Bitter. Broken. Brutal.Molded since childhood to be the perfect weapon, Gavriel d’Alana (also known as Death’s Shadow) has devoted himself to serving Thalia Talfayen. The life of a Noxblade is lethal and lonely, and since the princess has no need of him, he secretly believes there’s no reason for him to live—and he should seek a glorious death—but that’s before he tangles with a tiger woman who … tangles with a tiger woman who unleashes his darkest desires.
Tough. Tenacious. Trustworthy.
Magda Versai has a reputation for being unattainable—no deep attachments, only discreet amusements. If she has her way, the pride will never learn of her private heartbreak, as she accepted her curse years ago. Now, she focuses on work, which is why she’s acting as Raff’s bodyguard while secretly hunting for Slay. The search leads Mags to team up with a Noxblade so belligerent that she can’t resisting baiting him.
She’s the steel, he’s the flint, and the sparks they strike together might kindle a fire that could warm them for a lifetime, if they don’t kill each other first…
more
Gavriel and Mag’s story is the Sweetness of Everything
I’ve been a fan of Ann Aguirre since her Sirantha Jax series, but did not know about the Ars Numina series until very recently. I’ve been missing out! Having decided to start with book 4, The Shadow Warrior, I was more than a little lost with the world building, not understanding the nuances of the different factions. However, this was a pretty isolated storyline and I only needed to know about one broken Noxblade and a mouthy Tiger. I loved the dynamic between Gavriel and Mags. The slow building trust, the mutual respect, the friendship and yes, eventual love was beautiful.
Plus it’s just plain hot how Mags not only sees how twisted up Gavriel is about his desire to be dominated, but she gives him exactly what he needs. There’s no humiliation, no rejection, just wonderful acceptance. It’s so easy that Gavriel’s astonished. No wonder that in no time he’s ready to worship Mags. I really appreciated that this was basically a road trip novel, the laser focus on this one couple revealing and discovering themselves while trying (and succeeding) to do good was a great introduction to Ars Numina series. I’ve already downloaded The Leopard King and Demon Prince, I can’t wait to catch up.
The Shadow Warrior by Ann Aguirre (paranormal, self published, April 2019)
Series: Ars Numina, book 4
The Shadow Warrior by Ann Aguirre is the fourth book in the Ars Numina series, a series about a war-torn world made up of several kingdoms. There are some serious political machinations happening which mean that this is a series best read in order.
In The Shadow Warrior, Gavriel d’Alana is at a crossroads. He has dedicated his life to serving Thalia Talfayen, the new leader of their kingdom. But she now has a new love who will rule by her side. While I don’t think that Gavriel thought he would end up with Thalia, he definitely had feelings for her that make it impossible for him to remain by her side.
Meanwhile Magda Versai, a tiger shifter, who accompanied the shifter that Thalia married has a mission. She is looking for a missing man (one of the threads running through this series) and enlists Gavriel’s help. Anxious to distance himself from Thalia, Gavriel agrees.
And I have to say that Magda is a kick-ass heroine. She is an amazing asset in the field. Magda and Gavriel make a formidable team and I loved them together.
Magda and Gavriel set off together and find a world of trouble. But they find so much more. Despite Gavriel’s aloof and sometimes cold demeanor, something about Magda calls to this lone wolf. When Magda discovers that Gavriel is turned on by fighting and by someone taking charge, things heat up considerably.
Gavriel is a total grump, a man who has kept to himself because of his his role as an assassin. He says of himself: “Nobody likes me. I have a terrible personality.” He is not lying. Most people he meets are afraid of him – and for good reason. He is hard to like, and I will admit for much of the book that preceded The Shadow Warrior, I definitely did not care for him. But he comes to life in this book, mostly because Magda causes him to bare his soul.
Even better, Gavriel is a virgin. He has never had the time nor the inclination to open himself up enough to connect with someone, especially in light of his need for pain and his need to submit. Fortunately, Magda is a perfect match for him. And once these two give into their attraction for each other, they are incredibly hot together.
The Ars Numina series is a fabulous series with some amazing world building supported by wonderful romances. The Shadow Warrior is no exception. I could not put this one down. I cannot wait for the next one to find out what happens next in this world. If you are looking for a shifter romance with a dominant female character, do not miss this one.
Book Disclosure: An ebook was provided by the author.
I’m a fan of the Ads Numina series and have really enjoyed Ann Aguirre’s PNR series. I like the interplay between the different types of characters and the taut tension between the various couples. This particular pairing between Noxblade, Gavriel d’Alana, and Chief Security shifter, Magda Versai is unusual and intriguing for me. Gavriel is trained as a highly disciplined Noxblade and sublimates his masochistic tendencies. He has never found a safe place to share his proclivities. Magda is an alpha female. She is used to being in charge and as the head security for the shifters, she has experience doling out pain. What makes this relationship interesting is that power dynamics change often between the two. It’s refreshing to see the couple not have to define the relationship in a traditional sense.
What is missing for me is a strong advancement of the overarching storyline. Much of the story is centered around the two main characters, who admittedly, are probably more complex than the others have been thus far. There is little development in the connections between the Animari, the Eldritch and the Golgoths. I’m particularly anxious to find out what happened to Slay.
The Shadow Warrior was action packed with a few slow parts but I enjoyed it all the same. I especially loved the way the relationship developed between the main characters because of how unlikely a pairing they were not only because they were different species but for other reasons that I won’t post because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Copy provided by author
I am always excited to reveive an ARC copy of Ann Aguirre’s books to review. The Shadow Warror is the fourth book in the ‘Ars Numina’ series and takes place in tandem to ‘The Wolf Lord’; certain key moments from that storyline play out in ‘The Shadow Warrior’, though seen from Mags and Gavriel’s point of view. Throughout this story we follow Magda Versai, Mags for short, a cursed tiger shifter, destined to never know love again and Gavriel d’Alana, a brutal Noxblade famously known as ‘Death’s Shadow’. At the start, Gavriel requests that Princess Thalia release him from his duties so that he might accompany Mags on her quest to find Slay and determine if he was a traitor to the Animari or a prisoner. During their journey and battles a mutual respect is formed. Throughout the series, Mags has always been a likable character, a female who had to put forth a tough image to hold her position of Chief of Security but in ‘The Shadow Warrior’ you learn that she has a principled side to her that eventually imprints itself on Gavriel. Gavriel on the other hand has always been a character that was easy to hate. He was part of the team sent in to assassinate Asher in ‘The Leopard King’. He harbors a deep hatred for Pru, who was ultimately responsible for the death of his twin brother. I found my heart thawing towards Gavriel. Nobody but the Eldritch were to blame for the death of Gavriel’s brother but I could sympathize with his loss, the life he was forced to lead, and his tragic past.
‘The Shadow Warrior’ is captured my attention from the first page, the storyline adds to the progression of the series as a whole even though it is sort of a ‘side trip’ for the two main characters. As with al of Ann Aguirre’s books I found myself devouring each page. I am excited to read ‘The War Priest’, which should be Callum’s story.