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lynseyisreading's review
4.0
I am once again bowled over by the incredible imagination of Diana Pharaoh Francis.
The vivid backdrop of the Shadow City and its inhabitants in this instalment was as wacky as it was wonderful. If you've read the previous two books, Bitter Night and Crimson Wind, you'll know that Francis' word building is highly original and unusual as are the creatures and supernatural beings that reside within. In Shadow City, this is taken to an even higher extreme.
Some of these creatures were adaptations of beings from myth and legend, others were spawned directly from Francis' mind and they were many and varied. As was the scenery. Each new place Max visited was as intriguing as the last, every building, every sight, every smell was brought to life in full technicolour.
The setting of the book was equally split between Horngate and the Shadow City. In Alexander's POV for the former, and Max's for the latter. This kept both storylines moving along at an equal clip and it was great how the ramifications of events from one side were experienced from the other.
The only slight negative to this split is that I missed the camaraderie between Max and the rest of the gang. I wanted her reunited with them, especially Alexander, with an almost frightening intensity and it just couldn't happen soon enough for me. Even though I enjoyed Max's foray out on her own, and Francis kept me interested throughout, I was still counting the pages until it happened.
On the plus side, the time spent alone did serve to give Max the chance to reflect on how she feels about certain things and certain people: Giselle, her family, Alexander. As well as her role and her forced servitude. I felt there was yet more growth for her as a main character in this story. The bitter, resentful woman from book one is slowly thawing and letting people in and it's great to witness.
Recommended for all Urban Fantasy and Fantasy adventure fans.
The vivid backdrop of the Shadow City and its inhabitants in this instalment was as wacky as it was wonderful. If you've read the previous two books, Bitter Night and Crimson Wind, you'll know that Francis' word building is highly original and unusual as are the creatures and supernatural beings that reside within. In Shadow City, this is taken to an even higher extreme.
Some of these creatures were adaptations of beings from myth and legend, others were spawned directly from Francis' mind and they were many and varied. As was the scenery. Each new place Max visited was as intriguing as the last, every building, every sight, every smell was brought to life in full technicolour.
The setting of the book was equally split between Horngate and the Shadow City. In Alexander's POV for the former, and Max's for the latter. This kept both storylines moving along at an equal clip and it was great how the ramifications of events from one side were experienced from the other.
The only slight negative to this split is that I missed the camaraderie between Max and the rest of the gang. I wanted her reunited with them, especially Alexander, with an almost frightening intensity and it just couldn't happen soon enough for me. Even though I enjoyed Max's foray out on her own, and Francis kept me interested throughout, I was still counting the pages until it happened.
On the plus side, the time spent alone did serve to give Max the chance to reflect on how she feels about certain things and certain people: Giselle, her family, Alexander. As well as her role and her forced servitude. I felt there was yet more growth for her as a main character in this story. The bitter, resentful woman from book one is slowly thawing and letting people in and it's great to witness.
Recommended for all Urban Fantasy and Fantasy adventure fans.
chllybrd's review
4.0
I honestly had no clue what to think of the situation at the end of CRIMSON WIND. I didn't think Scooter was out to get Max hurt or do anything bad with her but I never expected he was looking for her help in saving his life either. I was very frustrated that Max and Alexander hadn't hooked up, the sexual tension was seriously at an all time high, and I couldn't imagine how book 3 was going to play out with her being gone from Horngate. I really thought that some of my favorite characters might not be in SHADOW CITY. What I ended up getting in CRIMSON WIND was worth the frustration of my ever turning thoughts. It brought the same amount of action that I loved from the previous books. The romance was HOT, finally went somewhere instead of around in frustrating circles. Unfortunately we do lose some more characters =( I hate when that happens. We gain a few new friends and Diana brought us a whole new world to explore.
