barringer

tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."

 

BLOOD HUNT by Shannon K. Butcher

Sentinel Wars #5
Publisher: Signet Books
Date Published: August 2011
ISBN 9780451234292
Urban Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Tammy
Obtained via publisher


The fifth book in Shannon K. Butcher’s Sentinel Wars series, BLOOD HUNT, is an urban fantasy love story of desperation and the will to survive.

Hope is a woman without a past. Memory loss has had her surviving the last decade of her life knowing only one thing for certain; she has a power that few others possess; the ability to read auras. While searching for a missing friend, Hope stumbles upon a demon attack and ends up saving the life of a Sanguinar demon fighter, Logan, by allowing him to drink her blood. And with this act of kindness, Hope is brought to the attention of an evil and powerful Synestryn lord and into the middle of the Sentinel Wars.

This reader picked up BLOOD HUNT mid-series, but found that enough background was given throughout the book that reading the books in order was not necessary. The Sentinel Wars takes place around four warring groups of ancients: the Theronai, the Sanguinar, the Slayers and the demonic Synestryns. The Sanguinar, of which the hero in this story is one, drinks blood for survival and are searching for humans whose blood is powerful enough to rebuild their strength. Their enemies, the Synestryn, see humans as food and are intent on taking over planet Earth.

BLOOD HUNT is an intricately woven urban fantasy of warring races. Hope doesn’t remember her past, so she has no idea why her blood is desired so much by both the Sanguinar and the Synestryns. What she does know is that she has a strong connection with Logan, the Sanguinar whose life she has saved. Logan is extremely determined to save his race by finding human women who can pair with Theronai warriors and birth children to save both their races. Hope’s blood is incredibly energizing for Logan and when they realize Krag, a demon lord, is also vying for Hope’s blood, his attraction to her has him wanting to keep her safe for more than one reason even though he knows he will have to give her up if his race is to survive.

Shannon K. Butcher’s world-building is intriguing and well done. BLOOD HUNT is fast paced and exciting. The characters are multidimensional and complex. While the main story is the building romance of Hope and Logan, there are many side stories taking place at the same time. The only thing this reader really didn’t care for in this book was the ending. While readers will spend the entire story trying to imagine how Butcher will find a happy ending for Hope and Logan among impossible odds, the book seems to end abruptly with a happy ending that appears out of no where and seems a bit pat.

All in all, Shannon Butcher’s BLOOD HUNT, delivers an urban fantasy that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy. This reader looks forward to reading the other books in this series.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

LIVING ON THE EDGE by Shannon K. Butcher

An Edge Novel, Book 1
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: March 1st, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-451-23274-8
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Lucas Ramsay is asked by a general to stop his daughter from getting on a plane, he thinks it’s an easy job to do. What is the worst that could happen? How about the woman he is supposed to stop getting by him? Lucas is determined to finish this job but he never anticipates the sparks that fly between him and Sloane or that there is more than what he was told by Sloane’s father.

Sloane is determined to save her best friend from the clutches of a deadly drug lord yet she can’t help but appreciate the way Lucas handles himself after he catches up with her. Rankled that her father is trying to pull her strings, she is just as determined to prove him wrong. Until what she thought would be a simple job turns deadly and mysterious. Sloane has to decide-can she forgive her father and let Lucas help her while dodging bullets?

I love Shannon K. Butcher’s Sentinel books and saw she had new contemporary action series coming, I was over the moon. Ms. Butcher delivers a fast paced, sexy story that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The writing is tight, storyline moves at a nice pace and the characters are well written. Ms. Butcher is a talented writer who definitely knows how to keep her readers clamoring for more.

