Best Book in the Immortals After Dark Series

[Jayla]

Trying to refresh my memory on my recent re-read of #5. Gonna go back and pick at the high-lights...

Related: is everyone's least favorite Wroth story Nikolai's? It's def mine.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: Related: is everyone's least favorite Wroth story Nikolai's? It's def mine."

Murdock and Daniela was my least favorite. There was something inherently missing in it for me. A good portion of the story is when the two characters aren’t even together. It just felt majorly absent of something.

Or maybe I felt that the payback or effect of Murdock’s action seemed hollowed or not enough. Like how Daniela had to walk back in scorching heat to get home. Or when Murdock kissed someone else. I think Daniela should have had more pride and been a little more dismissive toward a vampire who had commitment issues. Just saying.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Trying to refresh my memory on my recent re-read of #5. Gonna go back and pick at the high-lights...

Related: is everyone's least favorite Wroth story Nikolai's? It's def mine."

Dark Desires After Dusk is probably one in my top 5 for this series. Which to be honest, I didn’t expect I’d favor Cadeon Woede over Rydstrom’s story since Cadeon seemed more as a side kick in regards to his brother, the king of demons.

But I believe it’s Holly that made this book. I’m a sucker for those geeky types and her having OCD was brilliantly executed by Kresley Cole. I’ve read many books where the leading heroine has some type of disorder. But most of those stories only brush upon it randomly in their stories, often resulting more of a telling then showing thing, where the writer seems to just put enough into it because they are eventually reminded that their character has a disorder. Cole had Holly’s disorder on display every mile they covered.

Also, this book was a road trip so we got to travel all over the place with them as they seek their goal ending. I especially enjoyed the Bar scene (maybe because Robert Petkoff did an amazing narration for it). Holly is pressured into having a glass of demon brew because it’s impolite to turn down if it’s offered. Well, being Holly’s OCD is an obsession with threes of multiple of threes, this equals Holly getting drunk and letting down her guard.

Lastly, the first full intimate scene was, IMO, hot. It never seems to fade it’s seduction for me over time. Just saying.

Oh, and the other best part is when near the end when Nix and Regan pick up Holly from a small village in Alaska and Regan tries to tempt Holly to get in the car with hand wipes- see Cole keeps playing that OCD constantly.

[Jayla]

The bar scene is one of the cutest in the series, from what I remember. I really had a harder time with some of the stuff with Holly in the beginning, but I honestly felt like it was a 'me, not you' situation, especially in the re-read. I got over it quick. She became much more interesting to me when it was revealed that she was afraid of sexual intimacy because it unleashed her aggression (before that, Holly was a little too on-the-nose romance-trope hot librarian, but I feel like Cole did that on purpose and used it to great effect by the end). And I loved how bad-ass she became even more the second time around.

I have always had a hard time with how much I loved this book because Cade was such a shitbird for not being honest with her (or himself). Just a personal catch. But the chemistry between these two is off the charts, and it's definitely one of my favorites overall. I laughed out loud at the hand-wipes scene even though I remembered it before I read it again.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "The bar scene is one of the cutest in the series, from what I remember. I really had a harder time with some of the stuff with Holly in the beginning, but I honestly felt like it was a 'me, not you..."

Or Cade asking Holly to remove the bullet in his inner thigh.

[Karma♥Bites ^.~]

Quick drive-by post (b/c c/n risk another de-rail w/ IAD re-read 😍 )...

All warm & fuzzy feelz due to recent re-read/listen of IAD #4 Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. Still amazing after umpteenth re-read.

[Karma♥Bites ^.~]

Jayla wrote: "The bar scene is one of the cutest in the series, from what I remember. ..."

LOL from start to finish, right? Also, loved how Desh became recurring secondary, always hitting off w/ the ladies :)

[Cozen]

Karma♥Bites ^.~ wrote: "Jayla wrote: "The bar scene is one of the cutest in the series, from what I remember. ..."

LOL from start to finish, right? Also, loved how Desh became recurring secondary, always hitting off w/ t..."

I loved it when Cade had to serious think about not killing Desh:

“ My female’s in another male’s lap, her lips to his ear . . . .

Deshazior noticed him and jerked his chin in greeting.

And I can’t kill him. The storm demon had made no move of aggression. Their breeds weren’t at war. Hell, Cade thought he’d gotten drunk with him before.

This is where where sweet fair play comes in and all unknown to Holly. You go girl!

[Karma♥Bites ^.~]

That part is so funny in audio!

[Jayla]

Hmmm... More points for the audio version... Some day!

That should be a sub-thread for this one: Best Parts of IAD in Audio Format

[Jayla]

Just finished Kiss of a Demon King. Immediate thoughts:

--Weirdly, I loved the characters separately, but I remember when I first read this I was like... These guys seriously reminded me of the most toxic high school couples I knew. Minus the magic, obvi... But they just treated each other like such shit. As an older adult, I enjoyed it more--I think, as someone else pointed out, I don't hold PNR to the same standards as real life at all any more--but there were still a lot of moments when I was like... I don't know. Like I was watching Riverdale or Gossip Girl, but with magic. If that makes sense.

--I loved the pacing in this book. I think it's one of the easiest to read straight through, particularly because Sabine is so snappy. The introduction to Rothkalinda is interesting because we've only seen it through Cade's memory, really, so I liked that it's definition as an actual place (with different regions etc) depended on both the modern reflection and R's memories.

--I don't remember if all the so-called evil species mentioned in this book reappear but I hope they do. I wouldn't know past the next book or two, which I think is as far as I got. But there were so many crazy ones.

--And so many other story set-ups! The Hag? Thorin? I don't know what ends up happening with those either. Lothaire, well.

--Where would you guys put this series in a comparison of grittiness in fantasy/PNR? Like, compared to the tone of Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series, these are... Not fluffy. But they're lighter. Or compared to Patricia Brigg's books too. That might be because those definitely lean more towards UF, but what do y'all think? When I was young I think I got caught up in the gore and (ahem) other bodily fluids but the tone of these is definitely lighter (and I like that--it's a reprieve. But I'm wondering what other series are more of a happy medium).

--Unpopular opinion: R>C. I totally loved C more when I was younger, but now... R all the way.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Just finished Kiss of a Demon King. Immediate thoughts:

--Weirdly, I loved the characters separately, but I remember when I first read this I was like... These guys seriously reminded me of the m..."

I bought Kiss of a Demon King in audio format only because the story bored me to tears and buying the book was out of the question. I didn’t like this book at all. To me the characters didn’t fit well together no matter how much Cole brought them together. I agree that their relationship does feel like a toxic one. One that will forever be in perpetual turmoil only to be constantly forgiven and then repeat, rinse and recycled. It’s the kind of relationship where people on the outside are always shaking their heads and yelling, “enough already. Just move on and forget each other.” Not good.

The story was dull and it didn’t have the usual spark of world adventure and exploration like it did with Pleasure of a Dark Prince.

What I did like about it was that Sabine was an anti-hero brought to the light side of the force and as such utilized well in future Immortals After Dark books. Also the hero in this book was not Sabine or Rydstrom, but Sabine’s sister, Lanthe. The story did show some of the demon world, so there’s that.

But out of all the audio books I have (all but one because it hasn’t been made yet) I’ve only listened to it once. Never had the urge to hear it again.

R or C... Cadeon all the way. Maybe that has more to do with Robert Petkoff’s narration of the two. Both are fantastic but I think I’d do better with a mercenary than a King.

[Jayla]

AAAAaaaannd yes I am trapped at home with the kids all day, thank you for asking, and so yes, I did finish Pleasure of Dark Prince ten minutes ago.

--This was my second favorite book when I was younger, and it still is, because Lucia's tragic story really hit home with me both then and now, and I love the love story with Garreth. I just do. I think it's really romantic.

--How many of these books take place in/on/around the Amazon?

--I also think I have a soft spot for female archer heroines in fantasy books (Lucia, Feyre, Katniss, I know there are dozens more). It's a trope I like.

--I am 90% sure this is the last book in the series I read. I don't remember what happens after this one, with all the kidnappings at the end.

--I seriously felt some big time Romancing the Stone vibes with this one, and if anyone knows of any other PNR that feel like that HOLLA! Because it was exactly what this house-bound house-wife needed on a rainy day trapped inside with two screaming children.

Hope everybody else out there is feeling okay--

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "AAAAaaaannd yes I am trapped at home with the kids all day, thank you for asking, and so yes, I did finish Pleasure of Dark Prince ten minutes ago.

--This was my second favorite book when I was yo..."

I don’t know if you’ve tried Cole’s other series, “The Arcana Chronicles.” Poison Princess That book is an ongoing progression through a dystopia America. While I insist that the book is not what it seems, you just have to get through the teen angsty drama in the first 13 chapters to really start the book. Another ten chapters and the ball is rolling. By the end, you are not reading the same book you started out with. Here is the book trailer for the second book in the series. It best describes it. https://www.thearcanachronicles.com/

Another Romancing in the stone-ish feel would be for me Eve Langlais’s “Welcome to Hell“ series. While the trek isn’t through the jungle, it’s through Hell, and Langlais does a phenomenal job of it. A Demon and Her Scot and A Demon and His Witch are among my favorite in the series.

You might want to give Suzanne Wright a try. Here Be Sexist Vampires, Burn, and Feral Sins (note that this is an interlocking of two series The Phoenix Pack and the Mercury Pack) are three of her series that are among my favorites.

