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Crossbreed #10
Afterlife
Another addicting installment of the USA Today bestselling Crossbreed series.Only a week after solving their last case, Raven is itching for a new assignment. In her downtime, she’s focusing on the two most important men in her her father and Christian. But there’s no rest for the wicked.When an old friend seeks Raven’s expertise on a delicate matter, Viktor reluctantly accepts the case. But without evidence of a crime, they might have no choice but to walk away, even if that means countless bodies filling the graveyard. Dark secrets, evil forces, and an unexpected visitor will keep you on the edge of your seat.If only the dead could talk.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 18, 2021
457 people are currently reading
728 people want to read
About the author
Dannika Dark
66 books6,202 followersDannika Dark is a nine-time USA TODAY Bestselling author, APA Audie Awards Finalist, and AudioFile Earphones Award winner. Her pulse-pounding urban fantasies and paranormal romances are an addiction that has thrilled readers for more than a decade. She does not support the use of AI.
ABOUT THE BOOKS
All Dannika Dark novels are written in the same universe (Mageriverse). Characters in this flawed world (much like our own) confront prejudice, constraints, and societal problems as they search for purpose or love. Diverse characters building a found family are at the heart of every story. Villains get their just deserts, and love conquers all.
THE MAGERI SERIES Urban Fantasy Romance
When a young woman unwittingly receives the gift of immortality from a Mage, she must leave everything behind. But her conviction is put to the ultimate test when she falls for her mortal enemy.
Enemies to lovers, found family, hidden magic, forced proximity, soul mates, protective mate, diverse supernaturals.
Primary genre: Fantasy
Start reading STERLING
THE SEVEN SERIES Paranormal Romance
Austin Cole and his brothers are forming a pack, and the last thing on their minds is getting tethered to a mate. But the more they resist, the harder they fall.
Found family, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, rock star romance, tortured hero, grumpy/sunshine, biker romance, alpha hero, cinnamon roll hero, multicultural
Primary Genre: Romance
Start reading SEVEN YEARS
THE CROSSBREED SERIES Urban Fantasy Romance
Raven Black is a rogue who hunts criminals for fun. But when a secret organization offers her a job, she’ll need to rise to the challenge. Half-Mage, half-Vampire, she’s caught between two worlds. Will desire become her biggest distraction when she’s paired up with a Vampire?
Found family, wicked banter, morally grey characters, slow burn, emotional scars, "I would burn down the world for you," diverse characters, who hurt you?
Primary Genre: Fantasy
Start reading KEYSTONE
THE BLACK ARROWHEAD SERIES Paranormal Romance
Brave women and fiercely loyal men form an unconventional pack in this edge-of-your-seat paranormal romance with plenty of twists and turns.
Found family, friends to lovers, anxiety/disability rep, past trauma, multicultural, different worlds
Primary Genre: Romance
Start reading THE VOW
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May 18, 2021
June 25, 2021
Originally posted at:
I adore this series! I can't say there's been one book in this series that I disliked. That being said, this one was my least favorite so far. The writing is fantastic as always and the pace is steady. I think I was expecting more than what I got with this novel. I'm so used to most, if not all, the books hitting hard and moving the overarching story along that this one fell a bit short.
I loved that Raven teamed up with Blue for this one! I don't think we've ever been in Blue's head and I really liked it. Mateo (I listened to the audio book so I'm not sure I'm spelling his name right) was precious! I'd be open to reading a standalone with his story if he isn't meant to be with Blue. Deep down I'm hoping they end up together. I just can't let my judgment cloud my thoughts to the point of repeating the Silver/Justus/Logan situation when I read the Mageri series).
Raven's story was at a standstill with this one. Her relationship with Christian felt off. Maybe I'm so used to them working together and their hilarious banter that I just wanted more of that in this book too.
What I took away from this novel, you ask? I can't wait for Houdini to get what's coming to him. All these riddles and the poping in whenever he feels like it just to see if he can knock something loose and stir the pot is incredibly frustrating and infuriating in the best way. I'm also way too curious about what he's planning and what everything is leading up to.
The Audio Book:
Nicole Poole did a fantastic job with this one as always! She still continues to be my all-time favorite narrator.
I adore this series! I can't say there's been one book in this series that I disliked. That being said, this one was my least favorite so far. The writing is fantastic as always and the pace is steady. I think I was expecting more than what I got with this novel. I'm so used to most, if not all, the books hitting hard and moving the overarching story along that this one fell a bit short.
I loved that Raven teamed up with Blue for this one! I don't think we've ever been in Blue's head and I really liked it. Mateo (I listened to the audio book so I'm not sure I'm spelling his name right) was precious! I'd be open to reading a standalone with his story if he isn't meant to be with Blue. Deep down I'm hoping they end up together. I just can't let my judgment cloud my thoughts to the point of repeating the Silver/Justus/Logan situation when I read the Mageri series).
Raven's story was at a standstill with this one. Her relationship with Christian felt off. Maybe I'm so used to them working together and their hilarious banter that I just wanted more of that in this book too.
What I took away from this novel, you ask? I can't wait for Houdini to get what's coming to him. All these riddles and the poping in whenever he feels like it just to see if he can knock something loose and stir the pot is incredibly frustrating and infuriating in the best way. I'm also way too curious about what he's planning and what everything is leading up to.
The Audio Book:
Nicole Poole did a fantastic job with this one as always! She still continues to be my all-time favorite narrator.
May 20, 2021
From the first words of this book, it felt like I was back home,
The humour and laughter I had through out this book was beyond anything then where I read out so much of the lines to my son (26) half way through the book he says mum you sure you didn’t just read me the whole book lol. Or I’d sit and giggle out loud the book was classic the sex scenes were hot and I enjoyed the fighting and poor Shepard when he worried over spooky I totally loved the storyline poor blue, I really can’t wait to see how things go in the next book. Thank you dannika dark for you truly amazing writing style
The humour and laughter I had through out this book was beyond anything then where I read out so much of the lines to my son (26) half way through the book he says mum you sure you didn’t just read me the whole book lol. Or I’d sit and giggle out loud the book was classic the sex scenes were hot and I enjoyed the fighting and poor Shepard when he worried over spooky I totally loved the storyline poor blue, I really can’t wait to see how things go in the next book. Thank you dannika dark for you truly amazing writing style
May 25, 2021
Raven is a member of Keystone, a secret organization that investigates and hunts down breed outlaws. This time an old friend seeks Raven’s expertise. Viktor reluctantly accepts the case, off the books, but it soon leads them down a dark path as bodies pile up and a pattern emerges. Is someone killing off members of their community and can Raven and the gang prove it before it’s too late?
This was intense storyline as we visited different breed communities and asked questions regarding the deaths. All seem to be accidental, but the numbers don’t add up. Raven and Blue conduct most of the interviews and run into trouble. I found myself fully invested and enjoyed seeing the two of them work together. The suspense builds as does the danger. Before it’s all done, the team will commit a covert operation that could end Keystone if they are caught. Eep!
Side threads involving Crush, Blue and Christian added interest and built on the overall story arc/world. I laughed at the gift Raven got her dad. It contained many humorous and heartwarming scenes that further endeared me to the characters.
Dannika Dark continues to deliver intense storylines that hold me captive. With each new story we facedown evil, learn more about our motley crew and enjoy heated moments with Raven & Christian, laugh in the dining hall with the gang and enjoy antics from Crush, Raven’s human Dad.
I loved the side thread involving their covert rescue operation, and the outcome had me grinning from ear to ear. I loved the way spirit was involved. Dark never misses a chance to highlight members skills and showcase each members strengths and vulnerabilities. Her characters are flawed and genuine.
Nicole Poole narrates all the Dark’s novels and has become the voice of each Raven, Christian and the rest of the Keystone members. From accents to tone she has brought these characters and the author’s words to life. Her voice and pacing pull you into the story, allowing you to feel everything from snark to horror. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
This was intense storyline as we visited different breed communities and asked questions regarding the deaths. All seem to be accidental, but the numbers don’t add up. Raven and Blue conduct most of the interviews and run into trouble. I found myself fully invested and enjoyed seeing the two of them work together. The suspense builds as does the danger. Before it’s all done, the team will commit a covert operation that could end Keystone if they are caught. Eep!
Side threads involving Crush, Blue and Christian added interest and built on the overall story arc/world. I laughed at the gift Raven got her dad. It contained many humorous and heartwarming scenes that further endeared me to the characters.
Dannika Dark continues to deliver intense storylines that hold me captive. With each new story we facedown evil, learn more about our motley crew and enjoy heated moments with Raven & Christian, laugh in the dining hall with the gang and enjoy antics from Crush, Raven’s human Dad.
I loved the side thread involving their covert rescue operation, and the outcome had me grinning from ear to ear. I loved the way spirit was involved. Dark never misses a chance to highlight members skills and showcase each members strengths and vulnerabilities. Her characters are flawed and genuine.
Nicole Poole narrates all the Dark’s novels and has become the voice of each Raven, Christian and the rest of the Keystone members. From accents to tone she has brought these characters and the author’s words to life. Her voice and pacing pull you into the story, allowing you to feel everything from snark to horror. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
May 21, 2021
2.5/5.0
Man, I am beginning to develop the worst love/hate relationship with this author’s books! I started out loving every single book Ms. Dark published, from the Seven, to the Mageri to the first five or six books in this series. Then, something changed. The writing from book to book has become extremely volatile. One book will be amazing, the next will be meh, then we’ll get amazing again, then yawn, and so on and so on. It is SUPER frustrating!
Unfortunately this one falls in the meh to ugh category. And ya know why? It is BORING!! Yep, I said it. A Danika Dark book is freaking boring - as unbelievable as that may sound. But there just isn’t anything happening in almost the entire story. The only upside in the book was Blue’s storyline. We did get to explore her background, motivations and story. That was interesting. Still, the most beloved part of the series for me - the relationship between Raven and Christian felt really off throughout this entire book. I (and it hurts me to even utter this) didn’t even like Christian! He lost all his warmth and charm and their relationship just fell flat.
BUT... somehow, someway at the last possible minute (literally, in the epilogue) the author pulls a hat trick and makes me actually want to read the next one. Now that is some serious magic there.
Man, I am beginning to develop the worst love/hate relationship with this author’s books! I started out loving every single book Ms. Dark published, from the Seven, to the Mageri to the first five or six books in this series. Then, something changed. The writing from book to book has become extremely volatile. One book will be amazing, the next will be meh, then we’ll get amazing again, then yawn, and so on and so on. It is SUPER frustrating!
Unfortunately this one falls in the meh to ugh category. And ya know why? It is BORING!! Yep, I said it. A Danika Dark book is freaking boring - as unbelievable as that may sound. But there just isn’t anything happening in almost the entire story. The only upside in the book was Blue’s storyline. We did get to explore her background, motivations and story. That was interesting. Still, the most beloved part of the series for me - the relationship between Raven and Christian felt really off throughout this entire book. I (and it hurts me to even utter this) didn’t even like Christian! He lost all his warmth and charm and their relationship just fell flat.
BUT... somehow, someway at the last possible minute (literally, in the epilogue) the author pulls a hat trick and makes me actually want to read the next one. Now that is some serious magic there.
May 19, 2021
It was heading towards 4 stars, but then Stupid hit, and it lost a star.
That said.
This was mostly entertaining, and made me laugh a lot 😍
That said.
This was mostly entertaining, and made me laugh a lot 😍
May 19, 2021
So a week after the close of the last case and Raven’s rescue things are fairly calm in the world of Keystone. And then a family friend of Raven’s asks for a favor... it seems that there are some unexplained shifter deaths going on. The various shifter groups don’t exactly share information easily so it’s hard to know if these deaths are connected or not. Unsure if it will lead anywhere Raven takes the case mostly working with Blue since she’s a shifter and Raven isn’t known for her diplomatic approach to... well... anything. And visiting the Shifters and speaking to them about the deaths of loved ones is a rather delicate issue. So what’s killing these Shifters? Natural causes or something more? They do end up getting more than they bargained for during the course of the case. Naturally there’s trouble and shenanigans afoot when it comes to Keystone.
