Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Dark Celebration (Dark Carpathian #17)

by Christine Feehan (Goodreads Author)

4.28 of 5 stars 4.28 · rating details · 7,739 ratings · 237 reviews

With her erotically charged Carpathian tales, Christine Feehan has enthralled a legion of fans, captivated by a seductive world and the unforgettable characters--both human and not--who inhabit it. Now, she reunites all of them in a Dark Celebration...

After centuries as the prince of the Carpathians, Mikhail Dubrinsky fears he can't protect his people for long from their g...more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published September 5th 2006 by Berkley Hardcover (first published September 1st 2006)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

182nd out of 706 books — 1,021 voters

Stalkerific Romance Novel Heroes

70th out of 232 books — 376 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 07, 2009 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-in-book-format, family-relationships, fiction, friendship, remarkable-reads, paranormal, read-in-2009, vampire, to-re-read, romantic-fantasy, shapeshifters, paranormal-romance, do-you-believe-in-magic

After the recent attack on his life, prince of the Carpathian people Mikhail Dubrinsky has called together all of the hunters and their lifemates for a Christmas celebration in the Carpathian mountains. For some time, his people have been hunted not only by vampires, but also fanatical humans from the Morisson Center for Psychic Research. Now a new threat has surfaced in the form of the evil dark mage Xavier and his grandson Razvan.

With enemies joining forces and surrounding his people, Mikhail...more After the recent attack on his life, prince of the Carpathian people Mikhail Dubrinsky has called together all of the hunters and their lifemates for a Christmas celebration in the Carpathian mountains. For some time, his people have been hunted not only by vampires, but also fanatical humans from the Morisson Center for Psychic Research. Now a new threat has surfaced in the form of the evil dark mage Xavier and his grandson Razvan.

With enemies joining forces and surrounding his people, Mikhail has begun to worry that they will soon realize that the key to the extinction of the Carpathian race lies not in the destruction of it's hunters - powerful and ancient males - but instead with the annihilation of their lifemates and children. Without the light of a lifemate to anchor the hunter, he would become an incredibly deadly force, capable of unspeakable evil. As one after another of the Carpathian females falls under attack, the people must band together, lending their strength to one another, and work to identify and destroy their assassins.

Despite the malevolent forces that seem to constantly besiege the Carpathian people, this book is probably the "lightest" Dark book I've read so far. For the first time in centuries, there are children among the people and someone must play Santa Claus - think about that for a moment... one of the dominant, aggressive, mighty Carpathian males, living legends in their own right, has to play jolly old St. Nick - a much more cheerful and carefree legend. That alone is worth reading the book for - and I'm not going to tell you who receives this grand honor!

There is also the small matter of the Christmas feast. As the Carpatians are sharing this holiday with human friends there must also be actual human food, and Raven Dubrinsky, lifemate to the prince, is determined that the women cook the food themselves. The fact that none of them has any real skill in the kitchen seems to have escaped them, and their are plenty of kitchen fires, blown up appliances, and messes in every Carpathian home in the mountains. Even funnier, some of the men attempt to help - picture them in the kitchen with aprons on and flour all over the place!

Dark Celebration is definitely a Carpathian book - with new beginnings for some lifemates, pregnancy and birth for others, and revelations about unknown jaguar people and Dragonseekers. It was wonderful to see all the familiar beloved characters from all the other books, and Feehan did a great job of recounting each of their stories as the book went on, to trigger the reader's memory. I enjoyed reading it so much that it was hard to put it down and go the bed. I read it quickly, in less than 2 days, and I really want to re-read the entire series now!
(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Mar 19, 2008 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of paranormal romance novels

Shelves: paranormal-romance

This one was fun because the celebration in the title is referring to Christmas, so this is a Christmas novel. Raven has decided to bring all the Carpathians to the Mikhail’s village in the Carpathian Mountains for a big Christmas celebration. We get to see how the Carpathians and their lifemates from past novels are doing now. Several are pregnant, and two Carpathian hunters close to turning recognize their lifemates among the single human women attending. I won’t say more about that, because I...more

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2008 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

