The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat, #1)

Jun 13, 2012 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Kresley Cole IAD fans, or anyone who loves hot alpha warrior heroes!

Recommended to ♡KarLynP♡ by: Netgalley.com

Shelves: arc-copy, genre-highlander, genre-paranromal, genre-humor, steam-hot, hero-mega-alpha, 2012-07-july, published-2012, read-2012, fated-mates, mine-mine-mine, debut-author

WOW, LOVED IT! This may be the BEST PNR debut book of 2012. The story grabbed me from the gitgo and never let up. What a fun, sexy hot book! I can’t wait for more of this series. It was PURE ROMANCE CANDY, and I devoured it!! If you like your PNR books HOT and have a thing for warrior highlanders, this one is for you. I haven’t been this excited for a new series in a long, long time.

The Darkest Day is a debut PNR set in a world where immortal creatures rule earth and other realms. Mortals are...more

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Jun 29, 2012 KatLynne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to KatLynne by: KarLynP

Shelves: g-paranormal-romance, netgalley, 2012-reads, debut, hero-alpha-tattooed-hottie, hero-alpha-warrior, hero-favorite-smokin-hot-sexay, heroine-virgin, heroine-with-backbone-smart-strong, highlander, keeper, lots-of-laughs, part-of-a-series, scotland, sensual-steamy, smokin-hot-steamy

The Darkest Day by Britt Bury
Debut
Book #1 in the Immortal Heat Series
Read: 6/27/2012
Heat Factor: 5/5 - Passionate, Steamy Hot Love Story
My Rating: 5/5
Expected Release Date: 7/3/2012

...She was everything he craved, everything he hungered for. Her body was his personal fixation. Her skin and lips were drugs he had to taste in order to survive...

I loved this book! This is one of the best PNR debut novels I’ve read. There’s no wading in to get to the goodies! From the very beginning I was held capt...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Jill rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debuts, fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance

2.5 stars

I must be growing up. Or perhaps I'm not the target audience for this book. But it was a test of endurance to get through this story.

If Ms Bury's target readership for The Darkest Day are those who enjoy reading endless sex scenes, then this will certainly be a hit. However, for readers who like more story with their sex scenes and less cheese in their dialogue, then this is going to be a tedious read.

I find books like this just too juvenile with the emphasis on sex, sex and sex. Don’t...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Paranorma Romance Fans

Shelves: arc, ebook, netgalley, paranormal-romance, for-review

Grade: B- or 3.5 Stars (rounded to 4 stars)... Britt Bury enters the PNR scene with very promising debut! What readers will find: Original paranormal beings, snarky humor, and steamy sexy times!!! If readers like Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series or Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series then this book will most likely appeal!

The Story
A thousand years ago, Kelvin Kerr vowed to avenge his butchered and decapitated chieftain father by eliminating every last member of the Campbell Fionns. T...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Dee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Dee by: ♡KarLynP♡

Shelves: paranormal-romance, vampires, arc-net-galley, shifters, witches, demons, magic, reviewed-netgalley

4/5 stars

Britt Bury’s debut novel and first in the Immortal Heat series.

We are introduced to a world where humans are extinct and is now filled with many different supernatural beings such as vampires, warlocks, witches and various other creatures. I am sure that over the series Ms. Bury will acquaint us with more but this book focused mainly on two of the races, the Pookahs, who have various different inner animals but cannot shift, and the Fionns who are a magical race consisting or warriors,...more

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Sep 16, 2012 BamaGal rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss

This is exactly why I tend to turn towards UF books; and books by Indies and small pubs. A writer who has a contract with a large publishing house is like someone writing a new TV show. As with TV, the large pubs (Hatchette in this case) don’t want something new or different, they want the same old-same old that sells; so a writer is told to give them a book styled like ‘author so-and-so’. There is no originality from the large pubs anymore, or from the authors in their stables. This is why ther...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, paranormal-romance, promiscuous-hero, fated-to-be-mated, weak-heroine, beautiful-heroine, family-feud, family-issues, betrayal, kilts-ahoy, magick, reformed-rake, groveling-hero, steam-level-hot, arc, netgalley, contemporary-virgin-heroine

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever Yours
Author’s Website: http://www.brittbury.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Immortal Heat
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Hot

I think a lot of readers are going to be drawing parallels between this story and Kresley Cole’s incredibly popular Immortals After Dark series… The biggest compar...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Sandra rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: IAD and BDB fans - run, don't walk to read this

Shelves: flowers-and-chocolates, supernatural, them-highland-boys, arc-netgalley, angst-and-drama, awesome-heroes, hunks-you-want-for-yourself, kick-ass-heroines, made-of-win, must-read, nailbiters, naughties, rakes-and-scoundrels, reviewed-on-blog, 2012-book-challenge, contemporary

This review is also available on my blog.

HOLY COW!!! Britt Bury, you're my new favorite! HOT! HOT! HOT!

Are you ready for gushing? Here goes:

A stunning debut in the PNR genre, The Darkest Day delivers a mighty punch - I couldn't put this book down. And even though it's the first in what I hope is going to be an amazing series, it does not suffer from what many first books do - info dumping. Information trickles in as the book progresses, and fits the scenes in which it comes. Also, possible futu...more This review is also available on my blog.

HOLY COW!!! Britt Bury, you're my new favorite! HOT! HOT! HOT!

