| Title | : | Silver/Steel (Arcada #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781623000950 |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 200 |
| Publication | : | First published December 3, 2012 |
Through the solitude of a long winter night, Dylan walks in Travis's fevered dreams, learning about Arcada and the pack, and showing the shifter the man he'd been so very long ago. When morning comes, both men know their lives will be forever entwined.
From Dylan, Travis learns that he is a strong, valued member of the pack. The dreamwalker sees his own worth reflected back at him in the dark blue eyes of the wolf. Yet when Dylan has the chance to free himself from centuries of enslavement, can he betray the man he has come to love
Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM elements, domination/submission
Silver/Steel (Arcada #4) Reviews
-
**3.5 stars**
I almost didn't read this book because of the cover. I mean, seriously. Come on. The guy playing Dylan looks about 50 years old and his face is photoshopped so he looks creepy not sexy. Here is who I had in mind for Dylan and Travis.
Granted, the Travis is a bit on the young-looking side here but he is supposed to be borderline effeminate looking so the guy on the original cover makes no sense. Okay, ending my cover rant...
I actually liked this one better than the first in the series. I felt more of a connection between the two characters, and I was more wrapped up in the reading experience. The idea of the dream hunter was clever, and I really liked learning more about the world of Arcada. However, I'm beginning to notice a trend with Belinda McBride's books. I never like them as much as I feel that I ought to, if that makes sense. This book had a lot going for it but I still wasn't emotionally invested in their characters. I can't pinpoint what is missing but I feel like something is not 100% there for me. Maybe I'm missing some humor or witty banter like in the Immortals After Dark series (which this reminds me of a bit with all of the different types of paranormal life mixing). Though this won't make my favorite's list, it was still a cute and sweet read and I really enjoyed it.
**This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review** -
“Hey, Dylan, tell
me a story. One that ends happily.”
Dylan felt tears well up in his eyes, the sensation still unexpected yet welcome. A story? He knew what Travis was really asking. His shifter needed to know, to share in the healing and Dylan’s
recovery. He thought of times long past and laughter long gone. Through the tears, he smiled.
“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful village in a magical forest. It was called Homewood, and there lived a prince who dreamed life into the woods…”
So.. One of the main characters, Dylan, is supposed to be an ethereal fae, an elf, with long white-blond hair and sparkling green eyes.
And of course where did my mind wander?
Can you blame me?
And if that wasn't enough, the other main character, Travis, is a shifter with piercing blue eyes and one of the:
The attraction is over the charts.
The heartbreak inevitable.
The action thrilling.
And the love mind-boggling.
All fun aside the relationship between them is breathtaking and beautiful.
When it did end, they were broken, ruined, and without strength to move. Travis started to roll
away, but Dylan held him in place even after they’d separated. Sweat trickled down his face, stinging
his eyes, so he squinted, blocking out everything but the sound of their breathing.
“Don’t cry, babe.” Travis sounded shaken.
“Cry?” He opened his eyes and looked at the vision above him through a veil of tears. Travis ran
a finger over his cheek, catching the salty trails. Even his ears were wet. “I’m crying?” He reached up
to feel for himself.
“Yeah, you are.” His eyes were suspiciously bright as well.
*ARC courtesy of Loose Id, LLC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* -
One of the best shifter stories I have read. Dylan and Travis' love was strong and beautiful. I liked
Blacque/Bleu but this one totally surpassed it. Loved the world building, secondary characters and the plot in general. I teared up and held my breath at the end from the excitement. Great read! -
I hate this cover. The photoshop job is atrocious and the portions all wrong. That poor white haired guys scalp doesn't fit with that face
-----
The prologue confused me. It was very wordy and
Demon Hitman sending text messages. How can you not take that seriously?
So at first shitty Travis says he yelled at Michelle to get her riled up and now pages later it's saying she's riled up because Travis's mom shifted in the road. Did I miss something in these few pages or is this just a completely contradictory of itself? Between the prologue and this it seems to be off to a jumbled mess of a start
And why was he naked? He goes to the clearing after he gets home. Then he's naked and then he's wearing clothes again? Wtf seriously? Did this have an editor?
By 5% Travis and his pity party is already really old. I don't like him at all so far
Eh the more Travis thinks the more I dislike him. I wish there was more dialogue instead of pages and pages of his inner monologue. Boring.
And I thought this was mm? So far Travis thinks about all the woman he's with and is going out to find a woman of two for the night and to do his drugs and start fights. Then it switched to Dylan's Pov so he can't think about hooking up with his curvy waitress. These are all details I hate and find pointless in mm.
So far this is nothing like book one. Majorly disappointing and only at 9%
9% the guys haven't even met yet and I'm about ready to DNF this. The bar scene with Travis just antagonizing everyone is ridiculous. What's the point of this? Supposed to be funny? It's not its boring and just makes Travis look like even more of an immature douche. And if he starts fights and shit all the time wouldn't he be kicked out of the bar? If he's that infuriating to all the other customers I don't see any bar not banning him?
10% they finally meet. At this point I'm like who cares. Since te whole interaction is drowned out with pages and pages of internal dialogue and physical descriptions of everyone.
A few sentences exchanged and then Travis off to buy drugs from his dealer. I didn't really care for his dealers life history or that last time he shot up heroine and this time he's going to stick to herbs. Is there ANY point to this? Is there going to be a plot?
