Review & Giveaway: The Shadow by Sylvain Reynard

The Shadow (The Florentine #2) by Sylvain Reynard

Publication Date: February 2nd 2015 by Berkley

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

About the book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel trilogy comes the hotly anticipated follow-up to The Raven, a sensual novel set in Florence featuring the dangerously intoxicating coupling of Raven and William…

Raven Wood’s vampyre prince has returned, pledging his love and promising justice for every wrong done to her. In the wake of their reunion, Raven is faced with a terrible decision—allow the Prince to wreak vengeance against the demons of her past, or persuade him to stay his hand. But there is far more at stake than Raven’s heart...

A shadow has fallen over the city of Florence. Ispettor Batelli will not rest until he uncovers Raven’s connection to the theft of the priceless art from the Uffizi Gallery. And while the Prince hunts a traitor who sabotages him at every turn, he finds himself the target of the vampyres’ mortal enemy.

As he wages a war on two fronts, he will need to keep his love for Raven secret, or risk exposing his greatest weakness...

My Thoughts:

Raven and William continue their passionate relationship in The Shadow, but there are things brewing in the background that become front and center by the end of the book. 

One of the things I like best about this series is Raven and William’s romance. There’s never a question about their love, they’re completely devoted to one another to the point of obsession.  No worries of a third party causing doubts here.  Instead of looking for their own gain, both Raven and William are selfless in their affections.  William, in a virtuous attempt to find justice for Raven makes some missteps that really cost her emotionally, but he meant well. Raven is a completely selfless character always looking out and protecting the downtrodden.  She’s slowly resurrecting William’s conscience by challenging his thinking and just by being around her, making him a better man.

As far as the plot, William’s brethren are scheming to overthrow him as Prince and take over the principality of Florence. William knows there’s traitor in his midst, but doesn’t know who or how far this traitor’s influence and plans go. The traitor’s identity isn’t revealed until the end.  It’s apparent that Aoibhe (pronounced: Ava) isn’t all that she seems to be.  I have to say I’ve disliked and distrusted Aoibhe from the beginning.

I didn’t understand Raven’s stance on (Highlight to see spoiler) becoming a vampire.(end of spoiler) Did it make me like her less? No. But still I don’t get it and can hardly believe that someone wouldn’t jump at the chance to (Highlight to see spoiler): live a long time. (end of spoiler).  Also why wouldn’t she at least Highlight to see spoiler) take some blood to heal her leg?\ Raven did surgeries to help fix it, and so how is taking the blood any different? Raven suffers through pain, and it’s completely unnecessarily. (end of spoiler) These issues continue to frustrate me somewhat and another strike against this story is the cliffhanger with no date listed for the third book. 

I’ve always wanted to go to Italy and now if I go Florence will be at the top of my list for stops. The city sounds like a Mecca of art and culture.

Sylvain Reynard’s writing is interesting, beautiful and descriptive without being overly done. I look forward to how everything will turn out. 

4 Suns

The lovely people of Berkely have provided a Paper Back copy of The Shadow by Sylvain Reynard to giveaway to one Waves of Fiction follower. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

New Release & Review: The Raven by Sylvain Reynard

Amazon | Goodreads

Expected Publication: February 3, 2015 by Berkley

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Goodreads Synopsis:
Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi gallery restoring Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semiconscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attackers’ screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her . . .
Cassita vulneratus.
When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. Upon returning to the Uffizi, no one recognizes her. More disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of her disappearance, Raven learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history—the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the police identify her as their prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and most elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets . . .

My Review:
I’m finding it really difficult to express how much I loved this book, and to give it the proper review. This is absolutely one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.

A few years ago, I discovered the wonder that is Sylvain Reynard’s writing when I began reading the Gabriel’s Inferno series. To this day, it is one of my favorite series, and possibly some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever experienced. I was really excited, but admittedly a little hesitant, about this new series. My concerns were whether it would live up to my high expectations.

Sylvain Reynard proved with this book, why he is and will always be one of my favorite authors. Not only was The Raven absolutely beautiful and brilliant, it blew all of my expectations out of the water. With flawless prose, this book was simply stunning, and I struggled with wanting to devour it in one sitting, and forcing myself to read slower, because I didn’t want it to end.

I fell in love with both Raven and The Prince. Raven, though we don’t know at first what kind of suffering she has endured in her life, you know immediately that she is a strong, independent woman. But she’s also extremely compassionate and has a heart of gold, which is so endearing. And The Prince – I loved his take charge, bad ass attitude. But more than that, I loved how romantic and soft he could be with Raven. His need to protect her and win her over was so sweet, and I fell in love with every word that came out of his mouth. This was probably one of the most romantic books I have ever read, full of incredible sexual tension, but also many sweet and tender moments that had me swooning non-stop.