I Loved this book in the series. All the Carapathians go back to the Carapathian Mountains to celebrate Christmas. there was no huge drama in this one, minor drama, but it was great to see all the couples and their children gathered in one place for Christmas. The females were trying to cook, craziness ensues as with any family holiday. New lifemates were discovered, but not bound to the males, showing where her next stories would go. A very lighthearted, but well written book in the series and...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 05, 2009 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampire-romance

Another Carpathian novel--Raven is determined to start a new tradition among the Carpathians by bringing as many of them together as possible to attend a Christmas celebration in the Carpathian mountains. We are given the chance to become reacquainted with many Carpathian couples--Nicolae and Destiny, Vikirrof and Natalya, Julian and Desari, Darius and Tempest, Barack and Syndil, Riordan and Juliette, Gabriel and Francesca, Byron and Antonietta, Jacques and Shea, Rafael and colby etc. as well as...more

like · see review

Sep 01, 2012 Wafaa added it

This is one of the my favourite books of all time. While I was reading the dark series and after I finished a particular book I was always left thinking what were the their lives like know. So I was enthralled when I picked up Dark celebration because I got to see pieces of each pair and what their lives were like and also to view the lives of the Carpathians that yet didn't find lifemates.

I truly enjoyed the coming together of the Carpathian people. I especially liked the communication between...more

like · see review

Jun 18, 2012 Shaelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Out of all the Carpathian books, I think this one is probably one of my favorites. All the characters from the previous books are back and you are able to see how their lives have changed since finding their mates.

It's Christmas time in the Carpathian mountains. That means the miracle of births and Santa Claus. Raven has convinced Mikhail to call all his Hunters back to the mountains for a celebration. Shae is about to give birth to her son and the Prince is on a quest to find a Santa. Every tim...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 22, 2012 Jenny Delandro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-christine-feehan

Well... I liked this book because we get to see a little bit of just about everyone from the entire series.

What draws them all together is Raven's decision to celebrate Christmas...
(view spoiler)...more

like · see review

Dec 19, 2010 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked up this series at the behest of a friend. I love romance and I love supernatural, so she thought I'd like it. Turns out I did, but it was hard to get through for me. Very slow going in a lot of places, and the books just didn't call to me like I had hoped they would. I cut off around the 5th book and didn't pick up the series again for several years. I recently started with this one again.... I'm SOOOOOOOO Glad that I did. I don't know what it is but this time around I'm going through t...more

like · see review

Sep 18, 2009 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

It’s a Christmas party and all Carpathians, family and friends are invited to the Mountains that so many of them have not seen for many, many centuries. The gathering of so many hunters and their lifemates should be enough to keep any self preserving enemy away, but after several attacks on the women and a strange feeling in the area, some begin to wonder if this party was a good idea. The duty of the prince, Mikhail Dubrinsky is to ensure the survival of his kind, each male helps to see to the...more It’s a Christmas party and all Carpathians, family and friends are invited to the Mountains that so many of them have not seen for many, many centuries. The gathering of so many hunters and their lifemates should be enough to keep any self preserving enemy away, but after several attacks on the women and a strange feeling in the area, some begin to wonder if this party was a good idea. The duty of the prince, Mikhail Dubrinsky is to ensure the survival of his kind, each male helps to see to the safety and happiness of the women and children and this party was what they needed. Quick thinking and strong, the warriors take on the attacks and the show goes on to the delight of the children and all of the adults.

Book 17 ….. A Carpathian Reunion it is. If you have not read every one of the previous 16 stories, you will not understand everything. The author note states that there is no hero or heroine of this book because there are too many strong characters, yes and no… Most of the characters are the heroes in this story. I really enjoyed finally ‘meeting’ Dimitri and Manolito and revisiting all the others, I know (from looking ahead) that Manolito gets his story next and the set-up for it is a bit obvious. Really enjoyed the humor that was interlaced throughout the story, Gregori will now live in my mind as a ’teddy bear’ and it would be fun to see how that (revenge) plays out. I liked the happy delivery, but the build up was so much better, I expected …well, more. Some of it might have been that the story seemed too short (ended on page 298, book has 393 pages), the plus side of that is the neat additions; not only a chapter of Predatory Game, but a section of ‘Deleted Scenes’ (which I can see why of them were taken out, but still fun to read them), also ‘Dark Desserts’ recipes sent in by Christine Feehans fans (I am eager to try a few), an appendix of healing chants, and an appendix of the Carpathian language. All those extras are fun but the story was a blast, thank you Ms. Feehan for finally agreeing to the reunion, even if it turned dark. (less)

like · see review

Sep 13, 2012 K rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the series

Recommended to K by: fan of series

Shelves: favorites

Absolutely LOVED this book/story. I have been a fan of Feehann's Dark Series, and have thoroughly enjoyed most of the books, since the first one. So, I was so excited to see a book that was going to bring most, if not all, of the characters from the previous books together. For me, there was nothing I didn't like. I thought the story was well written w/ a nice balance of danger, suspense, and romance; and thought the author did a good job of tying up loose ends, but leaving enough of a cliffhang...more

like · see review

Feb 12, 2009 Pat Cromwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of the most anticipated books I wanted. Chapter 4 -- when Gabriel snatches his daughter's lifemate by the throat -- I was on pins and needles. That one chapter was worth the price of the hardcover! Plus, bless Ms. Feehan's heart Raven and Savanna kept to the background and the other lifemates held center stage. It was great having all the couples together in one book. I discovered a new appreciation for Natalyia in this book, a revisit with Jaxon and Lucian, Francessca was more than bearable...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 31, 2012 Siry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok.. pense que en esta parte de la historia iba a ver una gran confrontacion entre los vampiros y los carpatos.. no fue asi.. no hubo tanta accion referente a peleas y caos organizado... pero aun asi.. el libro me gusto bastante porque salen todos los personajes de los 16 libros anteriores... ademas de que dos carpatos mas encuentran a sus parejas pero no las reclaman todavia por diferentes motivos..
Y el hecho de que todos se estuvieran preparando para celebrar la navidad con los aldeanos y se...more

like · see review

Feb 26, 2012 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a really good book and a format that I'd love many other authors to visit - a reunion of all the past books' characters giving us an update on everyone since we last left them. I know that many authors give little tiny updates of some characters in their subsequent novels but this was the mother of all updates! It was especially nice for me since I haven't read most of the earlier books so I now know about those characters and their stories without having to read each book. I enjoyed the...more

like · see review

Nov 30, 2010 Mojca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-carpathians, christine-feehan, hardcover, paranormal-romance-fantasy, part-of-a-series, shape-shifters, vampires, own, season-greetings, monthly-challenge-read-november, rrrc-1st-reading-tournament

A good "where-are-they-now" follow-up of the series with some pretty exciting glimpses into a future book (don't you think it's about time Ms. Feehan wrote Dimitri and Skyler's story?).

But what makes this such a "treat" are the recipes at the end of the book. I haven't tried them yet, but they sure look Carpathian-like (read: mouthwatering).

1 like · like · see review

Dec 31, 2011 TJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great way to catch up with all the characters we have come to love in the "Dark" series, so far. With 16 different stories under one's belt, those characters were getting confusing and a Christmas story to re-acquant is perfect! Each chapter concentrates on a particular couple as Mikhail, the prince, oversees the preparations for a huge Christmas celebration instigated by Raven,his lifemate and embraced by everyone. While the feel is still very much Carpathian, there are actually many mom...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2011 t'irla ~The BookSlayer~ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: christine-feehan, owned

Its Christmas and Raven wants a party. Bringing together all the couples and families from the previous 16 books. Prince Mikhail goes to visit each family/couple to touch base with them..We have hurt lifemates, baby born, new matings and of course Vampire/mage sightings.

This book reminds me in some ways of of those episodes of TV programs that recap what has happened so far in the series. The reader touches base with all their favorite characters. The series story moves ahead slightly and has gi...more

like · see review

Apr 09, 2013 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-favs, 2013-reads

While a lot of people I've heard from didn't really like this one I really enjoyed it. I liked that we got to see where the couples are now and what's going on in their lives since being converted. I also loved how they had a big get together for a holiday like normal people do ... Completely different from the typical PNR where they don't even acknowledge the holidays at all. There's still a few I have to read in the series that I've missed but I'm definitely looking forward to reading them. Th...more

like · see review

Dec 28, 2011 Dani Harper rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was written for long-time fans only: a new audience would be totally lost. There are no new characters in this story -- instead it's a Christmas get-together of all the characters from Feehan's famous Dark series.

