The Darkest Day (The Immortal Heat Series) [Kindle Edition]

Britt Bury (Author)

Book Description

ALL-CONSUMING DESIRE . . .

Izel Campbell was raised to believe she is an immortal Fionn with the magical skills of persuasion. But when she travels to Scotland to visit her ancestral home, Izel discovers that she is actually the world's last living human. Forced to run for her life, Izel crosses paths with Kelvin Kerr, the Campbells' greatest foe-and the most magnificent warrior she has ever seen.

BURNS BRIGHTEST . . .

A thousand-year-old battle chief of the Kerr clan, Kelvin lives only to avenge his father, who died at the hands of the bloody Campbells. Honor demands he kill the Campbell heir, but when he learns that the lovely Izel is both Campbell and human, Kelvin is torn between duty and desire . . .

ON THE DARKEST DAY

Word Count: 86,000. This is Book 1 in The Immortal Heat series.

Product Details

• File Size: 553 KB
• Print Length: 248 pages
• Publisher: Forever Yours (July 3, 2012)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007SQUNII
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,191 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A decent debut July 5, 2012

By Letitia TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review

Rating: C ... Heat: Warm

I have to be honest... At around 20% in, I almost DNF'd this one.

I initially picked it up because other reviewers were comparing it to Kresley Cole's series, Immortals After Dark. Miz Cole is my numero uno favorite PNR author. She writes it, I will read it. Period. So buzz linking this book to her, it grabbed my interest.

However, in that first 20%, the similarities were almost too much for me. Sure, there are the PNR staples: Alpha hero? Check. Ability to sniff arousal? Check. Overuse of the word `mine'? Check, check.

But then there came Ryo the Righteous, an eccentric witch who can see into the future and calls herself all-knowing. Which instantly felt like Miz Cole's character Nix, or Nucking Futs Nix, a Valkyrie who see's into the future and calls herself ever-knowing. Ryo simply felt like a Nix-lite to me and I found it hard to see past the similarities between the two.

Then a little thing called 'Court of Contention' was introduced. A four day period where the four realms open, all hell breaks loose, and war causes mass casualties between all the immortals. And it happens every 400 years. Which sounded a little like 'The Accession' from the Immortals After Dark series. A period of all-out war and battle between every immortal faction, which occurs every 500 years...

There were other notable similarities, but those two are the most glaringly obvious to me. And I almost couldn't see past it all and focus on the story. Almost.

Moving on to The Darkest Day itself...

Izel Campbell is a Poet Fionn from clan Campbell. What is a Fionn, you ask? I don't really know.... I take them to be simply an inherently magical being that can use said magic in one of three ways: Poets by mouth, or their words. Mystics by blood. Warrior by body, or their strength. Only, Izel has never been able to make her magic work--in any way. She is also mortal and THE last human. Period. And she has never experienced any emotion whatsoever... That is, until Kelvin Kerr comes along.

Kelvin Kerr is a Razorback Pookah from clan Kerr. What is a Pookah, you ask? They are apparently animalistic shape shifters who do not actually shift shape into their said animal. And there are only three types: Bear, Wolverine, and Razorback. Yes, Razorback as in wild boar. Or pig. Not exactly the sexiest animal... Razorback Pookahs are ruled by darkness. At night they are at their strongest. And on the Solstice, or longest night of the year, they can `attempt' women in hopes of finding their mates.

And Kelvin knew at first whiff that Izel was his mate. But, as Izel's father killed Kelvin's father and Kelvin then killed Izel's father and pledged vengeance on all Campbells... He's fighting his overwhelming attraction for her tooth and nail. Which makes him suffer from mood swings and often treat Izel cruel one moment and kind the next. And they say women are moody... Psh.

So, as Kelvin and Izel traverse the Scottish countryside, making their way toward clan Kerr's castle, there are moments of action and intrigue. Bad guys show up to make their journey fraught with peril--and Miz Bury writes those scenes wonderfully. Kelvin's macho alphaness is at it's most potent when protecting Izel from harm. Or, if I'm being honest, when he's teaching Izel the emotions of lust and desire. The tension and attraction between Izel and Kelvin kept me turning the pages.

