Dart to the Heart by Amy E. Lambo

ael-darttotheheart3130815_0233Title: Dart to the Heart

Series: N/A

Author: Amy E. Lambo

Genre: Paranormal / Shapeshifters / Alternative World

Length: Novella (30K)

Publisher: Siren Publishing (August 27th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 2.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie & Lisa

Blurb: An average human, Nathan Evans has never thought that the day would come when the shape-shifters acknowledged his rare existence in their world. When all of a sudden many shifters come after him, he notices that Felix Wright, a stunning white tiger-shifter, has been ahead of the race all along.

Felix takes a liking to Nathan. The human becomes the most precious item in his collection. When the rumor spreads that he possesses the only human, there is an attempt to take Nathan away from him. Realizing that he fights for Nathan’s safety, Felix begins to develop strong feelings for his object. Such feelings take him by surprise, starting conflicts between him and the human.

Despite Nathan and Felix’s issues, the attention from the surrounding islands focus on the precious being. The persistence to take and sell Nathan angers Felix, which encourages him to express his feelings and protect his human. But will they take Nathan away from him?

Note: This book contains dubious consent.

Product Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/dart-to-the-heart

Thommie’s Review: ♥♥ 1 1/2 Hearts 

As enticing as the blurb sounds the book itself was an utter disappointment. The story revolves around a world other than Earth. Supposedly, once upon a time there were portals that connected this world (for which we have no name) with Earth, and shifters, this world’s inhabitants, could come and go. It was like, years ago a panther shifter adopted Nathan and when – for some unknown reason – the portal were closed – he came back with his adopted son to his planet. Nathan is the only human here and rumors always went around about him, but for some reason it is only now, at his twenty-three years old, that the shifters are showing a greater interest in his existence.

Out of the blue as Nathan gets out of his house, he is chased by a growing number of shifters. His father and friends try to help him hide but they fail and eventually Nathan is captured by Felix, the ruler of an unnamed island.

All the above information is of course not properly provided to us. The story has no sensible plot, rather dishes out information and characters without bothering making a proper introduction. We have no clue about the background of this world. The how’s and why’s, the mechanics and they lifestyle of the shifters around here. We have no idea how the politics go, what is norm, and what not. What are taboos, what is a proper behavior for people and how the dynamics of different kinds of shifter’s work between them. We never get to learn how Nathan managed to reach twenty-three years old and no one realized he couldn’t shift. We never got to learn the mating mechanics, how the bond works, what does it mean for the mates. It’s all a huge jumble of insensible, ludicrous events that held no logic, let alone realistic value.

Felix kidnaps Nathan for his “collection,” and that is surreal. Even so, we never got to see that precious “collection” of his. The idea behind it was probably meant to make you sympathize (later on) with Felix, whom had been grown in a strange environment with his parents constantly absent, and his “friends” always wanting something from him, leading to a cold person who treat all and everybody like objects.

Nathan feels an attraction to Felix the moment he lies eyes on him (as he was chased by Felix that is), but he can’t allow himself to feel that way, because well obviously the man doesn’t see him as a person with feelings. While on the trip back to Felix’s island Nathan allows Felix to have sex with him (condoms are used), but he refuses to acknowledge that he likes it, even as his body betrays him. As soon as they reach the island though, Felix treats him coldly again and Nathan forbids him from touching him again.

 There is this constant back and forth between Felix and Nathan. The time span and the continuously changing of heart, the inconsistency of feelings and actions is incredulous. I literally couldn’t believe what I was reading. My only question that unfortunately was repeated over and over with every single line I read was “why? Why are these characters acting the way they do? What is the purpose behind anything they do?” and of course I never got an answer for that.

