Shades of Wicked
By Jeaniene Frost
A Night Rebel novel
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: October 30, 2018
Reviewed by Nancy
Shades of Wicked
features a character who has been a reader favorite for years in a supporting
role. As friend to Cat and Bones, and loyal offspring of Mencheres, Ian has
been a charming rogue, sometimes generous, sometimes selfish, but always there
when it counts. Now he steps to the fore
in the first book of the new Night Rebel
series.
When we last saw Ian, he had pledged his soul to the demon
Dagon to save the life of a friend. The
demon knew his friend was in no danger, but Ian didn’t. The deed was done, and Ian has been trying to
escape Dagon’s hold ever since.
Vampire Law Guardian Veritas, an enforcer for the vampire
council, has her own reasons for wanting Dagon dead. Figuring Ian would be the
perfect bait, luring the demon but wanting him dead to save his own soul, she
seeks him out for an alliance.
Although Veritas locates Ian in a brothel, interrupting his
orgy, she soon learns his hedonistic rogue persona masks his dangerous nature
and clever mind. Unfortunately, Ian remembers her as assisting in the execution
of his friends’ daughter. He wants no part of helping her, and Veritas can’t
tell him the execution wasn’t real. They quarrel, then fight until she uses an
ability she isn’t supposed to have to force him to listen to her. Only Dagon’s
death will free Ian and save his soul, so he agrees to work with Veritas. Both
of them have abilities they shouldn’t, abilities that tend to become apparent
when they fight common enemies or quarrel with each other.
Once Ian and Veritas forge an alliance, they agree to go to
clubs frequented by mages, witches, and demon kin in hope someone will tell
Dagon Ian is there, drawing the demon into a fight. As Ian and Veritas work
together, each begins to see, and empathize with, the other’s emotional
vulnerabilities. The impressions they
had of each other were superficial and wrong. A bond begins to form between
them, one of loyalty and sympathy at first, and then something deeper.
The verbal sparring between them is beautifully done and
woven into their growing mutual attractions. Early in the story, Veritas learns
Ian’s sire, Mencheres, is coming for her if Ian dies on this quest. Reluctant to fight an old friend to the
death, she resolves to be sure Ian survives. As they spend time together,
however, she grows to want his survival for his own sake.
Both Ian and Veritas carry deep wounds from their earlier
lives. Frost depicts these in ways that are wrenching. So is their gradual,
initially reluctant progress toward each other. Neither of them wants the
intimacy growing between them, especially when an encounter with one of
Veritas’s friends forces their relationship to a new level. Various other
friends complicate their situation, each time forcing them to face their growing
feelings for each other.
The characters are beautifully drawn, the story moves at a
good pace, and the characters are impossible not to root for. Longtime readers of Frost’s series will enjoy
seeing the hidden depths, previously only hinted at, of these characters while
new readers will find themselves drawn to these complex characters and their
layered, multifaceted magical world.
Highly recommended.
I have been reading great things about this book and am looking forward to reading it. Enjoyed your review.
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I haven't read any of her books.
ReplyDeleteI have not read any of her books lately. This one sounds like a good on to get back into her works.
ReplyDeleteAm having trouble with google sign in again. library pat
I already have this on my wish list.
ReplyDelete