Sins of the Heart (The Sins Series Book 1)

Sins Series Book One

Dagan Krayl meets Roxy Tam on one of his trips to retrieve a Darksoul for his father. She has been kidnapped, but her spirit is still strong and defiant. Dagan decides to save her for reasons unknown to even him. Years later, when Dagan's youngest brother is brutally murdered, Dagan and his remaining brothers search for a way to bring Lokan back. However, Roxy is on the other side this time. As a Daughter of Aset, Sutekh's enemy, she is trying to make sure Lokan stays dead.

If you're looking to expand your mythological horizons, grab this book!

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I started out with Eve Silver's gothic novels, which I LOVE, but as good as those are, I think she really shows her "chops" in this series.

An impressive amount of research went into this contemporary twist on ancient themes, and there's even a witty, steamy, HEA romance to boot!

Infused with enough action and mystery to keep the reader turning pages, Sins of the Heart was a fun story and piqued my interest enough to make me pre-order the next book in the series as soon as I finished this one.

Skilled storytelling, excellent editing, punchy cover.

All-around satisfying read!

3.5 stars

Starts out very strong, stumbles a bit in the middle and then about 65% til the end gets very strong again.

Dagan Krayl is a half-human, half god. He is also a soul reaper. It is a very special sort of job where he passes judgement on, and sucks the soul out of, some of the most heinous evil doers and feeds them to his father, the God Sutekh. His father rules the underworld and the souls of the evil is like a delicacy to him.

Dagan is having a typical day on the job, manually ripping the heart out of a raping murderer when he happens upon the latest victim-to-be of said raper/murderer.

Roxy Tam is a young woman who was orphaned at a very young age and came up through the foster system. As a result she is somewhat vulnerable and trusts the wrong people, as evidenced by the fact that she is tied up in a basement ready to be raped and murdered when she and Dagan first meet. During the course of that meeting, Roxy is confronted with things that she'd never in a million years thought possible as she witnesses Dagan doing his thing. For his part Dagan is also very drawn to the human woman. It is a memorable meeting and neither comes from it unscathed. Yet Dagan disappears, leaving Roxy to live what he hopes will be a normal, more careful life.

Eleven years later, the underworld is in chaos and on the edge of all out war between all the deities. One of Dagan's brothers has been killed. This should not be possible, but it is true. In his quest to find the killer Dagan crosses paths with Roxy again. Eleven years has wrought major changes in Roxy. No longer is she the wide eyed teenager. Now she is a member of the Asetan Guard, a warrior sect devoted to the goddess Aset, a goddess who is (im)mortal enemies with Dagan's own father. She is also on the trail of the killer. The meet again but this time they aren't able to just go their separate ways.

As I was reading the more difficult-to-be-interested-in middle parts of the book, I was sure that I'd force myself to finish it and that would be it. This is not a stand-alone, the mystery element of the murderer does not end in this book. And since this is a (so far) 4-part(?) series I am thinking it won't end til around the 4th book or so. So while the mystery is intriguing and it would be great to know who the killer is, I wasn't invested enough, at that point, to really want to follow through. But then the book picked up steam and ended excitingly enough that now I actually do want to read the follow up book.

The beginning was excellent. The set up with Roxy in the basement knowing she is about to die, Dagan in all his glowy golden sexiness appearing there to rip out her murderer's heart, and the whole scene with how he deals with the people who were about the kill Roxy was an awesome hook.

Unfortunately the book falters almost immediately after. I did really enjoy the mythos. It felt different from all other paranormal books that use gods as part of their world-building. For one thing, it focused primarily on the Egyptian pantheon of gods and goddesses and that is rare in paranormal/UF. Another thing, that i found pretty cool actually, is that in this world, All gods and goddesses exist. I dig the logic is that since there is not just one theology present in the world that they all get represented here as well. So in this book, all the the gods of the underworld share the underworld. When their particular worshipers die, then it is to that area of the underworld/afterlife they go. So Satan, Hel, Hades and various other 'afterlife' type deities get various shout-outs. There is even a big conference of the after-lifers so they can all talk about the egregious murder of Sutekh's son.

But like I mentioned earlier, the point after the intro begins a section where Dagan and Roxy are both separately doing their thing and it reads as somewhat muddled. Dagan we know is looking for his brother's killer. It is Roxy's areas that seem all over the place. We find out some interesting things about her and her abilities. But the writing is choppy and many things seem way to oblique. Scenes seem to shift without any real transition. I put the book down several times and actually read and finished about three four other books in the meantime.

But I brought myself back to finish. And then at around the 60-70% point, Roxy and Dagan actually talk for real and in the course of that conversation finally admit they have a thing for each other and then BAM! the book takes off. Threads come together, a lot of the oblique stuff is brought into sharper focus, some things are explained to clarity and the ending is as exciting and interesting as the beginning was.

So yeah, I think I'll be following up with the second book.

This is one of those books where there were things I liked and then there were random things that took me out of the story. I thought the world building was massive and complex and dark and I really, really liked it. I liked the characters -- especially the brothers -- and the way they interacted with their world. I wasn't so keen on the large quantities of repetition we received in the narrative. I get that the brothers have a bond that their father never anticipated, you don't have to tell me five or six times. I promise that I got it the first time.

I liked Roxy. I wasn't even upset that she was misinformed as to what she was (characters withholding crucial knowledge from other characters is usually rage-inducing for me) because the reasoning behind it made sense. Anyway. I liked her. She had spunk. And she could fight like the very dickens. Kick-ass girls make me smile. Especially when they're kicking the ass of a guy who can punch his fist through someone's chest and harvest their soul.

Dagan. Dagan Dagan Dagan. I liked him even more than I liked Roxy. The things he put himself through to see her/help her. I have great respect for men who are willing to throw themselves in the line of fire for the lady they've been dreaming about for years. Literally throw themselves in the line of fire. Good stuff.

