Customer Reviews

Seduce the Darkness (Alien Huntress, Book 4)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gena Showalter has penned another clever futuristic in Book #4 SEDUCE THE DARKNESS of her Alien Huntress futuristic series for Pocket (July 2009). In present day New Chicago, eternally youthful and beautiful, Bride McKells has been struggling for 80 years to figure out how to survive as a vampire on her own since she doesn't know any others of her kind. When she first woke up as a vampire decades ago she had to learn not to kill humans and other worlders while taking their blood to survive. Lately she's been getting sick from feeding much off anyone and bad smells drive her crazy. However, one night on the street she follows a very beloved familiar smell that she's sure will finally lead her to her long-lost shape-shifter friend, Aleaha Love, who Bride has been searching for for sixteen years. Instead the scent leads Bride to the arrogant, womanizer, Devyn de bon Laci, who Bride doesn't realize is King of the Targons. Bride can appreciate this gorgeous man's chiseled features and glittering skin but all she really cares about is if he knows where Leah is. Devyn has had carnal knowledge of many women, who all seem to find him irresistible, but he denies knowing Leah. He's made it his mission in life, after being deprived of any pleasures growing up, to bed every woman he comes in contact with. So he finds it hard to believe that Bride can resist his sexy charms. However, when Devyn realizes Bride is a vampire, since she tries to mesmerize him into telling her what he knows, he uses his powers to temporarily freeze her into place and leaves her. When Bride is able to move, she is determined to locate Devyn again. She finally discovers him the next day with his friend, Dallas from AIR (Alien Investigation & Removal Agency) as they are recapturing escaped Schon alien, Nolan, who can infect humans with a virus through sex that turns them into cannibals. Bride not only bests Devyn and Dallas but ends up holding Nolan captive at her apartment in exchange for Leah, who she is sure Devyn knows how to locate. What ensues is pure incendiary fun in one of the hottest antagonist relationships in paranormal romance history with Devyn and Bride not wanting to concede an inch to the other! Gena Showalter's highly arousing and imaginative SEDUCE THE DARKNESS will seduce readers from first page to last leaving romance fans only begging for more from one of the reigning Queens of paranormal romance.

I didn't read the previous books in the Alien Huntress Series, but I didn't have any problems keeping up with the story and I don't feel like it took anything away from the story. Although, there were times throughout the book, that I did wonder about one or two of the other characters' back story. So, to find out their stories you can be sure I'll be reading the previous books.

This is a futuristic, paranormal romance set in Chicago, water is now a very precious commodity, so much so that people don't bath with it anymore. They use enzyme baths, a mist stray system that cleans you without water. Fruit and vegetables are synthetically reproduced. Bride McKells' has been on her own ever since she woke up on the streets of Chicago, not being able to remember who is or where she has come from. She has spent much of her time alone, trying to find out who she is and any information on vampires because she doesn't know a thing about either. As far as Bride know, she is the only vampire in existence because she has never met another. Bride needs to learn what she can about vampires, besides what she has read in books, because lately she has had a problem with the blood she drinks, after the first few drops, she gets sick. She is out one evening, contemplating drinking from a stranger when she smells a delicious, familiar scent in the air. A scent that reminds Bride of the only friend she has ever had and lost long ago. Bride follows the scent straight to Devyn.

Devyn, King of the Targons, is an agent for AIR, Alien Investigation and Removal, with a voracious appetite for women and a very narcissistic personality. He is also a very sexy guy dripping with seduction, that turns heads where ever he goes. But he likes variety in his sexual conquests and doesn't like bedding the same species more than once. So, are your hackles raised yet about Devyn? When Devyn runs into Bride, he knows that she is not human but he's not sure what species she is, so he is intrigued by her and pursues her until he finds out she is a vampire. He's had a vampire before so he quickly loses interests, but yet he can't stop thinking about Bride. When their paths cross again, they find out Bride's blood is a cure to an alien virus, that was once thought to be a catastrophic, incurable disease. Now Bride is an even more a mysterious attraction for Devyn, which puzzles and worries him.

