Eve of Darkness (Marked, #1)

May 06, 2009 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Sometimes, I really need a "bad smut" category. This would be one of those times. I just had to read this, even though there was a little voice in the back of mind telling me I was going to regret it. But really... a book that sets up a love triangle between Cain and Abel (yes, THAT Cain and Abel) as a supernatural fantasy story? How could I resist?

I should have tried harder.

Ok, I do have to admit the writing itself, was by and all, not that bad. I have read worst writing.

In this case it was t...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Tez rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Religion is real in S. J. Day's Eve of Darkness.

Cain and Abel are pseudonymously known nowadays as Alec Cain and Reed Abel. Lifelong brothers and enemies, they have lots to fight over, including Evangeline Hollis. Agnostic Eve has been Marked as a sinner, and has gone from interior designer to demon-killer-in-training. Alec and Reed want her to accept her fate, but Eve wants the mark removed and her life back. God, however, has other plans.

The first chapter is a stunner, combining the normalcy o...more Religion is real in S. J. Day's Eve of Darkness.

Cain and Abel are pseudonymously known nowadays as Alec Cain and Reed Abel. Lifelong brothers and enemies, they have lots to fight over, including Evangeline Hollis. Agnostic Eve has been Marked as a sinner, and has gone from interior designer to demon-killer-in-training. Alec and Reed want her to accept her fate, but Eve wants the mark removed and her life back. God, however, has other plans.

The first chapter is a stunner, combining the normalcy of a football game with...what lurks in the men's toilets. The rest of the novel is six weeks of backstory, with flashbacks to ten years ago when Alec deflowered Eve. Though the publisher has labelled this urban fantasy, more likely it'll appeal to paranormal romance fans because of the relationship stuff going on. Brothers fighting over a woman: Alec and Reed seriously need to get over themselves, and play nice for the sake of humanity. Okay, for Heaven's sake. (I really didn't want to make a pun in this review, but look what you made me do.) Mind you, if they haven't grown up properly during the however many thousand years they've been alive, they're hardly going to start now.

I'm not entirely sure why Eve was Marked. Since sinners are drafted to kill demons, her sin must be...rooting Reed in the stairwell after they just met, and maybe didn't know each other's names. I'm not quite clear on that, or maybe because she "tempted" both brothers. I must have forgotten this detail, or it wasn't explained well enough, which is a problem when your protag is a "chosen one" - readers want to know why.

The series concept seems so obvious in hindsight, it's actually a surprise that no one thought to do it before. The author's angels and demons are well-crafted and original, as is the worldbuilding. But then when witches and werewolves come into the picture...it seems a bit kitchen sink. The dogs and Eve communicating via thought seemed a little too easy, but I'd just come off reading Jeanne C. Stein's first two novels, where vampires communicate that way. Seems too much like telling than showing.

I like Eve's relationship with neighbour Mrs Basso. It's nice for Eve to have a friend, and Eve's mum Miyoko is really intriguing. Born in Japan, she later became a naturalised American, but I'd love to read about American life through Japanese eyes. It gives me hope that S. J. Day will move on to feature other religions, such as Shogun and Shinto (if I remember eighth grade social studies correctly, which I probably don't). Eve is a breath of fresh air in that she's biracial. Usually in paranormal fiction characters are half-vampire or half-werewolf, so it's just splendid to have someone who's human on both sides with parents from different countries. This may make it easier for readers to connect with Eve, and urban fantasy protags can definitely do with more ethnicity. (It goes without saying that Eve is hot: particularly on the cover of the upcoming second book in this series, Eve of Destruction. Just so you know.)

Overall the concept seems better than the execution thus far, but now that the backstory is out of the way we can get to the good stuff. We haven't met God yet, or Lucifer. And since there are other firms in the world, hopefully we'll have some international action. There are a lot of possibilities, so this series could end up longer than just the three (so far) contracted novels. I hope so.(less)

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Apr 02, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book has a great twist on the story of Cain and Able from the bible with a nice infusion of God (in reference in the background) and the Archangels. In this book you have Evangeline/Eve a human at the beginning of the book. Then you have the best warring brothers of all time Cain and Able. Throw in and Archangel or two a few Marks and some Werewolves, Nix's, Mages and Demons and you have a great story.

