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Night Pleasures: A Dark-Hunter Novel
Written by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrated by Carrington MacDuffie
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In Night Pleasures, Kyrian of Thrace — an immortal who protects humans from vampires — wakes up one morning handcuffed to the one thing that can scare him: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt.
But Amanda Devereaux turns out to be his perfect partner for hunting down a deadly foe, and for helping him to regain his soul — and learn that love doesn't have to bite.
A Macmillan Audio production.
Book Actions
Start ListeningBook Information
Night Pleasures: A Dark-Hunter Novel
Written by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrated by Carrington MacDuffie
Description
In Night Pleasures, Kyrian of Thrace — an immortal who protects humans from vampires — wakes up one morning handcuffed to the one thing that can scare him: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt.
But Amanda Devereaux turns out to be his perfect partner for hunting down a deadly foe, and for helping him to regain his soul — and learn that love doesn't have to bite.
A Macmillan Audio production.
About the author
Reviews
I'm glad I read Ash's book prior this one. It probably changed my reaction to his appearances and the whole origins of the Dark Hunters thing. More depth, maybe; not that this series or book is more deep than the usual PNR books.Which isn't a criticism. Just that it is fairly typical of the genre that each book centers on a couple, pretty much if not completely outright fated mates. In this one, it was immortal-centuries-old-Kyrian-Greek-Prince-during-Roman-invasions-turned-DarkHunter andsomewhat-innocent-new-to-powers-sorceress-Amanda-modern-accountant.I liked Kyrian and Amanda. So, liked their story. Neither was an asshat or TSTL. Fairly explicit (maybe even skim-worthy explicit sex), but no dubious consent or some supernatural whatsit compulsion factor. Without being too spoiler-y, I really liked that the conclusion didn't require one of them to act totally out of character. Not really an in-line-with-internal-logic of the series explanation of the villain, though.As much as I enjoyed this one, the preview of Talon's story at back of the ebook I read makes the next book sound way more interesting.
Rating: 4I like the mingling of ancient Greek gods in the lives of our characters.
Rating: 3Kyrian's and Amanda's story is still one of my favorites from the Hunterverse. Really enjoyed following their journey to finding their HEA. And what an amazing journey it was, loved how strong and stoic Amanda is and how sarcastic Kyrian was at times and such a (moody) gentleman too. Truly enjoyable, loved it a lot.
Rating: 5Okay, it was our book club selection for April. It was the into to the series, but the author kept introducing characters without rhyme or reason. Who is Wulf? All of a sudden they show up at the hospital and her dad is there? Where did he come from?
I was left with more questions than understanding.
I truly don't understand the main character's powers and how many sisters does she have.
At about page 91, I was like, "f*ck her already!" Even I was tired of the oh he is so hot, and yeah baby I am hot for you.
Rating: 3I was left with more questions than understanding.
I truly don't understand the main character's powers and how many sisters does she have.
At about page 91, I was like, "f*ck her already!" Even I was tired of the oh he is so hot, and yeah baby I am hot for you.
Kyrian's and Amanda's story is still one of my favorites from the Hunterverse. Really enjoyed following their journey to finding their HEA. And what an amazing journey it was, loved how strong and stoic Amanda is and how sarcastic Kyrian was at times and such a (moody) gentleman too. Truly enjoyable, loved it a lot.
Rating: 5I read several in this series before I found this one. It was good bc it gives a look at the writing style and several characters. but by far this isn't the best in either series. I think you'll like it but if you don't, try some of the other dark hunter or league books.
Rating: 4
Aweso me
love it. want to hear more..next book plea9
Rating: 5love it. want to hear more..next book plea9
Oh wow this book was so terrible! Absolutely nothing mattered at all unless it was related to the hero and heroine's pantsfeelings for each other. Character consistency? Psychological realism? Worldbuilding? Anybody's beliefs or motivations about anything? All up for grabs to create pantsfeelingsy moments.
