Name: The Dark Ones
ISBN: 9781515246701

Rachel Van Dyken

To touch a Dark One is death. To talk to an immortal is suicide. Yet, I've been marked by both. A Vampire. And the King of the immortals. My life is no longer my own. And now I know the truth, my life was never mine to begin with. It was theirs. It's always been theirs.

The Dark Ones

mevi

1 star. buddy read

I've seen this book promoted on over social media praising this book... but I don't see why it has such a high rating. I couldn't get attached to any characters, and the world building just didn't flow...

(view spoiler)[ When the protagonist and Ethan bonded... I don't think she fell in love with him. She never felt love nor lust, so I feel she lusted for him and misconstrued it. But, I guess Cassius can tell somehow.. but the author didn't make those feelings clear. Also, she got pregnant???? That did not need to happen so quickly lol wtf  (hide spoiler)]

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

The Dark Ones is a paranormal read from Rachel Van Dyken, and I found myself enjoying it so much! I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from this book after reading the blurb, but this ended up being a pretty great read. The Dark Ones is the first book in The Dark Ones Saga, but it can be read as a complete standalone, which I was super thankful for. RVD includes a ton of different paranormal elements, but not too many that it became overwhelming. So if you’re in the mood to read a PNR, you should definitely give this book a try!

Genesis is a human who’s just been chosen by a Dark One, the leader of immortals, half-human and half-angel. She’s called to serve the immortals, believing that her job will be to teach them about modern technology, but when she arrives, she finds out that what she’s been taught all her life about immortals has been wrong.

“To us, you’re not ugly. You are absolute perfection.”
“To a Dark One,” Mason continued, “you’re life itself.”

After being thrust into the paranormal world, and on the run from the Dark One, Cassius, Genesis befriends a group of immortals with whom she finally find a place to belong. There’s Alex, a male siren, his sister Stephanie, also a siren. There’s the werewolf Mason, who’s actually a vegetarian and loves to cook. And then there’s Ethan, the vampire, who bonds with her in order to save her from Cassius.

Ethan is very reluctant to mate with Genesis, after the tragedy that happened with his previous mate. But since this is the only way to save Genesis, and Genesis is the one human who has the potential to save their world, he begins the painful process of bonding with her. What he doesn’t expect is to actually fall for the human.

She gave me her body.
In return, I gave her my soul.

The romance between Ethan and Genesis had a bit of insta-lust, but not until they became mates, so I was actually okay with that. I liked how protective Ethan was over Genesis, even when he was protecting her from himself. The two of them are so sweet together, and I loved that we get both of their POVs. This book is definitely not a long triangle, so for those who are against them, this is the book for you!

Overall, The Dark Ones was a fun read with a lot of potential as a series-starter. I loved the supporting characters – they made this book a lot more light-hearted than I expected. I’m very much looking forward to the sequel, because of who the hero will be. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, sexy, refreshing PNR, I highly recommend The Dark Ones!

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Thanks to the author for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1j02tZ4

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