After reading Styxx, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. Styxx blew me away and was probably the best of all the books in the series so it’s fair to say that anything following directly behind it would be overshadowed. It would be like being a fabulous singer but having to go onstage after Susan Boyle. The characters are new but I think a lot of people were waiting to get the stories on some of the characters who keep appearing in the books like Jaden, Jared and Savitar. This book seemed like an introduction to the dragons and it also gets us revved up for the upcoming war that seems inevitable. I know Sherrilyn Kenyon is a genius at pulling everything together and in one of her future books, we will all be saying, “Oh, yeah…that’s what that was all about.” I’m sure this book is a building block for the future.
I liked Jo who is a cousin to the Devereaux sisters. She has always known her family was a strange bunch but never really believed in any of their superstitions. She has gone through a bad divorce, just lost her job and is broke but she still has a wicked sense of humor and a good outlook on life. Some of the things she said had me bursting out laughing like her “wombat in a cornfield” or when she thought someone said she and Cadegan were related and she said, “Please don’t tell me we’re related. Honey, I ain’t that Southern.” Jo agrees to work for her cousin’s paranormal group who is filming paranormal activity. Her luck doesn’t seem to be getting any better when she trips and falls through a mirror into a frightening realm where she meets Cadegan who helps her get away from creatures intent on eating her.
Cadegan was banished from the mortal world by his brother, Leucious aka Thorn. Cadegan has led a life full of unhappiness. He was raised by monks after his mother gave him up moments after giving birth. He then was forced into battle for the king at the age of fourteen. He then was recruited by his brother and fought for his brother’s cause. He learned he was not human but a demon. He thinks he finds love only to be betrayed by the woman and her family and then his brother betrays him and banishes him to Glastonbury Tor or Terre Derriere le Voile, a realm where things are sent to be forgotten.
It’s nice to see a romance bud that is not based on the usual back and forth misunderstandings that authors like to do in romance novels. I get so tired of seeing couples hate each other and go back and forth between lust and hate. It’s annoying but thankfully, Sherrilyn didn’t do that with Cadegan and Jo.
We saw some other beloved characters in this book and were introduced to some new ones. I am really digging the two Adar Llwch Gwins, Talfryn and Ioan.

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The entangling of series is starting to cause me confusion, as I haven't read Lords of Avalon. ( )

Conclusion seemed really rushed. The excerpt from the next League novel was more fleshed out. ( )

Cadegan has been banished by his brother to a shadow realm, when Josette stumbles into the realm he races to save her. Both have been betrayed he by his brother, she by her now ex-husband but they find trust in each other. She keeps him from becoming the destruction of all. Very nice to see Acheron, Styx and others come together to help Cadegan and we learn the new battles the Dark Hunters will be fighting in future.
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Disappointed. Not as gripping as some of her previous Dark Hunter books. ( )