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Dark Storm (Dark Carpathian #23)

by Christine Feehan (Goodreads Author)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 2,281 ratings · 290 reviews

Awakening after all this time in a world of absolute darkness and oppressive heat, Dax wonders in how many ways the world above must have changed. But it is how he has changed that fills him with dread and loathing. Buried alive for hundreds of years in a volcano in the Carpathian Mountains, Dax fears that he has become the full-fledged abomination that every Carpathian ma...more

Paperback, 329 pages

Published October 4th 2012 by Piatkus Books (first published September 1st 2012)

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Oct 14, 2012 Tory rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Can't wait!! I so hope it is Dominic's story, but that is probably hoping for too much... Then again you never know!!! :)

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Oct 16, 2012 Tracy Shikapwashya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

SPOILER ALERT!!
At first I was worried about the reviews, despite Christine being one of my favorite writers. I make sure to research my books through reviews before I purchase them (My hubby puts me on a budget, otherwise I would break the bank with my reading obsession)☺.

However I really enjoyed this book and can understand why Christine went the way she did and my conclusions are as follows:

1. Xavier is gone. He happened to be the main antagonist in relation to the Carpethians. However his evi...more SPOILER ALERT!!
At first I was worried about the reviews, despite Christine being one of my favorite writers. I make sure to research my books through reviews before I purchase them (My hubby puts me on a budget, otherwise I would break the bank with my reading obsession)☺.

However I really enjoyed this book and can understand why Christine went the way she did and my conclusions are as follows:

1. Xavier is gone. He happened to be the main antagonist in relation to the Carpethians. However his evil legacy lived on namely the parasites in the soil. This brings me my second conclusion...
2. The lack of female children born and the child mortality rate. We have had hints here and there through out most of her books that there was more to this situation than the obvious conclusions and I think it fitting that the solution to their problem might be as simple as the courtship ritual. You have to remember that even as long lived as the Carpethians are they are more solitary creatures in nature; add to this the fact the species was going extinct, it is safe to say that a lot of traditions and rituals were lost or forgotten.
3. In reference to Christine speeding through towards the end...I don't think that is fair to say. The characters were so well developed because of the difference in the way she wrote his book by the middle of the book; that giving every single detail from the helicopter ride, to getting the De la Cruz house, to the meeting of all the characters would have been redundant and repetitive making this a tiresome read.
4. Last but not least I think that this book is a segway into more, we're still not sure if the flower is the answer. Also Mitro might not be completely dead and gone...he might have had more slivers out there that we are not aware of.

Like I said with Xavier gone the main antagonist is history, but with so many unanswered questions in reference to certain characters and issues Ms. Feehan has the liberty to take us anywhere from this point. Also I'm really glad we got a happy ending for Arabellija (I hope I spelled that right), sort of at least through her strongest descendant...she was an enigma, always one character there but not there with so much mystery surrounding her.

I look forward to more of Christine's Dark Series (less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Diana N rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: print, for-review, vampires

The first half of this book was like reading the series for the first time. I experienced that same sense of excitement and enthrallment that I had when I picked up Dark Prince for the first time. I enjoyed seeing each character's actions/reaction before they met the other. And once they met each other, I very much enjoyed how they connected and bonded.

But around the middle, the story started getting stretched out and slow. There were definitely scenes I skimmed because they were boring or to de...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Lily Pilly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Well......this story did drag on initally and I can see those who are not familiar with Carpethian series feeling lost....For me, it was a well-written story but did lack intensity/emotion in a deeper sense which meant this book was lukewarm for me...However, I think that this is a good book for those who are not into emotionally intense paranormal romance...I thkn this book is almost for the YA ....so I couldn't finish it..there is something about her female characters that I just can't get war...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Miki rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: never-read-again

These books are an insult to the countless trees that have given their lives for them. This one is no better than the rest in this series, in fact, it's among the worst. Bad writing, stupid people, totally unbelievable situations, even for fantasy.

