Customer Reviews

Night Reigns (Immortal Guardians, Book 2)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ok two days and two books and on the third day, let there be reviews. Yes, I have done nothing but devour these two novels. I have been captured by this amazing new universe and I am officially in love with the characters. They feel like friends that I could cherish forever. Yes, I will admit I love my fictional characters. I know I'm not the only one out there that would love some Hunters or Brothers. If you are like me, you know EXACTLY who I am talking about, so no mocking.

Marcus has lived a long time, over eight hundred years. In that time, he has loved only one woman, Bethany, a woman that was destined to never be his, but to eternally break his heart. In his whole existence there has only been her. Having her in his life platonically, not once but twice, was all he could ever have. Now he has lost her for the last time, eight years ago. His chance to ever find love has disappeared forever. All that changed the moment he set his eyes on a fiery red head that had talent with a gun and the ability to set his pulse racing.

Not unfamiliar with the world of vampires and Guardians, Amitiska, "Ami", isn't surprised when she comes upon a scene of chaos, an Immortal Guardian taking on eight vampires. What does surprise her is the awestruck brilliance of the man himself; long dark hair, vibrant amber eyes, and full sensual lips. She is left speechless. Too bad it won't be the first or the last time in one night for her. She is shocked again later that night when she is assigned to be his Second, a human personal assistant and guard for an individual immortal. Wow, she didn't see that coming!

Attack after attack, Marcus and Ami begin to work together in synchronicity and harmony. Too bad their inner feelings are getting in the way. Both are falling for each other and are unable to control the new urges that are burning within them. Ami is constantly surprising Marcus with her abilities and courage. She is more than she appears, but she is terrified to lose him to the truth. Can they build a relationship that will last forever if she is not able to trust him with who and what she is?

Ms. Duvall has actually improved from the first story, and I gave Darkness Dawns a 5 star rating. So what does that make this one, a 5++ star story? She is keeping it exciting by revealing some secrets but not all of them. Truthfully I am not sure if I love that or not. The "long story" still has not been exposed, but a bit more is known. Seth, the leader of the Immortal Guardians, is a mystery that will likely not be uncovered anytime soon too, but we did get a glimpse of his background. Ms. Duvall you are such a tease, but a very good one!

This woman can't write fast enough for me. We need to form a posse and catch her and tie her to her desk and make her get busy. You hear that Ms. Duvall - chop, chop. From online posts it doesn't look like we will get another novel until October 2012, *sob*. But please don't let that stop you from reading this awesome series. Just think of how many times you can reread and enjoy the boys by next fall. I mean seriously, this will be a repeat read for me. A keeper all the way!

If you haven't read Dianne Duvall yet, you need to add her to your list of Paranormal authors. Darkness Dawns is the 1st book in this series and Night Reigns is the 2nd book in the Immortal Guardian series.
In Darkness Dawn we got to meet Amiriska and Marcus who were secondary characters in that story. In Night Reigns we get more details about them and some glimpses back into book one as well.

Marcus is over eight hundred years old and is an Immortal Guaridan aka Protector of humanity. Amiriska aka Ami is believed to be human but at the end of book one we discover that Seth, David and Darnell have discovered exactly what she is and are shocked by it. It definitely leaves you on a cliff hanger wondering what has happened and what is Ami if she's not human?
As you know from the first book, Seth is basically the leader of the Immortal Guardian group and has powers beyond imagining. He and David are the ones who discovered Ami locked in some horrific testing facility and rescued her and slowly brought her out of her shell. Seth informs Marcus that it's time for him to take a Second. A Second is basically the Guardians backups, they help them out when they can, provide transportation and basically are their Guardians help when they need it. Seth informs Marcus that Ami is his new Second even though Marcus is extremely upset about that choice and pretty insistent that he doesn't need a Second. Ami's pretty surprised herself but she basically rolls through with the verdict.
Marcus and Ami have some serious chemistry going on between them and Marcus starts to completely avoid her, hoping that if he's stand offish enough she'll basically abandon her post and want to leave. In the end Ami finds Marcus in a tight spot and they are surrounded by more than thirty rogue vampires. Marcus wants her to run but Ami refuses. The most amazing part about all this is that they actually win the fight and Marcus realizes just how useful and amazing Ami is in a fight, probably enough to take him down.

