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Nightwatchers #1
Dark Kiss
I don't do dangerous.
Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.
Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me....
NIGHTWATCHERS
When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...
Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.
Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me....
NIGHTWATCHERS
When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2012
About the author
Michelle Rowen
61 books2,727 followersNational bestselling author MICHELLE ROWEN writes paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult fantasy, both light and dark, sexy and sweet, long and short -- it all depends on the story! She's won a Holt Medallion for Best First Book and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Vampire Romance. For more information, please visit Michelle at her website at www.michellerowen.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 681 reviews
June 14, 2012
This is a DNF review. Which means everything should be taken with a grain of salt. However, Harlequin Teen was kind enough to provide this ARC to me and I felt I should at least take the time to explain why I couldn't make it all the way through.
It had something to do with this:
The writing made me go:
The Characters were like:
And I had to stop before I was driven to:
Maybe I should have kept up with it, because most people seem to really enjoy this book. But I found the writing extremely telling. The main character, Samantha tells us a lot about herself in a very awkward manner rather than showing us who she is. Thus I had very little invested in either her or Bishop. Since I didn't connect to her, I found it hard to connect to the world and to, in turn, stay interested in the novel.
It was like one of those avalanches started by a single stone. I don't want to hear that you were acting out because of your parent's divorce so you tried shoplifting and, since that didn't work, making out with your crush was another option. It was very disingenuous to me as a character voice and I couldn't relate to how she expressed herself. Sure, the back story is there but the emotion is not. The frustration, the sense of helplessness and impotence, the uncontrollable urge to lash out - all of this was missing and replaced with a fairly lucid, detached personality reflecting on her state of being with all the emotional investment that I usually give to my breakfast cereal.
I would suggest this book for fans of City of Bones or Twilight - but I would also suggest reading the first chapter and half and deciding whether you bond with the protagonist and the writing style before purchasing.
It had something to do with this:
The writing made me go:
The Characters were like:
And I had to stop before I was driven to:
Maybe I should have kept up with it, because most people seem to really enjoy this book. But I found the writing extremely telling. The main character, Samantha tells us a lot about herself in a very awkward manner rather than showing us who she is. Thus I had very little invested in either her or Bishop. Since I didn't connect to her, I found it hard to connect to the world and to, in turn, stay interested in the novel.
It was like one of those avalanches started by a single stone. I don't want to hear that you were acting out because of your parent's divorce so you tried shoplifting and, since that didn't work, making out with your crush was another option. It was very disingenuous to me as a character voice and I couldn't relate to how she expressed herself. Sure, the back story is there but the emotion is not. The frustration, the sense of helplessness and impotence, the uncontrollable urge to lash out - all of this was missing and replaced with a fairly lucid, detached personality reflecting on her state of being with all the emotional investment that I usually give to my breakfast cereal.
I would suggest this book for fans of City of Bones or Twilight - but I would also suggest reading the first chapter and half and deciding whether you bond with the protagonist and the writing style before purchasing.
Want to read
November 20, 2011That is one hot angel/demon/dude/whatever he is
January 28, 2022
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Has Potential*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Re-read: 28.01.2022
*Might contain spoilers* I think this book would've been so much more enjoyable had it been new adult or adult. The reason for this is because I had immature characters, and while Sam wasn't the most immature I've met, her mind was annoying. Then there's the constant mentioning of how ‘special’ Sam was and lets not forget the feeling of insta-love. While there was no mentioning of ‘I love you's’, it still felt like it. I would've liked more of a build-up for their relationship. Insta-connection and such is boring and makes my eyes roll. Other than that, the story itself has potential and it is interesting to some degree. I do understand why I gave it a five stars back in the day, but I'm more grown now and has strict tastes that changes my views of books I've read before. Especially young adult books. That said, I wish Bishop was more alpha male, and Sam was more mature, and.... umm.... sex. I like sex in my books, I just do. I've removed this book from my ‘favorites’ shelf.
Characters:
→ Samantha ‘Sam’ Day (17), main character who becomes a Gray after a kiss.
→ Carly Kessler, Samantha's best friend.
→ Stephen Keyes (19), Samantha's crush and a Gray; soulless, they are controlled by their insatiable hunger for human souls (consumes them through kisses).
→ Noah, a boy from Samantha's history class
→ Mike, a boy from Samantha's school
→ Colin Richards, Carly’s ex-boyfriend
→ Julie Travis, a girl from Samantha's school
→ Jordan Fitzpatrick, a girl from Samantha's school who hated her. Stephen's ex-girlfriend.
→ Bishop, an angel on a mission as the leader to hunt the Source - the leader of the Grays.
→ Kraven, a demon who are supposed to work together with Bishop on the mission; angels and demons work together only when there’s a threat that affects both Heaven and Hell and the balance they need to maintain, and the threat right now now is the Grays.
→ Paul McKee, a friend of Sam and Carly
→ Roth, the other demon for Bishop's team (of four)
→ Zachary ‘Zach’, the other angel for Bishop's team
→ Natalie, the source.
→ Eleanor Day, Samantha’s mother
→ Connor, an angel who becomes the fifth member of Bishop's team.
→ Seth, a fallen angel - homeless.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Young Adult) Paranormal Fantasy Romance (M/F).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Bishop, I guess.
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Uncertain.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes, if you like YA and angels and demons.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably not.
Rating - 3 (weak) stars.
First read review:
Rating: 5 stars.
Shelved as 'no-thank-you-i-dont-want-any'
July 19, 2012I'm not planning on reading this book. I just saw the cover and automatically thought of this scene belonging to the best movie on this god forsaken planet:
Oh hello there Mr. Edward Sullen. Nice dark angel atmosphere you've got going there. Love the sparkle!
Maybe he's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline!
Don't tell me you don't see the similarities. Don't you tell me! You know it's a lie!
Audience: Are you really not going to read this book?
Anzu: Nope. Unless one of my good/relevant friends says it's worth my time.
Oh hello there Mr. Edward Sullen. Nice dark angel atmosphere you've got going there. Love the sparkle!
Maybe he's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline!
Don't tell me you don't see the similarities. Don't you tell me! You know it's a lie!
Audience: Are you really not going to read this book?
Anzu: Nope. Unless one of my good/relevant friends says it's worth my time.
July 1, 2012
I’m getting really, really sick of beautiful people. I’m also getting really, really sick of special people. Why is it that the main characters of pretty much all Paranormal YA books have to be so flipping beautiful and special? Are we really so shallow that authors think if their characters are ugly, they won’t get any readers? Because that is not true. Take the Downside Ghost series; the hero is a ugly thug, whilst the heroine is a messed up drug addict, but I think it’s safe to say that those books are pretty damn popular. So how about we take the beautiful and the special down a notch, so that the heroine doesn’t spend half the book visually molesting the guy, and the hero doesn’t get off on telling the girl how bloody special she is?
Dark Kiss is no different from about a hundred other books in the same genre, which means that the characters were so forgettable that I don’t even remember their names. In fact, they were such a bore to read that I went and did the laundry instead. It’s a good thing my mother doesn’t know about this book or she may bring it out every time I refuse to do my chores - she’ll have me on my knees scrubbing the floorboards like Cinder-freaking-rella.
Needless to say, I couldn’t finish this book. I could feel my soul crying out in pain, so much so that I wished the serial-kissing-soul-stealer could leap out from the pages and lay a big fat one on me. I’d be so grateful I’d snog him to within an inch of his life.
Dark Kiss is no different from about a hundred other books in the same genre, which means that the characters were so forgettable that I don’t even remember their names. In fact, they were such a bore to read that I went and did the laundry instead. It’s a good thing my mother doesn’t know about this book or she may bring it out every time I refuse to do my chores - she’ll have me on my knees scrubbing the floorboards like Cinder-freaking-rella.
Needless to say, I couldn’t finish this book. I could feel my soul crying out in pain, so much so that I wished the serial-kissing-soul-stealer could leap out from the pages and lay a big fat one on me. I’d be so grateful I’d snog him to within an inch of his life.
June 1, 2012
**Interview on my blog with Bishop and Kraven today + two giveaways! Trust me when I say you don't want to miss it! :') Enter HERE!
You have to admit it: This gorgeously dark cover is probably the first thing that piqued your interest. But even though I've been burned by stunning covers before, I'm happy to report that Dark Kiss isn't a deceiving one! :)
In Dark Kiss, two angels and two demons are sent down to Earth to work together on a mission to get rid of the grays (soulless beings who can drain the souls out of others through kisses). This is one of those books that blurs the line between good and bad. Whether you go to heaven or hell is really like a lottery with 50/50 odds — and that makes it so much harder to know who to trust and who to push under the bus!
Sam may seem like your regular girl on the surface but she has a heart of gold underneath. Even though she's far from perfect, she's also incredibly determined, loyal, and admirably brave with the way she deals with the meddling angel/demon team. I only wish we'd gotten to know the characters more — not just Sam, but the angels, demons, and her best friend Carly as well.
Bishop isn't your average angel! Dark and brooding, he harbors a mysterious past that only makes him even more alluring. And even though there's no love triangle in this book, trust me when I say that this is one where you actually want one! ♥ Kraven, one of the demons on the four-man team, is the snarky, rude, and totally inappropriate character that adds hilarious commentary at the perfect times. I alternated between the urge to smack him and kiss him.
With Michelle's fantastic writing style, a sweet romance, and the original and intriguing angel/demon lore, Dark Kiss is the first book I've ever read by Michelle Rowan but it definitely won't be the last! She's a one-sit kind of author, that's for sure! :)
BUY or BORROW?: I'm probably biased since I'm buying a copy just to have this gorgeous cover on my shelf, but I think that this book is well worth the read and buy! ;)
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
You have to admit it: This gorgeously dark cover is probably the first thing that piqued your interest. But even though I've been burned by stunning covers before, I'm happy to report that Dark Kiss isn't a deceiving one! :)
In Dark Kiss, two angels and two demons are sent down to Earth to work together on a mission to get rid of the grays (soulless beings who can drain the souls out of others through kisses). This is one of those books that blurs the line between good and bad. Whether you go to heaven or hell is really like a lottery with 50/50 odds — and that makes it so much harder to know who to trust and who to push under the bus!
Sam may seem like your regular girl on the surface but she has a heart of gold underneath. Even though she's far from perfect, she's also incredibly determined, loyal, and admirably brave with the way she deals with the meddling angel/demon team. I only wish we'd gotten to know the characters more — not just Sam, but the angels, demons, and her best friend Carly as well.
Bishop isn't your average angel! Dark and brooding, he harbors a mysterious past that only makes him even more alluring. And even though there's no love triangle in this book, trust me when I say that this is one where you actually want one! ♥ Kraven, one of the demons on the four-man team, is the snarky, rude, and totally inappropriate character that adds hilarious commentary at the perfect times. I alternated between the urge to smack him and kiss him.
With Michelle's fantastic writing style, a sweet romance, and the original and intriguing angel/demon lore, Dark Kiss is the first book I've ever read by Michelle Rowan but it definitely won't be the last! She's a one-sit kind of author, that's for sure! :)
BUY or BORROW?: I'm probably biased since I'm buying a copy just to have this gorgeous cover on my shelf, but I think that this book is well worth the read and buy! ;)
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
June 18, 2017
First of all, I cry foul! Where's the Elvis hair gone? I was promised Elvis hair!
When the cover for this was first released the guy on the cover had this massive Elvis quiff that brought me no end of amusement. Seriously, you could have done a Half Pipe off the thing.
Don't believe me? Check it out, here's the original:
Elvis hair:
And here's the new one:
No Elvis hair:
Now where's the fun in that? It's all, like, normal and stuff. B. O. R. I. N. G.
As for the contents inside the book? Eh. It was okay. It was a decent enough story, but it had a lot of cliches, incredibly 2D cardboard cut-out characters, and a rather unlikable protagonist.
The worst part for me was the characterisation of the main character, Samantha, which consisted of TELLING me (as opposed to showing me), that she was a bookish, nerdy type that incongruously, for reasons unknown to the world at large, kept banging on about how she'd once shoplifted and ran away from home and spent three nights sleeping rough on the streets. #troubled #introverted
She was also quite bitchy and snarky, which was another thing she kept TELLING us about; that she had this incredible wit and had learned to fight people with her sharp tongue. Not once did I find any of her comebacks funny or cool in any way, but whatevs. #ohsnap #noyoudi'n't
She was also a bit TSTL. Like, "Hee, hee! Let's follow the weird, clearly mental, homeless dude into a dark alley. 'Cause he's like, super hot!". #inspired #tinygenius
And that's really all the characterisation you get. #theend
Oh, but then there were the boys: One good but tormented. One bad but redeemable. One really sweet, the token friend. One bad as bad can be...
I'm pretty sure the YAers will lap it all up, but I've read far too many books, including recently two brilliant YA books (Wilde's Fire by Krystal Wade and Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa), to accept this mediocre writing. It's all been done before so much better.
Having said all that, I did read it all the way through and in pretty short order. Like I said, the story itself was not too terrible and could have been so much better if it had some decent characters to carry it. But alas, it did not.
To sum up, it entertained me for a few hours, but I didn't like the characters enough to want more. I won't be reading the next one.
3 stars ★★★
When the cover for this was first released the guy on the cover had this massive Elvis quiff that brought me no end of amusement. Seriously, you could have done a Half Pipe off the thing.
Don't believe me? Check it out, here's the original:
Elvis hair:
And here's the new one:
No Elvis hair:
Now where's the fun in that? It's all, like, normal and stuff. B. O. R. I. N. G.
As for the contents inside the book? Eh. It was okay. It was a decent enough story, but it had a lot of cliches, incredibly 2D cardboard cut-out characters, and a rather unlikable protagonist.
The worst part for me was the characterisation of the main character, Samantha, which consisted of TELLING me (as opposed to showing me), that she was a bookish, nerdy type that incongruously, for reasons unknown to the world at large, kept banging on about how she'd once shoplifted and ran away from home and spent three nights sleeping rough on the streets. #troubled #introverted
She was also quite bitchy and snarky, which was another thing she kept TELLING us about; that she had this incredible wit and had learned to fight people with her sharp tongue. Not once did I find any of her comebacks funny or cool in any way, but whatevs. #ohsnap #noyoudi'n't
She was also a bit TSTL. Like, "Hee, hee! Let's follow the weird, clearly mental, homeless dude into a dark alley. 'Cause he's like, super hot!". #inspired #tinygenius
And that's really all the characterisation you get. #theend
Oh, but then there were the boys: One good but tormented. One bad but redeemable. One really sweet, the token friend. One bad as bad can be...
I'm pretty sure the YAers will lap it all up, but I've read far too many books, including recently two brilliant YA books (Wilde's Fire by Krystal Wade and Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa), to accept this mediocre writing. It's all been done before so much better.
Having said all that, I did read it all the way through and in pretty short order. Like I said, the story itself was not too terrible and could have been so much better if it had some decent characters to carry it. But alas, it did not.
To sum up, it entertained me for a few hours, but I didn't like the characters enough to want more. I won't be reading the next one.
3 stars ★★★
October 18, 2018
This book has been on my Goodreads TBR for nearly three years! Even though it did take a while to get round to reading, this YA Paranormal Romance was at times quite chilling. But the ultra-fast pacing was what let the story down for me. The main character Samantha goes to a club called Crave. One evening at Crave, she gets kissed by her crush. Except that after being kissed, she starts feeling some hunger cravings but isn't sure why. She soon learns about the secret missions of demons and angels and facts about her past that she never knew. There were a few characters that I struggled to connect with, due to the sheer number of them introduced in the first half of the story. I did feel that the romance moved quite quickly and wasn't a huge fan of it for the majority of the read. As of right now, I'm undecided whether I want to dive into the sequel or not. I am happy that this is now ticked off my reading list!
January 27, 2018
Ok, at the risk of once again disagreeing with other reviews, I actually liked this story. 🤷🏼♀️
Maybe because I didn’t read it while other YA books were swimming around in my head, but I thought the concept was pretty original. Maybe not the formula, but the kiss from a demon sucking your soul away was cool. I also liked that the reason our heroine was special was given a good explanation, instead of the usual nerdy, unpopular girl trope.
Anyway, I thought it was a pretty good story and I plan to read the next in this series. 😊
Maybe because I didn’t read it while other YA books were swimming around in my head, but I thought the concept was pretty original. Maybe not the formula, but the kiss from a demon sucking your soul away was cool. I also liked that the reason our heroine was special was given a good explanation, instead of the usual nerdy, unpopular girl trope.
Anyway, I thought it was a pretty good story and I plan to read the next in this series. 😊
February 17, 2021
I'm going to try my best not to turn this into a rantview but I'm warning you, it's going to be hard. Every chapter was like stepping on a landmine of WTFery & now I'm typing with two fingers & a half a torso because DK blew my ass up.
Things I Liked About Dark Kiss:
1. Kraven. Yes, he was full of (sometimes annoying) snark. But he's a demon & has a few badass moments. Alas, none of them include punching Sam in the face-although he did smack her in one scene that made me weep tears of joy.
2. The concept. It's not the most original one (people sucking out souls through kisses is kinda like a Succubi/Incubi only not full-o-smut) but in a genre saturated with Weres & Vamps (& now ZOMBEHS!!!), it's was a welcome change.
Okay, that's it.
Things I Disliked/Hated About Dark Kiss:
1. Bishop. He's the angel love interest and from what is known about him, he should be badass, smiting people in the name of JESUS & stuff. But he's not. He's what I'd call a "Dude-in-Distress". He spends pretty much all of DK confused & whiny & crying about how nobody loves him. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't the guy I'm supposed to swoon over, but he is & it's not sexy in the least.
2. Pace. DK is excruciatingly slow and nothing really happens until the end and even that was a bit of a let down, but more on that later. Samantha does a lot telling instead of showing & it comes off as kind of creepy because she's like a brick. You take a magic marker and draw a ☺ on it but you don't feel the brick's emotions. It's just a brick with a happy face.
3. Samantha. She is the epitome of what I hate in a heroine & the biggest reason why this book got 1 star. It might have gotten 3 if she'd gotten hit with a Mack truck in the beginning. I'm gonna tell you about Samantha:
* She lies to herself. She's willfully ignorant & refuses to believe anything anyone tells her. This heifer wouldn't believe the grass is green if you shoved her face into it.
* She's one of those vindictive heroines who's always thinking about how she's gonna get someone back. She wants to be important and respected but expects people to hand it to her instead of earning it. There's this one scene where a friend needs her help but she doesn't want to help him/her because she pretty much feels like the person should be on their knees begging her for it. You're a shit friend, Sam.
* She's a punk bitch. Sam needs to be saved from everything and I mean EVERYTHING. My 4-year-old nephew could totally take her ass out with a Big Wheel. She spent this whole book running, screaming, crying and feeling butt hurt when people pointed out that she's weak....but she is. What's worse is that she's given multiple opportunities to prove her worth and she falls on her face every single time. The big finale at the end? It proves how much of a dumbass she really is when people are giving her the necessary tools for greatness & she's like "WTF are lady balls?" This is what happens: DAFUQ?
There's a lot more I can say about Sam but it would take many many more paragraphs. I would have loved to love Sam but she gives me absolutely no reason to even like her. DK could've been soooooo good if the writing was a little bit better and if Sam wasn't the kind of person who's best quality is driving a person insane. This has been a really good YA month for me and now I'm sad.
Things I Liked About Dark Kiss:
1. Kraven. Yes, he was full of (sometimes annoying) snark. But he's a demon & has a few badass moments. Alas, none of them include punching Sam in the face-although he did smack her in one scene that made me weep tears of joy.
2. The concept. It's not the most original one (people sucking out souls through kisses is kinda like a Succubi/Incubi only not full-o-smut) but in a genre saturated with Weres & Vamps (& now ZOMBEHS!!!), it's was a welcome change.
Okay, that's it.
Things I Disliked/Hated About Dark Kiss:
1. Bishop. He's the angel love interest and from what is known about him, he should be badass, smiting people in the name of JESUS & stuff. But he's not. He's what I'd call a "Dude-in-Distress". He spends pretty much all of DK confused & whiny & crying about how nobody loves him. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't the guy I'm supposed to swoon over, but he is & it's not sexy in the least.
2. Pace. DK is excruciatingly slow and nothing really happens until the end and even that was a bit of a let down, but more on that later. Samantha does a lot telling instead of showing & it comes off as kind of creepy because she's like a brick. You take a magic marker and draw a ☺ on it but you don't feel the brick's emotions. It's just a brick with a happy face.
3. Samantha. She is the epitome of what I hate in a heroine & the biggest reason why this book got 1 star. It might have gotten 3 if she'd gotten hit with a Mack truck in the beginning. I'm gonna tell you about Samantha:
* She lies to herself. She's willfully ignorant & refuses to believe anything anyone tells her. This heifer wouldn't believe the grass is green if you shoved her face into it.
* She's one of those vindictive heroines who's always thinking about how she's gonna get someone back. She wants to be important and respected but expects people to hand it to her instead of earning it. There's this one scene where a friend needs her help but she doesn't want to help him/her because she pretty much feels like the person should be on their knees begging her for it. You're a shit friend, Sam.
* She's a punk bitch. Sam needs to be saved from everything and I mean EVERYTHING. My 4-year-old nephew could totally take her ass out with a Big Wheel. She spent this whole book running, screaming, crying and feeling butt hurt when people pointed out that she's weak....but she is. What's worse is that she's given multiple opportunities to prove her worth and she falls on her face every single time. The big finale at the end? It proves how much of a dumbass she really is when people are giving her the necessary tools for greatness & she's like "WTF are lady balls?" This is what happens: DAFUQ?
There's a lot more I can say about Sam but it would take many many more paragraphs. I would have loved to love Sam but she gives me absolutely no reason to even like her. DK could've been soooooo good if the writing was a little bit better and if Sam wasn't the kind of person who's best quality is driving a person insane. This has been a really good YA month for me and now I'm sad.
May 29, 2012
Dark Kiss is one of the latest in the string of angel books we see hitting the YA category. While I was hoping for a little more, this was a quick, easy and fairly enjoyable story to read.
As the story opens up we are introduced to Sam and her best friend Carly as they are going to the town's popular teenage club. Right away Sam's long-time crush, Stephen, singles Sam out and kisses her. This kiss is different than any she's experienced, drastically changing her and opening up a new world and new powers. This change comes with a huge drawback, a hunger that can't be satisfied with food. Soon she learns that she is part of a bigger world, one of angels, demons and others and now she's on their radar. She finds out there are angels and demons working together to stem the tide of "grays," growing in number fast. Grays pose a threat to humans because they can suck the souls out of them. Bishop is an angel in charge of this mission but ever since he's been back on earth he has had trouble finding and gathering his team and focusing at all. His mental status is hovering around crazy. Sam, seeing Bishop and mistaking him for a homeless, vulnerable teen in need of help, stops to assist him and touches him, clearing his mental fog. Not only is she able to do that, but she is also able to see where the other team members are and leads Bishop to them. No one knows why she's able to do this but she has just become an unwelcome member to this team. Most of the members are not too pleased.
I enjoyed the author's original take on the whole angel and demon lore and her vivid descriptions and imagery made the scenes come alive. Unfortunately, for me the story felt a little lacking in depth. Bishop was a main character yet I didn't feel we got much on his back story to help us understand his motivations. I admired Sam's loyalty to her best friend and her desire to help ones in need however, her actions and reasoning had me shaking my head in disbelief. Her naïve trusting of other characters, even with little information or answers, made want to pull my hair out. Her ping-pong feelings towards Bishop were also an irritation for me. The romance felt a bit forced and while it wasn't technically an insta-love, it certainly had some of the identifying marks of one.
This story took a positive turn for me though, in the last twenty-five percent. Sam seemed to smarten up and finally got her feelings sorted out and the story pace picked up considerably. Another plus for me was the fact that this didn't leave off on a cliffhanger. The story wraps up nicely while leaving you wanting more. I will be picking up the sequel to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read this story.
This review and more can be found on The Readers Den
July 4, 2012
After reading several glowing reviews for Dark Kiss, I decided spur of the moment to make a last minute request, I was hoping to find a fun adventurous read full with snarky and enigmatic characters. But unfortunately Dark Kiss fell a long way short from my expectations.
Out one night in the up and coming club Crave with her best friend Carly, Sam’s unexpectedly approached by Stephen, she’s had crush on him for as long as she can remember, she always knew she never had a chance with him, he was hot and hung round with the popular crowd, so it comes as a bit of a surprise when she spots him in the club when he should be away in college and he insists on talking to her in private. However what was meant to be a chat turns out into a full blown make out session. And then to top it off he just leaves her there referring her to as a kid and with no explanation what so ever.
The next few days get weirder by the minute; Sam finds guys are paying attention to her more than usual, even her best friend’s ex-boyfriend! She also finds that she’s constantly hungry all the time and nothing can quench her appetite. Then she bumps into Bishop, a guy so confused he has no idea what’s going on, just that he has to complete some sort of mission. Also when Sam touches him there’s this sort of spark between them. Sam can also see these “bright lights” that Bishop was meant to see. So they decide to help each other out, Sam will lead Bishop to each “bright light” she comes across and he will help her get down to the bottom of her problem.
What I enjoyed about Dark Kiss.
Kraven (Bishop’s brother) a demon badass and probably the funniest character in the entire book. He was a proper wind-up merchant, always had a witty, snarky come back, and knew how to get under your skin. Even though Kraven was meant to be the “bad guy” as he was a demon we didn’t get to see much of that side. I think I would have liked to see more of a darker side to him.
Bishop; he was so adorable, he fell down to earth all confused with no idea how to complete his mission. He was always dedicated even though he was completely weak most of the time. I also loved the banter between him and Kraven.
What I didn’t enjoy;
The forbidden relationship between Bishop and Sam felt like insta-love. As soon as Sam saw him she just knew he was the one. I understand that she couldn’t be apart from him as her touch helped Bishop clear his thoughts, but the constant brooding about him really began to irritate me.
The meant to be surprises didn’t feel like surprises at all, I was able to guess what was going to happen before it actually did and so Dark Kiss wasn’t really an enthralling read as I’d hoped it would be. By the second half of this book, I felt I was just reading for the sake of reading, the initial enjoyment I had started off with had quickly disappeared and it soon became a draining read.
The amount of times someone referred to Sam as “special” without any elaboration as to why she was special made me want to thump someone.
By the end of the book Kraven and Bishop hugely reminded me of Stefan and Damon from the Vampire Diaries.
So overall Dark Kiss was not my cup of tea, however I think I may be in the minority as most people I know thoroughly enjoyed this book. So don’t let my review put you off from reading it. I know dedicated fans of paranormal romance would love this.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this book.
This review and more can also be found on: The Readers Den
Out one night in the up and coming club Crave with her best friend Carly, Sam’s unexpectedly approached by Stephen, she’s had crush on him for as long as she can remember, she always knew she never had a chance with him, he was hot and hung round with the popular crowd, so it comes as a bit of a surprise when she spots him in the club when he should be away in college and he insists on talking to her in private. However what was meant to be a chat turns out into a full blown make out session. And then to top it off he just leaves her there referring her to as a kid and with no explanation what so ever.
The next few days get weirder by the minute; Sam finds guys are paying attention to her more than usual, even her best friend’s ex-boyfriend! She also finds that she’s constantly hungry all the time and nothing can quench her appetite. Then she bumps into Bishop, a guy so confused he has no idea what’s going on, just that he has to complete some sort of mission. Also when Sam touches him there’s this sort of spark between them. Sam can also see these “bright lights” that Bishop was meant to see. So they decide to help each other out, Sam will lead Bishop to each “bright light” she comes across and he will help her get down to the bottom of her problem.
What I enjoyed about Dark Kiss.
Kraven (Bishop’s brother) a demon badass and probably the funniest character in the entire book. He was a proper wind-up merchant, always had a witty, snarky come back, and knew how to get under your skin. Even though Kraven was meant to be the “bad guy” as he was a demon we didn’t get to see much of that side. I think I would have liked to see more of a darker side to him.
Bishop; he was so adorable, he fell down to earth all confused with no idea how to complete his mission. He was always dedicated even though he was completely weak most of the time. I also loved the banter between him and Kraven.
What I didn’t enjoy;
The forbidden relationship between Bishop and Sam felt like insta-love. As soon as Sam saw him she just knew he was the one. I understand that she couldn’t be apart from him as her touch helped Bishop clear his thoughts, but the constant brooding about him really began to irritate me.
The meant to be surprises didn’t feel like surprises at all, I was able to guess what was going to happen before it actually did and so Dark Kiss wasn’t really an enthralling read as I’d hoped it would be. By the second half of this book, I felt I was just reading for the sake of reading, the initial enjoyment I had started off with had quickly disappeared and it soon became a draining read.
The amount of times someone referred to Sam as “special” without any elaboration as to why she was special made me want to thump someone.
By the end of the book Kraven and Bishop hugely reminded me of Stefan and Damon from the Vampire Diaries.
So overall Dark Kiss was not my cup of tea, however I think I may be in the minority as most people I know thoroughly enjoyed this book. So don’t let my review put you off from reading it. I know dedicated fans of paranormal romance would love this.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read this book.
This review and more can also be found on: The Readers Den
September 5, 2012
Spoilers
After Samantha gets a kiss from her long time crush, it changes her. The kiss stole Samantha's soul and makes her hungry all the time - not for food though but for kisses. After meeting the mysterious Bishop, Samantha finds out that she's now a Gray and that her kiss can devour souls.
-The plot was ok but certain aspects were just dragged out too long like finding Bishop's team. The characters bar a few were all flat and unoriginal. The romance was like every other romance in YA.
-Sam was the typical YA heroine she was unpopular, flat chested, had absent parents and no-one understood her. Naturally, it didn't take long for someone to describe her as special — even though she wasn't. What really annoyed me was how much Sam stuttered when she was shocked or scared or turned on — it made her seem idiotic. I was baffled when Sam claimed she was witty and was good at one liners. Her so called snarky sense of humour wasn't clever it was rubbish.
-Sam lost her soul but apart from feeling cold and wanting to kiss everyone she was no different from before. She still had normal feelings, thoughts and morals. Why was her soul so important when it didn't do anything??
-Sam was so dumb and selfish, it was her fault that Carly was turned into a Gray - instead of making sure Carly got home ok she left her in a club knowing that they were other Grays there that could easily turn her. I hated that Sam left her friend somewhere dangerous all so she could go off with a guy she'd only just met.
-The romance was predictable and cheesy. In less than a week Sam fell for Bishop. The insta-love was 'explained' by the usual inexplicable connection and attraction that heroines in YA/PNR/UF seem to get struck with so often — it was unconvincing and was a lazy way to avoid characters getting to know each other in an organic way. Unsurprisingly, Sam's whole life started to revolve around Bishop over a course of a few days — she thought about him all the time, she couldn't concentrate on anything else and nothing else was important. Bishop was no better than Sam.
-The relationship Bishop had with Kraven was far more interesting than the one he had with Sam. Kraven was by far the best character, he was actually quite funny and I could understand why he had such a chip on his shoulder in regard to Bishop.
-There were of course the stereotypical mean girls that hated the heroine for no good reason. It's become quite clear that in YA land most girls don't care about anything but boys and bullying girls.
-Yet again the virgin heroine was called a slut by the resident mean girl just because more than one guy was interested in her. I don't know why most girls that aren't the heroine get portrayed in a negative way when in reality most girls aren't like that.
Overall a bit of disappointing read, it's not a completely horrible book but I couldn't get into it because it was so similar to other YA books. I think new readers or readers that enjoy the same type of formula found in paranormal YA will probably enjoy this.
After Samantha gets a kiss from her long time crush, it changes her. The kiss stole Samantha's soul and makes her hungry all the time - not for food though but for kisses. After meeting the mysterious Bishop, Samantha finds out that she's now a Gray and that her kiss can devour souls.
-The plot was ok but certain aspects were just dragged out too long like finding Bishop's team. The characters bar a few were all flat and unoriginal. The romance was like every other romance in YA.
-Sam was the typical YA heroine she was unpopular, flat chested, had absent parents and no-one understood her. Naturally, it didn't take long for someone to describe her as special — even though she wasn't. What really annoyed me was how much Sam stuttered when she was shocked or scared or turned on — it made her seem idiotic. I was baffled when Sam claimed she was witty and was good at one liners. Her so called snarky sense of humour wasn't clever it was rubbish.
-Sam lost her soul but apart from feeling cold and wanting to kiss everyone she was no different from before. She still had normal feelings, thoughts and morals. Why was her soul so important when it didn't do anything??
-Sam was so dumb and selfish, it was her fault that Carly was turned into a Gray - instead of making sure Carly got home ok she left her in a club knowing that they were other Grays there that could easily turn her. I hated that Sam left her friend somewhere dangerous all so she could go off with a guy she'd only just met.
-The romance was predictable and cheesy. In less than a week Sam fell for Bishop. The insta-love was 'explained' by the usual inexplicable connection and attraction that heroines in YA/PNR/UF seem to get struck with so often — it was unconvincing and was a lazy way to avoid characters getting to know each other in an organic way. Unsurprisingly, Sam's whole life started to revolve around Bishop over a course of a few days — she thought about him all the time, she couldn't concentrate on anything else and nothing else was important. Bishop was no better than Sam.
-The relationship Bishop had with Kraven was far more interesting than the one he had with Sam. Kraven was by far the best character, he was actually quite funny and I could understand why he had such a chip on his shoulder in regard to Bishop.
-There were of course the stereotypical mean girls that hated the heroine for no good reason. It's become quite clear that in YA land most girls don't care about anything but boys and bullying girls.
-Yet again the virgin heroine was called a slut by the resident mean girl just because more than one guy was interested in her. I don't know why most girls that aren't the heroine get portrayed in a negative way when in reality most girls aren't like that.
Overall a bit of disappointing read, it's not a completely horrible book but I couldn't get into it because it was so similar to other YA books. I think new readers or readers that enjoy the same type of formula found in paranormal YA will probably enjoy this.
April 9, 2018
I really loved this book! The concept was so cool and intriguing. I ended up really shipping Kraven and Samantha and that's really bad of me cause I know they aren't gonna get together.
March 11, 2015
Samantha runs into her crush Stephen while out a night club. When he kisses her she thinks her long time fantasy is coming true. Except he is a gray, a soul sucking being that has now took her soul. As a soulless gray, Samantha craves to kiss and steal souls herself. Guys are drawn to her and she hungers for their soul. When she meets Bishop he is lost but her touch brings him back to reality. He is here with other demons and angels on a mission to stop the grays. Bishop feels for Samantha and plans to help her.
Having a team of both angels and demons working together made for some interesting drama. Bishop is the sweet angel but he has a secretive past. Kraven is the snarky demon and he also has a secretive past that involves Bishop. Samantha was a bit more flat to me but what can I say I usually always prefer the boys. Bishop and Sam sort of have a little bit of an insta-love vibe going but I think with the paranormal explanations it made sense. It wasn't super over done. I am dying to learn more about how Bishop and Kraven ended up where they are now. I am hoping the next book brings to light more about their past and history.
I really didn't like Samantha's friend Carly at all. Samantha is struggling trying to find her soul and Carly just thinks Samantha is having fun without her and wants to join her?! In the end Carly was a better friend than I expected though. Samantha is trying to find Natalie the head soul sucking boss. Natalie was a fun villain and I kind of got a chuckle out of how much she enjoyed kissing boys and sucking souls. She knew more about Samantha than was expected and I am curious to learn more in the next book as well. A great set up for more snarky hot demon fun and sexy sweet angels.
---
"I don't know." Bishop kept his attention on me. "There's something special about her. When she helped me with her touch-"
"Exactly what was she touching that was so memorable for you?"
"Watch your mouth."
"Believe me Samantha, that kiss-it was enough to prove something very important to me."
"What?"
"That I'd do anything to find a way to kiss you again."
---
*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
From the Nightwatchers facebook page!
Read Chapter 1 HERE
He spoke softly into my ear. “I should warn you, it’s a very dangerous kiss. It’ll change your life forever, so you have to want it.”
If I wasn’t feeling so flustered, I might have thought he was being cocky. I mean, please. A kiss that could change my life forever?
But I kind of believed him. And after months of trying to be a perfect angel after the shoplifting incident, I wanted to push the edges of my comfort zone just a little bit.
And this was special -- a boy I liked who might like me in return. I couldn’t just walk away...
Having a team of both angels and demons working together made for some interesting drama. Bishop is the sweet angel but he has a secretive past. Kraven is the snarky demon and he also has a secretive past that involves Bishop. Samantha was a bit more flat to me but what can I say I usually always prefer the boys. Bishop and Sam sort of have a little bit of an insta-love vibe going but I think with the paranormal explanations it made sense. It wasn't super over done. I am dying to learn more about how Bishop and Kraven ended up where they are now. I am hoping the next book brings to light more about their past and history.
I really didn't like Samantha's friend Carly at all. Samantha is struggling trying to find her soul and Carly just thinks Samantha is having fun without her and wants to join her?! In the end Carly was a better friend than I expected though. Samantha is trying to find Natalie the head soul sucking boss. Natalie was a fun villain and I kind of got a chuckle out of how much she enjoyed kissing boys and sucking souls. She knew more about Samantha than was expected and I am curious to learn more in the next book as well. A great set up for more snarky hot demon fun and sexy sweet angels.
---
"I don't know." Bishop kept his attention on me. "There's something special about her. When she helped me with her touch-"
"Exactly what was she touching that was so memorable for you?"
"Watch your mouth."
"Believe me Samantha, that kiss-it was enough to prove something very important to me."
"What?"
"That I'd do anything to find a way to kiss you again."
---
*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
From the Nightwatchers facebook page!
Read Chapter 1 HERE
He spoke softly into my ear. “I should warn you, it’s a very dangerous kiss. It’ll change your life forever, so you have to want it.”
If I wasn’t feeling so flustered, I might have thought he was being cocky. I mean, please. A kiss that could change my life forever?
But I kind of believed him. And after months of trying to be a perfect angel after the shoplifting incident, I wanted to push the edges of my comfort zone just a little bit.
And this was special -- a boy I liked who might like me in return. I couldn’t just walk away...
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
July 27, 2019DNF @ 80%
I should have probably finished this! After all, I sat through most of this torture. But honestly, enough is enough, and I do need my brain cells for those awesome books still left in this world.
Frankly, I feel as though I have read this book multiple times. The YA genre is filled with the same book getting written over and over and over and over again.
They're all the same. And at this point I feel like I've read them all, and I refuse to sit through yet another.
I should have probably finished this! After all, I sat through most of this torture. But honestly, enough is enough, and I do need my brain cells for those awesome books still left in this world.
Frankly, I feel as though I have read this book multiple times. The YA genre is filled with the same book getting written over and over and over and over again.
They're all the same. And at this point I feel like I've read them all, and I refuse to sit through yet another.
May 27, 2012
Review posted on Ja čitam, a ti?
So... Let's start with easy part. I love this cover - it's probably one of the prettiest covers this year. Too bad that what was betwen the covers wasn't so good. Maybe the problem is in me because I've read few good reviews about Dark Kiss and I wanted for a while now to read a really good book involving angels. (If you, guys, have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.)
My biggest problem with Michelle Rowen's novel was that it didn't feel believable. I know what you are going to say - it is fantasy, it's not realistic - but, in my opinion, for fantasy novels it's even a bigger deal that while you are reading it, you have a feeling that it truly could happen the way author described it. That's why it's important to make sure that plot doesn't have loose ends or that what motivates characters is set out really clearly. Problem with Dark Kiss was plot - it sounds great and interesting, but there is too much repetition and you get lost in Samantha's thinking and going over and over the same stuff. You don't have write again what happened on the next ten pages - we read it, we know.
No matter all the things I found lacking, I still enjoyed in this book - well, I did read it in one day. I like that it has dark atmosphere and that nothing isn't the way it seems. I'm intruigued by Bishop and his past and that's why I'll read next book - Wicked Kiss.
So... Let's start with easy part. I love this cover - it's probably one of the prettiest covers this year. Too bad that what was betwen the covers wasn't so good. Maybe the problem is in me because I've read few good reviews about Dark Kiss and I wanted for a while now to read a really good book involving angels. (If you, guys, have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.)
My biggest problem with Michelle Rowen's novel was that it didn't feel believable. I know what you are going to say - it is fantasy, it's not realistic - but, in my opinion, for fantasy novels it's even a bigger deal that while you are reading it, you have a feeling that it truly could happen the way author described it. That's why it's important to make sure that plot doesn't have loose ends or that what motivates characters is set out really clearly. Problem with Dark Kiss was plot - it sounds great and interesting, but there is too much repetition and you get lost in Samantha's thinking and going over and over the same stuff. You don't have write again what happened on the next ten pages - we read it, we know.
No matter all the things I found lacking, I still enjoyed in this book - well, I did read it in one day. I like that it has dark atmosphere and that nothing isn't the way it seems. I'm intruigued by Bishop and his past and that's why I'll read next book - Wicked Kiss.
April 9, 2012
While this would be my first Michelle Rowen book, it wont be my last. I enjoyed the writing, and the concept is pretty good, but sadly I could't connect with the characters and everything seemed to happen to fast.
Not for me....
Not for me....
December 11, 2019
First things first
I'mma say all the words inside my head
(Get the reference? Nope... okay... Nevermind then.)
The author keeps on having the characters say "special." It gets annoying after a while because all they say is
"you are special."
"Special?"
"Yes, very special."
And I'm just there like, "SHUT THE **** UP ALREADY!"
I said this before, but I feel like the "Kiss that changed her life happened a bit too early. The author also doesn't give a good description of Samantha. A lot of things confused me in the book. Like why do you suck someone's soul out with a kiss? That's just stupid. Also, the fact that they were able to defeat Sam's aunt that easily. There wasn't an EXCITING plot that makes you want to read on. I was just there trying to finish the book because I wanted to read something else.
I'mma say all the words inside my head
(Get the reference? Nope... okay... Nevermind then.)
The author keeps on having the characters say "special." It gets annoying after a while because all they say is
"you are special."
"Special?"
"Yes, very special."
And I'm just there like, "SHUT THE **** UP ALREADY!"
I said this before, but I feel like the "Kiss that changed her life happened a bit too early. The author also doesn't give a good description of Samantha. A lot of things confused me in the book. Like why do you suck someone's soul out with a kiss? That's just stupid. Also, the fact that they were able to defeat Sam's aunt that easily. There wasn't an EXCITING plot that makes you want to read on. I was just there trying to finish the book because I wanted to read something else.
February 6, 2016
3/5
This book's summary sounds pretty good. I mean who doesn't like angels and demons trying to say the world? The cover was also really cool which I'm kind of sad to say kind of influenced me reading it. I wasn't sure how good the romance between Samantha and Bishop was going to be since it seemed like it would take up more plot than it should. Before reading it, I had seen many people who liked it but there was one review that I saw showing that Samantha was a whiny and "weak" character. I think that this could have been better if it wasn't first person from her point of view. This is true in about 70% of the book. Samantha doesn't really handle her problems and she complains or makes irrational decisions thinking she knows what she's doing. She cries (a lot!) too many times to count and for no reason. It was also annoying how many times she got called "special". She does have some cool powers but there has to be another way to describe it then "special". I did get a little excited seeing that there might be a love triangle going on but that might be in the second book. There was some action in the ending of the book but it was kind of predictable with what was going to happen. I did like the minor characters in the book (yes, even Roth) and I hope to learn more about them in the second book.
I think that I will read the second book because there is a hint of an even larger evil and who knows, Samantha might get a little stronger.