All in all, solid, complex world building hooked me enough to overlook the niggling repetition. I love that the mystery of who killed Dagan's brother is going to be an ongoing theme in the books -- this is even though I was itching to see who did it. I'm all aflutter now to read the rest of the series and find out what deep, dark secrets will be uncovered.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

Roxy Tam is a child of the system. Abandoned suddenly by her mother when she was five, Roxy was passed from foster family to foster family, never truly being alone but always incredibly lonely. Freshly turned out into the world of adults, Roxy is quick to trust resulting in her being abducted, bound and held in a cell until her captor can languish in the blood bath that will soon be her death. Fortunately she's saved but by the most unlikely of strangers, someone who is most definitely not a savior.

Daegan Krayle is a soul reaper. Half mortal, half god, Daegan scavenges the Topworld to harvest the most soiled of human souls to feed his father, Sutekh. A man of many names, Sutekh is a God of the Underworld, a realm divided neatly into thousands of territories each with its own master jockeying for power. Pushing, pulling and jousting for allegiances, all this havoc of past and future betrayals is orchestrated without crossing a tenuously thread-thin line that if broken, could ultimately lead to the complete annihilation of mortals and immortals alike. Now, after his three hundred year long dark existence, Daegan's life is forever changed when his coming fate aligns with that of a young girl. Never has a mortal glimpsed his face and lived to tell about it until Roxy Tam.

Skip eleven years to the present and the afore mentioned thread-thin line maintaining the world's continued existence has gotten fearsomely near its snapping point. One of Daegan's four brothers has been murdered which is virtually impossible. As a soul reaper like Daegan, Lokan can only die one way and only in the Underworld. But dead he is which can only suggest the hand of a powerful supernatural was involved. Knowing that Sutekh has countless enemies, the list of suspects is vast but incriminating evidence suggests that the Daughters of Aset are to blame leading Daegan's quest for revenge right to Roxy's front door.

Having lived with the need and loss of her savior for over a decade, Roxy has given up hope of ever dispelling Daegan Krayle from her mind completely. He haunts her dreams, igniting her body aflame with lust making any relationship in reality a complete waste. He's also changed her into a parasite, an animal in need of taking blood and to forgo means facing unbearable pain. He did this to her and then left her with a wad of cash and the warning to stay away from the Daughters of Aset. It only took a year from that day for Roxy to find them and join their ranks, and however low her position may be, she finally has a family to call her own. But when the unprecedented death of a soul reaper finds Roxy being charged with the task of gathering information that will keep the reaper dead, Roxy begins to uncover some startling revelations that includes the possibility of the Daughter of Aset being behind the murder. Knowing that the Daughters of Aset are Sutekh's number one enemy, that would be a really bad, bad thing for humanity. However, nothing can be worse than Daegan Krayle re-entering her life.

Daegan has dreamed of Roxy for a eleven endless years and it rankles him greatly to learn that after all the this time while he'd forced himself to maintain distance, hoping that Roxy had attained the life he'd wanted for her - a normal life - she'd instead gone and joined the ranks of his eternal enemy but nothing irritates him more then his uncontrollable desire to possess her body, mind and soul. It's a desire that has never waned but rather only increased and now faced with fact that Roxy has knowledge regarding his brother's death, Daegan delights in the need to keep her close until she's compelled to spill all but he never thought he'd join forces with her. As enemies circle ever closer with Roxy as their main target, Daegan realizes that it will be the end of him to lose her. And while knowing that his change in allegiance from Sutekh to Roxy will surely spell his doom, Daegan will do anything to keep her heart shielded within the protective strength of his arms forever.

My Thoughts:

Having loved Eve Silver's gothic novels before, I was desperate to experience her new dark paranormal series from Harlequin but the wait, unfortunately, was more unbearable than usual. After being disgruntled with the lack of available information regarding this series - it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when author sites aren't consistently updated - it was therefore a relief to find that the grueling wait for Otherkin Trilogy book one, SINS OF THE HEART, was genuinely worth all the pain and suffering it indirectly caused.

Roxy is a caustic, hard as nails, hard to manage female who's currently torn in her allegiance making her wonderfully vulnerable. She's suffered early from her naivete which has inevitably lead her to clam up around any who make any probing movements leaving her once again never alone but incredibly lonely. There's only one whom she can truly share her heart and soul with and that's Daegan but his abandonment has both hurt and angered her making their getting-to-know-each-other scenes tension filled. It also doesn't help that her heart is threatened from two conflicting fronts: One, from Daegan's loving possession, and two, from Daegan's soul reaper claw. Hmm...decisions, decisions. I for one enjoyed the conundrum Roxy faced.

And then there's Daegan. He's a man who isn't afraid to get right down to the point and the way he does it will leave you absolutely squirming in your seat. While like Roxy, Daegan has grown up lonely but with the sad exception of being surrounded by people. Instead his isolated childhood took place in the Underworld resulting in Daegan's stilted and direct conversation skills. It also makes his fascination with Roxy utterly consuming as though he's looking at her with blinders to the surrounding world. It's as though no one else is worthy of his regard but her thereby making Roxy the sole fixture of his complete and intense attention. *shudders* He's a thrilling hero.

Roxy and Daegan were an amazing and fluid pairing, however, I finished SINS OF THE HEART feeling that their romance was jilted merely for page count. Twenty-five pages more and this would have been a stellar read for me. Instead it ends abruptly with me flipping back through the final pages thinking "No way! That's it?". In light of that, I do acknowledge that this particular plot had to be a challenge for Ms. Silver given the fact that much needed to be accomplished and set up before diving into the good stuff between the hero and heroine therefore making the abruptness of the ending a disappointment but in no way deal breaking.

SINS OF THE HEART is a smashing start to a dark and thrilling trilogy, one that shouldn't be missed by any who deem themselves paranormal romance lovers.

Roxy is a heroine who can take care of herself. As a Daughter of Aset, it is her job to protect humans and she is very good at what she does. But Roxy is not an in your face female who constantly feels she has something to prove. While she is strong and can hold her own with the best of them, there is a side of her that fears being completely alone. She was abandoned by her mother when she was five and everyone she has cared about since has left her, including Dagan Krayl. She knows what he is and even though she should despise everything about him, she dreams about him and what it would be like in his arms and in his bed. But she is angry with him. 11 years ago Dagan saved her life then left her. It is this and not that fact that he is a reaper and son of the Lord of Chaos, Sutekh, that really has stuck with her.

