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jacquelinec's review
4.0
Here we have yet another debut and first-in-series novel. If this initial outing is any indication, The Dark Forgotten will prove to be a formidable new series. While the book contains the requisite vamps and werewolves, among other species, the world in which they live and the abilities that each creature possesses is honestly unique to the genre. I especially liked the fact that a vampire bites is addicting and the tension this adds to the relationship between Holly and Alessandro....
To finish reading this review, head over to my blog - Undercover Book Lover
To finish reading this review, head over to my blog - Undercover Book Lover
snarkymotherreader's review
5.0
This was a reread after many years and it was just as good as I remembered!
elliefufu's review
4.0
Love, love, love this book and this series. So well written and not a single boring moment for 335 pages. Sharon Ashwood sure knows how to write an awesome PNR. This is the first book in The Dark Forgotten Series. If you like vampires, witches and other things that go bump in the night you will love this book.
andimontgomery's review
4.0
4.5 stars. What a great book! It had likable, realistic characters (I especially loved Holly and Alessandro), and a fast-paced story including vampires, demons, and witches. I'll definitely read the next one!
lisaps's review
3.0
This review first appeared here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2010/10/review-ravenous-by-sharon-ashwood
REVIEW SUMMARY: Ravenous sets up a vast new supernatural world rife with inter-species conflict and the potential for some very compelling characters.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A society where all manner of supernatural beings have come out of the broom closet backdrops Sharon Ashwood's romance between a magically-wounded witch and a vampire wanting more than to be eternally undead.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Ashwood's world-building goes beyond just the typical vampires and werewolves and, in fact, opens up all sorts of possible paranormal creatures as characters in future books; the heroine's arc of moving from powerlessness to power was compelling.
CONS: The pacing at times dragged and aspects of the hero were derivative of other well-known vampires;
BOTTOM LINE: Readers looking for lighter fare urban fantasy will likely enjoy this book.
Small-time witch Holly Carver hails from a big "M" magic family in Fairview, USA. Her ancestor may have saved everyone from being ravaged by the inhabitants of a supernatural prison called The Castle, but Carver has too many scars from a childhood magical trauma to relate. To avoid the pain of accessing her magic, she restricts her activities to cleansing hauntings and poltergeists with her business partner, the six-centuries-old vampire Alessandro Caravelli.
Ravenous was a fun read, but it didn't live up to its title. I missed a visceral or ravenous attraction between the heroine and the hero. Even though the romance aspect fell short, both characters' yearning for something better was dynamic. While I found Alessandro's pretty-boy looks a nice change from the over-the-top testosterone-ruled vampire type, he was too derivative of Lestat for my taste. Don't get me wrong, I adored Lestat in all his vamp-trampiness, but Rice's character has become so iconic that any other vampire with long, blond, curly tresses is going to remind me of Lestat instead of standing on his own.
I found myself rooting for secondary character Conall Macmillan in the love triangle between Holly, Alessandro, and Conall. Turns out, Conall is the lead character in book number two and I'll definitely be picking up that one to see where Ashwood takes his character.
Ashwood made room for not only the romantic version of the vampire so prevalent these days, but also the gruesome version she calls Changelings -- vampire turnings gone wrong that I pictured as Packled Nosferatu. Scores of them showing up after centuries of assumed extermination are one of the first clues that something is not right in Fairview. The world-building elements are doled out well without any infodump problems, and I liked that this world is broader than just vampires and werewolves. I especially liked the twist with hellhound shifters and Castle portal guards. I hope future books develop both of those supernatural races more.
Despite a reluctant beginning, near the end Carver buys into her role in saving Fairview and finally gets to kick some supernatural ass. The action at the end of the story was well-done. While I appreciate the journey of self-discovery the heroine experiences, I wished it had happened a little earlier. Without spoiling the plot, overall I liked that Carver ultimately solves all of her own problems whether it's saving the world, dealing with an ex, uncovering dark secrets of her psyche and innate power, or winning the heart of a vampire.
REVIEW SUMMARY: Ravenous sets up a vast new supernatural world rife with inter-species conflict and the potential for some very compelling characters.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A society where all manner of supernatural beings have come out of the broom closet backdrops Sharon Ashwood's romance between a magically-wounded witch and a vampire wanting more than to be eternally undead.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Ashwood's world-building goes beyond just the typical vampires and werewolves and, in fact, opens up all sorts of possible paranormal creatures as characters in future books; the heroine's arc of moving from powerlessness to power was compelling.
CONS: The pacing at times dragged and aspects of the hero were derivative of other well-known vampires;
BOTTOM LINE: Readers looking for lighter fare urban fantasy will likely enjoy this book.
Small-time witch Holly Carver hails from a big "M" magic family in Fairview, USA. Her ancestor may have saved everyone from being ravaged by the inhabitants of a supernatural prison called The Castle, but Carver has too many scars from a childhood magical trauma to relate. To avoid the pain of accessing her magic, she restricts her activities to cleansing hauntings and poltergeists with her business partner, the six-centuries-old vampire Alessandro Caravelli.
