Mercy sacrificed her heart for the greater good. But love may be stronger than any spell she could conjure.
It’s been a year since Mercy came into her power as the Spirit Element. The vampires are back to killing innocents, and she recognizes Maurice’s handiwork. He’s sending a message that it’s not over between him and her. On the hunt for a killer, she comes face to face with a dangerous new clan led by none other than her father from her past life. He brings with him long-buried, dark secrets. Is he still the same father from her memories, or is something sinister at play?
Meanwhile, her heart is tugging back to her former love, Dorian, despite her spell. But duty comes before love, and she’s honor-bound to finish the mission she started. Even if it means pushing Dorian away. Mercy needs an army. She needs to build up a force strong enough to finally vanquish the vampires for good. But with all these distractions, she’s dangerously unfocused as her feelings fight through the spell, awakening the love she once had for Dorian.
With new players in this game of cat and mouse, Mercy will have to act quickly to put an end to Maurice’s plan, or she will lose everyone she loves in the coming bloodshed.
Author Notes: The Dark Underworld is the young adult edition of Taken. Please refer to the Amazon link for trigger warnings.
I've always had a passion for creative writing, starting my career as an author with somewhat milder books and now exclusively writing dark romance. I love looking for ways to take my readers on a journey into a world of unconventional love, morally gray men, and villains who get the girl.
When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, attending rock concerts, and exploring new restaurants in Denver.
I dream of continuing to create exciting novels for my readers and taking them on a journey through the magical realms that spill from the pages of my books.
***All three of my young adult novels are written under Diana B. Lynn. Please note that if you see the titles The Dark Awakening, The Dark Underworld & The Dark Deliverance out there, these are NOT adult, dark romances, like I write today. They are young adult romances.
Okay first of all, i love the author so much. She’s a beautiful person inside and out. She first reached out to me to read her first book, The Dark Awakening which i enjoyed so much. Her story was not written in a way that you’d think and feel like, “oh its just like the story of (insert book title here). They’re pretty similar, just the characters are different” nothing like that.
Honest review, i enjoyed her 2nd book too. It’s definitely a page-turner! Every chapter is important, plus the plot twists everywhere made it so much more thrilling!
** WARNING: SEMI-SPOILER PART **
I may have gotten pissed and annoyed with Mercy in some parts because she’s so stubborn!!! Like come on girl, its not just you who can die here!?
Then comes the part with the dagger revelation. Caleb admitting to Mercy about where its actually hidden, and then later realizing that the dagger may be gone and is actually the reason why the vampires are so aggressive to attack and/or provoke them. I loooved that part tbh!!!
Then the spell that was casted on Mercy to remove her memories freaked the shit out of me! Like i was excessively screaming until the part where she started remembering Dorian and all her other memories, thanks to Jade btw for her help and sacrifice. I appreciated her for that.
And the part with Bradley?? Seriously, I was not expecting THAT! !!!!!! Bradley being behind the killings and killing Mercy, and then the coven sacrificing themselves to revive Mercy... tbh, i teared up a bit :(
Overall, i would recommend this ~ obviously. LOL HAVE FUN READING YOU GUYS! And thank you to the author for personally messaging me to check out the 2nd book when it came out ❤️
Usually with book sequels, like movies, the second book is never as strong as the first one. This book however, does not follow that one bit! This book is so full of action and adventure I honestly couldn't put it down, even though I had to because of mommy duties lol The one thing I like about sequels is when the author casually reminds you of relationships without blatenly repeating all of the relationships, DL Blade did this very well in The Dark Underground.
The Dark Underworld starts off right where The Dark Awakening left off, and the continuation of the story is very nice. Right away, the author pulls your back into Mercy's world and dives deeper down into this world as well as different characters POV's, which makes the characters more real and relatable.
I kept finding myself being pulled one way, then pulled the other, but in a good way. I am DYING to find out what happens with these 3/4 characters. I do have to say tho, I was quite surprised by Maurice and his "stalkerness"
This was a great continuation of the series. It has a slightly different tone, because we are not dealing with an innocent girl here, but with a warrior and a hunter. I have to admit that I quite like this turn of events. The author has created an amazing character evolution throughout the first book until here. Mercy is on a mission and no one can stop her. Someone is killing innocent people and she will not stop until she finds whoever is responsible. Her attitude and sometimes reckless actions put her in all kinds of perilous situations, but she persists like a woman possessed. And naturally, this creates a lot of friction with Caleb. Caleb can't help himself, constantly trying to assert dominance and tame Mercy. Poor soul, he is not making his life any easier, or Mercy any softer towards him or more subdued. It is obvious, now more than ever, that his intentions are good but he has trouble moving away from his antiquated ideas, or accepting that this Mercy was born several centuries later and is way more emancipated than her original self. And there is jealousy. Because Dorian is amazing. Although, Caleb is growing and evolving and the friction is lessening, as he is becoming more accepting of Mercy. However, Mercy is an incredibly complex character and some of her actions result from profound pain and guilt she carries, and sort of a need for atonement. There is an array of interesting characters in this book. The author did a great job developing them and creating an interesting world for them. The world expands, now that the mystery of the other is gone and it moves almost completely in that direction. The focus of the plot shifts focus between solving the mystery and figuring out Mercy's abilities, as there is still the issue of controlling her amazing growing powers that she needs to deal with. The plot is complex, so much happens in this book, even more than in a previous book, and mostly because Mercy is ridden with guilt and often incapable of hurting those who deserve it, so they keeping coming back for revenge. There are resolutions and answers. Some of the biggest mysteries do get resolved, but the author did not disappoint with yet another shocking ending. I can't wait to see what happens next. Books make most sense when read in order. The reading order is The Dark Awakening (The Chosen Coven Book 1), The Dark Underworld (The Chosen Coven #2), and The Dark Deliverance (The Chosen Coven Book 3) coming soon.
This book was absolutely phenomenal. I couldn't put it down I had to know what was gonna happened next. This book will shock you and surprise you Now on to book 3
Now this is the masterpiece of the series (for now at least, until I get my hands on book 3). Immediately after finishing book 1 I started “The Dark Underworld”. It took me a few hours to go through it, I devoured it in the same crazy manner as the previous one.
This time we see the entire coven in action and we have a dual perspective: Mercy and Caleb. They have to face so many threats, I feel like they don’t manage to have a moment of tranquility. Again, the plot was great, with so much action that you never realize when time flies by. It was so easy to become wrapped up into the magic of the elements. I was also annoyed that some enemies just don’t want to stay dead! Caleb’s perspective complements the story, especially since he has his own feelings to deal with. After the shocking decision Mercy takes at the end of book 1, there’s a lot on his plate.
Now, I must speak about the romance again. I have the same problem as with book 1, but this time worse. I was confused. I did not understand if what Caleb felt for Mercy was love or not. I did not understand Mercy’s feelings – did she love Caleb or Dorian? The ending does provide some clarification but… I am not convinced. I did not feel the romance as profound as I would have liked. Probably because of the spell at the end of book one (the ones who read it know what I mean). Also, Mercy ran a lot. She was constantly hiding – either with relatives, or friends. Not cool. And I did not understand Melissa. She is part of the story until one point when she exists out of the blue. Mercy has to witness a mass murder and I was expecting her to be more affected by the loss.
So while I enjoyed the book very very much, I find more points that could have been better treated. I have to go with 3.5 stars, which I will round to 4, since in the end it was an very good lecture!
Wow! I was so impressed with this book. The storyline and plot was very original and it kept me captivated until the very last page. I read a lot of books in the paranormal genre and I love books about vampires, werewolves, magic spells, witches etc....and let me tell you, this book has it all. The first book in this series did a great job of setting up the suspense and drama that follows in book 2. I think the author did a fantastic job in setting the right tone and flow of the story. It didn’t feel rushed or forced—and it had great character development throughout. I am so excited to see what happens next in book 3. I won’t give any spoilers, but let’s just say it leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It has some very interesting plot twists and the romance and chemistry between the characters is very well written. I love supporting new authors, so this is a series that I am definitely interested in. I recommend this book, especially if you enjoy books that keep you in suspense and are captivating until the very last page.
*** I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.***. D. L Blade does it again with book two of The Chosen Coven Series. So we pick up where we left off in the first book. However, Mercy knows who and what she is know but you still feel her emotions as you read. Mercy knows that she is a powerful witch and has to be on her toes everyday because the Vampires are after her. She is headstrong and determined to help people whether they are bad or good. There was some unexpected twists with this book that I didn't see coming. Whoa was I taken for a loop with it. D.L. Blade still keeps the intensity and the twist coming with this book. If you want a book that keeps you on The edge of your seat this is the series for you. Be prepared to feel the heartache and loss that Mercy encounters. I loved this book and cannot wait for the next book.
