Unborn

*Received NetGalley copy in return for honest review, all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review*

I freaking LOVED this book!!!! So freaking good, the mix of angel lore and Greek mythology is amazing! The writing was amazing, the characters were perfect, the pace was great, the detail amazing and Oh My Gods this book is just SO amazing! From the very first paragraph I was hooked and it was one hell of a ride, I had a great time reading this and the characters are awesome they each have completely different personalities, character traits, and specialties.

I am, like I always seem to say, not going to explain what this book is all about. I will explain why I don't give you the plot or out line of books, it is because the authors not only put a lot into writing these books, but they also out a lot into finding the perfect words to put into a synopsis to catch your attention and make you feel intrigued enough to want to read it. So go read the synopsis if you like my, or any other review and want to know a bit more.

What I will say is that I LOVED this book, all the brothers have very distinct personalities and traits special to them but they all have different backgrounds and troubled pasts to get past as well. No matter all that they instantly know and love Khara as a sister, even though there are a few humors comments about how hot she is and having to remind each other that she is blood relation. Then there is Oz, oh Oz, he is darkly mysterious and intriguing and he despite what he says loves Khara and protects her. The uncertainty and pretend loathing between these two is perfect and causes just enough sexual tension.

Khara and her brothers know nothing of her birth, her heritage or why she spent her entire life in the underworld with Hades as an adoptive parent. But they intend to find out and continue to hide her existence from their father. In the meantime Oz knows much more than her is willing or able to say and is trying to fight the pull and feelings he has for Khara at the same time.

Amber Lynn Natusch has done an amazing job on this book and I am now a loyal and life long fan! I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series and am throwing out recommendations to anyone and everyone that enjoys mythology and paranormal reads or really wants to read something that has a fantastic melding of the two! So if you are reading this do not sit on the fence about it, go and get it, you will NOT regret it a single bit!

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Amber Lynn Natusch, the store Publishing, and NetGalley.)

“So I am an oddity?” I asked plainly.
“Not an oddity – an impossibility.”

This was an interesting fantasy story, but I found it a little hard to follow.

I did like Khara, but I did find her a bit cold and detached at times. While I wanted to like her, she came across as a bit strange, and the way she happily offed people without even blinking just made that even more apparent.

“Just as Kierson had taught me, I sank the dagger blade deep into his throat, withdrawing it with a twist. His body fell heavily to the floor, icy blood spraying me as it did.”

I’m also not sure how the heck she could tell the difference between someone pronouncing her name Cara, instead of Khara, because I would personally pronounce them the same way.

“Oh… it’s nice to meet you, Cara,” she replied with a disingenuous smile.
“It’s Kah-ruh,” I said slowly in the hopes that her tiny mind could process my words.

She was also rather rude at times.

“I find it curious that you think I have to suffer you at all. Suffering implies emotion- attachment. I possess neither of those things, especially not for you,”

I also found some of Khara’s brother’s a little distasteful, and it was a little bit gross that they still kept flirting with her, and commenting on her body, when they knew she was their sister!

“And how many times did you think of her naked last night?” Casey asked from his reclined position on one of the two dark leather couches, just as I had envisioned him.
“Twice,” he blurted out in response before wincing at his own admission. “But that’s not entirely my fault. I’m not used to having a sister. Especially not a hot one.”

The storyline in this was okay, but I did have trouble following what was going on, and it felt like there were a lot of info dumps. I did like the book nonetheless, but I really couldn’t focus on those info dumps and long explanations of things at all! In fact I found that I literally had to get on a treadmill and remove all distractions to make it through this book!

I’ll also warn you that there was quite a lot of bad language in this one. The F-word occurred 60 times, so this wouldn’t really be suitable for younger readers.

I have to say that there was a moment in this book that almost came across as romantic, although I’m not sure whether I’m just reading it wrong, because I’m pretty sure the man in question was Khara’s brother.

The second I was within reach, he snatched me up tightly, crushing my body into his embrace and smothering me with his chest.
His heart beat wildly.
“Don’t ever make me think something happened to you again,” he whispered, his breath tickling the top of my head. “I could not survive your loss. None of us could.”

Does that not sound kind-of swoon-worthy?

The ending to this was okay, although having finished it I’m struggling to really understand what happened. I get the feeling that if I don’t immediately start reading the second one I’ll have no chance of working out what is going on at all!
6.5 out of 10

“You did good, but your hesitation made me nervous. Kill or be killed, Khara. Truer words have never been spoken.”

The premise to this story sounded pretty interesting, but the execution fell a bit short in a few areas, namely character and world building.

