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Dark Angels #2
Darkness Rising
The sexy, thrilling adventures continue in bestselling author Keri Arthur’s new Dark Angels series, starring half-werewolf/half-Aedh Risa Jones.
Risa will go to any lengths to avenge her mother’s murder—even if it means making a pact with the most evil vampire she’s ever met. Lethal and powerful, Madeline Hunter is leader of the vampire council, and will put her resources behind finding the killer—for a price. The venerable vampire requires the assistance of Risa’s psychic powers. Quid pro quo.
Someone—or something—is targeting the elders of the local council, cursing the immortal vampires to rapidly age, sink into madness, and die. Risa must track down the vengeful being responsible. But Risa’s father, a rogue Aedh priest, also enlists her in a dangerous mission. And not even the great Madeline Hunter may be able to protect her from the shadowy forces that desire nothing less than Risa’s destruction.
From the Paperback edition.
Risa will go to any lengths to avenge her mother’s murder—even if it means making a pact with the most evil vampire she’s ever met. Lethal and powerful, Madeline Hunter is leader of the vampire council, and will put her resources behind finding the killer—for a price. The venerable vampire requires the assistance of Risa’s psychic powers. Quid pro quo.
Someone—or something—is targeting the elders of the local council, cursing the immortal vampires to rapidly age, sink into madness, and die. Risa must track down the vengeful being responsible. But Risa’s father, a rogue Aedh priest, also enlists her in a dangerous mission. And not even the great Madeline Hunter may be able to protect her from the shadowy forces that desire nothing less than Risa’s destruction.
From the Paperback edition.
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
201 people are currently reading
3194 people want to read
About the author
Keri Arthur
100 books6,002 followersKeri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson, Guardian series, has now written more than 25 books. She's received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives in Melbourne with her daughter and two crazy dogs
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
June 10, 2015
The search for the gate keys main storyline that started in the first book continues in Darkness Rising. More than two factions are after the keys and as a consequence, after Risa.
Her reaper is showing glimpses of an intriguing personalty. His one-liners, whether they are about him, Risa, their deepening connection or his lack of trust towards Lucien (I am with him on that), are frustratingly well scattered throughout the book. He never says too much.
The other case (this book only) is about vampire councillors being targeted by something unknown. Hunter gets Risa to work on it as a way of proving her worth and usefulness to the vampire council. That story starts with a bang but gets a weaker resolution that I expected although its consequences are serious enough. I expected more from it, but it got overshadowed by the other storyline.
In this book Risa receives a gift and her unwillingness to follow Hunter's rules 'earns' her yet another shadow (in the next book a Cazador will probably follow her).
The thing about Risa I really like is that she still has a lot to learn. She was taught to fight by the best, but she is well aware that is not always enough. She doesn't miraculously know everything right away.
I could nitpick, of course, but I won't. If you binge read this certain repetitions are unavoidable and my enjoyment was simply too great to start nitpicking now.
Her reaper is showing glimpses of an intriguing personalty. His one-liners, whether they are about him, Risa, their deepening connection or his lack of trust towards Lucien (I am with him on that), are frustratingly well scattered throughout the book. He never says too much.
The other case (this book only) is about vampire councillors being targeted by something unknown. Hunter gets Risa to work on it as a way of proving her worth and usefulness to the vampire council. That story starts with a bang but gets a weaker resolution that I expected although its consequences are serious enough. I expected more from it, but it got overshadowed by the other storyline.
In this book Risa receives a gift and her unwillingness to follow Hunter's rules 'earns' her yet another shadow (in the next book a Cazador will probably follow her).
The thing about Risa I really like is that she still has a lot to learn. She was taught to fight by the best, but she is well aware that is not always enough. She doesn't miraculously know everything right away.
I could nitpick, of course, but I won't. If you binge read this certain repetitions are unavoidable and my enjoyment was simply too great to start nitpicking now.
November 30, 2021
I now have a Booktube channel! Find me at: The Obsessive Bookseller
It has only been a week and I’ve already forgotten what I read.
I’m still reconciling how my tastes have changed since I first read Darkness Unbounded five years ago, and how that one lost almost 3 stars on the reread. This was my first venture into Darkness Rising, and my grand plans for bulldozing through the series this month have been derailed… I didn’t love it.
The book didn’t have a lot of substance. It didn’t deepen the characters. It didn’t broaden the plot. The sex scenes were hard to read. And probably the most disappointing: the main conflict was simple but at the same time confusing. I kept thinking I’d missed something. Like, why are we suddenly in the sewers? What’s the whole point of this exercise? WHY do the characters have to do anything about this in the first place? It all seemed so contrived. The overall conflict lacked enough substance to sustain the story. It was was very similar to a middle grade novel when it came to flat villains, surface-level conflicts, and lack of character depth.
Now, granted, I’m evaluating this alongside urban fantasy works that I’ve loved. This is in fact a paranormal romance, which have an entirely different plot focus, story purpose, and target audience. Even though I avoid the genre these days, I picked this one up because I liked Riley Jensen, and loved the author’s City of Light urban fantasy series. But… here’s the thing. For a paranormal romance with the love story and sex scenes as the main overall arc, it wasn’t even satisfying compared to others I’ve read in the genre. I can see where the author is headed with things, but to evaluate just what has been presented so far, it left me wanting.
Recommendations: urban fantasy readers, don’t even give this one a second glance. Not only is it a continuation spinoff of the Riley Jensen series with spoilers, but it’s also written more for the paranormal romance crowd. Paranormal romance readers: this one missed on all accounts for me.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
I’d recommend these other similar books instead:
It has only been a week and I’ve already forgotten what I read.
I’m still reconciling how my tastes have changed since I first read Darkness Unbounded five years ago, and how that one lost almost 3 stars on the reread. This was my first venture into Darkness Rising, and my grand plans for bulldozing through the series this month have been derailed… I didn’t love it.
The book didn’t have a lot of substance. It didn’t deepen the characters. It didn’t broaden the plot. The sex scenes were hard to read. And probably the most disappointing: the main conflict was simple but at the same time confusing. I kept thinking I’d missed something. Like, why are we suddenly in the sewers? What’s the whole point of this exercise? WHY do the characters have to do anything about this in the first place? It all seemed so contrived. The overall conflict lacked enough substance to sustain the story. It was was very similar to a middle grade novel when it came to flat villains, surface-level conflicts, and lack of character depth.
Now, granted, I’m evaluating this alongside urban fantasy works that I’ve loved. This is in fact a paranormal romance, which have an entirely different plot focus, story purpose, and target audience. Even though I avoid the genre these days, I picked this one up because I liked Riley Jensen, and loved the author’s City of Light urban fantasy series. But… here’s the thing. For a paranormal romance with the love story and sex scenes as the main overall arc, it wasn’t even satisfying compared to others I’ve read in the genre. I can see where the author is headed with things, but to evaluate just what has been presented so far, it left me wanting.
Recommendations: urban fantasy readers, don’t even give this one a second glance. Not only is it a continuation spinoff of the Riley Jensen series with spoilers, but it’s also written more for the paranormal romance crowd. Paranormal romance readers: this one missed on all accounts for me.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
I’d recommend these other similar books instead:
January 3, 2013
I found this second book very slow. It took me forever to finish it, and I only did it because I didn't want it to carry on into the new year. I have to say Risa was more interesting as a child than she is as an adult.
