Darkness Bound (Chimney Rock #1)

Aug 05, 2012 Anita rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

I finished this book, but all along the way I kept asking myself why I was still reading. It was almost horrible, but with slight hints of promise related to specific characters and their relationships. Mostly though, the book was cringe-inducing. A ridiculous paranormal romance chock full of paranormal and romance clichés about life mates and strong women and alpha men who just want to be loved and accepted for the scary supernatural creature they are. I got the impression that the author might...more

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Apr 24, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stella Cameron creates a fascinating world in DARKNESS BOUND. Her werehounds are more human than the average paranormal character which makes them even more believable. They do not live to kill or kill to live. Niles and his Team are tough warriors and nice guys, PTSD and other human traits included. Leigh doesn’t know until well into the book that paranormal creatures exists and she was one herself. These plot twists make for an interesting story. The cast of supporting characters includes some...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Ericka Spivey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am glad the blurb on the back of the book caught my eye. I thoroughly enjoyed Darkness Bound by Stella Cameron. This was the first of a new series and has left me wanting the others NOW!! It's kind of hurry up and wait with series which stinks but it does give you something to look forward to. There are a lot of twists and turns in Darkness, some you see coming and some you don't. It was a great first novel for this series. There were plenty of questions of "what's going to happen next?" to "O...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Sahara Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked up this paperback with the hopes that I'd find another spellbinding read from Stella Cameron, an author whose talent is undeniable and who seduced me years ago with SHEER PLEASURES (just re-read and reviewed for fun). She also entranced me with her Mayfair Square series. I was more than ready to enjoy this latest book.

Sadly, I can't honestly say that I did. Initially I hoped this would be the beginning of an exciting paranormal series. It is indeed paranormal. But... I found myself conf...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Lisarenee rated it 3 of 5 stars

"Grief took its own time and to even when you thought you'd beaten it, back came the memories to punch you in the heart one more time."

Leigh Kelly came to Chimney Rock to start life anew. Her husband had died over a year ago and it was time to move on. She'd left her job with Microsoft to find herself or perhaps redefine herself. She and Chris had dated for two years, yet had only been married a couple of days before he died. They had actually met on the beach of Whidbey Island and Two Chimney'...more

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Mar 03, 2012 E. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

3 1/2 stars. Stella Cameron invariably writes a gripping tale and her foray into the paranormal world is no exception. Darkness Bound is the first in the `Chimney Rock' series that centers around a group of werehounds...yes, canids, but not of the lupus variety which tend to be deadly enemies. A group of these remarkable creatures are living in the town of Chimney Rock, located on an island and they are growing desperate as their race is destined for extinction unless they can find the few rare...more 3 1/2 stars. Stella Cameron invariably writes a gripping tale and her foray into the paranormal world is no exception. Darkness Bound is the first in the `Chimney Rock' series that centers around a group of werehounds...yes, canids, but not of the lupus variety which tend to be deadly enemies. A group of these remarkable creatures are living in the town of Chimney Rock, located on an island and they are growing desperate as their race is destined for extinction unless they can find the few rare mates that will live through pregnancy and childbirth. Widow Leigh Kelly returns to the island determined to make a fresh start but she is very wary of strangers even though her dog Jazzy seems to have no reservations about most of the people she is meeting, including Niles Latimer and his canine companion Blue. Mysterious disappearances on the island lead Leigh to wonder who she should trust despite Niles' attempts to ensure that he the one that she turns to. A complex and convoluted power struggle is being conducted between vampires, werewolves, werehounds and the fae and somehow Leigh has ended up being a central figure in the struggle even though she has no idea that the strange color streams that she can see indicate that she is very special. It's up to Niles to keep her safe and convince her to become his mate but he must deal with both her insecurities and his own self-doubts as well as the external threats. Fortunately, he has a pack that has been through the trials of military life as well as other allies if only he can discern everyone's true motives.

