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Shadows of London #2
Tide of Tricks
A darkness runs deep beneath London ...
Reeling from recent revelations and forced to lie for Kempthorne, the unthinkable happens: Dom fails the latent competency test. One more strike and he’ll be deemed unstable, have his registration stripped, and the life he's come to love at Kempthorne & Co will be over.
If that weren't bad enough, someone is stalking him, taunting him. Someone who knows what Dom did all those years ago.
While Dom juggles Kempthorne's lies and his own shady past, latents are being murdered. The police won't help, so it's up to Dom, Kempthorne & new-recruit Kage (Hollywood) to find the killer, before they strike too close to home.
Dom soon finds himself at the heart of it all with his control slipping, his trick breaking free, and the shadows rising.
He's coming undone. And for unstable latents, there's only one way out ...
Please note, this is an adult urban fantasy, so there are multiple swears, some darker themes and scenes, and on-page sex.
Reeling from recent revelations and forced to lie for Kempthorne, the unthinkable happens: Dom fails the latent competency test. One more strike and he’ll be deemed unstable, have his registration stripped, and the life he's come to love at Kempthorne & Co will be over.
If that weren't bad enough, someone is stalking him, taunting him. Someone who knows what Dom did all those years ago.
While Dom juggles Kempthorne's lies and his own shady past, latents are being murdered. The police won't help, so it's up to Dom, Kempthorne & new-recruit Kage (Hollywood) to find the killer, before they strike too close to home.
Dom soon finds himself at the heart of it all with his control slipping, his trick breaking free, and the shadows rising.
He's coming undone. And for unstable latents, there's only one way out ...
Please note, this is an adult urban fantasy, so there are multiple swears, some darker themes and scenes, and on-page sex.
281 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2021
130 people are currently reading
690 people want to read
About the author
Ariana Nash
51books2,171followersBorn to wolves, Ariana Nash only ventures from the Cornish moors when the moon is fat and the night alive with myths and legends. She captures those myths in glass jars and returning home, weaves them into stories filled with forbidden desires, fantasy realms, and wicked delights.
Her debut novel Silk & Steel hit Amazon's:
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#1 LGBT Bestsellers Fantasy
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Her debut novel Silk & Steel hit Amazon's:
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Horror
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Fantasy
#1 LGBT Fantasy Hot New Releases
#1 LGBT Horror Hot New Releases - for 3 months!
Join her ŷ group here: /group/show/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
August 21, 2024
� Lies and secrets
� Shady characters
� Action and pace
� World-building
� Romance (kinda)
� Sexual tension
� Powers / Magic
� Intrigue
🆗 Smut (M/M) � it's good smut, but there is not enough of it 😔
❗️❗️ Cliffhanger
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: descriptions of murders, and mentions of past abuse.
This is my 3rd time reading this book, and I still enjoyed it just as much as I did the first and second times. 💙
Dom and the agency are trying to get back on track after the events and shocking revelations at the end of the first book, and they are now investigating a series of murders where all the victims are latents. The more they investigate, the more they realize that the murderer might be connected to Dom and his past. Even worse, it seems that whoever is killing the latent might be trying to frame Dom for it. As if that was not enough, Dom is walking a fine line with the IRL since he failed his last assessment, after being forced to lie to protect Kempthorne’s secret.
Poor Dom, I felt bad for him. He is trying his best to be a good person and to do what is right, but it seems that there is always someone out there trying to bring him down, use him for his ability and special skill set, or control him. Things are also getting out of control now that Dom is one mistake away from being imprisoned as an unstable latent since he failed his yearly test.
We learn more about Dom's shady past in this book, as his life before the military, and the murder investigation cross paths. Seeing more about his previous life helped us understand his character better and I just want him to finally find someone worthy of him and someone who will make him happy and make him realize that he is a great and worthy person (#TeamKempthorne). Dom is ashamed of who he was and what he had to do to survive, and he thinks people will be repulsed by him if they know the truth... I wanted to hug him, but part of me also absolutely LOVE angst and drama so I enjoyed having this more tortured and dark part of Dom being revealed.
The fact that there is only one POV in this book (Dom's), makes it hard for the reader to know who to trust and who is really in Dom's camp. The author did a great job of writing characters that seem to be trustworthy yet are also mysterious and full of secrets. I want to believe that Dom’s close friends are all good and that Hollywood is a good guy too, but there is a teeny tiny part of me that is still not 100% sure who Dom can trust and who is playing or using him, and I love this incertitude!
The sexual tension between Dom and Kempthorne is delicious! Also, Kempthorne might not be as straight as Dom thought he was because there are moments when it’s clear the sexual tension is reciprocated... The “romance/relationship� part of this book was centered more around Dom and Kempthorne instead of Dom and Kage. Since Dom now knows Kempthorne’s secret and is in trouble because of it, Kempthorn maybe feels like he owes Dom, or he is just more willing to be open with him and share secrets, but there is some good relationship building and progress between the two of them. Kage was also present and involved in the investigation (and also in one or two steamy scenes 😏), and while I am, without a doubt, shipping Dom and Kempthorne, I also kinda like Hollywood and his mysterious/smiley and sexy persona, I just don’t like him as much as Kempthorne, so while I like him and Dom together, I do want Dom to end up with Kempthorne ultimately (sorry Hollywood, it’s nothing personal).
Honestly, I have no idea how the romantic aspect of this series will turn out. Kage seems trustworthy and good for Dom, he also seems to genuinely be feeling something that’s more than just physical attraction for Dom, but I can't shake the feeling that maybe he's hiding something... Or maybe that's just because I'm trying to find excuses for Dom to end up with Kempthorne because even though he lied and kept secrets (and is still lying and keeping secrets most probably), I have a soft spot for Alex Kempthorne and I can’t wait for Dom and him to finally get naked together (because IT. WILL. HAPPEN.). 💙
Ariana Nash is the queen of angsty, dark M/M fantasy and paranormal stories. Everything she writes is amazing. It's simple: she can't disappoint me. Whenever I see that she is releasing a new book or series, I just know that I am going to LOVE it, as I did all of her previous books. This series is no exception, and if you enjoy angsty paranormal MM romance, you have to give it a try!