DL Blade began this series with a bang and continued the story with a force. Geared towards the young adult reader, Mercy and her friends (and characters we love to hate), will take you on a journey through the world of witchcraft, vampires, and werewolves; filled with intrigue and surprises along the way. This story lets your imagination run wild as it brings you into the possibilities of this other world. While the first book of this series introduced you to the characters and the fascinating world the author has created; this book brings the story to a whole new level. Cannot wait for the ending to this trilogy as this one left me wanting more!
When I finished the Awakening, I was super excited and very impatient about the second book of this trilogy. I have the same feeling again!I want more!! I love the way D.L.Blade creates her characters and how she introduces us with the every situation they're dealing with! I love Mercy, I love her strength and the way she is growing from the very beginning. There's no need for endless review about this book, you must take it and dive into D.L.Blade's world to meet everyone! I loved it!!Waiting for the next one!!❤🖤
An interesting and twisting storyline. Although it was read as a stand-alone story, it makes you want to read how they all got to this point. Can’t wait for the next installment.
I couldn’t wait for the second book in this series and it did not disappoint! I love Mercy and how she is this strong independent woman but keeps her family and friends close to protect them. There are so many twists throughout the book it kept me on the edge of my seat! It’s a book where you want to finish so you can find out everything but then don’t want to so you can enjoy it all. Blade did an amazing job with her second book and I can’t wait until the next one comes out.
This book was sent to me to read in exchange for an honest review.
D L Blade has done it again! Another amazing instalment in The Dark Awakening series! I couldn't stop reading this book. It was well scripted, well synced and has left me desperate for more! I cant wait for book 3 to come out!! If you are a fan of fantasy or the supernatural you really must read this series!
The Dark Underworld is the second book in The Chosen Coven series, and it is just as action-packed as the first! From the first scene where Mercy finds herself buried alive to the shocking and selfless ending, this fast-paced read will keep you in suspense!
A year has passed since the conclusion of the first book, and Mercy has changed. No longer naive to the supernatural world, Mercy has spent the last year strengthening her skills and controlling her powers. She is a strong, independent, and determined hunter, and her mission is to rid the world of vampires.
I love the depth of her character as well as the other characters in the story. Each is richly developed, which makes it easy to become invested in their journeys. For example, though she is a fearless warrior, Mercy struggles with her identity throughout the story.
Mercy deals with a ton of distressing and stressful paranormal and familial situations, and she always seems so confident and sure of herself. However, in the midst of the chaos, Mercy is still someone’s daughter, and she is still dealing with the pain of betrayal and rejection. She also feels such shame and guilt and fears that she is unloved by her mother, even after all her mother has done. The complexities of her character are fascinating. Mercy might be a strong and brave coven leader, but she is also a wounded and confused daughter. This might be why she keeps the people in her life at a distance and really only relies on herself.
Of course, Caleb and Dorian won’t be held at arm’s length. They both love Mercy, and she loves them. This love triangle continues to be a fascinating subplot in the story, and since the story is told from dual perspectives – Caleb’s and Mercy’s – you learn more about their conflicted feelings.
This is a wonderful addition to The Chosen Coven series! The story is a bit darker in tone than The Dark Awakening, and the world is even more richly developed and immersive. This book delves even deeper into the vampire and witch world, which I found vivid, complex, and fascinating.
I also love the many twists and turns, the terrifying actions of the antagonists, and the selfless heroism of the “good guys.” And, there is a major twist at the end of the story that I did not see coming! It’s shocking and fabulous!
Thank you so much to D.L. Blade for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
This book starts off with a scene straight from everyone’s worst nightmare! It immediately drew me into the story. Author Di Lundblade develops her characters in a way that makes them relatable and likable. She gives our main villain traits that make him one of those bad guys that you sort of secretly wish you didn’t have to hate. I might have a tiny crush on him -- don’t judge me.
The plot of this book moves quickly. Complete with murder, intrigue, and romance. The story will appeal to a wide audience of readers--particularly to those who enjoy a blended genre of fantasy and mystery--and of course, a touch of romance. I am a sucker for a great mystery and loved the challenge of figuring out who was behind all the mayhem. Introducing Mercy’s father opened up a whole new world of possibilities and suspects, as well as an added layer to the story’s background. I was frustrated because I began the book right before attending a week-long conference with some colleagues. I had hoped for some down time for reading but never had the chance. I couldn’t wait to get back to my favorite reading chair and finish the book. Once there, I didn’t put it down.
This book has a darker tone than book one; fitting given its title. The ending sets up the third book beautifully, with unanswered questions and loose ends that definitely will leave you wanting more--great hooks! I can’t wait to find out what happens in book three.
The Dark Underworld is the next chapter in Diana Lundblade's Chosen Coven series and it lives up to the standards set by the first novel. In this installment Mercy, Caleb and Dorian continue to battle the vampires led by Maurice and a few new players. Things are coming to a head, friends are not who they seem; Mercy has difficulty knowing who to trust and her powers are still so new to her and hard to control. If you enjoyed Dark Awakening, you will LOVE Dark Underworld!!
I finished this book in one day. I couldn’t put it down. I was even reading it at work!
The characters draw you in and make you feel an emotional investment in them. I kept wanting more. So when I finished I picked up the first book to start it all over again. This series reminds me of why I fell in love with reading in the first place.
This book is beyond incredible! From the very first sentence, it grabs your attention and holds onto it for the entire story. D.L Blade has really outdone themselves with this sequel. You begin to understand Mercy and her coven on a whole new level and the absolute evil that stalks them. This is absolutely a must-read and I'm so excited for the third book.
Oh my goodness this book was perfect and I could hardly put it down. I was so sad when it ended and I hope that it continues on and everything works out it plays in my head; of course that is up to the great authors though. Oh it has some heart-wrenching moments in this one though. Love it read it and you will be glad you did.
I enjoyed this book, just not quite as much as the first one. Maybe I just hyped myself up too much because I was wayyyyy too excited when this came out. The end is a jaw dropper though. I almost yelled NOOOOOOOO out loud in a public area. Excited to read more!
This is book 2 in the series and I have to say I’m really enjoying this one more than the first, again this book is paranormal characters, with plenty of action and twists that you wit see coming, here for the next !.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Blade does a great job with openings! I loved the opening in book 1 and I loved it here in book 2.
A lot happens in this book. It takes places one year after the events in book one. Mercy & co are still hunting down vampires. Someone is also killing people that Mercy cares about, trying to lure her out and kill her once and for all.
I liked seeing the different abilities of the witches in this book! Sarah’s ability was really cool and I like how she and Mercy use it to try and root out evil vampires. Julian’s powers were also interesting and it makes sense that he would partner up with Maurice.
Maurice was a perfect villain. He is a smart man and has put together a perfect grouping of abilities to help him get what he wants. I can’t believe what he did to Mercy! But it was also a really interesting twist for Blade to come up with.
I didn’t love the time jump. I think it would have been nice to see some development of relationships between Mercy and others, especially her coven. We hear a lot about them, but we never actually get to know anyone in her coven except Caleb. It’s also weird to me that Mercy keeps leaving her coven for days, sometimes weeks, at a time. That makes it seem like she isn’t actually very close to them.
Mercy is still irresponsible and putting herself into danger (talking about the whole father thing). She gets upset when others are just trying to keep her safe! I get that she’s mad and trying to distance herself from Caleb, but he can’t just shut off his feelings for her. He’s loved her for hundreds of years! (Also you’d think Caleb would be more upset at Mercy since he knew that she fell in love with Dorian in her past life AFTER she and Caleb dated.)
I do enjoy some romantic tension, and there was plenty of it in book two. Riley is out of the picture, so there are only two men vying for Mercy’s attention. It does seem to be resolved at the end of the book, so I’m curious to see how that plays out in book 3.
This is book two of the Immortals of East Greenwich and the main character is spirit witch Mercy, who has no memories of her previous life and the time in-between, and a year ago had all her memories of her two love interests, Caleb a witch, and Dorian a vampire, removed for the greater good. She has recovered somewhat from being held prisoner by evil vampire Maurice and hasn’t heard from him in the last year, believing he was gone or dead. She and her coven will soon find out he has not forgotten her and even though her blood could make him human again, he still lusts after her and wants her for himself. Mercy believed she was following the correct path to eradicate the evil vampires from this world, but instead Maurice has his own plans in the mix, wanting to become the leaders of all vampires and to kill off witches and werewolves completely, apart from the dark witches he controls.
A game of cat and mouse begins, as Maurice plays with Mercy’s coven members and their friends and family, even taking the demon possessed Cami into his possession, for an evil plot twist. Her coven are being hunted and if he can’t get them, he will get their closest relatives, to complete a spell to weaken Mercy and have her begging to be back in his arms again. A dark witch will make her believe she wants to be with Maurice, but Mercy will pull through the deception in the end. Unfortunately, all of her attempts to keep those close to her safe, will fail as they make a huge sacrifice to keep her alive. Without Spirit the world is doomed and a prophecy will inform their actions, no matter the cost. Mercy is certainly pulled all over the place emotionally and physically, trying to ignore her feelings for Caleb and Dorian, unable to remember their pasts together. Looks like that definitely failed big time and Mercy will have an even bigger fight to come as she tries to recover what she has lost and those important to her.
I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
First off I want to thank @booksbydlblade for sending me a copy of the second book in the chosen coven in exchange for an honest review. • In the first book you get to discover the characters and the world the author has created, in this second book you get dragged deeper into the vampire hunting, the magic and powers of each character. • I really got hooked once again from the beginning, this book was definitely a page turner, the twists kept coming and kept me intrigued I couldn't stop reading. This book was even better than the first one. The plot was well written, non stop action from beginning to end. Mercy grew so much between the first and second book, I really loved her even more she is such a kick ass hunter and warrior in this sequel. • The ending just left me wanting more, and can't wait for the third book to be released. The authors writing, the world she created and the character evolution are amazing. If you're looking for a fast paced, kick ass vampires, werewolves, witches and shapeshifters book, get your hands on this series now !!
First I must say if you haven't read book one, The Dark Awakening, stop reading and go read it now. This book is not a standalone. Now to The Dark Underworld... Holy smokes! What a ride! This book dives right into the story and I felt myself throw back into the adventure of Mercy and her friends and enemies lives. She broke my heart at her decision at the end of The Dark Awakening but it works out in this book in my opinion. This book is full of action, suspense and so many twist and turns. I found myself expressing my emotions out loud a few times as I read. I can't love this book, this series, more. I highly suggest this book to everyone that loves a great story, paranormal fan or not. And I know I am not giving much details. I won't ruin this ride for anyone. This is a book that needs to be experienced. Warning, you will become obsessed. And it's not over. I can't dive into the next book fast enough.
Je trouve que l’histoire se déroule trop rapidement. Ça commence avec un bon dans le temps d’un an qui est 0 expliqué, ensuite des pertes de mémoire sans arrêt avec un méchant qui fait pas grand chose et ça termine avec plusieurs morts. Je trouve que sacrifier 4 membres du coven pour sauver la vie de Mercy est quand même exagéré. En plus le sacrifice prend littéralement 2 pages à se décider, ils font juste se dire « ok, c’est legit, let’s go on meurt », c’est un peu ridicule et pas réaliste. Et que dire du sort que Mercy fait pour oublier ses sentiments envers Dorian et Caleb pour finalement retomber en amour avec Dorian après avoir passé 10min avec lui, quelle partie inutile ! J’aurais préféré un vrai struggle de ce côté. Bref, je ne crois vraiment pas être la tranche d’âge visée pour cette trilogie, mais je suis curieuse de savoir comment ça se termine, donc je lirai le 3ème. Reste à voir si les personnages feront des choix plus intelligents ahaha
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The Dark Underworld, Book two of Immortals of East Greenwich
ooooh, book two is amazing!! I could not put this down today after everything else was finished! ahhhh. following the characters in the second book just comes full circle! The action and drama, the characters doing something that leaves you screaming at the book not to! Mercy and Caleb are pushing the envelope of WTF are you thinking, and I love it. This author has me hooked and whispering into friends' ears to look out for these books because they are amazing. With this being book 2 in the series, I like to think book two is more action and character development, so play close attention to what unfolds here because I can only imagine what will happen in book three.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was excited to get the opportunity to read the second book from D L Blade’s Chosen Coven series, The Dark Underworld. Since this is part of a series, I highly recommend readers to read the first installment, The Dark Awakening, before beginning this one. I love Mercy and admire her strength as character. I had no problem reading this whole book in one sitting. It was so good.
I am giving The Dark Underworld four and a half stars. I can not wait to get my hands on the conclusion of the Chosen Coven series, The Dark Deliverance.
I received The Dark Underworld from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
After casting a spell to remove her love for Caleb and Dorian, Mercy has been training her powers with the coven. A murder has been committed and has links to a vampire clan. Mercy and the coven are determined to stop the murderer but herself and members of the coven are all in danger. This is book 2 in the Chosen Coven series, and again this book is full of witches, vampires and werewolves as well as all the brilliant characters from book 1. It is full of action with twists that you just don't expect. Looking forward to the next book in the series.