December 6, 2011
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Darkness Unbound is a difficult act to follow but Darkness Rising meets the challenge head on. While most reviewers seem to be pining for Lucian after the first book; I couldn't get enough of Azriel and he's at the forefront of this tale (Yay!). I still haven't entirely figured out what his deal is but I'm content to enjoy the ride! Not surprisingly, there's a lot less Riley and co in this one although I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at that. Overall, a solid second installment in Keri Arthur's new Dark Angels series with a promise of more goodness to come.
After devouring the first book I was just itching to get my fingers on the next one. Arthur was kind enough to time Darkness Rising's release date to be one short month later. Talk about spoiling her readers! Risa's friends made a bigger impression on me in this installment. I really got a feel for them and can't help but admire the ease with which Keri harmoniously combines characters from diverse backgrounds and makes them "click". I'm not talking from just a supernatural perspective either; Darkness Rising has a cutesy lesbian couple while as in her Riley Jensen Guardian series there was an equally lovable homosexual duo.
Azriel was love at first sight for me. I can't explain why; we know next to nothing about him and he's not exactly the warmest guy but then again, he's a reaper. Maybe it's the protector persona combined with a flaming sword that did it for me... Azriel does lighten up quite a bit in this book though. He's actually quite funny! Although, I'm not sure if it's intentional or just a side effect of him becoming more human-like. Either way, I'll take it! Lucian's nice guy facade from Darkness Unbound slips and he's starting to turn into a real creeper. I'm not surprised, I knew that there had to be a good reason for his de-winging. The man can not be trusted!
Risa's less of a victim and more of a fighter in this installment which I was happy to see. She even gets her very own don't-mess-with-me demon infused sword. Now she has the attitude AND the weaponry to lay the smackdown on her enemies! The story progresses along the same lines as the first book except for a pretty nifty battle towards the end where all hell breaks loose. It was definitely a noteworthy scene and helped to finish things off with a bang!
All in all, a great addition to a promising new series by one of my favorite authors. In the future, I hope that Azriel and Risa's slow burn will ignite into a full-blown romance. Fingers crossed! I enjoyed Darkness Rising and look forward to reading the continuation of the Dark Angels story even though the wait will be much longer this time around. June 2012, yikes!
Darkness Unbound is a difficult act to follow but Darkness Rising meets the challenge head on. While most reviewers seem to be pining for Lucian after the first book; I couldn't get enough of Azriel and he's at the forefront of this tale (Yay!). I still haven't entirely figured out what his deal is but I'm content to enjoy the ride! Not surprisingly, there's a lot less Riley and co in this one although I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at that. Overall, a solid second installment in Keri Arthur's new Dark Angels series with a promise of more goodness to come.
After devouring the first book I was just itching to get my fingers on the next one. Arthur was kind enough to time Darkness Rising's release date to be one short month later. Talk about spoiling her readers! Risa's friends made a bigger impression on me in this installment. I really got a feel for them and can't help but admire the ease with which Keri harmoniously combines characters from diverse backgrounds and makes them "click". I'm not talking from just a supernatural perspective either; Darkness Rising has a cutesy lesbian couple while as in her Riley Jensen Guardian series there was an equally lovable homosexual duo.
Azriel was love at first sight for me. I can't explain why; we know next to nothing about him and he's not exactly the warmest guy but then again, he's a reaper. Maybe it's the protector persona combined with a flaming sword that did it for me... Azriel does lighten up quite a bit in this book though. He's actually quite funny! Although, I'm not sure if it's intentional or just a side effect of him becoming more human-like. Either way, I'll take it! Lucian's nice guy facade from Darkness Unbound slips and he's starting to turn into a real creeper. I'm not surprised, I knew that there had to be a good reason for his de-winging. The man can not be trusted!
Risa's less of a victim and more of a fighter in this installment which I was happy to see. She even gets her very own don't-mess-with-me demon infused sword. Now she has the attitude AND the weaponry to lay the smackdown on her enemies! The story progresses along the same lines as the first book except for a pretty nifty battle towards the end where all hell breaks loose. It was definitely a noteworthy scene and helped to finish things off with a bang!
All in all, a great addition to a promising new series by one of my favorite authors. In the future, I hope that Azriel and Risa's slow burn will ignite into a full-blown romance. Fingers crossed! I enjoyed Darkness Rising and look forward to reading the continuation of the Dark Angels story even though the wait will be much longer this time around. June 2012, yikes!
November 1, 2011
... Wow!!! This second book in the Dark Angel series was just as good, if not better than the first. Fighting along side Azriel, the gorgeous reaper, Risa tries to uncover the whereabouts to the keys that everyone seems to be after. These keys hold the outcome to both Risa's world and Azriel's.
I loved this book and how it followed on from the first, involving her friends and of course Riley and Quinn. The adventure kept me engrossed and had me asking questions all the way through.
The cliff hanger was expected and I am left thinking that I still can't trust a particular character. Underneath, I am sure Risa does not trust him either and I want her to lean more toward Azriel... I am sure I would!!!
For now, I have to wait until next year to follow Risa's journey and I can guarantee that I will. Keri Arthur remains a long standing favourite of mine and I am sure I will always love her books!
I loved this book and how it followed on from the first, involving her friends and of course Riley and Quinn. The adventure kept me engrossed and had me asking questions all the way through.
The cliff hanger was expected and I am left thinking that I still can't trust a particular character. Underneath, I am sure Risa does not trust him either and I want her to lean more toward Azriel... I am sure I would!!!
For now, I have to wait until next year to follow Risa's journey and I can guarantee that I will. Keri Arthur remains a long standing favourite of mine and I am sure I will always love her books!
November 10, 2011
First off, this is not a stand alone book, at all. You need to read book 1 to have any idea about what goes on in this book, and even then having read book 1, I was rereading parts just to keep details straight. There's a lot of information given out, some action, but the information felt like it was setting up the next book.
I felt like the first book drew me in a lot easier than Darkness Rising, but I'm now convinced that Lucian isn't at all what he seems and Risa needs side with Azriel more :)
It was nice to have more of the Jenson pack on page, Quinn showing up in this book along with Riley and Rhoan. Risa's friends Illiana and Tao show up a bit more in this one, and poor Tao...I need to know what's happened to him. Cliffhangers for any character are not my favorite thing!
While I overall liked the first book a bit better than this follow up, I'm still fully on board with Risa's journey and can't wait to see what happens next.
I felt like the first book drew me in a lot easier than Darkness Rising, but I'm now convinced that Lucian isn't at all what he seems and Risa needs side with Azriel more :)
It was nice to have more of the Jenson pack on page, Quinn showing up in this book along with Riley and Rhoan. Risa's friends Illiana and Tao show up a bit more in this one, and poor Tao...I need to know what's happened to him. Cliffhangers for any character are not my favorite thing!
While I overall liked the first book a bit better than this follow up, I'm still fully on board with Risa's journey and can't wait to see what happens next.
August 27, 2015
Dat feel when the secret bad guy is so obvious that even the oblivious heroine gets multiple suspicious twinges throughout the book. Yet said heroine obstinately and ferociously defends the bad guy against anyone who suspects him, and never investigates her suspicions. Snort.
