Shadows of Sicily

The Shadows of Sicily by April Raines

Summary: After the betrayal of his best friend and his wife, Demetri goes into a rage and kills the one person that he loved the most. Now years later, he has been changed by the Shadows, acquired a new identity, and is now out for vengeance.

Likes: The writing is pretty solid. There is a lot of gore, which I thoroughly enjoy, however it gets to be a little bit too much for me at some parts (if you read this, you'll know where and when this happens, but I don't want to spoil anything). The chapters are short and pack a lot of punch. The chapters are broken up into parts, but each are relatively the same length. It's an intriguing storyline and I'm curious to see where it's going. Details are given out little by little and at first it's a little frustrating, but when you see where the story is going, it's hard not to stop. The beginning is a little clunky, but it gets smoother once the author finds her stride.

Dislikes: Things feel a little rushed and the characters don't seem like they are fully realized, yet. There are five chapters posted as of yet, so it's not a major concern, though things seem like they should be picking up soon. The story is mostly telling, instead of showing. The writing itself, while solid, tends to be a play by play of the characters actions. Rarely do we see or feel for the characters or get a sense of what the characters themselves are feeling. I agree with the other reviewer in stating that I don't get a sense of place.

Overall: I don't know how to describe this story. A part of me likes it for its visual and the violence, but a part of me is also put off by that. I suppose it's a matter of knowing when too much is just too much, for the author and the reader. You probably have to know where your gore comfort zone lies before you read this story. It's not for the weak of heart. There's a warning and if you think you can't handle it, you better heed that warning. If you can handle it, I think you may find a strange, but engaging read.