This book is a Trilogy. I had read this one a few months back and finally got around to bu...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Misty Baker rated it 3 of 5 stars

*A 3.5 Review*

You know that feeling you get when you plop down on the coach, snuggle up with whatever random blanket you found on the floor, and prepare to watch your favorite show? You are happy. This is your time. Time to let your hair down, pretend that you’re not drinking an entire bottle of wine by yourself and let the beautiful world of television drama drag you away into a world that is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen. Which of course is why you love it so much...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For those of you that are fans of Sylvia Day as much as I am, I want to mention that The Marked Series is being separated by her pseudonym S.J. Day because these books are unlike her other romance books. Although Eve of Darkness isn’t exactly romance it is very adult! So I don’t think fans will be disappointed at all – it’s just different than Bared To You.

Even though Eve of Darkness isn’t like her normal books, I enjoyed it very much. The book begins when Eve, who has become part of a group cal...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban

First in the Marked urban fantasy series and revolving around Eve Hollis for the sins Cain couldn't resist committing.

My Take
Everything in this revolves around Eve. Cain fell in love with her years ago. Abel is extremely attracted. Raguel is manipulating everything around her Marking to ensure his being involved with her.

Cain is genuine in his love for Eve, and I suspect Abel's attraction is the upheaval intended to create the obvious drama. It's Raguel I'm curious about. His obsession appears...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Fedora rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eve of Darkness, the first in S.J. Day's Marked series, has been sitting on my TBR for ages and I finally picked it up. It's a very fast-paced story, and we readers are thrown into the action along with Eve, aka Evangeline Hollis, a newly Marked one who also happens to be sort of Cain's love interest. Yes. That Cain...

Ms. Day gives that old Biblical story a spin of her own, and in this world, all of those sinners chosen to work off their sins are given a literal Mark of Cain, which turns them in...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Christopher Slater rated it 3 of 5 stars

The following review is from my blog Cure my Writer's Block
Wow! This book is so very difficult to categorize and critique because there are so many different aspects and approaches that one can focus on. I will try to look at the most important ones and do my best to paint a coherent picture.

Storyline
To call the storyline unique would be quite an understatement. While the idea of angels and demons fighting it out on Earth is far from a new one, the almost military or corporate structure that i...more The following review is from my blog Cure my Writer's Block
Wow! This book is so very difficult to categorize and critique because there are so many different aspects and approaches that one can focus on. I will try to look at the most important ones and do my best to paint a coherent picture.

Storyline
To call the storyline unique would be quite an understatement. While the idea of angels and demons fighting it out on Earth is far from a new one, the almost military or corporate structure that is involved in how things are done in this series is fascinating. Hearing the description of the many demons hiding throughout the city in plain site and all of the little things that they do to make life more difficult starts to make you wonder every time little things go wrong in your life. To say the least, the storyline certainly makes you think.

Characters
Most of the characters are well developed. The various ranks of angels display a lot of human characteristics, most often ambition, that make you love or hate them. Cain and Abel have polar-opposite personalities, and you can easily picture them fighting over toys as children. The character that, to me, seems the least believable is Eve. S.J. Day obviously wanted to make a character that was a strong woman, not the stereotypical damsel in distress. No problem. That fits in more with reality. What she ended up creating, though, is a character that supposedly is able to shift from interior designer in L.A. to metaphysical urban warrior quickly. Sure, she talks about some of the emotional turmoil involved, but the physical requirements alone wouldn't have happened so quickly and easily. Plus, how many people do you know that can go from wearing designer dresses and high-heels every day to suddenly wearing combat boots everywhere they go the next?

Religion
Here is the sticky point for a lot of people. The book certainly does address religion, seeing as how most of the characters in it are biblical. The question is, is Day sacrilegious in her portrayal. Well, as with so many things religious, it depends upon who you ask. She certainly did her research into the ranks of both angels and demons and the stories surrounding them. There is also not a character of God that the reader ever meets. He is kept at a distance, never described except once by Cain, who simply says that he is "never so tranquil as when in the presence of Yahweh." God's ideas, plans, and reasoning are kept a mystery, even to the highest ranking angels. However, this book takes biblical stories and people and puts them into the modern day world. The angels are very ambitious and always trying to find ways to get more into God's favor. In fact, they are downright unlikable. If you are what can be described as a Bible "literalist", you should definitely avoid this book and its sequels. If you are more liberal in your religious interpretations, you might find this more enjoyable.

