RITA Reader Challenge Review

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Unchained by Sharon Ashwood

B+

Title: Unchained
Author: Sharon Ashwood
Publication Info: Signet 2010
ISBN: 978-0451230737
Genre: Paranormal

RITA®, and the RITA statuette are service marks of Romance Writers of America, Inc.Lindlee is back with a RITA® Reader Challenge review, this time for a book that finaled in the Paranormal category.

Book CoverPlot Summary: Faced with a custody battle for her daughter, monster-killer Ashe Carver has hung up her stakes and taken a job at the public library. But then after centuries guarding a supernatural prison, the dashing Captain Reynard strides into her world. He has only weeks to live unless Ashe finds the thief who took his soul-and he’s too drop-dead gorgeous to die…

And here is Lindlee’s review:

Unchained is the third book in the Dark Forgotten series. I did not have any huge problems reading it as a stand alone (just took awhile to figure out the book’s world). I did go back and read the first two installments. While it would add to your reading experience, it isn’t necessary to read Ravenous and Scorched.

Unchained is set in a world where humans, vampires, shape shifters and other monsters live side by side. Ashwood does an excellent job of weaving the supernatural into the story. I never felt like Vampire Fact #691 was stuck in the story for no reason whatsoever. The familiar and unfamiliar intermingle naturally.

I liked the main couple. I enjoyed watching Reynard and Ashe grow closer as their relationship developed. But it wasn’t always the most interesting part of the book for me. For instance, Reynard and Ashe come together to search for his stolen soul (as you do). The search had so many twists and turns with villains here and action there. I found the mystery more interesting than the romance sometimes.

I also fell in love with Miru-kai (secondary character). He is the bad boy that I want to tame. Trying to pin down Miru-kai is an exercise in futility. He is a dark fey who is neither good nor evil. Some of his actions are bad and wicked. And yet, it is obvious that he has a good heart. Miru-kai puts it best when he’s explaining himself to Ashe’s daughter:

“The dark fey are tricksters, but we’re part of nature’s cycle. Sometimes we’re the necessary chaos that breaks down old, dead patterns. Sometimes we give people what they deserve and they call it bad luck. That’s why they’re afraid of us. We’re not evil. We’re just uncomfortable.”

I don’t know if Ashwood is planning on giving Miru-kai his own story, but I certainly hope so!

Unchained was a good book that I really enjoyed reading. I just personally prefer a stronger emphasis on the romance.


This book is available from Amazon | Kindle | BN & nook | WORD Brooklyn |

Comments are Closed

  1. H. Vert says:

    I’m not so much into the paranormal romances, but after reading this review, I’m going to go looking for this one.  Thanks, Lindlee!

  2. Donna says:

    I actually just finished the latest installment of this series the other day. It’s one of the few I look forward to in a stalkerish way. You know, checking the release date, just to be sure it isn’t sooner, haunting the new release rack at Borders, praying to the budget goddess for a good coupon.

Comments are closed.

↑ Back to Top