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Dark-Hunter #1
Night Pleasures
See how it all began…
Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking the evil that preys on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power?
That is my existence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but am known to none. And I love every minute of it.
Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: an accountant. She’s smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal.
My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Now I find myself wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exist.
Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there’s any way a woman can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he’s not sure it will ever beat again.
Kyrian of Thrace
Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking the evil that preys on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power?
That is my existence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but am known to none. And I love every minute of it.
Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: an accountant. She’s smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal.
My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Now I find myself wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exist.
Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there’s any way a woman can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he’s not sure it will ever beat again.
Kyrian of Thrace
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2002
About the author
Sherrilyn Kenyon
241 books29.3k followersOfficial Author site
Official Nevermore site
Official Deadman's Cross site
Official Chronicles of Nick site
Official Silent Swans site
Official Hunter Legends site
Official Witch of Endor site
Official Lords of Avalon site
Official Facebook site
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
Official Nevermore site
Official Deadman's Cross site
Official Chronicles of Nick site
Official Silent Swans site
Official Hunter Legends site
Official Witch of Endor site
Official Lords of Avalon site
Official Facebook site
New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon is a regular at the #1 spot. With legions of fans known as Paladins (thousands of whom proudly sport tattoos from her series and who travel from all over the world to attend her appearances), her books are always snatched up as soon as they appear on store shelves. Since 2004, she had placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Her current series are: Dark-Hunters, Chronicles of Nick and The League, and her books are available in over 100 countries where eager fans impatiently wait for the next release. Her Chronicles of Nick and Dark-Hunter series are soon to be major motion pictures while Dark-Hunter is also being developed as a television series. Join her and her Paladins online at MySherrilyn.com and www.facebook.com/mysherrilyn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,246 reviews
September 6, 2016
Warning—This book is strictly for fantasy lovers and please do not attempt if you do not believe in Santa or big-foot!!!
He was a Dark-Hunter and she was an accountant.There had never been two more mismatched people born.
A short-note for the readers–-
Who or rather what are Dark-Hunters?
When someone suffers a horrible injustice their soul makes a scream so loud that it resonates through the halls of Olympus.When Artemis,goddess of moon hears it,she goes and offers the one who has been betrayed a bargain.One single Act of Vengeance against the ones who betrayed them and in return they will swear allegiance (giving their souls to her), and fight in her army against the Daimon predators.
And as for what are Daimons, they are pure evil.Born as Apollites(I’d rather not explain their history),they were cursed to have a life-span of 27 years.But Daimons chose to increase their life span by devouring human souls.
So the primary duty of Dark Hunters is to protect humans and of course their souls.
He is mad, bad and immortal–-
With the strength of Ares,the body and face of Adonis and the sensuous gifts of Aphrodite,he was all things sensual and hot.A born warrior ,invincible,he was respected and feared by all.He was passion and desire.He was the proud warrior prince,Kyrian of Thrace.
Until he was brutally betrayed.Betrayed by the one woman whom he loved more than anything.
And now,he is the Ruler of the Night.Neither man nor beast,he is solitude,he is darkness.He is a shadow in the night.He is a Dark-Hunter.
Beauty is sometimes best when it’s lethal–-
All Amanda Devereaux had ever wanted was a normal,boring life!!Really,is it too much to ask for??She tries her best but with eight older sisters who deal with magic,voodoo,vampire hunting,etc.,etc.,etc.,it is difficult.On top of that she has powers herself.Great ,untapped powers.Lethal powers.
So it’s safe to presume that her wish for a normal life doesn’t get fulfilled as often as she desires.
Like in the very beginning—-
The only thing she wanted when she went to her twin sister Tabitha’s house was to let out Tabitha’s dog(and that too grudgingly).But before she could process what was happening she got hit on her head and lost consciousness.
When she woke up she found out that she had been kidnapped!!!And by a Daimon no less.And handcuffed to a gorgeous,yummy male vampire (she did not know about Kyrian or Dark-Hunters then)!!!
And before long she finds that she has a vampire lover,a super evil Daimon who wants to kill her,Kyrian and her family,Dream-Hunters poofing in and out,enraged goddesses,other Dark Hunters....
And on top of that she is Kyrian’s way out of this Dark-Hunter business and his only chance of having a normal life.She is the only one who can return Kyrian’s soul to him.But it’s extremely risky and if she fails Kyrian will become a Shade.He will be eternally damned.
Jeez...no pressure at all!!
Kyrian has to kill this special Daimon with more powers than he has ever encountered before.
Of course he seeks help from the Oracles who help them in protecting humans.
But of course,them being Gods and all,they can’t let their verses be deciphered easily—
“Of Apollite birth and Daimon born,he is the one who will make you mourn.
Through the wine god’s blood and bath,he exists as pure wrath.
To bring him under total control,you must find a Dark-Hunter with a soul.”
A Dark-Hunter with a soul.Impossible...or is it??
---------------------
3.5 to 4 stars
To all my dear fantasy lovers,I promise a treat.You’ll laugh,you’ll cry,you’ll love and sometimes bask in the silly,childish warmth of this story.
ENJOY!!!
**Bobo,thanks for buddy-reading it with me!!**
He was a Dark-Hunter and she was an accountant.There had never been two more mismatched people born.
A short-note for the readers–-
Who or rather what are Dark-Hunters?
When someone suffers a horrible injustice their soul makes a scream so loud that it resonates through the halls of Olympus.When Artemis,goddess of moon hears it,she goes and offers the one who has been betrayed a bargain.One single Act of Vengeance against the ones who betrayed them and in return they will swear allegiance (giving their souls to her), and fight in her army against the Daimon predators.
And as for what are Daimons, they are pure evil.Born as Apollites(I’d rather not explain their history),they were cursed to have a life-span of 27 years.But Daimons chose to increase their life span by devouring human souls.
So the primary duty of Dark Hunters is to protect humans and of course their souls.
He is mad, bad and immortal–-
With the strength of Ares,the body and face of Adonis and the sensuous gifts of Aphrodite,he was all things sensual and hot.A born warrior ,invincible,he was respected and feared by all.He was passion and desire.He was the proud warrior prince,Kyrian of Thrace.
Until he was brutally betrayed.Betrayed by the one woman whom he loved more than anything.
And now,he is the Ruler of the Night.Neither man nor beast,he is solitude,he is darkness.He is a shadow in the night.He is a Dark-Hunter.
Beauty is sometimes best when it’s lethal–-
All Amanda Devereaux had ever wanted was a normal,boring life!!Really,is it too much to ask for??She tries her best but with eight older sisters who deal with magic,voodoo,vampire hunting,etc.,etc.,etc.,it is difficult.On top of that she has powers herself.Great ,untapped powers.Lethal powers.
So it’s safe to presume that her wish for a normal life doesn’t get fulfilled as often as she desires.
Like in the very beginning—-
The only thing she wanted when she went to her twin sister Tabitha’s house was to let out Tabitha’s dog(and that too grudgingly).But before she could process what was happening she got hit on her head and lost consciousness.
When she woke up she found out that she had been kidnapped!!!And by a Daimon no less.And handcuffed to a gorgeous,yummy male vampire (she did not know about Kyrian or Dark-Hunters then)!!!
And before long she finds that she has a vampire lover,a super evil Daimon who wants to kill her,Kyrian and her family,Dream-Hunters poofing in and out,enraged goddesses,other Dark Hunters....
And on top of that she is Kyrian’s way out of this Dark-Hunter business and his only chance of having a normal life.She is the only one who can return Kyrian’s soul to him.But it’s extremely risky and if she fails Kyrian will become a Shade.He will be eternally damned.
Jeez...no pressure at all!!
Kyrian has to kill this special Daimon with more powers than he has ever encountered before.
Of course he seeks help from the Oracles who help them in protecting humans.
But of course,them being Gods and all,they can’t let their verses be deciphered easily—
“Of Apollite birth and Daimon born,he is the one who will make you mourn.
Through the wine god’s blood and bath,he exists as pure wrath.
To bring him under total control,you must find a Dark-Hunter with a soul.”
A Dark-Hunter with a soul.Impossible...or is it??
---------------------
3.5 to 4 stars
To all my dear fantasy lovers,I promise a treat.You’ll laugh,you’ll cry,you’ll love and sometimes bask in the silly,childish warmth of this story.
ENJOY!!!
**Bobo,thanks for buddy-reading it with me!!**
April 20, 2011
This book sounded so promising, it was my first read by Sherrilyn Kenyon and I'd heard many people raving on about how great her Dark Hunter novels were; and as a fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, I couldn't wait to find another sexy, dark series to get into, complete with the usual array of vampires and mythology.
