Cursed by Darkness

Befallen Tides #1

by Anna Sanders

Winx is a daevor: a demon who can coerce people into killing themselves. After using her powers to avenge her sister’s death, she’s sentenced to have her wings severed and serve as a soldier. But Winx refuses to play by the rules. She goes into hiding at a BDSM club in Los Angeles where nobody would think to look for a deadly daevor.

Keaton’s friends and family are under attack by savages–people who arise from death as soulless monsters. Winx is the only one with the power to defeat them, and Keaton is determined to harness her dark powers… no matter what it takes.

Cursed by Darkness is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy by Anna Sanders, available Fall 2012!

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Adult, Zombies, Erotica, BDSM

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Anna Sanders is a simple soul originally from southern California. Her interest in writing began at the early age of 12 years old after having an eccentrically exciting English teacher. Her hobbies include hiking, killing zombies in video games, cooking, and obnoxiously singing show tunes. For the past six years Anna has been an avid participant in the annual NaNoWriMo challenge.

She currently resides in Carson City, Nevada with husband, their two year old daughter and a fluffy behemoth of a dog named Jojo. To hear about Anna's latest releases, sign up for the Red Iris Books newsletter here -- bit.ly/PVSKTH

Reviews

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Cursed by Darkness from a member giveaway from Librarything. Winx is a demon known as a daevor because she's gifted with the abilities of being able to convince people to do her will as well as kill themselves. When her sister is raped and murdered Winx does what any sister would do she sets out for justice against the humans who killed her. However the three don't see it as justice instead they see it as an attack against the humans because Winx used her gift to have them mutilate themselves to death. The three devise a punishment for her that they feel is satisfactory first they remove her wings which will never grow back and drop her into their military boot camp training her to kill Savages (Zombies).

Winx has other plans, she's not the killing type and disapears in L.A. working at Skinned a strip club where she can let the little demon part of herself out. She's content to hide away from the three and live her life as a human until a handsome bandit shows up at the club looking for her. Wanting him to leave she agrees to talk to him if only to find out how he found her. When he tells her of the Savages killing his pack and that she's the only one who can help them, she doesn't bat an eye, it's when he tells her he was sent to find her by a lixyn a higher demon. Winx decides that the three know she's in L.A. and running off with Keaton might be the best choice.

The pair head for Colorado where Keaton’s pack is waiting for them slaying the Savages on their way. Once they arrive in the forest Keaton heads off to find his pack and get clearance to bring Winx into the pack because they keep the location secret. While waiting for Keaton Winx takes a nap but is waken when she hears Savages attacking a lixyn demon that is up a tree, even though she’s not a fan of Lixyn she heads into the forest to save the girl. Only after saving her does she learn that she’s a princess daughter to the queen lixyn and she’s on a secret mission.

I love the cover art it just screams read me so of course I was super excited to win a copy. I really like Winx as a character my heart went out to her when she had her wings brutally removed. She's a strong character but she does have her few and far between fragile spots. I really liked the concept for the book; I found it unique since a demon was hunting zombies in essence. The story is the first in the series so we do have a little bit of building but it does have its action spots as well. I found the chemistry between Winx and Keaton exciting they are two different creatures yet they are finding a common ground and building onto more than just a friendship. I love a good story with a little romance and Cursed by Darkness was exactly what I hoped it would be. Overall I feel the characters are well developed enough that the story flows smoothly along, creating a world I want to know more of as well as what happens next to Winx and Keaton. I look forward to reading more about Winx and her journey to gain her freedom.

[Sandra]

FREE on Amazon, $0.99 on Nook!

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so surprise by supernatural element shown in this book. I love that there are so many diverse cultures and traditions that bind supernaturals together. I love Winx's gutsy attitude as well as her vulnerability too. I wanted Keaton to drag Winx into his cause but glad that he didn't get his way immediately. Here are my thoughts:

