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Book Description
Keri Arthur is back - this time with an explosive new series that's packed with everything you could want: a feisty heroine, witches, vampires, werewolves, demons, angels of death, suspense and a whole lot of sexy action
Product Description
Born from a lab-enhanced clone mother and an Aedh father, Risa Jones can not only talk to the souls of the dying and the dead, but she can see reapers and walk the grey fields that divide this world from the next. They are skills she rarely uses, however. But when her mother asks her to help the parents of a little girl locked in a coma, she reluctantly agrees. What she discovers terrifies her: someone has ripped the girl's soul from her flesh. As it turns out, a creature consuming the souls of the innocent - and not so innocent - is the least of her problems. Because someone wants to rip open the gates that divide hell from earth, and Risa is a key component in their plans. And the only person standing between her and disaster is a reaper who isn't exactly on her side.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Risa Jones is a half Werewolf/half Aedh who is trying to live a normal life, despite her supernatural background. Her family has money and connections, as well as power, but it doesn't stop her from working hard to find her own way. Yet everything is about to change. She has inherited Aedh abilities from her absent father which allow her to travel into the spirit world and see things others can't. Many people begin seeking her because of this. Using her powers is not pleasant, though, and she isn't happy about having to use them now. Despite her reservations, she is drawn into a major power play after seeing things she can't ignore.
Risa also finds herself being sought after by a number of supernatural groups. These include unidentifiable shape-shifters, a grim reaper and Aedh like her. All with their own agenda. Some of them want the use of her skills, others want her death. It is only her closest friends and family that she can trust, but even they will try to hold her back from doing what she feels is right. Despite this, she refuses to back out of what she feels is her obligation to protect innocent humans and the people she cares about. To be successful, though, there is a lot she'll have to learn and not much time to do it.
Darkness Unbound is the first book in the new Dark Angels series. It is set in the same world as the Riley Jensen series by the same author. I have not read any books by Keri Arthur before now, but the storyline for this one caught my eye. Readers certainly don't need to have read the other series to find this novel enjoyable. The main character, Risa, is strong and holds her own in the story. She gives as good as she gets. The plot is engaging and suspenseful, though it could have been better. Very little gets resolved in this first book, which is a bit frustrating. I'm not a big fan of cliffhangers, but the ending didn't leave me too bereft like some series manage to do. That could be considered a good or bad thing.
Risa's love life is another factor readers may or may not like. The werewolf side of her has sexual urges that need to be fulfilled regularly and she takes care of them in ways that are not the norm for other books in the genre. Yet there is a good chance she could settle down later. I am rather suspicious of the man she began a relationship with in this first book, as he most likely has his own agenda based on small hints the author drops, but it is unclear how things will go. There is another man who has strong potential and looks to be a better candidate, but very little happened with him so far. Regardless, readers should know that casual sex is not taboo in this world setting. There are some rather steamy scenes that occur. I wasn't bothered by it, but some may be.
It isn't easy finding a good Urban Fantasy/Paranormal series, once you've read all the popular ones. It was nice to discover Darkness Unbound since it is certainly better than some of the others I've seen out there (though not the best). This opening book has a good beginning and excellent world building. Hopefully, it will get even better as time goes on. The potential is certainly there. The next book is set to be released soon and I plan on reading it when it comes out.
Risa also finds herself being sought after by a number of supernatural groups. These include unidentifiable shape-shifters, a grim reaper and Aedh like her. All with their own agenda. Some of them want the use of her skills, others want her death. It is only her closest friends and family that she can trust, but even they will try to hold her back from doing what she feels is right. Despite this, she refuses to back out of what she feels is her obligation to protect innocent humans and the people she cares about. To be successful, though, there is a lot she'll have to learn and not much time to do it.