I loved the characters when I read the series and was looking forward to seeing them again. It hurts me to say it, but I was deeply disappointed. The premise of Dark Celebration had potential yet the story never got off the ground. This could have been one of the very best books i...more

like · see review

Dec 03, 2010 ~Megan~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dangerous-dudes, pnr-uf, shifters-werewolves, vampires

My favorite, favorite, favorite Carpathian book ever. The thing I love about reading series is getting to revisit all my favorite characters. Many times it's only a peek into the lives of one or two characters, but here Feehan has caught us up on the lives of all the Carpathians and I didn't want the book to end. I loved seeing everyone again, most especially Barack and Syndil, who I wish had their own book.

I enjoyed the setup for future lifemates, and am looking forward to Manolito and MaryAnn'...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 Aisha Oaktree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reviews, fiction, paranormal-romance, read-in-2012, romance

This is the reunion book of the series, it's the first time in the series that all the major characters are together, it also includes the start of Skyler's story with Dimitri that everyone ahs been talking about. It's a pretty amazing to read the follow up to everyone's story and fo course see the beginning of MaryAnn's story (FINALLY a Black character in this series). Mikhail is trying to bring the ravaged pieces of his people back together by having them embrace the celebrations of their huma...more
This is the reunion book of the series, it's the first time in the series that all the major characters are together, it also includes the start of Skyler's story with Dimitri that everyone ahs been talking about. It's a pretty amazing to read the follow up to everyone's story and fo course see the beginning of MaryAnn's story (FINALLY a Black character in this series). Mikhail is trying to bring the ravaged pieces of his people back together by having them embrace the celebrations of their human counterparts. It's a chance for the Carpathian men to gather and meet all that they are risking their lives for: their Prince, their people & to see the hope of those who have found their mates. The awakening Ancients also get a chance to swear alligiance to Mikhail.

Personally I thought it was stupid of them to be 'cooking' when they can't really eat it anyway, just a waste of resources. Most of the story if seen through the eyes of Mikhail as he travels to each of the couples, then they pick up the story and go from there sharing and following up on things that have happened since their stories. The weaving of the different stories together was pretty amazing.

I did however a few things that grated the nerves:
1) Mikhail and Gregori's discussion where they stated that the Carpathian Earth Healer walked with her head unbowed, as if women shouldn't be proud as well.
2) Page 192 " If I had my way, would choose a time in history when I could simply lock you up, keep you safe and to myself, never share you" ~ Rafael ~~~Let me just say right now, that's not sexy at all, nope not at all.
3)The deleted scenes, especially the one of Skyler and Dimitri, let me just say, it's one thing if the female characters are of age and are taking on these millennia old men, it's a whole other thing for it to be Sjyler, who we know is underage and is a survivor of sexual abuse. Give her time to grow the heck up, I mean she does discuss this in the book, they even talk about the fact that she shouldn't have been able to call to his soul until she was of age, and Dimitri talks about how he felt her when she was a child and whenever he tried to find her to help her she hid herself from him, cool I get it, but she's still a child and writing that into the story is just kinda scivvy. If you deleted it because it didn't fit; why put it in. It really just screamed pedophile to me, especially because she states she's too young to be his lifemate, then she is too young to be a sexual being.

Since I have already read Razvan's story before this, I kept feeling bad for him every time they talked down about him because I just wouldn't understand why no one ever thought if Xavier would go to war by killing a mated pair why they didn't didn't think maybe just maybe Razvan was a victim as well?? It was just easier to blame him and have someone they would hate than to really examine their own actions, and what they had done and didn't do that allowed Xavier such free reign for years.