Khara was a denizen of the underworld, where she grew up as a ward of Hades, never knowing who her real parents were. One day, quite unexpectedly, she's taken up above ground by a Dark One and mysteriously dumped in the middle of the slums of Detroit, where she's nearly killed by someone who then claims to be her brother... which apparently he was able to figure out just by touching her, a trait that was never really explained or expanded upon. And therein lies the crux, it felt like a lot of key points were left out for the reader to figure out on their own. Not so bad in a mystery, but it made certain parts of the plot a bit muddy.

I would've liked to have gotten to know Khara a bit better too, but she felt a bit flat and one-dimensional. It wasn't just the formal speech, I get that, it made her seem more like a stranger in a strange land and all, but we never really get inside her head and find out what makes her tick. And unfortunately, the brothers came across the same way. We've got the level headed one, the caring one, the smart one, and the one that's always itching for a fight. Beyond that, we know next to nothing about them except that they work for an organization called the PC (Petronus Ceteri) that polices the supernaturals in Detroit to keep the balance.

The author then falls back on Greek mythology to tell the story about the rest of the characters and Khara's background, though none of them really play a key role in this book so far, so I guess the lack of enlightenment here's alright for now. Unlike many other first books in a series, where the author does way too much describing and set up, this one goes in the complete opposite direction and you never really get a feel for the characters or the world around them. Those were my principal problems with this book.

That said, I did like the premise of the story, as I already stated, and the Greek pantheon thrown into the mix. I'm not sure it really jived with the whole fallen angel thing, but I think I'd still be interested in reading the next book to see where it goes, especially since I have it waiting here on my TBR pile anyway. :)

Thanks to the publisher, 47North, and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Unborn Review

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review!

I have never read a book by Amber Lynn Natusch, but after reading this one I want to go read everything!

I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was slightly confusing. I know this can be read as a standalone, but I think it would have helped to have read the Caged series before this one. While you eventually do understand everything going on, it did take me a bit to get it all figured out. I really liked the pace of the story. The way the main character speaks is a little annoying because its a mix between language of today and language of the early 20th contrary or earlier. However, I understand why it happened that way and it does make sense when you take in the characters background.

The writing and pace of the story was good. I love paranormal stories, but especially those with gods and/or angels involved. That being said this book had a lot of paranormal elements that I liked. The pace was good which is always important to me. Overall there seemed to be very little character development but because this appears to be being turned into a series I hope to see that growth more in the next few books.

I was really surprised that our main character couldn't fight. I thought that she would at least have been taught to do that, but nope. Also, its a little confusing in terms of her sexuality. From what I gathered while reading the book she seems to have been raped several times, but we don't talk about that as effecting her at all. I understood that she had to survive in the Underworld and therefore felt nothing it seems like, but I wanted more depth to this character because of her harsh upbringing.

Oz seemed complicated. I am not sure where the author will take this character in future books, but there is a lot of character growth that can be done there. In terms of all the brothers. It was nice to get insight into all of them. They were each very individual despite being brothers. I was worried they would seem too similar or confusing, but the author did a good job of making each brother distinct.

I am very anxious to see where this series goes, but I did love this book and look forward to the sequel!

4/5

After spending centuries in the Underworld, Khara is suddenly thrust in the middle of Detroit and luckily found by a group of immortal warriors sworn to protect the city and it’s good thing too because every supernatural out there is gunning for her in this thrilling urban fantasy.

This steady to fast paced plot keeps readers on their toes with lots of suspense and action. The author brings the story to life with well written scenes and details that capture the imagination and the strong compelling characters draw the reader deeper into the story while the well orchestrated suspense and excitement ensure that the reader wants to know everything about this intriguing woman and her new found friends.

There is some flirtation in the story…the kind that has sparks flying everywhere, but is that in anger or in passion…well that part is only just beginning so well have to wait to find out about that. But the reader can’t help but get caught up in this complicated and fascinating combination of mythologies that make up this world and the characters are an intriguing mix of personalities that demand the reader’s attentions.

The story is full of secrets that must be unraveled if Khara is to keep her soul and spine tingling anticipation builds as more is revealed about Khara and just what she is and the danger escalates throughout the story since evil has decided they want Khara on their side… or is that the true motivation behind all the attacks. Well there are certainly a lot of surprising twists to keep you guessing just where the story is going and what will become of Khara and her friends… While I thought the beginning of the story seemed a little slow it was very intriguing and I just had to know more and am I glad that I did because when the story picks up it is non-stop action and suspense. (Note: when I say seemed to drag a little… I do not mean that there is nothing happening there definitely important things going on and I really can’t pinpoint a reason why I felt this way).

4 ½ STARS

I have this feeling Unborn will be a huge success in the book world! I love the Greek flavor this book delves into! So unique and extremely well delivered~

Khara, is a child of Ares the god of war. What makes her special isn’t being his child but his only daughter. No females that came from his loins ever survived, as he wished it they were all killed. This well kept secret is thrust from the depths of the Underworld to Earth…Detroit to be exact. Almost slain by her own brother, that is before he realized that she too is a product of Ares. Drew one of her brother’s in Detroit is part of the PC…Petronus Ceteri (aka the protectors of others). The PC maintain the frail balance between the natural and supernatural. The Detroit PC is maintained by her 4 brothers and Oz… a fallen angel. Soon after her arrival it is apparent Khara is an Unborn (kind like a baby angel) yet she is in her adult state. With unfurled wings her soul is a fragile thing that can be claimed by dark or light.

Evil in its purest form lurk in Detroit, Khara is a beacon calling to that evil and she becomes easliy entranced by it. So the brothers and Oz have to step it up to keep her from harm’s way. Khara has survived in the Underworld for years, living in this environment has made her fearless. Not fearless as in a total badass, but she has had rather hard lessons in her life and realized early on that fear needed to be masked. She accepts whatever fate has in store for her. Can Khara hold her composure when all she has gained is threatened… will she let them all die to protect her?

I found this book to be a treasure! The Greek Mythology was so well blended into the story you don’t need a glossary for the terms or to clear up what the hell is going on. It was simplistically wonderful! I was really unsure of how the book would be I have never read or heard of Amber Lynn Natusch…but I assure you I have now. I will be ready to pounce on her next book in this series!!

The beauty with Khara was watching these new feeling evolve….much like an child learning to smile for the first time. Her first attempts at humor are very fitting to see where and what her life has been. The taste of freedom is a rich and wonderful thing for her something she will fight for. The book has a smooth ending that makes to want to scream like an impetulant child for the next dose of Amber Lynn Natusch’s writing~ I need to know what happens next with Oz and Khara, what will her brothers do? Will Ares find out he has a daughter??? So many variables!

I received this for an honest review~

Khara is the adopted daughter of Hades. Yes, that Hades, the God of the Underworld. She splits her time between an adoptive mother Demeter, who hates her, and a loving father. Unfortunately for Khara her time in the Underworld comes to an abrupt end at the hands of a Dark One. He brings her to a dark and empty alley in Detroit and abandons her there without a word. She’s quickly found by one of the immortal warriors who guard the city. What results is a fast paced ride into chaos, destruction, and finding out what things are worth fighting for.

Unborn is 258 pages full of riddle, action, adventure, and mythology.

I really enjoy when the title the author picks is explained in the book and is not immediately clear. It’s like a little puzzle for me to figure out. I loved the fresh spin on mythology, sprinkled with urban fantasy, and topped with a dash of dystopian. The world is so richly detailed, I can immediately feel myself there beside Khara. I also believe that Khara is a character with whom those who have been adopted will relate. She goes through many struggles to find out information about who she really is, who her parents are, and why was she given up. While I have not previously read anything by author Amber Lynn Natusch, that is something that I will quickly remedy. She is to be congratulated on her world & character building as they are utterly superb.

This is an eARC review, source from the publisher via NetGalley

Khara is the adoptive daughter of Hades, she have spend centuries living in the Underworld. Where she learned to be indifference, learned to not to feel fear, and learned to adaptive to survive in a harsh environment.

But then she was taken away from her father, and dispose in the human world. There she would learn not only she may be the only living daughter of Ares, but she has many half-brothers and one true brothers as well.

I don't want to give too much away, because I really think this is a book worth of your time. But I'll give you another hint. Aside from the offsprings of gods and goddness, there are also different types of Angles, Light One, Dark One, Fallen One, and an Unborn.

Interesting huh
---
To be honest, at first I was skeptical of how the combination of Greek Mythology and Angles would worked out. But then this book really taken me by surprise. I can say I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the setting of this book, the concept of offspring of Ares were like the supernatural polices in the human world. I enjoyed reading about all the characters in this book, they were well-written and developed. I liked how the author didn't overload you with all the information on gods and goddness, which could easily overwhelm you. Although the pace of this book wasn't fast, but there are loads of intriging information and tons of actions that well keep you well-engaged to the story.

Khara's character was kind of unusual, she talked like she lived in an ancient time. At first she seem cold and too logical that she was almost inhuman-like. But at the same time she can be quite native. I thought she was a very likable character. While reading Unborn Khara really grown on me, I especially enjoyed reading the small changes in her throughout the book.