Dagan was not left unaffected by their meeting 11 years ago. He left her because he wanted her to have a normal life even though the thought of her with another man made him have violent thoughts. He didn't want her in his world but once he reunites with her, he sees that despite his efforts to warn her away Roxy is now a Daughter of Aset who are sworn enemies of Sutekh and his sons. Dagan is not a villain. He is a reaper yes but only goes after those with dark souls (i.e. murders, rapists etc). He too has been having vivid dreams of making love and they all include Roxy. When he thinks something has happen to her, he goes in search of her not caring of the consequences. When they finally come face to face again he knows that she is his and he will do everything to protect her and I felt Roxy truly deserved to have that kind of love and devotion. Their reunion may not have went over smooth at first (a knife to the thigh may have been involved) but you feel their love and connection come off the pages.

Something else I really loved reading was the connection between Dagan and his other brothers. Their bond and love for each other is unbreakable and I enjoyed reading every scene they were in together. All made even better by the fact that their was heavy sarcasm involved.

The story line of Sins Of The Heart was great but at times confusing. Their is a lot of religion and mythology involved and a lot of names thrown around that had me scratching my head. Some of it I didn't feel was necessary and added to the confusion. A guide at the back of the book explaining who was who and what realm they ruled over would have been very helpful. Sutekh is the Lord of Chaos and is feared by all. When his youngest son is murdered he sends out this remaining sons to find his body so it an be reanimated and to find out who would dare do such a thing not caring about the deadly consequences. There is a lot of side deals and scheming in the underworld to the point I am not sure who did it. I liked not knowing what would happen next and there were a few surprises I did not expect. Sins Of The Heart is the 1st book in the Otherkin trilogy so if you like things neatly wrapped in a bow at the end of each book, you are not going to get that here.

It did take me a while to get into. It feels slow at first and there are several different things going on in different places but once everything starts to come together, the book really takes off and is hard to put down. Eve Silver does a fantastic job crafting a world that is suspenseful, dark and wonderfully sensual. Sins Of The Heart is a great start to what looks like will be an addicting trilogy.

Eleven years ago, Dagan Krayl, son of Sutekh, a soul reaper, saved Roxy Tam. He saved her, gave her money and ordered her to go on and live a normal life and to stay away from anyone with the mark of Aset. Roxy doesn't take orders well, as we find out. Instead of seeking out a normal life, she launched herself into the arms of the Daughters of Aset, becoming a Guardian. She is tasked with extracting information from Frank Marin, and rescuing a little girl Frank has kidnapped. Dagan is searching for information about his brother's death. Marin turns out to be an intersecting point for Dagan and Roxy.

Dagan and Roxy connect on a visceral level. They have shared erotic dreams of each other since they met. When they connect in the flesh, I kept expecting the pages to turn to flame. Dagan was apparently raised alone in the Hell dimension in which his father reigns, and is not in tune with his emotions until he experiences the loss of his youngest brother. He keenly feels how out of step he is with everyone. He is self-conscious about his inability to understand turns of phrase, which is very endearing. Similarly, Roxy has felt alone all of her life, which Dagan realizes sent her straight to the Daughters of Aset, people with whom she could belong. Once he connects with Roxy, Dagan commits on a primal level, doggedly defending her even when it conflicts with his need to root out his brother's killer.

Roxy isn't sure what to make of this half human, half god reaper who apparently wants her. She is a strong woman with no small level of skills herself, but finds herself in a life threatening situation. When Dagan rescues her again, and nurses her back to health, she starts to trust him. As they begin to share their history with each other, Roxy tells Dagan things she has never told another soul. (Here again Dagan shows his vulnerability when he isn't sure how to tell her about his childhood and his life without scaring her to death. He isn't sure how to have a sharing conversation, and fumbles his way through, taking cues from Roxy's reactions.) She comes to slowly believe in him as he proves he is worthy of her trust again and again.

Dagan's connection with his more humanlike brothers is endearing and amusing. At one point, he is trying to identify the feelings he has for Roxy. He tries to ask each brother, in a roundabout fashion, if they have felt the same way about a woman, and both conversations end with a typical male, vaguely embarrassed "Oh, never mind" when they don't relate to his feelings.

Dagan is a very straight forward kind of guy. No pretense, he does not lie, and he makes no excuses for who or what he is. Great hero material. Roxy is a strong, occasionally snarky, heroine who wants to belong. They both tugged at my heart strings, and their story was very satisfying.

I picked up Sins of the Heart based on a fleeting mention of the author in an Ava Gray novel. I figure if an author I really like admires another author enough to actually mention her in a book, she must be worth checking out. So I owe a big Thank You to Ava Gray.

I've come to love Eve Silver's writing through her Gothic and paranormal romances, and then later her futuristic romances written under the name Eve Kenin. Now I have found yet another reason to be amazed by her talent with this new dark fantasy romance series that begins with Sins of the Heart.

Half-human half god Dagan Krayl is a soul reaper. But he is more than that. He is the eldest son of Sutekh, Lord of the Underworld, destined to an eternity of hunting souls for his father. However, Dagan has an unexpected quest before him. Someone murdered his brother, in a near impossible feat and Dagan will do whatever it takes to find his brother's body and bring him back.

Roxy Tam is an Otherkin and member of the Daughters of Aset, sworn to protect humanity from those like the soul reapers. Years ago, as a teenager, an experience that would have left her dead if not for the intervention of Dagan, she gained supernatural abilities and uses these to help others as a Daughter, even though her rescuer told her to stay away from the very group she now belongs to. When her latest mission has her hunting down intel on a missing reaper, and a kidnapped child, she knows something strange is going on and wants answers her own chosen family has been keeping from her.

Now Dagan and Roxy, who should be enemies, find themselves linked on a mission that may change everything they have ever known. When love gets in the way, Sins of the Heart take over.

I'll admit my description of the story is very lacking. Every time I tried to put it in to words, I had a very hard time finding the right way to describe what happens between the covers of the fresh, dark, and original story of Sins of the Heart.

While this novel is classified as a romance, and it most certainly does have much of what we look for in the genre, it does not follow the usual formula. I would probably consider this as more of a dark urban fantasy with romantic elements than I would a paranormal romance. Why? Because the romance often takes a back seat to the plot development. Also, our lead couple, while they meet briefly early on in a prelude to the real story, they do not come in contact again until more than half way into the story, with Eve Silver exploring their lives separately until they converge later on in the story, with the romance not getting off the ground until closer to the end. However, when these two finally get together, sparks are most definitely flying!

Be prepared for a lot of information about Egyptian lore and legends of the gods, as Eve Silver sets up the world in which Sins of the Heart occurs. She is an absolute master at working these important details into the adventure so that we almost don't notice what she is doing, feeling like everything was already there in the background all along. It is quite apparent that a lot of research went into developing this series to give the "trimmings" an authentic feel.

Dark and gritty, with pulse pounding intensity, Sins of the Heart is a marvelous fantasy blended with mystery and romance. While the secondary storyline of what happened to Dagan's brother is left hanging to carry over into the next two books in the Otherkin series, Sins of the Soul and Sins of the Flesh respectively, there is definitely resolution to the primary plot revolving around Dagan and Roxy. I was so emotionally invested in Dagan and Roxy that I was surprised when the novel ended, left hoping that they will be back, even as secondary characters, in the next Otherkin books.

Run don't walk to pick up your copy of Sins of the Heart. While you are at it, pick up Sins of the Soul and Sins of the Flesh, also now available, as you will not want to wait to travel deeper into the world of the soul reapers.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, October 2010. All rights reserved.

Dagan Krayl is a soul reaper and the eldest son of the underworld's most powerful god - Suketh. When his youngest brother is murdered, he's focused on one thing, finding and resurrecting him. But there's a careful balance to be maintained, not only between the mortal world and the underworld, but within the underworld itself. God's are constantly vying for power and as information is power, Dagan's search for the truth of what happened puts several opposing factions of the underworld in his path. Dagan must maneuver carefully and avoid added complications. Then an unexpected development leads him to her. The one person he never expected to see again. Eleven years since he'd left her to a better life, and now she was his sworn enemy...

Roxy Tam escaped death once, but was forever changed...in a fundamental way. Confused and wanting to belong she runs straight into the arms of the Daughters of Aset - when she was specifically warned to stay away from them. Now an Otherkin, it's her job to protect mankind. And when rumors of a soul reaper's death reach her, and seeing a potential link to it in her current assignment, she knows the vengeance of a god could have huge implications on the mortal world. She's working to prevent just that when the man that's haunted her waking dreams shows up with a different agenda.

Can Roxy and Dagan set aside their conflicting causes in order to get to the truth? Will they survive having their loyalties tested when the flames of desire flare hot between them, threatening to consume them completely?

The world in Sins of the Heart was something that immediately caught my attention. Long in love with Egyptian mythology I've often wondered why more people didn't tap this rich history. Eve Silver not only delved into the gods and goddesses of Egypt but made the complicated underworld and topworld in her story rich and diverse. She obviously spent a lot of time crafting the atmosphere. There's such rich detail in each scene that I could clearly see wherever the story took me, whether it be to Suketh's chambers, the lines of souls waiting for passage or an audience, Roxy's house, or the house of a serial killer. Places jumped off the pages just as clearly as the characters.

Roxy is a tangle of fascinating contradictions. Rarely alone, but always lonely. Strong, but vulnerable. Aloof, but caring. All of these combine to make her a great character that I could really love. She wanted connections but was afraid to open herself up to them because of past abandonment. She kicked ass in her job, had a smart mouth and yet still knew her limitations. It was never in-your-face or overdone, which can sometimes get on my nerves. And she was loyal to those she cared about, which in this book meant that she was constantly at odds with herself over helping and protecting Dagan or her Otherkin sisters. I definitely sympathized with her conflicting desires and her attempts to make them work.

Dagan's a strong, intelligent, dedicated male that did what needed to be done to get the outcome that was needed. He was direct, both in action and words, making his motives abundantly clear. After growing up in the underworld, surrounded by souls but alone, Dagan knows how to observe. I liked that he not only participated in scenes and action, but observed and thought about others' motives. He always seemed willing to re-evaluate and revise his own thoughts. I also really loved the connection between him and his brothers. It was clear that they cared a great deal for each other and always had each others' backs.

Dagan and Roxy have a ton of chemistry from the beginning. I couldn't wait to see how these two characters came together. With such big issues that were in their way, conflicting goals and ideals, I loved that a lot of the resolution came not only through dialogue between the characters, but actions. A scene near the end made me laugh with tears in my eyes. The only thing I could have asked is to see more of them, but that's just me being greedy.

Ms. Silver has created a fantastically rich, detailed world that kept me reading well into the night. Sins of the Heart was fast paced, with a tight, interesting plot and strong, passionate characters that simply felt real. As soon as I put it down I couldn't wait to start the second book in the trilogy, Sins of the Soul, and see where she took me next!

[...]

Sins of the Heart is the first in Silver's new intriguing Otherkin paranormal series, playing off of the mythos of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. At the heart of the series are the four half-mortal, half-god sons of Sutekh, the God of Chaos, a supremely nasty guy who sustains himself by munching on the darksouls of men. His sons are soul reapers, sent up top to collect them for him.

Eldest brother Dagen's story is first, introducing his relationship with Roxy as they work, not generally together, to find youngest brother Lokan's killers; he's trying to reanimate him, she's trying to keep him dead. That's a tremendous understatement of the storyline (recapped much, much better in earlier reviews), because this is an intricate tale, full of suspense, action, intrigue, an evil heart-grabbing reaper, some sexy ones, family angst, more suspense and a lot of evil-doers. There are some freaky skin-melting smoke things in there too.

From tall, blonde and sexy Dagan's first encounter with tall, dark and smart-mouthed Roxy, through the next few chapters, I found myself thinking I might have missed something because I didn't understand a lot of the Egyptian references or some of the weird things that were going on with Suddenly Supergirl Roxy, but Silver did a superb job of tying threads together fairly rapidly once the story started moving along. The action and suspense were written as well or better than many mainstream novels on the bestseller list, and the mythology was doled out at a smart pace that advanced the plot but didn't get overly confusing.

Dagan is definitely an all-action guy, which fits with all-action Roxy, but makes for a lot of fight scenes and a lot of gore. There isn't a lot of time for self-introspection, and when there is, neither is inclined to share with the other until the book is almost over, nor do either of them show any interest in sharing information about Lokan's murder, long after they ought to trust each other. It made me want to shake both of them.

The strongest aspect of the book by leaps and bounds was the world-building, which was undoubtedly a necessary evil, given that this is the beginning of a series. Setting up the entire mythos and laying the framework for what appears to be the story arc of the murdered Sutekh brother looks to have taken the front seat here and pushed a lot of Dagan and Roxy's romance to the back. That's not to say that there's nothing here, because there's still some romance and heat and some moments towards the end that made me lurch for the Kleenex, it's just that they didn't comprise of as much of the book as you might expect in this genre.

The effort to put together the Otherkin world, the investment in developing the bonds between the brothers and establishing seemingly endless list of enemies, friends, frenemies, sidekicks..you get the picture; all of that earns this book a solid five stars. I liked Dagan and Roxy a lot; I thought they were sexy and loved that they got together eventually, but they got overwhelmed by everything else and it nicked a star off.

This looks to be a promising series based on this first book; Sins of the Soul (Hqn) is the second book, to be followed by Sins of the Flesh (Hqn).

Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver
Paranormal Romance- Aug. 1st, 2010
4 ½ stars

Ambitious, bold and unique. This book has just what I like, a strong heroine and a kick ass dark and deadly hero. In this new novel Eve Silver begins a fabulous new series based on the ancient Egyptian Gods, their human counter parts and their battle for supremacy in the Underworld and Topworld. This book centers on the Egyptian god Sutekh and his arch enemies Osiris and Aset. As their human and otherworldly minions fight for power and control.

Dagan Krayl is one of 4 sons to the Lord of Chaos, Sutekh. He and his brothers are soul reapers. Able to transport themselves between the Topworld and Underworld with the purpose of harvesting and collecting the heart and soul of evil people for their father, Suteckh, the Lord of (also known as Set or Seth) Chaos to consume. Because their father dines on their malevolence and vice. The catch is once the soul is taken it is gone forever, with no chance for reincarnation. As the son of Sutekh, Dagan is no ordinary soul reaper. Stronger than his contemporaries he is shocked to discover his brother Lokan is missing and presumed dead. For although Lokan is their father's emissary, he is also very powerful and difficult to kill. Dagan wants revenge but also to discover the mystery of how his brother could be killed. Because if Lokan was really dead, Dagan and the rest of his brothers should be able to find Loken in the Underworld. But no one can find him. Dagan and his remaining brothers hope to recover Lokan's body to reanimate him and also find the murderer. They feel their primary suspects are the followers of their enemy, namely the Daughters of Aset. However, Dagan has a secret. Years ago he met a young and attractive female named Roxy.

Roxy had the potential to become a Daughter of Aset. But instead of killing her Dagen saved her and warned her not to join his enemy. But an orphaned Roxy disregarded his advice. She longed to belong somewhere and searched until she found the Daughters of Aset and joined them. Roxy has supernatural powers, increased health and strength. Her latest mission is to discover information about one of Sutekh's missing soul reapers. She has also been told to save a child. Her instincts tell her both are related. But for all her years with thevDaughter of Aset Roxy has been kept in the dark. She begins to question her loyalty and when Dagan appears, her attraction to him flares. As she begins to slowly trust him, she wonders if all she had been told is just.

I found Sins of the Heart fresh and imaginative and look forward to the next book in Eve Silver's series. However, because there was much detail in the story I would not recommend purchasing this book in e-book form. I had trouble initially orienting myself because I was not familiar with Egyptian lore and Eve Silver writes and excellent if complex and involving book.

This book is unusual in that the 2 main characters do not interact with each other in the beginning of the book (except for the first chapter). It is not until at least 1/3 way through the book and many years later that they actually meet in person again. Although I liked the areas where the 2 dream about each other, I am used to books were the 2 main characters are often together from the start to end. Therefore, I would classify this book as a little more Urban Fantasy than romance. The `romance' didn't really kick in until 2/3 though the book. There is a lot of back story and this is an interesting book but it is not the `typical romance' so those expecting that may be disappointed. This story also ends at a cliffhanger because it is a trilogy.

Sins of the Heart has a dark edgy feel and a depth to its storyline that many romances lack. The great detail and background make it an exciting and suspenseful read as I struggled to discover the mystery behind the dead soul reaper. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy. I am especially eager to know more about Lokan!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

The Half human son of an Egyptian god, Dagan is a Soul Reaper whose job it is to collect the dark souls which sustain his father. On a hunt, the dispassionate Dagan's interest is stirred by a soon-to-be victim of the ones Dagan is hunting. Dagan admires young Roxy Tam's brave spirit and sassy mouth - even in the face of the danger she faces Roxy doesn't give up - and Roxy awakens something in Dagan which causes him to free her once he's harvested her captors' souls.

The action for the bulk of the story continues 12 years later, with Roxy and Dagan on opposing teams both seeking the soul of a murdered reaper. Roxy is now a powerful warrior for the goddess Aset, and her patron and Dagan's father, Sutekh, are enemies. But even with all the time that has past - and even though Roxy blames Dagan for a transition which has made her more than human - there is still a connection between the pair and despite the reasons for the enmity between them, they will need to figure out how to work together to find the killer and the answers behind the Reaper's death.