Are you ready for gushing? Here goes:

A stunning debut in the PNR genre, The Darkest Day delivers a mighty punch - I couldn't put this book down. And even though it's the first in what I hope is going to be an amazing series, it does not suffer from what many first books do - info dumping. Information trickles in as the book progresses, and fits the scenes in which it comes. Also, possible future characters are not endlessly introduced but merely mentioned, almost in passing. They serve a function in this book, but are not delved deeply into - only hints of their possible futures are given. The author skillfully weaves teasers of things to come into the main story, and what a story it is!!!

From the first moment, upon introduction to Izel Campbell and Kelvin Kerr, the story takes the reader on a wild ride, with witty and engaging dialogue, descriptive scenes, fighting, action and a love story that is almost too hot to handle. The UST was panty-damaging, and as the two main characters grow closer, yet fight their undeniable attraction, the heat between them almost had my poor Nook melting in my hands.

If you liked Kresley Cole's IAD series or J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, this is the book for you. It's chockful of hot, dominant alpha male who's matched with a female that gives as good as she gets.

I adored both Kelvin and Izel - she is an amazing female lead, smart, sassy, witty and doesn't back down from a challenge. He is the ultimate alpha male, yet soft to the core when faced with his fated female, willing to lay down his life to protect her. Their romance is at the center of this book, going from mortal enemies to annoyed travel companions to lusting for each other to a love that burns everything in its wake. Even the drama is not for the sake of drama, but fits nicely into the story and is never overdone. Their verbal sparring was engaging and grin-inducing, and OMG, the love scenes!!! The chemistry between the two was utterly amazingly written, and I squirmed in my chair numerous times as they gave in to their passion.

It is by far the best PNR debut novel I've read in a long time, and I am salivating for the next installments of this series. I'd love to see what happens to Ian and Alistair and Ramsey, and yes, even Andrew.

Where do I sign up??

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you sooo much! (less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Tiya Rosa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, debut, netgalley, too-stupid-to-live-mc

We had a rough start, you and I, Darkest Day. What with the TSTL episodes and the constant reminders that I am sorely missing me some Immortals After Dark, it was touch and go for a while. But once you shed those tween angst and pseudo doubts and confusion and just embraced the raunchy side of you, I believe you were worth the the enthusiasm I had when I received your ARC.

In a world full of immortals, Izel Campbell is the last full human. She had no idea she was, though, thinking she was a Fionn...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, net-galley, galley, better-than-i-thought-it-would-be, characters-i-loved, adult, demons, dystopian, erotica, humour, hot-dude-cover, male-and-female-pov, modern-day, paranormal-romance, part-of-a-series, romance, romances-i-love, supernatural, switching-pov, swoon-worthy-male-characters, urban-fantasy, reviewcopies

4.5 stars

For this review and others visit my blog

Oh yes, Britt Bury, yes!

This is exactly what I have been looking for. I have massive love for PNR (Paranormal romance) but nothing has really captured me since the early Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Well finally something has. I just loved this book. It had everything; action, drama, humour and romance. It was just great.

Ok, so what made this book so great? I will start with the idea. I think Britt Bury is incredibly smart because she has take...more 4.5 stars

For this review and others visit my blog

Oh yes, Britt Bury, yes!

This is exactly what I have been looking for. I have massive love for PNR (Paranormal romance) but nothing has really captured me since the early Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Well finally something has. I just loved this book. It had everything; action, drama, humour and romance. It was just great.

Ok, so what made this book so great? I will start with the idea. I think Britt Bury is incredibly smart because she has taken the top three (or there about) romance sub-genres and somehow mixed them together. This is a Highland novel, it is set in Scotland. Our hero, Kelvin, is a Scottish clan warrior…but he is also something else. Kelvin is a paranormal being, closely related to shape shifters (although his species doesn’t actually shift). This novel might look and feel like a Highland novel but it is set in the modern world. So it is a highland, PNR, urban fantasy novel…but wait, there’s more (stick with me here.) This modern world has no humans (almost) they all died out. The world is full of paranormal beings but things are still somewhat derelict. So to conclude The Darkest Day is a highland, PNR, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian novel. Sounds a bit too much doesn’t it? Except for the fact that it works perfectly. Bury has written this book so well that the joining of so many genres doesn’t distract from but enhances the reading experience. This book is written in a way that is also utterly entrancing. I struggled to put this book down. It was engaging from beginning to end. The prologue set the tone immediately and that atmosphere and intensity stayed with the book the whole way through.

Let’s move on to the characters. Essentially there are only two characters in this book. There are others who pop their heads in (I think/hope this was more for the next books in the series) but there are only two people who really matter in this book, Kelvin and Izel.

Izel is a great female lead. She is funny, smart, sassy and just all round awesome. I didn’t once find her irritating or weak. She was not kick-ass or unemotional but she was no doormat either. Kelvin (honestly if you could see what this guy looked like in my head you would faint) is just devastating. If I met him I wouldn’t stand a chance. He is strong, hard and tough. He has responsibilities and obligations. He at times probably comes across as a little scary. He is rash, stubborn and infuriating. But behind all the brutishness he is loving, gentle and fairly emotional. When he loves he does it with all of his heart and he would do anything to protect that person. Like Izel he was not once annoying.

