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Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1)

by Michelle Rowen (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 2,648 ratings · 471 reviews

I don't do dangerous.

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was...more

Paperback, 352 pages

Published May 22nd 2012 by Harlequin Teen

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Apr 08, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: recieved-through-netgalley, unmemorable, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it, could-have-been-so-much-better, arc

Also appears on my blog, The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

Sometimes, I read a book and think it's so hilarious that I'm laughing every few pages and feel genuinely entertained. Sounds like the sign of a good novel, right? Good ones make you really feel and make you laugh or cry, not just snort or tear up. Yeah, that's until I realize I'm not supposed to be laughing because the novel is dead serious. Dark Kiss and my experience with it is best defined...more
Also appears on my blog, The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

Sometimes, I read a book and think it's so hilarious that I'm laughing every few pages and feel genuinely entertained. Sounds like the sign of a good novel, right? Good ones make you really feel and make you laugh or cry, not just snort or tear up. Yeah, that's until I realize I'm not supposed to be laughing because the novel is dead serious. Dark Kiss and my experience with it is best defined as a continuous cycle of those moments that never get any less awkward.

Rowen had a fantastic idea--not necessarily original, but a fine one nonetheless. She could have gone so many places with it and at times, I saw just how great it could have been; though it was shallow, the exploration of how problematic Heaven and Hell's methods of dealing with problems like the Source impressed me. The climax had me glued to the book and offered close to the main storyline of the novel while putting out some very shiny hooks for the next book.

That's pretty much all I can praise I can offer it. The characters and their relationships are poorly developed; Samantha and Bishop's romantic connection starts as insta-love taken to an almost frightening extreme and never gets any stronger. Some tantalizing bits about how Kraven, a demon assigned to the same mission, and Bishop knew each other when they were human are dropped and I don't feel enough is given for it to be really compelling.

Then there's the implication that beautiful people are soulless. That's certainly not beautiful.

Wait, what? Yeah, that kind of pops up. Grays seem to become more attractive to humans after they've been turned, as shown by all the boys that start to drool over Samantha after her change. Applying the implication to the real world was especially fun. Consider what this would mean for Hollywood and all the beautiful people that live there and you might see what I mean. And we've also got our super-hot mean girl, but she--funnily enough--does still have her soul.

The antagonist didn't think out her evil plan. Like, at all. To stop the flow of power to Heaven and Hell like she wants to, she and her legions would have to kill a lot of humans and turn just as many into grays that need to feed on human souls to live. By the time Heaven and Hell fall apart like she wants them too, there will be too many grays and there won't be enough human souls to feed them, leading to the starvation of billions and a planet full of zombie-grays. Following the logic seems clear to me, but not so much for her.

Book two of the series, Wicked Kiss, was set for release in 2013 last time I checked, but I highly doubt I'll check it out. Angel and demon fans that don't discriminate and fans of the author will love Rowen's latest offering, but I can't say I did. Not exactly encouraged to try out any of her other novels after this experience after this bucket of cliches.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Mimi Valentine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, gorgeous-covers, adorable-favourites, boys-i-wish-were-real, best-of-2012, pure-awesomeness, reviewed

**Interview on my blog with Bishop and Kraven today + two giveaways! Trust me when I say you don't want to miss it! :') Enter HERE!

You have to admit it: This gorgeously dark cover is probably the first thing that piqued your interest. But even though I've been burned by stunning covers before, I'm happy to report that Dark Kiss isn't a deceiving one! :)

In Dark Kiss, two angels and two demons are sent down to Earth to work together on a mission to get rid of the grays (soulless beings who can d...more

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May 29, 2012 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-e-book

Dark Kiss is one of the latest in the string of angel books we see hitting the YA category. While I was hoping for a little more, this was a quick, easy and fairly enjoyable story to read.

As the story opens up we are introduced to Sam and her best friend Carly as they are going to the town's popular teenage club. Right away Sam's long-time crush, Stephen, singles Sam out and kisses her. This kiss is different than any she's experienced, drastically changing her and opening up a new world and ne...more
Dark Kiss is one of the latest in the string of angel books we see hitting the YA category. While I was hoping for a little more, this was a quick, easy and fairly enjoyable story to read.

As the story opens up we are introduced to Sam and her best friend Carly as they are going to the town's popular teenage club. Right away Sam's long-time crush, Stephen, singles Sam out and kisses her. This kiss is different than any she's experienced, drastically changing her and opening up a new world and new powers. This change comes with a huge drawback, a hunger that can't be satisfied with food. Soon she learns that she is part of a bigger world, one of angels, demons and others and now she's on their radar. She finds out there are angels and demons working together to stem the tide of "grays," growing in number fast. Grays pose a threat to humans because they can suck the souls out of them. Bishop is an angel in charge of this mission but ever since he's been back on earth he has had trouble finding and gathering his team and focusing at all. His mental status is hovering around crazy. Sam, seeing Bishop and mistaking him for a homeless, vulnerable teen in need of help, stops to assist him and touches him, clearing his mental fog. Not only is she able to do that, but she is also able to see where the other team members are and leads Bishop to them. No one knows why she's able to do this but she has just become an unwelcome member to this team. Most of the members are not too pleased.

I enjoyed the author's original take on the whole angel and demon lore and her vivid descriptions and imagery made the scenes come alive. Unfortunately, for me the story felt a little lacking in depth. Bishop was a main character yet I didn't feel we got much on his back story to help us understand his motivations. I admired Sam's loyalty to her best friend and her desire to help ones in need however, her actions and reasoning had me shaking my head in disbelief. Her naïve trusting of other characters, even with little information or answers, made want to pull my hair out. Her ping-pong feelings towards Bishop were also an irritation for me. The romance felt a bit forced and while it wasn't technically an insta-love, it certainly had some of the identifying marks of one.

This story took a positive turn for me though, in the last twenty-five percent. Sam seemed to smarten up and finally got her feelings sorted out and the story pace picked up considerably. Another plus for me was the fact that this didn't leave off on a cliffhanger. The story wraps up nicely while leaving you wanting more. I will be picking up the sequel to find out what happens next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read this story.

This review and more can be found on The Readers Den
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Mar 26, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Samantha runs into her crush Stephen while out a night club. When he kisses her she thinks her long time fantasy is coming true. Except he is a gray, a soul sucking being that has now took her soul. As a soulless gray, Samantha craves to kiss and steal souls herself. Guys are drawn to her and she hungers for their soul. When she meets Bishop he is lost but her touch brings him back to reality. He is here with other demons and angels on a mission to stop the grays. Bishop feels for Samantha and p...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review, netgalley, unlikeable-character, demon-dudes, angel-icious, romantic-elements, the-shelf-of-meh

First of all, I cry foul! Where's the Elvis hair gone? I was promised Elvis hair!

When the cover for this was first released the guy on the cover had this massive Elvis quiff that brought me no end of amusement. Seriously, you could have done a Half Pipe off the thing.

Don't believe me? Check it out, here's the original:

Elvis hair:

And here's the new one:
No Elvis hair:

Now where's the fun in that? It's all, like, normal and stuff. B O R I N G.

As for the contents inside the book? Eh. It was okay. It...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Neyra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Dark Kiss has an interesting concept. One that I found intriguing, and new, but the fact that the female lead was an annoying installment caused a serious drift in my interest for the book.

I really disliked Samantha. I felt she was too annoying, and childish at times, she just didn't seem to know how to make up her damn mind. Which bugged me to say the least. And that we got the story from her pov really killed me. I couldn't take it.

Bishop wasn't such a remarkable character for me. He seemed...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Catherine rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, young-adult, ya-pnr-supernatural

I’m getting really, really sick of beautiful people. I’m also getting really, really sick of special people. Why is it that the main characters of pretty much all Paranormal YA books have to be so flipping beautiful and special? Are we really so shallow that authors think if their characters are ugly, they won’t get any readers? Because that is not true. Take the Downside Ghost series; the hero is a ugly thug, whilst the heroine is a messed up drug addict, but I think it’s safe to say that those...more

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May 17, 2012 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

The title Dark Kiss screams awesome. So does the cover, and when I started reading I knew I was right about the title implying this was going to be a deliciously wicked novel. Awesome storyline, awesome characters. Michelle Rowen is an awesome author, and she has written one awesome novel. Okay, with all that awesomeness out of my system, I can now tell you just how much I love Dark Kiss. Let me start with the characters. Samantha (Sam), Bishop, Kraven, Roth, Zach, Connor, and Carly and so many...more The title Dark Kiss screams awesome. So does the cover, and when I started reading I knew I was right about the title implying this was going to be a deliciously wicked novel. Awesome storyline, awesome characters. Michelle Rowen is an awesome author, and she has written one awesome novel. Okay, with all that awesomeness out of my system, I can now tell you just how much I love Dark Kiss. Let me start with the characters. Samantha (Sam), Bishop, Kraven, Roth, Zach, Connor, and Carly and so many more, but these are the ones I fell in love with the most. Sam is the kinda shy, loner girl who really is tough. Bishop is the head angel who's in charge of this heavenly mission with two more angels: Zach, who a healer and Connor, the smart ass. Then there're the demons, Kraven, who is the good/bad boy and Roth, who is just a mean jerk, and they all are working together. Carly is Sam's cool best friend. Thank you Michelle Rowen for this incredible novel.

Sam is seventeen, and she never thought a kiss from the guy she’s been crushing would change her life forever. And she sure didn't think that kiss would become the reason why she’d be the only one that could save Bishop and his heavenly mission. This kiss is Sam's own something wicked, and it came straight for her. Sam and Bishop have a connection to each other, and it's not just for the mission, it's also one with their hearts. For Sam, this romance might be more dangerous than the dark kiss. Bishop has secrets about his past, the angel she’s falling in love with—the angel that is more dangerous than a demon.

Kraven is one of the demons sent on this mission to help Bishop. Kraven and Bishop have a secret, too. Rowen gives just enough about the secrets these two share to make me beg for the next book. Kraven—I couldn't get enough of this cocky bad boy. He is just slick, and when he says "sweetness", his nick name for Sam, it sends chills up my spine. Oh yes, I love Kraven, and Bishop is also a hottie. Both these bad boys make my heart race a little faster.

Dark Kiss is Heaven and Hell coming together to create the nightwatchers, who protect and whose mission is to save Trinity, New York from the evil in the darkness. And it all starts with a dangerous, delicious dark kiss. I highly recommend Dark Kiss as a must read and can't wait for the next book Wicked Kiss…and I thought Dark Kiss was an awesome title.
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Apr 20, 2013 Joan{missing the vampire bunny slippers!} rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks-i-have

I m really pissed right now because GR keeps deleting all the reviews I write on my iPad!
So I ve already written this twice and I m not really in the mood to go for three! So mind you GR don't do any funny business on me!
This won't be not even near as good as the first and second drafts were, but I'll get the point across.
I liked Sam because she was a three dimensional character with an interesting personality and even more intriguing powers! She could handle herself and when she was cornered sh...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Three Stars: A smart and complex read featuring angels and demons.

Samantha watches the bodies pulse to the grinding music. It is another night at her favorite club, Crave. Then Samantha sees Stephen, her sexy, older, next door neighborhood, whom she has been crushing on for years. Stephen is supposed to be away at college, what is he doing here? Her heart catches in her throat, he is beckoning her over. Stephen wants to kiss her. Is she dreaming? He does warn her that she must want this kiss he...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Jasprit rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: out-2012, arc-galley, paranormal, read-in-2012, ya

After reading several glowing reviews for Dark Kiss, I decided spur of the moment to make a last minute request, I was hoping to find a fun adventurous read full with snarky and enigmatic characters. But unfortunately Dark Kiss fell a long way short from my expectations.

Out one night in the up and coming club Crave with her best friend Carly, Sam’s unexpectedly approached by Stephen, she’s had crush on him for as long as she can remember, she always knew she never had a chance with him, he was h...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Greta rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean-your-shelf-challenge

2.5

Brief Summary: Samantha has just been kissed and she's now a "Grey." Her soul is gone, and now she hungers for others' souls. Bishop is an angel on a mission from heaven. Eradicate Greys, so they stop destroying souls. When they meet,something unexpected happens. They find in each other a mutual need. Samantha is different. She hasn't lost her humanity, and Bishop needs her help on his mission. In return, he makes a deal to try to return her soul to her. Along the way, their feelings grow for...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Inessa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Mon avis en français : http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2012...

My English review : http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2012...

It was with a great anticipation that I was waiting to read the latest novel by Michelle Rowen! I must admit that I only knew this author through her Immortality Bites series, a UF/Chick-lit series I really enjoyed. So it was with a great curiosity that I immersed myself in this book. Dark Kiss is the first volume of her new YA series entitled Nightwatchers and I have to say...more Mon avis en français : http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2012...

My English review : http://betweendandr.blogspot.com/2012...

It was with a great anticipation that I was waiting to read the latest novel by Michelle Rowen! I must admit that I only knew this author through her Immortality Bites series, a UF/Chick-lit series I really enjoyed. So it was with a great curiosity that I immersed myself in this book. Dark Kiss is the first volume of her new YA series entitled Nightwatchers and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Samantha (or Sam) is an ordinary teenager who lives in a small town called Trinity. One night Sam goes to the Crave - the local nightclub - with her best friend Carly. Once there, she meets the gaze of Stephen Keyes, the sexiest boy in Trinity and she has a crush on him! He kisses her and suddenly everything changes after that... she passes out then wakes up strangely different. Something has changed inside her, but she can’t pinpoint it.

Although it’s just another novel about angels, I found that Dark Kiss was quite original compared to some other books in many ways. But the main originality of this book is certainly the collaboration between angels and demons. Indeed, they are both forced to work together to fight against a threat that could disturb the universal Balance they’re supposed to maintain. I really liked this collaboration. They come to look beyond their differences and their mutual aversion to face a common enemy. Of course, there are often some disputes but they form a close-knit group anyway.

Here, the lines between good and evil are blurred and Sam, our heroine is quite confused, she doesn’t know whom to trust, because everyone is lying to her or keeps things from her. She asks lots of questions about herself, her new condition, her parents, etc. Some are answered slowly but there’s still so much to discover. Then there’s the Hollow, this strange and dark dimension where they send all the undesirables of Heaven and Hell and that threaten to engulf them all. There are many twists, turns and revelations in this first volume. Sam discovers gradually this world she’s now confronted with.

I really liked Sam and her strength: she never gives up and always keeps hope. She’s a girl who despite a difficult adolescence has remained strong. Her wish to stay on the good side, despite everything that has happened to her, is quite admirable but it's a hard work: she has some difficulties to control her pulsions, she knows it would open the door to all this darkness inside her. We can only wish her to get what she wants. However I was less convinced by Bishop, I didn't connect with him even if I found him very intriguing. Anyway he’s a young man with a troubled and very mysterious past and I hope that eventually we'll know more about him and that he'll reveal himself a little more. Kraven, the demon, however, is in my opinion the most interesting character. He brings humor to the story. He can be very annoying but he can also be touching. Is he really a bad guy? Humm good question. By his nature, it’s tempting to answer by the affirmative but some of his actions are quite ambiguous. Apparently it’s related to the past he has in common with Bishop. How did they become what they are? The two boys seem to be bound by a long painful history and terrible secrets, and we only want one thing, to learn more. Then there's Zach, Roth, Connor and Carly, who are very interesting too but not developed enough.

To conclude this first volume sets the scene for a series that looks very exciting. The author's style is fluid and relatively easy to read. It was a nice read and I look forward for the sequel!
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Jun 20, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: june-reading-challenge, favorites, favorite-authors, ya-fantasy-favorites

Wow, another great series start for 2012!!! This has been such a great year for YA fantasy romance stories, I'm so excited that I get to read these in the beginning of the series. Dark Kiss is another story that took the angel concept and twisted it to be something new and original, and I really enjoyed it.

I loved Samantha as the heroine; when we first meet her, she's just a plane Jane. Really good student, with a single mom and nothing much going on in her life to speak of. But when the hot gu...more Wow, another great series start for 2012!!! This has been such a great year for YA fantasy romance stories, I'm so excited that I get to read these in the beginning of the series. Dark Kiss is another story that took the angel concept and twisted it to be something new and original, and I really enjoyed it.

I loved Samantha as the heroine; when we first meet her, she's just a plane Jane. Really good student, with a single mom and nothing much going on in her life to speak of. But when the hot guy she's crushed on for years kisses her at the club one night, it rocks her world in a way she never expected. She feels cold and hungry, but nothing seems to satisfy either of these feelings. She's not sure what Stephen did to her, but she knows there's something wrong. When she stumbles across a devastatingly handsome, confused boy named Bishop on the street, there's just something about him that draws her in. When he touches her hand, a shock goes through both of them and suddenly the pieces start coming together for both Bishop and Sam. Her touch gives him clarity, his touch gives her the warmth she craved. When the newly clear-headed Bishop asks Sam for her help on his mission, she agrees without knowing what she's getting herself into. Turns out Bishop is an angel sent to earth to lead his team against the grays...the soul-snatching creatures that Sam herself has been unwillingly turned into. Sam can fight the urge to steal souls and has powers that even she doesn't fully understand, but she still doesn't know if she can trust Bishop and his allies. Even though her heart has already made up it's mind.

Bishop and his team seemed all set to face off against the grays, but when they were searching for "the Source", the woman who was behind the grays being turned, I was very anxious for Sam. She played a huge part in them discovering more about the Source, but with her lack of complete trust in either side she was very conflicted. I was so scared she'd turn to the dark side and lose Bishop, especially when the truth behind Natalie was revealed. Sam is just beginning to grasp her true potential; I was so fascinated as her abilities came to light, I truly can't wait to see what she's capable of throughout this series!!

The plot for Dark Kiss was great, but the characters are what really resonated with me. The team of angels and demons that Bishop is gathering together to fight the soul-suckers was awesome; Kraven with his crass sarcasm, Zach with his sweet and truly angelic ways, Roth who was just plain scary, and Connor who seemed to be the enlightened one of the group. Each of them added something truly exciting and interesting to the story, a piece to the puzzle that their mission was. Kraven and Sam were like oil and water, but their interactions were a hoot. It was really an interesting twist with the balance between demons and angels in this story, and it made their mission a real trial for all of them.

I really liked that the romance and attraction factor was ever-present for most of this story. Sam and Bishop have an immediate attraction, in part due to the affect their touch has on each other, and it made for great steamy tension throughout the story. They had great chemistry, and Bishop cared for Sam pretty much from the moment they meet. They needed her help to get their team together, but it was clear they both were happy to have more time together. It was just so sweet how Bishop was so protective of her, he's just soooooo dreamy!! *sigh* It broke my heart what he has to go through in this story, between his confusion thanks to being thrown from Heaven for the mission, unshielded like the others. He's so frustrated with his situation, and I just loved that Sam was the one person who could help him!! Talk about sparks!! And when Sam and Bishop give in to their attraction for a moment and a painful discovery is made about Bishop, I was screaming "noooooo!!!!" Ugh, when will this guy catch a break??!!

I very much look forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series, the ending leaves you desperately wanting more!! Thankfully it's not some gut-wrenching cliffhanger, but I need more of Bishop and Sam for sure! Great story, highly recommend to YA fantasy fans!!

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Aug 14, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, angels, owned-copy, young-adult, mira-ink, review-copies, books-i-reviewed

Dark and haunting tale of love, Dark Kiss is one of my most favorite paranormal romances of 2012. I must say Michelle Rowen has nailed it.

“A sob caught in my chest. I didn't even know what a gray was, other than a drab color. All I knew was that I was hungry all the time. And I knew, deep down, that it wasn't just for food.”

In Dark Kiss heaven and hell comes together to build an army of angel and demons know as Nightwatchers to protect the humanity from the evils, known as Greys. The book start...more Dark and haunting tale of love, Dark Kiss is one of my most favorite paranormal romances of 2012. I must say Michelle Rowen has nailed it.

“A sob caught in my chest. I didn't even know what a gray was, other than a drab color. All I knew was that I was hungry all the time. And I knew, deep down, that it wasn't just for food.”

In Dark Kiss heaven and hell comes together to build an army of angel and demons know as Nightwatchers to protect the humanity from the evils, known as Greys. The book starts with delicious kiss in a nightclub that change Samantha’s life. She become the center of attraction of every boy in her school, also a different kind of hunger is killing her inside. The she met Bishop, an alluring boy who doesn’t seem to recall much, later he is revealed to be a warrior of heaven. Then they joined forces with other angels and demons to track and hunt down the evil Greys.

I liked the character building, each and every one. There are many things I liked about the protagonist Samantha, and her character growth from a simple girl to rocking one. The night she has been kissed by her long time crush, her entire world changes around her, and a different kind of craving and hunger developed inside her. A power of feeding on human souls could have doomed her, but she never let go of the humanity.
And there Bishop, a lost angel and completely swoon worthy. He was determine to protect Sam, and I was spellbound the immediate attraction between them. The romance was hot and intense, kind of love which made the readers crave for more.
Kraven was my favorite among all of them. All bad boy and sarcastic attitude, he was pain in ass and I love such kind of pain. He is just that dead sexy demon, who can’t be described in words. Mhan! I love him.

When the book started the team were just tracking the Greys, soon it’s revealed that there is a queen, the “Source” who has a past connected with Sam. I was biting my lips every moment the book took a turn, so unpredictable. There was so much emotions and pain, I felt them flowing through my veins. Every action was well planned, and I loved them. Dark Kiss was absolutely fabulous and entertaining.
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Jul 01, 2012 Victoria rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am so disappointed. Maybe my expectations too where to high? I don't know.

Smart, uber-careful, ordinary Samantha – that’s me. But I just couldn’t pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me – something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It’s like part of me is missing – and I don’t know if I can get it back.

Then there’s Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he’s keeping are as intense as...more

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Nov 09, 2012 *Lily's Labyrinth* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, angels, paranormal, like-hush, may, 2012, fantasy, hunter, memory-loss, powers

Good book :) I like reading books with angels and demons, and most of them are the same but in this one Samantha handled the business instead of hiding or being a coward.

Samantha was a normal teenage girl with her best friend Carly until she kissed the wrong guy and had her soul sucked out. She then met Bishop who was wondering the streets with no recollection of why he's there. She helps him find a kid, turns out Bishop's an angel on a mission to find the other angels and demons sent to kill a...more Good book :) I like reading books with angels and demons, and most of them are the same but in this one Samantha handled the business instead of hiding or being a coward.

Samantha was a normal teenage girl with her best friend Carly until she kissed the wrong guy and had her soul sucked out. She then met Bishop who was wondering the streets with no recollection of why he's there. She helps him find a kid, turns out Bishop's an angel on a mission to find the other angels and demons sent to kill all the soulless people called Gray's and to find the Source. Sam is also a Gray since she has no soul and hungers for other souls.

She helps find the others following a beam of light. Bishop lost that power when he was sent and can only have a clear head when he has touched Sam.There are the angels, Bishop, Zach, and Connor and two demons, Kraven, and Roth. The demons don't like Sam cus all they see is a Gray and they would love to kill her, Roth actually broke her neck at one point but Zach healed her. Kraven is Bishop's older brother, later we learn Bishop used to be a bad guy but killed Kraven and was turned inti an angel. Sam learns she has powers of her own, she had dreams of the future, she can read their minds, and shock them by touching them, and later learns she can see inside Bishop's head.

Carly is turned into a Gray. Sam learns that the Source is her aunt called Natalie. She escaped the Hollow a vortex like a dark tornado where heaven gets rid of things. And her dad, Natalie's older brother Nathan, was a demon and her mom Anna was an angel. Her mom was thrown into the Hollow cus its forbidden to be together, her dad went after her. Natalie was thrown in cus she was making Grays. So Sam is a hybrid, a Nexus, born human but with angelic and demonic powers, dangerous for heaven and hell. She at one point kisses Bishop thinking nothing would happen since he has no soul but only to find out he does cus he is a fallen angel cus of the gates keeper who made him fall to fail the mission. Fallen angels get a soul as a punishment. So Sam sucked some of his soul by accident.

Natalie tries to kill Bishop with his dagger but Sam stops her. Natalie wanted Sam to help open the barrier that has the demons and angels and Grays trapped in the city of Trinity with Bishop's dagger that can also kill all the them. When Natalie starts to hurt Sam, Clary stabs Nat and the Hollow opens up and sucks her in, including Clary who was to close to it.

Now with the Source gone, they will kill all the Grays and all the creatures that are coming in through the open crack of the Hollow. She wants to get Carly back and both their souls back. She wants to learn more about her parents. Bishop and Sam are going to try and get through all of it without kissing.

I like this book, it was cute. Sam did irritate me sometimes. She would go to the club wee she knows the bad guys will be there, she goes to school instead of staying home avoiding the Hunger, but nooo, her friend gets bitchy, didn't listen to her gets her soul sucked and starts sucking other souls and even tries to make out with Bishop, and Sam is all like 'oh I'm going to get her soul back, I know she's not herself blah blah blah. WTH. Other than the frustrating part she was cool, brave. Bishop was weak in almost all of the book, he wasn't the hero or the bad boy that I thought he would be. Very secretive, mysterious, we don't really know much about him. Kraven was kind of an ass at first but you get used to him, Zach was nice and kind always helping. Roth had an attitude and only wanted to kill. Connor is new and we only know that he was sent to see was was happening. Good book, great cover :)(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Maja rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-love-triangle, are-you-kidding-me, demons-can-be-hot-too, failed-to-impress, huge-disappointment, moments-of-great-frustration, no-passion-whatsoever, wake-me-up-next-year, what-does-she-see-in-him, ya

After liking Falling Kingdoms a lot, I thought I might like this too, but no such luck. I couldn't even force myself to finish it.

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May 18, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ich war sehr skeptisch als ich angefangen habe das Buch zu lesen, denn gefühlt wird der Markt aktuell überschwemmt mit Büchern die von Engeln handeln. Der Text auf dem Buchrücken klingt sehr spektakulär und atemberaubend gefährlich, doch ich war ziemlich überrascht wie eine „frische“ Gray den Hunger so sehr unter Kontrolle halten kann. Selbst wenn Sam etwas besonderes ist, trotzdem ist sie gerade erst zur Gray geworden und zudem ein eigensinniger Teenager von gerade mal siebzehn Jahren, der für...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book by Michelle Rowen that I have read and I am impressed. The world building was completely unique. I dont think I have ever read anything quite like it.

Samantha is an anomaly in the world she just doesnt know it. She gets her soul sucked out when she is kissed by her long time crush. Now she is a gray. She is overwhelmed by all of this but when she meets the dark and sexy if not a little crazy Bishop things start to make a little bit of sense.

Bishop is an angel that is o...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Faith Akinbo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Surprisingly good I was so addicted I reread some bits.I expected the worse when I saw the cover. The main characters were interesting: the angel who acted like a demon; the demon who seems to be hell's very own hound and the gray whose only desire the week before was to date sabestian and would love nothing more than a big bowl of soul. Honestly for romantic interests she's rapidly losing candidates, bishop the dangerous angel with the compelling blue eyes is so tight lipped about his past and...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dark Kiss is the first book in the new Nightwatchers series by author Michelle Rowan. The cover grabbed me the moment I saw it on Amazon! I am a sucker for fallen angel bad boys and this cover is all of that!

I am not usually a big fan of instant love, too unrealistic. And there was definitely that element in Dark Kiss. But it worked, totally and completely, I think the key to making it believable is to make it part of the story, and it was. It isn't "insta-love" just for the sake of it. There wa...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Jaiden rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at: Girls on YA Books

~Review:
This book was wishy washy for me. At times I was really loving it and at others...not so much. I never hated parts but some just kinda left me hanging. I felt that the beginning was a bit juvenile. I don't know what it was but something just hindered me from getting hooked. The main character, Sam/Samantha, might be that reason. She lacked charisma with me. She was childish and kinda annoying. Again I'm not sure what it was but...I..I don't know.

A...more Originally posted at: Girls on YA Books

~Review:
This book was wishy washy for me. At times I was really loving it and at others...not so much. I never hated parts but some just kinda left me hanging. I felt that the beginning was a bit juvenile. I don't know what it was but something just hindered me from getting hooked. The main character, Sam/Samantha, might be that reason. She lacked charisma with me. She was childish and kinda annoying. Again I'm not sure what it was but...I..I don't know.

Another thing as it was so predictable! Like seriously. I knew what was going to happen and the "big secrets" were too obvious! I know that in some books of course the reader is going to see it before the character. That's the way some books go and it flows. With this one...It was almost frustrating. I like my books with a bit of mystery to them. I don't want to be able to predict whats behind every bend ya know? the only times I was actually and honestly surprised was when it was Kraven and Bishop's secrets.