Sensuality
Yes, this book contains "romance scenes" (worded for those that are easily made unconfortable). In fact, it contains quite a few of these scenes. It is almost another character. While, at least according to my wife, it doesn't come close to that displayed in 50 Shades of Grey, it is still not something you want to be reading to grandma. Day is not remarkably graphic in her descriptions, but she makes certain that you know what is going on without any doubt. If you blush easily, you won't want to read this one.

Conclusion
OK, most guys might just buy this book to stare at the girl on the cover. I understand. However, inside is a very unique storyline with characters that you wouldn't expect from a source that you probably never considered. However, you have to be somewhat religiously liberal and not afraid to read some scenes that would make your mother blush. The book is more written for a female audience, although guys would probably love a movie version of this for the action. It is the first in a series, so you can have several books to read to keep you entertained for a while. The narrowing down of the potential audience has forced me to lower its rating a little.

Christopher Slater
author of Trapped in Shades of Grey(less)

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May 23, 2011 Leontine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Have you ever read the story of Cain and Abel? S.J. Day takes a spin on it that left me very excited after reading the first entry in this series; Eve Of Darkness (May 2009). With an attention grabbing first chapter and an evocative writing style the author introduced me to a set of characters, who instantly ensnared me to follow their journey. From the first chapter I was taken back to the day where Eve was branded by the Mark of Cain which instilled a sense that serious mayhem was coming soon...more Have you ever read the story of Cain and Abel? S.J. Day takes a spin on it that left me very excited after reading the first entry in this series; Eve Of Darkness (May 2009). With an attention grabbing first chapter and an evocative writing style the author introduced me to a set of characters, who instantly ensnared me to follow their journey. From the first chapter I was taken back to the day where Eve was branded by the Mark of Cain which instilled a sense that serious mayhem was coming soon for Eve.

Evangeline Hollis is on top of her game as an interior designer. She loves what she does and is confident about her abilities. When she meets Reed Abel she is struck by the resemblance he has to her first love Alec Cain. Ending up in a stairway with Abel she is branded by a triquetra, known as the Mark Of Cain, and life as she knew it has stopped. Now she has Abel for a handler, assigning her to certain missions and Alec Cain strolls back in to her life as her mentor in the field. Eve now has to work for her absolution and she doesn’t know when it will be granted..

Eve is the embodiment of the UF genre’s heroine, who resonated with me and will with most Urban Fantasy readers. Her sassy sarcasm, along with a smart and independent mind becomes a formidable opponent for Abel and Cain. This book created vibrant dialogues that had me consuming the pages with body scorching sensuality and a connection between the three of them that became irrefutable. With Eve I got a taste of the Celestial hierarchy within the world of the Marked and I sometimes was just as surprised and infuriated as she was.

As Eve staked her claim on me as a reader, the two men opposing her in this story also had me at their introductions. How could I not be completely swept off my feet by two rivaling brothers whose relationship is intricate, dark and mysterious? A part of their story is told in the Bible and within that shred of information lays a complex history which I am more than willing to unravel. Alec Cain has a shared experience with Eve and he is well matched to her. He is a powerful warrior, blatantly sensual, walks the line when it comes to the rules, and is very well trained in the job he does. However, when his emotions play havoc, all bets are off in what he should or shouldn’t do. Reed Abel is almost painfully correct, follows the rules but underneath that proper veneer hides a passionate man with hopes and dreams of his own.

Both men entranced me with Eve stuck in the middle. Though I did not envy Eve most of the time, she held her ground and there were definitely benefits to this. The appeal in their trinity lies in the fact that while each is a headstrong person and wants to draw their own plan, it is their varying emotions that feed their core and bind them to one another. I welcomed the author’s insight in the leading characters thoughts and feelings, unraveling more of their inner natures which kept me intent on reading Eve Of Darkness in one sitting. With a multiple point of view it enhanced my involvement regarding various characters and kept my interest at a constant high level.