Meet Sloane Gideon. She is a kick-ass woman who knows how to get the job done. What she doesn’t anticipate is the frantic call from her childhood best friend or the fact her father is determined to save her from what she has no idea. Add in sexy Lucas, who is determined to take her back to her father, why has life just got even more complicated? I enjoyed Sloane a lot. She was independent, fiery and determined. This is everything that I love in a heroine in a story. She didn’t need saving or have the man be her hero. What really had me was how complex she was. She had major daddy issues that she was dealing with and there was a mystery that gradually came out in pieces about why these deadly bad guys wanted these specific people. Lucas is hot, sexy and an alpha hero I learned to love. By the end of the book, I was rooting for these two strong willed people to listen to their hearts and admit what they felt for one another. The secondary cast of characters kept the story flowing nicely and I was intrigued by all the players introduced here.

The one thing I had an issue with was the mystery of “The List”. Ms. Butcher kept it vague and hinted at something that had me wondering if this was going to play in the rest of the series books. If so, I am hoping it doesn’t drag on too long. Otherwise, LIVING ON THE EDGE was fun, action packed adventure that left me eager for the next book. If you are looking for a story that will knock you flat on your butt, eager for more, then try Ms. Butcher’s newest romantic suspense story, LIVING ON THE EDGE and get caught up in a world of mercenaries, messy relationships and mysteries.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

ON THE HUNT by Gena Showalter, Shannon K. Butcher, Jessica Andersen, Diedre Knight

Publisher: Penguin Signet
Date published: February 2011
ISBN: 978 0451232434
Paranormal Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Pam
Obtained via publisher


ON THE HUNT is an interesting mix of paranormal tales from some great writers, with minds that think outside the box, it’s an interesting read if you enjoy paranormal tales although these tales only give a glimpse into their characters lives. The ideas all add up well, but for me I wanted to read more about them and learn more about their lives. Writing short stories isn’t easy, so now I hope these talented authors write novellas or novels so readers can learn what happens to the other characters.

EVER NIGHT: takes the reader into an alternate world, where most humans are killed on sight. Ruled by a ruthless warrior king, who seems to know when travelers will arrive in his realm, many are slaughtered. Rose Pascal, for some obscure reason survives her visits and the king has begun to cherish them as his passion for her grows.

This dark world tale is really different with some strange warriors who love to kill. The hero and heroine have a passion for each other, but are afraid to commit. The heroine always has the feeling she wants to stay, but is afraid, but the king also wants her, so when they get together its’ fireworks. The tale is a page turner as I was always waiting for the bad guys to eat her. If you like your reading dark this is ideal.

THE COLLECTOR: Viviana Rowan is a beautiful woman who finds herself in danger after purchasing an ancient artifact, when demons stalk her and kill her friend. Demon hunter, Neal Etan has come to purchase one of her artifacts, but finds himself rescuing Viviana. After she touches him, he finds she strengthens his magical abilities. Now he must keep her safe, as she may mean more to him than he thought.

This is a story with a totally different tale to tell the reader, with demons skulking about. The hero is dealing with pain and trust issues, but is attracted to the heroine in many ways. The bad guys were monsters with very large claws, and they find themselves fighting for their lives. A very dark paranormal with a magic that keeps the reader wondering what else could possibly happen next.

CRYSTAL SKULL: Deep in the jungle Natalie Albright is searching for relics, but soon after she finds a carved skull her dig is shut down, because she has awakened the underworld demons. After teaming up with her ex, together, despite his wishes they fight the ancient menace with the help of the villagers. Not sure of each other, they have to decide if being together is their destiny, or should she find another place.

This gory tale has a lot of suspense plus an interesting theme, because deep in the jungle, well hidden from human eyes are creatures none wish to meet.
I really enjoyed the spooky jungle as the characters were described so well. This is a tale with a difference as a village full of superstitious people tries to stop archeologists from staying on a dig. The strange carved skull is an eye opening character in this story, as a fight to keep them all safe begins.

