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Shannon 's Reviews > Jacob
Jacob (Nightwalkers, #1)
by
by
I really liked this book, but I can't give it more than 3 stars.
Pros
I love the new take on demons, on nightwalkers in general, turning them into an ancient race of honourable, magical beings who are only turned into hideous, slobbering, demonic fiends when summoned by human necromancers.
I'm a big fan of elemental magic - the five elements are usually earth, air, fire, water and spirit. Here, instead of spirit, it's mind and body. Each demon is master of one particular element. Jacob's is earth.
It was a nice change that relationships - of any kind, but especially the physical kind - are forbidden to the demons. Jacob's job is Enforcer for his people, preventing them from harming humans during the sexual madness brought on by the full moon. This makes his attraction to Bella something he has to resist, something to be afraid of. Forbidden love - nice.
I liked the new take on the soulmate thing that Christine Feehan made so popular. This one has history and logic behind it, and it's actually explained, which is refreshing.
The writing wasn't cheesy, the love scenes weren't tacky - a blessing.
Cons
It took me a while to get into it, and it took me longer to read than I expected. I generally read paranormal romance books in a day or two - this one took me at least four. The writing, while good, was ... heavy, somehow. It lacked a bit of flow. Jacob and Bella (yes, same names from Twilight, but very different characters so not really a distraction!) would be in the middle of some very intimate goings-ons when one of them would go off on a reflective tangent.
Bella's mannerisms were pretty annoying, as were the author's attempts to find new adjectives for describing the same motion: putting your hands on your hips. At one point she was thrusting her fists into her hips. Ugh. This gesture is used all the bloody time in romance to show that the heroine has a bit of attitude, and it's very tiring.
One of the other characters, Gideon (subject of the second book, which despite all this I want to read), is closely modelled off Feehan's Gregori. Is it so hard to be just a bit more original?
Pros
I love the new take on demons, on nightwalkers in general, turning them into an ancient race of honourable, magical beings who are only turned into hideous, slobbering, demonic fiends when summoned by human necromancers.
I'm a big fan of elemental magic - the five elements are usually earth, air, fire, water and spirit. Here, instead of spirit, it's mind and body. Each demon is master of one particular element. Jacob's is earth.
It was a nice change that relationships - of any kind, but especially the physical kind - are forbidden to the demons. Jacob's job is Enforcer for his people, preventing them from harming humans during the sexual madness brought on by the full moon. This makes his attraction to Bella something he has to resist, something to be afraid of. Forbidden love - nice.
I liked the new take on the soulmate thing that Christine Feehan made so popular. This one has history and logic behind it, and it's actually explained, which is refreshing.
The writing wasn't cheesy, the love scenes weren't tacky - a blessing.
Cons
It took me a while to get into it, and it took me longer to read than I expected. I generally read paranormal romance books in a day or two - this one took me at least four. The writing, while good, was ... heavy, somehow. It lacked a bit of flow. Jacob and Bella (yes, same names from Twilight, but very different characters so not really a distraction!) would be in the middle of some very intimate goings-ons when one of them would go off on a reflective tangent.
Bella's mannerisms were pretty annoying, as were the author's attempts to find new adjectives for describing the same motion: putting your hands on your hips. At one point she was thrusting her fists into her hips. Ugh. This gesture is used all the bloody time in romance to show that the heroine has a bit of attitude, and it's very tiring.
One of the other characters, Gideon (subject of the second book, which despite all this I want to read), is closely modelled off Feehan's Gregori. Is it so hard to be just a bit more original?
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Reading Progress
January 29, 2008
– Shelved
January 29, 2008
– Shelved as:
paranormal
Started Reading
February 1, 2008
–
Finished Reading
February 2, 2008
– Shelved as:
2008
February 4, 2008
– Shelved as:
elemental-magic
February 23, 2009
– Shelved as:
romance
January 4, 2024
– Shelved as:
removed
March 1, 2024
– Shelved as:
read-removed
July 15, 2024
– Shelved as:
read-and-removed
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This series is a bit hit and miss for me, I think. I really liked Elijah, the third one, and there'd be chunks of the others, or elements, that really appealed to me that kept me reading. Damien was disappointing, and I still have to read Noah and the spin-off series. It's not a favourite paranormal series, but it was good.Have you read any Kresley Cole? She's my favourite. I have a love/hate relationship with Feehan's books - I can't stop reading them but the writing's often appalling!
(was happy to add you as a friend :)
Shannon wrote: "This series is a bit hit and miss for me, I think. I really liked Elijah, the third one, and there'd be chunks of the others, or elements, that really appealed to me that kept me reading. Damien wa..."I love Kresley Cole too. I think I'm going to have to reread them before the next ones come out. I'm looking for a series with some great alpha males. Do you have any suggestions?
I hope so! Not sure which ones you've read so I'll just throw some out there ;)Christine Feehan's famous for her alpha males. The only one I really really loved was a non-Carpathian book, part of the Leopard series, Burning Wild. Very alpha.
J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood is very good, though the first one is the weakest - then she hits her stride.
Katie MacAlister's first series features a more dominating male, Drake - starts with You Slay Me (momentarily forgotten what the series is called).
Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld trilogy can be good, though the first book is pretty cliched.
Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson series is very good, starts with Full Moon Rising.
Since you love Kresley Cole too I know you must like humour in paranormal romance as well, and Kathy Love is a good one to read - Fangs for the Memories and Fangs But No Fangs are the two I've read so far, about brother vampires. Very well written.
Witch Fire by Anya Bast is really good - still have the other books in that series to read, but the first was really good.
You can also, if you haven't already, join the Paranormal Romance group here, they gave me loads of suggestions.
Thanks a bunch. These are great. Everyone is always so nice to keep giving me suggestions. Anytime I ask I get something new and so far everything I have gotten as a suggestion and then read has been a great read.I've only read BDB out of this list. I have been debating on Christine Feehan for quite some time, but I have been trying to finish some of the shorter series on my list first. I keep jumping around trying to decide what to read next. One moment its Christine Feehan and then next it could be Alyssa Day or Nalini Singh and so on. There's just so many great choices!! Ughh, what's a girl to do? :)
I've read one Nalini Singh and I keep meaning to read more, but there's always all the books I already have that I should be reading first! (ha, try telling me that every time I walk into a bookshop!) I'm very interested to hear what you think of Feehan. Just keep your expectations low and you're sure to enjoy them!
Shannon wrote: "I've read one Nalini Singh and I keep meaning to read more, but there's always all the books I already have that I should be reading first! (ha, try telling me that every time I walk into a booksho..."Alright, expectations set at low! :)
I was considering putting it back for later, but it sounds like it picks up. I haven't read Christine Feehan yet. (I was trying to finish some of the shorter series I have on my TBR shelf first) Maybe that will be a point in my favor toward reading these. I hope I'm not disappointed. If you have any more tidbits about this series (to help peak my interest in them) I would be grateful!!
Thanks a bunch
Stacey
Hey would it be alright to add you as a friend as well.