Cleo Radella inherited both the ability to see the future, and a haunting prediction that she will commit murder on her twenty-fifth birthday. That day has arrived, along with a stranger who is fated to alter her world irrevocably.One will come in blood, the other in shadow… touched. Luckily, the fragments of ancient, powerful souls he carries allow him to fade into the shadows, unseen and unnoticed—handy for a guy who hunts people for a living.
Cleo is his next target, but when her life is threatened, he will stop at nothing to protect the beautiful psychic. No one captures his prey but him.
Death lurks behind them…
Forced together, Flint reveals a world Cleo never knew existed. She soon learns that no one is what they seem, and that her destiny is much bigger than she ever imagined…
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Cleo Radella inherited the ability to see the future and a haunting prediction that will irrevocable alter her world. He despises small talk, prefers solitude and hates being touched, luckily for Flint he has the power to fade into the shadows, unseen and unnoticed which comes in handy when he is hunting people as his job requires. Cleo soon learns that no one is what they seem and that her destiny is much bigger than she ever imagined after Flint reveals a world she never knew existed.
There is a whole new world to be explored in this chilling psychic romantic suspense. The characters are strong, captivating and easily draw readers into their story and they learn to navigate a world where nothing and no one is quite what they seem. The chemistry between Cleo and Flint is splendidly sizzling and permeates the pages as they grow closer with lots of emotional turmoil obstructing their relationship.
The plot is steady to fast paced reeling readers in and refusing to let go and while the story starts off a bit confusing, it quickly becomes a fascinating read that delights readers with the unexpected. The psychic aspect of the characters has a unique and fresh twists that makes for refreshing change from the norm and chilling suspense and stunning twists keeps readers eyes trained on the pages.
4.25 stars– SHARDS OF BLOOD AND SHADOW is the first instalment in Anna Argent’s (aka Shannon K Butcher) contemporary, adult THE LOST SHARDS paranormal, romance series. This is twenty-five year old psychic Cleo Radella, and Flint Skelton’s story line.
SOME BACKGROUND: The world as we know it is filled with magic, and throughout history people have been blessed or cursed with magical abilities. The ongoing war between good and evil pits the Riven against the Vires in their search for anyone with magical shards-slivers of magic passed down from parent to child, or in many cases, upon the death of someone with magic. By killing someone with magic, the perpetrator ‘inherits’ the shards of his/her victims; upon the death of a loved one, the shard is passed to the nearest kin.
Told from several third person points of view including Cleo and Flint SHARDS OF BLOOD AND SHADOW follows psychic Cleo Radella on the day of her twenty-fifth birthday, a date prophecized by her late mother, in which Cleo will meet a man of shadow, and a man of blood but Cleo never expected to meet her future in the guise of Flint Skelton, a man determined to protect Cleo with his life. Convincing Cleo that she is better off with the group known as the Riven forces our heroine to face a future without the people she loves. What ensues is the building relationship between Flint and Cleo, and the potential fall-out as Cleo is targeted by someone from her past, someone whom Cleo has no memory but someone close enough to inherit her shards.
Cleo Radella is unaware of her family history. As a psychic, along with her aunt Delores, Cleo owns and operates a professional psychic business but unbeknownst to Cleo someone is watching including the man with whom she will fall in love. Flint Skelton doesn’t do relationships but meeting Cleo stirs something protective in our story line hero. Targeted for her abilities, Cleo’s life hangs in the balance but not everyone is who they proclaim to be. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
SHARDS OF BLOOD AND SHADOW introduces some of the background and history of magic and shards. The large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters is unique; the close-knit family of magical Riven will be destroyed by someone they know. The premise is enchanting and startling; the characters are spirited and lively; the romance is intimate and spicy. Anna Argent welcomes you to the world of The Lost Shards, one magical moment and at a time.
When Flint is sent to find Cleo he is not looking for love, but that is just what he finds. As a Riven scout he has no experience with telling anyone about the secret war between good (the Riven) and evil (the Vires), but when he finds Cleo and evil forces are already in play he saves her and wont let her face the loss of a loved one alone. All her life psychic Cleo has known that 2 men would enter her life, but she never realized how much everything would change. As she is pulled into the world of the Riven and Vires she must make choices that determine who she will become and fight death to save the man she loves. This is the first book of Ms. Argents that I have read, and now after reading this book I now have a new author I will be looking to read. I loved this book and the story line is awesome,
I have read and reviewed this as a voluntary ARC.