I was very impressed not only by the layered characterization but also by the plot that enhanced Eve Of Darkness to greater heights. I learned about Eve’s new world which came with a whole new set of dos and don’ts. But it is the complex plot that appealed to my inquisitive nature. As S.J. Day masterfully teased in the beginning of the book, I knew a lot must have happened between Eve’s marking and the events in that first chapter. There are several major players, who influence the outcome of this first episode in the Marked series with thoughts of Armageddon not being out of the realm of possibilities. The plot is constantly changing holding my attention and I revel in the fact that an author can engross me so.

There are a few strong supporting characters, who gave even more depth to the opening of the Marked series and those are: Raquel, an Archangel who has jurisdiction over Eve. He makes my skin crawl since you never know what he is up to. However, I love the effect he has by keeping things exciting since he is a bit of a wild card. The endearing, elderly next door neighbor along with Eve’s mother form Eve’s safety net as her whole world comes crashing down. We all want a neighbor such as Mrs. Basso, always there with a warm smile, good nature and advice yet also a bit nosy at times. However, when a woman thinks Hugh Jackman is a hunk she is okay in my book. Add two fiend enemy creatures like Nix and Tengu intent on Eve’s demise and trouble becomes Eve’s middle name.

There is definitely a celestial element in this tale with Archangels, who run their firms and have an absolute devotion to the Lord. But also where Marks have to work to earn their absolution and Hell spits out its own creatures. At the epicenter are Cain and Abel, who hasn't heard of their story? I am very curious as to where S.J. Day is going to take their relationship and how it is all going to affect Eve. The divine element is done with a healthy dose of respect and credibility encased with the author’s creative freedom. Eve is no angel but the fact that her Mark burns every time she curses makes me smile, since to take the Lord’s name in vain isn’t the wisest of choices when you’re working for an absolution.

Eve Of Darkness delivers a very strong opening in the back to back releases of S.J. Day’s Marked series, with upcoming; Eve Of Destruction (Tor/June 2009) and Eve of Chaos (Tor/July 2009). The world of saints and sinners has never been so exciting with a heroine we can root for and two men, who are the epitome of sexy. Either one or both will become this reader’s favorite!

Quote:
Dragon to Eve
He snorted, which shot a burst of fire out of his muzzle. “I’ve heard about you. You’re no threat to me.”
“Really?” She tilted her head, frowning in mock confusion. Demons used sarcasm, evasion, and lies to their advantage. Eve did, too. “When was the last time you got an update on me? Does Hell have a newsletter? A chatroom? Otherwise, you’re probably behind the times.”

Quote:
Cain to Eve
“If you’re looking for a buzz,” he bit out, “you won’t get one here.”
She paused mid movement.
“Your body doesn’t process alcohol – or any mind altering substance – the same way it used to.”
Her hand fell as a fist into the counter. [..]
“Are you saying I can’t get high?”
“You can orgasm from here to eternity,” he said roughly. “That high enough for you?”
“Fuck.”
“I’m happy to oblige.”

4,5 stars
(less)

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Mar 01, 2011 Rayna rated it 4 of 5 stars

1st of the Marked Series

Cursed by God, hunted by demons, desired by Cain and Abel... All in a day's work.

For Evangeline Hollis, a long ago fling with a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks just became a disaster of biblical proportions. One night with a leather-clad man of mystery has led to a divine punishment: the Mark of Cain.

Thrust into a world where sinners are drafted into service to kill demons, Eve’s learning curve is short. A longtime agnostic, she begrudgingly maneuvers through a...more 1st of the Marked Series

Cursed by God, hunted by demons, desired by Cain and Abel... All in a day's work.

For Evangeline Hollis, a long ago fling with a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks just became a disaster of biblical proportions. One night with a leather-clad man of mystery has led to a divine punishment: the Mark of Cain.

Thrust into a world where sinners are drafted into service to kill demons, Eve’s learning curve is short. A longtime agnostic, she begrudgingly maneuvers through a celestial bureaucracy where she is a valuable but ill-treated pawn. She’s also become the latest point of contention in the oldest case of sibling rivalry in history...

