Immortal, ruthless, cunning...Obsessed with the dark bloodlust he shares with Nadia, Alex Demeter finds himself intrigued by Catrina, a human with a tragic past she cannot escape.Disturbed by his distraction, Nadia wagers the ultimate the one thing Alex could never have.But as Nadia's games grow more sadistic, Alex's past is brought horrifically to the surface. Forced to face truths he would rather stay hidden, the humans around him soon find themselves pawns in a game they could never understand.Sparks fly in this dark tale of obsession as Alex and Nadia play dangerous games of sex and betrayal...
Jacqui M. Rankin is the author of Darkness Forbidden, her first novel published by Scorpius Books in December 2012. Her second novel, Retribution Darkened, and the third novel, Dark Child, completed the trilogy. Her passion for writing began as a child, when she would create stories based around her pets. Her love of the supernatural and paranormal evolved, and she wrote her first full length novel at the age of 15. Now she works as a freelance copy-editor and publisher. Residing in rural Essex, England, she lives with her husband, daughter and Pumpkin, the cat. You can find out more on J.M. Rankin and her books here: Website: www.scorpiusbooks.com www.facebook.com/JMRankinbooks.com
This would have gained 3.5 stars, except I am scared of my missus (read on!).
I enjoyed Darkness Forbidden, although it probably doesn't sit with my usual reading fare. I am more of a straight-up-in-your-face horror type of guy! Don't get me wrong, There is sex and violence aplenty littered throughout Darkness Forbidden...but, at its core, it is a character driven drama about vampires and the people unfortunate enough to cross their paths - think twilight, but with sharper writing and adult content.
None of this is a bad thing. As I previously stated, I enjoyed the book - my missus, on the other hand, absolutely loved it! - So much so, she threatened to clamp my wotsits in a nutcracker if I didn't give it a good rating. Go figure!
Darkness Forbidden focuses on Alex and Nadia, two vampire siblings with unhealthy attachment issues. When Alex begins to develop feelings for a woman named Catrina, Nadia is spitting blood - literally. Alex is conflicted, trapped by his own nature as much as his own past, and terrified of the actions he knows Nadia will take. And yet, he can't bring himself to just walk away from Catrina. It is a story destined to unfold amid a turbulence of violent drama.
This is a book in which the vampires are predatory, and the humans are hopelessly outmatched - even the ones who the vamps develop affections for. The characters are mostly well defined, and I thought this was one of the novel's main strengths. Scenes are well set, then developed with nicely descriptive prose, and for a debut author this was a really solid offering from J.M. Rankin.
The character I enjoyed least was Nadia, who seemed wooden in comparison to the other cast members - little more than the archetype pantomime villain. Also, there was a tendency for the author to overuse 'he said/she said', often even within the same paragraph, and for words and phrases to be repeated, which I did find a little jarring at times. I have to say that it was nice to read a novel free of typos and punctuation issues, especially from a debut author. I do feel that, with tighter editing, this book could easily have lost 70/80 pages. This would have moved the story at a swifter pace, without denigrating from the plot. And a decent read would have become an excellent read.
To summarize, Darkness Forbidden is a combination of sexy/scary/violent vampires, and although the storyline doesn't offer anything original, it is, for the most part, well executed. As I previously mentioned, there are some editing issues, but J.M. Rankin has good writing chops. So, for anyone who enjoys the later Anita Blake novels, or Poppy Z. Brite's Lost Souls, then I'd say give Darkness Forbidden a try. It's a decent read.
I enjoyed Darkness Forbidden. It is a classic vampire story that really reminded me of the fun vampire movies of the 1980s. Not that the story is at all dated or old. It just has a classic feel to it.
The author does a good job of a creating varied cast of characters that each have their own personality as well as flaws and positives. It's easy to identify each character and it is also easy to see them as real people who are not perfect. They can be frustrating even while liking them, just like in real life.
The author also did a good job of painting the image of the surroundings and settings. The use of details and particulars made it easy to envision the story, settings and characters.
The one thing that was, at times, distracting was the repetitive use of some words. I often struggle with it in my own writing, but it is distracting seeing the same adjective multiple times on the same page. Also, while the story was fun, it was a little predictable. This kind of goes hand in hand with the classic vampire tale though. It doesn't mean that the story is boring or lacking--it just wasn't surprising.
All in all, Darkness Forbidden was fun and it left me eager to learn what will happen to the characters in the next books.
I want to start off by saying I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book, the author brought back the viciousness and violence that vampires are known for, which is a nice new pace considering other books in the genre. I grew to love all the main human characters and the main male vampire, Alex. I want to know more about Alex's story, especially why his relationship with his evil, twin sister Nadia, is so toxic and obsessive. The ending of this book was shocking and sad, but it just made me want to get the next in the series to find out what happens next.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who like supernatural books.
