Member Reviews
Shadow Reaper is Christine Feehans’ second installment in the Shadow series.
Ricco, one of the Ferraro brothers, has been dealing with issues stemming from some seriously horrific bullying that happened when he was a teenager. This happened during his time in Japan while undergoing schooling & training. The end result was a violent incident covered up with lies & threats.
Mariko has been belittled all her life by her foster family & her instructors. She is also a shadow rider who attended the Tokyo shadow rider school some years after Ricco.
Ricco & Mariko meet. The sparks fly, secrets are revealed & they work together to right the wrongs of the past. They help each other heal from the wounds inflicted in the past. They start trusting each other emotionally & in their shadow rider skills. You see the love between them slowly build.
I enjoyed the first book and found the world interesting. I liked Shadow Reaper much better. The world was fleshed out more. I enjoyed the interaction & depth of the main characters, Ricco & Mariko. This story worked on all levels for me. Thanks Net Galley!
Welcome Rockie to the blog with her first review... Yeah I might've chosen this one for her on purpose but... look below for a treat...
I had the ability read an ARC for Shadow Reaper! I really love this series! Shadow Reaper is the continuation of Shadow Rider and Ricco's story! I fell in love with Ricco and his family in the first story.
Shadow Reaper is a fast paced story, Christine Feehan is a master at what she does. This story flows through. There are several times during the story to fall deeper in love with Ricco! The art of shibari is interesting and to see it through Ricco’s eyes when he ties up Mariko. To see how he feels about Mariko throughout the book is amazing. Ricco was in a downward spiral that almost killed him.
Enter Mariko who was sent to kill him, because she is going to lose her brother if she doesn’t. Ricco’s past is about to make a jump into his present because someone is trying to kill him and his family. Ricco knew Mariko was sent to kill him, but he knew she was the love of his life and he didn’t know how to keep her without shibari and knew that they could do shibari together and live out their lives together.
If you haven’t picked up Shadow Rider and want to read Shadow Reaper go ahead, you don’t have to read the first book to read this. You should go ahead and pick up these books and read them! Christine Feehan is simply amazing.
Now I quite enjoyed this one as well so I agree that the darkness Ricco is in at the start was disturbing but as we read this story we get the reasons behind it... it will make you fall in love with him as he comes out of the darkness. Now... to win a copy of the book in paperback... Welcome Rockie to the blog by saying hi and if you have any suggestions for her reading pleasure. Just post a reply here on the blog by 11:59 pm Central on June 6th to have a chance to win...
Yeah, this book was just so great! This is only the 2nd book in the series, and it opened up to me, at least, the possibility of this book starring more than just the siblings of the Ferraro family and their significant others being the stars of future books!
It was mentioned Shadow Rider of Ricco's rope tying. I had to look it up, because I hadn't heard of it before these books. But that Ricco and Mariko together, as Rope Master and his subject, they both worked really well together!
They were both connected by an event that scared both of them, emotionally and physically, though she didn't actually remember, because she was a small child, while he was 14. And it's something that's dominated Ricco's life. So it was really great to open that wound up and let it heal properly in this book!
Who the bad guy was, well, guys, since there was more than one, was sad. I also wish it could've been a bit longer, because a great deal of time was spent focused on rescue, and identification as a means to the end, instead of the end itself. So we didn't really get to know the bad guys!
Really fantastic book, I enjoyed it so much, and I can't wait for more from this fantastic series!
✦Review & Giveaway: SHADOW REAPER (Shadow Riders Series, Book 2) by Christine Feehan http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-8RS
►Enter Facebook Giveaway (Paperback Copy of SHADOW REAPER) ➢ http://bit.ly/2qjlFcI
Publication Date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Romantic Suspense/ Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars
Wow! I loved this installment in the Shadow Riders series. It started fast and never let me up for air. Wild, heart thumping action; tempered with a sensual and hot romance. Ricco is a hard man to describe, there were so many enticing layers to him. I liked Mariko from the start. Strong, intelligent and loyal. She had so many obstacles in her life, yet she wasn’t bogged down by them. I really wanted them both to be happy, so they could go on enjoying that big family of his. I like how the Ferraros banter, then get down to scary business. I think this is one book that I’ll be reading again, just so I can get psyched up for the next one.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
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Kindle $7.99 http://amzn.to/2nUK2uX
✦Check out Book 1: SHADOW RIDER (The Shadow Riders Series, Book 1) by Christine Feehan
Review 5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-5yq | Kindle http://amzn.to/1QUqzAy
It's hard to say much about the plot, the book blurb is really mysterious - it doesn't even say the heroine's name - but I'll do what I can to show how I enjoyed the book without giving too much away.