There's a lot of tension in the book but it's definitely a sit down and devour in one night kind of read so try not to start it too late unless you want to miss work the next day.
And if you're wondering, yes we do finally discover what Ami is. It's such a wild twist that I could never have imagined it myself and I was taken by surprise (in a good way of course!). This is an intriguing new paranormal world for me and I will continue to follow Dianne's Immortal Guardian Series. I can't wait to see some of the other characters find love.
Reviewed by Paranormal Addicts

I enjoy reading about a woman who defies the odds and expectations of others; to not only wow the other characters in a book, but stuns and amazes a reader too. Ms. Duvall does all that and more in the second installment of her hard hitting but cheeky Immortal Guardian series.

Night Reigns gave me not only another great tale but a surprising twist at the three quarters mark that knocked my socks off. Never could I have imagined where the story would take me, certainly not what was revealed! Because of this new slant, Night Reigns ends up being a clever, unique, and brilliantly executed book that readers will appreciate. Paranormal fans are going to be thrilled at the novel direction Ms. Duvall has taken because it breathes new life into what we think we know about vampires and their battles, and their origins.

When I refer to `cheeky', I'm talking about the underlying sense of humor and fun the main characters have with their friends, amongst themselves and with other secondary characters. The author did an amazing job of infusing personality and emotion into the story and her placement of when she has the protagonist's joking around seemed real, timely and very natural. It made the hero and heroine very likable and insured that I'd be very interested in the secondary characters when their turn to be in the spotlight arrives. Believe me, Ms. Duvall has peppered her tales with secondary characters well-rounded enough to inspire a commitment from me to read about every one of the amazing men who make up the team of Immortal Guardians. There were wonderful hints of conflict, of men who resist love or don't think it'll ever happen to them. Not in their line of `work'.

My favorite cheekiness is between the hero, Marcus and the heroine, Ami. Their flirting was thoroughly entertaining and the repartee quick and witty. Even when the drama and suspense had me biting my nails, it wasn't overly dark or depressing. The conflict was solid and well thought out.

Ami was the biggest surprise for me. She had been through so much horror in her life that to find her willing to stand by her man, once she admits he is her man, even though it meant facing a fear that practically crippled her, was an amazing journey of growth. One that completely engaged me. Despite all the reasons she has to mistrust people, she doesn't shy away from learning all she can to be the best she can be.

Marcus on the other hand, is at first, a jerk. He's not actually written that way but from what I could tell from the other secondary characters, he had a certain reputation. They respected him, thought fondly of him, when they didn't want to whap him upside the head, and they feared for him. He was in a dark place in his life when the story opened. His healing journey and his eventual opening up of his heart was wonderfully done. He certainly was and is an effective Guardian, and I'd trust him to guard me anytime, but he had a long way to go to brush up on his `people' skills.

The one person who kept him in line, for the most part, was Seth. He's sort of a father figure, mentor and boss. He's also one of those fascinating secondary characters I referred to earlier. There's something about him that is quite intriguing. He's a mystery. However, in Night Reigns, the author laid the groundwork for some very thought provoking possibilities that begs further exploration. If the author's intentions were to hook a reader on future books, she was successful. Add Roland and Chris into the mix and there's plenty of deliciousness, conflict and interest to go around. On top of that are Darnell and David - more characters that make up the Guardian community. At times, while reading, I felt like I was in a candy store. So many choices to choose from -- who will Ms. Duvall write about next? I can't wait to find out!

