Unchained

I got so caught up in this book that I became sad when I read the last page. I'm adding Sharon to my favorite author's list. She's right up there with Kim Harrison! Her writing flows and her characters have a way of coming to life.

Ashe Carver has hung up her stakes and retired from her life of vampire hunting in order to raise her young daughter. But life is just not cooperating. Fallout from her sister Holly's life changing event are complicating Ashe's life. Since Holly's powers are on the fritz as a result of said event, Ashe is covering Holly's ghost hunting gigs, and said event has also gained Ashe the unwelcome notice of some persistent vamps who are making her an offer they don't intend to allow her to refuse. And to top it all off, the intriguing Captain Reynard needs Ashe's help recover his stolen soul - all in all it looks as if Ashe's life is not going to be as 'soccer mom' as she'd hoped. Unchained, the third book of Sharon Ashwood's Dark Forgotten, was really enjoyable. There's plenty of action and intrigue, and a touch of both humor and romance. Unlike the previous book, Scorched, in which the hero Mac was good but the leading lady was forgettable (what was her name?), both of the starring pair here are good. Ashe has mellowed from the previous book and she's no longer trying to stake her brother-in-law. Still Ashe remains a strong character and the mellowing, along with the trials of trying to be a vanilla human, have made her much more likable. And I really liked the transition for Captain Reynard from his credo of Duty, Honor, and Discipline. It ws fun to discover the passionate man with a twinkle in his eye, a sense of humor and a surprising down and dirty side beneath the chivalrous facade and the rigid self-control. As with the previous book, I like the way that Ashwood straddles the PNR/UF line - there's a complete happily-ever-after so this is not quite urban fantasy but the romance is less central to the story than most paranormal romance. I also really enjoyed bits with a side character dark fey Prince Miru-kai and was a bit disappointed that he won't be the lead in the next book, but hopefully we'll still see more of him as hellhound Lore - whose part was exceedingly minimal here - moves to center stage in Ashwood's next book of the Dark Forgotten, Iced.

I recommend you read the previous books in this series (Ravenous and Scorched) prior to reading this book. I absolutely loved this book! It was exciting, creative, mysterious and full of action. The story kept my interest and attention to point that I didn't want to put it down. There are romantic elements to this story but Sharon tells it in such a way that you actually want to get invested and see what happens next to the heroine. Ash Carver is a kick-butt heroine and I'd love to see more of her in the future. I highly recommend this book to fellow dark urban fantasy readers and I anxiously await the next book in the series Iced. For those who are wondering what genre this series falls into, I would categorize it as dark romantic urban fantasy. I also recommend: Lover Mine: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Blood Law: A Novel Cheat the Grave (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 5) Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1) Spellbent

I would just like to say this before I begin: I bought Sharon's first book, Ravenous, a while back. However, due to a large TBR pile--as I'm sure most bloggers can relate to--I did not have the chance to start the first book. In fact, it was months before I finally fished it up out of the book pile. That was one of the stupidest mistakes of my "reading life". I'm always pleasantly surprised when I find a paranormal romance that resonates with me. I adored Ravenous, as you will see with my review sometime soon. I haven't read Scorched yet (shame on me), but I plan on doing so immediately...or maybe I'll save it for when I need an amazing book fix, since I am positive Mac's story will not disappoint. I would also like to mention my reviewing slump I had experienced. I read plenty of books within the past few weeks, and yet... I couldn't find the words to give any of these books justice. And boy, have some of the books I've read deserved it. Now, imagine my pleasant surprise upon finishing Unchained: I had things to say! I know I've found an excellent book when it has the ability to delight me out of a slump. Okay, so all of that aside, I absolutely love the Carver witches. Ashe is the older sister in the family, and she is a badass slayer. She has a gun, a motorcycle, and a daughter. Strange combination for a mother, right? Wrong. She pulls off the multitasking required of the modern day mother so perfectly, I was actually. Well. Surprised. While juggling the duties of two different lives, Ashe becomes a convincing heroine that the reader can connect with. On countless occasions, I desired nothing more than to offer a helping hand in order to ease the burdens this young woman was forced to experience. And then, to have Ashe desire a man whenever she sees how happy her sister and her lover are? It felt real. She felt real. I wish she was real (no I don't, because then Reynard would be real, and I would love to gobble that man up). We see characters from the earlier books make guest appearances once again, which is an aspect in series that I adore. It's always fun to see the characters you initially fell in love with reappear, reassuring you with a huge grin that finding the love of their life hasn't made them dull. If anything, Holly and Alessandro are still buzzing with life, even with certain changes. I will readily admit that sometimes, I hate the after story of couples, simply because they settle down and come off as boring. Not the case with these two. Then, there is the wonderful Englishman, Reynard. I feel like I didn't know as much about his character as I might have liked, probably because I have not yet read Scorched. I think I'm a sucker for a younger heroine, and then a seemingly immortal hero who could pretty much claim to be said heroine's great-great-great (tack on about five more of those) grandpa. It's always entertaining witnessing the hero's shock upon adjusting to the modern world. In fact, on

Captain Reynard works as a guard at the supernatural prison known as the Castle. However, though he has a few more liberties than the inmates, he is as locked away as those he watches over. Centuries ago, his choices were taken away from him when he was forced to place his soul in an urn. When the urn is stolen, Reynard will die. He actually considers giving up on immortality as an escape from the Castle. Widow Ashe Carver was a monster slayer. She understood her profession would cost her custody of her ten year old daughter Eden so she retires and becomes a librarian. Her retirement ends when her brother-on-law the vampire asks her to clean out the monster stalking the bathroom at Fairview Botanical Gardens. Reynard was expecting her to clean the bathroom of the monster so when she arrives he asks for her assistance; reluctantly Ashe, surprised he could leave the Castle, agrees to help him find his soul. At the same time the Castle is undergoing a radical adjustment that has the supernatural world wondering how it will all turn out. The third Dark Forgotten urban fantasy (see Ravenous and Scorched) is a terrific action-adventure thriller that steps away from the mysterious Castle and into the world at large. The lead couple makes for a strong entry as the stressed beyond the max Castle guard is running out of immortality time and the heroine who, though it could cost her the one person that matters, takes on the "client" and his quest to catch a thief. As their attraction grows she knows he would make a perfect centerfold as the "Hot historical hero" of the century and he believes her as lovely as ever. However, beyond the search and rescue, and their entwined hearts, in the background lurks a major supernatural shift. This is an enthralling magical great work by Sharon Ashwood. Harriet Klausner