The Gathering: The Ivy Blackwood Chronicles

Paranormal books are not my usual listen, but with the team of LA Fiore, Aaron Shedlock and Tracy Marks, I just could not pass this one by! And I am so glad I listened. Fiore has masterfully written a love story spanning hundreds of years, with demons and vampires, Goddesses and shifters. I became completely entranced. Ivy Blackwood is an amazing character. I loved her from the very start, talking to voices “in her head” like Tristan(what a great character!). Bane is the ultimate alpha, romantic man, and I could feel the pull between these two from the start. What a journey these two take, figuring out their past and how to save the world. Set in the magic capital of the US, New Orleans is the perfect setting for this highly visual and sensual book. I also enjoyed the different points of view that were given, not just from the main characters. Fiore has intricately woven this tale and will keep you riveted as you listen.

With a story as complex as this, a narrating team needs to be spot on! And Aaron Shedlock and Tracy Marks fit the bill! There are many characters, and a plethora of voicing that needs to be accomplished during this epic tale. Shedlock and Marks are consummate professionals and provide that movie in your mind with their talents. I could tell exactly who was speaking every moment and could feel the buildup of suspense and passion through their narration. It’s amazing!

Omg this book

This is the first book by a new arthur for me that as soon as I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to get my grubby lil hands on it and so worth much more than 5’s.

This book was absolutely captivating, phenomenal and so many twists and turns it was just plain amazing. What a way to kick off the Halloween month than a book that has magic, witches, vampires, lycans, fairies and even the devil makes an appearance it’s all my favorite thing’s I love reading about. I’m still blown away by this book it drew me in from the start and I couldn’t flip pages fast enough to find out what happened next and believe me there’s plenty. This is definitely a must read & one book that is so worth reading about.

This is just my opinion and my voluntary review

“Under the warrior beat a poet’s heart…Whatever we were, however we came to be, one thing was certain-we’d always come back to this, like our stones, we were two souls that fit.”

Intelligently crafted and captivating in spades, haunting from the first words, it gave me constant goosebumps and chills. Don’t read with the lights off, the multiple POV will give you complete insight to the eerie and addictive tale. Beautiful, imaginative, and engrossing!! I thank the Author for providing a copy to review!!

“Theirs wasn’t just a love story; it was timeless, everlasting…it was what fairy tales were made of…”

~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog

The Gathering by L.A. Fiore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book: The Gathering
Author: L.A. Fiore
Type: #1 in The Ivy Blackwood Chronicles
POV: First/Third Person – Multiple
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 3 Stars!

Age: Ivy – 32; Bain- 500?.

Triggers: Murder

I have loved you, and I have waited for you, hoping for just a glimpse of you in a stranger or a friend. My whole life, my very long, long life, I have loved only you. I will love you even when the stars burn out and the earth dies, when life recycles and starts again. I will love you.

I had this on my bookshelf for ages, so I decided that I should finally read it and I. Did. Not. Expect. That. The Gathering is so much more than it seems. It’s so much more than a romance. L.A. Fiore has created a world that is full of unexpected surprises and I do not wish to spoil it for anyone. It’s so unique and intriguing with a ton of twists one after another. I really loved the world building with how New Orleans was portrayed so beautifully and hauntingly. And the suspense was so thick, it had me biting my fingers. Some scenes at the start had chills, literal chills, running down my spine.

I was willing to risk it all, so I could dare to walk where dreams were made.

I’m also a little disappointed. It took me a while to get into this book, which is crazy as it has ghosts, vampires, lycans and demons in it. Lycans! And demons! And yet… I swear the pace was like a snail on top of a turtle trying to run on the slowest setting of the slowest treadmill in the world. The Gathering took me five days to read. That’s a long ass time for me and I can’t believe it’s only 320 something pages. I swear it felt like a 500 page book. There were some parts where the story dragged and dragged. And there were others parts where it was so rushed that some twists didn’t even have any impact on me. Especially the battle at the end, it happened so quickly that my brain experienced whiplash. So the pace didn’t really work for me and the execution felt flat.

Theirs wasn’t just a love story; it was timeless, everlasting…it was what fairy tales were made of.

The other issue was the long (and I mean long) list of characters and who was related to whom, it was all so hard to keep track of. Even with the shifting POVs, I had trouble remembering certain characters. It definitely took away from the overall storyline. After some time, they all mixed up together. Ivy, Bain, Dr. Ellis, Bart, Jasmine, Doris, Jareth, Allie, Brock, Josiah, Aria, Cyril, Esther, Nick, Diana, Grace, Hope, Cinder, Hades. And I’m pretty sure I missed some.

I would find her; somehow, I would find her again, even if it was just the twinkle of a star in the heavens, a reminder of how for just a little while I had dared to walk where dreams were made.

The Gathering was a beautiful story. It had everything, passion, suspense, angst, action, horror, and a tragic love. It would’ve been perfect of not for the execution.

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Oh wow! I read this book with zero expectations and even if I did have them, Fiore would have bypassed them all effortlessly! The Gathering was a first time read by this author. And I’ll be honest and say that I was totally judging the book by its cover in the best possible way. And then I was sold once I read the synopsis!

