Destiny Unchained (Shadows of Destiny, #3)

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Destiny Unchained (Shadows of Destiny #3)

by Leia Shaw (Goodreads Author)

4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 · rating details · 131 ratings · 36 reviews

They call her The Huntress. A vampire with lethal focus, Natalia hunts rogue werewolves and kills them without mercy. She buried her heart centuries ago. Now she lives only for revenge. But when she’s forced to team up with the alpha of the northwest werewolf pack to catch a werewolf serial killer, her carefully controlled world is shattered by the passionate Cristian

Crist...more

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Published December 12th 2011 (first published December 1st 2011)

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Dec 03, 2011 jD rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2_kindle_own, fantasy_myths, fantasy_romance, 2011-read

Nothing more distrubing than seeing a pointy weapon lodged in your chest. Especially knowing it would hurt like a bitch when she pulled it out. She frowned at her assailant. "I really liked this shirt". The silent blonde stood perfectly still, mimiking her earlier vision of confidence. Only it looked better on him. Finding a werewolf attractive? That was new.

She lifted an arm to pull the arrow out, gritting her teeth at the expected explosion of pain. Her limbs felt heavy. Her knees wobbled an...more Nothing more distrubing than seeing a pointy weapon lodged in your chest. Especially knowing it would hurt like a bitch when she pulled it out. She frowned at her assailant. "I really liked this shirt". The silent blonde stood perfectly still, mimiking her earlier vision of confidence. Only it looked better on him. Finding a werewolf attractive? That was new.

She lifted an arm to pull the arrow out, gritting her teeth at the expected explosion of pain. Her limbs felt heavy. Her knees wobbled and her mind thickened with fog.
Poison arrow.
Shit.
She collapsed to the ground, her captor's heavy boots her last vision before she faded.

Natalia meet Cristian. Cristian meet Natalia. Or we can do it Leia Shaw's way with an arrow in the chest. Destiny Unchained (Shadows of Destiny #3) is another great installment to a series I have grown addicted to.

Natalia is a vampire and Cristian is a werewolf. Both are long lived and knowledgable about their respective species. It was refreshing to have a H/H who were at peace with what they were. In the previous books, both heroines started out as humans that were unaware of the supernatural world. Much of the dialog and plot development went to their struggles with their new reality. It was nice to skip that. Natalia had some issues but at least it wasn't -- "OMG, I'm a vampire." On the other hand, she had become jaded by a violent end to a previous mating with a alpha werewolf. Cristian was much more stable in his life and was able to show Natalia that life offered more than merely existing. As with the previous books, I sighed and laughed out loud many times. Ms. Shaw really makes a sincere effort to share her characters from multiple angels but doesn't overburden the reader with fluff.

The flip side of the missing fluff is that I wanted it. I wanted more details about Natalia's life. She was hundreds of years old. What had she seen in her time walking through history? She clearly traveled and met many people. How did she learn to live as a vampire after she was turned? Cristian was born a werewolf and has lived in a pack all his life so I didn't miss it as much with him. Natalia, on the other hand, had become a lethal hunter of werewolves. She was called The Huntress and was wanted with a sizable bounty to boot. There was not enough details about the werewolf that had placed the bounty and I felt that was important. This was a weakness for me so I took off one star. I have no doubt that Ms. Shaw has these details and more about her characters in her head but focused more on sticking to the meat of the story.

All in all, this is not the best one of the series but it is quite good, well paced, and creative. Like the previous installments, the erotic elements were very well done. The dialog between Natalia and Cristian was fresh and bold. Loved it! (less)

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Feb 02, 2012 Delphina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Ok, I may have lied in my review of book two in this series. I think this book may actually be my favorite in this series. I read For The Love Of Harmony before this book. It is a free novella and it takes place during this novel. It is not needed, but I am glad I read it. I am a sucker for shifters stories and this book had a werewolf alpha as one of the main characters. It also has Marcelo's human wife from when they were both human. This story is different from the first two in that neither o...more

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Feb 29, 2012 MoonGlitter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-reviewed-for-blog, kindle

Hold onto your alpha wolf!! You're in for a sweet treat!!!

