ARC Review: Crave the Darkness by Amanda Bonilla

Crave the Darkness by Amanda Bonilla
Series: Shaede Assassin #3
Published by Signet
Published on: March 5, 2013
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: Author

Amazon | Book Depo | GoodReads

Nothing comes easy for Darian. Her heightened powers make her indispensable to the Shaede Nation, but dangerous missions have driven her lover, Tyler, to his breaking point. Darian must salvage their bond, but a new assignment to protect Anya—a fellow Shaede and the first of their kind to become pregnant in centuries—stands in their way.

It doesn’t help that the two Shaedes are longtime rivals and share nothing besides mutual hatred. But when it becomes clear that someone—or something—is bent on destroying the expectant mother and her unborn child, Darian must put her feelings aside and track down Anya’s would-be assassin.

As she probes into Anya’s past, Darian digs up long-buried secrets—and a connection between Tyler and the mission that could destroy everything between them…

Every time I read a book by Amanda Bonilla I can’t help but marvel at how much her characters evolve from one installment to the next. Darian finds herself thrust into a new role that’s at odds with her assassin nature: that of a protector. Obviously there were more than a few growing pains but that’s part of the appeal of this series; the main character’s ability to meet any challenge head on. Well that and the hunk-erific man candy! Crave the Darkness is exhilaratingly paced, masterfully written and also a major tease (in more ways than one)!

I really enjoyed the premise behind this book: two people with a strong dislike for each other are not only forced to work together but one actually needs to protect the other from harm. Personally, that sounds like my own personal version of hell! The tension between Darian and Anya makes for some pretty intense face-offs, especially considering the former’s insistence on the fact that she can take care of herself. But that’s not the only challenge that gets thrown Darian’s way in this installment; she assumes her first ever leadership role as well. Our girl is definitely being pushed to her limit this time around!

My pick in the guy department for my favourite Shaede Assassin has been always been Ty. I’ll admit, I was a little upset with Amanda Bonilla when Darian started to take an interest in Xander. He’s a pompous, self-righteous, spoiled brat who thinks his King title gives him carte blanche to be an asshole. There’s one particular scene that comes to mind where they almost get it on but are interrupted before the deal is sealed and Xander gets one of the worst cases of blue balls that I’ve ever read. I couldn’t resist whooping with joy at his suffering because I’m team Ty all the way! The Jinn’s stubbornness and evasive behaviour did get on my nerves a bit but I can understand his need to teach Darian a lesson after her actions in Blood Before Sunrise. They’ll makeup in the next book; you’ll see!

Asher makes his first appearance as a character in this series and brings a bucket load of intrigue with him. He doesn’t obey Darian’s orders yet always seems to show up when he’s needed most, he takes blending into the crowd to a whole new level and his lineage is something else. When I wasn’t beguiled by the story or by the extreme deviousness of the villain, I was trying to figure out what the heck was up with Asher! I love characters that have a bit of mystery to them.

Amanda Bonilla and her Shade Assassin series is where it’s at people! Crave the Darkness should be on the top of everyone’s must read list. Let the torturous wait for the next installment begin!

Books in this series:
My Review	My Review	My Review

Recommendation:	Perfect for readers who enjoy lovable characters, heart-stopping action and plots that just keep on giving.
Like this, like that:	The Half-Light City series by M.J. Scott and the McKenzie Lewis series by Sandy Williams.

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