The Shadow Gypsy

Shadow Sister #2

by C.R. Daems, J.R. Tomlin

The Shadow Sister Ryana, the very Shadow of Death, is marrying her beloved and joining his gypsy clan. War took her innocence, and now she's determined to rebuild her life. But religious cults are springing up, and the gypsies come under attack. Ryana's best friend in the Sisters, Jelena, has fled to join one of the cults, and the senior Sister asks Ryana to find out why. Too late, Ryana discovers their enemies have a sweet and seductive weapon, one that has turned Jelena into her enemy. Ryana is betrayed, kidnapped, and her will stolen. She must regain it if she is to defend her clan and the Shadow Sisters. If she fails, it means the end of both her families--her new gypsy clan and the Sisters she swore to defend.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Adventure, Young Adult

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2013

About the author

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and joined the military right out of high school. I served twenty-two years in the United States Air Force as a certified internal auditor. While in the military service, I lived in seven states and two foreign countries, and obtained two degrees: a BS in mathematics and an MS in computer science.

After I retired from the Air Force, I secured a position with Digital Equipment Corporation, located in Bedford, Massachusetts, as a software course developer and instructor. I worked twenty-two years at DEC and held positions as a course developer, course development manager, software engineer, and software engineering manager.

Today, I’m retired and live in Tucson, Arizona, with my wife of fifty-three years. My daughter and two grandchildren live in Maryland. I began writing several years after I retired, when I was seventy. My first two attempts remain in my desk drawer—good ideas, but poorly written. Subsequently, I co-authored, with Jeanne Tomlin, three fantasy novels: Talon of the Raptor Clan, Scales of Justice, and All My Friends Have Wings (young adults). Talon of the Raptor Clan was sold to ePress-online Books and came out in July 2009. Since then I have written two additional novels: The Laughing Hounds (urban fantasy) and The Riss Gamble (science fiction).

My hobbies for the past forty years have been kung fu and tai chi.

Reviews

[Lorrie (Clockworkbookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 - Darker than book one. I enjoyed this duology and would have liked more of Ryana, Luka and Ryana's darlings - Kari and Anil (sweet baby bats). The ending was a bit abrupt and could have had more of a conclusion.

TW/CW: drugging, non and dubious consent, kidnapping and

[Lesa Divine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked part 1 better.

This one she's not that spy/assassin as much she has a rep and she's still the one everyone wants to kill but due to her fortune telling that's really isn't real.

Religion and other clans coming up and about those around her being put in harm's way. Ryana needs to help even if that means everyone knows she's shadow of Death.

Just blah not mysterious enough for me.

[Douglas Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ryana becomes a more permanent part of the gypsy circus.

First sentences
"I'm scared, mother," I whispered. "I know, Ryana. Most women about to be married are fearful. They’re beginning a new life with a new clan and don’t know what to expect. But most don’t doubt themselves. They know it’s the life they want." Stela's smile was sad. "You doubt yourself. You saved a kingdom but lost yourself in the process. You doubt you’ll make a good wife, mother, and member of your new clan." Her eyes shone with tears as she tilted my head away and worked more flowers into my hair. How can someone who no longer knows who she is make a good wife and mother or member of a clan? If I weren't being selfish, I'd leave. My chin trembled.

Daems, C. R.; Tomlin, J. R. (2013-06-22). The Shadow Gypsy (The Shadow Sister) (p. 1). Talon Novels. Kindle Edition.

[Ian Denner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

For some reason I didn't enjoy the last part of the story as much as I did the rest. It was almost as if the author decided he had to finish the battle as quickly and with as little detail as possible. But the rest of the story was a blast.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good second book in the series, all of the main players come back and play their parts. Though the book is centered on the adventures of the shadow sister of the title, each other character is necessary. They are not two-dimensional, but each have a distinct personality that the author allows to shine. There is no character stagnation, but growth for all. New insights are gained, and even new parts of the world explored.

There is light romance, basically lovey-dovey talk between husband and wife. It is handled naturally and helps add depth to both characters without devolving into gratuitous erotica as some fantasy series do. These people live their lives in a dangerous era. There is a theme that the family you choose is just as, or even more vital than that who are not chosen.

[Jed Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up where the first book left off, Ryana finally gets a chance to enjoy life and Clan after helping to stop a war. She comes across a different strange religious cult in every province she travels through. With the help of the wizards and her sisters she investigates these cults and fears for the kingdom.
Again, the pacing of this book seems rushed at points and a new bad guy so immediately after the first seems weird. Overall a good story and continuation of the Shadow of Death.

[S.J.Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has different MC dynamics to other C.R Deams series I've read, this character is less confident and more conflicted than Jolie or Dragon Sapir. Still a very enjoyable and entertaining read. Although the genre is the same in all these series, the character differences does preclude you from lumping all these books together. I love the go getting, problem solving heroins, the stories are fast paced and action filled fun, The SFG and Black Guard series are much closer in style but still just as enjoyable and I will buy any further additions to any of these series.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

It is unfortunate that so many of us have become rating snobs forgetting that even some books outside the magical “great” area are worth our time. This series is not great but I enjoyed it. My primary problem was the delivery of the tale via a travelogue of city names I couldn’t keep straight.

[Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, fantasy, war and fighting for principle

Great story of doing your best in the midst of turmoil. Like all good tall tales you know it’s not real but enjoy the ride anyway.

[Isca Silurum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zap Brannigan like characters at times!

repetitive sub plots, use of words and phrases. stronger editor needed to polish these books

[Riayl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent but Ryana's constant bemoaning of her fate when she "only wants to be a wife and mother" got really old, really fast. First, she isn't being forced to do what she does, she is the one making the choice, maybe she feels like she doesn't have much choice, but still, she could choose to do nothing. Second, I don't really buy into the whole wife and mother thing. The story reads like this is something she has longed for and nothing in her past, her upbringing, or even her thoughts previous to this, show that she has or ever had, any interest in being a wife and a mother. Also, the constant angst over killing. Again, makes no sense with her upbringing and training and the fact that most of the people she ends up killing are rather firmly on the evil end of the spectrum and by killing them she is saving lives. (but maybe I am just evil and lacking in normal emotional responses to thing *shrug*)

Part of what I've enjoyed about other books by this author is that a romance is not needed to complete the female characters. They are written as whole and happy without needing a romantic partner and I think maybe the author should have stuck with that. Because once Ryana falls in love (talk about insta-love, they know nothing about each other and have spent even less time together) she turns into this weak, whiny, annoying creature. Very disappointed in that.

In the times when she can stop crying about how awful her life is, the story is fairly interesting, but I'm not sure it is enough to keep me reading the series, should a third book come out.

[Samuel Sylvester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I can't think of much to say, it was an entertaining story however poorly delivered in a lot of areas. The editing was pretty poor, for example there were no quotation marks a lot of the time and dozens mistakes like "poundering" instead of pondering. Half the time the reader wasn't told who was speaking in three-person conversations, and it got really confusing. Overall not as good as the first book but reasonably entertaining.

[Cor Markhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same.... if you liked the first chances are high that you like this one. It has more focus on the romance and less on the spying and familiar part but still an enjoyable read.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowowowowowow

I would recommend this amazing sequel to anyone, like me, that wishes to walk with shadows. Read book one if you haven't. It's even better than this book.

[WOLFGANG C BERGER · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wasted time

Good story, characters need to be worked on, it seems as if daems must be a man due to a real clueless attitude in writing his female ones.

[DV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, but...

needs serious editing. All kinds. Not sure how it made to print, first book not so deficient in this. Both books and stories, well worth it for creativity.