Blood Before Sunrise (Shaede Assassin, #2) by Amanda Bonilla

Jun 19, 2012 Melliane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mon avis en français

My English review

I really loved the first volume and I was more than curious to have the possibility to get into this new book. I confess I was a little anxious to be disappointed as it’s always a little complicated to surpass a book we really enjoyed. But WOW, I loved this one as well, it’s just amazing. When I think that I doubted about it, what nonsense!

This second volume perfectly follows the first one. Indeed, we find Darian who investigates about the Oracle, Delilah, as...more Mon avis en français

My English review

I really loved the first volume and I was more than curious to have the possibility to get into this new book. I confess I was a little anxious to be disappointed as it’s always a little complicated to surpass a book we really enjoyed. But WOW, I loved this one as well, it’s just amazing. When I think that I doubted about it, what nonsense!

This second volume perfectly follows the first one. Indeed, we find Darian who investigates about the Oracle, Delilah, as she left after the big battle in book 1. But everything is more complicated and when they finally find her, she claims to everyone that she knows where Brakae, the Raif’s daughter, is. Of course Darian is immediately intrigued by these words, despite Raif tells her to not care about that. But you know how is Darian, she is so stubborn, and it’s not Raif who will change her mind about this new quest, nor anyone else. However, everything is turned upside down when many persons try to prevent her about a new real danger and when Tyler is weakened and very moody all the time.

It was so pleasant to see Darian with our little Djinn, as she always was alone before. We understand that this relation will also be complicated between an overprotective Tyler and a shaede a little too independent for her own good. It was really surprising to see the efforts that they both try to do to make their relationship work, but it’s also a difficult situation. I confess I asked myself a lot of questions all along the book about Tyler because I didn’t understand what was going on. It’s heartbreaking to see him so possessive and jealous, but he will also do everything to help and protect Darian.

Amanda Bonilla was able in to beautifully recreate the feelings of the characters throughout the book, love as sorrow. It’s difficult for Darian to know what she really want to do and in the same time it’s impossible for her to be totally opened to Tyler as she is afraid about the follow events, for protecting him as well. But she doesn’t realize that the consequences of her acts are terrible. The reactions of Tyler and Darian broke my heart all along the story. It was so sad to see what it generates on their relationship. But our heroin needs all these events to really understand how it is to have someone in her life, a thing she is not used to have. It’s difficult for her to learn but we know she couldn’t leave her Djinn as he is now a real part of her life. But when she knows she could help Raif, another person she cares about, she is ready to put everything in peril. We totally understand the choices of each character but it’s difficult to assist to all these events without saying anything.

Many things happen in this novel and Darian will end up with more responsibilities than she would have thought at first, or even us. I confess that everything was a real surprise; I didn’t expect that at all. The author succeeded in this challenge to make of this story a wonderful book, really! I was hooked by the book from the start, and it was quite complicated to not read the whole volume at once. The writing style is very fluid and perfectly rhythmic with no dead time. The fights are one more time perfectly described and we’re each time in the center of the action.

It’s always really easy to relate ourselves to Darian from the start as always. We perfectly feel the complexity of her feelings. She has evolved a lot since the first volume and she is now more vulnerable. It’s the reason why we can easily understand her acts.

It’s been a while since I hadn’t read a book with a lump in my throat, a book that broke my heart like that. What a wonderful story! This novel is just awesome and if you enjoyed the first one I’m sure you’ll love this one. If you haven’t started the series yet, what are you waiting for? It’s so pleasant to have a book like that, a book so different from others.

To conclude, as I said, this book was really beautiful and now I really want to accelerate the time to read book 3.(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, read-in-2012

Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks

Is it possible for an author who writes a stellar ‘knock them out of the ballpark’ first book to write an equally good second installment? Yes. Yes it is. Amanda Bonilla has proven this with Blood Before Sunrise, the second book in her Shaede Assassin series.

Blood Before Sunrise starts a few months after Shaedes of Gray. Everything seems to be going well for Darian until she decides she wants to help Raif, a man who has quickly become a brother figure to...more Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks

Is it possible for an author who writes a stellar ‘knock them out of the ballpark’ first book to write an equally good second installment? Yes. Yes it is. Amanda Bonilla has proven this with Blood Before Sunrise, the second book in her Shaede Assassin series.

Blood Before Sunrise starts a few months after Shaedes of Gray. Everything seems to be going well for Darian until she decides she wants to help Raif, a man who has quickly become a brother figure to her, and all goes to sh*t. Actually…no pretty much, it all goes to sh*t.

Darian has been alone for the last century then suddenly she finds out she’s not. She is not the only Shaede as she first suspected and she has a wonderful circle of friends and a super yummy and amazing boyfriend. (Yes, as you can tell, I like Tyler. Very much.) She has great intentions and a big heart…but not always the best way of doing things. This time, she really wants to help Raif find his daughter Brakae, but Raif doesn’t want Darian’s help because he’s convinced his daughter is dead. In fact, he has mourned her for years and finally feels as much at peace as he could feel under the circumstances. But Darian won’t listen because she is convinced that Brakae is alive and she really wants to do this for her friend. So she does what Darian does best: she jumps in with both feet.

