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eesh25's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
Male: Conrad Wroth (Vampire; people killing kind)
Female: Néomi Laress (Ghost)
Plot: His brothers try to make him a good vamp, taking him to a secluded old mansion. There he meets her. Problem is, only he can see her and he can't touch her. And he's kinda insane.
I'm really glad that Kresley Cole decided to tell this story. In the previous novels, we've heard a lot about Hoarde vampire, which are basically those vampires who drink from people and kill them. Now, we got to see one up close.
And this was a redemption story as well. I like that the author tried to tell the story of someone getting better and fighting his demons. Though I wish she'd put some more focus on the lives he's taken. Still, it was nice to hear the story of Conrad: his vampire struggle, romance and, most importantly, his relationship with his brothers.
I liked Néomi as well. She was unlike all the other female characters we'd read so far (unaware of the Lore), and she was a ghost. Her relationship with Conrad, how it started and built, her past, and her quirks, all were interesting to read. Her and Conrad's story was good.
Where I had a problem is how a later conflict was resolved. I can't say much because it would be a huge spoiler, but I felt that it was resolved in a very convenient way. As if the author was simply making new rules as she went on with the series, rules that fit her story, instead of making the story fit the rules. That bugged me.
Overall, this was good book, but not as good as [b:No Rest for the Wicked|14383|No Rest for the Wicked (Immortals After Dark #3)|Kresley Cole|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1357615569s/14383.jpg|1097825].
Reviews for other books of the series:
1. The Warlord Wants Forever
2. A Hunger Like No Other
3. No Rest for the Wicked
4. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
6. Dark Desires After Dusk
.
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Fifth in the Immortals After Dark paranormal romance series revolving around a group of Immortal friends. This story is based in New Orleans with the couple focus on Conrad and Néomi.
My Take
It's an interesting look at addiction. No, not your normal addiction. This one is over blood, memories, and grief. Forced to betray his oath when his two oldest brothers Turn him the night he and the rest of their family lay dying, Conrad has grieved over the change into which he has been forced.
Cole left a very minor loose thread with her emphasis on Tarut marking Conrad with his claw. Conrad had to either kill Tarut or experience his "most fervent dream and most feared nightmare". While there really isn't a lot of tension — Cole only gives us a couple of fight scenes — she does give us a moment to cry over how incredibly romantic Conrad is as well as the deep sadness when the prophecy about his nightmare comes true. Very unexpectedly.
It's even sweeter because Conrad has never been with a woman, and Néomi lovingly initiates him, and we watch him develop confidence.
I love that Cole has made Néomi so very independent. She holds out for her own needs, for Conrad to treat her with dignity and respect. And she's consistent! Instead of the usual cliché where the girl insists this is only… and then succumbs in the next sentence to "giving it all up for love", Néomi walks off rather than accept less than her due. I love that girl!!
"Nïx" is setting us up for a future installment with Rydstrom and Cade when we are introduced to Holly Ashwin, math geek. Human.
The Story
Kidnapped out of a bar by his brothers. Brothers determined to salvage their brother. Bring him back from the pit of Fallen. The Forebearers destroy any vampire who has Fallen, but the brothers refuse to allow Conrad to die. They will bring him back from that edge.
It's Nïx who suggests Nikolai purchase Elancourt, an aging estate outside New Orleans, as the ideal place to keep Conrad. To wean him off the drug that has destroyed his mind.
At first, Conrad believes Néomi is a hallucination, the same as those he suffers, and it takes weeks before he begins to believe in her. His recognition of her existence brings great delight to Néomi. The first to see her, to speak with her. It's a slow courtship fraught with difficulties: they cannot touch and he demands.
The Characters
Néomi Laress is a ghost. Tied to her greatest treasure, Elancourt. The home she bought with her own earnings as a ballerina in the 1920s. And she is practically screaming in frustration. Desperate for companionship. She had loved that last couple and their new baby, but it's been 10 years since anyone has lived at Elancourt. Eighty years since she died.
Conrad Wroth is the youngest brother of the four. He was a member of the Kapsliga, vampire slayers, when Nikolai turned him 300 years ago. Foresworn from his oath, Conrad has raged against Nikolai and Murdoch for every one of those years, drinking from the vein, absorbing the memories of everyone he has killed. Memories which have sent him over the edge as one of the Fallen.
The rest of the Wroth brothers are…
…Nikolai, Murdoch, and Sebastian. Nikolai and Sebastian have found their Brides and settled their differences (see Playing Easy to Get: Warlord Wants Forever and No Rest for the Wicked, respectively). The four brothers were warlords defending a section of Estonia 300 years ago. Sebastian and Conrad had been home defending their gravely ill family from the invading Russians in a lost cause. When Nikolai and Murdoch managed to return home, they found sisters and father dead from plague and the sons dying. Turned out on the battlefield, Nikolai forced his blood down Conrad and Sebastian's throats making them vampire.
Nïx the Everknowing, a.k.a., Nucking Futs Nïx, is a Valkyrie famed for her visions of the future. No one has ever known her to be wrong. The combat-happy Regin the Radiant has a bit part. --The Valkyrie are known for their insatiable shopping, wild parties, and movie nights with lots of popcorn, mostly for throwing. Mariketa the Awaited (see Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night) plays a short but important role along with Bowen MacRieve.
Rydstrom Woede is the fallen king of the rage demons; Cadeon is his heir and the reason he lost his crown. They have an interest in keeping Conrad alive…for now. Tarut is a dream demon and a member of the Kapsliga, the vampire slaying club of which Conrad is no longer a member. And the reason Tarut is hunting him. Kristoff is the king of the Forebearers, a group of vampires who refuse to drink directly from a human. The Horde is composed of Fallen vampires, those who drink their victims to death.
