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Shadowfae
by Erica Hayes
Steal souls.
Live in hell.
Never die.
In a city infested with psychotic fairies and run by sadistic vampire mafiosi, life as a soul-sucking succubus rarely involves lacy lingerie, hot guys or great sex.
Enslaved by a demon lord, Jade must spend her nights seducing vampire gangsters and shapeshifting thugs. After two hundred years as a succubus, she burns for freedom and longs to escape her brutal life as a trophy girl for hell's minions.
Then, she meets Rajah, an incubus who touches her heart and intoxicates her senses. Rajah shares the same bleak fate as she, and yearns just as desperately for freedom. But the only way for Jade to break her bonds is to betray Rajah—and doom the only man she's ever loved to a lifetime in hell.
COVER ART: *Click on the cover to get to the author's site*
by Craig White
You must see this cover in person to understand its draw. The ornamentation is all in red foil on a beautifully understated matte cover. This book is a bit larger too (8" x 5.4"), becoming something substantial in your hand. The cover model does not exactly fit the internal character description (where are the gold bangles?!) but it does accurately portray the mood of this story.
PARANORMALITY:
Soul Stealing, Demons, Succubi, Incubus, Fae, Vampires
SEXUALITY:
M/F, M/M, Soul Stealing BJ, Mercy Killing Fingering, Exhibitionism, Date Rape, Group Sex
REVIEW:
Initially, this story grabbed me by the balls and pulled. (Quite a feat considering I'm female). My heart was aching at the end of chapter four and broken by chapter five. Everyone is evil in this world. How evil will they be to you?
Raw. Real, if paranormal fiction can be described that way. Rough. Yes, rough. In a good way. A story that cuts you shallowly with a rusted serrated blade.
Unresolved emotional blows Jade takes throughout just don't mess. This feels like dark urban fantasy but resolves with a Happy For Now ending. If you do HEA then you have to tie up the lose ends. The betrayals must be avenged! They aren't and, for me, that just doesn't mesh... Maybe if Demon Lord Kane had been a little pissed at the finale, then it would balance. Maybe.
From my ranting you should conclude that this book will stick with you. That is good. Worth everything you choose to invest in it to read; emotion, time or money.
As a first novel, this is astonishing and has me hooked on Erica Hayes. The next book in the series, Shadowglass, looks to focus on another character set within the same world. I hope she still keeps Jade and Rajah active within the storyline.
My review guidelines can be found HERE.
I received this book through a contest on Number One Novels.
This book was spotlighted on my Tuesday Teaser HERE and my Friday 56 HERE.
Sweet daydreams...
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