I love Darian. Really I do. She is a great character and is written beautifully. But in this book she often drove me nuts. She wasn’t listening to anyone’s advice and it was getting her in trouble. I know you are probably wondering why, if Darian drove me nuts off and on in this book, did I give it five stars? It’s because not once did I feel like strangling the book nor did I feel like I had to put the book down to step away from it for a bit. I did want to smack Darian but Amanda wrote this so skilfully that right when you got to that point where you wanted to yell at our dear heroine, she redeemed herself just enough. She confides in someone or she says something that lets us know that she won’t be doing anything like this ever again. And in the end, Darian knows her issues and learns from her mistakes. She grows so much in this book (her character growth is absolutely phenomenal in this installment) that it works out and makes it all okay. Darian, with the way she was raised and the way she has lived her solitary life for so long, needs to be put through hell to learn anything. It’s just a shame we need to watch her growing pains. Then again, no it’s not because it gives us one hell of a ride!

I mentioned Raif. He is just amazing. He’s not even in this book all that much and I still adore him. I don’t even mind Xander. There is just something about his arrogance that draws you in. You want to try to knock him down a bit but then you don’t because then it wouldn’t be as much fun to watch him with Darian. I am curious to see if we will one day see his ‘honestly compassionate’ side or if we’ll always think he’s a bit of a jerk. And Moira, I like her too. And Tyler… Oh my heart went out to this man more than once along the journey that is this book. I love how he ended the book. Okay, love might be the wrong word here, but I did appreciate it. It’s real and it made sense…no matter how much it sucked. It’s all part of Darian’s learning curve and seeing that he understands that makes me love him all the more and really makes me know that he is the right man for her. (Cryptic enough for you ;) – go read the book!)

Fallon, the “brooding and mysterious Fae warrior” that is mentioned in the blurb above, is one hell of a character. You know there is something not quite right about him and when you really see what is going on…holy jumpin’! He is creepy and eerie and all that is good in a villain. But is he truly a villain here or just a misunderstood character? Hmm…I guess you’ll just have to read him to see.

The story in Blood Before Sunrise is fascinating. We find out more about Darian and what exactly happens to her at the end of Shades of Gray. We discover that she is linked to the fae world and how exactly is neat. An interesting twist that I would not have seen coming in the last book and one that makes me very curious to see how it will affect everything in the next book.

This book is awesome. This series is awesome. I am already drooling over the next book and a release date hasn’t even been announced yet. This is a truly fabulous urban fantasy read and I encourage all fans of the genre to check it out.(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Marcela (BookaholicCat) rated it 5 of 5 stars

4 ½ Stars

Blood Before Sunrise starts couple of months after the events in Shaedes of Gray. Darian and Raif have been searching for months for the Oracle, Delilah. When they finally find her her mind is not as once was, she is talking so much nonsense that is difficult to understand what she is really saying, but in one of her ramblings she says that Raif daughter, Brakae is not dead. Raif doesn’t want to hear anything about it; he has suffered for Brakae’s disappearance for years and won’t belie...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, read-in-2012, genre-urban-fantasy

4.5 stars

Posted on Under the Covers

Darian’s to do list just keeps getting longer. In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian has her hands full as she tries to reacquaint Raif, the man whom she loves as a brother with his daughter. It sounds simple enough, right? However, things seldom are for Darian. Her boyfriend, Ty is attacked and things only begin to worsen from there...

Readers who loved SHAEDES OF GRAY will surely get a kick out of this book! I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I can truly s...more 4.5 stars

Posted on Under the Covers

Darian’s to do list just keeps getting longer. In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian has her hands full as she tries to reacquaint Raif, the man whom she loves as a brother with his daughter. It sounds simple enough, right? However, things seldom are for Darian. Her boyfriend, Ty is attacked and things only begin to worsen from there...

Readers who loved SHAEDES OF GRAY will surely get a kick out of this book! I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I can truly say that Ms. Bonilla has outdone herself. Not only is this book action-packed from beginning to end, but Bonilla fuses interesting elements together that make for a world that is totally unique and engaging.

The Fae world is explained in detail and along with that, stories of characters that are tied to the world are revealed as well. There is one character that was particularly compelling to me. In his very first scene, Fallon intrigued me. I instantly wanted to know more about this mysterious Fae warrior and Bonilla delivered his stories in spades! My emotions were tugged from opposite ends of the corner as easily as his emotions changed. Any author who is able to make me love a character, change my mind and then redeem him is spectacular in my eyes. I would love to read more about Fallon!

In this book, I noticed that there is more emphasis on Ty and Darian’s relationship. I loved reading about the romance because it was interesting to see how a woman as independent as Darian find a balance to be in a relationship with a man as protective and possessive as Ty. In SHAEDES OF GRAY, sometimes I felt that Darian pushed Ty away too much and it did nothing but make her feel lonely. She has survived alone for so long so, how does she let go of that independence she grips so tightly to and open herself up to Ty? It’s not always pleasant. They argue and get jealous of others, but I definitely saw some growth in character on Darian’s part. With the way the book ended, I am dying for the next one!

BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE is a tightly written, edge-of-your-seat read! You do not want to miss out on this series.

*ARC provided by publisher(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Pamela / SpazP rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This review is spoiler free, but assumes a basic familiarity with the first book.

Most of you know that the first Shaede Assassin book, Shaedes of Gray , was one of my favorite premier UF books of 2011, so I was chomping at the bit to get my eyeballs on the second book in the series, Blood Before Sunrise. I am pleased to say it totally lived up to my expectations.

Darian is working with her friend and Shaede guardian, Raif, to find the Oracle who she THOUGHT had been her friend, but who totally ba...more This review is spoiler free, but assumes a basic familiarity with the first book.

Most of you know that the first Shaede Assassin book, Shaedes of Gray , was one of my favorite premier UF books of 2011, so I was chomping at the bit to get my eyeballs on the second book in the series, Blood Before Sunrise. I am pleased to say it totally lived up to my expectations.

Darian is working with her friend and Shaede guardian, Raif, to find the Oracle who she THOUGHT had been her friend, but who totally bamboozled them all in trying to take out the Shaede Nation. Once they finally find Delilah she starts spouting some pretty crazy things, but one of those things is about Raif's presumed-dead daughter... and that's when things get bananas.

The book starts off with a bang! and never lets up steam. There were many moments when I really wanted to shake the heroine, Darian. Initially, she does some seemingly bone-headed things in Blood Before Sunrise, but she sure does pay dearly for her missteps, and she learns from the missteps as well. Additionally, the missteps are not exactly what they seem, either, as other influences come to play with her free will. Her newly developed romantic relationship with Tyler, her dreamy Jinn, hits some pretty tumultuous times. Without giving away too much, Darian really needs to go off on her own and learn from her {very vast, ahem} mistakes... and Tyler also needs to do what is right for him, in the end. But I certainly was not mad at Darian, because after all her stumbles, her growth in character was significant.

We see the tough-talking badass Darian of Now, but we also see a dark and disturbing glimpse in to her past again, as well. There are some very violent scenes involving Darian and the villain that are so well narrated and depicted that they made me uncomfortable. Darian is subjected to some pretty similar events that have her remembering her time at her abusive husband's hands, and she is continuously kicked when she is down. The glimpses we are shown of how it felt to be a battered wife really got to me, and I had to take some deep breathes to read through the scenes. Very very very well done. I went from being really frustrated with her, to feeling horribly sad for her, to then really rooting for her again.

Amanda Bonilla does such an incredible job with all the secondary characters, some recurring from the previous book. I was sad to see one of the Baddies die. She may have been playing for the Team Evil, but she sure had moxie, and I loved that about her (not mentioning names, to avoid spoilers). Seriously, I was bummed when she met her demise! Darian is taken on a trip to the Sidhe flipside with fantastic mythology and helpful Sprites and not-so-helpful Nymphs. We do get a little bit of Xander, but not much. And Darian experiences some flashbacks to her time with Azriel, and a new character is introduced in her memories, Lorik, and a new mystery is presented, which I loved. It left me wanting more, more, more!!

I said last year that this was one of my new favorite Urban Fantasy series, and with Blood Before Sunrise, I can say that it remains as one of my favorites. Dang it, we have to wait until 2013 for the next installment!

Originally posted at WickedLilPixie Reviews
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Jun 12, 2012 Iris (Paranormal Cravings) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Darian and her Shaede guardian Raif have searched for months to find the Oracle who attempted to kill Darian. But after they have found her Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead. Of course you know Darian her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession and she finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother, and her jinn Tyler whose love she can’t live without.

My Thoughts
Amanda Bonilla has done it again. Blood before Sunrise is a brilliant fol...more

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Jul 03, 2012 MISS VAIN rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to MISS VAIN by: Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust*

Shelves: arc, urban-fantasy, assasins

"Fuck it. What was done was done. I'd walked through these gates a woman on a mission, bent on helping a friend and obsessed with discovering the truth. I walked out a fugitive."

Blood Before Sunrise begins shortly after the events that occurred in Shaedes of Gray.From the beginningI was completely immersed into the assassin world and felt completely captivated by the dark world Darian lives in.Amanda Bonilla has an exceptional knack for world building that captivating me from beginning to end wh...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Ellie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Blood Before Sunrise, Shaede Assassin #2, by Amanda Bonilla
Grade: A

“And when I’ve been offended, I’m not a runaway-and-cry-in-my-pillow type of girl. I’m a jab-someone-with something-sharp kind of girl, and is he wanted to be with me, he’d just have to get used to that.”