Seduce the Darkness is told in the third person, so we get a glimpse into what the characters are thinking and feeling. Bride is loner, someone who is use to being on her own but she is also tough and doesn't let anyone take advantage of her. Devyn's character, at first you just want to hate, maybe kick a few a times because he is so full of himself and his own self worth. The sexual tension between Bride and Devyn is building thing. Devyn readily admits his attraction to Bride, while Bride tries fighting the attraction because she doesn't want to be another conquest and get her heart broken in the process. Of course, Bride's refusal of Devyn's advances is just more fuel to the fire, he's not use to getting turned down. Bride is forced to work with Devyn, because he knows answers to her mysterious vampire race and the where a bouts of her lost friend. And the only way she's going to get those answers is to put up with Devyn.

There are a quite a few twist and turns in the plot that keep your interest piqued throughout the story. I like the different alien characters involved in this story, it gave a sort of a Star Wars type feel to it - I racked my brain trying to think of a show or movie to compare but I keep coming back to Star Wars. The banter between Bride and Devyn is sharp, witty and fun, as the story starts to develop you start to see how these two completely different personality types compliment each other. There is plenty of romance, and the seduction in the story is fabulous, when it final climaxes, you'll sigh in relief from the tension that has built up to that point. No pun intend. In comparing this story to the Lords of the Underworld series, I would say it was a lighter read not as dark. There is also a side story that subtly develops, so you get an idea of what the next book could be about but it doesn't over run the main story line. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a futuristic, paranormal romance that is fast paced, amusing and packed full of passion with a healthy dose of sexual tension.

Seduce the Darkness is the next book in Gena Showalter's Alien Huntress series. I have to say that she is a great writer because up until this book I didn't like Devyn. He was just too slick, too beautiful, too sure of himself, and the way he `collected' women? I wasn't sure who would be a good pair for him... Or if I even wanted to meet that woman; would she be a collector of men?

Turns out the perfect women for said playboy is Bride McKellis. Bride meets Devyn by chance, you see he smells like an old friend, and is immediately infuriated and repulsed/attracted to him when he tries to bed her. Until he finds out she's a vampire. (he already has had one you see) Deeper into the story we learn Devyn's not just a player, he physically can't find pleasure with the same woman twice. Is it ADD or something more serious?

When the two fated lovers meet yet again they discover fascinating things. Devyn isn't too bad (heehee) and Bride's blood holds the key to stopping an apocalyptic like virus. Having this entire book be about Devyn, instead of the glances we get in previous books, makes me not dislike him even, dare I say... find him attractive? Bride is indeed the perfect mate for him, rather than a collector of men, she is his counterbalance and doesn't let Devyn get away with crap.

I still wouldn't recommend reading it by itself, the story is so much richer if you have read the previous three. Trust me they are just as amazing and the lead heroes will have you blushing furiously.

This was a great addition to the Alien Huntress series. Devyn was never likable until this one, but after reading about Devyn's childhood and then his meeting of Bride, I couldn't see how anyone could have not fallen for the guy! It was wonderfully done and I wasn't confused or lost since it had been a while since I read the previous books in the series.

I'm looking forward to the next one!

Ms. Showalter has created a wonderful futuristic world where humans and aliens or otherworlders co-existed. Maybe co-existed isn't the right word. They exist together it's just not all that peaceful. That's were AIR (Alien Investigation and Removal) comes in.

Devyn is the King of Targons, a warrior race. He is self-assured and his one goal is to sleep with as many different species of women he can find. He never get jealous or territorial and he never sleeps with the same species twice. That is until he meets vampire, Bride McKell.

I really enjoyed this story. Devyn and Bride work well together. They bicker and annoy each other. But they also can't get enough of each other. That always makes for a good story. Seduce the Darkness is a wonderful addition the series, steamy, with action packed excitement. If you want to escape to another world. This series/book is the way to go.