And Ilona Andrews Burn for Me is another favorite. I like it better than her Magic Bites series Magic Bites. But that series wasn’t bad (I made it only to book 5).

And one to throw in because I don’t think the books get any good PR. Madeline Price has a hot little series Dark Cravings that I thought was really good with a side of funny when appropriate.

Hope these help. I understand the cabin fever. We’re self isolating here in Minnesota. So with both girls out of school now (until who knows when) and my husband be delegated to work at home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, my quiet peaceful days are a distant memory and an unforeseen distant future. So having a good book and a great series to follow it up with, is a blessing. Not mention it’s a great way to escape the constant reminders of the chaotic world outside.

I hope these suggestions will bring you as much enjoyment as they did me. And... if you can’t get any of these at your library, let me know and I’ll see if we can’t get you a copy anyway.

[Jayla]

Definitely checked out Eve Langlais and Ilona Andrews, but I have no idea which books in what series--now's a good time to settle into them. But before that I'll check out the Arcana Chronicles because I know you've recc'd that before. I love dystopian done right.

I'm pretty sure I can get them--if I can't, I snag them on Kindle. I've been on a huge mystery (particularly British mysteries) kick that overloaded my library card... I feel like they all always arrive at the same time. But I'm making my way through, now that I've met some of my own deadlines and am just trying to take deep breaths and survive having both kids home, full-time, no breaks, no exceptions.

I feel like a jerk complaining about it, so I'll stop. That said, I hope everyone else out there in Pararomancelandia is doing okay.

Cozen, I'm picking through my stuff and I can't think of anything I've read that you haven't--do you like other genres too? Hopefully you're not as far off the grid in Minnesota as we are in Hawai'i (I live on the Big Island, literally the farthest from anywhere you can be--a major blessing and also, in this case, pretty intimidating). Take care, e a hui hou--

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Definitely checked out Eve Langlais and Ilona Andrews, but I have no idea which books in what series--now's a good time to settle into them. But before that I'll check out the Arcana Chronicles bec..."

- Well, I’ve tried Contemporary and that’s usually a bust for me. I did read a few BDSM novels but after a while it’s just the same stuff. Off Course and some of the others with a rock bands were good Lick.

- Currently Reverse Harems are the thing. Just not mine.

- I found not many YA’s are good. Most of the time the authors get the maturity of their characters wrong. 19 year-olds act like 15 or younger.

- Sci-fi... Meh. Though Red Rising is epic and one of my favorite despite not my go to Genre. A handful of cyborg smut isn’t bad.

- Dystopia? Beyond Pain Kit Roche’s Beyond series is good.

- Now Dark... well I’m confused. I don’t like slave trade, kidnapping, or stuff like that. But if the heroine walks into a situation she knowingly understands she’s getting her self into... well, all bets are off baby. So it’s 50/50 on that.

- No Horror, Drama (actively avoid tragedies, deaths, and crying), No children's or Coming of Age books (which totally goes against my love for reading all things Manga).

- Biographies aren’t really my thing unless I'm really curious about someone (though they all tend to be serial killer books).

- Historical fiction is a hit and miss. Improper Relations has been a wonderful find that I happened upon. It’s a hidden gem and original... sort of. It should be listed more as a historical/comedy/romance. Totally satire and great for a few laughs. One of the best lines, “Tell me about yourself.' A strange thing for a husband to ask a wife." ― Janet Mullany, Improper Relations And Sins of a Wicked Duke I absolutely love. But this genre can get old and repetitive real fast. Who likes to read female repression all the time.

- But as you should know, Paranormal Romance and Urban Fiction are my jam. I like to see where an author can take me. Lara Adrain’s Night bred Kiss of Midnight isn’t bad. A different take on vampires. Some people like the Black Dagger Brotherhood series Dark Lover. The first few books were ok for me. The others petered out of interest. Gene Showalter’s “Lords of the Underworld” The Darkest Night was interesting. Though the books were a hit or miss. But she's Kresley Cole’s literary bestie so I gave it a try. Darkfever first 5 books of the series was good. I stopped there do to the obvious “either you hated it or loved it” reviews. I felt book five was the best place to end the series. I tried a sample of book six but it wasn’t the original heroine so I just couldn’t get into it.

Can’t think of anything else at the moment.

Oh... Eve Langlais just released a book claimed to be Dark... Toxic Dust Should be interesting because she’s usually PR comedy and some smut. She’s usually a hit or miss with me too. But it’s got my interest peak that this was said to be Dark and a Dystopia book. Have to find out.

[Cozen]

Cozen wrote: "Jayla wrote: "Definitely checked out Eve Langlais and Ilona Andrews, but I have no idea which books in what series--now's a good time to settle into them. But before that I'll check out the Arcana ..."

Correction: Eve Langlais’s new release is title Toxic https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Vampire-... However, it currently isn’t located in Goodreads as of yet. It’s not to be confused with the other Toxic, Toxic Dust as I originally stated above in Message 116. I hope I clarified that.

[Jayla]

TL;DR: I like PNR and UF a lot. Thank you for the recs, Cozen!

Insanely long, tangential rant ahead:

I see a couple titles there to add to my epic TBR list (some of them I'm just sticking onto my library hold list instead of adding them to GR, but I should probably do both). Will definitely add Red Rising, Toxic (noted), and Improper Relations, I love all that stuff (and horror, drama, biographies... I am a reading omnivore, for sure).

Definitely have read Kit Roche's books, and I think they're hot but they get a little mindless for me (my problem with so many romance books, even when I'm really into them). That's a big problem for me with the BDSM new wave (I mean--you might remember the books that used to be called 'erotica' and were really intense BDSM back in the day, all the old Tristan Taramino and femme collections or whatever?)... Older stories were SUPER hit or miss, lots of them were just creepy, but they were interesting. BDSM now is very one sided, same tropes over and over and over, and it's kind of bled into dark and even comtemporary, with enemies-to-lovers tropes kind of all doing the same thing. Mean dude, submissive girl. Christian Grey all the damn time. I know this is sacrilegious but I really didn't like JR Ward's books very much for these reasons (and they pre-date FSoG, so maybe I should be blaming them). I love a lot of things about her writing style and world building, but the actual relationships? The sex? The heroines? Not for me.

I mean, I love these sub-genres and niches, and I read them, but I get bored and have to take long hiatuses.

Also RH. Not for me. Zero judgment, just not that into it. But I do love YA, and read it in all genres. I don't like how blurry it's become--kind of what you're talking about--where the 18 year old protagonist, if you didn't know their age, could either be a child or sometimes a fifty year old. The former is middle grade, and the latter is new adult or women's fic. I hate how authors manipulate genre labels to sell more books--YA is great, but I don't want to read insanely graphic erotic scenes in a YA book. That's creepy. If you want the wider appeal of the YA label, write an actual YA book.

I think that's why I can always stick with UF and PNR. They're weirder. A lot of the same tropes pop up but they're definitely not as cut-and-paste. And the dominant theme in UF especially and PNR at least half the time is kick-ass women. That is a trope I will always show up for, especially if the heroine is also complicated and conflicted and dynamic (Thank you KC). I don't feel like that's universal--and a lot of PNR now I think has that same dynamic I'm a bit tired of reading about in every other romance sub-genre,* but there's so much that is raw and new and strange and unpredictable at the very, very least. So I'll always love PNR/UF.

Thank you for attending my Ted Talk.

*Mean dude, Submissive girl is absolutely one of the hottest things ever when they are both dynamic characters and maybe--gasp!--switch things up. Supposedly FSoG has more dynamic movement in it than it gets credit for, but I'll never know because I couldn't get past the writing. No hate. We love what we love.

/end incredibly long rant

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "TL;DR: I like PNR and UF a lot. Thank you for the recs, Cozen!

Insanely long, tangential rant ahead:

I see a couple titles there to add to my epic TBR list (some of them I'm just sticking onto my..."

Well Toxic by Eve Langlais is out. Its so vanilla its a bean (as in a vanilla bean). At 87% I called it quits. Two places for foreplay, a paragraph long each, and one dry explanation of her turning. Not what I’d call Dark or Horror. The lead is an anti-heroine, so I guess there’s that. I will be trying her Toxic Dust. It’s a Dystopia so that’s got my interest peaked.

Beware of Arcana Chronicles. It’s a YA but I explained that the first 13 paragraphs are a teen cheerleader angst, so that should be too much of a surprise there. I say try it anyway, if you get it from the library it’s only time you’ve wasted.

As for the other, well your not alone. But I really don’t think books change all that much. I just think we’ve come to a point where we’ve read too many good books that other books we find fault in. There’s only so many TSTL characters that one can take before a whole series seems repetitive and dull. At least this is in my case. It’s definitely harder to find a book to enjoy these days.

Stay safe. Read well. Stay healthy. And wish all people well... especially authors like KC whose books we’re still waiting for. Maybe this self isolation will have a silver lining and that we’ll all get to read new books from all of them soon.

[Jayla]

Dear Zombie thread:

Finished Deep Kiss of Winter. This is one of my least favorites, and I didn't totally remember why--I skipped ahead and went back, and kind of shrugged through it. I like Dani's character and I always love a reformed rake story, usually, but this one is just not my cuppa. It's all the ice, all the emphasis on coldness. I get that it's beautiful and I'm definitely Team Jacob and all so popsicles have never been my thing but just nah. Nah. But it's also, I think, one of the best conflicts (which I was like, come on, y'all, when they finally figured it out) and some of the prettiest descriptions but I just... Man. I don't know. They were both a bit dense, for KC characters.