The thing in this book that frustrated me to no end was that it took them 68% and a tip from someone else to figure out what connected all of the people who died. It was rather obvious at least to me what the connection was early on. A lot of things in this book were blatantly obvious and it was ridiculous that they didn’t connect the doubts. Literally I think one person in here wouldn’t have been more obviously up to no good if they wore a sign saying “Hey! It’s me! I’m involved!”
I like this series I really do and I like finding out more about the other members of the team. Like I’ve been dying to know Blue’s story and FINALLY we get that. The one thing that has become tedious is Raven and Christian’s relationship. Ever since they have been together especially publicly they have been beyond annoying. It’s not just that Raven in general is a bit tedious like blah blah dark emotionally scarring past blah. And her obsessive overprotecting of her father is especially tedious. I get it he’s older and more vulnerable being human and all but she’s so extra about it that it’s insufferable. She also has this irrational anger that comes up for no reason. The older Breed would say it’s her lingering humanity that clouds her actions and thoughts but I kind of find her obnoxiously righteous at times.
Mini rant aside I always look forward to what comes next. I’ll just be rolling my eyes and gagging through Raven and Christian’s nonsense. Also can someone please just push Lenore off a cliff or put her in a box and toss her in the ocean? I find her very existence aggravating. I guess I just can’t take people who play games. And playing games is all she ever does. Which definitely means I am tired of Houdini too. Can we put them both in a box and bury it?
The thing in this book that frustrated me to no end was that it took them 68% and a tip from someone else to figure out what connected all of the people who died. It was rather obvious at least to me what the connection was early on. A lot of things in this book were blatantly obvious and it was ridiculous that they didn’t connect the doubts. Literally I think one person in here wouldn’t have been more obviously up to no good if they wore a sign saying “Hey! It’s me! I’m involved!”
I like this series I really do and I like finding out more about the other members of the team. Like I’ve been dying to know Blue’s story and FINALLY we get that. The one thing that has become tedious is Raven and Christian’s relationship. Ever since they have been together especially publicly they have been beyond annoying. It’s not just that Raven in general is a bit tedious like blah blah dark emotionally scarring past blah. And her obsessive overprotecting of her father is especially tedious. I get it he’s older and more vulnerable being human and all but she’s so extra about it that it’s insufferable. She also has this irrational anger that comes up for no reason. The older Breed would say it’s her lingering humanity that clouds her actions and thoughts but I kind of find her obnoxiously righteous at times.
Mini rant aside I always look forward to what comes next. I’ll just be rolling my eyes and gagging through Raven and Christian’s nonsense. Also can someone please just push Lenore off a cliff or put her in a box and toss her in the ocean? I find her very existence aggravating. I guess I just can’t take people who play games. And playing games is all she ever does. Which definitely means I am tired of Houdini too. Can we put them both in a box and bury it?
May 14, 2022
Review originally posted at Rantings of a Reading Addict
Raven is a little antsy waiting for her next job when she is approached by a friend asking her to investigate suspicious deaths going on in the shifter community. Raven tries to convince Viktor to take it on, he actually tells Lenore about the problem who gives her advice. Raven hits up Blue as a partner for this job as Blue really needs to do something to get out of her funk.
The case takes a lot of twists and turns. We do get to see the side characters doing their thing. I love the whole Keystone crew. The resolution is not exactly perfect, but it was the best available. The case seemed to drag a bit for me. I was really worried about Lenore's involvement. I'm not a big fan of her. So finding out her end game was a little disturbing to me. She needs to be gone, not more involved.
I just can't help laughing at most of the book. There is seriousness, but no matter what section I open the book to, there is something funny. The dialogue is snarky. I want to see more of Crush and Christian together. Holy hell they are funny. I can't get enough of this series. I do recommend the audio because Nicole Poole does a kick ass job with it. I love her Christian voice.
This series is one of my favorites and I will recommend it to anyone who loves urban fantasy as much as I do.
Raven is a little antsy waiting for her next job when she is approached by a friend asking her to investigate suspicious deaths going on in the shifter community. Raven tries to convince Viktor to take it on, he actually tells Lenore about the problem who gives her advice. Raven hits up Blue as a partner for this job as Blue really needs to do something to get out of her funk.
The case takes a lot of twists and turns. We do get to see the side characters doing their thing. I love the whole Keystone crew. The resolution is not exactly perfect, but it was the best available. The case seemed to drag a bit for me. I was really worried about Lenore's involvement. I'm not a big fan of her. So finding out her end game was a little disturbing to me. She needs to be gone, not more involved.
I just can't help laughing at most of the book. There is seriousness, but no matter what section I open the book to, there is something funny. The dialogue is snarky. I want to see more of Crush and Christian together. Holy hell they are funny. I can't get enough of this series. I do recommend the audio because Nicole Poole does a kick ass job with it. I love her Christian voice.
This series is one of my favorites and I will recommend it to anyone who loves urban fantasy as much as I do.
December 31, 2022
Dannika Dark is a masterful character creator. A great world builder and a wonderful storyteller.
Afterlife was no exception. Every character working for Keystone is part of each book but usually the book centers around one person. This was the mysterious Blue's story. It's heartbreaking. It's empowering. I always imagined Blue's past to be hard but this was a tearjerker. Such a fitting story for her character.
Keystone takes a case that's a little to personal. A little to dangerous. Christian is being mysterious and Houdini is either being protective of Raven or a great deviant. Now I need to learn to be patient and wait for the next book!!!