I need help to stop reading them. They are so awful I've run out of ways to describe them, and yet, when the library posts a new one, I have been one of the first to reserve it. I think I'll start a support group. I can picture it now..."Hi, my name is...more

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Oct 08, 2012 MelissaB rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, carpathian-series, vampires, kindle, 2012-reads

* 3 1/2 stars *

I enjoyed this one for the most part but had a few issues. There were some really strange scene transitions between chapters, we would suddenly be in a new place and were barely given information on what happened between scenes. There was too much time spent in the character's thoughts and conversations and not enough action. I felt the book had potential to be more exciting than it was, though the romance itself was nice. The hero was a much better guy in this book than the last...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Áine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, adult-fiction, modern-romance

Typical of the series... not much more to say. I enjoyed the first few books more, as they were something new to me, than I do now when there are fewer things to discover about the world of the Carpathians. As a paranormal romance, Dark Storm holds few surprises. The tall, dark, and generally overbearing male creature is "saved" by the somehow special and beautiful protagonist. You know from the beginning that there will be a HEA (happily ever after) for the couple. All evils are overcome or ban...more

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Dec 25, 2012 The Unnamed rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay honestly?

I give this series, in its entirety, a 4.8, but as for this specific book, a 3.5. I recently picked up Dark Prince on November 22 2012 and today I can proudly say I caught up with Christine Feehans' hectic series.

After a certain point all authors get repetitive and their writing style becomes drawn out when they take on long projects or sign up for multiple book contracts. I was prepared for that and gave her the benefit of the doubt. On her behalf however she has switched things...more Okay honestly?

I give this series, in its entirety, a 4.8, but as for this specific book, a 3.5. I recently picked up Dark Prince on November 22 2012 and today I can proudly say I caught up with Christine Feehans' hectic series.

After a certain point all authors get repetitive and their writing style becomes drawn out when they take on long projects or sign up for multiple book contracts. I was prepared for that and gave her the benefit of the doubt. On her behalf however she has switched things up in several books, added to the allure and mystery in others, introduced new species and hinted at a future, an almost united species summit(to help with the vamp. situation)

Overall considering the surplus of trash I'm faced with when in need of a good paranormal romance, this series was a good find. Mages, spells, werepeps, vampires...ghosts (shadow warriors), you name it and she's got it. So shout out to her, she actually has talent and a true artistic sense when it comes to writing.

Now my main peevance when it comes to her works is her tendency to abruptly end a story.

Imagine if I had simply left my review there. I build up on the dynamics of her stories, talk of why I respect her work, illustrate some of the techniques she has used to keep me interested; but then state my one complaint and then not explain why I've come to that conclusion. It has an unsavoury flavour and leaves one unsatisfied.

Doesn’t It?

What kind of ending is; "They waited together before the little cat joined them, before holding hands and walking out into the sun." (Dark Peril). Sorry but that utter manure! And not just any manure but blue ribbon garden growing, lawn trimming, 2.5 tulip growing, championship manure!

I get no sense of closure from these characters, an extra 5 pages; even 5 paragraphs would have made a difference. Christine rarely touches upon a past couple if she mentions them in another book, and the reference to a previous pairing tends to be vague and not all together conclusive. The only exceptions are The Prince and his Right Hand, otherwise the couples are never touched again.

I treat Dark Celebration as more of a novella; it was just one drawn out prank and a small yet ever elusive vampire hunt. The conclusion in this book was even worse! "Life was good." (Dark Storm). You're telling me you couldn't even have 2 pages on what her first night with him was after the conversion. State if her connection to the earth was even stronger now that she was fully converted? Couldn't have a little tease, a little romance or just something to definitely illustrate the (complete and utter bliss at have the perfect half of your soul connected to you for the rest of your life, and the first rising of being with them was so stupendous that it just had to be captured upon paper for all time)...not even that?

