ARC Review: Shadow Rising by Kendra Leigh Castle

Shadow Rising
(Book #3 in the Dark Dynasties series)
Amazon | GoodReads | B&N
Author: Kendra Leigh Castle
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: July 31, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1455511641
ISBN-13: 978-1455511648

SUMMARY:

Ancient Secrets, Dark Passions . . .

As one of the Grigori, a noble vampire dynasty shrouded in mystery, Ariane has spent her life hidden away in the desert. Like all of her kind, she is a watcher, fated to

observe, forbidden to act. Yet when her best friend Sammael vanishes, she defies all rules and flees her safe haven to bring him home.

A shape-shifting assassin for the House of Shadows, Damien Tremaine is hired to locate Sammael. His hunt for the wayward Grigori leads him to Ariane, the rogue vamp who stands between him and his bounty. Damien never lets emotion interfere with his work, but a single touch from the sexy, beguiling vampire shatters his self-control. Drawn together by their common goal, they begin an alliance of necessity that soon becomes one of desire. But when the secret at the dark heart of the Grigori comes to light, Damien and Ariane must make a choice that could bind them eternally . . . or tear them-and everything they care about-apart.

MY REVIEW:

Being kept hidden from the outside world, Ariane feels trapped. When Sammael, the only person among her kind who shows her even the slightest bit of affection disappears, Ariane takes it upon herself to flee this isolated place and search for him herself. Damien Tremaine, a cat shifting Shade who  has no intentions of taking on a partner when he is handed a job he cant refuse to go looking for a Grigori named Sammael. But when he runs into the beautiful and irresistible Ariane, he can't not deny the arousal she stirs in him and her request to be partners in search for her missing friend. 

Although I didn't read the first two books to the Dark Dynasties series, I am extremely happy that I decided to go ahead and read Shadow Rising, despite the fact that it went against my OCD self to read a series out of order. My OCD was screaming and kicking at me to put the book down! (or press the big red X in the right hand corner because it was, after all, an eBook) Let's back to the review, shall we? I absolutely loved this book and find my self both loving and loathing the fact that I read this series out of order. There were parts where I thought I was missing something more, something important. But I was still engrossed and couldn't stop myself from turning the page. Ariane is one helluva character. I love her as a heroine. Ariane is so soft yet so damned fierce! The fact that she's so innocent contributes to her overall effect on me as a character. Being locked away for so long didn't tamp down her emotions and her will to live life. Aside from her ethereal beauty, Ariane is trained and well equipped to whoop your ass, to say the least. Damien Tremaine, Damien-freaking-Tremaine. I just want to eat him up! Damien is an amazing character. Thank you Ms. Castle for bringing him into my life! Before Damien meets Ariane, he's just a Cait Sith-Shade who could care less about the women he meets. Friends? Pshh what friends? Damien has secluded himself and the only company he needs is his own. Living the life of a Shade is not the life you bring home to a family.

What I didn't like... Well, I can't say I disliked anything about this book, other then the fact that I didn't read the first two books first. What I loved, was Ariane's character. Despite her being locked away for a really long time, she's kind and caring. And when Damien tries to pick a fight with her and instead of giving him that satisfaction, she opens herself up more to him. Another thing I love... and will always love, is DAMIEN!!! Can I just like... steal him away and lock him away? Haha, prob not eh. He purr's ladies! Purrs!! *sigh's dreamily*

I absolutely loved this book and would most definitely recommend this book! If you love yourself some Paranormal Romance with a haaaawt male that purrs and knows what he's doing... then you need to stop by your local book store (or Amazon) and pick up Dami- I mean Shadow Rising :)

MY RATING: