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2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
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5) Thea Harrison
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Showing posts with label Gena Showalter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gena Showalter. Show all posts
Monday, July 1, 2013
Review: After Dark by Gena Showalter & Kait Ballenger
After Dark
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: #978-0373778256
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (# pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher/ Author
About the book:
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The Darkest Angel (Lords of the Underworld #4.5)
Winged warrior Lysander has been alive for centuries, and yet he's never known desire-until he meets Bianka. Spawned from the bloodline of his enemy, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the untouched Lysander into temptation. He may try to evade her attempts, but even the most iron-willed demon assassin can resist for only so long....
Shadow Hunter (Execution Underground #0.5)
Vampire hunter Damon Brock's first assignment with the Execution Underground is Rochester, New York, a city crawling with the undead. But he isn't the only hunter in town gunning for vamp blood. Tiffany Solow is fierce and ruthless when it comes to slaying the monsters that destroyed her family-and she works solo. But being alone is no longer so desirable when she meets the mysterious hunter who wants more than just her turf. As they work to massacre the local covens, the line between good and evil blurs when they are forced to decide between their lifelong beliefs... and their newfound hearts.
What I’m talking about:
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Note: The Darkest Angel was originally released as part of the Heart of Darkness Anthology, published by Harlequin in December 2009. I did not read the story at this time; however, I read and reviewed the book on GoodReads in January 2010, and this was my review:
The Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter
This is a fabulous tale set in Gena's Lords of the Underworld series. The primary characters are Lysander, a heavenly angel, and Bianka, a wicked Harpy. We met Bianka in a previous novel. Their story is fun! The romance is wonderful, and the novella sets up some of the story line for the next novel. This is a must read for any Lord fans.
My Rating: 4 stars
Shadow Hunter by Kait Ballenger
The Execution Underground is an elite group of genetically enhance humans trained to track and kill all things supernatural. Upon acceptance into EU, each hunter is given a serum injection that gives longer life and increased strength and healing abilities. Damon is a hunter for EU, determined to kill the evil vampire Caius in revenge over the death of fellow hunter and best friend, Mark.
Tiffany Solow is working undercover as a (blood) Host for Caius. She is the baby sister of Mark, and like Damon, she is determined to destroy Caius for his roll in Mark’s death. She also blames Mark’s best friend, only known as “B” to her, for his death because B left Mark during battle to hunt down vampires. B (aka Damon) and Tiffany have a history as letter-writing friends who have fallen for one another, even though they’ve never met.
Shadow Hunter opens with a bang and the action rarely slows down. Although both Damon and Tiffany are focused on bringing down Caius, there is a big mystery concerning what appears to be new behavior from vampires. The story really picks up as the mystery becomes more involved and complex, creating an engrossing tale.
Damon and Tiffany experience immediate lust and a deep attraction for one another. The heat between the pair is smokin. However, I did get briefly annoyed that Damon kept reminding himself that Tiffany is Mark's little sister, and therefore, he should leave her alone. Luckily, his desire for Tiffany overrides his sense of honor for his friendship with Mark, and the pair give into their passion. Also, I was frustrated that Damon keeps the truth of his identity, and later what happened to Mark, from Tiffany.
One thing I enjoyed about Twilight Hunter is that this PNR is about humans falling in love, and all of the paranormals are bad guys. That doesn’t happen much any longer. It is a refreshing change of pace.
I do feel it necessary to warn readers, without spilling spoilers, that Twilight Hunter has a HUGE cliffhanger at the end of the book. The story didn't finish, and that is such a huge pet peeve of mine, especially since this is listed as a PNR (paranormal romance). The entire story was well-developed, especially for the shortened length; however, the ending felt like a nightmarish Urban Fantasy (UF).
Bottom line... Although there was a lot of information presented in the front end of the book, overall the story read smoothly, the romance was well-developed, and the action was exciting. The initial tension between Tiffany and Damon was fun to read. However, the book ended with too much unresolved for my liking, and I sincerely hope issues get wrapped up quickly.*
My Rating: 3 Stars
*I had the chance to correspond with the author about how this book ended, and I am happy to report that subsequent books in this series will have traditional paranormal romance HEA endings. She also told me that Damon and Tiffany will have a book in the future.
My Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Labels:
Friday, February 22, 2013
Review: Beauty Awakened by Gena Showalter
Beauty Awakened
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: Feb. 26, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Angels of the Dark #2
ISBN: #978-0373777433
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (448 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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His name is Koldo. He is scarred, powerful, his control legendary-and he lives only for vengeance, determined to punish the angel who viciously removed his wings. But if he yields to the forces of hatred, he will be kicked from the heavens, eternally damned.
She is his last hope. Nicola Lane was born with a defective heart, yet this fragile human shows surprising strength as demons stalk her every move, determined to end her. She is the key to Koldo's deliverance...and his downfall. Though he fights duty, destiny and his first addictive taste of desire, his toughest battle will be the one for Nicola's life-even if he has to sacrifice his own...
What I’m talking about:
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Beauty Awakened opens with brief prologue that offers a slice of life from our hero, Koldo’s childhood. The images aren’t pretty. His mom is a Sent One (like an angel) and his dad is a Nefas, a barbaric, demon-esque race. Koldo’s mother physically, emotionally, and mentally abused him, culminating with the cutting off of his wings at the age of seven. Then she sent him to his father where he was brutally tortured for eleven years.
Flash forward to present day where Koldo is one of the members of the heavenly “Army of Disgrace,” a group of desperate and dangerous beings known as Sent Ones, each whose status with the heavenly plane is in serious jeopardy. Koldo is dispatched on a mission to kill a specific demon tormenting a man in a hospital when he sees and becomes captivated by Nicola Lane, a woman who has two demons attached to her. Nicola is visiting her very ill twin, who has been infested by a demon. One look and he knew he had to help save her.
There is a lot that happens within the course of Beauty Awakened. First, there is Koldo and Nicola’s budding romance and his attempts to save Nicola and her sister. Then there is Koldo’s desire for revenge against his mother and the sudden reappearance of his father’s people--messing with Koldo and those he cares about. Finally, the story follows a handful of the other members of the “Army of Disgrace” as they try and track down some very nasty killers. Although it feels like a lot to keep straight, Ms. Showalter does a pretty good job of keeping the story moving forward, with most of the pieces coming together for a satisfying conclusion. The one exception to this is the side story centering on three of the Sent Ones: Thane, Xerxes and Bjorn. While I felt that the events surrounding the trio will ultimately prove critical to the overall story arc and future stories, it felt out of place in Koldo’s story.
I enjoyed watching Koldo and Nicola grow as individuals and witness their budding romance. Koldo has a clear plan for Nicola... teaching her to live with joy and not focus on negativity. He tells her all about demons and the Sent Ones. (In fact, there is a rather lengthy explanation of the series mythology, which has its roots in Christianity.) Yet for most of the book, he walked a fine line himself, and he didn’t seem to realize it. It was Nicola that helped him learn to love and forgive just as much as he helped her - which made reading about their relationship very enjoyable.
Koldo is completely open and honest, and isn’t too wise when it comes to dealing with human emotions. Again, this actually makes the book better when Koldo and Nicola have a heart-to-heart. In one particular instance, Nicola had agreed to go on a date with a coworker, more for the benefit of getting her sister out and about. Instead of it ending up as a huge misunderstanding and a contrived way to introduce conflict, Nicola and Koldo were honest about their budding feelings. It gave me hope and allowed me to care for them and become emotionally invested.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot happening in this book. One key plot line centers around Koldo’s mother. In the previous book, Wicked Nights, Koldo hunted down and captured his mother. This storyline continues in Beauty Awakened, and Koldo must decide if his revenge is worth his own happiness. Although the story played out fairly predictably, it was Nicola’s reaction and actions that stood out and made the journey more intimate in the end.
