| Title | : | Shattered Illusions (Ashryn Barker, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 128 |
| Publication | : | First published December 21, 2017 |
here.
Don’t get in the way of me and my sai. At least, not if you’re a vampire. That’s a quick way to end up dead.
My name is Ashryn Barker, and I’m a vampire hunter. One of the best in fact.
I also have a secret. One I can never tell anyone else. When I look someone in the eyes, I can see their deepest secret, the one hidden behind the illusion they show the world.
My name is Ashryn Barker, and I’m here to shatter your illusions.
The first installment in the completed Ashryn Barker trilogy, an urban fantasy/paranormal reverse harem.
Shattered Illusions (Ashryn Barker, #1) Reviews
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KU
This novel doesn’t hold up much in terms of editing, storyline quality, and generally smothered in stereotypical cliches. A DNF 25%. -
Free books, the bane of my existence.
I love free books, I'm sure I'm not the only one. I went on a spree on Amazon and lets just say they haven't been living up to it. The reviews on there were good, this tells me I should start leaving reviews on Amazon so no one else gets suckered like me.
This book was about nothing. It was full of cliches, I didn't like the way the heroine talked at us, she was insta-lusting on every body. Literally all the men that's appeared she's lusted after. There were sentences that had no bearing on the story that just ended up throwing me out of it. It ends on a cliffhanger that I am not interested in. -
Ends in a cliffhanger just as it begins to get interesting. Feels like a serial to me
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I liked this one. It’s something different from the other books I read from this author. The sexual tension is there but a lot is left to the imagination. I like idea of using imagination as a ploy for this novel . As there something sensual about thinking what happens behind close doors as there is a lot going on for the heroine.
As her entire world has been turned upside down and Ashryn doesn’t know what to think or do at the moment. It’s interest situation that she is thrown into . Becoming one of the very things she hunts is a game changer for anyone. Ashryn’s entire life is turned upside down yet she remains relativity calm despite her future being totally unknown. And the only parties willing to help , are some vampires who aren’t exactly keen to see her.
The story offer an interesting proposition and I love the way this book sets up the series. It leaves a lot to think about and you have to wonder what Greenwood has in store for us . This is a heroine is a bit unsure of herself anymore and I love whilst she struggles with the magnitude of the change. She never forgets who she is person. A person who has skill that I could only imagine would be kickass if she ever uses them .
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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Book one in the new Ashryn Barker trilogy and what great start it is too. Ashryn had been raised pretty much her whole life as a vampire hunter being taught how awful they are. This is not a problem for her until she is sent on a mission by herself with dire consequences. Who can trust and what can she believe as she takes her fist steps in this world new to her. Great story development and Ashryn herself had me dying laughing. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment. If you are looking for a good vampire book then you might like this one. I really enjoyed it so I give it 4/5 stars. -
Gah I’m slumping! I don’t even know where to start really! This is a very fast read! No world building, no character depth, not really even long enough for a plot line. I’m just going to say if you have to tell the reader that the MC is a bad A and then have them fail at every battle you put in the story eventually the reader is going to believe it’s a lie.
It was however slightly refreshing to have an FMC that’s just simple, not overthinking things, no filter. The writing style is like a ramble on and on it was a little jarring. I did however think it was cute that she called attention to all the cliches in the book and there were a bunch. I think maybe this was meant to be a vampire book spoof? Maybe?
I really don’t understand why I’ve read a slew of novels recently that throw in Epilogues at the end of books that really just need to be another chapter shouldn’t someone catch that? I mean that’s not even what an epilogue is. Bah rant over! -
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This review may contain spoilers, continue at your own risk!
Actual rating of 2.5
Ashryn is a vampire hunter, and she's damn good at what she does. However, she's a vampire hunter with a secret, one that she can never tell anyone, especially those she works with. When she looks into someone's eyes, she can see their deepest, darkest secret. It can make for some pretty awkward situations, let me tell you. When Ashryn is sent on a nest extermination assignment, things don't go exactly according to plan, and soon Ashryn is questioning everything she's ever known.