March 20, 2024
I absolutely adored this series. It has become one of my all-time favorites, a timeless masterpiece that never fails to capture my attention. No matter how many times I read it, the story and characters still feel fresh and engaging. It's a rare gem in the world of Books, an enduring beauty that stands the test of time and continues to grip audiences with its captivating plot and relatable characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2011
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*Le sigh* Well, she did it. Keri Arthur managed to make me doubt one of the characters I enjoyed the most in the first book in this series. I told people how much I liked this character and how I was glad that Keri hadn’t chosen to kill him off after book one because I was hoping to see more of him. He’s sexy and pretty and a good match for Risa. Not necessarily a love match, but their chemistry was amazing and reading them together was hot!
But I may be getting ahead of myself here. Let’s start at the beginning.
Darkness Rising is the second book in Keri Arthur’s Dark Angels series. Book one, Darkness Unbound, was spectacular. I loved every moment of it and could not wait to get my hands on this second book. Thank goodness the release dates were close together so I didn’t have to wait long. And now that I’ve read the second book, here’s what I have to say about it:
I liked Risa in book one and I still like her very much. I love how she handles things. How even though she’s half-shifter and half aedh, she’s no superhero. It really helps make her relatable and likable.
I think Risa’s friends and family are wonderful and I enjoy reading about her interaction with them and their interaction with each other. Those scenes are very well written. They make you feel like you’re right there in the room with them.
I found there was a little bit of repetition in the descriptions of who was who in the beginning of the book. I know it’s important for the author to refresh our memories of who Lucian is, who Riley is and so forth and what happened in the previous book, but I think telling us once would have been enough.
Speaking of Lucian, I can’t believe Keri managed to plant doubts in my mind about his intentions with Risa! I thought he was so yummy in the first book. The perfect character to complement Risa! Now…I am actually thinking that he may be the ultimate bad guy! *GASP!* Now, is Keri writing him that way to surprise us with who the real villain is or is he really the ultimate evil in this series? She sure has some major writing chops to pull that off. (And those of you who read this book, please let me know what you think of this!)
Azriel! Oh. My. Swoon. Book one, he was okay for me. Actually, I didn’t feel much towards him. Probably because I was drooling too focused on Lucian. But in Darkness Rising he is SO yummy! He is a Reaper warrior of sorts (you’ll have to read the book to really understand what he is because I don’t know how to start explaining it lol). The longer he stays in human form, the more human emotions and mannerisms he adopts. He’s actually funny and flirty now! Even though Risa doesn’t quite see it, he is! He really is!
The way the book plays out was very similar to how book one played out. Many of the things that occurred there happened here. But there is a big unexpected fight near the end with an ‘OMG Oh Crap!” moment that made up for it all. Not that reading this installment was terrible or anything like that. It was still a good book with good a solid story and great characters. I just found it a little ‘been there done that’. We’ll see what happens in the next book, Darkness Devours, which is slated to hit shelves on June 5th 2012.
Once again, we get the main story arc which will be the base of this series and a side story that gets resolved by the end of this book. I find the way the story dances from one story to the other very good. The pace and the story flow very well.
Overall, I enjoyed Darkness Rising. Risa is wonderful and I look forward to many more books/moments with her. The book starts off on a bit of an emotional note that is quickly replaced with fun action and go go go. And let’s not forget Azriel…Yum.
*Le sigh* Well, she did it. Keri Arthur managed to make me doubt one of the characters I enjoyed the most in the first book in this series. I told people how much I liked this character and how I was glad that Keri hadn’t chosen to kill him off after book one because I was hoping to see more of him. He’s sexy and pretty and a good match for Risa. Not necessarily a love match, but their chemistry was amazing and reading them together was hot!
But I may be getting ahead of myself here. Let’s start at the beginning.
Darkness Rising is the second book in Keri Arthur’s Dark Angels series. Book one, Darkness Unbound, was spectacular. I loved every moment of it and could not wait to get my hands on this second book. Thank goodness the release dates were close together so I didn’t have to wait long. And now that I’ve read the second book, here’s what I have to say about it:
I liked Risa in book one and I still like her very much. I love how she handles things. How even though she’s half-shifter and half aedh, she’s no superhero. It really helps make her relatable and likable.
I think Risa’s friends and family are wonderful and I enjoy reading about her interaction with them and their interaction with each other. Those scenes are very well written. They make you feel like you’re right there in the room with them.
I found there was a little bit of repetition in the descriptions of who was who in the beginning of the book. I know it’s important for the author to refresh our memories of who Lucian is, who Riley is and so forth and what happened in the previous book, but I think telling us once would have been enough.
Speaking of Lucian, I can’t believe Keri managed to plant doubts in my mind about his intentions with Risa! I thought he was so yummy in the first book. The perfect character to complement Risa! Now…I am actually thinking that he may be the ultimate bad guy! *GASP!* Now, is Keri writing him that way to surprise us with who the real villain is or is he really the ultimate evil in this series? She sure has some major writing chops to pull that off. (And those of you who read this book, please let me know what you think of this!)
Azriel! Oh. My. Swoon. Book one, he was okay for me. Actually, I didn’t feel much towards him. Probably because I was drooling too focused on Lucian. But in Darkness Rising he is SO yummy! He is a Reaper warrior of sorts (you’ll have to read the book to really understand what he is because I don’t know how to start explaining it lol). The longer he stays in human form, the more human emotions and mannerisms he adopts. He’s actually funny and flirty now! Even though Risa doesn’t quite see it, he is! He really is!
The way the book plays out was very similar to how book one played out. Many of the things that occurred there happened here. But there is a big unexpected fight near the end with an ‘OMG Oh Crap!” moment that made up for it all. Not that reading this installment was terrible or anything like that. It was still a good book with good a solid story and great characters. I just found it a little ‘been there done that’. We’ll see what happens in the next book, Darkness Devours, which is slated to hit shelves on June 5th 2012.
Once again, we get the main story arc which will be the base of this series and a side story that gets resolved by the end of this book. I find the way the story dances from one story to the other very good. The pace and the story flow very well.
Overall, I enjoyed Darkness Rising. Risa is wonderful and I look forward to many more books/moments with her. The book starts off on a bit of an emotional note that is quickly replaced with fun action and go go go. And let’s not forget Azriel…Yum.
November 9, 2011
Keri Arthur's latest installment in her new Dark Angels series is Darkness Rising and oh my was it good!!
Two months have passed since Darkness Unbound, and Risa is still in the thick of things and they only get worse for her. Her mother's killer is on the loose, the keys are missing, Madeline Hunter is breathing down her neck...life just kinda sucks. The only good thing she has is her lover Lucien, but even that seems to be getting more complicated. Lucien is definitely getting higher and higher on my suspicious people list. He doesn't do anything overtly suspicious, but I still have a niggling feeling about that man!
So yeah, things just get complicated for Risa. I was happy that we get more of Azriel in this book! He's there a lot more for Risa in helping her out with this and that. And the tension riding between the two gets heavier! I mean, there's still nothing big happening yet, but like I said, the tension between them is getting thicker and it is of a romantic kind!