My immediate satisfaction was guaranteed at least with Marcus and Ami. Before the protagonists hit the sheets, Ms. Duvall seduced my brain earlier on with a wonderful sensual buildup. That's one of the things that were so great about this story. When the heat between the two finally combusted, the author's use of language made it crystal clear how satisfying the physical relationship was between them. Even the happily ever after was romantic and sentimental. But not too sappy; the other Guardians made sure of that. One of my favorite giggles came from what Marcus imagined to make his point with Seth. I had fun.

Night Reigns is another jewel from the talented Ms. Duvall. This story is action packed with sultry shenanigans and diabolical bad guys, guaranteeing readers a book filled with adventure and romance. Marcus and Ami are a great couple and watching them fall in love was completely entertaining and fun. The ideas are fresh and the story arc more complex than at first believed. I suspect that Ms. Duvall has more surprises up her sleeve for characters and readers alike. I want to be first in line for her next book because this series is just that good.

Originally posted at The long and short of it romance Reviews

We come back to the world of the Immortal Guardians in the second book, Night Reigns. The main characters are Marcus and Ami with a lot of the supporting characters from Darkness Dawns making their presence known. Marcus is very independent and has given up on love and trust. Ami doesn't trust many people, except for Seth, David, and Darnell, who have made a big impact on her life. Now she's Marcus' Second - she handles his daytime activities and has his back during battle. There is a dangerous enemy gunning for the Immortal Guardians and Ami. During these stressful times, can Marcus and Ami learn to trust each other?

I was happy to learn more about the mythos of the Immortal Guardians, but there is a big secret that I can't wait to learn what it is (not given away in this book)! The characters get richer and more detailed and there is so much explosive action and sizzling hot romance. Ms. Duvall's writing gets more polished with each book and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I was not disappointed in reading the second book in this series. It was excellent and will be placed in my "re-read books." This book is centered around Marcus who is an 850 year old immortal and his relationship with Ami, his Second, who has secrets and is afraid of Marcus finding out. You will have to read the book to find out what that secret is. What I like about Ms. Duvall's writings is that it does not take long for her books to get going and pulling one really into the story. Like her first book, I could not put it down. I loved the characters of Marcus and Ami. Another thing about Ms. Duvall's writings are her Heroines are strong women but are not bitches. If you like reading about a strong, handsome, alpha male and a gentle but fearless heroine, then this book is for you. It has a lot of action and never a dull moment. There was nothing that I did not like about this book. Once again, we get to see Roland and Sarah and the ever powerful leader of these Immortal Guardians, Seth. I recommend this book. There is one thing that I do not like and that is having to wait for Ms. Duvall's next book.

Marcus has been grieving over a love that was never his to lose and flying solo, throwing himself headlong into deadly confrontations with vampires, until - against his objections - he is assigned a 'second', Ami. And when his plan to scared her off doesn't work, Marcus is reluctantly gaining respect for the deadly little human and finding that it is way more than nice to have someone who 'has his back' after keeping everyone at a distance for so long.

I really liked both of the leads, the stubborn brave little heroine, Ami, and the broody Marcus and I liked the story too - and was actually liking better than the first book Darkness Dawns - right up until the heroine's big reveal (which I knew about having read the spoilers). The 'what' of her secret was fine but the info dump to explain the 'why' was odd and klunky and not that interesting.

*******spoiler****** I would have actually been fine with a simple "I came in peace and they carved me into pieces" *****end spoiler ****

And I felt that it derailed the rest of the story as well, because after that point, the focus shifted from blood thirsty bad a$$ vamp villains to even badder 'men in black' villains and the book just sort of came to a fizzling conclusion.

I know that others had problems with Marcus getting over his 800 year unrequited love and falling for Amy so quickly, but you know it didn't bother me at all. I had gotten the feeling that his love in the distant past was more a romanticized idea of this unobtainable love and a young man's crush and then later, in the present time, a safe love that he didn't risk anything for, so I didn't mind that his feelings for Ami snuck up on Marcus when he wasn't looking.

