REVIEW A Scarlet Fury (#2 World of Shadows) by Bridget Blackwood

Available on

Amazon | Kindle | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Page Foundry | Scribd | Createspace

Add to TBR Goodreads

Synopsis

Book Two in the World of Shadows series

It has been almost a year since mankind became aware of the world in shadows. It's been an adjustment, but life goes on and most have learned to adapt. There are some on both sides that are not ready to let go of their plans. Madalaina Bonvillian believed nothing could harm her; she's the daughter of the former alpha and the sister of the current alpha, who would dare? After surviving a brutal attack, Madalaina must try to move forward, but where do you go when you feel like you've lost yourself?

Cleary Neil has kept his feelings for Madalaina to himself. He's been her friend, and now that's what she needs more than anything. The only problem is he can't shut off the part of himself that wants to protect his mate from the pain and confusion he sees in her.

Together they will go on an emotional journey to find out if love can heal all wounds. Time is of the essence, because enemies are gathering.

***A portion of the proceeds will be donated to RAINN.org, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network to help survivors of sexual assault. RAINN is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.***

World in Shadows reading order

1) Rising Shadows

1.5) Winter's Kiss

2) A Scarlet Fury

Review

Okay, just a quick recap of book one.
In Rising Shadows, we meet Rachel, Bastien, Nicholai, Madalaina, Cleary, Varian, Winter and a host of other non-humans and Therians (shifters).
The Richland Institute has been conducting tests on all kinds of beings and destroying many lives in the process. All this in the quest to rid the world of anyone not human. Ironically, by creating a supernaturally changed human. Go figure.
Rachel is the Arcana-wielding human who refuses to bow to the institutes desires.
Bastien is the son of the Therian's Alpha Prime and claims Rachel as his mate.
Nicholai is head of the Wraiths - Vampire super soldiers.
Varian is a crazy-ass vampire who unexpectedly falls in love (and you can't help but love his wit!)
Madalaina is Bastien's sister and Cleary is the only lion on the Therian council.

Following along? Fabulous!

When Rachel exposes the Richland Institute in the first book, the world becomes a changed place. Myths become reality and lies are exposed. As a result, Rachel is a target for the nutcases who escaped capture when the institute fell. Unfortunately, Madalaina is caught in the cross-fire and becomes involved in the depravity of the institute too.
Cleary is devastated when they finally find Rachel and Madalaina. He takes his broken and scarred 'Mads' home to be fixed. After the physical injuries are mended, Madalaina begins her journey of healing the mental and psychological scarring.

I really like that Bridget didn't rush Madalaina through her healing process and that she wasn't alone in it. Professional and group therapy helped more than just our heroine of this story, with others in the therapy group benefitting from Madalaina's presence.
I love that Cleary researched and read up on how he could help her, and what PTSD triggers might affect her. A more loving and patient partner you couldn't ask for here. He also checked on her from afar, never alerting her to his presence (also thanks to her other brother shooing him away!). But he never pushed the issue of Athan's protectiveness, knowing his presence may be a backward step for her to take.

Start from the beginning of this series if you haven't already as there's much more to come for the World in Shadows. Bridget writes from multiple POVs which is my favourite way to read. I love to be able to see the story from multiple angles. My first encounter with more than two POVs was Nalini Singh's writing and she got me hooked on it. The benefit of this style, is that you get to 'see' and 'hear' from characters who are likely to pop up in their own book in the future. I can't imagine A Scarlet Fury from only Madalaina's and Cleary's perspectives. You simply wouldn't get the scope you need for the series.
I am waiting with baited breath for the next book and will have to refrain from twiddling my thumbs until its release...much! It's hard not to be impatient when a series sucks you in like this one does, and you really don't want to be spat back out at the end :)
[Sidenote - I'm a sucker for sex in books as I know a lot of readers are. To be perfectly honest here, it took me a couple of days to realise I couldn't remember if there was any sex in these books. I actually had to think hard. I came to the conclusion that there probably was, but the story itself had me so engrossed in what was happening, that I didn't focus on anything else. Good job, Bridget!]

Author Bio

I'm a hopeless romantic and a sucker for love stories with a happy ending. I grew up in East Texas, where I met and married my high school sweetheart. Together we moved to Southern Illinois and have called it home for over a decade now.

The characters in my head are loud and bossy. I began writing down their stories in self defense. My first book, Rising Shadows, debuted on February 14, 2014, the first in a paranormal romance series called World in Shadows.

A social butterfly by nature, I love to talk. When I am not writing, I enjoys video games, going out for dinner so I don't have to cook, and laughing as much as possible. I am a big horror movie junkie, I watch gobs of them. I have an addiction to eye shadow, crazy hair colors, tattoos, and glitter.

At home, I'm a wife and mother of three children, Blackwood Boy, Ballerina Blackwood, and Bitsy Blackwood. I also claim my fur babies; a pug, a boxer, and four cats bent on world domination

KINKY SPOTLIGHT - Kallypso Masters - Somebody's Angel

Buy the book!

When Marc d’Alessio first rescued the curvaceous and spirited Italian Angelina Giardano at the Masters at Arms Club, he never expected her to turn his safe, controlled life upside down and pull at his long-broken heartstrings. Months later, the intense fire of their attraction still rages, but something holds him back from committing to her completely. Worse, secrets and memories from his past join forces to further complicate his relationships with family, friends, and his beautiful angel.