All in all, the book was actually was pretty good. Short compared to the others, but still good. It was awesome to have a few loose ends tied up in this book, and have new threats pulled that will show us some of the upcoming stories. So far I have loved many of the books and been intrigued by the story of the people of the Carpathian world. I can't wait to read the ones I have missed. (less)

like · see review

Nov 05, 2011 Tamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, contemporary, long-story, paranormal

Okay, I've finally decided that I used to LOVE reading paranormal romance. I've been away from it since I got hooked on m/m but now that my local library finally lends Kindle books, I thought I'd give it a try and my first selection was Dark Celebration. I've read many of this series and thought I'd try and catch up a little. What a mistake.

This book seems like they tried to cram every couple, their problems and their hang-ups, into one Christmas special. It drove me nuts all the stupid ways the...more Okay, I've finally decided that I used to LOVE reading paranormal romance. I've been away from it since I got hooked on m/m but now that my local library finally lends Kindle books, I thought I'd give it a try and my first selection was Dark Celebration. I've read many of this series and thought I'd try and catch up a little. What a mistake.

This book seems like they tried to cram every couple, their problems and their hang-ups, into one Christmas special. It drove me nuts all the stupid ways they supposedly couldn't read a simple recipe to have something turn out right. Things actually blowing up? Come on, get real!!

Then the fact that when someone is told that there is a DANGER and that they could be ATTACKED and to stay safe they should stay together, what does that person do? Take a walk down an unused trail in the woods... ATTACK!!! Everyone runs to the rescue. Then an hour later... same person... Oh, that lonely wolf, I have to go see what's out there. Another walk in the woods.... ATTACK!!! Everyone runs to the rescue. I wanted to slap the crap out of the "heroine".

Also how is it that Mikhail actually knows so little about what is going on. An earth healer in the group. He doesn't know about it. His daughter attacked by vampires. He doesn't know about it. And for being able to talk to ALL Carpathians, the others don't seem to be up on everything that had been happening either. Sheesh.

I finished the book, but it was hard and I ended up skimming A LOT. Looks like I'm not a fan of the Carpathians anymore, which is sad, because the premise is good, the world bulding is good, but the actual characters are so annoyingly cloying or too dense to take any reasonable precautions, especially Mikhail, who is the true heart of his people and if he would be killed his whole RACE would die. What is he thinking when he risks his life, his lifemates life and the lives of all his friends, family, and subjects.

Okay, I have to stop now, it's just too annoying to continue this rant. :)(less)

like · see review

Oct 28, 2012 Alex Economides rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christine-feehan, favorites-books, authors-a-h, erotic-romance, paranormal, romance-reading-challenge-2012, romance, series, vampire-shapeshifters

Dark Celebration is yet another fantastic addition and the 17th in Christine Feehan’s Dark Series. I am totally immersed into the world of the Carpathians and have grown to love all the characters that form a part of the family.

This story brings back together old and new friends together to celebrate Christmas together, which is filled with the love, loyalty and unity they all share. Its great seeing how the couples are doing, seeing their children growing and to feel their closeness as a family...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 25, 2013 Lover of Romance rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, shifter-romance, vampire

Dark Celebration is a bit different than the other books within the Dark Series. However I have read this book quite frequently from the library, and I thought it was about time to do a review on it. For those of you who don't know much or really none about this series, let me explain it a bit for you. The Carpathian series, is a paranormal series, very similar to vampires, however Carpathians are a bit different from vampires. The Carpathian race is dying out, they are a honorable race, however...more

like · see review

Aug 28, 2010 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fantasy-other-world, fantasy-romance, romance, sensuous, vampire

Raven decides the Carpathians must celebrate Christmas, and they come from around the world to do so... Raven decides the women, as so many were human, need to cook a dish for the festivities... and as the men help out, it's quite funny (ovens blowing up, bread over yeasting, berries that overflow)...

And we get a glimpse of each couple as Mikhail makes the rounds to meet, greet, and welcome each couple/family... and Feehan does a good job of reconnecting us with each couple and how they are dea...more Raven decides the Carpathians must celebrate Christmas, and they come from around the world to do so... Raven decides the women, as so many were human, need to cook a dish for the festivities... and as the men help out, it's quite funny (ovens blowing up, bread over yeasting, berries that overflow)...

And we get a glimpse of each couple as Mikhail makes the rounds to meet, greet, and welcome each couple/family... and Feehan does a good job of reconnecting us with each couple and how they are dealing with thier 'problems' as they continue to grow in their love...

Some touchstones... a good number of the psychic women/lifemates are decendent from the jaguars... hmmmm... the mage (Raznan?) have begun to attack women & children... They are blessed with Syndil who can heal the earth... at the gathering, the women are ovulating and can get pregnant... and she is healing the toxins from the vampire battles... and enhancing the healing caves and readying it for Shea & Jaques' giving birth to a son...

And Skyler, 16 & adopted daughter of Francesca & Gabriel, finds out she is a Dragonseeker, probably the daughter of Raznan, and the lifemate of Dimitri... Dimitri is very close to turning, connects with Skyler, and is struggling with claiming her vs allowing her to grow up... with his frustration of having known of her pain as a child, but having been able to do anything about it... and now that they've met, he can feel her pain and is angry again & mourning her lost childhood... and now that they are connected (having shared blood when he saved her from a vampire), she can feel his pain, lonliness, & violence... in the beginning, she goes to Mikhail and tells him that she wants nothing to do with a lifemate... no one to have control of her, no one to have sex with her... but she is drawn to Dimitri... she has empathy with animals, especially wolves... and Dimitri has been living in isolation among the wolves to try to hold onto his humanity... I suspect that is how he will finally be able to connect with Skyler...

and she brings Manolito, eldest DeLaCruz, in contact with his lifemate... mary ellen, women's shelter counselor & friend of natalya & Virkinoff... and Manolito is perhaps the closest to turning, and when he 1st hears her voice, she is somewhat jokingly but somewhat seriously saying she would never allow a lifemate to claim her, she'd run home as fast as she could... so in desperation & to insure his claim, Manolito steals into the home she is staying, and enthralls her and forces an exchange of blood, to ensure he can always find her... th takes a poison stab in place of pregnant Shea, she feels his pain & then is cut off, and he almost dies... and I'd guess that is where their story will pick up next book...

Gabrielle is now raised from her healing sleep, still clinging to Gary, whom she loves... and we find out that Gary is decendant of the jaguars, though he doesn't manifest any abilities... The Carpathian elders are unsure as what will happen as gabrielle must go with her lifemate, even if she does not love him.... hmmmm, how will they resolve it? Hmmmmmm

and the story ends with the children, teens, & the Dark Troubadours performing... Gregori (yes Gregori) and Savanah as santa and elf... and Shea's giving birth... hope is in the air...(less)

like · see review

Sep 14, 2009 Gardavson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, 5-star, fantasy-romance

Oh good glory. I did this book as a playaway (digital audio book). I don't know who's brilliant idea it was, but they had a man narrate it. Not just a man, but a geezer sounding man. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Do you know how hard it was to listen to a geezer guy saying "he pulled her against the hard evidence of his bodies desires..."? rofl. Then his female voices were pitiful. omg. Never, never have a man narrate a romance book. Who's brainstorm was that, I want to know. The guy...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 27, 2009 Kaleigha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dark Celebration is a great entry in the Dark series. It was wonderful to go back and revisit all, and I mean all, of the previous couples. Not only that, but to see them have something (or rather things) to celebrate was a nice touch, too. As a species on the edge of extinction, hunted by their banded together enemies and suffering from devastating child mortality rates, they need every joy they can find. And they do find happiness, and humor (usually at Gregori's expense).

What I was pleasantly...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 23, 2009 Penny Watson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christmas-romance

Nothing says Christmas quite like gingerbread cookies, twinkling lights, and an alpha male Carpathian rocking his lifemate's world. Seriously. I have a lot of Christmas romance novels I like to re-read for the holidays, but for some reason my favorite is Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan. This book is really only for long-term Feehan fans who have been following the Dark series since the beginning. It is really cool to see old favorite characters come together in the Carpathian mountains for...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 18, 2008 Brynna Schiller rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those who have already read the rest of the series

Recommended to Brynna by: I'm reading the Dark Series... it was next in line.

Shelves: romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wow. I hate to say it. I really had to force myself through this book. I don't know what happened. I gave in several times and just skimmed over pages and didn't miss anything important. It really dragged... bad enough I grumbled at my poor husband who suggested I just skip it.

Here's a snippet of why I didn't like this one:
It was all about a Christmas celebration. OK, whatever. I'm not into Christmas but whatever floats their boat - right?
There was no lead couple (total break from the typical r...more

like · see review

Mar 03, 2008 Jennie rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Laurell K. Hamilton and Sherrilyn Kenyon Fans

Again, had to read for work so I would know something about paranormal romances.

So, maybe I picked a bad place to start with this series. it didn't kill me or anything, but it was tough to get through. (The Sherrilyn Kenyon book I read was better.) I do think I felt a little lost because this book was essentially catching up with a bunch of characters and couples from the entire series, so I didn't really care much...I had nothing invested in the series and I should have picked an earlier title...more

like · see review

Jan 20, 2008 maricar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, paranormal, series, urban-fantasy, contemporary

it would always be a treat for any avid fan of ms feehan to encounter a novel with their favorite characters thrown together along with other personas in such a rare occurence as a carpathian "reunion." definitely it was a great feeling for me to glimpse how married life was treating lucian and jaxx. and it also paved the way for me to be introduced to some others i have not been acquainted with.

it was so amusing to see how mikhail kept on with his sadistic vendetta to throw gregori into the ro...more it would always be a treat for any avid fan of ms feehan to encounter a novel with their favorite characters thrown together along with other personas in such a rare occurence as a carpathian "reunion." definitely it was a great feeling for me to glimpse how married life was treating lucian and jaxx. and it also paved the way for me to be introduced to some others i have not been acquainted with.

it was so amusing to see how mikhail kept on with his sadistic vendetta to throw gregori into the role of santa claus. and the reaction of the carpathian males to this was hilarious. you wouldnt think that these people were ruthless killers with tons of power to spare. and the women with their efforts to cook up something for the incoming feast were charming (especially natalya with her signature hair spray).

of course the story also centered on the still pervasive menace of the dark mage, as well as on the development between dimitri and skyler. although skyler isnt really my favorite female character (maybe im just biased against her young age as compared to the other "ancients"), you can still feel the promise of a great story emerging between her and dimitri. i just hope it does stand up to par. i mean, to be honest, not all of ms feehan's carpathian installments were that great.

as most readers can attest, the great challenge in doing dark celebration was in putting together all these couples, and, what for me is becoming most annoying, the presence of the dark mage in the middle of their feast. truthfully, im getting tired of this villain. and then there's the whole affair with the jaguars, which, forgive me, up to now i cant quite appreciate. i think ms feehan's plots are getting more convoluted, and i dont really mean in a complimentary way.

sometimes it does get exhausting to encounter the same old stories of "overly domineering men" and "loudly protesting, too independent women." on your first to probably third feehan book that you would read, it wouldnt be too bad, but to continue with this kind of plot between the hero and the heroine may just be too much in the end. i hope ms feehan can prevent this from happening by introducing a twist between the chemistry of her characters in her future books. and please dont forget to add in humor! it's always fun to see that the dark carpathian male can make fun of himself and even mercilessly tease his lifemate. that's what made lucian and jaxx's story irresistible to me. all carpathian couples, i believe, should have that touch of lightness in their relationship.

dont get me wrong! meeting the carpathian race is something i would never regret. they were a definite treat in my little library of romance novels.
(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (13)

More editions...

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Romance > Paranormal Romance

214 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

159 users

Romance

157 users

Paranormal > Vampires

111 users

Fantasy

36 users

Adult

22 users

Fantasy > Magic

12 users

Contemporary

11 users

Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

10 users

Paranormal > Shapeshifters

9 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

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

More about Christine Feehan...

Books by Christine Feehan

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Dark Celebration

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

title link	preview: Dark Celebration
avg rating	preview: Dark Celebration Goodreads rating: 4.28 (7739 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64028.Dark_Celebration?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309280335l/64028.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64028.Dark_Celebration?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan[/url]

Dark Celebration (Dark Carpathian #17)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website