Darkness Awakened by Katie Reus Series: Darkness #1
Published by Selfpublished on 3 November 2013
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 161
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Years ago he ended things between them to protect her…
As leader of one of the fiercest werewolf packs in the south, Finn Stavros is in full battle mode 24/7. He has no choice—he’s one of the few beings strong enough to fight the Akkadian demons, whose mysterious escape from hell threatens the entire world. With the battle turning bloodier by the second, Finn is ready for anything…until his vampire long lost love shows up on his doorstep in desperate need of his help, sending his heart into a tailspin. He agrees to help her, unaware that she carries a shocking secret that will turn his life upside down.
This time, he’s not letting her go…
Vampire Lyra Marius curses the day she met Finn. The ruthless werewolf promised to love her forever, but he rejected her instead—before she could share her life altering news. Pregnant, kicked out of her coven, and cast aside by the love of her life, Lyra struggled to raise their rare shifter-vampire daughter Vega alone among humans. When the 16-year-old is kidnapped and used to fulfill a frightening prophecy, Lyra swallows her pride and turns to Finn for help. But how long can she fight her feelings for him and keep him from guessing the truth about who Vega really is? As they race against the clock to save their daughter, they must defeat the lethal threat imposed by demons infiltrating the human world and a hell gate that could not only reveal their existence to mankind, but destroy the world in the process.
*I received a free ARC of Darkness Awakened from Negalley in exchange of an honest review*
Darkness Awakened is the first book in Ms. Reus new paranormal romance series, and it is filled with love, longing and mystery. Finn and Lyra fell in love when they were young, but circumstances inside of his pack made Finn leave her – just as she was about to tell him something extremely important. Ever since he challenged his uncle for the position of alpha wolf in his pack, he has tried to find her again, but it was as if she had disappeared from the face of the earth. Until one evening, when she shows up at the were-wolf compound looking for him, because she desperately needs his help.
When he comes home form fighting off and killing several Akkadian demons, Finn finds Lyra waiting for him. And she is adamant she needs his help finding her kidnapped daughter. Only, she doesn’t tell him the whole truth, namely that Vega is his daughter as well. Extremely rare, and thanks in part to the fact that Lyra is a born vampire, a shifter and a vampire have had a baby. And there is a very ominous prophecy about their offspring being able to open the gates to hell.
Pretty fast-paced, with plenty of action, fighting and a couple that has not been able to forget about each other even after all this time apart, Darkness Awakened is a spicy thriller-like paranormal romance. I enjoyed the fact that Lyra is very much able to take care of herself and her daughter, she knows how to fight, and she knows how to protect her family. However, with demons on the rise, she knows she needs someone powerful on her side, and Finn is the wolf who fits that description to a ‘T’. However, someone else who is very powerful is the one who betrayed Lyra, and they start a race against time to make sure they can save Vega – and the world before it’s too late.
The shifters and the vampires are slightly different in Darkness Awakened from those I am used to reading about, and that made reading about them even more enjoyable. The writing is very good, great descriptions, and tense action scenes. Even Vega is a character worth getting to know, even if she is only 16 years old, and both Lyra and Finn got to me as well. There are other characters who are well fleshed out, and I look forward to reading more in this series, both because of the apparent love between Lyra and Finn, and because of the dynamics between Finn and his pack, and how they all saw Lyra because of the fact that she’s a vampire.
She just had an aversion to sunlight and a thirst for blood. Whether it was a genetic anomaly or because all supernatural beings were cursed by the gods as some said, she’d stopped caring long ago that she was different form the majority of the population.
There had been no one for him since her. The thought of taking another woman to his bed had been wrong on so many levels. he’d tried to kill his dreams and fantasies of her,but they’d always crept into his subconscious.
But if he was truly honest with himself, he stayed in the room not for sleep, but simply to hold Lyra close.
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
This sounds very different and interesting. It’s going on the TBR pile. 🙂
Yes, it’s both different and interesting, Stormi! And I think you’ll really enjoy it 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
This sounds like a fun read. I do love books about vampires and shifters. 🙂
It was a fun, but pretty tense read 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Pamela.
I love vamp and shifter stories! This one seems to be layers on top of layers. And then throw in the gates of hell threatening to open. Yikes! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Happy Monday, Lexxie!
Yes, those gates of hell sure made things exciting, Robyn 😀 Thanks for stopping by!
I love tense action scenes. This sounds like a fun paranormal.
Yes, it was a very pleasant surprise, Jennifer. Thanks for stopping by.
I keep meaning to check Katie Reus out. I keep hearing really good things about her books, and this sounds really good too. Great review!
I have enjoyed the books I have read by hear so far, Jessica. The writing is good, and she tends to try for originality without losing anything of the genre I love so much.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds different and very intriguing!
Fab review, Lexxie 🙂
Yes, Silvia, it is both. I loved it 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
Twitter: talksupeblog
I love fast paced, action packed books and I’m curious about the myth. I always find it interesting when these authors put their own spin on a “tired” story.
That’s what I always really enjoy too, Braine. The feel of the genre is there, even if there are some things that are truly original also.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Fast paced with the couple who are all about each other soudns great to me
It’s my kind of book for sure 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Brandi.
This sounds great, Lexxie. The story has me intrigued and I always love it when an author puts a new spin on vampires and werewolves! Yay! Oh dear, that means I’m going to have to climb…another book added to Mt. TBR! 😉
Excellent review, my friend! I’m really thrilled – Ms. Reus has been on my radar for awhile. Now I know it’s safe to pick her up. 🙂 **BIG HUGS**
I think you need to ask for a new ladder for your birthday, Brandee. I have already put that on my list – after all the books I’d like 😀
I’m sure you’ll love this story, too, and I really hope there will be more books about this couple and the universe the story happens in.
Have a terrific Tuesday, my friend *BIG HUGS*
That’s a great idea, Lexxie! Would it be extremely lazy of me to ask for a motorized one?!? 😉 *hugs*
Nah, I think a motorized one is exactly what you need, actually 😉