Showing posts with label The Darkest Craving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Darkest Craving. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Review: The Darkest Craving

THE DARKEST CRAVING
Lords of the Underworld #10
Gena Showalter
Paranormal Romance
472 pages
Harlequin
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Having endured weeks of torture in the bowels of hell, Kane wants nothing to do with his beautiful rescuer, Josephina Aisling. The half-Fae female threatens to awaken the demon of Disaster inside him—a beast he’s determined to kill, no matter the price.

Josephina is hunted by a brutal enemy—her royal family—and Kane is her only source of protection. He’s also the only male to ever set her aflame, and even he succumbs to the heat. But as they navigate the treacherous world of the Fae, they are forced to make a choice: live apart…or die together.

MY THOUGHTS
The Lords of the Underworld series is one that never disappoints, always delighting with a sinful combination of sexual tension and humor on the way to happily ever after. The Darkest Craving is another quick read despite its length, the darkness of what Kane endured in hell tempered by an adorable heroine in Josephina as well as the complete absurdity of series favorite, William, as he accompanies Kane to the land of the Fae.

While each of the Lords is in the unenviable position of housing one of the various demons released when they opened Pandora's Box, a handful of them have particularly brutal demonic companions that earn them a special place in our hearts long before we're given their story in full. Kane is one such Lord, his presence in previous books always one that garnered a wince or two in sympathy as his demon, Disaster, wreaked havoc time and again. When we meet up with him once again he's finally escaped hell and its endless torture thanks to Josephina's help, and we find him much changed as a result of his time there. He's plagued by nightmares and memories of both physical and sexual abuse, and we can't help but want to reach out and hug him despite the fact that he would recoil from our touch. He wastes no time pitying himself however, and once he sets his sights on Josephina we get to see the warrior in him on fully delicious display.

Though Kane's recent past is dark and we get fleeting glimpses of unimaginable brutality thanks to his flashbacks and nightmares, Ms. Showalter ensures our time with him isn't overwhelmingly heavy thanks to Josephina. Despite being a blood slave for her miserable excuse for a sister (meaning for every misstep her sister takes, Josephina receives the punishment) and seeking out Kane in order for him to kill her as her only means of escape, she's still a source of light in this story. She doesn't take herself too seriously, giving herself compliments here and there because she never receives them from anyone else, and standing up to those she can–without being suitably punished–using her quick wit and smart mouth.

Another source of lightness in this tale comes from the Fae themselves, a race so fascinated by the Lords that they've spied on their lives for hundreds of years, detailing their battles, antics, and sexual escapades in pieces of fiction read by Fae everywhere. The result is various Fae fan clubs dedicated to each Lord, and when Kane finds himself in the Fae realm, it's nothing short of hilarious to watch them get starstruck in his presence. 

Overall, The Darkest Craving is everything there is to love about this series, and is highly recommended for Showalter fans everywhere.

Rating: 4/5

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This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

The Lords of the Underworld are going on tour! Well, the books are anyway. Be sure to follow along for more reviews and spotlights!
Posted by Jenny at 12:00 AM 29 comments
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