The problem with the paranormal romance genre, and even more so the urban fantasy genre, is that after you've read a few of them they all start to form a similar pattern with characters you begin to recognise from other books plus the same old storylines and ancient mythology (I'm getting so good at remembering greek gods). So, the trick is to give the reader what they came to get but put a unique twist on it, don't write the same story a thousand writers have churned out and surprise them with different characters (note: broody men aren't even that hot - sexy Spike always did so much more for me than sulky Angel). This story, unfortunately, had nothing new or exciting, it's hard to pick the plot and characters out of masses that I've read that are chasing each other round my brain. I couldn't get into the story or take much interest in either Amanda or Kyrian, their dialogue wasn't the cute, sarcastic banter that I love in good PR and UF but rather it was cliched and annoying - who actually says the words "made hot, sweet love" without laughing afterwards?
I also had so many problems with Kyrian (the dark hunter guy), I really don't care to be told a hundred times how gorgeous he is, when an author does that it makes me think that's all there is to the character and I immediately lose interest. He's so beautiful, so well-muscled, so this, that and the other. Shallow. The author seemed to care far more about his "cute butt" than the rushed-out back story of his wife's betrayal and his weeks of torture at the hands of her new lover. It was almost as if Kenyon decided at the last minute that Mr Perfect sounded very two-dimensional (which he did) and she came up with some weak pity story that just didn't work. And, as for the brooding I mentioned, please stop feeling sorry for yourself - it's been 2000 years, nobody realistically pities themselves that long.
I thought about giving it one star but decided that it wasn't that bad. It just didn't stand out from any other, and I know I'll find it easy to forget about. For that reason, I'm not going to bother with the rest of the series. But, I will say, I loved the Buffy references; if I met a vampire that didn't drink from humans, I'd say something like "oh, so you're like Angel!"
The problem with the paranormal romance genre, and even more so the urban fantasy genre, is that after you've read a few of them they all start to form a similar pattern with characters you begin to recognise from other books plus the same old storylines and ancient mythology (I'm getting so good at remembering greek gods). So, the trick is to give the reader what they came to get but put a unique twist on it, don't write the same story a thousand writers have churned out and surprise them with different characters (note: broody men aren't even that hot - sexy Spike always did so much more for me than sulky Angel). This story, unfortunately, had nothing new or exciting, it's hard to pick the plot and characters out of masses that I've read that are chasing each other round my brain. I couldn't get into the story or take much interest in either Amanda or Kyrian, their dialogue wasn't the cute, sarcastic banter that I love in good PR and UF but rather it was cliched and annoying - who actually says the words "made hot, sweet love" without laughing afterwards?
I also had so many problems with Kyrian (the dark hunter guy), I really don't care to be told a hundred times how gorgeous he is, when an author does that it makes me think that's all there is to the character and I immediately lose interest. He's so beautiful, so well-muscled, so this, that and the other. Shallow. The author seemed to care far more about his "cute butt" than the rushed-out back story of his wife's betrayal and his weeks of torture at the hands of her new lover. It was almost as if Kenyon decided at the last minute that Mr Perfect sounded very two-dimensional (which he did) and she came up with some weak pity story that just didn't work. And, as for the brooding I mentioned, please stop feeling sorry for yourself - it's been 2000 years, nobody realistically pities themselves that long.
I thought about giving it one star but decided that it wasn't that bad. It just didn't stand out from any other, and I know I'll find it easy to forget about. For that reason, I'm not going to bother with the rest of the series. But, I will say, I loved the Buffy references; if I met a vampire that didn't drink from humans, I'd say something like "oh, so you're like Angel!"
December 4, 2013
This isn't a review, it's a rant...
I know many readers love this series, but I'm beginning to think it isn't for me. This was my second book by SK - the first was Fantasy Lover - and I still don't know what all the fuss is about. The concept and the mythology of the Dark Hunters are very interesting, but SK's writing didn't work for me again. What annoyed me the most was how all her characters were constantly cracking jokes, no matter how serious and dangerous the situation was. Everyone was a smartass and it became too much too soon. I enjoy humor, but there's a time and place for it. The way SK inserted it into every single scene was distracting and prevented me from connecting with the story and the characters. I couldn't find myself bleeding over Kyrian's tortured past and, at times, I wanted to shake silly Amanda and tell her to shut up.
Based on what I just said, one might wonder why I'm giving this book 3 stars. Well, I didn't hate it. The story was interesting and there were some good scenes, like the one where Amanda dreams/sees Kyrian's past and death. Too bad SK's writing wasn't up to that level all the time.
The strange thing is, I like SK's writing as Kinley MacGregor. How can the same author have such distinct effect on me? Oh well, the three-strike rule still applies and I'm going to give SK one last chance to win me. I'm OCD about reading series in order and I already know I'll have to work on that because it looks like the next book in the series won't be a winner either. I'll have to skip ahead and tackle either Night Play (Dark-Hunter, #6) or Acheron. Decisions, decisions...
I know many readers love this series, but I'm beginning to think it isn't for me. This was my second book by SK - the first was Fantasy Lover - and I still don't know what all the fuss is about. The concept and the mythology of the Dark Hunters are very interesting, but SK's writing didn't work for me again. What annoyed me the most was how all her characters were constantly cracking jokes, no matter how serious and dangerous the situation was. Everyone was a smartass and it became too much too soon. I enjoy humor, but there's a time and place for it. The way SK inserted it into every single scene was distracting and prevented me from connecting with the story and the characters. I couldn't find myself bleeding over Kyrian's tortured past and, at times, I wanted to shake silly Amanda and tell her to shut up.
Based on what I just said, one might wonder why I'm giving this book 3 stars. Well, I didn't hate it. The story was interesting and there were some good scenes, like the one where Amanda dreams/sees Kyrian's past and death. Too bad SK's writing wasn't up to that level all the time.
The strange thing is, I like SK's writing as Kinley MacGregor. How can the same author have such distinct effect on me? Oh well, the three-strike rule still applies and I'm going to give SK one last chance to win me. I'm OCD about reading series in order and I already know I'll have to work on that because it looks like the next book in the series won't be a winner either. I'll have to skip ahead and tackle either Night Play (Dark-Hunter, #6) or Acheron. Decisions, decisions...
July 5, 2012
I really don’t have anything interesting to mention in this review, so let’s do it the old school way, simple and effective.
Dark Hunter Flashcard #1
Name : Kyrian a.k.a. Hunter
Age: 2,182 last July
Former Occupation: Prince of Thrace
Special D.H. power: Reading minds
Reason why he became a D.H.:
Best thing that came out of his mouth: You know, I really hate Romans, but I have to say their descendants make one fine automobile.
He finds his one true love when: A Daimon cuffs them together.
He falls for her because: I didn't quite get that, and I’m not sure that even he knows, but I think it was because a few hours after he met her, they were un-cuffed and she was sad to see him go. Nobody has been sad to see him go in the past 2,150 years.
And something about her eyes…
Her Name: Amanda Deveraux
Age: 26
Occupation: Accountant
Best thing that came out of her mouth: Alright, macho babe boy, I'm not some little ditz to bat my eyelashes at the buff stud in black leather. Don't try your he-man tactics with me. I'll have you know, in my office, I'm known as the ball-breaker.
She falls for him because: The boy has got some fine abs.
Surgeon General's Warning: Diabetics, stay away.
The Devil's Advocate: The side characters of Nick and Acheron, great average rating so obviously many people liked it.
Take it or leave it?: If you are interested in reading the series, and the general opinion is that it becomes much better as it progresses, you just have to go through this one. Enjoy.
June 23, 2016
There is a lot of hoopla about this series, so I will give it a few books before judging it as good or eye-rollingly tropey cheesey smut. There are tons of these type of things:
Stroking tongues
Moaning into mouths
Hot gazes
Hungry looks
And melting...lots and lots of melting...
O_o
So, yeah...
On the other hand, the world is really cool and original. I like the Dark Hunter origin story and the Greek mythology. Those Greek gods sure are assholes.
So we have Kyrian, a former Greek commander and present Dark Hunter, and Amanda, an accountant. A perfect match! There is a bad guy who introduces them by hand-cuffing them together. Talk about an awkward first date. And, of course they are magnetically attracted to each other, and of course she is now in danger unless he protects her.
There are many Dark Hunters, they are all gorgeous, and they all have sad back stories, and apparently they are all going to fall in love. And, the good news is that they seem to get all hot and bothered by average, somewhat chubby, everyday women. Lucky us! So, on to the next tortured brooding hot man.
Stroking tongues
Moaning into mouths
Hot gazes
Hungry looks
And melting...lots and lots of melting...
O_o
So, yeah...
On the other hand, the world is really cool and original. I like the Dark Hunter origin story and the Greek mythology. Those Greek gods sure are assholes.