I really enjoyed Shadow Reaper, I loved seeing more of the Ferraro family, I liked Ricco even more after learning about his past, I thought the heroine was a strong character, damaged but kind, compassionate, and courageous, and there was quite a bit of action and excitement.
The relationship between the heroine and Ricco was my favorite part of the story. They have both endured terrible trials in their past, have been scarred by what they've survived and those scars still influence who they are today. I enjoyed how Christine Feehan used Shibari to develop their relationship; it was about sex but more than that it was about trust.
This is the second installment in the Shadow series and I do think you would enjoy it better if you read book one first to understand the world of shadow riders and get to meet the characters but it isn't strictly necessary. Shadow Reaper has confirmed that I'm a definite fan of this series and can't wait to learn whose story comes next.
Book two in the Shadow series. We met the oldest brother Stephen in book one so this one follows Ricco as he almost destroys himself before he finds the right woman to make life worth while for him to live. Then Mariko shows up only she is supposed to kill him. After making her investigation she instead recruits him to her side to find the bad guys. There is a lot of shadow family politics in this book as Ricco uncovers events from years ago that some tried to hide altogether. The new shadow parts of the story added more development to the arching story line of the last book which I really enjoyed. I will admit that I had no idea what a Japanese rope model was before reading this book though I definitely know more now. I look forward to the next installment in the series to see which sibling will be next. I give it 4/5 stars.
Another great novel by Christine Feehan! This series quickly became a favorite - can't wait for the next one in the series. Thank you NetGalley & Berkley!!
This is the second entry in the Shadow series and I truly think that it is necessary for you to read the first book in the series to know what is going on in this book. In fact, even though I read and truly enjoyed the first book, I wish that the author would have spent more time explaining the role of the Shadow Riders and their abilities. Instead, she left it to readers to remember everything from the first book. And frankly, if your an avid reader, you may have read lots of other books since that one. Although perhaps the author feared that the story would have simply been too long with the explanation of the Shadow Riders since it was well over 400 pages.
That said, this was still an enjoyable story featuring Shadow Riders, Ricco and Mariko, who may either be his salvation or his destruction. This book had plenty of action, at one point every member of the Ferraro family is under attack with no guarantees that any would survive. However, the action did not surpass the romance as Christine Feehan also brought Shibari into this novel. Definitely a strong entry into the Shadow Rider series as more of the back story of all of the Ferraro family was also included.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
Christine Feehan has created such a unique series with her Shadow Riders... a sect of humans with the paranormal ability to "ride" shadow tubes, which allows them to travel place to place very quickly and undetected. The purpose of the supernatural Shadow Riders is to mete out justice to the derelict and deserving, usually those operating in the underbelly of society. In this second installment of the series, the Ferraro family finds itself the target of a dangerous plot which will see them suffering injuries and death before all is said and done.
If you have read Shadow Rider, you will remember that Ricco Ferraro was the darker and more mysterious of the Ferraro clan. He was broody and dangerous and reckless. After a near-death experience (one of many it appears), Ricco's family lays down the law that he has to shape up or Stefano will take him off the Rider rotation. This drives Ricco to look for a rope model that will allow him to lose himself in the art of Shibari. Ricco was the Ferraro whom I was most drawn to in Shadow Rider, as I have always had a thing for the dark and broody bad boy. I liked the amount of character development that we had for Ricco. The things he went through as a teenager, and the level of stress and responsibility he felt thereafter definitely created a level of despondency and desperation for our hero. I am impressed that he he held it together for as long as he did. But when Ricco finds his matching Shadow Rider, things are not going to be smooth sailing - especially as she has come to kill him.