Risa's other problems involve trying to find someone who is killing vampires, vampires with power. Madeline has basically forced Risa to solve the case, or else bad things will happen. Risa having no choice adds the problem to her already full plate. There is more development going on with Risa trying to find the 3 keys, yet that still comes with more problems.
The romance between Risa and Lucien doesn't fizzle due to his weird behavior. It stays the same, but now Risa is starting to wonder things occasionally about him. Everyone, including Azriel, seems to have a secret agenda of their own, leaving very few people for Risa to trust.
Definitely looking forward to the next one. There isn't any major cliffhangers or anything, but the ending does still leave you wanting to more. But alas we must wait til June 26, 2012 when Darkness Devours releases.
Overall rating 4.5/5 stars
Two months have passed since Darkness Unbound, and Risa is still in the thick of things and they only get worse for her. Her mother's killer is on the loose, the keys are missing, Madeline Hunter is breathing down her neck...life just kinda sucks. The only good thing she has is her lover Lucien, but even that seems to be getting more complicated. Lucien is definitely getting higher and higher on my suspicious people list. He doesn't do anything overtly suspicious, but I still have a niggling feeling about that man!
So yeah, things just get complicated for Risa. I was happy that we get more of Azriel in this book! He's there a lot more for Risa in helping her out with this and that. And the tension riding between the two gets heavier! I mean, there's still nothing big happening yet, but like I said, the tension between them is getting thicker and it is of a romantic kind!
Risa's other problems involve trying to find someone who is killing vampires, vampires with power. Madeline has basically forced Risa to solve the case, or else bad things will happen. Risa having no choice adds the problem to her already full plate. There is more development going on with Risa trying to find the 3 keys, yet that still comes with more problems.
The romance between Risa and Lucien doesn't fizzle due to his weird behavior. It stays the same, but now Risa is starting to wonder things occasionally about him. Everyone, including Azriel, seems to have a secret agenda of their own, leaving very few people for Risa to trust.
Definitely looking forward to the next one. There isn't any major cliffhangers or anything, but the ending does still leave you wanting to more. But alas we must wait til June 26, 2012 when Darkness Devours releases.
Overall rating 4.5/5 stars
July 10, 2013
While the plot for Darkness Rising was interesting enough, it plodded along so slowly that I was sorely tempted to skip ahead to the end be done with it. Somehow, my willpower prevailed and i managed to read the whole damn thing but then I lost my patience towards the end and speed read the climax and what happened once things died down a little. There was very little development in the larger plot (that of the keys to hell)
AS for the characters, I actually prefer the secondary characters to most of the primary ones. Risa is annoying and a VERY bad judge of character and Lucian is an epic slime ball!! His behavior in this book raised so many red flags and she ignored ALL of them. Sure, she took the time to register the strange behavior and then promptly made excuses for him. The sex must really be amazing! As for Azriel, he is so much better than that scum bag!! Here is a a guy who's saved your life on numerous occasions as well as your friends and he is the one you don't trust! Hmm, that makes a lot of sense. NOT!!! And then of course there's all that complaining: she whines about the fact that Azriel can read her mind and then complains when he withdraws his emotions into himself. Yikes!! Some people are never satisfied. AS for people being able to read Risa's mind, the list is rather long so i don't even know what the big deal is! At least so far Tao and Illiana are sensible and likeable.
Am i gonna read the other books in this series? Yes, but its gonna be speed reading because anything more will be a waste of precious time and effort.
AS for the characters, I actually prefer the secondary characters to most of the primary ones. Risa is annoying and a VERY bad judge of character and Lucian is an epic slime ball!! His behavior in this book raised so many red flags and she ignored ALL of them. Sure, she took the time to register the strange behavior and then promptly made excuses for him. The sex must really be amazing! As for Azriel, he is so much better than that scum bag!! Here is a a guy who's saved your life on numerous occasions as well as your friends and he is the one you don't trust! Hmm, that makes a lot of sense. NOT!!! And then of course there's all that complaining: she whines about the fact that Azriel can read her mind and then complains when he withdraws his emotions into himself. Yikes!! Some people are never satisfied. AS for people being able to read Risa's mind, the list is rather long so i don't even know what the big deal is! At least so far Tao and Illiana are sensible and likeable.
Am i gonna read the other books in this series? Yes, but its gonna be speed reading because anything more will be a waste of precious time and effort.
November 22, 2011
I am a huge fan of Keri Arthur and I’m so glad that her book “Darkness Rising” the second in the Dark Angels series was as good as the first one. The story takes place two months after the events of the first book and it’s full of adventure!
Risa has to deal with a lot of things. Her mother’s death, her weird relationships with two of the most cryptic men (OK, men isn’t the right term for them because none of the is human!), her deal with the Diractorate of Other Races etc. Her life is always at stake and she doesn’t know who to trust. And the people who trust are her only family left to her and she doesn’t want to endanger them. So, her life is kind of a mess right now. Risa is a very brave young woman, she’s smart and witty and she’s very protective to the ones she loves.
In this book we have the same main characters as in the first and, of course, we can see many of the Riley Jensen’s characters although now they have smaller participation than in “Darkness Unbound”. A lot of adventure, sexual tension and smart comments are the keys for the success in this book. I loved everything in this book but most of all I liked the more intense scenes between Risa and Azriel.
Lucian and Azriel are as hot and mysterious as ever. I really can’t choose between them, but it’s obvious that Lucian has a secret agenda and I found myself trusting Azriel more.
As you can see, I loved this book and I recommend it to all the fans of urban fantasy!
Risa has to deal with a lot of things. Her mother’s death, her weird relationships with two of the most cryptic men (OK, men isn’t the right term for them because none of the is human!), her deal with the Diractorate of Other Races etc. Her life is always at stake and she doesn’t know who to trust. And the people who trust are her only family left to her and she doesn’t want to endanger them. So, her life is kind of a mess right now. Risa is a very brave young woman, she’s smart and witty and she’s very protective to the ones she loves.
In this book we have the same main characters as in the first and, of course, we can see many of the Riley Jensen’s characters although now they have smaller participation than in “Darkness Unbound”. A lot of adventure, sexual tension and smart comments are the keys for the success in this book. I loved everything in this book but most of all I liked the more intense scenes between Risa and Azriel.
Lucian and Azriel are as hot and mysterious as ever. I really can’t choose between them, but it’s obvious that Lucian has a secret agenda and I found myself trusting Azriel more.
As you can see, I loved this book and I recommend it to all the fans of urban fantasy!
November 19, 2011
As soon as I read Darkness Unbound, I knew I had to get a hold of this book and fast. I was already an addict and needed my fix. Now I am going to have to wait and wait for the next book to come out. I am pretty sad about that. I am in love with this series!
Darkness Rising is just all around amazing! There is never a dull moment and I was glued to it from page one. Risa is tough and her life is facing some of the craziest things ever. All the characters have some amazing supernatural abilities that are really unique. We also get to see Riley and the crew which I love! Even with Risa's life being crazy, she is working for the devil (or vamp council) trying to find the keys protect herself and her friends, she is still half wolf and needs her lovin' time. I just wish she would get it on with The Reaper! I have been suspicious of Lucien since book 1 and this book only makes me question him more. I am not trusting that mofo!
