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Living Nightmare (Sentinel Wars #4)

by Shannon K. Butcher (Goodreads Author)

4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 · rating details · 1,262 ratings · 99 reviews

View our feature on Shannon Butcher’s Living Nightmare.

For nine years, the Sentinel Nika has had one goal-to save her younger sister from the Synestryn who hold her captive. Now, the psychic bond Nika forged with her sibling on that terrible night is fading, and time is running out. But the one man who can unlock the power inside her may be the greatest danger to her.

Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages

Published November 2nd 2010 by Signet

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Jun 30, 2012 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Paranormal Romance Addicts

Shelves: heroine-i-adore, mental-illness, fated-to-be-mated, scary-sexy-cool-dangerous-hero, hero-to-die-for, grumpy-surly-brooding-hero, small-but-formidable, psychic, brothers-and-sisters, family, tortured-hero, tormented-heroine, good-secondary-characters, vampire, monster-hunters, warrior, brotherhood, 2012-sky-s-the-limit-club, yearly-reading-challenge, favorites, part-of-a-series, unrequited-love, science-fiction-romance, set-in-midwest-united-states, supercouple, modern-virgin-heroine, hero-thinks-hes-not-good-enough-for, possessive-and-or-jealous-hero

Best book of the series thus far. And better yet, it has built expectation for future books. I loved Nika even more than Madoc, which is saying something. Nika might seem frail and in need of protection, but she is a tough little woman. Just the woman for Madoc. I loved the symbiosis of their relationship. Their relationship wasn't about one taking too much from the other, but an equal exchange between them both. I liked how things worked out with Madoc's lifemark and his dire situation as far a...more Best book of the series thus far. And better yet, it has built expectation for future books. I loved Nika even more than Madoc, which is saying something. Nika might seem frail and in need of protection, but she is a tough little woman. Just the woman for Madoc. I loved the symbiosis of their relationship. Their relationship wasn't about one taking too much from the other, but an equal exchange between them both. I liked how things worked out with Madoc's lifemark and his dire situation as far as his soul. I loved the fact that Nika wasn't willing to give up on him. And her determination paid off beautifully for them both. Nika managed to be a determined, stubborn heroine without ever being annoying about it. She just didn't give up on what was important to her, and that was a good thing. I was glad she powered through all those obstacles that stood between her and Madoc and finding her lost sister, Tori. Now you need to know I loved me some Madoc. He's adorably fierce and grumpy, but so marshmallow for Nika. Just the way I like my heroes! It should be interesting to see how Madoc progresses as a character since he will now be happily bonded. Looking forward to it.

Can I say that the Sanguinars have me the most intrigued? I love me some Tynan. He is a brilliant mix of cunning, beauty, intelligence, and manipulative nature. He reminds me of an Anne Stuart hero. That's a great complement. I like Logan too. The part near the end with the kids had me all warm and fuzzy! I like the whole Sanginar angle, and it makes me so eager to keep reading to see what they have up their sleeves.

The secondary storylines as usual, were compelling. Some made me sad, and some very hopeful. But all curious about what happens next. There is a lot of intensity, anguish, and suffering in these books. I don't feel any sense of disconnection when I read, which is a very good thing. I love how Ms. Butcher builds excitement for the following books without making it into annoying cliffhangers. Those drive me crazy. It's more of an, "Oh, can't wait for the next book" rather than shaking one's fist and spewing bad language out of frustration.

It's official. I've found another addictive, highly explosive paranormal series to follow. Works for me!(less)

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Nov 15, 2010 Smokinhotbooks K.C. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr

Read Full Review Here

I can't believe I almost forgot(zies) this one was released in Nov. Shame on me! I was a wee (sorry I’ve been Google(ing) Irish baby names all day) disappointed in the last book, Running Scared because I thought the main character’s chemistry was not full throttle like I had read in previous books but I knew this one was going to be better.

What really makes Living Nightmare a good read is the richness of the side characters. Not only do you get the story of the main charac...more

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Nov 11, 2011 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, virgin-heroines, fated-mates, warriors, tortured-heros, favorites, demons, kick-ass-heroines, strong-silent-hero

Living Nightmare
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Nika Madison has been trapped in a nightmare for nine years but now she is slowly coming out of it and has one goal – to save her younger sister from the monstrous Synestryn holding her captive. Unfortunately, Nika’s psychic connection to her sister is fading and only one person has power to help Nika re-forge that bond: Madoc, a Sentinel Warrior with a bare lifemark who wants nothing to do with Nika.

Review:
Amazing read that keeps you turning the pages!

As in the p...more

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Nov 04, 2010 Keri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: shannon-k-butcher, 2010-read, romance-urban-fantasy, reviewed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What an awesome read! WoW it is almost hard to know where to start because there was so much info packed into this book. If you haven't read any of the other books in the series you might be lost. At the heart of the story is the romance of Nika and Madoc. SB also set us up with several couples over the next several books, but I feel like she may be moving away slightly from the Sentinels to bring some variety to the line. (just my guess based on what I read)

Madoc is angry and getting angrier b...more What an awesome read! WoW it is almost hard to know where to start because there was so much info packed into this book. If you haven't read any of the other books in the series you might be lost. At the heart of the story is the romance of Nika and Madoc. SB also set us up with several couples over the next several books, but I feel like she may be moving away slightly from the Sentinels to bring some variety to the line. (just my guess based on what I read)

Madoc is angry and getting angrier by the moment. His last leaf (once the last leaf is gone, Sentinels lose their soul) is almost gone and the pain in unrelenting. So why won't this crazy white haired chic Nika leave him the hell alone and let him do what he does best, make his whores happy and kill the Synestryn. However, Nika is determined to get through to Madoc for she is whole in mind and in spirit and it is time to take the big Sentinel down with her warmth and love.

Ok well that is how it would go down in her head, but I am afraid it became a lot more complicated then that. We have been teased with Nika and Madoc's connection from like the second book and we still had to work for it. Not only is she trying to get Modac's hard headed butt into bed, she is also trying to figure out away to save her sister, Tori from the Synestryn. We also have brief glimpses of past couples.

We also have plots being hatched by the Sanguinar, called Project Lullabye. Are they creating a source of food supply using human women as their incubators? Or something more sinister than that? There are probably some scenes that will touch on some hot button issues or at least one potentially forced sex scene that might make some wince. There is also violence and nasties that creep around in the night.

Curiously enough, sex was a small part of this book then usual because the story line itself really carried the book. You were forced to pay attention in order to keep the threads of who was doing what to whom. I really enjoyed the book, I guess I must have since I managed to read it in 4 hours. I read the excerpt from the next book and I want to read it NOW! (less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Fourth in the Sentinel Wars paranormal romance action series revolving around an endangered group of enhanced warriors based in Dabyr who are protecting the world from demons. The couple focus is on Nika and Madoc---and it's about time!

My Take
There's a good lesson in this—LISTEN. Listen to the people around you. Pay attention. Hear what they're saying. If anyone had listened to Nika, Madoc and Tori would have suffered less. That said, Nika goes off half-cocked once they do start listening. Of co...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Dianne Socci-Tetro rated it 3 of 5 stars

Since finding the very first books and reviewing it for the Vine program I sort of forgot about this series and how much I loved the first book. So this weekend I started reading the series at the pace of one book a day. Which in retrospect may be a very bad idea. The next book [[ASIN:0451412826 Finding the Lost: The Sentinel Wars]] kept me just as engrossed. But I'm finding a subtle differences in the next several books and it is one that I may not really be prepared for. In this book in partic...more

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Apr 18, 2011 ~Megan~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dangerous-dudes, pnr-uf, psychics-paranormal-powers, scarred-tortured-hero

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

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Nov 16, 2010 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher
Paranormal Romance -Nov. 2nd, 2010
4 ½ stars

Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher is the 4th exiting new installment in her Sentinel Wars series. The action is non-stop and the drama between the 2 main characters is intense. There are several secondary characters that make this more complex and fascinating but they can also detract from the storyline especially if you have not read 1 of the author’s prior books in the series.

Nika has strong mental abilities...more Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher
Paranormal Romance -Nov. 2nd, 2010
4 ½ stars

Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher is the 4th exiting new installment in her Sentinel Wars series. The action is non-stop and the drama between the 2 main characters is intense. There are several secondary characters that make this more complex and fascinating but they can also detract from the storyline especially if you have not read 1 of the author’s prior books in the series.

