Book Review: Shadow Bound - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

Media Type: Ebook

Title: Shadow Bound

Author: Erin Kellison
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company, Inc.
Pages: Mass Market Paperback; 336

Release Date: July 1, 2010
Source: Barnes & Noble Free Book Fridays

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Genre: Paranormal Romance

HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers looking for a good paranormal book with fabulous characters.

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

Death
Some people will do anything to avoid it. Even trade their immortal souls for endless existence.

Wraiths
Secretly, inexorably, they are infiltrating our world, sucking the essence out of unsuspecting victims with their hideous parody of a kiss.

Segue
Adam Thorne founded the Institute to study and destroy his monster of a brother, but the key to its success is held in the pale, slender hand of a woman on the run. There is something hauntingly different about Talia O’Brien, her unknowing sensuality, her uncanny way of slipping into Shadow.

Twilight
This is the place between life and what comes after – a dark forest of fantasy, filled with beauty, peril, mystery. And Talia is about to open the door.

Shadow Bound is Erin Kellison’s debut novel, and I must admit that it’s quite the stunning debut! In a genre that is quickly becoming filled with vampires and werewolves, Kellison was able to create a completely different world. The concept may have been done before, but the sheer brilliance of the story line makes this book stand out from anything else I’ve read this year. Shadow Bound is fast-paced, engrossing, and the characters are extremely well-developed and true to life. My Nook did not leave my lap the entire day my friends. I read this one straight on through!

Adam Thorne is our hero, and his description led me to believe that he is quite the looker! The reader quickly discovers that Adam has poured his inherited life savings into The Segue Institute in an effort to study the wraith behavior. Able to steal a person’s soul by “kissing” them, these wraiths are nigh unstoppable. Adam is driven by a deep vengeance, vowing to unlock the secrets of the wraith and kill the monstrosity that is his brother by any means possible. I quickly fell in love with Adam and his quest. He is the perfect example of how the darkness inside us can keep us from realizing what we really want.

Talia O’Brien, our female protagonist, is another mystery that Adam must solve. He believes her to be the key to his so far fruitless quest, but only if he can get his feelings for her under control. (Enter portions of book I warned about above!) As a character, Talia really caught my attention. Although she begins the book a bit rough around the edges, she quickly harnesses her energy into creating a better person. She learns to control her fear, and use it to her benefit. Watching Talia change and handle what was thrown her way was probably my favorite part of the story.

Speaking of the story line, Kellison shows her expertise at blending the supernatural with a thriller. The result is a book that will have you emotionally torn and on the edge of your seat! I was most impressed by the slow buildup of the characters and their personalities. Even the romance between Adam and Talia was believable, despite the speed at which it had to develop. The action in the story dictates that these two have very little time to get to know one another. Still, I was amazed at how invested I was in Adam and Talia’s struggle, and I wouldn’t have had their relationship any other way!

Overall, Shadow Bound is a well written and admittedly refreshing read in such an oversaturated genre. I’d recommend it 100% to lovers of both the paranormal and thrillers. I’m eager to throw myself wholeheartedly back into Adam and Talia’s world and see where they take me. The ending leaves so much possibility for the second book that I simply cannot wait to get my hands on a copy!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.

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