Mariko Majo is a tortured heroine who has sought Ricco Ferraro out of desperation. The victim of a terrible tragedy at a young age, Mariko was raised by a woman who loathed her. She is looked down up on in Japan due to her gender and mixed heritage, and is treated abominably by a bitter and somewhat mad harpy. Luckily Mariko was allowed to train as a Shadow Rider so at least she has a small outlet for her stress, which was necessary given the self-esteem and self-worth issues that were created by her childhood. I understood Mariko's issues and my heart went out to her... but sometimes I wish she would have considered Ricco's words and actions instead of getting caught up in her own head. Otherwise, she was a sympathetic heroine and you feel bad for her most of the book.
This series falls into the fated mates trope, so once our couple finds each other, the relationship proceeds forward at a steady clip. I do think that Ricco was patient with Mariko and allowed her to become used to him instead of pushing her into something she wasn't ready for. There was a good amount of sexual tension between the couple, which was only amplified by the Shibari sessions. I thought the art and bondage aspect of the story was interesting, and got my curiosity involved enough to be Googling the various Shibari terms, poses and rope patterns.
At times, I found the plot conflict to be more interesting than the romance. In fact, I thought some of the Shibari sessions and sexytimes were a bit too long and I started skimming them to get back to the storyline. Mariko was sent to find the Ferraros on a pretense, and I liked solving the puzzle and conspiracy along with the characters. The investigation into past events and present problems was broken up by bouts of action and danger, which helped advance the plot and keep it from dragging overmuch.
I continue to like the inner workings of the tight-knit Ferraro family. I like to see them get together to argue, tease and bond with one another. I am eagerly anticipating the next book, and wonder which Ferraro Feehan will deliver next.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.
What a wild ride this book was and NOT what I was expecting. I really wasn't sure how this one would compare with book one which I fell in love with. In Shadow Reaper, we have Ricco's book. Ricco is a bit of a mystery, so I was pleased to see that this was his book. At the beginning of this book, Ricco is in big trouble with his siblings. He ends up in a car accident and almost dies from it. So he is slowly recovering from it, but Ricco is also struggling with his past from his training he had to go to in Japan, when he was only 14 years old. And he goes through some life changing events, events that leads him haunted and threatens the life of himself and his family. Our heroine of the story is a fellow rider. Mariko Majo, was lied to growing up and even though she was trained as a rider, she was made to feel by her adopted family weak and incompetent. When her brother is kidnapped, and she it told to kill Ricco to get her brother back, she goes to investigate Ricco. But posing as a rope model for him, she realizes what a good man Ricco is, and she can't trade his life for her brothers ,especially when she doesn't know if killing Ricco would mean getting her brother back.
What I truly liked about this story was seeing a more backstory to the characters. Both Ricco and Mariko, have a strong bond to each other and its just not in the present. They have an important past together, and even though this story was a bit more slow going than book one, I still had a blast with this book and seeing these characters come together. And we get some plenty of fun action between the family members here. We get a bit of a teaser between the sister and Val (I have a feeling that will be a whopper of a read when we get it) and I did love seeing Stefan and Francesca again. And the way they welcome Mariko into the family, despite her not so honorable intentions from the beginning. And I do feel that this book was more exciting in some of the action scenes that are written. I felt as if I was on a roller coaster, and it was very thrilling. The dynamics of the story overall is what really kept me intrigued. It was so wonderful to see this book come together, with the family drama and intrigues, the more complex and depth of characters and the spicy romance. Now I do feel that the romance could have used a bit more juice to it. There was plenty of sex scenes, but I really wanted more of the emotional intimacy between these two, it felt a bit less than book one. Of course, there was quite a bit going on in this book and if you enjoyed book one, I do think you need to pick this one up and fall in love with this fun and thrilling family and I can't wait to see which sibling will be book three. Overall I found Shadow Reaper to be a thrilling adventure of rich Japanese culture, thrills and chills to keep you on the edge and a epic filled romance to give you all the feels!!
Shadow Reaper is book two in the Shadow series. I love a good paranormal romance and was really intrigued by the powers explained in book one so I had to grab this installment. This series revolves around a very tight-knit crime family that has the power to ride shadows.
We start off with Ricco Ferraro, one of the Ferraro brothers we met in book one in the hospital after a car accident. He's kind of lost his way and after he heals a bit and is out of the hospital he tries to look for his mate. He has a bit of a kink and is looking for a rope/Shibari model. After a long day of interviews, he finally comes across a woman, Mariko Majo that stops him in his tracks. He knows immediately that she is a fellow shadow rider and she's the girl he's been looking for. They wind up signing a six-month contract, but he knows Mariko has an ulterior motive for being with him. Attacks quickly begin to happen to friends and family of the Ferraros and Ricco and Mariko's past quickly come to light. They team up to figure out who is behind the attacks before it's too late.