The romance between Izel and Kelvin was just amazing. I loved the growth of their relationship, from enemies, to annoyances, to lust then finally to love. Sure, there are some bumps along the way but it was not done just for the sake of drama. Most of the humour in this book came from the banter between them. In the beginning the sparred verbally back and worth which gave the book a light-hearted feel but slowly that turned to something darker. The tension and chemistry between them poured off of every page, it was fidget inducing brilliant. It oozed from the characters and created bucket loads of sexual tension.

The Darkest Day proves that there is still some imagination in the romance genre. It is by far the best PNR I have read in a while and I strongly recommend it. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
(less)

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Jul 05, 2012 Letitia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, netgalley, kindle

Rating: C ... Heat: Warm

I have to be honest… At around 20% in, I almost DNF'd this one.

I initially picked it up because other reviewers were comparing it to Kresley Cole's series, Immortals After Dark. Miz Cole is my numero uno favorite PNR author. She writes it, I will read it. Period. So buzz linking this book to her, it grabbed my interest.

However, in that first 20%, the similarities were almost too much for me. Sure, there are the PNR staples: Alpha hero? Check. Ability to sniff arousal? Ch...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Crystal ♥ RBtWBC rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: request-author, length-novel, genre-paranormal-romance, request-netgalley, rating-4-star

Britt Bury weaves a spellbinding story in her debut novel, The Darkest Day, that I never wanted to end!

In a world of Immortals and the wilds of Scotland the Campbell Fionn and Kerr Pookah have warred for centuries. Death and vengeance reigns by those who live by the sword and magic.
Izel Campbell, an immortal Fionn, arrives in Scotland seeking answers from her grandfather; cursed since birth to never feel emotions she has lived a half-life. But once she arrives at her grandfather’s home the cur...more
Britt Bury weaves a spellbinding story in her debut novel, The Darkest Day, that I never wanted to end!

In a world of Immortals and the wilds of Scotland the Campbell Fionn and Kerr Pookah have warred for centuries. Death and vengeance reigns by those who live by the sword and magic.
Izel Campbell, an immortal Fionn, arrives in Scotland seeking answers from her grandfather; cursed since birth to never feel emotions she has lived a half-life. But once she arrives at her grandfather’s home the curse falls away and Izel is bombarded by new feelings as well as a new look leaving her with more questions then she started out with.
Kelvin seeks the last of the Campbell line to fulfill his vow of vengeance for the death of his father. Expecting a male he is surprised to find a woman, but what shocks him more is when the woman’s cloaking spell falls away and this ordinary Fionn transforms into a gorgeous human - the last human alive. What he feels for this little human is even more surprising though and something that he intends to fight.
As Kelvin tries to balance his duty to both his family and his fated mate, Izel must learn to tap into her prophesized powers but they each face an uphill battle, will they find the answers they seek in time?

The Darkest Day was a wonderful start to the Immortal Heat series. Britt Bury writes with an old world feel and this story could have easily taken place in the historical Scottish Highlands as well, which I especially loved. The first half of the book was slow to start but once it found its pacing, the story took off. I really enjoyed reading about the characters the author has created in this magical world. Izel is a heroine that you can easily get behind and cheer for while Kelvin is a hero that you will fall in love with. The dialogue between both was fun and entertaining; they played off each other so well.

Izel Campbell grew up believing that she was an immortal Fionn, although different from the rest of her family – cursed, only to discover she is the last human being alive. Izel can roll with the punches though and is full of spunk and good humor. Kelvin is a fierce and honorable warrior, but he is constantly trying to push Izel away and acts out towards her often. He ends up regretting his actions of course and grovels for forgiveness, which Izel makes him work for. His hot and cold emotions confuse Izel but she knows that he will protect her, as the last human she will be extremely coveted by all. I loved how the romance unfolded between these two, it was unique in the sense that I was both rooting for them to get it on while at the same time dreading it and hoping that they would wait.

I would have liked more background information on the world created here; where did these immortals come from, did they live alongside humans? How long have humans been extinct? The world building could have used a little more padding and I found myself asking “Why?” often. I’m eager to see what the Immortal Heat series has in store next though, and how the series will further develop. There were plenty of other characters that intrigued and I look forward to reading more about them. Arcane prophecies, dark curses, quirky witches, sexy alpha males, feisty females and an immortal battle on the horizon; The Darkest Day has it all with sizzling sexual tension, heart-pounding action and suspense, secrets and betrayal, and most importantly an impassioned romance. Britt Bury is definitely a new voice in the paranormal romance world to keep your eyes on!

Note to readers: I do suggest reading the glossary before starting the story, which I didn’t see until the very end. :-/ Not sure how this will be set up in the final version since I received an ARC through NetGalley but if you don't see the glossary in the front, flip to the end. It’s extremely helpful with the unfamiliar terms and characters. (less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, received-for-review, bad-ass-dude, hot-smexy-times, hunky-highlanders, magic-tastic, rotflmao, sweet-romance, unusual-creatures-beings-species, vampire-ific, paranormal-romance, futuristic

I'm a bit conflicted on this one because I really enjoyed reading it. Loved it, in fact. It totally sucked me in; it was sexy, funny, poignant and all good things like that.

But, it was very, VERY reminiscent of Kresley Cole's Immortals after Dark series: Several different races of immortal beings all heading towards an event that only takes place every few centuries; insta-love mating bonds, one whiff and she's mine, usually with a person not of your race; Scottish rough and ready highlander typ...more I'm a bit conflicted on this one because I really enjoyed reading it. Loved it, in fact. It totally sucked me in; it was sexy, funny, poignant and all good things like that.

