{Review} Dangerous Calling (The Shadowminds #2) by A.J. Larrieu

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: August 18th, 2014
Finished Date: September 24th, 2014

Publishers: Carina Press
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: For Review
Format: eARC

Pages: Unknown 

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

After years of denial, Cass Weatherfield has finally accepted her telekinetic gifts. Living with her boyfriend, Shane, has given her the confidence to be herself, but the fear of losing control and harming those around her is always present.

Knowing firsthand the hell of growing up without a mentor, she agrees to meet and help Diana, a young Shadowmind. But when Cass shows up, the terrified woman changes her mind and flees. Cass and Shane track her across New Orleans, and soon discover that Diana is being held against her will by an illicit organization that’s selling her rare clairvoyant skills to the highest bidder. In charge is an ancient creature more powerful than any they’ve ever encountered. And apparently she wants Shane dead. 

Cass and Shane work to free Diana. But as Cass uses more and more power, drawing it from her friends in the fight against evil, she feels an addictive pull that challenges her control. And, in the end, Cass may be the greatest threat to those she loves the most.

The Review: Dangerous Calling is the second book in the Shadowminds series about people who are gifted with telekinetic powers that help read peoples minds, shift things with their minds and some also have extra abilities like healing, finding people etc. Cass is one of those who has an extra ability, someone who can harness energy to make her gifts even more powerful but the things she takes the energy from pay the price be it nature or people and the power is becoming a need…an addiction.
When Cass is contacted by a woman and arranges a meeting, she is unprepared for the impact this meeting will have on her life. Diana is terrified when Cass first meets her, she is obviously running from someone but the bizarre meeting ends with Diana bailing whilst muttering that she has put ‘both’ of them in danger by meeting. Cass decides that she can’t just leave things like that, she’s concerned the woman is at risk and enlists Shanes help to find her but what she uncovers will uncover things she thought didn’t exist. In the effort to rescue Diana who also happens to be clairvoyant, Cass needs more and more power to thwart the enemy who is constantly on their tail and finds herself pulling energy from wherever she can get it….. which does nothing for the growing need in her and her addiction and when Diana reveals her most shocking prophecy yet…. Cass has some choices to make.
I really enjoyed this book, it had an excellent progression in both characters and story.
Whilst Cass seemed like she had her life together – she and Shane had moved in together and things are good – she starts to struggle with the pull of wanting to take energy. This is a huge deal to Cass, she is terrified of killing someone and is trying with everything she has to abstain from using energy that isn’t hers, she is trying to hide it from Shane too, creating a bit of tension between the pair. I love these two together and it was a shame to see that Cass was trying to hide things from him, obviously he is aware something is happening to her because he knows her and can read her and again, I LOVE his devotion to her, he literally would stand by her through anything and it is a major plus to his character for me.
The storyline was great, it really opened up their world as new people and supernaturals are introduced. I liked the premise of the book and the beginning was fab, it really got my interest from the start. I loved what Diana brought to the story with her clairvoyance and also the threat she brought down upon everyone. The enemy was very devious and they are all put in constant danger which keeps you on your toes for most of the book as they all try to keep one step ahead. There are multiple threads of story throughout the book and another story is going on alongside Diana’s which was also good and brought something new, as well as a new character. I liked a lot of the things we find out in this but there are also some heartbreaking moments that bring you down to earth with a thud and make you realise just what is at risk and that nothing should be taken for granted. So, if you’re looking for an action packed story filled with life threatening situations, supernatural powers and a nice dose of sexytime… look no further – I’ll be looking out for book 3.

Thank you to Carina Press for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Review} Twisted Miracles (The Shadowminds #1) by A.J. Larrieu

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: April 7th, 2014
Finished Date: July 31st, 2014

Publishers: Carina Press
Genre: Urban Fantasy  
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Cass Weatherfield’s powers come with a deadly price.

Cass knows it was her telekinetic gift that killed a college classmate five years back, even if no one else believes her. She’s lived in hiding from her fellow shadowminds ever since, plagued by guilt and suppressing her abilities with sedatives. Until the night her past walks back into her life in the form of sexy Shane Tanner, the ex-boyfriend who trained her…and the one she left without saying goodbye.

When Shane tells her that his twin sister, Mina—Cass’s childhood friend—is missing, Cass vows to help, which means returning to New Orleans to use her dangerous skills in the search. But finding Mina only leads to darker questions. As Cass and Shane race to learn who is targeting shadowminds, they find themselves drawn to each other, body and soul. Just as their powerful intimacy reignites, events take a terrifying turn, and Cass realizes that to save the people she loves, she must embrace the powers that ruined her life.

The Review: 4.5 flowers! 

I really enjoyed Twisted Miracles, the first book in ‘The Shadowminds’ series, it is very different from what’s around at the moment and that really added to its appeal. I found it really easy to become involved in Cass’s world and her relationship with Shane. When we first meet her she is controlling her gift with medication and failing that –drink- but that is quite understandable when we find out what she is trying to control. She ran from the only family she had ever known, which included her boyfriend and her best friend (his sister) after an incident 5 years previous that she caused. When we find out what that is, it really gives a good feel of who Cass is and what she is about. I loved the way Shane came back into her life, yeah the circumstances weren’t great but it opened up an opportunity to let him back into her life and you could definitely feel the connection & love between the pair from the start. I liked how Shane was with her, so patient and understanding but also determined to have her back and I thought the mind-sharing was a great way to show trust, openness & honesty in a relationship situation plus is was definitely handy in the intimacy department. I loved the sense of family they all shared, even with others who shared their gift, like it was a community of its own and it was lovely how they all welcomed Cass back into the fold unquestionably.
The storyline was a good old whodunit and was a great introduction into the ‘shadowminds’ world. The idea of their powers is that they are all telepathic and can read peoples’ thoughts, but it goes further and certain people can do more, like healers and telekinesis for example but Cass is different and that is the main point of the book. It starts when Mina (Cass’s BFF) is stripped of her powers -which has never been known- and when they delve into her mind and see a man, the investigation begins but in order to do that Cass must unleash & control her powers, something she hasn’t been doing without medication. As she follow the clues, she makes some startling discoveries which challenges what she knew of the world of the Shadowminds and even challenges what she knows about herself. As always with people with any sort of power, you have those who will use it for good or those who will abuse it for their own gains so we get a balanced insight into these unusual people. The story itself was very intriguing and I really liked the way the telepathic gifts were used throughout and how even now, some things are still being discovered. It was a great introduction to this world and I really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking out for book 2. 

Thank you to Carina Press and A.J Larrieu for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.