Blood Before Sunrise is the second book in Amanda Bonilla’s amazing urban fantasy series Shaede Assassin and her heroine Darian. This books picks up a few months after Shaedes of Grey with Darian, Raif and Tyler still looking for...more Blood Before Sunrise, Shaede Assassin #2, by Amanda Bonilla
Grade: A

“And when I’ve been offended, I’m not a runaway-and-cry-in-my-pillow type of girl. I’m a jab-someone-with something-sharp kind of girl, and is he wanted to be with me, he’d just have to get used to that.”

Blood Before Sunrise is the second book in Amanda Bonilla’s amazing urban fantasy series Shaede Assassin and her heroine Darian. This books picks up a few months after Shaedes of Grey with Darian, Raif and Tyler still looking for the Oracle who escaped them and may hold information on the whereabouts of Raif’s long lost daughter. When catching the Oracle turns out to be too easy, Darian learns of a bigger force looking for her that will make her old enemies look like kittens. Darian has never had a family before or friends and she is determined to find Raif’s daughter for him even if it ruins her own happiness.

Blood Before Sunrise is not only the best urban fantasy book I’ve read this year but it tops my list for favorite book of 2012 so far. Darian has grown a lot since we first met her but she still has trust issues and is horrible about asking people for help. This comes back to bite her a lot in this book and even though I understand why she was acting that way it still drove me crazy. Amanda Bonilla is great at making you love and hate Darian at the same time. I love that she’s not perfect, is very flawed but would do anything for someone that she cares about.

Darian is determined to find Raif’s daughter and she is even willing to put her life in danger to do so. The journey that Darian goes on in this book not an easy one and it will twist with your heart strings over and over again. I love the relationship that Darian and Raif have and it seems to only grow stronger as time goes on. I did wish that there was more Xhander just because he has such a great way of getting to Darian and their banter is hilarious.

Darian’s relationship with Tyler is still going on but someone or thing is messing with their bond. The only times that Darian acts like a complete idiot is when she’s dealing with her relationship with Tyler. I was so happy that these two got together but it obvious that Darian still has issues and they come out in full force. I think what I love so much about this series is that the characters don’t have perfect lives or relationships. They are all fighting to be happy but no one is used to being happy and it’s a very big struggle.

The Shaede Assassin series is one of the best that I have read in a very long time and I am so sad that we don’t get the third book until March 2012. Amanda Bonilla has created a world and characters that are violent and dangerous but also fiercely loyal and loveable. Darian might not be the easiest person to like at times but she always means well and will fight to the death to save those she loves. Blood Before Sunrise is an brilliantly written book that all urban fantasy readers will love. (less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Cat Russell (Addicted2Heroines) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-recommend

* * * 4.5 Stars * * *

Outstanding sequel! Fast-paced mystery with multiple story lines that are seamlessly woven together. It all leads to an interesting twist that reveals a purpose and obligation that Darian never knew she had.

Bonilla has really blown me away with her second installment in the Shaede Assassin series. The pages are filled with action and by the story's conclusion I was still left wanting more. More ass-kickings delivered by Darian, more jealous, irrational Tyler, more time with...more * * * 4.5 Stars * * *

Outstanding sequel! Fast-paced mystery with multiple story lines that are seamlessly woven together. It all leads to an interesting twist that reveals a purpose and obligation that Darian never knew she had.

Bonilla has really blown me away with her second installment in the Shaede Assassin series. The pages are filled with action and by the story's conclusion I was still left wanting more. More ass-kickings delivered by Darian, more jealous, irrational Tyler, more time with Raif, and more secrets revealed. I just couldn't get enough!

I found Darian's character to be even more likable than in the debut. I wouldn't necessarily say that she shows a large amount of growth or makes any drastic personality changes. She's still stubborn, still too independent, and she doesn't trust others as completely as she should. But her hang-ups are easy to understand given the additional insight into Darian's time with Azriel, separated from the Shaede world, and we are better able to understand how deep her feelings were for him and the many ways that he manipulated her.

I also enjoyed the time that was spent with Tyler's character. Xander definitely takes a backseat to the Jinn this time around. Not only is he loyal, attentive, and easy on the eyes, but he is incredibly powerful! His magical displays were very impressive. If Darian could only learn to put more faith and trust in him, those two would make an unstoppable duo.

During the story, Tyler has moments of severe mood swings and is extremely possessive when it comes to Darian. He isn't himself and it's suspected that this is due to an outsider's magical influence. So in addition to the many complications that arise, Ty has to spend time trying to find the cause of this magic and determine how to stop it.

Another large focus of this story is Darian's attempts to locate Raif's missing daughter and trying to decipher the cryptic warnings and threats she receives. This proves to be a difficult task because no one will provide a straight answer and everyone seems to prefer talking in circles.

The story's ending was emotional and heartbreaking. I was torn between feeling Darian's desperation over the situation she caused and wanting to shake some sense into her for not preventing it in the first place. I loved it and hated it. It was great.

