Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Dark Angels #7

Darkness Falls

Rate this book
New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur brings her Dark Angels series to a breathtaking conclusion as half-werewolf, half-Aedh Risa Jones treads a knife’s edge between the salvation of the human race and its total annihilation.

The search for the last key to the gates of hell has begun, and half-werewolf, half-Aedh Risa Jones is in more danger than ever—and one misstep could prove ruinous. It's only a matter of time before Madeleine Hunter, the dangerous head of the vampire council, begins her hunt for complete domination. And for Risa, that comes with an alarming ultimatum: hand over the last key to Hunter or, one by one, her loved ones will die.

Now, it’s a race against time for Risa to save those she loves, and to stop Hunter's apocalyptic plan to open the very gates of hell.

INCLUDES A BONUS EXCERPT OF KERI ARTHUR’S FIREBORN

Audiobook

First published December 2, 2014

115 people are currently reading
2305 people want to read

About the author

Keri Arthur

100 books6,002 followers
Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson, Guardian series, has now written more than 25 books. She's received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives in Melbourne with her daughter and two crazy dogs

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,180 (48%)
4 stars
835 (34%)
3 stars
337 (13%)
2 stars
57 (2%)
1 star
12 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
Profile Image for Ferdy.
944 reviews1,287 followers
December 5, 2014
Spoilers

Wasn't crazy about the plot, it was rather dragged out, repetitive and predictable. I did however love the world, the characters, and the romance, they were written really well.

-The plot mostly consisted of Risa and Azriel jumping from one place to another so they could find someone or something.. And each time they investigated somewhere they'd be attacked by magic or bad guys. It was the same thing over and over, and it didn't make for thrilling reading. Thankfully, the world was super fun and easy to immerse into and the various friendships/relationships made for interesting reading.

-Risa was a likeable enough character, she got on with things and didn't constantly whine or angst about all the rubbish in her life. The only thing I didn't like about her was her martyr complex and her refusing to let her powerful friends help her defeat the bad guys. Then again, if she hadn't have pushed them away she would have ended up on the sidelines of her own story, whilst her more competent and experienced friends sorted out all her problems. So I guess Risa had to do that otherwise she wouldn't have been much of a heroine.

-Loved that Riley, Quinn, and Rhoan had more of a role in this one, it was great how they had Risa's back even though she wasn't technically part of their pack. Also, it was good seeing them all settled and trouble free.. Well, in comparison to their own books.

-I wasn't impressed with Risa and Azriel defeating the Raziq in the first two chapters, they were the main bad guys in the previous six books so I expected them to play a big role in the final book. Instead they were quickly dealt with in the beginning and never really mentioned again. I don't know why they were made out to be such a significant threat when they were so easily dealt with, it made all their past appearances seem pointless and a bit of a joke.

-Tao's elemental fire issues were sorted out way too quickly, he'd been struggling for so long, he almost killed himself and others a number of times because he was that out of control. Yet he somehow managed to overcome the elemental fire inside of him in less than a few hours after a pep talk from Azriel and Risa. There was no pay off to the arc that was built for him.

-How did Risa not miscarry after she was beaten, thrown around, and nearly devoured by magic countless of times? It was beyond far-fetched her not losing the baby after the numerous traumas her body went through.

-Amaya was awesome, she was so bloodthirsty and badass, and her interactions with Risa were really funny.

Even though the series had its fault, I enjoyed it overall. It was easy to read, had a well crafted world and some really great characters. Definitely recommend to fans of Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance.

Profile Image for Carmel (Rabid Reads).
706 reviews393 followers
December 29, 2014
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

I was on the brink of kissing this series goodbye after the previous installment because the plot became more about character drama than saving the world, and it has taken seven books for Risa to find three keys which was simply unacceptable. Keri Arthur left every single thread unresolved until DARKNESS FALLS, so this closer was an incredibly tall order, and while some arcs were dealt with entirely too neatly (i.e. Tao’s), the author was for the most part successful in concluding DARK ANGELS with a bang. She finally went back to doing what she does best, writing kickass Urban Fantasy.

