Proceed With Caution:
This book contains blood, death, murder, captivity, torture, and mentions of rape.
The Basics:
Shadow Bound is the second book of the Unbound series. It does follow new characters so if you want to skip the first book you can, but reading it will provide background for this one. It picks up six weeks after Kori helped her former friend rescue a missing child, but it also got her sadistic boss shot in the process, meaning Kori has been facing a brutal punishment. But now her boss needs her to recruit someone, which is not in Kori's job description, nor does she want to condemn another person to this life. But she will do anything to keep her sister safe.
My Thoughts:
I was surprised that Shadow Bound focused entirely on Kori, Liv's old friend, and newcomer Ian. Liv and Cam had completed their job by the end of Blood Bound, but they were just starting a new, if complicated, life together. There was still plenty to explore with them after the cliffhanger ending, but I can't say I wasn't eager to get to know Kori, as the relationship between all of the girls is what fascinated me the most. Sadly, we don't really get any more of their history, just Kori and Kenley's relationship, and how they wound up working for Tower. I was still hooked though.
Kori and Ian's relationship was tense to read develop. It's not an easy road, at all, as they're on opposite sides of a mission. Ian is tasked with infiltrating Jake Tower's syndicate and offing his prized Binder, Kori's younger sister. Kori is tasked with recruiting Ian into the syndicate or else she's dead and her sister is tortured. Obviously, they can't let the other know what their plan is, but they're both trying to get close to the other to reach their goal. Of course, real feelings have to grow during their deception.
The narration of Shadow Bound was also a step up from the previous book and not just because the chapters are labeled. Kori and Ian's voices actually sound different so I never forgot whose perspective I was reading from, which was great since they were almost always together and that would have gotten confusing fast! The story was also more romance focused this time around, which I also liked. The external plot was good too, definitely much more interesting to me than the first book, if less involved.
I really enjoyed Shadow Bound. It's action packed but also had a great romance at its center. I enjoyed getting to see more of this dark, crime fueled world and meeting different Skilled people. There's another sudden ending, but it's more happy than Blood Bound's was.