My favorite was probably when the heroine psychically dropped into the hero's dreams and, in his body, experienced firsthand his memories of having sex with his previous wife (wtf!) and then a month of agonizing torture. This torture is an experience that has, quite reasonably, traumatized him so deeply that just being tied down makes him dissolve into total freakout. Our heroine's reaction to having a first-hand experience of intense PTSD-inducing torture is to... feel super sad for him and want to bone him. And that's all. No residual trauma (or icky feelings from experiencing him boning somebody else) at all.
Also she cures his PTSD by tying him down with scarves and blowing him. No lie.
Rating: 2My favorite was probably when the heroine psychically dropped into the hero's dreams and, in his body, experienced firsthand his memories of having sex with his previous wife (wtf!) and then a month of agonizing torture. This torture is an experience that has, quite reasonably, traumatized him so deeply that just being tied down makes him dissolve into total freakout. Our heroine's reaction to having a first-hand experience of intense PTSD-inducing torture is to... feel super sad for him and want to bone him. And that's all. No residual trauma (or icky feelings from experiencing him boning somebody else) at all.
Also she cures his PTSD by tying him down with scarves and blowing him. No lie.
I will say that I like "Night Pleasures." It will be the first of Kenyon Sherrilyn's book series of the ancient Greek Legend that I have had the satisfaction of completing. A different supernatural story and ancient beings that possess the power beyond imagination. It is excellent to learn that at the end of all the same love that once destroy the great general. Brought him down from his mighty and led him to fail his men, family, and country that he is a command/fighting for. The first love of his life ruined him and left him to death in the hands of the Roman soldiers losing his soul to a god. Lived to hunter a demigod that would stop at nothing to destroy him. He found love when he is less expected, and that love saved him and his soul again. Now he knows love as he has never known love now.
Rating: 5Give it a 4.5
I really liked the story and the characters. I thought it was fun in places yet had a backbone for a story. Strange that this is the 5th story of the Dark Hunters that I have read. For some reason I kept missing this one and it is definitely one to read first. (well after Fantasy Lover which isn't a Dark Hunter but has characters that appear in this story) This one has the back story of the Dark Hunters and who the Apolites, and all the other factions are. Yes, the reasoning for all the strife is contrived but isn't all the greek god stories?
So why the 4 1/2 stars. The story is solid without stopping. The romance has chemistry. In the end, I read right through it and enjoyed it more than Fantasy Lover that came before it and Night's Embrace that came after.
Rating: 5I really liked the story and the characters. I thought it was fun in places yet had a backbone for a story. Strange that this is the 5th story of the Dark Hunters that I have read. For some reason I kept missing this one and it is definitely one to read first. (well after Fantasy Lover which isn't a Dark Hunter but has characters that appear in this story) This one has the back story of the Dark Hunters and who the Apolites, and all the other factions are. Yes, the reasoning for all the strife is contrived but isn't all the greek god stories?
So why the 4 1/2 stars. The story is solid without stopping. The romance has chemistry. In the end, I read right through it and enjoyed it more than Fantasy Lover that came before it and Night's Embrace that came after.
I read this as part of our Author Spotlight this month. I was really nervous going in because I wasn't sure it would hold up to the test of time.
I was more disappointed in parts of it than I remember being previously (the way Amanda and Kyrian mentally lusted after each other at the most inappropriate moments) and some parts were just down right cheesey (the villain..really?) but overall I enjoyed it. It's a very readable novel, and though I spent some time rolling my eyes, I was still swept up in the story.
I'd say it held up fairly well, all things considered.
Rating: 4I was more disappointed in parts of it than I remember being previously (the way Amanda and Kyrian mentally lusted after each other at the most inappropriate moments) and some parts were just down right cheesey (the villain..really?) but overall I enjoyed it. It's a very readable novel, and though I spent some time rolling my eyes, I was still swept up in the story.
I'd say it held up fairly well, all things considered.
Just finished the first in the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I will have to think on this one before I can really express an opinion.
Rating: 3I was looking forward to this book as I really enjoyed Fantasy Lover.. but I only made it to like the second or third chapter.. there was soo many clichés and "saying" and the way the author made the character's speak to each other was just plain ridiculous..... That was just too bad... perhaps I will try it again.. but probably not. Wonder if all the other books are written like this?
Rating: 2I've been meaning to read this series for a while. It was recommended to me by a friend in oh, let's say 2011 or close to it, haha. And since I do enjoy JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series (even though it makes me rage at times and I always swear that this book is the last one - DAMN IT WARD), I figured that I would enjoy this too. I'm not saying this book is a copycat, but eventually, once you've read enough paranormal romance books, you can't help see similarities that are inherent in the genre. Which is fine.And the book was fine. It wasn't earth-shattering for me by any sense of the imagination, but it was a decent way to spend an afternoon. Kyrian is a tortured hero, which I almost always appreciate, and this was no exception. Although there were parts of this story that were just a little too...weird...for me. He was crucified by the Romans over two thousand years ago and betrayed by his beloved wife (who never loved him in return), and yet he's never slept with a woman since. Like, I understand how he wouldn't want to enter into a relationship, especially as a Dark Hunter (vampire-type-creature who hunts other vampire-type-creatures who have gone dark side) where it's sort-of-but-not-exactly forbidden, but...didn't he ever get an itch and wanted to scratch it? I find it difficult to believe that in TWO THOUSAND YEARS this highly sexually charged male (and his prowess is mentioned multiple times), who goes around sporting an erection for most of the book, didn't at least ONCE decide to have sex with someone else. I know this adds to the whole "ooooh so tortured" vibe he has going on, but come on, this is a bit over the top, even for me. Also, I love me some angst, don't get me wrong (my favorite paranormal romance hero is Zsadist, so I think that says everything that needs to be said LOL), but after TWO THOUSAND YEARS, I would expect Kyrian to be less raw over everything. I mean, I haven't been crucified and tortured for a month by Romans, so I can't really say "well I would," but at the same time, a lot of living happens in two thousand years. I'd expect him to not be so fresh in his angst.I didn't care much for Amanda, the heroine. It's not that I was ~*~jealous~*~ of her or anything (trust me, I'm not), but I never felt like I connected with her as a reader. Much of the book was focused on Kyrian, which of course happens quite a bit in straight romance. When Amanda was on the page, she was generally thinking about Kyrian or fretting about him, etc, etc. She did have a family and some bad stuff happened to her, but I felt like they took a backseat to all of Kyrian's angst. Which is okay, but like I said, I never connected with her as a result.And holy head hopping Batman! The author literally changed perspective three times on one page without any notice/breaks. This is one of my pet peeves when I'm reading books of any type. I am seriously hoping that this changes if I read more books in the series. I've noticed that a lot of people didn't like the humor in the book. Both Kyrian and, to a lesser degree, Amanda have a tendency to crack jokes or be sarcastic, even when under pressure. I enjoyed that part, probably because my sense of humor is the same. I also feel like I skipped a book in the series, even though most lists have this book listed as the first book in the Dark Hunter series. There's another book, "Fantasy Lover," which is Julian and Grace's story. I guess it's not technically a Dark Hunter book, but considering that Julian (and, to a lesser extent, Grace) plays a relatively moderate role in this book, I kind of wish that I had read that one first.The character in the book that interested me the most, however, was Acheron (which means "river of woe" in Greek - this has SERIOUS potential ;) ;) ;) ) - not Kyrian. I've heard tales that his past is seriously messed up and he has his own book, so I'll probably stick around with the series long enough to at least get there, because I do, after all, enjoy seriously messed up characters. ;) Altogether, I think the universe has some promise to it, but this wasn't the best start. Hopefully things improve; I know I was about to give up on the Black Dagger Brotherhood series after reading the first book, just because I didn't like it so much, but if I had given up on it after that first book, I would have missed out on a shitload of delicious angst. ;)
Rating: 3Many of you know that I’m re-reading the Dark-Hunter series in chronological order, something I wasn’t able to do when I first read the series. Night Pleasures is the official first book in the series, and I have to say I enjoyed it just as much this time around! The book starts out with a bang when Amanda and Kyrian are unwillingly locked into magical handcuffs together, and it gets better from there. Night Pleasures is brimming with sexual tension, kickass daimon hunting (and one ass-kicking daimon), and laugh out loud humor that any paranormal romance fan could enjoy!