1. Twisted Pretty Things ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🙂
� Shady characters
� Action and pace
� World-building
� Romance (kinda)
� Sexual tension
� Powers / Magic
� Intrigue
🆗 Smut (M/M) � it's good smut, but there is not enough of it 😔
❗️❗️ Cliffhanger
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: descriptions of murders, and mentions of past abuse.
This is my 3rd time reading this book, and I still enjoyed it just as much as I did the first and second times. 💙
I’d tried to be better. I’d gotten out of the East End, tried to do some good to make up for my mistakes. Didn’t that count for something?
Dom and the agency are trying to get back on track after the events and shocking revelations at the end of the first book, and they are now investigating a series of murders where all the victims are latents. The more they investigate, the more they realize that the murderer might be connected to Dom and his past. Even worse, it seems that whoever is killing the latent might be trying to frame Dom for it. As if that was not enough, Dom is walking a fine line with the IRL since he failed his last assessment, after being forced to lie to protect Kempthorne’s secret.
As a latent, who’d come out as gay, I’d been judged every second of my life. It was supposed to get better, but my skin just got tougher.
Poor Dom, I felt bad for him. He is trying his best to be a good person and to do what is right, but it seems that there is always someone out there trying to bring him down, use him for his ability and special skill set, or control him. Things are also getting out of control now that Dom is one mistake away from being imprisoned as an unstable latent since he failed his yearly test.
None of this would have happened if Kempthorne hadn’t bought me and I’d returned to the East End like I was supposed to. This was what swimming against the tide got me. I should have stopped fighting and just gone with the flow instead. I’d have walked right back into The Business, taken up the mantle, and hated every second of it. I’d either have been dead by now, or so messed up in the head, I’d have probably wished to be dead.
We learn more about Dom's shady past in this book, as his life before the military, and the murder investigation cross paths. Seeing more about his previous life helped us understand his character better and I just want him to finally find someone worthy of him and someone who will make him happy and make him realize that he is a great and worthy person (#TeamKempthorne). Dom is ashamed of who he was and what he had to do to survive, and he thinks people will be repulsed by him if they know the truth... I wanted to hug him, but part of me also absolutely LOVE angst and drama so I enjoyed having this more tortured and dark part of Dom being revealed.
Kempthorne was a chameleon. I’d noticed it before, but at times like this, his lies were truly beautiful to watch, when they weren’t directed at me.
It wasn’t that at all. It had tasted like almonds. He’d drugged me.
God. I chewed on a piece of toast too long, making it tasteless.
Betrayal.
I knew it well.
The fact that there is only one POV in this book (Dom's), makes it hard for the reader to know who to trust and who is really in Dom's camp. The author did a great job of writing characters that seem to be trustworthy yet are also mysterious and full of secrets. I want to believe that Dom’s close friends are all good and that Hollywood is a good guy too, but there is a teeny tiny part of me that is still not 100% sure who Dom can trust and who is playing or using him, and I love this incertitude!
“Yes, I’m aware. So there’s really only one course of action.�
“Have me killed?�
Shocked, he blinked. “What?�
“Seems reasonable,� I added, watching his face carefully. I’d been joking, but he wasn’t laughing. “How much can a hit cost? I know a few ex-military guys who’ll do it. Maybe thirty grand? Pocket change, right? Once I’m out of the way, so are your secrets.�
He angled toward me, brow furrowed. “Thirty grand? Is that all? My suits cost more than that.�
Wait. Was he considering it? His smile twitched. Oh Christ, he was joking.
Getting hard for the boss during a work dinner was not what good artifact retrieval agents did. But shit, it was too easy to imagine it. Holding him against a wall, his firm body under mine. My hand on his arse, mouth on his, teasing his lips open. He’d hate the teasing. Oh, he’d handle a bit, then take control.
“I’m not averse to restraints,� Kempthorne croaked, sliding his gaze to me. “Providing they’re consensual.�
My runaway thoughts screeched to a halt. He smiled, just a twitch, but it felt to me like a full-blown grin. He knew what he was doing, and that little throwaway line was designed to trip me off my slippery homicidal slope.
The sexual tension between Dom and Kempthorne is delicious! Also, Kempthorne might not be as straight as Dom thought he was because there are moments when it’s clear the sexual tension is reciprocated... The “romance/relationship� part of this book was centered more around Dom and Kempthorne instead of Dom and Kage. Since Dom now knows Kempthorne’s secret and is in trouble because of it, Kempthorn maybe feels like he owes Dom, or he is just more willing to be open with him and share secrets, but there is some good relationship building and progress between the two of them. Kage was also present and involved in the investigation (and also in one or two steamy scenes 😏), and while I am, without a doubt, shipping Dom and Kempthorne, I also kinda like Hollywood and his mysterious/smiley and sexy persona, I just don’t like him as much as Kempthorne, so while I like him and Dom together, I do want Dom to end up with Kempthorne ultimately (sorry Hollywood, it’s nothing personal).
Gently nudging him aside, I took over making the tea. “Are you allergic to kettles or something?�
“You don’t need one, when you have a microwave right there.�
“You can’t make tea in a microwave. It’s against English law.�
?�
I snorted. “No.� Christ, he was too cute. “But it should be.�
He leaned back against the countertop, dipped his chin and peered through soft lashes. No words were needed—that look said it all. Hollywood was checking me out, measuring me up, deciding which part to lick first, and bloody hell it was distracting.