Natalia is a rough and tough vampire. She hunts rogue werewolves and kills them without a second thought. She has turned her heart off to any emotion or feeling. She was almost killed by her "mate" years ago and left for dead. Since then, she has only made room for vengeance in her heart.
Christian is a very scrumptious, very tantalizing alpha male. You know the type. Extremely protective. Very dominant and possessive. He wants to get to k...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Cynthia (aka Artemis) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cynthia by: Laurie (Bitten by Paranormal Romance)

Shelves: requested-review, 2012-bbpr-pnr-romance-challenge, paranormal-romance, werewolves, vampires

Reviewed at Bitten By Paranormal Romance

I was a bit hesitant to read DESTINY UNCHAINED because I didn’t read the first book, and the second book in the series didn’t appeal to me very much. WOW – am I glad I decided to go ahead and turn the page. The explosive combination of one very, very alpha Werewolf, an insidious Vampire, and a “beautiful” adversary make for an electric read.

The dialog between Cristian and Natalia is fabulous. It is engaging and snappy. This is one of my favorites:

What was

...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Julie Ramsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: done

Natalia is a wanted women. She is hunting and being hunted by werewolves, and her ex-husband. Her ex-husband Marcelo has been looking for her for 800 years. She knows she needs to confront him but just can't face him with the history they share. Werewolves are hunting her because of all of the werewolf kills she has, she is very talented. Some witches have given Natalia the ability to handle, work and not be affected by silver. This is the one main weakness for vampires, a huge advantage for Nat...more Natalia is a wanted women. She is hunting and being hunted by werewolves, and her ex-husband. Her ex-husband Marcelo has been looking for her for 800 years. She knows she needs to confront him but just can't face him with the history they share. Werewolves are hunting her because of all of the werewolf kills she has, she is very talented. Some witches have given Natalia the ability to handle, work and not be affected by silver. This is the one main weakness for vampires, a huge advantage for Natalia. Her latest hunt is for a werewolf serial killer. He has been going across the country killing children. Her paths cross with Christian, a local wolf alpha. He sees her pain but both being very dominate and stubborn, neither wants to give up on anything. They slowly come to the realization that to catch the monster hunting the innocent, they must work together. Christian is determined to catch the killer and make him pay but also wants get Natalia to laugh, smile, and melt the icy exterior she shows everyone else. He also wants to know why she hates werewolves so much? Will Christian's charm and good looks be enough to melt Natalia? Or will she kill one werewolf for being a serial killer and another for trying to love her?

Theo is just a lovable guy. He really just wants to see Natalia smile. He is the type that when one person says it is not possible even if he doesn't want to, will do it just to prove you are wrong. So when there paths cross and she wants no help from anyone. Christian wants no other werewolves around and he wants to learn her mysterious history and thinks she is beautiful, he is intrigued to say the least. Natalia, is all alone. She is truly lonely but will not admit it. It has been so long since she has had any real human (or non-human) contact, she is starving for attention. But with 2 dominant beings trouble is at every turn. This story has adult sexual situations, adults only.

complimentary book given for a free review. come see this review and more on juliesbookreview.blogspot.com(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Evelyn Amaro rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read my full review on Paromantasy

This is an unputdownable read filled with romance, danger, action, sacrifice and forgiveness.

Natalia is a bad-ass vampire known as The Huntress. She lives for hunting down rogue werewolves. There is no room in her life for love when all she wants is revenge. What happened to her may have happened long ago, but she has eternity to make him pay...

Cristian is an alpha who would do anything to protect his pack, including taking down a werewolf hunter. When he meets...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-angeline, authorreviews

This review posted on Guilty Pleasures

Recommended Read

Destiny Unchained is the 3rd book in Leia Shaw’s Shadows of Destiny Series. I find myself, once again, reading a book in the middle of a series where I did not read the other books first. It is definitely a standalone book. I never once felt lost or that I was missing anything. That said I cannot wait to read all the other stories in this series. I am sure to have an even more complete picture of this wonderful supernatural world.

Natalia is...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Samantha **ParaNormal Romance Party** rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-4-5-stars, alpha-male, werewolf-lover, vampire-lover, pnr-romance, has-hea-epilogue, reviewed

**4/5 Stars**

1st line in the book--> “Crouched on the ground Natalia crept silently through the leaves, her sharp gaze focused on her target.”

Two unlikely people must come together in order to stop a serial killer in Leia Shaw's third novel in her series. Christian the Werewolf and Natalia the Vampire, meet in the most unlikely way, and from there on its a cat and mouse game they play with the killer on the loose.