Book Description: What you can't have, you can never resist. Immortal, ruthless, cunning... Obsessed with the fatally seductive and evil Nadia, Alex Demeter finds himself intrigued by Catrina, a human with a past she cannot escape. Disturbed by his distraction, Nadia wagers the ultimate prize -- the one thing Alex could never have. Yet as Nadia's games grow more sadistic, Alex's own past is brought horrifically to the surface, forcing him to face truths he would rather stay hidden as the humans around him find themselves pawns in a game they could never understand. Sparks fly in this dangerous tale of obsession as Alex and Nadia play dangerous games of sex and betrayal...
In ‘Darkness Forbidden’, J. M. Rankin tells a tale of vampires in an urban setting. Alex and Nadia are strong characters with hidden pasts. Alex is intrigued by humans and respects them, while Nadia makes sport of them. Alex finds himself particularly intrigued by a human female, Catrina. Nadia finds she is jealous. Nadia challenges Alex to make a bet; that he can get Catrina in bed, before he kills her. Nadia sees Alex as being weak and that infuriates him. J. M. Rankin creates a varied cast of human characters. Each one has their own personality, flaws, and positives. Some of them even have their own hidden pasts. Rankin also creates a strong image of the surroundings and settings, pulling the reader into the story. I found it hard to find a stopping point; I just wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. ‘Darkness Forbidden’ is a gripping, erotic tale, truths are revealed, some of the past is uncovered, and friendships, lives and love are lost. I recommend it to all readers of vampire romance novels, vampire novels, and anyone looking for something different to read. I found the book very enjoyable and I’m eager to read the rest of the trilogy. A digital copy of this book was given to me for an honest review.
Nadia Demeter’s (Vampire, twin) parents moved to Spain. She was moving into to the Ancient House (Wiltham Park) formerly Henry VIII’s. Nadia met her neighbor Lola Lo Bear Freeman (veterinary nurse). Matthew Matt is Lola’s B/F. Jason is Lola’s cousin he introduce them to each other. The Ancient House had sat empty for a long time. Lola, Catrina Cat Holmes (29, Café Waitress, Human) & Camilla Cam (human), were all BFF’s.
Alex Demeter (Romania, Vampire, twin) & Catrina Holmes meet. Carri owns/runs a bar. Jason Taggort & Nadia meet. 1 night Anthony Tony Catrina’s ex-lover came to the bar. Alex listened intently as she relived her past. Lola introduces Nadia (Romania) to Catrina & Camilla. Later on Catrina & Alex seem to be falling for each other.
What happened to Dean (human), & Ben (human)? What became of Anthony (human)? What about Nadia & Jason? What about Nadia & Matthew?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violence, adult content or expletive language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written mild-erotic Vampire horror book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great Vampire movie, or mini TV series. I’m well aware of your qualities & reputation as a top notch writer/author. I like a lot more, blood, guts & gore. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; Scorpius Books; PDF book Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
The first of a planned trilogy, Darkness Forbidden is not your average vampire book. It has a plot involving a sibling relationship that some readers may find uncomfortable, but to me makes this story that much more interesting due to its dark and perverse nature.
Alex and Nadia are vampires that are cunning, ruthless, sadistic, and deeply flawed. What begins as a game played between bored vampires turns into much more than both anticipate, for very different reasons. For Alex, it’s wanting the very thing he cannot have, the love of a human female. For Nadia, it’s more of the loss of control of the one thing she has always had, Alex.
What confused me initially when reading this book was the combination of the poem at the beginning (which was great, by the way), followed by the prologue and initial chapter, that led me in a completely different direction than the book eventually took. The first three chapters seemed out of order or out of place somehow when read, though actually they weren’t. The person I thought was the lead human female character turned into a secondary one. I also think that Alex’s parents needed to be more fleshed out than they were. Their appearance left me wanting more on their part. Their actions more human than vampire. I would also consider rephrasing some of the kissing scenes. Everyone “eating” at the others mouth gets tedious.
Though I wish there had been more answers regarding Alex’s and Nadia’s past revealed, overall I thought this was a good book. The ending leaves the reader wanting to know what happens next, as well as wanting to know what exactly happened all those years ago to Alex and Nadia. I also liked that it was quite a nice read at 513 pages.
Nadia is a cheeky vampire. Alex, on the other hand, seems to go back and forth, using, yet respecting humans. For sport, both vampires begin the story by making a bet, to see if he can win the attentions of one particular human female, Catrina, without instantly killing her. And, for those that find this important: traditional vampire myths are valid here: no sparkling vampires in this story. `I think a stake through the heart would kill just about anyone, don't you?'
Rankin spins a tale that most fans of vampire novels, particularly romance, would enjoy. Her writing is entertaining. She developed the scenes and surroundings well enough for the reader to imagine. The characters are interesting and more than two dimensional. At times, I felt an outsider during specific dialogues, missing some inside information that I would have liked to have had earlier. That is to say, the characters had hidden pasts that were not immediately explained. Keep this in mind when reading: the end will explain all, well mostly.
Points that might bother some readers: 1) Repetitive words. I can imagine this is difficult to do, especially in the romance genre. 2) Lack of more back story until the very end.