I usually enjoy Stella Cameron's tales and I was intrigued by this foray into a different genre. She normally blends investigative techniques with suspense-laden action to craft an intriguing tale and this story demonstrates that skill but I think it had a bit too much thrown in at once. There are so many different backstories that the action got a little frenetic as multiple new characters suddenly appeared and disappeared without one ever knowing what their purpose was or why certain allies did or did not work together. I am sure that more will be unveiled as the next books in the series are released but there are quite a few dangling threads to resolve and I felt that the relationship between Niles and Leigh is a bit awkward and erratic. The overall story is enjoyable but a bit uneven and I look forward to obtaining more pieces to the complicated puzzle surrounding the werehounds in future novels, starting with Sean's story in Darkness Bred. (less)

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Mar 03, 2012 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: Forever Romance Blog Tours

Shelves: book-review, favorites

Stella Cameron has a new fan! I loved this book and everything in it. I'm, of course, becoming a SERIOUS paranormal lover....it's coming close to taking over my love of mystery thrillers. Seriously, ya'll. The more I read of vamps and weres, the more I fall in love with the sexy men and their awesome mates. Anyway, back to this. Stella Cameron has created a suspenseful, mind-blowing, captivating novel that will knock your socks off!

Chimney Rock #1 is a fantastic start to an awesome new series....more Stella Cameron has a new fan! I loved this book and everything in it. I'm, of course, becoming a SERIOUS paranormal lover....it's coming close to taking over my love of mystery thrillers. Seriously, ya'll. The more I read of vamps and weres, the more I fall in love with the sexy men and their awesome mates. Anyway, back to this. Stella Cameron has created a suspenseful, mind-blowing, captivating novel that will knock your socks off!

Chimney Rock #1 is a fantastic start to an awesome new series. From the start, Ms. Cameron incorporates the suspense into the story with Niles Latimer and his friend Sean. Their werehounds, who want nothing more than to gain the trust of the human world and live among them in a peaceful manner. The thing is...there's also the werewolves. Their not so keen on the idea of making peace with the humans, for they wish to turn the humans into wolves and create a werewolve pack that is bigger than ever. Wiping out the human race. Dominating the island.

But, then Leah Kelly moves back home after the death of her husband, Chris. Niles knows she's the human mate for him. Leah doesn't know about Niles and Sean, and that the island she's returned to is filled with weres, both hounds and wolves. Niles has to mate her to safe the werehound race, for there aren't any female hounds left to reproduce.

The wolves have other ideas on that. That's were the suspense takes off like crazy and really makes the reader feel a part of the middle of the story. With twists and turns, ups, downs, ins and outs, like a fabulous romantic suspense novel should have, this story will leave you with a shocked feeling through out as the whirlwind ride intensifies. But, by the end of the novel, you'll be so glad that you read this start to a fabulous new series!

Most definitely recommended! A high 5 Book worthy novel that is filled with passion and suspense, and fabulous shifting characters, you'll instantly become a fan. I know I did! I am already anxious for the second book in this series, Darkness Bred, Sean's story. FANTABULOUS job, Ms. Cameron! I am a forever fan!

This review originated at Reviews By Molly in part with a blog tour. (less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-shelf, pnr-uf

Stella Cameron has a wonderful gift for how she introduces a reader to a fantasy world. The reader is given explanations and front row seats as the story takes off and the plot unwinds without bogging down in too much detail too fast and there was no mistake of not enough detail either. As the reader, I got smugly complacent thinking that 'ok, I know how this is all going to go down'. But brother/sister, I got the surprise of my life. What looked like predictable characters and plot was not.

This...more Stella Cameron has a wonderful gift for how she introduces a reader to a fantasy world. The reader is given explanations and front row seats as the story takes off and the plot unwinds without bogging down in too much detail too fast and there was no mistake of not enough detail either. As the reader, I got smugly complacent thinking that 'ok, I know how this is all going to go down'. But brother/sister, I got the surprise of my life. What looked like predictable characters and plot was not.

This fantasy world starts out introducing us to the little fledgling team of werehounds who are battling extinction and the werewolves their enemies as the hounds seek to protect each other and the humans around them. Their hope is for their leader, Niles, to find a compatible mate in the woman who is returning to live in their small island community.
At first, Niles is all business and has a plan which goes south the moment he realizes that Leigh might just come to mean more to him than the survival of his race.
Leigh is returning to the cottage her late and much loved husband left her to start her life over. She used to work as a game programer for Microsoft, but has taking the business management over for the local bar and grill to bail out its owner Gabriel.
Niles and Leigh's relationship starts out slow meanwhile we are introduced to the delightful characters working at Gabriel's, Niles' team of hounds, an adorable little dog, a cunning kitty, and a lot of other scary characters who go bump in the night.
Odd things are happening too. Women disappear and return several days later, someone wants Leigh's land really bad, Leigh keeps seeing and hearing things she can't explain, and its hard to tell friend from enemy in some cases.
As Niles and Leigh's relationship comes to the point, he must now somehow tell her who and what he truly is without terrifying her into running all the while he must protect her from the wolves and everyone else who wants her for who and what she is.