This novel hit all of the keynotes with its recap, and for that I was grateful because it had become quite the jumbled mess inside my brain what with all of the backstabbing, keeping track of who impregnated who, and the various villains’ motivations. Thankfully, no new plot threads were piled on, and the story was all about defeating the sorceress, stopping Hunter, and locating the last key. Several of the characters from Arthur’s RILEY JENSON GUARDIAN series also contributed to the match point including the heroine, Quinn, Rhoan, and Jack. Oddly enough, my favourite sidekick was Amaya, Risa’s bloodthirsty demonic sword; her running commentary was an absolute riot.

The unexpected turn that Lauren’s story line took caught me completely off-guard; the author sowed the seeds for this reveal in book 1, and I loved how it all unfolded. I was also overjoyed that Azriel was kidnapped in this installment instead of Jones because the reverse has happened far too often in the DARK ANGELS universe. And, I appreciated that Arthur made the concluding chapters all about Hunter; the near insurmountable task of conquering such a formidable foe deserved nothing less. I liked how Risa tapped into every resource, ally, and weapon available in order to come out on top, and the resulting confrontation was indeed series finale worthy.

There was one character death that possibly went unnoticed by most readers; however devotees of Arthur’s above mentioned books surely felt the cataclysmic loss as much as I did. Risa & Azriel made a fab team, and I was happy that they were able to set their differences aside to not only stop the apocalypse, but also for the sake of their unborn child. These two more than deserved to sail off into the sunset, and I really enjoyed the sexually charged banter throughout this tale, although I wish that they’d acted on it a bit more. The ending did leave some room for another potential spin-off, but personally I’m past ready to bid adieu to this world.

DARKNESS FALLS was worth the wait, and the tumultuous path to get there (mostly).
Profile Image for ᴥ Irena ᴥ.
1,654 reviews242 followers
June 13, 2015
The beginning of Darkness Falls is certainly not slow. This time you don't wait for the events to start rolling; the beginning of this book is like a next chapter of the previous.

The final confrontation with the Raziq on the fields is inevitable. So is the one with the dark practitioner and Madeline Hunter.

I was afraid Hunter would appear every third page or so to threaten and that got tedious a long time ago, but the author surprised me there. While she does appear and threaten (what else is new?), it is not as often as I expected.

The more I think about this last book, the more I appreciate certain directions it went. Sure, there are things I don't like - foreshadowing is off the charts and it is not something I enjoy.
However, Keri Arthur never makes her main character something she is not. All the changes are believable, explained and they don't break the rules of the world the author has created. And that, compared to some other UF series, is something that will always make her series superior to others in my eyes.
It shows that yes, you can have all the changes you desire unless it completely nullifies something you said is beyond important. It happens more often that not and it is usually after a reader gets invested in the series. I am rambling but I am so happy that there are still UF authors who can create a story without slapping their reader in the face.

I love Keri Arthur's solutions. A lot of them are not what you'd expect. As I already noted in previous books, Risa has real problems with her enemies, the search for the keys. Even her friends' problems are not something she can wave her hand and solve them (Tao had to deal with his on his own and I like how that was used in the main story). You are not just told Risa has problems, then she breezes in and solves everything. She gets beaten, she loses people in her life as well as things.
And while some might consider her search and solutions a bit slow, I am glad the pace was more realistic than you'd expect. For example, if you beat me over my head how competent and clever the dark sorceress is, and how she commands a combination of her magic and something even more powerful, then the witches who are helping Risa can't just solve everything by looking at it. And they don't. It takes a while.

Overall, I liked the whole series a lot, but that is hardly a surprise when it comes to an author who respects her own rules of the world she has created. Also, I loved how some old characters are mentioned in this series (Illianna's lover is Kade's daughter, Stane is Kellen's son and so on).
Furthermore, the same as Risa's story comes after Riley's, I hope there will be more stories from this world. After all, the Aedh remnants are waiting for their priestess.
Profile Image for Ronda.
890 reviews179 followers
December 17, 2014
I have to say that I struggled with the first part of this book, regardless of the fact it started off with quite a bang... This is hard to admit because I am a die hard fan of Keri Arthur and have been forever!!! However, as the story progressed and the looming battles lay ahead, I found myself eagerly anticipating what was about to happen. This overrode my slight disappointment, hence the 5 stars!!

As the first major hurdle hit, I found myself loving Amaya more than I ever had, I love that soul thirsty sword but I love her even more and when the finale hit, Amaya became my heroine and the Dusdan punched into my heart!!!

Loved this whole series, (love all Keri's series!) and loved the fact that Riley was around a little more (bringing back the memories of her brilliant books). I'm sorry to see the end of Risa's story, but what a story it has been

I believe one of my first ever updates were something like 'I want a Reaper!' and believe me, I still do!!

Profile Image for Jess.
1,075 reviews158 followers
December 10, 2014
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B

It’s finally here, the final showdown between Risa and her two enemies – a sorceress hell bent on finding the last key, and Hunter a crazy, vampire/maenad using the power of her God to be virtually unbeatable. She’s also intent on getting her hands on the final key – a key that would take down all barriers to hell. Add in that Risa’s pregnant and is willing to do anything to keep the man she loves safe as well as their unborn child and she’s in for the fight of her life.

First off, I was beyond confused at the start of this book. It picks up right where the prior book left off and unfortunately, that read for me was long enough ago that it took me a good 20% to get comfortable with the story and the past events that eventually started coming back to me. It just meant that instead of getting right back into the action, the first part of the book left me confused and trying to figure out who was who, what part they’re playing the story and in Risa’s life and there are a lot of things recalled from past events. But by the midway point the story picked up, the pace was fast and I finally “got it.” Not sure if it taking to the midway point is a good thing, but by then I was back in the story and ready for the big final showdown that’s been building since book one.

Risa’s grown so much since the series started and in the end, while it takes different people to help her in various ways, whether it’s providing information or items in her preparation for the final fight against Hunter. It ends up being a fight that will only be Hunter against Risa, no one else. Honestly, with the HUGE buildup this has, I was expecting something a little…more. I can’t say it’s a fight that’s over fast, but in a way, it kind of was. Is the ending satisfying? Absolutely, but I was left feeling a little underwhelmed with the climax of not only the book but the series.

Aside from Azriel, the supporting characters weren’t major players here. For their safety, Risa convinces nearly everyone to escape and hide, putting themselves out of Hunter’s path. It makes sense as this is Risa’s final battle to face herself, but with the, in my opinion, major thing that happened to her best friend Illiana in the last book, it was pretty much shoved aside. Maybe it’s a case of it happened, and that’s that. But I wanted a little more for her friends who have been with her on this dangerous and crazy ride rather than just a few sentences to wrap up their stories.

I’ve been a huge fan of the romance between Risa and Azriel from the start. And yes spoiler alert, they get their happy ending. Which isn’t so much of a spoiler as it’s been clear over the past couple of books that’s where they were heading. I missed some of the steamy, sexiness they brought earlier in the series though. Their romance takes a backseat to everything else, but they do provide some very sweet scenes together.

Overall, I enjoyed this series very much. I’ve watched Risa grow up from the young girl we first met in Riley Jenson’s series to a strong, fierce heroine who grew into a woman not to be messed with. I only hope that Keri Arthur spins off this series yet again, as I’m not ready to let any of these characters go.
Profile Image for Jenne .
699 reviews85 followers
February 3, 2015
Well I'm sad to see this end! Things tie up nicely but it wasn't my favorite of the series. Hard to review this one without spoilers. I'm sad too that it'll be the end of the Riley and Quinn cameos. I was shocked at a few turn of events. Keri Arthur has always been a favorite of mine. She has a gift of weaving unique stories.
Profile Image for Annie .
2,506 reviews940 followers
January 14, 2015


Keri Arthur wraps up the Dark Angels series with DARKNESS FALLS and wow, she ends it with a serious bang! The first fifty pages of this book contains more action than some books have at all so there’s no question that Arthur has turned up the dial full blast with this latest release.

Risa is running against the clock. She must find the keys, but with so many obstacles standing in the way, it seems nearly impossible to get them in time before more dire circumstances get a hold of her. Through it all beside her is her lover, Azriel. He has been the one constant in this series that Risa can fall back on so it’s really no wonder why their relationship has bloomed the way it has.

One thing I’m continually impressed by is Arthur’s writing. I think she’s just so talented in creating action and suspense scenes. Not one word is wasted and each plays a significant part in moving the plot forward. Action-packed doesn’t seem to cover it with this book. I’m really quite impressed with the end that Arthur is able to achieve here.

