Tasting Darkness

Darkness #2

by Jessica Hall

I thought nothing could be worse than being fated to the Fae men who killed my parents, who saved me from being hunted down by a group of werewolves. I was so wrong. Forced back home with them, I became their prisoner. Tortured by their recruits. My life went from one nightmare into another, until they claimed me. They forced a bond on me that I didn’t want. Or so I thought.

I’m fated to be theirs, to help strengthen them and their magic. But instead, I found my own strength. First, I tempted darkness, and now I've got a taste for it, there is nothing more addictive.

They're becoming an addiction I don't want to kick. Little did they know, I was fast becoming theirs. With our bonds forged they can no longer decide if they hate me or love me. Maybe both, but now they'll see I can give as good as I can take.
And taking is exactly what I plan on doing.
Taking their magic and their hearts. If they're lucky, I won't break them the way they tried to break me because now they're realizing what true power is, and I hold it all.

I am their keeper.

Keeper of their power.

Keeper of their darkest secrets.

But more importantly, keeper of their souls.

Genres: Romance, Dark, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romantasy, Demons

294 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2023

About the author

Jessica Hall is an award-winning and internationally best-selling author with over 64 books; 55 of those books are on Amazon Kindle. She is an award-winning author on numerous apps like iReader, KISS, Dreame, and AlphaNovel. Jessica Hall primarily writes Dark Paranormal Romance and Why Choose Romance Books. She lives in NSW, Australia, with her husband and 5 children.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger!

[Stitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say I had very big hopes for this book because first chapters was amazing. Unfortunately I ended up with very big disappointment which I’ll explain in more details. First of all I’am very aware that this author writes dark romance books which includes erotic scenes, violence, dominant mens. I read multiple books of this author and I liked them, but this was something else!! Because this book involved physical abuse between mates, and I’am not talking about dominance in bed, a little spanking or other kinks. I’am talking about actual physical abuse!! While these things is quite common in dark romance books, normally main character tries to fight and run away from abuser , that was not the case here…
Darius broke her leg, injured her head, repeatedly was piling her hair, humiliated her multiple times.. you would think she would try to escape him? But no, by the end of the book she was all over him like nothing happened, all that needed was simple sorry. Now my question is why author would make physical abuse towards women look like something that can be forgiven so easily? By no mean things like this can be forgiven, book or not it doesn’t matter. I understand that by the end of the book she was in heat and that could’ve clouded her mind and make her do those things with Darius, but what message that sends? You horny so that’s okey to be all over men who physically hurt you on purpose? Mate bond you will say? Again what message that sends? You love someone so much that you can forgive broken bones and bruises?
Normally I don’t mix real life with books content but this was too much.
This was only book one and story continues.
Jessica Hall is very good author and I hope she can fix this in coming books and don’t make physical abuse look like it’s no big deal, this is absolutely unacceptable.

[JoJo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn. I like it yet the domestic violence was a little much.

[Kristine D'Cunha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF this book at 90%. I really could not take the nonstop violence and abuse, punctuated by bits of sexiness and minute bits of any positive emotion. The main character, Aleera, is a special and very powerful harmony Fae who is the keeper of souls of her 4 males. Every time she has sex with one of them, their memories flood her and she becomes aware of everything that has happened to them in their life and essentially sees what they do. Unfortunately, each male has a horrible history of being abused, neglected, tortured etc. Aleera herself suffered at the hands of these 4 males in the last book until they realized who she was and even then, the main character, Darius has rebuffed her several times. Prior to knowing who she was, they starved her, broke her bones and let the other cadets at the school almost rape her. Darius threatens to kill her pet Phoenix when she doesn’t give him a bj because he’s convinced she’s a slut and not the virgin the other guys proclaim her to be. He keeps rebuffing her because his huge ego could not take her knowing who he really is which is not a good guy. He also doesn’t want to bond with her because he doesn’t want to allow her to have any of his power. She finally does bind with 3 of the guys who have twisted histories and have lived through horrific events. It never stops. At some point earlier in the story, Darius doesn’t want to be around any of the group members which causes his power to become dangerously low so he lunges at
Aleera to take the power he desperately needs after she refuses him. He becomes a mindless demon and in order to bring his humanity back to him, one of the group members allows him to start raping him.

I’m sorry but all the violence doesn’t add anything to this book and made me sick to my stomach more than anything. I read books for enjoyment and this just became so unenjoyable that I couldn’t finish it.