There are other excellent character interactions, with my favorite being between Koldo and Axel. The pair learned how to have fun and be lighthearted during serious times. And speaking of Axel... there is a hint about a potential reveal dealing with one of my favorite Lord of the Underworld characters, William! And William isn’t the only LotU character to make an appearance in this story.
Overall, I enjoyed Beauty Awakened, but the ending kind of ruined it some. The whole battle scene was just too easy. And, while I have no issues with what happened to Nicola (spoiler-free), things happened way too quickly. (Nicola was always a fighter throughout her life, so it was good to see that manifest in her new role established at the end of the book.) Then toss into the mix a scene referencing Kane (LotU) and the “extra” scenes dealing with Thane, Xerxes and Bjorn (which left the reader with a bit of a cliffhanger ending). Finally, I felt let down with how things ended involving Axel because I felt his importance throughout the story was diminished by the final scenes.
Overall, I enjoyed Koldo and Nicola. Their romance was sweet, and I liked the pace, which was on the slower side, but appropriate given the circumstances. I loved how honest they were with each other. I admired the message of joy defeating the "toxins" from the demons. Honestly, we could all use some happiness!
My Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
Reviews in the Series:
Friday, December 28, 2012
Year in Review - 2012
Here we are at the close of another year. This year my goal was to focus more on reading and less on the mechanics of blogging, and I’m happy to report it was a success! Emotionally and mental I was in a much better place, finding time to read and enjoying writing the reviews. I am happy to report that the total number of books read this year was 97 books, up 33 books from last year! My original goal was to read one book per week, but up’d the goal to 65 books (one more than 2011). I blew that goal out of the water!
I had also challenged myself to read new-to-me authors this past year. Originally, I thought about one new author per month, for a total of 12 in the year, but when I realized I would exceed that rather quickly, I up’d that goal to 24 new-to-me-authors. I ended up reading 30 new-to-me authors! I am really proud of this accomplishment and plan to try and get at least 12 more new-to-me authors in 2013.
Having the more relaxed mental attitude also helped with blogging. I am pleased to report that I published over 460 posts in 2012, up over 100 from 2011! My review team kept me busy! We added a new feature in late September called Saturday Conversations, a place where we take the time to chat about the things going on in our lives. On the downside, I finally said goodbye (for now) to my long-running Sunday Snippets weekly post back in October 2012, after the 124th post!
I really have enjoyed blogging and discussing books with all of you. Although visitors were down in 2012, I know I have a great group of loyal readers, and I thank you each of you from the bottom of my heart. My blog is a labor of love, and I’m happy to share it with you all! Below is my TOP TEN for 2012... How did 2012 go for you? What were your favorite reads during the year?
10) My friend and sometime guest reviewer, Ang, came on board as a permanent member of the That’s What I’m Talking About review team. Ang enjoys reading historicals and contemporaries - creating a better balance of romance here at the blog.
9) I enjoy doing giveaways here at That’s What I’m Talking About, and the discovery of Rafflecopter has made giveaways so much easier for me! I love that it manages the entries and picks the winner/s for me, but I also enjoy all of the options, like tweeting about the giveaway.
8) Did anyone else notice the increase in Self-Published Authors this past year? I had the opportunity to read and showcase both newbie authors, but also some of my long-time favorites went the route of self-publishing in 2012. Whether by choice or due to circumstances, the decision to self-publish was a-okay with me. I enjoyed books from Shiloh Walker, Carolyn Crane, Jill Myles and Allyson James - all self-published. And this trend to self-publish was at the center of a question I asked at the Lori Foster’s Reader-Author Get Together, bringing a true cricket moment, but many laughs for my friend Dren and myself!
7) It seems that every year there is at least one big book in a long-running series, one that everyone can’t wait to read (can anyone say Qhuay 2013?!). In 2012, there were two such books for me. First was the climatic conclusion to the (first story arc of) Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian, and a book for the long-tormented hero, Chase. We finally got to read his book, Darker After Midnight, and it did NOT disappoint! Not only did the book chronicle Chase’s journey of redemption and love, it also ended with an amazing twist that will completely reboot the series when it returns in February 2013. 2012 also was the year that Paris finally finds love in The Lords of the Underworld! Gena Showalter’s keeper of Promiscuity, Paris, has been pining for Sienna since the beginning of the series, and in The Darkest Seduction, Paris finally finds peace.