Rating: 4I've got one thing to say: Naughty children.
Rating: 3Ugh. I had to keep checking how far I was on this audiobook so I'd know how much longer I had to endure it. I usually prefer a tad bit more plot along with all that...ahem..."night pleasure" business. Honestly, when those two weren't actively participating in it, they were thinking about it. Cue the eye rolling--which really isn't a good idea when you're driving. ;-) I haven't decided if I'm going to try another one in the series yet...maybe they get better? Eternal optimist here...if I do, it won't be terribly soon. Only plus is it was nice to see an older Nick than in the YA series--he was a fun character, at least. Ash wasn't bad either--but then he was only in the last quarter of the book. Everyone else was fairly lame.
Rating: 2This book sounded so promising, it was my first read by Sherrilyn Kenyon and I'd heard many people raving on about how great her Dark Hunter novels were; and as a fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, I couldn't wait to find another sexy, dark series to get into, complete with the usual array of vampires and mythology.
The problem with the paranormal romance genre, and even more so the urban fantasy genre, is that after you've read a few of them they all start to form a similar pattern with characters you begin to recognise from other books plus the same old storylines and ancient mythology (I'm getting so good at remembering greek gods). So, the trick is to give the reader what they came to get but put a unique twist on it, don't write the same story a thousand writers have churned out and surprise them with different characters (note: broody men aren't even that hot - sexy Spike always did so much more for me than sulky Angel). This story, unfortunately, had nothing new or exciting, it's hard to pick the plot and characters out of masses that I've read that are chasing each other round my brain. I couldn't get into the story or take much interest in either Amanda or Kyrian, their dialogue wasn't the cute, sarcastic banter that I love in good PR and UF but rather it was cliched and annoying - who actually says the words "made hot, sweet love" without laughing afterwards?
I also had so many problems with Kyrian (the dark hunter guy), I really don't care to be told a hundred times how gorgeous he is, when an author does that it makes me think that's all there is to the character and I immediately lose interest. He's so beautiful, so well-muscled, so this, that and the other. Shallow. The author seemed to care far more about his "cute butt" than the rushed-out back story of his wife's betrayal and his weeks of torture at the hands of her new lover. It was almost as if Kenyon decided at the last minute that Mr Perfect sounded very two-dimensional (which he did) and she came up with some weak pity story that just didn't work. And, as for the brooding I mentioned, please stop feeling sorry for yourself - it's been 2000 years, nobody realistically pities themselves that long.
I thought about giving it one star but decided that it wasn't that bad. It just didn't stand out from any other, and I know I'll find it easy to forget about. For that reason, I'm not going to bother with the rest of the series. But, I will say, I loved the Buffy references; if I met a vampire that didn't drink from humans, I'd say something like "oh, so you're like Angel!"
Rating: 2The problem with the paranormal romance genre, and even more so the urban fantasy genre, is that after you've read a few of them they all start to form a similar pattern with characters you begin to recognise from other books plus the same old storylines and ancient mythology (I'm getting so good at remembering greek gods). So, the trick is to give the reader what they came to get but put a unique twist on it, don't write the same story a thousand writers have churned out and surprise them with different characters (note: broody men aren't even that hot - sexy Spike always did so much more for me than sulky Angel). This story, unfortunately, had nothing new or exciting, it's hard to pick the plot and characters out of masses that I've read that are chasing each other round my brain. I couldn't get into the story or take much interest in either Amanda or Kyrian, their dialogue wasn't the cute, sarcastic banter that I love in good PR and UF but rather it was cliched and annoying - who actually says the words "made hot, sweet love" without laughing afterwards?
