Blog Tour| Shadow & Ice – Gena Showalter

Last week I posted about Gena Showalter’s newest release, Shadow & Ice. This is the first book in her new paranormal romance series Gods of War. Thanks to the author, publisher and Inkslinger PR I was able to get my hands on an ARC.

Today is my spot on the blog tour and I also have an excerpt in this post for you as well!

 

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, stuns with SHADOW AND ICE, the first title in her scorching new paranormal romance Gods of War Series. Check out the tour stop below and get your copy of SHADOW AND ICE today!

 

Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

 

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“I love this world…this is Gena Showalter at her best!”—J.R. Ward, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“The Gods of War series is my new obsession.”—Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author

 

Review

Like I said before when I shared an excerpt for Shadow & Ice, this is my first paranormal romance by this author! I have only read one of the books in a young adult series that she also wrote.

While I really enjoyed Shadow & Ice, I have to be honest and say it took me a few chapters to really get this story and understand the world. The prologue starts out a bit cryptic for me and I didn’t quite understand everything in the beginning. As I went along, I definitely started understanding everything more.

I have read a few people describing this as Hunger Games. I can definitely see that link, but a paranormal version. In All Wars, the winner is the last one standing. I also have to warn you that this book is bloody! Gena isn’t afraid to describe bodyparts flying around and what it looks like.

Our two main characters are really interesting though. Knox has never known freedom. He was enslaved as a child for his abilities with shadows. Knox needs to win the All Wars to be free. After losing so much, he’s ready to be on his own. Gena’s description of him is impressing and I wouldn’t mind seeing him walking down the street, haha.

Vale hasn’t had the easiest life, but has come out of it stronger. Her foster sister is important to her and she can’t wait to open up a bakery together. Things get interesting when there fun getaway becomes less fun. While trying to find food and a way back to society, finding a cave with frozen warriors wasn’t on her wishlist.

Shadows & Ice is filled with some steamy scenes, but also a lot of humor. Gena even used a Harry Potter reference, I was sold after that! I loved seeing the relationship between Vale and Knox grow. I’m all for the dominant caveman idea, but sometimes he was a bit too much. Being frozen for quite awhile, he still doesn’t trust easily, which is understandable.

Vale is sassy and maybe a tad bit insecure, but she is stronger than she thinks. Instead of going into complete panic mode when everything started to happen she took things as they happened. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to say the same if the roles were reversed.

I haven’t read many paranormal romances, so I don’t have much to compare this to. All in all, a definitely exciting and sexy read. I do think I will keep an eye on the next release to this series!

Excerpt

Vale wasn’t closed off to relationships, per se, but she wasn’t open, either. People were intrinsically flawed. At some point, they were going to disappoint you—leave you. So, she lived by a code. Always be the leaver, never be the leavee. And yes, she knew her code had roots in childhood abandonment. So what? Issues were issues for a reason. Intrinsically flawed, remember? Most peo­ple sucked a nut.

Nola and Carrie were exceptions. Her mom and baby bro were as well…until they’d died in a tragic accident that forever altered the course of her life. Her dad would have been wonderful, too, if he hadn’t taken off, leav­ing her to bounce from home to home and wonder what was wrong with her, why no one wanted to keep her.

Avoid, avoid! That thought train had only one sta­tion: Depressionville.

So, moving on. Vale had a low tolerance for BS, and she believed happily-ever-afters were an illusion be­cause—let’s be honest—the longer couples were to­gether, the more time they had to get to know each other, dig deeper, dig past all the pretty smiles and lies they told to make their choices seem okay, to finally see the garbage heap inside. More time to deceive each other, lash out and inflict pain.

Get in, get out.

Fact was, something was going to get broken or sto­len if you let down your guard and finally trusted some­one. Most often you were left bleeding internally.

Vale had dated around for a while, but she’d never spend an enormous amount of energy pretending to be something she wasn’t: sweet and gentle. It had stressed her out, which had made her even more prickly, blunt and abrasive, and ultimately she’d given up.

At least, that was the reason she embraced. Other­wise she’d have to admit there wasn’t a man alive will­ing to put in the work and fight to be with her.

“Lately, my love life has been exactly like a private jet,” Nola said, pulling Vale from her wayward thoughts.

“Oh, yeah? How so?”

“I don’t have a private jet.”

She laughed. Funny girl. “Come on. Let’s travel a lit­tle farther before we settle in for the night.” Their bodies needed heat, and movement would add logs to the fire.

Nola lumbered to her feet. They helped each other strap on the packs before marching forward. Vale hauled the bulk of supplies while her sis had blankets and med­ications, but even still, guilt robbed her of breath every time Nola grunted or groaned from exertion.

Another distraction, coming up. “I miss Carrie,” she said.

At thirteen years old, both Vale and Nola were as­signed to the woman who handled “difficult” cases—young girls with a disability of some sort. Carrie had done more than open her home and heart; she’d taught her charges how to love themselves, and how to thrive.