Winx Rowan, a daevor who managed to kill her sister's murderers, has finally been caught by the lixyn. The lixyn who will serve judgement on Winx are called The Three. They don't think that Winx should have taken justice into her own hands. Winx has only one regret and that is getting caught but not for killing those animals. Winx has lost her wings and being forced to be a private soldier in some lixyn army. Winx will keep herself out of lixyn way and find some peace. Winx's peace is destroyed by Keaton Silver, a bandit, sent to find her to help his cause against the savages. Keaton never expected that Winx would refuse joining his cause yet she has. Keaton is stunned and surprised by meeting lixyn leader after Winx's refusal believes that Winx is the solution required by Keaton. Keaton is unsure of what to do now and he must convince Winx to come to his aid. When savages invade Winx's job Skinned, it's up to Keaton to do as much damage as possible and stay alive at the same time. Winx can't believe that savages trashed Skinned and must see it for herself. Winx reluctantly helps Keaton yet more danger is to come in the coming days. Keaton is becoming attracted to Winx yet unsure what to do about it either. When will the savages attack? Will Keaton admit his feelings? Will Winx be able to stop the attacks? What is the reason behind the attacks? Your answers await you in Cursed by Darkness.

[Kirsten Lenius · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another book that I really wanted to like, but didn't manage to. The premise was good and the description interested me; after all, urban fantasy is one of my favorite genres. Sadly, the execution fell flat.

Here are some of the issues I had with the story:

First, there were oddly used and incorrectly used words through out, such as referring to a group of savages as a hoard, rather than a horde. It needed some editing and made me want to channel Inigo: "Stop using that word! I do not thing it means what you think it means."

Second, the characters were not greatly developed and were so flat as to be cartoonish.

Third, the work lacked tension in both the areas of the challenges of life and the romantic side of things.
Despite Winx working in a strip club and parading about in her undies, there was really no sexual tension. It almost felt juvenile to me.

Fourth, the naming conventions of species and some people were a little wierd. It seemed to me to complicate matters unneccessarily by making up new names for some standard fantasy elements. And the name Winx was supposed to be mysterious, but just struck me as goofy.

It is never a good sign when I put a book down and wander off to do something else while reading and I will say that several games of mahjongg solitaire were completed when I should have been reading.

This book has some potential, but needs much work.

[Wendy Peoples Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book of a new series, Cursed by Darkness has a lot of potential. The flow of the story is smooth, and does not stagnate. There's just enough character building to get you interested, and of course there is a subtle touch of romance, if only unrequited at the moment.
Winx, a daever, is punished for avenging her sister's death. This punishment is extremely severe, leaving her with no choice but to integrate herself in with the human population. When she is called upon to help rid another supernatural species of a threat to their colony she reluctantly helps, and thus starts the story.
The only weakness I found in this book was toward the end - in some ways, I felt the author tried to wrap things up too quickly. But it is something that can be overlooked easily if the second book in the series becomes a reality.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a little on the dark side and at times brutal, but this all sets the groundwork for what I am anticipating to be a really good trilogy. I love Winx. She is angry and broken and harsh, but the woman has strength that shines through no matter how hard she tries to ignore it. Overall the characters are likeable and the baddies are the kind you love to hate. The world was a taste of something different for me and in context is believable. When I finished, I was ready to go on to book two, which to me is always a good sign of my enjoyment of a read.
I received this book from the author with a request for my honest review without any compensation whatsoever, other than the joy of reading a new book.

[Shawntaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly don't know why this book is getting such poor reviews. People did you not read to the end the short story . I actually would have liked more info on how they overpowered Deja and the book was short that would be my chief complaints. Overall it was a good start to a series I'm hoping they find a way to restore Winx's wings. I also hope they go more into why Winx has always been so serious. Keep it up can't wait to read the rest. Also I don't think Winx was a coward I think she felt she didn't owe the order that stripped her of her identity per say and who also didn't lift a finger to prosecute her sister's killers. A coward would not have given in and fight for someone else's family.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the Winxs character. The cover was awesome and made me want to read the book. I would like to read the rest of the series.

[Mammatess · Rating 4 out of 5]

really liked this book

[Vicky Upshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It just ended....... I'll have to purchase the next in the series to finish the story :D

