A Dark Guardian (The Shields Book 1)

I wanted to like this story more, well enough to give it a four star, but I couldn't stretch it out that far. Here are my pros and cons for this one:- I liked that the female was strong- I didn't like how predictable who the villains were.- I liked the idea of warriors going through time to help out the Fae.- I didn't like that there was absolutely nothing outstanding about them. No super powers, strength, or anything except for their weapons they never really used.- I liked the different personality types of the warriors.****** Spoiler Alert*****- Didn't like the fact that they offered one warrior at the beginning.- I liked the story itself.- I didn't enjoy the length of the story. It dragged on and on.- I liked the MC's desires for each other- I didn't like how the male lead continued to doubt the lead female's innocence even after it was clear as day and was beyond obvious she wasn't the bad guy.- I enjoyed the Fae element.- I hated the vague and inconsequential usefulness to write them into this story. Every time the main one appeared he didn't have any useful or relevant information to give. There was zero point to even include them. It was stupid really to have them in this story.- I liked the fact it that the Fae allowed the MC to retire and have his HEA.- I disagree with the logic of this story. The Fae only to had 5 remaining guys left to fight for both human and their realities/world but why wait until there was only 5 guys left? Shouldn't they have been better prepared, and what made these humans so special to begin with. If the both worlds are to end then why let one man stop fighting to retire and train. At that point aren't they a bit too late for that, and how do they even begin to select whose a warrior and whose not.There were just too many things I couldn't feel right about in the long run so the best I could give this puppy was a three star.I was almost tempted to read the next one because it is 900 in the future (from their 1200's) meaning it's more current day and in Texas. But to be honest I think I will place it on a possible back burner for a read.

Okay my friends, I'm back with yet another review of a story from one of my most favorite authors ever - Donna Grant.Let me begin by saying that I think I didn't particularly like this tale because I was spoiled with DG's Dark Sword and Dard Warrior series first. Nothing, in my romantic opinion of course, can compare. In my opinion, both the DS and DW series have everything a romantic-at-heart individual as myself desires in a romantic, historical adventure. It really doesn't take much for me to be happy while reading a romance - give me a highlander, a war between good and evil, the perfect mate for my highlander, kindess, love, and passion between the H/h and I have me a perfect romance. If there are any extras like magic, passion, arrogant possessive warriors, you have my complete interest from page one.Now, I know that a romance wouldn't be a romance if the H/h came together happily from the very beginning; however, I become most exhausted when it takes 97% of the book before the H finally accepts that his one true love is right in front of him or if the h is mean and selfish for the same period of time. I must let you know that it was not the h in this book which failed to keep me happy, it was the H. And yes - it did take him 97% of the book to realize that he could trust the h and keep her. Whew - I was exhausted and irritated and not feeling fluffy and happy about this book.I'm not going to tell you the story because other reviewers have already done so; however, I must give a bit of information so that you will understand why the H in this book got on my last nerve. Also, the reason I may not read any of the Shields stories in fear that the H will also be as exhausting. The story begins where there is an evil creature killing everyone at the castle and village. The Fae (and Aimery once again) send in warriors to kill the creature and make everything right. The H falls for the heroic h right from the beginning, but feels she is the reason why the creature came about and THE reason it cannot die. Now - you have the siblings of the h who are both selfish, mean, nasty, and down right cruel to the h for most of her life - including every time the good guys are there to witness. You have these same siblings doing mean things and ACTING guilty from the very start. You can't help but love the h. She is kind to everyone, beautiful, heroic in her own sense, and the only one who is willing to try and kill the creature - unlike her mean sister and brother. But....over and over again the H thinks it's something that the h is doing - or that she is controlling the creature - it is the h's fault as to why the creature won't die and that there is something bigger and more evil coming.Even though the creature tries to kill her countless times, even though the h is with the good warriors most of the time, even though Aimery likes the h and tries to help the H along with his thoughts, what do we get................the H not believing the h is innocent in all of this. Even when she is kidnapped once again at the end, the stupid H still believes the h is to blame. I got so exhausted from his lack of brains, that I didn't like the story.It just didn't do it for me. There wasn't enough passion or commons sense for me to be interestd. Now give me the Dark Sword series or Dark Warriors and you have my complete attention.Would I read this again - nope. Not worth it - it was missing quite a lot for me to be entertained. There were too many instances where it was SO obvious that the h was the innocent one and the evil doers were others right in the H's face for me to enjoy this story at all.Hope this helps. Happy reading my friends. :)

Mina will do anything to save her family from the evil that has come to kill them all but she knows that she can't do it alone but she can't give up now. Hugh & his men have just arrived in time to Mina from certain death, she is grateful but angry as her plan failed. The dragon won't stop until he has killed everyone especially Mina but what makes her so special. Her brother & sister hate her but why and why did she release the beast, that makes sense? How can she prove she is innocent when even her family thinks she is guilty. The fae knows more they are telling but they can't get too involved in helping Hugh & his men. Can Mina really trust Hugh with his sweet words or is she just another roll in the hay for him? Hugh doesn't want to feel this way about another woman ever again but she has gotten under his skin. He knows that once the dragon is slayed her will move on with his men it is his duty to keep the realm safe. But that isn't going to be easy as he really cares for Mina.Who called the evil and why now? When they learn the truth they are all abit shocked especially Mina as she never knew the truth about her origins. Another great series by Donna.