So 14% and the beginning is so boring/confusing and the mc is just unlikeable so not sure if I want to try and read more and hope for an actual plot development or just give up. The whole druggy being drugged and then saved from being rapped by other mc seems contrived. And the sucky Mcs always thinking "I'm not gay, I'm not gay, okay sometimes I check guys out, but I'm not gay, I'm not gay, okay sometimes I do oral with guys, but I'm not gay, I'm not gay" (not a direct quote) is already really old and annoying. -
Very interesting story of Travis, a wild young shifter, and the tragic and dangerous fae he falls in love with. This is the sequel to
Blacque/Bleu and I think it's better than book 1. The story is complex and the characters are appealing. There is a lot of chemistry between the two MC's and some light BDSM. It only falters towards the end when the villain is dispatched a little too easily after such a great build-up. The subplot with the raging werewolves and their enemy seemed to compete with the main plot and it watered down the effect of the final battle. I will definitely read the next book in the series. -
Ok like a lot of folks I looked at this cover and thought…nah…Well I am happy i finally looked past it and read it. I enjoyed this shifter story. This was an interesting story of Dylan who is a fae and a dream hunter, i wasn’t sure what that mean till I read a little. Travis can go into the minds of those who are asleep and speak and interact with them. Dylan is also trying to get into the town of Arcada, his current target lives in the town. Arcada is a magical town that protects those who live there, so Dylan needs a way in. He spots his way in when Dylan, a wolf shifter comes into the bar looking for trouble and finds it.
The story definitely captured my attention, I love shifter stories and this one had enough action to keep me up late at night. Dylan is a character i couldn’t help but love. Dylan has his own secrets and problems, there are reasons he is a hunter. Then of course there is the other MC Travis, a too beautiful for his own good, and a chip on his shoulder over his and his mother’s place in the pack. Once Dylan and Travis get together there is a little D/s going on behind closed doors and it was just enough to keep me quite happy. (oh my hot stuff).
This story had lots of elements that I love, lots of paranormal bits, other magical creatures, a bad guy who i wanted to rip apart. It also had and lots of good chemistry and heat between Dylan and Travis. and of course a romance that just got to my gushy heart.
I am quite content… -
Not crazy about the cover.
There's no doubt that Travis was a brat in the beginning and encouraged trouble, yet he went out of his way to stand up for the underdog and help the less fortunate. Plus he couldn't decide on his sexuality. He is artistic and sensitive with a big chip on his shoulder.
Dylan has sold his soul to protect his village and has had to sacrifice himself 999 times for a very evil man. Now he's so close to fulfilling his contract and getting free by hunting the 1,000th soul for his master.
All that is thrown up in the air when Dylan and Travis meet at the local bar and Travis manages to piss some guys off who want to abuse him and Dylan saves him.
There is an additional side story of rogue wolves managing to get in Arcada and trying to take down Blacque's wolves.
This was a good follow-up to
and I liked Dylan and Travis together. Dylan appreciated how special Travis is and could give him much needed direction and Travis could soothe Dylan's tortured soul.
We get to see Blacque and Bleu and see how his relationship has grown with April. Liked this story. -
This book was as incredibly good as the first in the series, Blacque/Bleu. The author has swept me into the world of Arcada and I don't want to get out! Travis Feris is Lukas Blacque's half-brother, totally opposite in appearance and personality, he's the family rebel, always in trouble and yet, he's needy, lonely and feels unwelcome in his extended family. They all live in the town of Arcada, a town that protects its own from outsiders, keeping the werewolves, vampires, gremlins, witches, fae and others who live there safe from those which may choose to harm them.
On one of his trips outside of the town, Travis meets a beautiful man, Dylan Ryve. Long and lean with sleek silver hair, moss green eyes and an aura of power about him, Dylan spots Travis for what he is, a shifter and rebel looking to stir up trouble to get attention. Dylan is a dream walker, a gifted fae indebted to Ulric, an ancient and very powerful fae who has placed a geas on Dylan. It will expire once Dylan makes one last capture for Ulric, but the capture must take place within Arcada. With the town's protection keeping him out, Dylan considers that getting close to Travis may be his key to enter.
Although there's an immediate sexual attraction between the two, Travis is scared by it and leaves quickly, not wanting to go further. When Dylan leaves, he rescues Travis from two men holding him down and attempting to rape him. Dylan can't get through the town's protection to take Travis home, so he heads to his own hotel where they are promptly stranded by a major snowfall. That night Dylan is able to walk in Travis' dreams, see the town and its inhabitants, get a feel for how Travis and his family interact, and ultimately spot his target, one of Travis' friends.
The attraction between the men grows while they are stranded but it isn't until Dylan is severely wounded by helping Travis, and his brother Lukas, escape an ambush by a pack of rogue wolves, that the town finally lets him in. The story of Dylan and Travis and all that ensues in this paranormal adventure is complex and well designed. There's not only the main storyline focused on Dylan's task within Arcada, there's a secondary line involving the rogue wolves and a demon who has targeted the town. The author's attention to detail shows as she continues to build this Arcadan world with a host of paranormal characters. Ms. McBride paints a picture of each character so well-developed that one can see them and want to know them better.
