Shadow Fallen was a bit hard for me to follow since I am unfamiliar with this series and the characters/world. I have a feeling that Valteri is maybe a reviled, misunderstood bad boy in the previous books in this series and this is his chance to be seen, which sounds great and is one of my favorite anti hero characters.

Good audio narration.

Norman Lord Volteri, brother of William the Conquerer is given lands for his help in conquering the Saxons. As Lord, a Lady found on his lands is brought to him. Lady Ariel has no memory of how she got there or who she is. Luckily, even though everyone fears him, Lord Volteri takes her in, treating her as an honored guest. Things get interesting from there and for the most part not for the good.

I read this a week or so ago but got interrupted before I was able to get my review written. So I started the audiobook again to refresh my memory and was sucked right back into the story. Needless to say, eleven hours later I finished the book again, and boy was it worth it. I found the characters engaging, the world-building exceptional, and the storyline addictive.

The narration was done very well with good inflection and distinction of the various characters.

*I received an ARC from Net Galley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this addition to the dreamhunter/darkhunter series. I have read almost all of them and being back in that world is almost like coming home. I love how she avoids the miscommunication trope, and even when one of the characters wants to do the "I'll make you angry or leave you for your own good" trope, the other one sees through it immediately and it doesn't work. Those things made me happy because they are some of the things that really turn me off when reading a romance book. I love this world that she has created and I will keep coming back for more as long as there are books to read.

I really wanted to love this. Honestly its been so long since a new one has came out that I was a little confused on what was going on at first. It had been a long time since I last visited this world. I really didn’t connect with the characters as much as I have with others in this series. I liked it though and I still love this author and this world. It was nice to visit this world after being gone for so long.

Sherrilyn Kenyon McQueen is one of my favorite authors and I am hooked on the Dark Hunter series. She writes rich and intriguing characters and storyline that keep the reader engaged and eager to find out what comes next. Loved Ariel and Valteri together - coming into his life revealed the sweet and gentle side of the fierce warrior. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

I am so here for the love story between angel-cursed-to-be-human Ariel and tortured warrior Valteri. There is all the drama and tortured pining amid evil machinations that we know and love from Kenyon with the added treat of this also falling within historical romance territory. This author truly has a grasp on how to write tortured heroes without making everything way too dark and I admire how well she straddles that line.
The only reason that this gets 4 stars instead of 5 is that although I will forever have a soft spot for anything that Kenyon writes because I love her writing and the world she created, there are so many freakin' characters now that keeping track of who's who and what connection they have to whom, and how their role impacts the overall story is beginning to be a bit of a chore. The author has created such a wonderfully detailed and complex universe that it's gotten to the point where my brain unfortunately just goes, "Who? Where did they come from?" I still really enjoyed the story of Ariel and Valteri as it feels like a complete story on its own, but I constantly had to pause to try to recollect or lookup who a character was and where they came from. Not exactly the best reading experience.
I enjoyed this in audiobook form and give props to narrator Fred Berman for giving all the characters a very distinctive voice that helped tell the story and this listener keep a bit better track of who was talking.
Overall, even with the downside of too many characters muddying up the plot, this is an A+ fantasy romance that just happens to be set in a historical romance and do it beautifully. Great characters you're rooting for from the very beginning, beautiful character growth, and a twisty plot to keep your interest. This is Kenyon back on full form.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the exciting listen!

I know when I pick up a Sherrilyn Kenyon book, I'm going to be transported into an amazing world with a pained male love interest and a brave heroine. I love reading the love story between our two characters and thought there was a perfect balance of heartbreak and swoon. This book can definitely be read as a stand alone too if you didn't want to read the entire series.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Shadow Fallen by Sherrilyn Kenyon (McQueen) in exchange for an honest review. I love her books. This was the first one I listened to and I liked the narrator too. I enjoyed this book and while it can be read as a standalone, I've read all the others and it was neat getting to learn more about Jaden and Seth and more. Thank you for another great book Sherrilyn McQueen.

Shadow Fallen
A Dream-Hunter Novel
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrated by Fred Berman

I received a digital copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read this author and primarily picked it up because it was categorized as romance and the cover makes the hero look like a cross between The Witcher and Dr. Strange to which I said - uh yes please. However after having listened I believe your experience will be better if you have already read the previous books in the series. I am not sure how interconnected they are not having read them but I was a little lost a few times in the beginning so I would assume they would have alleviated some of that.

