Dawn of Darkness by Daniel A. Kaine

Title: Dawn of Darkness

Series: Daeva 01

Author: Daniel A. Kaine

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Vampires, Shifters, Magic

Length: Super Novel (275pgs)

Publisher: Daniel A. Kaine (Self Published) (20th October 2011)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Unburdened by the pain of loss and heartbreak, Mikhail is content with his life of solitude. But everything began to change the day he realized he has a psychic ability — the power to alter the emotions of those around him.

Ushered into the Military Academy with others like him — other Daevas — Mikhail does his part to help tip the scales of war against the vampires that destroyed the world and plague what remains of humanity. But after going up against his first vampire, Mikhail starts to question everything he thought to be true.

To discover the truth and expose the lies he once believed, Mikhail will set out on a journey of discovery, and learn some things about himself in the process.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dawn-of-Darkness-Daeva-ebook/dp/B005XLPH3Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332190323&sr=1-1 UK only… No working links for USA ( If you are better at cyber-hunting than we are, please leave an US link in the comment section. Thanks)

Review: Mikhail is a Daeva, a human who has some sort of powers; these powers give the humans an edge over the other supernatural beings inhabiting the world. After the plague that nearly wiped out humanity, the Silver Dawn has reshaped what is left and have taken over. Mikhail starts to look for answers when he notices that vampires have the same gifts as the Daeva, but it puts him in grave danger as the Silver Dawn has secrets that it doesn’t want discovered.

Whoo hoo!!  a great story that is both entertaining and enjoyable. Mik is a young man who has always felt like he has been abandoned in the past.   Now, he keeps people at a distance until Ash.  Ash has snuck his way past his wall and now he’s burrowed in deep and Mik finally lets him in the rest of the way.  As their new relationship progresses , Mik begins to question why Daeva powers are similar to vampires and it isn’t long before someone tries to silence him.

An interesting twist on humans, vampires, werewolves etc.  They had, at one time, lived happily next to each other.   mingling and getting on fine despite the warnings of the Silver Dawn… until the plague strikes humanity. Okay, so even though you can see where it’s going, you still don’t uncover the full story until much later and the truth of the Daeva’s origins is just wow and eww. The characters all add something great to the story and each character we get a brief background on.

Now, even though I liked all the characters, I must admit that Mik is the character that I could relate to the most.   Trying to protect himself from harm.   When he does give in, he loses it almost straight away.   the fear of rejection because he no longer believes in the Silver Dawn, the new fear that he might have to fight or kill the man he loves etc., so he has a bit of angst and lots of dwelling on what could happen. Now the ending leaves you with HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN because although I’d hoped it would happen there wasn’t an inkling that it would and it was WTF when? Who? Why? And it’s the very last sentence.

So, I will recommend this to those who love Post-Apocalyptic, Vampires, Shifters, Magic, Dystopian, gentle love, a bit of angst, danger, twists and an ending that leaves you begging for more.

 

Strays by Elizabeth Noble

Title: Strays

Author: Elizabeth Noble

Genre: Futuristic /Science Fiction/Post Apocalypse

Length: Novella (96pgs)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (7th September 2011)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Kyle Anderson grew up with the lie that he was one of the last humans born. Then Kyle’s quiet, lonely life as a research assistant and student is shattered when he discovers the government has been lying to the world for more than twenty years. Now on the run from authorities who would kill for his silence, Kyle is taken in by Daniel Shanks, a member of a militia group dedicated to discovering the truth.

Daniel has seen death and violence in this new, radically changed society, and the closer he gets to Kyle, the harder his fears ride him. They will need to stop listening to the lies told by the government and start facing the lies they’ve been telling themselves, because the only place strays like them may be safe in this uncertain world is in each other’s hearts.

Review: Kyle has escaped from the government who decided that he saw something that he shouldn’t have and has made plans for him to disappear…forever. Daniel is a member of the militia and takes Kyle in to help him out. They both feel an attraction to the other but Daniel is wary of getting too close.   He knows just how quickly friends can die in the militia.   Kyle is still trying to overcome the horror of being kidnapped by his own government to embark on a relationship.

As these two work, together their feelings for each other become more pronounced.   Just as they have acted on those feelings a disaster strikes the militia and Daniel flees as he realizes that he is in danger of being hurt emotionally if anything happened to Kyle.

I thought this book had a very good story line with solid characters, the development of their relationship wasn’t rushed and they were interesting characters who meshed quite well. The story itself seemed a little choppy at first but smoothed out beautifully and the subject of it being a post plague setting where the government was lying to the world was great and made for interesting reading.

I enjoyed this book so what would I recommend… well if you like futuristic/post apocalypse, hot sex and a good story line…what are you waiting for…an engraved invitation?