These two MC's have beautiful chemistry between them, both physically and emotionally. Dylan, an ancient fae who has been under Ulric's control for ages, had been drained of all hope and hated to even be touched. Watching him emerge and reach his potential as a loving, gifted, powerful fae who falls in love with Travis was rewarding. But, watching Travis grow emotionally and come into his own, finding his true self-worth and his place in his family was even more gratifying. Travis is a gifted artist, a kind and loving man who puts others in the community before himself, and he finally realizes that he can be accepted by his pack for who he really is, that he doesn't need to be alpha to have value.
I loved revisiting Lukas and Oliver, seeing the dynamics of their relationship now that time has passed. The author also brought in other secondary characters we had come to know in the first book like Dane, the alpha and father to Lukas and Travis, and Lucy, Oliver's great-granddaughter and fellow vampire. There were many newly introduced secondary characters who were well developed within this story and there are quite a few opportunities to explore these characters in future books. I hope Ms. McBride does that, because I truly don't want to leave Arcada. I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance, particularly when there is more than one species represented. She has built an amazing world and I wish I could just live there.
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through
Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review. -
The book was not an insufferable read but it could have easily been so because the romance was crap. The relationship consisted of nothing more than insta-love and smut, which as a rule I don’t mind, but in this case it was ruined by the “I want you, but I can’t because Stupid Reasons” from both men.
+ the characters
Someone should have given Travis a LGBT pamphlet and smacked him over the head with it. His denial of his bisexuality, particularly his attraction to men, was juvenile and silly because there was no good reason to angst about it. No one in his circle gave a fuck. Some of them were LGBT too, and when everyone found out about Travis’ coupling with Dylan no one blinked. What they worried about was whether Dylan was a good guy or a bad guy.
One thing was for certain, Dylan was an incompetent shit. I didn’t understand how someone old and powerful and who defeated 999 bad guys, earning him the reputation of the faerie’s bogeyman, stayed enslaved for years — centuries — under a weaker ass, Ulric. The geas was a giant obstacle, but not an insurmountable one, especially for someone like Dylan who was capable of beating it if only he gained some confidence and, more importantly, engaged his brain. I cannot believe how easily Ulric was defeated at the end because if that was simply all it took, Ulric could have been defeated centuries ago and none of this dangerous nonsense would have happened. The only thing that frustrated me more was Dylan’s martyr complex; it was very cowardly of him to take the easy way out and be a meat shield when was it was completely within his capabilities to kick ass and win.
I cannot believe the amount of mayhem the book’s two villains, Ulric and the demon, caused because they were not that strong. Clever, maybe, but strong, no. Perhaps it was due to the very weak character development that made the villains unimpressive because the villains were very one-dimensional. Ulric was nothing more than a thug boss, but at least there was some background building with his character. The demon had none; it was a demon and that was all the explanation that was given for why it did evil.
+the romance
Back to the couple. I hated the lack of communication between the couple. Sex talk, while titillating, did not count. Travis and Dylan never really had a serious discussion about their relationship and issues such as the fact that Travis had a drug addiction, which magically vanished after the first few chapters (plot hole!), or that Dylan was enslaved to kill people, even though they were bad people, and psychologically tortured under Ulric. Even at the end when they finally discussed it, the discussion was half-assed. Readers learned Dylan had a family, that he had kids back in Homewood. So... didn’t that mean there was a great chance Dylan had a wife?
Me: Book, what say you?
Book: Here’s smut!
Me: Thanks! But you didn’t answer my question.
Book: And the couple lived happily ever after. The End
Me: Hello?
*crickets chirp*
Nevermind.
+ the plot
The plot started with an attention-grabbing prologue and then went downhill and never really climbed back up. It tripped into a mud puddle and stayed down there. The pacing was so slow that for the majority of the book it seemed like it went nowhere. With rogue werewolves attacks and a magical town under siege, one would think there would be a great sense of urgency, but no. The plot just stayed in the mud puddle. My patience went through a good workout. The only redeemable (not that really redeemable) part of the plot was the handful of unremarkable, moderate length smut that contained cheesy sex talk and awkward light BDSM.
In Conclusion
I rate Silver/Steel 2-stars for it was okay. Parts were underdeveloped, and parts that weren’t underdeveloped were developed dreadfully. -
This is really a well written sequel into series of "Arcada". Nicely done Belinda McBride!!!
I really enjoyed the main storyline here mainly because it's well staged. Travis, who is a young shifter, made this story rich, pulling and warm. His developing attraction with the dream hunter Dylan was emotionally satisfying and rather realistic. I liked them a lot, as a couple. They were really well suited pair.
I have to say, the way everything developed at the ended, it felt rushed and incomplete. Even so, I'm looking forward for more books from this town.
Recommended! -
First of all: please forget the cover. That is NOT how Dylan looks like. I promise! It's not. Seriously, what were these people THINKING?
Alright, on to the maybe more important stuff:
Silver/Steel is the sequel to
Blacque/Bleu featuring Travis, shifter and a halfbrother of Blacque's, and dream-hunter Dylan as protagonists.
Arcada is a town full of magical creatures including shifters, vampires, faes, gremlins, and many others we haven't heard about, I'm sure. But Arcada is more than just a town, it's an entity caring for her inhabitants, trying to protect them - and turning away all those who promise harm. Dream-hunter Dylan doesn't want to promise harm, but he has no choice - bound by a curse he has to find and capture one last victim or he will face a punishment he could not endure - slavery without end and hope. His last victim, though, happens to live in Arcada - and Arcada is less than willing to give entrance to Dylan when she can sense his bad intentions.
