Hearts of Darkness (Deadglass, #1)

Aug 19, 2012 Nita rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: weres-shifters, warriors-guardians, para-romance, fiction, dragons, read-2012, dangerous-heroes

Oh geez, I really really enjoyed this book. I loved the mythology and the very non-black and white characters. This is a paranormal romance with a definite urban fantasy feel. It takes place in a dark Seattle where the feud between the Kivati and the Drekar, both powerful races of shapeshifters, ever rages. Kayla has come to Seattle to find out what happened to her sister. She doesn't believe the story that her sister died of a drug overdose. On her mission to find out the truth, she is approach...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Melissa Cutler rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was one of those books that I lost a lot of sleep over. I stayed up too late reading it and woke up early thinking about it. I consumed it over one weekend, What first drew me in was the heroine, who is smart and makes realistic choices, two things that are "musts" for romance heroines.

The hero, Hart, is amazing. Total wolfy stud. He's an antihero from the get-go and it was such a pleasure being in his head to watch the process of him beginning to care about the heroine and fall in love wit...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Rosario (http://rosario.blogspot.com/) added it

Shelves: dnf

Nurse Kayla Friday is in Seattle to identify her sister's body. This is not Seattle as we know it. The Gate to the other side is broken, and dark spirits are moving in the wrong direction. As a result, electricity is failing, and the city is disintegrating. Kayla, like most humans, has no idea what's going on. Within minutes of arriving at the morgue, however, Kayla finds herself in the middle of a war between two mythologies she never knew existed.

I read about half of this, mostly because I lik...more Nurse Kayla Friday is in Seattle to identify her sister's body. This is not Seattle as we know it. The Gate to the other side is broken, and dark spirits are moving in the wrong direction. As a result, electricity is failing, and the city is disintegrating. Kayla, like most humans, has no idea what's going on. Within minutes of arriving at the morgue, however, Kayla finds herself in the middle of a war between two mythologies she never knew existed.

I read about half of this, mostly because I liked the idea of the world building. It's like nothing I've ever read, pitching creatures inspired in Ancient Babylonian and norse mythology (the Drekar) against Native American bird shifters (the Kivati), and incorporating the idea of wraiths, dark spirits that can possess humans and feed off them.

The plot is that Kayla's sister got her hands on a very special necklace belonging to the Drekar, and Kayla must find it and give it to the Kivati. She immediately latches on the hero, Hart, as he seems to be the only person willing to help her navigate this weird new world (albeit grudgingly). Problem is, Hart has made some sort of blood oath to return the necklace to the Drekar. Meanwhile, we discover that, in the wrong hands, the necklace could bring about the end of the world.

So, the world and the story had the potential to be great. Unfortunately, they never really gelled for me. The world was actually rather boring, complicated rather than complex. And I'm fine with gradual revelations, but even after reading half the book, I didn't really understand who hated whom and why, and why someone would want to bring on Armaggeddon. Worse, I didn't care.

The romance didn't help. Kayla is boring in this first half, as she's perpetually out of her depth and doing stupid things. She's improbably a virgin, too, of course, the kind whose attraction towards a man every sensible person would be scared shitless of makes her go silly in the most dangerous circumstances. She's the naive nurterer type, who decides to trust someone for no reason, just because he makes her go gooey inside. As for Hart, who's a renegade shifter of a lower status than the birds and working for their enemies, he's a generic tortured hero with absolutely nothing to distinguish him.

Disappointing.

MY GRADE: It was a DNF.(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-carys

Carys' review posted on Guilty Pleasures

Kayla has lost everything that she loves and Hart has nothing he cares about except for his freedom. These two have nothing in common but heartbreak and a mission to find the key. Can this good girl help the bad boy werewolf find the key and his heart before the world goes up in smoke.

Kayla is your typical good girl that is heartbroken over the loss of her sister. Her sister was everything she’s not. So now she has to channel some of what made her sister s...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-urban-fantasy, superior-worldbuilding, weak-heroine, romance-ends-with-hea-or-hfn, meh

I was really, really, pretty irrationally convinced that HEARTS OF DARKNESS would blow my mind. I ended up begging the author for a review copy and then haunting my mailbox while I waited for it to arrive. It had the Dear Author stamp of approval, the Meljean Brooks endorsement, people were comparing it to Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. I was soooooo excited.

Turns out, I didn't really like the book. But having begged the author for a copy, and gotten one - in the mail! at her expense! - I ju...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Melindeeloo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance-shapeshifters, urban-fantasy-romance, mythological-tie-in

3 stars = I liked it with some reservations.
Overall I liked Hearts of Darkness, but since I am exceedingly character-centric in my reading, that was more in spite of the characters than due to them since most of the supporting characters in Hearts of Darkness are 'gray hats' at best - though it looks like a few good women, some living and some dead, are able to at least touch the heart of these bad (and badder- well actually pretty evil) guys, if not exactly redeem them. And the romance between...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Mara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr, urban-fantasy

I can't avoid to pledge myself to Linda's better words:

Overall I liked Hearts of Darkness, but since I am exceedingly character-centric in my reading, that was more in spite of the characters than due to them[...]
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I had a very tough moment starting this book (and wishing to abandon it almost immediately). I disliked the first half of it (which is mostly pnr) and liked the second one (which centres more on the Urban Fantasy). Mostly I hated the heroine. Whim...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Van rated it 4 of 5 stars

I knew I wanted to read this book right when I read the summary, I’m a sucker for any book with werewolves or shifters…and this book had both!! Before starting this book, I read several reviews that compared this series to Karen M. Moning’s Fever series. I love the Fever series as much as the next reader, but after reading this book the similarities to the Fever series are the main heroine trying to find out who killed her sister and her sister’s link to a supernatural world. Other than those tw...more I knew I wanted to read this book right when I read the summary, I’m a sucker for any book with werewolves or shifters…and this book had both!! Before starting this book, I read several reviews that compared this series to Karen M. Moning’s Fever series. I love the Fever series as much as the next reader, but after reading this book the similarities to the Fever series are the main heroine trying to find out who killed her sister and her sister’s link to a supernatural world. Other than those two tid-bits, the similarities ended there. This is one of the most original paranormal romances I’ve read all year; I love everything about this book from the characters, to the appealing world-building.

The novel takes place in an alternate Seattle, where ghosts/Wraiths are the cause of the occasional black outs around the city and the unknowing humans are dependent on the old invention of gas lamps to light the dark. Kayla Friday, our heroine of the novel arrives in Seattle to identify her sister’s body and what she doesn’t know is that she just walked right into a war that has been brewing between two shifter races for control of the city. The two main shifter clans are The Kivati (Native American) who can shift to any animal on the totem pole) and the Drekar (Norse) who are Dragon shifters.

I really enjoyed the world that Mrs. Brady created. She did a wonderful job of blending Native American, Babylonian and Norse Mythology together for a flawless story with strong-unique characters. Kayla, I don’t really know how I feel about her, there were times when I admired her and other times felt annoyed with her. Hart, was the typical tortured-bad boy, alpha male which will have readers swooning over him. There were also secondary characters that made a lasting impressing such as; Grace, a small girl known as The Reaper, Oscar another fellow comrade of Hart, Lucia the prophesied princess, Sven the Drekar and many more. The pacing of the book was great, it keep getting more interesting with each page and never let up even till the end. There were so many interesting characters in this book, and what I like about this book was that there wasn’t necessary a bad guy or a good guy...everyone was in the gray area. Everyone made their choices because they believe that it was the right thing to do, which was refreshing to see from the norm of other books.

There were a lot of twists near the end of the book, which took me by surprised…totally didn’t see it coming! This is a first book in a planned trilogy, and while the book ended on a good note for our main hero/heroine the ending sets the next book up for a whole new problem that needs to be solved. I highly recommend this to Urban Fantasy, Paranormal and even Fantasy Fans. If you’re looking for a new, refreshing read full of complex characters, and a dark and gritty world look no further….this series is worth checking out! I can’t wait to read book 2, Hearts of Shadow which comes out May 2013.
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Jun 10, 2012 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, request, fantasy, paranormal, mythology, romance, shifter

Hearts of Darkness has to be the most unique book that I have read this year. It is definitely the furthest outside of my typical reading box/comfort zone. This story had so many different elements that I loved, the blend of mythologies and legends, the characters that I never knew which side they were fighting for, and then there is the setting. Kira has created a very dark Seattle that I never would want to visit. The crime is high, the political system is corrupt and beyond broken, anyone can...more Hearts of Darkness has to be the most unique book that I have read this year. It is definitely the furthest outside of my typical reading box/comfort zone. This story had so many different elements that I loved, the blend of mythologies and legends, the characters that I never knew which side they were fighting for, and then there is the setting. Kira has created a very dark Seattle that I never would want to visit. The crime is high, the political system is corrupt and beyond broken, anyone can be bought for a price, and the humans are completely blind to what they living among.

Kira has mixed Native American folklore, Babylonian mythology, paranormal elements of shifters and ghosts, a mild almost steampunk element with the technology and the characters attire, and then readers are still given the mystery of what happened to Kayla’s sister. The way that she has blended these elements makes for one incredible tale wrapped in a book that is impossible to put down.

I am still is shock over the ending of this book. At the beginning readers meet Kayla who has traveled to Seattle due to her sister’s untimely death. Kayla immediately finds out that multiple people are looking for a necklace that she had in her possession at the time of her death. To point out that as the pages turn there is so much more going on than a missing necklace would be a massive understatement. It took me a few chapters to really get into Hearts of Darkness. Once this book gets going it picks up speed and never slows down. The ending is amazing and I never saw it coming. It is not a cliffhanger, but an intensely shocking game changer.

The spine of this book lists it as paranormal romance. Hearts of Darkness feels more urban fantasy to me than it did paranormal romance. There is a couple and they do get a happily ever after, but the romance was minimal and seemed to be more of a side story in this book. I’m big on the pursuit with any romance. I never got that with Kayla and Hart. I think I got more invested in their roles in the overall story than I did in their romance.

The romance was my only disappointment and it is a mild disappointment. Kira’s story telling is phenomenal. The Seattle she has created is so very dark and gritty. I think this book should be a must read for anyone who enjoys paranormal or fantasy reads. It is so different from everything else out there. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. I’m so curious about the changes that were made with the ending of Hearts of Darkness. I want to know how these changes are going to affect the characters and the world.
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Mar 22, 2013 Nymeria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blood-and-gore, doom-gloom, possessive-alpha-hero, psycho-of-the-day

This was a pretty enjoyable read.