Alexander and the rest of the crew left at Horngate are on their own for a good portion of the book while Max is off with Scooter. The POV switches back and forth to keep us up to date on what is going on in each situation. It was kinda nice seeing Alexander take control of a dire situation without Max there. We got to see another side of Alexander as the "Alpha" and I think them together will continue to make a great team on more of a balanced field in the future. Surprisingly the witch we love to hate ends up making some changes to herself and her beliefs and we see a whole new side to her as well. I liked Scooter before now but I really enjoyed getting to know his past and learning about his world and the people in it. The world was creative and really complemented the situation that Max was put in. I also liked seeing Max work with someone else (don't worry just as friends). In the previous two books she started fitting herself in a little more instead of trying to be a loner and it really helped her with the situation she is in in SHADOW CITY. The whole Horngate team with their new allies finish off the book with some great action. I'm excited to see where Diana takes Max and the gang next. We got some great leads at the end of the book pointing us towards what might come. The Horngate Witches series is a favorite on my book shelf.
Alexander and the rest of the crew left at Horngate are on their own for a good portion of the book while Max is off with Scooter. The POV switches back and forth to keep us up to date on what is going on in each situation. It was kinda nice seeing Alexander take control of a dire situation without Max there. We got to see another side of Alexander as the "Alpha" and I think them together will continue to make a great team on more of a balanced field in the future. Surprisingly the witch we love to hate ends up making some changes to herself and her beliefs and we see a whole new side to her as well. I liked Scooter before now but I really enjoyed getting to know his past and learning about his world and the people in it. The world was creative and really complemented the situation that Max was put in. I also liked seeing Max work with someone else (don't worry just as friends). In the previous two books she started fitting herself in a little more instead of trying to be a loner and it really helped her with the situation she is in in SHADOW CITY. The whole Horngate team with their new allies finish off the book with some great action. I'm excited to see where Diana takes Max and the gang next. We got some great leads at the end of the book pointing us towards what might come. The Horngate Witches series is a favorite on my book shelf.
berls's review
5.0
My Initial Reaction…
Diana Pharaoh Francis’s creativity continues to blow me away in Shadow City, the third book of the Horngate Witches Series.
The Characters…
I still adore Max. She’s not only marvelously complex, but she continues to grow and change with each book. One of my favorite parts about her is how loyal she is – even to a fault. She made a promise to Scooter, for example, and she’s going to live up to it, regardless of the cost to herself. We also get to see a lot more of her soft underbelly in Shadow City, since she’s forming new friendships (including one of the canine variety!) and is pulled away from her home and those she loves (whether she wants to admit it or not).
Alexander, on the other hand, I have mixed feelings about. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still loyal and tough as all get out. But he also has let love turn him into a bit of whinny baby. And I really hate when love turns my alpha characters into infants. Yes, love Max. Miss Max. But grow a pair and do what she asked of you. She’s not crying over you, because she’s knows there’s work to do and people to fight for, so why aren’t you? I spent way too long wondering if he would snap out of it and do what he needed to do and that frustrated me. In the end, I still like him and just hope he pulls his shit together and stays the strong character I know he can be.
The Story…
If you’re at all like me, you’ll launch into Shadow City desperately wanting to know what happened to Max after the cliffhanger conclusion to Crimson Wind. So, after rushing into the book even though it was the middle of the night already, I was disappointed when Shadow City began with Alexander’s point of view and all I learned about Max was that she’d been gone for a while. But that’s Francis’s brilliance; you understand Alexander’s agony because you’re experiencing it too. And he IS in agony! He doesn’t know what’s happened to her and does not want to fulfill her final order that he be made Prime in her absence. To him, accepting that position would not just be accepting that she was gone, but dooming her to never come back. But Horngate needs Alexander, because a Fury (another amazingly unique fantasy element from Francis!) is rising and the threat she poses to their community may be the greatest they’ve faced yet.
