The Dark-Hunters, Volume 2: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Claudia Campos

"IN THE WAR AGAINST VAMPIRES, MANKIND HAS ONLY ONE HOPE: THE DARK-HUNTERS. Ancient warriors who died of brutal betrayal, the Dark-Hunters have sworn themselves into the service of the goddess Artemis to protect us.

"It's a pact with pretty good perks--immortality, power, psychic abilities, wealth, and a cool wardrobe. But it comes with a dew drawbacks: fatal sun poisoning and a new, irreparable dental problem. But aside from the fangs and nocturnal lifestyle, it's not so bad.

"Kyrian is an immortal Dark-Hunter who just lost his Dark-Hunter powers and along with it, his immortality. Now, he is faced with the chance to regain not only his humanity, but his very soul. The problem is that it couldn't have happened at a worse time. Desiderius is closing in, and if Kyrian and Amanda are going to save humanity, Kyrian must take the war to his enemy--or it may be too late."

I've had this book for nearly a year and can't believe I never opened it!!! To be honest, what prompted my reading of this book in an hour was my latest Barnes & Noble shopping spree (thank you coupons!). I bought the third one and thought, "Wow...I don't think I've read the second one yet!"

I have to say that I liked this volume in the manga series a lot. Initially, I was upset that each of the novels was going to be cut in half to accommodate things like fitting the typical length of manga, but now I'm happy. The cut-off point was a cliff-hanger between volumes 1 and 2...which made me frustrated and excited at the same time because I desperately wanted to read more--and I've READ the actual novel! That's fairly impressive. It also did a really good job of splitting up the plot, with the character development in the first half and a lot of the action in the second.

Another thing I noticed was a definite change in the artwork. This may have been due to the slightly more serious nature of the second volume, but there were a lot less of the manga-ish faces in this one, which I, personally found pleasing. (Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some manga, but not if it's too goofy... I think because I've read these novels and picture the Dark-Hunter characters certain ways, having them melt into cartoony expressions doesn't do it for me.) However, there seemed to be a little loss of detail in some sections. It could just be me, but there looks (as I go back and double-check) to be fewer lines and anatomical details (which sounds like a pervy comment, but isn't). This didn't detract from my enjoyment, but I almost hope the artist melds the styles in these two books a little bit more in the third volume (which I've obviously just purchased, but may have to pace myself and read at a later date...).

Overall, I enjoyed this manga installment and recommend it to anyone willing to get a different take on the Dark-Hunter series. It might be a little difficult to stomach if you're in love with your own mental versions of the characters, but at lest give it a try. The writing is all edited by Kenyon, so some of the best lines have made it in!

The Dark-Hunters, Volume 1: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Claudia Campos

"Vampires getting you down?

"Call the baddest warriors in town: the Dark0Hunters. What are the Dark-Hunters? Man, have you been living under a rock not to know this one....

"They're mad, bad, and immortal. Ancient warriors with attitudes who fight rough, and play hard. They are the scary things that go bump in the night. And they love every minute of it.

"It's just another night on the prowl for vampires for Kyrian Thrace when he meets the most frightening thing imaginable. An accountant. But Amanda Devereaux is much more than she seems. Hunted by one of the deadliest of vampires, Amanda is the key to our survival. If she goes down, so does he, and--no offense--he doesn't want to die (hence the whole immortality thing0. And he doesn't want humanity dead either, which is a good thing for us since he and Amanda are all that stands between us and oblivion.

"Let's hope they win."

YES! I've been waiting for months for this book to come out and it finally showed up on my doorstep this morning! I would really love to know what kept getting the release date pushed back so many times. However, reading it, I think I might just know what took so long: This volume only has HALF of Kyrian's story! It literally cuts off half way through the first Dark-Hunter book! I couldn't believe it! Now it was more than likely intentional, but the only real reason I can come up with for there being so many delays in this book's publishing (and for the fact that there is only really half a story...) is that there was something wrong with the art. It's a pretty integral part of a manga after all..... I don't know if it is true, but it's a possibility.

Anyhow, I must give out some serious props because this manga was awesome. The art--for the most part--was impressive. As a car buff, I liked the look of Kyrian's Lambo (yeah...I know I'm a dork) and as someone who's not an expert on the art of manga, I will say that I was happy with it. A bit of the art looked awkard, but I LOVED being able to put "faces" to the characters. I thought that was really awesome.

