With her past distant and forgotten Natalya has built herself a nice life. She has a job she finds rewarding as a special agent with the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. Her partner, Dante, isn’t too bad for a bloodsucking vampire. Val, her boss, is like a father to her. Her favorite part is that she lives near the Cascade Mountains. Whenever she needs a little vacation, she can shift into a tiger and go running in the woods. Life is good.
That is until recently. Agents are turning up dead and she can’t pin down what is going on. Little does she know that her past is about to come back and bite her in the tail. With no memories before the last year she is a little behind the curve in finding out what is going on. The investigation turns dangerous as the attack turn personal. Lives are on the line, including her own. Will Natalya find out what is going on before it’s too late?
Note: Seizing Darkness was once published under a different title and Pen name. It has since been professionally edited and reworked. Thank you.
If you look in the local coffee shop or bookstore you might just find Mariana Thorn. She can usually be found with headphones in and deep into the worlds she has created. There is this thing about her pens if you touch them you might receive a smack to the hand and the well-known glare of destruction. As a child all her stories involved horses, horses and more horses. There might have been a slight obsession. Writing became more serious in her early twenties but she never dreamed of publishing until much later. Mariana participates yearly in the international event called NANOWRIMO. She has even been known as a Municipal Liaison for that crazy event. There is nothing like the feeling of encouraging other writers, she would say. Outside of writing one of her favorite places to sit and read are the sunny beaches of Florida. At home in Washington State her favorite activity is riding horses up on the mountain trails. She has an awesome group of family and friends that keep her in coffee and encouragement. Then there is her best buddy Tony, her little dog. She suspects he will try and take over the world someday.
I would have given this book a very high rating if the story ended. The story was a little hard to follow but it was interesting and was progressing well until it stopped. I am a big fan of series but only if the author can keep my attention in the storylines and keep the story progressing. To stop in the middle and say wait til next book to see what happens is a cheap trick. A series should have a complete ending and be able to make you want to get their next book to find out what characters are doing now. Many authors manage to do that easily. I have some series that have more than 20 books in them and I still can't wait for the next. If you like to read books that say to be continued instead of the end, then buy this book. I do wish this author well because she is a good writer but she has no respect for their readers or she doesn't have enough faith in herself that you like her writing enough that you would buy her next book to see what was happening to her characters and rejoin her unique world.
Seizing Darkness was an okay book for me. From the blurb I was hoping it would be a little bit more than typical werecreature/vampire books. Needless to say, I was let down. A large portion of the book was devoted to the explanation of mundane and repetitive actions.. I think a good quarter of the book was someone taking a shower, eating or glaring at the others. Our protagonist, Natalya Ignatiev comes off as being a little bit stuck up. She has barely controlled contempt for humans, vampires or other werecreatures besides tigers. There was very little investigation or any other police work. Which I found odd considering she was a member of the Paranormal Investigation Bureau.
There is something about shifter fantasy that often just pulls me in, and this story was no exception. The plot had no difficult moving along and kept me interested the whole time. And I consider it the sign of a good story, that I kept thinking about it while away from the book. Of course, that led me to a conclusion about a character that was *completely* wrong. And that is why I don't tend to theorize about books often. ;)
Love the romances brewing, hope those are explored further in the next book. I also liked that the characters were very relate-able. Very "human" (even though not, of course). It made me care for them and their stories.
Nothing much to critique about. There were definitely some editing issues (extra/missing words for the most part), but they were relatively minor (and comparatively few, relative to a lot of other books I've read) and didn't keep me from enjoying the story.
Overall, a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the next book. Definitely recommend, to those who enjoy vampire/shifter stories (I'm personally a fan of the Mercy Thompson novels, and this is right up that alley, even including the semi-recent reveal to the humans).
The blurb and all made it sound as if it was a paranormal story; what it actually was, was a badly recycled cross/mishmash of twilight teen angst hormonal nonsense with some vampire 'stuff' thrown in on top of the sorta werewolf, then mixed in a pitiful stew of soap opera crap.It seemed to have potential, at the beginning, but that potential was thrown out the window and run over by an 18 wheeler. It could and should have been more in the way of Special Unit 2 {tv} but wasn't even close.