Khara's brothers really stood out in Unborn, they each have a very distinctive personality, and not everyone was nice and amiable. And Oz, must not forget about Oz. Oz was definitely a force in this book, I couldn't help but wonder the story behind his attitude and behaviors.

In case you were wondering, you won't find much of romance in this book. Potential love-interest? Yes.

Even though the concept of modern mythologies and angels aren't exactly new, but I thought this book managed to have a fresh intake on the subject. I thought Unborn was a great start of a Urban Fantasy series, and I can't wait to read the next book!

Happy Reading!! XO

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Amber Lynn Natusch. I enjoyed her writing and hope to see more from this series. This was a quick read that held my interest from the beginning. Khara comes off most of the time as an emotionless robot from the 17th century, but it all made sense to me. She didn't grow up in the world that we know, and the time that she did spend out of the underworld, was spent with Demeter, a horrible person that cared nothing for Khara, only for her daughter Persephone. Therefore, Khara had to have shields around her emotions or she never would have survived either the underworld or Demeter. Khara didn't know she had any family, especially not the brothers (Ares son's) she meets after being taken from the underworld and dropped in Detroit. Being a daughter of Ares herself she was hidden away long ago since Ares refuses to have any daughters and murders them all upon birth. After meeting her brothers Khara starts to slowly realize what it's like to have loving family members in her life, the bit with her brother Kierson kind of sort of hitting on her got tiresome though. The steam between Oz and Khara seemed obvious to me from the beginning. Oz couldn't keep his eyes off her and Khara's statements of her loathing Oz seemed a bit 'The lady doth protest too much, methinks'. All in all I really enjoyed this book and hope to see more from the series. I especially would like to see how Khara could possibly 'save' Oz.

Absolutely loved this story!!! Amber Lynn Natusch does it again!!! She has me hooked! I need to know more now about Khara and what will happen to her. Holy hell....Oz......now he's a swoon worthy character! *sighs (I am so crushing on him). What an amazing story of Khara who seems void of emotion. I really like her character and Oz.....god I hope book 2 gives us more on him and then we have the brothers. Now Casey he has my attention, they all do. Do you like angels? Demons? Gods? Yes? Then this right here is for you. Look no further. Still need convincing? Hmm.....OK she is taken from her home in the Underworld, her brothers (which she never even knew existed before now) find her by accident, she has been hidden from her father. There is some major demon after her....enough yet? If you love her other books trust me you'll love this!
**I have the paperback.

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars- upped to four stars for the store rating system (Great)

Having read lots of paranormal romance this year, I found some similarities between this book and the Black Dagger Brotherhood series- mostly the similarities were the Brotherhood itself. The main character, Khara, has a cast of half-brothers that bear resemblance, personality-wise, to some of the vampiric brothers. There's a dangerous one (Zsadist/Casey) and a deep-in-thought/protection-oriented one (Vischous/Pierson), but as far as I can tell they aren't completely the same- Casey is left alone with Khara, which was something that would never happen with Zsadist.

The Plot:
Khara has been a ward of Hades and Demeter for most of her existence. She is suddenly stolen from the Underworld, with no way of returning, and dropped in Detroit, where she is confronted by a man bent on killing her, for fear she is an Empty (soulless person looking for another soul to steal). The man turns out to be her brother- they have a common father in the war god Ares. But when Khara is brought to live with a group of her brothers- it appears she alone is ungifted by her patriarch, save an uncanny ability to attract their enemy, the Breathers/Stealers. Will her brothers be able to save her life, or will the task be taken on by an enigmatic fallen angel?

Khara is an interesting character, who I like, but am not entirely sold on. Her emotions have been repressed by years spent hiding from the terrors of the Underworld, and they slowly bob to the surface. The story itself is written in first person, so we get a lot from her perspective, but at the same time, there's often areas where she's doing something and not thinking about it- at all. I have a personal preference for third person, and believe I probably would have liked it better had it been written that way because of those 'she acts before she thinks' moments.

Most of the mythology in this book is based on Greek myths with the Jewish-Christian-Islamic theme of angels thrown in. I'm not sure where this puts the book as far as original content- it's a bit too early to tell due to the page count (256) and this being the very start of the series, but I liked what was done with it.

Unborn is a fast-paced cross between urban fantasy and paranormal romance, but some of its scenes may leave you scratching your head (why on Earth would she do that?). Although the main character proves to be an enduring puzzle, I greatly enjoyed most of the things this book had to offer: action, paranormal beings, and a little bit of mystery. I recommend Unborn to those who want a quick paranormal read with interesting characters.

I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest take on it.