I really enjoyed this first full length novel in Silver's Otherkin trilogy. I thought all of the different mythological elements (most Egyptian) added an interesting flavor to the story. And I really liked both of the leads, warrior Roxy and her sass, who has conflicted feelings for Dagan - she has had steamy dreams about him for years - but who can't decide whether to act on her attraction or cause Dagan grievous harm. And I really like Dagan, who doesn't realize he is capable of feeling any of the softer emotions but who pursues Roxy with a feral intensity once he finds her again. I also really like the intense loyalty between Dagan and his brothers and I am looking forward to more of the sons of Sutekh when the series continues with Sins of the Soul (Hqn). If you're looking for more of the Otherkin while you are waiting for the next of Dagan's brothers, Silver has a standalone connected short, Sin's Daughter set in the same world.

Rating 4.5 Enchantments

As the eldest son of Sutekh, Lord of Chaos(just one of a string of glorious titles), Dagan Krayl is the most feared soul reaper, gathering the wickedest souls for his father to consume. When his brother is brutally murdered, Dagan is determined to find and destroy those responsible.

Roxy Tam is an Asetian Guard of the Daughters of Aset, set on protecting the innocent. She finds herself drawn to Dagan as she joins him on the quest to seek answers to his brothers death, uncovering a plot destine to cause war in the Underworld.

Roxy and Dagan have a bond that pulls them together, neither is sure why, though Roxy has a pretty good idea. I love the passion and determination each of them show, for each other, and for what they believe in. Dagan is a delicious being that I would love to be able to take a bite out of. The heat of desire between him and Roxy keeps the pages smoldering, that and the action-packed adventure they embark on to find the truth keeps the pages turning. Roxy is a bit more reluctant to let go of herself than Dagan, she has her secrets and fears, but Dagan is able to draw her out, whether she likes if or not.

As the first book of a new dark paranormal series Eve Silver did an excellent job creating a world inhabited by gods, demons, humans and everything in between. She masterfully blended both Earthly and Underworld characters and scenes. I was drawn into a whole new world that I cannot wait to further explore. Especially as there are answers I still need. I can't wait to see who and what is in store for Dagan's brothers or how everything will be resolved.

Eve Silver is the author of Gothic historical and gritty paranormal romance novels. She also rights speculative romance under the pseudonym Eve Kenin.

Aemelia
Enchanting Reviews
August 2010

This was such an amazing read. The premised was original and intriguing. I was widely engrossed with this story and could not put it down. I hate the fact that it ended on a cliffhanger, but it most certainly keeps you wanting more and it will guarantee me reading the next installment. I really loved the main characters and I am most certainly rooting for them to be together, as I feel their passion is tangible. I was given an ARC from the author for an honest and unbiased review.

It was really refreshing to read a great adult paranormal book after such a long streak of YA. Don't get me wrong, I love YA, but every now and then I just have to get away from the teen angst and read about mature adults! This book definitely hit the spot. It was action-packed from the first page to the last. I loved the world that was built here. Dagan being a "soul-reaper" was a new concept for me and a great new paranormal type for me to love, and he was just uber-sexy. A compelling storyline that made me keep turning the pages late until the night. The mystery that unfolded throughout had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what has happened and what might happen next.

The characters were great. Dagan was a strong, passionate male lead. He knew who he was and what he wanted and did whatever was necessary to make that happen. Roxy was my absolute favorite, she's smart--mouthed and edgy. A strong woman that is a rival for the most bulled-headed male, which I absolutely love. She's confused about what she is, but instead of sitting around whining about the cards that was dealt to her, she takes it all in stride and fights for the answers she wants.

This was a great start to the series, great world-building that was revealed along with the action so that you weren't reading page upon page of it and getting bored. We're left with a cliff-hanger, but not one that's so bad it makes you want to smack the author, but definitely has you jonesing to pick up the next in the series. I recommend this one to any paranormal/urban fantasy fan! I can't wait to pick up the next Underkin novel and dive in!

Eve Silver's first book in her new series grabbed my heart and didn't let me go. The chemistry between Dae and Roxy was intense and steamy, just the way I like it. There was a clear and infectious connection between them from the very beginning that felt so genuine. Just because this is a love story Silver succeeded in creating moments for Dae and Roxy to naturally grow into their attraction for each other, not the 'I loved you with all my heart the moment I saw you' stuff. She made them work for it and it didn't fell rushed or forced be real in how the stumbled upon each other and grew to love through the initial connection and circumstances that brought them together.
The plot was very ingaging and had me flipping the pages to find out what would happen next. As Roxy and Dae's world got closer and closer to intersecting so did the suspece and intruge. Silver created a vast entertaining world built on the various myths and tales of the underworld but had new twists that made it fresh and new. With the main characters on different sides of a bruing war, their growing attraction made things so much more complicated.
Roxy was a strong character who though came from a shady background, forced herself to be different and made something of her life. Even though it meant going against the orders of a big bad soul reaper. I enjoyed her guts to say what she felt no matter who she was facing though it put her more in danger most of the time but it was enjoyable all the same. That she was of ethic background really added another element to the story as a whole. Being quick and able to fight for the protction of humanity added depth making her a great character overall.
Dae was also a strong and entertaining character and was a perfect match for the feisty Roxy. With a past as crazy and complicated made the story that much more interesting. I enjoyed his quick wit and vices that added to the layers of his character and made him stand out. That he was able to laugh and make jokes and not be the typical brooding male was really refreshing.
Eve Silver created a great start to what can be a great series filled with action, romance and mystery. I can't wait to read what will happen next in the story because the brewing war between the powers of the underworld is far from over.

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Originally Posted On Blog LiteraryCravings.com
Received from publisher for honest review via Netgalley

When Roxy Tam was just nineteen she found herself trusting the wrong people and it almost cost her, her life. It wasn't Roxy's day to die. She vowed never to do that again and make sure what happened to her does not happen to someone else. Roxy fights for humans. She is not afraid of anyone.

Dagan Krayl is half human, half god. Dagan also has a reputation of being the best Underworld soul reaper. Or course, you won't expect anything less from the Underworld God's son. One of Dagan's brother's is murdered. It is nearly impossible to kill a soul reaper. Dagan goes on a rampage to find the person responsible. Dagan teams up with Roxy. This is when the passion ignites.