Fiore blew me away this one and I just can’t stop thinking about it. Plus, I was left completely hungry for more.

First of all, don’t start this at night… I didn’t expect to be scared as I was reading and well I sure was in for a treat. But I surprised myself because I kept reading, all while checking every corner of my room. And that’s just one thing to touch on, despite some things I may not like to read in a book, she has that ability to keep you captivated and wanting to read more.

This book really did cover everything that I love in a PNR/romance without things going overboard and getting all jumbled. This story deals with the past, present and future. I was so in awe in how Fiore was able to weave this haunting, suspenseful, and romantic tale together so perfectly.

Ivy really pulled me in from the very beginning. Between her thoughts and dreams, all are just snippets of what she can’t quite piece together, but they’re all extremely familiar like it was a long lost friend. I’m not going to lie, I was begging for the romance part to kick in sooner than later. But in the end, I can’t say that I didn’t mind the pace she chose for their love story.

Why?

Because Ivy and Bain’s love story is something that has surpassed time, lifetimes even. It’s raw, emotional and never-ending. Not even death can keep them apart. It’s actually quite tragic the journey of love has taken them on. But all so very beautiful and amazing.

The mystery and suspense, just adds on another level that keeps you hooked! While Ivy is trying to piece the happenings in her town, she’s got memories to work through as well. Everything is part of a bigger picture that she hasn’t figured out yet. And the balance of the world is thrown off and she may be the answer to it all.

I’m telling you, it’s nearly impossible to write a spoiler-free review. So much happens and it all ties up rather nicely in the end. Bain and Ivy are EVERYTHING. And it has been a while where I’ve been completely engrossed in two character’s love for one another. It’s so deep that you will literally feel it to the depths of your soul.

Fiore, you wrote a damn amazing book! I’m such a fan and can’t wait for the next one!

Highest recommendations, so buy it… ASAP!L.A. Fiore

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.

Words like unnatural and impure started the whispers. From the very beginning, Ivy Blackwood was different. She was only a child when she was accused of setting the fire, one she passively watched engulf the small house she had called home. Her fingertips burned and her hair singed. Some who watched her crossed themselves, convinced she was soulless for she showed no emotion at all. Calm and dispassionate, even when the screaming started that quickly turned to bellow of agony before dying into nothing but the roaring fire. She was locked away where she couldn’t bring harm to herself or others. To all involved, they had protected the world from a monster, but sometimes tings are not what they may seem.

Holy WOW!!!! What a book. I will be the first to admit that I do not normally read paranormal books. There just not my thing but I am a fan of L.A. Fiore. I love her books so I gave this one a shot. I can say that it really cheeped me out a time or two but even then I was so into it I wasn’t going to lay it down. Since I am not a paranormal reader and am not sure what most of them are about I will say that there is no way that this book doesn’t have something in it that you like about paranormal books. You have fairies, Satan himself, witches, werewolves, shifter’s,vampires, he$$ hounds. You name it and I about but you that you are going to find them in this book. This is a book about good and evil and the balance that is needed for earth to keeps it’s balance and the girl that seems to hold it all together. In this book your going to meet a lot of characters and your going to fall in love with so many of them. The book takes place in New Orleans and there you meet the sheriff who is suddenly finding the oddest murders he has ever seen. This is the beginning of the puzzle and putting all the pieces together. There too is a love story and I do mean a love story that spans the ages and never fades. It is love in its purest form. I am so in love with Ivy and Bain and you are going to root for them with every fiber of your being. For a girl who isn’t to into the paranormal books I really like this one and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings. But don’t worry. This book does not end on a cliffhanger it is just left to where you know there is more to come.

So this Blew me away: it was so breathtaking and also so completely different to what I was originally expecting.
A really hard one to describe and categorise but I will most certainly try my very best.
So: When I started this I was a tad confused: there is almost a purposeful layer of mystique layered here to tantalise and obscure: serving to also bait that hook with such delicious allure.
But no matter my perplexity here there is no way on this planet I could have put this down as each baffling bone thrown only served to further titillate my senses.
Drawing me in and weaving such an intricate web of fascination.
It was almost like the story here was unfolding and revealing itself a morsel at a time and we were as much in a state of bewilderment as the colourful cast of otherworldly individuals were.
And what a line-up of diverse characters we had here: if you can think of them: then they were probably included here.
Vampires, shapeshifters, witches, gods, demons, ghosts the list goes on: you would think it wouldn’t actually work but it does.
This was urban fantasy at its finest and I was agog with such wonder the entire time.
Cleverly written from multiple viewpoints: all eventually converging at one point in time
Fast paced with something for everyone: this had action, mystery, horror, love and let’s not forget the sex (had that too)
This really was a smorgasbord for every eventuality and appetite.
I’m really looking forward to seeing where the Ivy Blackwood Chronicles journey will take us next.
I for one will have a first-class ticket for that exciting trip.
The gathering itself then manages to wrap-up proceedings ever so nicely while still leaving some loose threads dangling for further progression.
I was left here with a profound sense of anticipation for this author’s next instalment.
My first experience with this author but most definitely not my last.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc copy of The Gathering (Ivy Blackwood Chronicles, #1)
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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