Saturday, November 30, 2013

Review: Darkness Splintered by Keri Arthur

Darkness Splintered (Dark Angels, #6) by Keri Arthur
Publisher: Signet
Publication date: November 5th, 2013
Number of pages: 382 Pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

When Risa loses the second key to hell, she angers several powerful people, and she’s starting to feel the pressure from all sides. She gets a visit from her father, who gives her an ultimatum: Get back the key or he will kill her friends.

Risa also finds herself under the scrutiny of the vampire council, some of whom consider her a monster who should be destroyed. But they offer her a bloody bargain: Take on the lethal head of the council, Madeline Hunter, and others will support her.

As the search for the keys to hell heats up, Risa realizes that she has no choice. For the sake of the people she loves, she must find the keys — and get rid of Hunter — before the second gate is opened and brings the world closer to all hell breaking loose..

I was lucky to have scored an early copy of this book last month (I know, late review, but I'm so behind as it is, lol) and I couldn't wait to dig back into Risa's world.
She does not have very good luck, this girl. If something goes wrong, everything does. This book is no exception. After the second key goes missing, Risa puts everything to rest to find it as soon as possible, especially when her father makes a threat of his own as incentive, nothing will make her find this bloody thing than threatening someone does loves. That's not all she has to deal with -- she also has her Boss, Madeline Hunter on her back wanting the keys for herself for god knows what to do with, but I have a feeling it won't be anything good, that's for sure.

Risa and Azriel. Oh, what could I say about them? Their relationship has to be my favourite part of the series, as with any series really that I love the romance between the characters, this one in particular.  Things between them have not been easy at any cost and the end of the previous book basically killed me and I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, especially with Risa pregnant and sending him away because she was hurt that he did something she couldn't understand.
You can sense where the story is going and will end up with these two. There is hope and some sort of happiness, but the angst is sure not over, by a long shot.  Keri does not do her relationships easily and most of her characters don't end up blissfully happy until the very end, so thankfully there is one book left. 
I feel that sometimes Risa puts Azriel on a petastool and expects him to go by standards she goes by, but given the fact he is not like her, the way he acts and does things need to be judged on a different kind of merit.
I absolutely love though how much progress these two have had since the beginning of the series. At first I wasn't sure if Keri was going to put romance between them, or whether Risa would be with someone else, but I am glad she decided this route because they match each other perfectly.

This series has always been action-packed. Risa is not your typical heroine. She has her flaws and is not perfect. But she has gone through so much throughout the series, I just want her to be happy and loved. For her to have some peace for a while. She deserves that.
It doesn't feel like it has been six books. It feels like it was yesterday that I picked up Darkness Unbound and started this series.  I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it since I had just come off Riley's series, but as the series has moved on, I have absolutely loved everything Risa has gone through. Good and bad.  It's definitely more Urban Fantasy while the original one, I felt was more PNR.
I look forward to the final book in this series, to see how everything is all wrapped up. I also wouldn't mind some final appearances from the old characters since they are closely connected to Risa. It will be sad to say goodbye to this series, characters and this universe, as I'm not sure if Keri would be another spinoff.  I don't like goodbyes...

Keri is a definite must read where I am concerned. I do need to read her prior books though.

5 Stars.




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