While this book doesn't suffer from any world-building info dumps, it does suffer from vagueness and a lack of clarity. The author kind of throws you into the deep end and hopes you can make sense of Fionns and Pookahs and Dark Prince Daughters and four realms and what have you. It was a tad overwhelming at times. There is a glossary of terms at the very end (it may be located at the beginning for non-ARCs), which I wish I had known about sooner. I didn't discover it till more than 40% in.

It also wavered on the storytelling... between showing and telling. The first two thirds felt more like showing while the last third felt more like telling. The best example of this is the character of Ramsey. We're told he's sarcastic and witty and fun but never really see him being that way. It would've added a more well-rounded and fleshed out quality to see these things instead of simply being told they are so.

Bottom line? This a fun and sexy paranormal adventure with a new set of supernatural characters. I applaud Miz Bury for daring to go outside the vampire and werewolf standbys, even if a Razorback does seem like an odd choice. And while this book feels like a first novel, it also shows great promise and the growth potential is definitely there. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Constructed Beginning to a Great New World July 3, 2012

By BookChatterCath

Format:Kindle Edition

Considering that this is the first in a new series, it has started off really well.
In a lot of cases, first books are slow to start and swamped with too much background and world building to let the story actually shine.
Thats not the case with The Darkest Day. It was a very well balanced, and interesting read.

Is it a little cliched and predictable?
Yes, but sometimes that can be a good thing.
The Darkest Day follows a tried and true recipe.
Thats right, just like your favourite cake, The Darkest Day has been lovingly weighed and measured, baked at just the right temerature (hot) and smoothered in lots of yummy frosting and sprinkles ready for you to devour!!

Great characters, interesting and fresh storyline with plenty of action, angst and sex!
A very enjoyable 4 Star read ;]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read for PNR fans! August 10, 2012

By Mother/Gamer/Writer

Format:Kindle Edition

Originally Reviewed At:Mpother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author for Honest Review
Joint Review By: Heather and AimeeKay

Heather's Thoughts on The Darkest Day:

The Darkest Day is best described as a captivating, sultry, sexy, page-turning read. It spans the genres of adult romance, urban fantasy, dystopian, and paranormal, which is not an easy task. Yet this author does it right, no, perfectly. Ok enough of my schmooze for now!

Our two main characters are Kelvin and Izel; one is a pookah, the other a Fionn, and both are sworn enemies from a feud that has been brewing for over a thousand years. They both live in a society that has the human race extinct, and residing on Earth are the many races of immortal beings. When immortals fight their battles, they can last forever, spanning millennia before they are finally laid to rest.

But what happens when Izel, though born to the Fionn clan and is their Warchief, finds out she is 100 percent human with a startling prophecy that begs her to turn her back and heart on the man, her captor sent to kill her, she has grown to love.

Kelvin is a razorback pookah who has spent a lifetime of bathing in the blood of the Fionn clan. He is even responsible for killing Izel's father on the battlefield, and it was then, 1,000 years ago that Kel vowed to kill every last Fionn male.

Fate had other plans when she threw these two unlikely, though not unsuspecting to some, pair together to trek across the Scottish countryside. Ok that is all I'm giving folks, and I've left out an enormous part of the plot. There is only so much I can tell, and I hate spoiling books (and the like) for others....

This one will make my top 10 to read, so hands down I recommend it to those 18 and older who enjoy hot, sexy romance with a fantasy/paranormal twist. The world building was done quite well, and I loved the glossary in the back that went over every aspect of the world with a fine tooth comb. In my opinion, I love when an author goes the extra mile, especially if it helps to clear up questions, but you couldn't fit it all into the story.

The pacing was perfect. I dove right into this story, stopping only to tell a friend she needed to read it now. It interrupted my life, and it was a much needed one at that! Every time I tried to put it down, I found myself giddy, needing to know what would happen next, asking myself if ... and when it ended; I smiled, but secretly wanted more.

I laughed, I got angry, I smiled (a lot), and of course I cried when reading The Darkest Day. I felt, in my core, the excitement, the worry, the suspense, and the lusty romance was just icing on the cake. There are few books that can draw me into the pages, making me a bystander, feel just like the characters do. This is one of those rare treasures, and I hope you will enjoy it too.