Nika has strong mental abilities that have made her attractive and easy prey for the evil Synestryn. She has been recently rescued and is slowly recovering with the aid of the Sentinals. However, Nika is haunted by the knowledge that her sister Tori is still held captive by the Synestryn. But everyone else believes Tori is dead and Nika is crazy for believing otherwise. They don’t understand that Nika still retains a mental bond with Tori and knows she is alive. Nika is feverishly driven to prove Tori’s existence and save her before she fades away…..

Mardoc knows his time is coming soon. Once his last leaf falls he will loose his soul and have to be ‘put down.’ Secretly, he wears a ring that uses dark magic to keep what is left of his soul. Knowing his life is borrowed, he resists his deep fascination with the young and fragile Nika. But when she keeps insisting on putting herself in danger he must protect her no matter what the cost.

This is a deeply layered novel with many secondary characters that add depth but can also distract from the story. I particularly found the heartbreaking storyline about Grace who sacrifices herself by transferring her love’s debilitating illness to herself (so he can live) touching. I hope this is not the end?! The intense attraction between the main characters really carried the story. I could feel how much they wanted each other and I admired Nika’s courage to grab happiness with Mardoc even if he had given up. Mardoc is a strong and hard male. But one that is driven to protect and care for those weaker. I loved how he tried to stay away from Nika but kept risking himself to keep her safe.

This was an exciting and rich story that those who love darker paranormal romances and urban fantasies will enjoy.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
(less)

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Oct 23, 2010 Jean Tatro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

After the relatively disappointing slump in the third book the series has bounced back. The overall pacing has slowed down from the first two books, but it seems to have found it's balance. Butcher also seems to have gotten the hang of interweaving story lines, though with a few it's hard to see how they fit into the larger picture at first(which was irritating when there was more interesting things going on elsewhere.) Those interludes are ultimately forgiven however, because Sanguinar scheming...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Mirely rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading-challenge, series-sentinel-wars-shannon-butche, us-nebraska, us-missouri, adult-romance

I rarely give out 5 stars...SECOND HALF OF THIS BOOK EARNED THE FIVE FREAKIN' STARS!!!!

I was left at WOW!!!

Living Nightmare's featured couple: Madoc and Nika. Madoc and Nika came into the picture a while back in book 2 and have been making appearances since then. Nika was attacked as a child by Synestryns who consumed her blood and by doing so they carried a piece of her mind in each of them. Needless to say Nika's mind was shattered, she was traumatized and everyone thinks she's crazy. I mentio...more I rarely give out 5 stars...SECOND HALF OF THIS BOOK EARNED THE FIVE FREAKIN' STARS!!!!

I was left at WOW!!!

Living Nightmare's featured couple: Madoc and Nika. Madoc and Nika came into the picture a while back in book 2 and have been making appearances since then. Nika was attacked as a child by Synestryns who consumed her blood and by doing so they carried a piece of her mind in each of them. Needless to say Nika's mind was shattered, she was traumatized and everyone thinks she's crazy. I mentioned in one of my earlier reviews that I felt Nika was a very interesting character and that she was probably the sanest of them all... I still feel that way. Madoc, who's lifemark has gone bare, is having a difficult time dealing with his almost dead soul. He is UBER cranky. All the time. He is drawn to Nika but his Luceria doesn't react to her. He does want to protect her and vows to kill off as many Synestryns as possible to piece together Nika's mind. He does such a good job that in this book we find a much healthier Nika who's tired of being called crazy and is beginning to stand her ground on certain topics. Needless to say the first half of the book encompasses Nika convincing Madoc that they are supposed to be life partners, Madoc saying no, no, no, Nika saying yes, yes, yes and finally gets the Luceria to go around her neck. YAY! NIKA! You'll have to read to find out how that all went down.

