the Meredith Gentry series is wonderful. Hamilton has a fertile imagination. every book of hers is a sensual adventure that keeps you waiting with bated breath til the next book! This Gentry novel also happens to be based on Doyle, who is 1 of my faves! ( )

The writing has gotten much better as the series has gone on, with this installment being the best in my opinion. She wrapped up many lose ends, and left me feeling happy and satisfied. I believe that the series could easily be ended here, but I would keep reading if Hamilton gives us another installment. ( )

In the last book, Merry was kidnapped and raped by her uncle Taranis. She's already pregnant with twins, but he hopes to claim they are his heirs. And one of Merry's body-guard-harem, Killer Frost, had chosen to sacrifice himself (being turned into a stag) in order to save her. Now she has been saved from Taranis and is back in human hands, in the hospital where the doctors and police are super-protective of her. That doesn't keep enemies from continuing their attacks upon her and her men, however. Much of the book is concerned with saving people--her men and others--from death and destruction, bouncing from the Seelie Court to the dwelling of the Slough and back to the US.

Lots of breathless action with odd breaks for dialogue and exposition... and sex, of course, which is as usual. The story arc was more complete than in the last book. This could almost have been the end of the series, only there are certainly more to come in this series. I'm not a huge fan of LKH's books, but occasionally I'll pick one up from the library just to see what all the fuss is about. This one was readable, and the characters weren't unsympathetic (although I'm not a fan of blatant Mary Sues), but that's about all that can be said about it. If you're a hard-core fan, it's worth picking up, of course. Not so much if you're not. ( )

After the ridiculousness of Blood Noir, the latest Anita story, I was pleasantly surprised by Swallowing Darkness, at least it had a plot! Things are moving along magically, the Goddess is ever more present and Merry's band of loyal men keeps expanding. It's still all about the magic of sex, and how fair Meredith is and how she shares nicely but also loves Doyle and Killing Frost best. Because I really can't tell the men apart, I don't love Killing Frost at all and kind of like Doyle, but not more than anyone else, so the love story part is actually the weakest for me.
Certain plot lines come to an end with an engaging battle at the end. I'm curious to see what happens with the babies. One of the things I liked best about the book was how becoming pregnant did not make Merry all weak and maternal, it made her understand that her enemies see kindness as weak and she became a lioness, and actually killed people and ordered their death, using her fearsome hand of power (not quite sure how you could really turn someone 'inside out' and still alive, but she can) to protect her unborn children. Glad to see her get some backbone!
Will keep reading this series... ( )

Laurell K. Hamilton slips in again with another great and enchanting novel. The magic of faerie proves itself to be both wild and exotic as well as deadly and fascinating. From start to end Hamilton has you transfixed; causing you to need to continue to read just to find out if Princess Meredeth wielder of the Hands of Blood and Flesh will survive the loss of her Killing Frost, and the plots against her and those that she cares for. Will she succeed? Will she loose another? What does the Goddess have in store for her? So many questions yet you have to read on to find out. I look forward to the next tantalizing book in the series; I eagerly await to see what happens next. ( )