Again start with the Riley Jenson series if you haven't and then read these. I love both of the series! And I think these Dark Angels Books are going to be just as good if not better then the Riley books. Yes I just said that...lol. Just be prepared to be waiting anxiously for the next book.
Darkness Rising is just all around amazing! There is never a dull moment and I was glued to it from page one. Risa is tough and her life is facing some of the craziest things ever. All the characters have some amazing supernatural abilities that are really unique. We also get to see Riley and the crew which I love! Even with Risa's life being crazy, she is working for the devil (or vamp council) trying to find the keys protect herself and her friends, she is still half wolf and needs her lovin' time. I just wish she would get it on with The Reaper! I have been suspicious of Lucien since book 1 and this book only makes me question him more. I am not trusting that mofo!
Again start with the Riley Jenson series if you haven't and then read these. I love both of the series! And I think these Dark Angels Books are going to be just as good if not better then the Riley books. Yes I just said that...lol. Just be prepared to be waiting anxiously for the next book.
November 6, 2011
It was ok. The problem is that I can't get that into the main plot, the story about the search for the book and the keys. I think the author is much better at action and intrigue than she is at the mystical stuff and somehow this plot just hasn't been working for me in this series. It's just overly complicated and something about it doesn't ring true. For example, why would the vampire council want to use the keys to send prisoners to hell instead of just killing them? It doesn't make sense. The part of the story I do really like is the side story about Madeline Hunter and the vampire council, she's deliciously wicked, manipulative and fascinating. I would have been more interested in a bigger story about her than this quest for the keys. So, it's fine, but not my favorite.
December 7, 2011
I'm sad to say that Keri Arthur has fallen into the UF cliche to make her heroine sort of dumb just to prolong the series. I hate when we, the readers, find out who the bad guy is but the heroine refuses to see what is right in front of her eyes. WTF! All of the sudden, she becomes this stubborn woman defending someone she hasn't known for that long when all of the signs and other people give hints that all is not what it seems. I wish her reaper would be a little bit more persistent in convincing her otherwise. But no, he just shrugs it off and says 'I trust your judgment'. Aargh!
I'm not sure how many books Keri has planned for this series and I will read the next one, but if Risa doesn't snap out of her blond moment then it will be another series I will have to abandon.
I'm not sure how many books Keri has planned for this series and I will read the next one, but if Risa doesn't snap out of her blond moment then it will be another series I will have to abandon.
January 11, 2014
Don't read books out of order. Why I never read book 2 before I read 3, 4 and 6 I have no idea. This book helped fill in some of the background I was missing in the later books. It also made me cringe for Risa because she completely makes a fool of herself with her misguided trust. Frustrating!
Still, this story was a decent one as it helps to set up the rest of the books in this series. Risa is still pretty kick ass. Her "reaper" is still very attractive. Lucian, I never liked. His involvement here sets up further evens down the line.
Recommended for paranormal readers who enjoy a good plot, mystery and action. (No memorable sex in this one. BOO!)
Still, this story was a decent one as it helps to set up the rest of the books in this series. Risa is still pretty kick ass. Her "reaper" is still very attractive. Lucian, I never liked. His involvement here sets up further evens down the line.
Recommended for paranormal readers who enjoy a good plot, mystery and action. (No memorable sex in this one. BOO!)
December 8, 2016
This second installment of the series is marginally better than the first, but still nowhere near my love for the original series (for which this series is a spin-off). All of the same basic elements are there, so I feel like I should like it more than I do. I think it's a problem of foreshadowing that is as heavy handed as a hammer upside the head. There's no doubt about the intentions behind the secondary characters and yet the heroine is almost ridiculously obtuse. Yet despite those problems, I still find myself liking the book (though not loving it) and still wanting to know what's going to happen next. I'll continue reading the series.
March 3, 2018
Another great installment! This slow burn between Risa and Azriel is absolutely FASCINATING. Im in awe of this series. Why havnt i read this sooner?!
August 27, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: This action-packed sequel to Darkness Unbound explores more of Risa’s relationships with Azriel and an equally dark and dangerous world.
Opening Sentence: The house still smelled of death.
The Review:
There is really no way I can start off this review without a giant spoiler from the first book in the series, Darkness Unbound, but since it is already mentioned in the synopsis it is fair game. Two months have passed since Risa’s mother was brutally murdered. In order to find out the identity of the murderer, Risa enters into an uneasy deal with Madeline Hunter, the leader of the Directorate. The Directorate has the resources that will help Risa find the murderer but in so doing Risa will be running jobs on the side for Madeline or else the Directorate will no longer look into her mother’s murder.
Risa’s father confronts her with the clue to find the first key to open or lock the gates to the other side. Everyone (good, bad and questionable) wants that key from Risa while she would rather just keep it hidden and she is given no choice but to find the key. Meanwhile, vampires from the Vampire Council are rapidly aging and dying. Madeline forces Risa to look into who is cursing the vampires before too many of them die. Risa’s relationship with the sexy, fallen Aedh, Lucian, is still purely sexual while the relationship with the equally sexy and mysterious Azriel is still complicated but he still obediently follows Risa and helps her stay alive.
Risa feels like a puppet strung between too many people that want to use her. Above all Risa wants to keep her friends safe so she does whatever she can to protect them. Risa still acts impulsively at times not exactly thinking through the outcomes before she launches into her search for both of her tasks. She is strong for the lessons she learns.
The worldbuilding just continues in Darkness Rising. This world just keep expanding, especially the ghostly realm. I enjoyed this world a whole lot more than I did in the first book. I think I understood all the action and the different people that are after Risa. This novel is action packed and sucks you right in. The plot moves right along and there is some resolution to the overall storyline but it is still left wide open in the end. Because of the continuing storyline this is one series that I think needs to be read altogether.
Overall, Darkness Rising is full of interesting mythology and worlds. This is a dark, sexy and engaging world. If you are interested in a paranormal world set in Australia, then definitely check out this series.
Notable Scene:
He raised the sword, offering it to me hilt first. “Take her.”
I wrapped my hands around the night-dark hilt. Fire flared along the blade’s edge, thick and dangerous. The hilt itself felt warm against my palm, and something within it pulsed, as if it had a life and a heart of its own.
And given it was forged during a demon’s death, maybe it did.
I licked my lips, the raised by gaze to Azriel’s. “Now what?”
“Place the tip against your stomach.”
I closed my eyes against the rush of fear and did as he asked. The metal hummed—a sound that vibrated through every nerve ending.
“Now we perform the bonding ritual. Repeat after me; we are one mind, me and thee.”
I repeated the words softly. Energy stirred, caressing my skin and making the small hairs at the back of my neck rise.
“We are one spirit, me and thee.”
The power in the air increased as I repeated the words, crackling like lightning through the darkness, until it felt as if I were standing in the eye of the storm.
“We are one body, me and thee, spirit within flesh, bound together until life is over and the soul has moved on.”
I repeated the sentence. The words seemed to hang in the air, electric and alive. The sword burned against my palms, throbbing with life and hunger.
“Now,” Azriel said softly, “make the sacrifice.”
FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of Darkness Rising. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This action-packed sequel to Darkness Unbound explores more of Risa’s relationships with Azriel and an equally dark and dangerous world.
Opening Sentence: The house still smelled of death.