*I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 stars

Unborn by Amber Lynn Natusch was a decent read. This is the first novel I’ve read from this author. I would be interested in her other series as well.
The book jumps right into introducing its leading cast of characters. We meet Khara. She’s the lead female protagonist of Unborn and it was interesting and fun to find out who and what she is. Trying to keep this spoiler free, Khara is the daughter of the Greek Mythological God Ares. So you see where this tale could get interesting, right?

I enjoyed the suspense, action and romance in this book, but I could’ve done with a tad more romance than what this one had to offer. However, that didn’t make the book any less engaging. If you’re in the mood for a good paranormal read laced with mythology, you should give Unborn a go. Oh, I wanted to mention, what a pretty cover!

Overall, the book was a welcomed change from my usual fare. Additionally, the storytelling was done in an unexpected tone based on the author's previous works. I think it will serve as a interesting companion series to the Caged series.

Readers looking for fun-loving or emotional characters they can bond and relate to may be turned off by this book. The main character is relatively unemotional, and the supporting characters are often surly or self-serving. With that said, the story provides some justification for their behavior which I found compelling.

I found the beginning a little difficult to follow. The number of characters introduced in short succession was confusing, but cleared up as the story progressed.

The world-building in this book is limited. I would recommend reading the Caged series first to get a better grasp of it. Otherwise, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the Caged series, particularly for the extended view into Sean's life.

Unborn is such a fun and interesting tale. You get some traditional mythology, a bit of romance, plenty of suspense, and you're left with a fun urban fantasy! I went in blind to the author's other works and writing style. This is the first book by Natusch I have ever read...and I will be reading more! I did not expect to love it as much as I did! I read it over two days... a lot of that during work when I wasn't supposed to have my Kindle with me. I'm a big fan of world building and character development, and Natusch excels at both. I loved Khara and her brothers (though those guys really need to be reminded that they're supposed to be acting as her brothers!) I will be back for more. *****FIVE STARS*****

I reviewed a copy of this for NetGalley.

This story had an excellent premise, set up, and ideas for characters. The concept of the soul eaters, how the underworld worked, and the interpretations of the gods and goddesses were pretty intriguing. I wanted to hear more about that to be honest. I think I might be burned out on the group of immortal warriors who patrol a city to defeat the bad guys before they take over the world kind of set-up. How many book series can you honestly think of which have a set-up similar to this? For me, the typical/cliche-ness of some of the characters drove me a tad bonkers.
First you have the leader, who doesn’t have much page time, and who apparently has an issue with his temper. That makes sense to me since in mythology I remember Ares having a temper and one story I read had him sounding like a petulant child.
You had the mediator, that works to have everyone get along and defacto leader when the real leader is out of town. He's mostly affable and full of good guy-ness.
You have the loner, the character who is anti-social, likes weapons, and it rather blood thirsty, but actually is hiding a nice person under the bravado of a psychopath.
Then you have the twins, one of them fills the role of the man-ho, or the guy who has the tendency to be an immature pervert. Then there is the other twin that fills the role of the studious, introverted and quiet one of the team who is not exactly sure what they think about the “new girl.”
Finally there is the obligatory man-ho who seems to only care about debauchery, getting laid, and being the all around character the female lead character will fall for. You know that bad guy who is oh so hot and not really a bad guy at heart.
My complaints stem from the fact that I have read a lot of UF/PNR where there was a similar set-up and will admit that I was a bit testy that day I read the book. So mileage might differ for other readers, like those who like that sort of set-up and don’t get bored by it.
Something’s I didn’t get…. Why did they except her so quickly and easily? I would think that they would be a tad more circumspect about accepting someone so fast. Maybe it was how they recognized the blood of their father in her? Without even seeing her skills one, just one of them, takes her along when he patrols and … they run into trouble. I know surprising right?
At first I thought the proper/antiquated-ish way she talked was refreshing and then I didn’t like it so much because it seemed like she had no emotions at all. Also, the fact that the bad guy was easy to pick out for myself, but not for those supposedly experienced fighters until almost at the end of the book was rather meh to me. I rather like verbal sparring and sniping between characters but hers and Oz’s just made me scratch my head because I couldn’t gage their feelings. I *knew* they would get together, but I didn’t *feel* it when I read the story.

All in all I know this review sounded like a total gripe fest, but I do think it has a lot of potential to become an exciting new series. The lore/mythology, imaginative new bad guys, and characters give a solid foundation to build from in further in installments.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book! I'm a fan of the author's Caged series, so I was excited to get a bit of a spin-off of that world.