Afterlife was no exception. Every character working for Keystone is part of each book but usually the book centers around one person. This was the mysterious Blue's story. It's heartbreaking. It's empowering. I always imagined Blue's past to be hard but this was a tearjerker. Such a fitting story for her character.
Keystone takes a case that's a little to personal. A little to dangerous. Christian is being mysterious and Houdini is either being protective of Raven or a great deviant. Now I need to learn to be patient and wait for the next book!!!
May 19, 2021
One of my favorite series, well written, picks up where book 9 left off, Raven is keeping secrets from everybody about Houdini. Christian is keeping secrets from Raven. At the end of the book Houdini implied to Raven that Christian was keeping secrets from her. Victor is dancing with the devil known as Lenore. Someday he may open his eyes and see who has been waiting patiently for him. Or not, we got to learn about Blue’s story, and the reemergence of Matteo the Chitah who saved her life. I have some issues with Raven and Christian relationship and all the secrets that they keep from one another. Felt that their relationship is going backwards, most of this book Raven spent a lot of time asking if anyone has seen Christian. But another great installment for this series. I just read it too fast.
March 6, 2022
I’ve been scared of running out of books in this series!!
But it’s happened. Another exciting episode. While most of the ends are tied up, Dark always leaves a couple of threads hanging. Yes I will buy the next one, but aghh😱 it is only released this month and I can’t buy it yet.
But it’s happened. Another exciting episode. While most of the ends are tied up, Dark always leaves a couple of threads hanging. Yes I will buy the next one, but aghh😱 it is only released this month and I can’t buy it yet.
May 24, 2021
I usually only write reviews when a book pisses me off or is amazing. This book was the worse in the series it was all over the place. It was a kitchen sink book that went out in so many different directions with no real substance about the issues and characters this author was trying to address. It was boring af and the "mystery" took a back seat to everything else that was going on. Christian & Raven's back and forth "do I or don't I" is one of the most annoying things about this series. One minute they're declaring love and having cringe sex -the next they're back to the same trust issues they had 5 books ago. I won't even go into the author still dancing around Raven's alcoholism.
The only good thing in this book is the brief glimpse at Blue's tragic past.
The only good thing in this book is the brief glimpse at Blue's tragic past.
June 7, 2021
Afterlife starts out with the group celebrating Hunter’s 6th birthday. Of course it’s not all fun and birthday cake.
It’s been a week since Keystone’s last job which means Rave is antsy. She hates down time. So when a friend asks for help, she goes to Vicktor to see if Keystone can take the case.
Raven and Blue work a case with mysterious shifter deaths, well they seem like accidents or heartaches, things of that nature. But as they investigate, they start making connections that reveal the deaths are not “natural”.
This an off-book case for Keystone since Vicktor didn’t have time to research it and get approval from the Breed Higher Authority, so they have to keep their finds quite and be careful how they approach the shifters when asking questions about the deaths of their loved ones.
One death leads lead them to a pack of wolf shifters who are doing unspeakable things, they really can’t afford to have the team’s actions come to light. If the details got out the Keystone group would get the death sentence.
With every Crossbreed novel we get to learn more about the Keystone members, and this time around we get a look at Blue’s backstory and it’s heartbreaking. She also has an admirer from the previous book who shows up to court her. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m shipping Blue and Vicktor, they seem to have a connection but it may never turn to the romantic side.
While all the members of Keystone are present in Afterlife, Blue and Raven take center stage for most of the story, with the other members coming in to help when needed. I look forward to the next Crossbreed installment and the developing relationships between the characters. Ms. Dark strings us along with peeks of Raven’s vampire maker, Houdini, and he is peppered into this story. I can’t wait to get more on him and how he factors into Raven’s life. He’s the perfect mystery character: is he bad, is he good? I’ll just have to stay tuned to find out.
I cannot rave enough about Nicole Poole’s narration performance for the Crossbreed series. Poole is the reason Dark is an audio-only author for me. She masterly voices all the characters from the female to the male, delivering tone, feelings and accents to perfection. Her voice for Christian Poe is swoon worthy.
It’s been a week since Keystone’s last job which means Rave is antsy. She hates down time. So when a friend asks for help, she goes to Vicktor to see if Keystone can take the case.
Raven and Blue work a case with mysterious shifter deaths, well they seem like accidents or heartaches, things of that nature. But as they investigate, they start making connections that reveal the deaths are not “natural”.
This an off-book case for Keystone since Vicktor didn’t have time to research it and get approval from the Breed Higher Authority, so they have to keep their finds quite and be careful how they approach the shifters when asking questions about the deaths of their loved ones.
One death leads lead them to a pack of wolf shifters who are doing unspeakable things, they really can’t afford to have the team’s actions come to light. If the details got out the Keystone group would get the death sentence.
With every Crossbreed novel we get to learn more about the Keystone members, and this time around we get a look at Blue’s backstory and it’s heartbreaking. She also has an admirer from the previous book who shows up to court her. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m shipping Blue and Vicktor, they seem to have a connection but it may never turn to the romantic side.
While all the members of Keystone are present in Afterlife, Blue and Raven take center stage for most of the story, with the other members coming in to help when needed. I look forward to the next Crossbreed installment and the developing relationships between the characters. Ms. Dark strings us along with peeks of Raven’s vampire maker, Houdini, and he is peppered into this story. I can’t wait to get more on him and how he factors into Raven’s life. He’s the perfect mystery character: is he bad, is he good? I’ll just have to stay tuned to find out.
I cannot rave enough about Nicole Poole’s narration performance for the Crossbreed series. Poole is the reason Dark is an audio-only author for me. She masterly voices all the characters from the female to the male, delivering tone, feelings and accents to perfection. Her voice for Christian Poe is swoon worthy.
September 8, 2021
Can I just say how happy I am that this is not the last book in the series. I mean I am bummed that I have to start waiting for them to come out, but if this was the end I would really miss these characters.
There was about an hour left when I started to look into if there was going to be more books... NOTHING was tied up!
So, I have some relief there!
There was about an hour left when I started to look into if there was going to be more books... NOTHING was tied up!