Not to mention that I could totally tell that Sherrilyn Kenyon worked on the writing. There were some of the best lines from the book in there and that made it seem so much more like an actual Dark-Hunter novel than just a spoof (though I really would have liked to have seen the "I see Dead People" shirt comment with Talon...I just about wet my pants laughing at that one when I read it in Night Pleasures).

*Heaves a deep sigh* Now, I must wait for the next installment...who REALLY knows when that will be.....

Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Twenty-one): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Sin, an ancient Sumerian god, was one of the most powerful among his pantheon—until the night Artemis robbed him of his godhood and left him one step from death….

“For millennia, the ex-god turned Dark-Hunter Sin has sought to regain his powers and take revenge on Artemis. But now he has bigger fish—or in this case, demons—to fry. The lethal gallu that were buried by his pantheon are stirring, and they are hungry for human flesh. Their goal: to destroy mankind. Sin is the only one who can stop them…if a certain woman doesn’t kill him first.

“Enemies have always made strange bedfellows, but never more so than when the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Now a man who only knows betrayal must trust the one person most likely to hand him to the demons. Artemis may have stolen his godhood, but this one has stolen his heart. The only question is: Will she keep it…or feed it to those who want him dead?”

Yay! I was SO beyond excited to pick up a Sherrilyn Kenyon book once more after all of this time. (I’ve been spacing out my reading so I won’t finish everything she has written in a week…) I looked forward to reading this book and it most certainly didn’t disappoint!

Sin was a fantastic hero! I loved his story (though the angsty stuff might not be for everybody) and it was fascinating given the fact that I just learned all about the Sumerians and their gods in college. Ah, the irony. Anyhow, Acheron played a rather big role in this book and it was wonderful to see him again. I really don’t want to give anything away, but there was an awesome plot twist that really brought everything together and new evil is afoot…and I don’t mean Stryker has a new plan… (You’ll have to read it to find out!)

I loved this book and devoured it. If you read it, drop by and let me know what you thought!

The Dream-Hunter (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Twenty): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“IN THE ETHERIAL WORLD OF THE DREAM-HUNTERS

“Condemned by the gods to live eternity without emotions, Arikos can only feel when he’s in the dreams of others. For thousands of years, he’s drifted through the human unconscious, searching for sensation. Now he’s finally found a dreamer whose vivid mind can fill his emptiness.

“THERE ARE CHAMPIONS WHO FIGHT TO PROTECT THE DREAMER….

“Dr. Megeara Kafieri watched her father ruin himself and his reputation as he searched to prove Atlantis was real. Her deathbed promise to him to salvage his reputation has now brought her to Greece where she intends to prove once and for all that the fabled island is right where her father said it was. Instead, she finds a stranger floating in the sea—one whose face she’d seen many times…in her dreams.

“AND THERE ARE DEMONS WHO PREY ON THEM.

“What she doesn’t know is that Arik holds more than the ancient secrets that can help her find the mythical isle of Atlantis. He has made a pact with the god Hades: In exchange for two weeks as a mortal man, he must return to Olympus with a human soul—Megeara’s.”

I was really excited about reading this book! This was a book all about the Dream-Hunters and it was a very interesting change-up. Sherrilyn Kenyon has done it again! She’s managed to suck her readers in with her fantastic plots and captivating characters. However, I have to admit that there were a lot of characters (the other Dream-Hunters) that were a bit difficult to keep straight, but I managed with a little effort. I liked how Kenyon explained more about the world of the Dream-Hunters because it made the entire story easier to follow. It was really neat to see more of Olympus and the other gods as well. I think I would have liked to have learned more about the background of certain characters, but it was still a good book nonetheless.

***SPOILER***

I didn’t know until the very end, but this book took place even before Kyrian’s story! It was cool to see a bit more of some “behind the scenes” type things, though it did make me a little choked up when I got to the part about Nick and his mother…

Sins of the Night (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Thirteen): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“In the realm of the Dark-Hunters, there is a code of honor that even immortal bad boys must follow: Harm no human. Drink no blood. Never fall in love.

“But every now and again, a Dark-Hunter thinks himself above the Code. That’s when I’m summoned. Who am I? I’m the one thing the fearless fear. Step over the line and it’s my wrath you will face. Nothing can touch me. Nothing can sway me. I am relentless and unfeeling.

“Or so I though until I met a female Dark-Hunter who goes by the name of Danger—it’s not her name, it’s how she lives her life. She doesn’t trust me at all. And who could blame her? She alone knows that I’m here to be judge, jury, and, most likely, executioner of her friends. Yet she is my key to saving some of them. Without her, they will all die.