DARKNESS FALLS concludes a wonderful series full of mayhem and mischief, action and suspense with a load of sexiness thrown in just for fun! Fans of Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series would really enjoy this!

*Review copy provided by publisher
Profile Image for Shelley.
5,598 reviews489 followers
February 21, 2015
*Genre* Paranormal Romance
*Rating* Satisfactory

*My Thoughts*

Darkness Falls is the final novel in the Dark Angels series. It all comes down to the search for the final key that unlocks the gates of hell. The final confrontation with the enemies that have made Risa's life challenging and put her friends and family at risk; the Raziq, the Sorceress, and of course, Madeline fricken Hunter, the crazy maenad vampire who likes to eat her enemies.

Right from the beginning, Risa and Azriel find themselves facing off against the Raziq who have chased Risa around, torn her apart, erased her memories, and threatened her friends. All this over their desire to find the keys which were created by Risa's father. Risa and Azriel have finally had enough, and take a stand. Thankfully, this particular enemy didn't dwell in the background of this story until the very end. Thankfully, this fight was short, and sweet, and Arthur allowed Risa and Az to move on to their next nemesis quickly; the sorceress.

**Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews**

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

Published: December 2nd 2014 by Signet
Profile Image for Jessica (a GREAT read).
1,852 reviews105 followers
February 12, 2016
After many, many moons, I’ve finally read Keri Arthur’s Darkness Falls, the final book in the Dark Angels series! I’m making headway into finishing up finished series! And it feels oh so good! But of course, when starting this one I was consumed with a bit of confusion and naturally, forgetfulness! That’s what happens with me apparently! But I was soon able to just get into the story at hand, even if a few faces were unfamiliar to me.

Risa and Azriel must find the final key to the last gate that basically protects the world from going to hell in a hand-basket. The first two were already used unfortunately, but the third key is what sets off total Armageddon! Risa is determined to stop that from happening, though it doesn’t help that her boss, Madeline Hunter, the one who is making her find this final key, is the vampire that wants to set us off on this hellish course.

So not only does Risa need to find said key, but she needs to keep her boss from learning about when she does find it. Add to that, there’s still an elusive sorceress to find who has been making life rather unpleasant for Risa. The sorceress always seems to be one step ahead of Risa. And adding to the pile, she learns that someone very close to her, is betraying her.

So many secrets, so many bad guys to find and kill, what’s a girl to do? Risa somehow manages to keep her cool—while pregnant—and do the impossible. And she also kicks some major ass while doing it too!

Needless to say, this was one rather fast paced read! While the search for the final key comes with a deadly timeline for Risa, everything takes place with 24 hours or so. A little more given the events before said time limit is given. So we have a lot of ground to cover and yet, only a day goes by! Risa is one determined and driven woman. Though with Azriel at her side, she’s able to conquer many things she wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

I truly love Risa and Azriel together! With my limited memory due to an overload of reads in my head, I can’t quite remember when these two finally became a couple. But I must say I love them together! From the beginning, I’ve enjoyed these two and their dynamics. Even if Risa was with other guys, she finally saw reason and chose Azriel. Or however they ended up together officially! Again, terribly memory for these things! But I love Azriel! He’s not completely onto all things human, but he’s rather close! Being a reaper, there’s always something he doesn’t fully understand to the human extent, but I love him anyway! He’s sweet and caring and very protective of Risa and his unborn child!

The ending to this one couldn’t be more perfect! We get a crazy awesome action packed scene and then the momentous epilogue! Even better, we yet again (I believe) get moments with Riley and Quinn! And some of Rhoan too! I loved that these three made an appearance again, for this truly seems like the end of this world. Especially since Keri’s two current series are not of Riley and Risa’s world. The Dark Angels series closes on a high note and I couldn’t be happier with the way it got there either! It’s truly been yet another amazing Urban Fantasy series by Keri Arthur! I will forever look forward to her amazing books! If you haven’t already read Keri’s books, you truly should! She has so many wonderful additions to choose from! You’re bound to find something to love and enjoy and then basically want more of, so you read everything she’s written!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Profile Image for keikii Eats Books.
1,079 reviews55 followers
November 20, 2018
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!

74 points/100 (3 ¾ stars/5) [revised from 5 stars].

The countdown to the end has begun. The last key to the gates of heaven and hell has turned into a fever pitch. One wrong move and everything can go to hell, literally! It is a race to the finish.