For me, the story was predictable. Then again, I'm usually able to do this with most stories. Jason and Catrina, I saw it coming a mile away. This is not a bad thing and, again, I think most readers who've enjoyed romance vampire novels will enjoy this one as well. I am not a vampire novel fan. I will give it four stars, for a well told story and writer with potential for greater stories in the future.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Darkness Forbidden is a nod towards the more traditional vampire scenario i.e. vampires are predatory and rather unpleasant unless of course, they develop feelings for their victims. I found most characters well-defined, especially the two main vampire characters. The main human characters were pretty strong too, although I initially struggled with the similarity of names between Catrina and Camilla (but that might just be me). The motives and conflicts were sufficiently detailed to give depth and plausibility to the characters although there is a danger that Nadia is too one dimensional but this could change in a future novel.
The scene descriptions are good: time is taken to create a picture, enabling the reader to recreate the environment in their mind. The interplay of characters in these scenes were entirely plausible and the author can create authentic dialogue.
I did find the novel meandered a little and elements of it were superfluous and could be pruned a little. It seemed to take a long time to reach certain milestones.
I think the author has a flair for creating suspense and tension but has under-utilised it: the suspense scenes that are in, are good and there should be more of them. I didn't like the repetitive use of adjectives which can be difficult for authors to avoid and can become invisible to the author (it happens to me too) but all too apparent to other people.
In summary, I think Darkness Forbidden an appealing combination of the scary vampire tradition with the new and although the storyline is a little predicable and over- long, the well developed characters and the power to evoke the correct imagery produce a story that is engaging.
Darnkess Forbidden is the gripping story of Alex and Nadia, two Vampire otherwise known as the Vrolok. In the beginning, Alex's story starts with his jealousy over Nadia's games with humans. Alex has always wanted Nadia, but she never has fully given herself to him. Nadia is always looking for fun, and find normal life boring. She loves the thrill of a good game. So after seeing Alex interest in a pretty human girl, Nadia instantly gives him a game chase he can't refuse. But this game turns out to be life changing for Alex, who has to get closer to his prey Catrina. He becomes drawn to Catrina as she unravels her past, bringing his own past haunts to mind.
In this gripping, erotic tale, truths are revealed, the past is uncovered, frienships and love are lost, and Alex finds himself in a predicament he never thought he would face. I am truly looking forward to the sequel.
I think this is a really well written book. I enjoyed the fact that this book had a VERY STRONG story and at no point did the narrative or the thrill drop. I enjoyed Nadia and Alex's interactions and some points literally shocked me.
I loved the END!! That was absolutely brilliant. I felt it was a little like Twilight. Which I did not enjoy. I am now waiting for the second book.
Keeping my eyes peeled for more of this author's work!!
I've really enjoyed this book, I found that I got Twlight and Lucifer vibes while reading this! I liked the characters and felt it was a good story.
I liked Catrina and felt for her as she explained to Alex her story and past with Anthony and Camilla. She has a close knit friendship with a few friends that are there for her when needed. I will have to purchase the next book as I can't wait to see what happens after the amazing ending to this book!
I was gripped from the start and had a dislike to Nadia but that's how she is meant to be portrayed, that no one is as good as her but I can overcome her character to get to the true version of Alex.
Nadia and her brother Alex seem to have attachment issues which is a bit creepy in itself 😂.
The book is jam packed with violence (I do love a book with violence). I'm not really a one for reading books that have sex in them but I did enjoy the book!
I did enjoy this book, it's well written and I like the characters.
I received this book from the author and the Genre Specific Review group in exchange for a honest review.
I really thought I would like this book. I love dark and gritty romances. This is the first book I have reviewed that I did not like. This was not what I expected. I had read some other people's reviews and knew the brother and sister were extremely close. I thought that it was going to be a toxic and co-dependent relationship, but it turned out to be incestuous. This really disturbed me and because of it there was no way I was going to like this book. Neither Alex or Nadia thought that their relationship was wrong in any way. In one scene at a café, Nadia runs her hand up her brother's leg and he tells her to stop because he does not want to become aroused. They kiss on numerous occasions - Not like brother and sister, but like lover's. They both become jealous if either of them are interested in another person. Their disgusting relationship colored the whole book for me.
Darkness Forbidden is the first book in the Dark Intentions Trilogy by Author J. M. Rankin. Fans of the genre, Paranormal Vampire Romance, will definitely want to add this to their reading lists. In Book One we are introduced to the characters of Alex and Nadia Demeter, vampire twins with an unhealthy obsession for each other!
I really enjoyed the plot which moves at a satisfactory pace and reminded of a vampire version of the movie ‘Cruel Intentions.’ There is plenty of temptation, bloodlust and gameplaying throughout as the twins compete against each other, to keep readers entertained. The characters are credible, the dialogue relevant and there are no significant editorial issues that would distract or pull the reader out of the story.
This is a great introduction to the series and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.