Honestly, I have no idea how the romantic aspect of this series will turn out. Kage seems trustworthy and good for Dom, he also seems to genuinely be feeling something that’s more than just physical attraction for Dom, but I can't shake the feeling that maybe he's hiding something... Or maybe that's just because I'm trying to find excuses for Dom to end up with Kempthorne because even though he lied and kept secrets (and is still lying and keeping secrets most probably), I have a soft spot for Alex Kempthorne and I can’t wait for Dom and him to finally get naked together (because IT. WILL. HAPPEN.). 💙
Ariana Nash is the queen of angsty, dark M/M fantasy and paranormal stories. Everything she writes is amazing. It's simple: she can't disappoint me. Whenever I see that she is releasing a new book or series, I just know that I am going to LOVE it, as I did all of her previous books. This series is no exception, and if you enjoy angsty paranormal MM romance, you have to give it a try!
1. Twisted Pretty Things ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🙂
Read
February 20, 2022OUT NOW!
Kempthorne's lies, Dom's dark past, and a serial killer on the loose. It's all catching up with John "Dom" Domenici in the darker, heart-pounding sequel to Twisted Pretty Things.
Effortlessly sexy and hopelessly straight (or is he?), Kempthorne:
All about the smiles, Hollywood:
I couldn't find a Dom, but he'd definitely be thinking this:
More Shadows of London to come...
Kempthorne's lies, Dom's dark past, and a serial killer on the loose. It's all catching up with John "Dom" Domenici in the darker, heart-pounding sequel to Twisted Pretty Things.
Effortlessly sexy and hopelessly straight (or is he?), Kempthorne:
All about the smiles, Hollywood:
I couldn't find a Dom, but he'd definitely be thinking this:
More Shadows of London to come...
May 18, 2025
HOW DO PEOPLE COPE WITH THE STRESS OF A LOVE TRIANGLE!?! ARE YOU FOR REAL?!?!
I'm like....
I stan Hollywood, NO, I stan Kempthorne, NOO I STAN HOLLYWOOD, NO KEMPTHORNE, NOOOOOO HOLLYWOOD, NO I WOULD DIE FOR KEMPTHORNE, NO! ITS HOT WHEN HOLLYWOOD AND DOM KISS THOUGH. BUT OMG THE TENSION OF IF KEMPTHORNE AND DOM DON'T KISS IMMEDIATELY IM ACTUALLY GOING TO DECOMPOSE INSTANTLY IS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE.
okay i'm stressed tf out. I don't know who I like more?
🥺🥺🥺
CAN THE BOYFRIENDS ALL JUST BE BOYFRIENDS NOW?????
On top of that, the book itself just keeps me coming back like a dehydrated human, who's only drink is a tall glass of Alexander Kempthorne because that man could use me like a chinese finger trap anyday of the week. HIM IN HIS SEXY SUITS IS EVERYTHING, I AM WEAK. It's unhinged and silly, the magic is interesting, the 'whos the bad guy?' mystery is interesting, and twisty and turny and I just can't put it down.
I had so much fun squealing for this.
I'm like....
I stan Hollywood, NO, I stan Kempthorne, NOO I STAN HOLLYWOOD, NO KEMPTHORNE, NOOOOOO HOLLYWOOD, NO I WOULD DIE FOR KEMPTHORNE, NO! ITS HOT WHEN HOLLYWOOD AND DOM KISS THOUGH. BUT OMG THE TENSION OF IF KEMPTHORNE AND DOM DON'T KISS IMMEDIATELY IM ACTUALLY GOING TO DECOMPOSE INSTANTLY IS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE.
okay i'm stressed tf out. I don't know who I like more?
🥺🥺🥺
CAN THE BOYFRIENDS ALL JUST BE BOYFRIENDS NOW?????
On top of that, the book itself just keeps me coming back like a dehydrated human, who's only drink is a tall glass of Alexander Kempthorne because that man could use me like a chinese finger trap anyday of the week. HIM IN HIS SEXY SUITS IS EVERYTHING, I AM WEAK. It's unhinged and silly, the magic is interesting, the 'whos the bad guy?' mystery is interesting, and twisty and turny and I just can't put it down.
I had so much fun squealing for this.
December 19, 2022
i am suffering
October 22, 2021
Oh, how I love an book, particularly when she is writing urban fantasy AND it's MM. Like seriously, it doesn't get much than better than that.
is book two of the Shadows of London trilogy, and it picks up where ended, with Dom still in shock over the revelations about Kempthorne (I am shipping these two sooooo badly 💙💙) and being forced to lie to cover for him, then failing his latent competency test as a result.
"Turning away, I downed the rest of my drink and steered my thoughts from how criminally hot and horribly straight Kempthorne was."
And let's not forget the ever-charming, ever-mysterious, ever-present Kage Hollywood, who is still coming in hot for Dom, because of course Ms Nash loves to traumatise us with a love triangle in the middle of all the magic and mayhem!
"At one point, they'd both locked stares like stags locking horns. I should have brought popcorn."
The plot thickens in , as people die, lies are revealed and battle lines are drawn. The team at Kempthorne & Co must race to uncover the truth, before Dom becomes the latest latent to pay the ultimate price.
Highly recommended (but read book 1 first!)
5 magical ✨✨✨✨�
is book two of the Shadows of London trilogy, and it picks up where ended, with Dom still in shock over the revelations about Kempthorne (I am shipping these two sooooo badly 💙💙) and being forced to lie to cover for him, then failing his latent competency test as a result.
"Turning away, I downed the rest of my drink and steered my thoughts from how criminally hot and horribly straight Kempthorne was."
And let's not forget the ever-charming, ever-mysterious, ever-present Kage Hollywood, who is still coming in hot for Dom, because of course Ms Nash loves to traumatise us with a love triangle in the middle of all the magic and mayhem!
"At one point, they'd both locked stares like stags locking horns. I should have brought popcorn."
The plot thickens in , as people die, lies are revealed and battle lines are drawn. The team at Kempthorne & Co must race to uncover the truth, before Dom becomes the latest latent to pay the ultimate price.
Highly recommended (but read book 1 first!)