What a common way to end a series. It is a good ending, even if it is common. Everything is wrapped up fine. There are a few things left for cleanup, but nothing we actually need to see. Just the common fallout for a series of this nature. Nothing is really a surprise. My main issue is that a lot of this was just kind of handed to them. After six previous books of the same problems, and with every problem still left to solve, it only takes this one book to solve everything that is left. Just a bit too easy for what we've gone through so far.

The plot was mostly Risa and Azriel running around from event to get attacked at to event to get attacked at again. They accomplish a whole lot of nothing until the very end where things wrapped up quickly. There is also an increasingly decreasing amount of time ticking down until the end. Every time we get an estimate to when everything would finish, the time decreased by more than you would expect. For example, if they got an estimate for one week, and six hours had passed, we'd get a new estimate for 3 days. It is kind of amusing.

On the relationship front, Risa and Azriel aren't really able to have any time bonding. Sure, they're trying to work towards becoming a family unit. Yet, this book is just nonstop action. They're constantly talking about how they want to have sex, but they're unable to do so. Risa has to sleep, they have to go someplace, everything just gets in the way. My one wish is that they could have spent more time in the book dedicated to just downtime with these two. They are what I'm reading the book for, afterall. They're just so dang cute.

A great romance, some fun characters, and drawn out story. Dark Angels had a lot of potential, but overall could have been more focused.

----
Review from 2014
Great end to a fantastic series. I first started reading Keri Arthur back when Bound to Shadows was the last Riley book out, so I have followed the series from its beginning and now I am kind of sad to see it go. I'll just think of her Souls of Fire series as a prequel to her Riley Jenson and Dark Angels series.

The book had everything you would expect there to be in the final book in the series. Major show downs, family, love and acceptance. A happy ending. But also running around like crazy too.

After a series ends I can't help but imagine what their lives are going to be like after the series ends. And with Risa and everyone, I can't help but imagine they are going to have an easier life now.
Profile Image for Sarah.
3,358 reviews1,235 followers
May 16, 2015
Once again it's been time to say goodbye to a much loved series so I put off reading Darkness Falls for a while even though I was desperate to find out how everything was resolved. One of the things I really love about Keri Arthur is that she never drags her series out just because they're popular, in fact she often ends them before I'm really ready for it. She obviously has her stories planned well in advance and as much as I'm sad to say goodbye to this world, I would rather see things end on a high note than be dragged out forever like some series I won't mention. The Dark Angel series definitely went out with a bang and I have really loved every single book.

I'm not going to say much about what happens in this book but I will tell you that there is plenty of action and we get to see a lot of loose ends tied together. We discover what the future holds for Risa and Azriel, we get a glimpse at all our favourite characters from the previous Riley Jenson series, we finally see Madeleine Hunter make her move to take over the vampire council and we see Risa locate the final key. Once again Risa is working to a very tight schedule, she is doing her best to protect everyone she cares about but with so many enemies coming at her from all different directions it isn't going to be easy to fight them all.

Risa has really come into her own since the beginning of this series, she was already pretty powerful but she's learned a lot about her aedh side and picked up some interesting new abilities thanks to her bond with Azriel. She isn't perfect and she's made mistakes in the past by trusting the wrong people but she has the courage to stand up for herself and others and she always does what she thinks is right. I've loved the relationship between her and Azriel, it hasn't been easy for them but I've been rooting for a happy ending for them for a long time now. You're going to have to read the book for yourselves to see if they get one but I think you'll be happy with the overall outcome of the series.

I'm sad that it's over but I've enjoyed the journey and I'm already looking forward to rereading these books at some point in the future.
Profile Image for Under the Covers Book Blog.
2,840 reviews1,343 followers
January 14, 2015

Keri Arthur wraps up the Dark Angels series with DARKNESS FALLS and wow, she ends it with a serious bang! The first fifty pages of this book contains more action than some books have at all so there’s no question that Arthur has turned up the dial full blast with this latest release.

Risa is running against the clock. She must find the keys, but with so many obstacles standing in the way, it seems nearly impossible to get them in time before more dire circumstances get a hold of her. Through it all beside her is her lover, Azriel. He has been the one constant in this series that Risa can fall back on so it’s really no wonder why their relationship has bloomed the way it has.