I also had so many problems with Kyrian (the dark hunter guy), I really don't care to be told a hundred times how gorgeous he is, when an author does that it makes me think that's all there is to the character and I immediately lose interest. He's so beautiful, so well-muscled, so this, that and the other. Shallow. The author seemed to care far more about his "cute butt" than the rushed-out back story of his wife's betrayal and his weeks of torture at the hands of her new lover. It was almost as if Kenyon decided at the last minute that Mr Perfect sounded very two-dimensional (which he did) and she came up with some weak pity story that just didn't work. And, as for the brooding I mentioned, please stop feeling sorry for yourself - it's been 2000 years, nobody realistically pities themselves that long.
I thought about giving it one star but decided that it wasn't that bad. It just didn't stand out from any other, and I know I'll find it easy to forget about. For that reason, I'm not going to bother with the rest of the series. But, I will say, I loved the Buffy references; if I met a vampire that didn't drink from humans, I'd say something like "oh, so you're like Angel!"
Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Book #1 in the Dark Hunters series.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
Unlike the other members of her family, Amanda Deveraux is not enamored of the supernatural. She is, therefore, unimpressed upon finding herself handcuffed to Kyrian of Thrace, a former Macedonian commander reincarnated as a vampire, or Dark Hunter, and sworn to protect humanity from soul-sucking demons. As they grow closer both emotionally and physically, Amanda and Kyrian must overcome their individual fears in order to rid the world of the dangerous demonic foe fixated on destroying them first.
Review:
Let me preface this review with a disclaimer that while I enjoy paranormal romances involving psychics, ghosts and shape shifters, I am not a fan of vampires. That said, I like the premise of the Dark Hunters perhaps because they are not vampires in the traditional sense, but rather creations established on the basis of Greek mythology, which is one of my academic interests.
The characters are endearing, especially Kyrian, whose tortured past contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the book. The world of the Dark Hunters is unique, intricate and imaginative, and I look forward to the incorporation of various mythologies in future installments. Unfortunately, Kenyon’s imagination does not extend to the formulaic storyline, or the insipid and clichéd descriptions of her male characters. There are also numerous references to popular culture, which may irritate some readers. Lastly, I was disappointed by the incongruity between the origins of the characters and their use of modern language, which seems inconsistent with their characterization. The reading experience would be better served if they used more period appropriate language and dialect.
Recommendation: Overall, this book is a solid beginning to the series and I recommend reading it.
Rating: 4Book #1 in the Dark Hunters series.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
Unlike the other members of her family, Amanda Deveraux is not enamored of the supernatural. She is, therefore, unimpressed upon finding herself handcuffed to Kyrian of Thrace, a former Macedonian commander reincarnated as a vampire, or Dark Hunter, and sworn to protect humanity from soul-sucking demons. As they grow closer both emotionally and physically, Amanda and Kyrian must overcome their individual fears in order to rid the world of the dangerous demonic foe fixated on destroying them first.
Review:
Let me preface this review with a disclaimer that while I enjoy paranormal romances involving psychics, ghosts and shape shifters, I am not a fan of vampires. That said, I like the premise of the Dark Hunters perhaps because they are not vampires in the traditional sense, but rather creations established on the basis of Greek mythology, which is one of my academic interests.
The characters are endearing, especially Kyrian, whose tortured past contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the book. The world of the Dark Hunters is unique, intricate and imaginative, and I look forward to the incorporation of various mythologies in future installments. Unfortunately, Kenyon’s imagination does not extend to the formulaic storyline, or the insipid and clichéd descriptions of her male characters. There are also numerous references to popular culture, which may irritate some readers. Lastly, I was disappointed by the incongruity between the origins of the characters and their use of modern language, which seems inconsistent with their characterization. The reading experience would be better served if they used more period appropriate language and dialect.
