Dianne Duvall's done it again. NIGHT UNBOUND, the fifth book in her Immortal Guardians series, will keep you hooked from the first word. I've been hoping for a Zach story since he showed up in the series and Duvall has put together an amazing romance between Zach and Lisette, one of my favourite Immortal Guardians. And Duvall also throws in a lot more information about Zach, Seth, and the Others, which was very satisfying since I find them rather mysterious.
But first, let's talk romance. Lisette and Zach are a fascinating couple because they face different obstacles than the other characters we've seen in the series so far. First, there's the fact that Seth doesn't trust Zach, which means that no one trusts Zach. And while, as readers, we know it's unfounded, it does take Zach time to earn everyone's faith. And he gets some truly awesome scenes as part of his path to joining the team! There are a few laugh-out-loud moments in NIGHT UNBOUND and I enjoyed the unexpectedly lighthearted comedy. On the other side, Lisette knows that helping Zach is traitorous behaviour, given Seth's feelings, and it creates some uncomfortable moments for her. But Lisette and Zach's connection is undeniable and they get a beautiful love story in NIGHT UNBOUND.
Now for the question of the Others, which I was most curious about when I heard that NIGHT UNBOUND would be Zach and Lisette's story. Most of the pairings in the series so far have been Immortal Guardian with human(-eventually-turned-Immortal Guardian), except for Ami and Marcus, who fall under the alien with Immortal Guardian combo category. By the end of their stories, these characters didn't have secrets from one another, if they had any to start, but Zach can't tell Lisette much about his life as an Other because the consequences would be so dire. It's simply too dangerous for her to know everything at this point. For centuries, Seth has kept these secrets from everyone except David, who's been with him forever, and so I was curious about how Duvall would resolve the tension this huge secret creates between Zach and Lisette. Thankfully, her solution is great. It fits the worldbuilding and the characters really well. I won't say precisely what happens since it might ruin things for you a bit but I will say that it's a realistic outcome. Zach and Lisette are together by the end of NIGHT UNBOUND (obvs, this is paranormal romance) but they do address this issue.
NIGHT UNBOUND is a great paranormal romance that also progresses the series story arc about the Immortal Guardians' battles with their unknown enemies. Please don't judge this book by the cover! It really doesn't do Zach -- or the story -- justice because NIGHT UNBOUND will have you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover.
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In DARKNESS RISES, Dianne Duvall introduces to a couple of really interesting new characters: Krysta and her brother Sean. Krysta is a gifted one who knows nothing about the Immortal Guardians. She's been hunting vampires on her own for six years, after her husband was murdered and she was left for dead by a vampire. Krysta's ability to see auras makes her better able to fight vampires, something her brother can't do. But Sean has the ability to heal so he spends his evenings healing Krysta after her battles. It's an existence that can only end one way, until Krysta catches Étienne's eye during a battle. Étienne is immediately drawn to Krysta and Krysta to Étienne, though she hates herself for being attracted to a "vampire". She learns the truth when Étienne saves her from a military unit that was trying to apprehend him and she and Sean are introduced to the world of the Immortal Guardians.
I really enjoyed these new developments. This is a great way to grow the series, introducing new gifted ones and a renewed military threat. Krysta and Sean are great additions to the Immortal Guardians network/family, and Duvall plants some very interesting seeds for future novels with this renewed military effort to capture and study an Immortal Guardian. I can't say too much about it since it would be a major spoiler but I will say that these developments have me even more excited about this series.
We also get to know Zach, Seth's fellow angel, a lot better. He's so different from Seth but I found him to be very interesting. His relationship with Ami is adorable and Duvall seems to be getting ready to hook him up with one of the Immortal Guardians, which will hopefully happen sooner rather than later, so that I can get more of him.
DARKNESS RISES is a great paranormal romance and a strong entry in the Immortal Guardians series. Duvall's initial story arc wrapped up in the last novel but she's created some very intriguing possibilities this time around, which has renewed my enthusiasm for this series. This is one PNR series I would recommend to anyone who appreciates great characters, continued story arcs, and passionate romance. For the full picture, you should start with DARKNESS DAWNS but you could probably pick up DARKNESS RISES with little difficulty.
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Gosh, I love this series. Each instalment is more exciting and PHANTOM SHADOWS, the third book, is a thrilling mix of romance, action, and intrigue. I was really looking forward to it because I've found Bastien to be such an intriguing character in the two previous books. After all, Bastien is an immortal who thought he was a vampire because Seth didn't find him in time, resulting in a serious identity crisis. But he's fighting the proverbial good fight now, with allies who don't really want him, with a few rare exceptions, like Ami, Seth, David, and Dr. Lipton. His special gift is empathy, which gives him some extra layers, and he really shines in PHANTOM SHADOWS. Getting to know him in this novel was a lot of fun, and it answered the questions that have been floating around my mind since DARKNESS DAWNS.
Melanie is an excellent match for Bastien. She's so compassionate and on his side from the start, since she sees the bonds he has with the vampires she's trying to save. She's shown up in previous novels and I've always liked her but we never got to know her in great detail. As you'll see if you pick up PHANTOM SHADOWS, Melanie is more than a match for Bastien on an intellectual and romantic level. They have great chemistry together and I enjoyed seeing them slowly reveal themselves to each other (and I'm not talking about dropping trou). Duvall creates great couples in each novels and Bastien and Melanie are definitely a strong pair.
The whole idea of saving vampires from their inevitable insanity is a really cool one. Vampirism as a disease is something we've seen in other books but this is a bit different: the more vampires indulge, the more they lose themselves. Melanie is trying to help vampires retain their humanity the way that immortals do, with mixed results. It's one of the most interesting subplots in the novel, and the series as a whole.
There's also a lot of strong development in the military subplot -- where the bad mercenary/ex-government/ex-military types are trying to get their hands on an immortal. These are the same guys who tortured Ami so it's nice to see Duvall delve deeper into this storyline and the potential implications of the immortals' exposure. To avoid spoilers, I won't comment on this too much but I will say that this is my other favourite subplot in the Immortal Guardians series.
Duvall is a very talented writer who has crafted an intriguing world and characters. I get excited every time I see a new book on the shelves. I'd definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for great paranormal romance.
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I'm behind on this great series so I'm trying to get caught up. I
really enjoyed DARKNESS DAWNS, the first book in Duvall's Immortal Guardians series, so it's high time I dove back into this interesting world. (You can learn more about the setting on
this page of Duvall's website or by reading my review of DARKNESS DAWNS.)
This review will contain spoilers about DARKNESS DAWNS so don't read any further if you haven't read Book 1 and want to remain unspoiled!!NIGHT REIGNS showcases a different couple: Ami and Marcus. As you know if you've read the first book, Ami is an extraterrestrial who was tortured by American scientists when she arrived. Seth rescued her but few members of the Immortal Guardians and their teams know about Ami's origins. All most people know is that she's important to Seth. Emotionally scarred by her experiences -- and who wouldn't be? -- Ami is slow to trust but she is devoted to Seth and David. So when Seth sends Ami to be Marcus' second, there's no question that she will do her duty. And thanks to her extraterrestrial nature, she's a bit faster than a human and heals remarkably, two attributes that she needs desperately, as you'll see as NIGHT REIGNS progresses.
Marcus is something of a bear. He's a loner who lives for the thrill of the chase. The adrenaline rush is all he has until Ami is forced into his life. He fights against her presence even when he's dazzled by her. His reluctance to open his home and his heart to Ami is huge because of a past relationship but their chemistry is off the charts so it's not long before he starts to succumb to her charms. I know that makes it sounds like Ami is a giant seductress but it's the exact opposite -- Ami is completely unaware of her appeal because her culture is so very different from Earth's and because she's not at all superficial. She's a babe in the woods compared to Marcus, at least when it comes to the romantic stuff, so NIGHT REIGNS is as much about Ami's sexual awakening as it is about Marcus' heart opening up again. Their relationship is actually very sweet and I really enjoyed watching them fall for each other. There's something very innocent about parts of their romance, even though the sexy stuff is pretty steamy. There's a really nice blend of sexy and sweet in NIGHT REIGNS and it made for a great story.
In the greater immortals vs. vampires storyline, we see some world-opening developments. There's a new vampire king on the rise, after Bastien's capture and realization that he is actually an immortal, plus some new interested parties are on the scene. As much as I love the romance, I find this part of the story so very intriguing. I can't wait to see what else Duvall has in store for us as the immortals' world gets more dangerous.