But, it was very, VERY reminiscent of Kresley Cole's Immortals after Dark series: Several different races of immortal beings all heading towards an event that only takes place every few centuries; insta-love mating bonds, one whiff and she's mine, usually with a person not of your race; Scottish rough and ready highlander types; a future-seeing, foul-mouthed, scatter-brained witch who can't give a straight answer; time lines overlapping (you hear about secondary characters in the book and you know they are acting strange because they've met their mate too); and just the overall writing style, the narrative, is very humorous and reminded me of KC's style a lot.

But that's not a bad thing is it? I mean, that series rocks so more of the same can only be a good thing, right? And as I said, I totally enjoyed it. I guess it's up to you how you feel about the similarities. For me, I'm happy to have two series that are this enjoyable. And the quality of writing was excellent, especially for a debut which I believe this was. *shrugs*

Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of very original content in this book as well, it was not a carbon copy by any stretch of the imagination.

First off, we have some very unusual species/races/creatures/clans/whatevers. In this one we dealt predominantly with the Pookahs (Do you see Pooh Bear when you read that too?). They are, from what I could gather, immortal beings with the animal spirit of razorback pigs... Okay that sounded way cooler when Britt Bury described them. Bear with me. Oh hey you can get bear Pookahs too! And wolf Pookahs as well, I think. Okay, so I don't know exactly what a Pookah is but the point is... The point is the one we met in this book, Kelvin Kerr, was muchos muchos yummios and not all stoopid meat head alpha either which was such a relief for me because I hate those types. He's a thousand year old Scottish warrior and War Chief (second in command) of the Kerr Clan, and for most of those thousand years, has lived only for vengeance against the Campbells. Izel, his fated mate, is the last surviving Campbell. Oopsies.

The story was well-paced, sexy, and I even teared up once or twice. I was totally invested in them as a couple, and for those emotional drama junkies out there (Yes, Sharon, I am talking to you), you will be well satisfied, I think.

I will definitely be reading future instalments. I'm guessing Ian's story will be next what with the visitor he's currently got in his dungeon.

4 Stars! ★★★★
Review Copy: Received from the publisher for an honest review(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebooks, first-book-in-series, netgalley, read-in-2012, review-requests

Posted on Under the Covers

THE DARKEST DAY is the first book of a new series called the Immortal Heat. I love warrior men with accents so I thought I would give this one a try. Here are my thoughts on it:

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK:

-The best part of this book for me is the spunky heroine, Izel Campbell. Izel was grown up to believe that she is an immortal Fionn, however when she goes to Scotland, she learns that she is actually the last living human in the world. I really enjoyed Izel’s characte...more Posted on Under the Covers

THE DARKEST DAY is the first book of a new series called the Immortal Heat. I love warrior men with accents so I thought I would give this one a try. Here are my thoughts on it:

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK:

-The best part of this book for me is the spunky heroine, Izel Campbell. Izel was grown up to believe that she is an immortal Fionn, however when she goes to Scotland, she learns that she is actually the last living human in the world. I really enjoyed Izel’s character. She was spunky and funny and also very strong under the circumstances she was put through.

- There is a good amount of humor in this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It made the reading fun and never tedious and there were times when I laughed out loud. I love it when a book does that.

-Along the same lines as the humor of this book, I found that the dialogue between Izel and Kelvin to be very entertaining. I loved their banter and the way Kelvin spoke as if Izel knew who he was and what his place in the clan meant. Izel keeps him on his toes .

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK:

- Kelvin is a fierce Pookah warrior. Unfortunately for me, the name ruins it all. I just think of beady-eyed kittens when I heard the word “Pookah” but that’s just how my head works.

- I did not like the fact that there was a drastic change in Izel’s appearance. I understand that she was disguised and then –surprise! - she was revealed, but it irks me when the description suddenly turns into one of a gorgeous woman. I didn’t think it was necessary to change her eye and hair color and the shape of her body completely.

- There is one scene in this book where the hero Kelvin tells Izel the ways of the Razorback warrior. On winter solstice and the days leading up to it, the warriors feel this animalistic urge to mate. However, in order for the warrior to recognize their true mate, they have to screw them. Sometimes they screw someone and they aren’t their true mate, so they go on to find another woman until they find the one they are supposed to be with. This caused me to raise an eyebrow. What irks me more is the fact that Kelvin says something along the way of, this is the way of the warriors. Accept it. This is how I felt most of the book is. The author states the mechanics of the world, but doesn’t really take the time to make readers BELIEVE it. It lacked that persuasion that some other books have. In countless instances, I found myself questioning why such a thing occurs, but in the end, there weren’t good enough explanations as to why. It just does and that’s that. I felt like the author was trying to sell something to me without telling me what I was buying. Unfortunately, I wasn’t buying any of it. I wished she took more time explaining WHY certain things occurred so that the worldbuilding was stronger. I just didn’t get that this time around.