I'm a sucker for urban fantasy. It's the genre that got me back into reading after a 10 year hiatus, so I'll generally jump onto anything UF that I find. This story wasn't terrible, but it didn't give me those good book tingles that I look for (it's not as gross as it sounds, I promise). So when we have a badarse feminine protagonist, some vampires, and shit that just isn't what it seems? It sounded freaking amazing to me. I just find that there wasn't a lot happening here.
First off, we have Ashryn Barker...Ashryn...I'm all for unique names in stories and playing around with the more unusual names, but for some reason Ashryn just doesn't sit well with me, it sounds like a bad stereotype of an Eastern accent. I think it's also because I knew a little girl called Ashlyn once, so it was pretty jarring to wrap my head around the different, yet similar pronunciation. But let's be serious, I didn't give the book a less than stellar rating purely for the lead character's name, it grated on me and jolted me out of the narrative a bit, but it's just a name and Greenwood can call her characters whatever she likes.
Ashryn is a badarse character, and you won't be in doubt about it, because she'll tell you how much of a badarse she is. Her character personality jumped over the confidence line and landed heavily in cocky territory. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though, I like characters that have flaws. And Ashryn's cockiness is something that I would see as a flaw. She's that cocky that when something about an assignment didn't feel up to scratch, she ignored it and went anyway, potentially risking her pretty neck. So I'm slightly torn on how to feel about her as a character because she pissed me off greatly with her personality and the tickets she has on herself, yet, I LOVE A CHARACTER THAT HAS FLAWS! I'M SO DAMN TORN! I've met many a character that I just LOVE to hate, but that wasn't the situation here. I'm trying to like the woman, but she's making it kinda hard not to want to slap her out of her gloating...
After said assignment where things went totally pear shaped and the whole "I should have listened to my gut" thing started, the confidence is gone in the blink of an eye, once again, not a bad thing. A seriously terrifying experience can jolt one out of cockiness pretty damn quick, so this was a believable switch. What I did have trouble with was the fact that the facts are literally staring her in the face. She's known about this stuff for her entire life back to the first point she can remember. She has had these facts drilled into her head HER ENTIRE LIFE. Yet she still questions the most basic of things? And is in so much denial that I wanted to throttle her to snap her out of it. Just know this....if you walk in the sun and it hurts, have pointy teeth and didn't die when you probably should have ODDS ARE YOU ARE A VAMPIRE! But she goes through so many different ways to just ignore what has happened. It really irked me. For someone who was illustrated as such a logical, intelligent person, she just turned into a hot mess when the time came to pull her shit together and work it out. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing (again), as I suppose if a character can make you THIS annoyed with them, then the author has done a pretty damn good job of making the character realistic. Also, I know that in situations that are highly emotionally charged, like your whole life being turned upside down, logic and stuff will generally be the first thing to fly out the window. Humans love to live in denial, it's a fact. We will argue against something until we're blue in the face if we don't want to believe it, so in this way Greenwood has made a realistic character.
The men that we meet are interesting enough, this is touted as a reverse harem, which I can see that it will become, but if you're hoping that this first instalment will be filled with hot and steamy sexy times, you will be disappointed. I like this though, I'm sick of reading books where the main character meets someone and two seconds later is trying their hardest to get into someone's pants because he's swoon worthy. I get it, sexy scenes are fun to write, but I want a bit of substance with my smut. I like there to be some foundation to the relationships that form. So I loved that this book doesn't jump straight into sexy time with the characters who don't know each other from a bar of soap. However, I was getting incredibly tired of Ashryn's inner monologue about how they were making her insides feel and how she was beyond attracted to them and how it must have been the change that caused it. No woman, they're probably good looking guys and you're sitting up and taking notice. But I don't want to constantly hear about it. Once is enough.