So we have Kyrian, a former Greek commander and present Dark Hunter, and Amanda, an accountant. A perfect match! There is a bad guy who introduces them by hand-cuffing them together. Talk about an awkward first date. And, of course they are magnetically attracted to each other, and of course she is now in danger unless he protects her.
There are many Dark Hunters, they are all gorgeous, and they all have sad back stories, and apparently they are all going to fall in love. And, the good news is that they seem to get all hot and bothered by average, somewhat chubby, everyday women. Lucky us! So, on to the next tortured brooding hot man.
July 30, 2017
Kyrian of Thrace (Hunter) & Amanda Devereaux (Human)
Why Kyrian become a dark hunter: His older unfaithful wife betrayed him to the Romans and then sat back and watched him being tortured to death. He still has nightmares and phobias about it.
Amanda: An accountant who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
One thing I loved: Amanda is given a special Barbie with knives that shoot out of her feet.
Settings: New Orleans, Louisiana
I loved the humor, the story, the characters, the mythology.
Favourite quote:
"So, you're like Angel?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "You watch way too much television," he muttered.
Then louder, he said, "Angel has a soul, I don't."
"Now, you're back to being scary again."
The look on his face reiterated his earlier words: Baby, you ain't seen scary yet.
Why Kyrian become a dark hunter: His older unfaithful wife betrayed him to the Romans and then sat back and watched him being tortured to death. He still has nightmares and phobias about it.
Amanda: An accountant who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
One thing I loved: Amanda is given a special Barbie with knives that shoot out of her feet.
Settings: New Orleans, Louisiana
I loved the humor, the story, the characters, the mythology.
Favourite quote:
"So, you're like Angel?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "You watch way too much television," he muttered.
Then louder, he said, "Angel has a soul, I don't."
"Now, you're back to being scary again."
The look on his face reiterated his earlier words: Baby, you ain't seen scary yet.
December 15, 2020
Tengo que decir que he disfrutado mucho de esta lectura! Hacía tiempo que quería leerlo y, no sé por qué, siempre terminaba leyendo otro libro. Pero me ha encantado en mayúsculas. Es más, ahora estoy con la curiosidad alborotada por saber más de algún que otro personaje que ha salido en este tomo.
October 11, 2016
The story was utterly engaging and enjoyable, so much so that I couldn't put it down. Sherrilyn Kenyon has done it again! Her writing is practically flawless. I loved every single thing that happened in this book.
It broke my heart when I knew Kyrian's painful history. No wonder he wouldn't trust and love any woman since his wife had betrayed him.
By the way, There were some interesting characters whom I would like to know more in the other books. I was absolutely intrigued by this series!
It broke my heart when I knew Kyrian's painful history. No wonder he wouldn't trust and love any woman since his wife had betrayed him.
By the way, There were some interesting characters whom I would like to know more in the other books. I was absolutely intrigued by this series!
March 26, 2017
Me ha encantado este primer libro de los Cazadores Oscuros. El universo que crea la autora es muy interesante y me encantan su sentido del humor y los tiras y aflojas verbales de los dos protagonistas. Kyrian, además de ser supersexy, es un amor y Amanda es una gran protagonista femenina. Pero la escena álgida del final me ha parecido un poco precipitada y desmañada, de ahí que no le dé, por poco, las 5 estrellas.
February 18, 2012
Just finished my reread and I loved this just as much, if not more, the second time. No PNR author writes 5-star stories with as much heart as Kenyon does IMO. Her books are the perfect blend of tortured heroes, strong heroines, engaging plot, intricate mythology, heart touching moment and the sweetest HEAs. I really love how she also clearly had an overall story arc from page one. During my reread, I caught a lot of things that set up books far down the series that I never noticed the first time. Best PNR series hands down :)
PS, I'd recommend starting the series with this book (not the prequel Fantasy Lover). It's not that I don't like FL, I really did, i just think its not as good an example of what the series is like if you trying to figure out whether or not this series is for you since it takes place in the world, but is not technically a Dark Hunter book since the main hero is not one. I personally read it after I finished book 6 and was very happy with that placement.
PS, I'd recommend starting the series with this book (not the prequel Fantasy Lover). It's not that I don't like FL, I really did, i just think its not as good an example of what the series is like if you trying to figure out whether or not this series is for you since it takes place in the world, but is not technically a Dark Hunter book since the main hero is not one. I personally read it after I finished book 6 and was very happy with that placement.
March 3, 2016
SPOILERS ARE HIDDEN
Sherrilyn Kenyon is becoming a better author, but we still have a ways to go.
Kyrian is a Dark Hunter. Amanda is one of the 9 Devereaux sisters. Selena, the psychic from Fantasy Lover, for example, is her sister. They wake up to find themselves handcuffed together by an evil Daimon named Desiderius.
They fall in love and stuff.
...
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
- Kyrian is sarcastic and joking. While amusing, it failed to connect me to the character. I couldn't get worried too much about his tragic backstory because he was just so happy-go-lucky all the time.
- Frenching a man with razor-blades for teeth is not sexy. Opening the veins of your lover to drink blood is not sexy. Even though Kyrian never drinks Amanda's blood in the book, it IS romanticized and sexualized. That, to me, is creepy.
- Twice in this book, Kenyon refers to a man grabbing a woman's butt during a make-out session as something... I don't know... dirty and forbidden. As if "good girls" or "proper ladies" don't enjoy that kind of "dirty" behavior. As if "allowing" a man to manhandle you like this (LOL pun intended - I couldn't help it) is wanton and a reason to be ashamed of herself. I mean, her heroines "allow" their lover to do this, and enjoy the hell out of it, but Kenyon never lets it go without saying something about how shocking it is. Believe you me, I can think of TONS of shocking or dirty or "this is shameful but I enjoy it so much, I shouldn't be doing this but it feels so good" behavior, but having a man cup your ass while kissing you (fully clothed!) is NOT one of them. Actually, I find this to be a benign and innocuous activity that is fun for both parties, doesn't spread disease, doesn't cause any pain... I guess I'm just confused by her attitude toward this seemingly mild act.
- Mindreading. I HATE mindreaders. I find this SUCH a violation of privacy, and can tolerate it when it's treated as a rape or as a serious concern, but I can't stand when it's supposed to be sexy. Being with a person who can read your mind is NOT sexy, it's flippin' scary as heck. I don't care whether the man or woman is doing it - if it's an unsolicited non-consensual mental connection, it's a violation of a person and it's wrong. Both Kyrian and Amanda read minds in this book and I hate it. (For an amazing, intelligent novel on this kind of thing, I highly recommend Nexus by Ramez Naam.)
- Valerius is a total a--hole who tortures Kyrian for a month, has sex with his wife in front of him, and crucifies him. He does other horrible stuff, too. Isn't this guy a hero in a future book? What the flip? (Edit: I found out that the Valerius who is the hero later is the grandson of this a--hole, not the a--hole himself.)
- Kenyon flip-flops around with her rules. She'll mention something, and then "forget" about it for a while. I don't know why she thinks the reader won't pick up on this and be confused. Two examples from this book are:
The mental powers. She's like: Kyrian is giving up his mental connection into Amanda's mind. But then he's still reading her mind for about 10 or 20 more pages. And THEN it's like: Okay, now this time for real! He can't read her mind anymore! o.O Just confusing and as if she's going back on what she said earlier. It's sloppy.
The climax clause. Kyrian and Amanda are told explicitly that Kyrian can't climax anymore or he'll lose his powers. So no orgasms for him! But then, a few hours later, they're going at it like rabbits and he definitely orgasms. No explanation for this is given. Even if Kenyon had thrown in a "Hey, they were just so horny they couldn't help themselves" I would have been satisfied. But it's never mentioned or addressed. It's strange. And also sloppy.
- Orgasm denial. What is it with Kenyon's obsession with denying men their orgasms? I don't like it. Here, it's stated that if Kyrian orgasms with Amanda ('cause of love and stuff - doesn't work with other women) then he will lose his powers. So... This is the second book by her where she's been like: "Hero! No orgasms for you! Suffer!" As a feminist this really bothers me. I feel sorry for her male characters when she puts them through a book like this. It makes me actually very sad, and I can't enjoy the sex scenes because I am too upset for the hero. :( I totally understand the need to empower females in a sexual way in your book. By all means, have the woman climax first and make the guy super-attentive and in love with going down on her and stuff. By all means. Give her 5 orgasms before giving him one. Fine. Wonderful! But please let the man come too! It's just so mean. :(
- The Barbie. Amanda is given this special Barbie with knives that shoot out of her feet. She loves the Barbie and carries it around with her for half the novel. o.O I find this strange and not at all appealing. Infantilizing a grown woman who's an accountant and doesn't even normally like dolls or collect them by making her carry a Barbie around is gross. Especially at the end when Kenyon stresses the "little girl" vibe. (End fight scene - if you read the book you know what I'm talking about).