Natalya is an agent with the PiB (Paranormal Investigations Bureau), and has for the last year been working with Dante as a partner. Normally, Nat will go a long way around vampires, but somehow Dante is different. She trust him, and he feels like a brother to her. Her boss, Val is Dante’s father, and acts like a father towards Nat as well. For a while everything is calm and life is great. Right up until the moment where agents from PiB starts showing up dead. Not just shot or strangled, but mutilated almost beyond recognition. Nat can’t remember her past for some strange reason, but it seems like it’s about to come back with a vengeance; the dead agents are just the beginning. Add a sexy weretiger, packwar, strange vampires coming to town, friends turning enemies and secrets being revealed, and you got a potent mix ready to be dealt with by Nat and her friends. I absolutely LOVED every freaking page of Seizing Darkness. I couldn’t put it down once I started. Natalya is feisty, used to stand on her own two feet, she has a past that would scare just about anyone else away, an iron will that would make most guys back down and a death glare to make sure everyone stays put. Dante is her partner at the PiB, and he is the ONLY vampire Natalya trust. She can’t remember why she doesn’t trust vampires, but there’s just something about them that makes her fur stand on an end. Dante is also a great guy, a genuine one, and he protects his family with everything he has. Radek is a different story…. Oh boy! A weretiger used to having his orders followed, and Natalya that keeps putting him in his place, letting him know exactly how badly he screwed up. He is also stubborn, not taking no for an answer, protective to the point where he’s infuriating, and…and … well, drop dead gorgeous. *sighs* The tension that is building between Radek and Natalya is amazing and sooo fun to watch. Seeing how others respond to their attraction is equally funny, and I could go back from the beginning to read Seizing Darkness all over again, just for that. But there’s so much more to this story than a bit of romance. There’s action, fights, mystery, puzzle to piece together, little clues, angst, joy, happiness and everything else. Seconds after I finished reading Seizing Darkness, I was already on Mariana’s *** asking for the next book – which will come out in November. *sigh* Mariana took me away from my everyday and plunged me deep into the amazing world of her series; Fur, Fangs & Fairies. I am more than happy that I read Seizing Darkness, and found another amazing author to put on my shelf. Definitely looking forward to the next book; Seizing Shadows.
This book was provided by the author to Nerd Girl Official for an honest review.
This has it all! Werecats, werewolves, vampires oh my!
First we meet Natalya. She is a paranormal investigator for the PIB. She is a fearless female heroine with the looks and attitude to go along with it. Natalya has a former life that she doesn’t remember. The council head of the PIB is Val and he took her in. Her partner is Dante and he is vampire. We start with Natalya getting into a little of her own trouble before she is sent off to a scene to investigate a dead paranormal agent. In this world the humans know of the paranormals and they work together to keep peace. When things get out of hand, we meet Radek. Radek is the weretiger everyone loves to hate, including Natalya. Natalya ends up being targeted by the group that is killing agents and is finally given an option to regain her memory. She is faced with a horrible past that she must work through while trying to figure out the present and possibility of a future. The stakes are high when she realizes she has friends and family she will now do anything for.
Mariana Thorn has a way with keeping you in the middle of the action. There is always something going on. I have to admit that at the beginning I felt like I was bombarded with an overwhelming amount of characters but the author keeps everyone in line and gives it to you in a way that you remember them all. Natalya’s character experiences it all. Love, friendship, loneliness, conflict, and her inner demons. Even though this is paranormal you relate and connect to Natalya’s character, even her attraction to Radek! You get to the next part and you‘re like “what?!” There are twists and turns around every corner. I have yet to read a paranormal like this. There is a different pecking order with the paranormals and having them interact with the humans just works…especially when they aren’t sure if they should be afraid or not. This is a furry good time! Cannot wait for the sequel. But hang on….I will give no more spoilers but there is a huge cliffhanger at the end. We wrap up one problem and open a whole new world of drama.
This is a must read. An amazing start to what is sure to be a crazy series. Mariana Thorn will not let you down! Bring on the sequel!