I will be counting down the days until the release of the third installment, "Crave the Darkness".

For those of you who enjoy fast-paced urban fantasy with heroines who possess unique ass-kicking abilities, the Shaede Assassin series is a must read.(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Ӄıȶȶყ Ӄaȶ (Smitten With Bad Boy Heroes) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: shaede-assassin, favourites

Smitten With Bad Boy Heroes Blog Review

My Thoughts

Urban Fantasy fans are going to be so happy with this novel. Everything that makes this genre fabulous is in this novel. Tons of action, great storylines, plot twists and turns, kick-ass heroine, sexy men, inner turmoil and more. Well-written, perfectly paced so not to overwhelm, outstanding character development, Shaede Assassin is definitely a new addition to my favorite UF series list.
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About the story…
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Jun 28, 2012 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Shaedes of Gray made my top 5 fav books of 2011 list and as a result, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of Blood Before Sunrise ever since. In this installment, Bonilla continues to expand upon her Shaede Assassin universe which is an impressive feat in itself considering she already did this the first time around. Apparently, Amanda's imagination and creativity knows no bounds because Darian is back in full force and the ride is wilder than ever. Aside from the ex...more Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Shaedes of Gray made my top 5 fav books of 2011 list and as a result, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of Blood Before Sunrise ever since. In this installment, Bonilla continues to expand upon her Shaede Assassin universe which is an impressive feat in itself considering she already did this the first time around. Apparently, Amanda's imagination and creativity knows no bounds because Darian is back in full force and the ride is wilder than ever. Aside from the extraordinary world building, this story is uplifting, heartbreaking, eye opening and just plain shocking. As for the ending... don't even get me started!

The story picks up right where it left off and Darian finds herself in the eye of the storm. There are battles being waged all around her which means that there's no lack of action but she does have to prioritize in which order to fight them. In Shaedes of Gray Darian's world gets turned upside down when she learns that she's not the last of her kind. In Blood Before Sunrise it happens all over again again except this time it's Faerie that makes its presence known. I really enjoyed watching some of the lose ends left over from the first installment come into play and propel the story forward. It's rare for me to love an author's world as much as her characters but in this instance I find myself enamored by both.

Ooh Darian, where do I even begin? I understand that she's just had the proverbial rug pulled out from under her but talk about frustrating. I just wanted to strangle her! Over and over again! Her decisions are questionable but if you take her past into consideration they then become understandable. As Amanda kindly pointed out to me: "This book is her hitting bottom". The good thing about bottoming out is the fact that you can only go up from there and Darian does exactly that. She learns from her mistakes (the hard way), grows and then becomes a better person as a result. This is character development at its best.

Darian's commitment to her friendship with Raif is admirable and her love for Tyler is limitless but when the two men in her life end up at odds all hell breaks lose. This is when a few of her "questionable decisions" really come into play. In my eyes, the right call was obvious from the get-go but Darian likes to do things the hard way. I personally think that she chose wrong but then again, I guess that's how we learn, from our mistakes. I understand why the book ended the way that it did but that doesn't mean that I have to like it!

Blood Before Sunrise delivers a one-of-a-kind story with as many highs as there are lows; in other words, it'll rock your world!

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Jul 25, 2012 Eileen rated it 2 of 5 stars

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

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Jul 03, 2012 Paperback Dolls rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, adv-readers-copy, reviewed-2012, reviewed-by-kitt, urban-fantasy

Originally posted at PaperbackDolls.com.

Last year, Amanda Bonilla captivated me with the first in her Shaede Assassin series, her debut release Shaedes of Gray featuring cold hearted, damaged, and lonely Darian making my top 5 favorites for 2011. Now she’s back with her second, Blood Before Sunrise, and I have to say that I absolutely love this series!

I’m completely fascinated by the world Ms. Bonilla has created. Set in Seattle, Fae, Shaedes (creatures of shadows), Lyhtans (creatures of light)...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Urban Fantasy Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

To read this review and others like it check out my review site www.ufreviews.com

I am a huge fan of Amanda Bonilla, and it's really not just her writing that I love. She is one of those authors who is very accessible to readers and I love that about her. But her writing is really awesome too. I really loved the first book in the series, and I really enjoyed the novella (seriously if authors keep putting out these great novellas I'm going to have to rethink my anti-novella stance). So I have bee...more To read this review and others like it check out my review site www.ufreviews.com

I am a huge fan of Amanda Bonilla, and it's really not just her writing that I love. She is one of those authors who is very accessible to readers and I love that about her. But her writing is really awesome too. I really loved the first book in the series, and I really enjoyed the novella (seriously if authors keep putting out these great novellas I'm going to have to rethink my anti-novella stance). So I have been waiting for book two and it finally arrived. I was very curious to see what was going to happen to Darian now that the big battle from book 1 was over.