I really enjoyed the idea of the hounds, the fae, the wolves, the vampires, and a few others that will remain nameless for spoiler purposes that live right alongside and amongst the humans. I'm now rooting for the hounds who are more kickbutt than the average pooch. Think large and then larger- now your getting warmer. And guess what, the wolves and the vamps are not the heroes here though there may be one or two exceptions.

The plot twisted its way to the end leaving lots of dangling threads, but a satisfying resolution for a few of the threads. I'm really looking forward to more from this world.(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 Tia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Darkness Bound by Stella Cameron was confusing. I think that is the best way to describe it. The start of the story didn't have much at all, in ways of explaining truly what happened between Leigh and her deathly departed husband Chris. It was a huge rush job between Nile and Leigh as well. No one falls in love that fast, let alone doesn't completely freak out when he announces he is a werehound.

The characters weren't really that believable but I need to be honest and say that this was probably...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Cocktails and Books rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenges, publisher-provided, paranormal, blog-tour

This first book in the Chimney Rock series puts a slightly different spin on the paranormal world. Werehounds like on the outskirts of the human world hoping to one day gain their humanity and the ability to live amongst them. Werewolves are fighting them, desperate to gain dominance over the Wedbey Island were they all reside. Throw in some vampires and Fae and you have the setting

Niles Latimer is Alpha of the werehounds. He's haunted by the past and what his team did in the name of the United...more This first book in the Chimney Rock series puts a slightly different spin on the paranormal world. Werehounds like on the outskirts of the human world hoping to one day gain their humanity and the ability to live amongst them. Werewolves are fighting them, desperate to gain dominance over the Wedbey Island were they all reside. Throw in some vampires and Fae and you have the setting

Niles Latimer is Alpha of the werehounds. He's haunted by the past and what his team did in the name of the United States in the Middle East. But he's been given new hope for himself and his pack when he finds out he has a true mate in the widow of one of the residents of Chimney Rock Cove. This mate means a lot to his pack, since all the female werehounds have died, but Nile is also cautious since they have all agreed that the human woman must know exactly what each of them is before they can "seal". While Niles knew the werewolves would stop at nothing to make sure the mating doesn't happen, he's unaware of the other implications his mate would have on the entire supernatural community.

Leigh Kelly has come back to Chimney Rock Cove and the small house her husband left to her. While it's difficult, she's come back because she thinks this is the one place where she'll be happy and feel like she belongs. When she meets Niles he senses an immediate connection to him...one she didn't have with the husband she dearly loved. Each time they're together, she can feel the connection growing. She soon learns that Niles is a man she feels safe with and can trust. It's because of those feelings that she doesn't shy away from him when she learns what he truly is.

A lot happens in this first book that sets up the rest of the series. We have werewolves kidnapping humans, vampires throwing in their hats with the werewolves in hopes of getting their hands on Leigh and those like her, Leigh's creepy brother-in-law who is very shady (to say the least) and the Fae Queen who undoubtedly is up to no good. While these elements don't really do much to speed along this particular storyline, you can tell they are being used to set up things down the road.

I was left with some unanswered questions about our lovely couple: was Leigh's husband's death really an accident, what happened with Leigh's family, how old exactly is Niles (he hints to working the Gold Rush...so he's at least a couple hundred years old), what happened to the only other woman Nile loved and what are those nightmares he suffers from. I'm hoping we'll get some of these question answered in future releases to the series.

Entertaining with a slightly different twist on the paranormal world than what I've read recently. Can't wait to see what happens with the series...especially with Sean who is my favorites of the werehounds so far.(less)

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Feb 15, 2012 Bookie | The BookChick rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: shapeshifter, never-read-again, jr-ward, 2-star-read

Book Description:
After her husband's tragic death, Leigh Kelly arrives on Whidbey Island determined to start over. Yet the tiny town of Chimney Rock is not as peaceful as it seems. Women have been disappearing, and Leigh can't shake the feeling that she's being watched . . . especially at night. Soon, she's experiencing visions she can't explain and fighting her attraction to a handsome stranger who seems to know her most intimate desires.

PASSION TRANSFORMS THEM

As the leader of the Team, a pack...more Book Description:
After her husband's tragic death, Leigh Kelly arrives on Whidbey Island determined to start over. Yet the tiny town of Chimney Rock is not as peaceful as it seems. Women have been disappearing, and Leigh can't shake the feeling that she's being watched . . . especially at night. Soon, she's experiencing visions she can't explain and fighting her attraction to a handsome stranger who seems to know her most intimate desires.