THE SECOND HALF OF THE BOOK!!!! WOWZA! So much went down in the second half of the book that I don't think I can mention it without giving away spoilers but I will definitely try.
We find out more of Gilda's secrets. We find out why Sybil and Maura hate their mother so much and why they are stuck in 8 year old bodies. We meet Tori, Nika and Andra's youngest sister. Tori is even more jacked up than any of the other women they have found. An epic battle ensues between the Sentinels and the Synestryns inside one of their central lairs where they've been impregnating human women with Synestryn seed. We meet Zillah's son and he has a big secret too. Nika kicks major butt and as I have predicted all along, will probably be the most powerful weapon the Sentinels will have. Something major happens to two couples we know. OH and Jackie is found. Yeah I say that as an after thought because she almost seemed like one. UGH! I digress. OH OH OH and there is this other storyline going on in the book with a human couple. These were the highlights. I can go into details but I really think you should find out on your own.

This was a pretty awesome book. This author can write some pretty steamy scenes but this book didn't really have that. Honestly, I didn't really miss it only because there were some really interesting things going on in addition to that. The author chose many story lines to go into and at one point was jumping from one to another every other page or so. Sometimes this can be annoying but it worked in this book. There are some major cliffhangers in this book like Jackie, Helen and Lexie's sister, is found and it turns out she is compatible with three of the Theronai males. Of course she's intrigued by the one that seems to be the least into her but we'll see how that goes in the books to come.

Go read this book! (less)

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Nov 05, 2011 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shannon Butcher's books in this series get better and better,and this one is no exception. There are so many couples to root for. First there's Nika and Madoc. Will they EVER bond and save his soul from dying?And will Nika find her sister in time? And how about Grace and Torr. Grace can tell Torr's paralysis is spreading. Can she help save him,or will he die? And what is the price of saving him? Wow,what a dilemma she faces!
And then there's Angus and his mate Gilda. Will he ever be able to forg...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Kaleigha rated it 3 of 5 stars

More like a 3.5 stars, to be fair.

I enjoy the Sentinel Wars series from Shannon K. Butcher. It is a bit different, and has a very large cast of characters that I find interesting. Like many other series, it features the secret warriors fighting to save a humanity they aren't even really a part of, but it has enough unique elements to stand out.

We first met Madoc and Nika a couple of books ago. Madoc was literally at the end of his rope, his soul dying, his honor being lost in the constant pain h...more More like a 3.5 stars, to be fair.

I enjoy the Sentinel Wars series from Shannon K. Butcher. It is a bit different, and has a very large cast of characters that I find interesting. Like many other series, it features the secret warriors fighting to save a humanity they aren't even really a part of, but it has enough unique elements to stand out.

We first met Madoc and Nika a couple of books ago. Madoc was literally at the end of his rope, his soul dying, his honor being lost in the constant pain he endures. Nika, too, was severely damaged, her mind splintered into insanity from the monsters who just would not let her go. Right from the start, you could feel the spark between them, and Living Nightmare is their story.

Madoc is not a nice guy. He isn't the wounded with a heart of gold...he is just wounded. Mean, violent, vulgar and usually in a rage, his only soft spot is Nika...and that scares him more than he admit. He knows that soon he will be little better than the monsters he has spent centuries hunting, and he is starting not to care. But even as Madoc is sliding down, Nika is pulling herself up. She is battling her way back from insanity, all for the purpose of freeing the little sister no one believes is still alive. Through all of the changes she is facing, the one man Nika needs is Madoc. The problem is, he is determined to do the right thing, and that means staying as far away from Nika as he can.

Madoc has been running away from Nika for months, looking for any battle he can find before he ends his own life. But Nika is determined, no matter what the cost, to have Madoc as her own. It is a bit of a different take on things...usually the male is the one in relentless pursuit, but here Nika is the hunter and Madoc the prey, and I liked it for a change. Small, frail Nika terrifies Madoc the warrior the way no monster ever has, and he is pretty much powerless once she sets her mind on him.