And I am 1000 percent not into the story from Gena Showalter in that volume. Nothing about it. I worry that my dislike of this story actually colors my feelings about DKoW.

Anyway. Onward and upward. Definitely moving towards new books (and then, some day, I will dig through all these other recs).

With much affection, yours always--
Pennyrood

[Jayla]

Cozen wrote: "Jayla wrote: Related: is everyone's least favorite Wroth story Nikolai's? It's def mine."

Murdock and Daniela was my least favorite. There was something inherently missing in it for me. A good por..."

Oh! Oh, wait, I wanted to say--yes. Yes to this whole post. That is all.

Ciao,
P-roodz

[Jayla]

Cozen wrote: "..."

Cozen for some reason I didn't see your reply! I'm sorry, I wasn't meaning to be dismissive above.

I am also not into PNR vanilla beans, usually, although I do like anti-heroines... I might check it out still, we'll see. I'm still slogging through the world's longest TBR list from the library--everyone is home, so I think they're charging through books faster, or at least it feels that way. I got two in my inbox today (neither PNR).

I am totally going to read the Arcana books. I'm into YA, so I'm down to clown.

And it is possible that there is just a breaching point in a reader's life where we go, I've read this before. I know how this will end. I am bored as f@!k with these tropes, used in this way, and all of my tolerance for them has run out. I think sometimes that for a lot of readers KU and the internet at large have just widened the pool of writers/stories so dramatically that everything will eventually taste a little stale (reductive, familiar, and dull). But I hope not. I think that's one of the reasons why I read so many different kinds of books, because I do get super burned out on this stuff in genres, especially ones I really cherish (like UF/PNR, but as I said above, I actually think just by definition they're harder to really pinhole, unlike, say contemporary romance).

Anyway, hugs to everyone out there. I'm going to keep posting here as I read along with IAD, as I'm now officially reading books for the first time... Which I was sure I'd read, and now am sure I did not. Brain. Swiss cheese. I hope it offers some cheer and camaraderie as needed for my fellow IAD fans.

Also noted for above threads: there are lots of female demons in Rothkalina, as someone mentioned (one in particular who totally boned Rydstrom and he forgot all about it because he had to bone so much, ew); Mina is not the character I thought she was, I had PNR cross-over, so I know nothing about her. Or her baby, her Dacian-ness, etc. So there's that to look forward to.

xo
Ptotheyouknowtherest

--edited for clarity--

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Cozen wrote: "Jayla wrote: Related: is everyone's least favorite Wroth story Nikolai's? It's def mine."

Murdock and Daniela was my least favorite. There was something inherently missing in it for ..."

It’s the isolation aspect for me that brought Deep Kiss of Winter Into a dull drag. I enjoyed the first portion of the book, where Dani meets Murdock. They helped each other out, minus the painful assistance, it was kind of hot. But after Murdock got what he needed, I felt he was a jerk and should of had a harder time winning Dani back after what he did. They were a wishy-washy couple at best and most of the book was spent distancing themselves from each other. Even when they decided to give their fated mate-ism a try, it was lack luster at best.

Deep Kiss of Winter isn’t the worst, I’m not a enthusiastic reader of M/M coupling, but even Shadow Seduction had more of an appeal to me. I rank Deep Kiss of Winter in the lower 5 range.

Oh, just in case someone Missed it.



June 2020 - Hopefully. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[Jayla]

I do like that cover, definitely.

And I think your points about the plot of DKoW are very valid. I think I liked both characters more as side characters in the other books (Murdoch in Night's Edge, and Dani from whenever Valkyries valkyrie).

[Jayla]

Okay. So Demon from the Darkwas the first IAD book that I definitely haven't read before (although, I also am positive I downloaded a sample or something, because I knew all about Ruby), for those still following along at home.

I have to say, this book definitely re-ordered my IAD boy-friend list.

Me, Malkolm, You, Jane (forever after known as MMYJ) is my new favorite. Hands down. From the head-rolling to the Tarzan talk to the toothpaste eating, to the fact that he's evil but not, to learning to read from his deela, the list goes on and on and on AND ON. He is just my perfect recipe for strong, silent, and sexy. He's my perfect romantic hero.

I started this book with the worry that KC was getting bored because the whole premise felt a little out-of-nowhere. Like, we're headed towards the Ascension and then, suddenly, there's this whole Order thing going on? Odd. And I was also worried about the characterization of Carrow, who was the most notorious party girl in the squad but right from the beginning in her own book, she's maternal, devoted, with a painful touch of TSTL (did she reeeeally think the Order was going to free her? Come on. Dude). I think, in retrospect, a lot of this was done to save ground--Carrow's character is established in other books, so KC was trusting her readers to follow her along with the sudden change; same for the Ascension, so this whole deal with the Order would feed that storyline as well. So I trust KC, so I went along, and I am very, very glad I did.