I'm a patient reader, and I understand the time it takes to build suspense and plot holes. Look at The Dark Mage; it took nearly 14 books to fully expose his motives and character. I don't mind that; have no complaints (so long as a decisive picture is illustrated along the lines as some point in time). I've already established that some themes will be restated due to the nature of series but and I must mention, BUT; that is no excuse for ending your novels without any embellishment.
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Nov 25, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Nineteenth in the Dark / Carpathian paranormal romance series. The couple focus is on Riley and Dax.

My Take
Feehan's done a switch up. It was getting a bit boring with the same
ol', same ol', and Dark Storm is still essentially the same storyline except this time the good guy and the bad guy are trapped inside a volcano. For the past 500 years thanks to the female descendants of the original lifemate. And we now have a dragon entering the pantheon.

Why is it that crucial information, education, is...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Carey Sabala rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I honestly wasn't sure how I'd like this book. I absolutely love Christine Feehan but I'm not a huge fan of her Dark series although I continue to read it, don't ask. Curiously I found myself actually liking this one a lot more then I thought I would. Right from the start, you have tons of action going on. I'm not sure if I'd recommend the audio book though, that's what I did and the readers are not that enthusiastic and having two people read from different chapters is a bit confusing. I think...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I fell in Love with Christine Feehan's "dark" series years ago...in Dark Prince we see a group of Carpathians trying to live among humans without harming them. They are dying out because their females cannot conceive or lose babies within a year of birth. The soil the sleep in has been tainted so that they do not infuse the minerals they need to reproduce. They are NOT vampires. The males of their species will turn into vampire if they do not find their lifemates. A woman born specifically to be...more I fell in Love with Christine Feehan's "dark" series years ago...in Dark Prince we see a group of Carpathians trying to live among humans without harming them. They are dying out because their females cannot conceive or lose babies within a year of birth. The soil the sleep in has been tainted so that they do not infuse the minerals they need to reproduce. They are NOT vampires. The males of their species will turn into vampire if they do not find their lifemates. A woman born specifically to be light to their dark, and thus keep them from turning. In Dark Prince it is discovered that the Carpathians can reproduce with Psychic humans...and her tales are about these meeting/bonding/hunting.
Danutdaxton is a hunter, who devoted his life to hunting and killing vampires. He has a sense that shows him which Carpathians have the DARK gene that will most likely turn them evil. After a particularly heinous vampire slaughters the future lifemates family, Mitro, then does the ceremony that attaches his lifemate to him for all eternity.
Danetdaxton and Arabejila(Mitro's bonded lifemate) was the perfect team to track Mitro. After many murderous attacks and horrible massacres, Dax and Arabejila finally corner Mitro inside a South American Volcano...and Arabejila uses her earth magic to seal the volcano...unfortunately Dax is sealed in also. A lifetime, plus many more for these immortals, locks them into a never ending battle to see who will win.
Riley Parker is the decendent of Arabejila and must travel with her mother to re-do the spell that eternally keeps the evil locked in the volcano. This MUST be done every few years to keep the magic strong. During this trip many will die, the volcano will erupt letting evil loose on the unsuspecting natives in the jungle. And when Dax and Riley meet sparks fly for them too. Riley is Dax's lifemate. Her magic is earth oriented...and it will take all she has and Dax's Carpathian abilities to get her party and others they rescue down off the exploding volcano without falling prey to the many traps Mitro has left to hinder and kill.
This tale gives us a wonderrful view of the South American rain forests, love and romance between two so deserving individuals.(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Suz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr

3.5 stars. This was better than some of the more recent offerings in the series but I still had several places where I had trouble with suspension of disbelief.

The heroine was much more likeable than in many of these books and the hero wasn't quite the chest pounding, alpha bone head which made him much more likeable, too.
I have to admit that the amount of time in these books spent with just restating the same thing over and over, always about how wonderful he and she is, how obsessed this one...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Death and Love on a Mountainside.

