All But Human by Kris Austen Radcliffe

By: Unknown on Thursday, May 21, 2015

Title:  All But Human
Series:  Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon #5
Author:  Kris Austen Radcliffe
Published:  May 21/15 by Six Talon Sign Fantasy & Futuristic Romance
Length:  317pgs
Genre:  urban fantasy romance
Shelf:  ARC review
Rating: ★★★★★

Back Cover Blurb:

Can a Fate and her dragon lover live a normal life?

Rysa Torres survived the hell of her Fate activation. She survived the weight of healing the wounds inflicted on her fiancé Ladon’s tattered soul. So how could her final year as a normal college student at a normal university be anything but… normal?

But sometimes the ordinary masks chaos. Sometimes, monsters lurk in crevices so deep not even a Prime Fate like Rysa—or bloodhound Shifter like her friend, Daisy Pavlovich—sense the coming attack.

When the worst Fates and Shifters on Earth come calling for one last dance, Rysa must fight—and embrace the darkness within her paranormal heritage.

Will her heart—and her soul—survive

My Review:

Radcliffe had me hooked from the first page of this novel to the very last. The fast paced story combines intimate relationships with suspenseful events in a way that kept me on my toes. The well-crafted plot had so many twists and turns that I never knew what would happen next, yet couldn’t help but try and guess. Radcliffe writes with a raw & snarky tone that sets the scene for her characters and their trials. Vividly picturesque descriptions bring Radcliffe’s characters & creatures to life for readers. Her descriptions are so vivid that I could actually smell the coffee her characters were drinking, to the extent that I had to go put a pot on for myself. The world that she has created is developed on so many levels that it feels very real to me. Readers get to know the various creatures, species, and godlings quite well. We are also introduced to their various customs and prejudices.

I love how Radcliffe writes as if we already know her characters well, but continues to develop them, giving us just a little more detail with every event or encounter. The fact that Rysa never changes in the essential elements of who she is definitely warms my heart. Her attention issues remain a prominent part of who she is, yet at the same time she’s learning to manage them, to work within the bounds of what they present for her, rather than trying to make them go away. Ladon’s character becomes more and more complex throughout. Readers really get a sense of who he’s become through the millennia and what shaped him. Surrounded by their friends and family, who’s stories we also come to know, Radcliffe creates a cast that you can’t help but love.

My final thoughts here? This novel embodies all that’s good about urban fantasy. Radcliffe brings her fantasy & supernatural creatures to life while leaving us firmly planted in the everyday. I could easily see this happening next door to me & I’d love to live it.

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