Darkness Unbound is the first book in the new Dark Angels series. It is set in the same world as the Riley Jensen series by the same author. I have not read any books by Keri Arthur before now, but the storyline for this one caught my eye. Readers certainly don't need to have read the other series to find this novel enjoyable. The main character, Risa, is strong and holds her own in the story. She gives as good as she gets. The plot is engaging and suspenseful, though it could have been better. Very little gets resolved in this first book, which is a bit frustrating. I'm not a big fan of cliffhangers, but the ending didn't leave me too bereft like some series manage to do. That could be considered a good or bad thing.
Risa's love life is another factor readers may or may not like. The werewolf side of her has sexual urges that need to be fulfilled regularly and she takes care of them in ways that are not the norm for other books in the genre. Yet there is a good chance she could settle down later. I am rather suspicious of the man she began a relationship with in this first book, as he most likely has his own agenda based on small hints the author drops, but it is unclear how things will go. There is another man who has strong potential and looks to be a better candidate, but very little happened with him so far. Regardless, readers should know that casual sex is not taboo in this world setting. There are some rather steamy scenes that occur. I wasn't bothered by it, but some may be.
It isn't easy finding a good Urban Fantasy/Paranormal series, once you've read all the popular ones. It was nice to discover Darkness Unbound since it is certainly better than some of the others I've seen out there (though not the best). This opening book has a good beginning and excellent world building. Hopefully, it will get even better as time goes on. The potential is certainly there. The next book is set to be released soon and I plan on reading it when it comes out.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Risa Jones is a half-werewolf, half-Aedh (a supernatural being with vampire-like characteristics), with a couple of exceptional abilities. She can see reapers (soul collectors), she's clairvoyant and she can walk in a spiritual domain known as the 'grey lands. Thanks to her abilities, Risa knows exactly how she's going to die (when she's old and grey, in a car crash), so when she realises she's being followed by a reaper, she confronts him wanting to know what is going on. The reaper, Azriel, tells her that she's being watched because her father is set on a course of action that is going to cause major trouble: and it is believed that he's going to try to make contact with her. The only trouble with that is that Risa, the result of a one-night stand 28 years ago, has never met her Aedh father. Which makes things all the more awkward when other interested parties start confronting and attacking her and those close to her in order to get to him.
Set in Australia, Darkness Unbound has an interesting cast of support characters - Risa's varied (and mostly close) werewolf family, her long-term friends, Ilianna (a still-closted lesbian mare), Tao (a stuly chef, whose friendship is formerly of the 'with benefits' variety), and tech geek Stane and there's a damaged full Aedh, Lucian, with whom Risa has a burgeoning relationship - to say nothing of her interest in Azriel. There are a couple of fairly graphic sex scenes - one of which involves Risa, Lucian and a strange male werewolf in public three-way activity at a werewolf sex club. It's so token and clinical that this is arguably the least sexy scene I have ever read. Despite Risa's physically active 'love life' there is little in the way of romance in these aspects of sub-plot. Sex with Lucian falls short of kissing him, and her interest in Azriel is entirely based on his physique.
I was disappointed by this novel. Although there is lots of set up for a potentially interesting series, too much is left hanging open for further novels. The elements of the story which do gain resolution boil down to being an attack on small landowners by "evil developers" - far from the most original plotline (even if there are supernatural creatures thrown in). I'll probably download the next in the series at some point if I can't find anything else to read, but it certainly won't be something I put on pre-order, and how well that one goes will be make or break for me in regard to further entries in the series.
Not good, but there were still a couple of glimmers of promise.
3/5
Set in Australia, Darkness Unbound has an interesting cast of support characters - Risa's varied (and mostly close) werewolf family, her long-term friends, Ilianna (a still-closted lesbian mare), Tao (a stuly chef, whose friendship is formerly of the 'with benefits' variety), and tech geek Stane and there's a damaged full Aedh, Lucian, with whom Risa has a burgeoning relationship - to say nothing of her interest in Azriel. There are a couple of fairly graphic sex scenes - one of which involves Risa, Lucian and a strange male werewolf in public three-way activity at a werewolf sex club. It's so token and clinical that this is arguably the least sexy scene I have ever read. Despite Risa's physically active 'love life' there is little in the way of romance in these aspects of sub-plot. Sex with Lucian falls short of kissing him, and her interest in Azriel is entirely based on his physique.