My review for: Seizing Darkness by Mariana Thorn My rating: 5 out of 5 stars (If I could give more, I would!) Shanna Roberson
This is Mariana Thorn’s debut novel, but you wouldn’t know it. Her style of writing is highly entertaining, heart-pounding and in some parts downright steamy. She holds her own in this vast genre of dark fantasy and is every bit as talented as some of the big dogs in this genre like Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris.
Natalya Ignatiev has seen better days. Being an agent in a special forces unit handling all of the supernatural spats and with someone picking them off one by one, she longs for a much need vacation from all the carnage. But that wasn’t even a remote possibility.
Along with being an agent with PIB or Paranormal Investigation Bureau, she was a fierce weretiger. She was fighter and a survivor it is its purest form. With most of her memory taken from her, she has spent the last year working with the head of PIB, Valdimir and his two sons, Dante and Radek, just trying to make a new life for herself.
Things take a turn for the worse when it becomes clear that she is next on their list of agents to eliminate. Barely escaping that brawl, Nat is forced to face her past and what it could mean for all she cares about. With the clock ticking and a growing attraction to the boss’ son causing havoc on her body and mind, will Nat be able to unlock her past without destroying everything she worked so hard to keep?
With a slew of swoon-worthy men, the darkest of villains and one super kickass heroine…Fur, Fangs and Fairies is one UF series to watch out for! And Dante is officially my new book boyfriend….*swoon* If you love Kim Harrison’s Hollow Series, you will devour Seizing Darkness! Bravo, Mariana Thorn, you have made a fan for life.
Seizing Darkness by Mariana Thorn is the first book in the Fur, Fangs and Fairies series. It is the story of Natalya, a weretiger in the employ of the PIB, or Paranormal Investigation Bureau. She has no memories of her life prior to a year ago when she was found by Val, the head of the PIB and his sons, Dante and Radek, and nursed back to health. Now, PIB agents are being killed and left out in the open. Together with the local werewolf alpha and vampire leader, Nat, Dante and Radek must find the traitors before one of them winds up dead.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing style is humorous and sarcastic at times, which captured my attention from the beginning. The majority of the characters are well developed. There is a lot of action, and a number of unexpected twists. Natalya is a strong female character, which I like, and she has an irreverent sense of humor, which made the book fun to read.
At times, though, I felt like I had missed out on something, like a prequel novella or story, because all of Natalya's memories only go back for a year. I kept wondering how she had been injured and why she didn't have any memories. However, that is explained near the middle of the book, and many of my questions were answered, which leads me to believe that more if not all of my questions will be answered in subsequent books.
If I would recommend this book for mid teens and up. There is a good bit of graphic violence. Anyone who likes fantasy or paranormal books should enjoy this book.
Review: 5 stars General: A great, fast paced and original read from start to finish. The book is a blend of dark and urban fantasy that was well written and captivating. The characters were original and the mix of supernaturals was wonderful. I also love urban fantasies because they aren't afraid to throw in the whole melting pot of supers and this one didn't disappoint. The story flowed perfectly and kept me from wanting to put it down. The plot was the right mix of action, fantasy, darkness and the subtle romance in the right places. I had no problems envisioning the world as the details were well done and spot on. The tension in the plot was wonderfully mastered right up until the end....darn end (spoiler). The strongest element in this book was the story itself - the details were thought out and the storyline masterfully executed. I can't wait to see what we come up against in the next installment.
Characters: Natalya- Natalya is a fun heroine and perfectly fit for her job and the world she's in. She's a touch on the cliche side as this character (the type not Natalya) has become very popular. However that doesn't stop her from being well written. She's sassy, sarcastic and kick butt. She's been looking out for herself and does it properly but she has no issues falling in line with her partner or protecting others. I also enjoyed that she was a tiger shifter as it gave her a little something extra.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Seizing Darkness has a clear storyline, powerful characters, intriguing mysteries, the perfect hint of sex and a whole world of paranormal creatures to boot!
Join Natalya, a were-tiger and paranormal investigation agent, as her world is changed with the discovery of dead bodies. Dead paranomal entities, I should say. This sets of a chain of events which take a very personal touch. Nat is about to discover so much more about herself than anyone would think possible.