PASSION TRANSFORMS THEM

As the leader of the Team, a pack of werehounds forced to hide their very existence, former special ops soldier Niles Latimer is desperate to prove a man's heart beats beneath his predator's body. And Leigh-the mysterious beauty possessing powers she doesn't yet understand-may be the one woman who can help him. But Niles isn't the only one who recognizes Leigh's true identity. Something evil is waiting in the woods-and the hunt has begun

My Thoughts:
I didn't hate the book or the characters but Ms. Cameron was just trying to do too much in one book. There were werehouds, werewolves, a fae who remained shapeshifted in the form on a tiny cat, fae, half- human/half-fae, vampires, and the odd human or two thrown in there. On top of the creature cornucopia, there were to many story lines and some of them conflicting. Leah was human all of her life until she comes to Chimney Rock to live and discovers she's a half-human/half-fae. My problem with this line of story was that Leigh came to Chimney Rock several times with her deceased husband. During none of those times did she discover her "otherness". It was only when she came to live there that the half-fae side of her was reveled. I didn't see any explanation in the book as to why that was......it just was.

Additionally, there were just too many characters in the mix to get a good bead on the story. An excommunicated fae, Sally, who had her own motivations as to why she helped the humans and werehounds. The humane vampire, Saul, who's motivations you weren't entirely sure about. Molly who had no purpose and added no real value to the story. Gary was thrown in the end as an afterthought, it seems. The explanation of his rogue behavior was cavalierly explained away by him saying that he should have been in charge. There was nothing else...just that. He turned traitor and sided with the werewolves because he wanted to be in control of the team. Very anemic, indeed.

The book was just too confusing to be enjoyable. The story wasn't terrible. It just needed to be pared down, considerably, to add to the readers enjoyment. It had a lot of potential.

As it is, I can only give this story 2 to 2.5 stars.

ARC Review for NetGalley(less)

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May 12, 2012 Lisa Annesley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: PNR shifter fans

Shelves: kindle, pnr, shifter, fae, paranormal-powers, vampire, reviewed-4-blog

4.5*s If you like your paranormal romance dark and mysterious, then Darkness Bound was written for you.

Leigh Kelly returns to Whidbey Island, Washington, to make a new life for herself after her husband's death. Waiting for her is a stranger, Niles Latimer. Niles is a werehound and the alpha of his pack. Niles believes that Leigh is his mate and the hope for the future of the pack, as all the werehound females have died.

As if that weren't enough, the werewolves of Whidbey Island are trying to ex...more 4.5*s If you like your paranormal romance dark and mysterious, then Darkness Bound was written for you.

Leigh Kelly returns to Whidbey Island, Washington, to make a new life for herself after her husband's death. Waiting for her is a stranger, Niles Latimer. Niles is a werehound and the alpha of his pack. Niles believes that Leigh is his mate and the hope for the future of the pack, as all the werehound females have died.

As if that weren't enough, the werewolves of Whidbey Island are trying to exterminate the werehounds and subject humanity. Leigh ends up in danger because there is more to her than Niles and Leigh ever suspected. Drawn by Leigh's true identity, a whole host of paranormal creatures come to play and take sides.

