November 20, 2014

Review: Darkness Unbound

Darkness Unbound (Dark Angels, book 1) by Keri Arthur

Darkness-Unbound

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: eBook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Darkness Unbound

The fight against darkness rages on for the next generation—in New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur’s exciting new series set in the world of the Guardians.

Being half werewolf and half Aedh, Risa Jones can enter the twilight realms between life and death and see the reapers, supernatural beings that collect the souls of the dead. But she soon makes a terrifying discovery: Some sinister force is stealing souls, preventing the dead from ever knowing the afterlife.

Reapers escort souls—not snatch them—but Risa is still unnerved when a reaper shadows her in search of someone Risa has never met: her own father, an Aedh priest, who is rumored to be tampering with the gates of hell for a dark purpose. With the help of her “aunt”—half-werewolf, half-vampire Riley Jenson—and an Aedh named Lucian who may have lost his wings but none of his sex appeal, Risa must pursue whatever shadowy practitioner of blood magic is seizing souls, and somehow stop her father . . . before all hell breaks loose.


Review:

After finishing Riley Jenson's series I immediately looked towards the Dark Angels series. After all it follows the grown up Risa from Riley's books! Definitely a character that would be worthy of having her own series! After chatting with a friend she told me that “Risa slut shames Riley!” Riley's sexuality and overall owning of it is what I loved about her books. And there was no way that I'd read about a character slut shaming my girl Riley. Years later chatting with another Goodreads friend and discussing why I hadn't read the Dark Angel books it hit me. That other Goodreads friend wasn't telling me that Risa had slut shamed Riley, but that Goodreads friend was slut shaming both Riley and Risa!

Grrrrrrrrrrr!

Strong female leads who own their sexuality are so hard to find! Ones who are brave with their image and body. Female leads who aren't hung up on a million different reasons why their first time was bad, that sex is bad, and all kinds of other sex issues. Risa owns it! Just like Riley. Maybe even a bit more. While the sex isn't anymore over the top than some of the Paranormal Romance series out there, it is maybe a bit more then what some Urban Fantasy fans are used to. But let's be honest sex is a big part of both genres anymore. So when a female character owns her sexuality I am for it. Nuff said.

Risa isn't an amazing character just because she owns her sexuality. No she's awesome because she's really smart and badass! But she is not Riley. There are definitely some traits and I’m starting to see with Arthur her leading ladies tend to share a few. Risa is a rich spoiled girl who is still afraid of bugs and other strange things. She owns a restaurant called RYT—Rich Young Things—with two of her other rich friends that she lives with. At first I found her super rich status with a famous mother to other famous people annoying. It didn't take long for me to warm up to Risa. Her life hasn't been easy. If her friends or loved ones are in trouble girl steps up! With Riley, Quinn, and Rhoan you know the girl has some mad skills!

There are some fun tie-ins to the Riley books with plenty of cameos. None of it feels like oh-here-is-a-character-you-love blatant cameo! Besides awesome female leads Arthur always populates her worlds with fantastic and diverse characters. Which is exactly what she does here. Not only am I looking forward to seeing old favorites, but now I care about the new cast and I’m invested in what happens to them. Ah! I wish more authors, when done with a beloved series, could still write in their old series universe. Arthur does it beautifully and while this was a bit of an average read Arthur’s talents make this a nice introduction to a new series, and probably what will become a great series for me!

Sexual Content: Plenty of sexual humor, talk, thoughts, and so on. Sex, and even a mild threesome.

  
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:
Darkness Unbound (1)
Darkness Rising (2)
Darkness Devours (3)
Darkness Hunts (4)
Darkness Unmasked (5)
Darkness Splintered (6)
Darkness Falls (7)

Darkness Unbound (1)Darkness Rising (2)
Darkness Devours (3)
Darkness Hunts (4)
Darkness Unmasked (5)
Darkness Splintered (6)
Darkness Falls (7)

Darkness Unbound (1)
Darkness Rising (2)
Darkness Devours (3)
Darkness Hunts (4)
Darkness Unmasked (5)
Darkness Splintered (6)
Darkness Falls (7)

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