Kiss of Darkness by Sharon Brondos

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Kiss of Darkness

Sharon Brondos

Silhouette Shadows #32

1994

Read For:

A to Z Challenge

Harlequin Silhouette Reading Challenge

Fall Reading Challenge

Synopsis:

The dark dilemma

Adrian Smith's latest orders tore at a conscience that shouldn't exist, pricked a heart that was his curse. But he'd made his deal with Death centuries ago, and now he had to do Its bidding. He would kill the scientist who was on the brink of prolonging human life; then he would return to his own private hell...

Adrian had expected his prey to be an old man whose time was near, but instead, he found himself preparing to harm a beautiful young woman, bursting with life. Yet Adrian could no sooner murder Sue Cooper than he could hope to fight Death and Its agents of evil when they came to do the job themselves...

My Review:

Kiss of Darkness was fairly good if a bit overly dramatic Vampire Romance. The author did have an unusual approach to your typical Vampire story but there was a bit too much weakness in the heroine, and machismo in the hero to rate it at 3 stars or more. It was too high strung and "Gothic" to take at all seriously. The love scenes were bland and "purple prose"-which those who dislike any discription in love scenes might like,though I did not. The scenes kind of reminded me of an old 50's love story where the love scene shows some silly, flowery symbolic stuff during the "act" then returns to the couple in bed smoking-LOL.

Enjoyable but forgettable.

2.5 stars.

Queene Of Light by Jennifer Armintrout

Read For:

RYOB Challenge

Synopsis:

An unimagined destiny an undeniable passion. In a time not long from now, the veil between fantasy and reality is ripped asunder creatures of myth and fairytale spill into the mortal world. Enchanted yet horrified, humans force the magical beings Underground, to colonize the sewers and abandoned subway tunnels beneath their glittering cities. But even magic folk cannot dwell in harmony and soon two Worlds emerge: the Lightworld, home to faeries, dragons and dwarves; and the Darkworld, where vampires, werewolves, angels and demons lurk. Now, in the dank and shadowy place between Lightworld and Darkworld, a transformation is about to begin.... Ayla, a half-faery, half-human assassin is stalked by Malachi, a Death Angel tasked with harvesting mortal souls. They clash. Immortality evaporates, forging a bond neither may survive. And in the face of unbridled ambitions and untested loyalties, an ominous prophecy is revealed that will shake the Worlds.

My Review:

Queene of Light was a fast, overall enjoyable foray into paranormal romance that relied heavily on Fantasy. This series will appeal to someone looking for something a little bit different, as the hero and heroine are not human, but half faery and a literal "fallen Angel".

The book was a good start-but there were areas that could have been improved. First-the romance needed to be expanded. Second-as others have mentioned-the author tend to quickly jump from one important event to another, all the while leaving some events that needed more discussion out. Finally-there are aspects of the "underground" world I find implausible-like the fact that denizens of certain areas spend great quantities of time wading through raw sewage but seem to always be able to clean up easily as well as not get deathly ill from this? Also nothing is mentioned about how all these creatures find food, clean water, etc.

All in all, Queene of Light was enjoyable enough that I'll try the next book in the series.

The Last Vampire by Patricia Rosemoor &Marc Paoletti

Read For:

ROR Fall Challenge

RYOB Challenge

1st In A Series Challenge

Chick Porn Reading Challenge

Synopsis:

Spawned of alchemy and blood, he was the last of a brutal, ancient line. Now he has just been reborn.

Deep in a Texas cave, the military unearths a five-hundred-year-old corpse, its desiccated flesh teeming with mysterious DNA that can transform mortals into beings of unimaginable power.

Captain Scott Boulder, leader of a Black Ops unit that has been endowed with these superhuman abilities, is among the first to benefit from the find. But when, with the help of a voodoo priestess, the creature is conjured to life, unleashing an ancient evil bent on reinstating its poisonous kind on earth, Scott knows he must return the monster to the grave. But this is no ordinary vampire. Once a brutal torturer in the Spanish Inquisition, it can bend the laws of science and magic in horrifying new ways.

Powerless to fight this evil alone, Scott grudgingly seeks the aid of reclusive anthropologist Leah Maguire, an expert in the mystical rituals of the past. To keep humanity from entering a new Dark Age, Scott and Leah will battle unspeakable horrors and will sacrifice everything they hold dear–perhaps even their own humanity -- to destroy the last vampire.

My Review:

A pretty good Urban Fantasy/Horror Light/Paranormal Romance. In this book Vampires are not your typical "sexy, misunderstood" characters but are vile and evil creatures who love to kill. The heroine, Leah, is a sort of "anthopoligist/good witch" who is kinda a female Van Helsing. She's devoted her life's work to fighting against Vampires after a creature she believes to be a Vampire kills several of her family members as a child. The hero, Scott, is part of a Government military "Special Ops" type unit that is experimenting with creating a group of "supermen" from the DNA of a mummy the Government found in a Texas cave. Really bad idea as the mummy is actually a unawakened super powerful Vampire that by taking him from the cave, they now awaken him.

The action was a B+, the characters about a C+ (Leah was a little weak but she will hopefully improve in book 2) and the Romance was a C-. Don't read The Last Vampire if your looking for typical Paranormal Romance, as the romance is only a secondary issue. Do read this book is you like action and horror with a little romance thrown in.

Note: While the love scenes between the hero and heroine are pretty tame=PG, there are sex scenes with a secondary female character that are pretty raunchy and graphic, like NC 17. So a heads up if you don't like graphic books.

3.5 stars.

Halfway To The Grave by Jeanine Frost

Read For:
Summer Reading Challenge
RYOB Challenge
1sts in a series Challenge


I liked this one a LOT more than I thought I would! This book was action filled and very sexy! I would have given the book five stars if not for Cat's mother-who is a real *itch! If you like tough, but flawed heroines then you should give Cat a try. 4 stars!

Unfinished-Working For The Devil by Lilith Saintcrow

My Shelfari Review:

Sorry, Unlike most of the others here on Shelfari, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I didn't like the heroine, the demon sidekick is actually more appealing than Dante. Repetitious writing, just not my cup of tea. Couldn't even finish this one.