There were a couple things in this one that definitely made me think of previous convos in this thread about suspending real life expectations while reading PNR; he breaks her wrist during their total Non-con first encounter being the biggie. But these things work in PNR, totally, and further, I really liked that they weren't ignored by the narrative. The fact that Carrow was like, I don't do damaged men and I don't allow myself to be damaged was important to me. I liked those inner monologues a lot, from both characters.

The other big thing about this book was that both of the characters were dynamic in that way we talked about earlier, where they both had emotional journeys that required them to change themselves rather than their perspective on their partner's identity. Carrow is like, ew, vemon (and believe me, previously I shared her sentiment completely) but she also is thrust out of her comfort zone almost immediately and becomes a devoted surrogate mom, which really plays out later in the book. Big change, initially having nothing to do with MMYJ = Intrigued Jayla.* Malkolm has to change literally everything about his worldview, from believing he will always be worthless and retribution is his only purpose to learning how to forgive. I thought it was really romantic and powerful at the end when Carrow had to make peace with her own family to feel truly free and Malkom had to question why he was punishing her for 400 years of suffering, rather than an incident he had come to empathize with. They did that work separately, and in the end it brought them together.

And I thought the first half of the book was hot as hell, definitely my favorite KC cave scene (there are several so far, all of them good) and the second was a lesson in plotting amazeballs whiplash-inducing action. So. Good.

In short: loved it. Def my new fave story from KC, which says a lot.
Questions:

1) Alright, we've covered favorite books (and, in a way, favorite couples), but who is your #1 book boyfriend from the IAD series? Mine just got a shake-up (but I still love you, Seabass, you know I do).

2) Which plane/universe/world is the one you want to visit? Including ones from books I haven't read yet (since I've apparently read samples or something anyway).

3) Which 'evil' side character is your favorite? Ember and Portia were introduced in this one and I found them intriguing, but my fave is probably the OG Vemon (I always call them Venom in my head, not a coincidence) that Garreth kills in... I don't remember. I just loved everybody's reaction to the very idea.

4) Which book is the scariest? I don't get scared reading these, but I loved that this one definitely felt like a traditional horror script in the beginning when C arrives at Oblivion.


*My only issue remains that Carrow bet on the Order instead of Malkolm. I feel like she could've used that translation spell earlier, but it would have disrupted the narrative KC laid out. Not, in the end, a fatal flaw, and definitely something others will be in favor of. Just my $.02.

--edited to add questions and for clarity--

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Okay. So Demon from the Darkwas the first IAD book that I definitely haven't read before (although, I also am positive I downloaded a sample or something, because I knew all about Ru..."

1) I’d go with Gareth, but there is something about a big silent blood lusted virgin vampire whose deadly as hell - Conrad Wroth.

2) I have two that I wouldn’t mind visiting. One, Dacia. But, it is law that once you go there to the hidden vampire realm, you can never leave to keep the kingdom from being discovered. Two, Sargasoe, kingdom of Nereus. A kingdom under the ocean? Almost like visiting an aquarium where you get to see all sorts of sea creature and the undiscovered bottom of the deed ocean. What’s not cool about that?

3) Haxa from Wicked Deeds on a Winter Night. Though I could debate Nix, but I’m not sure I can consider he a side character. We all believe she’s get her book one day. My choice with Nix will all be revealed in Sweat Ruin.

4) Didn’t find any one book necessarily scary. But there are some scene I find horrid. Wicked Deeds on a Winter Night, I do think being captured by gorilla militia and forced under ground where I might not see the light of day while I’m being raped repeatedly would be horrific. Or being trapped in a tomb with dead incubi wouldn’t be an ideal situation to find myself in either. Or in Dreams of a Dark Warrior, being vivisected would definitely ruin my day.

[Jayla]

Cozen...

Gareth and Conrad are def in my top five... Well, I am in flux right now what with the MMYJ shake-up and the fact that I'm on #9 (DofaDW?) now, with Regin and Declan, so I'm hoping to add some new menfolk to my growing harem in the future. Declan will not be featured. No sirreee.

I am very stoked to visit Dacia and Aquarium kingdom, hells yes; also Haxa is a ++ choice. I would not categorize Nix as a side character but I think you totally could since as far as I know she hasn't had her own book yet.... Her mention is duly noted and filed. That book better be better than this stinker. This one is the only KC book I've put down more than picked up; I'm about 50% done and still not loving it. I kinda want to vivisect Declan.

[Jayla]

So I finished DofaDW. This is my least favorite. I was kind of surprised, because I loved the previous (new-to-me) book so much. I love KC's ability to show big events from so many different sides (Lothaire's POV is in this one while they're on the Order's island, plus R and D, and then if you add in Carrow and MMYJ from the previous book... That's really impressive). But everything else... Nyope.