I really enjoyed this novel. It keeps you on your toes by slowly revealing vital...more **4/5 Stars**

1st line in the book--> “Crouched on the ground Natalia crept silently through the leaves, her sharp gaze focused on her target.”

Two unlikely people must come together in order to stop a serial killer in Leia Shaw's third novel in her series. Christian the Werewolf and Natalia the Vampire, meet in the most unlikely way, and from there on its a cat and mouse game they play with the killer on the loose.

I really enjoyed this novel. It keeps you on your toes by slowly revealing vital information about the characters. Its a dark adventure with a side of delicious moments. Christian is the perfect partner for Natalia because of his easy going attitude and snarky comments, while Natalia is an old vampire who has forsaken her feelings and only has one goal in mind... revenge & to bring pain to those she hunts and kills. The struggle for Natalia to accept that she can love again plays an important role while she is trying to bring the killer to justice.

There also is a cameo appearance from some of the characters from the previous novels, which I enjoyed because its always great to see where they are after they have their HEA.

If you haven't picked up her novels, I highly recommend this series! I personally can't wait for Maddox's story!! This is another great book that I can reread and satisfy my need for a great chase filled with intrigue and some hot lovin!

Fave Quotes!!

A nickname? This was getting far too personal. “Talia? We’re on a nickname basis now. Good to know, dog.”

She snorted but it was too weak to have the effect she intended. “A werewolf just called me beautiful. I must be dreaming. I passed out from the sun, didn’t I? I’m probably dying slowly in the woods.”

“Passion?” she spat. “What is passion but an excuse to act like fools?” In a mocking voice she said, “I’m in love. I can act completely irrational and idio –”
She cut off with a gasp when a snowball hit her square in the face. The cold stung her cheek and she growled.(less)

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Dec 12, 2011 Cari Silverwood rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-f, paranormal, vampire, werewolf

I have to start this review with honesty. I am SO not a werewolf or a vampire book reader. I read this with trepidation, but I kept going and going...and the love story plain blossomed and sneaked into my heart along with Cristian and Natalia. Serial murders, a super-deadly vampire with a penchant for chewing up werewolves who get in her way, and a werewolf male who very deliberately wants to get in her way, into her pants and ultimately into her heart. Things hot up fast.

*Sigh* Romance with a b...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Alexia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Oh my soul… I had such fun reading this book! Destiny Unchained is ‘un-put-downable’ – no jokes! I have been following this series very closely, and by closely I mean… book bullying the author . This book has just the right amount of humour, adventure, action and sexy romance.

The alpha male in this book had my glasses steaming most of the time! Cristian is totally swoon worthy, like… “whose your daddy?” type – yes I just said that *giggles*. He is an alpha in every sense of the word, protectiv...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Dark Haven rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I've read in Ms. Shaw’s Shadow of Destiny series and I LOVED IT! The story line is complex and multi-faceted. Natalie is controlled by witches who have given her a special ability. If she doesn’t keep them happy and do what’s she’s told that will be taken away. She’s also a vampire controlled by her past and her desire for revenge. However, Ms. Shaw has still been able to give her a vulnerable side which makes her interplay with Christian all the more interesting and extre...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Heather Wiese rated it 4 of 5 stars

Natalia is a vampire called The Huntress who tracks down rogue werewolves. Cristian is an alpha werewolf. They clash...but they can't fight their attraction to each other.

Natalia is on the hunt for a serial killer who targets little kids when she runs into Cristian. Having not heard of this killer--who is in HIS territory!--Cristian demands that they team up to hunt him. Predictably, Natalia tells him to shove it. Natalia has been badly hurt in the past and has closed herself off from feeling, a...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books

This book was awesome by far my favorite in the Shadows of Destiny series.
Natalia is a kick butt heroine that was feisty and independent and a little snarky and I really enjoyed watching her character change and grow and become better without losing herself or the greatness of who she was.
I loved Cristian too, he was the perfect alpha (literally!) male. Possessive and strong and protective and loving and just swoon worthy.
I loved watching him and Natalia interact and how they became better just...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Laurielu Book Savvy Babes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, author-request, arc, paranormal, review, romance, series, vampire, werewolf

