Muddled in the Shadows

Book #[TBD] : Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan

* I'm trying to figure out my own rating system and I have an idea; I'm working on figuring out how I want to actualize it

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The #1 New York Times bestselling “queen of paranormal romance” (USA Today) is back with a sexy series starring a Chicago crime family that hides a dark, mystical secret... Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate. While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now… With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...

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Progress Report: Feb. 4th 2022 | Day 8 | 30%

Okay, so I thought this would be a quick and easy read and I have been dragging through it this week. So far, I have a lot of questions about how the magic aspect works here. There was a brief breakdown on the Shadows, the hierarchy of the powers this shadow magic gives, and how it translates to the rankings as it pertains to the Ferraro family but not so much the logistics of how it works or why? Maybe that'll come later?

I'd also really like a way to figure out the reason Stefano is able to "claim" Francesca immediately. I mean, okay, I get it... totally a plot device to emphasize the ✨ P u r e S e x A p p e a l ✨ of this man and their chemistry... but also... really f*ckin creepy, if you think about it? It's giving me.... Jacob imprinting on Renesmee vibes (listen, let's just admit that the majority of us read and/or watched Twilight and move on) and I just... I mean, definitely more appropriate because Francesca is a whole ass woman (literally, I guess? Because based on the descriptions in the book... lady got a PEACH 🍑). It's definitely a mutual pull in which they are both on either end of this sexy tug-o'-war.

OH! and since we're on the topic of sex. Can I just say... referring to a woman's vagina as "sex" is really throwing me off. It snaps me right out. Is this a common thing in romance novels? Because, if so, I think I've found something more terrifying to me than vulnerability... Maybe I'll get used to it though? I don't know. I just... there are SO MANY other words!

The prose itself can be a bit superfluous and repetitive, but what I do like is that the perspective of the narrative is very fluid. In the first couple of chapters, the perspective is set to either Stefano or Francesca for the entirety of the chapter or section; but as the story progresses and they interact with each other more, the perspective shifts depending on the situation. It was a little disorienting at first, but once I got used to the style, it helped me envision the characters as if it were a movie or a tv show.

I feel like this progress report is skewing negative... but that's not entirely how I feel. I'm still optimistic about the book and I'm determined to read it (especially since Ji finished it already). So I guess I better get a move on...