Will Leigh be the savior of the pack ... and Niles?
~~~~~
Darkness Bound first drew me in with its spooky, mysterious, magical atmosphere that held me in thrall until the end of the book. Although occasionally lightened with some comic relief from a character or animal, the dark tone reminded me of a Gothic romance.

Leigh was a heroine who knew her own mind and didn't let others dictate to her. When she found out the paranormal world existed and she had a place in it, she handled the revelation true to her nature.

Niles was a mysterious, strong, sexy hero. Did I mention mysterious? It's worth mentioning again. Cameron did a great job of doling out teasing bits of information that kept you reading to learn more.

Darkness Bound was full of danger, magic, and paranormal creatures of all kinds, and a love story with the fate of an entire race riding upon it. Although the ending was satisfying and the book didn't end in a cliffhanger, not all loose ends were tied up with a bow. I assume that those loose ends will be addressed in future books.

The next book is Darkness Bred. It's about Sean Black, Niles's second-in-command. I look forward to it, and you will too once you've read Darkness Bound.

See more of my reviews at http://lisaannesley.blogspot.com/(less)

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Mar 15, 2012 Jessi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, e-book, netgalley, paranormal-romance, shifters-werewolves

Leigh has just lost her husband in a car crash. She's a game developer trying to go through the motions while grieving the loss of a lover. She drops everything to return to a place that once brought her happiness, Two Chimneys. But Leigh has no idea she'll meet the one person who can help her move on with her life. And she definitely has no idea what he is. An Alpha Werehound.

While this book started out slow for me, I quickly became engrossed. The budding romance between Leigh and Niles is swee...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Delia rated it 5 of 5 stars

What can I say about Darkness Bound other than I loved it? Well to start I think the summary makes it sound more romance-ish than it is. Now for all of you romance lovers there is a great love story in here but there is such a great story line that I think non romance readers will enjoy this one as well.

What I really liked was that Cameron has built a storyline around werehounds. Now I love shifters anyways but I really enjoy it when someone has a different approach and Camerons werehounds are j...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Lucy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Leigh Kelly arrives back on Whidbey Island to start a new life after her husband’s death. He left her the cabin and the lands, and she hopes she can move past the bittersweet memories of her life with Chris and begin again.

Niles Latimer needs to find a mate. The werehounds are dying out since childbirth has killed off all of werehound females. Leigh is special and he hopes he can get her to agree to be his mate and save his dying species.

The werewolves want to control the island and saving the w...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Alexia Chantel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Darkness Bound is a great introduction to a new shifter series. This series has shifters, vampires, fae and all sorts of paranormal beings, but don’t worry about being bored. You will get caught up in the characters and mystery surrounding Leigh and find yourself staring at the end of the book before you know it.

Niles is an impressive alpha male, who also happens to be the alpha of the werehounds. He is powerful and lethal, and he also has this fragile thing called hope. If he didn’t truly want...more

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Mar 24, 2012 MoonGlitter rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought I was going to fall in love with another series when I picked up darkness bound. And honestly, I was rather delighted with about the first half of the book. I enjoyed getting to know many of the characters and it was fun learning about the werehounds of Whidbey Island. The plot was intense and suspenseful. And the romance progressed nicely throughout the book.
But somewhere along the way I felt myself struggling to pick my Kindle back up and finish this book. I think maybe there was jus...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Calisto rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Too much too fast for an intro to a new series. Don't get me wrong, there is a very interesting world here, but you kinda need an Excel sheet to keep track of everyone.

Leigh lost her husband and is looking for a new start. Niles is a former special ops soldier who just also happens to be a werehound looking for a mate.

Throw in some werewolves, faes, vampires, etc and you get a smorgasbord of paranormals crashing into each other in this story. Really, I was expecting fallen angels and demons wit...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don’t know what I was expecting when I started reading Darkness Bound but what I got wasn’t it… in a good way. I’m going to admit that it through me for a loop but it was a loop that I was happy to be in.

Leigh Kelly is moving on after the death of her husband. She quits her job and moves to Chimney Rock, a place that holds special memories for her. She gets a job as the business manger of Gabriel’s bar/restaurant thinking it will be something to get her mind off the past. Niles Latimer, alpha...more I don’t know what I was expecting when I started reading Darkness Bound but what I got wasn’t it… in a good way. I’m going to admit that it through me for a loop but it was a loop that I was happy to be in.

Leigh Kelly is moving on after the death of her husband. She quits her job and moves to Chimney Rock, a place that holds special memories for her. She gets a job as the business manger of Gabriel’s bar/restaurant thinking it will be something to get her mind off the past. Niles Latimer, alpha werehound, has other plans for Leigh. He’s determined to have her as a mate and save his pack.