Meanwhile, Max is facing some extreme challenges of her own in her attempts to help Scooter, kidnapper turned friend and ally, recover some stolen possessions. Max gets even tougher (if that’s even possible) and continues battling with her feelings for Alexander and the rest of the coven, whom she’d always worked so hard to be distant from but are now her family. Oh and did I mention she continues to kick ass? I can’t rave enough about this series, the unique story, and the amazing characters
Concluding Sentiments…
This book will not disappoint and is action packed, with some truly heart wrenching moments and even more exciting ones. Looking forward to Blood Winter!
*This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.*
Diana Pharaoh Francis’s creativity continues to blow me away in Shadow City, the third book of the Horngate Witches Series.
The Characters…
I still adore Max. She’s not only marvelously complex, but she continues to grow and change with each book. One of my favorite parts about her is how loyal she is – even to a fault. She made a promise to Scooter, for example, and she’s going to live up to it, regardless of the cost to herself. We also get to see a lot more of her soft underbelly in Shadow City, since she’s forming new friendships (including one of the canine variety!) and is pulled away from her home and those she loves (whether she wants to admit it or not).
Alexander, on the other hand, I have mixed feelings about. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still loyal and tough as all get out. But he also has let love turn him into a bit of whinny baby. And I really hate when love turns my alpha characters into infants. Yes, love Max. Miss Max. But grow a pair and do what she asked of you. She’s not crying over you, because she’s knows there’s work to do and people to fight for, so why aren’t you? I spent way too long wondering if he would snap out of it and do what he needed to do and that frustrated me. In the end, I still like him and just hope he pulls his shit together and stays the strong character I know he can be.
The Story…
If you’re at all like me, you’ll launch into Shadow City desperately wanting to know what happened to Max after the cliffhanger conclusion to Crimson Wind. So, after rushing into the book even though it was the middle of the night already, I was disappointed when Shadow City began with Alexander’s point of view and all I learned about Max was that she’d been gone for a while. But that’s Francis’s brilliance; you understand Alexander’s agony because you’re experiencing it too. And he IS in agony! He doesn’t know what’s happened to her and does not want to fulfill her final order that he be made Prime in her absence. To him, accepting that position would not just be accepting that she was gone, but dooming her to never come back. But Horngate needs Alexander, because a Fury (another amazingly unique fantasy element from Francis!) is rising and the threat she poses to their community may be the greatest they’ve faced yet.
Meanwhile, Max is facing some extreme challenges of her own in her attempts to help Scooter, kidnapper turned friend and ally, recover some stolen possessions. Max gets even tougher (if that’s even possible) and continues battling with her feelings for Alexander and the rest of the coven, whom she’d always worked so hard to be distant from but are now her family. Oh and did I mention she continues to kick ass? I can’t rave enough about this series, the unique story, and the amazing characters
Concluding Sentiments…
This book will not disappoint and is action packed, with some truly heart wrenching moments and even more exciting ones. Looking forward to Blood Winter!
*This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.*
alexiachantel's review
3.0
Shadow City is the third book of the Horngate Witches series and brings all that you expect from this urban fantasy series...plus some answers and insights!
Scooter! Now this is a character that is well written and puzzling. From his first introduction you knew he was more than he appeared and let on, now you finally get to find out what it was about him that had you scratching the back of your mind.
Scooter needs Max, really needs her. She is to be his champion in the otherworldly Shadow City. Lucky for us she is able to drag along all her ‘friends’ and Alexander. Everyone needs friends...and Max most of all. Now if this girl would only let down her emotional guard. The ending gives some hope. Lets see what Francis lets happen with book four.
Scooter! Now this is a character that is well written and puzzling. From his first introduction you knew he was more than he appeared and let on, now you finally get to find out what it was about him that had you scratching the back of your mind.
