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August 1, 2013 by Exina Leave a Comment

REVIEW: The Darkest Craving by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Craving
Series: Lords of the Underworld #10
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Goodreads

My Rating:

________________________________________________________________________
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…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

“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. I’m very curious how many of the Lords will use this option that I won’t give away. 🙂

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.

Kane - Ferran CalderonUnlike Kane. He hates Disaster. He hates his demon with boundless 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 as if Kane carries an extra enemy within his body.

I would have never expected Kane to be so fierce and harsh 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 very capable warrior, unstoppable, and fearless, despite the fact that Disaster is always against him.

The story presents not only a new paranormal race, the Fae, but shows their realm in details as well, where the Lords are celebrities, having for example fan clubs. Set in Séduire, the story takes you into completely different scene than before.

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 tnI first thought Josephina, or Tink, to be a warrior. But when she was back in Séduire, her home, she completely adapted the role she was forced into. She accepted her life as it was. Though she fought against it before, and tried to get free, she always failed, and she just gave up hope.

Now she can’t see any way out of her miserable life, but death. She is all alone, without help, or anyone’s sympathy. Everyone around her is cruel, selfish, and indifferent. Her family hates and brutally uses her, and she has no friends. Here I have to interject that I lacked at least one positive character among the Fae. It seems impossible that she has never found a friend at least among the servants.

Josephina is brave, playful, compassionate, and I loved her approach to life. Specifically what she thinks about fate and the predictions of the Moirai, is so liberating.

“So, you’re saying choices and destiny shape the course of our lives?”
“I think so, yes. It’s just easier to blame fate for all of the mistakes.”

Kane and Josephina’s relationship is also different from the other couples’. 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 capability and worthiness. She is all alone, until she meets Kane, so it is hard for her to accept help.  Sometimes it is really hard indeed. You want to prove yourself, but you don’t have to solve everything all alone. Josephina slowly learns to recognize the situations when she needs help, and becomes secure in herself to ask for it.  

I didn’t like her mistrust in Kane, when Kane has done everything to protect her and save her.
First she refuses Kane because she sees her situation helpless, and if she remains a servant and a blood slave they have no future together. Even if Kane rescues her from Séduire, they will have no peace from her family ever.

Kane feels something similar. If he remains in the same condition, namely paired with Disaster, they have no future either, as Disaster hates and wants to destroy Tink. Besides learning when to ask for help is essential to Kane as well.

“I didn’t want help, but I realized I needed it. There was no other way.”

It takes them time to figure out what to do and how to do it. On their path, battles, adventures, dangers accompany them.

Kane and JosephinaI 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.

lotu png divider

Secondary characters and storylines

OMG, Cameo and her new companion! I just can’t believe it, but like it very much!

Torin… Oh. My. God.

And I’m so upset that I didn’t meet Paris and Sienna… Okay, maybe Paris said a few words, but that was all.

I’m fascinated by the appearances of all of the Lords and their beloved ones. They are all amazing!

lotu png divider

The end

It is 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. Too miraculous? Maybe. But it is a fantasy novel, after all. With paranormal beings, supernatural abilities, different realms and dimensions of existence, even time travel. So I’m absolutely okay with that.

There is much more in this book that could be talked about: William, and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse; Kane, of course, 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 it would give away too many spoilers, and of course this review would be too long. 🙂

lotu png divider

Hope you’ll enjoy The Darkest Craving as much as I did!

See my favorite quotes on my Tumblr page,
Daily Qutoes by Exina.

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