This story is about Danutdaxton (Dax) and Riley Parker. Dax introduces us to a new type of Carpathian hunter. He has been locked inside a volcano in the Andes for countless centuries; his self-imposed entombment necessary as a Carpathian hunter to kill Mitro Daratrazanoff, the worst vampire in his neck of the woods so-to-speak. Dax has endured heat, fire and countless battles with Mitro over the centuries all while sealed within this mountain housing volcano. He...more
Death and Love on a Mountainside.

This story is about Danutdaxton (Dax) and Riley Parker. Dax introduces us to a new type of Carpathian hunter. He has been locked inside a volcano in the Andes for countless centuries; his self-imposed entombment necessary as a Carpathian hunter to kill Mitro Daratrazanoff, the worst vampire in his neck of the woods so-to-speak. Dax has endured heat, fire and countless battles with Mitro over the centuries all while sealed within this mountain housing volcano. He apparently does not need to feed his ravenous hunger because the power of the volcano feeds him its energy and strength in the same way a Carpathian draws sustenance from the veins of his human prey…. convenient. Too bad Jacques Dubrinsky didn’t have that handy little trick while he was staked and buried alive being tortured for 25 years. He could have used the energy. (Dark Desire, book 2 in Dark Series) Dax becomes infused with a power far greater than anything he has come across when he needs it the most. I won’t tell you what it is, but I could see a whole new direction for this Dark Series or a whole new series. As always, I love Christine’s Carpathian Male. He has all the right stuff. We also learn of a flower that should be used in the Carpathian mating ritual (besides sex and blood sharing) that may help in the over all conception rate in the females. This flower once bloomed in the Carpathian Mountains but with the deathly microbes in the soil all have become extinct there. ( you have to read the series to know what I am talking about ) I digress… with the use of this flower one of the sexiest seduction scenes using props unfolds much to my delight *grins*.

Riley Parker and her mom Annabel, must make a trek every year to chant over and reinforce the entrance/s to the volcano. Truths and gifts were handed down to the women in their family. By birthright Annabel and Riley must use their gifts, so the village close by will not be swallowed up and the evil trapped there released. I should let you know that something happens and if you have recently lost your mom, don’t read this book at this time. The first half of this book is violent. I found myself skimming over a lot of the violence because I do NOT enjoy reading it. There is always some violence in the Carpathian the books; it is essential, but never as much as in this one. We don’t meet Dax until chapter 3 and then it is chapter 7 before he and Riley’s first encounter, about a third of the way into the book. Once together, they make a wonderful couple and it is at this point I begin enjoying the book. The story is good, but less violence and not so abrupt ending (I couldn't believe it), would have made me give this book a 5 star rating. I am about ready for Ms. Feehan to return to the Carpathian Mountains. I am tired of these South American stories and I want to say….I do NOT enjoy paying so much for a Kindle book and it ends at 87%. The rest is crap I never read. Carpathian chants, dictionary, song to heal the earth etc.
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Oct 19, 2012 Bookmom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had high hopes for a more fascinating story set in the Carpathian world. The rain forest sounds good. We've never had a volcano before. The most powerful hunter that ever lived? Ok, we have that one in many of the books. Are Carpathian males raised to have inflated egos? A dragon is good, as is a human female with a strong connection to the Earth. And dang, we've got a Daratrazanoff as the bad guy!

The females in Riley's line have come to this volcano every five years for the past five hundred,...more I had high hopes for a more fascinating story set in the Carpathian world. The rain forest sounds good. We've never had a volcano before. The most powerful hunter that ever lived? Ok, we have that one in many of the books. Are Carpathian males raised to have inflated egos? A dragon is good, as is a human female with a strong connection to the Earth. And dang, we've got a Daratrazanoff as the bad guy!

The females in Riley's line have come to this volcano every five years for the past five hundred, and do a ritual to strengthen the binding that keeps evil contained. And these females must be born there in order to ensure they get the Earth's gift. Riley and her mother are delayed this time and the evil escapes. Riley had never really believed the stories about what and why they were doing what they were until it falls on her shoulders.