6) Reading so many New-to-Me Authors in 2012 was not only a huge accomplishment, but also such a joy. I found some great new series that have now become “auto-buys” for me. As I mentioned earlier, I hope to continue adding new authors to my bookshelf, but I won’t do it at the expense of giving up books and series I currently read. I think I will be able to squeeze in a few more - because that’s the best way to discover new favorites!!
5) URBAN FANTASY! When I look back at 2012, I realize that I have been reading a lot more urban fantasy titles and really enjoying them (even a bit more than PNR!). My favorites are ones that have a strong heroine, who may be flawed but believes in herself and those around her, coupled with some romance. Long-time favorites like Kate Daniels (and her partner Andrea, who was the main character in one of my favorite books, Gunmetal Magic), Janet Begay (Stormwalker series), Victory Vaughn (Deadtown series) and Madeline Black (Black Wings series), were joined this year by new-to-me characters like Gin Blanco (Elemental Assassins), Kit Colbana (Colbana Files), Drusilla Jaco (Sentinels of New Orleans), and Justine Jones (The Disillusionists).
4) In 2012, I said good-bye to three of my “auto-buy” series. First, Jill Myles ended her wonderful Succubus Diaries series with Succubi Are Forever in April. In November, Larissa Ione released the fourth and final book in her sexy Lords of Deliverance series. Rogue Rider may have the final chapter for the Horsemen, but the world of Demonica will live on when she returns to UGH in 2013 with Reaver’s book! Finally, December saw the final book Alyssa Day’s Warriors of Poseidon series. Long-time readers FINALLY got Alaric and Quinn’s story in Heart of Atlantis.
3) I finally made time to read The Disillusionist series by Carolyn Crane. What. An. Amazing. Series. I cannot not say enough great things about this trilogy which centers around a group of misfits who learn to use their phobias and insecurities to “cure” true bad guys of their vices. The third book in the series, Head Rush, was one of the best books I read this past year and earned a spot as one of my all-time favorites!
2) It is hard to pick a favorite book for 2012... There were several great reads that came out this past year. My top 3 new releases for 2012 are: Riveted by Meljean Brook, Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews, and Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian.
1) Getting to hang out with some of the most wonderful women and fellow book lovers at both Lori Foster’s Get Together and Authors After Dark NOLA. Not only did I have to opportunity to check in with some of the friends I’d met in 2011, but I finally got to meet in real life several more of my online tweeps. Plus - meeting and hanging out with some amazing authors. I think I went a bit fangirl several times. Connecting with gracious people and making friends with those I have something in common is truly a blessing! I look forward to doing more of the same in 2013!
Thank you all for stopping by and supporting me and That's What I'm Talking About. Joyous New Year and Happy Reading!! Be sure to check back in January when I’m planning a HUGE book giveaway blow out for my 3rd Blogiversary!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Summer Lovin' Reads ala VampBard
It's been a GREAT summer for reading! Besides the titles that she's reviewed for That's What I'm Talking About, VampBard has read many other books. To cap off this summer of reading, she’s put together a summary of some of the titles she’s read, but didn’t review. VampBard has enjoyed most, awarding them high ratings and bestowing a quirky award or two. We hope you enjoy this end-of-summer treat!
A Shiver at Twilight (Halloween-themed novella)
Erin Quinn. October 26, 2011, Books We Love.
Wow! This one definitely fed my Stephen King factor! Psychological horror with some romance added in. Pulls together my past reader and my present-day reader. Perfect!
Award: Best Horror/Ghost Story
Darker After Midnight (Midnight Breed 10)
Lara Adrian. January 24, 2012, Dell.
I can't believe this is the end of the series! Ms. Adrian did a really great job tying up loose ends. I hope to see more of the Breed from her in the future...I'll miss them!