Scooter needs Max, really needs her. She is to be his champion in the otherworldly Shadow City. Lucky for us she is able to drag along all her ‘friends’ and Alexander. Everyone needs friends...and Max most of all. Now if this girl would only let down her emotional guard. The ending gives some hope. Lets see what Francis lets happen with book four.
jennybeastie's review
3.0
When last we saw Max, she’d been traded away to a mysterious being, held captive to a promise. How will Horngate survive without her, and where will this next quest take her? I enjoy this series for its complex magical world and its heart – this book didn’t let me down in that regard, but my goodness, if there was a drinking game based on how often someone clenches/tenses/tightens in this book, I doubt you’d make it through the first 50 pages.
vailynst's review
3.0
The world as we know it has gone insane with an eruption of Wild Magic. Except for a few that are left untouched, everything alters into something beautiful, monstrous, unimaginable and divine. Max is a Shadowblade of Horngate Coven. She is a warrior of the night that strives with all of her might to keep what she loves safe. Alexander is another Shadowblade who has joined Horngate and the love they share is wildly passionate & new. Without a word, Max vanishes with the demi-god nicknamed Scooter and leaves behind heartache in Horngate. To help Scooter, Max is brought to the brink of death over and over again until she masters the skill to walk the abyss.
Kudos on making Giselle more likeable and showing character growth. That's great! However, I don't see how the "Challenge Battle" with familiar Horngate warriors is what the story really needs. All those pages on planning the fight and then vaguely listing how the fight's fought. Blah blah blah
The comic verbal play between Thor and Oz is hilarious!
The way the bad guys died? Mostly lame-balls.
Moving on to the good bits. Even though it seems like a dumb idea to throw the only answer to your problem to the brink of death to find the key, it's well played. Scooter isn't human and there's no reason to really expect him to act as one.
Chadare is amazing and I would love to see what else can happen there.
The "dogs" are very cool and I hope there's more back story to them.
I'm not sure how I feel about Niko being brought back from death to die later in the story. Doesn't make a lot of sense.
The Horngate story line with the Fury is great! Very satisfying! I wonder if the Hag is coming into play at any point?
The small development in Max's skills is intriguing. The way Alexander bonded with his wild Prime is also very cool. I really enjoy the characters growing, the changes good or bad, and how approachable they are whether they play a human or other.
Max's adventure as she tries to get back Scooter's heart is what I enjoyed. It's interesting, engaging and kept me captivated. In comparison, the "big battle" is a let down.
I'm holding no expectations of the next book. I want to go into it with an open mind and see where the story will take me. I enjoyed this novel but I feel a bit let down by it. Thus far, Crimson Wind is my favorite!
Spoiler
Let's get the GRRRR out of the way first! I'm reading the book and cruising along. There's about quarter of the story to go and then plot line explodes into a pile of crap! The challenge fight feels like an ill timed filler that took me out of the story. It had some promise but fails to deliver.Kudos on making Giselle more likeable and showing character growth. That's great! However, I don't see how the "Challenge Battle" with familiar Horngate warriors is what the story really needs. All those pages on planning the fight and then vaguely listing how the fight's fought. Blah blah blah
The comic verbal play between Thor and Oz is hilarious!
The way the bad guys died? Mostly lame-balls.
Moving on to the good bits. Even though it seems like a dumb idea to throw the only answer to your problem to the brink of death to find the key, it's well played. Scooter isn't human and there's no reason to really expect him to act as one.
Chadare is amazing and I would love to see what else can happen there.
The "dogs" are very cool and I hope there's more back story to them.
I'm not sure how I feel about Niko being brought back from death to die later in the story. Doesn't make a lot of sense.
The Horngate story line with the Fury is great! Very satisfying! I wonder if the Hag is coming into play at any point?
The small development in Max's skills is intriguing. The way Alexander bonded with his wild Prime is also very cool. I really enjoy the characters growing, the changes good or bad, and how approachable they are whether they play a human or other.
Max's adventure as she tries to get back Scooter's heart is what I enjoyed. It's interesting, engaging and kept me captivated. In comparison, the "big battle" is a let down.
