First off I want to say I didn't read the first book in the series, The Lost. I jumped in headfirst and started with The Claimed which is book two in the Sin Eaters series. Looking back I should have started from the first one. While the author writes an interesting story, without reading each book in order you are left feeling detached and confused. I think that if the author explained previous events a little better that it would be less confusing.

I spent a lot of time contemplating this review. I went back and forth on whether to review it now of after I read the whole series. I decided to give an honest review of what I read so far.

In The Claimed we have Christopher and Victoria. Both are the same and yet so different. They both are children of leaders. They are both Hunters. One is Dark and one is Light. They are attracted to each other and it's forbidden because Chris's people have been known to hunt Victoria's for their light. You can't stop fate. These two are meant to be together to merge the light and the dark. To bring the two clans together. Some people are against this happening. Evil is at play and sides have to be chosen. They have to work together to save everyone and their love.

One of the things I disliked was the pace of the book. It starts off slow, picks up speeds, slows down. It's a repeating cycle. It makes it harder for the reader to read the book. Then some of the supporting characters are annoying and predictable. Take Rafael for instance. He is Victoria's friend and guard who is secretly in love with her. It is a predictable storyline to have the friend be in love once they think they may have a chance at winning their heart.

I'm not saying I didn't like the book at all. The author writes a story that is interesting and appealing. I loved the concept. True opposites light and dark coming together to join as one. The relationship between Christopher and Victoria is intense and simple all at once. I like how the author writes the romance. It is not one that happens immediately, but builds up in the story.

My overall thoughts are that I was not in love with The Claimed. While fans of the series may love the book, those who choose to read each book as a stand alone may feel differently. Book series are a blessing and a curse for the readers. The blessing is that we get the chance to catch up on our favorite characters with each book. The curse is that if it is not written well enough to understand in one book you are forced to buy the series or be left with a bad taste in your mouth. So at this point what will I do? I think I will get the series. I haven't given up hope that it is good. I think to understand everything you have to start from the beginning. Do I recommend this book? Yes, keep an open mind. Not every reader feels the same way.
I rate this book
2** stars for the story
3*** stars for the characters
3*** stars for the romance

I received this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

I read the first book in the series, The Lost and really enjoyed it. It was a new mythology and had intriguing characters that I wanted to learn more about. So I was especially excited when Caridad sent me the arc for the second book, The Claimed. While I liked The Lost, I loved The Claimed!

We were introduced to the Sin Hunters in The Lost, but because Adam was new to this world we were learning with him as he navigated this new world. With The Claimed, Christopher and Victoria were raised knowing what they are, so we do get to put more pieces about the history of the Sin Hunters together. They are a fascinating race and Caridad gives the reader a lot of information about them without it sounding forced or repetitive. It kept the book moving along at a steady pace and kept me flipping the pages to absorb everything I could.

I think the main element that grabbed hold of me in this book was the romance. It almost has a Romeo and Juliet star-crossed lover’s vibe to it. Christopher and Victoria come from two opposing sides of the Sin Hunters, he being a Shadow and she being a Light. So their relationship is doomed before it even starts. They have many obstacles in their way, their families, their friends and a long history filled with distrust for each other’s clans. This is one of my favorite types of relationships because the couple can gain so much by working past all the obstacles they face. If they can work through all these issues they end up with a partner in life and their clans might be able to have some sort of peace between one another.

Christopher’s father, Alexander is still running around causing trouble and will do anything he can to keep these two apart. It was interesting to think of Christopher as the hero in this novel, since he was the enemy in the last one. However, once we get inside his head and see his true intentions it is easy to fall in love with him. Victoria was also a great character; she struggles between what is right for her clan and what she wants for herself. She is very loyal and loves her people, but it is time she needs to start thinking about what is good for her. It is difficult to gain her trust, but once you have it she will stand by you to the end. It is almost her downfall because there are Hunters that she trusts who ultimately betray her. The full weight of their treachery is still yet to be revealed, but I am sure future books will explore those outcomes and how Victoria will react to them.

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the overall plot that continued on from the first book. At the end of The Lost, we know that Adam and Bobbie are together, but their lives are still intertwined with Christopher. I was so happy that Caridad let us see them and how they were connected with the events in The Claimed. She has done a great job of interconnecting all these people so the overall storyline flows well.

There are also some great secondary characters that are easy to get attached to. One of the ones that stuck out the most to me was Sammie. We saw her in The Lost when she aided Adam, but she is also really close with Victoria. She appears to be human, but many have suspected for a while that something is different about her. I love her attitude and the way she was self-reliant. I am keeping fingers crossed that we will get to see more from her in future books.

Overall, I am just in love with this series. Caridad stepped it up a notch in this book and has put herself on my must read list. I am so excited to see what she will bring us next in the Sin Hunter world! I would recommend this book to any lover of paranormal romance, but definitely suggest reading The Lost first! ( )