[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of The Lost

Caridad Pineiro was born in Havana, Cuba and settled in the New York Metropolitan area after coming to the States.  She attended Villanova University (Go Wildcats!) on a Presidential Scholarship and graduated magna cum laude.  Caridad earned her juris doctor from St. John’s University and became the first female partner of Abelman, Frayne & Scwab, and intellectual property firm in midtown Manhattan. 

She is a multi-published and award-winning author whose love of the written word developed when her fifth grade teacher assigned a project – to write a book that would be placed in a class lending library. She has been hooked on writing ever since.
When not writing, Caridad teaches workshops on various topics related to writing and heads a writing group.
The Lost, Sin Hunters series, Book #1

Author:  Caridad Pineiro

Synopsis:  Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .
Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She's drawn to his strength of mind and body; he's attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam's powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

Our Review [By LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha-Michelle L Olson]: 

Since readers look to reviews to steer them in a direction, I’m going to give it to you straight and from the heart.  I’m a big Caridad Pineiro fan!  I devoured her entire Calling series in I think 3 sittings, but I was very apprehensive about this book.  Every time I picked it up and read the synopsis I’d give myself a little mental ‘Eh, I don’t know…’ and set it back down, only to pick it up again the minute I was ready for a new book.  I’m a paranormal junkie, and there seemed to be enough of that outlined in the blurb, so I was having troubles pinning down exactly what my problem was.  Finally I took a deep breath and just jumped in.  Know what?  I finished it in 2 sittings and that was only because I had to go to work and put it down.  J

Adam was just a boy when his adoptive father found him in the dessert with no memory and lots of questions.  20 years later, Adam finds himself a millionaire running a cutting edge technology company, yet he still has no answers, and in fact, has a  lot more questions regarding who and what he is, where he came from, the extent of his gifts, etc.  Adam hopes that by continuing to do research and development for his company, he may uncover some truths about himself as well. 

Bobbie is a veteran newly home from the war and healing both physically and emotionally.  When Bobbie and Adam’s paths cross in the midst of a kidnapping attempt, Bobbie’s ‘forever a soldier’ mentality kicks in and she can’t stop herself from jumping to help, though she had no idea just what she was getting herself into. 

Now a team by circumstance, Adam and Bobbie must figure out what is going on, how to stay 1 step ahead, and how to deal with the undeniable and world altering attraction between them. 

On the outskirts, you have the 2 groups who are after Adam for 1 reason or another—The Light Hunters, those who gather energy peacefully and naturally from nature and things around them, and the Shadows, a faction of Light Hunters that evolved into something much less peaceful over time, and steal rather than borrow energies.

What you ultimately end up with is an emotional roller-coaster full of excitement, regret, love, passion, uncertainty, betrayal, retribution, and so much more!

The book was incredibly written; very vivid imagery, even with things as intangible as intent, strong well developed characters with clearly defined purpose and background, and a love affair that while fast, was truly believable.  

From a series standpoint, this first book was a greatly laid foundation for the next installments.  Though readers who dislike cliff-hangers will be shouting profanities and throwing things as they turn the last page, the meat of the story was wrapped up nicely and those questions that both the characters and the reader needed answers to from page 1 are brought to light. 

All in all, LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives The Lost 4 1/2 Skulls, and would recommend it to Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and even some Sci-Fi readers.

The Lost: