The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, stuns with SHADOW AND ICE, the first title in her scorching new paranormal romance Gods of War Series.

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Author: Gena Showalter

Publication Date: 23 October, 2018

Publisher: Harlequin

Series: Gods of War, book 1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Age Recommendation: 17 and up

Rating: 4 Stars

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

Book Description:

Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

My Review:

When I first heard about this series I had a mini heart attack from the excitement, a new paranormal romance from GENA SHOWALTER, Heck yeah, gimme, gimme, gimme!

I will say that there is a lot happening in this book but I blame that on it being the first book in an entirely new series and world. There is a lot of information to pass along and characters to meet. It can be confusing if you aren't paying close attention. I will say that in the back of the book Gena adds a index of all the characters that is particularly helpful because there are a lot and it can be hard to keep up with who is alive or dead and who has what powers.

All in all though I really loved this book. I loved this new world but with the feel we have come to know from Gena, the snark, the depth of the characters, even if it seems like they are nothing more than meat heads, the concept of their being a fine line between good and evil and who gets the right to decide what is and what isn't.

I quite enjoyed these characters as individuals. Their stories will break you heart and the depth of love that they have for others is a beautiful thing. Together they were a mixed bag, I wanted a stronger connection but can't deny that they connection in and of it's self was hot. I feel like due to the amount of information that had to be shared in this first book the relationship of the main characters may have suffered some. When it comes down to it though this is a book about learning to trust and I can say with out reservation that these two characters walk away with complete faith in one another.

Knox's internal monologue may have been one of my favorite parts. Just 'watching' this warrior fight with himself was entertaining. Seeing how he acted like the big bad fierce warrior on the outside but was a man who wanted more than revenge and battle on the inside made me smile. He really is a big old teddy bear when everything else is pushed to the side. Vale, is a kick butt heroine. I want so much more of her. Once she gets on board she doesn't even wait to take names after kicking tush. The way she announced herself at the first gathering after she comes into the picture is one of the best parts! They are both broken on the inside, both in one way or another having been beaten down, but they are two of the strongest characters out there. They are two people who will overcome their circumstances not become their circumstances.

I am really excited for Nola and Bane's book, mainly because until a certain moment in the book I had no idea that was even going to be the connection, it was unexpected and super exciting!

This is a great start to a new series. Go in with a lot of time on your hands just so you can sort through everything in your mind, but be ready for an exciting ride.

Sidenote: I partially listened to the narration of this as well and I will say the male narrator was not my favorite, I felt like there was a campiness to the way he read Knox that isn't there in Gena's words. I loved the dual POV narration though, it felt really 'alive' that way.

~ HAPPY READING ~

“I love this world…this is Gena Showalter at her best!”—J.R. Ward, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“The Gods of War series is my new obsession.”—Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author

About Gena Showalter:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans