Darkness Revealed

I think this Guardians book may be my favorite so far. I really loved the humor and storyline of this one. Plus Cezar is hot and him and Anne together are great. I think Anne is a really strong female character and really liked her throughout the book.

I'm still diggin' Alexandra Ivy's Guardians of Eternity series and "Darkness Revealed" is book four. This series is about smoking hot vampires, sexy werewolves, powerful goddesses, wily fairies, snarky gargoyles, and most anything else that goes 'bump in the night'. While these stories are every bit as hot as many others available, for me this author keeps the tone lighter. There's still action, mystery, and suspense--but the sense of looming evil isn't there...and I enjoy that for a change!

Cezar met an incredible woman two hundred years ago, but the price he paid for that night was imprisonment to the Commission of Oracles. For one unforgettable encounter, he's had to live like a eunuch and serve as their lapdog for all these long, show more lonely years. Now, he's been turned loose with a specific mission--to act as her protector. To keep her safe while she fulfills her destinies. And no matter how strong their attraction is, no matter how close they grow, he knows he will eventually lose her.

Anna blamed Cezar for changing her life two hundred years ago. He took her innocence, turned her into some kind of creature that doesn't die, and was gone before she woke. She returned home to find her only family, an aunt and cousin, dead in a house fire and her life in danger. So when Cezar surfaces again, Anna has plans for him. She will capture him and force him to tell her exactly what she is. And surely she's exaggerated her weakness for him over the years, right?

I liked Anna. She didn't panic, she didn't do stupid things, she just buckled down and did what she needed to do (including Cezar!). But Cezar? Oh baby, I want one of those. He fought his connection yes...but once he knew what Anna meant to him, it was ALL about her. Both of these characters had to learn to compromise and lean on each other and admit to their feelings. Remembering makes me smile even now.

The contemporary setting is perfect for this story which is more of a romantic urban fantasy. The lead and secondary characters stay true to their natures throughout and readers even get a glimpse of the next book's hero! Ivy can write some steamy love scenes, but emotion still rules the day. "Darkness Unleashed" is up next in December of 2009 and it's already on my 'buy' list. show less

4 Darkness Stars
(Spoiler Alert)

Darkness Revealed is book four in Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity series.
The story flowed magically. Alexandra knows how to pull her audience in and keep us entertained, with a strong plot, action, adventure, and just the right amount of romance.

Anna I enjoyed from the moment we meet her. The superhero references she makes add humor to the story. I also liked that she did not freak out when learning about the demon world and all the different kids of demons in it. She showed a strong will and it continued to grow throughout. My only grip is that I wish she was more confident in her powers and not afraid to learn how to use them. She does not show understanding or confidence until Morgana le Fey is show more about to kill her. With that said it was hard to imagine Anna a lawyer she just seamed to soft for the demon world.

Cezar is a very sexy vampire and commanded by the Oracles/Commission of the demon world. He is torn between wanted to protect Anna and possessing her. That struggle to do right by Anna and not interfere in her destiny even though he wanted so bad to protect her was wonderful done.

Anna and Cezar complemented each other. I liked how they both have been pinning for each other for nearly two century's and the progress in the development of their relationship throughout flowed. They both want each other, but each must come to it in their own way. As for the Oracles/Commission I really didn’t like them. They just did not feel like they are on the side of justice. Maybe they will change.

Levet the gargoyle I just love seeing him. He is so adorable. He brings humor into the story. I was happy to see him and all the old friends from the previous books. It’s nice to see where they are in their lives and how they all come together to help out their friends. The camaraderie was great.

I liked meeting Jagr. How he was introduced in Darkness Revealed as the very reclusive paranoid vampire. I can’t wait to read his story. I would like to know more about how he got his scars and to see a women help him heal.

I did have a few unanswered questions after it was said and done. Anna is after all a great great great etc. granddaughter of Arthur the Fey King and Queen Morgana le Fey is Arthur’s sister, so now that she is gone who takes over? Do the Fey know Morgana is gone? Just a few questions as to what happens!

All and all Darkness Revealed was a wonderful read in Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity series. If you have not picked up this series I recommend you do! The first book When Darkness Comes is a little hard to get into, but after that the rest of the books just flow and pull you into the adventure.

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I love this series but I'm a little concerned about where the author plans to go in future books. Each pair of characters seems to get more and more powerful to the point where it's sort of ridiculous even to someone who reads the series for the sex, ahem, I mean relationships (no concerns there, as steamy as ever).
I was tickled pink to see the return of so many past characters, especially Levet.

Darkness Revealed is the 4th book in Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity Series. This book is about the relationship between Conde Cezar and Anna Randal.
Anna and Cezar actually met one hundred ninety five years ago at which point Anna lost her virginity and some of her blood to the vampire. Cezar learned quickly that he was to be punished by the Oracles for his actions against Anna. The Oracles made Cezar their servant. Anna, meanwhile, believed that Cezar had abandoned her. She also came to blame him when she realized shortly thereafter that she wasn’t quite human. She had stopped aging, and thought that Cezar had caused it. Meanwhile, Cezar also realized that he was now incapable of having sex with ANY OTHER FEMALE!!! That seems show more a little rough and I could not imagine the frustration he went through for that time frame.
The two meet for the second time in Chicago and Cezar has been charged by the Oracles to keep Anna safe. The two immediately find that they are still attracted to each other. Cezar discovers that he isn’t incapable of sex in general, just with women who aren’t Anna.
Throughout the rest of the story, Anna has to come to terms with the fact that she is a powerful being who is destined to battle Morgana Le Fey, her aunt, and that she is in love with Cezar.
I enjoyed this book and found that I welcomed back a lot of past characters including the gargoyle that is freakin hilarious. The developing romance between Anna and Cezar definitely made my heart swoon as well. Ms. Ivy has done a phenomenal job at making the characters believable and helping the reader to relate. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Darkness Unleashed. show less

I found this book very slow. I couldn't quite connect with the main couple. I was more interested in Jagr, and he was only minimally in it in order to set him and Regan up as the next book's couple.

Two hundred years have passed since Anna Randal gave herself to Conde Cezar in a night of relentless passion. Since then, Anna has become filled with unearthly power she can't begin to comprehend. And the sexy, charming vampire responsible has eluded all of her efforts to track him down, until now...

Cezar's blissful encounter with Anna cost him two centuries of penance. But one thing hasn't changed...his body's response to her is as urgent as ever. Now, commanded by the Oracles to keep watch over Anna, Cezar finds himself torn between his need to protect her...and to possess her...

Someone wants Anna dead. And as an ancient enemy prepares to wage a terrifying battle, Anna must decide whether to succumb to a dark. burning desire...and show more accept a destiny that could change the world forever... show less