Sins of the Heart is book one in the Otherkin trilogy. Both Roxy and Dagan are equally matched. They work well together. Roxy is tough and can kick some butt. You want to hate Dagan for who he is but you can't because he is too good looking. The intensity between Roxy and Dagan is almost too hot for words. This book is darker and more gruesome then some of the usual urban fantasy novels. I really liked this. Though, if you are weak in the belly there are a few scenes that may make you have an upset tummy. If you are tried of boring, old vampires then you should check out Sins of the Heart.

Dagan is a soul reaper and son of Sutekh, god of chaos and one of the major players in the underworld. Roxy Tam was just a girl he saves one faithful day from being raped and killed. Something about her haunted Dagan, but thought that by saving her and leaving her to her life was doing the one good thing in his life. Unfortunately that meeting had an effect on both for 11 years until they meet once again. This time, when meeting each other they are both trying to piece together a mystery in which they are trying to find a body, a killer as well as a motive. Even though misunderstandings and mysteries stand in the way, neither can afford to have this inexplicable attraction to one another, but denying it is much worse. And like all good PNRs, they cannot resist. Each has a piece of the puzzle. Each has their own agenda. Can they put aside their emotions long enough to put the puzzle together?

I give this book 4 stars. This story really had me captured at the beginning. Loved Roxy's snarkyness and Dagan's dry humor. And if you are like me... you will shake your fist at the end. Why? Well, since it is a trilogy, it ends with the one thing I hate most in books... the cliff hanger! This book just came out at the beginning of this month and yes... wait for it... the next installment, "Sins of the Soul" will be out Sept. 1, 2010.

I first came across Eve Silver with her Young Adult series "Rush", and was quickly enamored of her writing style. I was further impressed with her skill in her gothic romances. Eve writes boldly, with rich dialogue, superb suspense, and enthralling action. I am so impressed with this author's range of skill across genres--few authors can manage to move back and forth so seamlessly.

Thus I was very excited to have the opportunity to be a beta reader for Sins of the Heart. I was given a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. And I can honestly say I am so excited about this series, and I can't wait for the next! Just like in her other books, we've got a cast of compelling characters. The plot advances quickly with just the right pace. The romance is haawwt, just the way I like it. Complex, but easily understood, world-building. There was simply nothing about this book that I disliked. It is quite a bit darker and more violent than her gothic romances, but I think one would expect that of a book like this one that is both paranormal and urban fantasy.

In short, Eve hit all the right notes for me, and I can't wait to dive further in this world! I have recommended it to all my reading buddies.

As the offspring of Sutekh, the four demi-god Krayl brothers are soul reapers. When the youngest brother Lokan is murdered, his soul vanishes, which means he cannot come back from the dead without his essence. His siblings are outraged by the double affront. Each one of his brothers demand retribution, but also each knows they must move out if they are to resurrect Lokan.

Otherkin Asetian Guard Roxy Tam is part of an elite unit that defends humanity from other worldly threats. She and Dagan Krayl have a past together that includes attraction and repellant. However, as once again, an inferno ignites when they meet, they must put aside their desire and their mistrust because someone has placed the Underworld in peril.

This is a super opening Krayl sibling romantic fantasy as Lokan and his family investigate the homicide that should have been almost impossible, search to find the lost soul in time to save him, and in Dagan's case fall in love with his partner. Fast-paced, the key to this wonderful thriller is the supernatural beings seem genuine especially the Krayl extended family, the villains, and the Guard. Readers will fully appreciate Eve Silver's golden first act as the hybrid and the kick butt fall in love.

Harriet Klausner

First thing's first ... Dagan Krayl saves the life of an unknown woman named Roxy Tam more than 10 years ago. Since then, they've only dreamt of each other despite only knowing one another for a few minutes. Years later, Dagan is 'called' back to Roxy and their meeting wasn't what I thought it would be. Roxy got on my damn nerves. Sure, it's never bothered me before when a heroine (especially a black one) is outspoken, tough and independent, but Roxy was almost childish and very annoying. Dagan wasn't annoying at all and it made me wonder why in the world he would deal with a woman who I would want to choke on a regular basis. Anyway ... Once they finally do meet, the book picks up. The period of separation gives us insight as to who Dagan is, what he does and what's going on with the story at hand. Read the rest of the review at The Urban Paranormal Book Blog.

One of the major things that drew me into this book was the Egyptian and Greek mythology Eve Silver incorporated into this novel. I love mythology and this story line really appealed to me. The story focuses around two characters, Roxy and Dagan. Roxy's character is surrounded in mystery. Eve Silver let's us know Roxy's had a troubled and unhappy past. She's rough around the edges but not unlikeable. I love the way that Eve Silver slowly unraveled her story. Dagan is a soul-reaper. He goes around collecting evil souls for his darling dad's dinner. He's less of a mystery than Roxy but he's still an interesting character. Dagan and Roxy are enemies by trade. I think that's what makes their attraction to each other steamy. They must put aside their differences to try and track down a killer and protect a little girl. Eve Silver wove a very compelling tale full of action, adventure, mystery and romance. She leaves you breathless and wanting more. The is the first book in the Otherkin trilogy. The next two books are Sins of the Soul and Sins of the Flesh.

Really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series. Dae/Dagan was seriously wow. He's the bad boy, the the son of death, but you can't help but be attracted to him. Roxy Tam is bad ass, she's not weak and needy, she's fierce and knows what she wants. The chemistry between the two of them was spot on. If you love Black Dagger Brotherhood you'd love this book.

As I started reading Sins of the Heart and throughout it, I kept getting the euphoric feeling that I have found a new favorite author. The same feelings I had when I started reading Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole, Karen Marie Moning and the like authors. Sins of the Heart had everything I look for in a paranormal romance: a smart and feisty heroine, gorgeous drool-worthy hero from the Other world, a tight plot, believable and heart-pounding passion along with pages full of action and mystery.

