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heabooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
BINDING THE SHADOWS continues Cady's story as she struggles to control her Moonchild powers while also tracking down a mysterious drug that increases an Earthbound’s knack. In addition to this, Cady is meeting Lon’s in-laws for the first time and Lon’s ex-wife has shown up for Christmas unexpectedly. Needless to say this one brings a lot of angst and drama to the story and I felt so bad for Cady who just wants a normal life -- for a magician at least.
One thing I will say is that I was relieved to see that Yvonne’s reappearance doesn’t create problems for Cady and Lon’s relationship. Lon is completely over her and wants nothing to do with the woman who truly messed up his life and has been a terrible mother to their son. Cady and Lon are as strong as ever and the family they’ve built together with Jupe is just so sweet. And while Lon might be taciturn when it comes to expressing feelings, he finds other ways to let Cady know he cares.
What makes BINDING THE SHADOWS most interesting is the changes in Cady’s Moonchild powers as she begins to use them more. Just when she thought she had everything figured out her powers start to change and some really unusual things start happening. The last 10% or so of the book was so heartbreaking and even though this is a reread for me there were still a few things I had forgotten that really made me gasp in surprise. I’m looking forward to jumping right into the last ARCADIA BELL book.
Content Warning: references to sex by magical coercion, suicide, miscarriage (secondary character); Jupe’s mom allows him to get drunk even though he’s only 14
One thing I will say is that I was relieved to see that Yvonne’s reappearance doesn’t create problems for Cady and Lon’s relationship. Lon is completely over her and wants nothing to do with the woman who truly messed up his life and has been a terrible mother to their son. Cady and Lon are as strong as ever and the family they’ve built together with Jupe is just so sweet. And while Lon might be taciturn when it comes to expressing feelings, he finds other ways to let Cady know he cares.
What makes BINDING THE SHADOWS most interesting is the changes in Cady’s Moonchild powers as she begins to use them more. Just when she thought she had everything figured out her powers start to change and some really unusual things start happening. The last 10% or so of the book was so heartbreaking and even though this is a reread for me there were still a few things I had forgotten that really made me gasp in surprise. I’m looking forward to jumping right into the last ARCADIA BELL book.
Content Warning: references to sex by magical coercion, suicide, miscarriage (secondary character); Jupe’s mom allows him to get drunk even though he’s only 14
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Third in the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series and revolving around Cady Bell and her "family".
My Take
I don't know what it is about this series, and I do enjoy it. There's something so cozy and homey about it even as Cady leaps into trouble time and again. Then there's that personal, um, genetic?, inheritance she keeps learning about. Ick.
I suspect it's Lon. I adore him. He's so warm, loving, and practical. I don't think he leaves home without his gun! Then the complication of Jupe. It's one that makes this whole story about family. Complications with the in-laws, the ex, a teenager feeling his hormones fluctuating. Add paranormal power to that and y'all should feel happy with your own teen monsters, LOL!
It's written well enough and just misses being as terrific as something like Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter or Psy-Changeling or Kim Harrison's Hollows. And no, I really can't pin it down, unless it's the lack of intense tension and drama those series have. I would compare it favorably with Diana Rowland's Kara Gillian, Karen Chance's Cassandra Palmer (okay, maybe Cassie has an edge here), or Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus.
Getting back to this story, it's personal when the crooks hit Tambuku and take Kar Yee down, but it's not half as personal as Rose whacking away at Cady. And it just gets worse when we finally meet Yvonne. Oh, boy. Talk about family drama!
And I don't blame Addy one bit. Wait'll you see how well Yvonne holds up to what she claims to want.
Mmm, I do like that Lon likes to track Cady's firsts.
There's a reference to a boat in this story and Jupe's knack. That would be the eShort, "Leashing the Tempest", 2.5.
Oh, brother, does this sound familiar?
I gotta give Bennett major credit for the twist she's put on this tale. Sure it's a standard plotline with great personal danger facing Cady with major threats against those she loves, but whew, the type of danger!? Whoa. Part of me can't wait to read and find out what happens next, and part of me wants to put it off for as long as possible. I just know Bennett is gonna twist me up with some tension and worry in Banishing the Dark, 4.