“Dangereuse St. Richard is a deadly distraction. Something about her is reawakening a heart I thought was long dead. But in a race against evil, the only hope mankind has is that I do my duty when it means that I will have to sacrifice the only woman I’ve ever loved?”

I haven’t read a Sherrilyn Kenyon book in a while and I will admit that it was really nice to get back to her style of writing. This book contained the first female Dark-Hunter in the series and I have to say that it was good, but it wasn’t amazing. I pictured the female Dark-Hunter to be more like the character Tabitha from the previous books, but she was much more subdued—though she had her own edge. The book actually seemed really short and I breezed through it.

The Alexion was an amazing character! He was wonderfully fascinating to read about and it was great to learn more about Acheron and the history behind the Dark-Hunters. Overall, the plot was interesting and moved very well. The ending was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! The writing was beautiful—as always—and the characters were very well-written and easy to fall for. It wasn’t my favorite, but it will not deter me from reading more of Kenyon’s works. I am TOTALLY addicted to her works!

A Dark-Hunter Christmas (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Eight): Sherrilyn Kenyon

***As I noted in the post just before this one, Sherrilyn Kenyon's site was updated and some of the stories were even completely removed from the reading order. This was one of them. In fact, in the list of a couple of weeks ago, this book was supposed to be in the back of Dance With the Devil, but it wasn't...I had to scour websites to find it and it was a HUGE headache... I'm really sorry, but I can't find the site where I originally found it because my laptop is freaking-out and I have been downgraded to the desktop. I do, however, have an electronic copy of the short story and can post the whole thing if you guys need me to. It wouldn't be too much trouble at all.***

Anyway, this is a short story (not technically a book...and therefore doesn't have a cover for me to post) that I had to find online. It was short and sweet. The readers were introduced to a more "modern" Dark-Hunter. His story was sad and believable for the time-period in which he was created. (Living in the Chicago-area myself, I know a good deal about its history and it was cool to see that come into play.) What was really neat was watching Acheron and Simi in this story. I don't want to give it away, but we get to read about a much softer side to them. The main character, Jamie was probably one of the Dark-Hunters who had to relive the most pain on a day-to-day basis. Since he was created in the first-half of the nineteenth-century, he actually has easily traceable and detectible relatives that he cannot come into contact with. I can't even imagine how difficult that must have been. Overall, the story was short and sweet. It had a very important underlaying lesson that rings true to all of the other Dark-Hunters and I think I might even like to see more of Jamie in the future!

Dance With the Devil (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Seven): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“ZAREK’S POINT OF VIEW:

“Dark-Hunter: A soulless guardian who stands between mankind and those who would see mankind destroyed. Yeah, right. The only part of that Code of Honor I got was eternity and solitude.

“Insanity: A condition I may suffer from after being alone for so long. But I don’t suffer from my insanity—I enjoy every minute of it.

“Trust: I can’t trust anyone…not even myself. The only thing I trust is in my ability to do the wrong thing in any situation and to put a hurt on anyone who gets in my way.

“Truth: I endured a lifetime as a Roman slave, and 900 years as an exiled Dark-Hunter. Now I’m tired of enduring. I want the truth about what happened the night I was exiled—I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“Astrid (Greek, meaning star): An exceptional woman who can see straight to the truth. Brave and strong, she is a point of light in the darkness. She touches me and I tremble. She smiles and my cold heart shatters.

“Zarek: They say even the most damned man can be forgiven. I never believed that until Astrid opened her door to me and made this feral beast want to be human again. Made me want to love and be loved. But how can an ex-slave whose soul is owned by a Greek goddess ever dream of touching, let alone holding, a fiery star?”

***Just a little bit of an update on Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books. For my reading order, I was going off of a list that…I guess…hadn’t been updated in a while and now I went to check it out and it was changed. According to the list from her site from a couple of weeks ago, there should be a story in the back of Dance With the Devil called something like “A Dark-Hunter Christmas”, but there wasn’t and that’s where my confusion started. The website has now switched around some of the reading orders and eliminated a short story altogether—the one that explains Acheron’s story. So, I’m a little confused and wondering what’s going on and this is a little bit of a heads up because my book numbers may not match with her site’s.***

Now, about this book…I LOVED IT!!! I thought I was moved by Talon’s and Kyrian’s stories, but nothing prepared me for Zarek’s story… I had flat-out sobbed three times before getting half-way through the book. That’s pretty impressive and it made me love the characters all the more. Zarek is a complete badass and I really didn’t care for him in Talon’s story. I kept thinking how difficult it would be for Sherrilyn Kenyon to make me want to care for Zarek. I thought “Well, he was a slave…Valerius is his brother…he was unloved…yeah, that’s terribly sad, but he’s such an ass to Acheron and everyone else.” And Kenyon has TOTALLY made me care for Zarek to the point where I fell for his character. I cried so many times and it was just SO beautifully written.

Astrid was a pretty interesting character too and she was fun to watch as she developed from an apathetic judge to a woman who wanted to help the man she believed to be innocent. I liked how there was more development of Acheron’s character and more Dark-Hunters were brought into this story. It gave depth to the plot without slowing it down and that’s not something that’s easy to do. All-in-all (though I’m a little confused by her site) I LOVE Sherrilyn Kenyon’s works and look forward to reading more!

Night Embrace (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Five): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Dear Reader,

“Life is great for me. I have my chicory coffee, my warm beignets, and my best friend on the cell phone. Once the sun goes down, I am the baddest thing prowling the night: I command the elements, and I know no fear. For centuries, I’ve protected the innocent and watched over mankind, making sure they are safe in a world where nothing is ever certain. All I want in return is a hot babe in a red dress, who wants nothing more from me than one night.

“Instead, I get a runaway Mardi Gras float that tries to turn me into roadkill and a beautiful woman who saves my life but can’t remember where she put my pants. Flamboyant and extravagant, Sunshine Runningwolf should be the perfect woman for me. She wants nothing past tonight, no ties, no long-term commitments.

“But everytime I look at her, I start yearning for dreams that I buried centuries ago. With her unconventional ways and ability to baffle me, Sunshine is the one person I find myself needing. But for me to love her would mean her death. I am cursed never to know peace or happiness—not so long as my enemy waits in the night to destroy us both.

“Talon of the Morrigantes”

After reading this book, I decided several things. One: Talon has become one of my favorite characters of all-time! Two: Sunshine is EXACTLY like my friend Carolynn…it’s scary! Three: Acheron is beyond awesome! From reading the previous books, I pictured him to be this incredibly hot, muscular in his mid-to-late-twenties. In this book, the readers get to see a new side of him and realize that he’s younger than he seems.

Anyway, Talon’s story LITERALLY HAD ME BAWLING!!! The way this book was written really tugged at my heartstrings…hard… His pain was so terrible and I couldn’t imagine having to suffer through what he has. I found myself laughing along with the characters as well as crying with them. Once again, Sherrilyn Kenyon has worked her magic!

I did have some...I don't know...confusion about certain parts of the book though. After reading Dragonswan, I came to understanding that Slayers were very animalistic and were basically out to get everything and everyone. After reading this book, I came to a far different conslusion. The Slayers were very secluded (though they did say that they ate human flesh) and their main priority was to watch over their pack. They weren't the completely viscious creatures I thought they were. I thought this was interesting because it was from a different point of view.

Not to mention I found the ULTIMATE quote that defines the Dark-Hunter existence!!! Zarek (you meet him in this book) says, “…let me give you the job description. Me, Dark-Hunter. You, Daimon. I hit, you bleed. I kill, you die.” Yeah…Zarek’s pretty much the ultimate badass… ; )

Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Four): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Dear Reader

“Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking vampires that prey on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power? That is my exixtence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but I am known to none. And I love every minute of it.

“Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt. Or in Amanda’s case, one buttoned all the way up to her chin. She’d smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal—in other words, me.

“My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Yet every time I look at her, I find myself wanting to try again. Wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exists.

“Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there’s any way a woman like Amanda can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he’s not sure it will ever beat again.

“Kyrian of Thrace”

I officially LOVED this book! I found myself laughing so many times and Kyrian’s as well as Nick’s sarcasm was fantastic. It was so well-written that I could practically hear their actual conversations. Amanda was a pretty decent character—not one of my favorites, but I liked her nonetheless. Kyrian was fantastic and I REALLY loved how Kenyon brought back Julian and Grace’s family. It took me a while at first, but I finally got that this Kyrian was the Kyrian that Julian talked about in his book, Fantasy Lover. I thought that was neat and really awesome to have their stories meshed in such a way.

Kyrian’s past was one of the most violently descriptive I’ve ever read…it was fantastic and I found myself cringing on many occasions. His pain was at a whole new level I’d never before read and I really have to commend Kenyon for her brilliance.

