My Review
Oh my goodness, I simply must tell you about this book I've been absolutely devouring! I stumbled across "Consumed by Fate" at my favorite bookshop last week, and despite having a towering TBR pile at home, something about it just called to me. Perhaps it was the promise of supernatural politics (my weakness!) or the hints of a complex romance, but I'm so glad I gave in to the temptation.
Let me tell you, as someone who practically lives for stories about strong female characters navigating treacherous political waters, this book hit all the right notes. The main character Diana's journey really resonated with me – there's something so compelling about watching a woman fight to maintain her power and identity in a world that wants to strip it away. And the romance! *fans self* The tension between Diana and Raven is absolutely delicious, though I wish we'd gotten even more of their emotional development.
What really captured my attention was the intricate blend of supernatural elements with political intrigue. It's like "Game of Thrones" meets "Underworld," but with its own unique flavor. The world-building is rich without being overwhelming, though I occasionally found myself wanting more detailed explanations of certain aspects of the supernatural hierarchy.
I particularly appreciated how the author handled themes of loss, resilience, and the concept of found family. As someone who's always felt like a bit of an outsider myself, these elements really struck a chord with me. The banter between characters had me literally laughing out loud in my reading nook, much to my cat's annoyance!
My only real criticism would be that sometimes the pacing felt a bit uneven – there were moments where I wished things would move along a bit faster, especially in the middle section. But honestly, that's a minor quibble in what was otherwise a thoroughly engaging read.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Especially if you enjoy strong heroines, complex supernatural politics, and romance that simmers with tension. Just make sure you're prepared to lose a few nights of sleep because it's terribly hard to put down!
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5 out of 5 stars)
P.S. - Did I mention the spicy scenes? *fans self again*
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Book Description
The heart-pounding conclusion to Diana's story! "Absolutely loved the opener of this gritty, sexy new series by Shannon Mayer. It's packed to the gills with action, intrigue, and paranormal badasses! Can't wait to get my hands on the next one."
-Christine Gael, USA Today Bestselling Author
"This is the most fun I've had with a book in I don't know how long! There is this amazing flair of historical, nearly Bridgerton vibes, right down to the sharp humor and sexy men. Throw in the political undertones and the tension between the main characters and I couldn't look away. Do yourself a favor, and get reading."
-CN Crawford, USA Today Bestselling Author
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was born into a family of Star Wars nuts. I have a lot of siblings (somewhere I lost count but I think there was more than could be numbered on one hand) and being one of the young padawans I was subjected to Star Wars marathons, on a regular basis. If you've read any of my books you'll see there is often a reference to said movies as a small homage to my upbringing. May the force be with you and all that jazz.
I started writing when I realized I didn't want to grow up not believing in magic, or not believing in creatures everyone else said didn't exist. That being said, I have never seen a fairy, unicorn or dragon. I had a neighbour who swore they fed the leprechauns in their garden, but I never caught the little buggers no matter how long I lay in wait. (And consequently had to help the neighbours plant new flowers to replace those I killed waiting for the leprechauns to show their faces.)
Along the way, I found my husband who is the rock that keeps me from floating away into my dreams, and we have a little boy who is the centre of our world. Living on a farm keeps us busy (as if the writing wasn't enough) and I have more than my share of stories about wrestling with cows, helping birth calves and ending up in the creek during the process, falling in the mud (we'll call it mud but we all know that on a farm, mud is rarely mud) and chasing escaped livestock in the hopes the four legged convicts don't make it to the highway.
I've taken up archery, and the goal is to move into horseback archery in time (you know, when I can hit the target on a consistent basis) and when no one is looking, I love to bake (this doesn't happen often as it's hard to keep the sweet treats in stock with two boys in the house.)
As to what's coming next for me? More stories (since those never stop inside my head, I might as well share them with all of you!) and more adventures. Pretty much, when the fancy strikes, I'll jump on it. Leap before you look I'm sure that motto was created for me.
Or was that . . . think big and dream bigger, ready, set, pull the trigger . . . yeah. That one is a good one too. But only if you have a gun. And are hunting elephants. Which is not cool because of so many reasons. Let's stick with the first one with an addendum.
Leap before you look and let your dreams carry you on their wings. And that, my friends, is me in a nutshell.
KEEP READING