The Review:
There is really no way I can start off this review without a giant spoiler from the first book in the series, Darkness Unbound, but since it is already mentioned in the synopsis it is fair game. Two months have passed since Risa’s mother was brutally murdered. In order to find out the identity of the murderer, Risa enters into an uneasy deal with Madeline Hunter, the leader of the Directorate. The Directorate has the resources that will help Risa find the murderer but in so doing Risa will be running jobs on the side for Madeline or else the Directorate will no longer look into her mother’s murder.
Risa’s father confronts her with the clue to find the first key to open or lock the gates to the other side. Everyone (good, bad and questionable) wants that key from Risa while she would rather just keep it hidden and she is given no choice but to find the key. Meanwhile, vampires from the Vampire Council are rapidly aging and dying. Madeline forces Risa to look into who is cursing the vampires before too many of them die. Risa’s relationship with the sexy, fallen Aedh, Lucian, is still purely sexual while the relationship with the equally sexy and mysterious Azriel is still complicated but he still obediently follows Risa and helps her stay alive.
Risa feels like a puppet strung between too many people that want to use her. Above all Risa wants to keep her friends safe so she does whatever she can to protect them. Risa still acts impulsively at times not exactly thinking through the outcomes before she launches into her search for both of her tasks. She is strong for the lessons she learns.
The worldbuilding just continues in Darkness Rising. This world just keep expanding, especially the ghostly realm. I enjoyed this world a whole lot more than I did in the first book. I think I understood all the action and the different people that are after Risa. This novel is action packed and sucks you right in. The plot moves right along and there is some resolution to the overall storyline but it is still left wide open in the end. Because of the continuing storyline this is one series that I think needs to be read altogether.
Overall, Darkness Rising is full of interesting mythology and worlds. This is a dark, sexy and engaging world. If you are interested in a paranormal world set in Australia, then definitely check out this series.
Notable Scene:
He raised the sword, offering it to me hilt first. “Take her.”
I wrapped my hands around the night-dark hilt. Fire flared along the blade’s edge, thick and dangerous. The hilt itself felt warm against my palm, and something within it pulsed, as if it had a life and a heart of its own.
And given it was forged during a demon’s death, maybe it did.
I licked my lips, the raised by gaze to Azriel’s. “Now what?”
“Place the tip against your stomach.”
I closed my eyes against the rush of fear and did as he asked. The metal hummed—a sound that vibrated through every nerve ending.
“Now we perform the bonding ritual. Repeat after me; we are one mind, me and thee.”
I repeated the words softly. Energy stirred, caressing my skin and making the small hairs at the back of my neck rise.
“We are one spirit, me and thee.”
The power in the air increased as I repeated the words, crackling like lightning through the darkness, until it felt as if I were standing in the eye of the storm.
“We are one body, me and thee, spirit within flesh, bound together until life is over and the soul has moved on.”
I repeated the sentence. The words seemed to hang in the air, electric and alive. The sword burned against my palms, throbbing with life and hunger.
“Now,” Azriel said softly, “make the sacrifice.”
FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of Darkness Rising. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 26, 2011
In a thrilling new series where the heroine is the only one who can find the keys to hell and the winged supernaturals are far from angelic, Darkness Unbound and Darkness Rising are the "must read" new releases of 2011.
Darkness Rising, book 2 in Keri Arthur's new Dark Angel series, picks up pretty soon after Darkness Unbound. Risa is physically mostly recovered from her experiences in Darkness Unbound, but she is still struggling with grief. Seeking vengeance, Risa made a deal with the head of the vampire council and now has to investigate murders of council members and fend off threats from her father and other evil Aedh's who need Risa to find the keys to the afterlife.
I really love this series, the world is complex, dangerous, technology savvy, and sensual at the same time. The characters all have some paranormal ability, and those abilities are diverse and interesting. The Aedh and the reapers are energy beings, their primary form is that of mist or energy and they can exist on the astral plane, what the characters call the "gray fields." As a half-Aedh, Risa is able to travel to the gray fields, and she is much sought out for this ability. She is very unique in her abilities, but she is also easy to relate to. She is a young woman who loves her friends and family, and she would like nothing more than to live a "normal" life. For those of you who are Riley Jensen fans, know that Risa is not as sexual. Risa is still part wolf (in this world werewolves are extremely sexual beings), and not shy about sex, but at the same time, she is more reserved than Riley was. When it comes to finding answers and protecting those she loves, Risa pushes her own limits and often risks seriously hurting herself. Risa is loyal, sexy, and smart and I have decided that she is a new favorite heroine.
Risa is so busy dealing with the vampire council and figuring out how to read her father's book that she does not have a lot of time for romance. Lucian, her fallen Aedh lover is out of town for a good portion of the book, and his behavior is questionable, to say the least. At the same time, the sexy reaper who is assigned to follow Risa around, Azriel, is developing more human tendencies. He begins to have a sense of humor and relate to Risa more, but he is still very stubborn and secretive. There is definitely some sexual tension between the Risa and Azriel, and that tension kept me hoping for more.
Darkness Rising is an excellent sequel to the Dark Angels series. This is the type of series where every book pulls you deeper into the story and promises so much for the next installment. Darkness Unbound held promise for a gripping new series, and Darkness Rising delivers. Paranormal and Urban Fantasy readers, you really do not want to miss this series.
Darkness Rising, book 2 in Keri Arthur's new Dark Angel series, picks up pretty soon after Darkness Unbound. Risa is physically mostly recovered from her experiences in Darkness Unbound, but she is still struggling with grief. Seeking vengeance, Risa made a deal with the head of the vampire council and now has to investigate murders of council members and fend off threats from her father and other evil Aedh's who need Risa to find the keys to the afterlife.
I really love this series, the world is complex, dangerous, technology savvy, and sensual at the same time. The characters all have some paranormal ability, and those abilities are diverse and interesting. The Aedh and the reapers are energy beings, their primary form is that of mist or energy and they can exist on the astral plane, what the characters call the "gray fields." As a half-Aedh, Risa is able to travel to the gray fields, and she is much sought out for this ability. She is very unique in her abilities, but she is also easy to relate to. She is a young woman who loves her friends and family, and she would like nothing more than to live a "normal" life. For those of you who are Riley Jensen fans, know that Risa is not as sexual. Risa is still part wolf (in this world werewolves are extremely sexual beings), and not shy about sex, but at the same time, she is more reserved than Riley was. When it comes to finding answers and protecting those she loves, Risa pushes her own limits and often risks seriously hurting herself. Risa is loyal, sexy, and smart and I have decided that she is a new favorite heroine.
Risa is so busy dealing with the vampire council and figuring out how to read her father's book that she does not have a lot of time for romance. Lucian, her fallen Aedh lover is out of town for a good portion of the book, and his behavior is questionable, to say the least. At the same time, the sexy reaper who is assigned to follow Risa around, Azriel, is developing more human tendencies. He begins to have a sense of humor and relate to Risa more, but he is still very stubborn and secretive. There is definitely some sexual tension between the Risa and Azriel, and that tension kept me hoping for more.
Darkness Rising is an excellent sequel to the Dark Angels series. This is the type of series where every book pulls you deeper into the story and promises so much for the next installment. Darkness Unbound held promise for a gripping new series, and Darkness Rising delivers. Paranormal and Urban Fantasy readers, you really do not want to miss this series.