Shadow Reaper really kept me on my toes while reading. I was trying to figure out the whodunit aspect while watching Mariko and Ricco's romance blossom. Things get a bit hot during the rope scenes which was a bit of a surprise for me, I didn't know that was going to be in this book but it suited the story. Something I was really glad to see in this installment was more details on the rigorous training the shadow riders go through. It really affected Ricco from childhood and Mariko's life was changed during that time as well and it kind of broke my heart. I thought they were well suited for one another and I really loved the whodunit aspect. All in all, if you're looking for a unique Paranormal Romance and haven't tried this series I think you'd enjoy it.
Actual 4.5 stars
Ricco Ferraro is a new addition to my list of favorite male leads! He's a shadow rider with an artist's soul. (Basically, a shadow rider uses actual shadows to travel to and from destinations and mete out justice when necessary. It's actually a pretty cool and unusual concept) He's loyal, protective, and loves fiercely when he lets someone get close. He's also a well trained fighter and spirited daredevil, constantly seeking the next thrill to bring something lively to his lonely existence.
Mariko Majo was a conundrum. She could be shy, awkward, easily intimidated and full of so many self doubts, she made me want to pull my hair out! She was also intelligent, highly trained in fighting and had a quick wit. And the best part! When baddies threaten someone she cares for, this chic could open a can of whoop a** in no time and leave the enemy dead and buried before you could blink an eye-I loved her!
I was in book heaven with the amount of fighting action happening and it was nicely balanced with Rico and Mariko's relationship. Because of Ricco's artistic outlet choice, he and Mariko hit an emotional rapport fairly quick, but I liked how Feehan let the sexual chemistry build up over a longer duration than usual. It made the relationship more believable and enduring, especially after the emotional knocks Mariko and Ricco both taken as children and adults.
Book two in the Shadow series, Shadow Reaper is loaded with action and suspense, twisted humor, and family quality time-killing mercenaries totally counts in the quest for vengeance and justice! We also get to know more about the Ferraro siblings and I'm hoping Emmanuelle and Valentino Saldi's story is next! Talk about chemistry.. woohoo! Now back to Ricco and Mariko, their book had a strong storyline, great romance, and I would happily recommend this book to paranormal suspense readers!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the Berkley via NetGalley.
Shadow Reaper by Christine Feehan is the 2nd book in her fantastic Shadow series. Having read just about everything by Christine Feehan, I am amazed that this series is quickly becoming my favorite. I love the first book, Shadow Rider, and I must say that Shadow Reaper was equally great. I am loving every moment of this series. Now to my review.
A quick refresher on Shadow Riders:. Shadow riders have the ability to blend themselves to the shadows wherever they are, making themselves invisible to anyone. The Ferraro family run a legitmate business, live and protect the town where they live, and use their ability to help others in need to solve various problems and dispense justice
In Shadow Reaper, Ricco Ferraro is our hero, and at the start, his family (they are all elite shadow riders), are watching over him in the hospital. Ricco, who had a violent crash, which almost cost him his life, was determined to go home to recuperate. But his family, especially Stefano, the leader of the family, know Ricco has been reckless, and they suspect he is hiding a terrible secret. It will take Ricco, to see how happy Stefano is with Francesca, and know that he needs to find a woman who is capable of mating with a shadow rider, which will bring him out of the darkness that consumes him.
We meet Mariko, when she applies to be a rope model (shibari) for Ricco, who when interviewing her sees she is also a shadow rider. Ricco knows that the innocent persona presented by Mariko is hiding that she is there to kill him. Mariko has had a difficult life, and we learn early that she has been ordered to kill Ricco. But someone else is also plotting against Ricco and the entire Ferraro family, which becomes a major mystery throughout the story. Mariko will find herself attracted to Ricco, and knows he is a good man, which enables her to tell him the truth. The family will stand by Ricco and Mariko as the danger escalates for all of them. Slowly Mariko begins to feel like part of the family, and wants to help them fight off the enemy.