Ravenous was a fun read, but it didn't live up to its title. I missed a visceral or ravenous attraction between the heroine and the hero. Even though the romance aspect fell short, both characters' yearning for something better was dynamic. While I found Alessandro's pretty-boy looks a nice change from the over-the-top testosterone-ruled vampire type, he was too derivative of Lestat for my taste. Don't get me wrong, I adored Lestat in all his vamp-trampiness, but Rice's character has become so iconic that any other vampire with long, blond, curly tresses is going to remind me of Lestat instead of standing on his own.
I found myself rooting for secondary character Conall Macmillan in the love triangle between Holly, Alessandro, and Conall. Turns out, Conall is the lead character in book number two and I'll definitely be picking up that one to see where Ashwood takes his character.
Ashwood made room for not only the romantic version of the vampire so prevalent these days, but also the gruesome version she calls Changelings -- vampire turnings gone wrong that I pictured as Packled Nosferatu. Scores of them showing up after centuries of assumed extermination are one of the first clues that something is not right in Fairview. The world-building elements are doled out well without any infodump problems, and I liked that this world is broader than just vampires and werewolves. I especially liked the twist with hellhound shifters and Castle portal guards. I hope future books develop both of those supernatural races more.
Despite a reluctant beginning, near the end Carver buys into her role in saving Fairview and finally gets to kick some supernatural ass. The action at the end of the story was well-done. While I appreciate the journey of self-discovery the heroine experiences, I wished it had happened a little earlier. Without spoiling the plot, overall I liked that Carver ultimately solves all of her own problems whether it's saving the world, dealing with an ex, uncovering dark secrets of her psyche and innate power, or winning the heart of a vampire.
tynga's review
5.0
Before I get down the business I'd like to quote the very first sentence of the prologue 'cause it made me laugh out loud: "Being the evil Undead wasn't fun anymore. For one thing, it was increasely hard to get a library card".
Ravenous takes places in the a world were all the supernatural creatures are out of the closest and lives among humans. Vampires, werewolves, ghouls, hellhounds, witch are all at the party. Honestly after reading the first few chapters I was scared to feel strangle by the overload of supernatural creatures involved but it wasn't the case. Every creatures fits perfectly within the mosaic Ravenous is, hat's off to Sharon for pulling this off.
To make a short resume, Holly is a witch, she's working with Alessandro, a vampire, to get rid of ghost nuisance, but she's gets involved in more then she bargained for. A demon is in town and she's got to do everything she can to put it back to hell before it destroys everything on it's path.
I really love the characters Ashwood created because they are all so real, they have shady past with their very own demons (literally and figuratively), their weaknesses and their dreams. Holly has some major problem with her magic due to some events she lived as a child, but as no memory of what happened and it's interesting to see her struggle and evolved through the entire book. Her love life is also very complicated, which adds a little spice to the story!
Ravenous is a great debut novel, if you haven't put your hands on it and you love Urban Fantasy with a spoon of romance and a touch of sexuality you'll love it, so go get it!
Ravenous takes places in the a world were all the supernatural creatures are out of the closest and lives among humans. Vampires, werewolves, ghouls, hellhounds, witch are all at the party. Honestly after reading the first few chapters I was scared to feel strangle by the overload of supernatural creatures involved but it wasn't the case. Every creatures fits perfectly within the mosaic Ravenous is, hat's off to Sharon for pulling this off.
To make a short resume, Holly is a witch, she's working with Alessandro, a vampire, to get rid of ghost nuisance, but she's gets involved in more then she bargained for. A demon is in town and she's got to do everything she can to put it back to hell before it destroys everything on it's path.
I really love the characters Ashwood created because they are all so real, they have shady past with their very own demons (literally and figuratively), their weaknesses and their dreams. Holly has some major problem with her magic due to some events she lived as a child, but as no memory of what happened and it's interesting to see her struggle and evolved through the entire book. Her love life is also very complicated, which adds a little spice to the story!
Ravenous is a great debut novel, if you haven't put your hands on it and you love Urban Fantasy with a spoon of romance and a touch of sexuality you'll love it, so go get it!
bookfairy99's review
4.0
���I liked this book right from the beginning. The writing style is exactly what I enjoy the most: lyrical and poetic, with a distinctive voice. The story hooked me with a strong heroine and a unique paranormal situation, and then once the hero was introduced -- sexy, strong and tormented, just the way I like 'em -- I was hooked for good. This is a quick, fun, sexy read. The ending dragged on a little in places, and it was rather anti-climactic since I figured out the one key twist, but other than that, I really enjoyed reading RAVENOUS. I'm off to see if there are other books in the series and grab 'em.
nelsonseye's review
3.0
A decent read with interesting characters and suitably tense moments. May or may not read more in the series.