The Story
It's crazy thefts and burglaries with Earthbounds using knacks and power levels they shouldn't have while Dare is browbeating Cady into investigating the crime spree spreading throughout Morella.
Worse, Lon's ex-in-laws have shown up and mama-in-law is making some outrageous demands.
The Characters
Arcadia "Cady" Bell, a.k.a., Selène Aysul Duval, is a magician with an inherited moon power. The demons call her Mother of Ahriman, mother of demons. She owns a bar, the Tambuku, in Morella, with her partner, Kar Yee Tsang, a Chinese ex-pat. Amanda has been promoted to assistant manager. Priya, a Heremeneus spirit, an asexual messenger entity, is the familiar who "died" in Kindling the Moon, 1.
Lon Butler, a professional photographer, is a transmutated Earthbound, a kerub demon with a knack for empathy, who is seriously dating Cady. Jupe is his fourteen-year-old son who has dived into restoring the 1967 GTO he got for his birthday in Summoning the Night, 2. Foxglove is their Labrador. Rose Giovanni, a.k.a., Gramma, is Lon's ex-wife's mother with a knack for clairaudience and is she ever a mean, nasty thing! Adella is the sister who teaches art history at the University of Portland. Yvonne is the fabulously gorgeous model addict of an ex-wife who used her knack to get Lon to marry her. Mr. and Mrs. Holiday are the couple who takes care of the house and grounds. Dr. Mick Bright is an old friend of Lon's.
David Merrimoth is an Earthbound and Dare's second-in-command. Ambrose Dare is the very rich and very powerful head of the Hellfire Club, a group of Earthbound demons who control most of the town of La Sirena. He owns Dare Energy Solutions and knows Cady's true name. Beryl is an Earthbound minion of his. Peter Little is a former city councilman with a luck knack. Evan Johnson is the Hellfire jerk who distracted Yvonne. Very easily.
Bob, a.k.a., Dr. Feelgood, is an Earthbound with a milder version of his dad's healing knack. Andrew runs the corner market near Tambuku. Nihal is a fellow restorer—he has a 1971 GTO—whom they meet at Speed Demon Rally. Father Carrow is both Earthbound and a former priest who is friends with Cady.
Hajo Kemme is a death dowser and drug dealer getting blackmailed by his neighbors. Darren is a scum bag trust fund party boy.
Noel Saint-Hill is one of Telly's partners while Telly is a juvenile delinquent who needs a long stint in jail. Tabor seems to be a drug dealer.
Enola Duval is Cady's mother. One of the Black Lodge Slayers who was taken by Nivella the White, an albino demon in Kindling the Moon. Victor Duval is an unknown brother. Grand Duke Chora, whom we met in Summoning the Night, may be in the other dimension, but he's keeping busy and is a respected leader.
Heka is what they call magic in Cady's world. Earthbounds are demons on the inside and humans on the outside; transmutated Earthbound are those Earthbound who get spelled by the Hellfire Club and become part of the Body, the governing part of Hellfire. Ekklesia Eleusia (E∴E∴) is a respected esoteric society in occult circles. The Caliph is the head of the order. And Cady's godfather.
The Cover
The cover is purpled with its cement block background with the black demon tattoo and Cady in her double-layered tank tops of black under bright purple as she leans against the wall, cocking a knee, an elbow, and her head in attitude and holding her cadeucus.
The title is nebulous and my best guess is that it's about Cady's rising abilities in Binding the Shadows as her power grows.
My Take
I don't know what it is about this series, and I do enjoy it. There's something so cozy and homey about it even as Cady leaps into trouble time and again. Then there's that personal, um, genetic?, inheritance she keeps learning about. Ick.
I suspect it's Lon. I adore him. He's so warm, loving, and practical. I don't think he leaves home without his gun! Then the complication of Jupe. It's one that makes this whole story about family. Complications with the in-laws, the ex, a teenager feeling his hormones fluctuating. Add paranormal power to that and y'all should feel happy with your own teen monsters, LOL!
It's written well enough and just misses being as terrific as something like Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter or Psy-Changeling or Kim Harrison's Hollows. And no, I really can't pin it down, unless it's the lack of intense tension and drama those series have. I would compare it favorably with Diana Rowland's Kara Gillian, Karen Chance's Cassandra Palmer (okay, maybe Cassie has an edge here), or Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus.