[Melissa Milliken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok here we go with book two of the Darkness series! I knew this book would have so much more to unpack that the first but I almost felt like I had whiplash with all that was happening. So Aleera has fully mated with a few of her mates and finally gets a glimpse into their pasts and why they first hated her so much. That also helps unleash her true powers which basiclly starts a full on war. Oh and we find out that Aleera's mother is STILL FREAKING ALIVE!!! 🤯😱 I knew right away her still being alive means trouble for Aleera and her Mates. Boy was I right. 🤦‍♀️ In the midst of this all Darius was still pulling away and distancing himself from his mates until he caves in and finally lets Aleera form her bond with him. Which leads you to realize that YES he is in fact responsible for all the things he has mentioned and more. He is responsible for all of his mates anguish, hurt, and turmoil. 🤬 Book two ends with the largest war and power struggle exploding out into the world. Lets see how it all plays out in book 3.

[Fleur]

Couple of numbers worth mentioning here.

13.
13 is the number of chapters from the previous book that are included in the start of this one. 13!

3.5 ⭐️ rating.
There may have been small little tidbits thrown in there that were different to the first book but not enough for me to feel like it was worth reading.

52%.
That’s how far I got before I realised…life is too short to struggle through a book. I don’t need to be here, getting angry at character inconsistencies, getting angry at the emotional pettiness and the immaturity of main characters. It’s about here where I give up because I feel like screaming, “just talk with each other openly already!!”

I really want to know how it ends, but can I be bothered slogging through for that? Probably not 😬

[another halima]

the mfc finally stands up for self and i was happy about it. however just before that she forgave all of them without grovelling or an apology. in the beginning she would at least speak back when they tortured her and fought them as little as she could but in this book she just let it go until a few pages ago. esp darius who has done the most heinous things like sa and breaking her leg and fingers. her bones were sticking out! also she didn something that felt too op when she stood up for herself making me feel like it came out nowhere.

the author did warn us it was dark but the mfc needs to make sense and fight for herself instead of wallowing in her misery.

dnfed at thirty eight percent

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tasting Darkness
Darkness book two
Jessica Hall
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Time to read: 4 hours
Cliffhanger
**My review may contain spoilers!!!!!
**Read Trigger Warnings!!!!

Tropes/Genres/tags:
Dark romance
V1rg1n heroine
Vampire
Fae
Werewolf
Incubus
MMMMF
Fated mates

Good story, poor editing!!!! Guys this is a SECOND ADDITION!!! There’s no reason why there should STILL be this many mistakes! There’s typos. Jessica has a tendency to repeat the same sentence a different way as well which I don’t like, but the story is good. It does have extremely dark bullying among the guys and their fated mate so read trigger warnings.

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just LOVE Jessica hall's books like this book was so amazing, and how Aleera and Darius argued the whole book. and Aleera completing the bond with Lyrus and Tobias and getting to know their past was so enlightening, and also at the end where Aleera is about to mark Darius forcefully. I loved the entire book especially when Kalen "dies" and Aleera wakes a power in her she didn't know she had and her phoenixes resurrecting Kalen from the dead gave me chills. overall one of the easiest 5⭐ rating ever.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cant wait until book 2 is complete!!!

[Leny R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW 😳 I read this book in a day, I couldn't put it down.

[Terri Castleberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!!

I am SOOOOO hooked! AND SOOOOO HAPPY that the 3rd book was already done before I started this series! These cliff hangers are deadly!

[Megan C · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it and had high hopes for the series. I will finish the third book and hope that the characters redeem themselves.

[A D Hayward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple The Best

The best! I just re read it. Same emotions,
same feelings, same exciting events after event! Love reverse harem.Jessica is the best!

[Merissa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic

Absolutely love this series. Loved the characters and the book kept me gripped from the start. Good story line and loving the characters redemption and the development of their bond throughout this book. Would highly recommend

[Jackie Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where's the end

I have been enthralled reading the 2 books in this series, until I came to the last page of book 2, where the he'll is the rest of the story, is there a book 3, if so why can't I find it, it says 2 book series.

If this is it I'm so disappointed not to have a full ending.

Please please 🙏 let me know why

[Alecia Harshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasting Darkness

I loved this book! Once I started it I could not put it down. I love all of Jessica Halls books. I hope that there is a third book to finish the story and not leave us readers with this cliffhanger.

[Jeletta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, but also realize it's the middle book in a trilogy. I felt that a few things were repetitive, but I'm anxious to finish the story!

[Melissa Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Absolutely love this story. I am on pins and needles for the next book. Please hurry and let’s go on a reading marathon!!

[Kristy Lutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

There better be a book 3! It says book 2 of 2 but it is obviously not over.

[crystal logerquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the series!!

Love the series! Waiting patiently for the 3rd. One too more partners in this reverse harem for my taste but loved it nonetheless.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!!!

Loved this I cannot wait for the third! I need to see what Darius is hiding! Please let Alera win this battle.

[Claudia Angelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another time re-reading