The mix of tried and true clichés (Virgin heroine with previously unknown-to-her superpowers that allow her to tame the hero and save the world anyone?) and daring story-telling worked surprisingly well.

While some aspects of the book were predictable, I was very surprised that the author went as far as (view spoiler). The heroine did have rare superpowers but she couldn't fix everything. The body count was pretty hig...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, reviews, urban-fantasy

Kayla Friday has flown to Seattle, to ID the body of her sister. Being a nurse she knows most certainly that her sister didn't die of a drug overdose and is bound to find out what happened. Werewolf, Hart is on a mission to find the rest of his soul and what he needs he believes is in the the hands of Kayla.

Great read! The beginning was a bit slow for me, but it eventually picked up. I loved all the different mythologies this book included. Kayla & Hart's journey wasn't an easy one, but I lo...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Jenni Ebba rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this debut novel from Kira Bradley. It starts as Nurse Kayla Friday being in Seattle to identify her sister's remains. And when the story starts she has zero idea that the dark spirits are entering our world through a broken gate- a broken gate that is leading to the destruction of civilization; a loss of electricity. The story has action from almost the very beginning, with Kayla being dragged into an ongoing battle between two ancient beliefs.
I am a total sucker for mythology so I r...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Photojim rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, e-books, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 13, 2012 Ann has a dirty mouth rated it 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book tremendously! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! I was reading it outside in the rain because I was so excited!

I thought that the world was very well built and original. It wasn't quite steam punk or post apocalyptic or magical, but a perfect blend of all of them. More importantly, Hart and Kayla were such warm characters and so perfect for each other. I was so excited about their HEA. I also loved that they were such real and human characters, with financial and emotiona...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Ezinwanyi~For you, Agron (Mira, Crixus, Gannicus & Spartacus) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, shapeshifters, urban-fantasy, werewolves, paranormal-romance, bird-shifters, dragons

More like a 3.5. The 1st half was a 3 and the last half was a 4.

This book was a tale of 2 halves for me. The first half was kind of slow, and the second half was action packed. The story begins with nurse Kayla Friday and her attempt to deal with her sister’s murder. Kayla was devastated because the two sisters were very close and Kayla wanted to honor her sister by figuring out who committed the crime and why they chose her sister. As Kayla is trying to find clues, she meets Hart, who is also...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Kelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Kayla Friday flies out to Seattle to ID her sister’s body. The authorities said she died of an overdose but Kayla, being a nurse, knows what a drug overdose looks like and her sister’s body does not look like that. When the mysterious Hart comes crashing into the morgue, Kayla is thrown into a war that has been brewing for awhile between the Kivati and Drekar. Whoever holds the necklace that Kayla’s sister was hiding will have the key to the gate that protects the world of the living from the w...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Peter rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the best paranormals I've read in a really long time. The Deadglass mythology is such a fascinating blend of Norse, Native American, and Babylonian--yeah, you read that right--that puts an interesting twist on dragons and shifters. Just ask Kira about her inspiration; it's almost as good as the book. The atmosphere that Kira creates is so strong and reminded me at times of both Victorian London (all the spirits make the electricity spotty) and Gotham City. There are ghost musicians in a j...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

The overall concept of this book was very intriguing. However, the execution was a bit off. This was an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of novel. Shapeshifters, dragons, Native American AND Norse AND Babylonian mythology, post-apocalyptic city, paranormal romance, steampunk, urban fantasy, ghosts, missing heir, immortals, lone wolf with checkered past is redeemed by love, frightened virgin learns she has awesome powers and fights to save world. . . . And the romance? Please. Too bodice-ripp...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Seattle Kayla Friday arrives in is a dark and dreary place, it looked like a war torn third world county, a far cry from the city she recently left. Most electrical devices do not work, people drive old diesel cars and street lights are mostly gas lanterns. This is the Seattle that has stolen everything from Kayla, her mother died violently years before, her father from heartbreak a year later and now her sister Desi has died. Kayla is on her way to the morgue to identify her sister as she n...more The Seattle Kayla Friday arrives in is a dark and dreary place, it looked like a war torn third world county, a far cry from the city she recently left. Most electrical devices do not work, people drive old diesel cars and street lights are mostly gas lanterns. This is the Seattle that has stolen everything from Kayla, her mother died violently years before, her father from heartbreak a year later and now her sister Desi has died. Kayla is on her way to the morgue to identify her sister as she notices strange things around her and finds trouble when a man named Hart approaches her and others try to kill him.

Souls are supposed to pass through Gates of death peacefully and move on to the other side; however those that refused or are forbidden swarmed around and caused problems. Kayla can see the Aether which are the waves that surrounded all matter. The Aether does not like the ghosts that do not pass through the gates; these beings are the cause of modern day problems for a city like Seattle.

In the recent weeks before her death Desi had become remote and non-communicative and although she was studying at the university, she was dating a mysterious man that Kayla did not know, named Norgard. Desi became very interested in Babylonian history and mythology and Kayla believed she was caught up in something violent and evil that got her killed.

Hart is a wolf shifter from the Kivati pack, but was run out of the pack because he was “moon marked” and not welcomed. It is said that Hart is not able to control the beast within and therefore he is not to be trusted during a full moon. He believes Kayla has information about a necklace he needs that gets him one step closer to freedom from Norgard. The necklace is believed to open the Gates of death and bring evil into the world and many want it for power.

Norgard is a powerful Drekar, dragons that feed on human souls, and although they are not the only ones that want the necklace Hart was making sure Norgard gets it first. The Kivati also want the necklace, they are a legendary species of shifters that have been around for years, Raven, Cougar, Coyote, Thunderbird and Wolf. They once protected the land and humankind and although they still do officially, they are too caught up in a war with the Drekar to help.

Hart tells Kayla that he will help if she gives him the necklace when they find it. With clues her sister left, they find the necklace at her mother’s grave and Kayla gives the necklace to Hart for safe keeping not knowing he will give it to Norgard, she feels betrayed and soon finds herself in trouble as Norgard believes she can fulfill a destiny and is kidnapped. When others find out Hart is free and what his last mission was to gain it they are angry and asks him to try to save her, and even though he believes he has no redeeming qualities, he does have a conscience and begins to think that although it may be a suicide mission he can rescue Kayla from Norgard.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the world building and characters take you to an alternate Seattle that looks nothing like you would imagine. The ending is surprising and the fact that neither the Drekar nor the Kivati seem to be the good guys and we really do not know who to trust makes the story even more fun to read. Humans are unaware of “the others” that surround them every day until the fight to free a valued leader and find the necklace to keep the Gates closed bring it all to a head. Hart and Kayla learn to trust each other to help with the fight and become much more than they ever thought to each other. A riveting and engaging read that grabs you until the end.
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Sep 13, 2012 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, fantasy, fiction, pnr, read-in-2012, review-for-smexybooks, series

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/09/review-...

Favorite Quote: “My enemy’s enemy, is my friend.“

Kayla Friday never expected to become embroiled in a supernatural war when she arrives in Seattle to identify her sister’s body. A nurse, she is unable to accept the coroner’s cause of death and is determined to search the city until she finds out exactly what happened to her sister. This brings her to the attention of Hart.

Hart. A dangerous unbalanced wolf shifter and mercenary, he will...more Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/09/review-...

Favorite Quote: “My enemy’s enemy, is my friend.“

Kayla Friday never expected to become embroiled in a supernatural war when she arrives in Seattle to identify her sister’s body. A nurse, she is unable to accept the coroner’s cause of death and is determined to search the city until she finds out exactly what happened to her sister. This brings her to the attention of Hart.

Hart. A dangerous unbalanced wolf shifter and mercenary, he will do anything to obtain a relic that Kayla’s sister had in her possession when she died. Trapped in a slave bond to his boss, Hart is forced to do his bidding if he ever wants his freedom, even seduce and betray the one woman whose scent drives him mad and marks her as his.

Kayla’s investigations place her directly between two mythological factions-each determined to use her in their ancient battle for control. Kayla and Hart join forces to find the relic before hell unleashes on Earth and consumes everything around them, including their love.

Kira Brady’s debut, Hearts Of Darkness, is a noir fantasy that draws from Norse, Babylonian, and Native American legends, shapeshifters, and ghosts to build a unique world begging to be explored. A faint steampunk vive flows through the story as we see stream run engines, victorian clothing, and various other aspects that point towards this genre. My main problem with this book is how slow it was to connect with at first. The first half of the book sets up for this trilogy, giving back story and set up and it slowed the book down. A sedate pace picks up half way through the story, morphing into a roller coaster ride of action, suspense, and mystery. The main conflict blends nicely with the plot lines and our characters’ dialogue is an engaging mixture of seriousness and snark.

In this world, humans and supernaturals live together in an alternate present day Seattle with most humans having no idea of the danger that lives amongst them. Humans only see what they can explain, which leaves the supernatural community safe to wrestle for control amongst each other. Seattle is controlled by two dominant shapeshifter clans-the Kivati and the Drekar. The Kivati’s are are charged with guarding the gate that separates the mortal world from the spirit world and keeping the human population safe. The Dekars are dragon shapeshifters who came through the mystical gate and proceeded to attempt to take it over. They exist by drinking the souls of humans. Both the Kivati and the Drekar are slowly becoming extinct due to their never ending war.

Kayla Brady is forced to confront all the above and more when she begins to investigate her sisters death and the circumstances behind it. A human with no knowledge of supernaturals, Kayla gets a crash course in the corrupt world that she is attempting to navigate. Forced by the Kivati to find the relic or suffer the consequences, Kayla leaps in both feet first. Kayla is an interesting character to get to know in that she is made up of many contradictions. She is stunningly naive on some things yet amazingly astute in others. She spent her whole life taking care of her baby sister yet seems to know nothing about her, yet is able to provide answers to prophecies that have puzzled all for hundreds of years. She’s not your average heroine. She isn’t a warrior. She’s a healer and her attitude and actions reflects that. She sees the good in everyone and doesn’t question much which gets her into a majority of the trouble she finds herself in.

Hart, our hero, is a prime example of trouble. A broody, growly wolf shifter, he was outcasted from the Kivati clan as a child and is now slave bonded to the head of the Drekar clan-Sven Norgard. A lethal mercenary who cares for no one or nothing except finishing this last job and earning his freedom. Kayla proves to be a problem though. He is physically attracted to her, and the honorable part of him that has survived despite the evil he has been coated with, struggles to gain control of his heart. He finds himself torn between his slave bond, which magically compels him to act against his will, and his heart, which wants Kayla for his own. Their romance is mainly physical and while I enjoyed their interactions, I found the chemistry lacking. They aren’t given enough time to explore their attraction amidst the chaos and it showed.