Getting back to this story, it's personal when the crooks hit Tambuku and take Kar Yee down, but it's not half as personal as Rose whacking away at Cady. And it just gets worse when we finally meet Yvonne. Oh, boy. Talk about family drama!
Even Adella is beyond wanting to know her: "I'll answer the phone when it's the coroner's office calling, asking me to identify your body."
And I don't blame Addy one bit. Wait'll you see how well Yvonne holds up to what she claims to want.
Mmm, I do like that Lon likes to track Cady's firsts.
There's a reference to a boat in this story and Jupe's knack. That would be the eShort, "Leashing the Tempest", 2.5.
Oh, brother, does this sound familiar?
"...I made a few mistakes. I can't keep paying for them."
I gotta give Bennett major credit for the twist she's put on this tale. Sure it's a standard plotline with great personal danger facing Cady with major threats against those she loves, but whew, the type of danger!? Whoa. Part of me can't wait to read and find out what happens next, and part of me wants to put it off for as long as possible. I just know Bennett is gonna twist me up with some tension and worry in Banishing the Dark, 4.
The Story
It's crazy thefts and burglaries with Earthbounds using knacks and power levels they shouldn't have while Dare is browbeating Cady into investigating the crime spree spreading throughout Morella.
Worse, Lon's ex-in-laws have shown up and mama-in-law is making some outrageous demands.
The Characters
Arcadia "Cady" Bell, a.k.a., Selène Aysul Duval, is a magician with an inherited moon power. The demons call her Mother of Ahriman, mother of demons. She owns a bar, the Tambuku, in Morella, with her partner, Kar Yee Tsang, a Chinese ex-pat. Amanda has been promoted to assistant manager. Priya, a Heremeneus spirit, an asexual messenger entity, is the familiar who "died" in Kindling the Moon, 1.
Lon Butler, a professional photographer, is a transmutated Earthbound, a kerub demon with a knack for empathy, who is seriously dating Cady. Jupe is his fourteen-year-old son who has dived into restoring the 1967 GTO he got for his birthday in Summoning the Night, 2. Foxglove is their Labrador. Rose Giovanni, a.k.a., Gramma, is Lon's ex-wife's mother with a knack for clairaudience and is she ever a mean, nasty thing! Adella is the sister who teaches art history at the University of Portland. Yvonne is the fabulously gorgeous model addict of an ex-wife who used her knack to get Lon to marry her. Mr. and Mrs. Holiday are the couple who takes care of the house and grounds. Dr. Mick Bright is an old friend of Lon's.
David Merrimoth is an Earthbound and Dare's second-in-command. Ambrose Dare is the very rich and very powerful head of the Hellfire Club, a group of Earthbound demons who control most of the town of La Sirena. He owns Dare Energy Solutions and knows Cady's true name. Beryl is an Earthbound minion of his. Peter Little is a former city councilman with a luck knack. Evan Johnson is the Hellfire jerk who distracted Yvonne. Very easily.
Bob, a.k.a., Dr. Feelgood, is an Earthbound with a milder version of his dad's healing knack. Andrew runs the corner market near Tambuku. Nihal is a fellow restorer—he has a 1971 GTO—whom they meet at Speed Demon Rally. Father Carrow is both Earthbound and a former priest who is friends with Cady.
Hajo Kemme is a death dowser and drug dealer getting blackmailed by his neighbors. Darren is a scum bag trust fund party boy.
Noel Saint-Hill is one of Telly's partners while Telly is a juvenile delinquent who needs a long stint in jail. Tabor seems to be a drug dealer.
Enola Duval is Cady's mother. One of the Black Lodge Slayers who was taken by Nivella the White, an albino demon in Kindling the Moon. Victor Duval is an unknown brother. Grand Duke Chora, whom we met in Summoning the Night, may be in the other dimension, but he's keeping busy and is a respected leader.
Heka is what they call magic in Cady's world. Earthbounds are demons on the inside and humans on the outside; transmutated Earthbound are those Earthbound who get spelled by the Hellfire Club and become part of the Body, the governing part of Hellfire. Ekklesia Eleusia (E∴E∴) is a respected esoteric society in occult circles. The Caliph is the head of the order. And Cady's godfather.