The plot in general was AMAZING! I adore how Kenyon seems to have thought of everything! The whole Dark-Hunter thing is so fantastic and I could not find any flaws in her writing of it—and believe me…I’m a bit of a bitch like that where I try to find flaws…and I couldn’t!!! (I don't want to give too much away so I will just reiterate how great the plot was! She even brings back some other characters from stories...and you'll have to read to find out who!!!) I so look forward to reading the next in this TRULY captivating series!!!

*****UPDATE 12/18/2017*****

I can't believe it's been more than nine years since I first read this book!  How time flies!

I seem to be on a bit of a Sherrilyn Keyon re-reading kick lately, which is so odd because I NEVER re-read books.  I don’t think I am going to make a habit of re-reading books, but I’ve actually been enjoying doing this with Kenyon’s books for the most part (perhaps, mostly because it has been so long since I read them that it feels “new” enough).  One thing has remained true over the years:  I still feel like the overarching plot is brilliant.  Kenyon has created this amazing sub-world rich with history, backstory, and she put an astounding amount of forethought into it.  I have always enjoyed her angsty male leads and writing in their tragic backgrounds really rounds them out and, rather than make them pitiable, actually makes them rich and interesting – it’s a very fine line to walk.  She is so wickedly creative in the ways she develops their pasts and the natures of their very unique deaths.

I enjoyed Kyrian, but perhaps more so because of his past than anything.  I found his “present” character to be slightly lacking the attitude and impulsiveness Julian and other characters kept claiming he was known for.  Of course, it was there, just not to the degree that I expected.  Amanda is a decent character and she is a nice foil for her twin sister, Tabatha.  Rather than have her as another “weird” Deveraux sister, her normalcy (or, rather, “attempted” normalcy) and skepticism was a believable counterpart to the oddness of the world to which Kyrian introduces her.  Rather than have her jump into the world of the Dark-Hunters headfirst, she did seem to keep it at arms’ length for an acceptable amount of time.  I think I would have liked to have seen her feelings develop for Kyrian in a more rounded fashion.  They seemed to hit rather suddenly with little “provoking” on Kyrian’s part.  As she is pondering her feelings later in the book, she considers his laugh and his smile, though I don’t believe those things happened all that often prior to her contemplations – at least not to the degree that they could believably be parts of the reason she is falling for Kyrian.

Another comment I have to make is one I also made in my review for Fantasy Lover…I think the writing was not quite up to the level I remember it being, nor is it on par with other authors I’ve enjoyed throughout the different shades of the romance genre.  There were unnecessary words, odd (obvious) descriptions, and mediocre metaphors (I don’t have the book in front of me, but I there’s a line which reads something like, “He twisted like an agile cat;” on the surface, it seems fine, but it was inelegant and boring in the context).  Another issue I had was the sheer plethora of “afterthoughts” experienced by most of the characters.  I don’t believe I’m giving anything away, but forgive me if I am:  One of the greatest examples of this was when Amanda leaves Kyrian’s home after he instructed Acheron to watch over her.  After she’s already left, Amanda very briefly ponders why Acheron would have allowed her to leave after what Kyrian had said.  Okay. Fine.  It is what it is, but it felt unnecessary.  It could have all been avoided with one line from Acheron where he says something like, “I don’t give a damn what you do, little girl.  I’m no babysitter and I certainly don’t take orders from Kyrian.”  I think this would have fit in with the plot and Acheron’s character just fine and would certainly have avoided another instance of this awkward afterthought.  It was unnecessary and broke the flow of anticipation.  There are more than a few times this happens throughout the book.  I think Kenyon has such amazing talent that she doesn’t need all of this extraneous explanation and description.  She is a fantastic weaver of stories and brilliant crafter of characters that these things just brought this book down a hair.  I wonder if – as I continue making my way back through this series – that the writing will change a great deal.  This book is still one of her early ones, so I suppose we shall see!  Perhaps I’m just being hypercritical and a bit unfair…  I’ve sat here trying to find a better way to say this without sounding pompous, but I think my slight change in enjoyment of Kenyon’s writing style is because I’m so much further along in my education than I was the first time I read her works.  Since then, I’ve achieved a Master’s Degree in English and I’m much more used to really breaking down works of literature and performing thorough analyses.  I don’t think it’s necessarily fair of me to bring this lens to this application, but I don’t think I can un-train myself.

Regardless of my overly-critical analysis, I still enjoyed the book.  It took me a little bit to get going, but I finished it in a matter of a weekend once I did.  It’s a very, very entertaining read.  I truly love how I always loose myself in the world of the Dark/Dream/Were-Hunters whenever I pick up Kenyon’s books.  There are so many facets to the characters, stories, and the underlying plot that it’s easy to see how this might happen.  I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the world Kenyon has created.  I recommend this book as the first “official” Dark-Hunter installment and I look forward to moving on in the series.