So, I have some relief there!
May 23, 2021
This is one of my all-time favourite series and this book didn't disappoint. When seemingly natural and unrelated deaths have been occurring in various Shifter packs, Ren, a family friend, asks Raven to have a closer look. While not officially Keystone business, Raven and the gang use their usual tricks along with a good dash of deception to find out if there's more at play. This was a great read that picked up shortly after Book Nine's completion (a week, I think?). Raven is still trying to piece together her abduction and burial, but not as much as I expected. For someone that hates being manipulated and played, this pretty monumental event in Raven's life took a surprising back seat so I'm assuming this will be bigger news in future books. Likewise, Lenore and Houdini only visited readers briefly - the latter I'm particularly bummed out about because I luuuuurve him. Mind you, his two appearances were, as always, fabulous, and made it seem as though he's going to be tearing up the pages in the near future. Holy baby Jeebus, I hope so.
This book offered a greater insight into a couple of aspects of the Crossbreed world. Firstly, as the crew investigated the possibly suspicious deaths in the various packs, you get a longer and more detailed glimpse into the Shifter world that this author definitely puts her own tasty, tasty flavour into. And it's not just wolves this time, which made for some great reading, particularly as it wasn't all rosy and the darker side of some packs' lives pushes itself front and centre. Secondly, the book has quite a large focus on Blue. As always, I love how the author focusses on the other characters throughout the series. It adds great depth to the story and characters and helps me as a reader invest a little more into the series. This can be a bit of a double-edged sword, however, because this book seemed to have quite an extended glimpse of the plot from Blue's point of view. While I love her character and it was dynamite finally finding out her tragic history (this was really well done and I'm sure it will affect my future reading of her character and Keystone in general), it felt like it distracted the story line away from Raven a bit. I love all of the characters in this series, but I'm firmly invested in the books because of Raven. Well, and Christian (naturally). I found Raven's point of view and story wasn't quite as present for me as a reader and so the richness she adds to the series was lacking a little. I'll emphasise, however, that this is a personal preference because Raven and Christian are my jam and while I love the input from the other characters, they're the queen and king of my humble reading world.
This book also gave me Ravenheart vibes. While Blue and Raven, the main characters in this story, try to piece together whether the deaths are nefarious or a possible virus affecting only Shifters, the fact that events and the clues joining them together are entirely too coincidental pointed the finger at an antagonist working behind the scenes. For me, the who (although not the why) was mostly predictable. This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book and there was some terrific build up and action as per usual.
Christian hovers about, but more at the edges of the story as Raven spends most of the case working with Blue. There are a couple of steamy scenes thrown in which should tide me over until the next book comes out lol. The other characters that make up Keystone also took more of a backseat. The little insights into Shepherd and Hunter's growing relationship made a very welcome return - I flipping love these - and while Switch wasn't in the book overly much, there were some additional characters, such as Ren and Sambah, that made the story shine that little bit brighter. A character from one of the more recent books also makes a surprise appearance which was bitterly sweet. One of my firm favourites, Crush, pops up all over the place - yay! And for the Mageri fans in the crowd, Remi, the Gemini, makes a cameo. I wish he'd get his own series :)
The dialogue and banter that I adore about this series is, as always, a winning feature yet again. The author finished the book on a high note and set up some really solid foundations for future story lines for our favourite eclectic crew, but again, if you were hoping to get more follow up or some closure on the who dunnit concerning Raven's attack, you won't get it here just yet. Aaaannnd once again I finish yet another book in this series that leaves me chomping at the bit for the next book. Frick on a stick, I love this series. Like, fully travelled into the type of obsession for it that I totally make fun of other readers for when they talk about how much they love other series. Raven and Keystone is like crack lol. Highly volatile, aggressive, explosive and dynamic crack. In the words of Claudia from Interview With the Vampire and from a very happy addict, I want some more :)
This book offered a greater insight into a couple of aspects of the Crossbreed world. Firstly, as the crew investigated the possibly suspicious deaths in the various packs, you get a longer and more detailed glimpse into the Shifter world that this author definitely puts her own tasty, tasty flavour into. And it's not just wolves this time, which made for some great reading, particularly as it wasn't all rosy and the darker side of some packs' lives pushes itself front and centre. Secondly, the book has quite a large focus on Blue. As always, I love how the author focusses on the other characters throughout the series. It adds great depth to the story and characters and helps me as a reader invest a little more into the series. This can be a bit of a double-edged sword, however, because this book seemed to have quite an extended glimpse of the plot from Blue's point of view. While I love her character and it was dynamite finally finding out her tragic history (this was really well done and I'm sure it will affect my future reading of her character and Keystone in general), it felt like it distracted the story line away from Raven a bit. I love all of the characters in this series, but I'm firmly invested in the books because of Raven. Well, and Christian (naturally). I found Raven's point of view and story wasn't quite as present for me as a reader and so the richness she adds to the series was lacking a little. I'll emphasise, however, that this is a personal preference because Raven and Christian are my jam and while I love the input from the other characters, they're the queen and king of my humble reading world.
This book also gave me Ravenheart vibes. While Blue and Raven, the main characters in this story, try to piece together whether the deaths are nefarious or a possible virus affecting only Shifters, the fact that events and the clues joining them together are entirely too coincidental pointed the finger at an antagonist working behind the scenes. For me, the who (although not the why) was mostly predictable. This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book and there was some terrific build up and action as per usual.