But she’ll worry about all that later. Right now she’s more concerned with learning to kill while staying alive. And saving the soul she’d never believed she had.

Eve is an interesting character in a subgenre where heroines often seem to be all cut from the same cloth only with an interchangeable name. Just like most of us out there she has a strained relationship with her parents. But she has a good friend in her next door neighbor who is a widowed older lady. She has a career she loves and the only thing missing is a man. Unfortunately all the men she has met have failed to capture her heart like the one who left her ten years earlier without a word.

Eve had an experience ten years prior to the start of this book which started a chain of events that culminates in a tryst in a stairwell and becoming marked with the “Mark of Cain”. Coming from the chosen life on an agnostic, she is suddenly right in the middle of the battle between good and evil, heaven and hell, angel’s and demons. Everything she has believed is turned on its head. What is up could be down or could be sideways or even back to front. One minute she is an up and coming designer the next she is learning that the things that go bump in the night are out there and she is tasked with the charge of working off her penance by hunting down the bad guys and removing them.

A major point of difference with this book as opposed to most other books in the paranormal/urban fantasy area is that this book is about angels. After reaching a near saturation level of vampires, werewolves and demons it’s great to see this branching out. The twist on the biblical story of Cain and Abel makes us challenge the knowledge we grew up with and as a reader you begin to question if the Bible is the equivalent of today’s modern media. It’s also good to see that with this series, S J Day has got the jump on one of the stars of the paranormal world, JR Ward whose angel series doesn’t come out until later this year.

This book is the first in the trilogy with Eve of Destruction released June 2nd 2009 and Eve of Chaos to be released on June 30th 209(less)

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Feb 28, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Romantic urban fantasy with a lover's triangle: brothers Cain and Abel (yes, that Cain and Abel) both have feelings for Eve (no, not that Eve), who has been Marked as a sinner and must work off her penance by fighting Infernals.

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when I started, but got sucked in immediately by the writing. And the first part of the story is quite possibly the best cliff-hanger ending I've ever read. (The plotting is non-linear; it might be in media res in terms of the s...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I enjoyed the cast of characters and unique setup for this novel. However, a few things bothered me. First, the ending is at the beginning. Usually when authors do this they revisit the "ending" at the end of the book and add to it. Not so here. When you get to the end of the book you have to go back and reread the beginning. It makes no sense, and it is not executed well at all. That alone took off one star for me. Another problem is the lack of training and slow buildup of details. Since Eve i...more

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May 22, 2009 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormalfiction

This is a fun read, that really stands out from the rank and file of urban fantasy novels, although the premise does remind me a little of the television show Reaper. Eve is a Mark, a hunter of the supernatural and damned, who is torn between two brothers, the biblical Cain and Abel. As a recent recruit, she is busy learning the ropes while dealing with Infernal creatures such as the tengu and the Nix. When Infernals start appearing with no scent or sign of their identity, is Eve way over her he...more This is a fun read, that really stands out from the rank and file of urban fantasy novels, although the premise does remind me a little of the television show Reaper. Eve is a Mark, a hunter of the supernatural and damned, who is torn between two brothers, the biblical Cain and Abel. As a recent recruit, she is busy learning the ropes while dealing with Infernal creatures such as the tengu and the Nix. When Infernals start appearing with no scent or sign of their identity, is Eve way over her head?
This book, the start of a new series, has a lot going for it, and most of my criticisms have to do with personal preference more than anything else. Eve is a strong character, and I like that, although receiving her Mark gives her superhuman abilities, it's often her intelligence that gets her out of trouble. I tend not to like books that use Bible stories, demons and angels as plot devices---a preference that the agnostic Eve herself might understand. However, the world here is multi-cultural, with the Infernals being creatures out of various world myths, and I like that, and I also like the notion of the archangels as Mafia kingpins----it's just amusing.
What I didn't like about the book: the first chapters of the book are very, very steamy, and I found myself wanting to skip over all the sex scenes. I'm not a romance reader, and I dislike both Alpha males and love triangles, particularly when they involve two men fighting over a woman. (Yeah, it may be flattering, but to me it always seems to rob the woman of choice.) So I really liked Eve better than Alec Cain and Reed Abel, who seemed both condescending and somewhat superficial; sure Eve was talented and intelligent, but the brothers were initially drawn to how hot she was. As the book moved on, however, the sexual content was a bit toned down, and I found myself being curious about how the brothers came to be rivals. (There are hints throughout the book, borne up by the brothers' personalities, that the Bible doesn't tell the whole story). So I do plan to read the next book (of which I also have an ARC, whee!), because I think the story has real potential and I'm eager to spend more time with Eve!(less)