May 22, 2012
3.5 stars
It’s not often I like the first book more than the second one, but in this case I found that I was struggling to get through Darkness Rising. It wasn’t a bad book but it wasn’t as exciting as Darkness Unbound.
Darkness Rising picks up pretty soon after the first book and Risa jumps right back into the key-hunting business after the funeral (I won’t say whose just in case you haven’t read the first one yet). However, now that she’s agreed to work for Hunter, there’s a side plot involving members of the Vampire Council dying and Riley is charged with the task of finding out who is behind it. Normally, Keri Arthur manages to create so much mystery around her plots that it keeps me intrigued and going ‘No way!’ or ‘How did I not see that coming!’ but with this one involving the Vampire Council, I was a bit disappointed. It was pretty straight forward and lacked any twists and turns that normally makes her books so exciting.
The main storyline involving the keys was still interesting, but it was lacking something that made the first book such a success. I'm not quite sure what but it failed to draw me in, and at times I just wanted this book to end so I could read something else. I was also a bit annoyed with Risa because of how she was so oblivious to everything. I can’t help but be really suspicious of Lucien but she just seems to blindly trust this guy she knows next to nothing about all because they’re having a lot of sex, and then she jumps down Azriel’s throat every time he questions Lucien’s motives. Not to mention, Azriel blatantly feels something for Risa and even Illiana can see it, but Risa’s once again being an idiot. What happened to the smart woman from book one?
Azriel, on the other hand, is much more likeable here because he’s starting to show more emotion and actually makes a couple of jokes. But while I found Lucien OK in the last book, he was harder to like in this one because it’s obvious he’s got his own agenda and I’m starting to get the slimy vibe from him.
Even so, I will be reading the next instalment and hopefully taking some time away from this series and reading something else will help to make it more interesting. It’s like being with friends really; they’re great and lovely in small doses but spend too much time with them and they just get on your nerves!
It’s not often I like the first book more than the second one, but in this case I found that I was struggling to get through Darkness Rising. It wasn’t a bad book but it wasn’t as exciting as Darkness Unbound.
Darkness Rising picks up pretty soon after the first book and Risa jumps right back into the key-hunting business after the funeral (I won’t say whose just in case you haven’t read the first one yet). However, now that she’s agreed to work for Hunter, there’s a side plot involving members of the Vampire Council dying and Riley is charged with the task of finding out who is behind it. Normally, Keri Arthur manages to create so much mystery around her plots that it keeps me intrigued and going ‘No way!’ or ‘How did I not see that coming!’ but with this one involving the Vampire Council, I was a bit disappointed. It was pretty straight forward and lacked any twists and turns that normally makes her books so exciting.
The main storyline involving the keys was still interesting, but it was lacking something that made the first book such a success. I'm not quite sure what but it failed to draw me in, and at times I just wanted this book to end so I could read something else. I was also a bit annoyed with Risa because of how she was so oblivious to everything. I can’t help but be really suspicious of Lucien but she just seems to blindly trust this guy she knows next to nothing about all because they’re having a lot of sex, and then she jumps down Azriel’s throat every time he questions Lucien’s motives. Not to mention, Azriel blatantly feels something for Risa and even Illiana can see it, but Risa’s once again being an idiot. What happened to the smart woman from book one?
Azriel, on the other hand, is much more likeable here because he’s starting to show more emotion and actually makes a couple of jokes. But while I found Lucien OK in the last book, he was harder to like in this one because it’s obvious he’s got his own agenda and I’m starting to get the slimy vibe from him.
Even so, I will be reading the next instalment and hopefully taking some time away from this series and reading something else will help to make it more interesting. It’s like being with friends really; they’re great and lovely in small doses but spend too much time with them and they just get on your nerves!
December 23, 2011
This is the second installment in the Dark Angel series by Keri Arthur. Risa will just about anything to help her get justice on the people who murdered her mother, including make a pact with the most evil vampire she has ever met. Also, someone had been attacking the elders of the local council making the age rapidly, go mad, and die. And to top it off, Risa's father has gotten her into a dangerous mission that may become the cause to her destruction..
This book was amazing! A wonderful sequel to the first book, Darkness Unbound. The characters continue to develop and the action just keep getting better and better. But I am starting not to like a certain someone.
The characters make the book. Risa is always amazing and on the top of her game in more ways than one. I love her attitude and how she feels the need to try and protect everyone around her. Her, how do I put this, desires are always "enjoyable". It keeps you entertained and turns up the heat in the story.
Lucian...I'm really starting not to like him. Something about him just throws me off. It seems he always has his own agenda and you can never tell if he's lying or not. He kind of annoyed me in this book, especially towards the end.
Azriel! I love him. I loved him and Risa moments. I like his character. The way he acts, his attitude, and his fierceness. I want something to develop between him and Risa so bad. I'm itching for it and hope it happens.
And the evil vamp, Madeline....Not going to even touch that subject.
And that ending was definitely a cliff hanger. Not to please to have to wait until the next book releases. Amazing sequel, I cannot wait until the next book. For people 18+ and really definitely recommend this series, especially for those of you who liked the Riley Jenson series.
This book was amazing! A wonderful sequel to the first book, Darkness Unbound. The characters continue to develop and the action just keep getting better and better. But I am starting not to like a certain someone.
The characters make the book. Risa is always amazing and on the top of her game in more ways than one. I love her attitude and how she feels the need to try and protect everyone around her. Her, how do I put this, desires are always "enjoyable". It keeps you entertained and turns up the heat in the story.
Lucian...I'm really starting not to like him. Something about him just throws me off. It seems he always has his own agenda and you can never tell if he's lying or not. He kind of annoyed me in this book, especially towards the end.
Azriel! I love him. I loved him and Risa moments. I like his character. The way he acts, his attitude, and his fierceness. I want something to develop between him and Risa so bad. I'm itching for it and hope it happens.
And the evil vamp, Madeline....Not going to even touch that subject.
And that ending was definitely a cliff hanger. Not to please to have to wait until the next book releases. Amazing sequel, I cannot wait until the next book. For people 18+ and really definitely recommend this series, especially for those of you who liked the Riley Jenson series.
October 16, 2012
Giggle. More Keri Arthur Science. Dust particles sticking to her atoms. My husband and I had a huge giggle about that, even people who really are not science people were able to laugh about that one- that is like you walking around with a planet stuck to you- it is a concept that doesn't make sense (especially given the whole mass/gravity thing). Oops, maybe Keri doesn't understand particles, atoms, molecules, and the vast differences in magnitude between those things? Maybe? Still no fact checking, and Keri still doesn't have a science geek friend read her drafts for silliness.
Her reaper is the only reason this book gets 3 stars instead of 2. He's cool and hunky. If she doesn't get down with him in book 3 I'm giving up on Keri altogether, library or not. Honestly, sweety, the only purpose of these books is vicarious sex with cool hunky people. In the Riley books, she never developed the boys enough, except Quinn who never floated my boat. I like the Reaper, so gimme some sugar baby (yes, I know book 3 is out, but it's not at the library yet. $14.99 or whatever for an e-book is beyond my need for vicarious hunky paranormal dude lovin').