AimeeKay's Thoughts on The Darkest Day:

Paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres. This doesn't mean I love every PNR I read. Some are just downright dull or annoying. However The Darkest Day by Britt Bury was neither of these. LOVED IT! I really got attached to the characters and I actually enjoyed most of the supporting characters as well. Bury did an awesome job bringing the characters to life and giving them depth and personality.

I also love the world she built. There is just soooo much possibility in it. No humans are left, but immortality doesn't mean that you can't be killed. And all the different supernatural species running around, they all interacted with each other in one way or another. Plus, Earth isn't the only realm, Heaven and Hell get involved with Earth as well and then there is the ominous Cypher. I really hope there are more books in the series if just to explore all the possibilities.

Seriously I got lost in the book from the first page and didn't want to come back. Fortunately the ending while satisfying, is obviously a lead in to another book. (I guess the whole Immortal Heat Series on the cover kinda gives that away too)

But really I can't wait for the next book. I hope it's about Ian, but at the same time I hope to find out more about Ramsey and even Andrew. (Certain lines in the story make me think he has a little more to him than just an uppity battle chief!)

Definitely a great book to pick up! Even though it is part of a series it is still good as a standalone novel. I'm giving it 5 out of 5 controllers! Awesome book, can't wait to hear about when the next one comes out it's definitely going on my wish list! Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful October 7, 2012

By Lisa M. Pearson

Format:Kindle Edition

i love this book. excellent story. exciting world with characters that you want to continue to read about. i can not wait for the next book. great job to mrs. bury

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid debut August 28, 2012

By Kati

Format:Kindle Edition

What do immortal Highlanders, Chuck Norris, finding one's soulmate, Oscar the Grouch and Brokeback Mountain have in common? THE DARKEST DAY by Britt Bury.

Let me explain:
Immortal Highlanders: So there's these two warring factions called the Pookahs and Fionns. The only way to kill them is to stab them through the heart and behead them. Sounds a bit vampire-y but it's totally not. Plus it kind of reminds of that old show with Adrian Paul (Highlander)

Chuck Norris: This--
"Izel stumbled over her feet. She was pretty sure Kelvin's words had grown legs, round-house kicked her in the face, then tripped her."
I squeaked a little when I read this line. Seriously? A reference to Chuck Norris in a romance book? Point one for Miz Bury.

Finding one's soulmate: Isn't this what everyone wants in the end game? When Pookah's mate, they mate for life. Kelvin is very much attracted to Izel but if they mate on the Winter Solstice and she's not meant for him, things could go downhill. But the only way to find a mate is to "attempt" them. Yup, you know what I'm talking about. The Big Down and Dirty. Awkward.

Oscar the Grouch: This--
"She knew Kelvin was moody---Christ, he was grouchier than a nasty green puppet living in a trash can."
Again, another reference to pop culture. Another point to Miz Bury. How awesome is this?!

Brokeback Mountain: Okay, there's no bro-loving going on but the relationship between Izel and Kelvin is beautifully volatile. One moment they're attracted to each other and then the next they hate each other for what they are. The sexual attraction can be cut cleanly with a knife and good heavens, when they actually do it, watch out! At one point Izel even fears that she'll "never be able to quit [you]" him....

Dark, dangerous, sexy and laced with quick wit, add a side of lovable and memorable characters, this a solid debut by Britt Bury that shouldn't be missed. This new world of mythical creatures has me eagerly awaiting the next book. If it's as sexy, adrenaline pounding and totally unputdownable (like 'stay up all night' unputdownable), I will be the first in line to buy it.

***review copy provided by publisher via Netgalley for honest review***
***original review posted at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance*** Read more ›

More About the Author

Britt Bury writes paranormal romance where the immortals are fierce, the stakes are high, and desire can be deadly.

Britt was raised in Corvallis, Oregon and attended Oregon State University majoring in Liberal Studies. When her dream of being a professional karaoke star and Elvis impersonator didn't pan out, she turned to writing. She currently lives in the Silicon Valley with her brilliant husband, two sons and an obscene amount of fish.

Britt's first paranormal romance releases July 3, 2012 with Grand Central's imprint: Forever Yours. Britt is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Visit www.BrittBury.com for more.