Audiobook Review: Lady of Light and Shadows by C.L. Wilson

Series:	Tairen Soul #2
Pub. Date:	Nov. 1, 2011
Publisher:	Audio Realms
Narrator:	Amy Cardy
Length:	12 hrs 45 min
Source:	Audible Romance

Lady of Light and Shadows is the second book in one of my favorite series - Tairen Soul by C.L. Wilson. I have been wanting to re-read this series for quite a while, and I'm so glad I've been able to start fitting it in by audio. This was one of the series that got me started on fantasy romance, and I so wish there were more of these types of books being written right now. I just love the genre... but I'm very picky! Luckily, C.L. Wilson is a master at her craft and draws us in with both engaging characters and fabulous world building.

This installment picks up where Lord of the Fading Lands left off. Elly and Rain are still in the human realm and planning their wedding, but now they have to deal with more than court politics and parental concerns. Danger is stalking Ellysetta on multiple fronts, and the fey are not going to be rescue her at every turn. So we see Elly coming into her own power, learning to wield her own magic, and generally learning to save herself.

The Eld mages are sinister and make scary villains. The whole soul claiming aspect is disturbing, and some of their methods and tortures are hard to read. But just as bad as their actions is the fact that you never who is mage-claimed, which Elly and all of the fey will realize before this story ends. That aspect adds a different element of stress to the story, particularly as the reader does know who is mage claimed and can see the writing on the wall. 

Overall, this is an action-packed story with a good amount of suspense to get your anticipation and adrenaline going. The relationship between Rain and Elly is getting stronger and more steamy, but still maintains a bit of a sweet edge. Their romantic interactions provide a nice respite and alternate focus from the evil and action, and both together serve to advance the plot at the perfect pace.

I liked this narrator. She does a good job holding my attention, and is able to distinguish between male and female characters without much trouble. I would like a little more variation between the male and female characters, as sometimes the men start to sound somewhat alike. I also wished that she would have taken pauses where there are section breaks, as it was very difficult to tell when we were switching scenes and it often caused me to miss the queues as we transitioned.

I'm moving on to the next book, King of Sword and Sky, so stay tuned for the next review.

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