Book Review: After Dark with Shadow Hunter & The Darkest Angel

After Dark:

The Darkest Angel
By:  Gena Showalter

Shadow Hunter
By:  Kait Ballenger

Publisher:  Harlequin

Publish Date:  June 25, 2013

Format:  Print 320pgs, 5"x8"

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Series:  Lords of the Underground 4.5 & 0.5 in Execution Underground series

Recommendation:  Oh yes.  Excellent start to a new series by Kait, and nice novella story (even if new to Lords of the Underground series) to read by Gena.  Both are steamy!

Synopsis:
A timeless seduction A unique temptation And a whole world of dark desires...

From New York Times best selling author Gena Showalter
The Darkest Angel
Winged warrior Lysander has been alive for centuries, and yet he's never known desire-until he meets Bianka.  Spawned from the bloodline of his enemy, the beautiful but deadly Harpy is determined to lead the untouched Lysander into temptation.  He may try to evade her attempts, but even the most iron-willed demon assassin can resist for only so long....

And from debut author Kait Ballenger
Shadow Hunter
Vampire hunter Damon Brock's first assignment with the Execution Underground is Rochester, New York, a city crawling with the undead.  But he isn't the only hunter in town gunning for vamp blood.  Tiffany Solow is fierce and ruthless when it comes to slaying the monsters that destroyed her family - and she works solo.  But being alone is no longer so desirable when she meets the mysterious hunter who wants more than just her turf.  As they work to massacre the local covens, the line between good and evil blurs when they are forced to decide between their lifelong beliefs...and their newfound hearts.

First Sentence:
The Darkest Angel:
From high in the heavens, Lysander spotted his prey.

Shadow Hunter:
Damon Brock clutched the neck of the guard and twisted.

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** I read this book for an honest review from the author.

My Thoughts and Summary:
The Darkest Angel:
Lysander has found his temptation, and like the others of his kind - the elite seven - will destroy it to prevent it from destroying him.  His downfall - Bianka Skyhawk a beautiful daughter of a Harpy and a Phoenix shifter, but also the blood of demons which are Lysander's greatest enemy.  Lysander lives to eliminate his enemy when they step over the line into wrong doing.  But since he first saw her, he had been cursed with what humans call desire, and he can't have that.  Not able to kill Bianka yet, not without approval from the Powers above, he imprisons her in his home as to not tempt him any further and teach her the right way to live.

We have two POV's in this story; Lysander and Bianka.  I love the two.  Lysander is the 'innocent' and Bianka is the experienced one in this world.  I like the reversal of roles here.  Bianka and her wild ways, I loved listening to her and her twin Kaia talk.  They are to fun.  But she has one serious thing she'd like to do one day.  For a Harpy, it's unheard of.

Gena takes us along as Bianka teasers Lysander to the brink of explosion.  Each time Lysander comes closer to falling - what he is fighting so hard to avoid - into Bianka's arms.  Bianka is wonderful.  She knows exactly how to torment Lysander and reads him so well.  Yet, it seems Bianka might find she is more attracted to Lysander with all her efforts to leave his cloud home that's become her prison.

This world feels rich and full.  One that feels like I should experience more of.  I loved the creation with the play on angels and demons and everything between.  There is a lot to the characters here, and I want to meet all that were mentioned and more.  I will have to try this series by Gena because from what I'm seeing here, I think I'll enjoy the world and it's blended with Romance too.

Shadow Hunter:
Damon is on a mission.  If the night goes as planned, there will be five dead.  All vampires and one being the top of his list.  Damon has tracked his target to Club Fantasy, a dangerous club in Rochester New York.  Damon requested this assignment of a string of dead bodies to find this target, to avenge his friend even if it means crossing paths with her - one from his past.  Damon feels he failed everyone, because of Caius, and he will kill him for it.  The person he comes across while there, isn't where or doing what he expected.  Far from it.  Tiffany is on a mission as well.  Two are out to kill the same man.  Will they kill each other in the crossfire?  Or learn of each other and put their guilt and pride away to work together?  Or even feel more between them, when they learn who the other truly is...

We are introduced to the Execution Underground and their ways in this novella.  By the end, you know who the crew is that will be working the area and ready to pick up in the first full length novel, Twilight Hunter.  Rochester is becoming the hot spot for Supernatural activity of all kinds, as Damon is seeing first hand.  And now is a new place to have a crew for Execution Underground to control and eliminate the threats.

We have two POV's in this story; Damon and Tiffany.  Romance GALORE with Damon here!  Sweet.  Hot.  And Sexy!  Mhmm, delicious tale with Damon.  I enjoy him and Tiffany.  Two people who didn't want partners find it might help to work together to accomplish their goal - to kill a powerful ancient Vampire.

This is a romance.  I liked that there is a connection between the main characters.  There is an immediate desire, but there is a great tidbit of history (unknown to one - you'll have to read to understand why) to build on.  I like when there feels to be something deeper in relationships in romances, and Kait has nailed it perfectly for me.  The attraction heats and pulls us along with them.

I enjoyed the little things about vampires that were played with and explained, to make the myth of vampires the authors own.  Here, Kait describes the rules and creates her world, setting the rules to play with and around.

I enjoyed this romance story.  Sex, fighting, growth to a starts of a new world and characters.  What more can I ask?  I'll be following this series!