Title: Night Reigns
Series: Immortal Guardians #2
Author: Dianne Duvall
Publisher: Tantor Media Inc
Format: Audio Book, 12 hrs 33 mins
Published: December 1, 2011
ISBN #: 9781452653822 / 1452653828
Genre: Paranormal Romance
My Copy: bought
Ami isn’t much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she’s no coward, and she’s no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn’t hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . . Marcus Graden has been an Immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and he’s not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can’t deny that she’s strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she’s also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can’t bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets-how can she defeat death itself?
I was absolutely blown away by the awesomeness of Darkness Dawns so when I found myself in a reading slump I decided to give Night Reigns a try hoping that it would jump start my book reading engine. Once again, Kirsten Potter’s superb narration skills left me hanging on her every word; unfortunately Dianne Duvall’s story did not have the same effect. I still thoroughly enjoyed this installment but the chemistry between Ami and Marcus is no where near as compelling as Sarah and Roland’s. Even though this novel isn’t on the same level as its predecessor it still did manage to get me interested in reading again.
The mystery surrounding Ami’s character had my head a buzz with possibilities up until the end when Duvall sheds some light on this enigma. She has both vampiric and immortal qualities and yet I still wasn’t able to figure her out without Dianne’s help. I enjoyed this side-plot more than the main one. My curiosity was overwhelming and I do love a book that makes you think! After finishing Darkness Dawns I was anxious to learn Marcus’ tale but that feeling slowly died as this story progressed. I’m having a hard time putting my finger on what exactly dampened my feelings for Grayden; perhaps it’s because the focus was more on Amiriska. Either way, I was disappointed by the lack of attention Marcus received in this installment. He’s a fascinating character with a heart wrenching back story and I wish that he’d been portrayed better or at the very least shared the spotlight with Ami.
The main plot is well-developed and ties in with what happened in book 1. Bastien was defeated in the previous installment so Duvall had to introduce a new big bad. Her choice was a good one and really helped with the continuation of the story. The non-stop action and steamy romp scenes that I’ve come to expect from this series are back for another round in Night Reigns. Plus, readers get a few more snippets as to the origins of immortals and I must say, I like where this series is going!
I’ve only experienced a handful of books audio-style but Kirsten Potter is hands down my favorite narrator so far. She seamlessly switches between characters while making slight adjustments to her tone so that it’s easy to identify who’s saying what. I absolutely adored Potter’s sound effects; from the vibrating cellphone to the ringing door bell. It’s rare to come across a woman who not only makes sound effects but who’s actually good at them. I think part of the reason why I’m diggin’ this series so much is because of the narrator.
Overall this book left me feeling lukewarm. I enjoyed watching Ami open up and make a home for herself among the immortals and the preternatural battles left me in awe but the romance between the two main characters paled in comparison to what Roland and Sarah shared in the first book. I’m reluctant to give this series up just yet because of how much I loved Darkness Dawns. I’m still holding out hope that this series will bounce back but knowing that Bastien’s story is up next has me feeling skeptical. Night Reigns was an enjoyable read but it was no Darkness Dawns.
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  My Review |
  My Review |
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| Recommendation: | As high on action as it is on romance this book is sure to please even the most picky of paranormal romance fans. |
| Like this, like that: | The Secret McQueen series by Sierra Dean, the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward and the Sweetblood series by Laurie London. |
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads. Avid book reader, snowboard bunny, video gamer and Supernatural fan. I love all things paranormal, werewolves especially. Oh, and I’m Canadian, eh!
Oh boy! I hate to hear this, you are so right tho. It couldn’t be the narrators fault, she is excellent! I bought this audiobook the day it came out, but I haven’t gotten a chance to get to it, now I guess it will be a while 🙁
I was hopping you loved it, and I would be listening to it next.
Thanks Carmel.