Title: The Darkest Craving
Series: Lords of the Underworld #10
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Goodreads
My Rating:
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Blurb
Having endured weeks of torture in the bowels of hell, Kane wants nothing to do with his beautiful rescuer, Josephina Aisling. The half-Fae female threatens to awaken the demon of Disaster inside him—a beast he’s determined to kill, no matter the price.
Josephina is hunted by a brutal enemy—her royal family—and Kane is her only source of protection. He’s also the only male to ever set her aflame, and even he succumbs to the heat. But as they navigate the treacherous world of the Fae, they are forced to make a choice: live apart… or die together…
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“You make me crave things I never thought I’d crave again.”
My Review
The Darkest Craving is very different from the previous installments of the series in many ways, and it also represents a turning point. A very important thing is revealed that could give a completely new turn to the events.
In this novel, the relationship between Kane and his demon, Disaster differs very much from the other Lords’ relationships with their own demons.
While the other warriors have never liked their demons either, they have used the demons’ abilities, strengths, and have established some kind of agreement and peace with them.
Unlike Kane. He hates Disaster. He hates his demon with infinite and immeasurable hatred. He hates him with every fiber of his being. He has been suffering from Disaster in a very different way than the others. Disaster is a malevolent, humiliating, useless being for Kane. It’s like as if Kane carries an extra enemy within his body.
Kane is unexpectedly fierce and brutal and ferocious. He was always in the background before, playing coy, keeping distance from the others in order to protect them from his demon.
In his story, he is amazing from the very beginning. He is a true warrior, unstoppable, and fearless, despite the fact that Disaster is always against him.
The story presents a new paranormal race, the Fae, and also shows their realm Séduire in details. Set in mainly Séduire, the story takes you to a completely different scene than the previous books. The Lords here are celebrities, there are even fan clubs. But it’s not really a pleasant place.
In Séduire, beauty mattered more than brains and clothing mattered more than food. Political intrigues were always in full swing. An open mouth was a lying mouth. Power was just as valuable as cash. Lust, greed and torture were always on the menu. Josephina hated it here.
Josephina’s life is miserable and tragic. She can’t see any other way out of it but death. Though she fought against his family before and tried to get free, she always failed, and she just gave up hope. She is all alone, without help or anyone’s sympathy. Everyone around her is cruel, selfish, and cold. Her family hates and brutally uses her, and she has no friends. (Just one thought: it seems pretty impossible that there is not even a single positive or compassionate person in Séduire. It’s too black and white.) But Josephina is also very brave, playful, and compassionate.
Kane and Josephina’s relationship is different from the other couples’ in the series. In every other case the warriors’ demons are either tamed or intimidated by the women. Unlike Disaster. Disaster hates Josephina, wants to make Kane leave her; eventually wants to kill her. He actually hurts her physically many times.
Josephina has very special abilities, but she is confused, insecure in her own capability and worthiness. She is all alone, until she meets Kane, so it is hard for her to accept help. First she refuses Kane’s help because she sees her situation hopeless. She knows even if Kane rescues her from Séduire, they will have no peace from her family ever. Josephina slowly learns to recognize the situations when she needs help, and becomes confident enough to ask for it. It takes both of them time to figure out what to do and how to do it. On their path, battles, adventures, and danger accompany them.
I loved Kane and Josephina together. Their love is sweet, passionate and based on mutual understanding. I especially loved their mental connection.
When they’d met, they’d both been in a very dark place. They’d lacked hope. Their fears had overwhelmed them. Together, they’d climbed out of the depths of hell — literally and figuratively. They’d found reasons to laugh. They’d let go of hate and embraced love. The weaknesses they’d had had been blasted by fire and were now strengthened with steel. They hadn’t broken. They wouldn’t break.
Secondary characters
All of the Lords and their beloved ones are amazing! And OMG, Cameo and her new companion! I just can’t believe it, but like it very much! And Torin… Oh. My. God. But there is not enough of Paris and Sienna.
The ending
Maybe it’s too dramatic and miraculous, but it makes sense. No deus ex machina this time, like in the case of Aeron’s comeback. It is well done: complicated, coherent, makes you think a little bit.
There are many more things in this book that could be talked about: William and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse; Kane: his feelings, his suffering, and his very complex personality; Josephina’s life, abilities, and possible future; the imaginary world of the series, which is becoming more and more complicated; and the secondary characters. But this review is already too long, so I won’t. 🙂
See my favorite quotes and cast on my Tumblr page,
Daily Qutoes by Exina.
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