Since this installment has already been thoroughly reviewed, my review will be brief. This book was superb! Devyn, Targon King, A.I.R. agent and full time ladies' man meets his match when Bride McKells' plows into him literally. Bride McKells is a vampire who has secretly lived 80yrs lonewolf style topside among humans, never knowing a single other vampire. Unbeknownst to her, vampires reside underground. Involuntarily separated and in desperate search for her one and only shape-shifter friend, Bride finds Devyn instead. Bride and Devyn are exciting together and have hot chemistry. Devyn's egotistical, dark and twisted-humor is hilarious! There were several parts of the book that were predictable but nonetheless entertaining. Bride Mckells, is strong, smart, independent and knows how to put Devyn in his place. Gena Showalter, has integrated elements from futuristic-scifi, dark paranormal romance and urban fantasy, to create a phenomenally-fantastic series that is imaginative and clever. I highly recommend this book and entire series to dark urban fantasy readers, and also look forward to the next book in this series Ecstasy in Darkness due out 11/2010.

I also recommend:
Servant: The Kindred
Passion Unleashed (The Demonica Series)
A Rush of Wings: Book One of The Maker's Song
They Call Me Death
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3)

I have not read any of the others Alien Huntress books by this author so maybe it's my fault that this book left me wanting more. I have found that I have a real love hate relationship with Showalter. I do love her "Lords of the Underworld" series, but I'm not much into this realm.

There was a pretty good sub plot (which you can read in other reviews), but the world that Showalter created seemed dingy and really wasn't a place I liked escaping to. The two main characters where lacking as well. I didn't like the vampire, for one so old she was pretty clueless and then the hero (alien) was just a pig...a hot one, but a pig never the less.

I hope I don't tick too many followers off with my review here, but from someone who doesn't follow the series it was hard to get into.

This is the fourth book in the Alien Huntress series by Gena Showalter. While I thought the first two books in this series were okay; I really didn't like the third book all that much. Unfortunately this book followed the third book as far as how much I liked it. I did really like her first book in the Extraordinary girl series "Playing with Fire".

Bride is a vampire who lives on the Earth's surface. She has never met another of her kind and has, for some reason, started getting sick when she drinks blood. Devyn we have met in previous books; he is the womanizing Targon that tried to buy Eden in the second book. They meet when Bride recognizes the scent of her old friend on Devyn. Things get more dangerous when Bride takes the disease invested Nolan from Devyn to piss Devyn off. Now Devyn has to find where Bride is hiding Nolan before Nolan's queen arrives from her home planet. Someone is also trying to kill Bride and she doesn't know why.

The plot in general was pretty thin in this book. I don't mind reading books a bit heavy on the romance, but I do like some substantial plot. The plot basically focused around Nolan and trying to get him to tell where and when his Queen would land; in an effort to stop the virus that Nolan is carrying from wiping out all of Earth. There wasn't much to it. Most of the book focuses on Bride trying to piss off Devyn and Devyn trying to get into Bride's pants. It was also a bit weird that there are all of these alien races on Earth and suddenly Showalter has to throw a vampire in there. I mean where did that come from? Was she worried about missing the current "everyone loves vampires" trend in books?

Bride was very immature for a ages old vampire. Mostly she came off as a brat and was not likable at all. Devyn is an admitted womanizer and most of the time was a jerk. I think Devyn's character was supposed to add some humor to the book; mostly though he was just irritating. Devyn's sense of humor reminds of a hormone ridden teenage boy and really wasn't all that funny. I was actually looking forward to reading more about Devyn, but his back story ended up not being all that interesting.

Showalter's story between Devyn and Bride mimicked the storyline of the previous books. Feisty girl meets arrogant alpha male. Male wants girl, girl resists. Girl can't resist anymore, male gets her then realizes he can't live without her. Boring. This could have been forgiven if there was tension between the characters or decent sex scenes. Unfortunately Devyn and Bride didn't seem to have much chemistry and the sex scenes were uncreative and boring.

