Menacing dark fantasy and paranormal suspense combine in the second book of this reader acclaimed supernatural series (Gabriel Davenport) from British author Beverley Lee Gabriel Davenport has been remade from darkness. Now, he must adapt to survive .In a small seaside town, Gabriel’s maker unwittingly takes his wards into the throes of a deadly new game. There are rumblings on The Bloodvyne, the … are rumblings on The Bloodvyne, the mental web of linked vampire consciousness. Whispers about a cleansing, about the ruling council hunting vampires with impure blood.
Gabriel finds himself thrust into a new nightmare, where the hunter becomes the hunted. When his maker is taken, he must battle to untangle the mystifying clues laid out in an uncovered labyrinth to find the only creature strong enough to fight against those that hunt his new-found family.
Gaze long into the darkness, and you’ll find old vampire foes out for revenge, new ones with their own agenda, and a witch who holds the key. But just who is the monster in the middle?
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Having devoured Lee’s debut novel I was really excited to get my hands on the sequel. And it delivered! Book 2 was every bit as thrilling, with new plot twists and new fascinating developments – and, of course, new cliffhangers setting up Book 3 – but no spoilers there 😉
The focus at the beginning is on Clove’s little group; however, previous POVs still made plenty of appearances, too, which gave a brilliant overview over (almost) everything that’s going on. I especially loved Moth’s and Teal’s POVs. Both boys really came into their own in this sequel and it was great to see just how much they developed over the course of the story.
There were also a few new characters who brought with them an interesting look into vampire politics!
Speaking of Moth and Teal, their character development was a personal highlight. We already knew a few things about them from Book 1, but this time we really got to know them and I loved watching them cope with all the new developments throughout. They are two very different boys who added a lot of depths to the plot. There were some fascinating facts about Teal which were revealed slowly as the plot progressed, and seeing Moth slowly open up was wonderful. For most of the book all I wanted was for Moth and Gabriel to get together and adopt Teal, because they’d make such a beautiful family! <3 Honestly, I can't think of one character in Lee's books I don't like.
The writing was another highlight. Lee's style is beautiful, and I found more quotes than I usually do - hence why I've chosen to include three rather than the usual two.
There's everything to love about A Shining in the Shadows, and I can't think of one aspect I didn't enjoy. If you're looking for a gothic urban fantasy with demons, vampires, and ancient magic (and why wouldn't you? That sounds awesome!) I can't recommend this book enough. It has everything you could want, and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.
Book two of this exciting dark vampire fantasy is both thought provoking and a page turner. I couldn’t read nor turn the pages fast enough, consequently, I ended up rereading passages because I wanted to be sure a didn’t miss a single detail. This book is all about Gabriel, Moth and Teal coming together, finding themselves and coming to terms with their predicament. Gabriel finds himself as the leader of this most unlikely motley cauldron of young vampires. Moth is the protector/enforcer and Teal is the glue that holds them all together.
We learn a little more about Clove who is a loner and yet has taken in two young outcast vampires and fathered another on impulse. How did he come by his name? What is his history? A loner who pretty much remains an unknown…an unknown to whom I’m inexplicably drawn. Then there’s Noah who was there when Gabriel was a mere babe and somehow managed to escape the clutches of evil; but at the cost of his faith. There are two love developments…one I expected and one I did not, however both play an integral role in the story.
The strength of this book lies in the character development, both the good and bad; but there’s one who begins to emerge to the surface in this most dark tale within an even darker world.
Again, there is much symbolism on the cover which is red with black wings. There is also a silhouette figure in upward flight behind the title. I love all of these touches that makes the book stand apart from all of the rest.
The author asks, you, the reader to “Gaze long into the darkness, and you will find old vampire foes out for revenge, new ones with their own agenda, and a witch who holds the key. But just who is the monster in the middle?” That is the question… Who?
WOW! I thought the first book was fast-paced but this seems to be even faster. It was wonderful to read more about the characters and to dive into their world. A beautifully written story that has vampires, demons, and humans who research the supernatural. I know this is book two but I highly recommend this series.
What else can I say, other than Beverley Lee has not disapointed. After being utterly smacked in the face and swept away by The Making of Gabriel Davenport, I expected nothing short of another sublime read from the lady, and have not been let down at all. If in the previous instalment I found myself drawn to Clove, this book had me longing to delve further into Moth, Gabe, but mostly Teal. I wanted all the secrets to come out into the light, they did not, which has made me hungrier for more, of course. If I had disregarded the two vampire boys in the first book, I found them impossible to ignore in this second novel on the series, they are bigger than life, and shine brighter than the brightest of stars. That is one of the things Ms. Lee excells at, her characters won’t leave you indifferent, and they’re so well designed, the weaving of who they are is so fine, so rich, so intense, and yet… you’re constantly hungry for more, asking yourself who are they, really, what is their story, what is their past… and what will their future be. You cannot fail to care for them, and even when they are meant to be loathed, you will, but if anything like me, you’ll constantly wonder why, why are they so detestable, what has made them this, who turned them into that. Superbly done, the characters simply enter you and refuse to leave.
I was left hanging on air, the fate of my favourite character unknown, and cannot wait to get my hands on the final – no, how can it be the last one??? – book of the series, wishing to see all my questions finally answered, secretly longing that I’m left with still too many questions, maybe Ms. Lee will grant us one more story where we get to hang with Clove, Gabe, Moth and Teal again…
One amazing read.