Review: A good start to a PNR/UF series
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 27, 2013
3.5 STARSWith mounting mystery, characters who are not as they appear, and a dark, purposeful world cloaked in veils of the light and mundane,Marked for Vengeanceis a truly interesting read.Alyx Rayer is an old soul walking among humans for the third and last time. Her purpose: Locate her mark and keep an eye on him, among other things. For appearance's sake, she leads a normal life with a job she enjoys and a stable, if not monotonous, relationship with a dedicated doctor. But at night, she aches for more as she watches her mark from the rooftop across his building.Enter Isaac Walsh -- a widower, single father, and painter who dreams of a beautiful female being with eyes that are entirely black. He's had nightmares all his life, but the most recent ones are ... different, inspiring and, somehow, profoundly telling. His thirteen-year-old son has them now too, though a lot more frightening than his father's.After a chance meeting, Alyx struggles between her purpose and first-time desires while Issac once again finds both after the death of his wife. But the clock is ticking. As destinies are revealed and connections are made, they'll have to fight for their lives, the world, and what could and could not be.Although the first half ofMarked for Vengeanceis a lot of building up on the characters' lives, there's a good amount of intrigue interspersed throughout. I wasn't quite sure who was good or bad, what their roles were, and how they played on each other. There was a lot of smoke and mirrors, and it had me turning the pages to find out where everything would lead.I would've liked more actual action, but the last third of the book was really suspenseful and blew my mind. The world that seemed normal with a few paranormal twists suddenly expanded into a fantasy universe full of chilling creatures and events.The overall romance, when it happened, was lovely. I adored the characters and their interaction, but I could've done with more of it too. While I appreciate a natural progression, the relationship was slow-going. There was too much "space" between each meeting due to all the personal struggles and internal ramblings. I enjoy romance that coincides and moves with the major conflict, but the pacing of the actual romance seemed unnecessarily dragged out to compensate the stacking mystery -- the lack of answers -- until the very last moment.I'm looking forward to reading the next book when I get the chance, though. With a unique blend and twist of angels, demons, and magic, the world that's revealed at the end is a fascinating. I'd love to read more of Alyx and Issac together. I want see their journey and where it'll eventually lead not just them but also everyone who surrounds them. If book two's summary and my interview with the author are any indication, I'll get more of their forbidden love and a good vs. evil battle.>> eBook provided by the author in exchange for a review. <<