Destiny Unchained by Leia Shaw is a jaunty tale of a determined alpha werewolf and a lethal vampiress known as The Huntress who is emotionally aloof. The start of the story is not ideal for Natalia, our vampire huntress; but, she is able to extricate herself from the situation and leaves the situation physically unscathed; but, emotionally she is touched and she soon she finds herself in the arms of one of the creatures she hunts down. Not only emotionally compromised, she find herself in need o...more Destiny Unchained by Leia Shaw is a jaunty tale of a determined alpha werewolf and a lethal vampiress known as The Huntress who is emotionally aloof. The start of the story is not ideal for Natalia, our vampire huntress; but, she is able to extricate herself from the situation and leaves the situation physically unscathed; but, emotionally she is touched and she soon she finds herself in the arms of one of the creatures she hunts down. Not only emotionally compromised, she find herself in need of his help to hunt down her current mark.

Cristian is the leader of his pack and has been unattached since losing his mate decades ago. However, after meeting Natalia, his wolf and his libido sit up and take notice. As the story progresses, Cristian realizes that his territory and is pack are under attack by the rogue werewolf Natalia is tracking for extermination. In order to be successful at accomplishing their goals, Cristian and Natalia will team up.

This story was such a fun read. I liked the way the male/female role was juxtaposed. Usually in romances the man is the one with the steely unreachable countenance and the woman is usually the one who is able to break down the walls built around his heart. In this paranormal romance, Natalia is the dispassionate one and Cristian is the one who is receptive to his feelings and acts accordingly. Natalia is does not know how to handle her feelings for Cristian and makes some emotionally difficult decisions where she has to re-think her whole way of life.

Destiny Unchained by Leia Shaw was a very delectable read. Cristian is adorable and Natalia is worth the effort it takes to forgive and love. The journey they take together is amusing and austere at times. Ms. Shaw has created a paranormal romance series that is worth reading because her delivery of her mythos, character building and sense of humor are original, charming and compelling. You need to give this author a chance to regale you with her narratives because you won’t regret it. Her novels have personality, spice, action, and an HEA.(less)

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Feb 11, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book because I love strong female leads who are still vulnerable under the veneer. I liked the progression of the relationship between Natalia and Cristian. The hunt for the killer is exciting. But one of the biggest things I brought away from this book is that you can't move on emotionally until you learn to forgive...
Natalia was broken in her past and she let it rule her life for hundreds of years.. She didn't live - she merely existed. Cristian couldn't find a mate strong...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Teresa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: alpha-male, blond-hero, favorites, hot, paranormal

This book deserves every single one of five stars, because it IS amazing, that is. Shaw manages to do a flawless character-building although the book is short- that’s rare. Not once I thought “There should have been more”…every word is well-placed, aimed to pull the reader in. You learn everything about the characters through their snappy dialogue and thoughts. The book is often funny, always authentic and honest, satisfying at every point.
Christian is a wonderful hero, and you know instantly ho...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Ollie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, freebies

Pain, isolation, and loneliness is what Natalia has endured for the past 800 years, forced to live an existence where only death and revenge are her driving life force. After so much time has past it may take a tall, muscular, alpha werewolf to throw her off track and make her take a closer look at what it means to live an immortal life.

Natalia is known as The Huntress and has become notorious for her ability to kill her targets in the supernatural world that there is even a bounty on her head....more Pain, isolation, and loneliness is what Natalia has endured for the past 800 years, forced to live an existence where only death and revenge are her driving life force. After so much time has past it may take a tall, muscular, alpha werewolf to throw her off track and make her take a closer look at what it means to live an immortal life.

Natalia is known as The Huntress and has become notorious for her ability to kill her targets in the supernatural world that there is even a bounty on her head. Despite all the centuries of killing it has not been able to help heal her heart at the past wrongs that have been inflicted upon her. Since her turning she has keep herself isolated because of shame and fear of what she had become until she allowed her heart to open up to another. The betrayal that she suffered made her promise to never allow another into her heart until Cristian.

Cristian didn't know what to expect when he captures the beautiful vampire that has him intrigued and has captured his heart. This alpha werewolf, also a park ranger, finds himself curious about this vampire and before he knows it he has partnered himself with her to hunt a serial killer in their midst.