5 magical ✨✨✨✨�
June 19, 2022
This just keeps getting better. 💃 Loved finally learning more about Dom’s past and seeing him in action, he is such a BAMF! Also, Hollywood is super-hot, and a sweetheart (kinda...), but let’s just say I’m finally warming up to Kempthorne. 🙈 Waiting 1 ¾ books for that kiss? Totally worth it 😳🔥
October 16, 2023
You know, I thought I'd write a proper review with this one, but guess what? Ariana Nash set my plans aflame with that ending.
DO YOU THINK TORTURING YOUR READERS IS FUNNY, ARIANA NASH?
World Building ✅️✅️
Plot ✅️✅️✅️
Pain ✅️✅️😭😭✅️✅️✅️
Romance/Smut 🆗� though I was melting in a puddle over that kiss🥵.
Mystery/Intrigue ✅️✅️✅️
Characters ✅️✅️✅️✅️
Overall, a five stars because I'm a sucker for pain. :3
DO YOU THINK TORTURING YOUR READERS IS FUNNY, ARIANA NASH?
World Building ✅️✅️
Plot ✅️✅️✅️
Pain ✅️✅️😭😭✅️✅️✅️
Romance/Smut 🆗� though I was melting in a puddle over that kiss🥵.
Mystery/Intrigue ✅️✅️✅️
Characters ✅️✅️✅️✅️
Overall, a five stars because I'm a sucker for pain. :3
December 20, 2022
Tide of Tricks really kicks things up a notch. Betrayal, murder, romance, and that ending!!
There's a serial killer targeting latents, and with the local police not giving the investigation the resources it needs due to prejudice, Kempthorne & Co take on the case themselves.
Dom's past is catching up to him. The world he left behind and tried to escape is threatening to collide with his life at the agency.
And while loyalties come under question, something even more sinister is lurking in the background and Dom is a target.
There's a serial killer targeting latents, and with the local police not giving the investigation the resources it needs due to prejudice, Kempthorne & Co take on the case themselves.
Dom's past is catching up to him. The world he left behind and tried to escape is threatening to collide with his life at the agency.
And while loyalties come under question, something even more sinister is lurking in the background and Dom is a target.
March 13, 2022
I’m HOOKED!!
Here’s what’s in store for you:
Magic
Two love interests 😱😱
(which one will he pick?!)
A past that comes calling🤫
Dead latents (this is the mystery y’all)
A set up?😳
Loss of control 💥
A kiss—finally!❤️❤️
A betrayal
A cliffhanger 😱😱
I’m really enjoying this series and the OUTSTANDING NARRATION by Gary Furlong! 👏👏👏
Here’s what’s in store for you:
Magic
Two love interests 😱😱
(which one will he pick?!)
A past that comes calling🤫
Dead latents (this is the mystery y’all)
A set up?😳
Loss of control 💥
A kiss—finally!❤️❤️
A betrayal
A cliffhanger 😱😱
I’m really enjoying this series and the OUTSTANDING NARRATION by Gary Furlong! 👏👏👏
May 12, 2022
𝟰+
👏 book two picked up everything book one put down
👏 the romance was *chef's kiss* so much better
👏 the action had me frantically turning the pages
🙄 all the betrayals had me side eyeing certain characters hard
👏 dom's character became much more fleshed out
👏 getting kempthorne's backstory was extremely helpful
🤪 not niko and dom reminding me of each other
👏👏 but unlike niko dom knows his freaking worth
🫠🫠🫠 that cliffhanger though
previously on .. shadows of london.
twisted pretty things
to be continued ..
trial by fire
truth or dare
without a trace
❝i won’t let them take you.� he said it with fervor, with passion. like he meant it. “you have my word.�
👏 book two picked up everything book one put down
👏 the romance was *chef's kiss* so much better
👏 the action had me frantically turning the pages
🙄 all the betrayals had me side eyeing certain characters hard
👏 dom's character became much more fleshed out
👏 getting kempthorne's backstory was extremely helpful
🤪 not niko and dom reminding me of each other
👏👏 but unlike niko dom knows his freaking worth
🫠🫠🫠 that cliffhanger though
previously on .. shadows of london.
twisted pretty things
to be continued ..
trial by fire
truth or dare
without a trace
October 16, 2021
�. . . My point is, our past changes us. Some of us more than others. Whoever you were yesterday, I’m only interested in who you are today.� Under his spotlight gaze was a dangerous place to be. A nervous smile skittered onto my lips.
“Interested how?�
“Professionally, clearly.� Then why was he saying it while holding my gaze, like he was daring me to call him out, to challenge him.
It probably wasn’t a wise choice to pick this book at 80% just before bed time. I was naive to think I could put the book down after only one chapter and just go to sleep. Clearly, I won’t write spoilers of this book but if you didn’t read yet I wouldn't recommend reading this review just in case.
I must say that if you don’t like cliffhangers you might want to wait until the entire series is published because that was one intriguing ending. And I’m sure you won’t be able to stop until all the secrets are revealed.
Here we got Dom in trouble right from the beginning. Apparently he cannot have a moment of peace but little by little we can see that this is not at random. All the bad things happening to him are connected in some way. And trusting the right person is going to be crucial if he wants to survive.
I loved all the new things we learned about Kempthorne and Dom’s pasts. My favorite parts were when we’d see Kempthorne’s oblivious, almost cute, side.
Like the previous book, you will have to decide who is telling the truth and who is manipulating Dom’s feelings. I’m hoping I’m shipping the right couple *fingers crossed*. Though, having a serial killer on the loose, trying to know who ‘M� is and being chased by shadows don’t leave much room for romance.
The past catching up with the present. New revelations. New betrayals. Another amazing book by . I can't wait to see how this series ends!
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a free and honest review*
April 6, 2023
I'm not a huge fan of urban fantasy but this series just might be enough to change my mind.
February 28, 2023
Still Fun! 🎉🎉
The mystery, paranormal bits are ok. 🙂
First half of the book was a little slow. 🫤
I don’t care that much for the mystery around the real villain, or even about both MCs� pasts.