Now, Chimney Rock is a small town that has a lot of secrets and isn’t very safe. Women are disappearing for days then coming back missing their memory. Not to mention a turf war between the werehounds and the werewolves. I have to give Leigh credit because I would be out of there after the second night and all the strange things that start happening around her. Good thing Niles is around… and his dog Blue (who I love and if you read you’ll know why).

There are a lot of paranormal creatures in Chimney Rock. Not only do you have the werehounds fighting their enemies the werewolves but also there are vampires involved and some Fae who have yet to pick a side. It can get confusing but the way Stella Cameron introduces them makes it’s very easy to keep track of.

Favorite Quote

“What would you do if I threw you over my shoulder and carried you off. . . to do all kinds of things to you?”
He settled his hands at her waist, dropped to one knee, and smoothed all the way to her calves. Touching her, even through her clothes, made him tremble. “I am going to do all kinds of things to you,” he said. “Make you scream for me to make you come, again and again. That’ll be before and after I strip you naked— slowly—and lick every inch of you, then suck every inch of you.”

Overall:

There is a lot going on so be prepared when you start to read it. And if you do start reading then be prepared to get sucked in to this crazy world. Darkness Bound has a more Urban Fantasy feel then just a normal paranormal romance and I look forward to seeing how this world unravels. Seth, Niles right hand guy, is probably my favorite character and he’s book is next which I’m excited about. Plus I want to see what the deal is with Gabriel. There is something mysterious there.
(less)

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Apr 18, 2013 Starry marked it as to-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 09, 2012 Diana Leigh rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: shifters, paranormal-romance

My Rating: 2½ stars

First impressions: There’s potential for the Chimney Rock series to really take off, but too many characters, a confusing plot and loose ends made DARKNESS BOUND a difficult read.

What really worked: The setting. I loved the rich descriptions of the eerie place called Whidbey Island, located off the coast of Washington State. It had a spooky Gothic feel, which I’m a big fan of. Leigh’s quirky cottage with two chimneys, the tall, dense forest, and the otherworldly mist coming of...more

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Feb 02, 2012 ♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolf, shifter, werehound, fae, vampire, paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy, first-in-series, arc

I wasn't paying attention when I read the synopsis, so I was surprised to find a whole bunch of characters of the Lore & to see the shift in abilities & who played the good or bad guys.

After her husband Chris dies, Leigh quits her old job at Microsoft & moves to their cabin on Whidbey Island, WA. She gets a job organizing the local Bar & Grill There she meets intriguing characters & her handsome neighbor Niles. A werehound in charge of a group of other special ops werehounds,...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, books-i-own

It's been way too long since I've read a good paranormal romance, so Darkness Bound was just what I needed! Instead of the normal paranormal creatures, though, Stella Cameron has created Werehounds, a more dog-like version of Werewolves. What made this book so interesting, though, was that there were so many creatures involved in the story. There were were werehounds, werewolves, faeries, vampires, and even more creatures, which ensures this story is anything but boring.

I loved how Niles had hi...more

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Jul 09, 2012 new_user rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Vaguely smelling of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, Darkness Bound by Stella Cameron delivers a fun, if unmemorable, afternoon's read in a departure from her norm.

Cameron diverged from her usual violent villains and windows-steaming romance in lieu of subtle communions and frank, intimate conversations before fireplaces in a quiet Washington cottage off Puget Sound. Deep conversations is my theme song, but I had to wonder if this was the same author that wrote French Quarter with those red lips on...more Vaguely smelling of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, Darkness Bound by Stella Cameron delivers a fun, if unmemorable, afternoon's read in a departure from her norm.

Cameron diverged from her usual violent villains and windows-steaming romance in lieu of subtle communions and frank, intimate conversations before fireplaces in a quiet Washington cottage off Puget Sound. Deep conversations is my theme song, but I had to wonder if this was the same author that wrote French Quarter with those red lips on the cover?

Leigh and Niles -Cameron missed the memo that any name seen on Frasier should be retired- charmed me, but the suspense never really started. We learn about nefarious werewolves warring with Niles and friends over turf but meet them only twice when kidnappings end before begun. Instead, we read about Niles' secret life as a weredoggy (between His Giant Russet Furriness and his tree-hopping abilities, I guessed him to be a Twilight-Crouching Tiger mix) and Leigh's adjustment to the hairy life following his revelation.

I liked Niles and his relationship with fellow former Spec Ops and werehound Sean, but he and his relationships with his team could have used more development instead of all the word count accorded Skillywidden the too-smart cat and Sally the token cryptic riddle-wielding eccentric (I hate those!)