The story itself is okay, to be honest, nothing much really happens...We meet Ashryn, she goes on a shady mission, ends up in a situation that she never thought would happen, then the rest of the story is basically her trying to deal with the curve ball that she's been thrown. Not bad, but just not super interesting. The story started to get interesting again and then it ended. So it feels almost like it will be a serialisation instead of a full blown series. This is not a bad thing, serialisations can be great if they're done right, this one just didn't feel like it was a good place to stop the story as the flow had just gotten going again.
All in all, this was an okay read, the characters annoyed the tripe out of me at times, but kudos to Greenwood for injecting her characters with enough life and personality to cause me to be annoyed, the story was okay, but not really engrossing...I'm not sure at this stage whether I will continue with the rest of the series or not. If you want a quick UF read about vampires and a hunter give it a go, it's honestly pretty short. -
2.5
Ok.... so this book annoyed me - a lot. The concept was great, yet the narration was painful, though I will say there were humorous moments. (Which is why I ranked it 2.5) Mainly, it has to do with the voice of the character - composed in first person POV (which works in many cases), it came across as one long, rambling conversation with very little world building or content crafting. Her thoughts were also a confused jumble that jumped from point to point - which, admittedly, is kind of normal for a human brain, but it doesn’t translate well on the page.
A vampire hunter who gets turned into a vampire and learns her entire life has been a lie.... great plot! Bad execution. 😔 -
A great start to hopefully what will be a great series. Ashryn is a highly skilled hunter, she has a high kill rate and is very good at what she does. It all goes wrong when she tries to save someone and the tables turn
I like the excitement and drama throughout the story, we get to know a little about Ashryn, but not so much about the new people she meets. I also like that the story leaves me with questions about what is going on, it has really piqued my attention and I am looking forward to reading the next book. I found it to be well written and definitely intriguing -
Feels like someone took a potentially decent book and chopped it half way through. Annoying enough that I likely won't get the next one.
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Ashryn is a vampire hunter. She's been raised to hunt vampires, and she is one of the best. However, when she is sent on a mission by herself to a nest of ten vampires things start to get complicated. But Ashryn is good at denial, and she tries to live in that as long as she can. However, it may be too late by the time she figures out the truth.
This book was interesting. I liked how tough the heroine was, but I also hated her thought process, and the way she constantly tried to deny things. It was annoying. Other than that, I felt this one was a interesting start to the series, and I look forward to reading more, especially after that cliffhanger ending. -
Rating: Unknown
But looking forward to the next book. -
it wasnt hideous... the idea seems cool i'm liking what it seems to be trying to become and because its the first book i'm giving it a pass for the intro blahness that can come with the beginning of a series.
i can overlook small issues with an odd typo maybe more internal monologing that babbles a bit etc
but i cant overlook weird formatting or the fact that the same thing seems to be said over and over just using slightly different conversations or sentences for seemingly the majority of the story... idk i know its a novella but even so it felt like other than the main change hint hint of the story not much was fleshed out just a lot of explaining and not a lot of showing.
despite the weird name choice ASHRYN? seriously its as laughable as apple or blanket i mean ashlyn isnt a highly loved named to begin with im all for less popular names being used but the heroine isnt automatically going to become some awesome namesake for future generations or example of the genre because her name is random and weird.
i mean this feels like another weird renesme mash up. whatever i obviously have a weird thing with irritating names. i guess its like how if you dislike a person even if you meet a really lovely person with that name in the future you cant like it... like its tainted...
i mean weird nicknames awesome go ahead but at least have their name be believable and not chosen one flashing in a big neon lights sign christ.
i mean shit harry is like common as all get out and has been forever and look at harry potter - yes names are important but its the character that makes the name iconic.
sorry rant over besides that i am going to continue the series because im a curious hoe whos a sucker pun not intended for reverse harem.
not a fan of the female protag though doesnt seem to act her age or have much of a brain or even the super fightig skills she keeps lording about so hopefully shes just having a shit week and will grow into someone likeable with you know cognitive function? i dont compare legends like buffy to novellas because obviously shes a classic for a reason but given the fact that ryn has been with the hunters since she was 6 started fighting at 14 i believe so 10 years well shes piss poor how has she not been killed a hundred times over? and shes constantly doing stupid shit rookie only mistakes like knowing somethings a trap yet going in anyway leaving your bavk open letting down your guard knowing someones purposly hiding something from you and instead of protecting yourself or idk questioning it or survival intincts kicking in a friendly warning instead implicitly trusting them anyway sigh the more i think about her the more infuriating it is. i mean everyone EVERYONE knows vampires and sun dont mix. and yet here we are. i mean as far as im concerned its a miracle she hasnt earned a dumbarse of the year award shes not even a cute kind idiot shes one of those know it all types that think they are tough and intelligent and better than everyone because there too stupid or sheltered to realise otherwise. jesus. -
Fated mates - do you like reading books with supernatural characters who realise they were always meant to be together as soon as they lay eyes on each other? Evie, a small town girl is trying hard to make a career as a vet in the city. But one night she finds out her boss is trouble, and a danger for her. She runs right back to her hometown, her parents' house, a place where she feels safe. She meets Wyatt there, a guy with many secrets, a guy whose charm she can't resist.
Now it's no big secret from the blurb that our protagonist here is in love with a shape shifter, one that can turn himself into a bear. I really like this concept of finally moving on from werewolves. Wyatt and his group of bear buddies were a refreshing touch to the story, their special abilities seemed more on the realistic side rather than fantasy. They want to save their species from extinction and Evie is there to help! Evie and Wyatt had an amazing chemistry, their steaming love story elevated the plot. Reading the story with two different perspectives made it much more enjoyable, we could se how Evie was always subconsciously scared and kept looking over her shoulders to he safe from the 'evil organisation' and how all Wy wanted to do was to protect her.
I have to say I waited for the climax for a long time though, Evie was clueless about everything until almost 85% of the book. There could've been much more done with the story if Evie as a protagonist would've been more involved with the secrets of the town. Also the antagonists of the story were always behind the shadows and we didn't get to see more of them, but from what I've heard we can read all about them in another book by the same author! I'm excited to check that out. Having said all of this, the story had a sweet ending, which I really liked. The author managed to keep me hooked to the book all throughout the end with the charming characters and adventurous storyline. -
Shattered Illusions
(Ashryn Barker #1)
by Laura GreenwoodThe Shattered Illusions, the start of the trilogy, offering the reader an interesting read and something different from the other books by is author; slightly refreshing. I love the way Ms. Laura Greenwood sets up this series; the great story development with the heroin having kickass skills having been raised as a hunter. Then her entire world has been turned upside down and betrays her organization and becomes a vampire; she struggles with the magnitude of the changes and yet remains relativity calm despite her future being totally unknown.
This trilogy could have been one solid, well-developed full-length novel; but, instead the author chose to divide it in to three books; giving a better character development as the story-line progresses. There is hope for the plot, as the readers learn more about the main character's gift, who the commander is and why she is part of the organization. The world-building is improved as the trilogy expands, and it becomes clear there's an attraction and sexual tension builds between female MC and the four guys; there something sensual about the and thinking what happens behind closed doors. Each book can be read as a stand-alone (as I read them) and ends with a cliffhanger, that leaves a lot is left to the imagination; drawing the reader deeper in to the story-line.
If you are looking for a good vampire book, then you most likely enjoy this one. This is a very fast read! I was gifted each book of the trilogy and really enjoyed The Shattered Illusions. Now the pieces have been put together. Read the books in ordered. I will be rereading this trilogy (in order) again. Therefore, I am giving The Shattered Illusions a 4.5-star rating. -
Ashryn Barker, elite sai-loving vampire hunter has a hidden talent, when she looks you in the eye she can see your deepest, most private secret. Now she has been betrayed and has become what she once hunted. She should be horrified. Instead, she fears she has been told lies her entire life. Vampires don't seem all bad. In fact, they seem normal, kind, thoughtful, mysterious, maybe one is a grump, but the rest have been nicer than she could have ever expected. And they are all really attractive. Ashryn feels more at home with the vampires than she ever did with the hunters. However, she may not get a chance at being a vampire. Now she's the prey.