This book leans heavily into a fantasy realm of angels vs demons etc during the Middle Ages and the hypocrisy of Christian’s persecuting others in the name of God. So if these are subjects that you’re not on board with reading about steer clear. Additionally while I would categorize this as primarily action/adventure/fantasy there is some romance and while it is technically open door it’s not terribly detailed. Lowish steam.

While I’m generally a fan of the scarred/injured hero with the thought process of oh how could anyone love me? I felt like this heros inner monologue was excessively - oh woh is me. I mean admittedly he had a terrible life but it stemmed primarily from having 2 different colored eyes and people thinking this was a mark of the devil - so run away, get an eye patch, change your name, problem solved. There are way worse genetically unique features to have.

The narrator was ok. He emoted well and did the side character voice differentiation very well however I felt the hero’s voice should have been significantly deeper. Sound quality was good.

Trigger warnings - war, Christian hypocrisy, manipulation, abandonment as a child, remembered child abuse from caretakers.

For me this was a 3.5/5. For someone who is a fan of this author or series I’m sure they would view it more favorably overall.

Ariel was a badass character for certain, and I love the risks she took for Valteri. Sexy and fun, especially for paranormal romance fans. However, at nearly 12 hours listening time, this seemed to drag on a bit.

Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite authors and she is also my auto buy author, plus she is also my comfort author. I read her books when I need a little comfort in my life. It felt so good to be back in the world of the hunters. Shadow Fallen had me guessing through out the whole book and I loved that. It is now in my top three favorite Sherrilyn's books. I recommend this book to my mom who also loves the hunters.

Fred Berman is my all time favorite narrator and I will listen to anything he Narrated

Valteri: Lets the world see the dark side of him that they think is the true side but he has a lighter side that is really him. You can see that side when he is with his squire Wace and the crossed eyed kitten name Cecilia. Then when Ariel shows up. He is one of my favorite heroes.

Ariel: I absolutely loved Ariel and she is one of my favorite heroin. She could have given up but she kept fighting, that is something I still struggle with. She showed Valteri that is more to him then meets that eye. She also showed him that he isn't the demonspawn that he was told he was.

I can't wait to read more from Sherrilyn.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and Sherrilyn Kenyon for letting read and review Shadow Fallen

Quick Summary: This was my first Dream Hunter novel, but it certainly won't be my last.

My Review: Shadow Fallen by Sherrilyn Kenyon was an unexpected hit. Although I have read this author's books before, it has been a while. I'm so glad that my return to her books led me to this gem. It was utterly spellbinding. I was so entranced that I listened to the audiobook from beginning to end in one sitting. I loved the twists and turns of the plot, the character growth with A and V, and the beautiful sacrifice that ended with a new beginning. The play on mixed mythology was interesting. I look forward to seeing what comes next in this series.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A

Appreciation is expressed to the author, publisher, and NetGalley who provided access to an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. The words I have expressed are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I am a long time fan of Sherrilyn's, and I like many of her fans am extremely excited to see her writing again. This is her first book in several years back in the Darkhuner/Dreamhunter world, and it centers on new characters that we haven't see before. As the story progresses, old characters that long time fans are familiar with are introduced and play a part in the storyline. As with all of the books in the Dreamhunter and Darkhunter, you can read this one as a standalone, but as many of the books and characters are so interconnected, I feel like I would have been a bit lost had I not read the previous books in the series. This one does stand pretty well on it's own giving the reader enough information about who people are and enough background to figure out what is happening. Ariel and Valteri's story ties nicely into the already established storyline that many of us have been reading for a very long time and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

This started out a bit slow for my taste, but as things developed and more characters were introduced things started to pick up around the half way mark. I do feel that that narrator of the audiobook also contributed to the slower feeling. While not a bad narrator, I feel like he was a tad monotone throughout the book and that led to the book feeling a bit slower than I prefer.