Regin is my least favorite valkyrie. She works great as a foil and even in this book she made me laugh a couple of times, but as a main character she is painfully immature and, to my shock and dismay, kind of a push-over IMO. Declan is my least favorite hero. He is completely self-absorbed until 69% of the book (yes, I was keeping track). That's how long it took for him to really stop pitying himself more than he felt any other emotion at all. Even the Irishness didn't save it.

Questions...

1) I did like the continuing horror motifs in this one (creepy labs, etc). If I could turn one of these books into a movie, though, it would be Dreams of a Dark Prince. How about you?

2) Lothaire's appeal is really amped up in this one, which I thought was funny (Nat talking about him and Regin being grossed out, him yawning when everyone else is afraid, etc). What is the secret to making a villain sexy? What's in the recipe?

Done moping--on to Lothaire. I hope everyone out there is doing okay.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "So I finished DofaDW. This is my least favorite. I was kind of surprised, because I loved the previous (new-to-me) book so much. I love KC's ability to show big events from so many different sides ..."

You’re not wrong. I didn’t like this book either. Regin is too immature, that I totally agree with you on, to be given a book where she’s ready to settle down with a man. It doesn’t gel with her personality. All previous books Regin is very adamant about valkyrie hook ups, Holly, Emma, Lucia. In them, any male interest is worthy of discarding.

I only value it for the small tidbits of information you get from it and an introduction to future books in the series. I am just not fond of kidnapping/torture/cage plots at all. The feeling of hopelessness because of their situation that they can’t escape from ruins my enjoyment of a book

I think I’m too empathetic that I mirror emotions of other people (in real life and fictional characters) that it’s shows in my own behavior. call me the Deanna Troy (Star Trek: The Next Generation) of books.

[Jayla]

I think that says good things about you Cozen :)

I really need a lot more from the MCs on both sides to get over a really painful set-up--I'm totally down, and I feel like KC is totally capable, but... Yeah, not this one.

I'm making masks, because that is life right now, but I'm hoping to finish Lothaire by the end of the weekend. I want to catch up with everybody else by the time Munro (maybe it's not Monro? I think it is) drops this summer.

[Jayla]

Okay. Finally, after months and months, I have finished reading Lothaire.

So my immediate thoughts: man, I hate 'hillbilly' stereotypes. This did not get the book going on a good foot for me, but that is my strongest reservation about it and I think that's the sign of a good book--if something is a personal ick and the writer is so skilled that you stick with it anyway and have good thoughts, that's awesome. So it was with Lothaire.

By far, I thought the first half of the book was hotter, but I liked that the latter half had so much of that introspection I was whining about not being in romance often enough recently. I liked that Lothaire didn't have a redemption arc that turned him into an anti-hero so much as played on the characteristics we understand him to always have had, giving him some believable growth without making me roll my eyes; I do need more of a grovel, though, to be really satisfied. Groveling of varying degrees is part of the enemies-to-lovers trope and I like mine angsty and intense--cutting out his heart was the best part, but the nasty note he sent with it, well. I'm glad Ellie sent him back a finger.

This is another IAD book where I really ended up hanging around (gladly) for the female heroine. She's not perfect--I really wanted her to kick his ass more, he was such a... Anyway. But I liked the back and forth in her own mind about what was happening. I liked her resilience. I thought once the death goddess was gone she lost a little of her backbone, which was dumb, because hello, vampire, but I don't need perfection. I can definitely see why this is one of the favorites in the series, because the love felt real by the end and the first half was wicked hot.

1) Is a romantic pairing more satisfying if the characters are both 'good' or one is 'bad?' Dru and Spike are the only off-hand 'bad' couple I can think of that I really enjoyed watching/reading about, but the same thinking applies. Holly and Cade are both 'good,' but their chemistry is smoking; Lothaire and Elly are opposites. What works best in a romance? Do opposites always attract?

2) Nix is much more interesting in this book, and her relationship with Lothaire is too. Platonic relationships in romance novels are rare--Desh also helped out Cara in this one, too. I can't think of any other platonic moments in any other books... A sign of the times? Lothaire came out almost a decade after the AHLNO.

3) If I could never go out in the sun again I'd lose my damn mind, but I like beaches better at night (sue me, I'm weird). Would the benefits of being a vamp ever outweigh the downside of missing out on the sun (and no, dude, I'm not even getting in to blood drinking, gross, ew, not even in hypotheticals)?

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Okay. Finally, after months and months, I have finished reading Lothaire.

So my immediate thoughts: man, I hate 'hillbilly' stereotypes. This did not get the book going on a good foot for me, but ..."

I liked the dog angle at the end. It actually makes Lothaire seem just a smidget less evil to me.