I actually like Risa quite a bit more than I liked Riley- she is more capable, but still an author can't write a character more complex than herself and I suspect that Keri is just not that complex. So, she will just never be my most favoritest author.
Her reaper is the only reason this book gets 3 stars instead of 2. He's cool and hunky. If she doesn't get down with him in book 3 I'm giving up on Keri altogether, library or not. Honestly, sweety, the only purpose of these books is vicarious sex with cool hunky people. In the Riley books, she never developed the boys enough, except Quinn who never floated my boat. I like the Reaper, so gimme some sugar baby (yes, I know book 3 is out, but it's not at the library yet. $14.99 or whatever for an e-book is beyond my need for vicarious hunky paranormal dude lovin').
I actually like Risa quite a bit more than I liked Riley- she is more capable, but still an author can't write a character more complex than herself and I suspect that Keri is just not that complex. So, she will just never be my most favoritest author.
February 16, 2015
I almost didn't sleep reading this book. It was slow in places and it makes me EVEN MORE suspicious of Lucian! I really love Azriel. He's strong and not quite silent. He broods and huffs but gets over it quite quickly. He protects and flirts with Risa in a way that deep down inside, I know that they are meant to be together..
So IMO... Lucian needs to leave. Or die, I'm not fussy but I do trust Azriel's feelings about him.
Risa is coming into her own in this book while still dealing with the loss of her mother. She is becoming more assertive (not that she has much choice really) and growing up. The trust she has in Lucian drives me INSANE!
I didn't see as much of Iliana and Tao in this book and that disappointed me. I want to know what the deal is with her and the witches! I want to know what other powers Risa has that we don't know about because there is always some new aspect of her power that comes to the for in both books so far. I hope that continues.
The story line carries on and I find myself wanting to claw Hunter's eyes out. What a... bad vampire.
Bring on the next book...
So IMO... Lucian needs to leave. Or die, I'm not fussy but I do trust Azriel's feelings about him.
Risa is coming into her own in this book while still dealing with the loss of her mother. She is becoming more assertive (not that she has much choice really) and growing up. The trust she has in Lucian drives me INSANE!
I didn't see as much of Iliana and Tao in this book and that disappointed me. I want to know what the deal is with her and the witches! I want to know what other powers Risa has that we don't know about because there is always some new aspect of her power that comes to the for in both books so far. I hope that continues.
The story line carries on and I find myself wanting to claw Hunter's eyes out. What a... bad vampire.
Bring on the next book...
March 11, 2013
In this second book of the Dark Angels series, Risa Jones, who is half-werewolf/half-Aedh, is still bound by her pact with Madeline Hunter, leader of the vampire council. She has promised to help Hunter in exchange for assistance in finding her mother’s murderer. Hunter comes to her with a new assignment, to find out who is targeting vampire council members with a curse that causes rapid aging, then madness and death. With the help of her reaper body guard Azriel, as well as her friends Illiana and Tao, Risa uses her abilities to not only complete her mission, but make progress in the ongoing investigation into her mother’s death. As her relationship with the fallen Aedh Lucian heats up, the tension between Risa and Azriel mounts. I’m beginning to have my doubts about Lucian’s motives, as well as Azriel’s true feelings. I love this author’s action packed style and I can’t wait to read the next book to see where all this is going and find out what will happen next with this wonderful series.
December 30, 2011
This books picks up where Darkness Unbound left off. Risa is still trapped between Hunter and her vampires, her dad and the Adeh, and Azriel and the Reapers. The book is action packed, but nothing really happens. There is some progress with the Keys, but they're still fish out of water.
My problem is with the personal story. It is patently obvious to me that Lucien cannot be trusted and that Azriel and Risa are going to get together, but nothing has happened. Risa is ignoring her instincts where Lucien is concerned and Azriel is still pretending to be a cold-hearted reaper.
Also, at the end of the first book Risa swore she would get revenge on the people who killed her mother, but she did not so much as investigate her mothers death.
The second book in the series is too early to be a filler book. There needs to be more progress.
My problem is with the personal story. It is patently obvious to me that Lucien cannot be trusted and that Azriel and Risa are going to get together, but nothing has happened. Risa is ignoring her instincts where Lucien is concerned and Azriel is still pretending to be a cold-hearted reaper.
Also, at the end of the first book Risa swore she would get revenge on the people who killed her mother, but she did not so much as investigate her mothers death.
The second book in the series is too early to be a filler book. There needs to be more progress.
February 29, 2012
3.5 Stars
I had great hopes for this series after the first book. My only reservation was it seemed as though Risa was starting to behave too much like Riley. I knew there would be some similarities, but the whole “ I don't want to hurt/ get my friends killed by asking them to help” think when you are battling Aedh Priests (that you have no clue about) when your Uncle is a big badass 1/2 Aedh & Vampire that could totally shed light on the situation is just DUMB! Risa isn’t event trained properly to be investigating- Riley was... Sigh. I will read the next on because I have got to find out what happens with Azriel (Hubba-Hubba).
I had great hopes for this series after the first book. My only reservation was it seemed as though Risa was starting to behave too much like Riley. I knew there would be some similarities, but the whole “ I don't want to hurt/ get my friends killed by asking them to help” think when you are battling Aedh Priests (that you have no clue about) when your Uncle is a big badass 1/2 Aedh & Vampire that could totally shed light on the situation is just DUMB! Risa isn’t event trained properly to be investigating- Riley was... Sigh. I will read the next on because I have got to find out what happens with Azriel (Hubba-Hubba).
April 10, 2017
I liked the plot of this installment more than the first, but a few of the sentences were verbatim from the first novel, which was disappointing. I don't want Risa's character to become stagnant, and it seemed to be heading that way in this novel. Also, I like a book with some downtime between action and regular life, and the first book achieved this really well. However, the second novel felt very rushed: there was little to no downtime between the action, giving the action less significance. Also, her relationships with the men in her life (one Aedh in particular) are really starting to annoy me, so I hope she wises up in the next novel.
February 24, 2012
Good, but not great (3.5 stars), mostly because the book-arc is less interesting and involved than the multi-story arc, and then it ended abruptly. Grrr. While I still prefer Riley to Risa as a main character, the book was good. Lucian's aloofness is clarified, Azriel becomes more interesting, and the other developments are good, but again, the lack of significant resolution for the overall storyline is aggravating. I don't mind the idea of the overarching story, but it has to be balanced by the one-book story that has a satisfying resolution.
October 26, 2011
Darkness Rising by Keri Arthur
This is the second book in Keri Arthur’s Dark Angels series. Once again Risa is ass deep in alligators. She makes a deal with the very scary head of the vampire council Madeline Hunter to find those responsible for her mothers death. Plus she has to find the gate keys and there are forces that want her to succeed and those that want her to fail and those that just seem to want her dead.
This book is a fun, sexy, roller coaster ride. Now I have to wait almost a year for the next installment.
This is the second book in Keri Arthur’s Dark Angels series. Once again Risa is ass deep in alligators. She makes a deal with the very scary head of the vampire council Madeline Hunter to find those responsible for her mothers death. Plus she has to find the gate keys and there are forces that want her to succeed and those that want her to fail and those that just seem to want her dead.
This book is a fun, sexy, roller coaster ride. Now I have to wait almost a year for the next installment.
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