Award: Best Series Ending EVER!
EDITED TO ADD (by Twimom): This ISN’T the end of the series! Edge of Dawn, the 11th MB book is set to release in January, 2013.
A Taste of Midnight (Midnight Breed 9.5)
Lara Adrian. December 5, 2011, Dell.
I think that reading this novella increased my experience in reading the series-culmination, Darker after Midnight. I think it's definitely a MUST READ, for fans of the Midnight Breed series.
The Darkest Seduction (Lords of the Underworld 9)
Gena Showalter. February 28, 2012, HQN Books.
I adored Paris' book. I thought that it was a great addition to Ms. Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series, one of my absolute favorites.
Award: Best Title from Long-Standing Series
Magic Mike starring Channing Tatum
This was the best movie to attend with one of your Girls that actually GET your penchant for smut & eyecandy! I was lucky enough to attend with Twimom!
Award: Hottest (Chick) Flick of the Summer
Butterfly
Katherine Harvey. 1989, Guild.
I NEVER predicted the outcome of this story! Great read for the lover of suspense and psychological thrillers.
Award: Best Romantic Suspense
The Opportunist (Love Me With Lies #1)
Tarryn Fisher. November 14, 2011, Self-Published.
This was a great story...especially from one of my first ventures into reading a self-published author.
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)
Deborah Harkness. February 8, 2011, Viking.
What I loved the most about A Discovery of Witches is that Ms. Harkness wrote about something with which I was familiar. Researching. Her description, while not overboard, made me feel as though I was right there!
Award: Best New-To-Me & Breakout
If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period
Gennifer Choldenko. September 1, 2007, Harcourt Books.
Great read for 8-12 year-olds. Provides a unique and realistic perspective to get these kids asking the all-important 'Who am I?' question.
Award: Best Young Adult in a LONG time!
All That Bleeds (Etherlin #1)
Kimberley Frost. January 3, 2012, Berkley Sensation.
This initial book of Ms. Frost's Etherlin series integrates paranormal and mythology in a seamless manner, without hiding the paranormal from the human population. Unique approach. Superior execution.
Award: Best Integration of Paranormal Elements
50 Shades of Grey
E.L. James. May 26, 2011, Vintage.
Pop lit for Summer 2012. I've read better 'mommy porn'. Tugged at my Twilight heart-strings.
50 Shades Darker
E.L. James. September 15, 2011, The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
50 Shades Darker was my favorite book in the 50 Shades Trilogy. I think it was my favorite because we learned the most about Christian, and saw his character evolve so much.
50 Shades Freed
E.L. James. January 19, 2012, The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
The ending of the 50 Shades Trilogy was definitely a let-down and felt like a cop-out. I was definitely hoping for something more than sunshine, flowers, rainbows and unicorns.
Award: Lamest Ending to a Series
So what was on your summer reading list? Were there any breakouts for you? What about disappointments?
Monday, June 25, 2012
Review: Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter
Wicked Nights
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: HQN
Angels of the Dark #1
ISBN: #978-0373776986
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (416 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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What I’m talking about:
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Wicked Nights is the first book in Ms. Showalter’s new Angels of the Dark series - a spin off from her wickedly delightful Lords of the Underworld series. The new series follows a group of desperate and dangerous angels, each whose status with the heavenly plane is in serious jeopardy. This “Army of Disgrace” is lead by Zacharel - a cold and unfeeling warrior angel we met in the LotU books. Due to his lack of compassion for life, Zacharel has displeased his Deity and has been assigned to lead this band of misfits - sharing their fate as his own. A true “all for one and one for all” situation.
Wicked Nights opens with sweet Annabelle waking from a wonderful dream on her eighteenth birthday, only to feel her eyes burning (and changing color) and witness her parents’ murder by a demon. She spends four years locked away, being horribly mistreated by both the demon and human population.
Zacharel’s army is charged with ridding the institution where Annabelle is locked up of the demons trying to break in. Curious to understand why the demons are there, he follows one to Annabelle. We learn that Annabelle is a high demon lord’s consort, and soon Zacharel cannot stop himself from wanting to help her.