Dax had been chasing the incredibly powerful and evil Daratrazanoff for centuries. The vampire had a lifemate, but chose a path of evil at a young age. With Dax' consent, she trapped both the hunter and the vampire in the volcano and it's her line that does the ritual.

The book starts off interesting, but turns into the same ole, same ole once Dax and Riley meet. I just never got excited about their relationship; possibly because she was so accepting from the get go.

The aspect dealing with the volcano was good and I've always liked her books set in the rain forest. Riley's ability is a nice change and it's good to see a human female on the firing line. We do get something unique with the dragon which was interesting. I enjoyed the fact that both Gary and Jubal have large parts in the story. And hmmm, will there be a story on Jubal?

But the fact that we had a Daratrazanoff as the vampire and the only mention of his family is that it's prominent or powerful--I can't recall which word Dax used--was disappointing. We don't get a lot from the vampire's point of view, and after being imprisoned in a volcano for five hundred years, I guess the last thing on his mind was his family. But we never find out if he's a brother to the other five we've met. Is he an uncle or cousin? It's too bad the only thing we really know about him is what Dax tells us. It felt like a missed opportunity.

I enjoyed most of the story due to the different setting and circumstances, but much of the formula is the same and the story has a rushed feeling with a sudden ending. An epilogue would have been nice.

The last ten percent of the book is devoted to information on Carpathian healing chants, the language and grammar.
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Oct 16, 2012 Shauni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I did something rather unusual with this book, I waited over a week to read it AND I read other reviews on it first. Now that may not seem like a big deal to you but it is highly irregular for me. That being said, this review will reflect those concepts and will have include some questions that come to mind.. some might consider those questions spoilers.. *grins* ok, disclaimer done.

Dark Storm is the 23rd in Christine Feehan's Dark Series.. or as I like to call it her Carpathian Series. In many...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Nefertiti rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars. Decent enough story, but it adds nothing to the series.

When I started reading this book I asked myself: "Who are these people?" "Why should I care about them?" After finishing the book, I'm still asking myself those questions.

I'm frustrated because I feel that 23 books into the Dark series, Feehan needs to be writing a resolution or at least working towards one. Instead, she's introducing characters that no one (not even the main characters) know exist and all we get in the end from...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Mari (Smut Duchess) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I used to LOVE the Carpathians. Back in the day before e-readers I would park my plump butt outside of the bookstore until they opened for these books.

The last few installments have been disappointing for me and this latest one was so blah I don't even know where to begin.

It's set in the jungles / rainforest of Peru. Right there was the first strike against it. I am so weary of these South American rainforest settings I could scream. It's time to move the storylines elsewhere. Anywhere but the b...more I used to LOVE the Carpathians. Back in the day before e-readers I would park my plump butt outside of the bookstore until they opened for these books.

The last few installments have been disappointing for me and this latest one was so blah I don't even know where to begin.

It's set in the jungles / rainforest of Peru. Right there was the first strike against it. I am so weary of these South American rainforest settings I could scream. It's time to move the storylines elsewhere. Anywhere but the bug infested jungle (and Ms. Feehan writes PAGES about the damn bugs). And those jaguar people.....just move on.

The hero, Dax, was wishy washy at best. The villian, Mitro, was disappointing. The heroine, Riley, was so accomodating, she was like a 'Stepford Wife'.

Dax displayed very little of the usual possessiveness, jealousy or dominating traits that I expect from the Carpathians.

When Riley is told she's a lifemate her response is sooo bland. Oh, OK I'm a lifemate, now what?

There was no disagreement between the characters and no sexual tension.

The overall story arc of saving the Carpathians from extinction has become an after-thought and readers get a small bone tossed at them but there is no expansion or conclusion to entice the reader to wait another year for another book.

It's time to wrap this series up. Save the Carpathians from evil and let them live happily ever after.

Moving on to my personal pet peeve regarding romance books. Giving the heroines 'boy' names. WTW?? In Dark Storm Riley is 25 years old. I looked back at the most popular names for girls in the mid-late 80's and 'Riley' ain't there! I want the girls to have girl names and the guys to have manly names. Especially in a long running series. It's hard enough keeping the characters straight but with the confusion of gender neutral names it's even worse. I'm beginning to think that author's do this intentionally just to vex their readers. If I can take 30 seconds to do a name search than so can authors!