The secondary characters are an interesting crew whose personalities and actions keep you on your toes. Each are developed to the point of being able to hold their own story. Neither the Kivati or Drekar are honorable clans. Each has ulterior motives and are adept in the art of deception. Norgard, leader of the Drekar, is a nasty villain yet there is a part of him that appeals to you. I really want to learn more about his brother Leif. Corbette, leader of the Kivati, also leaves a bitter taste in your mouth but it seems appearances can be deceiving. The overall premise in here is that good and evil are subjective and redemption can be earned, even in your darkest hours.

Even with my slow start in the beginning, I am looking forward to the second installment, Hearts Of Shadows-releases May 2013. I predict this one will read faster as the majority of the setup and world building was established in here.

Rating: C(less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to love this book. Dragon shifters are usually a big win for me. The same goes for scruffy heroes with low self-esteem who learn their self-worth through the love of a good woman. Unfortunately, this one didn't knock it out of the park the way I hoped it would. It wasn't bad; I just had a lot of trouble connecting to it.

The story begins with our heroine, Kayla, traveling to Seattle to identify her dead sister's body. When she arrives, she learns quickly that there is an entire wo...more I really wanted to love this book. Dragon shifters are usually a big win for me. The same goes for scruffy heroes with low self-esteem who learn their self-worth through the love of a good woman. Unfortunately, this one didn't knock it out of the park the way I hoped it would. It wasn't bad; I just had a lot of trouble connecting to it.

The story begins with our heroine, Kayla, traveling to Seattle to identify her dead sister's body. When she arrives, she learns quickly that there is an entire world she knows nothing about. Her sister was intimately involved with a community of shapeshifters at war with one another. Just before her death, she gained possession of a powerful necklace that both sides want to get their hands on. And only Kayla can find it.

Enter our hero. Hart is a wolf shifter who was cast aside by his own people. Now he is a blood slave to their enemy, the Drekar (the dragons.) He has been tasked with securing the necklace to gain his freedom. Of course, he has no idea that he'll fall head over heels for the woman who is supposed to be his mark.

The first half was really slow for me. It spends a lot of time laying the groundwork for the series. We learn about the ancient feud between the Drekar and the Kivati, a shapeshifter race that is supposed to protect humanity. We learn about the dastardly plan of Norgard, the Drekar leader. And we learn a lot about the mythologies of the key players. Stories of old gods, Norse legends, powerful prophecies. It was all interesting, but not all that engaging.

As for the romance... that didn't really pull me in either. Kayla is basically too good to be true, a virgin nurse in her mid-20's with a heart of gold. She wants to Do The Right Thing. Help people. She trusts Hart immediately, but for no discernible reason. There's no explanation for her virginity, especially since she is attractive and gives up to Hart without much hesitation. As for Hart, his character works better for me. Though it's not clear why Kayla affects him so much while no one else ever has, I am always more forgiving of shifters with mate bonds who fall in love fast. I like that he struggles in his decisions and that he ends up being such a good guy.

Things really picked up for me in the last third of the book. I enjoyed the sex and the bond between Hart and Kayla. I liked watching her come into her power. The secondary storyline with the Raven Lord and his young fiance got infinitely more interesting and the climax was really exciting. I think the series has potential. Maybe my inability to invest is a symptom of first-book-itis. Maybe there was just too much I had to learn and it interfered with my connection to the characters. I'm not sure. I'm glad I stuck it out, because it really did get better. And I want to read more, even if only to find out what happens with poor Lucia.

Rating: C+(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance, suspense, thriller

"Hearts of Darkness", from author Kira Brady, is a whip-cracking wild ride which blurs genres between urban fantasy and paranormal romance and creates something shockingly new. The bleak, black depths of alternate reality Seattle, WA are the battlegrounds of two powerful shapeshifter clans: the Kivati, whose animal shifters seem to leap from Native American totems, and the Drekar, whose wings are given flight from ancient Norse legends. This parallel universe Seattle is home to the gate between...more "Hearts of Darkness", from author Kira Brady, is a whip-cracking wild ride which blurs genres between urban fantasy and paranormal romance and creates something shockingly new. The bleak, black depths of alternate reality Seattle, WA are the battlegrounds of two powerful shapeshifter clans: the Kivati, whose animal shifters seem to leap from Native American totems, and the Drekar, whose wings are given flight from ancient Norse legends. This parallel universe Seattle is home to the gate between the real world and the other world, a gate which holds back the dead from the land of the living. Into this world comes Kayla Friday, on the heartbreaking mission to identify and claim the body of her dead sister, Desi, who supposedly died from a drug overdose. Kayla is a nurse, and once she sees her sister's body, she knows the death was not due to drugs. Kayla's tragic reunion with her sister is forcefully interrupted, first by sexy wolf shifter Hart, who claims Desi stole a valuable item from his boss and demands its return. Hot on Hart's heels are a group of goons also desperate to recover the missing artifact. Hart needs Kayla's trust so that he can recover the stolen goods and gain his freedom from enslavement by Norgard, the ruthless, soulless ruler of the Drekar. What Hart never imagined was that his own hardened heart would start to thaw from the genuine warmth and spirit of this lovely human woman, and now he must choose between a free life...or the love of a lifetime. Can a were shifter have both? Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance is based on a harsher, darker world with escalated drama and violence. The heightened tension leads to more intense sensual situations. All of these elements combine for a knockout punch, but they have to handled just right to avoid overkill and remain readable. As far as "dark or light" goes, it all depends on the story line and the personality that the author builds within each character. Thanks to talented and imaginative authors, Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi, and Urban Fantasy genres continue to cross boundaries and merge storytelling elements in an increasingly delightful feast for fiction lovers! My interest in the subject will draw me to the work, be it light and humorous or dark and compelling. The skill of the author as a storyteller is what will hold my interest in the work. Since Urban Fantasy is futuristic fiction, it's pretty much wide open to speculation. I think it is great fun to take our present reality and amp it up into a decidedly darker view of things to come. "Hearts of Darkness" is the first book in Kira Brady's "Deadglass" series.

Review Copy Gratis Zebra Books(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Lizzy Lessard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, reviewed

Overview: After reading the prequel novella (and loving it), I was so excited and impatient to read this book that I requested a copy from the author. But it was clear very early on in Hearts of Darkness that this was a completely different story than the first. This book is set in present time, while the prequel had a western feel. The world building feels very extensive, but it took me quite a few chapters to be convinced that present day Seattle is over-run by mystical shapeshifters and being...more Overview: After reading the prequel novella (and loving it), I was so excited and impatient to read this book that I requested a copy from the author. But it was clear very early on in Hearts of Darkness that this was a completely different story than the first. This book is set in present time, while the prequel had a western feel. The world building feels very extensive, but it took me quite a few chapters to be convinced that present day Seattle is over-run by mystical shapeshifters and beings…but the rest of the world is unaware of this. I think my main gripe with the novel is that I didn’t like the POV characters. Since the next book is written from a different POV, I might still read it.

Characters: I would’ve liked this story much more had the main characters not been Kayla and Hart. I liked Corbette, Grace, Lydia, and especially Norgard and I wish one of them told the story. It could have been a five-star book. First off the chemistry between the characters is so awkward. I never felt like they truly cared for one another. Hart didn’t love her – her lusted her. He spent much of his time thinking about how to screw her over and the rest of the time thinking about screwing her. He kept talking about the beast inside him wanting to bend her over and stick it in. After pages and pages of this, I was like: “Just do it already!” By the time the sex scene happened, I was so fed up with Hart and Kayla that I skipped it. And, he growled a lot…a whole lot. Oh, and Kayla felt like the dumbest human alive. She walked into trap after trap and was so incredibly naive. She had absolutely no backbone and was all about preaching forgiveness and not taking things personally. I don’t understand how Hart could do that “thing” to her and she shrugs it off!

Plot: The plot felt predictable about half the time and the other half I was confused as to why the characters did the things they did. So I guess it wasn’t nearly as predictable as I originally thought. By the end of the book, I stopped trying to guess what would happen and just enjoyed the story. The world building was well done and the mythology was teasingly revealed throughout the story. Even by the end, I understood much of the world, but I wanted to know so much more.

Ending: There were some really cheesy moments in the end. The kind of stuff you’d expect in a movie with more special effects than acting skills. These things were not realistic and obviously only there for dramatic flair. I wish things would have ended differently with Corbette…his ending was bittersweet.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Kayla Eklund rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, werewolves, reviews-completed

Hearts of Darkness started off really slow for me. In fact, it was almost a DNF because the first chapter was so excruciatingly slow. However, I am glad I stuck it out and finished the book. It had me on the edge of my seat wondering about what was going to happen next. Almost all of the plot twists were a complete shock to me. I predicted none of them before they happened. The book had a couple of sex scenes but nothing overly smutty. It didn't make me uncomfortable. I liked that the final batt...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Ellie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Heart of Darkness, Deadglass #1, by Kira Brady
Grade: D+

“She wasn’t fool enough to think she could keep him. She didn’t want to. Bad boys didn’t come home for dinner every night at six o’clock sharp. Bad boys sometimes didn’t come home at all. She’d had enough of people she loved not coming back.”

Let me start by saying that I was so excited to review Heart of Darkness, especially after hearing all the buzz about it and it being compared to the Fever series which I love. I don’t know exactly what...more Heart of Darkness, Deadglass #1, by Kira Brady
Grade: D+

“She wasn’t fool enough to think she could keep him. She didn’t want to. Bad boys didn’t come home for dinner every night at six o’clock sharp. Bad boys sometimes didn’t come home at all. She’d had enough of people she loved not coming back.”

Let me start by saying that I was so excited to review Heart of Darkness, especially after hearing all the buzz about it and it being compared to the Fever series which I love. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting but I really disliked what I got. In the first twenty pages I had my first “Really?” moment which was quickly followed by my “Are you freaking serious!” moment both of which continued on for the rest of the book. I usually try to not put spoilers in my reviews but I am going to in this one so if you don’t want to know about the book stop reading this now.

Kayla Friday has come to Seattle to claim her sisters dead body and find out how she was really killed after not believing the coroner ruling it a drug overdose. Kayla is shocked to discover her deceased sister pregnant and the most gorgeous man she’s ever laid eyes on asking her questions about a necklace that was supposedly in her sister’s possession. Hart is a werewolf and blood slave to Norgard, a shape shifting dragon who controls most of Seattle. Hart’s mission is to find the necklace Norgard’s lover escaped with and bring him her sister for his freedom.