Christian hovers about, but more at the edges of the story as Raven spends most of the case working with Blue. There are a couple of steamy scenes thrown in which should tide me over until the next book comes out lol. The other characters that make up Keystone also took more of a backseat. The little insights into Shepherd and Hunter's growing relationship made a very welcome return - I flipping love these - and while Switch wasn't in the book overly much, there were some additional characters, such as Ren and Sambah, that made the story shine that little bit brighter. A character from one of the more recent books also makes a surprise appearance which was bitterly sweet. One of my firm favourites, Crush, pops up all over the place - yay! And for the Mageri fans in the crowd, Remi, the Gemini, makes a cameo. I wish he'd get his own series :)
The dialogue and banter that I adore about this series is, as always, a winning feature yet again. The author finished the book on a high note and set up some really solid foundations for future story lines for our favourite eclectic crew, but again, if you were hoping to get more follow up or some closure on the who dunnit concerning Raven's attack, you won't get it here just yet. Aaaannnd once again I finish yet another book in this series that leaves me chomping at the bit for the next book. Frick on a stick, I love this series. Like, fully travelled into the type of obsession for it that I totally make fun of other readers for when they talk about how much they love other series. Raven and Keystone is like crack lol. Highly volatile, aggressive, explosive and dynamic crack. In the words of Claudia from Interview With the Vampire and from a very happy addict, I want some more :)
May 22, 2021
Not my favorite Crossbreed series book. My favorite book in this series so far is book 7. I found the first half of this book extremely boring. I did enjoy the end of the book and the rumors of who is keeping secrets from who and how this will likely determine a new book. I did enjoy learning more about Blue's life story - which was rather tragic; but, does jive with everyone's life story and how they came to be at Keystone. I have to admit that Houdini and his story intrigues me and the more I can learn about him makes my day. I do get the impression that Houdini and Lenore know each other. Ugh, Victor, open your eyes about Lenore with Blue standing right in front of you. I really want to know more about Kira's story and what breed she is. The Crossbreed series is my favorite out of the entire mageri universe Ms. Dark has created. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a new announcement for another book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2021
I love Dannika Dark's ability to create incredibly realistic, diverse, and relatable characters you care about while also making them magical, damaged, surprising, twisted, and heroic. Keystone is full of creatures of lore but with unique stories and backgrounds that continue to be revealed and contribute to/intertwine in exciting and dangerous missions in the "present." I found this one a little slow to grab my interest, so I knocked off one star, but it picked up fast. If you like high-action urban fantasy with a bit of (explicit) romance and incredibly gritty, varied, and real characters, then I recommend starting this series at book 1! Also, Nicole Poole is a FANTASTIC narrator (though I put her at 2x speed), so I highly suggest trying the audiobook, even if you were previously anti-audiobooks, like me!
November 6, 2021
This series is addicting!
I can never get enough of this Author’s work! Luckily I always go back to the first book in the first Series and reread them till I get to the newest addition! These characters and stories are always like coming home to an old friend wrapped in a big welcoming hug! I love her strong willed, independent women as the main characters! They bring the best out of every story and you want to cry when you hit the last page because you want more! I hope you read all her series and grow to love her characters as much as I do! You’ll never be disappointed! Enjoy!
I can never get enough of this Author’s work! Luckily I always go back to the first book in the first Series and reread them till I get to the newest addition! These characters and stories are always like coming home to an old friend wrapped in a big welcoming hug! I love her strong willed, independent women as the main characters! They bring the best out of every story and you want to cry when you hit the last page because you want more! I hope you read all her series and grow to love her characters as much as I do! You’ll never be disappointed! Enjoy!
December 24, 2025
Ein sehr spannender und intensiver Fall für Raven. Mittlerweile gehen mir Houdini und Lenore extrem auf die Nerven, außerdem shippen ich ja schon lange blue und Viktor. Die Story Line mit Matteo hat mir gut gefallen und auch das mit den Kindern. Hier geht es viel um Trauer, was mich sehr berührt hat. Ich hoffe Christian macht nichts dummes...
Allerdings war mir schon sehr früh klar wer der Täter war, irgendwie scheint das so n Ding in der Reihe zu sein und ich finde es etwas schade dass die nicht früher darauf kamen.
Allerdings war mir schon sehr früh klar wer der Täter war, irgendwie scheint das so n Ding in der Reihe zu sein und ich finde es etwas schade dass die nicht früher darauf kamen.
January 25, 2022
5+ stars
Exceptionally good. It had everything, from the mystery of deaths, to saving the children, to romance ... and all its potentials and even to a dog with goggles for giggles! The heart wrenching from Blue and her take on life and grief were profound.
Loved it. Please don't ever end this series....
Exceptionally good. It had everything, from the mystery of deaths, to saving the children, to romance ... and all its potentials and even to a dog with goggles for giggles! The heart wrenching from Blue and her take on life and grief were profound.
Loved it. Please don't ever end this series....
May 20, 2021
Spectacular!
Love love love love this world. Can’t wait for more. Christian is so damn sexy. Danika Dark sure knows how to brings us in. Awesome work.
Love love love love this world. Can’t wait for more. Christian is so damn sexy. Danika Dark sure knows how to brings us in. Awesome work.
October 15, 2021
Sorry to see that this is the last book so far. There is no satisfactory resolution with Houdini and the ancient vampires meddling with Christian and Raven's relationships.
May 23, 2021
3.5 stars
June 2, 2021
4.50 / 5 Stars
***HOOPLA audio***
This book took on one case and a Raven side job. Both interesting. Would love for DD to revisit the kids in other books to see how things develop. We find out more about Blue's past. Crush gets a companion. At the end Raven's maker plants a seed....
***HOOPLA audio***
This book took on one case and a Raven side job. Both interesting. Would love for DD to revisit the kids in other books to see how things develop. We find out more about Blue's past. Crush gets a companion. At the end Raven's maker plants a seed....
June 29, 2021
A new book by Dannika Dark is a treat and I was way beyond ready for this one. This time around I chose to listen instead of read. Narration by Nicole Poole is nothing short of perfection. She did male voices every bit as well as female voices and each was completely distinct/different from the others. If it ever took me out of the story it was only to marvel at such fantastic narration.
Book ten of this Crossbreed series delivered a story that not only fascinated, but kept me listening almost nonstop due to all the twists and turns, mystery and the continuing romance of the two main characters, Raven and Christian.