RED ANGEL: Jamie Angel is the leader of the Nightshades, a group who track and kill any kind of monster. When his friends come for Thanksgiving, he’s puzzled by Sunny, a woman he’s sure is a demon, although he’s never met one like her. The more he’s around her, the deeper he feels himself trapped. Now he has to work out who and what she is, before he falls for her and loses himself completely. Oh, to have a gorgeous hero like this one chasing after you. He’s a romantic under the smoldering smile.

Well this hero is most girls dream man, with smiles and innuendo during the day and hunting baddies at night. The heroine isn’t sure she can be with him as a heavenly messenger has already had a fit of temper. This is a tale with yet another interesting mix of characters. Well when was the last time you sat down to a meal with hunters, vampires and angels? A tale to remember with a hot Angel on the hunt of the woman he loves.

ON THE HUNT will make it hard to look in dark corners. All these tales are worth reading if you’d like to meet some unusual characters and the creatures they hunt and kill to keep the worlds safe. The writing and editing was well done, with page turning, hot sex scenes which left this reviewer wanting more. The settings were well done and don’t leave the reader wondering where they are. The demons were an interesting group of species, especially the Demon bats with their odd physiology and use of human parts

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

Welcome to Shannon K. Butcher's guest blog

Welcome Ms. Shannon K. Butcher to Love Romances and More, thank you for
joining us.

Thanks for inviting me. I'm happy to be here.

Did you always want to become a writer?

No. I always wanted to be an engineer, and that's what I did. It was only after I left engineering that I decided writing would be a cool second career. I've never regretted that decision.

What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

The most interesting part to me is developing the worlds and characters. I love spending hours breathing life into imaginary people and places, then throwing them together to see what kinds of character-driven stories develop.

My least favorite part is revisions. My engineering background taught me to strive to do things right the first time, because you might not get a second chance. Redoing work I've already done is always hard on me, but necessary.

How did you celebrate your first release? What was it like to see your book
in a bookstore? Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book
release?

We went to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants to celebrate, which, although not exciting, is a great excuse to get out--one I use every chance I get.

Seeing my book in the store was completely surreal. In fact, most of the time, it still doesn't feel real. Maybe one of these days...

How did your family react to fact that you also write romance novels? Have
your family read your books?

Sure, they read my books. Even my dad does. Only my son stays away, which works for me--he's still too young. :) My family is totally cool with my job, and although they may not always enjoy all of the subject matter, they're proud and supportive of me.

Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who
are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

It seems like everything I experience influences my writing: books, TV, music, the people around me. I love to read, though I don't get nearly as much time now as I used to. I stick mostly to romances, but vary the kind I read. Some of my favorite authors right now are Suzanne Brockmann, J. R. Ward, Lori Foster and Lora Leigh, though that's just a few.


Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your
characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over
a part of your life? Can you name an example? Do you have living role
models for your characters?

I'm a fairly pragmatic writer, so I don't find that the characters take over in any way. I have a path I want them to follow in the hopes that it'll create the best story I'm capable of writing. Occasionally, a better idea will pop in my head and I'll go with it, but in general, I keep a pretty tight hold on the reins of the story.

As far as a character taking over part of my life...the only thing that even came close was when my research into serial killers led me to buy a gun and learn how to use it, because it opened up my eyes to how much real evil is in the world.

Bits and pieces of my characters come from real people, but I'm more likely to use quirks from real people rather than basing an entire personality of a character on someone.

Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Inspiration strikes me mostly when I'm listening to music (especially while driving) or in the shower. I think that's when my brain takes all the little bits and pieces I've read, seen or been thinking about and mashes them together into a single coherent idea. I'm not really thinking about anything, so things tend to flow better.

You have written very successful Romantic suspense and now your first
Paranormal romance will be released, what made you decide to try out
another genre and will you still continue to write Romantic suspense?

I grew up reading fantasy and sci-fi books, so paranormal romance was a natural fit for me. In fact several of my first awful attempts at writing were paranormals. It just so happened that the first book I wrote that was good enough to let someone look at turned out to be a suspense, which I also love.