I really enjoyed this book not only for the hot, steamy scenes (who could resist a gorgeous 6'6” alpha werewolf built like a Greek God) but also for the emotional connection that the two developed despite their differences. Both have endured traumatic past events and it is Cristian who is able to move on, but Natalia cannot seem to let go. I love how Cristian felt the attraction for Natalia and didn't let the fact she is a vampire from stopping him. The banter that occurred between them and Natalia's refusal to give into her feelings made me laugh out loud at times and at the same time want to smack her across her head for being so stubborn.

I have read the other books in this series and this has been the best one to date. Paranormal romance readers who definitely have a thing for hunky werewolves will enjoy this one. I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series that comes out, Destiny Bewitched.

5 Stars(less)

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Jan 04, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, read-in-2012

Do you guys know what I get a kick out of? Forbidden love. Yes! It's true! I wouldn't lie about this. The forbidden love between a vampire and a werewolf makes me shiver in delight. It's even better when the vamp in question is a stone-cold killer with an affinity toward metal and the werewolf is a bad-ass Alpha. She hunts his kind, he protects both the wolves and weres under him. She's slippery and tricky, he's enchanted by her brutal honesty and ability to squirm her way out of any situation....more

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Jan 05, 2012 WildAboutBones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: shewolf-pack, read4bbpr-review, 2012-pnr-challenge, 2012-100book-challenge

Another great story in the Shaw's Shadows of Destiny series! These stories just seem to get better and better. Vampires, werewolves, a reluctant romance and sarcastic humor ... oh yeah!

Hilarious. "But nothing scared her. Especially not some barely out of the cave Cro-Magnon that sprouted fur and fangs once in a while." And lines like "Nothing more disturbing than seeing a pointy weapon lodged in your chest" had me laughing out loud.

I love the heroine Natalia, a kick butt, badass vampire with a...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Nookmom (Courtney) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: she-wolf-pack, for-bbpr-review

Natalia is a jaded vampire assassin out to kill a rogue wolf serial killer. After 800 years and a terrible past with a mate, she wants nothing more than to hunt her target and seek revenge on her ex lover. She has no plans to fall for an alpha male and be vulnerable again. Enter Cristian. He is immediately captivated by Natalia. She is strong, intelligent and a true equal to him. She's everything he has ever wanted in a partner, except she is a vampire.

I enjoyed watching Natalia struggle with he...more

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Jun 25, 2012 TheMadHatter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, fiction, paranormal, romance-erotic

This is the third book in Leia Shaw's Shadows of Destiny series. For me, four stars is the highest rating I can give to a paranormal romance book...five stars to me means the book is so superb that it has altered my way of thinking or changed me in some way. Even my most favourite paranormal romance books only get 4 stars (it is the nature of the genre: they are great reads, but not life changing events). This was a really entertaining read. It was so good that it totally distracted me from the...more This is the third book in Leia Shaw's Shadows of Destiny series. For me, four stars is the highest rating I can give to a paranormal romance book...five stars to me means the book is so superb that it has altered my way of thinking or changed me in some way. Even my most favourite paranormal romance books only get 4 stars (it is the nature of the genre: they are great reads, but not life changing events). This was a really entertaining read. It was so good that it totally distracted me from the other two blockbuster books I was reading - that is how addictive this book is (how can these books not have a mainstream publisher, when the crap I am reading at the moment is published so widely....another of life's greatest mysteries). If you love these books - promote them, recommend them...get them out there.

What worked for me
I love the lead characters. Leia has got the alpha male down pat with Cristian. He is definitely my favourite male character across the three books. He is brilliant. Surprisingly, I love the female lead as well in Talia. I usually hate female lead characters as they are usually subservient or insecure or physically weak. Not so. Talia is a great female lead for me as she can well and truly hold her own. The dialogue between them is brilliant. Occassionally Talia would say something that didn't quite fit with who she is and her age (in my opinion), but again not enough to stop me chuckling along with some of the dialogue.

The writing style is really easy to read and I devoured this book in about 24 hours (would have been quicker if I didn't have kids :-P). Totally addictive!!!!! This is a book I will read over and over again when I am looking for a quick reading fix. The best couple of dollars I have ever spent.

What didn't work for me
There were two things that did bug me, but not enough to detract from rating this book highly.