- The final fight scene. OMG, so lame and silly. Just really dumb. I was incredulous. This is it!?!?
THINGS I LIKED
- Kenyon is funny. Not as funny as Gena Showalter, but she's funny. I like her jokes and her sense of humor. It's cute.
- Magical vagina that heals the hero's damaged psyche. I know people complain about this, but in romance novels I really enjoy the "damaged" hero or heroine being healed or set free by love and good sex. This was definitely a case of loving sex with Amanda "curing" Kyrian of his phobias and healing the wounds from his past.
- This is a spoiler:
- Kyrian giving a prostitute $500 dollars for no reason and not caring what she spends it on.
CONCLUSION
Kenyon is improving! Soon she will get a "3 real stars, 5 romance stars" from me! Just you wait! LOL
2 real stars, 3 romance stars.
Sherrilyn Kenyon is becoming a better author, but we still have a ways to go.
Kyrian is a Dark Hunter. Amanda is one of the 9 Devereaux sisters. Selena, the psychic from Fantasy Lover, for example, is her sister. They wake up to find themselves handcuffed together by an evil Daimon named Desiderius.
They fall in love and stuff.
...
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
- Kyrian is sarcastic and joking. While amusing, it failed to connect me to the character. I couldn't get worried too much about his tragic backstory because he was just so happy-go-lucky all the time.
- Frenching a man with razor-blades for teeth is not sexy. Opening the veins of your lover to drink blood is not sexy. Even though Kyrian never drinks Amanda's blood in the book, it IS romanticized and sexualized. That, to me, is creepy.
- Twice in this book, Kenyon refers to a man grabbing a woman's butt during a make-out session as something... I don't know... dirty and forbidden. As if "good girls" or "proper ladies" don't enjoy that kind of "dirty" behavior. As if "allowing" a man to manhandle you like this (LOL pun intended - I couldn't help it) is wanton and a reason to be ashamed of herself. I mean, her heroines "allow" their lover to do this, and enjoy the hell out of it, but Kenyon never lets it go without saying something about how shocking it is. Believe you me, I can think of TONS of shocking or dirty or "this is shameful but I enjoy it so much, I shouldn't be doing this but it feels so good" behavior, but having a man cup your ass while kissing you (fully clothed!) is NOT one of them. Actually, I find this to be a benign and innocuous activity that is fun for both parties, doesn't spread disease, doesn't cause any pain... I guess I'm just confused by her attitude toward this seemingly mild act.
- Mindreading. I HATE mindreaders. I find this SUCH a violation of privacy, and can tolerate it when it's treated as a rape or as a serious concern, but I can't stand when it's supposed to be sexy. Being with a person who can read your mind is NOT sexy, it's flippin' scary as heck. I don't care whether the man or woman is doing it - if it's an unsolicited non-consensual mental connection, it's a violation of a person and it's wrong. Both Kyrian and Amanda read minds in this book and I hate it. (For an amazing, intelligent novel on this kind of thing, I highly recommend Nexus by Ramez Naam.)
- Valerius is a total a--hole who tortures Kyrian for a month, has sex with his wife in front of him, and crucifies him. He does other horrible stuff, too. Isn't this guy a hero in a future book? What the flip? (Edit: I found out that the Valerius who is the hero later is the grandson of this a--hole, not the a--hole himself.)
- Kenyon flip-flops around with her rules. She'll mention something, and then "forget" about it for a while. I don't know why she thinks the reader won't pick up on this and be confused. Two examples from this book are:
The mental powers. She's like: Kyrian is giving up his mental connection into Amanda's mind. But then he's still reading her mind for about 10 or 20 more pages. And THEN it's like: Okay, now this time for real! He can't read her mind anymore! o.O Just confusing and as if she's going back on what she said earlier. It's sloppy.
The climax clause. Kyrian and Amanda are told explicitly that Kyrian can't climax anymore or he'll lose his powers. So no orgasms for him! But then, a few hours later, they're going at it like rabbits and he definitely orgasms. No explanation for this is given. Even if Kenyon had thrown in a "Hey, they were just so horny they couldn't help themselves" I would have been satisfied. But it's never mentioned or addressed. It's strange. And also sloppy.
- Orgasm denial. What is it with Kenyon's obsession with denying men their orgasms? I don't like it. Here, it's stated that if Kyrian orgasms with Amanda ('cause of love and stuff - doesn't work with other women) then he will lose his powers. So... This is the second book by her where she's been like: "Hero! No orgasms for you! Suffer!" As a feminist this really bothers me. I feel sorry for her male characters when she puts them through a book like this. It makes me actually very sad, and I can't enjoy the sex scenes because I am too upset for the hero. :( I totally understand the need to empower females in a sexual way in your book. By all means, have the woman climax first and make the guy super-attentive and in love with going down on her and stuff. By all means. Give her 5 orgasms before giving him one. Fine. Wonderful! But please let the man come too! It's just so mean. :(
- The Barbie. Amanda is given this special Barbie with knives that shoot out of her feet. She loves the Barbie and carries it around with her for half the novel. o.O I find this strange and not at all appealing. Infantilizing a grown woman who's an accountant and doesn't even normally like dolls or collect them by making her carry a Barbie around is gross. Especially at the end when Kenyon stresses the "little girl" vibe. (End fight scene - if you read the book you know what I'm talking about).
- The final fight scene. OMG, so lame and silly. Just really dumb. I was incredulous. This is it!?!?
THINGS I LIKED
- Kenyon is funny. Not as funny as Gena Showalter, but she's funny. I like her jokes and her sense of humor. It's cute.
- Magical vagina that heals the hero's damaged psyche. I know people complain about this, but in romance novels I really enjoy the "damaged" hero or heroine being healed or set free by love and good sex. This was definitely a case of loving sex with Amanda "curing" Kyrian of his phobias and healing the wounds from his past.
- This is a spoiler:
- Kyrian giving a prostitute $500 dollars for no reason and not caring what she spends it on.
CONCLUSION
Kenyon is improving! Soon she will get a "3 real stars, 5 romance stars" from me! Just you wait! LOL
2 real stars, 3 romance stars.
March 6, 2009
Oooh Kindle, what trash you make me read. I'd read about this series for a long time and was too red-faced to buy the six pack cover at Borders. Well, this ended up on my Kindle and...I enjoyed it! I'm totally vampired out, but the world was kinda interesting, I've lived in New Orleans, and there are so many fans of the series. Nice romance, pretty interesting characters, I didn't regret reading. Now the later ones....
March 15, 2016
the very first dark hunter book and still one of my all time favs. we are introduced into the world of the dark-hunters who protect us from those that walk the night praying on our souls, and to a hole cast of people that come to life as the books series continues.
June 28, 2010
It's actually unbelievable that I get such a kick out of these books. They are completely rushed, thick with cheese and very eye-roll worthy, and yet, I'm loving it.
Amanda wanted normality in her life, but sadly it's not in the cards for her. Mistaken for her twin, she is attacked and the next thing she knows she's handcuffed to a big, tall and sexy who she can't help but want...of course.
Enter Kyrian.
I don't know why I have such a thing for tortured past-brooding tempered- smoldering vamps, but at last, Kyrian is very tasty and I love that sexy humor.
I guess technically this would be the first book for the Dark Hunters. Fantasy Lover introducing the world and Julian's role, but Night Pleasure is the first one that has the Dark Hunters in it. It was good to see Julian and Grace again and we meet new characters as well, Nick and Acheron (Ash). I was happy to see Nick since he's the reason for these reads to begin with, wanting to get into Kenyon's new YA release Infinity (Chronicles of Nick). Acheron seems like a promising character, very commanding and sharp. I look forward to getting to know him as I continue with the series.
I'm pleasantly surprised just how much I'm enjoying this world, it's captivating with crazy imagination.
Night Pleasures was another fun read. It's has some great humor and even some action, definitely still cheesy, but very sexy.
One thing is for sure, these books are great for sheer entertainment!
Amanda wanted normality in her life, but sadly it's not in the cards for her. Mistaken for her twin, she is attacked and the next thing she knows she's handcuffed to a big, tall and sexy who she can't help but want...of course.
Enter Kyrian.
I don't know why I have such a thing for tortured past-brooding tempered- smoldering vamps, but at last, Kyrian is very tasty and I love that sexy humor.
I guess technically this would be the first book for the Dark Hunters. Fantasy Lover introducing the world and Julian's role, but Night Pleasure is the first one that has the Dark Hunters in it. It was good to see Julian and Grace again and we meet new characters as well, Nick and Acheron (Ash). I was happy to see Nick since he's the reason for these reads to begin with, wanting to get into Kenyon's new YA release Infinity (Chronicles of Nick). Acheron seems like a promising character, very commanding and sharp. I look forward to getting to know him as I continue with the series.