There was a jumble of mythological and religious characters in the sense that we hear about Hades and Ares, but then we also hear about fallen angels. Beyond that, we have the PC policing random mythical beings, including gargoyles and Breathers (which I think are unique to this story). It took a bit of getting used to, but I did and was quite entertained.

Somehow, Khara's flat, emotionless persona was really likable. I appreciated how matter-of-fact she was. She recognized her weaknesses and strengths. Growing up in the underworld with Hades as a caretaker has led her to be highly logical. This book presented a view in which Hades could be thought of as misunderstood, instead of an unrelentingly evil being. In fact, Khara loved him as one would a father. I found those moments when she spoke of him so fondly to be quite endearing.here was a jumble of mythological and religious characters in the sense that we hear about Hades and Ares, but then we also hear about fallen angels. Beyond that, we have the PC policing random mythical beings, including gargoyles and Breathers (which I think are unique to this story). It took a bit of getting used to, but I did and was quite entertained.

A couple of the characters were a little to incest-y for my taste, but they weren't mentioned much. Other than that, I really enjoyed the side characters. They each had distinct, yet interesting personalities. They also had a protectiveness and love for Khara that helped her to become a little less guarded.

I can't wait to see where this series goes from here! I'm also anxiously awaiting the next book in the Caged series :-)

This was both a familiar feeling story, and a forgettable one. Even within days of finishing it I was having trouble remembering the details from it.

The story has an interesting premise: Khara spends half her time with Hades in the Underworld, and the other half with Demeter. She’s the other half of Persephone’s myth, so where ever one girl isn’t the other is. But Khara is suddenly pulled from this arrangement and dropped on Earth, in Detroit, and is found by one of Ares’ sons, who recognizes her as an unknown sister. And that’s where the story starts…

The idea behind the story is very exciting, but I found the execution rather lacking. Khara is really hard to understand and like, mostly because she’s made herself extremely robot-like and unemotional in order to cope with surviving the Underworld. I can buy into that, but she’s also really accepting of everything that happens, taking things at first glance and not questioning anything. For someone who grew up surrounded by scheming demons, that part seems highly unlikely.

Coupling Khara’s odd personality, along with some insta-trust relationships with her found family, a rather unsteamy attraction to a fallen angel, and a general problem-free plot, this book felt rather disappointing. There was very little excitement or action. There were some fight scenes, but with no tension, they were rather boring.

Overall, while I really liked the idea of this story, I found the execution rather lacking, and as a result, the book was rather boring. This may be the start of a series, but unless the next book has a lot more tension and action, I don’t think I’ll be checking it out.

Review Courtesy All Things Urban Fantasy

Turns out I don’t have a lot to say about UNBORN. It was an interesting story, a little fallen angel, some Greek gods thrown in, and some nasty evil types that like to feed on souls and leave the unsuspecting human empty and free for possession by evil. All of this happening in the abandoned sections of Detroit during some pretty spectacular battle scenes.

UNBORN has a wide array of characters and all bring something special to the story – Pierson’s seriousness, Kierson’s goofiness, Drew’s calm and Casey’s anger, even Oz’s arrogance.. The brothers work well together and balance each other out nicely, providing an even dose of comic relief and exposition. Khara is a little harder to get to know, or even get a feel for. Her formal speech is perfectly in character for her, and fitting a life lived outside of the human world, but it also makes it hard to get to know or get a feel for. I felt the lack of any real exposition about her history before the story starts. The allusions to what she’s lived through in the Underworld were interesting, but at times too much allusion and not enough fact.

UNBORN’s plot is an engaging one and kept my interest, at the same time, though, it was again too much allusion and not enough fact. Call it sloppy world-building in that I never got a real feel between the Dark Ones and Light Ones, the fallen, the brothers and their connection to the Greek god Ares, even the Unborn themselves. I knew enough to keep reading, but the story itself felt a little thin and not fleshed out enough that I ever felt comfortable in the world.

There will be a sequel, I’m sure, based on the ending and I might very well go back to find out what happens, but I’m still on the fence about it.

I was given the opportunity to read Unborn via the publisher and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Ripped from Father's protective hold by a Dark One, Khara was taken 5 months earlier than she anticipated. Having to spend the desolate months on Earth, trading places with the favored one in the warmer months, Khara ends up finding the family that she did not know she had lost. Khara thought that she was just the adopted daughter of Demeter and ward of Hades, but in reality, she is the daughter of the god Ares. Living with her brothers and learning how they keep order between the supernaturals and the humans, Khara soon discovers that she needs the protection of her brothers against pure evil.

As I was reading Unborn, I was struck by the lack of both plot and character development. The premise was intriguing, but the author was never able to bring it all together. I was underwhelmed with the dialogue and thought that the characters fell flat. Unborn was a miss for me, but some readers may enjoy this reimagined mythology story.

