Dark Mercy (Gothic Urban Fantasy: Preternaturals Shorts) [NOOK Book]

I was thinking that this was going to be a typical vampire book-

I was thinking that this was going to be a typical vampire book-you know, blah, blah, I wanna kill people for their blood, and oh, woe is me, blah- hahahaha, but NO! First, it’s told mostly from Angeline’s point of view, and she is struggling with the fact that she still has “human” thought, but is a “monster”. She is just looking for companionship, and even though she goes about it the wrong way, I still feel bad for her. I’m not sure if it’s due to her bad turning, terrible sire, or the fact that she’s just so lonely. And then we get a look into the priest, Father Hadrian. I am thinking I am definitely going to like him in the future, as he is going through some tough things in this story. He’s pissed that he’s a monster, and torn from his vows, and then decides that he can use his powers to “save” people. Now, by saving, you may not be thinking of the same thing that he is thinking.

This is the short, fast, beginning of these two, and I have a feeling that this story line can turn into some great drama, as well as some of the coolest characters. I am very, very interested to see if Tam will be in the picture for the next round, and I cannot wait to see what Father Hadrian is going to do with his new found glory However, with the ending that this book has, I have NO IDEA where the author is going to take us… So, I’ll jump on and hang on along for the ride

I won’t give you too much because this was a novella. A

I won’t give you too much because this was a novella. A very short insight into Angeline & Hadrian’s story.

Zoe sucked me into this novella and then totally killed me with the ending. MAJOR CLIFF hanger. I loved learning about Angeline & Hadrian. Both are very damaged in very different ways and in all ways perfect for eachother. But now I have to patiently wait for the answers to all my questions.

THE SHORT VERSION: Dark Mercy is a short work of paranormal vamp

THE SHORT VERSION:
Dark Mercy is a short work of paranormal vampire fiction that can easily be read in one sitting. It's sexy, dangerous, thrilling, and while the word "dark" is used a lot, it fits too. I really enjoyed reading this, but beware that it's rated R and is full of, well, sinful pleasantries. Dude, even I felt kind of like I needed a confession after reading the sex scene. The characters were flawed and realistic, the story magical and real, and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) themes had me thinking about the book long after I finished. This is on my favorites shelf and I'll be reading the rest in this series.

THE DETAILS:
So Dark Mercy actually starts with what I thought was a bit of a spoiler. Winters has this disclaimer in her Acknowledgements:

Dark Mercy is the beginning of Hadrian and Angeline's story, not the end. Their HEA will happen later in their own full-length novel. This story is important both for the overall series and for this couple, but it's not their HEA. Just a mild disclaimer so no one goes in with false expectations of this story.

Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I had to Google "HEA." For those who also don't know, it stands for "happily ever after." Huh, I thought. Spoiler much? We know from the get-go that there is no lovey-dovey resolution to the story. We're almost guaranteed a cliff hanger. This disappointed me at first, but now that I've read it, I have to say that it adds to the end. I want to see how any couple can survive this sort of, er, tension. It makes me even more curious to read on, knowing that this isn't the end of their story. So even though it was off-putting at first, the "spoiler" actually left me completely surprised at the end. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. I love that.

The narration switches between our two main characters: Hadrian and Angeline. We see sex, vulgar language, sin, demons...it's all there, so be prepared. Still, it's great to hear their contrasting voices and to see the way they effect each other. Through them, we see life, death, lust, and the hope for redemption; it's wonderful. I really enjoyed the way the story was balanced between them, and I think it would have been weak without the vacillating perspectives. The themes Winters slips into the story are also wonderful, but I won't hit you over the head with them.

There are also moments of wonderfully vivid imagery, where I could hear and taste this paranormal world Winters talked about in Dark Mercy. You're transported from place to place, and each setting was crystal clear. I settled right in and never once questioned Winters' style or voice.

Winters' take on the vampire world wasn't entirely new, but both the look into the death/transformation and the way she described the taste of blood was. She describes drinking blood as being able to taste emotions, rather than literal taste. I thought that was great. You also get an insight into the other paranormal creatures of the Preternaturals series, from cyclers to witches to other magical creatures about which we can only speculate.

All in all, this was a great read. I slipped right into the story and didn't leave until I ran out of words to read. I definitely recommend you pick this book up -- as long as you're okay with a bit of sin and a naughty sex scene. I think the depth of the rest of the story will outweigh this for anyone made uncomfortable by lightly described sex in novels, but it's going to be your call in the end.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.