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Apr 28, 2009 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eve of Darkness (Marked, Book 1) by S.J. Day
Mass Market Paperback - April 28, 2009
4 stars

S.J. Day's new series Marked is: fresh, imaginative and high octane. It blends a hunky hero to die for and a gutsy heroine, thrown into circumstances that are enthralling as well as nail-bitingly suspenseful.

There is a war going on, but most humans don't see it. The Marked are those special chosen and/or cursed to fight these unholy terrors and save humanity.

Evangeline has never been religious; she has...more Eve of Darkness (Marked, Book 1) by S.J. Day
Mass Market Paperback - April 28, 2009
4 stars

S.J. Day's new series Marked is: fresh, imaginative and high octane. It blends a hunky hero to die for and a gutsy heroine, thrown into circumstances that are enthralling as well as nail-bitingly suspenseful.

There is a war going on, but most humans don't see it. The Marked are those special chosen and/or cursed to fight these unholy terrors and save humanity.

Evangeline has never been religious; she has a good life and is content. The only thing she doesn't have is a man. The problem is that after she met Alec, no other man has matched up to him and she knows none ever will. Alec left her after one night and completely ruined her for any other man.

When Eve is unexpectedly attacked, years later, by a man that looks eerily similar to Alec, she finds her life irrevocably changed. She is now `marked' and dragged into a world of good and evil. Suddenly, the real Alec comes to rescue her and Eve discovers that he too is `marked'. Because Alec cares for her, she has been targeted as his one vulnerability. Ironically, he left to save her from his dangerous life, but there is no fighting destiny. Now Eve has a fast learning curve in this new game of life or death. Even as Eve is drawn to Alec, she knows he's not healthy. The only sane thing to do is try to reverse the `mark', even if she dies trying.

From the first page, this book pulled me in! It is a fast thrill ride that NEVER lets up. I particularly enjoyed how Eve explores this new world of: angels, demons, shifters, etc. The novel is filled with mystery and shady characters that will leave you wondering where they and the story are leading.

For those who love Urban Fantasy and dark paranormals romances, this series is sure to please your palate. However, I do have to caution for those readers that enjoy a pat ending, this is the first of the Marked series and the author does leave the ending at a HUGE cliffhanger. Luckily the next installment is coming soon. If you can't stand the stress, I would suggest waiting to read all the books at once, if you can wait!

Reviewed by Steph from Bookaholics Romance Book Club (less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, ridiculoussmutandromance

I really enjoyed this - I'm not sure where some of the negative reviews came from. Possibly they aren't familiar with the genre? I wasn't crazy about the "flashback" format, but the story itself is inventive, has characters I care about and want to read more about, and has a complex enough construct that I know there are great scenarios and action scenes to come. The heroine is likeable and real.

On a basic level, Sylvia Day is a much better writer than some of the other authors I've read in roma...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Aureliasilver rated it 1 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. The storyline is a different take on a world with Angels (demons, etc). I didn't mind the world Day created and the premise of Angels and Marks - even though the thought of Angels actively engaged in the corporate world and acting more like the judicial system is not quite so tempting to me. I was even looking forward to the handling of the brothers Cain and Abel (yes, the ones in the Old Testament).