I hope to continue to write in both genres. In this business, there are no guarantees, but I definitely plan to do what I can to make it happen.

Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

I used to. In fact, my writing speed would be cut in half or worse when I hit the hot spots, but I guess I've written enough of them now that they don't faze me nearly as much as they used to. I’m sure I'll still hit times where that kind of writing is hard (you definitely have to be in the right frame of mind to write a love scene--not worrying about the grocery shopping or having a herd of kids stomping through the house), but so far so good.

What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who
are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

My favorite suspense is NO CONTROL, and I love Caleb, because he's kind, patient and sexy as hell. My favorite paranormal is the second book from The Sentinel Wars, FINDING THE LOST, which comes out in January 2010. It's no coincidence that my favorite heroine is also from that book.

Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

NO CONTROL was the easiest book I've ever written. It just fell out of me in about 23 days, if I remember right. The hardest has probably been my October 2009 release, LOVE YOU TO DEATH. It was some of the creepiest stuff I've ever written and actually gave me nightmares.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it
be and why?

No way. Huh uh. I'd never want to go through the torture I inflict on my characters! Not in a million years. :)

Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?


I need silence when I write, so no music for me during the actual work. I do use music when brainstorming, though. It can vary from the emotional music of soundtracks, to my standard fare of alternative rock, or anything in between.

Congrats to your newest release, Burning Alive, can you tell us something
about your new book and the Sentinel Wars series.


Thanks! I'm really excited about the book coming out. It's been a long wait!

The story revolves around Helen, who has been haunted by visions of her own death for as long as she can remember. She burns alive while a dark man watches her, smiling. When that man, Drake, comes into her life, she knows her days are numbered and her vision is real. She tries to run, but doesn’t get far. Instead, she stumbles upon a hidden world of magic and monsters. Without her help, an entire race of ancient warriors may be destroyed, and if they are, the human race will not be far behind.

It's loosely based on druidic magic (very loosely) with a spin on some old favorite paranormal creatures I hope folks will enjoy.

Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about
these projects?

I'm working on a new romantic suspense series, but it's too early to talk about it yet. The whole thing isn't quite done cooking in my head, so I'll have to wait to go public. :) What I can tell you is that I've created a cast of characters who I'm dying to bring to life and torture mercilessly.

Thanks so much for having me. It's been fun!

NO CONTROL by Shannon K. Butcher

Publisher Grand Central Publishing
Date published February 2008
ISBN 0-446-61866-7
Romantic Suspense
Mass market paperback
Reviewed by Shaiha



Lana Hancock is a survivor. Eighteen months ago, she had been captured by a terrorist group and tortured. Still tortured by the memories, Lana is moving on with her life and has started a foundation, First Light, to help out children. But her past may be catching up with her as the terrorists are convinced that she has information on them and they don’t want it getting out.

Caleb Stone has been sent to protect Lana from the terrorists and to find out just what she knows. Now getting her to trust him is going to be a real trick because while Caleb did end up saving Lana in the end, he first had to watch her being tortured as to not blow his cover.

Taut with tension from the very beginning, NO CONTROL by Shannon K. Butcher is a top notch romantic suspense. Lana is a very strong woman who has learned to live with what happened to her eighteen months ago and just want to put it all behind her. However her foundation, First Light has gotten her name in print and now her name is starting to pop up in the wrong circles. Caleb has been sent to protect her, however Lana doesn’t want his protection and refuses to give him the information that he needs to keep her alive. Both of these characters are richly drawn and ones readers will find it remarkably easy to empathize with. This reader wanted to just shake Lana when she wouldn’t trust poor Caleb to keep her and her family safe. Ms. Butcher also introduces other members of Caleb’s team who deserve their own books.

This reviewer recommends NO CONTROL to any reader who enjoys romantic suspense as this is one satisfying read. In fact, Ms. Butcher has earned her way onto this reviewer’s selections of authors to be watched for.