"Etched in Bone" Review

"Etched in Bone"
as Adrian Phoenix

Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: Feb 22, 2011

Source: sent by publisher

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Summary from goodreads.com:

SON OF A FALLEN ANGEL. FORGED IN VAMPIRE’S BLOOD. SWORN TO A MORTAL WOMAN. IF DANTE FALLS, THE WORLD FALLS WITH HIM. . . .

THREE LEGACIES ETCHED IN BONE

More beautiful and powerful than any creature the world has ever seen, Dante Baptiste has become the supreme target of the three worlds that spawned him. The mortal agents of the Shadow Branch have tried to control his mind through psychological torture. The vampire elders who guide nightkind society have plotted to use him in their bloodthirsty bid for power. And the Fallen have waited for millennia for Dante to claim his birthright as their Maker. But Dante belongs to no one—except the woman he loves. . . .

ONE PASSION SWORN IN BLOOD

Determined to face the Fallen and the world on his own terms, Dante hopes to piece together his shattered past and claim his future, with FBI agent Heather Wallace at his side. But in Heather’s human family awaits an unexpected enemy. One who could rip Heather from Dante’s heart and fill the holes with bullets. One who could force Dante to choose his darkest destiny—as the Great Destroyer. . . .

My Review:

This Urban Fantasy wasn't really my style, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. While I'm still not really a fan of the genre, I was able to see both the good and the bad in this story.

I liked the author's voice, it was much more natural than the other Urban Fantasy books that I've read. She wasn't trying so hard to say how hip, cool, and funny her main character was. Heather was much more natural, she just was cool and hip, she didn't have to use forced dialogue to prove it.

I also liked Heather and Dante's ability to speak to each other through their bond. The author was able to do a lot with it. Also, while the emphasis was definitely on the hot, passionate side of their relationship, you could tell they really loved each other too. There were even some tender moments that surprised me.
 
However, I wasn't into all of the violence in the book. That's part of why this isn't the genre for me. A lot of it felt like it was done for shock value. There was a lot of cursing in the book too, many times multiple times on the same page. I'm not against cursing, but this amount was distracting to me. 



Main Characters: 4/5
Supporting Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3/5
Romance: 3/5
Uniqueness: 3/5
Cover: 3/5
Writing: 4/5


Bottom Line: This was a well written tale for fans of Urban Fantasy, the rest of us may just not get it!