But the Romance is�. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💃💃💃💃🥰
Slow burn though books 🏆
Tender, shy first scenes 🏆 🏆
A love interest that clearly thinks the world of our hero. Gods, Kempthorne is adorable 🏆 🏆 🏆
Both are so clueless and wrong!!!! How can they not see they are completely reciprocated?!?!?!!!!
Hollywood can officially take a vacation far far away from the plot-line 😑.
The mystery, paranormal bits are ok. 🙂
First half of the book was a little slow. 🫤
I don’t care that much for the mystery around the real villain, or even about both MCs� pasts.
But the Romance is�. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💃💃💃💃🥰
Slow burn though books 🏆
Tender, shy first scenes 🏆 🏆
A love interest that clearly thinks the world of our hero. Gods, Kempthorne is adorable 🏆 🏆 🏆
Both are so clueless and wrong!!!! How can they not see they are completely reciprocated?!?!?!!!!
Hollywood can officially take a vacation far far away from the plot-line 😑.
October 16, 2021
Holy freaking shit. Who's on Dom's side? I have no idea if even anyone is at this point. I need the last book now! I'm brimming with so many questions, yet we do get a few answers in this one. And that ending! Waiting for to come out in May 2022 just might kill me.
October 19, 2021
4.5
We left book #1 with that big revelation about Kempthorne and is it a wonder that there are now tensions in the agency? Add Dom's trust issues paired with his loyalty and you just know that his competency test isn't going well Now he's on probation with a high risk to be locked into an asylum for latents or worse. Society is showing its oppressive nature all in the name to keep the common people safe and the latents from exploding like a suicide bomb. Nobody cares that the methods are more likely to stress a latent to a point where they loosing their control.
Of course at that time also Dom's past raises its ugly head and reminds him not only about his mob background. For several reasons he's ashamed about it and there is no reason he intents to share with his found family. Yeah, trust issues much even when it comes to his own control on his trick. Kempthorne is still saving him out of all self-made and other peril but he's not really forthcoming, so there might be a good reason to doubt his intentions? Gina? He can't put her in the line of fire by opening up to her, so distance might be better and then there is Kage, now an addition to the team and still a temptation to Dom and also still a mystery.
While Ariana Nash dims the oppression to a bearable level, she raises doubts everywhere until the reader is as suspicious as Dom but as a reader you should also be wary regarding Nash's ideas where the story is going. She loves to throw you for a loop when you believe you're on the right track. That applies to the current case as well as to the love triangle. First she gives you reasons to believe it's closed then suddenly she opens it again, or does she?
I wouldn't exactly call it dark but it borders that way, no humor and far away from fluff. The paranormal part becomes more creepy than at book #1 and the mystery is quite nice but more about atmosphere than logic. The relationship of the main characters are much more of one piece than in the last book � it's just that damn love triangle which makes me uneasy. Can she solve that satisfyingly? Am I too suspicious?
We left book #1 with that big revelation about Kempthorne and is it a wonder that there are now tensions in the agency? Add Dom's trust issues paired with his loyalty and you just know that his competency test isn't going well Now he's on probation with a high risk to be locked into an asylum for latents or worse. Society is showing its oppressive nature all in the name to keep the common people safe and the latents from exploding like a suicide bomb. Nobody cares that the methods are more likely to stress a latent to a point where they loosing their control.
Of course at that time also Dom's past raises its ugly head and reminds him not only about his mob background. For several reasons he's ashamed about it and there is no reason he intents to share with his found family. Yeah, trust issues much even when it comes to his own control on his trick. Kempthorne is still saving him out of all self-made and other peril but he's not really forthcoming, so there might be a good reason to doubt his intentions? Gina? He can't put her in the line of fire by opening up to her, so distance might be better and then there is Kage, now an addition to the team and still a temptation to Dom and also still a mystery.
While Ariana Nash dims the oppression to a bearable level, she raises doubts everywhere until the reader is as suspicious as Dom but as a reader you should also be wary regarding Nash's ideas where the story is going. She loves to throw you for a loop when you believe you're on the right track. That applies to the current case as well as to the love triangle. First she gives you reasons to believe it's closed then suddenly she opens it again, or does she?
I wouldn't exactly call it dark but it borders that way, no humor and far away from fluff. The paranormal part becomes more creepy than at book #1 and the mystery is quite nice but more about atmosphere than logic. The relationship of the main characters are much more of one piece than in the last book � it's just that damn love triangle which makes me uneasy. Can she solve that satisfyingly? Am I too suspicious?
October 31, 2021
4.5 Stars
I need book 3 now!
I need book 3 now!
March 21, 2023
I have so much fun reading this, its such a fast paced story and Dom is such a compelling hero and Kempthorn is so much more likable here.. I can't wait to start the next book.
April 3, 2024
Fuck!💔 why am i crying? I’m so angryy. The urge to strangle this “M� dude🤬😡😡😡. Poor Dom🥺. Can’t write a coherent review. Book 3 calls to me.
October 27, 2021
AAAAAAAAAAA and i have to wait til may next year for book3?! AAAAAAAA
OMG i have so many questions still!
i'm so glad there was some "mini recap" about book1 events bc that means i'm not lost.
i'm gonna say Ariana did a really great job with the plots, betrayal, hurt, everything!! (honestly all her other books too!) one more book left AND I DONT KNOW HOW ITS GONNA END, but then again, i trust her.
BUT GOSH KEMPTHORNE OR KAGE I DONT KNOW! i honestly cant wait for book3!!!! IM STILL THINKING ABOUT THIS.
OMG i have so many questions still!
i'm so glad there was some "mini recap" about book1 events bc that means i'm not lost.
i'm gonna say Ariana did a really great job with the plots, betrayal, hurt, everything!! (honestly all her other books too!) one more book left AND I DONT KNOW HOW ITS GONNA END, but then again, i trust her.