I was disappointed by this novel. Although there is lots of set up for a potentially interesting series, too much is left hanging open for further novels. The elements of the story which do gain resolution boil down to being an attack on small landowners by "evil developers" - far from the most original plotline (even if there are supernatural creatures thrown in). I'll probably download the next in the series at some point if I can't find anything else to read, but it certainly won't be something I put on pre-order, and how well that one goes will be make or break for me in regard to further entries in the series.
Not good, but there were still a couple of glimmers of promise.
3/5
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had high hopes of this series (which takes place some 20-25 years after the last Reilly book), given that we were promised glimpses of Reilly and Quinn, as the latter would be required to provide Aedh guidance to Risa, who is half Halki-werewolf, half Aedh. Reilly made a couple of appearances, as did Rhoan, but Liander made only one, and Quinn was just a voice on the phone...disappointing. I do recall that Reilly is now a mother of 5, still in love with and happily married to Quinn, and from what I gather, Liander is the father of all of the kids. I loved those characters, and hoped that I would love Risa, but there was nothing endearing about her.
There are a lot of new characters: Tao, who turns out to be a grandson of Reilly's ex werewolf lover, Kellen, and who is an ex-'friends with benefits' buddy to Risa; his gift is that he can become fire. Stane, Tao's cousin and a great hacker, also another grandson of Kellen. Iliana, a mare-shifter friend of Risa's, who is a non-outed lesbian, and who does so not want to be a brood-mare, and who is also a powerful witch who left her coven over some mystery. Lucian, a damaged full Aedh, and Risa's new lover. Asrael, a reaper/angel, who I can only describe as a bit of a policeman type, and who may yet become a love interest of Risa's. Dia, Risa's mum and Reilly's best friend. Hieu, Risa's Aedh priest father, who is incorporeal.
Not an awful lot actually goes on in this tale, as I think the author needed to build Risa's world. Risa does discover the existence of a soul-stealing entity, and then tries to stop souls from being taken, but she doesn't really have anyone to protect specifically. She calls on Asrael when she discovers evil, as she hopes that he can track it, but she seems equally distracted by sex with Lucian, even though his kiss is better than his prowess, which still manages to outdo any lover she's had (?)...and at the same time, she has lustful thoughts about Asrael...
Is Risa likeable the way Reilly was? No. At least Reilly was in love with Quinn and had feelings for Kellen, and her wolf was inherent in her, so I could get why and how she'd be affected by the Moon Dance. Risa cannot shift and apparently isn't affected by the moon, yet she manages to have a 'light' menage with Lucian and a stranger, in a werewolf club during daylight hours. She in no way mentions any feelings about Lucian, only her sexual attraction to him. Why the club scene was included, I don't know, and it was rather gross that she then went on to have sex with Lucian, having to stop for mouthwash en-route...And, Lucian actually thanked the guy, then declared that he wasn't jealous...and then suddenly there was no more mention of him when things hotted up at the end of the tale. I can't even remember his exit.
In fact, the tale was anticlimactic, as barely had we 'seen' her is-he-good-or-is-he-bad-father, who was apparently a possible bringer of doom/gloom/The End, than he was gone, and then a character dies, leaving Risa to make a decision that really requires a cool head, but that doesn't get one.
This was pretty poor, but I will read the next. Why? Because I hope and feel that the old gang will make more of an appearance, given the way this tale ended, and also as I won't be paying for it; my library has it on order. Would I have been upset had I bought this? Yes. And cheesed off. This is NOT up to the Reilly Jenson tales standard.