The plot of the book was not exactly what I was expecting. Shaedes of Gray was very much a book where the plot action based and you had this feeling when you were reading it that the stakes couldn't get any higher. I did not get that feeling from BBS. For me this entire book is so character driven, although there is plenty of action scenes, and when you finally find out what is really going on you realize the stakes are pretty high), but mostly it's so about the characters.

Darian is still finding her way as this new "changed" being that the events of book one left her in. She has also found herself in a relationship with Tyler who she does truly love, but after not letting anyone close to her in 100 years there are certainly some growing pains that need to be worked out. It also doesn't help that someone is clearly messing with Tyler's bond to her and it's make their situation all the more tense.

Raif is such a great character, and you really get to see how much Darian loves him. He has become really like family to her, Bonilla refers to him as a brother type love, but he kind of feels like a cross between brother and father type figure. He has done so much for her so of course she wants to do anything she can for him, like help find his daughter. By the time the book ends I love Raif all the more, and I am so glad that Darian has him to lean on.

My one complaint is that I would have loved to actually see more Xander in the book. He is referred to a lot, and has a few scenes, but generally speaking I missed his whole high and mighty routine/trying to convince Darian to be with him.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. Like I said it is super character driven, and you get to meet some new ones along the way, but you also get to know the old ones a lot better. At the end of the book I really felt like the whole theme was about love, and so many different kinds of love are included in this book. And the ending was so bittersweet, it really made me want to know where everyone was going to go from here. If I had to pick I think the first book is still my favorite, but only by a hair, this is a great follow up book and I would recommend it to anyone (but read the first one too!).(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Sarah Bromley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I am close friends with Amanda and one of her critique partners.

I'm not going into a whole synopsis of what happens in BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE. Suffice to say, I enjoy the complications in Darian and Tyler's relationship, and I think Darian's character is evolving. She is still headstrong and wants things done her way, but she also has to think long and hard about the ramifications of her actions in regards to other people and their feelings.

Also, Raif is my favorite character in t...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Aurian Booklover rated it 5 of 5 stars

A few months have passed since the ending of the first book, and they are still searching for the Oracle Delilah to punish her for her betrayal. Ryder and Darian are lovers now, but Ryder is acting more and more jealous of Raif, and protective of Darian. This is something she doesn’t need, as she can take care of herself and others perfectly well.
When they finally do find Delilah, and take her into custody, she is spouting a lot of nonsense, but she does make Darian believe that she knows where...more A few months have passed since the ending of the first book, and they are still searching for the Oracle Delilah to punish her for her betrayal. Ryder and Darian are lovers now, but Ryder is acting more and more jealous of Raif, and protective of Darian. This is something she doesn’t need, as she can take care of herself and others perfectly well.
When they finally do find Delilah, and take her into custody, she is spouting a lot of nonsense, but she does make Darian believe that she knows where Raif’s daughter is. And Darian wants to do whatever is in her power to find Brakae, and bring them back together, even though she has been missing for 300 years. But to be able to find her, she needs straight answers from Delilah, which is not going to happen as she is now in custody of the Fae.

One of the scariest Fae she has ever met, is willing to help her question Delilah, but only if she does something for him first. Darian really doesn’t want to do that, but sees no other option and agrees.
I cannot really tell anymore without spoiling the many twists in this story. You just have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

Like with the first book I had some trouble getting into the second story. But when the action started, I was totally sucked into the story. Ryder really go on my nerves with his jealousy, but he was being messed with, so perhaps when he is back to normal he will be more to my liking. Still, with the way this book ended? It might take a while.
I really like Raif, he and Darian are good for each other, but not in a lovers kind of way, more like brother and sister.
King Xander is still not my favourite character in this book. He keeps trying to yank Darian’s chain, and get her into his bed. And as she was in love with his son first, that is just creepy. And I am glad that Darian keeps resisting and rebutting him. He needs some disappointments I his life.
I liked the flashbacks to Darian’s life with Azriel, and I think it is the creepy setup for the next book.

I do agree with Darian though, why can’t they just tell her things instead of being angry with her when she has no clue. It would make her much more efficient. It is not like she doesn’t want to do the right thing.

All in all, this is a delightful, action packed urban fantasy series. Very original, and I love the many unique paranormal creatures we encounter. Amanda Bonilla writes fluently and vividly, and I like her sense of humor. With Darian she has created a kick ass heroine, who can also be kind of naïve and young even though she is a century old. Her heart rules her actions.

9 stars.

Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
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Sep 01, 2012 Michelle Cummings rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Disappointed. I would give this book 4 stars for world-building/mythology, but 1 star for the fact that I cannot get behind the main character.

Darian goes on a quest to find Raif's missing daughter.
Raif, who is suddenly her best friend, whom she will do anything for, including putting her boyfriend/ protector in danger for. That was the first nail in the coffin for me, because frankly, I just read the previous book, and there was nothing indicating that depth of friendship.