If it’s lacking anything, it would be just that I just wanted it to be longer. Not that anything was missing, but instead I just wanted to stay longer in this amazing world that Dark has built and used in all three of her Breed series. All of the characters, Raven and Christian in particular, were very well realized by the author and kept true to their personalities from one book to the next. Raven, the former homeless mage/vampire beauty and Christian, the snarky Irish vampire from another century are the epitome of awesomeness as they partner to fight and solve crimes in the Breed world of Cognito-a very large city located somewhere in the United States. The twosome work and live along side a group of all different sorts of paranormal characters, at a private company named Keystone. This time around, Blue, a falcon shifter, comes more center stage and in fact her part of the story is from her perspective which I enjoyed. She’s been quietly enigmatic throughout the series and is now dealing with the injuries she sustained from a recent violent case. We know or suspect that she’s secretly in love with Victor. Victor is the head of their team and an older wolf shifter formerly of Russia. We finally get her backstory and see her cope with her new circumstances. And of course, there’s a new case they are all working on.
Filled with romance, action and violence at times, this was a fantastic addition to the Crossbreed series. Dark should be applauded for another worthy and much anticipated new installment of this much loved series. And Crush and a new dog companion? That was just the icing on the cake for this book!
Book ten of this Crossbreed series delivered a story that not only fascinated, but kept me listening almost nonstop due to all the twists and turns, mystery and the continuing romance of the two main characters, Raven and Christian.
If it’s lacking anything, it would be just that I just wanted it to be longer. Not that anything was missing, but instead I just wanted to stay longer in this amazing world that Dark has built and used in all three of her Breed series. All of the characters, Raven and Christian in particular, were very well realized by the author and kept true to their personalities from one book to the next. Raven, the former homeless mage/vampire beauty and Christian, the snarky Irish vampire from another century are the epitome of awesomeness as they partner to fight and solve crimes in the Breed world of Cognito-a very large city located somewhere in the United States. The twosome work and live along side a group of all different sorts of paranormal characters, at a private company named Keystone. This time around, Blue, a falcon shifter, comes more center stage and in fact her part of the story is from her perspective which I enjoyed. She’s been quietly enigmatic throughout the series and is now dealing with the injuries she sustained from a recent violent case. We know or suspect that she’s secretly in love with Victor. Victor is the head of their team and an older wolf shifter formerly of Russia. We finally get her backstory and see her cope with her new circumstances. And of course, there’s a new case they are all working on.
Filled with romance, action and violence at times, this was a fantastic addition to the Crossbreed series. Dark should be applauded for another worthy and much anticipated new installment of this much loved series. And Crush and a new dog companion? That was just the icing on the cake for this book!
September 11, 2023
Can't wait for more!
June 7, 2021
Wow, where do I begin. I have to admit that every time a new Crossbreeds book comes out I have already preordered it on my kindle. Dannika Dark never disappoints with this series. Each book is so well written. The stories, characters and events are so well fleshed out that each book leaves you with a desire for more and so ready for next book. This book is no exception. In this book we are fresh off of Raven's last job. She is still riding the wave of accomplishment of the last high profile case that she was instrumental in solving. Raven has new found fame and trust from her hard work so she now has been called in by the pack to investigate some suspicious deaths. This was an investigation that seemed like a looking for a needle in a haystack until a few incidents began to tie together showing them the path to solving the deaths. However, while solving this mystery we get the answer to the one of the greatest mysteries of all, the origin story of Blue. Blue is being courted by Matteo, who is the chitah from book #7 Moonstruck. From the moment we meet Blue she appears guarded. However, until you watch how she and Viktor interact you have a feeling that there is or will be something between them. You just want know what bought her to Keystone and what makes her so distrustful. Blue and Matteo have a love/hate relationship. Matteo would love to get to know her and then claim her while Blue just plain hates the fact that he is around. There are some funny and touching interactions between. They are both coming from a place that holds deep betrayal, heartbreaking pain and loneliness. Matteo even longer than Blue. Blue's story is so powerful and heartbreaking. It shows a depth of strength, pain and emotion that is almost too much to bear. My heart wept with the telling of her story and rejoiced at her strength and will to survive. There is also a tender moment between Blue and Viktor that bought out all kinds of feelings, I was crying, smiling and hoping simultaneously. The plot twist in the end was worth the read alone. My only disappointment in this book was that there was no mention of Lenore. We know from the last book what Lenore had done to Raven and also that Christian is aware it was Lenore. I was waiting and wanting for Christian to avenge Raven but it never happened. There are a few precursor scenes that involve conversations between Raven and Houdini regarding trust and if she could trust Christian to tell her the truth or if he kept things from her. Raven also had similar conversations involving the same with Christian. I am thinking that this is going to connect to the next book. I feel almost absolutely certain that the next book will be about Viktor. There needs to be a resolution regarding Lenore and events that occurred between him and Blue. Darn it I want Lenore to get her comeuppance! I will just have to wait for the next book to see if I am right. Hope you enjoyed this review but hope you discover and enjoy this series even more.
Please check out my new blog site at 1brownwomansopionion.com for more of my reviews and comments.
Please check out my new blog site at 1brownwomansopionion.com for more of my reviews and comments.
June 20, 2022
********** Contains Spoilers**********
I’ve been a fan of Dannika Dark, and the Mageriverse that she’s created since I purchased the Mageri Series Boxed Set back in 2014. I’ve read a lot of the books from the Mageriverse multiple times since then. My favourite go to reads from the Mageriverse are Closer, Risk, Three Hours & Two Minutes. I’m currently working my way through all of Dannika’s Mageriverse, as it’s been ages since I’ve immersed myself into the thrilling, action packed and amazing universe of Immortals and Breed that she’s created. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and thought it was another good addition to the series. I really wish we’d finally get an answer about what Houdini and Lenore actually want. Is it just for the power?
