This one was a torture.. most of 435 pages of torture.. probably except for the side POVs which I'll get to later on.
That being said, if you read my previous reviews of the series then you know I LOVE it and gave most of them 5 stars reviews. I"m really bummed that I didn't like this one, but I guess it was pretty clear I wouldn't like it because of my obvious dislike for Strider. though sometimes we have a character who is simply "misunderstood" and you end up cheering for the last character you thought you'll cheer. well, wasn't like that for me on this one..
I'm sorry but most of the review is going to be a slaughter house for the book and it's characters.. I still love the setting, the Lords and the writing itself so I'll try to sweeten up the pill with a few favorite quotes in the end
How is he helping Kaia? well, Kaia decided that Strider is her consort and since she and all her family are summoned to these stupid Harpy games that should determine whose the "kick ass" Harpy (truly, who cares?) she needs him as a medicine cabinet (well, she would have loved to get more then that but that's all the asshole is willing to offer). this year is important since it's been 500 years since Kaia and her sisters were invited. and that's because 500 years ago Kaia did something childish and stupid and so she was banned from the event. Now, her "arch nemesis" Juliette is in charge and she is planning on taking Kaia down, especially now when Kaia's mother had disowned her and Kaia is playing in a new team - "Team Kaia" - have you ever heard of a more stupid name? This team is practically herself, her 3 sisters (Taliyah, Bianka and Gwen) and also 3 more (we only get a real reference to one of them). So lets just say they start off with very low stakes.
The games are stupid (and bloody) and as they go on all I can think of is - Kaia's mother Tabitha couldn't have been more accurate 500 years ago when she called Kaia - "Kaia the Disappointment". Geez, I can't believe the book actually concluded in a happy and victorious note having this one in the main cast.. add to that her insecurity in herself (translations - constant blubber about how no one appreciates her and/or that she can't possibly be good enough - and all that without Sabin around..) on top of that we have the obsessive way she runs around Strider (that doesn't need more ego busts..) there isn't anything less sexy then a woman throwing herself on a disgusting (while VERY attractive) man like Strider that should be fucking himself (since no-one more perfect). He actually offers her a deal - Basically if she agrees to let herself be disqualified from the games (and by that also become a target for life) she gets to have sex with him - and she actually sorta agrees. YUCK!
Lets complain about other characters I couldn't handle -
- Her sister Taliyah which has no emotion whatsoever. Even when she does something good there is nothing in the gesture. felt like a filler to me. I loved getting to know Bianka and Kaia in Gwen's book and LOVED Bianka in her and Lasyter's novella, but this one? Unnecessaryץ
- Her mother Tabitha - clearly the mother of the year, I can't begin to try and understand her. a very much unneeded character.
- Her arch nemesis Juliette was plain horrible. Juliette is TOO MUCH of an arch nemesis and the fact that she obtained one of the 4 artifacts the Lords are looking for and waving it in front of her and also using others to try and cripple Kaia on her way just shows weakness.. if she thought Kaia was a loser she should have let her lose and that's that! tripping her only shows how weak SHE is.. In fact, she it an "almighty" Harpy yet I haven't since a glimpse of strength from her.. her consort isn't an example of that!
Only bright thing we had was the VERY few side POVs
At last!!!! the walls of Gilly's parents house we painted red (figuratively speaking) -
this quote speaks for itself!
"His ears suddenly twitched, picking up the sound of the garage door sliding open. He grinned. Oh, goodie. The first contestant of Hurt, Suffer and Die was home."
William is THE man! I really wish we'll get a whole book with him and not just a novella (though I don't know if we'll get either..).
another gem by my man William (which made me think of Jeanine Frost's Night Huntress side series - The Night Prince which is one of my favorites if not THE favorite)
"Like William's long-ago good buddy Vlad the Impaler. Talk about getting a bad rap. Behead a few thousand of your enemies, spear their bodies on pikes and display them for the world to see and boom, you were "evil". It was ridiculous!"