Travis, wolf shifter and severely unhappy in his skin and with his and his mother's position in his pack, seeks his amusement outside of town - and his amusement often enough involves not-so-peaceful encounters with other pub folk. Saving his ass in a rather unfortunate turn of events could just prove Dylan's ticket into Arcada and the end of his enslavement. What Dylan didn't anticipate is the intense connection he feels to Travis - and all the complications that result from that. If you have to choose between one last victim and freedom or one last and eternal sacrifice, it shouldn't be too hard, right? But things are never easy for Dylan, especially not when his human ticket turns out to trigger everything in him he worked so hard to forget.
This book wasn't as heavy as Blacque/Bleu - but still very entertaining and engaging. It's got it all - good chemistry, romance, damaged characters, angst, action, violence, and lots of fantastical elements. I missed a little bit of the intensity I'd found between Blacque and Bleu in the previous story - and again the ending seemed almost too easy what with all the immense work-up to it. But it was nevertheless a very enjoyable read and one I'd definitely recommend - especially if you've read Blacque/Bleu too! -
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.0
Dylan Ryve is a dream hunter assassin. Long ago, he traded his life for the safety of his family and the people of his village. In exchange, Dylan is required to hunt 1,000 lives or forfeit his own. He is one hunt away from being freed from centuries of enslavement. This time, however, his prey is a member of the magical town of Arcada and he is unable to find a way in. One night, Dylan spots Travis raising hell in a bar. The attraction between Dylan and the beautiful shapeshifter is mutual. When Travis is attacked in the parking lot, Dylan comes to his rescue. Dylan walks in Travis's fevered dreams while he recovers from the attack. Through the dreams, Dylan learns about Arcada and the pack and Travis learns about Dylan’s life before the imposition of the geas. Despite their differences and opposing interests, they fall deeply for each other. Silver/Steel is the story of Dylan and Travis’s fight for survival and eventual HEA.
I liked this book better than the first. I enjoyed the imagery of the different dream states. I really liked Dylan’s character; he was a refreshing change from the ho-hum of PNR shapeshifters. I loved Travis and his extended family. The people of Arcada make for a nice backdrop to the story. This story would have gotten a higher rating from me but for the last 10%. I didn’t care for the encounter with Ulric (the evil enslaver). Also, the ending of the book was a little melancholy for my tastes. I would have liked to have read about the reunion between Dylan and his loved ones. Maybe in the next installment?
Lastly, I’m with Bubbles on the cover: didn’t like it.
Bottom line: an improvement over the first book but the ending could’ve been better. Regardless, I am hopeful that the series will continue and look forward to more stories of Arcada and its inhabitants.
Re-Read on 12/12/13: My rating stands. Loved the book. The cover? Not so much. -
SILVER/STEEL is book two in the Arcana series by Belinda McBride. This features Dylan Ryve, a dream hunter and Travis Feris, a shapeshifter.
Immediately, I was intrigued by the idea of a dream hunter. McBride opens the book with an intense scene involving Dylan and his work as an assassin. Impressive and eye-catching, I found myself interested in learning more about Dylan and his work. However, I felt like the beginning wasn’t as explorative as I had hoped.
When Dylan witnesses a shifter being attacked, he steps in, playing the hero. Later, Dylan enters Travis’s fevered dreams, knowing it’s his ticket to getting to Arcana and the pack. In theory, this should have been exciting and interesting, but for me it didn’t stand out too much. It felt a little choppy and didn’t really get into the meat of the matter.
That being said, I don’t think I can say I loved this book as much as its predecessor. There were some good parts, but also some parts that were less than stellar. Along with the confusion, I don’t think I connected that well with Dylan and Travis. Though I enjoyed their romance and their banter, something was missing and I can’t pinpoint it exactly. Something just didn’t click the way Blacque and Bleu did in the first book.
Speaking of Blacque and Bleu, they make regular appearances, as do other members of the pack. It was nice reading about them again and I think McBride has a good series on her hand. Open to a wide array of possibilities, she is able to take this series wherever she wants to go! And I’ll be there along for the ride!
*Review Copy provided by publisher -
This was quite a complex story involving Travis, a wolf shifter who lives in the enchanted town of Arcada, and Dylan who is Fae. Dylan has sworn an oath which keeps him slave to the evil Ulric and must enter Arcada to complete his last mission or forever remain enslaved.
I found the first 30% or so of the book a little confusing as I struggled to understand the different types of folk living in Arcada and understand the complex dream world that Dylan was able to enter. This was probably just a personal thing for me as I enjoy the occasional PNR but am not a huge fan of fantasy worlds so probably don't have the patience to immerse myself in the world created.
The plot is not a simple one, also focusing on internal pack politics and an attack by a rogue wolf pack, their evil Alpha trying to gain control of the town.
With so much going on, I found myself just wishing for a simple focus on the romance between the two men. I enjoyed the elements of dominance/submission which occurred early in Dylan and Travis' relationship and the theme of not trying to define people in categories of black and white.
I think lovers of PNR will really enjoy this story because the main characters are very likable and the world well crafted. -
The writing was confusing in places... maybe the editing was a bit of a hack or something? I just know there were places that I had to re-read to try to figure out who was saying what or what a person meant by what they said. Did that make sense? lol Especially at the beginning. I tried reading this book cold and the first scene with Travis and his wounded mother was confusing. It was hard to tell which "her" he meant: Melody or Michella. So I stopped reading this one and then went back and re-read the first book. I then came back to this one and that beginning made more sense. It's like I needed to get a handle on the author's writing style in order for the beginning to make sense. I ran into some other confusing areas as well.