The chemistry and intimate scenes between these two characters – that by the way were incredibly shallow, with no amount of depth or personality, and utterly unappealing – was glaringly absent. Nathan’s character was a complete mess in all his actions/reactions. When the mating claim happened, I was left with my jaw hanging and disbelieving everything. Nothing, nothing made sense. Felix had sex with Nathan the first time (the mating ritual, and don’t ask what that entails I never found out, supposedly had three stages) and Nathan acted as a virgin, as if he didn’t already have sex with Felix on the boat. Immediately they hit the shower for the next step and we were supposed to see the why as the story moved on. For this step, though Felix uses condoms (I came back to this) even as his first ejaculation was seeping down Nathan’s thighs. Again, why? At this point Nathan whines about not being able to have sex with Felix because his member was too big… For which I have no comment, I’m rendered speechless. And after an intense exhibition of orgasming two or three times non-stop (literally non-stop, try to imagine that) the scene ends and we never get to understand what the ritual really was or how it works.

I could keep going on. Bottom end this story in my opinion is in serious need of a couple of editing rounds and a good, hard revision. While at it, it would be nice for the author to properly “build” this world and give the plot a sense, a meaning, and a purpose. As it is, it only gets half a heart from me for the nice idea.

Lisa’s Review: ♥♥♥♥ 3 1/2 Hearts

This is book one in this series and they should be read in order. Normally I would say that it is so that you will have an insight into who each character is and their lives but it is more fun to start with book one. I am not really sure if I like this book yet or not, I will see after I read the next book. It is a great story don’t get me wrong, but it seems like Felix is just like a tempermental little boy instead of an man and a leader. He see’s Nathan as an object not as a person.
Nathan is the only human in the shifter world and is worth quite a bit, even though Nathan doesn’t think so. He is a lot smaller than the shifters, teaches swimming to students and lives with his shape-shifting father. He was an orphan and stuck in the shifter world. He was basically adopted by a shifter and is well adored. When shifters come to take the only human he runs in fear, always intent to make his way back to his father. However Felix kidnaps him and takes him to his home. Intent on making him just another precious object. Or so he thought in the beginning.
Felix starts getting feelings for Nathan and it leaves him with a lot of questions. However he knows that he wants this human and will do everything to protect what is his. Now all he has to do is prove to Nathan that he is not an object but a desired mate. There are many that will try to take Nathan away from him, but he must protect him and show him that he is falling in love with this sexy man.
Like I said it is a great story, it just comes off as a bit weird the way Felix come off. One thinks that a leader, an alpha is strong both in mind and body but Felix doesn’t come off that away. It left me with questions that were unanswered. However it did catch my attention from the start and kept it all the way to the end. It gives you sexy men, passionate sexual encounters, arguments, feisty comments, excitement, adventure and a bit of danger all wrapped up into a cool book.

 

5 thoughts on “Dart to the Heart by Amy E. Lambo

  1. Hi.
    It wasn’t for an unknown reason that the gate between the worlds was closed. I mentioned in the book that it was because the humans were afraid of shifters and their power. It’s also mentioned close to the beginning that Nathan knew he couldn’t shift. He just thought of himself as being normal. However, I know that it wasn’t explained word by word in the book.
    As for the plot and the characters, I do know that it became some sort of a mess, and didn’t turn out as I had in mind. I kept a lot of information to myself and now I know that the readers aren’t in my head to know every little thing. It’s the pathetic reluctance of what others will think of my first book. “Will they think I’m crazy for having my characters thinking about this or that?”, or something of the sort. Unfortunately, it got the best of me.
    There’s a sequel being finished and it’s rather different. It won’t be like this first book. I learned from this book and this review, since no one told me until now how it really is. As time passed after the book being published, I realized that I shouldn’t have left it like that. I did have my uncertainties and I didn’t listen. I truly regret many of the things I left unsaid, and now I got a slap to the face with a white glove for it. It’s a lesson to be learned, though. Fortunately, it was now instead of later.
    But what’s done is done.
    Thanks for this review, your time, and for validating the idea of the book. It’s very clarifying of the things I should’ve added or taken out.

    Amy E. Lambo.