This book's summary sounds pretty good. I mean who doesn't like angels and demons trying to say the world? The cover was also really cool which I'm kind of sad to say kind of influenced me reading it. I wasn't sure how good the romance between Samantha and Bishop was going to be since it seemed like it would take up more plot than it should. Before reading it, I had seen many people who liked it but there was one review that I saw showing that Samantha was a whiny and "weak" character. I think that this could have been better if it wasn't first person from her point of view. This is true in about 70% of the book. Samantha doesn't really handle her problems and she complains or makes irrational decisions thinking she knows what she's doing. She cries (a lot!) too many times to count and for no reason. It was also annoying how many times she got called "special". She does have some cool powers but there has to be another way to describe it then "special". I did get a little excited seeing that there might be a love triangle going on but that might be in the second book. There was some action in the ending of the book but it was kind of predictable with what was going to happen. I did like the minor characters in the book (yes, even Roth) and I hope to learn more about them in the second book.
I think that I will read the second book because there is a hint of an even larger evil and who knows, Samantha might get a little stronger.
December 18, 2022
the summary
Fall under the spell of the Grays.
One kiss can change your life.
One kiss can steal your soul.
Ready?
Go for it.
chev's system for reviews
plot development ☆☆☆☆☆
character development ☆☆☆☆☆
chev's board
I launched my instagram, @chevreads and @hiddenbooks.sg (follow me!)
the rating
5/5!!
Like this review for a mention :p
Find me on:
Instagram: @chevreads - for bookish news
Wattpad: @writerthursday
Pinterest: @thursdayfrappe
Youtube: @chevreads - posting soon!?
P.S. Add me as a friend :) I like to read romance novels and mystery stories
Fall under the spell of the Grays.
One kiss can change your life.
One kiss can steal your soul.
Ready?
Go for it.
chev's system for reviews
plot development ☆☆☆☆☆
character development ☆☆☆☆☆
chev's board
I launched my instagram, @chevreads and @hiddenbooks.sg (follow me!)
the rating
5/5!!
Like this review for a mention :p
Find me on:
Instagram: @chevreads - for bookish news
Wattpad: @writerthursday
Pinterest: @thursdayfrappe
Youtube: @chevreads - posting soon!?
P.S. Add me as a friend :) I like to read romance novels and mystery stories
June 11, 2012
Michelle Rowen's writing really saves this one. The characters are pretty much tried and true tropes; at this point I've seen too many of these triangles where the nice and slightly bookish girl has to choose between the serious hero and the sarcastic antihero I just really don't care anymore - not that I really cared before. But the plot wasn't bad at all and Rowen does dark urban fantasy pretty well - actually, considering how generic the characters were, the book kind of surprised me, I wasn't nearly as bored as I thought I'd be and might even look forward to the sequel.
But the characters really are generic, by the books, uninspired, unoriginal. Kraven, the sarcastic antihero, is definitely the worst of the bunch - no, calling Sam by a pet nickname and dropping hints that you may be somewhat dangerous and have a hidden agenda does not make you interesting or unique. Nor does being a demon who may or may not be totally evil. Need more character development than that. Bishop, the serious hero, wasn't that much better. At least it's implied that he has some sort of tragic past, and over the course of the book he did surprise me with how he deals with the burdens of his mission and makes a few interesting choices. But he was still really boring. Now that I think about it, I really wish Rowen switched these two characters. Why not have a sarcastic hero and a serious antihero? At least that would be something different ... because right now sidekicks Roth and Zach are more interesting than those two.
Sam as the sassy heroine wasn't that great either. I get that she's toned down to fit with the darker mood of this book, so not as sassy, but there are a couple of places I thought she could've been a little snarkier, worked on her dark humor. And I thought her justifications for helping her evil aunt Natalie were a little weak, didn't like her going back and forth for so long deciding that. But a couple of things surprised me, her friendship with Carly, which I thought like everything else was rather generic, really got interesting in the end, likewise her relationship with her mother. It's too bad so much felt crammed into the final quarter of this book, book's definitely not slow, but maybe could've been a little better paced.
What I did like, though, was the tone and mood. For some weird reason I have a headache from reading this, but, wow, Rowen had some really dark and ominous stuff in here. Sam's vision of the entire city melting into a pool of shadow, a supernatural void that sucks in anything around it, a ritual involving stabbing people in the chest. I get why Sam freaks out from seeing that - several times, but those are the kind of details that I really thought makes this book stand out beyond the typical angel book. Together with the muted feel, awesome. Perfectly matches the dark cover design at least.
So yeah, liked the book, really liked the plot and writing, but the characters didn't really work for me. Seen them before. Something to work on for the sequel at least ...
But the characters really are generic, by the books, uninspired, unoriginal. Kraven, the sarcastic antihero, is definitely the worst of the bunch - no, calling Sam by a pet nickname and dropping hints that you may be somewhat dangerous and have a hidden agenda does not make you interesting or unique. Nor does being a demon who may or may not be totally evil. Need more character development than that. Bishop, the serious hero, wasn't that much better. At least it's implied that he has some sort of tragic past, and over the course of the book he did surprise me with how he deals with the burdens of his mission and makes a few interesting choices. But he was still really boring. Now that I think about it, I really wish Rowen switched these two characters. Why not have a sarcastic hero and a serious antihero? At least that would be something different ... because right now sidekicks Roth and Zach are more interesting than those two.
Sam as the sassy heroine wasn't that great either. I get that she's toned down to fit with the darker mood of this book, so not as sassy, but there are a couple of places I thought she could've been a little snarkier, worked on her dark humor. And I thought her justifications for helping her evil aunt Natalie were a little weak, didn't like her going back and forth for so long deciding that. But a couple of things surprised me, her friendship with Carly, which I thought like everything else was rather generic, really got interesting in the end, likewise her relationship with her mother. It's too bad so much felt crammed into the final quarter of this book, book's definitely not slow, but maybe could've been a little better paced.
What I did like, though, was the tone and mood. For some weird reason I have a headache from reading this, but, wow, Rowen had some really dark and ominous stuff in here. Sam's vision of the entire city melting into a pool of shadow, a supernatural void that sucks in anything around it, a ritual involving stabbing people in the chest. I get why Sam freaks out from seeing that - several times, but those are the kind of details that I really thought makes this book stand out beyond the typical angel book. Together with the muted feel, awesome. Perfectly matches the dark cover design at least.
So yeah, liked the book, really liked the plot and writing, but the characters didn't really work for me. Seen them before. Something to work on for the sequel at least ...
January 12, 2014
Dark and haunting tale of love, Dark Kiss is one of my most favorite paranormal romances of 2012. I must say Michelle Rowen has nailed it.
“A sob caught in my chest. I didn't even know what a gray was, other than a drab color. All I knew was that I was hungry all the time. And I knew, deep down, that it wasn't just for food.”
In Dark Kiss heaven and hell comes together to build an army of angel and demons know as Nightwatchers to protect the humanity from the evils, known as Greys. The book starts with delicious kiss in a nightclub that change Samantha’s life. She become the center of attraction of every boy in her school, also a different kind of hunger is killing her inside. The she met Bishop, an alluring boy who doesn’t seem to recall much, later he is revealed to be a warrior of heaven. Then they joined forces with other angels and demons to track and hunt down the evil Greys.
I liked the character building, each and every one. There are many things I liked about the protagonist Samantha, and her character growth from a simple girl to rocking one. The night she has been kissed by her long time crush, her entire world changes around her, and a different kind of craving and hunger developed inside her. A power of feeding on human souls could have doomed her, but she never let go of the humanity.
And there Bishop, a lost angel and completely swoon worthy. He was determine to protect Sam, and I was spellbound the immediate attraction between them. The romance was hot and intense, kind of love which made the readers crave for more.
Kraven was my favorite among all of them. All bad boy and sarcastic attitude, he was pain in ass and I love such kind of pain. He is just that dead sexy demon, who can’t be described in words. Mhan! I love him.
When the book started the team were just tracking the Greys, soon it’s revealed that there is a queen, the “Source” who has a past connected with Sam. I was biting my lips every moment the book took a turn, so unpredictable. There was so much emotions and pain, I felt them flowing through my veins. Every action was well planned, and I loved them. Dark Kiss was absolutely fabulous and entertaining.
“A sob caught in my chest. I didn't even know what a gray was, other than a drab color. All I knew was that I was hungry all the time. And I knew, deep down, that it wasn't just for food.”
In Dark Kiss heaven and hell comes together to build an army of angel and demons know as Nightwatchers to protect the humanity from the evils, known as Greys. The book starts with delicious kiss in a nightclub that change Samantha’s life. She become the center of attraction of every boy in her school, also a different kind of hunger is killing her inside. The she met Bishop, an alluring boy who doesn’t seem to recall much, later he is revealed to be a warrior of heaven. Then they joined forces with other angels and demons to track and hunt down the evil Greys.