The Cover
The cover is purpled with its cement block background with the black demon tattoo and Cady in her double-layered tank tops of black under bright purple as she leans against the wall, cocking a knee, an elbow, and her head in attitude and holding her cadeucus.
The title is nebulous and my best guess is that it's about Cady's rising abilities in Binding the Shadows as her power grows.
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
5.0
Deux jours après avoir terminé ce tome, je suis encore toute chamboulée par ma lecture, et je ne sais même pas par où commencer cette chronique...
Ah si, deux choses :
1/ si vous ne connaissez pas encore cette série, bon sang, qu'attendez-vous pour vous jeter dessus ?
2/ incroyable mais vrai, Jenn Bennett l'a encore fait ! Elle a encore réussi un tome largement à la hauteur des précédents, cette autrice est sacrément douée !
C'est donc soufflée, K.O même, que j'ai terminé cette lecture, un vrai coup de coeur. L'intrigue générale de ce tome n'est pas très complexe, et ce qui occupe le devant de la scène, de façon à la fois brillante (sans mauvais jeu de mots) et flippante, c'est l'évolution de Cady et ses pouvoirs d'enfant de la lune. Ni les personnages ni le lecteur n'ont une minute de répit dans ce tome où les choses vont à cent à l'heure ! Entre cette nouvelle enquête, ces nouveaux pouvoirs et l'arrivée en ville d'une partie de la famille de Jupe, Cady n'est pas épargnée et elle continue à front, quoiqu'il lui en coûte.
Ce que j'aime chez ce personnage, c'est son humanité profonde et sa bonté. Malgré la puissance létale que lui confèrent ses pouvoirs, Cady est toujours attachée à la justice, elle n'attaque pas sans raison, et encore une fois, ce qui la rend très humaine, c'est qu'elle s'interroge toujours sur l'utilisation de ses pouvoirs. Elle n'hésite pas à se montrer vulnérable, et là encore, je trouve que ça la rend d'autant plus attachante et réaliste.
Je me répète au fil des tomes, mais je suis conquise par Lon et son fils Jupe. Voilà un duo incroyablement attachant, qui a une relation merveilleuse avec Cady. Tous trois forment une belle famille, une unité à laquelle chacun tient. C'est beau à lire et à voir, je les aime profondément tous les trois et je me doute déjà qu'ils me manqueront une fois que j'aurai terminé cette fantastique série.
Et que dire de ces dernières pages ? J'ai eu la sensation de me prendre une baffe monumentale, je ne m'en suis pas encore remise, d'ailleurs et wooow ... vivement la suite !!!
Ah si, deux choses :
1/ si vous ne connaissez pas encore cette série, bon sang, qu'attendez-vous pour vous jeter dessus ?
2/ incroyable mais vrai, Jenn Bennett l'a encore fait ! Elle a encore réussi un tome largement à la hauteur des précédents, cette autrice est sacrément douée !
C'est donc soufflée, K.O même, que j'ai terminé cette lecture, un vrai coup de coeur. L'intrigue générale de ce tome n'est pas très complexe, et ce qui occupe le devant de la scène, de façon à la fois brillante (sans mauvais jeu de mots) et flippante, c'est l'évolution de Cady et ses pouvoirs d'enfant de la lune. Ni les personnages ni le lecteur n'ont une minute de répit dans ce tome où les choses vont à cent à l'heure ! Entre cette nouvelle enquête, ces nouveaux pouvoirs et l'arrivée en ville d'une partie de la famille de Jupe, Cady n'est pas épargnée et elle continue à front, quoiqu'il lui en coûte.
Ce que j'aime chez ce personnage, c'est son humanité profonde et sa bonté. Malgré la puissance létale que lui confèrent ses pouvoirs, Cady est toujours attachée à la justice, elle n'attaque pas sans raison, et encore une fois, ce qui la rend très humaine, c'est qu'elle s'interroge toujours sur l'utilisation de ses pouvoirs. Elle n'hésite pas à se montrer vulnérable, et là encore, je trouve que ça la rend d'autant plus attachante et réaliste.