So in the end, it’s a split decision. There were three major things I loved about the book but there were also three major things I disliked. I think I will still be checking out the next book in the series to see if there is more to like there. I’m not ready to give up just yet.(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 May Mostly Romance rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Darkest Day ของบริตต์ บิวรี

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มแรกของหนังสือชุด Immortal Heat ที่เล่าเรื่องราวของโลกมนุษย์ยุคที่มนุษย์สูญพันธ์ไปแล้ว โลกที่ถูกครอบครองโดยสิ่งมีชีวิตประเภทต่าง ๆ ที่เป็นอมตะ

คอนเซ็ปต์ของเรื่องน่าสนใจนะคะ มนุษย์ไม่ได้โดนฆ่าตายจนหมด แต่ยีนส์ปะปนไปกับพวกอมตะจนความเป็นมนุษย์ลดน้อยลงไปเรื่อย ๆ จนมนุษย์สายเลือดบริสุทธิ์ไม่เหลืออีกต่อไป หรืออย่างน้อยทุกคนก็คิดแบบนั้น

เคลวิน เคอร์ผู้เป็นอมตะจากเผ่าเคอร์ผู้ซึ่งสาบานไว้เมื่อหนึ่งพันปีก่อนว่าจะฆ่าทุกคนในตระกูลแคมเบลล์ หลังจากที่คนในตระกูลนั้...more

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Aug 23, 2012 FicTalk Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Heather

Kelvin Kerr made a vow years ago that he would avenge the death of his father. He would kill the Campbell heir if it was the last thing he did. When he made this vow, he thought that the Campbell heir would be a son. He had no idea that it would be Izel Campbell, the last human on Earth and the woman bound and determined to drive him crazy.

What can I say about this book? So many good things. The amount of UST (unresolved sexual tension) in this book is off the freaking charts....more

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Aug 21, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Jen
Review Copy Provided by Netgalley

I liked the whole paranormal world that was created by Britt Bury. In this new world, humans are thought to be extinct and various paranormal beings are the norm. Some of the paranormal races created were unknown to me, so thankfully there is a glossary of sorts to help make *some* sense of what exactly Fionns, Pookahs and so forth, really are. They aren’t ever very clearly defined, but in the end, it didn’t matte...more Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Jen
Review Copy Provided by Netgalley

I liked the whole paranormal world that was created by Britt Bury. In this new world, humans are thought to be extinct and various paranormal beings are the norm. Some of the paranormal races created were unknown to me, so thankfully there is a glossary of sorts to help make *some* sense of what exactly Fionns, Pookahs and so forth, really are. They aren’t ever very clearly defined, but in the end, it didn’t matter so much. I’m also interested to see what’s going to happen next in this series.

The Darkest Day is the story of Izel, the last full blood human and the Campbell clan’s leader, and Kelvin, the battle chief of the Kerr clan. The clans are enemies and while Izel is ignorant (due to her upbringing), Kelvin is fully aware and starts out their association with this knowledge. However, there is this strong attraction that cannot be ignored. Kelvin fights it since she is technically the enemy and Izel isn’t sure about this strong alpha male who is escorting her through the wilds of Scotland. The interactions between the two were fun to watch, from their fighting to their loving.

However, sometimes their internal thoughts got overly repetitive. This was mostly evident in Kelvin as he fought the knowledge of who she is to him against who she is to his family. Kelvin went around and around with the same arguments and after each internal round, he’d treat Izel like crap and then try to make up for it afterwards. And so went the first half of the book until they consummated their relationship. Then Kelvin went all mushy. It was very weird to watch. The whole yo-yoing of emotions made it hard to believe that a romance really developed. I understand that the conflict was necessary, but I’m hoping this aspect gets cleaned up in future books in the series.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad story. I like the world that was created, but a little more fleshing out of the characters and their actions was needed to make it a more enjoyable read, for me.
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Aug 14, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-kristie

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Interesting concept for a dark new world, entertaining at times but falls flat with some of the character development.

Opening Sentence: Sometimes, pain was delivered through the skin – the sharp end of a sword jammed through the gut.

Excerpt: Yes

The Review:

The last full-blooded human died twenty years ago. The inhabitants of earth are all immortal. There are still some immortals with diluted human blood, just enough to feed the blood thirsty...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, humor, immortal, magical, mature, paranormal-romance

GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: Magic/Immortals
RECEIVED: Bought
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
Debut author Britt Bury has been a guest on my blog twice and I was thrilled to review her debut novel The Darkest Day. I was excited to dig into this exiting new world of immortals, magic and romance and definitely was not disappointed.

The Darkest Day follows Izel Campbell who was raised to believe she was an immortal and from a long line of warriors known as the Fionn. She sets off to...more GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: Magic/Immortals
RECEIVED: Bought
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
Debut author Britt Bury has been a guest on my blog twice and I was thrilled to review her debut novel The Darkest Day. I was excited to dig into this exiting new world of immortals, magic and romance and definitely was not disappointed.

The Darkest Day follows Izel Campbell who was raised to believe she was an immortal and from a long line of warriors known as the Fionn. She sets off to visit her grandfather in Scotland only to discover that she not only human but also comes face to face with her families enemy, a man who stirs up something from within her. But this man finds that not only can’t he harm her but also he can’t resist her either.

Izel was a bit different in the female genre for me, usually the woman are tough and ready to kick some butt. But Izel was a little too hot and cold for my liking and sometimes got on my nerves. After thinking she was immortal for so long I though she would have more backbone, but she was fragile and very innocent. I did like that as the story progressed she began to learn her strengths and she matured as a person to someone I liked. I enjoyed the history behind her clan as well, also discovering who her grandfather is and the secret behind who she is.

