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You are here: Home / A Review / Review: Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher

Review: Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher

November 5, 2010 by Tori 17 Comments

Living Nightmare (Sentinel Wars, #4)Living Nightmare (The Sentinel Wars #4) by Shannon K. Butcher
Paranormal Romance
November 2, 2010
Paperback, 368 Pages
Signet

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote:”Do you want me to kiss you? ‘Cause it’s what I want. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. Especially when I go to bed. I keep wishing you were with me. Touching me. Sometimes I touch myself and pretend it’s you.”

For nine years Nika has only had one goal; to save her baby sister from the Synestryn who hold her captive. But everyone believes she is dead and that Nika is crazy. The one man with whom she can bond and unlock her powers wants nothing to do with her. Now Nika’s psychic bond with her sister is fading fast and unless Nika can convince Madoc they belong together, she will lose her sister forever.

Madoc is slowly heading towards madness and fears what he is becoming. He swears to stay away from Nika for her own safety but cannot. As Nika convinces Madoc of her sanity he must strive to save his because if not, he will destroy them both.

Living Nightmare, #4 in the Sentinel War series, is in my opinion, her best yet. I have waited a long time for Nika and Madoc’s story and Ms. Butcher delivers it in a dark, gritty, action packed story that held me spellbound. Smooth story line and ever progressing arc engages the reader and sets a fast pace for reading. The premise of this one may still revolve around 2 main characters but Ms. Butcher doesn’t bog down the story with never ending emotional angst for our couple as her previous books.
This book is an absolute whirlwind to read as Ms. Butcher goes in depth into multiple character story lines and POV’s which I loved. We don’t see a lot of our previous heroes and heroines, for which I am glad. Andrea and Lexi annoy me. But we do get more indepth scenes with Angus and Gilda, Joesph, Logan and many more. Ms. Butcher sets up future story lines here and does it in a mindblowing staggering way.

Nika is truly the strong one in this story. Unlike our previous heroines, she knows what is happening and of the war that is waging around them. She doesn’t whine or waffle in her decisions. Since she has lived in the abyss-it’s doesn’t scare her. Even though most of the Sentinels and her own sister thinks she is insane, she knows the truth in her visions and will prevail. Her gift is the ability to enter the minds of others and absorb them. She has spent so much time in the Synestryns’ minds that she was lost in the pain. But with Madoc’s touch, she feels no pain and can level herself out.

Madoc is still as crazy as ever. Huge, arrogant, tough, silent, and slightly insane; he is the perfect foil for quiet stubborn Nika. He is convinced Nika is not the one for him because his luceria doesn’t light up when she is around and he fears what will happen if he gives into his feelings for her. It’s entertaining the way this small slip of a girl has this man on the run. But he can’t run far because in spite of everything, he wants her in all ways possible. I like how Madoc isn’t as alpha with his love interest as the rest of them. He listens and hears her. He doesn’t treat her as less then him in intelligence. Though his constant references to her bring crazy got old.

As Nika strives to overcome obstacles set in her path to Madoc, she shows the Sentinels that she may be their best weapon yet.

This story is rich in action and suspense. The romance blends well; so well in fact that you almost miss it. The love scenes are few in this one. We see more emotion and conversation then physical love. More focus placed on the arc and it’s players and less on the primary couple’s journey. I enjoy this change. Ms Butcher’s books are fab but this particular “storyline” is one in a million with this genre. She has changed up and is traveling down a different avenue with this story. What I do ove about Ms. Butcher’s books and hopes she never changes is her concept of good and evil. She blurs the lines. The Sentinels & the Sanguinar use nefarious means to achieve their goals as much as the Synestryns. We see lines being crossed, misconceptions being revealed, and actions being questioned.

Her characters are rich in depth, development, and personality. Ms. Butcher gives great character dialogue. You are able to connect to them rather them just reading about them. Each one is viable enough for their own book. Ms. Butcher’s style of writing adds new and old character story lines in a way that doesn’t leave you over whelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge she imparts.

