Shadowed Blade by J.C. Daniels
Series: Colbana Files #5
Published by Indie
Published on: April 25, 2016
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 292
Format: eBook
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Something wicked this way comes…
The arrival of a very important person in her office seemed to be the start of a lot of problems for Kit Colbana, investigator extraordinaire. Claiming that he needed somebody with her special skillset, he sends her on a series of jobs that made little to no sense until one culminated with both her and her partner, Justin barely escaping with their lives.
Back in Orlando, they go their separate ways to recover, Justin heading to the house of a local witch, while Kit returns to the Lair, where she’s recently been living with her lover Damon, the Alpha of the Southern Cat Clans.
There’s barely a chance for to catch her breath before trouble of the highest order comes knocking on her door. This time, it’s the form of a psychic by the name of Nova. Nova has bad, bad news…Justin has gone missing and so has the witch who was going to put him up while he healed. Colleen, one of Kit’s closest, dearest friends.
With all sorts of non-humans disappearing, fury doesn’t even touch what Kit is feeling as she heads out to hunt down the people responsible.
But Kit isn’t the only one out on a hunt…somebody is hunting for her…somebody Kit would rather never, ever see again.
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I’m a huge fan of the Colbana Files. I’ve listed as one of my favorite UF series. I’ve also frequently touted it as one of the most underappreciated series in the UF genre. This book though didn’t live up to those statements. I still enjoyed it, but there are some issues that kept me from enjoying this book as much as previous books in the series.
To start, the beginning of this story was a bit confusing. It kinda read like it might have been flashbacks, but I wasn’t sure. The whole story about the druid and Frankie was confusing to me. As I kept reading, I did eventually figure out what was going on. There are parts that overlap with the novella, Misery’s Way, which is included at the end. I highly recommend you read it first, you can find it in the table of contents.
As per usual in this series, it is full of great characters. I love Kit. She is a wonderful character. She is very strong, no matter how many times she has been broken. She puts herself back together, though that is not an easy process for her. She surrounds herself with great friends who have finally become the family that she’s never had with her actual blood relation. I loved seeing Damon, Chang, Justin, Colleen, Doyle and Nova. There is even a new addition who I expect to have a large part to the story going forward.
I can’t really go into much about this story without giving away series spoilers. I’ll just say that this story follows a lot of Kit and Justin the most as they are working for a very mysterious “client” of Kit’s. You can see throughout the story that there is still some issues between humans and non-humans, also known as NH, though there are people who are willing to serve anyone who is willing to pay. It is also hard to tell who is the good guys and who are the bad guys, but other times, it is very obvious who the bad guys are and they are very bad.
This story did have everything that I love in a great Urban Fantasy. Great characters. An excellent world. A ton of action. Romance. Wonderful characters, yes, I know I said that already, but I love these characters, a lot. Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I have to call out the weak beginning. I also need to call out the lack of editing. Normally, that is not an issue with this series, but there was a lot of editing issues in this one. It would not be fair to future reader to recommend this book without calling that out. I had a purchased copy from Amazon, not an ARC. This is the first book by Ms. Daniels that I’ve had editing issues. I would still recommend this book, but I would recommend that you start with book one, as I would with pretty much all UF series.
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I’m Melanie and I live in Ohio. I have two horses and a dog. I’m an animal lover, avid book reader and audiobook listener. I like to live vicariously through fictional characters. I enjoy reading and listening to mostly fictional books in the paranormal genre, including Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and Horror. My favorite paranormal creatures are shifters, doesn’t matter the flavor.
This is new to me. I’m always finding new series with your reviews!
Tanya recently posted…Review ~ The Vampire’s Dreadful Read by Piper Alexander
Glad I can be an enabler to your ever growing TBR list. 🙂
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
It’s hilarious about our reviews being somewhat similar and on the same day!! I waited a while to write/publish mine to see if I still felt the same way as when I finished. I did….a bit disappointed but overall, okay.
I was disappointed with the beginning and the editing, but I still enjoyed the story. I love Kit and the world she lives in. I just hope that the next one done better. I was also disappointed that there wasn’t more Frankie. I really wanted to learn more about her.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
You know, sometimes, I like being dropped into a story unceremoniously. It’s fun to figure out what’s going on. But sometimes, it’s too confusing for my taste. I’m glad you got to take some good from the bad, anyway. 🙂
The story got really good once you got out of the first three or four chapters. That beginning was just a bit weird. I still enjoyed the story overall.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
Boo for all the editing issues but I can tell how much you love these characters and I’m sure that made all the difference and maybe even made up for the lack of a good editor. Strange though how the other books weren’t as bad. Great honest review Melanie! Have a fabulous weekend!
