Review: Darkness Rises by Dianne Duvall

Darkness Rises by Dianne Duvall
Series: Immortal Guardians #4
Published by Zebra
Published on: October 1, 2013
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Source: Author

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Krysta is used to getting the drop on vampires. Her "special abilities" aren't much, but the plan is simple -- she plays helpless pretty young thing to lure them in. Then her shoto swords come out and it's bye-bye, bloodsucker. Until one night she finds herself with an unexpected ally. He's a vampire, all right, but different. Mysterious. Handsome. And more interested in saving her skin than draining it.

Étienne has been an Immortal Guardian for two hundred years -- long enough to know that Krysta is special. He can't stop thinking about her long legs, even more than her short swords. Then he discovers the vamps she's exterminating have friends in high places, and the Guardians are in danger, too. He'll have to accept Krysta's help to save them. The stakes for a mortal are high. But the cost to his heart might be higher . . .

I’ve been waiting for another 5-star read from Dianne Duvall ever since I fell head-over-heels in love with Darkness Dawns two years ago. As entertaining as the last few installments have been; they’ve all failed to measure up to Roland’s story, until now. Étienne may not have succeeded in surpassing Warbrook as my favourite Immortal Guardian but Darkness Rises delivers a well-rounded tale that’s sure to satisfy long-time fans of this series.

In this installment, readers get to learn some interesting new tidbits about Duvall’s vampires. We discover how the d’Alençon siblings became Immortals and it’s not a pretty tale but I enjoyed reading about it all the same. A few clues about Seth and David’s origins also get dropped and now I’m more curious than ever about their ancestry. I always get a kick out of how environmentally conscious the Immortal Guardians are. I’m surprised that more authors don’t pick-up on what having enhanced senses really means for their characters. There has to be a few downsides to being undead, right? In this case it’s being able to smell the pollution in the air, taste the additives in food and remember what the world was like before the industrial revolution. I love it when an author fully immerses themselves inside of their fictional world!

I found that this book focused more on the overall story arc of this series than on a specific couple like in previous installments which made this novel feel more like Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance. That’s not to say that Étienne and Krysta don’t have their moments in the spotlight, because they do, but I also really enjoyed unraveling the multiple plot threads. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book in one sitting but as soon as I opened Darkness Rises there was just no stopping! Duvall also does a great job of setting up the next installment by dropping hints as to which couple will be featured next. *Hint* Only one of the d’Alençon’s tales remains to be told!

Krista was a nice change of pace from the previous female heroines featured in this series. She’s already a vampire hunter which made her transition into the Immortal Guardians world a smooth one. I like how this book’s protagonist starts this story off as a fighter rather than as a victim needing to be saved. I thought her ability was well thought out and helped make her knack for kicking vamp butt more credible because, let’s face it, normal humans wouldn’t stand a chance. I’ve had a mini-crush on Étienne for a while now (ssh, don’t tell Roland!) and I loved how patient and understanding he was of Krista. Alençon is afraid that her dangerous profession might one day get her killed but doesn’t push her into giving it up, instead he compromises. This is as healthy as paranormal relationships get!

The latest installment in Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians series is not to be missed with its complex plot, memorable Roland quotes and high entertainment factor. I loved Darkness Rises from beginning to end!

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