In addition to all of the above the scanty plotline about the Queen arriving is left wide open. If I had to hedge my bets I would say the next book in the series is about Dallas falling for the alien Queen...but that is just a guess on my part. I guess I will never know, because I don't plan on continuing to read this series. I don't like any of the characters and the world building (as well as the plot) is thin at best. There are better books out there for romance/sci-fi/paranormal. I would suggest Sunny's Monere' series for those interested in steamy scenes with paranormal races.

Our hero is the super-hot playboy Devyn. He is an alien king from another planet; he's extremely good looking, very conceited and an utter sex maniac. His heroine is Bride the vampire. She knows what she is, but nothing of her kind. She hooks us with Devyn to learn more about her people and hopefully, to find her long-lost best friend.

PLOT SPOILERS:

Bride crosses paths with Devyn and catches the scent of her old friend Aleaha Love. She questions him about her friend, but he can't help her as he knows Aleaha by a different name. He's intrigued because, unlike the rest of the female population, Bride doesn't jump his bones. Of course, she wants to, but she keeps that to herself as finding her friend is her number one priority. Devyn quickly becomes obsessed with Bride and even though she hides it, Bride returns his feelings. He figures out who Aleaha is and brings the women together. He also helps Bride learn about where the other vampires, while she uncovers her hidden powers that she never knew she had.

WHAT WORKS:

I love Devyn. His cockiness is hilarious and his friendship with his buddy Dallas is stellar. As always, Showalter's sex scenes do not disappoint. And I was very happy with the resolution on side-character Nolan. I hope this means he'll get his own story in the future.

WHAT DOESN'T: I don't like that all of a sudden Devyn has a tortured sex-starved childhood. I also thought his down-shift from sex-starved pervert to one-woman man was rather abrupt.

OVERALL: Another winner by Gena Showalter. Can't wait for the next one! 5 stars.

Devyn, king of the Targon race and agent for AIR, (Alien Investigation and Removal) was an egotistical and conceited jerk. He was aware of his good looks and charm and used it to collect and bed woman. Need I say more? When the story began, I really didn't like his character. There is arrogant and then there is pompous ass...but, as the story progressed, so did my affections for him. He just needed a woman to challenge him, that's all.

Unlike most vampires, Bride McKells grew up on the Earth's surface not knowing her past or never having met any of her kind. She had to learn to control her powers and feed on her own. She did a pretty good job of it, once she knew when to stop and not completely drain the people she fed from. She didn't whine or pity herself and tried to resolve her problems on her own. I respected her character for it. She searched for other vampires while learning what she could via vampire novels and romance books. Bride might have been naive in some regards, but, she was strong, intelligent and resourceful. However, her feedings were beginning to make her sick and her powers were growing. She really did need to find another vampire. Her life began to change when she smelled a familiar scent. A scent belonging to a long lost friend, Bride's only friend, Aleaha. A scent that led her to Devyn.

When Bride and Devyn met, it was instant chemistry. Bride tried to ask him about Aleaha, but he was evasive and flirty. When Bride tried to use her vampiric powers of persuasion on him, they didn't work. Devyn felt it and realized she was a vampire and his interest waned. After all, he already bedded a vampire or two. But still, her ability to resist him intrigued him, not to mention, she was beautiful. When she attempted a more forceful approach, to gain the information about Aleaha, he used his powers, to immobilize her. Needless to say, she was pissed and vowed to get even. Thus, began a fun and exciting battle of wills. I had a fun time reading these two trying to one up the other. It was also interesting, to watch thier reactions when they realized, there fates were entertwined.

Overall, I love this series and this book was no exception. The characters were engaging. I love that the author also had reoccuring characters from the previous books. I found the plot to be entertaining. While there was and is an underlining and overall plot to the series, this book was more about Devyn and Bride connecting and discovering thier love, the truth to her past, and the miracle of her blood. I felt the world Gena Showalter created was exciting and mysterious, yet crediable. But, my favorite aspect of the story was the cat and mouse games and the sexual tension between Bride and Devyn. There chemistry and challenges were the meat of the story. This book can be read as a stand alone, but I recommend reading the series. You wont be diappointed. Seduce The Darkness is a fun and exciting escape.