OH!!! he has a very interesting conversation with Kane revealing a lot of interesting staff about his background. and well. we also had a little of Kane's POV which I've been waiting for so lone! We know so little about him!
We also had a small part of Paris looking for Sienna in the heavens and since his book is next I simply can't wait to continue reading. Paris is so much more then sex incarnate.. and I really want him and Sienna to have their HEA.
In general we had little of the Lords (and not even all of them) in this book since it was located wherever the games were on. We had a small glimpse of most of them I guess but mostly as a background (except for Sabin who was there with Gwen)
As promised a little sweetener -
Lets start with Tabitha (Kaia's mother) view on life -
"Their mother has always stressed the importance of taking care of yourself first, your family second and everybody else not at all."
"A kind word will win you a smile, but who in their right mind wants to win a smile?"
"You can't really kill a human with kindness. You have to use a sword."
"If you don't take the treasures and the males you want, you'll never get the treasures and the males you want"
with a mother like that...
Kaia: "New rule - if a daughter doesn't hear a warning, she doesn't have to heed it"
Bianka IS the sweetest, too bad we only got a novella for her..
"Bottom line, Bianka was too damn sweet. Once, she'd BBQed another Harpy who's trashed her appearance. Cool right? Well, as the girl screamed and writhed, a guilty Bianka had raced off to fetch a glass of water for her. Who did that? Marshmallows, that's who."
Let's finish this review with a Harpy saying - as we all LOVE harpies and want to be one (just not the annoying ones ;))
"Humans had a saying. Mess with the bull and get the horns. Well, Harpies had a saying, too. Mess with a Harpy and die."
Additional Details: Kindle Ebook, 435 pages, 3-9 January 2014 / On GoodReads
ABOUT THE MC
Strider / Defeat [GREECE CONTINGENT]
Height: 6'5''
Hair: Blond Eyes: Blue
Butterfly tattoo: Left hip
Other distinguishing marks: Subject was created, not born, yet has a birthmark on the right side of his buttocks. Small, brown and jagged at the edges.
Preferred weapon: Subject embraces all weaponry.
Butterfly tattoo: Left hip
Other distinguishing marks: Subject was created, not born, yet has a birthmark on the right side of his buttocks. Small, brown and jagged at the edges.
Preferred weapon: Subject embraces all weaponry.
Demon
culpability: The demon of Defeat is determined to win at all costs and
will do whatever it takes to ensure victory. Defeat has brought about
the downfall of athletes worldwide due to its encouragement of illegal
tactics like steroids to obtain a win.
Notable background: Subject cannot lose an argument or battle without succumbing to intense physical agony and prolonged sleep.
Achilles heel: Subject’s inability to lose gracefully.
Objectives: Issue a challenge the demon cannot refuse, one that leads him straight into a trap.
Achilles heel: Subject’s inability to lose gracefully.
Objectives: Issue a challenge the demon cannot refuse, one that leads him straight into a trap.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
Lords of the Underworld is a Paranormal Romance series by Gena Showalter
which follows 12 warriors who carry inside them a demon. The warriors
are "good" or rather, they aren't bad, but the demon they carry inside
of them does it's best to try and do evil through them. In the past,
when the warriors were just given the demons they couldn't control them
but now most of them just want to live their lives in the peace they can
have.
In each book one of the warriors finds his HEA. Every woman has a special ability or have some special connection to the world around them.
There is a global plot continuing as each book progressed. First there are the gods. This series uses both the Greek Gods as well as the Titans but there are more supernatural being out there (like Angels who appear in the spin-off series). Second there are "The Hunters" who try to destroy the warriors, blaming them for the troubles of the world (in their eyes committed through the demons that live inside them).
The world building of this series is amazing. There is a lot to learn about the powers that keeps the world at his balance. As the series progressed we learn more and more about them and the spin off series "Angles of the Dark" gives another angle of what happens in the heavens.
NOTE - I stopped reading this series in the 11th installment. Up until this book this series was one of my favorites, but since that book was HORRIBLE I decided not to continue on. Later on there was a HUGE issue with the author with a rather strange decision in changing a promised and much anticipated coupling.
In each book one of the warriors finds his HEA. Every woman has a special ability or have some special connection to the world around them.
There is a global plot continuing as each book progressed. First there are the gods. This series uses both the Greek Gods as well as the Titans but there are more supernatural being out there (like Angels who appear in the spin-off series). Second there are "The Hunters" who try to destroy the warriors, blaming them for the troubles of the world (in their eyes committed through the demons that live inside them).
The world building of this series is amazing. There is a lot to learn about the powers that keeps the world at his balance. As the series progressed we learn more and more about them and the spin off series "Angles of the Dark" gives another angle of what happens in the heavens.
NOTE - I stopped reading this series in the 11th installment. Up until this book this series was one of my favorites, but since that book was HORRIBLE I decided not to continue on. Later on there was a HUGE issue with the author with a rather strange decision in changing a promised and much anticipated coupling.
Books:
0.5 The Darkest Fire [Geryon & Kadence] (published 1 April 2008) ★★★★
1. The Darkest Night [Maddox & Ashlyn] (published 3 May 2008) ★★★★★
2. The Darkest Kiss [Lucien & Anya] (published 1 June 2008) ★★★★★
3. The Darkest Pleasure [Reyes & Danika] (published 1 July 2008) ★★★★★
3.5 The Darkest Prison [Atlas & Nike](published 14 July 2009) ★★★★★
4. The Darkest Whisper [Sabin & Gwen] (published 1 September 2009) ★★★★½
4.5 The Darkest Angel (in Heart of Darkness) [Lysander & Bianca] (published 22 December 2009) ★★★★★
--- The Darkest Facts (published 1 May 2010) ★★★★★
5. The Darkest Passion [Aeron & Olivia] (published 21 May 2010) ★★★★
6. The Darkest Lie [Gideon & Scarlet] (published 2 July 2010) ★★★★★
7. The Darkest Secret [Amun & Haidee] (published 29 March 2011) ★★★★★
8. The Darkest Surrender [Strider & Kaia] (published 27 September 2011) ★★★
9. The Darkest Seduction [Paris & Seinna] (published 28 February 2012) ★★★★★
10. The Darkest Craving [Kane & Josephina] (published 30 July 2013) ★★★★★
11. The Darkest Touch [Torin & Keeley Cael "The Red Queen"] (published 25 November 2014) ½★ (DNF 55%)
0.5 The Darkest Fire [Geryon & Kadence] (published 1 April 2008) ★★★★
1. The Darkest Night [Maddox & Ashlyn] (published 3 May 2008) ★★★★★
2. The Darkest Kiss [Lucien & Anya] (published 1 June 2008) ★★★★★
3. The Darkest Pleasure [Reyes & Danika] (published 1 July 2008) ★★★★★
3.5 The Darkest Prison [Atlas & Nike](published 14 July 2009) ★★★★★
4. The Darkest Whisper [Sabin & Gwen] (published 1 September 2009) ★★★★½
4.5 The Darkest Angel (in Heart of Darkness) [Lysander & Bianca] (published 22 December 2009) ★★★★★
--- The Darkest Facts (published 1 May 2010) ★★★★★
5. The Darkest Passion [Aeron & Olivia] (published 21 May 2010) ★★★★
6. The Darkest Lie [Gideon & Scarlet] (published 2 July 2010) ★★★★★
7. The Darkest Secret [Amun & Haidee] (published 29 March 2011) ★★★★★
8. The Darkest Surrender [Strider & Kaia] (published 27 September 2011) ★★★
9. The Darkest Seduction [Paris & Seinna] (published 28 February 2012) ★★★★★
10. The Darkest Craving [Kane & Josephina] (published 30 July 2013) ★★★★★
11. The Darkest Touch [Torin & Keeley Cael "The Red Queen"] (published 25 November 2014) ½★ (DNF 55%)
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