There are a lot of new characters: Tao, who turns out to be a grandson of Reilly's ex werewolf lover, Kellen, and who is an ex-'friends with benefits' buddy to Risa; his gift is that he can become fire. Stane, Tao's cousin and a great hacker, also another grandson of Kellen. Iliana, a mare-shifter friend of Risa's, who is a non-outed lesbian, and who does so not want to be a brood-mare, and who is also a powerful witch who left her coven over some mystery. Lucian, a damaged full Aedh, and Risa's new lover. Asrael, a reaper/angel, who I can only describe as a bit of a policeman type, and who may yet become a love interest of Risa's. Dia, Risa's mum and Reilly's best friend. Hieu, Risa's Aedh priest father, who is incorporeal.
Not an awful lot actually goes on in this tale, as I think the author needed to build Risa's world. Risa does discover the existence of a soul-stealing entity, and then tries to stop souls from being taken, but she doesn't really have anyone to protect specifically. She calls on Asrael when she discovers evil, as she hopes that he can track it, but she seems equally distracted by sex with Lucian, even though his kiss is better than his prowess, which still manages to outdo any lover she's had (?)...and at the same time, she has lustful thoughts about Asrael...
Is Risa likeable the way Reilly was? No. At least Reilly was in love with Quinn and had feelings for Kellen, and her wolf was inherent in her, so I could get why and how she'd be affected by the Moon Dance. Risa cannot shift and apparently isn't affected by the moon, yet she manages to have a 'light' menage with Lucian and a stranger, in a werewolf club during daylight hours. She in no way mentions any feelings about Lucian, only her sexual attraction to him. Why the club scene was included, I don't know, and it was rather gross that she then went on to have sex with Lucian, having to stop for mouthwash en-route...And, Lucian actually thanked the guy, then declared that he wasn't jealous...and then suddenly there was no more mention of him when things hotted up at the end of the tale. I can't even remember his exit.
In fact, the tale was anticlimactic, as barely had we 'seen' her is-he-good-or-is-he-bad-father, who was apparently a possible bringer of doom/gloom/The End, than he was gone, and then a character dies, leaving Risa to make a decision that really requires a cool head, but that doesn't get one.
This was pretty poor, but I will read the next. Why? Because I hope and feel that the old gang will make more of an appearance, given the way this tale ended, and also as I won't be paying for it; my library has it on order. Would I have been upset had I bought this? Yes. And cheesed off. This is NOT up to the Reilly Jenson tales standard.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dark Angels book 1
Darkness Unbound is the first book in Keri Arthur's Dark Angels series. It is a spin off from the Riley Jenson series staring Dia's daughter Risa and does have cameo appearances... Read more
Published 25 days ago by Sarah Gibson
Darkness Unbound review
My thoughts: I'm a big fan of the author, Keri Arthur, and particularly her Riley Jensen series, which I was sad to see end. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ailsa
Has potential
I am a huge fan of the Riley Jenson series and this was the only reason i bought this book.
Now i have a few issues with the transition of that series to this, mainly... Read more
Now i have a few issues with the transition of that series to this, mainly... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sweetlilac
Can't wait to read book 2
Always been a Keri Arthur fan, hooked with the Riley Jensen series and this is shaping up to have all the right mix of action in every sense of the word!
Published 6 months ago by Ocicat
I think I just experience urban fantasy! And it was good.
This is my first adult urban fantasy book so bear with me. I found myself a little confused to begin with as urban fantasy worlds seem to be full of lots of different types of... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Vivienne Serendipity
darkness unbound
i loved the keri arthur series with riley jenson this new series is all about risa jones whose mother is rileys best friend if you loved the riley jenson series you will love these... Read more
Published 6 months ago by kj
Cracking New Series
I've been looking forward to this series, I've read all the Riley Jenson books and was missing my fix, so was thrilled to hear this series was going to include Riley and some other... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mrs. A. Thomas-davis
A title that demands a sequel sooner rather than later
Keri returns with a new series and one that will keep you gripped from start to finish as our heroine, Risa Jones, must get to the bottom of a case where someone is ripping the... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog
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