However, a major snag for me is that I could not get a handle...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was drawn to Eve of Darkness by the mention of Cain and Abel, the oldest feud in the history of the world. It was interesting to see the twist that Day put on these two infamous characters. The first chapter confused me a little. It jumps right into the story, and I was unsure if I was reading the first book in the series. However the second chapter rewinds to six weeks earlier when Eve Hollis's life is changed forever. She becomes a Mark. She is now destined to hunt demons.
The first few chapt...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Claudia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-5-stars, urban-fantasy

I was not sure what to expect from this book, so it took a while before I read it. I have to say, I didn't regret it.
I liked the book but I didn't love it ... so therefore I was not sure how many stars to give, 3 or 4? it is a 3,5 (and because of the potential and the first chapter ... 4 Stars) ....nevertheless I will defnitely read the next part

I really loved the first chapter - afterwards it was a little slow and it took time to get into the story. but it was good with good action scenes and...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Ebby Wilhelm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, odd-special-power

After just finishing The Blood Lily Chronicles, I picked up Eve of Darkness. First few pages in, I'm thinking, you've got to be kidding me? What is this? It's like when two movies come out that are basically the same... Armaggedon and Deep Impact. I mean Deep Impact was alright... but Armaggedon, well, it just blew you away. I must say, Eve of Darkness is like Armageddon. Loved it!! Loved the way it started out... don't want to give too much away... but at first I was really confused thinking I...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Tera rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons-angels

This is the first in the Marked Series. The Cain and Abel story with a twist. Eve(not the orginal) and Cain are tempted by each other and can't resist. They have a short tyrst then Cain leaves (thinking he is protecting her). 10 years later along comes Abel and marks Eve for tempting Cain and she becomes one of the Marks of Cain - bounty-hunters that are sent out to kill demons/infernals on earth. Eve not happy about this because one it was mutual and second she isn't one of the religous zealots...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, contemporary, fantasy, read-in-2013, romance, tor

You might notice that I haven’t mentioned anything about the logic of the plot or plot holes and what have you, like I normally do. The truth is, if I focused on whether or not things made any logical sense, I’d probably have hated this book. However, I didn’t read this for the logic or the incredibly deep plot. I read this because, right now, I just need to detach and enjoy a damn story. If you want to psychoanalyze a book, you might want to look elsewhere. However, if you want to enjoy a very...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Michele rated it 2 of 5 stars

1st in the Marked series by S.J.Day.... Ehhhhh it was ok... let me explain.

First of all, giving this book 2 stars was difficult for me. The reason why, this is a book writen by Sylvia Day. She is one of the many erotic authors who have not only inspried me but I find what they write wonderful, smoldering romantic stories. This is Sylvia Day. Her Crossfire series was Hot!!!!! I bought this book thinking it would be what Sylvia writes. However, it was not. I understand this new series should be di...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-urban-fantasy, read-in-2013

Having heard tons of praise for author Sylvia Day, but not having read any of her books for myself, I had somewhat good expectations for Eve of Darkness. I enjoy a lot of the adult urban fantasy books that I read. I loved Eve of Darkness.

The story places the reader immediately into the Marked world. It was definitely attention-grabbing, but it did take me a bit to gain my bearings. I actually even double-checked to make sure I didn't pick up the second book in the series. Once I realized that th...more Having heard tons of praise for author Sylvia Day, but not having read any of her books for myself, I had somewhat good expectations for Eve of Darkness. I enjoy a lot of the adult urban fantasy books that I read. I loved Eve of Darkness.

The story places the reader immediately into the Marked world. It was definitely attention-grabbing, but it did take me a bit to gain my bearings. I actually even double-checked to make sure I didn't pick up the second book in the series. Once I realized that the story was going to go back and fill in the details, I was okay. The Marked world was pretty cool and definitely fascinating. There is a good amount of religious aspects to the story, but I wouldn't let that put you off if you are afraid to read books with religion. I found my background with religion to be helpful to me with the world-building, but I admit that I'm afraid my grandmother would be devastated! Nevertheless, though there are angels, I wouldn't shy away from Eve of Darkness if you don't like angel books. This read to me as more of a demon hunter story. And it rocked.

Eve is a badass. Minding her own business, she gets dragged into this insane world where she must fight demons and grapple with a world in which she is a pawn. Eve just sort of accepted the situation, which may be a tad unrealistic, but I was just happy that I didn't have to read about her denial of reality for pages on end. It should also be noted that Eve is biracial, Japanese/American. I loved her ethnicity and wanted to point that out for those looking for more diversity in their books.