These boys were awesome and I think the only thing that kept me reading for awhile. They kind of remind me of Stephen and Damon from The Vampire Diaries and I really love them soo I adored these boys too and like with VD I am #TeamDamon/#TeamKraven. I love Bishop but I got a thing for the not-so-bad-boy. Both boys have their secrets and their pasts and I want to know them. Kraven really surprised me in the end and well...so did Bishop! I mean woah!! That ending....ya. I am so excited whats in store for each boy in book 2! *wiggles eyebrows* ;D

So...no I didn't hate this book. I actually really liked it! But it took the ending to be its salvation for me. I will end up reading book two because so much wasn't answered and so much was left unsaid ;D This book has awesome angel lore I mean...the grays?? awesome! A kiss that can steal your soul...HOT!! Would I recommend you buy it?? Mmmm not so much. But that is entirely up to you. I say check it out from the library or borrow it from a friend. But hopefully you'll have better luck with it than I did. Again, I liked the book! I just couldn't find myself loving it ya know? Worth the read?? Yes most definitely! :)

~Rating:

3 stars!! (less)

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Aug 22, 2012 Kale rated it 4 of 5 stars

An unholy infestation has overtaken the town of Trinity and Samantha Day has unknowingly become a power player in her local league of angels and demons.

After an impromptu make out session with her long time crush, Sam is finding she's not quite the same. A constant hunger that no amount of food seems able to satisfy has become an annoyance along with all the weird new attention every guy within range keeps giving her. But that attraction is nothing compared to the one she shares with Bishop. Unf...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Brandi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angel, audio-book

Dark Kiss was a mixed bag of tricks for me. Going into the book I was a little leery about the angel/demon world, but was extremely looking forward to the romance. Surprisingly Dark Kiss was switched for me. Samantha was a good heroine for the story. She was funny and had flaws and quirks. These things contributed to making her a believable character. On the romance side was Bishop. Don't get me wrong he seems like a nice guy, but there just wasn't any spark in him. The whole time I couldn't fig...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Bibliojunkies added it

I don’t do DANGEROUS.

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha – that’s me. But I just couldn’t pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me … something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It’s like part of me is missing – and I don’t know if I can get it back.

Then there’s Bishop. At first he was just a street kid, but the secrets he’s keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he’s what I think he is, he may be the...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Vikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

First line: ' "This is going to hurt like hell." The grim thought was confirmed by the look on the Gatekeeper's face, but Bishop didn't want anyone's pity. After all, he'd volunteered for this.'
Set in the city of Trinity DARK KISS makes you wonder what could be lurking in the shadows of our world...and ensures you never look at a first kiss quite the same way. Angels, demons and soul sucking creatures known as Grays can be found here - and that can only mean one thing...a butt load of trouble fo...more First line: ' "This is going to hurt like hell." The grim thought was confirmed by the look on the Gatekeeper's face, but Bishop didn't want anyone's pity. After all, he'd volunteered for this.'
Set in the city of Trinity DARK KISS makes you wonder what could be lurking in the shadows of our world...and ensures you never look at a first kiss quite the same way. Angels, demons and soul sucking creatures known as Grays can be found here - and that can only mean one thing...a butt load of trouble for Samantha Day.
Sam was a normal 17 year old girl, that is until one kiss changed her life forever. Usually Cute guy + kissing = fun.... not Cute Guy + Kissing = becoming a soul sucking monster!! Well, that's what happened to Sam...and believe me, that was only the beginning. Suddenly Sam is always hungry but food can't satisfy her hunger, and she suddenly has the urge to kiss every boy she meets...including her best friends ex boyfriend.
The next day, Sam stumbles across Bishop...an angel sent from heaven to lead a team of angels and demons to find and deal with the Grays and their leader. There's only one problem, Bishop's head got messed up on the trip from heaven to earth. Now he can't see the searchlights to lead him to his other team members...and if he can't find them in the allotted time, they will be lost forever. So imagine his surprise when Sam can see the searchlights. Leading Bishop to the first member of his team (a demon called Kraven) Sam believes she has done a good thing. That is until Bishop pulls out a wicked golden dagger and stabs Kraven through the heart....and it only gets weirder from there! Family issues for both Sam and Bishop (yes, the angel does have family roaming the earth) along with one over excited team member and a corrupt angelic guard make sure this motley crew are always on their toes!

Samantha is a good lead...despite her lack of a soul. Something has kept her from becoming like the other Grays, we have absolutely no idea what it is until about 50% of the way into the book. As it's often referenced (to the point where it began to get on my nerves), Sam is 'special'. Stephen says it (kissing guy), Natalie (leader of the Grays) repeatedly, Bishop and Kraven say it a lot too. All right, I got the point the first 3 times!! Until the kiss Sam was a normal girl, but apparently her soul was preventing her from reaching her full potential. Either way, she can now see the future, zap evil demons who get on her nerves...yes Kraven, I mean you...and many other cool things. The reason behind which is all explained and something I totally did not see coming. I was minding my own business, having a pleasant (if predictable) read and then WHAM! Curve-ball that shot the story way up. It certainly piqued my interest...and since it was not 100% resolved I'm now anxious to find out where that curve-ball will lead us! All I know is that Sam's life will never, ever be the same again!
Despite the fact that Sam makes some very stupid decisions, overall I was impressed by her character. Bishop you can't help but like, and Kraven...well...he's a mystery that I'll take pleasure unravelling ;)