I do love Kit and the world that Daniels has built. She writes wonderful characters. I don’t think she was feeling well. I know she had a hard time meeting this deadline. Personally, I would rather wait another month for a book and have it edited properly. I know that isn’t how the business works, but still. Maybe they will get the file updated.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
Hate it wasn’t as enjoyable as the rest! I totally get the editing issues, though. They can be such a turn-off!
Amanda H Gillespie recently posted…QUAKE By Jacob Chance
The story was still good once you got past the first three or four chapters. If I didn’t take into account the editing, I would’ve given this book 4 stars, but I felt I had to dock it more because of the lack of editing. Things like “n0t”, missing words, wrong words, etc. I was able to know what she meant, but I felt like I had to take that into account.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
Aw too bad about the editing issues. Still with this being one of your fave UFs… I need to try it! Brilly review.
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…F*ck That by Jason Headley
It is a fun series. If you didn’t know, and I meant to put into my review, but forgot because of the talk about the editing. This is Shiloh Walker’s alter ego. This is really the only series she’s written under this name, and a single sci-fi book. She really puts her characters through the ringer and with great stories.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
Good to know about getting the short story first so this one makes sense. That has happened to me before. I don’t like that weird confused feeling. But it sounds like there are a lot of good things going on, too. And hey, there always has to be that one book in the series…haha.
Nice review, Melanie!
Thanks. This is still a fun series. I think that the short story helps. I’m gad she included in. It is more of a story about a different character, but Kit makes an appearance. I wish Frankie was more in this book.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
Confusing, eh, no thanks, and who gave up on book 1
This is the first book that I’ve had issues with. All the other’s have been 4.5 or 5 star reads for me.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
With so many editing companies and services nowadays, I am surprised that she’s not utilizing one-or a good one anyway. Hope the next one is a better one for you 🙂
I don’t know who she normally has edit these books. She’s been self publishing for a while now. This is the first one that I’ve noticed with these kind of issues. I do know that she had a hard time meeting this deadline, so maybe the editor didn’t have the time they needed.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
I am intrigued! I think I might’ve seen this series floating around Amazon but didn’t think too much of it, but now I am really going to have to look a little harder at this series.
I love this series. J.C. Daniels is Shiloh Walker. She has great characters.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
Woah, book # 5 and I don’t think I’ve heard of this series….though I might have the first book on GR and be forgetting about it lol! In any case, I’m sorry that this one didn’t quite live up to the rest of the series. Editing issues bite the big one 🙁 I am glad that you still enjoyed it despite that though^^ GREAT review Melanie and thanks for (possibly) putting this series on my radar 🙂
Micheline recently posted…Review: The Raven King
This author is also Shiloh Walker. The series is really good and I highly recommend it. I know she had health issues so that could’ve been part of the issue. I do hope you give it a try.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
I hadn’t heard of this series before. I haven’t read many UF books.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Something Old, Something New…and a giveaway!
UF is my favorite genre. I just love it.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
I’m sorry this one didn’t hit all the buttons, Melanie. I’m sure that was disappointing since it’s a series you love. I’m glad it seems to have moved past the weak beginning and ended up being a good story. I love a series with a strong cast of characters and this one sounds like it delivers that element. 🙂 It is interesting there were so many editing issues…I wonder if she had a new editor for this one? I’ll have to check out this series sometime. I’ve meant to but haven’t made the time. JC Daniels is another name for Shiloh Walker, right? I’ve read several of Walker’s titles and enjoyed them. That’s what made me think I’d like Daniels’ titles. Anyway, great review!
Yes, this is Shiloh Walker. I know she had some health issues and even mentions it in a note in the book. I know that affected her and almost made her miss her deadline. That probably affected the editing. I still enjoyed the story. I highly recommend the series.
Melanie recently posted…Audiobook Review: Rogue Descendant by Jenna Black (@mlsimmons, @jennablack, @sereads, @tantoraudio)
I don’t like the confusing beginning but the rest sounds good.
I’m not sure what was going on with the confusing beginning. It turned into a great story though. 🙂
Melanie recently posted…Fresh Meat: May 15 to 21 — 27 Speculative Fiction Releases