As I mentioned before I had a lot of “Seriously?!?” moments while reading this book and the first occurred in the very beginning when Kayla is devastated over her sister’s death and watching Hart light the body on fire and not even five minutes later she’s thinking of how attractive he is and how much she wants him. I’m sorry but I felt like I got whiplash from the dramatic change of emotions Kayla went through in all of five minutes. This was the point that I started to really dislike her and know that this story was not for me.

Usually after the first hundred pages of a book if I’m rolling my eyes as much as I was with this one and scoffing out loud I would DNF it but with Hearts of Darkness it was so bad that I couldn’t stop reading. No matter how much of a jerk Hart was I kept reading. Kayla is being a weak female and needs to grow a backbone and I keep reading. Hart and Kayla are making out in the most inappropriate times and yep I keep on reading. I have never read a book that I disliked so much but I couldn’t put it down. It’s for this reason only that I give the book a D+ and not an F because there is some brilliance in getting someone to keep reading something the hate.

With all that being said I really was disappointed with Heart of Darkness and especially Kayla. The funny thing is that I like Grace whose book will follow this one and I might actually read it. I did love the world that Mrs. Brady created and I am interested to see what happens next. This is again why I didn’t flunk the book because it does have me thinking to the next one and wondering about the other characters. I really hope the books in this series because there is potential but it was just delivered all wrong for me.(less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Toni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kensington-arcs

Ms. Brady did a very fine job on her first novel. There were a few bumps; some small, some big, but all-in-all, a very entertaining read.

Kayla is light and Hart is dark. She is a healer and he is a killer. Put these two together and something special is made.

Kayla has returned to Seattle to expose her sister’s murderer. From the very start, things aren’t what they seem. Seattle is not the city she expected; shadows are everywhere, buildings are crumbling, electricity is sparse and even more ques...more Ms. Brady did a very fine job on her first novel. There were a few bumps; some small, some big, but all-in-all, a very entertaining read.

Kayla is light and Hart is dark. She is a healer and he is a killer. Put these two together and something special is made.

Kayla has returned to Seattle to expose her sister’s murderer. From the very start, things aren’t what they seem. Seattle is not the city she expected; shadows are everywhere, buildings are crumbling, electricity is sparse and even more questions arise the moment her eyes are set upon her sister’s dead body. Unknown to her, her life is going to be thrown into a world she never heard about and to her surprise, a world that she was forever to be a part of.

Hart is bound and determined to get free from his blood bond. Only two more jobs and he will be a free man. His plans of running in the wilds are derailed the moment he sets his rifle scope on Kayla’s face. She sparks something in him that makes his wolf sit up and take notice. He is too close to fail now and he will not let one woman ruin his plans.

Warring factions, prophetic futures and raising passions have forced these two to work together. Can they trust each other? Can they save the world? Can they find solace in each other’s arms? With time ticking away, neither have time to think on their choices or the consequences. All they can do is hope for the best.

Hearts of Darkness is a hard novel for me to rate. The plot is fascinating, the characters have been developed nicely, the setting is chilling and the book as a whole is rather well written. I really liked the idea behind the book, but what I didn’t like was inconsistencies in the story telling.

I have to admit first off that I’m a stickler for continuity and reasoning. There were several areas in the book that something would be clearly stated and then a page or so down the road it would be contradicted and then explained away even further in the book. If the order of the story telling would have been laid out better, I believe a better product would have been achieved.

To not give any spoilers I’ll just use one example: The villain states that the dragons can’t have children; why I won’t divulge. But his mistress was pregnant. He also states that while he is very old, well over a century, he has a brother that is two hundred years old. So wait…they CAN have children? Much later in the book the reasoning was explained, but if the subject came up, prior to the explanation, I was sent back into confusion. What it turned out to be was that they can’t have children within their species. Yes, I know a minor spoiler, but this type of problem popped up more than once. Make a rather important statement, contradict it and then explain the real reason much later. It was very frustrating. When this type of problem came up, it yanked me away from the novel and made me engage my brain to think it out, when it should have been lost in the storytelling.

I do have to say, I am rather interested in the base story. I have not read many steam punk or apocalyptic type novels, but I enjoyed how these two ideas were merged. When I think of the genres, steam punk is set in the past and apocalyptic in the future, but Ms. Brady gave it a very contemporary feeling. She also did a great job with her imagery and the premise of the trilogy is superb.

For her debut novel, I give her two thumbs up and I foresee with time, patience and hard work, her storytelling will only get better. I have very high hopes for this author and I will keep an eye out for her future works.(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5
Favorite Lines: “I will carry you when you grow weary…I will warm you when you are cold…I will shelter you when you seek refuge…I pledge my body to your protection, my soul to your happiness, and my heart to your keeping.” (p. 327, ARC)

Book one in Kira Brady‘s romantic Deadglass trilogy, Hearts of Darkness, is a new take on the paranormal world. In Brady’s world there are dragon shifters (Drekar) who lack souls and feed on humanity and shapeshifters (Kivati) on the verge of extinction who ar...more 3.5
Favorite Lines: “I will carry you when you grow weary…I will warm you when you are cold…I will shelter you when you seek refuge…I pledge my body to your protection, my soul to your happiness, and my heart to your keeping.” (p. 327, ARC)

Book one in Kira Brady‘s romantic Deadglass trilogy, Hearts of Darkness, is a new take on the paranormal world. In Brady’s world there are dragon shifters (Drekar) who lack souls and feed on humanity and shapeshifters (Kivati) on the verge of extinction who are battling the dragons. The shifters are also supposed to protect humanity, but that’s not high on their priority list.