One thing I’m continually impressed by is Arthur’s writing. I think she’s just so talented in creating action and suspense scenes. Not one word is wasted and each plays a significant part in moving the plot forward. Action-packed doesn’t seem to cover it with this book. I’m really quite impressed with the end that Arthur is able to achieve here.

DARKNESS FALLS concludes a wonderful series full of mayhem and mischief, action and suspense with a load of sexiness thrown in just for fun! Fans of Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series would really enjoy this!

*Review copy provided by publisher

❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤

Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews543 followers
January 11, 2015
I'm glad to see this series end. For me it started out with a bang, but went out with a whimper. I liked that Riley, Quinn, and Rhoan showed up more in this one. I loved the talks that they all seemed to give Risa, yelling at her to be careful while they helped while they could.

It seemed like Risa and Azriel knew more this time around, they had the bad guys figured out, which sort of made things anti-climatic in a way. I did like seeing them get the better of the shifter and Hunter. Hunter especially needed to be taken care of.
Profile Image for Paris.
Author 15 books66 followers
January 8, 2015
I can't believe the series is over and Risa's journey has come to an end. This was, of course, pretty dang action packed, but there were some moments that kind of dragged. Overall, it was extremely satisfying though. All of the questions and left over bits and pieces were answered and accounted for. I love Risa and Azriel and I of course love seeing Riley and Quinn, even if only for a brief moment or two. I can't wait to read more by Keri Arthur.
Profile Image for Vee.
342 reviews
May 12, 2015
Amazing story! A perfect end to an amazing series. I hope she revisits Risa and family again later. I look forward to more greatness from this amazing author.

Highly recommended! This series is BEST read in order :D
Profile Image for Jacklynn Sizemore.
309 reviews18 followers
December 30, 2015
I just love Keri Arthur Dark Angels series. This book is amazing oh I so love all the characters and how they are one big family. To know more about this book grab your copy today a so so so must read!!!!!
Profile Image for Haz.
413 reviews19 followers
December 30, 2014
A beautiful phenomenal ending
Profile Image for Susan (Suz).
313 reviews10 followers
February 18, 2015
Think the series wrapped up quite nicely, took a long time to get to the end but glad to see how things worked out, will miss them all!!
Profile Image for ✨✨ Claire✨✨.
1,131 reviews59 followers
August 26, 2017
Ok, so this is a series review based on the fact that I blasted through the 7 books without stopping to do individual ones!

I remember reading the Riley Jenson series years ago and LOVED it. Loved everything about it. I remember seeing this series and it saying it was based in the same world. I tried to read it but for some reason I couldn't get into it....

Looking back - I think I expected it to be EXACTLY like the Riley Jenson series. it's not. At the time I was disappointed. But coming at it with fresh eyes this time I was far from disappointed.

Yes same world - so Directorate, vampire council, and Riley, Quinn, Rhoan and Liander are all mentioned and in some parts play key roles.

The main storyline that's weaved from pretty much the first chapter is seriously cleverly written.....I'll admit to getting confused a few times but what you think you knew?..you really didn't.

Basically....there are 3 keys that have to be found that both bad guys, more bad guys and worse bad guys are looking for. These keys control the gates to heaven and hell - by opening and closing them, thereby letting souls both in and out. Each of the parties after them want them to control the gates - to have the power.

It falls to Risa. our heroine for the series.Why? She is the only blood descendant of the Aedh that knows where the keys were. But the powers that be banished Risas father from forming flesh so he can't get the keys himself...which is where the need for Risa comes in.

I would have loved to have explored and maybe brought in Tao's character and incident with the elemental a little bit more. It felt like a little bit of a loose end by the time the series ended.

Azriel......wow. if all readers were like him - yes please!!! A dark angel assigned to aid Rise in the quest to find the keys. What starts as a pretty stoic relationship between them the flames soon burn scorching - wouldn't mind saying here that a few more steamy scenes with these two would have been like the cherry on the top!!!

One of the parties wanting the key is no other than Madeline Hunter - one of the High Council members and half sister to Jack who runs the Directorate.

So... paranormally speaking this series contains witches (both light and dark - using their craft for good and evil respectively and both equally as powerful), Shifters (altho it's mainly the enemy that uses magically partially shifted shifters), vampires (who we only see feed at the club's when investigating the murderd), the Aedh....who are the most prominent and abilities mostly include turning to dust either fully or partially and travelling the Gray fields.