Recommendation: Overall, this book is a solid beginning to the series and I recommend reading it.
I really enjoyed this book. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the story and couldn't wait to read it. I liked the interaction between Kyrian and Amanda. I loved the drama and plotline of the story.This was like a paranormal, fantasy, romance, mystery wrapped into one book and I absolutely loved it. It's all my favorite genres wrapped into one. Hope the rest of the series is as good.
Rating: 4This is the first Sherrilyn Kenyon book I've read outside of her League series, and I have several theories as to why I didn't enjoy it as much. 1) It's harder for me to get past the romance without snarky AIs, spaceships, and aliens to distract me. 2) There was just more romance in Night Pleasures. 3) The writing wasn't as impressive. Again, maybe it's just because there weren't any aliens to occupy my mind, so I was more observant when it came to the writing and characters, but I just didn't enjoy it as much.For one thing, Kyrian and Amanda aren't really in love. They're almost in love, but not really. They're in lust. It's not quite the same thing. Okay, so maybe they -are- in love, but the book doesn't do a very good job of showing the reader that.Also, Kyrian's been walking around for two thousand years and he's still not over his ex-wife? He needs to learn to let go and live a little.Plus, it was kind of like a bad Angel rip off (though they did reference Buffy and Angel several times, so I guess it's okay). Vampire wandering around (without a soul, but still) sworn to rescue all humans regardless of how annoying they are, plus an attractive woman with visions, and a male sidekick who does the legwork and research. Any of this sounding familiar?It's an okay book. There were parts I really enjoyed, but there were also parts I didn't.
Rating: 3This is the second of the Dark Hunter books I've read, and the four star rating does not reflect its literary content, but what a compelling, good fun it read is. I expect, I'll eventually read all of the series.
Rating: 4Though there is a prequel, and a short story before this, Nigh Pleasures is the first novel of the Dark-Hunter series. And, it completely hooked me with an in-depth mythology, a unique take on vampires and a dashing hero. When a person is deeply betrayed, they can call on the Goddess Artemis to give them vengeance - in exchange for their soul. They must serve as a Hunter, killing Daimons who eat human souls. The only thing that can redeem them is true love. Kyrian of Thrace was a Greek general, betrayed by the woman he loved and killed by the Romans. When he wakes up handcuffed to a beautiful and frustrating woman, who is being hunted by a deadly demon, he risks his life and his heart to save her.Kenyon shows her potential as a future master of paranormal romance in this introduction to her world. Excellent world-building combines with a hot romance is the perfect recipe. Highly recommended to fans of vampires and para romance.
Rating: 4I spent the last four weekends re-reading this story while at my parents for my Saturday Lunch and Laundry days. There really is just something about this story that I absolutely love. No other paranormal romance has really "done it" for me like these early Dark Hunter stories. Kyrian and Amanda are a great couple, they have great chemistry and they're also very sympathtic individually. I also have always adored Nick and I think this story has a lot to do with why.Even though the more current stories of this series haven't thrilled me anywhere near as much as this particular tale, the series as a whole will always remain one of my faves as a result of this and some of the other first books from this universe.