[Nereid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winx’s eyes widened as her sentence was read to her. Even knowing she was about to lose the most precious part of her identity, she could not help but question the second part of her punishment. “You want me to kill? For…killing?” This is your penance.
She is a demon who has the power of persuasion and uses her gift to seek revenge for her sister’s death by having the five humans commit bloody suicide. Hardly seems fair does it, the punishment does not fit the crime as it was more like justice, an eye for an eye but Winx was stripped of her wings and forced to leave her home to rid the human world of savages who are zombie like creatures. This is not a book for the faint hearted lots of blood and gore as savages overrun the cities, killing humans as they go. Winx is a snarky kick ass demon or daevor, I liked her instantly and she operated out of a BDSM club called “Skinned”, quite apt don’t you think. Hiding out from the Order who imposed the sentence, isolated from her family, Winx is a dancer in the club and is keeping a low profile until Keaton shows up.
Keaton Silver is a cryptid and a Bandit who needs her help to save his pack as they are being terrorised by the savages and is trying to enlist Winx to defeat their enemy. In spite of her initial reluctance to help Keaton, after the club is overrun and burned to the ground, they both flee the scene to find his family in Colorado. Along the way Keaton and Winx become friends of a sort and she is slowly warming up to his good looks and sunny disposition.
Little did they know that darker forces were at work and someone was hunting for Winx determined to destroy her. Plenty of action in this book and never a dull moment, Winx is constantly injured in battle and yet gets back up to fight and protect others despite her reluctance to help the Order. Genevieve is kind of naïve and has that “I am a princess syndrome” down pat which of course she is but even she gets her hands dirty in the end. They will all have to band together if they hope to defeat the evil stalking them and alliances will be forged that will strengthen their pact to rid their world of the savages.
I must admit I have not read many zombie books as they don’t usually appeal to me but I liked the main character and although there was little romance, the action was ongoing and I would read the next book to see what happened next.

[Deidre Padrona · Rating 2 out of 5]

I "borrowed" this book through Kindle Lending Library and it was originally the cover art that drew me in. I love the urban fantasy genre and was expecting perhaps a fresh view of the scene. The opening chapter sucks you in and sets up a great backline that I enjoyed. I was anticipating quite a bit from the original setup. What I got was far less than I'd expected.

The characters themselves seem very flat, with no one (not even the main character) ever really being drawn out enough to get someone interested in their story. When the author tries for "mysterious" she lands squarely in "overdone and expected". The supporting characters seemingly appear at random without cause, and then flounder along the story without adding or detracting from it. The story plods along, with one heavy-handed obvious turn following another until it finally reaches it's destination, which is sadly setup for another in the series.

Included in my borrowed book was a short story about what happened to Deja and how Wynx exacted her revenge/earned her punishment. Please, Ms Sanders ... I could have gone the entirety of my life without reading anything quite so graphic and gory. There was no reason to include it other than morbid infliction ... it didn't add anything to your main story and didn't offer much in the way of an explanation ... it was pure gore and not very well done.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cursed by Darkness is the first book in the Befallen Tides series by Anna Sanders. I was left with mixed feelings about this book.

The Good:
I really like the cover art for this book. It's what drew me into reading the synopsis. The story itself is decent and promising. Winx's character is fleshed out pretty well and I liked her.

The Bad:
This would have been a better story, maybe even a 4 star book had it been better edited. There are several errors in grammar, punctuation, etc... I noticed there were even random periods in the middle of sentences. I think Keaton's character seemed a bit two dimensional and there just wasn't any character building with him. One thing that bugged me was the weird names for common supernatural beings. Daevors are demons, Bandits are some form of werewolf, and lixyn are basically angels, Savages are zombies...why not just call them what they are?

Overall, I liked the story, but with more editing it would have been much better. Cursed by Darkness seems like a promising series. I wish I could give it a higher rating, but the editing was very lacking.

I got this e-book through the LibraryThing Member Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.

*Book Hollow*

[Jagged · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I'm not too sure what was really going on in this book.

It started off good. I liked Winx for the most part, but found her to be rather cowardly, and unreasonable.
So, you meet Miss Winx, she's a Daevor, or demon, and she's getting her wings clipped and punished to...what exactly? Something about being on earth for ten years killing zombies or something. o.O
Two years later, she is somehow not serving her time, instead, she's dancing at a strip club. Enter Keaton. What was going on with him? He reminded me of a super happy Japanese tourist...not your run of the mill American gypsy. But anyway. There was no real action...the plot...what was the plot? I still don't quite see where this was going or where it was coming from.
Another character enters the fray...miss Evy. I'm not entirely sure what her purpose was in the book...from what I read, she wasn't necessary.
The only thing I did like was how the zombies were created.
I was unable to determine an age range....it started off rather mature. But as the book progressed, it was rather juvenile.
Not going to bother with the rest in the series.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was "OK". I did not see how Winx dancing in a BSDM club should have been a part of the description because her stay there was brief.

