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Guardians of Eternity #8
Bound By Darkness
Newer Cover Edition found here
The Sylvermyst have a reputation as sinister cousins to the fey, and none are more mysterious than Ariyal and his tribe. To save his people from banishment, he sold himself to the evil Morgana. Finally free, he faces a new challenge: Jaelyn, an elite vampire warrior sent to capture him. By rights, he should kill her on sight. Yet he cannot bring himself to hurt her--or to resist her. . .
The Sylvermyst have a reputation as sinister cousins to the fey, and none are more mysterious than Ariyal and his tribe. To save his people from banishment, he sold himself to the evil Morgana. Finally free, he faces a new challenge: Jaelyn, an elite vampire warrior sent to capture him. By rights, he should kill her on sight. Yet he cannot bring himself to hurt her--or to resist her. . .
Jaelyn is stunningly beautiful, utterly lethal--and always alone. Until Ariyal. From their first encounter, she knows that what's between them is more dangerous than simple lust. And as they unite to thwart a terrifying prophecy that will mean the end of his clan and of the world they know, she will risk everything to fulfill her destiny by his side. . .
384 pages, ebook
First published November 29, 2011
145 people are currently reading
3269 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Ivy
141 books5,178 followersI'm not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother's knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.
Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!
I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.
--From authors website--
Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!
I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.
--From authors website--
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
June 15, 2015
{Review} Bound by Darkness by Alexandra Ivy The Dark Lord is coming and all that stand in the way of its demise are a vampire and a Sylvermist who are facing business and personal challenges every step of the way.Ariyal and Jaelyn were hard to connect to. Neither believed in their potential relationship for over half of the book which left me wanting on the romance side of things. However, with Styxx, Levet and others making cameos, I was able to get drawn back into this world where paranormals don't get along unless it's beneficial to each side.I haven't read an Ivy book in years. I recommend not waiting this long as I had forgotten the rules and the world. Levet still makes me smile though.I was instantly reminded that the males are all burly alphas and the women come just as hard and are way more stubborn.I'll be moving on to the next one.
July 2, 2015
~ 4 Bound By Darkness Stars ~
Bound By Darkness is book eight in the Guardians of Eternity series by Alexandra Ivy. I am slowly making my way through this wonderful series. We get surprises, twist and turns, great characters, adventure, and more.
Jaelyn, a Hunter and a vampire. I loved how strong and independent she is. She is dedicated to her task as a Hunter. I like to read about women who don’t need a man, but that they would like one to want them and acknowledge what they are and can do.
Ariyal, a Sylvermyst Fae, warrior, and Prince of his people. I loved him and especially how he acknowledges that Jaelyn is a fierce fighter and can kick ass or take care of herself. Yes he struggles with wanting to keep her safe and letting her be the strong independent women she is.
Ms. Ivy has created a unique and fun series. I enjoy how strong, independent, and well-developed all the characters are in these books. Oh course I can not forget about Levet he always brings a smile to my face and humor to whatever situation is going on. Jaelyn and Ariyal have some great banter and even though they feel the attraction their is great sexual tension and pursuit before these two become a couple. I also love when an author brings previous characters back into the books. We get that here and the characters have some significant roles. We are also brought deeper into the plot of The Dark Lords return and impending apocalypse.
I am enjoying this series and look forward to continuing the Guardians of Eternity. I like the characters, direction of the plot and world. If you have not tried out this series I recommend giving it a shot. Each book builds on the other and are best read in order.
Bound By Darkness is book eight in the Guardians of Eternity series by Alexandra Ivy. I am slowly making my way through this wonderful series. We get surprises, twist and turns, great characters, adventure, and more.
Jaelyn, a Hunter and a vampire. I loved how strong and independent she is. She is dedicated to her task as a Hunter. I like to read about women who don’t need a man, but that they would like one to want them and acknowledge what they are and can do.
Ariyal, a Sylvermyst Fae, warrior, and Prince of his people. I loved him and especially how he acknowledges that Jaelyn is a fierce fighter and can kick ass or take care of herself. Yes he struggles with wanting to keep her safe and letting her be the strong independent women she is.
Ms. Ivy has created a unique and fun series. I enjoy how strong, independent, and well-developed all the characters are in these books. Oh course I can not forget about Levet he always brings a smile to my face and humor to whatever situation is going on. Jaelyn and Ariyal have some great banter and even though they feel the attraction their is great sexual tension and pursuit before these two become a couple. I also love when an author brings previous characters back into the books. We get that here and the characters have some significant roles. We are also brought deeper into the plot of The Dark Lords return and impending apocalypse.
I am enjoying this series and look forward to continuing the Guardians of Eternity. I like the characters, direction of the plot and world. If you have not tried out this series I recommend giving it a shot. Each book builds on the other and are best read in order.
December 4, 2011
Oh shite it seems like I've been waiting forever for this book. Twelve months is way to long between books. And then I have to go back to the book before just to refresh my memory...I hate that.
I love the Guardians...I get all hot and bothered when I read their stories...
Every characters comes life when I read their stories and Jaelyn and Ariyal are no exception...
Their banter was spot on and I loved the fact that Jaelyn knew when to stand her ground and when to let Ariyal have his way...
There's so much going on...it's was well done and the action kept me on the edge of my seat...couldn't put the book down.
And of course our beautiful, powerful and very dangerous Styx is in the mix with Dante and a few other favorites.
I have no idea where Alexandra is going with this series but let me tell you, I can't f-----g wait to find out. A year...come on...
The action, the banter and the sex was WOW!!! The story line and the characters were damn engaging, leaving me salvating for more...much more!!
Awesome couple, awesome story, awesome author!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
I love the Guardians...I get all hot and bothered when I read their stories...
Every characters comes life when I read their stories and Jaelyn and Ariyal are no exception...
Their banter was spot on and I loved the fact that Jaelyn knew when to stand her ground and when to let Ariyal have his way...
There's so much going on...it's was well done and the action kept me on the edge of my seat...couldn't put the book down.
And of course our beautiful, powerful and very dangerous Styx is in the mix with Dante and a few other favorites.
I have no idea where Alexandra is going with this series but let me tell you, I can't f-----g wait to find out. A year...come on...
The action, the banter and the sex was WOW!!! The story line and the characters were damn engaging, leaving me salvating for more...much more!!
Awesome couple, awesome story, awesome author!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
December 27, 2011
http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...
I’d like to just point out that the image doesn’t do the cover justice-it’s super shimmery and silvery, I wish you could see it--it's really gorgeous.
Moving on, Bound by Darkness was a good addition to the series Guardians of Eternity. I liked the characters, and loved Levet, but I wish we had gotten more of him-usually he’s got a bigger role. I guess I hadn’t realized just how big a role until we didn’t have him.
Remember the Hunter Jaelyn from the last book Devoured by Darkness? She is our heroine-a kickass, stoic, warrior who is all about the next assignment. In fact, she actually yanked a guy's tongue out, she's that tough. Emotions are literally beaten out of them during their training, so all these new feelings she feels when she's around her target are more than confusing, they're unnerving.
Jaelyn's target is Ariyal, the Prince of the Sylvermysts. His story is pretty interesting, and intense, but unfortunately we don't get much of it-just the basics. I wish we'd been given more of his brutal treatment at Morganna's hands. It felt necessary to know more, and it would have let us see how he was chosen (reluctant) prince, and why. But, that notwithstanding, I liked his motivation and genuine care for his fellow Sylvermyst tribe.
I loved the ambiguity of the villain, and the sham of control he felt. Sergei was back, and wasn't as awful as I'd first thought. The child who was to be used as a vessel for the Dark Lord to return to our world, and the way they (temporarily?) stopped him was pretty neat-I can't tell you what happened it would be a spoiler-
My big thing was I wasn't sure how the author would resolve was how Styxx may be the Anasso, there still seemed some things that were out of his control-but the way he dealt with those things? Loved it! It made me much happier with our Happy Ending.
Oh, really quickly, read this one before the novella in the The Real Werewives of Vampire County, Sophia’s story directly follows this book.
Final Thoughts:
A good addition to the series, and an intense, action-packed ride with an emotionally unavailable female and a sexy Dark Fae.
Fave Quote:
”Jaelyn was about as submissive as a rabid lion.”
***Thank you to Kensington for the review copy and to Alexandra Ivy for letting me bug you
I’d like to just point out that the image doesn’t do the cover justice-it’s super shimmery and silvery, I wish you could see it--it's really gorgeous.
Moving on, Bound by Darkness was a good addition to the series Guardians of Eternity. I liked the characters, and loved Levet, but I wish we had gotten more of him-usually he’s got a bigger role. I guess I hadn’t realized just how big a role until we didn’t have him.
Remember the Hunter Jaelyn from the last book Devoured by Darkness? She is our heroine-a kickass, stoic, warrior who is all about the next assignment. In fact, she actually yanked a guy's tongue out, she's that tough. Emotions are literally beaten out of them during their training, so all these new feelings she feels when she's around her target are more than confusing, they're unnerving.
Jaelyn's target is Ariyal, the Prince of the Sylvermysts. His story is pretty interesting, and intense, but unfortunately we don't get much of it-just the basics. I wish we'd been given more of his brutal treatment at Morganna's hands. It felt necessary to know more, and it would have let us see how he was chosen (reluctant) prince, and why. But, that notwithstanding, I liked his motivation and genuine care for his fellow Sylvermyst tribe.
I loved the ambiguity of the villain, and the sham of control he felt. Sergei was back, and wasn't as awful as I'd first thought. The child who was to be used as a vessel for the Dark Lord to return to our world, and the way they (temporarily?) stopped him was pretty neat-I can't tell you what happened it would be a spoiler-
My big thing was I wasn't sure how the author would resolve was how Styxx may be the Anasso, there still seemed some things that were out of his control-but the way he dealt with those things? Loved it! It made me much happier with our Happy Ending.
Oh, really quickly, read this one before the novella in the The Real Werewives of Vampire County, Sophia’s story directly follows this book.
Final Thoughts:
A good addition to the series, and an intense, action-packed ride with an emotionally unavailable female and a sexy Dark Fae.
Fave Quote:
”Jaelyn was about as submissive as a rabid lion.”
***Thank you to Kensington for the review copy and to Alexandra Ivy for letting me bug you
April 29, 2014
First, I have to say... It has been a long time since I read the last book, and it hurt me as a reader! I was so confused as to who the hell these people were! All I got were names, and through conversation I finally figured out who some were. Some I never remembered! SOOO my point with that is that I cannot wait for the year it takes for new books come out unless there is a breif summarization of what happened up to this point. I remember individual stories, but not the rolling background of different characters. ESPECIALLY when they all start with an S!!
Salvatore, Styx, uhhh & 2 others (my mind is blanking!) Anyway, some are vamps, Salvatore is the werewolf blah blah blah... GEEZ I got confused!
As for the story! GREAT!! FUN!! Snarky back & forth between the Sylvermyst Ayrial & vamp Jaelyn. Girl Jaelyn is hired by the council or whatever to capture & bring to them Ayrial male. He captures her & brings her to Morganna le fae (forgot specific name & don't have the book in front of me)realm & chains her. They are both hot for eachother, but neither will admit it early on... Well then oracle like demon appears to Jaelyn seting her free & demons daughter throws her through a portal to catch up with Ayrial in London, changing her job into watching him & not capturing him.
The whole back story is... bad guys want to raise the dark lord & good guys stop it. J & A are after a baby girl who is a vessel to raise the dark lord. Ayrial wants to kill her, Jaelyn does not... Levit the gargoyle shows up & has his funny moments ettc.
It was pretty good & would have been a much faster read, but I forgot who the charaters were until the middle of the book when I had the AHHHH moment...
Salvatore, Styx, uhhh & 2 others (my mind is blanking!) Anyway, some are vamps, Salvatore is the werewolf blah blah blah... GEEZ I got confused!
As for the story! GREAT!! FUN!! Snarky back & forth between the Sylvermyst Ayrial & vamp Jaelyn. Girl Jaelyn is hired by the council or whatever to capture & bring to them Ayrial male. He captures her & brings her to Morganna le fae (forgot specific name & don't have the book in front of me)realm & chains her. They are both hot for eachother, but neither will admit it early on... Well then oracle like demon appears to Jaelyn seting her free & demons daughter throws her through a portal to catch up with Ayrial in London, changing her job into watching him & not capturing him.
The whole back story is... bad guys want to raise the dark lord & good guys stop it. J & A are after a baby girl who is a vessel to raise the dark lord. Ayrial wants to kill her, Jaelyn does not... Levit the gargoyle shows up & has his funny moments ettc.
It was pretty good & would have been a much faster read, but I forgot who the charaters were until the middle of the book when I had the AHHHH moment...
April 30, 2016
Sylvermist, setelah dikenalkan pada ras Fae di buku Cezar sekarang kita akan berkenalan pada sepupu bangsa Fae yang jahat. Bertahun-tahun berusaha menghindar takdir dari kebangkitan Dark Lord, bangsa ini mencari perlindungan pada Ratu Fae walaupun sebagai pertukarannya mereka harus menjadi sex slave sang ratu.
Intens, sexy, seru.
Itu yang kurasakan saat membaca buku tentang Ariyal si pangeran Sylvermist. Walau ketertarikan pria ini terhadap Jaelyn instan tapi banter seksi dan tarik ulur sengit mereka sangat seru untuk di nikmati. Jaelyn vampire pemburu yang kuat dan mandiri. Gadis ini juga nyaman dengan sisi seksual dan dirinya. Cute rasanya saat membaca Ariyal yang mantan sex slave, sering merajuk karena Jaelyn yang terlalu lugas n berpikir seperti pria. Kebersamaan mereka menarik dan tensinya semakin panas di sepanjang chapter buku ini.
Para karakter pendukung juga komplit bermunculan dan menyumbangkan banyak humor dalam buku ini. Beberapa juga digambarkan terlalu banyak seperti Santiago dan Nefri. Aku lebih suka buku yang fokus pada h/h utama. Petualangan yang heboh, karakter yang mudah disukai, humor yang menggelitik dan storyline yang kuat itu yang akan kamu dapatkan dalam buku ini. Konflik seri ini bersambung, jadi pastikan kau membacanya dalam urutan reading order.
My Rating :
Star : 3.8/5
Intens, sexy, seru.
Itu yang kurasakan saat membaca buku tentang Ariyal si pangeran Sylvermist. Walau ketertarikan pria ini terhadap Jaelyn instan tapi banter seksi dan tarik ulur sengit mereka sangat seru untuk di nikmati. Jaelyn vampire pemburu yang kuat dan mandiri. Gadis ini juga nyaman dengan sisi seksual dan dirinya. Cute rasanya saat membaca Ariyal yang mantan sex slave, sering merajuk karena Jaelyn yang terlalu lugas n berpikir seperti pria. Kebersamaan mereka menarik dan tensinya semakin panas di sepanjang chapter buku ini.
Para karakter pendukung juga komplit bermunculan dan menyumbangkan banyak humor dalam buku ini. Beberapa juga digambarkan terlalu banyak seperti Santiago dan Nefri. Aku lebih suka buku yang fokus pada h/h utama. Petualangan yang heboh, karakter yang mudah disukai, humor yang menggelitik dan storyline yang kuat itu yang akan kamu dapatkan dalam buku ini. Konflik seri ini bersambung, jadi pastikan kau membacanya dalam urutan reading order.
My Rating :
Star : 3.8/5
November 16, 2011
Bound by Darkness is an entertaining, action packed novel full of characters that left me totally enthralled. This is my first novel by Alexandra Ivy, though it is the eighth installment in the Guardians of Eternity series. I will definitely be going back and checking out some of the previous books in this series.
I really enjoyed Ariyel, his character is great. I also loved his counterpart, Jaelyn. Their chemistry leaped off the pages. She is strong and independent but also has a bit of a vulnerable side to her. There are also some magnificent supporting characters in this novel. Can't wait to see which reappears in the next novel.
The plot moved fast and there are enough little twists to keep you flipping the pages until the end. I'm going to go ahead and highly recommend this one to anyone who already is a big fan of this series and or Paranormal Romance! :)
I really enjoyed Ariyel, his character is great. I also loved his counterpart, Jaelyn. Their chemistry leaped off the pages. She is strong and independent but also has a bit of a vulnerable side to her. There are also some magnificent supporting characters in this novel. Can't wait to see which reappears in the next novel.
The plot moved fast and there are enough little twists to keep you flipping the pages until the end. I'm going to go ahead and highly recommend this one to anyone who already is a big fan of this series and or Paranormal Romance! :)
October 24, 2016
Quedé locamente enamorada del guapisimo Sylversmyst!!!! jqajajajaja
Amé la historia de Ariyal y Jaelyn!!! y miedo mortal el final!!!! Es espeluznante... El señor oscuro está en la niña, que ya no es tan niña... a todo esto... quedé preocupada por Maluhia, Caine, Cassandra... Dioor... es demasiado!!!
Amé la historia de Ariyal y Jaelyn!!! y miedo mortal el final!!!! Es espeluznante... El señor oscuro está en la niña, que ya no es tan niña... a todo esto... quedé preocupada por Maluhia, Caine, Cassandra... Dioor... es demasiado!!!
December 5, 2025
This one.... Wasn't a hit with me. It was okay, but it just didn't grab and hold my attention well. I had to force my way through it.
I find Alexandra's books are hit and miss for me. This series isn't my favourite, but I still want to try reading through her books. Some I love, some I don't.
The book itself is fine, it just didn't work with me. So I can't say it's bad, but I just couldn't connect. It felt slow to me, and I didn't find the romance believable.
One out of five stars.
I find Alexandra's books are hit and miss for me. This series isn't my favourite, but I still want to try reading through her books. Some I love, some I don't.
The book itself is fine, it just didn't work with me. So I can't say it's bad, but I just couldn't connect. It felt slow to me, and I didn't find the romance believable.
One out of five stars.
September 20, 2021
I am either reading this series too fast and losing interest or I just don't like the new characters...
This was was meah and the sameness as the last books. Right at this point everything we saw so far is coming together as a whole. But I am not liking the couples anymore.
This was was meah and the sameness as the last books. Right at this point everything we saw so far is coming together as a whole. But I am not liking the couples anymore.
March 1, 2017
2011 review
If you have not read and followed the Guardian series then this book is not for you. I love Alexandra Ivy and this series and have followed each and every one but even I struggled to remember names/details about the characters especially those who only had a small/cameo role in the other books. I would also recommend that this series is read in order otherwise you will be greatly confused!
I was in two minds how to rate this one. I have spent over 4 days reading it which is not the norm for me as I would have devoured it within 2 days at the most more likely 1 evening as I would have sat up into the wee hours of the morning until it was finished!
So why did I take so long reading this, the honest answer is that I am not really sure and am not willing to blame it on the book itself but I have a lot of other things going on at the moment and was genuinely struggling to find the time to read it and when I did have time I have been shattered so went to bed early to get the much needed sleep/rest. The problem is because I had to keep putting the book down and then picking it up again I struggled to get into the story and feel the connection between the H/h whereas other reviewers have stated that the chemistry between them both was there so I genuinely don't know if I didn't feel it because of all the interruptions or if for me it just wasn't there.
As stated I love this series and have eagerly awaited this book so didn't expect that I wouldn't feel the same about this one. As I am genuinely confused I do not want to give a lower rating so for now I am going to give it 4 stars. I will no doubtedly read the series again in the future so will re-evaluate the rating then
If you have not read and followed the Guardian series then this book is not for you. I love Alexandra Ivy and this series and have followed each and every one but even I struggled to remember names/details about the characters especially those who only had a small/cameo role in the other books. I would also recommend that this series is read in order otherwise you will be greatly confused!
I was in two minds how to rate this one. I have spent over 4 days reading it which is not the norm for me as I would have devoured it within 2 days at the most more likely 1 evening as I would have sat up into the wee hours of the morning until it was finished!
So why did I take so long reading this, the honest answer is that I am not really sure and am not willing to blame it on the book itself but I have a lot of other things going on at the moment and was genuinely struggling to find the time to read it and when I did have time I have been shattered so went to bed early to get the much needed sleep/rest. The problem is because I had to keep putting the book down and then picking it up again I struggled to get into the story and feel the connection between the H/h whereas other reviewers have stated that the chemistry between them both was there so I genuinely don't know if I didn't feel it because of all the interruptions or if for me it just wasn't there.
As stated I love this series and have eagerly awaited this book so didn't expect that I wouldn't feel the same about this one. As I am genuinely confused I do not want to give a lower rating so for now I am going to give it 4 stars. I will no doubtedly read the series again in the future so will re-evaluate the rating then
January 19, 2012
In this latest entry to Alexandra Ivy's Guardians of Eternity, the main romance is between a female vampire, hunter Jaelyn, and dark elf Sylvermist prince Ariyal and I thought that the pairing was an interesting one, but I did have a few nits. Bound by Darkness gets off to a good start with a quick catch-up with past leads Styx and Salvatore. However, the main romance between Ariyal and Jaelyn - who was sent to drag Ariyal back to face the Oracles and discovers that his Sylvermist race may have gotten a bad rap - ends up watered down by trying to stuff in too much setup for the next starring pair, vampires Santiago and Nefri.
Initially, this made Bound by Darkness feel like two loosely connected shorts going on at the same time, and the thread shifts to shoehorn in Santiago/Nefri also lessened the impact of what was there for Jaelyn/Ariyal. I would have liked to have seen the tension between the leads drawn out a bit more instead, especially since it made the budding relationship for Santiago and Nefri feel a bit forced. I'd really have been happier if there had just been a hint of attraction for Santiago and Nefri - and then there would have been room for just a tad of Caine and Cassandra who are pretty much absent here.
So bottom line is that, even though it would have probably made an excellent novella, I stillndid actually end up liking the story. I really enjoyed seeing the past male leads in cameos, and I am hoping that we'll get a sister/(redeemed) mom reunion in the next book. I would really like to see Ivy finish off Caine and Cassandra – I am really looking forward to their story – before moving on to Santiago and Nefri, because the addition of Nefri looks almost like the start of a spin off to me.
Initially, this made Bound by Darkness feel like two loosely connected shorts going on at the same time, and the thread shifts to shoehorn in Santiago/Nefri also lessened the impact of what was there for Jaelyn/Ariyal. I would have liked to have seen the tension between the leads drawn out a bit more instead, especially since it made the budding relationship for Santiago and Nefri feel a bit forced. I'd really have been happier if there had just been a hint of attraction for Santiago and Nefri - and then there would have been room for just a tad of Caine and Cassandra who are pretty much absent here.
So bottom line is that, even though it would have probably made an excellent novella, I stillndid actually end up liking the story. I really enjoyed seeing the past male leads in cameos, and I am hoping that we'll get a sister/(redeemed) mom reunion in the next book. I would really like to see Ivy finish off Caine and Cassandra – I am really looking forward to their story – before moving on to Santiago and Nefri, because the addition of Nefri looks almost like the start of a spin off to me.
September 9, 2012
Broader Depth of Story Appeals
He had kidnapped her. Unloaded her unconscious body in the decimated halls of his deposed master, the vicious Morgana le Fey. Once he had her secured beyond the mists in Avalon he chained her with silver - protecting her delectable skin, of course - and waited. She is Jaelyn, a vampire, one of their feared Hunters.
Ariyal chose not to look too closely at his reasons for taking her. That way lies madness. Instead, he's going to punish her for his interest and torment her a bit. After all, he blames her for his failure to stop the Dark Lord. It's only fair he exact a little retribution...before he tracks down his brother and continues the distasteful task he started.
He has to kill the child born to be the reincarnation of the Dark Lord or it will be the end of the world as all know it.
Regaining consciousness chained up in a strange place with a Sylvermyst bastard looming over her isn't exactly the highlight of Jaelyn's long life. Oh sure, the bare-chested bastard is gorgeous. Lovely eye candy. And if she wasn't a Hunter, immune to his fine-bodied charm, she might have been worried. Instead, all she wants to do is sink her fangs into the fiend and show him what a Hunter like her can really do.
And she means that in the most painful and deadly way. Really.
She's definitely not going to let Ariyal continue with his heinous plan. She'll find a way to stop him from killing that child. But when an Oracle pops up and suddenly changes the nature of the contract between her and the Consortium, she can't help but wonder what in the hell is in store for both her and the Sylvermyst.
Bringing him in is one thing, but sticking by his side - even helping him - given how he affects her, may be more dangerous to Jaelyn than anything else she's ever faced. And riskier than facing the Dark Lord himself.
~*~
Just before I started reading this installment of Ivy's popular Guardians of Eternity series, I checked to see when I'd read its predecessor. I was a little surprised it had been over a year and a half and a little concerned that I'd have a hard time slipping back into the series after so long.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case. Ivy did a decent job with the series exposition, weaving it in with the book's story arc in a way that reminded me of what went before even as the current plotline progressed. While I don't think this book would work well as a stand-alone, or as a starting point for interested readers unfamiliar with the series, it worked just fine for me.
As much as I read, there are surprisingly few series that hold my attention as long as this one has. The world that Ivy's created here may not be the most expansively detailed, nor are the plotlines all that complex, but each book offers a sexy, fun, action-packed read with wonderful dashes of snarky humor liberally sprinkled throughout. There is also a wealth of originality in the world and mythos, and that keeps the series from feeling like just another incarnation of the paranormal romance genre masters.
I liked Ariyal and Jaelyn as characters. Ariyal is a gorgeous, sexy alpha male who's had it very rough in the past. He bears the brunt of the responsibility for the future of his people and feels the pain of his brother's betrayal. Jaelyn is a gorgeous female warrior, cold and deadly because she's had to be, threatened by the fiery heat of her attraction to Ariyal because the cost of feeling for him is too high.
He's insouciant and sardonic, she's chilly and quick to bare her fangs or reach for her shotgun. It was fun seeing them evolve and grow closer despite themselves as they were forced to work together, and the chemistry between them was top-notch.
There was a nice balance in the shifting points of view in this book, too. As the threat of the Dark Lord continues to grow, important characters from earlier books, as well as a few new characters, have significant secondary character roles in this one. I'm a big fan of Styx, and Ivy made me a Salvatore convert with his book, and their increased presence served both the arc of the series and the storyline of this book quite well. And I appreciated very much that Ivy didn't shortchange the romance between Ariyal and Jaelyn while including them.
Then there's Levet. It just wouldn't be a Guardians of Eternity book without Levet. I love that little fairy-winged, French-spouting, magic-exploding gargoyle.
This series may fall closer to the brain candy end of the spectrum than the series I favor for their dark, detailed, complex worlds and angsty, deadly romances, but sometimes I just don't want to work that hard to enjoy a read. I trust Ivy to entertain me and raise my temperature. The male characters are sexy and powerful, the female characters are strong and independent, and the stories have been adding depth and dimension as the series has progressed. For all of that I'm still reading, still enjoying, and plan to continue to do so.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
He had kidnapped her. Unloaded her unconscious body in the decimated halls of his deposed master, the vicious Morgana le Fey. Once he had her secured beyond the mists in Avalon he chained her with silver - protecting her delectable skin, of course - and waited. She is Jaelyn, a vampire, one of their feared Hunters.
Ariyal chose not to look too closely at his reasons for taking her. That way lies madness. Instead, he's going to punish her for his interest and torment her a bit. After all, he blames her for his failure to stop the Dark Lord. It's only fair he exact a little retribution...before he tracks down his brother and continues the distasteful task he started.
He has to kill the child born to be the reincarnation of the Dark Lord or it will be the end of the world as all know it.
Regaining consciousness chained up in a strange place with a Sylvermyst bastard looming over her isn't exactly the highlight of Jaelyn's long life. Oh sure, the bare-chested bastard is gorgeous. Lovely eye candy. And if she wasn't a Hunter, immune to his fine-bodied charm, she might have been worried. Instead, all she wants to do is sink her fangs into the fiend and show him what a Hunter like her can really do.
And she means that in the most painful and deadly way. Really.
She's definitely not going to let Ariyal continue with his heinous plan. She'll find a way to stop him from killing that child. But when an Oracle pops up and suddenly changes the nature of the contract between her and the Consortium, she can't help but wonder what in the hell is in store for both her and the Sylvermyst.
Bringing him in is one thing, but sticking by his side - even helping him - given how he affects her, may be more dangerous to Jaelyn than anything else she's ever faced. And riskier than facing the Dark Lord himself.
~*~
Just before I started reading this installment of Ivy's popular Guardians of Eternity series, I checked to see when I'd read its predecessor. I was a little surprised it had been over a year and a half and a little concerned that I'd have a hard time slipping back into the series after so long.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case. Ivy did a decent job with the series exposition, weaving it in with the book's story arc in a way that reminded me of what went before even as the current plotline progressed. While I don't think this book would work well as a stand-alone, or as a starting point for interested readers unfamiliar with the series, it worked just fine for me.
As much as I read, there are surprisingly few series that hold my attention as long as this one has. The world that Ivy's created here may not be the most expansively detailed, nor are the plotlines all that complex, but each book offers a sexy, fun, action-packed read with wonderful dashes of snarky humor liberally sprinkled throughout. There is also a wealth of originality in the world and mythos, and that keeps the series from feeling like just another incarnation of the paranormal romance genre masters.
I liked Ariyal and Jaelyn as characters. Ariyal is a gorgeous, sexy alpha male who's had it very rough in the past. He bears the brunt of the responsibility for the future of his people and feels the pain of his brother's betrayal. Jaelyn is a gorgeous female warrior, cold and deadly because she's had to be, threatened by the fiery heat of her attraction to Ariyal because the cost of feeling for him is too high.
He's insouciant and sardonic, she's chilly and quick to bare her fangs or reach for her shotgun. It was fun seeing them evolve and grow closer despite themselves as they were forced to work together, and the chemistry between them was top-notch.
There was a nice balance in the shifting points of view in this book, too. As the threat of the Dark Lord continues to grow, important characters from earlier books, as well as a few new characters, have significant secondary character roles in this one. I'm a big fan of Styx, and Ivy made me a Salvatore convert with his book, and their increased presence served both the arc of the series and the storyline of this book quite well. And I appreciated very much that Ivy didn't shortchange the romance between Ariyal and Jaelyn while including them.
Then there's Levet. It just wouldn't be a Guardians of Eternity book without Levet. I love that little fairy-winged, French-spouting, magic-exploding gargoyle.
This series may fall closer to the brain candy end of the spectrum than the series I favor for their dark, detailed, complex worlds and angsty, deadly romances, but sometimes I just don't want to work that hard to enjoy a read. I trust Ivy to entertain me and raise my temperature. The male characters are sexy and powerful, the female characters are strong and independent, and the stories have been adding depth and dimension as the series has progressed. For all of that I'm still reading, still enjoying, and plan to continue to do so.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
June 3, 2017
Another deliciously fun read in the Guardians of Eternity series.
Vampire hunter and fierce warrior, Jaelyn, has been sent to capture Ariyal, Prince of the Sylvermyst. From the moment they met there was a mutual attraction that both tried so hard to fight.
However, instead of capturing Ariyal and turning him over to the Commission, her orders were changed by Siljar to watch over Ariyal. This brought them closer together and deeper into dangers that they had did not see coming.
They were forced to battle evil spirit wizards, an idiot mage, curs, vampires, and Ariyal's own people.
A fun and exciting read and one that leaves you craving the next installment in the series.
Vampire hunter and fierce warrior, Jaelyn, has been sent to capture Ariyal, Prince of the Sylvermyst. From the moment they met there was a mutual attraction that both tried so hard to fight.
However, instead of capturing Ariyal and turning him over to the Commission, her orders were changed by Siljar to watch over Ariyal. This brought them closer together and deeper into dangers that they had did not see coming.
They were forced to battle evil spirit wizards, an idiot mage, curs, vampires, and Ariyal's own people.
A fun and exciting read and one that leaves you craving the next installment in the series.
February 21, 2014
I won this through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
This was the first audio book that I've had the pleasure of listening too! I never thought of myself as a audio-book fan, but this one was very enjoyable! Although I do have to say that at times the narrator would read the verbal parts in a way that I wouldn't have. It sometimes gave the plot a different meaning than I was imagining. There were also some spots where one of the characters would say something that I would imagine would be wayyyy out of character in this world. There were vampires, werewolves, gargoyles, demons, zombies, different variations of fairies, etc. So when one of them would have their "Spidey-senses tingling" it just didn't really fit right with the plot. I can't picture an assassin vampire watching Spider Man and using phrases like that.
Now that I've got the negative out of the way, let me just say that I LOVED this book! The author, Alexandra Ivy did a fabulous job of weaving together a world with so many different supernatural characters. Most books with a mix of so many different types of demons, quickly can becomes muddled and confusing. Not this one! And although I haven't had the pleasure (yet) to have read the other books in the series, this one does great as a stand alone book! The first seven books of the series is now sitting in my cart on Amazon waiting to be bought and downloaded to my Kindle this weekend!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the supernatural. This book has it all, suspense, romance, witty dialog, and some pretty hawt fang action!
This was the first audio book that I've had the pleasure of listening too! I never thought of myself as a audio-book fan, but this one was very enjoyable! Although I do have to say that at times the narrator would read the verbal parts in a way that I wouldn't have. It sometimes gave the plot a different meaning than I was imagining. There were also some spots where one of the characters would say something that I would imagine would be wayyyy out of character in this world. There were vampires, werewolves, gargoyles, demons, zombies, different variations of fairies, etc. So when one of them would have their "Spidey-senses tingling" it just didn't really fit right with the plot. I can't picture an assassin vampire watching Spider Man and using phrases like that.
Now that I've got the negative out of the way, let me just say that I LOVED this book! The author, Alexandra Ivy did a fabulous job of weaving together a world with so many different supernatural characters. Most books with a mix of so many different types of demons, quickly can becomes muddled and confusing. Not this one! And although I haven't had the pleasure (yet) to have read the other books in the series, this one does great as a stand alone book! The first seven books of the series is now sitting in my cart on Amazon waiting to be bought and downloaded to my Kindle this weekend!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the supernatural. This book has it all, suspense, romance, witty dialog, and some pretty hawt fang action!
February 21, 2014
I won this through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
This was the first audio book that I've had the pleasure of listening too! I never thought of myself as a audio-book fan, but this one was very enjoyable! Although I do have to say that at times the narrator would read the verbal parts in a way that I wouldn't have. It sometimes gave the plot a different meaning than I was imagining. There were also some spots where one of the characters would say something that I would imagine would be wayyyy out of character in this world. There were vampires, werewolves, gargoyles, demons, zombies, different variations of fairies, etc. So when one of them would have their "Spidey-senses tingling" it just didn't really fit right with the plot. I can't picture an assassin vampire watching Spider Man and using phrases like that.
Now that I've got the negative out of the way, let me just say that I LOVED this book! The author, Alexandra Ivy did a fabulous job of weaving together a world with so many different supernatural characters. Most books with a mix of so many different types of demons, quickly can becomes muddled and confusing. Not this one! And although I haven't had the pleasure (yet) to have read the other books in the series, this one does great as a stand alone book! The first seven books of the series is now sitting in my cart on Amazon waiting to be bought and downloaded to my Kindle this weekend!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the supernatural. This book has it all, suspense, romance, witty dialog, and some pretty hawt fang action!
This was the first audio book that I've had the pleasure of listening too! I never thought of myself as a audio-book fan, but this one was very enjoyable! Although I do have to say that at times the narrator would read the verbal parts in a way that I wouldn't have. It sometimes gave the plot a different meaning than I was imagining. There were also some spots where one of the characters would say something that I would imagine would be wayyyy out of character in this world. There were vampires, werewolves, gargoyles, demons, zombies, different variations of fairies, etc. So when one of them would have their "Spidey-senses tingling" it just didn't really fit right with the plot. I can't picture an assassin vampire watching Spider Man and using phrases like that.
Now that I've got the negative out of the way, let me just say that I LOVED this book! The author, Alexandra Ivy did a fabulous job of weaving together a world with so many different supernatural characters. Most books with a mix of so many different types of demons, quickly can becomes muddled and confusing. Not this one! And although I haven't had the pleasure (yet) to have read the other books in the series, this one does great as a stand alone book! The first seven books of the series is now sitting in my cart on Amazon waiting to be bought and downloaded to my Kindle this weekend!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the supernatural. This book has it all, suspense, romance, witty dialog, and some pretty hawt fang action!
January 28, 2012
Really? I think a thesaurus is needed to find another word for arrogant - hearing it a lot in one book is one thing, hearing it in the last three... is tiresome, but then their romances do seem to be identical. Maybe that's why they wait a year to publish again - so you forget. Unfortunately, I have just read three in a row. Now He-Man again?? It was bad enough in the last book - these characters are like clones.
Also, I don't mind cussing. I think it can even be fun, but I do take offense to Gd, always have - use something, anything else. Entertainment shouldn't require us to break a Commandment and insult God. If you want me to hate an evil demon in a book I could see it, but it was a fairy, a good fairy. No wonder they are always losing to evil in this series.
Chuckled a few times then upset Jaelyn did not kill the cur with magic when she had him alone, hurt, and in reach. Getting ridiculous again..
OK, so overall I ended up really liking the story despite it's annoying tendencies I mentioned. If they were fixed it would be a 5:)
Also, I don't mind cussing. I think it can even be fun, but I do take offense to Gd, always have - use something, anything else. Entertainment shouldn't require us to break a Commandment and insult God. If you want me to hate an evil demon in a book I could see it, but it was a fairy, a good fairy. No wonder they are always losing to evil in this series.
Chuckled a few times then upset Jaelyn did not kill the cur with magic when she had him alone, hurt, and in reach. Getting ridiculous again..
OK, so overall I ended up really liking the story despite it's annoying tendencies I mentioned. If they were fixed it would be a 5:)
March 12, 2012
3.5-4 stars. I enjoyed the characters; thought they had great chemistry. The storyline was good but not great (that's why I didn't rate it higher). I'm still a little confused on the happenings of the Dark Lord?!!? Loved that Levet was in there again..he crakcs me up. Also enjoyed the visits from Viper, Santiago (can't wait to see where that goes..was actually thinking maybe that was the next stroy idea, not Caine/Cassie), Styx and Salvator. It was a good book, not my fav in ther series, but good.
December 28, 2014
3.75 Stars, I really enjoyed Going back into this world.
August 28, 2021
2.5 Stars
I actually really liked that for a vampire Jaelyn was still considered quite young with from what I guessed was maybe a hundred years or less under her belt if not less. It was hard to say with what was mentioned but that was my assumption. So far most of the vampires in this series have been very old and all male. So having a female vampire as the heroine was a nice change and with her added youth playing a factor no matter her skill and strengths. I especially loved Ariyal. He was a lovely hero and was completely delish. I thought him and Jaelyn made for a good pairing.
What I didn't enjoy was the ever changing POVs. Yes, this has happened in every book where we get thrust inside the villain's head or in Salvatore's case anti-hero at the time. And mostly they've all bored me with a few exceptions but obviously they provide certain details needed to continue the story and sometimes the inside look into their thoughts enriches the story. In this books case I was just plain bored. Tearloch was not interesting in the least and I personally didn't care for his issues or wellbeing.
One thing that left me scratching my head was that Jaelyn mated Ariyal in the classic way all the vampires have done in the previous books but not once was there mention of the red scroll tattoo/mark that appears after the mating. Seriously, not once was it mentioned to have shown up on Ariyal's forearm or Jaelyn's so I was left confused! Are female vampires not worthy of a marking their soulmate when they mate? Was it because he was a dark fey even though the male vampires had mated other species too and still had the marks of mating them? Enquiring minds wanna know!
And honestly it was hard to care about the almighty Dark Lord returns part deux storyline either. It seems it's neverending with these creatures. Nearly every book almost seems to be centered around this story. I would think it could be wrapped up by now. But alas it isn't, and doesn't seem to be either. It did get a little interesting there at the end but ultimately this plot is just tired to me by now.
I am looking forward to Santiago and Nefri's book though.
I actually really liked that for a vampire Jaelyn was still considered quite young with from what I guessed was maybe a hundred years or less under her belt if not less. It was hard to say with what was mentioned but that was my assumption. So far most of the vampires in this series have been very old and all male. So having a female vampire as the heroine was a nice change and with her added youth playing a factor no matter her skill and strengths. I especially loved Ariyal. He was a lovely hero and was completely delish. I thought him and Jaelyn made for a good pairing.
What I didn't enjoy was the ever changing POVs. Yes, this has happened in every book where we get thrust inside the villain's head or in Salvatore's case anti-hero at the time. And mostly they've all bored me with a few exceptions but obviously they provide certain details needed to continue the story and sometimes the inside look into their thoughts enriches the story. In this books case I was just plain bored. Tearloch was not interesting in the least and I personally didn't care for his issues or wellbeing.
One thing that left me scratching my head was that Jaelyn mated Ariyal in the classic way all the vampires have done in the previous books but not once was there mention of the red scroll tattoo/mark that appears after the mating. Seriously, not once was it mentioned to have shown up on Ariyal's forearm or Jaelyn's so I was left confused! Are female vampires not worthy of a marking their soulmate when they mate? Was it because he was a dark fey even though the male vampires had mated other species too and still had the marks of mating them? Enquiring minds wanna know!
And honestly it was hard to care about the almighty Dark Lord returns part deux storyline either. It seems it's neverending with these creatures. Nearly every book almost seems to be centered around this story. I would think it could be wrapped up by now. But alas it isn't, and doesn't seem to be either. It did get a little interesting there at the end but ultimately this plot is just tired to me by now.
I am looking forward to Santiago and Nefri's book though.
June 19, 2019
Ariyal has taken Jaelyn captive and they are hidden in Avalon. Since being an unpopular Sylvermyst makes it hard for him to do what he needs to do he was hoping to get Jaelyn’s help. But she stubbornly refuses. Meanwhile the fate of an innocent baby and the return of the Dark Lord hang in the balance. And the growing attraction between Ariyal and Jaelyn doesn’t help.
This series is getting pretty complicated with all the various different type characters and dimensions. The stories are not so much about a certain couple (though that is still in there), but jumps around more between a bunch of different groups. I like seeing characters from past books being used, but this is too-disjointed. I hope the line between good and bad delineates a bit better as we progress to the next books. Too much dislike between the different races. They should be starting to calm down and join up soon. But as long as Levet’s there we can just follow him for the story.
Footnote: 1) When Ariyal calls Jaelyn a poppet it reminds me of the first Pirate of the Caribbean movie.
Fave scenes: Jaelyn haggling for the room rate, Nefri revealing the hidden room, Jaelyn’s dawn escape and Gaius’ secret room.
This series is getting pretty complicated with all the various different type characters and dimensions. The stories are not so much about a certain couple (though that is still in there), but jumps around more between a bunch of different groups. I like seeing characters from past books being used, but this is too-disjointed. I hope the line between good and bad delineates a bit better as we progress to the next books. Too much dislike between the different races. They should be starting to calm down and join up soon. But as long as Levet’s there we can just follow him for the story.
Footnote: 1) When Ariyal calls Jaelyn a poppet it reminds me of the first Pirate of the Caribbean movie.
Fave scenes: Jaelyn haggling for the room rate, Nefri revealing the hidden room, Jaelyn’s dawn escape and Gaius’ secret room.
February 3, 2018
This story started in the books before it. The romance between Ariyal & Jaelyn goes right into sex, just like the other books, so then we follow the plot, which here, I thought, was getting the female baby. Well it was more an over arc to the Dark Lord and was just drawn out. The romance drags and is, 'let's do this and mate', more than anything. So we are mostly bored by each conflict and there are a lot of them with this complicated over arc that just doesn't end and is pretty damn boring. We are also introduce to another couple that obviously will have their own book. They were not particularly interesting.
I was interested in getting to Caine's book but I almost don't want to go on, and for certain not right now as I cannot stand this plot any longer right now. I'll have to wait until I'm more in the mood and want to go on to Caine and Cassandra. I do understand that it is the end of the Dark Lord according to reviews so that might be a push.
I was interested in getting to Caine's book but I almost don't want to go on, and for certain not right now as I cannot stand this plot any longer right now. I'll have to wait until I'm more in the mood and want to go on to Caine and Cassandra. I do understand that it is the end of the Dark Lord according to reviews so that might be a push.
May 19, 2017
More action, more drama and epic fantasy.
I have to say, i am in love with Levet. The tiny gargoyle is so funny, cute and a good warrior. The way he says "sacreblue", "ma enfant" and "ma cherrie", i literally melt then and there..
I guess Arriyal and Jaelyn's story was good as well as okayish.. But the best part was all the action and the returning of dark lord and defeating him...
The threat is still there
Cassandra and Caine are trapped in the mists. What will happen next?
I intend to find out...
I have to say, i am in love with Levet. The tiny gargoyle is so funny, cute and a good warrior. The way he says "sacreblue", "ma enfant" and "ma cherrie", i literally melt then and there..
I guess Arriyal and Jaelyn's story was good as well as okayish.. But the best part was all the action and the returning of dark lord and defeating him...
The threat is still there
Cassandra and Caine are trapped in the mists. What will happen next?
I intend to find out...
February 14, 2021
Guardians of Eternity #8
Bound By Darkness by Alexandra Ivy Is the eighth book in her Guardians of Eternity series and the first one to feature a female vampire who turns out to be quite the bad ass! Enjoy!
Read:
August 6-8, 2015 – Kindle Edition
February 13-14, 2021 – Audible Audiobook
Bound By Darkness by Alexandra Ivy Is the eighth book in her Guardians of Eternity series and the first one to feature a female vampire who turns out to be quite the bad ass! Enjoy!
Read:
August 6-8, 2015 – Kindle Edition
February 13-14, 2021 – Audible Audiobook
July 23, 2017
Strong women characters who remain so after finding their "mate" are in short supply in this series. While the men pop up again in this series, the women are pushed into hiding. I would not have started reading the series had I known.
July 30, 2017
World Building: A+
Mythology: A++
Girl Power: A+
Guy-Hero: A+
Plot-Twists: A+
Love-Interests: A+
Villains: A++
For you clean-readers: this book DOES have mature content. You'll need to do some self-editing or scene-skipping to read this one.
Mythology: A++
Girl Power: A+
Guy-Hero: A+
Plot-Twists: A+
Love-Interests: A+
Villains: A++
For you clean-readers: this book DOES have mature content. You'll need to do some self-editing or scene-skipping to read this one.
November 15, 2024
Ug. The story is interesting, but the character archetypes are so old. Big bad men who want to hurt everything and get irritated by the gargoyle but are completely ruled by their mates. The women are smart and gorgeous and shake their heads at their overbearing mates.
May 22, 2017
hmmmmmm, something off about this installment. A little slow, a little confusing, too many other story lines vying for attention.
July 18, 2017
I'm still loving this series. Full of action, hunky men and strong women. Only a couple sex scenes.
December 4, 2017
I have enjoyed this series and look forward to the next installment.
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