Scan barcode
helenkat's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
It had been awhile since I read the first book but I managed to remember it as I went along. Thoroughly enjoyed the world-building of the Gadda and their small knit community. Well written story, good plot, and characters you whose ups and downs which felt real, despite the paranormal elements of the book. Being a middle book in a trilogy, the story isn't fully resolved, but at least Ione and Stephen are in a good place. Looking forward to reading book 3.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn't reflect my star rating.
It had been awhile since I read the first book but I managed to remember it as I went along. Thoroughly enjoyed the world-building of the Gadda and their small knit community. Well written story, good plot, and characters you whose ups and downs which felt real, despite the paranormal elements of the book. Being a middle book in a trilogy, the story isn't fully resolved, but at least Ione and Stephen are in a good place. Looking forward to reading book 3.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn't reflect my star rating.
emitchellwrites's review against another edition
5.0
Nicole Murphy did it again.
Amazing, simply incredible. I couldn't put it down. Tried to read it in one sitting but pesky customers kept bothering me at work, couldn't they see I was busy?
All of the characters are so well developed that I feel like I know them and the things that happen to them happen to me, heartstrings are pulled and smiles erupt every few pages. LOVE. I can't begin to tell you how magical this book is.
If you live in America, like I do, and can't afford it, I understand but when I say that it's worth the $30+ dollars for the paperback to be shipped here, I do not exaggerate. But get the ebook as soon as it is available at the very least and enter every contest she has. It will not disappoint.
On to book three. Are there really only three? How fast can she write another series I wonder...?
Amazing, simply incredible. I couldn't put it down. Tried to read it in one sitting but pesky customers kept bothering me at work, couldn't they see I was busy?
All of the characters are so well developed that I feel like I know them and the things that happen to them happen to me, heartstrings are pulled and smiles erupt every few pages. LOVE. I can't begin to tell you how magical this book is.
If you live in America, like I do, and can't afford it, I understand but when I say that it's worth the $30+ dollars for the paperback to be shipped here, I do not exaggerate. But get the ebook as soon as it is available at the very least and enter every contest she has. It will not disappoint.
On to book three. Are there really only three? How fast can she write another series I wonder...?
tsana's review
4.0
Originally posted here: http://tsanasreads.tumblr.com/post/19884489679/power-unbound-by-nicole-murphy
Power Unbound, by Nicole Murphy, is the second book in the Dream of Asarlai trilogy.
Where Secret Ones followed Maggie and Lucas, Power Unbound shifts to following Ione, Maggie’s best friend, and Stephen, a gadda who is about to sit for the highest test of power. Although there are a few scenes in Austin, Texas, most of this novel is set in Ireland. Despite the shift in character focus, the overarching plot continues on from the first book, featuring more prominently, and all the characters we like from the first book pop up again.
Ione is unique among gadda for having particularly weak power, despite coming from an old and powerful family. She came to terms with it long before the story started and spends her time working as a computer programmer. She’s also a widow and has a young (10 or 11 year old) son to look after. It would be easy to say that Ione offers more depth of character than Maggie did, but I think what really makes this story better is Murphy’s development as a writer. (And the fact that Lucas’s past in the first book wasn’t exactly straight forward.)
The whole novel hangs together better and I found it more enjoyable. The romantic plot line is less linear and, while we know that the two characters will end up together (it is paranormal romance, after all), the obstacles in their way felt less artificial. It was more about them being silly than external circumstances, which I liked.
The fantasy plot line was more action-packed than in Secret Ones. The danger was greater and the stakes were higher. Also, more progress was made working out who’s been behind all the evil shenanigans. Unlike the first book, it felt less like the relevant characters were flailing around not getting anywhere. (To be fair, in the first book the trouble was quite different in nature and didn’t initially seem to be connected to the overarching plot.)
The end of Power Unbound set up the final book in the trilogy quite well. Unfortunately, I have to wait a few months before I can read it (I want a matching paper set, not the ebook), but I definitely want to know what happens next and how everything is resolved. Oh, I should also mention that while the overarching plot follows on from Secret Ones, I think it’s possible to read Power Unbound by itself. It contains some spoilers for the first book, but doesn’t actually rehash all the details, so you could still read the first book afterwards. Of course, it’s better to read them in order but if, for example, you’re particularly interested in the Ditmar eligible works which include Power Unbound and the third book, Rogue Gadda, you could probably get away with skipping Secret Ones.
Overall, Power Unbound was an enjoyable read. I definitely recommend it to fans of paranormal romance.
4 / 5 stars
Power Unbound, by Nicole Murphy, is the second book in the Dream of Asarlai trilogy.
Where Secret Ones followed Maggie and Lucas, Power Unbound shifts to following Ione, Maggie’s best friend, and Stephen, a gadda who is about to sit for the highest test of power. Although there are a few scenes in Austin, Texas, most of this novel is set in Ireland. Despite the shift in character focus, the overarching plot continues on from the first book, featuring more prominently, and all the characters we like from the first book pop up again.
Ione is unique among gadda for having particularly weak power, despite coming from an old and powerful family. She came to terms with it long before the story started and spends her time working as a computer programmer. She’s also a widow and has a young (10 or 11 year old) son to look after. It would be easy to say that Ione offers more depth of character than Maggie did, but I think what really makes this story better is Murphy’s development as a writer. (And the fact that Lucas’s past in the first book wasn’t exactly straight forward.)
The whole novel hangs together better and I found it more enjoyable. The romantic plot line is less linear and, while we know that the two characters will end up together (it is paranormal romance, after all), the obstacles in their way felt less artificial. It was more about them being silly than external circumstances, which I liked.
The fantasy plot line was more action-packed than in Secret Ones. The danger was greater and the stakes were higher. Also, more progress was made working out who’s been behind all the evil shenanigans. Unlike the first book, it felt less like the relevant characters were flailing around not getting anywhere. (To be fair, in the first book the trouble was quite different in nature and didn’t initially seem to be connected to the overarching plot.)
The end of Power Unbound set up the final book in the trilogy quite well. Unfortunately, I have to wait a few months before I can read it (I want a matching paper set, not the ebook), but I definitely want to know what happens next and how everything is resolved. Oh, I should also mention that while the overarching plot follows on from Secret Ones, I think it’s possible to read Power Unbound by itself. It contains some spoilers for the first book, but doesn’t actually rehash all the details, so you could still read the first book afterwards. Of course, it’s better to read them in order but if, for example, you’re particularly interested in the Ditmar eligible works which include Power Unbound and the third book, Rogue Gadda, you could probably get away with skipping Secret Ones.
Overall, Power Unbound was an enjoyable read. I definitely recommend it to fans of paranormal romance.
4 / 5 stars
More...