BUT GOSH KEMPTHORNE OR KAGE I DONT KNOW! i honestly cant wait for book3!!!! IM STILL THINKING ABOUT THIS.
February 27, 2022
The audio is pretty great. Refreshing the memory ahead of book 3 (which I have an arc of!)
If it doesn't leaving you going "wtf!" and wondering who can be trusted, then you aren't reading an Ariana Nash book.
Full of twists and turns, new enemies, and ghosts from the past.
There's some answers and poor Dom is really put through the wringer on this.
Left on a cliffhanger that has me hoping that book 3 won't be far away
If it doesn't leaving you going "wtf!" and wondering who can be trusted, then you aren't reading an Ariana Nash book.
Full of twists and turns, new enemies, and ghosts from the past.
There's some answers and poor Dom is really put through the wringer on this.
Left on a cliffhanger that has me hoping that book 3 won't be far away
September 4, 2022
4.5 stars!
These first two books have been teases. Definitely pulled me in, but I need the romance to develop now. I’ve reliably read that book 3 will deliver.
These first two books have been teases. Definitely pulled me in, but I need the romance to develop now. I’ve reliably read that book 3 will deliver.
October 18, 2021
First warning - this is not a standalone book. It's part of an ongoing series and is meant to be read that way.
Second, as such, it ends in a cliffhanger. I knew this would be the case going in, but while I was okay with it in the first book, now we've gotten far enough along in the story that I was frustrated this time. Not so frustrated I wish I had waited, mind you, but frustrated that the publish date for the next volume is May 2022.
The story picks up not long after the first book ended, with all the same twisted, tangled storylines, sexual tension, and emotional push and pull between the characters. I love that stuff. That's my catnip.
I am in love with the world that the author has created and can't wait for more of it.
Second, as such, it ends in a cliffhanger. I knew this would be the case going in, but while I was okay with it in the first book, now we've gotten far enough along in the story that I was frustrated this time. Not so frustrated I wish I had waited, mind you, but frustrated that the publish date for the next volume is May 2022.
The story picks up not long after the first book ended, with all the same twisted, tangled storylines, sexual tension, and emotional push and pull between the characters. I love that stuff. That's my catnip.
I am in love with the world that the author has created and can't wait for more of it.
December 27, 2022
4.5 🌟’s
This is a quick moving book, there was always something going on with Dom going off on his own exploring things. It was frustrating for me because I knew something bad was gonna happen and like in a horror movie there was nothing I could do but wait for the inevitable bad scary thing to happen. 😩
The tension and sexual energy between Dom, Kage and Kempthorne were off the charts 🔥.
This is a series where you start to trust a character and then something happens and your back to square one not knowing who to trust and what’s real or fabricated. 😳
I was really frustrated with Dom because instead of confronting situations or the person, he would just go off and get into a worse place. 😤 His heart was in the right place but unfortunately he felt he couldn’t trust anyone and when he did let down his guard he got stabbed in the back for the effort. 😩
This series is gonna make me insane!!! I need more and I need answers!
This is a quick moving book, there was always something going on with Dom going off on his own exploring things. It was frustrating for me because I knew something bad was gonna happen and like in a horror movie there was nothing I could do but wait for the inevitable bad scary thing to happen. 😩
The tension and sexual energy between Dom, Kage and Kempthorne were off the charts 🔥.
This is a series where you start to trust a character and then something happens and your back to square one not knowing who to trust and what’s real or fabricated. 😳
I was really frustrated with Dom because instead of confronting situations or the person, he would just go off and get into a worse place. 😤 His heart was in the right place but unfortunately he felt he couldn’t trust anyone and when he did let down his guard he got stabbed in the back for the effort. 😩
This series is gonna make me insane!!! I need more and I need answers!
November 23, 2021
All my doubts from the first book have disappeared. This book is SO. GOOD. I was thinking exactly that while reading the book: Damn, this book is good. Really, really good.
I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but If y'all know me, you know I dislike certain elements of romance, so you can probably guess if this book has those elements or not.
The romance is a bit more prominent in this second book, but the fracturing of Dom's life is the real draw. Dom's backstory really pulled me in. He's truly a "good" person with an unfortunate and dark past, and those types of characters might just be my kryptonite. I also warmed up to Kempthorne much more in this installment. Nash uses Dom's authenticator abilities as a very clever device in the series to reveal a lot about Kempthorne without Kempthorne revealing anything about himself, which would be out of character.
Same as before, be forewarned that this book ends in another cliffhanger. Ugh, I really want the next (and final) book now.
I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but If y'all know me, you know I dislike certain elements of romance, so you can probably guess if this book has those elements or not.
The romance is a bit more prominent in this second book, but the fracturing of Dom's life is the real draw. Dom's backstory really pulled me in. He's truly a "good" person with an unfortunate and dark past, and those types of characters might just be my kryptonite. I also warmed up to Kempthorne much more in this installment. Nash uses Dom's authenticator abilities as a very clever device in the series to reveal a lot about Kempthorne without Kempthorne revealing anything about himself, which would be out of character.
Same as before, be forewarned that this book ends in another cliffhanger. Ugh, I really want the next (and final) book now.
October 16, 2021
Tide of Tricks is such an excellent follow up to the Shadows of London series. This is the second book in the series and can't be read on its own. Events that happen here is directly related to the ones in Twisted Pretty Things so go read that first.
The traumatic events and revelations in Twisted Pretty Things has taken their toll on Dom and has affected his performance in the test for latents. And with the current investigation on a series of murders which brings into light some parts of Dom's past he has left behind, we see the fast fall of Dom and his sanity along with his more ruthless side. The mystery plot of the murders shed more insight into Dom's past, where he came from and what drove him to seek out an escape from there. It added more layer and depth to his character and it did help me sympathize more for him. He led such a hard life before and now that he has been able to find a semblance of happiness, a found family and freedom, sinister and shadowy personalities are out there ready to rip it all away from him.