This book throws the reader right into the thick of things. The opening chapters are raw and not for the light-hearted. When it appears Zacharel leaves Annabelle to be abused by her human doctors, I thought I couldn’t take any more. But Zach comes through and my heart was safe. Note: Annabelle’s torture and molestation are written non-graphically, yet it is far more painful to imagine than reading specific details.
Although Annabelle has been through hell and back, she is tough and will not rest until she kills the demon who caused her so much grief. She seems to still see the good in the world, and although she needs things to move at a slow pace, she continually moves forward with her feelings for Zacharel. And Zach - he is so clueless when it comes to emotions, especially human ones. He realizes he desires Annabelle, but doesn’t know how to address his feelings. When the pair share their first kiss it was full of such joy and then such sadness. It started so delightfully-sending butterflies to my belly. But then Zacharel didn’t understand how to deal with the overwhelming sensations, and he went too far. My heart broke. Luckily, the pair recognize their true feelings, and soon they continue to explore things each thought that they’d never experience. I felt their romance was sweet - not tainted by previous relationships, and although their world was in constant danger, they found time to just be.
There are several minor characters that make up Zacharel’s team. Ms. Showalter does a superb job introducing each and giving us just enough information to pique interest. We know enough about them to get a feel of how they will react within the storyline, but we are left with questions about their personal history. The characters are complex, each with issues that caused them to be on this "Army of Disgrace,” and I for one am looking forward to finding out more.
I really enjoyed Wicked Nights both in plot development and character creation. The world building was done at the perfect pace-giving the reader lots of information, but not cramming it into tight spaces. Whether or not the fact that I have read all of the LotU books leading up to this story helped me jump into the this world so easily, I cannot say. However, the development of characters and world was smooth.
And for fans of LotU, we do get glimpses of some of the boys and their mates. The characters didn't overrun the story nor were they awkwardly placed. Their appearances served the storyline, and the world created in this book is still all its own. One does not need to have read LotU to enjoy this book.
For fans of Meljean Brook's Guardian series, I think you will enjoy as well. I was constantly reminded of her amazing world while reading Wicked Nights. Not because they are identical (their mythologies are very different), but because both series have well-developed, exciting and interesting angel-demon storylines.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. Meeting the "team" and learning just enough about each to keep me interested and wanting to know more was definitely a highlight. I loved Zacharel's transformation as he went from cold, heartless warrior to a man capable of love and able to see goodness in and learn to respect others.
All-in-all a fantastic start to a "newish" series that can be enjoyed by new Gena Showalter fans and longtime readers alike. The pace flows well, the action intense. The overall story arc is appealing, and I am looking forward to more.
My Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Friday, February 24, 2012
Review: The Darkest Seduction
The Darkest Seduction
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2012
Publisher: HQN
Lords of the Underworld #9
ISBN: #978-0373776573
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (512 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price. Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die. And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now.
Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet, in Paris’s arms the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up.
Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally– or tear them apart?
What I’m talking about:
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My head is still spinning after reading this 500 plus page story. I, like many, have been waiting for Paris’s story for a very long time. We met his “HEA” back in the second Lords of the Underworld book, The Darkest Kiss. That was a long time ago and poor Paris has been to hell and back - searching for Sienna’s spirit, giving into and battling his ambrosia addition, fighting and killing anyone (especially Hunters) that got in his way. We’ve had book after book of the degradation of Paris, and now it’s finally his time.
The book picks up where The Darkest Surrender ends. Things have been building to this point, and I do not recommend newcomers to the series start here. There are a lot of plot points that come together. Paris is still hot on the trail of tracking down human spirit-turned keeper of the High Demon Lord, Wrath. She is a former Hunter and current prisoner of the Titan god king, Cronus. She is also the one woman that Paris’s demon, Promiscuity, was able to “get it up for” more than once. He is obsessed and this has lead to his near destruction.
