Christine Feehan's Blog - Posts Tagged "reread"
Re-Read Wrap up with Shadow Keeper
Have you ever read a book and liked it even better on the re-read? It’s been so long since I wrote Shadow Keeper I nearly forgot how much I love Giovanni and Sasha’s story. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting them.
It was difficult to pinpoint just one scene that I loved, let alone three. But, there are types of scenes I loved throughout.
I love all the scenes with the brother. I still have readers write to me asking about Sasha’s brother. I love the closeness between Sasha and Sandlin, her big brother with a brain injury. He is childlike and she reads to him and spends time with him. And though Sandlin has a brain injury he still recognizes Giovanni as a dangerous man. I really enjoyed the brother.
I love the scenes that show Sasha’s strength. She’s a country girl with a kickbutt attitude, logical about life and very loyal. She’s not inhibited and has no problem making her own demands. She’s non apologetic about her sexuality. To me, she embodies a real woman.
I enjoyed foreshadowing and layers to the Ferraro matriarch, Eloisa. I showed a little softness to her with regard to Sandlin, but there is no doubt that she is a hardened woman. So much of how she is in Shadow Keeper comes back into play in Shadow Flight. I’ll be interested to see what readers make of her.
Now, the intriguing, fun part of the re-read for me – looking at what readers found interesting in the book. These are the top three passages or scenes readers on Kindle highlighted. I love seeing what a group of people found interesting or memorable and then trying to figure out why that was chosen or talk a bit about the idea behind that scene or passage.
Kindle Notes & Highlights
#1 -On the asphalt, she could see their shadows had come together, connecting with all the other shadows in the parking lot.
When two people come together as Shadow Riders for the first time it’s one of my favorite moments in the story. There’s an undeniable awareness between them. It’s on a cellular level, a soul level.
It’s one thing for Shadow Riders to acknowledge each other through their shadows, but when it’s a fated couple there’s more to it. That awareness is a jolt. Once a Shadow Rider commits to the relationship they are committed for life. I love the romance of that.
#2 - “Sasha Provis is a shadow rider. At least, she’s capable of being one,” Giovanni announced to his family. “She’s definitely mine. I was attracted to her before our shadows ever connected. In the club, when she spoke for the first time something in me opened up and she just poured inside.” He didn’t know any other way to describe it.
Giovanni knew Sasha was his. It was so strong he knew it even before their shadows touched. Her voice opened up something deep inside him. They were like a lock and key for one another. They are a very strong couple.
#3- “She said I was rather worthless sitting on my barren ass at home all day. She asked me point-blank if I had been tested and was I able to produce children. She made it very clear that I better be able to at least have children or I was useless to you and the family.” (Francesca is saying this)
Eloisa makes it easy to dislike her. But, she herself was raised to believe that a woman’s worth was determined by two things – The ability to ride the shadows and the ability to produce shadow riders. Francesca, though she had the ability, didn’t ride the shadows. That wasn’t something she felt she needed to do. She also hadn’t produced a child, making her an utter failure in Eloisa’s eyes.
I hope you enjoyed revisiting Giovanni and Sasha. Please let me know your favorite scenes or characters.
Revisit them in the book trailer here
Re-Read Wrap up with Shadow Warrior!
Shadow Flight is out tomorrow! So we're wrapping up our re-read of the series with Shadow Warrior in preparation.
This was one of those books with lots of layers to the overall story. I’ve always loved this family and the family dynamics, but this one I thought really expanded the overall family story as you read about Grace and Vittorio.
Reading through it again I found several things that I enjoyed re-reading.
1. I really enjoyed the serial killer. LOL That sounds bad, doesn’t it? But, I did. He was creepy and scary and exactly as I wanted him to be. I always try hard to improve on something with every book and for this one, I worked on improving my villain.
2. I loved Grace. I love her quiet strength. She wasn’t going to beat someone up, but she was indomitable and courageous in her own way. She was fiercely strong and willing to sacrifice in order to keep others safe. She didn’t fold under pressure. She was an amazing woman and her strength was different in a lot of ways that maybe you didn’t recognize, but Vittorio did.
3. Of course, I love my hero, Vittorio. Each of the Ferraro brothers are so different from each other, each having their own alpha-strength and skills. Vittorio was considered the “peacemaker” of the group. He seemed calm, peaceful, but he was also the one you didn’t want to come up against. He could be unmovable. He was protective in HIS way, like she was in HER way. They complimented each other.
Those are the three things I thought about and enjoyed while re-reading Shadow Warrior. Then, I got to read the top three passages that the reader liked. These are highlighted in Kindle and I get the opportunity to read and respond to what readers like. These are the top three, but I’m going to include all ten over on Kindle Notes & Highlights and I hope you check those out, too!
1. “When Valentino, the now heir apparent, was eight, there was a car bombing. It killed his father, Fons, and mother, leaving him an orphan. Giuseppi and his wife, Greta, had always been in Val’s life. Supposedly, they adored him and were the favorite aunt and uncle. Greta has never had children, and there isn’t even a whisper of Giuseppi cheating on her. They took Val in and later adopted him legally. He was around ten when they made it legal.”