Kelvin Kerr, is the man who not only goes against his instinct of killing a Campbell, aka who Izel is, but this warrior finds he has a soft side that he only shows to Izel. His character is the one I felt changes the most, he falls for a woman that’s suppose to be his enemy but in the end and after much banter goes against what he believed. I love the chemistry and the scenes with Izel and Kelvin were hot and emotional. His family is known as Pookah’s that have an animal instinct within them, Kelvins being a razorback. I liked this concept, even though I found the name Pookah to be strange for such tough warriors.

There is also a side story, to introduce the characters for future books. Ryo who is a witch with a snarky and fun attitude and someone I hope to read more about. There is also Ian, Kelvins brother who is having a hard time dealing with a demon princess. I’m dying to know what happens between these two because you can really feel the connection.

Overall the story may be focused on the romance of the lead characters its still about a long and deadly feud between the Pookahs and the Fionns, animal against magical. Bury’s writing was fast paced and exciting, her character developments were fantastic. I try to read paranormal romances that have a strong plots and I felt this one hit the spot right on. This is a paranormal romance that has humor, action, steamy scenes and a unique world that will hook the reader right at the beginning. I recommend this for PNR lovers and cant wait for more from debut author Britt Bury.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a paranormal romance with sexual content that is suitable for adults. Fans of Gena Showalters Lords of the Underworld series and Lynsay Sands Argeneau series will love Britt Burys Immortal Heat series.
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Aug 07, 2012 Diayll rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Paranormal Romance Fans

Shelves: joint-reviews, reviewed-by-heather-and-aimeekay

Originally Reviewed At:Mpother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author for Honest Review
Joint Review By: Heather and AimeeKay

Heather’s Thoughts on The Darkest Day:

The Darkest Day is best described as a captivating, sultry, sexy, page-turning read. It spans the genres of adult romance, urban fantasy, dystopian, and paranormal, which is not an easy task. Yet this author does it right, no, perfectly. Ok enough of my schmooze for now!

Our two main characters are Kelvin and Ize...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Tori Macallister rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-kindle, netgalley, the-latest

I think you know that a book is not doing it for you when you keep checking the progress bar on your ereader to see how much more you have to read before the story is DONE already. Not a good sign.

This book honestly felt like it was written like a beginning writer, and one that hadn't received enough feedback during the editing process. The world has a lot of potential to be interesting and a terrific vehicle - in an age where full-blooded humans are extinct from years of being prey for the supe...more I think you know that a book is not doing it for you when you keep checking the progress bar on your ereader to see how much more you have to read before the story is DONE already. Not a good sign.

This book honestly felt like it was written like a beginning writer, and one that hadn't received enough feedback during the editing process. The world has a lot of potential to be interesting and a terrific vehicle - in an age where full-blooded humans are extinct from years of being prey for the supernatural creatures who roam the earth, one lone woman, disguised all her life as a Fionn, transforms to reveal her true nature, that of a full-blooded human. That she does so in front of her sworn enemy, Kelvin Kerr, complicates matters more than a little.

The problems in this book are many for me. Our heroine is far from sympathetic, and I honestly thought for the first third of the book that she would end up with a diagnosed mental health condition. In the space of minutes, she would vacillate in her thinking and her emotions so often that I felt I had whiplash. Only the fact that she is the destined mate to Kelvin, a Razorback Pookah, and that she's beautiful would be why he is so compelled to have her. Any other man would run away in disgust.

Kelvin (and why pick a name that's also a temperature scale everyone learns in chemistry? I couldn't help but think of that constantly) is supposed to be the brooding, dark alpha male type, but other than the brutal murder of his father YEARS AGO, we discover no other reason for him being so tortured. He's as bad as our TSTL heroine, vacillating back and forth with his own emotions since he knows that falling for her is a betrayal of his family, blah, blah.

Yes, as other reviewers have remarked, the sex scenes were exceptional and well-written, but the lack of emotional intimacy between the two characters deadened their effect for me. Hot sex is awesome, when it is combined with growing emotional ties. Considering that these two people literally, despite spending hours in one another's company hiking through the Scottish wilderness, did not hold conversations with each other, ask opinions, share memories, or seek to discuss their growing feelings, it's impossible to imagine that any feeling they have is based on something other than simple biology.

I haven't been this disappointed in a book in a long time.(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ebook, request, paranormal-romance

The Campbell Fionn and Kerr Pookah feud has gone on for an absurd amount of time. Vows of vengeance and curses issued by mourners over a family members deathbed are about to create an insane amount of havoc on a prophecy that must come to fulfillment.

Izel has traveled to Scotland to visit with her grandfather. Upon her arrival everything she has ever known in her life drastically changes. The first noticeable changes are her. A spell placed upon her at birth falls away. The spell not only disgu...more The Campbell Fionn and Kerr Pookah feud has gone on for an absurd amount of time. Vows of vengeance and curses issued by mourners over a family members deathbed are about to create an insane amount of havoc on a prophecy that must come to fulfillment.

Izel has traveled to Scotland to visit with her grandfather. Upon her arrival everything she has ever known in her life drastically changes. The first noticeable changes are her. A spell placed upon her at birth falls away. The spell not only disguised her identity, but it suppressed every emotion she should have ever felt.

Kelvin has found the last member of the Campbell family that he needs to kill in order to avenge his father’s death in the manner that he sees fit. There is just one problem with killing this Fionn. As Izel’s cloaking spell falls away it is revealed that she is the last full blood human. Kelvin soon finds out that Izel being a human is the least of his problems.