I'm pleasantly surprised just how much I'm enjoying this world, it's captivating with crazy imagination.
Night Pleasures was another fun read. It's has some great humor and even some action, definitely still cheesy, but very sexy.
One thing is for sure, these books are great for sheer entertainment!
August 19, 2019
"Well, I'm not an expert, but that guy behind you looks like a Daimon to me."
Captivating writing style, appealing and lovable characters, and unique world-building make this novel really enjoyable.
The writing is professional. The information about the characters, the background myth, the world-building, the different kinds of beings, the story of Kyrian, and the significance of the secondary and tertiary characters are all built up very accurately and smoothly. As the story progresses, everything is unfolded.
Humor. Excellent, I really enjoyed it! :)
"Gary got a lead on that vamp pack," Eric said to Tabitha. "We're going to try and get the vampires before it gets dark. You ready?"
If Amanda rolled her eyes any harder back into her head, she'd go blind from it. "One day, you guys are going to inadvertently kill a human being acting this way. Remember that time you attacked the Anne Rice – Lestat reenactment group in the cemetery?"
Kyrian. Tragic past based on an intriguing and unique myth and history background. Still, somehow his personality remains in shadow. I just can’t see him.
"What kind of life have you lived, little one, that everything seems to be a question of fair and unfair? Life and death just are. Fair has nothing to do with it."
Amanda. She is spirited, sarcastic, brave, and loving. Her character is really special with her suppressed and finally activated abilities.
"For the first time, she saw the soul of the man who had no soul."
Desiderius. He is a powerful and unpredictable villain, but I don’t understand his motivation. What is he driven by? Rage, revenge, bitterness, or simply pure cruelty? His erratic deeds make the action line random and incidental. He wants What are his long-term goals? Anyway, although Desiderius’ character is well created, sadly his motivation and aims are not clear, and finally his evilness becomes insignificant. There is no real drama at the end.
Secondary characters. Nick, Tabitha, Esmeralda, Talon, Acheron are professionally delineated, and very intriguing.
"Sarcasm, thy name is Nick Gautier."
Romance. As in every paranormal romance, the realization that they are in love comes pretty fast. But as they are not merely human, and possess supernatural abilities, I can absolutely accept it. The erotic scenes – as usual by Ms. Kenyon – are hot and sizzling.
Night Pleasures is an entertaining book of a really unique series.
My favorite quotes.
June 13, 2021
Kyrian's story was heartbreaking. Over two thousand years ago, he was the general of the Grecian army, holding back the invasion of the Romans. He was also a prince, destined to inherit a grand kingdom. He was also a human being who was feeling the flush of young love. He was so in love with his wife that he ignored the warnings of his father and his friends. So blindly in love that he didn't see the truth of who he was in love with until he was tortured to death while staring into her cold eyes.
When Kyrian died so long ago, he gave up his soul to become a Dark Hunter in Artemis's army against evil. He had condemned himself to a lonely existence. However, when the most powerful daimon ties him to Amanda, a seemingly ordinary human who belongs to a family of extraordinary humans, Kyrian starts to question everything he knows. He feels connected to her in a way he's never felt before and she feels emotions for him that are unexplained. It's almost like they were fated, although there was no mention of this.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the creation of vampires mythos that the author illustrated, I did feel like I was dumped in the middle of a story. Quite a few characters were introduced that I'm guessing have had or will have their own story and I'm interested enough to want to read them. I liked learning about the other hunters, the types of hunters, the goddess they serve (and what's the story between her and Acheron?), and how getting their souls is different for each individual.
Kyrian was blessed that Amanda, despite the fact that she continued to refer to him as a vampire after learning he wasn't one, loved him the way he deserved to be loved.
March 18, 2011
Circa 1999
The One where Joey Eats Rachel’s English Trifle
*cue Joey eating the trifle*
I like it!
What’s not to like?
Custard? Characters.... Good!
Jam? Plot.... Goooood!
Meat? Kyrian.... Goooooooood!
Okay, this book is better than Rachael’s meat, peas, onions, whip cream, jam and raspberry English trifle. Way better! It has all of the ingredients for a steamy, edgy, exciting and faced paced adventure.
Although it’s definitely a read that’s outside of my preferred genre, I feel Sherrilyn Kenyon has what it takes to hook most paranormal/urban fantasy fans with her Dark Hunter Series and Night Pleasures was a great installment!
I loved all the snarky dialog between Amanda and Kyrian. They make a great pair and not just in the convo department. There is definitely a lot of steam between these two characters. A LOT! But, the great thing about it is that Kenyon does a great job of developing their characters that you come to instantly like them, so reading the spice doesn’t feel awkward or forced.
I really liked the secondary characters in this novel, especially Nick. I hope he makes more appearances in the upcoming books. He’s funny, smart and loyal to Kyrian, which was admirable. He was an instant hit for me. I’d also love to read more about Talon and possibly some of the Dream Hunters. Great additions to the storyline.
The mythology that’s infused into the storyline is done just right. I like to hear about the Greek gods and how they play a role in the current day conflict. I will admit, the paranormal lore can be a bit confusing and I was left wondering about the full extent of Amanda’s powers. I would have loved to read more on that, but overall I enjoyed the ride and I’ll definitely be continuing with this serried. GOOD!!!
The One where Joey Eats Rachel’s English Trifle
*cue Joey eating the trifle*
I like it!
What’s not to like?
Okay, this book is better than Rachael’s meat, peas, onions, whip cream, jam and raspberry English trifle. Way better! It has all of the ingredients for a steamy, edgy, exciting and faced paced adventure.
Although it’s definitely a read that’s outside of my preferred genre, I feel Sherrilyn Kenyon has what it takes to hook most paranormal/urban fantasy fans with her Dark Hunter Series and Night Pleasures was a great installment!
I loved all the snarky dialog between Amanda and Kyrian. They make a great pair and not just in the convo department. There is definitely a lot of steam between these two characters. A LOT! But, the great thing about it is that Kenyon does a great job of developing their characters that you come to instantly like them, so reading the spice doesn’t feel awkward or forced.
I really liked the secondary characters in this novel, especially Nick. I hope he makes more appearances in the upcoming books. He’s funny, smart and loyal to Kyrian, which was admirable. He was an instant hit for me. I’d also love to read more about Talon and possibly some of the Dream Hunters. Great additions to the storyline.
The mythology that’s infused into the storyline is done just right. I like to hear about the Greek gods and how they play a role in the current day conflict. I will admit, the paranormal lore can be a bit confusing and I was left wondering about the full extent of Amanda’s powers. I would have loved to read more on that, but overall I enjoyed the ride and I’ll definitely be continuing with this serried. GOOD!!!
May 26, 2015
I've been on a real binge this month, discovering Sherrilyn Kenyon's work!
The world she created not only is dark, ominous and terrifying but is also bright, full of humor and filled with sexy demi gods and demons.
I loved how she mixed greek mythology with contemporary fairy tales... Her heroines are full on snark and mischief, gods and goddess impetuous as ever and the Dark Hunters... I haven't met one I didn't like...
I'm up to book 5 now and they keep getting better and better! I must say, I only have one thing in mind : To read Acheron's book! He must be the most mysterious and compelling character EVER.
And I have to give it to Sherrilyn Kenyon... The Fabio Alert still makes me laugh out loud whenever I come across one...
The world she created not only is dark, ominous and terrifying but is also bright, full of humor and filled with sexy demi gods and demons.
I loved how she mixed greek mythology with contemporary fairy tales... Her heroines are full on snark and mischief, gods and goddess impetuous as ever and the Dark Hunters... I haven't met one I didn't like...
I'm up to book 5 now and they keep getting better and better! I must say, I only have one thing in mind : To read Acheron's book! He must be the most mysterious and compelling character EVER.
And I have to give it to Sherrilyn Kenyon... The Fabio Alert still makes me laugh out loud whenever I come across one...
May 20, 2015
Wow, Dark Hunters are far more than just being dark. At first they became who they are because of something they did wrong but that isn't it. It's a choice they made. Kyrian is a Dark Hunter. His job is to destroy the Daimons who are trying to suck the souls out of the human race. Amanda who is in a boring relationship and who comes from a very unconventional family was kidnapped by the evil that Kyrian is after because he was looking for her twin but she ended up being handcuffed to Kyrian, which wasn't a bad thing, but also started their spiral to a relationship with a chemistry like no other. Which of course was very, very HOT. I loved the story and all the characters in this book. I devoured this story. Theres was something going on each page you turned. I just couldnt put it down. I'm looking forward to continuing this series and finding more about Talon & Acheron and to see who's next to be released from the darkness.
