Reviews

The Darkest King by Gena Showalter

blackbirdiebooks's review

1.0

I don’t know if it was the writing or the plot but this was just not my taste. I read it to try and hold me over before buying A Touch Of Darkness but if anything it put me off of the whole demon, hades realm thing. Which is not what I was going for.
If you want porn with a plot that’s trying to build but bores you to tears (so like if you just want porn) read this.

lokilittlejinx's review

5.0

I’m seeing so many people complaining about Gena not pairing William with Gilly. But the thing is it’s her story, her plot line. And then there’s people saying she paired Gilly with a goat but if you know Greek mythology where she is basing the majority of her plot off of. Pan is a satyr and also the god of lust and oh wow Puck is a satyr. coincidence?

That’s all I have to say. I’m going to keep reading this series until it ends.

birdloveranne's review

5.0

Loved this book! Great story, great narrator.

riz715zo's review

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.5

Meh. This lacked a serious amount of story and plot movement for almost 65% of this book. Even in that last 35% - there still was a serious lack in cohesive story. It's as if the story was so over the top trying to sell Sunny & William that it lost track that it was a story with a more flushed out plot. Boo.

kaylasmom11's review

5.0

Great book. Awesome story. Well worth the wait.

booklovinmamas's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The Darkest King is the final full-length novel in Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series. This was the long and waited William story that fans of the series had been waiting for a long time. I was one of them, and as per my The Darkest Warrior review, I was glad that William and Gilly didn’t end up together. (Yes, I was one who didn’t like the idea of those two together because they came off as more brother and sister than a couple.) 

I did worry about where Gena was going to take William and his story after the changes she made in Gilly’s book. I found his character annoying in that book and found he was still his annoying self again in this book. I couldn’t fault him completely because he was just trying to get answers. The second he was introduced in the series, I was curious about William’s origins, and we finally got some answers in this book. Hades had adopted him and was keeping secrets from William, which Willaim was determined to get out of him, especially why William shouldn’t be around Axel (A Sent One). Gena finally gave us the answers we craved with William, and I was shocked to find out about William’s background and why Hades took him under his wing. 

I was surprised Gena would introduce a whole different FMC at the end of the series, especially someone like Sunny. I wish she would have been introduced earlier because I thoroughly enjoyed her eccentric self. She fit right in with some of the other FMCs with her humor and the way she handled Playboy William. She would put him in his place several times. I loved how Gena threw in a random type of shifter, a Unicorn since I had never read that before in Paranormal Romance. It was different, but did take some getting used to since she was William’s Fated Mate and he was a Prince of Hell, but opposite’s attract in this case. 

I loved that the playboy was very protective of Sunny. He didn’t want her getting hurt and such, but Sunny could hold her own. One thing that Gena writes well is kickbutt heroines, and Sunny may be a Unicorn shifter, but she’s a scary one you don’t want to mess with. One other thing, especially since it’s William’s book, expect spicy times. I’m glad to know that William finally found his fated mate, and he received his HEA after all these books, even though he never thought he would be locked down with one female. 

Unfortunately, this book won’t be a favorite in the series. I’m sad it won’t, but I was left with more questions toward the end of the book, and I’m hoping Gena continues some of the things that the Lords were looking for in her other series, the Rise of the Warlords—for instance, the Morning Star and if they will ever find and retrieve it. I’m going to miss this series and am sad that it’s ended, but I’m glad I reread the series from the beginning so I could visit some of my favorites, like Anya and Lucien, who will always be my favorite couple. 

Audiobook Review: If you enjoy listening to your books, I recommend this series in audiobook. The narrator, Max Bellmore, is perfect for bringing the characters to life in your ears. 

Story Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5

Steam/Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Lords of the Underworld Series and I recommend reading in order. 

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this series to readers who love Paranormal Romance, Greek Mythology, and the Fated Mates trope. Be prepared, though, to fall head over heels in love with the Lords/Lady of the series.

Genre/SubGenre(s): Romance | Paranormal Romance

Trope(s)/Element(s): Fated Mates | Alpha Hero | Reformed Player Hero | Kickbutt Heroine | Angels | Demons

romancejunkie1025's review

4.0

4 stars. I REALLY wanted to love this story but every time i was almost into the story there was something to pull me out and most of the time it was just grammar errors which made me insane. Hopefully the next story is a little better edited. I am glad William finally got his HEA and the war has hit a point of Peace, but looking forward to what's next in hopes its better.

oana_i's review

1.0

This is not good people! Honest to whatever gods you pray to.
I ussed to love the Lotu series damn but this....this is not good! Poorly written charcters, clichees up to high heaven...pun intended! Long lost brother, father issues,girl unicorn and I can go on. Oh I hate the way they talk to each other ..who the fuck talks like that? Who you ask? All of them ....I wanted this book to be a culmination of epicness ...fail! Major fail.
Another thing William the fuckin' toolbag douche doesn't bang the same girl twice so the Unicorn lady friend has interchangeable hair ....really ? Dude can't commit so you make the main female change hair every 2 seconds to please the shovinist?! Yeah....female empowering much?! Neah that's for cool authors!

Madam Showalter if you ever come accros this review please please do something about the next books! Stop with the fuckin clichees! Oh and the sex scenes...jessus crist fuck me up cringe fest galore! Ewwww.....so much cringe...ewww ew ewwww!!! And I had to get drunk to read it btw because it was that bad! Pffff...don't do it...don't read this book...just don't.

bookloverchelle's review against another edition

4.0

For years William has known that when he meets the love of his life she will kill him so he keeps his relationships to one night, no matter how much he envy's his fellow Lords for their committed relationships. Sunny is a rarity in the paranormal world, an actual unicorn, and tries hard to keep away from others because she and her kind are hunted. William has one chance to break the code to save his life and Sunny is just to woman to break that code. But as they spend more and more time together they are no longer kidnapper/kidnappee, they've blurred the lines and begin to trust each other. William's life is on the line along with the fate of the world, has their relationship progressed enough to make it through the coming apocalypse? I've loved William through the series and was so excited to finally get his HEA! With how he's helped all the other couples it was his turn to finally find some happiness. Great story, fun series!

abumblebeee's review

5.0

William got the ending he deserved and the sparks between William and Sunny was such a wild ride to read. Their banter had me flipping the pages as fast as I could possibly read. I love this series and cannot wait to read more from this world.