Side note:  Even though Nick is a supporting character, I find him fantastic.  Kenyon managed to cram so much personality into him.  I find myself wondering if she was inspired by someone in her life when she wrote him.  His attitude and personality were entertaining and provided a breath of fun and sarcasm so needed in this otherwise intense story.  I loved him the first time around and I continue to feel the same way about him – this is the mark of an excellent character.

The Beginning (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Two): Sherrilyn Kenyon

***This book is actually not a book at all (and therefore doesn't have an actual cover, so bear with me)! It’s in the back of the book Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. It lists this as the next book to read in the series on Kenyon’s website. It’s supposed to explain the rest of the series and how it relates to Julian from Fantasy Lover.***

This was really short and very well-written. It’s so hard to make readers care about characters in thirty-one pages, but Sherrilyn Kenyon did just that. She introduced Acheron and his role with the Greek gods and goddesses. It showed more of the selfish side of the gods that was previously exhibited in Fantasy Lover. This was a really creative way to write a series and I am so excited to read the next book!

Fantasy Lover (Book One, Dark-Hunter Series): Sherrilyn Kenyon

"Dear Reader,
“Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn’t. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior’s day.

“As a love-slave, I know everything about women. How to touch them, hot to savor them, and most of all, how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander’s sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tortured past. She alone bothered to take me out of the bedroom and into the world. She taught me to love again.
“But I was not born to know love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace—the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two-thousand-year-old curse?
“Julian of Macedon”

Well, this book was absolutely amazing! This was the book that I had been waiting for and it finally came! I was so happy that I immediately started reading it and I was NOT disappointed in the least. Julian was an AMAZING character and I COMPLETELY related to Grace—no lie, I saw so much of myself in her! There were so many witty moments and I laughed out loud and loved every moment of it! Julian was such a heart-wrenching character and the readers learn how troubled he really is and they bleed for him. It’s hard not to when the readers find out how hard he really has had it. Not to mention that whole part with Grace’s books—but I don’t want to give too much away!

As you probably know, I don’t usually read “modern” romances, but this had the PERFECT amount of history to make me happy as a kid in a candy store! : ) I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THE REST OF THE SERIES! YAY! I totally recommend Sherrilyn Kenyon to EVERYONE! (As well as her Dark-Hunter Series!)

*****UPDATE*****

Those of you who follow my reviews know that I really do not care to re-read books. Sherrilyn Kenyon, however, is a long-time favorite author of mine. I needed a good, entertaining book to take on vacation with me - something that didn't take itself too seriously because I've just finished my Master’s program and my poor brain needed a break. Kenyon’s writing seemed like the perfect choice. I remember laughing a lot and finding the romance very sweet and touching the first time I read this book almost ten years ago. I read this long enough ago that I knew there would be some dialogue and situations that would be fun and “new” and I looked forward to that. After finishing this book, I will say that, while still HIGHLY creative and fun, I found this book to be very clearly one of Kenyon’s early works. There were a few awkward moments in the dialogue and I felt like some of the self deprecation was a bit over the top, so much so that it sometimes made me struggle a little bit. While I liked Grace, I preferred Julian; however, even his borderline self-loathing hindered the flow at times. One other thing I will say is that I found it odd how Kyrian wasn't mentioned until the second half of the book, almost as if Kenyon decided upon writing a second book in the series once she was through a great deal of the story and didn't/couldn't go back and write him in sooner. Up until halfway through, Iason was the only one of Julian’s comrades mentioned. I would have thought that Kyrian would have been mentioned earlier on instead of ONLY Iason. Other than that, I still liked the book. It is s great introduction to the rest of the series and I'm excited to read back through these books and contiue from where I left off. Kenyon is incredibly creative and she really has created an amazing world. I think it was even more fun because I have traveled to New Orleans now and my friend and I made a point of visiting a lot of the most important places from the series. I recommend a trip to New Orleans for everyone, but especially for anyone interested in Kenyon’s books (or anything by Anne Rice) because it's so exciting to see these places in person.

I still recommend this book and will say that Kenyon remains, in my mind, a creative and talented author. My tastes have clearly changed over the last (nearly) 10 years, but I still enjoy Kenyon. I am certainly looking forward to moving on in the series and seeing if my opinions on those have evolved as well. Happy reading!!!