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Oct 03, 2012 Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: edwina-i-love-books

This review is from: Dark Storm (Carpathian) (Hardcover)
First let me say I don't understand the 1 and 2 star ratings, this is a very good story an a bit different than the other Dark series books, which makes it totally interesting. Sometime I think other authors send their devout minions to do harm to other better selling authors. I have seen this pattern for a few years now and It's just not right!!

I loved Riley she is a descendant of Arabejila the "Flower Lady" as some refer to her from prev...more This review is from: Dark Storm (Carpathian) (Hardcover)
First let me say I don't understand the 1 and 2 star ratings, this is a very good story an a bit different than the other Dark series books, which makes it totally interesting. Sometime I think other authors send their devout minions to do harm to other better selling authors. I have seen this pattern for a few years now and It's just not right!!

I loved Riley she is a descendant of Arabejila the "Flower Lady" as some refer to her from previous Dark series books. Christine Feehan has given us and intelligent young women, who has eminence powers of her own. She is not a warrior'hunter like Natalya Ivory and Destiny' but she could be with the power she wills. Riley is very feminine and makes a great Lifemate to Danutdaxton "Dax", the Carpathian hunter who has voluntarily imprisoned himself to trap Mitro the most vile powerful vampire so far in the Dark series. They have be imprisoned their for centuries inside a volcano.

The story is fast paced the battle scene between Dax and Mitro are amazing. I couldn't believe Mitro's family linage you will be shocked when you find out who's family he is from, but it does explain why he was the most powerful vampire so far. The love scenes are not as many, but are just as scorching HOT AND SEXY!! Dax is the oldest Carpathian alive and he can do amazing things, He is so deserving of Riley. They are my all time new perfect couple. We also, get to visit old friends the De La Cruz family.

The story has a bit of humor to it. Making it not so depressing as PR sometimes can be. I really liked that Gary Jensen and Jubal Sanders were main characters in the book. They lived up to what we have come to expect of them, as being human companions to the Carpathian people.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ!! and like I said I really don't get the 1 an 2 stars for this book and I always respect others opinion, but I had to speck out this time and say they must have had other motives. I will say one thing that I agree with it is time to bring the series to an honorable happy close!!! VERY WELL DONE CHRISTINE!!!
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Oct 03, 2012 Latte rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like the series overall but after 22 previous stories, where do we go with this one? The whole book was a slow read for me. I still finished it in a day but felt the storyline sort of dragged.

Riley isn't told Dax is is a Carpathian male till about halfway through the book? Just seemed like there was too much setup prior to that point that wasn't quite necessary. And while he was trapped forever in the volcano, how is it no other previous character of the same age recalls certain rituals that...more

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May 01, 2013 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like this series, but I was a bit disappointed with this particular book. It just seemed that it was "phoned in" so to speak. I know that those of us familiar with the series know the particulars about Carpathians and their day to day lives, but Riley didn't and it seems to me she got shortchanged in the info department. It felt rushed and forced. The whole reason I got into this series was the journey of discovery between two lifemates. After finishing this one, I kinda feel robbed. The inter...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Taria Reed rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, vampires

Ok I have been through 22 other Carpathian books, so I know the formula and the way things are. I loved that in the last few books they took on a male narrator and a female narrator. The best to do it in my opinion was Phil Gigante and his co-narrator (sorry I'm too lazy right now to go find her name). But I will say that this book is leaving me a bit annoyed.