October 5, 2018
3 1/2 "I'm Torn" Stars!
Well, This one is hard for me to rate and review. On one hand, I liked Kyrian and Amanda a lot. They were both very worthy characters to root for; and I certainly rooted hard for their HEA. especially for Kyrian's sake. He deserved to be happy. On the other hand, I could not get a hold on the tone of the story. There was a very dark and sad undertone to the story, but there was a lot of slapstick comedy that I found kind of annoying. I know sad stories need a lift, but... Also, the bad guy, well I'll just say kept monologue-ing (IDK if that's a real word). He could have won if he would just shut up! Which is another problem all together.
Overall though, I did like this one. I'm so happy Kyrian and Amanda found each other. I just didn't love it like I really wanted to and to be honest thought I would. Happy reading!
Well, This one is hard for me to rate and review. On one hand, I liked Kyrian and Amanda a lot. They were both very worthy characters to root for; and I certainly rooted hard for their HEA. especially for Kyrian's sake. He deserved to be happy. On the other hand, I could not get a hold on the tone of the story. There was a very dark and sad undertone to the story, but there was a lot of slapstick comedy that I found kind of annoying. I know sad stories need a lift, but... Also, the bad guy, well I'll just say kept monologue-ing (IDK if that's a real word). He could have won if he would just shut up! Which is another problem all together.
Overall though, I did like this one. I'm so happy Kyrian and Amanda found each other. I just didn't love it like I really wanted to and to be honest thought I would. Happy reading!
February 25, 2018
Greek Gods + Vampires + Daimons + Hunters + Insignificant Humans blabbering = the whole book!
Concept: 2.0/5.0
Execution: 2.5/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 3.0 /5.0
Cover: 3.0/5.0
Overall: 2.75/5.0
As for Kyrian and Amanda:
The constant cheesy dry humour bantering between them was addictive!
Concept: 2.0/5.0
Execution: 2.5/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 3.0 /5.0
Cover: 3.0/5.0
Overall: 2.75/5.0
As for Kyrian and Amanda:
The constant cheesy dry humour bantering between them was addictive!
March 27, 2017
Esta segunda entrega (o primera, depende el punto de vista) de la serie Cazadores Oscuros pierde intensidad en lo romántico respecto de su antecesora, no así en el erotismo de la historia.
Donde gana con creces es en la creación de un enorme entorno mítico y sobrenatural que rodea la existencia de estos antihéroes inmortales. Se nota un trabajo más sólido por parte de la autora, sin que por ello deje de ser una novela que se devora muy rápidamente. Entretenidísima, igual que la anterior.
Donde gana con creces es en la creación de un enorme entorno mítico y sobrenatural que rodea la existencia de estos antihéroes inmortales. Se nota un trabajo más sólido por parte de la autora, sin que por ello deje de ser una novela que se devora muy rápidamente. Entretenidísima, igual que la anterior.
February 12, 2016
3 stars
Wow....this book was great. I had only picked it up because I wanted to start the Dream Hunter series and I wanted to get some background knowledge on the world I was entering. I didn't expect to fall in love with everyone!
Kyrian was such a broken guy much need in love and he got it in spades from the wonderful Amanda. They were cute! I just, I can't form coherent thoughts about how damn cute they were. The writing was good and the side characters were awesome.
I'm so intrigued by Acheron because it seemed like he had a tough past and I love my tortured hero...but why the heck is his book like the 8th??????
The only reason this book isn't getting higher stars because it started with some serious insta-lust and I hate insta-anything and it still didn't really work even with them being soulmates.
Wow....this book was great. I had only picked it up because I wanted to start the Dream Hunter series and I wanted to get some background knowledge on the world I was entering. I didn't expect to fall in love with everyone!
Kyrian was such a broken guy much need in love and he got it in spades from the wonderful Amanda. They were cute! I just, I can't form coherent thoughts about how damn cute they were. The writing was good and the side characters were awesome.
I'm so intrigued by Acheron because it seemed like he had a tough past and I love my tortured hero...but why the heck is his book like the 8th??????
The only reason this book isn't getting higher stars because it started with some serious insta-lust and I hate insta-anything and it still didn't really work even with them being soulmates.
October 9, 2018
1st re-read (listen). It's still as good today as it was 10 years ago.
September 14, 2010
Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com
Night Pleasures is the first story in the Dark-Hunters series to actually get into the real meat of who the Dark-Hunters are and what they do. As such, it was a pretty good beginning to the overall story arc, but in my opinion, as an individual romance it suffered from a few of the same issues as it's predecessor, Dragonswan. There was plenty of material in this book, in particular Kyrian's tormented past, which should have lent itself to rip-your-heart-out moments, yet I found myself having a difficult time fully engaging my emotions while reading it. I think there were several reasons for this, the first of which was the instant “meeting and mating,” of which I am not very fond. While the first love scene did not take place until halfway through the book, only a few days had passed. In fact, the entire book takes place over the course of less than a week. Because of this, I had a very hard time suspending disbelief to accept Kyrian and Amanda's relationship and love for each other. I realize that an instant attraction between supernatural creatures and their mates is a staple of paranormal romance, and most of the time I have no problem with that, but in this case it didn't really work for me. While Ms. Kenyon certainly played up their physical attraction for one another right from the start (in fact almost too much), there was not really any supernatural bonding element to it, which is what has helped me to accept the “love at first sight” angle in other paranormal stories. Without that, there wasn't much else for me to grasp onto that would make their bond believable to me. Kyrian, very understandably, had serious trust issues, and I just couldn't seem to accept that someone would be able to overcome such deep-seated issues that had plagued him for two millennia in a just a few days. I suppose this is really more a matter of personal preference, but it did somewhat diminish my enjoyment of the novel.
A couple of other elements which may have affected my ability to emotionally connect with the story was the humor to drama ratio and having both of the characters possess supernatural abilities. I normally have enjoyed Sherrilyn Kenyon's mixture of humorous and dramatic elements, but in this book I didn't feel like it was quite perfect. Dramatic stories certainly need a little humor from time to time to lighten things up, and of course, without a little drama, a humorous story wouldn't really have a plot. In Night Pleasures though, I felt like there was too much drama to really consider it to be a romantic comedy, but there was too much humor for me to really take the dark, dramatic parts seriously. It seemed that every time I was starting to feel that emotional connection to the characters, they started joking around about something which jolted me out of what I thought should have been a very earnest scene. I think perhaps it would have been better if the comic relief had been left to just a couple of characters instead of all the characters occasionally tossing out the one-liners. As written, it just read a little too much like a funny action movie. Finally, both characters having otherworldly skills was an interesting twist from most other paranormal romances I've read to date, but here I felt like it diluted both characters to some extent. It made the solutions to some of their dangerous and difficult circumstances a little too easy and pat for my taste, when a lot more drama could have been wrung out of those situations. Also, I really like for tormented characters who are coming to terms with their past to do so by relating those events to their mate. I think it can go a long way toward building a poignant and trusting bond between them. In Night Pleasures though, Amanda accidentally finds out about Kyrian's past through her psychic talents, which in my opinion, closed a lot of doors for communication.
Kyrian and Amanda were both very nice, likable characters, but because of the previously cited issues I had with the story, I don't think I ever fully related to them. I love tortured heroes, and Kyrian is without a doubt one of those. I did sympathize with all his torment, both past and present, but I thought the author could have gone a little deeper with the feelings surrounding that. Kyrian was a very alpha male, so readers who enjoy those, should really like his character. While I didn't find him to be excessively alpha, perhaps it was still a little too much for me. I think this may have been why he didn't exhibit very much of the more tender feelings that I like to see from romance heroes. Amanda was an interesting heroine, feisty and spirited, in spite of her claims of being boring, yet even with her special gifts, she didn't really stand out to me that much. I think she would have benefited from a bit more character development. All the reader is really told about her is that she comes from a large family in which all the women have mystical powers, and that she has suppressed those powers because of a tragic incident in her teens. Again, I didn't really feel like this event packed the emotional punch that it should have. There were just many places in the story where I felt like the author was telling me things narratively rather than showing me, which I thought would have given the story a lot more depth. In spite of the lack of connection, I will admit that I enjoyed some of the character interactions between these two, particularly the last major love scene where Amanda helps Kyrian to overcome his deepest fears. I found it to be very sensual and creative.
