Sony Luvs Books

Shadow of the Mark the follow up to Carrier of the Mark. SOTM is a better ride than the first book, in my opinion. Though I must admit I was expecting a lot and after the first few slow chapters. I was beginning to get disappointed. Nothing was happening and my interest waned. But simmer simmer the plot started showing signs of life and began with a little conflict and drama. Megan and Adam’s make out sessions were starting to become dangerous. Rian and Anie were getting physical with Megan.Anie absentmindedly holding Megan’s hand to Rian’s visible attraction to Megan. The elements. Causing all kinds of confusion and relationship angst. That part got old but opened the doors to other parts of the plot which gradually grabbed my interest again. Set against the backdrop of Ireland added another dimension to the story.The deeper I got into the story the more I got hooked and remembered why I wanted to read SOTM in the first place. I wanted to know what was going on with the elements? Why was Meagan so freakishly unaffected by the elements like the others? What secrets were the order keeping from the marked? Would the world really end if Adam and Megan kept hooking up? These and loads more question made me keep reading. The world in which the marked ones live in is beautiful and terrifying. Always hunted, never being able to trust those around you, and never letting anyone in. Writer Fallon’s does an excellent job of showing this in her characters. They are layered and complex but still evolving. With each encounter the marked ones are becoming emotional land mines you see the wear and tear seeping through in the scars of their loss and grief they wear it in their attitude, rebellion, and a strong hope that those sacrificed were worth it for a better life someday beyond the elements.Still I was expecting more bigger explosions and by explosions I meant I wanted to see more damage. I wanted to see in the writing and feel like they survived what could have been the extinction of all life. The elements are so powerful is all I keep hearing I wanted to see the power really unleashed. I expected the villains in this piece to be badder. Instead you’re left to wonder who is really the villain “the order” or “the Knox” which is not entirely bad for the story.Though at the end SOTM won me over don’t get me wrong it was a good story but there were things that didn’t go unnoticed. Some characters seemed too transparent. I don’t know if it was done on purpose to give the reader insight or some sense of intelligence. But as for me I won’t name names a few characters made me antenna go up. As I read those suspicions were confirmed. The pace took far too long to pick up. The build up towards the end felt incomplete because all hints pointed the story in a different direction. But to me it seemed like writer Fallon changed horses in mid stream. Basically changing her mind and direction of the end.The last chapters of the book all the real action happened quickly and the show down that followed was anticlimactic, but sad. The ending felt rushed compared to pacing of the body of the book. I could feel that looming deadline in the pace. I finished reading the book in shy of two days partly because I procrastinated in the beginning. For these reasons listed above I gave Shadow of the Mark a 3.5 out 5. If you’re into mythology, paranormal romance, or dabble in urban fantasy you may like this book. Aside for the occasional cursing and heaving petting. 14 + can come on down.