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June 27, 2013

Review ~ Death in the Shadows (IDWMA Episode #2) & The Arrival of Armando DeLeon (IDWMA Episode #3) by Rhiannon Frater

Death in the Shadows (In Darkness We Must Abide #2)
Title: Death in the Shadows (In Darkness We Must Abide #2)
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Published: March 21, 2013
Pages: 61
Genre: New Adult Modern Gothic Horror 
My Rating: 5 / 5

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*Warning ~ Possible spoilers if you haven't read Episode 1 yet*
Click here to read the synopsis and my review for Episode 1.

~ Synopsis ~
Death has claimed a Socoli, but the family curse will not allow him to stay dead. Vanora and Alisha must battle the creature that stole their brother's life while fearing the possible resurrection of Roman.

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

~ My Thoughts ~
The story of Vanora, Alisha, and Roman continues with Alisha and Roman vowing to keep their family intact and to keep their lives as normal as possible. I liked Roman more this time around than I did in the first episode. I understand him better and love his role as the protective older brother. He obviously loves and cares for his sisters and is more fatherly towards them than brotherly, which he is to fill that void in their lives.

Vanora is a strong character. I think the love from her siblings and the stable family life they've given her over the years contribute to her ability to not let not other kids bother her with their teasing her over her albinism. She's confident and intelligent, and I just really love her! Her name is unique - I haven't read a book with a character with her name, and I think it's beautiful and fits her very well.

I'd love for life to remain the same for the three siblings, but I have a feeling this isn't going to be as easy as Roman thinks it will be. It may not even be possible. What is he going to do when Vanora turns eighteen? He has built his entire life around her. What if she decides to go away to college? These are all questions I'm excited to explore as the story develops.


  ~I received a copy of this episode in exchange for an honest review~


The Arrival of Armando DeLeon (In Darkness We Must Abide, #3)
Title: The Arrival of Armando DeLeon (In Darkness We Must Abide #3)
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Published: April 12, 2013
Pages: 55
Genre: New Adult Modern Gothic Horror
My Rating: 5 / 5

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~ Synopsis ~
A mysterious new vampire appears in the life of the Socolis. Is he friend or foe? 

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

~ My Thoughts ~

Armando attempts to grow closer to Vanora, which set off warning bells for me. What are his intentions? Can he be trusted, or does he have some sort of sinister plans for Vanora and her family? He's suave and an old world gentleman, but there's something underneath the surface that I don't trust even though I like his character. There's a chemistry between the two of them that is undeniable and interesting because it isn't just as simple as a crust - there's much more to it.  

Vanora begins to grow apart from Alisha and Roman, which really saddened me, but it's an honest and realistic view into someone her age. She's a teenager becoming a young adult and developing her own identity. Already she's mature and intelligent beyond her years. Not only is she growing apart from them as any normal teenager might, but there's also the huge obstacle of Alisha and Roman being vampires while Vanora is not. Alisha and Roman really are more like parents to her than siblings, and the interactions between them remind me of a teenager vs. her parents situation, which led to some comical moments. 

I really love that about these episodes - there are serious moments, funny moments, tense moments, and sad moments all which make for a story that seems to jump off the pages. The writing is stellar, the characters are ones I care about, and the plot reels me in right away. I'm looking forward to the rest of this season, and luckily, I have episode four waiting for me! 

~I received a copy of this episode from the author in exchange for an honest review~


~ Purchase the Book Including All 5 Episodes of the First Season ~ 

~ About the Author ~

  
Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a. pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.  
  
You can find her online at:
Email: rhiannonfrater at gmail dot com

2 comments:

Leave a comment and make my day awesome! :D This is an award-free zone - thanks for your consideration though!