Other than that, it contained more bondage and pain than the first book which really isn't my thing. I give the author credit for imagination, though. Oh, and the dialogue was written well. But, it's not something I would rush out and read again.
Looking forward to the next book in the series, though. -
Really enjoyed this. It was a good second novel in a series. Recommended.
-
4.1 Stars
I hope I don't have to read the MF installments to know how all the plot holes are filled in...especially what the hell was going on with Melody, James and that rogue shifter.
Edited to add: Oops, looks like there aren't any more after this one...so, no closure on all that I guess. Shit. -
My Review:
I absolutely ADORED this book. It would have easily gotten an A+ rating on my system except for one little thing at the end of the book that should have been tied up, but I'll talk about that in a minute.
This is the second book in this series. Blacque/Bleu was the first and you can see my review of that book too because I read it right before this one. There is absolutely no reason you have to read both books except that both of them are really, really good. Blacque/Bleu also really helps you to understand the pack politics that are present in Travis's world.
Travis is floundering in the pack world, not fitting in and not knowing how to fit in, so he's given up trying. His mother is an Omega and as her son, he's smaller than most the pack wolves, even though his father is the Alpha. He is constantly picking fights and getting in everyone else's face, whether they are wolves, humans, or other. When the book starts it's Thanksgiving and he's at the bar to blow off some steam. That doesn't work out so well when two men decide to teach him a lesson and drug him with intent to rape him. Dylan catches them in the act and saves Travis. This all occurs when a snowstorm is beginning and the town of Arcada won't let Dylan into town because he's a threat to her people, so Dylan has to take Travis back to his hotel room to let the drugs wear off and someone can come and get him.
Dylan is a fae and basically a slave. He signed a contract with a very bad man centuries ago to save his people and family. He has to take 1000 people that Ulric tells him to. He's on his final contract before he has his freedom and it just happens to be a person located in Arcada. Arcada is the town but she has her own presense. She protects her people and tries to keep people out of her city that mean harm. She's kept Dylan out, but Travis left the city limits for his bar excursion and that's how they end up together...in a snowstorm...in a hotel room. Yeah, things heat up pretty quickly between them, which is pretty shocking since Travis is a known homophobe in the pack....he gave Blacque a really hard time in the last book when he came out.
This book is so good. There are several layers to the story line. Dylan is trying to complete his job, the Alpha is missing (which was never explained), there are rogue wolves also being held prisoner, and it's the holidays. This is one of those stories...Dylan is stuck either way that he goes, whether he finishes his job or not. It made for a great suspenseful story. I loved all the reasons behind why Travis acts the way that he does (that scene where he confesses all to Dylan was incredibly hot and smexy...and so heartbreaking). I loved this relationship and story...
BUT there was one major thing that kept this from being an A+ book story for me. The author didn't tie everything up. There's a demon attacking the rogues and that story is also climaxing at the same time that Dylan's story is climaxing, but nothing is ever explained about what happened there. Just that it ended. That part of the story was really intriguing and I really wanted to know what happened and how they wolf pack resolved it. Also, where was Dane, the Alpha, throughout most the book? The last little section of the book, while beautiful for Dylan and Travis, just didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the book...and it didn't complete all the story. It almost seemed to me like the author wrote this great, wonderful book a year or two ago when she wrote the other one, then didn't know how to finish it. When I finished the book last night, I even went back and reread the last 10% again an hour later just to make sure I wasn't missing something there. Maybe this is a set-up for another Arcada book?? I hope that's the case. Regardless, this is an AMAZING book and I highly recommend this one and the first in the series for m/m and paranormal readers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review. -
OK just please don't look at the cover, because it took me a while to get the creepy guys image out of my head when picturing Dylan.
Onto the story. I was hesitant about the description. I'm not a huge fan of fae heavy stories, but it doesn't focus on their culture just on this one particular character and his story.
Travis is a little bit of a shit but once you hear his inner thoughts and issues I felt sorry for him, and the way the pack was portrayed initially in this was actually really making me hate them. Michaella in particular in this book, they made look really bad The pack was portrayed poorly, and while I'm glad Travis worked out his issues with them, I didn't like how it ended up all on his shoulders. Yes he kept himself isolated and separate blah blah blah, but I would have liked a heart-to-heart with Lukas or something to resolve the deeper issues.
I liked Travis and Dylan together. Even though it was sort of insta-love they presented it well and it developed in a time-appropriate manner. I did think that once the final climax came, Dylan's issues were resolved way too easily. . And then the secondary plot although it clearly ended, was unresolved for me because they never explained what happened
All in all better than I had been expecting. I'll keep and eye out for the next one! There have been some teasers at side characters with hetero love-interest too that I would love short stories on
ARC received from Loose ID Publishing Limited on NetGalley -
I'll start by saying that I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to more stories about the magical inhabitants of Arcada.
What needs addressing is this book cover...
I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover (yep, we all do) and let me tell you, if I didn't really enjoy the previous Arcada book Blacque/Blue
I wouldn't have touched this one with a five-foot pole.
In all that is sane and good in the world, that is the worst photoshop job I've seen (possibly ever).