As for the men in Eve's life, Cain and Abel. Yes, that Cain and Abel. These two have been fighting since the beginning of the world, and the battle for Eve is no exception. The man are seriously sexy, seriously aggravating and seriously dangerous. I kind of loved them. They both have been involved with Eve, both seem to care for her. I'm not sure whose team I'm on, but I'm definitely leaning towards Cain. AND...this book is suuuuper steamy. Like, steamy enough that I was blushing and trying to hide my book as I was reading on a plane. YUM.

Overall, I would say Eve of Darkness was pretty fantastic. Despite my initial confusion, I quickly fell in love and read the book in a matter of a couple hours. I will say that if you read it, definitely have book two, Eve of Destruction on hand because you will need that book immediately.
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Feb 20, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book was quick, fun, and sexy. I really enjoyed it and finished it within a day.
Eve is our badass, kickass heroine and things take a turn when she gets the mark of Cain put on her. Alec Cain is in love with Eve and has been for the past 10 years. He's trying to help Eve as her body is now changing due to the mark that's been put on her. Reed Abel is Eve's handler as well as Alec (Cain) brother. Reed also happens to be the one who marked Eve in a (hot) stairwell sex session.
Eve o...more

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Dec 09, 2009 Patti Loves FAB Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

Eve of Darkness was good - I liked it, but I felt like there was too much going on to keep track of everything. It seemed like Eve just kept taking hits without a break to recover. The book starts out with a bang - Evangeline Hollis (Eve) is at a baseball game and ends up battling a dragon in the ladies' room. Then, it flashes back six weeks and Eve is headed to a job interview, sees this hot guy who reminds her of her first love, Alec Cain, and has sex with the guy in the stairwell. He then rea...more

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Jul 14, 2009 Writtenwyrdd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-mythos, dark-fantasy, demons, female-protagonist, urban-fantasy, asian-author, asian-protagonist

Wow! I liked this urban fantasy. Very tough gal, Evangeline, aka Eve. She is, like most urban fantasy tough chicks, panted after by all the boys (hey, it's fantasy, nothing wrong with that!) and so when she's brought over as a Mark (marked as an Agent of God with the Mark of Cain and forced to serve in order to buy absolution for her 'sins') she is paired up with an old lover, whose brother also interested in her.

All the convoluted attractions don't cover the rather weak excuse for making her a...more

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May 07, 2009 marlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

though this entire book all i kept saying was, " oh i like her!". she was thrown into a religious and supernatural war head first and still kept her head together. there were no pages and pages of her whining about it or just arguing with everyone involved. ok, maybe she took everything a little too well, but it was still refreshing from a lot of the female leads i have read recently who either fight it or cry about it. i like that she is looking at bigger pictures and taking into account that s...more

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Feb 21, 2013 The TBR Pile *Book review site* rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/1/post/2...

I had high hopes for this book, especially considering I forked over twelve bucks for it. What a let down! This book was so damn annoying. The plot was a good idea but the execution was so horribly done. In between the story we get a page or two of explanations. This happened because of this and that, but the bible says this and then that. Stop explaining things and get on with the story. When we do read on, the story just gets more complicated and honestl...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Carien rated it 3 of 5 stars

A nice, but capricious read. After reading the first couple of chapters I began to think I had stumbled upon a book that's more smut than story, but then suddenly after those chapters there was hardly any smut at all for the remainder of the book. The story itself was interesting enough to keep reading until the end of the book, but not interesting enough to make me hunger for the next book. World building, characterisation and writing were all decent and especially the demons were intriguing. T...more

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May 27, 2009 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-human-fiction

This is a great story, ruined in part at the beginning by way, way too much pointless sex. Thankfully, as the book progresses the author tones it down and the great story has a chnge to break through. The tale of a normal every day girl, whose teen love affair comes back to bite her on the butt. Mr tall, dark and seriously handsome (aren't they always) turns out to be a 'hitman' for God, and she has just been recruited without her consent to join the ranks of the 'marks'. Hopefully the next two...more

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Eve of Darkness (Marked #1)

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