As I read the story, I was hoping that Winx and Keaton became an item. I really wanted them to become an item.

I found a few grammatically errors, but nothing serious.

Overall, the story was interesting. I enjoyed the supernatural characters. I felt they could have been more in-depth. I felt the story could have been a little longer. More details could have been given surrounding the death of Winx's sister. Winx's crime. Winx as a whole, so that I (as the reader) could determine if she was a good creature forced to do a bad act or if she was simply bad with no good in her. I was left feeling unsure about Winx. I did believe she was brave and had a hint of insecurity at times. I think her insecurity might cause her problems in the future if she is not careful.

Sadly, I was not intrigued enough to want to continue to read about Winx and Keaton in the next book.

Happy Reading!

[Tona · Rating 3 out of 5]

1st off.. Loved the Cover Art. Great cover art really grabs my attention. It leads me to read the synopsis. Which leads me to #2..The synopsis really grabbed my attention.

The first page of the book started off with a bang. I think that if the first chapter would have given a more clear reason for Winx's arrest, it would have made it easier to get involved with the story. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the book. I just felt that the character would have been easier to relate to if we know why, sooner.

I liked that Winx's had an edge and that she stood up for herself. I liked that she was vulnerable too. I liked that she was scared and sarcastic.

I think with a little more editing, this will be a great series.

[Purple Osprey · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the "about the author" section of this book the editor called Anna Sanders "a simple soul" - should've been the clue.

First few pages looked promising, after that it gets worse and worse and ends with ridiculously dramatic and unnecessary prequel story.

Characters are crude and unpolished and do and say just whatever without following any inner logic. Like Winx, who has no problem being a pole dancer (seriously, later in the book she can manipulate human behaviour, so why work at all? just make people give you stuff) and at the same time is quiet and withdrawn, she can read minds when it suits the plot, supposed to be really tough warrior and acts like a little whiny bitch.

And I'm not even going into the plot as a whole, it's laughable.

[Julian Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is simply a good book. I appreciate atypical main characters in general and powerful women in particular.

This book has both. Not exactly sure why the trilogy is identified as an urban fantasy, but I loved Winx, the mind bending demon with the sexy bod and bald head.

Winx partners with the handsome beast, Keaton, although reluctantly, to save his people from savages. There are gruesome killings and chomping down on people that happens without gory overkill...um, pun intended.

I gave this book only four stars because I generally don't like series that end with cliffhangers, and the editing was a little shoddy in some places. I look forward to reading more from Anna Sanders.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Cursed by Darkness' was an interesting and unique book. The storyline was intriguing. I liked the way it played out. Full of cool paranormal beings, action, humor and some gore. The characters were good. Winx was pretty bad-ass. Her inner torment pushed her into becoming more than she thought possible. Keaton was just plain funny. His being naive put him in some pretty funny situations. This is a good start to what looks like a good series. I look forward to reading more.

[Krissys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have this book three stars because it was a good read and stood out as unique but there were a few flaws and some lacking development in several areas that kept me from fully investing in characters, plot and the story. It doesn't mean that the story itself can't be looked at or enjoyed or finished for that matter, its just a few details that I felt could use some fleshing out and building upon.

[Shoulanda August · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. I couldn't put the book down!

Loved this story. I couldn't put the book down!

The author was creative and the book was thrilling from beginning to end. I can't believe I got lost in the characters and the many different species. I was sad it ended. I want More

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent start to a new series. There was a lot of action and the gore wasn't too over the top. But given the short length the author wasn't able to really flesh out the characters and they wound up being rather two dimensional.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is fine. I just couldn't connect with the story or the characters.

[D.G.]

BDSM books are supposed to be dark. I didn't like this beginning with the innocent country boy stumbling into a BDSM club. It's supposed to be funny but I just found it weird.

[Karen Chong · Rating 2 out of 5]

The summary sounded good, but I couldn't "get into" this book. It didn't seem very interesting.

[Kycia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have been good had it not ended so abruptly.....

[Mariana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off well but about half way it started to drag for me. I did come back to a week later but it still didn't work for me.

[Kamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt really disappointed with this book by the end. The beginning seemed so promising but I felt like the story just declined from there.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 2 out of 5]

lousy characters

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needs a good spell check, but interesting tale!