From the start, I have been a Kempthorne fan and this sequel gave me a lot to be happy about as fan of his character. That sexual tension between Dom and Alex is more pronounced than ever in here. Through Dom's perspective, we get to see a softer and more human side to Kempthorne. Some parts of the story also showed how powerful Alex is, thus shedding some light as to one of the reasons why exactly he is wanted by sinister forces. There is still a gap between Dom and Alex which they need to resolve before they can actually have a proper relationship, but then Dom's feelings are all over the place with him also having this intense attraction and maybe love for Hollywood. I'm looking forward to how all will unfold in the third book. Add in the matter of motives and how the two men used Dom for their own purposes...the resolution to this will definitely bring the readers some pain.
Anyway, the world building is as always excellent. We've gleaned a few more things about latents and those shadowy entities but also at the same time things got more intriguing. I have so many questions like how did those shadow beings came to be? Were they always there? What made Alex and Dom so special? Hopefully the third book would be able to give us those.
The pacing in this book is good, the action sequences were written quite well and the dialogue and the interactions of the characters are interesting and fun. The quiet and softer moments are interspersed at the right places and did not hinder the flow of the story.
Overall, Tide of Tricks is a fantastic follow-up to an amazing first book. It is a marvelous story filled with fascinating characters, great world-building and an intriguing plot that is really hard to forget and will probably haunt you until all the next book arrives. With such a cliffhanger, I am definitely looking forward to the next story in this series.
I am giving this a 5 stars out of 5.
I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
The traumatic events and revelations in Twisted Pretty Things has taken their toll on Dom and has affected his performance in the test for latents. And with the current investigation on a series of murders which brings into light some parts of Dom's past he has left behind, we see the fast fall of Dom and his sanity along with his more ruthless side. The mystery plot of the murders shed more insight into Dom's past, where he came from and what drove him to seek out an escape from there. It added more layer and depth to his character and it did help me sympathize more for him. He led such a hard life before and now that he has been able to find a semblance of happiness, a found family and freedom, sinister and shadowy personalities are out there ready to rip it all away from him.
From the start, I have been a Kempthorne fan and this sequel gave me a lot to be happy about as fan of his character. That sexual tension between Dom and Alex is more pronounced than ever in here. Through Dom's perspective, we get to see a softer and more human side to Kempthorne. Some parts of the story also showed how powerful Alex is, thus shedding some light as to one of the reasons why exactly he is wanted by sinister forces. There is still a gap between Dom and Alex which they need to resolve before they can actually have a proper relationship, but then Dom's feelings are all over the place with him also having this intense attraction and maybe love for Hollywood. I'm looking forward to how all will unfold in the third book. Add in the matter of motives and how the two men used Dom for their own purposes...the resolution to this will definitely bring the readers some pain.
Anyway, the world building is as always excellent. We've gleaned a few more things about latents and those shadowy entities but also at the same time things got more intriguing. I have so many questions like how did those shadow beings came to be? Were they always there? What made Alex and Dom so special? Hopefully the third book would be able to give us those.
The pacing in this book is good, the action sequences were written quite well and the dialogue and the interactions of the characters are interesting and fun. The quiet and softer moments are interspersed at the right places and did not hinder the flow of the story.
Overall, Tide of Tricks is a fantastic follow-up to an amazing first book. It is a marvelous story filled with fascinating characters, great world-building and an intriguing plot that is really hard to forget and will probably haunt you until all the next book arrives. With such a cliffhanger, I am definitely looking forward to the next story in this series.
I am giving this a 5 stars out of 5.
I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
December 5, 2021
Blazing
Plot-driven page-turner with clever twists and enough chemistry to set a city on fire. It picks up smoothly all the threads from the first one and weaves them into an even more intriguing tapestry.
I’ve become terribly picky when it comes to books but this is definitely a 5 star read for me.
Can’t wait to get my hands on Trial by Fire!
Plot-driven page-turner with clever twists and enough chemistry to set a city on fire. It picks up smoothly all the threads from the first one and weaves them into an even more intriguing tapestry.
I’ve become terribly picky when it comes to books but this is definitely a 5 star read for me.
Can’t wait to get my hands on Trial by Fire!
March 6, 2022
Cliffhanger, I hate thee.
That being said, this was a very good sequel to Dom, Kempthorne and Kage’s story. It starts with Dom failing at his latency test because he’s keeping Kempthorne’s secrets, and he’s out on probation under Kempthorne’s supervision. Whenever you think you unraveled a secret, there’s another one lurking behind the corner. And nobody is what (or who) he seems, least of all Dom himself.
There’s a serial killer on the loose, who’s carefully staging it so that the only obvious suspect is Dom, who’s seeming to lose his grip on his “trick� aka magic.
On top of that, there’s that love triangle (ish) which I normally hate, but seem to be ok with here, maybe because I already suspect how it’s going to turn out in the end.
The audio version is highly recommendable, Chris Cornell does a great job adding tension to already tense moments.
I’d rate it with 4.5 stars, rounded down because
I. HATE. CLIFFHANGERS.
Thank god the final book is due to this month!
That being said, this was a very good sequel to Dom, Kempthorne and Kage’s story. It starts with Dom failing at his latency test because he’s keeping Kempthorne’s secrets, and he’s out on probation under Kempthorne’s supervision. Whenever you think you unraveled a secret, there’s another one lurking behind the corner. And nobody is what (or who) he seems, least of all Dom himself.
There’s a serial killer on the loose, who’s carefully staging it so that the only obvious suspect is Dom, who’s seeming to lose his grip on his “trick� aka magic.
On top of that, there’s that love triangle (ish) which I normally hate, but seem to be ok with here, maybe because I already suspect how it’s going to turn out in the end.
The audio version is highly recommendable, Chris Cornell does a great job adding tension to already tense moments.
I’d rate it with 4.5 stars, rounded down because
I. HATE. CLIFFHANGERS.
Thank god the final book is due to this month!