Secondly, she meets...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magical, paranormal, romance, suspense, urban-fantasy

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Paranormal
RECEIVED: Review for Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
I so love reading a second book in the series and loving it as much as I did the first book. Blood Before Sunrise, second book in the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla rocked! It was full of everything I love about Urban Fantasies, the characters are better than ever, the action is always keeping me on my toes and of course the romance that turns the heat up. This series has...more GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Paranormal
RECEIVED: Review for Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
I so love reading a second book in the series and loving it as much as I did the first book. Blood Before Sunrise, second book in the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla rocked! It was full of everything I love about Urban Fantasies, the characters are better than ever, the action is always keeping me on my toes and of course the romance that turns the heat up. This series has climbed to the top of my list as one of my favorites. Let just say Bonilla knows how to keep her readers wanting more with this fantastic world she has created.

Blood Before Sunrise follows Darian, who once again puts herself in the middle of a whole lot of chaos. After finally tracking down the Oracle, who in her crazy state mentions that, Darian’s Guardian and friends Raif’s daughter is actually still alive. She sets off trying to find out where she is and getting herself deeper into danger, thus putting her lover and Jinn in the same boat. But she doesn’t seem realize her actions could have major consequences and that she could get more than she bargained for.

Darian, I could talk about this girl for hours, good and frustrating but she’s awesome no matter what. She tough and knows it very well, but what she doesn’t realizes is that by putting herself in the line of fire is having an extreme effect on her friends and lover. In this book she does a lot of acting and not a lot of thinking, which with the situation of finding her friends daughter it’s understandable but has a some fall backs. She gets sucked into the realm of the faerie and what she finds there is one heck of a wakeup call. Her life takes a whole new turn and at the end she’s dealt with a major hit that I hope she can fix.

Raif and Xander are back again of course, the Guardian and his arrogant High King of a brother seem to help Darian keep busy. Raif has become such a close friend and support; he really tries to keep her out of trouble but seems to fail at every turn. I really enjoyed that the readers get some more background on him and he has become one of my favorite characters. I also liked finding out about his
daughter, who she is and how she so important and connected to Darian. Xander, well he’s still the same full of himself jerk that makes me smile. But I’m interested to see what he does next to irritate Darian, especially after the sparring session.

Ty is once again the guys who heats up the pages in every scene he’s in, both in anger and in passion. I love this guy and really felt bad for him this time around, Darian really just didn’t see what she was doing to him and he was really at a loss of what to do. His temper and jealousy was sure entertaining and he really was trying to figure things out. But no matter what his love and devotion to Darian is heartfelt and I can’t get enough of these two together.

Overall I loved every page, every fight, every sarcasm and every bit of romance that Blood Before Sunrise had to offer. The villain is every bit of evil and dangerous and I couldn’t figure out how it was going to end, but boy was it awesome. For this book Darian is challenged in many ways and I hope she can learn from her many mistakes. I can’t wait to continue this series and if you haven’t started this one yet, then you’re missing out!

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with some mature sexual content. Fans of M.J. Scotts the Half-Light City and Jennifer Estep Elemental Assassin series will absolutely getting addicted to the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla.
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Jul 27, 2012 Diane rated it 1 of 5 stars

I loved the first book, but this one felt forced and the plot was shaky IMO. Delilah disappeared at the end of the first book and after scouring Seattle and other states, Darian is walking with Ty, gets a feeling and turns into some back alley where she just happens to find Delilah shaking in a corner like some homeless girl. I suspended my disbelief at this preposterous event and kept reading until Darian's actions became unbearable. read on.

Darian kept refusing help from Ty (her boyfriend and...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Julie (Manga Maniac Cafe) rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5/4 stars

I love the world building in this series, and I love the concept of such a strong, fearless heroine. I did have problems with Darian's thought processes, though, and found her too impulsive and completely lacking in common sense. She makes so many bad decisions that I feared for her continued good health. Because she kept making the same errors in judgment, by the halfway point in the story I became fearful that she would never learn from her mistakes. That was frustrating for me! Oth...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am taking my time with this one! Love this series and don't want too much time to pass between my 'Darian fixes'

I absolutely loved this book! Darian is one kick ass heroine. This series keeps getting better and better!!! Keep 'em coming, Amanda.

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Jul 04, 2012 Meghan rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was really disappointed with this second book in the Shaede series. I loved the first book. Unfortunately, the plot and mysteries were obvious early on in this second book. It just became a sort of irritating waiting game for Darien to get a clue and stop being willfully obtuse about reality. And even worse than an obvious plot, it was not believable that she would be so naive. How could she be this bad ass assassin for 100 years and then have no sense of self- preservation? That's where her b...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, publishers-arc, urban-fantasy

*Rating* 4.0
*Genre* Urban Fantasy

*Review based on the ARC I received from the author*

"Neither Shaede nor Lyhten be - You are other. Dangerous to some, a savior to others. You will be the instrument of destruction. Creature of nothing and everything. He's coming for you."

