Review: Crooked Shadows (Whitethorn Agency #2) by M.A. Grant

Everyone has secrets. Especially those who live in the shadows.

Cristian Slava doesn’t fear much. After he was betrayed by the man he called an uncle, leaving upstate New York for the Carpathian Mountains of his childhood is more a matter of practicality than fear. With him is Atlas Kinkaid, a former marine turned fierce bodyguard…and fierce lover, albeit a hell of a complicated one.

Cristian’s cunning is tested by the politics and intrigue of the vampire families of Romania, and the warm welcome he and Atlas were assured of quickly turns to ash as they race to unravel the mystery of an old friend’s disappearance. Searching for the missing vampire draws them into a web of betrayal and half-truths that reaches further than Cristian ever could have imagined, and they uncover a string of grisly murders that bear a striking similarity to the attack that changed Atlas’s life forever.

Stalked by the past and uncertain of the future, Cristian learns he does have something to fear after all…

Losing the man he loves.

Starting immediately after Rare Vigilance ends, our heroes Cristian and Atlas are on the run for their lives determined to find some answers about strange monstrous attacks that have made their way across the ocean to the United States. As they wend themselves throughout Cristian’s birthplace of Romania, the very place that still haunts Atlas’s nightmares from his military past, these two really truly need to get their shit together if they’re going to survive another day.

This time the story is told from Cristian’s POV, lending more insight to the enigmatic character who has seen and suffered much, who has maybe skirted/avoided his responsibilities a lot, but is now ready to do anything to help save himself, his lover, and his father’s empire. As other reviewers have said, this is more steeped in the mystery, trying to find who is hunting fellow vampires, investigating a friend’s mysterious disappearance, and avoiding the brutal machinations of a clan that won’t take no for an answer, all the while landing smack dab in the middle of a decades in the making power grab.

To say the least, this was atmospheric and dark, heavy with paranoia, as Grant further expands on the paranormal world she has created. There’s a very complex plot being woven here that is not quite finished, and the reader is lured by the growing bond between Cristian and Atlas (along with my utter disbelief that bodyguard Atlas’s only weapon is a small silver sword) amongst a compelling setup where enemies are a dime a dozen, true allies are a rarity if at all, and betrayal around every corner should always be expected.

Overall, an intense read with a very appreciated organic plausible growing romance. Some questions were answered, but be forewarned that this ends abruptly on one hell of a cliffhanger! The next book to come will indeed be a very long wait!

Guest Review: Rare Vigilance (Whitethorn Agency #1) by M.A. Grant

Everything has a price. Especially the truth.

From the author of Prince of Air and Darkness comes the first in a thrilling new paranormal series.

Former marine Atlas Kinkaid knows not to ask questions about the clients he protects at the behest of the elite Whitethorn security agency. Just like he doesn’t like anyone asking about his scars—scars left by a mysterious attack that haunts his every waking moment.

Consumed by the need to find out what happened to him, Atlas takes a job providing security to Cristian Slava, the indolent—and gorgeous—son of a notorious businessman. Cristian seems to be just another entitled client, but when nights at the club turn into secret meetings and people start going missing, Atlas realizes there’s more to Cristian—and to protecting him—than meets the eye.

But the same people who are after Cristian have something Atlas desperately craves: they know exactly what happened the fateful night he was attacked—and are willing to tell him everything…

For a price.

Reviewer: Free Dreamer

Now, neither the blurb, nor the cover give any hint that "Rare Vigilance" actually has vampires in it. I read a few reviews before starting the book, so I was prepared. We also have a traumatized MC suffering from PTSD and there's some violence going on, so beware.

I really enjoyed this book. The romance is very slow, just how I like it. For the most part there's just a vibe between the two, but nothing happens. They don't even talk about it for the most part. But still, you can feel the tension rising and when they eventually do act on it, it was totally worth the wait.

With the romance being so slow, there's plenty of other plot left. And that sure isn't slow. It's fast-paced action with some mystery elements. Like I said above, it does get violent, but it fit the story and wasn't over the top.