This passage is about Val’s past and shows he was actually the youngest brother’s son but the oldest brother legally adopted him and made him the heir to the Saldi family. That adjusted who would be direct heir to the throne.
Val’s adopted parents appear as though they love each other and him. He was accepted by them on a level that changed things on a family business level. Val’s actual mom and dad were killed, so you know there’s violence in his life. He has a very complicated life.
As a writer, I wanted to say as much as I could about Val in an abbreviated way. I thought this said a lot about his life.
2. “Miceli had one son, Dario, out of wedlock. He never married his mother, but Dario came to live with him when he was fifteen, after she died. Miceli has two sons with his current wife, Tommaso and Angelo. Because Giuseppi adopted Val legally, Val, who would have stood in line behind Miceli and his three sons, was now the official heir to the Saldi throne.”
Because Giuseppi legally adopted Val, Val became the official heir to Giuseppi’s territory. Miceli has a territory but he answers to Giuseppi. Should Giuseppi die, Miceli would have to answer to Val.
Had he not been adopted, Miceli, Giuseppis’ brother would have been the heir and his three sons, Dario, Tommaso, and Angelo would have all been in line so they would have owned both territories. You can see the complication and potential drama of the entire situation.
3. “Mia bella ragazza, sei cosi coraggiosa,” he murmured.
My beautiful girl, you’re so brave.
He tells her that a lot. He feels she is brave and is always telling her that. He praises her a lot because he feels like nobody ever has.
So much of this story helps lead up to some of Taviano and Nicoletta’s story in Shadow Flight. I enjoyed the re-read of the series and can’t wait to find out what everyone enjoys most about Shadow Flight when you read it.
In the meantime, let me know what you enjoyed most about Shadow Warrior.
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This was one of those books with lots of layers to the overall story. I’ve always loved this family and the family dynamics, but this one I thought really expanded the overall family story as you read about Grace and Vittorio.
Reading through it again I found several things that I enjoyed re-reading.
1. I really enjoyed the serial killer. LOL That sounds bad, doesn’t it? But, I did. He was creepy and scary and exactly as I wanted him to be. I always try hard to improve on something with every book and for this one, I worked on improving my villain.
2. I loved Grace. I love her quiet strength. She wasn’t going to beat someone up, but she was indomitable and courageous in her own way. She was fiercely strong and willing to sacrifice in order to keep others safe. She didn’t fold under pressure. She was an amazing woman and her strength was different in a lot of ways that maybe you didn’t recognize, but Vittorio did.
3. Of course, I love my hero, Vittorio. Each of the Ferraro brothers are so different from each other, each having their own alpha-strength and skills. Vittorio was considered the “peacemaker” of the group. He seemed calm, peaceful, but he was also the one you didn’t want to come up against. He could be unmovable. He was protective in HIS way, like she was in HER way. They complimented each other.
Those are the three things I thought about and enjoyed while re-reading Shadow Warrior. Then, I got to read the top three passages that the reader liked. These are highlighted in Kindle and I get the opportunity to read and respond to what readers like. These are the top three, but I’m going to include all ten over on Kindle Notes & Highlights and I hope you check those out, too!
1. “When Valentino, the now heir apparent, was eight, there was a car bombing. It killed his father, Fons, and mother, leaving him an orphan. Giuseppi and his wife, Greta, had always been in Val’s life. Supposedly, they adored him and were the favorite aunt and uncle. Greta has never had children, and there isn’t even a whisper of Giuseppi cheating on her. They took Val in and later adopted him legally. He was around ten when they made it legal.”
This passage is about Val’s past and shows he was actually the youngest brother’s son but the oldest brother legally adopted him and made him the heir to the Saldi family. That adjusted who would be direct heir to the throne.
Val’s adopted parents appear as though they love each other and him. He was accepted by them on a level that changed things on a family business level. Val’s actual mom and dad were killed, so you know there’s violence in his life. He has a very complicated life.
As a writer, I wanted to say as much as I could about Val in an abbreviated way. I thought this said a lot about his life.
2. “Miceli had one son, Dario, out of wedlock. He never married his mother, but Dario came to live with him when he was fifteen, after she died. Miceli has two sons with his current wife, Tommaso and Angelo. Because Giuseppi adopted Val legally, Val, who would have stood in line behind Miceli and his three sons, was now the official heir to the Saldi throne.”
Because Giuseppi legally adopted Val, Val became the official heir to Giuseppi’s territory. Miceli has a territory but he answers to Giuseppi. Should Giuseppi die, Miceli would have to answer to Val.
Had he not been adopted, Miceli, Giuseppis’ brother would have been the heir and his three sons, Dario, Tommaso, and Angelo would have all been in line so they would have owned both territories. You can see the complication and potential drama of the entire situation.
3. “Mia bella ragazza, sei cosi coraggiosa,” he murmured.
My beautiful girl, you’re so brave.
He tells her that a lot. He feels she is brave and is always telling her that. He praises her a lot because he feels like nobody ever has.
So much of this story helps lead up to some of Taviano and Nicoletta’s story in Shadow Flight. I enjoyed the re-read of the series and can’t wait to find out what everyone enjoys most about Shadow Flight when you read it.
In the meantime, let me know what you enjoyed most about Shadow Warrior.
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