I received a free copy of this book from Author for an honest review.
This does not affect in any way my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

Shadow Embraced by Cheree Smith
Series: Haven #1
Published by Dark Cherry Press on April 29, 2013
Genres: YA, Paranormal
Source: Author
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No escape.
Those words haunt Scar's dreams. She thinks the creature that terrorises her while asleep isn't real, but when she's abducted and taken to a reform school meant to contain creatures too dangerous to function in society, she starts to wonder whether she isn't some monster.
She turns to an underground fight club full of vampires, werewolves and witches established by the students to control her urges, and who is she kidding, she loves to fight.
When fighters begin to disappear, turning Scar into the prime suspect, she must race to prove her innocence before her true nature is exposed.
The only problem is that she's not entirely sure she's innocent.

This wasn’t the first time I read Shadow Embraced. I did a Beta read for it a very long time ago, but I clearly remember how I was hoping to see the manuscript becoming a book sooner or later. Then, I re-read it before creating both cover and trailer for the book, of course. And now? Well, I wanted to read it again just for the pleasure of it because I think Cheree Smith has created something different and, boy, how fast and furious!

Scar is a strong character, a real fighter who takes and fights back everything that comes her way—which is a lot—and, in the process, she tries to get over what scares her the most. I honestly would have liked her to show a bit more of thoughts for what and who she left behind, but then I’m not sure it would have made her face the reality in which she’s forced to live in the same way she has. What I really liked was the relationship between her and Daemon. There’s no I-love-you-from-the-moment-I-saw-you or I-am-going-to-die-if-I-do-not-see-him kind of romance in here, it’s just two people who like to spend time with each other. Ok, basically to improve Scar’s techniques, but who are they kidding? The attraction has always been there and at some point it develops in a fascination that can’t be denied but still, don’t expect romanticism. I found it refreshing and I think it worked out well for those two.

Shadow Embraced is fast, full of action and fights video-games style—that’s what they remind me of—and it definitely makes you wonder who the ‘villain’ is . . . You may be surprised, indeed. I’m totally curious to see what is going to happen next and I hope to read more of Ghost and Paul, whom I think has a potential not to underestimate!

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