Cristian at first comes off as a typical rich brat, shallow and carefree and a bit of a jerk. But as the story progresses, his true character is slowly revealed and he becomes quite likeable.

Atlas was a bit stereotypical. Ex-military left with PTSD and scars hiding under a prickly exterior. But he does have his unique quirks and I liked him from the beginning.

The vampire part took a while to develop, just not as long as the romance. It could have done with a bit more worldbuilding, but seeing how much Atlas hates vampires at first, it makes sense he doesn't care all that much about their history and origins. And this is only part one of a new series, so I'm hoping for more details in the future books.

So, overall, "Rare Vigilance" was a really enjoyable, fast-paced paranormal action with a dash of romance. It's on the darker side and a bit violent and I'm very much looking forward to part two.

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Prince of Air and Darkness (The Darkest Court #1) by M.A. Grant

Phineas Smith has been cursed with a power no one could control. 

Roark Lyne is his worst enemy and his only hope.

The only human student at Mather’s School of Magick, Phineas Smith has a target on his back. Born with the rare ability to tap into unlimited magick, he finds both Faerie Courts want his allegiance—and will do anything to get it.

They don’t realize he can’t levitate a feather, much less defend the Faerie Realm as it slips into civil war.

Unseelie Prince Roark Lyne, Phineas’s roommate—and self-proclaimed arch nemesis—is beautiful and brave and a pain in the ass. Phineas can’t begin to sort through their six years of sexual tension masquerading as mutual dislike. But Roark is also the only one able to help Finn tame his magick.

Trusting Roark’s mysterious motives may be foolish; not accepting his temporary protection would be deadly.

Caught in the middle of the impending war, Phineas and Roark forge a dangerous alliance. And as the walls between them crumble, Phineas realizes that Roark isn’t the monster he’d imagined. But their growing intimacy threatens to expose a secret that could either turn the tide of the war…or destroy them both.

Kind of a mixed bag.

I didn't hate it but there were a few things that left me feeling confused, things about the plot and/or world building that I could never reconcile.

For instance, Finn has been attending Mather’s School of Magick for the past SIX YEARS and cannot control said magic? At all.

That seems like a no brainer from a school with School of Magick in the title, doesn't it? I guess I kind of had Hogwarts in mind with objective being to train its students how to both control and utilize their powers. But this school seems to be like a any other university only with various paranormal people attending and primarily focused on forging alliances between pantheons. OK. But I still don't get why Finn was admitted since he's human.

At first I thought it was so he would be protected from random underworld beings that are trying get to him for his power which would also kill him, but...

All sorts of nasties are all over him like white on rice which "forces" his nemesis and roommate, Roark, to come to his rescue. Repeatedly.

The flip side of this uneven world building is the creatures that pop up are vivid and... pretty disgusting, TBH. The skirmishes Finn and Roark find themselves in are entertaining and they do make a good team.

I've no idea why it took them SIX YEARS to discover that they made a good team, but let me not beat the dead horse.

Roark being the Prince of Air and Darkness and the second son of the Unseelie queen is not only powerful but extremely cunning. At first he seems to be harboring a grudge against Finn for some reason but as the story unfolds we begin to learn that beneath his urbane and fractious exterior beats the heart of a man deeply and completely in love, a man who has made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved.

Yeah, pretty swoony.

The romance and chemistry between them is solid. Had the enemies portion of the narrative lasted longer I would've been in hog heaven.

I guess I had it in my head that the next book would focus on Finn and Roark too since there were things that developed that left me wanting, but it appears the next book is focused on a different couple in which case I'm a bit disappointed by the ending. It felt rushed and though I liked the resolution I like my couples to couple a bit before The End.

Parts of the world building are good, parts of the plot are good and the overall romance is pretty satisfying but the whole could've been stronger. Perhaps it gets stronger as the series evolves. I could be interested in continuing the series; however, my opinions are my own and YMMV.

An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.