Rating: 5You are probably looking at that release date and wondering why I am posting this review now. Well, I just discovered this series. Yeah I know, don’t know how I missed these books. I got an email a little while ago asking me if I wanted to read No Mercy and I responded saying that I had not read any of them but was interested. So the publisher was gracious enough to send me the first two books in the series as well as No Mercy. Paranormal romance is quickly becoming my favorite genre and I have no idea how I have been tearing through this genre without discovering Sherilynn Kenyon, but I have now.Night Pleasures has all the elements I love about this genre: paranormal creatures, action, mystery and of course the romance. The paranormal elements in this book are the main characters. They are Dark-Hunters who exist to protect the innocent, but are far from being saintly. The basic story behind them is that they were all human once, but after they died (usually a painful, horrifically gut wrenching, makes you want to cry for them death) they were offered a deal. Give up their souls for a chance at vengeance against those who wronged them and an immortal life fighting to defend the innocent. The catch, they are very similar to vampires, fangs and all, they cannot go out in the sunlight or every really fall in love. They stand alone and their lives are usually pretty lonely. Doesn’t sound so great to me, but after what happened to the main character in this book, Kyrian, I am not surprised he took the deal.Kyrian has been walking this earth for a long time, perfectly content fighting off evil every night, but when he wakes up hand cuffed to Amanda his whole world is rocked. The two of them are sent into a series of events that leaves them fighting for their lives and their growing attraction for each other. It is just what you would expect from this genre and it was fantastic! I loved the blend of action and romance in this book that kept me guessing what was going to happen next and rooting for the couple to work things out.I am so happy I have discovered this series, as I post this review I am already up to book eight! I have been devouring these books and each one gets better and better. If you have not found this series either you really should and with 19, yes 19, books already out you will have plenty to keep you occupied for a while :)
Rating: 5This was my favorite Dark Hunter book! This book was action packed from the beginning to the end. I also enjoyed how the author wove in the hero & heroine from Book 1. The romance was well developed and believeable. I recommend this book.
Rating: 5This has the usual wretched romance novel style with head hoping among other stylistic nits and the usual eye-rolling descriptions of great beauty and flowery euphemisms in the sex scenes--but no worse than most books on the romance aisle--I'd almost come to take that for granted. But gad. First words said to the hero after ogling him by Amanda, the heroine, who had been knocked unconscious and wakes up cuffed to him: "Wake up, yummy leather guy." What really got on my one nerve more than anything else though was the mishmash of Greek and Roman Mythology, pseudo-history and pop references. (Particularly to Buffy--unfortunate because it kept reminding me how much better that show is compared to this crap.) The hero, Kyrian of Thrace, is an immortal "Dark Hunter" with vampiric traits who hunts vampires and demons. Vampires in this world are descendants of the Greek god Apollo. (Apollo???? Hades I'd understand but HUH???) Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses pop in and out throughout the book. Supposedly, back when he was human, Kyrian almost conquered Rome during the "Fourth Macedonian War." The historical aspects of the novel are ludicrous--most readers probably don't notice or care, but it was one aspect that made the world-building feel sloppy--good authors, like those sold in other parts of the store, do a lot better; this book just serves to underline to me that if you want great genre love stories, you stay out of the romance aisle. Great romantic urban fantasy? Head to the fantasy/science fiction section and get Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong or go to the Young Adult section and pick up Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. So, so many fantasies out there with romance that are great reads--knowing that I just couldn't push myself beyond page 100--and I think I was over-generous. Part of the very popular "Dark Hunter" series I won't be reading more of.
Rating: 2I've got mixed feelings about this book. I started off being disappointed and ended up enjoying it reasonably well. The reason being there were less of the parts which I found annoying as the story progressed. What did I find annoying ? Well, here's a sample to illustrate :His shoulders were incredibly broad, with sculpted muscles that promised strength, speed, and agility. His pecs and arms were every bit as well-formed and tight. Nothing wrong with that you say. This is a romance novel after all. Well yes, but it gets tedious when the same theme is repeated every few pages. I get it already. He's incredibly gorgeous and she's wonderfully sweet. There's no need to keep telling me that.That is not to say the book is without its saving grace. I loved both the humor and the way the author has woven Greek mythology into vampire folklore. In Sherrilyn Kenyon's New Orleans, you find eccentric characters like the Dark-Hunter Talon who believes its funny to stake his own mailbox while hunting the vampire-like descendants of Apollo, the god of plagues.The writer also has left a nice hook near the end to keep readers interested in finding out what is going to happen next :Before she vanished, she leaned forward and whispered the answer in Acheron's ear. He went cold with the news as she twinkled into mist.An interesting enough read to warrant continuing with the next book.