    1. Hello Amy,
      I would say I’m sorry for the harsh review, but I don’t think that would either help or be true. I’m known to be a bit brutal in my thinking and the way I view things. I seriously do hope that this review won’t be a stopper for you, because the entire idea and theme behind this world (I could actually see where you wanted to go) is quite intriguing.
      Perhaps a reason why I was so “in your face” with my review was the fact that I really like alternate worlds, and fantasy paranormal fiction. Had this “world” been properly introduced I would have been all over it gushing and screaming, believe me.
      I also believe this book is more than salvageable. At some point you will be able to do a serious revision on it.
      As for the portals you did indeed mentioned the fear factor, but that would leave the human population on Earth knowing that there are shifters? I’m sorry then, that would be my mistake as I assumed shifters withdrew because they didn’t want their existence being common knowledge on Earth.
      As for the rest of the book, I seriously do hope you go back to it at some point. There is much work and energy put on this world to be left at that. I do wish for the sequel to be a success, I really, really did love this world, the way I imagined it would be, but hopefully you will clear it up a bit more and let the readers get to know the lore behind it all.

  2. Hi.

    Yes, humans know that shifters exist, and the sequel shows all of that. In fact (I haven’t told this to anyone), it starts in the human world and the issue of opening the gate again. Many of the unexplained concepts are in it, already written down long ago.
    This is why I asked the publisher about a month ago if I could make a sequel, and they said yes. I had submitted it as a single book at the time. Actually, there will be a third book, which I’ve been working on, since I still have so, so much to add to both worlds. Unfortunately, only the publisher and myself know about the sequel. But still, the characters needed to be different in the sense of having more personality, that’s for sure. I focused on Felix a lot when I should’ve done so for Nathan as well, so it ricochet and I made it a rocky relationship. I became too focused in the world, too. I wanted the readers to see it like I do.
    You’re completely right, I must say. I did have that gut feeling that the story wasn’t ready. It urged me to start a sequel immediately, even though the romance isn’t as I wanted it to become. It’s what happens when the problems of life stress me out and I pass it to my writing. It becomes disastrous.
    Well, because of this review, I did stop writing for the rest of the day, and even wanted to stop altogether, but I shook it off. After all, it’s my first book after self-teaching English since 2009. It gave me a sense that it was all for nothing yesterday. And with college, I have almost no time to write. But anyway, I’ve been through enough to know that it’s the raw truth and that I should take my writing to new level again. For that, I have to thank you. I know that I can do better than that. I’ll definitely do it.
    If you don’t mind, I’ll ask for a review on the sequel. There will be another book out that isn’t the sequel, so it will take a couple of months and a half until then. I would like to know if there will be a change to my writing when the time comes for it to be reviewed.
    Thank you for your time.

    Regards,
    Amy.

    1. I am extremely happy that you think the way you do and don’t let criticism stop. Honestly I hate this part of reviewing. I can’t think of a worse thing when a writer stops writing altogether due to “bad” reviews.
      One thing I’ve learned during my time here, is that even seasoned authors are affected, but also that the more you write, the better your writing becomes. It is not a rare phenomenon when a writer takes an old published book and re-edits/re-publish it because they feel the story was not properly told the first time.

      As for future books, yes of course we will be more than happy to review them, it’s what we exist for. We (and I do mean all our team here) are awfully in love with books, perhaps a bit too much, hence our enthusiasm. Personally I’m more than intrigued to read the story that exists in your head in regards to your shifters. 🙂

  3. Oh, I’ve seen talented writers stopping for weeks or even months because of a review. It’s to make us change for the better and to “force” us in the right direction. That’s why I mentioned before that it’s better to get this review now and improve now than later.

    As a writer, I’m in love with books as well, and that’s why I’m in college for Languages and Editorial Studies. From when I was a kid and for many more years to come, I’ll love books for the stories and what they stand for. Book lovers always have a hard time explaining in detail why they like books so much. Haha.

    I’ll try my best to make it so you fall off your chair, then. 🙂

    Regards,
    Amy.

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