This book was an interesting take on things. A bit of mythology, some fallen angels and one cool heroine. Plenty of action for the action lovers out there. A bit of romance though it was absolutely not the main focus. It was more of a backseat rider in this book. The heroine though was interesting enough to keep me in this one all the way to the end. She was an interesting mix of old soul and naivety. She was strong and yet at many points insecure and somewhat broken.

This story has real potential. The characters and their stories could be very interesting. If you've read the Caged series you'll know who the brothers are. For being from the underworld, Khara is quite dull. This book just dragged on and on until the very end when finally a blast of excitement. I did finish this book but I'm really not sure if I'll pick up the next one.

Great read with a new premise! I enjoyed each character, perhaps a bit more of a beginning with our main gal, but you will quickly get to know her. Love a book with real life swear words in appropriate places...and sarcasm? My fave! Heading off to the second book. Thank you Author!

Don't read negative reviews about this book.... in my opinion, they are wrong. It takes time to build a new world, which is quite normal on a first book.

Khara intrigued me, her brothers made me smile and Oz made me warm :) My favourite line... "You will know no other..... only me" gggrrrrrr!!!

Looking forward to book two.... pre-ordered and tapping my fingers WAITING.... just waiting

Enjoyable read from start to finish. A little dry but it looks like it's by design. Nothing too fancy but has enough character building to warrant picking up. Could use better world building though. But overall worth it if you're just looking for light reading.

Unborn was new series to me and Amber Lynn Natusch a new author. The premise of Unborn and the world created is deep and interesting and is complete with a large cast of characters. While there were parts were a little slow and Khara's voice sometimes a little dry, the story as a whole was interesting and an enjoyable read.

There is certainly no lack of supernatural creatures and lore in this series - demons and Greek gods and angels and other original creatures all coincide (though not at all peacefully) with one another. I really enjoyed learning about the world and how all of the supernatural elements work with the modern Detroit setting. I thought the world was deep and that Khara's place in between all the forces at work was interesting.

I loved the tensions between Khara and the group of hunters and Oz, the not-quite-fallen angel. While the complexities of Khara's birth and the battle's between all these supernatural elements are at the heart of the conflict, I was really drawn to the development of Khara's relationship with all these characters (cough especially Oz cough).

Khara as a character is complex. Her voice is a little hard to like, sometimes, just because it sounds a little archaic and straight-forward. While it fits with her character, it gets a little taxing sometimes. However, as the novel moved forward and she learned more about the world in which she had been thrust, her voice grew on me. Likewise, there are a lot of characters introduced in the beginning of the book and while they all have unique voices and purposes within the group, it became difficult for me to keep them all apart. There are also times throughout the book that seem to lose the pace a little bit, with long explanations of lore or with just the constant barrage of angry critters trying to get at Khara.

Overall, Unborn is an interesting, if not a tad predictable, action-packed paranormal fantasy, with a strong female lead with a lot to learn and a large party of dudes willing to help teach her everything she needs to know. I'm excited to see where the rest of the series leads and how Khara (and her relationship with her newfound team) will develop.

This story was unique in that the heroine was unemotional. Plus, she didn't act naive which was a good thing since it would have annoyed me. I liked how the characters interacted however I wanted to know more about them. We received glimpses of the background but nothing concrete to get the whole picture. I kind of knew what was going on between Oz and Kahra but it was difficult and complicated to know for sure. I would read the next book since this really interested me.

2.5 stars

Unborn makes adventurous assertions by blending urban fantasy with mythology in an exciting premise that tragically becomes the best part of the novel.

Khara is abducted from the Underworld only to be ditched in a murky Detroit alley where she comes face to face with a warrior ready to issue death. It is only the warrior’s graze with her skin that not only saves her life, but also sets in motion a quest to uncover Khara’s origins, why she has been kept hidden all these centuries, and why she has suddenly become a target for all the nefarious that lurks in the dark. Taken under the wing of a band of warriors entrusted with sustaining the balance between humanity and the supernatural, Khara sets out in search of answers in a race against time. The closer she is to uncovering the truth, the more her connection with the secretive fallen angel grows.

The story unfolds from Khara’s point of view. For reasons that are unknown, she was entrusted to adoptive parents since birth, splitting her time between the Underworld where she forms a close bond with Hades and the mortal plane hidden away in the depths of the forest where she aches to get away from her cold mother Demeter. Time spent in the Underworld necessitates developing a peculiar skill set: detachment, evasiveness, and self-preservation. This makes an uninviting two-dimensional character whose apathy and emotional ineptness does nothing to invite the reader’s appreciation. The band of warriors that protect Khara are no different. Their intrinsic need to esteem and protect Khara is excessive. It overshadows all glimpses at individualism amongst them making them difficult to connect to and easy to be annoyed with. Oz, the obscure fallen angel with a heightened sex drive did not earn any redemption points, nor did he have the story line to support becoming a budding romance. Insta-love comes to mind.

