There’s nothing like a terrifically written romance, wrapped up in a mystery, and surrounded by a battle of good versus evil. It makes you want to forget you’ve got a life and just sit in your reading chair eating Snickers bars and turning the pages until you’ve read the very last sentence of the book. As I read Christina Dodd’s newest release Chains of Ice, the third in her Chosen One series, I had said Snickers Bar in hand and was transported to a world of passion, mystery, and magic. This is a book with legs—the unique mythology and characters are three dimensional and envelop the reader right from the beginning. Each book can stand alone, but reading them as a series gives you a deeper insight into the incredibly rich world, a world you know will grow and change as the series progresses.
The Chosen Ones are seven modern day humans, each with their own special abilities to fight a darkness that threatens to take over the world. Chains of Ice features John Powell, a man with a particularly angst-filled beginning. It is his horrific childhood and his special ability that draws him to sign on to be a member of the Chosen Ones where he can use his powers for good. But while on a difficult mission something goes awry and much of his team dies, leaving John feeling guilty and unworthy. His only choice is to separate himself and seek refuge in a remote corner of the world. Isolated, alone, and hiding his powers, John never imagined he would discover the one woman who could change everything: Genny Valente.
Genny has also suffered a loveless childhood, spending most it in a vain attempt to gain her father’s love. When he unexpectedly offers her the chance to pursue her passion of documenting the almost extinct Ural Lynx, there is a price. She can have her few precious months with Lynxs, if she persuades John Powell to return. There is always a price.
This is a story of treachery, deceit, adventure, and passion. The author is a master at the slow build, revealing bits of information as you turn the pages, keeping your interest at an almost unbearable peak as you discover the players and their motives. The author surprises you with twists you didn’t see coming, a fiery romance, and a well crafted mythology that beckons the reader to want to know more about the world and what’s to come.
Writers like Christina Dodd are the reason I love series. They create worlds that are beyond my imagination. They create characters I want to know and can’t stop thinking about. They make me yearn for the next story they want to tell me, and I am the ever eager listener. If you’re not acquainted with The Chosen Ones series you can certainly read this book as a standalone, but don’t deprive yourself of this terrific world. The first two books in the series are Storm of Shadows and Storm of Visions. The next book, Chains of Fire will be released in September.
I’ve read Christina Dodd’s historicals, paranormals, and contemporary romantic suspense. What authors do you read who write in more than one genre?
Until next Thursday, read lots of romance and lay off the chocolates.
Maria Lokken is an avid romance reader and an award winning television producer.