Things were obviously left open for the next book, which I had me guessing - and hoping - that the next book would be about Bastien since his outcast status makes him interesting. My other choice would be the intriguing Seth, but I imagine Duvall is saving him for much later in the series. Edited to add - Yep, Bastien is up next in Phantom Shadows out October 2012.

Thanks to the excellent introduction to the world and the mythology regarding vampires and Immortals in DARKNESS DAWNS, the first book in the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, Dianne Duvall wasted no time launching into an equally seductive story for the sequel, NIGHT REIGNS. Both the hero and heroine had been introduced in the previous book, but newbies to the series won't feel like they are missing out when these two meet for the first time while fending off a massive vampire attack.

Not the most romantic introduction, but it isn't meant to be. Long before moving in that direction, Ami and Marcus first needed to trust each other and build confidence in the others capabilities. Ami is wickedly lethal with gun, and Marcus' blades are lightening fast. Mutual respect and admiration flared to life and then when attraction and more developed, it was an unbelievably welcome change up from the instant love/lust that too many paranormal romance couples are saddled with. When Ami and Marcus started to realize that they were in love, I didn't doubt it for a moment.

And it's not just the romance that is sizzling in NIGHT REIGNS, the mythology is very cool, especially with the new addition that Ami brings. I won't spoil anything, but I'm hoping for even more revelations in the next book. We are so used to vampires being the heroes in paranormal romance, that it still so fun to see them portrayed as ticking time bombs ready to go berserk when the virus that infected them fully corrupts their brains.

I said it before and I'll say it again, if you've fallen for paranormal romance series like the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lords of the Underworld, or Immortals After Dark, you will love the Immortal Guardian series. Complex and captivating mythology, strong and sexy supernatural alpha males, smart and resourceful women, and stories that capture all the dark and dangerous moments that bring them together. Do I really need to go on?

Sexual Content:
Two graphic sex scenes

Well this is the second book By Dianne Duvall that I've read and I have to Say I Enjoyed it Very Much!! the Storyline was awesome and the characters were amazing!! Can't wait to Read the third book in the series! Ms. Duvall is a wonderful writer I loved both books in the Immortal Guardians series thus far!!

I didn't read any of the reviews of this book, I read "Darkness Dawns" and couldn't wait to read the next book after finishing this one I'm bummed I have to wait so long for the next. I tend to rate books on the chemistry I feel with the main characters and I loved the time it took for Marcus and Ami to even start to get alone I loved Marcus's character in the first book and loved him even more thru this one. I will admit that the premise of Ami's existence had me suppressing a little eye roll but that didn't change how I felt about her character. I read a lot of the reviews after finishing this book and I was a bit surprised by the negative reviews, I actually liked this book better then the first, I think it takes the reader further into the world the author is creating.

Marcus Grayden has lived as an Immortal Guardian for 800 years and in all that time he has loved one woman, the one woman he couldn't have without betraying his best friend. When she is gone he mourns her loss for eight years, living life on the edge and ignoring the concern of his friends.

Then he meets Amiriska. Ami has some amazing abilities yet she is an enigma to everyone. Protected by Seth, the leader of the Immortal Guardians, she has a secret that puts her in extreme danger. Seth, sneaky wise man that he is, appoints her as Second to Marcus, but the attraction between his Guardian and the woman Seth has vowed to protect surprises him. Will Marcus accept Ami as his Second? Will Ami trust Marcus with her secret? Will the Immortal Guardians stop the self-named vampire king and his army before humans figure out there is other intelligent life on Earth than just themselves? Who are the people who held Ami captive? And will the Guardians be able to stop them? Let the excitement begin!

Oh, boy! I loved this story! I had a hard time putting it down when it was necessary for me to do so. I both wanted to read it fast and read it slow. Fast because I couldn't wait to see what happened next and slow because the third book isn't out until October! Gah!! *pouting face*

I love the characters, the world is awesome, the story smooth, the action just right and the hotness...*fans self*. My final word on this book is...More! Now! Ok, that's two words. lol

*The publisher provided a copy of this book to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.