The romance between Ricco and Mariko was scorching hot, with even the rope modeling being very steamy & intense. Besides the sensual romance, the overall story line was very exciting. I loved seeing all the Ferraro’s work and bond together to fight their enemy, with many of them becoming injured. They are a powerful team, but they are all so much fun to spend time with. What I also love about this close-knit family is their loyalty, protection and care giving to their surrounding townsfolk. It will be Stefano & Ricco who will bring in other Shadow riders to help find the one behind the attacks, and it is a surprise ending as to who is behind this.
This was such a fantastic story; nonstop action, suspenseful, steamy romance, great couple, awesome family and very exciting. As I have said before, this series has become one of my favorite series by Christine Feehan very quickly.
Shadow reaper ...... Christine feehan
Second book in her new series.
The family are a breed of humans with special powers, they can ride shadows, they are the ultimate in assassins.
Ricco is second eldest in a family of 5 siblings. The eldest found his mate in the first book.
They have to find the female/male that links with their shadows (they can marry other humans, but special humans can only carry the shadow line )
Ricco is the playboy of the family, he drives hard and plays hard. He likes to do Shibari (the art of tying people up) he doesn't mix the rope work with sex, it's two different things for him, but with Mariko, it's hard not to combine the two.
Mariko is a no body, hated by the family that took her and her young brother in. Kept as a slave and constantly put down. Made to feel worthless.
The story moves at a good pace. Lots of fighting and back story. It's good to catch up with the family and the previous couple from the last book.
Given a copy to review
While I was glad to continue the story it comparison to the 1st two books this one fell flat for me. It relied more heavily on sex and didn't develop much of the females character beyond the basic feelings.
I enjoyed this one much more than the first. The first had to introduce the world and this got straight to the H/h relationship. But! I'm doubly glad the romance wasn't rushed. They actually got to know each other first. Great job and look forward to more!
I really enjoyed Feehan's latest. Mariko and Ricco had a palpable connection and I loved seeing the bonds between the siblings. The Shibari added a surprising new erotic element I really enjoyed. I can't wait to see which sibling finds their match next. I will definitely be reading the next book.
I am so in love with this series ! Shadow Reaper is the second book in this refreshing new series from the always awesome Christine Feehan.
The Ferraro family is the most elite of the Shadow Riders. Ricco is probably the most damaged of the siblings. He finally had to reveal the secrets so that his family would give Mariko a chance. Their bond was strong and steeped in betrayal and secrets. Mariko fit right in with the bad ass Ferraro family. I felt so bad for her when the villain was revealed.
I never go wrong with a Christine Feehan book. As usual, this story blew my mind with action, suspense and intense sexual tension. It was fabulous ! I can't wait for more books in this series.
Ricco Ferraro leads the way through the twists and turns of this novel. We first met Ricco in book 1, Shadow Rider, he was the slightly standoffish brother with a secret that turned him darker during his Shadow Rider training in Japan when he was a teenager. Thankfully, we didn't have long to what to have that mystery revealed to us. Ricco's story starts when he meets the perfect match to his Shadows. But she's also clearly been sent after him. Was she sent by those in Japan that have been threatening Ricco and his family?
Our heroine's been alone for a long time, surviving the worst home situation. Now she's ready to prove herself an honorable Shadow Rider, will she follow through on her assignment, betraying the Shadow Rider vows? But something else is going on too. The Ferraro's are all being targeted now, not just Ricco. Can they unravel the mystery behind their current situation? And will they all survive?
I am really enjoying this new series. There are some similarities between this and the Ghostwalker series, in the characters and code they live by and since I absolutely LOVE that series I new I would like this one. The Ferraro family and the Shadow Rider community is revealed more in this novel than the first one, which was developing the premise of Shadow Riders more than anything. The family relationships, and insight into their parents and the other Shadow Rider families was really interesting. This was overall a bit of a slower paced novel compared to the first one, with more mystery intertwined. The villain reveal was really well done, and I didn't suspect it until right before the reveal. Nice!
Great second novel to the series. Its only downfall is that too many story lines start o cross and we lose sight of Ricco and Mariko. I love the background of Ricco's time in Japan and how he and Mariko are made for each other. It's another passionate tale from the amazing Christine Feehan. I can't wait for the series to continue!