This particular installment in the series feels a bit more like historical fiction, whereas many of the other books in the series have a more urban fiction feel. This book felt more like one of her Kinley MacGregor medieval romances, but I expect that has to do with it being more of an origin story for Ariel and Valteri and that we will see them again in future installments. There is also quite the religious overtone present, as Valteri is constantly accused of being demon-spawn. Ariel is an Arel, basically a type of angel, and she isn't the first Arel we've seen between The Chronicles of Nick, The Darkhunters, and the Dreamhunter books. The war between good and evil has been brewing for quite sometime among the interconnected series and I expect our two main characters to resurface as it comes to pass as we get more books.

The worldbuilding wasn't overly complex as this was set in the real world with a few fantasy elements. The "magic" system isn't overly complex in the series to begin with and this particular installment doesn't have the same mythological backing as some of the other books it is more centered around Christianity and the Norman-Saxon conflict.

Overall, I think this is a good comeback for the author. This book gave us valuable information about characters we've wanted to know about for years, and sets the stage for future books. I'm excited that she's back and can't wait for future installments.

I don't normally read sci-fi books, but the blurb sounded really interesting. That being said I am new to this series, so I was not sure what to expect. I really enjoyed it. The plot was interesting without being "far-fetched". I thought the characters were engaging and really pulled you into the story. It did get a slow at times but picked up again quickly. In some places it felt like I was missing some background information that would make the story make more sense, but I don't think it detracted from the enjoyment of the story. Now I need to catch up on the rest of the series.

The only reason I requested and read/listened to this book was because of the author. It brought me way out of the comfort zone I have been in for quite some time and back into this universe I have been away from for many moons. Ariel is dropped into Norman England minus her memory and brought to the Valteri who rules over the land at his brother's request. Valteri is rumored to be a demon because of his mis-matched eyes and all he wants is to be left alone but now he must contend with Ariel who he is sure he knows, from his dreams, sure, but where else. Not only does she come but soon another who claims to be her brother but we are soon to find he is evil incarnate. So many twists and turns and with the lives in the balance, who will win?

I don't normally read sci-fi books, but the blurb sounded really interesting. That being said I am new to this series, so I was not sure what to expect. I really enjoyed it. The plot was interesting without being "far-fetched". I thought the characters were engaging and really pulled you into the story. It did get a slow at times but picked up again quickly. In some places it felt like I was missing some background information that would make the story make more sense, but I don't think it detracted from the enjoyment of the story. Now I need to catch up on the rest of the series.

thanks to macmillan audio and Tor publishing for providing this audiobook through netgalley.

the first book in Sherrilyn Kenyon‘s Dream Hunter series was pretty good! i’ve never read her work before but enjoyed it. the pace of the story was great- i never felt bored or like there was a lull.

the premise of the story is interesting- a mix of historic fiction, fantasy, and romance(lite). based in the historical context of the norman’s and saxtons occupation of the same areas of europe, we get to see how that cohabitation along with religious fervor and the existence of angels and devils all coexist in this world. the romance is ok! nothing to explicit and not often, but sprinkled throughout and was more in the subtle side.

overall, an enjoyable read and i’m looking forward to other books in this series!

Shadow Fallen (Dream-Hunters #6) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrated by Fred Berman
Publsiher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Published: April 12, 2022

Shadow Fallen is the sixth book in the Dream-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I had not read the previous books in the series and I was a little worried that it would be difficult to jump in at the sixth book and figure out what was going on any my fears quickly abated! Shadow Fallen can easily be read as a standalone romance!!!

It is captivating and mesmerizing and I could not get enough of it! I never wanted it to end (which is why the other books in the series are on my TBR list!). I fell in love with the characters and the world that the author created!

The narration by Fred Berman was incredible! He did such a great job of bringing this story to life!

This is a must read book!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Shadow Fallen by Sherrilyn Kenyon is amazing. I was pulled in from the very beginning. I love switching up my listens and going to different timeframes. This book has a medieval setting along with angels and demons. Its the 6th book in the series, yet I didn't have trouble following the storyline as I have missed several of the previous books in the Dream-Hunter series. Fred Berman was excellent bringing the characters to life with his voice. I could envision so many details, and I knew exactly whom was speaking. I really enjoyed some of the unexpected twists in this book too. Thank you #NetGalley and #Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this pre-release audiobook. I really liked it.