The first is that (to me) the author introduced this great side character of Sorin and I was reading going "we have book no. 4 here" and I couldn't wait to read his story. Then it was like "he has found some perky, petite blonde and is now very happy". I felt cheated. Other readers may not, but for me when I first read him I got it in my mind that he would be a great lead for book 4. Once that thought goes in, you can't take it back. When the character for the fourth book was introduced (assuming it is the witch's daughter) I felt a bit flat as I am not invested in that character. I think they may have needed to be introduced a bit earlier and in a bit more detail (such as Marcelo and Talia were in book 1 and 2 respectively) to get the reader hanging out for Book 4. I don't feel invested in book 4. It is one thing Black dagger Brotherhood does so well - lead in to the next book by letting that character have a larger role in the preceding book to get you thinking about them.

The second thing is that this book is very much about Talia-Cristian. In some regards is great and probably why I read it so quickly as I was so engrossed in them and didn't need to skip over the annoying side story which usually gives you a spot to break and shut the book for a pause (like a tv ad break :-P). But there is a fine balance between having too much side stuff in the book and not having enough. I don't think this book had enough and that makes it seem a little shallower than it actually is. What is happening with the Queen? How is the supernatural world changing? Bring in some of the past characters a little and let us see how they are progressing. Link. There was a little between Marcelo and Talia that I was looking forward to, but in the end it was anticlimactic and lacked the depth that should have been there after such a long time waiting to settle their outstanding business. I almost wished it hadn't been there as it was quite rushed.

However, having said all that - this is a great book! There are few books that make me want to read them again the minute I finish and this is one of them. I will be giving this series to my dear friend for Xmas as I know she will love it as much as me. Leia is a very talented author and I really want to read this book again right now....I probably would if GoodReads counted repeat reads in the challenge quotas......Great work Leia.(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Angeline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, reviewed-for-guilty-pleasures

5 Stars

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May 29, 2012 Mel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, werewolves, paranormal

Destiny Unchained is the third book in the Shadows of Destiny series by Leia Shaw. This is by far my favorite of the series. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. I know I lost a few hours of sleep reading Destiny Unchained, but it was worth it.

Destiny Unchained is the story of Cristian, the Alpha werewolf and pack leader for several states, and Natalia, the Huntress Vampire who tracks and kills rogue werewolves. If you have read Destiny United, you know that Natalia is the wife...more Destiny Unchained is the third book in the Shadows of Destiny series by Leia Shaw. This is by far my favorite of the series. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. I know I lost a few hours of sleep reading Destiny Unchained, but it was worth it.

Destiny Unchained is the story of Cristian, the Alpha werewolf and pack leader for several states, and Natalia, the Huntress Vampire who tracks and kills rogue werewolves. If you have read Destiny United, you know that Natalia is the wife of Marcelo. Cristian and Natalia’s paths cross as Natalia is hunting The Slayer, a rogue werewolf who has been kidnapping and killing children. Natalia is extremely head strong and persistent in tracking The Slayer which leads her into Cristian’s territory. Since Cristian knows of Natalia’s reputation, he captures her in hopes of finding out why she has ventured into his territory. Thus our story begins and Cristian and Natalia’s relationship starts off with some kick ass action.

Destiny Unchained was definitely one kick ass story. The past experiences of Cristian and Natalia provide great conflict as their relationship develops and changes. Both Cristian and Natalia have emotional pain and grief to overcome and find that they need each other to do so, Natalia more so than Cristian. Cristian proves to be the undoing of Natalia as he does not let her run from him and uses his Alpha status any way he can in his pursuit. Natalia is definitely the strong, hard heroine that Cristian needs to balance his Alpha maleness.

In addition to the development of the relationship of Cristian and Natalia, they must pursue The Slayer. The Slayer not only kidnaps and kills children, he also toys with Natalia. He knows how to manipulate and string her along. He seems to enjoy the game as much as the end result. It takes both Cristian and Natalia to pursue The Slayer.

Destiny Unchained has a great story line, steamy sex with meaning, not gratuitous, lots of emotional demons to overcome, and action, action, action. Destiny Unchained is a good paranormal story with two very strong characters. In addition to the action, there are also some very tender, touching moments between Cristian and Natalia as they connect. I even teared up a few times. I could definitely read Cristian and Natalia’s story again.

