Book Review: Shadow Pawn by Jina S. Bazzar

About the Book:

Title: Shadow Pawn

Author: Jina S. Bazzar

Series: Shadow Walker #2

Page Length: 298

Publication Date: Nov. 18, 2022

Synopsis: Betrayed, hunted, afraid…half broken.
Melaina escaped Henry Nazar’s thugs, but her loved ones paid the price.
Desperate to find her aunt, Melaina accepts help from the last person she should: Soldier Bradley Savini, her ex-boyfriend turned rogue hunter.
Together, they embark on the hunt for Camila’s whereabouts, dodging thugs, soldiers, and other breed with agendas of their own.
And what they uncover could be the one thing to break Melaina forever.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

Shadow Pawn is the second book in Jina Bazzar’s Shadow Walker series, and it is an action-packed, fast-paced, and intense book! The story picks up where the first book left off, with Melaina desperate to find and rescue her aunt, protect her brother, and avoid being captured or killed by the many enemies who seem to be hunting her.

I’m loving Melaina. She’s smart and strong, and she has the coolest abilities, which totally come in handy in some epic fight scenes. Bradley’s character arc is quite compelling too, especially as he learns more about and reconnects with Melaina. Many chapters begin with an interrogation between Bradley and two officials, and their questioning and his answers add so much to his character development. The interrogations also offer some fantastic foreshadowing and heightened the already high tension in the book.

My favorite part of a story is often the romance, and I enjoyed the second-chance romance in this story. Melaina and her ex-boyfriend Bradley explore their feelings for each other as they rush to rescue her aunt. Their enemies-to-lovers relationship is much more prominent in Shadow Pawn. There are no complaints here! I loved it. Bradley and Melaina have a history, and it was explored throughout the story in their words, reflections, actions, gestures, and the easy way they work together. They make a great team, and their chemistry is pretty swoon-worthy. It feels like Bradley would do anything for Melaina and she for him.

The dystopian world and the supernatural elements are vivid and intriguing, and I like that the story delved more into the history of the world, the houses that rule, and how it all came to fruition. It put into context just how powerful some of Melaina’s enemies are and how they influence everything.

The book has the kind of plot where you’re constantly questioning people’s motives. It seems like everyone has something to hide, and Melaina learns there are few she can trust. There are so many twists and turns, and some majorly shocking betrayals and revelations. It’s super intense! At a few points in the story, my mouth was literally hanging open in surprise. And the ending! Oh my word. Bazzar writes the best cliffhanger endings! I can’t wait to read the next book.

Shadow Pawn is not a standalone, so I would definitely suggest reading the first book in the series before starting this one. Special thanks to Jina Bazzar for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.