I enjoyed reading Kelvin and Izel. They are easily likable characters, as are the other characters in this book. Britt has created a captivating new series, in a fascinating world that is on the cusp of a major battle between the different realms that will involve many different species. The possibilities for this series are endless.

There are several aspects when added to a book it almost guarantees that I will love it. I love cryptic prophecies. I love it even more when it gets so misunderstood and misinterpreted that it affects all involved differently than initially intended. Britt added a curse into this mix that worked really well for me, especially when it was revealed why it was put into place to begin with.

I am looking forward to continuing this series! Britt introduced several other characters that I want to know more about. Ryo the Righteous, the all awesome, the all-knowing witch is a great character. She is quirky and completes others thoughts before they ever think them. Ramsey was a perfect friend for Inez when she needed one. Readers are also introduced to the other types of Pookah’s. Kelvin’s family members have small roles, but I’m hoping to see more of them in future books.
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Jul 06, 2012 Niina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, absolute-favorites, fun-and-witty, giddy-kind-of-good, hot, sexy-shifters, whoa-loved-it

I've found a new favorite series and new favorite author! The Darkest Day has that sexy adventure feel of Immortals After Dark series, which is a favorite of mine, the hero is hot as hell, dark and brooding and has a counterpart in a heroine coming to her powers which makes for some hot chemistry!

Bury writes entertaining adventure, sizzlingly sexy encounters and engaging characters - which all adds up to awesome paranormal romance! I absolutely loved the chemistry between Izel and Kelvin, from t...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Nadine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I was lucky to receive an ARC of the The Darkest Day. It's a debut novel for Britt Bury. Honestly I never would have guessed this was her first book. She has created this new paranormal world where immortals of different beings inhabit the Earth and humans are extinct.

Izel Campbell grew up believing she was an immortal whose powers just haven't kicked in. She travels to Scotland to see her grandfather and to get answers about herself. Upon arriving she finds Kelvin Kerr instead. Kelvin is the B...more I was lucky to receive an ARC of the The Darkest Day. It's a debut novel for Britt Bury. Honestly I never would have guessed this was her first book. She has created this new paranormal world where immortals of different beings inhabit the Earth and humans are extinct.

Izel Campbell grew up believing she was an immortal whose powers just haven't kicked in. She travels to Scotland to see her grandfather and to get answers about herself. Upon arriving she finds Kelvin Kerr instead. Kelvin is the Battle Chief of the Kerr clan and unbeknownst to her, he's her greatest enemy.

Kelvin has been hunting for the heir to the Campbell clan. He's out to avenge his father's death. However, he never expected the Campbell heir to be a female. Oh yeah and for the last 25 years since she was born a magical enchantment was placed on her to keep her hidden. When she meets Kelvin the enchantment wears off, leaving behind a human. Izel is the last human AND she's Kelvin's mate.

Now, Kelvin is torn between honoring his family and giving in to the desire and claiming his mate. He leads her back to his estate with the promise to help her find her clan. As they make the journey he fights for her and protects her. He falls for her, but he fights it.

In the meantime, for the first time in her life Izel can feel emotions. She's overcome with lust, desire, anger, confusion, happiness. She falls for Kelvin too, but not knowing the history between their clans she doesn't understand why he pushes her away.

They can't resist each other. Kelvin finally claims her. He will deal with the repercussions later. He'll protect her from the dangers of being the last human, he'll stand up to his family for her being a Campbell, he'll tell her everything she needs to know. But, the Campbell clan comes for her first; revealing the truth. Izel is heartbroken. She gave herself completely to this man and he's deceived her. She leaves him. But, Kelvin won't let her get away or give up. She's his mate. He'll prove he loves her. Oh if only that were their only problem. Her grandfather, being the great mystic that he is, put a curse on Kelvin that may turn around and destroy his own clan in the end.

The whole story just flows perfectly. The characters and their dialogue are believable. And the chemistry between Kelvin and Izel is so hot! I seriously could not put this book down. I lost lots of sleep, but hey that's what coffee is for. :) This is an amazing start for Britt Bury and I can't wait for the next book in The Immortal Heat series.(less)

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Jun 28, 2012 Julie Ramsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: done

In this world Britt Bury created, things are very different. The world is full of magic, creatures and full of unknown demons, beings and everything that goes bump in the night. The one thing that is newly extinct is humans. Immortals are the norm and humans are thought to be a thing of the past. Izel, thinks she is a normal Fionn(works magic), she knows that something is about to change. She has received a letter form her grandfather. He has told her to leave all she knows and come to him. She...more In this world Britt Bury created, things are very different. The world is full of magic, creatures and full of unknown demons, beings and everything that goes bump in the night. The one thing that is newly extinct is humans. Immortals are the norm and humans are thought to be a thing of the past. Izel, thinks she is a normal Fionn(works magic), she knows that something is about to change. She has received a letter form her grandfather. He has told her to leave all she knows and come to him. She loves him and he is the last of her family. So, she comes to Scotland. After walking for miles she comes to his home and finds it empty. She is startled by a large man behind her. He calls her a McCall, the name that her grandfather had warned her of. If a man comes and calls you by this name, you RUN! She tries but, he is too big. He is going to kill her. Everything changes at that moment. Kelvin, a Pookah (razorback shifter), is sworn enemies of the Campbell clan. He is immortal. The clans have been fighting for hundreds of years, since they killed his father. He is searching for the mystic of the Campbell's, who has been missing. After arriving in his home he meets a woman. The woman who is the McCall(next leader) of his sworn enemies. He is going to kill her. For 25 yrs Izel has lived with feeling nothing. No love, no passion, no hate, nothing, for 25 yrs the mystic has been hiding Izel, hiding the fact she is the last human left on Earth. A prophecy says she is meant to bring peace to the clans and have great powers....Unless she meets a Pookah who will change her fated path.