The Prince is ruler of the Florence underworld and with that comes great responsibility, but also great risk. He’s secretive because he has to be to survive. Past demons haunt him daily and prevent him from the thought of getting close to anyone, or ever wanting to. Until the moment he decides to save Raven, and he feels an unexpected connection to her. Wanting to keep her safe, he finds himself drawn to her more and more, feeling things he hasn’t felt in a very long time.

There is so much suspense between what is going on with the underworld and the relationship between The Prince and Raven that I couldn’t put the book down. I was drawn in by SR’s gorgeous writing and found myself immersed in a new beautiful world, one I never wanted to leave. SR also takes his love of art and Italy to a whole new level in this novel, which makes the book even more fantastic.

What you get when you read a Sylvain Reynard novel is impeccable writing and a beautiful story that will stay with you forever. I fell completely in love with The Prince, and loved every single page of this book from beginning to end. A perfect combination of romance and paranormal suspense, this book is a must read.

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

5 Suns

Other Must Read Novels by Sylvain Reynard

      

Cover Reveal: The Prince by Sylvain Reynard

Waves of Fiction is thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for Sylvain Reynard's new novella, The Prince, available for pre-order now!

Expected Publication: January 20, 2015

Goodreads

Preorder: Amazon / B&N / iTunes

About the book:
The unveiling of a set of priceless illustrations of Dante’s Divine Comedy at the Uffizi Gallery exposes the unsuspecting Professor Gabriel Emerson and his beloved wife, Julianne, to a mysterious and dangerous enemy.
Unbeknownst to the Professor, the illustrations he secretly acquired years ago were stolen a century earlier from the ruler of Florence’s underworld. Now one of the most dangerous beings in Italy is determined to reclaim his prized artwork and exact revenge on the Emersons, but not before he uncovers something disturbing about Julianne …
Set in the city of Florence, “The Prince” is a prequel novella to “The Raven,” which is the first book in the new Florentine Series Trilogy by Sylvain Reynard.
“The Prince” can be read as a standalone but readers of The Gabriel Series may be curious about the connection between The Professor’s world and the dark, secret underworld of “The Prince.”

Also available for pre-order:

Amazon / B&N / iTunes

Connect with the Author

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

The Florentine Series Facebook Page

Sylvain Reynard Giveaway

Sylvain Reynard has reached a whopping 30,000 followers on Twitter and to celebrate, she's cleaning house. Literally!

Be sure to enter this great giveaway that will run 7/4-8/4. There are a ton of prizes from signed books to gift cards.

It is open Internationally :)

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Cover Reveal: The Raven by Sylvain Reynard

We here at waves are huge fans of Sylvain Reynard.  And we are so excited to be part of the cover reveal for this gorgeous cover of his highly anticipated new novel - The Raven!

The Raven 

by Sylvain Reynard

Blurb: 

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery…

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…

Release Date:

Early 2015

About the Author

I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself. 

I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

You can find Sylvain at 

         

Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard

Waves of Fiction is so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard.  This final installment to one of my favorite series is fantastic and a must read!  Make sure to check out the awesome giveaway below!

Gabriel's Redemption (Gabriel's Inferno #3) by Sylvain Reynard

Published December 3, 2013 by Berkley Trade

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo

About the book:

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Gabriel’s Rapture and Gabriel’s Inferno comes the epic conclusion to the captivating romantic trilogy.

Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father.

But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront Julianne about the subject of her presentation—research that conflicts with his own. And in Oxford, several individuals from their past appear, including an old nemesis intent on humiliating Julia and exposing one of Gabriel’s darkest secrets.

In an effort to confront his remaining demons, Gabriel begins a quest to discover more about his biological parents, beginning a chain of events that has startling repercussions for himself, Julianne, and his hope of having a family.

My Thoughts:

What a perfect end to a series that I love.  Sylvain Reynard's writing is beautiful and he exceeded my expectations in this final installment to the Gabriel's Inferno series.

This is an incredibly romantic and thoughtful read.  The common struggles Gabriel and Julia go through as a newly married couple were written in such a realistic way that I felt every emotion and every feeling they experienced.  That's what I love most about SR's writing - his ability to make me feel SO many emotions while I read each book in this series.  His words are so powerful and touching.

Gabriel is an amazing, loving man and his Julia is so kind and compassionate.  It is impossible not to fall in love with them and their beautiful love story.  Although there is some minor drama to keep you in suspense throughout the book, it's in a non-frustrating way that I approved of.  I loved how SR incorporated chapters about other important characters in this story - it was a great way to wrap up the lives of everyone who played an important part in the series.

I can't express enough how much I adored this series, and I'm sad for it to come to an end.  Gabriel & Julia will always hold a special place in my heart as one of my all time favorite couples.  Their love story is beautiful and a must read!
I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Every night when I fall asleep with her in my arms, I thank God she's mine.  Every morning when I wake up, my first thought is that I'm grateful she married me.  I will never be worthy of her.  But I spend every day trying my damnedest."