Rating: 2Sherrilyn Kenyon has a knack for creating beautiful love stories with just the right touch of steamy passion. NIGHT PLEASURES, the third Dark-Hunter story, is no different. I found myself drawn to this book and over and over again regardless of the fact that I had other books begging for reviews. I tried, honestly I really did, but discovered that I just couldn’t leave this story until I had finished it. Kenyon develops so much tension in her world of the Dark-Hunters that to turn your back on the story is like carrying a taught rubber band around with you just waiting for it to snap.NIGHT PLEASURES tells the tale of Amanda Devereaux, a woman with hidden talents, a crazy family and an uptight ex-fiancé. Bound and determined to make a normal life for herself away from her Voodoo family, she encourages her mind to ignore her instincts and fall in love with Cliff. During their engagement, she makes the one mistake that so many couples make in their relationships; at his insistence, she introduces Cliff to her crazy family. With a vampire hunting sister and fortune telling relatives, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that Cliff ran as fast as his snobbish legs could carry him and quickly broke off the engagement. Distraught by finding herself along yet again and angered that her family can’t seem to grow up and quit pretending, we find Amanda at the beginning of the book, bitter and lonely. Enter Kyrian of Thrace. In FANTASY LOVER, Book One of the Dark-Hunter series, we are introduced to Kyrian’s character only briefly through Julian of Macedon’s tales. In his time, Kyrian was a fantastic warrior, holding back armies with practically nothing but his own sword, sharp tongue and brute strength. Alas, a perfect life can never last and when the unthinkable happens, Kyrian finds himself thrown into a world of danger and above all, darkness. As a Dark-Hunter, he finds strength in his continued existence as a warrior and lives year by year content with caring for himself. Well, that is until the night he awakes to find himself handcuffed to the prim and entirely disbelieving Amanda.I found the tension between Kyrian and Amanda to really be the best aspect of NIGHT PLEASURES. There really is not a lot of free space where we as the reader are allowed to wind down. Kenyon keeps the tension growing and ebbing, pulling us along and creating depth to the story. Just when we think that Kyrian and Amanda might get over themselves and come to find peace in each other, another roadblock is thrown up and we find that they are separated again. I won’t tell you how the story ends, but rest assured your emotions will get quite the workout as you turn the pages. In NIGHT PLEASURES, we do get to meet a few new characters, but as a series should, Kenyon only gives us enough information about each character and their background to make them a substantial part of the story, leaving the rest for us to discover through future books. I love how she introduces us to the Dark-Hunter world, giving us enough information to learn about this new, intriguing set of circumstances and yet leaving us begging for more. Fair warning time: With a title like NIGHT PLEASURES, there is no doubting that this is an adult book. There are some graphic scenes but they all add something special to the story. Kenyon has a wonderful way of writing, expressing feeling and working with our senses. Her words are well placed and really help to bring the reader down into the action.Overall, I found NIGHT PLEASURES to be a very enjoyable read. If it weren’t for the other books that require my attention I would already have my nose in the next installment of the series, NIGHT EMBRACE. I do highly recommend this book to anyone that likes their stories mixed with romance, action and the perfect touch of the paranormal.
Rating: 4Even though this is the 2nd in the series I feel like this is the first in the series. It was a great introduction into the Dark-Hunters and what their life sacrifices are for the greater good. This is a unique twist on Vampire Lore--though I don't think I would call them vampires (either the good or bad side). I love that it is set in New Orleans--it just seems appropriate. The leads are likable yet stubborn and the supporting characters really add to the richness of the story (even the bad ...more Even though this is the 2nd in the series I feel like this is the first in the series. It was a great introduction into the Dark-Hunters and what their life sacrifices are for the greater good. This is a unique twist on Vampire Lore--though I don't think I would call them vampires (either the good or bad side). I love that it is set in New Orleans--it just seems appropriate. The leads are likable yet stubborn and the supporting characters really add to the richness of the story (even the bad guys). I am excited to read the next one...
Rating: 4