There is action, thriller, horror (the spider shifter woman maddvme seriously wish I didn't have a good imagination!!!!), loss and grief, pain, love, betrayal, hope, humour (amaya made me laugh), twists you really don't see coming....

I know there's a split down the like/not like...but it's one you have to try for yourself. it's one of the ones I recognised the title and read a few words of it's contents but not enough to tell me the story or what to expect. I still say that can sometimes be the best way to read a book or series ....and in this case I totally stand by it!!!!!
I devoured all of them as fast as i could!!!!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,580 reviews9 followers
June 3, 2023
A lot happened in this book, like a lot a lot. It's the final book in the series so you know it has a mostly happy ending but that it was a challenge to get there. Risa has finally pulled her head out of her ass and started listening to Azriel so they are no longer getting beat constantly. They are able to defeat the priests, using the ghosts of the priests who help guard the temple and the gates to hell or something like that. Then, it turns out that Mike, her accountant, and her mom's long time boyfriend, is really Lauren a shape shifting sorceress. And Mike is crazy; he will kill people but he did promise Thea that he would look after Risa and he can't go back on that promise so he doesn't want to hurt her. My guy is a few fries short of a happy meal. Also, he thought Lucien loved him even though he wasn't capable of positive emotions, just jealousy and revenge. But Risa is able to defeat Mike; her sword enjoyed that very much. Then it was time to deal with Madeline Hunter. Hunter killed her brother Jack, the guy who was Riley and Rhoan's boss. The guy who was running the Guardian division of the Directorate. Yeah, that guy. She killed him because he wanted to talk to her about her over eager plans to rule the world. Well, Risa found the final key and broke it up into 4 parts. Azriel hid one. She took one to her father's room in the temple. One she gave to Tao, who survives by the way. He and the fire spirit made a compromise and they are good. And the last piece she uses to trick Hunter. It's a brutal fight, but with the help of her trusty sword she is victorious. Amya very much enjoyed that kill. The last part of the key is given to the witches. Rhoan and Marquell, the vampire that was watching her who was also trying to help her against Hunger, are now running the Directorate together. Azriel is hunting demons when necessary. Risa brought some land and built a compound for herself and Azriel, Ilianna and Miri, and Tao and his girl. They won't be living in the same house anymore, but they will still all be together. All of the people that I cared about survived. This was a good ending to this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Carrie.
2,517 reviews19 followers
February 25, 2017
I admit that I took a rather long break in between books of this series before diving into this one. That being said, the author throws you right in the nonstop action that is Risa's insane life. You're forced to catch up quickly in order to follow along, but it wasn't that difficult.

The world is the same futuristic/paranormal/urban fantasy setting that I've enjoyed for a few series now. It was nice to visit with the familiar faces and also get everything tied up in a neat bow. As this is the last book in the Dark Angels series, there are a lot of things we have to deal with. There's the fire elemental in her friend, the evil sorceress who can change faces, the search for the last key, and Hunter (the evilest of the evil characters). Along the way, even more drama and chaos invades Risa and Azriel's lives. Don't worry, though, they take some breaks to get down and dirty (you know, for recharging, right?).

Overall, by the time we reach this point in the series, we are just ready to kill off some big bads. I was willing to accept that this would be long and drawn out, but it was divided nicely between two sections of bad guys. There was an element of betrayal, magic (of course), and Risa (and her sword) kicking some major butt. Azriel pulls his weight, too, but he's becoming more and more human-like as the series moves along.

This book also gives you a million reasons to hate Hunter more. That made the finale even more satisfying. And if you're worried about things not being wrapped up with a wonderful HEA, don't worry. I finished the book with a smile on my face and happy for all the characters I've grown to enjoy.
Profile Image for eve.
46 reviews
Read
May 29, 2022
Après avoir terminé Riley Jenson j’ai directement commencé à lire Risa Jones. J’étais tellement impatiente que j’ai acheté les 7 tomes de la série d’un coup. Je n’en ai entendu que du bien et les petites choses qui m’avaient déplu chez Riley ne semblaient pas présentes chez sa nièce. En bref, Risa Jones avait tout pour détrôner son prédécesseur. Malheureusement je n’ai pas retrouvé ce petit plus qui m’avait transporté avec Riley. Mais je ne devrais pas comparer les deux car ça ne rend pas justice à Risa Jone qui reste tout de même une très bonne lecture !