This is a short novella, but an entertaining start to Laura Greenwood's new series. This first book is mainly setting up the characters and creating the story's foundation. As yet, there is no romance, only hints. Ashryn is a solid female lead. It's hard to say exactly how strong and talented she is since her first mission was a trap and her skills weren't enough then or in the end. I do like her snarkiness, the fact that she was able to put the vampires in their places immediately, and her secret ability. The guys are all intriguing. The mysterious, authoritative Dimitri, scarred Remus with his caring nature, Bram's consuming need for revenge, and Erik living a sham are all intriguing. The book ends with a killer cliffhanger that leaves you wanting book 2 immediately. -
Shattered Illusions (Ashryn Barker Trilogy Book 1) By:
Laura Greenwood
"
Shattered Illusions" Is A Great Read With Awesome Drama!!
She's a HUNTER...
What She Hunts is Vamps,
At least, until she's sent into a TRAP,
What's to become of a Hunter,
Once She becomes Prey!
I was granted, via B00|{$P®0UT, an ARC of
Laura Greenwood's "
Shattered Illusions (Ashryn Barker Trilogy Book 1)." I recommend this book to others based upon its own recommendations. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time... Happy Reading! -
cliff-hanger ahead
by Helgaleena
This young vampire hunter is not the quickest on the uptake; she's too busy feeling superior to her fellow human foundling hunters because she has the extra ability of seeing through to peoples' deepest secrets. When she's sent on a mission to wipe out ten vampires by herself, she feels flattered, not wary. She thinks her boss always meeting her wearing dark sunglasses is to hide from her talent. And of course it turns out to be a set-up.
When she gets to interact with some very sexy vampires, none of them are as fearsomely awful at heart as the humans she's met in her myriad ten years of hunting. But is that a trap too?
I have a feeling I can tell what is going to happen in volume two, but it irks me that the tale has been presented in such short episodes as this. I hope that those who don't feel smarter than our heroine are not put off as much as I am, and that I have not revealed too many 'spoilers' here. Also, if this is a 'reverse harem' tale, it remains very innocent in volume one, suitable for all ages so far. Ashryn is not a romantic really.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. -
I love this author’s books, but I’m not totally sure how I feel about this one yet. It is a shorter length introduction to the trilogy it will end up being. We meet Ashryn Barker who is a vampire hunter with a unique gift of being able to shatter people’s illusions. I like the concept, and am looking forward to continuing the story to see it flesh out better, which I have every confidence that it will. Her unusual situation and her attitude toward it are intriguing and give this trilogy great potential.
Ashryn had been spent almost her entire life as a vampire hunter being told repeatedly how terrible vampires are. She can easily accept this, until the mission she is sent on alone that turns into a catastrophe and turns her world inside-out. Everything she has been taught is now in question. Who can she trust? How can she move forward? What does she believe now as she has to start over and rediscover herself?
This is only the beginning . . . stick with Ashryn’s story and find out what awaits her in the future as she pulls herself together and joins forces with others of her kind. Betrayal is painful – where will she go from here? -
I really like Laura Greenwood but there were too many sticking points for me to enjoy this short book. I liked the premise but the story didn't make sense. She has grown up with the hunters but has no friends, or real relationships. She is one of the best but they send her into a deliberate trap. No one knows her secret but the sunglasses worn by the boss say that that is not true. She is the best but is easily taken down. She comes to and is having the hots for every male she encounters. I'm thinking sex with mortal enemies, wouldn't be the overwhelming thoughts of a trained assassin. The character just doesn't make sense. One minute she is hot and bothered and then she is telling off one of men for not respecting her feminist rights. I think one the the jarring parts for me was when we get a lecture about seeing people for who they are on the inside and not judging them by their appearance/scars. Uhm, who is she talking to? Is she really reflecting on that when she is living her greatest nightmare? She has more reaction to a fellow ruffling his hair, than her current situation? This book needed a real rethink.