This was an AWESOME story. Tons of action. My only complaint is some of the terms of the different types of people are a little confusing. Saying that, once you figure that out, oh my! The sexual tension is phenomenal.The actual scenes even better. You watch these two characters, Izel and Kelvin, grow, fight their attractions, lose that fight, and finally fall for one another. Just when you think things are going well, the floor drops and Izel's world changes. She, loves and hates this man. Loves what they shared but everything is based on a lie. This book was one of the best I have read in a long time. It also sets the stage for upcoming books that I will be looking for. If you like fantasy, paranormal, romance this is a must read! Adults only!! (less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

POSTED AT:

THE DARKEST DAY Falls between a Meh and a Yeah! on FANGS, WANDS and FAIRY DUST
I would love it if you check it out there!

THE DARKEST DAY
BRITT BURY
File Size: 553 KB
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Forever Yours (July 3, 2012)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
E-book only.
Provided by publisher via NetGalley. No remuneration exchanged. Unless noted, all opinions are my own.

ALL-CONSUMING DESIRE . . .

Izel Campbell was raised to believe she is an immortal Fionn with the magical skills of persuasio

...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Julia added it

Shelves: fantasy, dropbox, did-not-finish, fiction, arcs

I only made it 16% of the way through this one (thank you, Kindle, for pointless specificity). My first issue was with regards to the hero reacting to his father's death, NOT with the vow to kill the murderer. Oh no. He was going to wait for said murderer to find a wife, settle down, have children, and then our fine boy was going to kill them all. That's pretty darn premeditated and creeptastic. Skip forward to the "present", humans are extinct, our heroine, despite seeming pretty normal all aro...more I only made it 16% of the way through this one (thank you, Kindle, for pointless specificity). My first issue was with regards to the hero reacting to his father's death, NOT with the vow to kill the murderer. Oh no. He was going to wait for said murderer to find a wife, settle down, have children, and then our fine boy was going to kill them all. That's pretty darn premeditated and creeptastic. Skip forward to the "present", humans are extinct, our heroine, despite seeming pretty normal all around, claims she's never experienced an emotion. She claims this just as she's, well, experiencing emotions for the first time. And growing boobs and new hair. Yup, insta-puberty. Raging hormones, new body... despite the deep psychological consequences of having your face changed (in the real world), she reacts to her "new self" pretty well. Especially considering the fact that physical attraction sends her off the deep end, but for some reason a complete identity/species change doesn't flip her switch.

Then we get to the goodstuff, the "Fated Mate" explanation. Both hero and heroine are fighting their attraction when Kelvin decides to explain some little "quirks" of Razorback Pookah biology. They can only have sex with a woman once (winners). If she's not their mate, they're never interested again (typical). If she *is* their mate, they'll never want anyone else again (awww, that's sweet), unless they sleep with her on any day other than the Solstice, in which case, even though she IS their mate, they'll never sleep with her again and live life alone (what the hell?). In addition to being silly arbitrary, this little science lesson sucks any anticipation that may have survived thus far right out of the book. Let me tell you a secret, they're going to sleep together on the Solstice. Not until then, nope, feel free to skip all the weird family feuds and heavy breathing, they're going to wait until the Solstice. Someone will probably try to kill them or they'll have decided they're mortal enemies or Izel will have to chose between Kelvin and her "family", but it's going to happen, they're going to bang. And I have no desire to jump through more weird narrative hoops and wait for them to just get there already.(less)

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Sep 04, 2012 Joelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1)
by Britt Bury

5 stars

ALL-CONSUMING DESIRE . . . Izel Campbell was raised to believe she is an immortal Fionn with the magical skills of persuasion. But when she travels to Scotland to visit her ancestral home, Izel discovers that she is actually the world's last living human. Forced to run for her life, Izel crosses paths with Kelvin Kerr, the Campbells' greatest foe-and the most magnificent warrior she has ever seen. BURNS BRIGHTEST . . . A thousand-year-old b...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Morgan (Fictitious Escape Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc_netgallery

** More reviews are available here: http://morgan-irina.blogspot.com/

Title: The Darkest Day

Author: Britt Bury

Series: The first book in the Immortal Heat series.

Release Date: 7/3/12

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Recommended for: Fans of Kresley Cole's Immortal After Dark series.

Rating: 4.5 Bookmarks

Review: The Darkest Day is a promising debut and Bury holds nothing back on her first installment of the Immortal Heart series. The author builds a complex and complicated world around characters that evolv...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Ann has a dirty mouth rated it 4 of 5 stars

O.M.G. You guys, this book is really awesome- sweet, silly, sexy, everything we want from PNR. I was laughing my ass off nearly the entire time. I think it is going to be remembered as the debut book of the summer.

Anyways, what makes this universe unique is that everyone is an Immortal of some sort! Our heroine is the last mortal human left on earth. The silliness of this setup reminded me of Piers Anthony's Xanth books in that it functions both as an amazing fantasy world and a hilarious parod...more

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