Bound to Shadows

Reading Bound to Shadows reminded me of why I loved this series in the first place. The characters are multidimensional, the heroine is likable, and the mystery is compelling. So many series place character drama over plot development, and some of this series has done just that, but not so in this installment. Those of you looking for soul mate angst and Quinn drama will be sorely disappointed. Those of you, like me, who love a good plot, an exciting storyline, and a detailed mystery, will love this. The series, and this book, do have one shortcoming though. Riley seems to bounce back and forth from wanting to be only committed to Quinn to wanted to jump any good looking male in the vicinity. While I was a tad irritated with this at first, I'm used to it now, and I don't expect anything less from her. I think Riley is one of the most unique heroines that I've read in any genre. She cares about what goes on around her, she thinks about the consequences before doing anything, and feels very guilty when she messes up. It would be one thing for her to blame her wolf and not be concerned with her infidelity, but that's not the case. She is complex, and she is not perfect. Her raging hormones were once a source of irritation, but now I feel they just add to her depth. I can't wait for the ninth installment in this series, even if it is mostly character based. I've grown to love every character in this series, and I applaud Keri Arthur's ability to create such an engrossing mystery with such fully realized characters. Bound to Shadows will definitely get your blood pumping. It's full of action, mystery, suspense, and of course a large dose of steaminess. I highly recommend it.

I have read all of the popular, and many not so popular, series in urban fantasy and Riley Jensen is my favorite heroine. It took me a long time to decide to read the first book of the series because the favorite reviews are so poor. I usually rely on fellow fans and their reviews to pick a series to read, but after how they really let me down with this series I don't trust reviews anymore. For example the most popular reviewer for book 1 is... "113 of 133 people found the following review helpful:2.0 out of 5 stars Meh. Disappointing., May 9, 2006 By Circejane (Michigan) - This review is from: Full Moon Rising (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 1) (Hardcover) As an avid Kim Harrison fan, I read this book when she recommended it on her website. Her other recommendation, Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, was an excellent read, so I dug into Full Moon Rising with high hopes, but was disappointed." Who is this Circejane and why are 113 people listening to her????!!!! She is so far off the mark that I question her taste in books, especially in Urban Fantasy. I am also a big fan of Patricia Briggs and Kim Harrison, and this series by Keri Arthur more than measures up to the series by those authors. I also love Karen Chance, Lara Adrian, Charlaine Harris, Jeaniene Frost, J.R. Ward (earlier BDB) Kresley Cole,... so Riley Jensen's place as my favorite Heroine means she is one kick ***, entertaining, and well written character. If you do not thoroughly enjoy each and every Riley Jensen book from 1 to 8 and can't wait for the next, then you obviously don't like urban fantasy. The world building, plots, characters, dialogue, and especially the character of Riley made this series un-put-down-able!!!! It is truly impressive that there are 8 books and each is better than the last. The character devlopment is great, and unlike some authors (like J.R. Ward) Keri Arthur does not make any drastic or odd changes that kill the series for the fans. I read the 8th novel right after it came out in April 2009 and have read tons of books since then. That it is Feburary 2010 and I am still excited for the 9th novel, and this series is still my favorite, should tell you to read this series.

Overall, Bound to Shadows is simply fabulous. There's none of the stagnation with a long running series (even though this is only the eighth one) and I get sucked in every time. The story is fresh, the characters engaging and the romance is amazing. Seriously, Arthur is one of my all-time favorite authors and her writing supports that with each and every novel. I will be sad to see the end of Riley with Moon Sworn, but its such a fabulous ride that I know it won't be the end for me because this is one of those series I will continually keep going back to. If you haven't read Bound to Shadows yet, then do so now. If you haven't started this series, I don't know what you're waiting for. For my full review, check out Literary Escapism.

this book was great,if you have the others this one is a keeper. if you don't have the others ,get them and read them,you won't be dispointed.Bound To Shadows,a Riley Jensen Guardian Book,by Keri Arthur. 12/10.2009

As a avid reader I am always looking for a new arthur to add to my vast collection. I first picked riley jensen book at a yard sale and became hooked on the series i quickly started collecting the series and wait patiently for the next one to be released. If you like your stories full of action with vamps,werewolf and shapeshifter oh my. Top it of with romance,sex and a full time job and you have a great story to read.