The female narrator is the dominant narrator as the Riley's POV has the majority of "face time". I enjoy Dax's POV and the male narrator....more

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Oct 19, 2012 Suka Babe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ive given this 3 stars because I love the series. Unfortunately it will not go down as one of my favorite carpathian storys. Although, I did love the guts of the story and the main characters were wonderful but for me the story seemed like it was actually a short novella and the author tried to make the story stretch out to make it into a bigger book. There was alot of unecessary waffle that went on page after page, I even skipped some pages just to get to the point where the story continued on...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I am going to do what I have never done before,and that is give a Christine Feehan book a four star rating. I hate to do it but I felt that I had to. I was disappointed in the first half of this book. The fact that the hero and heroine did not even meet until close to 40% into the book was a huge let down for me. I can understand maybe the first few chapters, but not almost half of the book! In saying that, once Dax and Riley do finally meet then the book picks up for me.
The villan in thi...more

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Oct 05, 2012 A-Hersia A rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: loved-it-done-it, friggin-hawt

Not saying it was "Amazing" but the story was well written. Deserves full five stars. Dax, the hero, was different, unique, powerful Carpathian and sexy as hell as Riley was as well. The writing was very much peaceful, but nothing close to Dark Predator. There was some parts that was a lil' bit 'emotionless', if you get my meaning, like Ms. Feehan didn't put her passion in it. I wanted so much to happened in that book, to see the Carpathian Mountains again. And Mikhail and the others, but looks...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Lisa Lap rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books-read, fantasy, fiction, paranormal, paranormalromance

Finally a return to the way the Dark Series started. An old Carpathian warrior struggling to hold on to his sanity and not cross over into darkness by turning vampire. An old vampire whom he has battled for centuries. A woman with immeasurable talents that locked them both into a volcano over five hundred years ago to protect the earth. Her last ancestor awakening the two ancient beings by crossing onto the ground where they both slumber. One wants to kills her and one recognizes her as his salv...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Heather Wiese rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, I can't believe it's already 23 into the series!

This one is about Dax, an ancient Hunter who has been trapped into a volcano with his vampire nemesis for the last 500 years, and Riley, a human descendant of a Carpathian and the Incas.

Riley has been gifted with languages all her life and that's the only talent that manifests with her right away. Her mother is the one with the supernatural connection to plants and the Earth. They are on their way to the volcano to perform a ritual which is...more

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May 03, 2013 Levi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A truly anticlimactic ending doesn't, in the end, totally cripple the story, and neither does the sometimes overly dramatic although generally enjoyable and snappy dialogue.

The books strong point, in my opinion, is the strong and believably flawed female lead. Most of Feehan's female leads are either overly insecure, or overly heroic. Riley is neither, but is instead a believable representation of an intelligent and gifted young woman struck hard by tragedy and doing her best to understand the...more

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Dec 26, 2012 JazzRizz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, library, listened-to-audiobook

I can't stop reading/listening to this series. The first half of the book reminded me why I love this series so much. Intrigue, suspense, action . . . and the two lifemates don't actually see each other until midway through the book.

There are parts of this book that I absolutely adored. But I have to say, the "together-time" was kind of a snooze-fest for me. While I got the connection between Dax and Riley . . . they just didn't have that smokin' hot connection that some of the other couples hav...more

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Jan 03, 2013 K rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of paranormal romance and/or series

Recommended to K by: fan of series

After the somewhat abrupt ending of the previous book, and w/ no indication of what was going to happen next, I was genuinely curious to see where this book would go. More importantly, who it would feature. Before going much further, I must admit that after reading the summary I was disappointed, not to mention a little frustrated, that this was a whole new character and not one from the previous books. But, as a fan of the series, curiosity got the better of me. And in this instance, I am glad...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Lorraine Sears rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Carpathian world of Christine Feehan was my first foray into the world of paranormal romance. A chance find in my local library introduced me to Lucian and Gabriel, mighty Carpathian Hunters and twins to boot. Like all Carpathian Hunters they have a single goal, which is to rid the world of evil vampires. But all Carpathian men share a curse too; if they do not find their lifemate, the one woman in all the world who possess the other half of their soul, the light to their dark, then they ris...more The Carpathian world of Christine Feehan was my first foray into the world of paranormal romance. A chance find in my local library introduced me to Lucian and Gabriel, mighty Carpathian Hunters and twins to boot. Like all Carpathian Hunters they have a single goal, which is to rid the world of evil vampires. But all Carpathian men share a curse too; if they do not find their lifemate, the one woman in all the world who possess the other half of their soul, the light to their dark, then they risk becoming the very thing they hunt or making a choice to greet the sun and die an agonising death.