World building is minimal with no help from Khara’s passive POV or the grueling storytelling pace. There is no set up, no structure to hold on to, and most importantly no reason to care about anything that happens in this novel. The entire book feels uneventful, anticlimactic even, leaving much to be desired.

I would not recommend this beyond a quick skim if you consider giving the rest of the series a shot. Personally, I'm on the fence and that's difficult to do given I MUST finish everything I start.

*** This book was received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

Does environment cause someone to be a bad/evil person? Or dies it stem from some inner definition of who we are? This seems to be the basis of the plot and the reader does not get a complete definition for the characters. There are possibilities for either one or both influences. An interesting story line but a little too obvious on how it would progress. I would give 3.5 stars out of 5 if I could but I'm feeling generous so I rounded up to 4 stars.

Listened on Kindle Unlimited. I tried to listen to it but the narrator's voice never rose in pitch or modulation. I was unsure if it was the book or the narrator so I decided to read the book myself. I love discovering a new series, the better to temper my impatience with favorite authors but sadly, this series never captured my interest.

This was an okay start in the series. Khara deadpan attitude made sense throughout the book. Living in Hades world, it's either sink or swim, which means follow the rules or die. Kara situation, she did what was a must. Luckily her brothers was warming up on her to change those traits she was accustomed, when she was transported topside. Oz is the driving force in this series that kept me reading this book. His interaction with Khara, I didn't understand his motives until at the end of the book. The one thing I didn't like much in this book was the cursing. It was kind of unbelievable at times. Luckily I could get over that unlike other readers. I can't wait for the next book coming out in February 2015.

OMG! TOTALLY AMAZING!! Amber did a great job with Angels,Underworld,Stealers and mythology. Light Ones and Dark Ones which one is Khara? Great read and Amber kept you interested in the story. You don't know what is going to happen next or who's side are the men on. If you have NOT read any of Amber's books well this one is a great one to start with. Trust me you will be hooked.

Woah. What an unexpected gem. I read this based on the store's recommended. I had never heard of Amber Natusch, but now I'm a super fan. Devoured book two, and am on one of her other series. It's like binge-reading a new series you find on Netflix!

This was a fantastic book! I could hardly put it down. I'm a HUGE fan of Amber Lynn Natusch, and this book did NOT disappoint!!! I was thrilled to see the Greek mythology tie in, as that just added another layer to the awesomeness! To see Hades as a father type figure was so interesting - as I believe that there is good in everyone, this was a welcome aspect!

OMG! TOTALLY AMAZING!! Amber did a great job with Angels,Underworld,Stealers and mythology. Light Ones and Dark Ones which one is Khara? Great read and Amber kept you interested in the story. You don't know what is going to happen next or who's side are the men on. If you have NOT read any of Amber's books well this one is a great one to start with. Trust me you will be hooked.

Woah. What an unexpected gem. I read this based on the store's recommended. I had never heard of Amber Natusch, but now I'm a super fan. Devoured book two, and am on one of her other series. It's like binge-reading a new series you find on Netflix!

This was a fantastic book! I could hardly put it down. I'm a HUGE fan of Amber Lynn Natusch, and this book did NOT disappoint!!! I was thrilled to see the Greek mythology tie in, as that just added another layer to the awesomeness! To see Hades as a father type figure was so interesting - as I believe that there is good in everyone, this was a welcome aspect!

Really interesting storyline. The idea was a new twist on mythology. The writing was solid. There were parts that seemed to drag as we were finding out information. The pace did pick up and there was no more drag. Overall it was a good read and will be looking for more books in this series.

What a great and unusual story, with unique takes on Gods, Goddesses, Heaven, and Hell!

I love that it immediately dropped you into the action, and it just kept building from there. The concept of "family" is interesting, and both sides are explored in this book: insta-family (blood) and family by circumstances. There are some very interesting views on light/dark, good/evil. And, oh my, I love, love, love the its-good-to-be-bad Oz!

Overall, really great book! I devoured both books in the series within 2 days, and absolutely cannot wait for more.

Amber has expanded her Caged world with this great piece. The characters as always are great, this first installment was a great introduction to this new group. The story gives you a more detailed look into the PC that usually plays in the shadows in the Caged series.