While it may seem that I have a long list of criticisms of this book, I still thought Night Pleasures was a worthwhile read, and a definite must for Dark-Hunter fans, since it is really the first book in the series to delve into the actual Dark-Hunter world. Although there are a lot of names of species and sub-species bandied about, and I'm still not quite sure that I understand all the differences, I liked the world building that Ms. Kenyon has done, and expect that these things should work themselves out in future installments. Several characters are introduced in Night Pleasures who play important roles in upcoming books. There is Talon, a Celtic Dark-Hunter who becomes the hero of the next book, Night Embrace, and D'Alerian, a Dream-Hunter, who only played a small part, but who I found to be rather fascinating, though I'm not sure if he will be in any of the books yet to come or not. Readers are also given a good introduction to Amanda's identical twin sister, Tabitha, who is a human vampire hunter, and the villainous Valerius, who are paired together as the hero and heroine of book #12, Seize the Night. Valerius is so evil in this story, it will be very interesting to see how Ms. Kenyon manages to redeem him. The real villain of the story though, is Desiderius who creates a very sinister and menacing figure. I also liked Kyrian's squire, Nick, who was probably the most well-rendered secondary character, and the retired squire, Liz. I thought they were a hoot, and could have easily carried the comic relief all on their own. Fans of book #1, Fantasy Lover, also get a visit with Julian and Grace and their growing family, and Grace's best friend, Selena from that book also happens to be Amanda's sister. However, my favorite character at this point is still Acheron, the leader of the Dark-Hunters. I am completely enthralled by his mysterious relationship with Artemis and most of all the selfless sacrifices he makes for the Dark-Hunters. Sadly, it will be a very long time before I get to his story, but I sense a slow building of his character over time that hopefully will make for engaging reading. All in all, the Dark-Hunters series is a fascinating one that I really look forward to continuing. There are currently a total of 19 full-length novels in the Dark-Hunter series and quite a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website.
Note: I thought it worth mentioning that since writing this review, I have discovered that the Valerius who I mentioned being a villain in this story is actually an ancestor of the Valerius who becomes a hero later in the series and not the same character.
*Review updated 9/14/10
Night Pleasures is the first story in the Dark-Hunters series to actually get into the real meat of who the Dark-Hunters are and what they do. As such, it was a pretty good beginning to the overall story arc, but in my opinion, as an individual romance it suffered from a few of the same issues as it's predecessor, Dragonswan. There was plenty of material in this book, in particular Kyrian's tormented past, which should have lent itself to rip-your-heart-out moments, yet I found myself having a difficult time fully engaging my emotions while reading it. I think there were several reasons for this, the first of which was the instant “meeting and mating,” of which I am not very fond. While the first love scene did not take place until halfway through the book, only a few days had passed. In fact, the entire book takes place over the course of less than a week. Because of this, I had a very hard time suspending disbelief to accept Kyrian and Amanda's relationship and love for each other. I realize that an instant attraction between supernatural creatures and their mates is a staple of paranormal romance, and most of the time I have no problem with that, but in this case it didn't really work for me. While Ms. Kenyon certainly played up their physical attraction for one another right from the start (in fact almost too much), there was not really any supernatural bonding element to it, which is what has helped me to accept the “love at first sight” angle in other paranormal stories. Without that, there wasn't much else for me to grasp onto that would make their bond believable to me. Kyrian, very understandably, had serious trust issues, and I just couldn't seem to accept that someone would be able to overcome such deep-seated issues that had plagued him for two millennia in a just a few days. I suppose this is really more a matter of personal preference, but it did somewhat diminish my enjoyment of the novel.
A couple of other elements which may have affected my ability to emotionally connect with the story was the humor to drama ratio and having both of the characters possess supernatural abilities. I normally have enjoyed Sherrilyn Kenyon's mixture of humorous and dramatic elements, but in this book I didn't feel like it was quite perfect. Dramatic stories certainly need a little humor from time to time to lighten things up, and of course, without a little drama, a humorous story wouldn't really have a plot. In Night Pleasures though, I felt like there was too much drama to really consider it to be a romantic comedy, but there was too much humor for me to really take the dark, dramatic parts seriously. It seemed that every time I was starting to feel that emotional connection to the characters, they started joking around about something which jolted me out of what I thought should have been a very earnest scene. I think perhaps it would have been better if the comic relief had been left to just a couple of characters instead of all the characters occasionally tossing out the one-liners. As written, it just read a little too much like a funny action movie. Finally, both characters having otherworldly skills was an interesting twist from most other paranormal romances I've read to date, but here I felt like it diluted both characters to some extent. It made the solutions to some of their dangerous and difficult circumstances a little too easy and pat for my taste, when a lot more drama could have been wrung out of those situations. Also, I really like for tormented characters who are coming to terms with their past to do so by relating those events to their mate. I think it can go a long way toward building a poignant and trusting bond between them. In Night Pleasures though, Amanda accidentally finds out about Kyrian's past through her psychic talents, which in my opinion, closed a lot of doors for communication.
Kyrian and Amanda were both very nice, likable characters, but because of the previously cited issues I had with the story, I don't think I ever fully related to them. I love tortured heroes, and Kyrian is without a doubt one of those. I did sympathize with all his torment, both past and present, but I thought the author could have gone a little deeper with the feelings surrounding that. Kyrian was a very alpha male, so readers who enjoy those, should really like his character. While I didn't find him to be excessively alpha, perhaps it was still a little too much for me. I think this may have been why he didn't exhibit very much of the more tender feelings that I like to see from romance heroes. Amanda was an interesting heroine, feisty and spirited, in spite of her claims of being boring, yet even with her special gifts, she didn't really stand out to me that much. I think she would have benefited from a bit more character development. All the reader is really told about her is that she comes from a large family in which all the women have mystical powers, and that she has suppressed those powers because of a tragic incident in her teens. Again, I didn't really feel like this event packed the emotional punch that it should have. There were just many places in the story where I felt like the author was telling me things narratively rather than showing me, which I thought would have given the story a lot more depth. In spite of the lack of connection, I will admit that I enjoyed some of the character interactions between these two, particularly the last major love scene where Amanda helps Kyrian to overcome his deepest fears. I found it to be very sensual and creative.
While it may seem that I have a long list of criticisms of this book, I still thought Night Pleasures was a worthwhile read, and a definite must for Dark-Hunter fans, since it is really the first book in the series to delve into the actual Dark-Hunter world. Although there are a lot of names of species and sub-species bandied about, and I'm still not quite sure that I understand all the differences, I liked the world building that Ms. Kenyon has done, and expect that these things should work themselves out in future installments. Several characters are introduced in Night Pleasures who play important roles in upcoming books. There is Talon, a Celtic Dark-Hunter who becomes the hero of the next book, Night Embrace, and D'Alerian, a Dream-Hunter, who only played a small part, but who I found to be rather fascinating, though I'm not sure if he will be in any of the books yet to come or not. Readers are also given a good introduction to Amanda's identical twin sister, Tabitha, who is a human vampire hunter, and the villainous Valerius, who are paired together as the hero and heroine of book #12, Seize the Night. Valerius is so evil in this story, it will be very interesting to see how Ms. Kenyon manages to redeem him. The real villain of the story though, is Desiderius who creates a very sinister and menacing figure. I also liked Kyrian's squire, Nick, who was probably the most well-rendered secondary character, and the retired squire, Liz. I thought they were a hoot, and could have easily carried the comic relief all on their own. Fans of book #1, Fantasy Lover, also get a visit with Julian and Grace and their growing family, and Grace's best friend, Selena from that book also happens to be Amanda's sister. However, my favorite character at this point is still Acheron, the leader of the Dark-Hunters. I am completely enthralled by his mysterious relationship with Artemis and most of all the selfless sacrifices he makes for the Dark-Hunters. Sadly, it will be a very long time before I get to his story, but I sense a slow building of his character over time that hopefully will make for engaging reading. All in all, the Dark-Hunters series is a fascinating one that I really look forward to continuing. There are currently a total of 19 full-length novels in the Dark-Hunter series and quite a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website.
Note: I thought it worth mentioning that since writing this review, I have discovered that the Valerius who I mentioned being a villain in this story is actually an ancestor of the Valerius who becomes a hero later in the series and not the same character.
*Review updated 9/14/10
June 27, 2017
4 STARS
Ya tengo una nueva adicción GRACIAS VIRI por tu recomendación
Este segundo libro o primero whatever de la serie Dark Hunters y ahora si conocemos bien este mundo e igual me gustó mucho como el anterior y es que me pareció muy interesante esta mezcla de vampiros con mitología griega.
No hubo un romance tan tierno y lindo como el anterior pero si más acción y eso lo compensa, Kirian es un gran personaje y me encantó que haya sobrevivido es muy sarcástico y tiene un humor negro que divierte y como veo y creo que así serán todos los protagonistas tiene un lado tortuoso que los hace sentir culpa y al igual que Julian sentí compasión por él.
Amanda no me gustó tanto como Grace aunque tiene sus parte buenas como por ejemplo siempre querer proteger a Kirian y hacer todo lo posible por estar juntos.