Secondary characters bloated Bound with tired archetypes in prep for an epic Tussle of the Supernatural, including vampires, fae, etc., and no info for any of them -as individuals or species- other than whatever we've absorbed from pop culture. Everything but the kitchen sink stories scare me because of portrayals like these. Also, some glaring questions were never answered. (view spoiler)

Are they answered in book two (Darkness Bred releases in December, according to the teaser)? I don't care. The epic squabble, all the rest, is just a footnote. I liked the meat: the growing visceral bond between Leigh and Niles and Cameron's new atmosphere-laden but not word-laden style of prose. I'll stick to her edgier works, however. I like Stella Cameron as Stella Cameron, rather than Charlaine Harris lite. Three stars.(less)

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Mar 13, 2012 Stéphanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, 2012, romance, supernatural-paranormal, vampires-and-shapeshifters, new-to-me-authors-2012

In this first book of the series, Stella Cameron introduces us to her interesting world of paranormal beings. There are many different creatures in this book, including werehounds, werewolves, vampires, and fae. It’s quite refreshing not to have werewolves as the main characters. In this series, the wolves are actually the bad guys, while one of the main good characters, Niles Latimer, is the werehound leader. The werehounds are stronger as men than hounds and, unlike the werewolves, they are wi...more In this first book of the series, Stella Cameron introduces us to her interesting world of paranormal beings. There are many different creatures in this book, including werehounds, werewolves, vampires, and fae. It’s quite refreshing not to have werewolves as the main characters. In this series, the wolves are actually the bad guys, while one of the main good characters, Niles Latimer, is the werehound leader. The werehounds are stronger as men than hounds and, unlike the werewolves, they are willing to integrate within the human world since they hope to one day regain their humanity.

The other main character is Leigh Kelly, who moves to the tiny paranormal town of Chimney Rock to start over. After her husband’s death, she realized the big city life wasn’t for her anymore. She meets Niles on the day of her big move and is intrigued by this strong man. Unaware that he has decided to take her as a mate, they form a solid friendship.

Once introduced to the characters, this is where the author lost me. Many things were left unclear and because of this, I wasn’t really interested in the story anymore. If the author really wanted to leave us in the dark, then I would recommend to sticking to Leigh’s point of view, since she is unaware of the paranormal world. By following Niles point of view from time to time, I had no idea what propelled this character to do the things he did. Sometimes it’s okay to leave readers in the dark, but too many things in this book were left unexplained for way too long. Even now that I’ve finished the book, many things remain nebulous. But maybe that’s the point since the author wants us to remain interested an continue reading her series.

I almost feel guilty when I say that Leigh bothers me. I’m sympathetic to her situation and I really wanted to like her since she seems like an intelligent and strong willed woman. However, I think it’s her naivety and her constant analyzing of every situation and emotion that makes me hesitate. I’m aware that she recently lost her husband but, after more than a year, every situation and emotion seems to revolve around what her husband would want. She feels attracted to Niles since he's a very attentive and good looking man. Often, she wonders if she’s doing the right thing and if she should have feelings for this man. Also, Leigh often thinks that her dead husband would be glad that she’s living her life again and that she’s finally happy. I understand that it can be hard to lose someone so close, but in a romance book, I don’t think it’s necessary to have the dead husband haunting the first half of the book. But that’s just my opinion.

The Leigh and Niles relationship seemed a bit rushed. They fell in love too soon for my taste. They actually talk of love, joining together, becoming one and of marking each other (their words, not mine), after only a few short days. I’m all for powerful love connections in paranormal romances but this was done very fast and it was unrefined. Do you think a few days is too short to fall in love? Or do you believe in love at first sight?

I think the author was trying to do to much with the one book. This shows in the quick progression of the main character’s relationship and the fast introduction of other characters. So many characters and magical beings were introduced and it feels like we don’t have enough information about them. More information should have been given about Sally, the fae that has been shunned by her own people. And more knowledge on Saul, the “good” vampire, might have been useful to differentiate him from the “bad vampires.” I say, take your time Stella! You’ve created a great world so don’t forget to write about those little details that might be important to the future of the series.

Overall, I enjoyed the introduction to Stella Cameron’s supernatural world. Everything that remains unexplained has me waiting for the next book. Hopefully, more will be revealed soon so that I can enjoy the series a bit more. I’m looking forward to learning more about the werehounds, especially Sean who is my favorite hound so far.(less)

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Mar 12, 2012 Ezinwanyi~For you, Agron (Mira, Crixus, Gannicus & Spartacus) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ezinwanyi, ezinwanyi-s-bookstore, fae-fairies-sidhe-seelie-unseelie, vampires, werewolves, paranormal-romance

This book had a really good premise but it ended up being just okay for me. A solid 3 stars.

