I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Darkness Unleashed
by
Alexandra Ivy
paranormal romance in a paperback edition that was published by Zebra on November 1, 2009 and has 357 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include When Darkness Comes, Embrace the Darkness, Darkness Everlasting, Darkness Revealed, Supernatural, Blood Assassin
Fifth in the Guardians of Eternity paranormal romance series based in Chicago and revolving around a group of vampires. The couple focus is on Regan and Jagr and Hannibal, Missouri is the setting for this story.
My Take
Well, Jagr certainly has a unique method for shutting Regan up. It’s also a nice workaround to Styx’s orders that Regan be brought to Chicago without blemish. Styx has an ulterior motive to sending Jagr to fetch Regan. With his own horrific background, Jagr will be more understanding of Regan’s plight.
Dang, this girl is stubborn! And running like hell. From everything and everyone. We certainly do learn a lot more about the girls’ backgrounds and Regan’s life in particular.
I really enjoyed this one. Ivy had a lot going on with some interesting twists. Two people who don’t want to love — I know, an old theme, but Ivy works it well. Escape, then rescue over and over with Jagr and Regan taking turns with varying degrees of frustration and desire. Interesting bit of insight on Regan’s part, that she had forged her own chains. Followed up with her realization that she’s simply switched one prison for another.
The vampires are right. Salvatore doesn’t seem too competent as he keeps losing all sorts of things.
What’s the deal with switching back and forth between “Sadie” and “Sophie”? What was the point of bringing up Regan’s artwork if Ivy isn’t going to go anywhere with it?
The Story
Another of Darcy’s sisters is found and Styx will do anything to make her happy. Including sending Jagr out to retrieve the rejected Were. But Regan has had enough of imprisonment, having no choice. There is no way she is submitting to being imprisoned in Chicago, even if it’s a fancy bedroom with her own bath. Besides, where was her sister when she needed her? Then there’s that little matter of revenge against the imp who held her.
The Characters
Regan Garrett is a werewolf. Okay, so she can’t change, but she is one of four girls genetically altered to help save the werewolves as a species.
Jagr was a Visigoth chief and now is a vampire recluse happiest when he’s alone in his underground lair with his books and scrolls. Not the combination you’d normally expect of a Visigoth! After three hundred years of torture, he wants the peace of solitude.
Styx, an Aztec in his human life, is the Anasso, the king of vampires, and Jagr owes him allegiance. The Ravens are his elite troop of bodyguards. Viper is another vampire and Chicago is his territory. Levet is a too-small French gargoyle who is beloved of Darcy. So no one can kill him. Although his next run-in with Bella, the water sprite, is pretty threatening. Tane is an assassin vampire who hunts down unstable vampires and a good choice for refuge.
Salvatore Giuliani is King of the Weres and has recently arrived in America from Italy
hunting the four Were baby girls who were stolen from their crib. Arrogant and acting too superior for words, this boy needs a knockout punch. Hess is one of his guards, a cur.
Culligan is an imp who held Regan prisoner for thirty years using her skills to con people. Gaynor is another imp more interested in making money than living.
Caine is a cur, a bitten werewolf with dreams of grandeur. Sadie is also a cur, a bitch in every sense of the word and a former hooker, she is now hooked on Caine’s dreams. Duncan is her bitch and getting mighty sick of it, too.
The Cover and Title
The cover’s background ranges from a bright gold to browns with a tight spotlight on Jagr’s blue-eyed face and firm chin.
The title says it all as Jagr is Darkness Unleashed.