Je me répète au fil des tomes, mais je suis conquise par Lon et son fils Jupe. Voilà un duo incroyablement attachant, qui a une relation merveilleuse avec Cady. Tous trois forment une belle famille, une unité à laquelle chacun tient. C'est beau à lire et à voir, je les aime profondément tous les trois et je me doute déjà qu'ils me manqueront une fois que j'aurai terminé cette fantastique série.
Et que dire de ces dernières pages ? J'ai eu la sensation de me prendre une baffe monumentale, je ne m'en suis pas encore remise, d'ailleurs et wooow ... vivement la suite !!!
chobits_94's review against another edition
5.0
This has easily become one of my favorite book series. It was very exiting to see the characters develop so much. And Cady going through so much stuff I could have never handled in a hundred years!! She is definitely someone you can relate to in so many ways. And Lon, I love you, I hope you know that. Cheers!
katetj's review against another edition
5.0
More reviews can be found at my blog: Nomalicious Reads
Over the last few day's I've been on an Urban Fantasy reading frenzy, I'm kind of sorry for all my goodreads friends and everyone on facebook who are witness to my slightly insane and sarcastic book updates over the last few days. Okay, I'm not that sorry.
Arcadia Bell is a Heroine that you don't want to mess with.
I fell in love with Jenn Bennett's world and the characters in it during Kindling the Moon. I was expecting something good, but nothing that great, and although I really enjoyed Kindling the Moon, my enjoyment and love for this series has been growing with each book.
My favourite character? Jupe wins hands down. I was a little sad when Jupe wasn't immediately in the book at page one, but like always, he doesn't take long to appear. I love watching Cady and Jupes relationship evolve, in each book they get closer.
Jupe is the most adorable teenage motormouth in existence, I just want to hug him to smithereens. He breaks your heart (in a good way) a little each book... especially in this one, when the rest of his family rolls into town.
I hope that Jenn decides to write a few books about grown up Jupe one day, because that would be an amazing thing to see!
Naturally Jupe is a package deal for Arcadia with his sexy as sin father, Lon. I must say even though He's a lot older than Cady and his mustache is described as a sexy pirate mustache, I try really really hard to forget he has one. That is his only flaw in my book, I don't care about his age, but the mustache freaks me out.
Arcadia aka Cady is the star of these books, she has crazy magical power which just gets even crazier in this book. I can't wait to see what lengths she'll achieve in the next book. I just hope that she can get rid of her psychopath mother once and for all.
My favourite thing about this book, well any book really is that there aren't a million love interests. Cady doesn't sleep around, she meets Lon in book one and they don't break up at the end of each book, or halfway in between. I always get happy when books like this exist and I hope that Cady and Lon stay together for the duration of the books.
I must say though, the end freaked me out. Only because I'm terrified about what will happen in book four. (MASSIVE SPOILER:
Although if Cady does lose the baby, that could cause conflict between her and Lon, it could either drive her away to protect them or make them stronger. It would give her free reign to cause hell for her mother. But I think It would be more interesting if she had the baby, but would probably give me a heart attack while reading because so much shit is going down. Anyone who's read the book, let me know your theories! END OF SPOILERS)
I can't wait for the next book, It's going to be torture waiting till April, but hey at least it's my birthday month, so I'm sure that Banishing the Dark will be one of the many presents I buy myself.
So much happened in Binding the Shadows that I could keep writing this review forever, but heres a quick rundown... we discover douchebag Dare's true motives, Yvonne the mother of hell finally shows up, Hajo the crazy junkie makes a re-appearance and kind of made me fall a little in love him and Cady sits down with Jupe and Kar Yee and tells them her secrets.
All the Urban Fantasy lovers out there need to buy Kindling the Moon, if you haven't discovered the amazing world that Jenn Bennett has created, you're missing out, big time!
Over the last few day's I've been on an Urban Fantasy reading frenzy, I'm kind of sorry for all my goodreads friends and everyone on facebook who are witness to my slightly insane and sarcastic book updates over the last few days. Okay, I'm not that sorry.
Arcadia Bell is a Heroine that you don't want to mess with.
I fell in love with Jenn Bennett's world and the characters in it during Kindling the Moon. I was expecting something good, but nothing that great, and although I really enjoyed Kindling the Moon, my enjoyment and love for this series has been growing with each book.