There are more characters introduced in Destiny Unchained which provide a lead in to the next couple of books in the series. There are witches, sorcerers, fae, more vampires and werewolves, and dragons to be seen. Sorin, the Beta Wolf, has a story, For the Love of Harmony (book 2.5) which is also tied into Destiny Unchained. I am anxious to start book four, Destiny Bewitched. I can’t wait to see what action will be next.
(less)

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Jan 18, 2012 Francesca the Fierce ~Eyelet Ecstasy~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fae, werewolves-shifters, vampires, books-read-2012

This review was posted at Under The Covers

I was pleasantly surprised with this story. Having read the previous one and thinking we were going to get a bit more of the Underworld politics and relations with the fae, it came as a shock that the main characters for this story are a lone vampire assassin, Natalia, who is a pretty kick ass chick and has lived with a resentment towards werewolves because her own mate was one and the pack turned against her (many many moons ago). The hero? A sexy and o...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-goodreads-challenge, e-book, paranormal-vamps-witches-shifters, paranormal-erotic

OH MY! And here I thought the first two books were delicious! Ms. Shaw is keeping the pace with her sexy paranormals with this 3rd book in the story. She's brought in more thrills and eroticism, introduced some new characters and gotten down-right into the heart of a love story.

Natalia is a werewolf hunter. And she's going to meet her match with the Alpha Cristian. Hold onto your skirts ladies...this one is hotter than the roaring flames in a fireplace.

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May 15, 2013 Jaycee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I never fail to pick up a series book, smack in the middle of a series. It's genetic, I think...

However, this time it works well as a standalone. I really enjoyed the banter and connection as it developed between characters, as well as this well fleshed out world they inhabit. Vampires AND werewolves: can it get any better? Well, yah, I want to see more of the cocky dragons, too!

I will be checking out others in the series.

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Nov 28, 2011 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Got my hands on an ARC and it is the best book in the series yet! Its very well written and it flows well. I loved Natalia and learning about her story. And you can't help but love Cristian. Its an exciting story that I wanted to go on and on. And, the 'hea' wasn't easily won...which I love. I am so excited to get to the next book...and this one isn't even released yet! Clearly, patience isn't my strong suit. Thanks Leia! ;-)

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Jun 01, 2012 Trina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, favorite-hero

Love it! You should read it too!
It has a kick ass heroine, literally.
It also has an 'Alpha' hero who's possessive, protective, bossy, but also sweet when necessary.

The book is only 155 pages therefore, the pace is really fast and the ending feels a bit rushed. I would also like to say this to the heroine "It's been 800 years, get over it already!".

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Nov 10, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, contemporary-romance, humor, paranormal, review-books, vampire

Natalia is a vampire assassin with a penchant for ending up tied to trees and Cristian is an alpha werewolf. Their very species dictate that they become mortal enemies, but they can't fight their attraction to each other. Natalia struggles to maintain the walls she's spent centuries building around her heart while they hunt a rogue werewolf in a race to stop him before he kills again.

Shaw has a fabulous sense of humor and it comes through in all her books. I love the banter between her character...more

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Sep 19, 2012 BamaGal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-uf

3.5 Stars. I liked the ss about Sorin and Harmony; and I liked this one pretty well, just don't really know if I want to keep up with this series. There are a lot of inconsistencies in the story; and every time it gets off the wolves and onto the other paranormal beings of this world I start to lose interest. Also, for being painted as such a great hunter/assassin; Talia sure did get caught and left to die a lot.

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Fantasy > Paranormal

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Paranormal > Vampires

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Shapeshifters > Werewolves

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Romance > Paranormal Romance

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Romance

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Paranormal > Shapeshifters

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“Luck I get,” she said when they’d sat in silence once more. “But why brave?”
He shifted in his seat then sat forward, his gaze piercing through her. “Because, Natalia, love is a risk. Love from the depths of your soul requires a certain amount of sacrifice. It bids you to give yourself wholly to another. To allow someone to view you like a prism, assessing you at every angle, examining every flaw. You must lay yourself before them, open and bare, and say, ‘here I am. I hold nothing back. I am yours, mind, body, and soul.’ And all you can do is hope they don’t crush you.” He leaned closer. “But the man who truly loves you will tend to your heart like he tends a garden, nurturing it until it grows and blooms under his hand.” — 3 people liked it

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Destiny Unchained (Shadows of Destiny #3)

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