Unchained

Amazon preorder

This is an interesting, well-written story, with a nice balance of humor, scariness, and tenderness. I enjoyed the read and am looking forward to the next in the series.

Ashe is an adrenaline junkie who has quit her job as a vampire slayer so she can retain custody of her estranged daughter, Eden. Reynard has been a guard for the Castle for hundreds of years, maintaining his sanity by holding onto the mantra duty, dignity and death. After Reynard’s soul is stolen by a collector demon, Ashe and Reynard team up to retrieve it.

Without access to his soul, Reynard is doomed to regain human sensations such as hunger and lust as he fades into death. Over the course of a few days, as their search progresses and Reynard fades, he rediscovers food in what is probably one of my favorite scenes from the book, as it beautifully reflects the bittersweet delight he experiences:

The complex textures of the sandwich filled Reynard’s mind, blotting out everything else. Soft bread, the crunch of greens, the rich tearing of meat. He tasted butter. Holy God, he’s forgotten how good that was. … It was food, that basic connective tissue that bound man to man, regardless of race or creed or culture. Hunger was their shared inheritance, relieving it a universal rite. After so long, he was part of that brotherhood again.

I really enjoyed the romance between Ashe and Reynard. They’re both adult characters who’ve lived full lives and as they hesitantly begin to open up to each other it’s apparent that the foundation of their developing relationship is based on mutual respect. Added to that are their relationships with others in the story, including Ashe’s daughter, Eden, and sister, Holly; Reynard’s boss, the fire demon Mac; and dark fey prince Miru-Kai, who plays the role of trickster.

Note: If you’re looking for a rehash of Ravenous, you’re not going to get it with this; neither is it exactly like Scorched. It’s its own thing. It will help to have read those first, but it’s not necessary. ( )