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This was an amazing start to a new series! I loved that Laura put her own spin on vampires and vampire hunters. Ashryn was raised to hunt vampires from a young age and she’s one of the best in the business. One day the tables turn- she becomes a vampire and the huntee. Ashryn has a strong, feisty, and determined personality. This book was faced paced and action packed with a slow burn romance. I loved seeing her world turn upside down, figuring out her new life, and her relationship grow with Bram, Eric, and Remus.
Charlotte did a great job with this narration! She brought a new voice to Laura’s books and she really brought Ashryn and her personality to life with her performance. She does slight voice variations for each character, but it was still easy enough to distinguish each one and there was a smooth flow between each one.
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
@AudiobookObsession -
This is the the first book in a new series my Laura Greenwood and like all of Laura’s book it was well written, if a little short. I enjoyed the concept of this story, Ashryn being a vampire hunter who becomes a vampire. She meets a number of vampires and starts to feel attracted to tgem. I would have liked a bit more detail in this story about all the guys so we could feel a bit more connected to them as well as Ashryn, but I am sure it will come out in the upcoming books! I think the book got better as it went on and the ending was very interesting. At this time I am not sure who can be trusted, maybe only Bram, Eric and Remus! I think Bram is my favourite at the moment, but that will likely change as the series continues! This is a fast and compelling story that will get better and better as the series continues - I cannot wait to read what book 2 brings!
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Great Story, vampire hunter turned vampire
Ashton is a vampire hunter,.raised by the guild, since she 6. She is.one of the best. She has a little advantage that when she looks into someone's eye's she can read.their soul.
Sent on a solo mission, she is critically injured and turned by a coven leader and taken in by him. She begins to learn that maybe vampire aren't the enemy.
Dimitri the hot coven leader who won't make eye contact with het.
Remus the kind and scared doctor, that she can stop thinking about.
Bram is the surly fighter who openly.dislikes Ashryn.
Eric, the hot mystic.
Things don't go as planed when Dimitri sends.Ashryn in with Bram to take.care.of her former.family of hunters now Ashryn and Bram are the hunted.
Great story. Ends in a cliffhanger. Looking forward to seeing what happens next. -
True to form this book takes the reader on a wild ride. I loved the beginning of this series. Ashryn is one of the best vampire hunters around. She's never really fit in with the hunters, but oh well. When she's sent to check out a vampire's nest alone, she doesn't think anything about it. Now her whole world has changed and she doesn't think it's for the better. She meets three enticing vampires and has a new reality to wrap her head around. Remus is my favorite right now. Eric has the power and Bram has a chip on his shoulder. You think that she's got enough to figure out, but no, her expertise is still needed. I was not expecting a cliff hanger, but now I'm chomping at the bit for book two. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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Don’t get in the way of me and my sai. At least, not if you’re a vampire. That’s a quick way to end up dead.
My name is Ashryn Barker, and I’m a vampire hunter. One of the best in fact.
I also have a secret. One I can never tell anyone else. When I look someone in the eyes, I can see their deepest secret, the one hidden behind the illusion they show the world.
My name is Ashryn Barker, and I’m here to shatter your illusions.
Shattered Illusions is a paranormal reverse harem filled with vampires, hunters, and some very wrong assumptions.
Shattered Illusions is the first book in the Ashryn Barker series, and is a novella.
This a very action packed novella and a good start to a series.
We have betrayal, deceit and all is definitely not what it seems when dealing with everyone.
I liked the character of Ashryn; strong, determined and knows her own mind.
I'm interested to see where the story leads through the rest of the books.
Highly recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. -
The storyline is very different and unique. The characters are interestingly developed. We have Ashryn who is awoken in a new type of life that she never expected. She gives us a lot of insight of her thoughts throughout the story that does help us to understand her original life and how different things are for her. The is some action in the story but not as much as I would have liked to see. But, the way the action is told it does add to the story. Yes, the story ends in a cliffhanger but it tells me that the second story is going to have a lot going on in it. I did love the hint and build up of the relationships that is expected to come. Honestly it was a good story. I am really excited to read the second book.
