Review and Giveaway: Flamebound

Flamebound (Lone Star Witch - Book 2) by Tessa Adams

Publication Date: 12/03/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Signet Eclipse
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
ISBN-10: 0451415051
ISBN-13: 978-0451415059

(Received for an honest review from Signet Eclipse)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Tessa Adams (aka. Tracy Wolff) on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Soulbound (2013), Flamebound (2013)

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Flamebound, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

After Xandra’s nasty run in with the Arcadian Council of Witches—where she was almost killed and her boyfriend, Declan, was almost framed for it—her plan is to lay low and figure out why its members would torment the people they are supposed to protect. Declan, temperamental and protective warlock that he is, doesn’t feel so reticent. And when violence erupts again, there’s no stopping him from pursuing revenge…
 
When a council member is murdered in a fashion that screams dark magic, Declan claims someone else beat him to it. Xandra doesn’t want to believe he could commit such a brutal act, but she knows he has a dark side—one that his former love interest Tsura understands better than she ever will. With Tsura back in town, Xandra doesn’t know whom to trust. And a killer targeting witches and wizards is still at large…

Thoughts:

Flamebound is the second book in the Lone Star Witch series. Author Tessa Adams brings readers a novel filled with adventure, dark magic and some serious sexual tension. Heroine Xandra Morgan has finally gotten her troubles with the Arcadian Council of Witches under control, when some of the council members start showing up dead. Is it revenge? Xandra worries her lover, Declan may be involved. This is novel filled with lots of struggles for the main characters as Adams begins to fully develop this world and the people in it. Urban fantasy and Paranormal Romance fans alike will love this one!

What I liked: 

This is one of those books that goes from zero to sixty in less than three seconds. It is very fast paced. I liked the fact that it didn't have moments where it really dragged or felt bogged down. Xandra and Declan are quick to love and quick to engage in danger and that makes for some tense moments sexually, emotionally and magically in this case. It was fun to read and quite entertaining.

The relationship between these two characters is fraught with a lot of perils. Even though Xandra and Declan are soulbound, they have their issues. They may sizzle in their private life, but they don't really trust each other. This makes for a lot of moments when the reader finds themselves contemplating what in the world are these two doing together, but then Adams shows us in the next paragraph. That was lots of fun.

I also liked the fact that these characters were flawed. They certainly weren't you're typical hero and heroine. Xandra has a bit of an entitled aura about her. Since she does come from a royal family and has been prophesied to have great power, that might be kind of expected. But she does show a lot of immaturity in her actions in a lot of ways. Declan on the other hand is very secretive. He may be doing things for what he considers the right reasons, but he definitely doesn't let anyone know what he's up to. It made for some very interesting interactions between these two.

What I didn't like:

The relationship between Declan and Xandra was really the crux of this story and even though there are a lot of dark moments I'm not sure it was true urban fantasy. There was a lot of paranormal romance elements to it and it really seemed to stradle the line a bit too much to suit me. A romantic interest is good but when it crosses that line into being the center of the story it loses that urban fantasy kick.

This one ended in a cliff hanger which can sometimes be a good thing sometimes not. I felt like the last couple of chapters were the best parts of the book and the ending was very good, but I wanted to know what happened, but I guess in a sense that's what will keep me reading the series even though I was disappointed that more questions were not answered.

Bottom Line: 

This was a good installment in the series, but not quite great. Adams continues to develop the world and the characters for this series and they are engaging and entertaining. It could have been better, but it was certainly a solid effort and I look forward to reading the next book.

Flamebound is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Tessa Adams lives in Texas and teaches writing at her local community college. Under the name Tracy Deebs, she is the author of several young adult fantasy novels, including the Tempest Trilogy and her new Pandora series, beginning with Doomed. She is married and the mother of three young sons.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Flamebound by Tessa Adams.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, December 31st.

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