My favourite character? Jupe wins hands down. I was a little sad when Jupe wasn't immediately in the book at page one, but like always, he doesn't take long to appear. I love watching Cady and Jupes relationship evolve, in each book they get closer.
Jupe is the most adorable teenage motormouth in existence, I just want to hug him to smithereens. He breaks your heart (in a good way) a little each book... especially in this one, when the rest of his family rolls into town.
I hope that Jenn decides to write a few books about grown up Jupe one day, because that would be an amazing thing to see!
Naturally Jupe is a package deal for Arcadia with his sexy as sin father, Lon. I must say even though He's a lot older than Cady and his mustache is described as a sexy pirate mustache, I try really really hard to forget he has one. That is his only flaw in my book, I don't care about his age, but the mustache freaks me out.
Arcadia aka Cady is the star of these books, she has crazy magical power which just gets even crazier in this book. I can't wait to see what lengths she'll achieve in the next book. I just hope that she can get rid of her psychopath mother once and for all.
My favourite thing about this book, well any book really is that there aren't a million love interests. Cady doesn't sleep around, she meets Lon in book one and they don't break up at the end of each book, or halfway in between. I always get happy when books like this exist and I hope that Cady and Lon stay together for the duration of the books.
I must say though, the end freaked me out. Only because I'm terrified about what will happen in book four. (MASSIVE SPOILER:
Spoiler
I don't want her to lose the baby, I really really don't want her to lose the baby. So far Jenn hasn't followed the usual stereotypical lines of Urban Fantasy and I hope that she continues the trend so that Cady doesn't lose the baby. I think that would cause massive problems because, how can she fight her mother while pregnant? and god knows what the psychotic bitch would do if she found out Cady was pregnant, could she use the baby against her? My thoughts go on. But at least if she had the baby she wouldn't be able to run from her relationship with Lon and Jupe.Although if Cady does lose the baby, that could cause conflict between her and Lon, it could either drive her away to protect them or make them stronger. It would give her free reign to cause hell for her mother. But I think It would be more interesting if she had the baby, but would probably give me a heart attack while reading because so much shit is going down. Anyone who's read the book, let me know your theories!
I can't wait for the next book, It's going to be torture waiting till April, but hey at least it's my birthday month, so I'm sure that Banishing the Dark will be one of the many presents I buy myself.
So much happened in Binding the Shadows that I could keep writing this review forever, but heres a quick rundown... we discover douchebag Dare's true motives, Yvonne the mother of hell finally shows up, Hajo the crazy junkie makes a re-appearance and kind of made me fall a little in love him and Cady sits down with Jupe and Kar Yee and tells them her secrets.
All the Urban Fantasy lovers out there need to buy Kindling the Moon, if you haven't discovered the amazing world that Jenn Bennett has created, you're missing out, big time!
bmg20's review against another edition
5.0
A copy of Binding the Shadows was provided to me by Jenn Bennett for review purposes.
*No spoilers for any installments*
There are those kinds of Urban Fantasy worlds that are intricately built and detailed that you can completely envision and understand it. But then there are those kinds of worlds that are so easily envisioned that they are almost real. Sure there's a demon realm and magicians and all sorts of other craziness going on but you could swear it's really happening around you, Arcadia Bell's world is just that vivid. It's a world that manages to suck you in and make you a part of it all. That's the kind of world that Jenn Bennett has crafted in her Arcadia Bell series.
In my experience, the longer a series goes on for the less likely I am to continue loving it. Characters get old, story lines feel reused... I just prefer stand-alones more often than not. Well, that theory gets completely blown out of the water when it comes to this series. This series has managed to get infinitely better with each new story, and Binding the Shadows is the best installment yet. The character growth continues building, the relationships continue to get stronger and more involved, and I can only sit back and marvel at the complexity of the story lines.
I was in complete awe by the last page. Jenn Bennett isn't afraid to take the risk and inflict her characters with immense pain and suffering but I believe that risky chance paid off big. These characters may be fictional but they struggle despite their magical abilities and it manages to humanize them. Binding the Shadows leaves you with a jaw-dropper of an ending that will leave you desperately wanting 'Crossing the Æthyr'. Urban Fantasy fans: read this series, it won't fail to enthrall you.