The first half or so of this book is dedicated to detail and background - fitting the pieces in place for the rest of the tale. Paris isn't quite the same ruined man he has been of late. He's kicked his ambrosia addiction, and although he is still killing and is violent, he's focused on finding Sienna. His friends still support him which indicates he hasn't gone too far into the deep end.
Sienna seems like a lost child. She still seems so innocent. But she'll put her own life on the line to protect those she cares about. She is trapped and nearly broken by Cronus, but when Paris arrives, her internal drive kicks into high gear. I really like Sienna.
The primary bad guys in this book are Cronus and Rhea, and they are ... interesting. Cronus is an ass of the nth degree. Rhea is equally evil. The scene in which Cronus kills someone Sienna loves is just wicked. They make for excellent villains, however Cronus begins to degrade over the course of the book, leaving him less sharp and witty. But in the end, long time readers are rewarded with a satisfactory conclusion to the current story-arc.
Did I mention that there is a lot going on in this book, other than Paris/Sienna and the battle with Cronus and Rhea? There are a few side stories, that in my opinion could have been cut to shorten the length of the book. This is my biggest issue with The Darkest Seduction -- there is just too much going on.
Some side stories were fun, like new Lord Keeper/goddess, Viola and her pink-haired fallen angel suitor. She had her place in the story, so I didn’t mind the additional characters, although the battles between Paris and Pinky weren't all that necessary. But others, like the three mysterious Lord Keepers trapped with Sienna - really could have been cut and have them introduced in a later book.
We do get more about Kane, who was left in the Underworld in the last book. I’m not really sure what is up with Kane. He seems to be the only Lord who is actively tormented by his own demon. There is no self-preservation for Disaster (his Lord). It was hinted at in previous books that Kane may bring about the end of the world, but I’m not sure how I feel about mixing up his storyline into this book - it was too little and too vague - and in the end, unnecessary for this story to be told.
We also had more about Legion, the demon minion-turned-human. She has a connection to our other bad guy - Galen (Keeper of Hope and ??). Again, things were tossed about and hinted at, but it was too much for this story. It may have been better to pick only a couple of the side stories and bulked them up than trying to tell the reader a little about everyone.
Finally, the warrior angel Zacharel plays a bigger part in this story than he has in the past. He is yet another elusive character. We really don’t know much about him, and it started to drive me a bit crazy. He and Paris would go head-to-head and I just didn’t feel the reasons behind the conflict. It was only after I finished reading the book did I find out that Ms. Showalter has a spinoff series planned for the warrior angel. I’m not a fan of introducing a character just to spin him off to another series (JR Ward... grrrrr), but in this case, it didn’t bother me quite as much.
The Darkest Seduction is a romance, and the love story at the heart of this book was perfect for me. Paris and Sienna are a quintessential match. Even the angels, who sought to keep them apart, agree that Paris and Sienna complement each other perfectly. I adore the time that they take to become friends and learn about each other. And the smex (per usual Showalter fashion) is smokin’!
Finally, Ms. Showalter adds everything into this story that makes the LotU series one of my favorites. The humor is fantastic - even when things are down, the band of brothers and their mates are cracking jokes. The less obvious wit and the blatant jokes are equally welcome. There is plenty of intense action, which is violent at times. The camaraderie of the Lords is deeper than ever. They are connected in ways that run deeper than blood, so even if one makes a mistake, they are right there to help each other out. And to top it off, there are deeply touching and emotional moments and events, reminiscent of the first few books in the series. The nuggets are there - you just have to wade through the excess to find them. And when you reach page 396, please enjoy Paris and Strider as much as I did (yes, it is what you think!)
In the end, yes, there were things that bugged me about this book. I have listed a few, and there were others. BUT the overall storyline and romance at the center of the book far outweigh my nit-picking criticisms. The current story arc ends, and we are left with a few surprising twists that change up the game and pave the way for more LotU books and the spinoff Angels of the Dark series. I enjoyed the ride with all the bumps and detours, and look forward to continuing the journey!
My Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
(for readers of the LotU series)
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