Author: Kelli Ireland
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: TKA Distribution
Series: The Key Guardians, book one
Genre: Paranormal / Urban Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 17 and up
Rating: 4 Stars
Book Description:
Hiding
places are scarce when both Heaven and Hell intend to find you.
Dani Fayel’s backbreaking job as a stable hand at The Freaks’ Fair isn’t
glamorous, but for someone looking to keep to the shadows? It’s
perfect. Neither paranormal freaks nor human norms ever notice her. But
when Dani is forced to either let a child die in order to maintain her
anonymity or choose to save him and risk being discovered, she finds
herself unwillingly thrust into the spotlight.
Cain, Hell’s premier assassin and a predatory incubus, is close to
fulfilling his final contract and earning his freedom. Hired by the
Archangel of Death to find his daughter, Cain follows her trail to the
Fair. He works undercover, certain his mark is inside one of the
portable canopies or traveling cages. Dead or alive, she equals his
ticket to freedom.
When Cain’s objective is divulged, Dani realizes she can’t outrun her
destiny. As the fabled Key—the one soul with absolute free will who is
tied to the three realms of Heaven, Earth and Hell—only she is capable
of opening the gates for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Whoever
frees the Horsemen allegedly commands them. Now both Heaven and Hell are
vying for her allegiance, and there are no limits as to how dirty
they’ll fight to obtain it. With Hell raining indiscriminate chaos as
Heaven maneuvers its players around her, Dani realizes her would-be
assassin may be the only man capable of helping her survive.
My Review:
Wow, so to say that my feelings for this book volleyed between wanting to chuck my Kindle and grasping it so tightly, unable to put it down is saying it lightly, haha. There is just something about this book that makes you fall into the same love hate relationship that they two main characters have for one another.
Dani is a woman trying to hide her identity among the crowd. In a world full of special people she knows, even if she doesn't truly understand the extent, that she puts the extra in extra special. Dani lives in a society where 'norms' and 'freaks' co-exists, although the relationship is tenuous at best, where Angels and Demons walk the earth, and things are not always black and white. While at times I would have liked Dani to have just kicked everyone to the curb, I can understand her reasoning for trying to hang on to the little bit of a family she has created for herself, even if that family could and would turn on her in a heartbeat. Left at the age of 8 to a 'foster system', kicked out before she was ready, and required to run in fear of others finding out her heritage Dani craves family to the marrow of her bones. That craving makes her both a weak and a strong heroine. I think that she has a lot of room to grow and I am really looking forward to seeing who she becomes in future books. For Dani this is as much a coming of age story as it is a story of redemption for Cain.
Cain, Cain, Cain.... Where do I go with this character. He has all the makings of an Alpha Male with a side of Incubus (can you imagine) thrown in, he is infuriating, and bossy, and underneath it all when he's being true to himself he is kind, gentle, compassionate, and caring. I really liked Cain, even when I wanted to beat him senseless and when we discover his relationship with Armen and Noah (Oh Noah...there is so much I want to say about dear Noah but I can't tell you anything and truly that hurts me to the depth of my soul.) it is hard not to fall even farther under Cain's spell.
Now, I will say there is a lot...I am not kidding A LOT of back and forth with Cain and Dani. They have all the chemistry in the world but neither of them are in a place to commit to it so they are constantly bouncing off one another (minds out of the gutter people!) and every time you think they have finally, FINALLY, 'zinged' (as they say in Hotel Transylvania) walls come up or a crisis occurs. Now while that can be frustrating for us as romance fans it does leave things wide open for future books and when (no if, please no if Ms. Ireland) these two come together it is going to be epic. A note about the romance aspect of this book. It is in there, but keep in mind it is not the main focus, it is an ongoing subtle theme through out the book and it is a slow build, there is no insta-love here. The main theme of this book comes down (in my mind) to four different things, Trust, Friendship, Love, and Action. This book is jammed pack with action and twists and turns.
Wow, so to say that my feelings for this book volleyed between wanting to chuck my Kindle and grasping it so tightly, unable to put it down is saying it lightly, haha. There is just something about this book that makes you fall into the same love hate relationship that they two main characters have for one another.
Dani is a woman trying to hide her identity among the crowd. In a world full of special people she knows, even if she doesn't truly understand the extent, that she puts the extra in extra special. Dani lives in a society where 'norms' and 'freaks' co-exists, although the relationship is tenuous at best, where Angels and Demons walk the earth, and things are not always black and white. While at times I would have liked Dani to have just kicked everyone to the curb, I can understand her reasoning for trying to hang on to the little bit of a family she has created for herself, even if that family could and would turn on her in a heartbeat. Left at the age of 8 to a 'foster system', kicked out before she was ready, and required to run in fear of others finding out her heritage Dani craves family to the marrow of her bones. That craving makes her both a weak and a strong heroine. I think that she has a lot of room to grow and I am really looking forward to seeing who she becomes in future books. For Dani this is as much a coming of age story as it is a story of redemption for Cain.
Cain, Cain, Cain.... Where do I go with this character. He has all the makings of an Alpha Male with a side of Incubus (can you imagine) thrown in, he is infuriating, and bossy, and underneath it all when he's being true to himself he is kind, gentle, compassionate, and caring. I really liked Cain, even when I wanted to beat him senseless and when we discover his relationship with Armen and Noah (Oh Noah...there is so much I want to say about dear Noah but I can't tell you anything and truly that hurts me to the depth of my soul.) it is hard not to fall even farther under Cain's spell.
Now, I will say there is a lot...I am not kidding A LOT of back and forth with Cain and Dani. They have all the chemistry in the world but neither of them are in a place to commit to it so they are constantly bouncing off one another (minds out of the gutter people!) and every time you think they have finally, FINALLY, 'zinged' (as they say in Hotel Transylvania) walls come up or a crisis occurs. Now while that can be frustrating for us as romance fans it does leave things wide open for future books and when (no if, please no if Ms. Ireland) these two come together it is going to be epic. A note about the romance aspect of this book. It is in there, but keep in mind it is not the main focus, it is an ongoing subtle theme through out the book and it is a slow build, there is no insta-love here. The main theme of this book comes down (in my mind) to four different things, Trust, Friendship, Love, and Action. This book is jammed pack with action and twists and turns.
This is a great read for paranormal and urban fantasy fans. I am going to lean towards it being more of a hit with Paranormal fans but I think just about any one will enjoy this. Keep in mind while Kelli Ireland throws you straight into the world she has created the real meat of the book is a slow build. This is the first book in the series with hopefully a lot more to come in the near future so don't look for an HEA just yet and know that while you will get some closure on certain things others are left open. Also Ms. Ireland....that end, you know that one particular part that I can't talk about.....Whhhhhhyyyyyyyyy??? *winks the tears out of my eyes.*
Can't wait for book two!!!! Happy Reading Everyone!
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I am always looking for new series and RAISING CAIN sounds wonderful.
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