REVIEW: BITTEN, The Graced Series, Book Two, by Amanda Pillar.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars by Iris Chacon.

(An electronic copy was provided in exchange for an honest, objective review.)

Charming as The Hobbit, Complex as Game of Thrones

To call this novel a “paranormal romance” or “fantasy” novel would be oversimplication. This genre-bending tale has the charm of Tolkien’s Hobbit combined with the complex relationships of Martin’s Game of Thrones. It may seem like slow going at the beginning, especially if one hasn’t read book one in the series, but once the reader has learned enough about the characters and their world to become immersed in it, the story proceeds at a pleasing pace.

The characters are unique and likeable, from the self-exiled vampire who can’t be touched, to the outrageously flirtatious egotistical prettyboy, to the werebear with the heart of gold. Fair warning, all threads are not tied up in the end. The author, of course, wants readers to hunger for book three. I’m feeling a bit peckish, myself.

I have dropped one star from my rating because of some unsavory language. I think the same story could have been told without it. In fact, I would have enjoyed this creative author concocting a whole new vocabulary of expletives just for the world in which the story takes place.

This book contains adult themes, mild profanity, and (though not “erotica”) sexual relationships, some of them homosexual or extramarital. There are no religious references. Despite its “fairy tale” aura, I would not recommend this book for children and teens.