Hearts of Darkness combines Babylonian, Native American and Norse mythology to create a world on the verge of destruction. Though set in the present day, the world has a steampunk feel due to the monocles, steam engines and clothing worn by the Kivati. There is a crack in Seattle’s Gate to the Land of the Dead. Damned ghosts and evil wraiths slip through the crack into Seattle longing to touch and feel again. Those spirits are capable of possessing humans, turning them into walking zombie-like creatures.

The paranormal aspects of life in the corrupt city of Seattle remains unknown to most of humanity, but Kayla is not allowed to keep her head in the sand. She want to find her sister’s killer and her very human attempt at compassion has placed her in debt to the Kivati. She is given three days to find an item her sister hid or face the consequences of not upholding her side of an agreement with the Kivati. She’s not what I consider a kick ass heroine, but an everyday woman thrown into a “crazy” situation. Kayla is pretty naive for being the woman who always cleaned up after her little sister. She takes things at face value, never looking below the surface which kept placing her in danger.Especially when it comes to the book’s hero, a Kivati man named Hart.

Hated by his fellow Kivati, Hart is enslaved to the leader of the Drekar. He is filled with self-loath and has little choice in many of the actions he is forced to take. He clings to threads of honor, unwilling to become completely warped by the evil he has been associated with for over 15 years. Hart wants to be a better man, however until his debt is paid off, he can do nothing but follow orders.

Hearts of Darkness is filled with suspense and action. I never became enamored with the romance thread though. I know Kayla and Hart were attracted to one another, but I didn’t see the appeal for more than a sexual relationship. It’s a book in which a man can earn redemption and love can be found and recognized in the darkest of situations. I enjoyed both the suspense and the happy ever after ending despite my ambivalent thoughts on the romance. I will be reading the next book, Hearts of Shadows, because its main characters (Grace and Leif) really interest me.(less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Ashley (Firestarbooks) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, must-review

Hart was your typical good looking dude with an attitude and a sense of humor. He was damaged. He was the guy who did bad things and basically needed a female (Kayla) to see pass that evil. He was the type of character that was strong and will protect the girl (Kayla) no matter what.

Kayla was your strong-but-actually-weak female lead. She reminded me of Olivia Dunham at first with her need to find things out, and needed to protect people. But as I read on, she became someone like Orihime, who wa...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Kayla's life gets turned upside down when her sister is murdered and she finds out that the things that go bump in the night are real. Seattle has been taken over by a plethora of supernaturals, and in her search for answers she finds herself caught in the middle of a centuries old war. But most of all, she has caught the attention of Hart, a werewolf mercenary who will stop at nothing to make his mark. But that may change as a fragile spark...more Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Kayla's life gets turned upside down when her sister is murdered and she finds out that the things that go bump in the night are real. Seattle has been taken over by a plethora of supernaturals, and in her search for answers she finds herself caught in the middle of a centuries old war. But most of all, she has caught the attention of Hart, a werewolf mercenary who will stop at nothing to make his mark. But that may change as a fragile spark flames between them even as the world crumbles around them.

The romance between Kayla and Hart seemed so unlikely and yet it somehow really worked for me. Kayla is so innocent and everything that is pure and good, while Hart can only be described as damaged with very rough edges. Unlike other shifters, he never fully merged with his animal side and cannot control it. Long ago abandoned by his kind, Hart hasn't had a moment's peace in his life due to the massive struggle to control his more deadly half. So, it is o wonder he is so angry and bitter at the world. Honestly if Hart's perspective hadn't been shown with his vulnerabilities, I would have said that Kayla is incredibly naive for trusting Hart. Yet, those glimpses into his true feelings show just how damaged he is, and how much he really needs her despite how much he fights it. Her softness and need to help others added to his rough edges really makes them quite perfect for one another.

The mythology behind Hearts of Darkness is a tangled weave of Norse, Native American, and Babylonian blended in with shape-shifters, dragons, and wraiths. It definitely made for an interesting combination to say the least. The setting may be in a modern day Seattle, but it had more of a Steampunk feel due to the wraiths destroying the power network. There are monocles, and steam powered vehicles to compensate for the lack of power as well as other gadgets. Also, the shifters seem to have surrounded themselves with rules of propriety and other controls that remind me of the Elizabethan era in a last ditch effort to keep them from fading out.

I'll admit that I was a little put off by all of the different elements together as the learning curve made things slower in the beginning. However, once things started to flow a little faster, I really started to appreciate the uniqueness of the story. I don't think I've ever read something quite like this, which can be very hard to come by in the very saturated paranormal romance genre. I have a feeling the next installment will be a little faster now that the massive amounts of world building are established. All in all, Hearts of Darkness was a decent start to the Deadglass series, and promises a solid block of entertainment. (less)

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Aug 17, 2012 Kristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, arc, signed

What I Loved
Paranormal
Lots of shape shifters and magic that the vast majority of the public doesn't know about.
Location
Love it when books are located in Seattle, my home state. Love being able to say I have been there to that location they are mentioning. Seattle is also the best location due to us being a natural hot spot for paranormal activity. (You can see a picture of mine I took when I went to Gas Works Park, mentioned in the book.)
Story
Fantastic! Perfect amount of romance with an aweso...more

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