Review: Fallen (The Shadows of Regia #1) by Tenaya Jayne

Title: Fallen

Series: The Shadows of Regia #1
Author: Tenaya Jayne
Publisher: Cold Fire Publishing LLC
Published: September 29, 2017
Pages: 404
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, New Adult
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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I will never submit to the man who killed my best friend...no matter what destiny says.  

Half vampire and wealthy playboy, Maddox lives his life in the public eye and thoroughly enjoys his bad reputation. But what most people believe of him is not who he really is. Life has always been easy for Maddox, but now a dark figure moves through the shadows slaughtering innocent young women, and the evidence points at him as his exes start turning up dead with his name carved into their skin. 

Erin hates everything Maddox stands for and when her best friend becomes the most recent in the line of mysterious killings, she has no doubt the rich lothario is responsible. Torn by grief, Erin decides to take matters into her own hands and she will stop at nothing to make Maddox pay. 

But when the two rivals finally come head to head, neither is prepared for the sparks that fly or the eternal bond that destiny weaves between their souls. Maddox is desperate to keep Erin by his side and prove to her his innocence.  Erin would rather die than submit to being his destined life mate… And her death is just what the killer has in mind. 

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

DISCLAIMER: This review MAY contain spoilers. 

This is one of those books that wasn't perfect, yet I enjoyed it so thoroughly that I can't possibly give it a lower rating. My pitter-pattering heart wouldn't allow it. I was entirely consumed by this story and I finished it in a single sitting.

My first thought after finishing this book, apart from loving it, was that this story could have been so epic if it had been told over more than one book. It has all of the feels that a good story should have, but I felt that the execution of things was a little too rushed. Some things felt a little too glossed over where details and development could have really set this apart. If this same story arc had been stretched out and things were added to "thicken" things up and expand upon certain aspects of the story then I think this would have been absolutely perfect. The story was a little too fast-paced for my liking. The only thing that felt remotely well-paced was the romantic aspect of the story. So there is a good solid plot in this book, but I felt like there were gaps that could have been filled in more.

The world-building could have been better. The scenes were atmospheric enough, but I needed to know more about this fantasy world as a whole. I know that this book is set in an existing book world, but things should have been explained better for those that have not read that series. I felt a little lost since I have not read The Legends of Regia series. 

While I enjoyed the writing, for the most part, I felt that it read more like a Young Adult story when I was expecting something a little more mature. The characters are New Adult age but the writing made them seem younger. I mean, they were both saying "Oh my gosh" and it didn't sit right with me. I don't know of any adult talking like that. 

The characters are quite enjoyable in this book. I liked them all. Even the main villain. I did feel like the characters could have been fleshed out more though. While I understood their motives and their goals, some of the characters I did not feel on an emotional level. I did enjoy their interactions and chemistry. 

I really enjoyed the romance in this book. I think this is the strongest thing about this book. The romance really is good. It is a one-sided hate-to-love trope and it really works. It was written quite well. I only felt that adding more "content" to the romance and the characters would have strengthened the romance even more. It is quite convincing on its own, but it had all the makings of something even more incredible. This goes back to my previous comments on lengthening the book to include more character and plot development. Everything is there and it works and is enjoyable, but it is simply the difference between a great story and an epic one. I also felt that the romance was a little too juvenile. There is sex in the book, but it is not descriptive and it is mostly fade to black scenarios. I can understand that for upper young adult books, but these are adults that have been life mated/bonded. Not showing the intimacy between them does the characters and the romance no justice. 

I felt that the villains in the book were revealed too quickly. There was no surprise at all. I wouldn't even say it was predictable because they are clearly put on display at the beginning of the book. I also felt that there needed to be more involved with the boss fight at the end of the book. I felt a little disconnected from it. I think that a little more character development throughout the book could fix this though. I wanted to feel more compelled to hate the villains, but I just didn't feel them at all. 

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book! I was sucked into this story from the beginning and I enjoyed every moment. If you enjoy a light paranormal romance then you'd love this one! I am eager to explore The Legends of Regia series and get to know some of what happened prior to this book. I will also be continuing this series.

This book has the most beautiful cover! I fell in love with it when I saw it. I love love love illustrated book covers and this one is gorgeous. I would legit get a print of this cover and put it on my wall. It's that sexy. Do you like illustrated covers?