5 Suns

About the Author:
I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.

I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

Twitter / Website / Goodreads / Facebook

Enter to win this fantastic giveaway!! The Louboutin winner will be gifted a Neiman Marcus gift card with shipping included. All prizes are international.

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Cover Reveal: Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard

Today, Waves of Fiction is so excited to participate in the cover reveal for the highly anticipated Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard!

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard

Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Penguin Berkley

Pre-order links: Amazon eBook  and Amazon print

Twitter - #GabrielsRedemption

Author Website

 

About the book:

Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father.

But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront her about the subject of her presentation – research that conflicts with his own. And in Oxford, several individuals from their past appear, including an old nemesis intent on humiliating Julia and exposing one of Gabriel’s darkest secrets.

In an effort to confront his remaining demons, Gabriel begins a quest to discover more about his biological parents, beginning a chain of events that has startling repercussions for himself, Julianne, and his hope of having a family.

Can't wait for December!

Reviews & Giveaway: Waves 2012 Favorites

Wow! Can you believe how quickly 2012 is coming to a close?!? This year has been a fantastic reading adventure for us here at Waves of Fiction, so we wanted to take a moment to share some book highlights. 

Several of us on The Waves Team decided to get together to share our favorite book of 2012. But that’s not all!! One lucky winner will get the chance to win the bundle of books we’ve spotlight here, so take a look and be sure to enter!

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

Published June 7th 2012 by Penguin

Arlene's Thoughts:
On the Island is my favorite book choice for 2012. I love love love this book!!

I did not expect to feel this passionate about On the Island going into this read. I was planning to just breeze through a summer-y type book with mild interest. Well, that surely didn’t happen here! On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves was amazing! It’s one of those books that render you useless the entire time you’re lost in the pages. I wanted to give it all of my attention because it definitely captured all of my heart.

This was such a powerful story that was told in multiple perspectives between Anna and T.J. My heart went through a wide range of emotions for these two including hope, despair, happiness and oh so much angst. Beautiful book that I hear is now being optioned for a movie… I’ll be buying a ticket to that show and that’s for sure!

Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard

Published April 4th 2011 by Omnific Publishing 

Brandie's Thoughts:

Gabriel's Inferno far exceeded all of my expectations. I was not expecting to read such a powerful story about love and healing. The buildup of suspense made this book so hard to put down that I devoured it in a few days. It was so beautifully written and the characters so real. I adored Gabriel - flaws and all.

The parts about Dante and Beatrice, although I knew nothing about that story, didn't put me off in any way. It flowed with the story, and I even learned things that I never knew before.

Two broken people destined to save each other - it's the ultimate love story and I absolutely loved it. Fans of Fifty Shades and Bared to You will love this book!

 

On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

Published  August 14th 2012 Originally by Samantha Young Now NAL & Penguin

Rachel's Thoughts:

I wasn't surprised at all when this self-published gem was snatched up by a big publishing house!  I was blown away at how much I LOVED this story.  Plenty of spice but a weighty story, as well. Without a doubt, my favorite romance in 2012.

Jocelyn is an emotionally closed off young woman because of the tragic events in her life.  Along comes Braden (and his lovable sister Ellie) and her bounderies are shot to hell!

Braden understands and desires Jocelyn like no other, and he has the patience to wait her fears out.  He pushes his way into her life and gets under her skin. Let me tell you, this story will have you fanning yourself the entire read!

As an extra bonus here is a free short Christmas story featuring Jocelyn and Braden!  Thank you Samantha.

 

Strangers by Barbara Elsborg

Published November 2, 2009 by Ellora's Cave

Crystal's Thoughts

Strangers is that perfect blend between romance and drama.  What is between these pages is exactly what I wanted when I picked up this story.  A troubled actor, a lost soul, and a whole lot of lovin'! 

Charlie and Kate both have their troubles and we see that at their first meeting when they are both trying to commit suicide.  I expected some good drama and my oh my Elsborg delivers.  The steamy scenes are beyond hawt and the relationship that is built between these two lost souls is beautiful.  I can't imagine a better story between these two. 

This book is perfect if you are looking for a deep but fun romance.  Charlie is definitely one of my favorite male characters!

We hope you enjoyed our reviews for our 2012 Favorites!

Waves of Fiction is offering one lucky follower a chance to win the bundle of books we've spotlighted. This giveaway is open internationally to wherever The Book Depository, US Amazon, or US Barnes & Noble ships to. The winner has the option to either order the books from TBD, or choose the eBooks from US Amazon or US Barnes & Noble.

All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter and share with us your favorite book for 2012. Good luck!

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