Seriously, if this cover popped up in my "recommend" pile, I'd click the "ignore" button faster than you could scare me with a badly proportioned face/head.
Book:
Book cover:
-
3.5 stars rounded up.
Why 3.5 stars instead of the 5 stars I gave to Blacque/Bleu?
- Pack dynamics beyond Travis' immediate family were never really brought to light.
- The packs war was completely obscured and on the sideline.
- The sudden BDSM scene between Dylan and Travis... what on earth was that about? It seemed completely out of place, like it belonged in a club scene.
- I expected to fall in love with Travis and Dylan, and I never did. I felt for both of them, but never really connected.
- The abrupt scene/time changes did not work for me. It simply felt like a bad editorial cut and I felt confused and wanting.
There were parts of this story that were wonderfully written. I like Belinda McBride's style of writing. But this story felt disjointed at times. Questions were left unanswered and chunks of information seemed missing. Admittedly I haven't read the first two Arcada stories, but I still don't think this one is of the calibre of Blacque/Bleu. -
It took me awhile to really get into the book and start to really enjoy it. The middle was great. But there seemed to be a lot missing from the end. There was a lack of wrapping up all of the loose ends. I want to know what happened to Deacon and the rogue pack. Where is their alpha? Is he okay? I just have too many questions at the end.
Blacque/Bleu was much better.
This is the fourth book in the series, though each focuses on a different pair, so you can read them as individual books. I think book one is about an M/F couple, so won't be checking that out as it doesn't interest me. I'm not sure about book two at all. The characters were vague in the blurb.
But I've liked some of this author's other works quite a bit, so I'll still check out her books that I haven't read, though the series lists in the back of this book differ from what GR lists, so I'm a bit confused on that point. -
An enjoyable follow-up to
Blacque/Bleu, continuing in the Arcada universe. In general, my reaction to most M/M PNR is an eyeroll, but this author can pull it off. Her take on the genre is just a little bit more, a little bit different, and a lot better than you'd expect. (As an aside, ditto for her SF.) And while this book had a few ouchies (the prologue was confusing and somewhat off-putting, and Travis was kind of a dick for the first few chapters) the merits outweigh the issues. I look forward to the continuation of the series. -
This second book in the Arcada series was even more interesting to me than the first one - and I really enjoyed the first one very much. The characters were quite good, and it was fun to see Lukas and Oliver from the first story and how their relationship has really solidified. I am looking forward to more books in this series - there is so much potential for good stuff. Hurry up and write Belinda McBride!
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Another great one :)
According to Goodreads, and I would agree, this book is actually book four and Blacque/Blue is the third one in the series. Anyways, it really was a good read and I do wish that the series would continue :) Love the characters and would like to know what happens with Conar, the alpha wolf from another pack that is being controlled by a demon. -
Esta libro estuvo bien.
No me encantó pero la historia fue muy entretenida, tanto que lo comencé ayer en la tarde y me quedé leyendo hasta que lo terminé a las 2:30 am.
Creo que esta reseña la voy a dividir en dos partes: Lo que me gustó y lo que no me gustó.
LO QUE ME GUSTÓ:
- Dylan, es un Fae, un elfo del bosque, como todo buen elfo es hermoso y eterno, es antiguo, por que decirle viejo a alguien como Dylan da como risa. Ha tenido una larga y dura vida, es algo así como un esclavo, pero su contrato tiene fin y él esta a punto de ser libre, solo tiene que hacer un "trabajo" más y su anhelada libertad llegará, claro, después de pasar miles y miles de años al servicio de un elfo malvado. Ahora que está al servicio de este elfo malo, Dylan no se siente mas como el elfo del bosque que fue, ahora el es el coco de su gente, tiene la habilidad de caminar entre los sueños de las personas, a los elfos pequeños siempre les dicen que se porten bien o si no el elfo de los sueños vendrá por ellos mientras duermen y se los llevará. La historia de Dylan fue difícil de digerir para mi, le ha tocado sufrir mucho por años, renunciar a su verdadera naturaleza y enterrar todo lo que él en realidad es y siente para no enloquecer, creo que fue la historia de Dylan y el deseo que yo tenia de verlo libre y feliz lo que me mantuvo pegada del libro.
LO QUE NO ME GUSTÓ:
Todo lo demás... Ja ja ja, bueno no todo...
- Travis: Es un niño malcriado, que no tiene auto-control ni control parental, aunque es hijo del alfa y medio hermano de Blacque parece que lo dejan hacer lo que quiere, ellos lo regañan y tal pero no se. Su comportamiento me tuvo pensando todo el tiempo que era un niño de no más de 15 años, cuando según la historia se supone que tiene 25, es un cambia forma lobo y ellos viven más y por lo tanto asumo que maduran mas lento, pero este niño no me llegó, es decir, explicaron su comportamiento infantil e inmaduro, pero simplemente no conecté con él, me daba mal genio. La autora trata de explicarnos lo que vio Dylan en él y por que son perfectos el uno para el otro, pero yo no paraba de pensar que Dylan se merecía algo mucho, mucho, mucho mejor después de tanto sufrir.
Y con esto conecto con lo siguiente que no me gustó:
- No sentí química entre los personajes, no entendí cuando, como o porque se enamoraron, todo pasó muy rápido. Insta-love pero del malo. Incluso las escenas sexuales entre ellos no se sentían bien, no tengo problema con la diferencia de edad o de razas o culturas o lo que sea, además Dylan le lleva miles de años de diferencia a cualquiera, pero no sentí que ellos fueran el uno para el otro.