The main thing that kept my interest is the whole new world of dimension that Eve Silver has spun around the traditional myths on the Greek and Egyptian gods like Hades, Set, Isis, and Osiris. She's added her own layers of creative storytelling with her soul reapers, making the adventures seem limitless and I can't wait to gobble up more these guys.

I plan on getting the rest of the Otherkin trilogy as it publish, and I'm so thankful that they are only a month apart in their publishing dates. And I'm happy to share that I found out the Otherkin books will not end with this trilogy, that Eve has two more books planned for the Otherkin world. *fist pump* I can only hope Eve continues to write these books beyond the two planned.

Loved this one. Egyptian mythology, soul reapers, suspense and love. Unique plot and interesting characters. Dagan and Roxy are great together, both are fierce and kick-ass. No dull moments. There is very interesting continuous plot, but Dagan and Roxy got their HEA. Dagan has three brothers and every brother has their own book (and their own HEA) Great paranormal series! Recommend!

This is my first Eve Silver's book and definitely I will add her name in my favorite author list. "Sins of the Heart" is action-packed from the first page to the last and I found the introduction of the "soul reaper" specie very original and interesting. The plot is tight and believable but what impressed me are the characters that captivated my attention from the very first page. FINALLY we got a strong heroine and a powerful dark and lethal hero that match! The series is based on the ancient Egyptian Gods and mythology in an Underworld realm infused with supernatural elements into the modern day. The story is gritty, violent and extremely brutal at times, but you cannot expect some fluffy or cheesy moments by a soul reaper storyline right? Well, I wouldn't expect anything less. If you are looking for a dark/ gritty/ paranormal/ gothic/urban fantasy/ sexy/ hot/romance/ novel, then "Sins of the Heart" is just for you.

It's been a while since I have found a really good paranormal romance/mystery. This is a fast paced well written story. The beginning is a bit slow because the author repeats some things. As the story went on, I got used to her wordy style of writing and let the story flow. I plan to read all of the books in this series.

Wonderfully engaging story about how the son of a god and a spunky heroine fall in love despite being wary of one another. This was a very fun read and I will check out the rest of the series.
I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.

A complicated, well-built world that takes a bit to get into, and is helped by knowledge of the Egyptian Pantheon. Overall, I enjoyed the nicely paced story. Will be looking for more by this author. I received this book free from eBook Discovery. This is my honest review, voluntarily posted here.

I enjoyed how the book started earlier in time when Dagan and Roxy first met as it sets everything up for the here and now. Fantastic characters and I really enjoyed how you get to know them through out the book, great pace that kept me wanting more!

Glad there is another 2 books ready for me to read in this series!

This was a book I wasn't sure I would like, out of my normal reading comfort zone. This book has made me want to keep reading the series. From page one to the end I have been sucked into this story. I won't give any spoilers away. The characters draw you in, making you want to learn way more about each one. Please read if you want to read an amazing book.

Sins of the Heart combined a just the right mix of modern romance and ancient mythology. I simply loved this book. It was well written with a great cast of characters. The book was filled with mystery and suspense. It is one I would recommend.
I was given a free ARC copy of this book for an honest review .

This is a Great paranormal romance that is sometimes dark but oh so good! It does have a bit of a cliffhanger for an ending but it is well worth it. I would definitely recommend. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review for this arc book.

I thought that this was an ok book but I felt there were too many unanswered questions and to be honest..I could have done with more romance. Daegan was certainly a hot hero and I liked Roxy and felt sympathy for her situation but I needed more. I felt the book read more like urban fantasy rather than romance which is fine but I thought it was paranormal romance? however, I'm a big fan of both genres and I think the premise was refreshing. The book definately kept me turning the pages because I wanted to find out what happened and get some answers to why a character was killed and who was responsible. What happened was that I guessed who was responsible and I had to keep going back to reread certain parts because I got a little lost with the fanatical group and the purpose of the Daughters of Aset.

I also felt the book was unfinished as far as the love story was concerned. Yeah, I get that the hero and heroine confess their love for each other as soon as they defeated the bad guys but then what happened after that? We don't know where they will live, we don't know how Daegan told his father that he now has a mate who is the enemy..basically there wasn't a strong enough conclusion to give me any emotional satisfaction. Therefore I'm going to have to read the next book to get some answers which is okay as far as the continuing storyline is concerned but I don't expect that when I want to find out how the protagonists continue with their romance against such opposition. Fortunately, the next two books are already available so maybe that is why the author left this one unfinished? I don't know.

This book has many 5 star reviews on this site so I would definately give it a go and judge for yourselves. It has..something about it that differentiates it from the barage of mediocre paranormal romance out there and the world building is actually very good.

I received this book as a freebee a few months ago and didn't think I would enjoy the story because I really didn't get a "wow" vibe from the back cover. I finally gave Eve Silver and her story a chance and I have to say that I rather enjoyed the uniqueness of the story and characters and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

I was weary of the typical paranormal vampire preface and was not looking to fill my time with another same old storyline. I appreciate the change in mental atmosphere that Eve Silver offered.

Excellent paranormal read!

Normally i just rate the items so that the system sorts my picks but I can honestly say (yes I am actually writing a review) This book was wonderfull. i really like the kickoff and it kept my attention for the entire reading( i think I may be adhd only because I normally have to read a couple books at a time) I digress. This book kept me rivited from page one and i counld not wait for the next installment. Kudos to Ms.Silver it is not often I find such a jewel but a jewel I did find and I look forward to reading the next books in the series with great anticipation. This review will probably not help many because I will get into plot line and such but know this a great book is based on individual merits and I truly think this book should be read because I really don't think any romance reader would be disappointed (My opinion). I wish you great reading.

This book has quickly become one of my fav paranormal books. The relationship between the two main characters is alpha, love, caring and action. I love how the females in books by Eve's books are just as bold as the alpha males they fall in love with.

It's been a while since I picked up a book and didn't already know where it would lead. I've always liked Eve Silver's books, but this one really shines (in a dark delicious way!) She does the genre justice and isn't just another author attempting to break into the paranormal/fantasy/gothic/romance realm.