Poison Tree

Atwater-Rhodes continues building her Den of Shadows world, looking again to SingleEarth and the mercenary guilds to find tales of new beginnings. Sarik is running from her past, working for SingleEarth as a mediator and has found love with a runaway vampire. Alysia is a human (or is she? I wondered for a moment), a hacker, who moved from working for one of the merc guilds to providing her services to SingleEarth. Someone is out for her life, and even manages to infiltrate the hidden compound where both women are staying. Both women need to figure out who is out for life and how to face up to what their lives were like before.

Like one of the other reviewers, I was also a little confused as to who was who and what was happening at the start. But as the story unfolded it became more clear just what was happening. And even the legendary races cannot escape the march of the modern world. ( )

Rating 4-stars I enjoyed this book a whole lot- can't say it is an all time favorite- but worth the read... I was a little confused with the characters and the plot. I'm not sure if it was simply because I read most of this book while at work so there were interruptions- or that it was a little confusing. The ending was great and the cover is beautiful- I will pick up more from this author in the future- I loved her writing style! This was a quick read and a well rounded book- just the right amount of action, romance. and mystery. If your looking for a quick paranormal read this one makes a nice addition to your collection. Reesa*** ( )

With a curious prologue set six years in the past, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes establishes the connection between the four main protagonists of Poison Tree. Set in a quick pace, readers will fly through its intrigue and violence, and come to a question-raising ending.

Poison Tree is a great story that could use more oomph. The central story revolves around Sarik, the African-Asian tiger shifter, running away from an abusive home, then finding her way back home to stand up for herself. Weaving in the other characters: Sarik's vampire boyfriend Jason, the newest SingleEarth mediator Alysia, and Frost guild leader Christian, ties the story together but leaves it seemingly incomplete overall.

It is to be said, though, that Rhodes' ability to create relatable characters is astounding. Even in a paranormal world, her characters are realistic and their interactions with one another, understandable. Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint the characters' relationships with each other, when it isn't plainly stated, but not knowing will increase the mystique surrounding them.

The ending of the story puts almost everybody in place, but readers will finish the story craving more from this strange world and its enigmatic cast. There's more beneath the surface of Poison Tree so hopefully there will be a companion novel to explore the hidden parts of this world.

Originally Posted on Lovey Dovey Books
*Review copy provided through Netgalley* ( )