The ending is a mixture of explosive action, finger clenching tension, and a mind blowing cliff hanger. Ms Butcher managed to leave me literally speechless. Living Nightmare was everything I could want in a Paranormal Romance and I look forward to the next in her series, Bloodhunt, set to release August 2011.

Rating: A

Recent Reviews:
Goodreads

This series includes 
Burning Alive
Finding the Lost
Running Scared 
Living Nightmare
Bloodhunt – August 2011 

Author’s Website.

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Filed Under: A Review, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Shannon Butcher, Tori

Comments

  1. Leontine says

    November 5, 2010 at 7:18 am

    Oh, now I'm so contemplating to put a book up on my TBR pile December list. This sounds like a fantastic series! Wonderful review Tori :)

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  2. Leontine says

    November 5, 2010 at 7:19 am

    PS a book? My thoughts were quicker then my fingers LOL I meant to say I need to put a book up of this series on my TBR pile December list :)

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  3. Julie says

    November 5, 2010 at 8:33 am

    I've never read this author but I know of a few fans. Apparently, she's quite good ;) Good review Tori!

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  4. tori aka ggs_closet says

    November 5, 2010 at 9:23 am

    Leontine- I do like this series but this one blew me away.

    Julie-This latest one shows she listens to her fans. She really out did herself in my opinion.

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  5. Patti (Book Addict) says

    November 5, 2010 at 9:28 am

    I read the first book in this series and liked it. I think I have book 2 in my TBR. I need to catch up!

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  6. Fiction Vixen says

    November 5, 2010 at 9:49 am

    Samantha at FV is reading this series and really likes it. This one sounds really good!!

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  7. Paranormal Haven says

    November 5, 2010 at 10:14 am

    This is another series I have the 1st book waiting for me in my TBR pile. Maybe one day I'll actually get to it. Great review Tori. Really makes me wish I could read faster so I can finally start the first Sentinel Wars book.

    Stephanie G
    Paranormal Haven

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  8. Jenny says

    November 5, 2010 at 10:33 am

    Yay! I can't wait to get caught up to this one in the series. I just finished the first one a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it, but I think this one will be my favorite based on the fact that Nika isn't whiny and I just happen to love huge, arrogant, tough, silent and slightly insane men:) The cliffhanger makes me nervous, but if I survived Dreamfever I can survive this. Great review Tori!

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  9. tori aka ggs_closet says

    November 5, 2010 at 11:40 am

    Patti- It is filled with goodness.

    Fiction Vixen- It is good.

    Paranormal Haven- lol I have so many new series I want to start. But then evol authors write more and my tbr gets bigger and bigger.

    Jenny-Nika & Madoc are the bestest. And this installment just blew me away.

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  10. Ally says

    November 5, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    Great review Tori! Loved it so much.
    Trying to wait patiently for amazon to send me this book so I can hopefully consume it in one sitting. I'm so glad you think it's better than the previous 3! Because after the 3rd book I really wasn't sure how this series was going to go. But this seems positive and I'm so excited to read it, if amazon will ever deliver it!!

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  11. tori aka ggs_closet says

    November 5, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    Ally- The 3rd one left me a little "meh" too but this one totally shakes everything up.

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  12. Pamela says

    November 5, 2010 at 2:20 pm

    Dying to start this series. Dyyyyyyyingggggggg!

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  13. Smokinhotbooks says

    November 5, 2010 at 9:13 pm

    OMG Grace *sobs* – I just finished this last night and I have to say Butcher gives us awesome main characters but I'm always drawn to her side plot characters.

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  14. tori aka ggs_closet says

    November 5, 2010 at 9:38 pm

    KC-O.M.G. That scene…*heavy sigh*. I like her sub plots too.

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  15. amyt865 says

    November 5, 2010 at 10:06 pm

    She doesn't whine or "waffle"! LMAO You go girl! This book actually sounds really good! Great review!

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  16. Anonymous says

    November 21, 2010 at 1:44 am

    It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. Anonymous says

    December 8, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    Thanks for an idea, you sparked at thought from a angle I hadn’t given thoguht to yet. Now lets see if I can do something with it.

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