There is a lot going on in this story, and not all of it is pleasant. I did enjoy Madoc and Nika's story, and they definitely deserve their happily ever after. There is a lot going on in the background, as well, and sometimes it can almost be too much. There are side stories about project lullaby, Grace and Torr, Jackie, the slayers, Angus and Glenda, Maura and Sibyl, Tori...you get the idea. It was busy, but still flowed well enough to keep up on everything, and I very much enjoy how there are several future stories set up in each book. The only thing that dropped it from 4 stars to 3.5 was the complete nastiness of the bad guy. Zillah was a bastard. Zillah, and the horror that Tori went through, was a bit too much and took some of my enjoyment away, It made me, I guess you could say uncomfortable, and that distracted me from the overall enjoyment of the story as a whole. Not that I am easily offended, but I just felt so bad for Tori that I left the book depressed rather than happy. But still, there are many stories from this world I am looking forward to, especially Grace and Torr.(less)

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Jan 13, 2013 P.A. Lupton rated it 4 of 5 stars

So far, this was my favorite Sentinel War’s book. I loved it. I loved the concept in the previous books, but didn’t connect as well with all the characters as I did in this book. I especially liked Nika.

Nika was a great character. She was so weak in the previous book that I enjoyed seeing her strength shine through in this novel. She was tough and persistent. Right from the beginning she refused to quit looking for her sister Tori. Everyone thought she was crazy and she refused to let it go. Sh...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

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

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Nov 02, 2010 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Madoc is a warrior on the brink of losing his soul. Drawn inexplicably to a fragile woman who is not his mate, he fights his attraction to Nika by keeping his distance and works only to save her from the demons who have haunted her mind and have left her first comatose and then for awhile nearly insane. But Nika is much better now and she's fighting to leave that fragile woman behind. And it is Nika's strength and determination that will allow her to stand up for what she believes against Madoc...more Madoc is a warrior on the brink of losing his soul. Drawn inexplicably to a fragile woman who is not his mate, he fights his attraction to Nika by keeping his distance and works only to save her from the demons who have haunted her mind and have left her first comatose and then for awhile nearly insane. But Nika is much better now and she's fighting to leave that fragile woman behind. And it is Nika's strength and determination that will allow her to stand up for what she believes against Madoc and the rest of the Sentinels, and to fight for not only Madoc's salvation but also to save the sister everyone else has given up for dead.

I have been anticipating Madoc's redemption/salvation and was happy to seeing how things played out between him and Nika. There is just something about a tough bad boy warrior who has a soft spot for the one woman who makes him want to be more than he is and makes him want to have more than he feels he deserves. On the whole I enjoyed Nika and Madoc's relationship, but there is one scene which comes pretty close to crossing a line and it is only Nika's opinion of the event - which we see after and not during - that keeps it from being something else entirely.

I liked Living Nightmare but it is definitely not a story for those new to the series. With multiple threads and four or five stories going on in addition to the main romance, Living Nightmare was really an ensemble piece and most all of the characters and the set ups for their vignettes were done in previous books. One thread with Grace - whose hopeless relationship with the crippled warrior Torr has been has been an intriguing subplot for several books - offers some poignant moments here. But for readers who have been following the series, all of those threads mean that we finally get answers to some of the mysteries in the Sentinel world, including just what the Sanguinar (vampire/healers) are up to, and why the seer twins are stuck in childhood.

Despite the challenge for new readers, the good thing about having all those irons in the fire is that it is clear that Butcher is going to be able to keep the series going for quite a while and she has again left me anticipating the next installment, Blood Hunt, which is (Sanguinar) Logan's book. I am really happy to get his story, but hopefully there will also be at least a small glimpse what happens next to Grace and Torr - It's going to be hard to wait until summer of 2011 (less)

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Nov 26, 2010 Ally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

They are Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes: the Synestryn.

For nine years, Nika has had one goal, to save her younger sister from the Synestryn who hold her captive. Now, the psychic bond Nika forged with her sibling on that terrible night is fading, and time is running out. But the one man who can unlock the power inside her may be the greatest danger to her.

I had ridiculo...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Magda rated it 4 of 5 stars

After the disappointment of the previous installment, this book was fantastic!
Nika, although not physically strong, is strong in character. Madoc, although physically strong, is dying. Together, they are each others salvation.
I much preferred Nika in this book to previous heroines because she wasn't thrust into a world she didn't understand or want. Her outlook towards her situation was much more believable than the girls who came before her.
The story flowed nicely, although I still have many...more

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Mar 23, 2011 MarsianMan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nika is determined to save her sister no matter what gets in her way. Her telepathic connection to her sister is dying and everyone thinks she is crazy with grief / having her mind split apart.