Angelina cannot give all of herself to someone who hides himself from her. She loves Marc, the BDSM world he brought her into, and the way their bodies respond to one another, but she needs more. Though she destroyed the wolf mask he once wore, only he can remove the mask he dons daily to hide his emotions. In a desperate attempt to break through his defenses and reclaim her connection to the man she loves, she attempts a full frontal assault that sends him into a fast retreat, leaving her nobody’s angel once again.

Marc finds that running to the mountains no longer gives him solace but instead leaves him empty and alone. Angelina is the one woman worth the risk of opening his heart. Will he risk everything to become the man she deserves and the man he wants to be?

KINKY SPOTLIGHT - Kallypso Masters - Nobody's Perfect

Buy the book!

Savannah/Savi escaped eleven years of abuse at the hands of her father and finally made a safe life for herself and her daughter. But when her father once again threatens her peace of mind—and her daughter’s safety—Savi runs to Damian Orlando for protection. Eight years earlier as Savannah, she shared one perfect day with Damian that changed both their young lives and resulted in a secret she no longer can hide. But being with Damian reawakens repressed memories and feelings she wants to keep buried. After witnessing a scene with Damian on Savi's first night at his private club, however, she begins to wonder if he could help her regain control of her life and reclaim her sexuality and identity.

Damian, a wounded warrior, has had his own dragons to fight in life, but has never forgotten Savannah. He will lay down his life to protect her and her daughter, but doesn’t believe he can offer more than that. She deserves a whole man, something he can never be after a firefight in Iraq. Damian has turned to SM to regain control of his life and emotions and fulfills the role of Service Top to “bottoms” at the club. However, he could never deliver those services to Savi, who needs someone gentle and loving, not the man he has become.

Will two wounded survivors find love and healing in each other’s arms?

CONTENT WARNING:

Readers who have a history of past abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional) may be triggered by scenes in this story. Before reading this book, please be aware that it is primarily about an incest survivor dealing with the sexual aftermath of years of abuse. She has dealt with non-sexual issues in years of therapy, but has tamped down anything related to sex. In this story, she struggles to find healing through a trusting, consensual BDSM relationship. If you believe that reading about PTSD flashbacks of incest, whipping for catharsis, mindf**ks, and related topics might be triggering for you, but you still choose to read it, please make sure you only read this book in a safe environment with supportive people available to you.

The BDSM scenes in this book (some of them beginning and advanced sadomasochism techniques) are the result of many conversations with submissives and Dominants who have worked through similar abuse issues using activities in the BDSM community and lifestyle. Therefore, the BDSM is portrayed as healing rather than titillating. If you are looking for the latter only, this might not be an enjoyable read.

But if you want to delve into the roller-coaster journey of a young couple trying to work through intense issues in a compelling story that pulls you into the characters' world and doesn't let you go, then you might find healing and entertainment in this story. The author, also a child-sexual abuse survivor, has found that writing the story has provided catharsis for her, and hopes other survivors who read it will see that they are survivors, too, and no one is ever so wounded she or he can't find love.

KINKY SPOTLIGHT! Kallypso Masters - Nobody's Hero

Buy the book!

Retired Marine Adam Montague has survived many war zones—but can he survive the war Karla Paxton has declared on his heart? Karla fell in love with Adam at 16; nine years later, she's determined to make 50-year-old Adam see her as a woman. But can she submit to his dominant personality? And will she be able to him to surrender to her and lay his ghosts to rest?

Rescue Me series:

Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel

Nobody's Hero

Nobody's Perfect

Somebody's Angel

Nobody's Dream (upcoming later in 2014...)

KINKY SPOTLIGHT!! Kallypso Masters - Masters at Arms & Nobody's Angel

Buy the book! (It's free!)

MASTERS AT ARMS begins the journey of three men, each on a quest for honor, acceptance, and to ease his unspoken pain. Their paths cross at one of the darkest points in their lives. As they try to come to terms with the aftermath--forging an unbreakable bond--will they ever truly become masters of their own fates? Or would fate become master of them?

NOBODY'S ANGEL: Marc d’Alessio might co-own a private kink club with his fellow military veterans, Adam and Damian, but he keeps all women at a distance. When Marc rescues Angelina Giardano from a disastrous first experience at his club, however, an uncharacteristic attraction leaves him torn between his safe, but lonely world, and a possible future with his angel.

Angelina leaves the club behind only to have her dreams plagued by the Italian angel in a wolf mask who rescued her. When she meets Marc at a bar in her hometown, she can’t shake the feeling she knows him, but has no idea why he reminds her of her angel. While trying to protect Angelina from her abusive ex, though, Marc once again finds her at the Masters at Arms Club where she turns his safe, controlled world upside down.

ABOUT THE RESCUE ME SAGA: The books in the ongoing Rescue Me Saga are not stand-alone stories and should be read in order, beginning with the books in this volume. Characters will recur in later books to deal with old and new issues in their lives as the saga continues, and each book builds upon all previous ones. Sometimes main characters even need another book to help resolve deep-seated issues affecting their relationships.

BONUS MATERIAL in this version: Kallypso Masters has added the PLAYLIST of music that inspired her as she wrote about the first three couples mentioned in this combined volume, as well as a GLOSSARY OF TERMS and a CAST OF CHARACTERS in these books in the saga.

CONTENT WARNING: Readers with a history of abuse are warned that, due to the emotional way in which the author presents the subject matter (past and present), the books might cause triggers while reading. Please read the Author's Notes at the beginnings of each book before reading further. The books in this saga are intended for mature adult readers who are not offended by profanity and graphic sex scenes. Note, however, that this saga is NOT erotica. The primary focus is on the development of the characters and the unfolding of their life stories.