J’ai beaucoup aimé suivre Risa tout au long de ses aventures. C’est une héroïne forte, qui se bat pour ceux qu’elle aime et qui sait ce qu’elle veut. L’intrigue principale s’étend sur l’ensemble des 7 tomes, ponctuée de-ci de-là d’enquêtes parallèles.
J’ai été un peu déçue par le rythme qu’a pris l’intrigue principale dans le dernier tome, les avancées et les révélations se font au compte goutte tout au long de la série puis, tout d’un coup tout s’accélère -un peu trop rapidement-. La fin n’est pas aussi spectaculaire que ce à quoi je m’attendais mais elle reste tout de même satisfaisante.
Profile Image for Catherine Rivera.
443 reviews4 followers
July 31, 2018
Yes! Good triumphs over evil. I expected no less but the route to get there did have some unexpected twists which I enjoyed reading. The sorceress was not whom I expected surprise! I always like when that happens. Better when there are hints within the story that lead you to it. Tao's closure was better than the resolution I feared would have to happen. Hunter gets what I assume we all expect her to get. So in the end, I knew the story was wrapping up but I was sad the storyline was ending. Just glad I still have the Riley series to read (I found the series out of order) and there is more for me to enjoy. Love that there are so many strong female characters that kick butt and have other strong females to share their lives with and bond with too.
454 reviews3 followers
June 6, 2019
Gutted that Riley and Risas' world is complete

One of the joys of reading these after publication date is that I have never had to wait for the next book. I have rattled through Riley and then Risa in about three weeks. This was worse than completing Riley as then you knew you had this spin off.now it is all done. I think the criticism levelled at Risa by others is unfair. It takes at least two books for the characters to move beyond the superficial and by God does Risa grow by the end of this series. Loved Azriel and the swords. Glad that most people came through this second series and I can highly recommend both series although they do play havoc with sleeping.

Profile Image for Jassicca.
819 reviews3 followers
September 10, 2023
Finally, we reach the end of the story. I must admit this final book is the most interesting one because there is no more dragging, no more drama, straight to the action and best of all we have the conclusion to the story, which is not disappointing!

The world which Keri built for Riley Jensen and this Dark Angels series is very interesting and the characters are super likeable, once you follow them and get to know them throughout the journey. The author has a way of playing with your emotions, throwing you with some surprise plot and twists that you don't see coming until the end.

Well done!
Profile Image for Robert Kent.
262 reviews
September 15, 2023
4/5
This review is from my notes written years ago.
Risa is a half-werewolf, half-Aedh (think Angel) and has been forced to find the three keys to Hell. Her partner/husband is a full Aedh reaper. Hunter, the most powerful vamp alive, has forced her to get them. She is also fighting Lucian (who she already killed) and Lauren, a dark sorceress, and the Razia, fallen Aedh who want to open the gates of Hell. Through the search she has grown much more powerful, but can she defeat them all, one with the powers of a god behind her?
Profile Image for Sombre Grimoire.
1,524 reviews20 followers
May 27, 2022
Même si j'avais réclamé a la fin du tome précédent que celui-ci soit véritablement pleins d'actions et de mouvement je ne voyais pas comment cela aurait-il pu être possible après tout ce que l'on a déjà vécu dans cette saga.

Et pourtant... et pourtant les premières pages ne m'ont laissé aucun doute. On reprend pile à la fin du tome 6 et l'action a peine fini redémarre pire que jamais !

Franchement je suis très agréablement surprise de ce tome finale ! Je n'en attendais pas tant !
9 reviews
September 14, 2017
Love the Riley and Dark Angel series

I love the Characters in the Riley and Dark Angel series. I so hope that there maybe an extra novel on all these characters. Love these novels they are very exciting you never get bored. I don't think I would ever get tired of reading about the novels. Excellent....
5 reviews
May 18, 2017
Props to Keri

This book was an amazing finish to an awesome series. I just wish it could have went further. It end came to soon for my taste.. The series definitely pulls u in. And at times pulls at ur heart strings too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.