Great book. I was on tenter hooks the entire time. It was quite dramatically packed. I have to say that the relationship between Madoc and Nika was so tantalizingly close that it drove me crazy (in a good way). I really liked the other subplots that tie to a surprisingly interesting overarching epic story...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series just gets better. While some story lines are ending and we can leave those characters, other characters are being introduced. I want to know what is happening with them as well as some of the ohters who haven't have much time. This is Nika and Madoc's story. Madoc is running out of time and believes he will only hurt Nika. Nika keeps trying to tell him she is not as fragile as he thinks, that he is the only one she can stand having touch her. She finally learns what is keeping him fr...more

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Dec 05, 2010 Stacy {Texas Reader} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-scifi

Nika and Madoc's story is one I have waited (impatiently) to read. And I was not disappointed! It is quite a ride and a LOT of questions get answered. This book really pulled all the pieces of this series together for me. I couldn't put it down, page after page kept me glued to it, needing to know what would happen next. So much happens, but I don't want to spoil anything. Some of the team is lost, we find others along the way, and Nika and Madoc finally become the couple that we all new they wo...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Lazy Jeff rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-read, paranormal, vampires

I was so afraid to read this one. There were so many expectations, so many hopes, so many dreams. But it didn't disappoint me. Not by a long shot. Butcher just getting better and better with each of her books. She perfectly knows how to keep me in suspense! Action, struggle, conflict, losing and winning. It’s simply WOW.

My main prize goes to Madoc. Oh God, he’s just gorgeous! There’s so much rage in him, so much pain – he’s just walking_talking agony. But deep within him you always feel somethin...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Melinda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: trashy-romance

Have I mentioned that I really like Butcher's work? I truly do but this last book...there was too much going on. Too many story lines and characters to keep up with. The sad thing for me is that this was the story I was looking forward to. Madoc and Nika seemed destined not to happen and I wanted to know if they would.

This book must be setting the foundation for other plot lines. I am a huge fan of scifi/fantasy genre (even though this is considered paranormal romance, but that's another soapbo...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Auntie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was sooo excited to read the story of Nika and Madoc!!! The way they connected with one another... I loved how the two of them saved one another. The inner strength that Nika has to wrestle an unwilling Madoc, as well as dealing with her demons. And Madoc has his own "inner" demon that he has to overcome.

There are various secondary story-lines throughout the book:
Grace and Torr (surely they will have they're own book???)
Gilda & Angus, Logan & Project Lullaby, Sybil & Maura, and a...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Forgotten Realms Queen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-paranormal-romace, romance

Really good story, but nothing overly spectacular. No big reveals about the world and its mythology, but there are confirmations of some suspisions we've had from earlier books.

My only real point of contention with this book is that there is a pretty harsh near-rape scene close to the end. It is easily surpassed, and it provides the trigger the heroine needs to help save the day, but it was still kinda harsh.

Little Nika's mind finally heals, and she finds her Sentinel beau who helps her save her...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I like the first two books in this series, but for some reason the last two books have been harder for me to become invested in. This last one is my least favorite. Maybe I just need more humor in anything I read. Once you start getting into interspecies rape and child-bearing scenarios it can be hard to switch gears and root for a romance blooming on the pages. Especially when the heroine is so very, very damaged and fragile. The way she is described just made her seem somewhat repugnant to me....more

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Nov 15, 2010 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hmmmm. This book advanced the storyline of the series more than the previous three combined. That was great. Lots of changes occurred to the status quo which is also good. I love it when authors aren't afraid to turn their world on it's head. The characters this book centered on, Nika and Madoc, made the book, as they are some of my favorites and I'd been hoping for their story to advance. The sex scenes weren't as steamy as in the previous ones but were still pretty good.

