Review and Giveaway: Reaper's Vow

Reaper's Vow (Shadow Reapers - Book 2) by Sarah McCarty

Publication Date: 03/04/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Sensation
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 352
ISBN-10: 0425247708
ISBN-13: 978-0427709

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Sensation)

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

Sarah McCarty on the WEB: website, blog, goodreads

Books in the series: 

Shadow Reapers

1. Reaper's Justice
2. Reaper's Vow

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

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

Synopsis:

A breed of werewolf soldiers engineered to kill on command, The Shadow Reapers went rogue at the end of the Civil War. Now, exacting justice by their own code, they long to feel human as they contain the beast within… 

Ever since his cousin Adelaide disappeared, Cole Cameron has been searching for her—and for Isaiah Jones, whom he blames for her kidnapping, after a hellacious fight in town involving—if the stories of drunken saloon goers were to be believed—men who changed into wolves. Being a practical man, Cole doesn’t believe it.

Then he is rescued from a pack of strangely intelligent wolves by none other than his quarry, Isaiah, who brings him to a hidden valley where the Shadow Reapers have settled, where he is reunited with Adelaide—and where he finds the beautiful Miranda.

Miranda was once a captive of the enemy pack of Rogues. Now a werewolf herself, all she wants is to protect her daughter and try to forget the husband she lost. But Cole’s not about to give up the greatest desire he’s ever felt in his life. And he’s vowed to make Miranda his—no matter what stands in his way…

Thoughts:

Sarah McCarty returns to the Shadow Reaper series with her latest installment, Reaper's Vow. Readers have waited a long time for this one and won't be disappointed. McCarty takes the Civil War era and turns it on it's ear by inserting paranormal characters who are forging a new life for themselves, after a tragic beginning. History and the paranormal mix in this book to give readers a unique reading experience that they can't find too many other places. McCarty's Reapers are just what the doctor ordered when it comes to protective, alphas. And readers won't be able to get enough.

What I liked:

It's been almost two years since Reaper's Justice, the first book in the Shadow Reaper's series hit shelves. Readers have faithfully waited for Sarah McCarty to take them back and now she finally has. But this one may not turn out exactly like they thought it would. With a mix of paranormal and human characters, the world building was diverse and difficult to pull off, but McCarty does it with style. This was just what I was looking for in a good paranormal historical.

The Civil War has always been one of my favorite historical genres to read about. It has so many avenues that the author could use to take readers on a one of a kind journey. And when the paranormal is added to the mix, you just can't hardly go wrong. McCarty uses all of the elements of the times and adds that little paranormal twist which changes the story completely. I liked the fact that McCarty made her werewolves fierce and determined to make a good life for themselves after being turned in order to make them into weapons. That was such an usual premise that it worked. It really worked! 

Cole is a great alpha hero, but he is all human. He finds him getting in a bit over his head when he has to be rescued by the Shadow Reapers. I loved his fighting spirit. He was determined to find his cousin and to seek justice from those who he thought kidnapped her. It was interesting to watch him when he realized he had been wrong. I thought he showed a lot of character development throughout the book. McCarty took Cole's character in a totally different direction than I was expecting. In fact I was a bit shocked by the ending, but not in a bad way. She just really surprised me.

Miranda is a great female lead. As a Reaper she hasn't had a lot of choices about what has happened in her life. She only wants to protect her daughter and move on with her life, since her husband's death. Meeting Cole changes everything for both of them and I liked how they were so good for each other. They brought out the best in each other. He was strong and self-assured and he gave her the courage to move on. She was warm and caring and showed him how to love. The relationship between them was poignant and very believable. Cole's relationship with Miranda's daughter was also a joy to read about.

What I didn't like:

Like most other readers of this series, I thought the wait between books was too long. It caused a sort of disconnect between the reader and the series itself. I found myself trying to relate this book back to Reaper's Justice when it was totally different. I think there needed to be more of an interwoven thread between the two books that didn't seem to come across.

Bottom Line:

This one was good but I liked Reaper's Justice better. The end was certainly shocking. I thought it would go down in a much different way, but perhaps that's a good thing and it is setting up the next book in the series. We shall see...

Reaper's Vow is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

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

About the Author:

Sarah McCarty is a bestselling erotic romance writer.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Reaper's Vow by Sarah McCarty.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, April 13th.

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