She's a good heroine - strong (in every sense of the world), pretty. Her supernatural hearing means we get the full story, and not unreliable chunks. Radek and Dante are very likeable lads, and I could see myself both falling for them - but that's not the heart of the plot. Good detective work, a world of paranormality makes it a great urban fantasy!
I have bought the second and will be reading it soon!
Natalya is a were-tiger that was discovered by the head of PIB in a very injured state. Her memory was lost and her past was unknown to everyone. She joins the PIB and helps to solve crimes that involve the paranormal. Her partner is a vampire and the only vampire she trusts. She is not sure why she hates vampires, she just knows she does.
I love the coffee addiction of Natalya! It is perfect. The dialogue is refreshing and the sarcasm fits perfectly!
This story finally reveals Natalya's past and it is not what you think!
Great twists as revenge is plotted, secrets are revealed, and love is in the air!
I cannot wait for the next book in the series! This one is fantastic!
Do you like a story about Shifters - Vampires - Werewolves and throw in a little mystery? well then this book is exactly what you are looking for. Mariana Thorn has done an awesome job of throwing everyone into this story plus hate groups that hate anything that is not human. Natalya is a weretiger and doesn't remember a lot of her past - she works for PIB as an agent. Not giving any spoilers away but this is one book that once you pick it up you won't want to put it down - it grabs you the minute you start reading and you just want to find out what happens - be ready to chuckle at some of the things that these characters do. Can't wait to read the next book in this awesome series. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.
2.5 stars I wanted to rate this one higher but couldn't. There are very little descriptions of anything especially so in the characters' surroundings. It was very frustrating. I also had a peeve with the relationship development between Nat and Dek. It was unnatural for me; they were acting like they've known each their entire lives from the first night they met. I liked the concept and the storyline enough to finish the book. It ends with a cliffhanger. I'm interested in what happens next but may skip it if the lack of detail is not remedied. I'll read a sample of the next book before deciding to continue with the series.
This was pretty cool. I do have my doubts about the world-building though. For example it seems kind of convenient that weretigers are almost immortal whereas werewolves are not. I'm not such a big fan of these long life-spans because I feel no writer can correctly portray a character that has lived for centuries. In this book the characters that are supposed to be really old still act like 'normal' people to me, alas.
I also missed some more description especially of the tiger forms, I felt that was left mostly to the reader.
There is so much mystery shrouding the weretiger Natalya. Who she is, where she came from, and how did she end up at the door of the PIB leader Val? Mysterious deaths, betrayal, and revenge all mixed in with a little romance and a lot of action. The hot sexy werewolves and other creatures had me switching back and forth on which one would be my next book boyfriend! I loved how in all the action and somber moments there was also an injection of humor and snarky attitudes! I’m so happy to know that this is only the beginning and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I'd give this one a 3.5 which I've rounded up. The book was actually a solid 4 until the last few chapters. There was an overabundance of 'reveals' and plot twists which were a bit much after awhile, but it was entertaining regardless. The Author was probably trying for a cliffhanger ending, in which case, she should have ended a chapter or two before she did. As it was, the rushed ending was unsatisfactory leaving the reader confused, rather than anticipatory.
Oh I love this author!!! Great book, this was her debut novel and my opinion is you would have never known. This book was awesome, with twist and turns. Vampires and fairies. Oh I loved every word of it. :-)
I am at a loss as to why this has such a high rating. The writing, the characters, the action, the (lack of) mystery...was all sub-standard to me. It's not often I give such a low rating, primarily because I use Goodreads as a guide to pick good books. Goodreads failed me on this one! Ugh...
Ok, so this was a really good book. The writing flowed, storyline was fluid, and the characters were real. I can't wait for the second book. I really liked the main characters and the backstory for them.
Seizing Darkness was a pleasure to read. All the characters are unique and multiple story lines all weave into one. I would love to read more of this world with Natalya and crew.
I recommend Seizing Darkness to anyone who likes Urban fantasy.
This is my first book I've read by Mariana Thorn. I look forward to many more to come. All the characters were believable and I really felt apart of Val's makeshift family
I bought this book during a Release Party and was totally hooked. Which really surprised me as I am not usually a fan of 1st person POV. I am eagerly awaiting the next one in the series