All in all, probably th...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh, this was really cool. These Sentinel warriors have these living tattoos of trees on their torso and as they get older the leaves start falling off. When the last leaf falls they go nuts and have to kill themselves or be killed UNLESS they meet... (wait for it) their soul-mate! I know it's an oft-used premise in the paranormal romance genre but these stories are really well written and I've enjoyed each of the 4 books of this series that I've read so far. If you like Sherrilyn Kenyon then you...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr

Now this book was good. Glad I stayed with this series. The plot has picked up, there was no waiting for the heroine to decide her fate, more the hero in this story,but it was sooner in the book rather than later, and there are many different storylines in play now. The suspense is getting interesting. This book ends rather abruptly rather than the HEA of the other stories. There are all kinds of ways for this storyline to move. Actually looking forward to the release of the next book to see whe...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Mello ❣ Illium ✮Harry✮ ☀Myrnin☀ Torin Ichimaru rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, demons, fantasy, magic, paranormal-romance, supernatural, vamps, immortals, awesome-heroines, hawt-heroes, hot-sex-scenes, did-that-just-happen, intense-as-all-hell, read-in-2013, favorites, sentinel-wars, shannon-k-butcher

Synopsis:

For nine years, Nika has had one goal: to save her younger sister from the Synestryn who hold her captive. Now the psychic bond Nika forged with her sibling is fading, and time is running out. But the one man who can unlock the power inside her left and never returned, leaving Nika alone to rescue a sister everyone else believes is dead.

Madoc swore to himself he would never enter Dabyr again. For his soul is nearly dead, and he fears what he might do to those he's sworn to protect -- es...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nika Madison has been trying to get Madoc to see that she's not as fragile as he thinks she is. It's been seven months since Madoc last seen Nika and swears he's imaging curves and healthy glow to her. Nika is trying to prove that her baby sister Tori isn't dead by digging up the pretenders bones only she forgot that she doesn't have the strength to finish the job. Madoc is furious that he's being asked to rescue Nika from herself instead of fighting Synestryn. Nika believes that Madoc is the on...more

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About Shannon K. Butcher

A lot of authors knew they wanted to write books from the time they were little. Their heads were full of fanciful stories that they yearned to commit to paper with a passion that only grew as they did. They spent hours reading fiction, voraciously absorbing every kind of story they could get their hands on.

Shannon was not one of them.

When she was little, she wanted to be a daddy. When she learned...more A lot of authors knew they wanted to write books from the time they were little. Their heads were full of fanciful stories that they yearned to commit to paper with a passion that only grew as they did. They spent hours reading fiction, voraciously absorbing every kind of story they could get their hands on.

Shannon was not one of them.

When she was little, she wanted to be a daddy. When she learned the anatomical improbability of that happening, she decided instead to become what her dad was: an Industrial Engineer. So that’s what she did. She never once changed majors or veered from her path. After she graduated, she went to work for a big telecom company earning a steady paycheck while her husband pursued his dream to become a published author.

For those of you who might not know, Shannon's husband is Jim Butcher, fantasy and sci-fi author extraordinaire. She learned to write in an effort to help him improve his own work and as soon as she discovered that writing was more a learned skill than a natural talent she knew she had to give it a try. She couldn’t resist the challenge of taking the pieces of a story apart and putting them back together again. It’s the kind of puzzle that made her want to be an engineer to begin with – to learn how things work and why. She thought she’d write the same kind of thing Jim did, but then she picked up her first romance in 1998 and was hooked. Somehow, stories about how two people come to love each other made everything else seem shallow in comparison. Maybe it was just her hormones talking, but whatever it was, it was loud, so she listened and she started writing romances. She wrote great heaping piles of suckfulness – like most new writers – but eventually her work sucked less and hopefully that trend will continue as she learns more. Heaven knows she have a great teacher. (Thanks, Jim.)

A family of geeks to the core, the Butchers live in Independence, Missouri, with their son and a dog who is only one four-foot stick away from being a dust mop.
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Trivia About Living Nightmare

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Quotes from Living Nightmare

“What's wrong with you?" Nika asks Madoc. He responds, "I'm an incurable asshole.” — 4 people liked it

“You stay here, stay safe." He kissed her forehead and darted out the door, sword in hand." Nika turned to glare at Logan. "You try to stop me and I'll find a dozen new and interesting ways to make you regret it." Logan lifted his elegant hands, a small smile playing at the corners of his luscious mouth. "I would never dare to stand between a woman and the man whom she plans to teach a lesson. I prefer to watch the show.” — 2 people liked it

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Living Nightmare (Sentinel Wars #4)

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