In a series that risks becoming stale and repetitive, over time Feehan has introduced new species, climbed the tree of life and then plumed it’s roots and has taken her readers to the ‘other side’ to walk with ancient Carpathian ancestors, long since passed. Often stories have deviated so much from her tried and tested formula that it was a slog to get through and only my loyalty to the series kept me going. Dark Storm is the twenty-third book in this lengthy series and for me, it was a return to form for Feehan taking me back to when I first fell in love with her books.

Each book strengthens the Carpathian legacy, introducing new characters but also drawing on those we’ve met previously so that in your head you almost become a part of this amazing race.

Dark Storm pits ancient Carpathian Hunter, Dax against his lifelong foe and willingly turned vampire nemisis, Mitro. By the ancient magic of Mitro’s lifemate, Arabejila, a woman he turned from to in order to embrace evil, both Hunter and vampire have been locked deep inside a sleeping volcano, in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest. Every five years, the female descendants of Arabejila journey to the fiery mountain, tasked with reinforcing the magic safeguards that keep Mitro locked deep inside.

But this year Mitro is waiting for them, having relentlessly planned and prepared for his escape, his brutal, evil threatens to bring devastation to the young woman Riley as she accompanies her recently widowed mother on the dangerous journey made by their ancestors for hundreds of years. But as Mitro finally escapes so too does Dax. And in his lifelong pursuit of Mitro he stumbles upon the one ting he never thought he would find; his lifemate. And there in starts the real tale as Dax strives to hunt down and kill Mitro, but also to woo and court the young Riley and bring her across to his Carpathian world.

Dark Storm is a gripping read that makes putting the book down almost impossible. However, there are moments when die-hard fans of the series will recognise settings and the familiar rhythm to Feehan’s erotic scenes. There is an underlying blue print to nearly every book in this series which makes reading them both comforting and enjoyable, yet also a little predictable. But as a reader who likes to put on my comfy old slippers now and then it’s this blue print that brings me back time and again for each and every instalment. I own every book in the ‘Dark Series’.

As the series has progressed, especially in latter books where the Carpathian world has grown so vast, not only are there Family Trees and lineage in the front of each novel, but at the back you will also find appendices and other references that unlock the Carpathian language and some of its customs. These tools, while initially interesting to some, leave me frustrated and grumpy. They take up significant pages at the end of each novel where you may hope to find a progression in the tale. And, sadly this is true of Dark Storm; where a fantastic gift is given to Dax’s lifemate at the very end of the story, rather than treat the reader to a glimpse of what the future holds for the couple, we get a short bland final sentence before turning the page to find Appendix 1.

If I could say one thing to Christine Feehan it would be this: Why not do what J.R. Ward has done with her Black Dagger Brotherhood series and create a single encyclopaedic book with a couple of shorts thrown in for good measure to give the decision to the readers as to whether or not they want to learn more.

However, that final sentence is just three words, and in no way removes the rollercoaster enjoyment of the rest of the book. So don’t be put off!

If this sounds like a story you’d like to sink your teeth into (pun intended) I whole heartedly recommend it. But I would suggest if you haven’t encountered the Carpathian world before, that you start at the beginning with Dark Prince and meet each character in order, learning the ways and customs of this ancient race as you go.

You can find out more about the amazing world of the Carpathians as well as order of the entire series on Christine Feehan’s website: www.christinefeehan.com/dark_series
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About Christine Feehan

#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan has over 40 novels published, including four series. Each of her four series has hit #1 on the NY Times. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature for 1999. Since then she has been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7...more

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Dark Storm (Dark Carpathian #23)

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