I'm holding no expectations of the next book. I want to go into it with an open mind and see where the story will take me. I enjoyed this novel but I feel a bit let down by it. Thus far, Crimson Wind is my favorite!
vailynst's review against another edition
3.0
The world as we know it has gone insane with an eruption of Wild Magic. Except for a few that are left untouched, everything alters into something beautiful, monstrous, unimaginable and divine. Max is a Shadowblade of Horngate Coven. She is a warrior of the night that strives with all of her might to keep what she loves safe. Alexander is another Shadowblade who has joined Horngate and the love they share is wildly passionate & new. Without a word, Max vanishes with the demi-god nicknamed Scooter and leaves behind heartache in Horngate. To help Scooter, Max is brought to the brink of death over and over again until she masters the skill to walk the abyss.
Let's get the GRRRR out of the way first! I'm reading the book and cruising along. There's about quarter of the story to go and then plot line explodes into a pile of crap! The challenge fight feels like an ill timed filler that took me out of the story. It had some promise but fails to deliver.
Kudos on making Giselle more likeable and showing character growth. That's great! However, I don't see how the "Challenge Battle" with familiar Horngate warriors is what the story really needs. All those pages on planning the fight and then vaguely listing how the fight's fought. Blah blah blah
The comic verbal play between Thor and Oz is hilarious!
The way the bad guys died? Mostly lame-balls.
Moving on to the good bits. Even though it seems like a dumb idea to throw the only answer to your problem to the brink of death to find the key, it's well played. Scooter isn't human and there's no reason to really expect him to act as one.
Chadare is amazing and I would love to see what else can happen there.
The "dogs" are very cool and I hope there's more back story to them.
I'm not sure how I feel about Niko being brought back from death to die later in the story. Doesn't make a lot of sense.
The Horngate story line with the Fury is great! Very satisfying! I wonder if the Hag is coming into play at any point?
The small development in Max's skills is intriguing. The way Alexander bonded with his wild Prime is also very cool. I really enjoy the characters growing, the changes good or bad, and how approachable they are whether they play a human or other.
Max's adventure as she tries to get back Scooter's heart is what I enjoyed. It's interesting, engaging and kept me captivated. In comparison, the "big battle" is a let down.
I'm holding no expectations of the next book. I want to go into it with an open mind and see where the story will take me. I enjoyed this novel but I feel a bit let down by it. Thus far, Crimson Wind is my favorite!
Kudos on making Giselle more likeable and showing character growth. That's great! However, I don't see how the "Challenge Battle" with familiar Horngate warriors is what the story really needs. All those pages on planning the fight and then vaguely listing how the fight's fought. Blah blah blah
The comic verbal play between Thor and Oz is hilarious!
The way the bad guys died? Mostly lame-balls.
Moving on to the good bits. Even though it seems like a dumb idea to throw the only answer to your problem to the brink of death to find the key, it's well played. Scooter isn't human and there's no reason to really expect him to act as one.
Chadare is amazing and I would love to see what else can happen there.
The "dogs" are very cool and I hope there's more back story to them.
I'm not sure how I feel about Niko being brought back from death to die later in the story. Doesn't make a lot of sense.
The Horngate story line with the Fury is great! Very satisfying! I wonder if the Hag is coming into play at any point?
The small development in Max's skills is intriguing. The way Alexander bonded with his wild Prime is also very cool. I really enjoy the characters growing, the changes good or bad, and how approachable they are whether they play a human or other.
Max's adventure as she tries to get back Scooter's heart is what I enjoyed. It's interesting, engaging and kept me captivated. In comparison, the "big battle" is a let down.
I'm holding no expectations of the next book. I want to go into it with an open mind and see where the story will take me. I enjoyed this novel but I feel a bit let down by it. Thus far, Crimson Wind is my favorite!
kribu's review
4.0
It took me a bit of time to get into this one, not the least because sufficiently long had passed since I read the book before it to remember exactly what had happened, but in the end, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.
It probably didn't hurt that there was a lot of violence involved. Lots of punching and blood and gore. Woot.
It probably didn't hurt that there was a lot of violence involved. Lots of punching and blood and gore. Woot.
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