Switch tells Raven about going to visit the local pack, and when he walked in Crush was in the thick of things and things got really awkwardly quiet all of the sudden. Raven also thinks it’s weird so she goes to confront her dad. Crush tells her about the spate of shifters that are dying. They all are seemingly unrelated so Ren would like to meet with Raven to discuss the possibility of a new case. Viktor actually agrees for them to look into the deaths, and Raven and Blue go undercover to talk to the different packs who lost someone recently, posing as representatives from the Higher Authority and are doing a census to see how the Higher Authority can help.
As the investigation continues they’re struggling to link all the deaths, Raven is starting to think that she’s wasted herself, Blue and Keystone’s time chasing a dead end. I really didn’t like that Houdini popped up right at the last moment to try and cause strife between Raven and Christian, and getting Raven to doubt Christian’s loyalty and faithfulness. He hinted that Christian is disappearing all the time because he’s keeping a blood slave. I don’t think Christian would do anything to intentionally harm or hurt her, as it’s obviously he loves her. He’d do something stupid in the name of love trying to protect Raven from everything, even if he’s found in a compromising position. It was heartbreaking hearing about Blue’s tragic past. I’m looking forward to reading the next book and seeing what case Keystone deals with next, as well as getting more of Raven and Christian. I love their banter, they just crack me
I’ve been a fan of Dannika Dark, and the Mageriverse that she’s created since I purchased the Mageri Series Boxed Set back in 2014. I’ve read a lot of the books from the Mageriverse multiple times since then. My favourite go to reads from the Mageriverse are Closer, Risk, Three Hours & Two Minutes. I’m currently working my way through all of Dannika’s Mageriverse, as it’s been ages since I’ve immersed myself into the thrilling, action packed and amazing universe of Immortals and Breed that she’s created. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and thought it was another good addition to the series. I really wish we’d finally get an answer about what Houdini and Lenore actually want. Is it just for the power?
Switch tells Raven about going to visit the local pack, and when he walked in Crush was in the thick of things and things got really awkwardly quiet all of the sudden. Raven also thinks it’s weird so she goes to confront her dad. Crush tells her about the spate of shifters that are dying. They all are seemingly unrelated so Ren would like to meet with Raven to discuss the possibility of a new case. Viktor actually agrees for them to look into the deaths, and Raven and Blue go undercover to talk to the different packs who lost someone recently, posing as representatives from the Higher Authority and are doing a census to see how the Higher Authority can help.
As the investigation continues they’re struggling to link all the deaths, Raven is starting to think that she’s wasted herself, Blue and Keystone’s time chasing a dead end. I really didn’t like that Houdini popped up right at the last moment to try and cause strife between Raven and Christian, and getting Raven to doubt Christian’s loyalty and faithfulness. He hinted that Christian is disappearing all the time because he’s keeping a blood slave. I don’t think Christian would do anything to intentionally harm or hurt her, as it’s obviously he loves her. He’d do something stupid in the name of love trying to protect Raven from everything, even if he’s found in a compromising position. It was heartbreaking hearing about Blue’s tragic past. I’m looking forward to reading the next book and seeing what case Keystone deals with next, as well as getting more of Raven and Christian. I love their banter, they just crack me
September 10, 2025
The ending is the only reason I'm willing to read the next book, but the character development and plot are getting so annoying.
Houdini's script of showing up mid book to drop information nuggets just to disappear until the end to stir things up is annoying.
Christian and Raven's relationship being so rocky the drama Houdini brings shakes up any and all trust is repetitive. They seem to have no chemistry except during sexual encounters and then any progress made seems to be shattered once they talk, work together, go anywhere, run into any problems, etc. I listened to this book narrated at 2× speed and still almost skipped over sex scenes.
Raven has an inability to be decent and not snappy while interviewing territorial shifters who have lost members of the pack and she constantly is on the edge of being so angry that she ruins moments gathering information or offends grieving family. It is so old and overplayed, she's not an emotional 14 year old so she needs to be not written as one especially since this job is supposed to be so important to her and her childhood family friends.
Wyatt is talking shit over the body of a NEARLY dying CHILD and Shepherd kicks him out of the medical room in the middle of saving her life. The "witty" banter is so poorly timed in many scenes and not something that would be so easily brushed off in a group that seems to take rescuing children so seriously.
Victor is casually dating a member of the Higher Authority who tried killing a member of his team, and while he doesn't know that, there are so many other red flags he chooses not to see about her. Christian keeping this information to himself just continues to put others in danger, especially Raven, who later in the book goes off alone with Lenore thinking she needs to keep good relations open with her.
The only characters with development in this book were Crush, Shepard, and Blue.
Blue's backstory was a great addition to the plot and her storyline and contributions to this book added a whole star to my rating.
Houdini's script of showing up mid book to drop information nuggets just to disappear until the end to stir things up is annoying.
Christian and Raven's relationship being so rocky the drama Houdini brings shakes up any and all trust is repetitive. They seem to have no chemistry except during sexual encounters and then any progress made seems to be shattered once they talk, work together, go anywhere, run into any problems, etc. I listened to this book narrated at 2× speed and still almost skipped over sex scenes.
Raven has an inability to be decent and not snappy while interviewing territorial shifters who have lost members of the pack and she constantly is on the edge of being so angry that she ruins moments gathering information or offends grieving family. It is so old and overplayed, she's not an emotional 14 year old so she needs to be not written as one especially since this job is supposed to be so important to her and her childhood family friends.
Wyatt is talking shit over the body of a NEARLY dying CHILD and Shepherd kicks him out of the medical room in the middle of saving her life. The "witty" banter is so poorly timed in many scenes and not something that would be so easily brushed off in a group that seems to take rescuing children so seriously.
Victor is casually dating a member of the Higher Authority who tried killing a member of his team, and while he doesn't know that, there are so many other red flags he chooses not to see about her. Christian keeping this information to himself just continues to put others in danger, especially Raven, who later in the book goes off alone with Lenore thinking she needs to keep good relations open with her.
The only characters with development in this book were Crush, Shepard, and Blue.
Blue's backstory was a great addition to the plot and her storyline and contributions to this book added a whole star to my rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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