In general I did quite like DARK KISS, but I'm going to take some points off for the overuse of the word 'special', that's the sort of thing that really bugs me. I'd still recommend it as it's a darn interesting last 50% and I certainly think this series has a lot of potential. As long as the word special doesn't crop any more...I think we'll get on just fine :)

My Rating 3.5/5(less)

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Jul 18, 2012 Reading Vacation's Mom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dark Kiss was a darkly dangerous novel that started with the kiss that changed Samantha’s life. The kiss left her feeling cold and empty. The kiss leads her to Bishop and his crazy mission. The kiss is the beginning of the end. And from that kiss came I novel that I fell in love with. The plot was engaging and twisting. I was shocked by each new detail that was revealed, and trust me there, there was a lot of secrets revealed. The author weaves the concept of angels and demons working together b...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Nadine rated it 3 of 5 stars

17 year old Samantha and her best friend are out on a Friday night at the local teen club. Soon she’s approached by her long time crush and old neighbor Stephen. He invites her to join him in the upstairs lounge where he offers her a dangerous and life altering kiss. Samantha can’t resist his lips. Thinking he’s just being arrogant, she kisses him. Now she suffers from an incurable hunger. Food doesn’t satisfy her. She’s inexplicably drawn to other boys. They smell so delicious. She doesn’t know...more 17 year old Samantha and her best friend are out on a Friday night at the local teen club. Soon she’s approached by her long time crush and old neighbor Stephen. He invites her to join him in the upstairs lounge where he offers her a dangerous and life altering kiss. Samantha can’t resist his lips. Thinking he’s just being arrogant, she kisses him. Now she suffers from an incurable hunger. Food doesn’t satisfy her. She’s inexplicably drawn to other boys. They smell so delicious. She doesn’t know what’s happening to her, but she fights it. She fights to stay in control of herself and not give in.

Meanwhile, on a rare occasion Angels and Demons are dispatched from Heaven and Hell to work together. There is something dark taking over the town of Trinity, New York. Something is feeding off the souls and transforming the people. This must be stopped. But they need help. There is more to Samantha. There is something special about her. She’s one of the infected now, but that’s not all she is.

This was a good start to a new series. Souls are needed to keep the balance between Heaven and Hell. But, when souls are being devoured on Earth the balance tips. They’ve seen this problem once before. A team was dispatched once and the demon responsible was vanquished to the Hollow, a place worse than Hell where all super natural entities that die on Earth go and never return. Unfortunately, somehow, that same demon is back with a new bag of tricks. There’s a connection between this demon and Samantha though. She’s torn between who to help.

We also see a love connection between Samantha and one of the angels, Bishop. This might not be so bad. Angels don’t have souls, so there is no harm in kissing him. However, someone in Heaven doesn’t want this mission to succeed. They sent Bishop to Earth with a soul, making it nearly impossible for him to return. It makes it really impossible for Samantha and Bishop to act on their feelings.

I liked the overall storyline. I did want to slap some sense into Samantha a time or two. But, I had to remind myself she’s only 17. Of course she would be confused about some things and fail to see what was right in front of her. The end of the story leaves you knowing that something bigger and badder is coming. All is not perfect in the end. There is still more evil to fight. The angels and demons are stuck here till all is resolved.

This book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Esmeralda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, demons, giving-up

Disa-freaking-ppointing. The plot has a interesting fresh concept.BUT The characters and the romance ruined the whole thing.First, Sam, she says that she is a careful person. (Haha, please).

1)Someone who follows a stranger even if he was your neighbor for 2 years is not safe. (Maybe I am paranoid, but it is something I wouldn't do.)
2)Approaching some dude sitting on a curb by myself. (is not 100 percent safe, you never know how a person may react)
3) Running away from home.(with no money not smar...more

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About Michelle Rowen

National bestselling author MICHELLE ROWEN writes paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult fantasy, both light and dark, sexy and sweet, long and short -- it all depends on the story! She's won a Holt Medallion for Best First Book and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Vampire Romance. For more information, please visit Michelle at her website at www.michellerowen.com.

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Books by Michelle Rowen

Bitten & Smitten (Immortality Bites, #1)

Fanged & Fabulous (Immortality Bites, #2)

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Quotes from Dark Kiss

“Did you follow me here?"
"Something like that."
I let out a frustrated groan. "Can't anyone just talk to me straight? Why is everyone avoiding my damn questions tonight?"
Bishop's brows went up. "Okay, fine. Yes, I followed you here. Better?"
"Yes. Stalkery, but better."
"I'm not stalking you."
"Spoken like a true stalker” — 45 people liked it

“Need some help?' he asked.
'Yes!' I yelled at him 'Help us!'
'What's the magic word?'
'Now!'
'Close enough.” — 36 people liked it

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Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1)

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