Vale, honey, do you think a twenty-dollar bill is worth any less if it’s dirty and wrinkled? No way in heck! You might be a little rough around the edges, but you are still priceless.

Carrie and her words of wisdom. She’d loved the adage about the potato, egg and coffee beans most of all

In boiling water, the potato softens, the egg hardens, but the mighty coffee beans change the water. Don’t let difficult times weaken or harden you, girls. Get up and change the situation!

Eyes gleaming with fondness, Nola nodded. “If she were here, she’d cook up a feast. Snowcakes. Slush om­elets. Ice bacon. Hail biscuits and blizzard gravy.”

Vale grinned, even as hunger gnawed her empty stomach. But the grin was quickly shaken off by a trem­bling chin. Last year, Carrie had suffered a massive heart attack and, over the ensuing weeks, she’d only weakened. Finally, she’d slipped away.

Her death left a hole in Vale’s heart. “I vividly re­member the day I moved in. Back then, I lived by prison rules. You know, show them who’s boss on day one. So of course I destroyed Carrie’s living room, toppling fur­niture and breaking anything glass. When I finished, she calmly asked if I’d like my sweet tea iced or steam­ing.”

Mimicking the prim and proper Carrie, Nola said, “Always be a lady, until you need to be a land mine.”

Carrie had only ever exploded when it came to the protection of her girls.

A sense of homesickness tightened Vale’s chest, which flattened her lungs. Great! Now she needed a distraction from the distraction..

 

Gena Showalter’s SHADOW AND ICE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

October 22nd

All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt

Beneath The Covers – Review & Excerpt

Diane’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Evermore Books – Review & Excerpt

It’s All About the Romance – Excerpt

Little Red Reading Hood +1 – Excerpt

NallaReads – Review & Excerpt

Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt

October 23rd

A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog – Review

Book Reader Chronicles – Review & Excerpt

Ceres Books World – Review

Declarations of a Fangirl – Review & Excerpt

For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Excerpt

Little Shop of Readers – Review & Excerpt

Moonlight Rendezvous – Review & Excerpt

October 24th

@reads_romance – Review

Bout-a-Book blog – Review

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Lo’s Lo-Down on Books – Review & Excerpt

Milky Way of Books – Review

Romancing the Laser Pistol – Review & Excerpt

Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt

October 25th

Bambi Unbridled – Review

Caitlin’s World – Review & Excerpt

Feel the Book – Excerpt

Jen’s Reading Obsession – Excerpt

Kay Daniels Romance – Review & Excerpt

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

Reese’s Reviews – Excerpt

October 26th

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt

Feeling Fictional – Review & Excerpt

Incidental Inspiration – Review & Excerpt

My Book Filled Life – Review & Excerpt

Nicole’s Book Musings – Review

Sip Read Love – Review

The Ink Spell – Review

October 27th

Another Book Hangover – Excerpt

Bookgasms Book Blog – Review

Booknerd1107 – Review

Family, Books and Food – Excerpt

Rantings of a Reading Addict – Excerpt

The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt

October 28th

Bingeworthy Book Blog – Review

Clare & Lou’s Mad About Books – Review

Jax’s Book Magic – Excerpt

Ginreads – Review & Excerpt

Mother/Gamer/Writer – Review & Excerpt

NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt

Red’s Midnight Readers – Review & Excerpt

October 29th

3 degrees of fiction – Review & Excerpt

Avephoenix Naughty Readings – Review & Excerpt

Books 2 Blog – Review & Excerpt

Just Reading Book Blog – Excerpt

Sharing Inspired Kreations – Review & Excerpt

The Book Dutchesses – Review & Excerpt

October 30th

Dirty Girl Romance – Review

Nerdy Dirty & flirty – Review & Excerpt

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

Romancing the Readers – Review

Sassy Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

Total Book Geek – Excerpt

Writes Forward – Review

October 31st

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt

Mean Girls Luv Books – Review & Excerpt

Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt

– Review & Excerpt

Shameless Book Club – Review & Excerpt

November 1st

Book Nook Nuts – Review & Excerpt

Busy Bumble Bee Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Dreamer’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Jeri’s Book Attic – Review

Romance Schmomance – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Excerpt

Up All Night w/ Books Blog – Review & Excerpt

November 2nd

Book Addict – Excerpt

Fundinmental – Review

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Ruby’s Books – Excerpt

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Review

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

 

 

About Gena Showalter:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

 

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This was definitely an unique setting and idea for a book. There is a lot of sass and humor in it as well. Have you ever read any of Gena’s parnormal romance books before? What was your favorite?

2 thoughts on “Blog Tour| Shadow & Ice – Gena Showalter

  1. Ahh, I can’t wait to dive into this book!
    My first Gena reads that I’ve read years ago – this was before she published any ya books – have been paranormal romance so I’ll always prefer her writing and publishing books in this genre – I do love her YA and contemporary romance as well though. Awesome you got to participate in the blog tour! The book is on my November tbr stack now, so I hope I’ll get around to read it in November.

    1. Yeah, I was very grateful I got to participate! I can’t wait to see what you think of this book!

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