El que se robó mi corazoncito fue Nick ay como me divertí con él ME ENCANTÓ y Ash ay Dios que intriga con él y presiento que voy a caer rendida a sus pies y saber que tengo que leer 12 libros más para llegar a él me llena de desesperación.
Ya tengo una nueva adicción GRACIAS VIRI por tu recomendación
Este segundo libro o primero whatever de la serie Dark Hunters y ahora si conocemos bien este mundo e igual me gustó mucho como el anterior y es que me pareció muy interesante esta mezcla de vampiros con mitología griega.
No hubo un romance tan tierno y lindo como el anterior pero si más acción y eso lo compensa, Kirian es un gran personaje y me encantó que haya sobrevivido es muy sarcástico y tiene un humor negro que divierte y como veo y creo que así serán todos los protagonistas tiene un lado tortuoso que los hace sentir culpa y al igual que Julian sentí compasión por él.
Amanda no me gustó tanto como Grace aunque tiene sus parte buenas como por ejemplo siempre querer proteger a Kirian y hacer todo lo posible por estar juntos.
El que se robó mi corazoncito fue Nick ay como me divertí con él ME ENCANTÓ y Ash ay Dios que intriga con él y presiento que voy a caer rendida a sus pies y saber que tengo que leer 12 libros más para llegar a él me llena de desesperación.
March 20, 2015
I have high hopes for this series! so far I like all the characters and want to know more about them especially Acheron! ;)
March 25, 2015
Finally the Dark-Hunter universe is explained :) I think this was supposed to be the first D-H because this is where they first appear.
I liked this book very much, although the storyline was quite predictable (and when I say quite I mean totally XD), and the ending a liiiittle to mushy for me, but the main character was awsome, so he gets the 4 stars <3
Kyrian is a Dark-Hunter, a vampire who hunts other vampires. Of course, there are differences between him and the others, I won't go into that cause I'd have to explain the whole D-H universe and I'm not in the mood for that XD Anyway, his history is reeealy bad, before he became a D-H he was betrayed by the woman he loved, then tortured for like weeks and crucified in the end (I mean, horrible!). So he wanted revenge, and Artemis offered him a deal in which he became a D-H and lost his soul.
Amanda is a witch (I think, or a gypsy or something I have no idea), anyway, she is from a family who deals with vampires and demons and stuff, she has a twin sister who gets her into trouble when a very mean vampire kiddnapes her thinking she's her vampire fighting sister. She ends up in a room cuffed next to Kyrian <3 This was very funny, the beginning of the book deserves like 7-8 stars, it was awsome! Then she learns he's a vampire, a Hunter, and she begins to like/love him.
Now we get to the predictable part XD The bad guy was totally bad bad bad onedimensional guy, he did bad stuff, there wasn't any part in here that I went like: "Oh My? What? I dodn't see that comming!" Nope. You basically know exactly what's going to happen, including the final fight between the bad guy and Kyrian. Too bad for that.
BUT... I really liked Kyrian and Amanda, he was a lovely tortured hero, they were a great couple, so this gets a 4 from me :)
I liked this book very much, although the storyline was quite predictable (and when I say quite I mean totally XD), and the ending a liiiittle to mushy for me, but the main character was awsome, so he gets the 4 stars <3
Kyrian is a Dark-Hunter, a vampire who hunts other vampires. Of course, there are differences between him and the others, I won't go into that cause I'd have to explain the whole D-H universe and I'm not in the mood for that XD Anyway, his history is reeealy bad, before he became a D-H he was betrayed by the woman he loved, then tortured for like weeks and crucified in the end (I mean, horrible!). So he wanted revenge, and Artemis offered him a deal in which he became a D-H and lost his soul.
Amanda is a witch (I think, or a gypsy or something I have no idea), anyway, she is from a family who deals with vampires and demons and stuff, she has a twin sister who gets her into trouble when a very mean vampire kiddnapes her thinking she's her vampire fighting sister. She ends up in a room cuffed next to Kyrian <3 This was very funny, the beginning of the book deserves like 7-8 stars, it was awsome! Then she learns he's a vampire, a Hunter, and she begins to like/love him.
Now we get to the predictable part XD The bad guy was totally bad bad bad onedimensional guy, he did bad stuff, there wasn't any part in here that I went like: "Oh My? What? I dodn't see that comming!" Nope. You basically know exactly what's going to happen, including the final fight between the bad guy and Kyrian. Too bad for that.
BUT... I really liked Kyrian and Amanda, he was a lovely tortured hero, they were a great couple, so this gets a 4 from me :)
August 24, 2018
A pesar de que es relectura, porque esta serie la empecé hace seis años, lo cierto es que me ha sorprendido ver lo mucho que había olvidado de este mundo creado por la autora. Tanto, que me he hecho un soberano lío según iba leyendo sobre los diferentes Cazadores que existen así como del papel de los diferentes Dioses a la hora de crear las razas.
Pero creo que ahora vuelvo a estar centrada y solo puedo aplaudir a la autora por la imaginación que ha tenido con dicha creación. Soy una apasionada de la mitología griega desde siempre, y si a eso me sumas una historia en donde hay acción, romance y comedia. Ya estoy ganada.
La parejita formada por Kyrian/Hunter y Amanda me ha sorprendido mucho. A pesar de ese insta – love que suele ocurrir siempre en este tipo de temáticas, me ha gustado mucho su relación. Ambos ocultan secretos y ambos han pasado por lo suyo, pero se complementan muy bien. Ahora, y si bien Kyrian ha sido un personaje masculino que me ha gustado, debo dar el mérito a Amanda. Ella se ha “comido” al protagonista desde la página 1. Decidida, luchadora y con dos dedos de frente, es una heroína de las que me gustaría que hubiera más en todas las temáticas.
Sobre los secundarios, cabe destacar a todos y cada uno de ellos. Desde Aquerón, a cuyo libro nunca llegué a llegar y que estoy deseando alcanzar, pasando por Nick, el escudero de Kyrian, Talon, protagonista del siguiente y cuyo libro ya he empezado porque me tenía muy curiosa, o la familia de Amanda, a cada cual más loca y de la que no sabía si reír o llorar en ocasiones.
En cuanto al malo-maloso, Desiderio, ha sido un digno villano. Cada vez que aparecía se me revolvía el estómago del coraje, y esa escena en la que está con Kyrian ¡UGH! Para haber ido y haberle dado de yoyas hasta cansarme.
Otra cosa que me ha gustado mucho ha sido la idea de la autora de que los Cazadores consigan su alma devuelta a través de una prueba de amor de esa magnitud, más que nada porque tenía el corazón en la boca pensando cómo iba a solucionar Amanda el problema.
En definitiva, un muy buen comienzo de serie y que me ha vuelto a enganchar como años atrás. Esta vez espero no dejarla abandonada tanto tiempo que luego no recuerde nada y tenga que volver al principio.
Pero creo que ahora vuelvo a estar centrada y solo puedo aplaudir a la autora por la imaginación que ha tenido con dicha creación. Soy una apasionada de la mitología griega desde siempre, y si a eso me sumas una historia en donde hay acción, romance y comedia. Ya estoy ganada.
La parejita formada por Kyrian/Hunter y Amanda me ha sorprendido mucho. A pesar de ese insta – love que suele ocurrir siempre en este tipo de temáticas, me ha gustado mucho su relación. Ambos ocultan secretos y ambos han pasado por lo suyo, pero se complementan muy bien. Ahora, y si bien Kyrian ha sido un personaje masculino que me ha gustado, debo dar el mérito a Amanda. Ella se ha “comido” al protagonista desde la página 1. Decidida, luchadora y con dos dedos de frente, es una heroína de las que me gustaría que hubiera más en todas las temáticas.
Sobre los secundarios, cabe destacar a todos y cada uno de ellos. Desde Aquerón, a cuyo libro nunca llegué a llegar y que estoy deseando alcanzar, pasando por Nick, el escudero de Kyrian, Talon, protagonista del siguiente y cuyo libro ya he empezado porque me tenía muy curiosa, o la familia de Amanda, a cada cual más loca y de la que no sabía si reír o llorar en ocasiones.
En cuanto al malo-maloso, Desiderio, ha sido un digno villano. Cada vez que aparecía se me revolvía el estómago del coraje, y esa escena en la que está con Kyrian ¡UGH! Para haber ido y haberle dado de yoyas hasta cansarme.
Otra cosa que me ha gustado mucho ha sido la idea de la autora de que los Cazadores consigan su alma devuelta a través de una prueba de amor de esa magnitud, más que nada porque tenía el corazón en la boca pensando cómo iba a solucionar Amanda el problema.
En definitiva, un muy buen comienzo de serie y que me ha vuelto a enganchar como años atrás. Esta vez espero no dejarla abandonada tanto tiempo que luego no recuerde nada y tenga que volver al principio.
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