- No me gustaron las apariciones de Blacque y Bleu. Ellos son tiernos, amables y se aman, pero no me gustó la cara que mostraron aquí, lo que Blacque le hizo a Dylan para mi no tiene justificación. Entiendo que tuviera miedo por su gente, pero encadenar a alguien se sale de los parámetros.
-Quedaron muchos cabos sueltos: se abrieron sub-tramas que no tuvieron conclusión, aunque como es una serie tal vez la intención sea que esas historias se cuentan en otros libros, sin embargo, durante el relato estaban pasando muchas cosas y yo sentía algo así como cuando uno entra en una habitación y todos se quedan en silencio y te miran y tu sabes que te están ocultando algo y vez que entre ellos se hablan con la mirada y tu eres el único que no sabe que esta pasando? así.
Pues todo el asunto del demonio, los lobos drogados o locos o lo que sea, James y la mamá de Travis y lo que pasó con Dane el Alfa... ¿que paso? no se, por que de eso no se explica nada.
En conclusión, es una historia entretenida para pasar el rato, para babear por Dylan y maldecir el destino que lo unió a Travis. -
Second book of Belinda McBride's Arcada Series, paranormal romance books (M/M) of this writer.
Dylan Fyve is a fae creature, he hunts and capture his victims designated due to his ability as dream walker. He's Ulrich's slave, another fae who ensaved him in the past after having put Dylan's realm, Homewood, under siege, killed his wife and threatened to do the same with their children and the people Dylan's protection.
His latest assignment, after which he'll gain, finally, his freedom leads him on the threshold of the magic town of Arcada, where humans and supernatural creatures, including shapeshifters, vampires and fae, live peacefully together. The city, which is a real entity, and it did not grant him acces to protect its inhabitants from Dylan's powers.
Travis Feris is a young shapeshifters member of the wolves pack living in Arcada, he's the son of Dane, the alpha of the pack and a female omega. because of his hierarchical position his life isn't always easy, he always has to look his back from other more dominant members. This leads him to show often bad behaviors, as getting drunk, taking drugs, cause often fights outside the city, all this to prove something to himself, a challenge for his limits. Durind one of this rough night he lost control of the situation, he is drugged, beaten and is likely to be raped, only the intervention of Dylan, who rushes to his aid, avoids the worst.
Between the two start a special bond, deep, which pushes them toward each other, despite their diversity and the secrets that Dylan hide the boy, about his person and his mission.
Travis' pack is attacked by another group of werewolves, controlled by a demon and despite the danger and the distrust they feel against Dylan they must ask help to the powerful fae. Dylan is fighting between his feelings and his mission and soon will have to choose between love and honor and to remain forever a Ulrich's slave and lose the guy.
Compared to the first book of the series, the plot of Silver/Steel has a more complex and intricate story. Shows so more in-depth the dynamics inside the pack, which becomes part of the story in a more important way.
Travis is a wonderful character, once went over his rebellious behaviour, he shows his true nature and his importance in the pack and for the fae. Despite his submissive nature, he has the courage to make decisions and exposing himself without barriers in the relationship with Dylan.
The fae on the contrary is a tormented soul from the past, by the weight of his slavery, but his choices show how extraordinary is his character.
I also liked the little glimpses about Blacque Blue, the wolf and vampire of the previous book, and I adored the figure of Dane, the alpha, in this book he shows an affection towards his son and a wise leadership that have impressed me a lot.
The contents in the sex scenes are explicit, with some BDSM scenes, but placed within a context where dominance and submission are part of the reality of the roles of the characters and placed inside an amazing love story between Travis and Dylan.
A beautiful series this Arcada.
Thanks to Netgalley and Loose ID for the book.
Secondo libro della Arcada Series di Belinda McBride, saga di libri paranormal romance M/M di questa scrittrice.
Dylan Fyve è una creatura fae, caccia e cattura le sue vittime designate grazie alla sua capacità di penetrare nella loro mente attraverso il mondo dei sogni. Svolge questo incarico da un'eternità, schiavo di Ulrich, un altro fae che lo ha catturato in passato, dopo aver messo sotto assedio il suo regno, ucciso la sua compagna e minacciato di fare lo stesso con i figli e la gente sotto la protezione di Dylan.
Il suo ultimo incarico, dopo il quale finalmente riguadagnerà la sua libertà, lo conduce alle soglie della cittadina magica di Arcada, dove umani e creature soprannaturali, quali mutaforma, vampiri e fae vivono pacificamente insieme. La città, che è a sua volta una vera e propria entità, non gli concede però l'accesso, per proteggere i suoi abitanti dai poteri di Dylan.
Travis Feris è un giovane mutaforma che appartiene la branco dei lupi che vive in Arcada, è figlio di Dane, l'alpha del branco e di una femmina omega. A causa della sua posizione gerarchica nel gruppo la sua vita non è sempre facile, sempre impegnato a guardarsi alle spalle da altri membri più dominanti. Questo lo porta a manifestare comportamenti sempre al limite: ubriacarsi, assumere droghe, provocare spesso risse nel locale che frequenta fuori dalla città, tutto questo per dimostrare qualcosa a se stesso, continuare a sfidare i suoi limiti. In una di queste serate ribelli perde il controllo della situazione, viene drogato, malmenato e rischia di essere stuprato, solo l'intervento di Dylan, che accorre in suo aiuto, evita il peggio.