Heroine Leigh Kelly moved to Chimney Rock (located in Whidbey Island) to live in a cottage left to her by her recently deceased husband. She chose to Chimney Rock because it held some special memories for her and her late husband Chris. While she was healing, she also wanted to cherish the happy times of her past. She quit her job at Microsoft and got a job as a Manager of the local Diner in Chimney rock....more This book had a really good premise but it ended up being just okay for me. A solid 3 stars.

Heroine Leigh Kelly moved to Chimney Rock (located in Whidbey Island) to live in a cottage left to her by her recently deceased husband. She chose to Chimney Rock because it held some special memories for her and her late husband Chris. While she was healing, she also wanted to cherish the happy times of her past. She quit her job at Microsoft and got a job as a Manager of the local Diner in Chimney rock. Her new boss Gabriel remembers her and Chris eating there, so he tries to ease her transition into the town. One of the ways he helped her was by arranging for his friend Niles Latimer to chop wood for her fireplace.

Niles Latimer is a former special-ops solider, who just returned from the Middle East. He seems like a nice guy, just suffering from a little Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (or at least that is what I attribute his nightmares to). Plus, he is dealing with another kind of stress. Niles was the alpha leader of a Were-hound pack that was dying out. Niles needed to mate and reproduce, and Leigh was a compatible match for this rare were-breed. In fact, all the female were-hounds have died due to their hard child birthing process. So Niles set out to gain Leigh’s trust, and hopefully win her affections one day. The problem is that time is against him as the pack needs to start increasing their numbers and as well as guard against their various enemies such as the werewolves.

Leigh and Niles make an immediate connection. When her feelings for him grow, Niles is forced to admit to Leigh that he isn’t quite human. The pack agreed that any human female that they connect with, must have full disclosure before they can seal with that female. Fortunately, Leigh takes the news like a trooper.

The problem is that every species wanted Leigh for one reason or another. As the story unfolds, we learn a little bit of Leigh’s background. Specifically, she is half-fae, so her offspring would have some powerful abilities. We also see that the vampires, werewolves and faes don’t want to see Niles and Leigh end up together because they are all trying to gain more power as well as control the Chimney Rock territory.

This book had some issues for me. First of all, it got more and more elaborate and complicated as the story unfolded. There was just so much going on. Add to that, the writing was a little choppy. Second, I really didn’t connect with Leigh. I liked Niles a lot, but I didn’t connect with them as a couple. I kept reading to find out what happened, but I didn’t get that butterfly in my stomach feeling that I get as the action unfolded. Also, I can’t think of a single passage in the book that I read again or care to read again. I don’t think the author’s writing style appealed to me. I can’t say that I enjoyed this book. I do think Sean’s book will be a better book because we got a chance to get to know him so there is a great foundation to build upon. I may read Book 2 as I always try to give series a minimum of 2 books to win me over.

***copy received by Netgalley***(less)

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Feb 07, 2012 Marianne rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All Paranormal Lovers

Welcome to Chimney Rock where mystery and suspense abound. No one is whom they seem to be and there are some not so pleasant surprises in store for the characters. Niles is fighting for the survival of his people and even more importantly for the love of his life. Leigh is a widow returning to the place where she was happiest unknowing of the challenges she is about to face and embrace. I thoroughly enjoyed this first in a series. Niles and Leigh won me over immediately. There are so many likabl...more

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Mar 02, 2012 jackie frye rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Leigh Kelly had visited the town of Chimney Rock on Whidbey Island with her husband and a year and a half after his death she was ready to move on with her life. Leigh accepted a job in Chimney Rock. Niles Latimer was the alpha for a pack of werehounds. Werehounds were a dieing breed, all of their females were gone and Niles wanted a mate… a mate capable of bearing his children. Leigh was such a female and he was determined to have her as his mate.

There had been a rash of women kidnapped on Whid...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal-urban-fantasy, series, romance

3 STARS

Leigh Kelly has been a widow for 18 months and misses her husband every day. Little every day things remind her of her loneliness. She heads to Chimney Rock where she and Chris had once been happy. She leaves her job at the Microsoft and now works for Gabriel owner of the bar in town. On her first moment back she meets the sexy neighbour Niles and feels an eeriness in town. Something strange is going on and she is someone in the middle of it.

I was confused. Um....yeah. The novel felt like...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5
Favorite Lines: "He pulled the lid off a container in the refrigerator and extracted several pieces of raw bacon. As soon as he set the cream on the table he began to chomp through one slice after another.

"Ick," Leigh said.

"Ick, what?"

She widened her eyes innocently and said, "I didn't say that." "Yes you did."

"Okay." After what he'd done to her ego, why should she save his feelings. "Eating raw bacon is awful. Jazzy likes that, but he's a dog."

Niles looked at the final slice, dropped it into...more

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title link	preview: Darkness Bound
avg rating	preview: Darkness Bound Goodreads rating: 3.38 (214 ratings)
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Darkness Bound (Chimney Rock #1)

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