Amanda Bonilla's "Blood Before Sunrise" is the second installment in her Shade Assassin series. The story picks up several months after the conclusion of "Shaedes of Gray" with Darian and crew searching high and low for Delilah,...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Kalisha rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Jan 20, 2013 Cazy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The girl is stupid. Why would she go thru all of that drama with Fallon (stealing, meeting him in seedy places, letting him steal her will) just to talk to someone who wasn't going to answer her questions anyway. It just didn't make sense. Neither did her breathing while in her non-corporeal form, btw. She failed to see the big picture over and over again. It seemed like not only did she not have a sense of self preservation, but she didn't have a sense of world preservation either, why would yo...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy and you have not tried the Shaede Assassin books, you are really missing out. These books bowl me over with fantastic world building and characters I care deeply about. This book took me on a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat until the big emotional finish that left me shredded.

The story picks up several months after the events of Shaedes of Gray. Darian is happy and in love with Tyler. Together with Raif and Xander's men, they are searching for the...more If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy and you have not tried the Shaede Assassin books, you are really missing out. These books bowl me over with fantastic world building and characters I care deeply about. This book took me on a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat until the big emotional finish that left me shredded.

The story picks up several months after the events of Shaedes of Gray. Darian is happy and in love with Tyler. Together with Raif and Xander's men, they are searching for the Oracle who escaped at the end of the last book. Things get more complicated once they find her and she reveals that Raif's daughter is alive and she knows where to find her. Raif can't allow himself to believe it's true but Darian can't ignore the possibility. So she makes it her mission to find the girl who has been lost for centuries.

At this point, a ton of stuff starts piling up on Darian's plate. She starts having terrifying dreams and visions filled with cryptic prophesies she can't understand. The Oracle gets placed in the custody of supernatural law enforcement, forcing Darian to make an unsavory alliance to get access to her again. Plus, there is something seriously wrong with Ty. He is flying into jealous rages, losing his self-control. And he says there is a problem with their bond.

It's really all too much for Darian to take on at once. She tries. But her actions merely accentuate her character flaws. She is impetuous and over confident. She is unable to trust in others, to allow them to help her. And it's in her inability to reach out and share her burdens that she makes terrible mistakes and some Very Bad Decisions.

I do believe Darian's heart is in the right place, though. So while she frustrates me, I still empathize with her. I love, love, love Ty, even though he is batshit crazy at times. I spent the entire book in constant fear that Darian would break her bond with him "for his own good." --And Raif. He's such an interesting character and I adore his relationship with Darian. I understand why she feels so loyal him. Xander, eh, I could take or leave.

Amanda Bonilla opens up her world even more in this story, taking us inside the Fae world, and explaining more about what makes Darian so special. It's... different. Unique. My only beef is one Darian shares toward the end of the book, which is Why the Hell didn't anyone tell her what she was? If two relevant characters would have just taken a moment to explain things, it would have saved everyone a lot of pain and heartbreak.

Yes. I said heartbreak. I feel hollow in my chest, dammit. How am I going to wait until March for this all to be fixed? (Are you listening Amanda Bonilla? This must be fixed. Or I am breaking up with you.)

Rating: A-

*ARC provided by author for review(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Traci (Mad Hatter Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Blood Before Sunrise is the second book in the Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla. Bonilla takes us back to the paranormal world in Seattle, WA where we find Darian adjusting to her new powers and her relationships with the love of her live and powerful Jinn, Tyler, her mentor, Raif, and the always trying Shaede King, Xander.

When Darian finally locates the missing Oracle who's betrayal nearly cost her her life in Shaedes of Gray, she receives a cryptic message that Raif's daughter, who he...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Ami rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic

2.5 stars
Darian is determined to find Raif's (her Shaede guardian slash best friend) daughter, after the Oracle, Delilah, gives clues that his daughter might still alive. However, this obsession drivers her apart from her Jinn lover, Tyler ...

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I would like to love this book better. But I spent the whole book seething and getting really frustrated with Darian's behavior (and in addition, Tyler's excessive jealousy -- though that might be a result from the manipulation from the Fae, but still,...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Jaime rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

This is the second book in the Shaede Assassin series. I knew this when I entered the givewaway and, even though I never read the first one (Shaedes of Gray), the synopsis sounded too intriguing to pass up.

Darian was once a human who was magically altered a century ago. She lives in our world with other magic beings (Shaedes, Fae, Sidhe), and even carries around a cell phone. Raif is her Shaede Guardian, and her best friend; Tyler is her Jinn and her lover.

I do...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Lyn Nicholas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-on-shelf, reviewed, 2012-reviews

A new Urban Fantasy to capture your imagination!

In BLOOD BEFORE SUNRISE, Darian is searching for the person that brutally betrayed her in the last book SHEADES OF GRAY, someone she once considered an ally. This quest begins to take over her life as she continously puts herself in one dangerous situation after another. She will stop at nothing to find the truth and it is really beginning to take a toll on her relationships.

Darian and Ty's relationship is steamy yet strained in this book. She does...more

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Blood Before Sunrise (Shaede Assassin #2)

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