Review: 3.5 stars. A good PNR
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 9, 2012
From Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.At a GlanceI enjoyed The Darkest Day. It had a very interesting world, and I liked the dark feel but some other things just fell short.The GoodHere's the Story...Summoned to her ancestral home, Izel sets out to find her grandfather in Scotland. But what she finds there instead is Kelvin, the battle chief from a rival clan, who has every intention of killing her to avenge his father's death by her ancestor's hands. But before he can accomplish his goal, Izel goes through a transformation that changes her appearance and her status as immortal to last human on earth. Now Kelvin is conflicted. Killing the last human is not appealing. And the fact that from the first moment he set eyes on her, Kelvin knew Izel was his destined mate does not help the matter either. Can he love someone from a clan who has killed his people? Can Izel fall for a man who planned to kill her? Not knowing what else to do, they both set out on a journey hoping to get some answers because their mutual attraction could get them both dead.Human's Not Included...It really was the world that drew me in from the get-go. The last of the humans have been killed off years ago and the supernaturals run the world. Now only the strongest survive. You better pray you don't have any human blood running through your veins because that just guarantees you a painful death. Bury created a dark, terrifying world that gave me the chills. There was an array of new creatures to learn about and even the usual vampires and witches felt like refreshing concepts with Bury's imaginative and vivid writing.Izel...I loved watching the backlash of Izel's huge transformation. She goes from a lanky blond to a curvy, red-haired bombshell. From the day she was born, she has never felt emotion. Now, the emotional sensory overload is making her second guess herself. She doesn't understand how people can live life feeling anger and lust without it crippling them. She is so confused, she doesn't know how to control these emotions and it's causing her to make bad decisions. What a unique concept, right?Kelvin...Kelvin is a jerk. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I think his surly, domineering attitude gave some spice to the story. His life has not been an easy one so he really doesn't know any other way to act. Especially when his mate is a relative of the man who killed his father. All he can think about is getting rid of her, finding a way out of this mess. But he finds it hard to resist her lure and beauty. His clan's vengeance requires that he end her, but his body and soul call out to her in every way.The Extra...The dialogue was one of the better aspects of The Darkest Day. It was both humorous and snarky, which is my favorite kind. And the side characters really added something extra. Ryo, a witch and prophet, was just freakin' hilarious. She was the most entertaining of the bunch.I don't know if this is a good or bad thing but The Darkest Day and the world it is set in is very similar to Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series. Take that as you will.The BadWith such an exciting world Bury created, I wish she spent more time with world-building. We get a very small idea of what society and different cultures are like because we spend the majority of the book in a forest.The character development was not so great. Though I think Kelvin being a jerk was kind of funny most of the time, sometimes he was down right vicious towards Izel and it made me hate him a little. If being an a-hole is your defining characteristic, something is wrong. And then Izel could be very pathetic sometime. She lets Kelvin walk all over her and she still follows him around like a puppy. Also, why in the hell did she barely react to her transformation? If my whole exterior changed in a matter of a few minutes, I think I would panic a little, or at least feel more emotion about it.The book really did drag sometimes. The plot got lost in Bury's attempt to build Izel and Kelvin's "relationship."The SnugglyExpect some sex scenes that will make you blush. Not for the faint of heart. The romance was fricken hot. Well, it's not as much romantic as it is steamy and sizzling. The attraction between Kelvin and Izel is so raw that it transfers into their sexual encounters. Bury did not hold back when it came to the sex.OverallThe Darkest Day was an enjoyable paranormal romance. It didn't hit every mark, but I think it was unique enough that many will love this book. I see a lot of potential for this series. Recommended for paranormal romance readers.QuotesHis bright blue eyes bore into hers, staring at her face with a look of...hunger? He was beautiful. Deadly. She marveled at his large hands, desperately wanting them on her skin. She fought the urge, yet again, to throw herself at him."You donna wanna stab me, lass." He titled his head. "In fact, I think you wanna do something else entirely to me." His voice was laced with suck potent seduction it made her knees weak.Stupid knees.