*No spoilers for any installments*
There are those kinds of Urban Fantasy worlds that are intricately built and detailed that you can completely envision and understand it. But then there are those kinds of worlds that are so easily envisioned that they are almost real. Sure there's a demon realm and magicians and all sorts of other craziness going on but you could swear it's really happening around you, Arcadia Bell's world is just that vivid. It's a world that manages to suck you in and make you a part of it all. That's the kind of world that Jenn Bennett has crafted in her Arcadia Bell series.
In my experience, the longer a series goes on for the less likely I am to continue loving it. Characters get old, story lines feel reused... I just prefer stand-alones more often than not. Well, that theory gets completely blown out of the water when it comes to this series. This series has managed to get infinitely better with each new story, and Binding the Shadows is the best installment yet. The character growth continues building, the relationships continue to get stronger and more involved, and I can only sit back and marvel at the complexity of the story lines.
I was in complete awe by the last page. Jenn Bennett isn't afraid to take the risk and inflict her characters with immense pain and suffering but I believe that risky chance paid off big. These characters may be fictional but they struggle despite their magical abilities and it manages to humanize them. Binding the Shadows leaves you with a jaw-dropper of an ending that will leave you desperately wanting 'Crossing the Æthyr'. Urban Fantasy fans: read this series, it won't fail to enthrall you.
bookloverchelle's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve adored Jenn Bennett’s Arcadia Bell series for years so I was very excited that the newest, Binding the Shadows, was here! Because this is an ongoing story with repeating characters and an overarching story line I do not recommend starting with this book but I do recommend going back to book number 1 because this series is just absolutely fabulous. There is not one element that I can claim makes me love this series so much, it really is a culmination of the parts that make it just a joy to read. The heroine, Cady, has spent years running from her past but when she finally settled in this quiet coastal California town she found something that she wants to stay for. Between her successful tiki bar and relationship with the ever sexy Lon, life’s looking up. When a crime spree hits Cady’s bar her past may be catching up with her in the most unlikely way. The relationship between Cady and Lon is probably one of the few May-December relationships that I read and I love it. Lon plays the strong but silent type very well and even though he may not say much or share much, there is never a doubt in my mind how he feels about Cady because he provides so many little gestures that are just so sexy. One of the other joys of the book is Lon’s teenage son, Jupe. Again, I don’t read a lot of stories with teenage children in them but Jupe is just a fun dynamic in the story. It’s interesting to see how he’s grown in the past few books but also how he struggles between being an adult or a fun loving kid. There’s some great character and plot development in this story but we’re left on such a cliffhanger I’m about ready to cry that there’s another year before the next story is out. Great, fun read and one of my favorites of the year so far.
*I received an ARC of this book from the author.
*I received an ARC of this book from the author.
jadelovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
OMG THAT ENDING WAS SUCH A GOOD CLIF HANGER ! ❤️
booksnunicorns's review against another edition
5.0
Un tome très intense, et j'aurais tellement voulu la suite même si ce sera le dernier de la série. C'est ma série chouchou de 2022 de chez Alter Real, une plume que j'ai adoré lire même dans d'autre genre. Elle fait partie de ces auteurs qui parviennent à créer des personnages réalistes, touchants et attachants, de donner une relation amoureuse saine et bienveillante, réaliste et sexy. Oui Sexy, sans en faire des tonnes, ou dans le cliché... là où le genre regorge de titres vus et revus, ça fait du bien d'être dans une ambiance connue mais avec une autre vibe.
Dans ce tome, on continue d'en apprendre encore plus même si on se demande de quel côté on va tomber, certaines suppositions passées trouvent des réponses et si ce n'est pas le cas, vous pouvez avoir quelques surprises sur le scénario. Aucun tome en dessous de l'autre, à chaque fois c'est un régal et j'ai beau me ralentir pour les lire, j'engloutie beaucoup trop vite à mon goût.
Dans ce tome, on continue d'en apprendre encore plus même si on se demande de quel côté on va tomber, certaines suppositions passées trouvent des réponses et si ce n'est pas le cas, vous pouvez avoir quelques surprises sur le scénario. Aucun tome en dessous de l'autre, à chaque fois c'est un régal et j'ai beau me ralentir pour les lire, j'engloutie beaucoup trop vite à mon goût.