December 29, 2021
Dom failed his register latent test, had to lie to cover for his boss Kempthorne, an unregister “absorber�. He is stuck in a difficult situation.
Murders cases, two latent found dead, possibly killed by a serial killer.
We get to learn more about Dom past when it come hunting him and might have a link with the murders cases. Both Kage & Kempthorne hid things from him, once again, but Alex starts to open up a little bit and might care more about Dom than he is showing. Dom is starting to be unstable, need control but do not know who to trust.
I am team Kempthorne all the way, but knowing this author, I might get punch in the face later with some plot twist I didn’t see coming. This book kept me on my toes, I really enjoy it!
Murders cases, two latent found dead, possibly killed by a serial killer.
We get to learn more about Dom past when it come hunting him and might have a link with the murders cases. Both Kage & Kempthorne hid things from him, once again, but Alex starts to open up a little bit and might care more about Dom than he is showing. Dom is starting to be unstable, need control but do not know who to trust.
I am team Kempthorne all the way, but knowing this author, I might get punch in the face later with some plot twist I didn’t see coming. This book kept me on my toes, I really enjoy it!
October 15, 2021
It's probably 4.5-5 stars but I rounded it up because I obsessively read it until I had it finished. I couldn't put it down once I'd started. Even when I couldn't read, I was thinking about it and had to know what happened next.
I won't bore you with the recap, that's what the blurb is for. This is the second in the Shadows of London series, and it can't be read as a standalone, it's a direct sequel to Twisted Pretty Things. I would class this as urban fantasy with a side of MM romance. We meet John's love interests in the first book and they're both back here.
This time John and his agency are investigating a series of murders and it turns out John is the prime suspect. I felt so bad for John this time, everything is against him and things look really bleak. I'd love to say it turned out right for him in the end, but poor John really goes through the mill. The murder storyline is twisted in with John's past and it was good to learn more of where he came from and what he'd been through already in his life to get to this point. Seeing more of John's past was eye opening. I love John, he's had such a hard life and I really feel for him. He thinks he doesn't deserve happiness because he's never had it and can't really see it when it's there in front of him.
This time the romance element is focused more on Kempthorne. My jury is still out on Kempthorne, I'm still not sure he's telling John the truth and I'm even more suspicious of his motives and whether he's actually good for John. I loved having Kage/Hollywood back and was glad to see him and John together again, and if I'm honest, I am hoping John and Kage end up together because they are great together. More equal than Kempthorne/John.
Finally, cliffhanger much? Oh my goodness, I can't wait for the next book to find out how John gets out of this one. MORE PLEASE (And please let Kage/John have more time together, pretty please????)
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
I won't bore you with the recap, that's what the blurb is for. This is the second in the Shadows of London series, and it can't be read as a standalone, it's a direct sequel to Twisted Pretty Things. I would class this as urban fantasy with a side of MM romance. We meet John's love interests in the first book and they're both back here.
This time John and his agency are investigating a series of murders and it turns out John is the prime suspect. I felt so bad for John this time, everything is against him and things look really bleak. I'd love to say it turned out right for him in the end, but poor John really goes through the mill. The murder storyline is twisted in with John's past and it was good to learn more of where he came from and what he'd been through already in his life to get to this point. Seeing more of John's past was eye opening. I love John, he's had such a hard life and I really feel for him. He thinks he doesn't deserve happiness because he's never had it and can't really see it when it's there in front of him.
This time the romance element is focused more on Kempthorne. My jury is still out on Kempthorne, I'm still not sure he's telling John the truth and I'm even more suspicious of his motives and whether he's actually good for John. I loved having Kage/Hollywood back and was glad to see him and John together again, and if I'm honest, I am hoping John and Kage end up together because they are great together. More equal than Kempthorne/John.
Finally, cliffhanger much? Oh my goodness, I can't wait for the next book to find out how John gets out of this one. MORE PLEASE (And please let Kage/John have more time together, pretty please????)
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
October 15, 2021
Holy…wait, what…shit.
This went exactly where I thought it was going to go but it didn’t take us there in the way I thought it would. And now I’m kinda stuck on the end wanting to the next book in my hands so we can learn all those lovely things that were brought up at the end.
This one is about the fast fall of Dom and his sanity because repercussions happen from the first book and so even though there is a case that wraps through this book I found nothing really happened. Yeah, shit does, but even though it’s very clearly about his sanity, it also wasn’t. so maybe this is that second book deal, or something because it’s almost like the whole book, and every relationship has come to a standstill. Except one, which I didn’t really like, but I guess it needed to happen…I don’t know. it was a book that gave us two lines of new information and that was about it, nothing in most every aspect moved from what it had been in book 1 except one thing which I didn’t appreciate but others might (it just doesn’t work for me). I know a lot of the things I didn’t like in this book are very on me, I get that, and will just have to deal as the series goes on.
I liked it enough, I really want the next book because that one, hopefully, will be fun (thought I’m really not going to appreciate one big aspect)
This went exactly where I thought it was going to go but it didn’t take us there in the way I thought it would. And now I’m kinda stuck on the end wanting to the next book in my hands so we can learn all those lovely things that were brought up at the end.
This one is about the fast fall of Dom and his sanity because repercussions happen from the first book and so even though there is a case that wraps through this book I found nothing really happened. Yeah, shit does, but even though it’s very clearly about his sanity, it also wasn’t. so maybe this is that second book deal, or something because it’s almost like the whole book, and every relationship has come to a standstill. Except one, which I didn’t really like, but I guess it needed to happen…I don’t know. it was a book that gave us two lines of new information and that was about it, nothing in most every aspect moved from what it had been in book 1 except one thing which I didn’t appreciate but others might (it just doesn’t work for me). I know a lot of the things I didn’t like in this book are very on me, I get that, and will just have to deal as the series goes on.
I liked it enough, I really want the next book because that one, hopefully, will be fun (thought I’m really not going to appreciate one big aspect)
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