I liked the character building, each and every one. There are many things I liked about the protagonist Samantha, and her character growth from a simple girl to rocking one. The night she has been kissed by her long time crush, her entire world changes around her, and a different kind of craving and hunger developed inside her. A power of feeding on human souls could have doomed her, but she never let go of the humanity.
And there Bishop, a lost angel and completely swoon worthy. He was determine to protect Sam, and I was spellbound the immediate attraction between them. The romance was hot and intense, kind of love which made the readers crave for more.
Kraven was my favorite among all of them. All bad boy and sarcastic attitude, he was pain in ass and I love such kind of pain. He is just that dead sexy demon, who can’t be described in words. Mhan! I love him.
When the book started the team were just tracking the Greys, soon it’s revealed that there is a queen, the “Source” who has a past connected with Sam. I was biting my lips every moment the book took a turn, so unpredictable. There was so much emotions and pain, I felt them flowing through my veins. Every action was well planned, and I loved them. Dark Kiss was absolutely fabulous and entertaining.
July 4, 2012
Disa-freaking-ppointing. The plot has a interesting fresh concept.BUT The characters and the romance ruined the whole thing.First, Sam, she says that she is a careful person. (Haha, please).
1)Someone who follows a stranger even if he was your neighbor for 2 years is not safe. (Maybe I am paranoid, but it is something I wouldn't do.)
2)Approaching some dude sitting on a curb by myself. (is not 100 percent safe, you never know how a person may react)
3) Running away from home.(with no money not smart nor safe).
4)believing stranges (hello people have their own ageda, and will lie)
And somehow Sam manages to do this things and more. She is annoying- I mean special. Everyone calls her special. If I read the word speecial one more time... I will go insane. There are so many words that can be used instead.
Bishop is so boring. He is a leader. Really?(laughs).He is the type of leader that once he turn his back on you, you throw spitballs at him. Bishop is always whining about how he can't do things: he can't lead,he can't see the lights, he can't use a pencil sharper. Whine, whine, does something stupid.
I like Kraven better. He has personality and a brain.
The other characters are just there doing..holding up the wall so it won't fall.Very disappointed.
1)Someone who follows a stranger even if he was your neighbor for 2 years is not safe. (Maybe I am paranoid, but it is something I wouldn't do.)
2)Approaching some dude sitting on a curb by myself. (is not 100 percent safe, you never know how a person may react)
3) Running away from home.(with no money not smart nor safe).
4)believing stranges (hello people have their own ageda, and will lie)
And somehow Sam manages to do this things and more. She is annoying- I mean special. Everyone calls her special. If I read the word speecial one more time... I will go insane. There are so many words that can be used instead.
Bishop is so boring. He is a leader. Really?(laughs).He is the type of leader that once he turn his back on you, you throw spitballs at him. Bishop is always whining about how he can't do things: he can't lead,he can't see the lights, he can't use a pencil sharper. Whine, whine, does something stupid.
I like Kraven better. He has personality and a brain.
The other characters are just there doing..holding up the wall so it won't fall.Very disappointed.
April 16, 2012
hmmm... What I think about this book?
It was definitly not what I thought it would be. Dark Kiss suprised me in a good way. I have to say that I'm not the fan of angels, they're boring. But here?
I really liked them.
So if you still debating if you should give it a try -
I'm saying read this!!
It was definitly not what I thought it would be. Dark Kiss suprised me in a good way. I have to say that I'm not the fan of angels, they're boring. But here?
I really liked them.
So if you still debating if you should give it a try -
I'm saying read this!!
Want to read
January 14, 2012Gosh, well, if it ain't Elvis back from the dead. With a 6-pack too. Now, just sing me a song and all of my twisted fantasies will have come true...
June 20, 2012
Wow, another great series start for 2012!!! This has been such a great year for YA fantasy romance stories, I'm so excited that I get to read these in the beginning of the series. Dark Kiss is another story that took the angel concept and twisted it to be something new and original, and I really enjoyed it.
I loved Samantha as the heroine; when we first meet her, she's just a plane Jane. Really good student, with a single mom and nothing much going on in her life to speak of. But when the hot guy she's crushed on for years kisses her at the club one night, it rocks her world in a way she never expected. She feels cold and hungry, but nothing seems to satisfy either of these feelings. She's not sure what Stephen did to her, but she knows there's something wrong. When she stumbles across a devastatingly handsome, confused boy named Bishop on the street, there's just something about him that draws her in. When he touches her hand, a shock goes through both of them and suddenly the pieces start coming together for both Bishop and Sam. Her touch gives him clarity, his touch gives her the warmth she craved. When the newly clear-headed Bishop asks Sam for her help on his mission, she agrees without knowing what she's getting herself into. Turns out Bishop is an angel sent to earth to lead his team against the grays...the soul-snatching creatures that Sam herself has been unwillingly turned into. Sam can fight the urge to steal souls and has powers that even she doesn't fully understand, but she still doesn't know if she can trust Bishop and his allies. Even though her heart has already made up it's mind.
Bishop and his team seemed all set to face off against the grays, but when they were searching for "the Source", the woman who was behind the grays being turned, I was very anxious for Sam. She played a huge part in them discovering more about the Source, but with her lack of complete trust in either side she was very conflicted. I was so scared she'd turn to the dark side and lose Bishop, especially when the truth behind Natalie was revealed. Sam is just beginning to grasp her true potential; I was so fascinated as her abilities came to light, I truly can't wait to see what she's capable of throughout this series!!
The plot for Dark Kiss was great, but the characters are what really resonated with me. The team of angels and demons that Bishop is gathering together to fight the soul-suckers was awesome; Kraven with his crass sarcasm, Zach with his sweet and truly angelic ways, Roth who was just plain scary, and Connor who seemed to be the enlightened one of the group. Each of them added something truly exciting and interesting to the story, a piece to the puzzle that their mission was. Kraven and Sam were like oil and water, but their interactions were a hoot. It was really an interesting twist with the balance between demons and angels in this story, and it made their mission a real trial for all of them.
I really liked that the romance and attraction factor was ever-present for most of this story. Sam and Bishop have an immediate attraction, in part due to the affect their touch has on each other, and it made for great steamy tension throughout the story. They had great chemistry, and Bishop cared for Sam pretty much from the moment they meet. They needed her help to get their team together, but it was clear they both were happy to have more time together. It was just so sweet how Bishop was so protective of her, he's just soooooo dreamy!! *sigh* It broke my heart what he has to go through in this story, between his confusion thanks to being thrown from Heaven for the mission, unshielded like the others. He's so frustrated with his situation, and I just loved that Sam was the one person who could help him!! Talk about sparks!! And when Sam and Bishop give in to their attraction for a moment and a painful discovery is made about Bishop, I was screaming "noooooo!!!!" Ugh, when will this guy catch a break??!!
I very much look forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series, the ending leaves you desperately wanting more!! Thankfully it's not some gut-wrenching cliffhanger, but I need more of Bishop and Sam for sure! Great story, highly recommend to YA fantasy fans!!
I loved Samantha as the heroine; when we first meet her, she's just a plane Jane. Really good student, with a single mom and nothing much going on in her life to speak of. But when the hot guy she's crushed on for years kisses her at the club one night, it rocks her world in a way she never expected. She feels cold and hungry, but nothing seems to satisfy either of these feelings. She's not sure what Stephen did to her, but she knows there's something wrong. When she stumbles across a devastatingly handsome, confused boy named Bishop on the street, there's just something about him that draws her in. When he touches her hand, a shock goes through both of them and suddenly the pieces start coming together for both Bishop and Sam. Her touch gives him clarity, his touch gives her the warmth she craved. When the newly clear-headed Bishop asks Sam for her help on his mission, she agrees without knowing what she's getting herself into. Turns out Bishop is an angel sent to earth to lead his team against the grays...the soul-snatching creatures that Sam herself has been unwillingly turned into. Sam can fight the urge to steal souls and has powers that even she doesn't fully understand, but she still doesn't know if she can trust Bishop and his allies. Even though her heart has already made up it's mind.
Bishop and his team seemed all set to face off against the grays, but when they were searching for "the Source", the woman who was behind the grays being turned, I was very anxious for Sam. She played a huge part in them discovering more about the Source, but with her lack of complete trust in either side she was very conflicted. I was so scared she'd turn to the dark side and lose Bishop, especially when the truth behind Natalie was revealed. Sam is just beginning to grasp her true potential; I was so fascinated as her abilities came to light, I truly can't wait to see what she's capable of throughout this series!!
The plot for Dark Kiss was great, but the characters are what really resonated with me. The team of angels and demons that Bishop is gathering together to fight the soul-suckers was awesome; Kraven with his crass sarcasm, Zach with his sweet and truly angelic ways, Roth who was just plain scary, and Connor who seemed to be the enlightened one of the group. Each of them added something truly exciting and interesting to the story, a piece to the puzzle that their mission was. Kraven and Sam were like oil and water, but their interactions were a hoot. It was really an interesting twist with the balance between demons and angels in this story, and it made their mission a real trial for all of them.
I really liked that the romance and attraction factor was ever-present for most of this story. Sam and Bishop have an immediate attraction, in part due to the affect their touch has on each other, and it made for great steamy tension throughout the story. They had great chemistry, and Bishop cared for Sam pretty much from the moment they meet. They needed her help to get their team together, but it was clear they both were happy to have more time together. It was just so sweet how Bishop was so protective of her, he's just soooooo dreamy!! *sigh* It broke my heart what he has to go through in this story, between his confusion thanks to being thrown from Heaven for the mission, unshielded like the others. He's so frustrated with his situation, and I just loved that Sam was the one person who could help him!! Talk about sparks!! And when Sam and Bishop give in to their attraction for a moment and a painful discovery is made about Bishop, I was screaming "noooooo!!!!" Ugh, when will this guy catch a break??!!
I very much look forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series, the ending leaves you desperately wanting more!! Thankfully it's not some gut-wrenching cliffhanger, but I need more of Bishop and Sam for sure! Great story, highly recommend to YA fantasy fans!!
March 28, 2012
This is my first ebook received from NetGalley.com. So, it hasn't come out yet; it does on March 22nd. c: (I'll try not to include too many spoilers.)
To start off with, this is about angels/demons. And considering, I've read a pretty good amount of angelic and demonic books, I still liked this. Sure, it's still got all the basic angel/demon stuff, and yada yada. At least, I think it does. Can't really go much more further with this type of stuff. >-< But there are some minor twists and turns in there, making it a bit different. It was definitely good and definitely thought out. There were a couple surprises, but none too holy-shit-I-think-I-just-pissed-my-pants-on-that-one like. ;3
The plot was pretty cool. Like I said above, it had to have been at least a little thought out from the beginning. I enjoy books with twists and turns that make you have whip-lash turning the pages back and forth and rereading, or those moments where you're like, "I can't believe that just happened," or "I can't believe he/she let him/her do that." And that's almost happened with this one. I got so frustrated in a few parts, though. But it wasn't because the books was bad, it was from the characters.
Speaking of the characters, just about every one of them was more than frustrating. I like there were only two or three that I know of. And that was Bishop, Zach, and Connor. I reeeeeeally didn't like Sam. I don't know if it's just because she was just having trouble accepting that there are angels and demons, when there's crystal clear proof. Or if it's just because her bitch-of-a attitude got on my nerves. (Which it did anyway.) She has to be one of the top twenty or thirty weakest heroines out there. I'm sure anybody that reads my reviews knows that I do. not. like. weak females. Though, I can see a bit of a transformation throughout the book with Sam. NOT MUCH. Next is Kraven. I like him, then I didn't like him. :/ His mood swing almost make him out to be like he's bipolar. And and bipolar demon is frustrating. I loved his sarcasm, but I'm like Sam, I can't figure him out for shit. And it's beyond infuriating. I can't tell if he likes Sam or not. asdfghjkl; I loved Bishop and Zach. They were both so sweet. c: Bishop especially. I loved his protectiveness of Sam.Which she doesn't deserve. Roth is a bastard. Enough said. I didn't like Natalie. At all. From the beginning. The conniving bitch. I didn't really like Carly in the beginning, because she seemed too... uppity? Then on up in there my distaste for her only grew, but then I felt sorry for her in the end. :/
Can I just say that I seriously love this cover? Not just from the hottness..... But that's the majority of it. >_> I mean, what hormone-raging teenage girl wouldn't like it? But I like how the wings are and the scenery in the background. Not to mention blue's my favorite color.Oh my God, I'm so lame for that.
I've read just one book from Michelle Rowen--which was The Demon In Me. And I'm glad I got into her books. Her writing is awesome and almost to the point. I definitely want to get the second book to this. <3
To start off with, this is about angels/demons. And considering, I've read a pretty good amount of angelic and demonic books, I still liked this. Sure, it's still got all the basic angel/demon stuff, and yada yada. At least, I think it does. Can't really go much more further with this type of stuff. >-< But there are some minor twists and turns in there, making it a bit different. It was definitely good and definitely thought out. There were a couple surprises, but none too holy-shit-I-think-I-just-pissed-my-pants-on-that-one like. ;3
The plot was pretty cool. Like I said above, it had to have been at least a little thought out from the beginning. I enjoy books with twists and turns that make you have whip-lash turning the pages back and forth and rereading, or those moments where you're like, "I can't believe that just happened," or "I can't believe he/she let him/her do that." And that's almost happened with this one. I got so frustrated in a few parts, though. But it wasn't because the books was bad, it was from the characters.
Speaking of the characters, just about every one of them was more than frustrating. I like there were only two or three that I know of. And that was Bishop, Zach, and Connor. I reeeeeeally didn't like Sam. I don't know if it's just because she was just having trouble accepting that there are angels and demons, when there's crystal clear proof. Or if it's just because her bitch-of-a attitude got on my nerves. (Which it did anyway.) She has to be one of the top twenty or thirty weakest heroines out there. I'm sure anybody that reads my reviews knows that I do. not. like. weak females. Though, I can see a bit of a transformation throughout the book with Sam. NOT MUCH. Next is Kraven. I like him, then I didn't like him. :/ His mood swing almost make him out to be like he's bipolar. And and bipolar demon is frustrating. I loved his sarcasm, but I'm like Sam, I can't figure him out for shit. And it's beyond infuriating. I can't tell if he likes Sam or not. asdfghjkl; I loved Bishop and Zach. They were both so sweet. c: Bishop especially. I loved his protectiveness of Sam.
Can I just say that I seriously love this cover? Not just from the hottness..... But that's the majority of it. >_> I mean, what hormone-raging teenage girl wouldn't like it? But I like how the wings are and the scenery in the background. Not to mention blue's my favorite color.
I've read just one book from Michelle Rowen--which was The Demon In Me. And I'm glad I got into her books. Her writing is awesome and almost to the point. I definitely want to get the second book to this. <3
August 22, 2016
Dark Kiss has an interesting concept. One that I found intriguing, and new, but the fact that the female lead was an annoying installment caused a serious drift in my interest for the book.
I really disliked Samantha. I felt she was too annoying, and childish at times, she just didn't seem to know how to make up her damn mind. Which bugged me to say the least. And that we got the story from her pov really killed me. I couldn't take it.
Bishop wasn't such a remarkable character for me. He seemed so dull and most of the time, he just seemed to be there as opposed to making his presence known. He sort of lingered through the book, losing his mind, and annoying me by saying Samantha was "special" at every turn -.- Why is she special, hmm? I found nothing interesting about her.
Kraven however, is a different story. I really loved his character, and I wish there would have been more on him. Seeing the story from his point of view would have been way better. His sarcastic humor made me LOL literally, and that he's a demon is definitely a plus ;)
I would have liked to have seen more action. The pace was rather slow, but the overall writing was great. Will I continue the series, however? If I have to sit through another entire book with Samantha's point of view, then sadly, no. Not even to learn more on Kraven would I continue. Add in some shifting POV's, and/or exclude Sam from it, and I'll gladly read it! :D Lol The story is a good one, and it's interesting, it's just that I didn't like her at all. It didn't appeal to me, but maybe it will appeal to you :)
April 28, 2012
What if one kiss could turn your world upside down? That's what happens to Samantha. One minute she's a normal teenager, the next she's thrown into a world of supernatural chaos.
I'd spend more time summarizing, but the most important thing about this book was that I just didn't care about the plot. I love Michelle Rowen. Even though she may not be the greatest author out there, her books have always had great humor and/or characters that I really enjoy reading about. Prior to this book, I've been behind her 100%. I wish I could say the same here. While Dark Kiss was fraught with danger at times, I didn't feel any of the suspense. Sadly, I just didn't connect with the work and felt like the plot was mediocre at best.
That all being said, I think that younger YA readers could really buy into this story. Middle school students and younger high school kids would probably enjoy the plot. I don't foresee them having the same problems that I did. They'll notice the lack of tension that just grabs you doesn't let go, but I think that overall they'll have fun with it and give this series a shot.
I'd spend more time summarizing, but the most important thing about this book was that I just didn't care about the plot. I love Michelle Rowen. Even though she may not be the greatest author out there, her books have always had great humor and/or characters that I really enjoy reading about. Prior to this book, I've been behind her 100%. I wish I could say the same here. While Dark Kiss was fraught with danger at times, I didn't feel any of the suspense. Sadly, I just didn't connect with the work and felt like the plot was mediocre at best.
That all being said, I think that younger YA readers could really buy into this story. Middle school students and younger high school kids would probably enjoy the plot. I don't foresee them having the same problems that I did. They'll notice the lack of tension that just grabs you doesn't let go, but I think that overall they'll have fun with it and give this series a shot.
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