Oh! Dear Life

The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)

Description:

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she’ll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member — a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction — and a soul-shattering test of love . . .
- Quoted from Goodreads.com

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Title: The Darkest Night
Series: Lords of the Underworld #1
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural, Young Adult
Published May 1st 2008 by HQN Books
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Loved the cover. Grabbed the whole of Showalter’s book series just because the covers looked hot. It still does, and I’m glad I stumbled upon this author for paranormal romance books. It doesn’t mean that I’m more prone to giving positive reviews though, but catching my eye has already earned a score.

Anyway, although Showalter did put effort in the introduction, I felt that it wasn’t explained enough, and I still feel so. Perhaps more about Pandora should be explained. Why would Zeus punish Maddox over killing Pandora? She wasn’t his first kill, and nothing was done before that. It was just when it comes to Pandora, then Zeus became … What? Mad over the woman’s death? More into the history would explain a lot to the readers. Why was Pandora chosen over the warriors? Were they really that poor in their skills? Okay, so even if Pandora was chosen over them, they’re supposed to be elite warriors, ummm really cool ones, not a bunch of sore losers. Since Showalter decided to change the well-known story of Pandora, it then became not-so-well-known anymore, and because of that, more details and a lengthy introduction would be really helpful.

I understand that this book is about Maddox and Ashlyn. So more should be written about him, should it not? In fact, I feel that the story ended too quickly. I was screaming for MORE because I felt like I didn’t quite understand Ashlyn yet. Maddox has pretty defining words and adjectives, but that’s all I know. I can’t really give any suggestion for this, for I’m not a writer myself, but if I say that something is lacking and couldn’t understand Maddox or Ashlyn very well, then it is. In fact, it felt like Showalter was struggling to describe and define how ‘Violence’ would act like. Was a nice attempt though, if it’s true.

“A muscle ticked below his eye.”

This is Showalter’s favorite line, I dare say. Some say you feel what you read; I couldn’t agree more. I don’t know how many times I’ve ticked mine. Not from this book alone, but after reading almost all of Showalter’s books.

“While you had barbells within your reach? Please. I’m Disease, not Stupid.”

Loved this line. Disease has got a sense of humor, I see. I so want to read this warrior’s version in the series.

“But—but…” She couldn’t allow him to send her away. She needed him. Yes, she’d only just met him. Yes, the only things she knew about him were his name and the fact that he threw daggers with expert precision. But she was already horrified at the thought of losing the silence. “I want to stay with you.” She knew desperation seeped from her, but she didn’t care. “Please. Just for a little while. Until I learn how to control the voices myself.”

Like I said, so much more could be written. Just… These many pages wasn’t enough. Why would the girl prefer the silence to stop and not her safety? I know she’s suffered from having this unique ability of hers, but seriously, to prefer death over it is absurd, especially what she’d been trying to do is survive (till now). If I’m guessing correctly from the author’s point view, the reader is supposed to know that this is the ‘pull of mates’ or what do they call it… Oh, the “strong unknown attraction between mates etc etc”. She’s suppose to feel safe with Maddox (I think). So write more on it. Don’t leave me guessing from my experience in reading paranormal romance stories. Imagine if this was the first time in reading a book like this. I’d not have understood this ‘love’ thingy going on.

“My Maddox is dead.”

“Your Maddox?” Something fiery flickered in his eyes. “Yours?”

Ooh. A possessive delight from Maddox. I love this kind of interaction.

“They were connected. He was hers.”

Again, give me more. Seriously, I’m still hungry for more content.

“What about breathing?” she asked dryly. “Can I do that?”
“His lips twitched, smoothing the edges of his fierceness. “If you do it quietly.”

Now, this is different from that of ‘The Nymph King‘, same question, different reply. A highlighted score, I must say.

And here are the last three quotes:

“My room,” he finally said, his tone so dark they couldn’t mistake his unspoken warning: Visit her and feel the sting of my demon .”

“You left her alone in your room?” Aeron’s exasperation reached a new high, and he threw his arms in the air. “Why don’t you give her a knife, tell us to line up and let her stab us one by one?”

“Just call me yours. That is all I want to be.”

Before I end this review, here’s a last one:

“Boneless, she lay on his chest.”

Oh dear life of mine, I do not know what to say for this one.

Anyway, this is a typical paranormal romance book, what I read was a love story between two very helpless people, which was very well written and portrayed. The interaction was good, the storyline was interesting, and it’s perfectly my type of book. Leaves me hungry for more and curious of what other demons would get for their lovers.

I give it a 4/5.

OR