Tra i due nasce un legame particolare, profondo, che li spinge l'uno verso l'altra, nonostante la loro diversità e i segreti che Dylan cela, riguardo la sua persona e la sua missione.
Il branco di Travis viene sottoposto a un feroce attacco da parte di un altro gruppo di mutaforma, controllati da un demone e nonostante il pericolo e la diffidenza, che nutrono nei confronti del fae, i lupi sono costretti a chiedere il suo aiuto. Dylan è combattuto tra i suoi sentimenti e la sua missione e ben presto dovrà scegliere tra l'amore e l'onore e il fatto di rimanere eternamente schiavo di Ulrich e perdere il ragazzo.
Rispetto al primo libro della serie, la trama di Silver/Steel ha una storia più complessa e intricata. Vengono mostrate in modo più approfondite le dinamiche all'interno del branco, che entra a far parte della storia in modo più importante.
Travis è un personaggio meraviglioso, una volta andato oltre i suoi comportamenti ribelli, si scopre la sua vera natura e la sua importanza nel gruppo e per il fae. Nonostante la sua natura non dominante, ha il coraggio di prendere decisioni ed esporsi senza barriere nel rapporto con Dylan.
Il fae al contrario è un'anima tormentata dal passato, dal peso della sua schiavitù nei confronti degli ordini di Ulrich, ma le sue scelte rendono straordinario anche il suo personaggio.
Mi sono piaciuti anche i piccoli scorci in cui si sono rivisti Blacque e Blue, il lupo e il vampiro protagonisti del libro precedente, e ho adorato la figura di Dane, l'alpha, in questo libro mostra un affetto nei confronti del figlio e carisma che mi hanno colpito molto.
I contenuti nelle scene di sesso sono espliciti, con alcune scene BDSM, ma inserite all'interno di un contesto in cui dominanza e sottomissione sono parte della realtà dei ruoli dei personaggi e inseriti all'interno di una bellissima storia d'amore tra Travis e Dylan.
Una bellissima serie questa di Arcada.
Si Ringraziano Netgalley e la Loose ID per la visione del libro. -
This is book 2 of Arcada. So, I had high expections for this book. The front cover isn't my favorite. I am disppointed in this book. The writing can be confusing and some of the details weren't clear enough for me. I hope there will be another book that continues on this same story line. If so, I might like this book more. Unlike Blacque/Bleu(book one) which can be read as stand alone, this book isn't, in my opinion. It introduces the main couple for this story and their background. It introduces the major issue that keeps them from being together, which is resolved. My issue is that the author brings up other issues that aren't resolved. I'll include them later on as a 'spoiler'. So, you have been warned.
Travis is the younger brother of Lukas Blaque. They share same father, who is the alpha of the local pack. His father is the most dominate wolf in the pack. His mother is the local Omega. She is the 'weakest' werewolf in the pack and the other females tend to treat her like trash and walk all over her. She prefers to avoid confrontation. She is also their healer. Travis looks like his mother, not very masculine. He feels he takes after his mother not his father. He doesn't realize he is more dominate. He thinks he is one of the weakest werewolfs because of his mother and doesn't want people to walk over him.
Travis is very self conscious about how people view him. He is attracted to both men and women, though he is denial about his attraction towards men. He feels that his pack will find him 'weak' because of it. He does not think he is maculine looking/dominate as his gay brother, Lukas. One night he goes out to the local hangout to drink and act a fool towards everyone. He is a bit childish. While he is there, he sees a very attractive man. He feels drawn to him, but is in denial about it. Travis ends up ticking off the wrong guys who decide to 'teach' him a lesson.
Dylan, isn't human. He is bounded by a contract with a evil person. His contract is almost up though and he is happy because of it. His last person he needs to find and bring to his boss alive, is in Arcada. He has been trying for a while to find a way into Arcada. He is at the local hangout(right outside of Arcada) when he sets his eyes on a very attractive, fiesty, young werewolf. He feels drawn to him, though he trys to fight it. When Travis is in trouble, Acradia sends Dylan to the rescue.
Dylan ends up taking Travis to his hotel room because there is to much snow. As they spend time together, they bond. Dylan is sad when Travis leaves to go home. When Travis meets yet more drama on the way home, Dylan risks his life to save Travis. By saving Travis's life, Dylan ends up in Arcada. Travis is very up front and decides to accept Dylan and lets everyone know about it. How far will Dylan go to keep his new love, Travis, safe. How far will Travis go to keep Dylan by his side?
Kinda spoiler. -
I have mixed feelings about the book. The first half of the book was ok, just ok. But the last half was more plot intense, so much so that I was even crying at one point. Kudos to the author for getting me emotionally involved finally! Travis' character is a bit immature, a flirt and cock-tease, but you see him mature as the story progresses. Dylan is older, mature, very sage, with deep dark secrets. It's an interesting fantasy world of paranormal and magic.
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3.5*stars
This is the second book in the series (mm) (I would read Blacque and Bleu first) this is about Blacque's younger brother and a fae assassin. There were a number of twists and turns, but felt a few questions were left unanswered, eapicially around the rogue pack.
Easy read to follow the first book.
HFN ending.