I don’t think that opposites attract applies here as much as it is Elly just softens Lothaire in the sense she can cleverly manipulate Lothaire into not slaughtering an entire town with a population of around 6,000 people. That helps. But you won’t see that kind of dynamic in their relationship until Shadow's Claim. In that book, you see how little and how much Lothaire changes. Oh, he keeps his diabolical nature, but again Elly manages it well.

I also think Nix in the end has more of an impact on Lothaire than Elly does.

As for never going out in the sun again... I hope that they’re not one with seasonal depression. They’d be required to sit in front of a bright yellow wall/screen for treatment. Just saying...

[Jayla]

I am definitely intrigued by the idea that Nix has more of an impact on Lothaire than Elly. What with the opposite-sex platonic friendship question and all.

I am honestly coming up short thinking of another friendship like that in a PNR novel or series. This can't possibly be the only one, but...

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "I am definitely intrigued by the idea that Nix has more of an impact on Lothaire than Elly. What with the opposite-sex platonic friendship question and all.

I am honestly coming up short thinking ..."

In the next book Shadow's Claim there’s a couple of these. One involves a ghost and the other an unrequited love between the lead and a secondary character (who gets a smaller side story later).

Shadow’s Claim holds a lot of important connecting (with other stories) information.

[Jayla]

I just finished Shadow's Claim, and the above makes a lot of sense now.

This was in my bottom five for IAD books, though, which disappointed me, because I can definitely tell the book was written more recently. The last few books have been SO up and down, it's intense. The big problem with this one was, for me, the heroine.

I am hard on the ladies in these books because I love so many of them so much, and often, in the beginning when presented with their inner struggles and whatever, I'll have an opinion that is purposely, deftly guided by KC towards a different conclusion by the end of the book (Holly being the best example of this). But Bettina was just like... Girl. Girrrrrrrrrrrl. Watching her fawn over a dude who wants a cookie for not visiting a brothel for literally two days was just like, I don't know. And the initial set-up, with her recovery from an assault and having to recover from the theft of her power and learn to trust and love a patient fated sex-beast? That stuff is usually cat-nip for me. I loooove angsty love stories. But this one... She was Bettina the Push-Over before her assault, and her anxiety afterwards felt oddly superficial to me. I'm not trying to critique KC. I don't have any interest in that. But I just... I don't know. The puzzle pieces really didn't fit well for me with Bettina's whole character. I didn't feel emotionally invested in her friendship with Cas by the end at all, I felt bad for Daciano for being saddled with someone who so completely side-lined and still used him, and I didn't care about her place in the Assecion (you get me, I know its spelled wrong). Having Sabine there at the end just highlighted her flaws even more.

Anyway. The library has a long hold on the next book so I might skip ahead to Dark Skye, but I'm starting to rank them in my head and I'm not looking forward to more of the Dacian storyline. Not sure why that became the favored off-shoot.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "I just finished Shadow's Claim, and the above makes a lot of sense now.

This was in my bottom five for IAD books, though, which disappointed me, because I can definitely tell the book was written ..."

It’s the little pieces of the puzzle that will fall into place. It really wasn’t my favorite either. But it does hold morsels that come into play with Dark Skye (very heavy in importance), Wicked Abyss deals with a fallen brother- also is one of Cole’s most cleverly woven story, Shadow's Seduction It’s a M/M with Mirceo Daciano and Caspion- probably not everyone’s cup of tea, and Munro (see the dark wizards or sorcerers- and their hand in turning more humans into Lycans).

As for MacCrieve, it’s the only book that made me cry. But I really don’t believe you need to be worried about the order of it and Dark Skye. Only because they both deal with the after math of the Organization and the imprisonment and escape. In fact Dark Skye starts out with the escape while MacCrieve starts at a point after the rescue/escape from the island. So don’t sweat it.

[Jayla]

Then I might jump on that then--I'm interested in what happens to Melanthe! That whole thing with her and Carrow felt like ages ago, being stuck in the cell together.

I'm usually into M/M just as much as M/F (or F/F for that matter) but the whole Dacian storyline has me rolling my eyes. And I did not like Caspion very much. He seemed liked a tool. We'll have to see what the hell dimensions teach him.

[Cozen]

Jayla wrote: "Then I might jump on that then--I'm interested in what happens to Melanthe! That whole thing with her and Carrow felt like ages ago, being stuck in the cell together.

I'm usually into M/M just as ..."

Dark Skye was not in my favorite list. However, it’s a treasure trove of Easter Eggs. In it we find out what happened to Fury.

[Cozen]

Does anyone know how old Nix is? I can’t recall but since Lucia is around 3,000 years old I’d assume that Nix is much older. Other wise Lucia would also be considered for God hood.

Just curious.

[Jayla]

I feel like someone just said Nix was 3000 years old... Maybe Lothaire. But that doesn't make sense, does it? Huh.