The Cover and Title
The cover pulls you into a soft, hazy, swirl of blues and oranges partially obscuring a full moon with an unscarred Conrad flashing his abs from under a casually-open trench coat, his belted jeans riding low on his hips.
The title is quite a poetic reflection of Conrad's existence with his Dark Needs at Night's Edge.
My Take
It's an interesting look at addiction. No, not your normal addiction. This one is over blood, memories, and grief. Forced to betray his oath when his two oldest brothers Turn him the night he and the rest of their family lay dying, Conrad has grieved over the change into which he has been forced.
Cole left a very minor loose thread with her emphasis on Tarut marking Conrad with his claw. Conrad had to either kill Tarut or experience his "most fervent dream and most feared nightmare". While there really isn't a lot of tension — Cole only gives us a couple of fight scenes — she does give us a moment to cry over how incredibly romantic Conrad is as well as the deep sadness when the prophecy about his nightmare comes true. Very unexpectedly.
It's even sweeter because Conrad has never been with a woman, and Néomi lovingly initiates him, and we watch him develop confidence.
I love that Cole has made Néomi so very independent. She holds out for her own needs, for Conrad to treat her with dignity and respect. And she's consistent! Instead of the usual cliché where the girl insists this is only… and then succumbs in the next sentence to "giving it all up for love", Néomi walks off rather than accept less than her due. I love that girl!!
"Nïx" is setting us up for a future installment with Rydstrom and Cade when we are introduced to Holly Ashwin, math geek. Human.
The Story
Kidnapped out of a bar by his brothers. Brothers determined to salvage their brother. Bring him back from the pit of Fallen. The Forebearers destroy any vampire who has Fallen, but the brothers refuse to allow Conrad to die. They will bring him back from that edge.
It's Nïx who suggests Nikolai purchase Elancourt, an aging estate outside New Orleans, as the ideal place to keep Conrad. To wean him off the drug that has destroyed his mind.
At first, Conrad believes Néomi is a hallucination, the same as those he suffers, and it takes weeks before he begins to believe in her. His recognition of her existence brings great delight to Néomi. The first to see her, to speak with her. It's a slow courtship fraught with difficulties: they cannot touch and he demands.
The Characters
Néomi Laress is a ghost. Tied to her greatest treasure, Elancourt. The home she bought with her own earnings as a ballerina in the 1920s. And she is practically screaming in frustration. Desperate for companionship. She had loved that last couple and their new baby, but it's been 10 years since anyone has lived at Elancourt. Eighty years since she died.
Conrad Wroth is the youngest brother of the four. He was a member of the Kapsliga, vampire slayers, when Nikolai turned him 300 years ago. Foresworn from his oath, Conrad has raged against Nikolai and Murdoch for every one of those years, drinking from the vein, absorbing the memories of everyone he has killed. Memories which have sent him over the edge as one of the Fallen.
The rest of the Wroth brothers are…
…Nikolai, Murdoch, and Sebastian. Nikolai and Sebastian have found their Brides and settled their differences (see Playing Easy to Get: Warlord Wants Forever and No Rest for the Wicked, respectively). The four brothers were warlords defending a section of Estonia 300 years ago. Sebastian and Conrad had been home defending their gravely ill family from the invading Russians in a lost cause. When Nikolai and Murdoch managed to return home, they found sisters and father dead from plague and the sons dying. Turned out on the battlefield, Nikolai forced his blood down Conrad and Sebastian's throats making them vampire.
Nïx the Everknowing, a.k.a., Nucking Futs Nïx, is a Valkyrie famed for her visions of the future. No one has ever known her to be wrong. The combat-happy Regin the Radiant has a bit part. --The Valkyrie are known for their insatiable shopping, wild parties, and movie nights with lots of popcorn, mostly for throwing. Mariketa the Awaited (see Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night) plays a short but important role along with Bowen MacRieve.
Rydstrom Woede is the fallen king of the rage demons; Cadeon is his heir and the reason he lost his crown. They have an interest in keeping Conrad alive…for now. Tarut is a dream demon and a member of the Kapsliga, the vampire slaying club of which Conrad is no longer a member. And the reason Tarut is hunting him. Kristoff is the king of the Forebearers, a group of vampires who refuse to drink directly from a human. The Horde is composed of Fallen vampires, those who drink their victims to death.
The Cover and Title
The cover pulls you into a soft, hazy, swirl of blues and oranges partially obscuring a full moon with an unscarred Conrad flashing his abs from under a casually-open trench coat, his belted jeans riding low on his hips.
The title is quite a poetic reflection of Conrad's existence with his Dark Needs at Night's Edge.
whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
3.0
Once more I prefer the heroine to the hero. She's not very good at writing men.
yodamom's review against another edition
3.0
2.9 Stars- I wanted to like it but there was something not working for me
I could not feel anything for these two and their budding or not budding relationship ? She is a ghost, not able to be touched not able to touch.
He is a dark vampire, crazed from bloodlust and hate. Together they are trapped in her ancient home watching each other wondering the what ifs. his brothers only want to give him the chance they felt he never really had, he only wants to kill them. She watches the going on, amazed when this creature can see and hear her. They grow closer, they talk, but for what future ?
Love the Demons I see wicked fun with them in the future
It just did not work for me. I love the Valkrie and the snarky jokes they offered to the story it saved me from quitting the book.
I could not feel anything for these two and their budding or not budding relationship ? She is a ghost, not able to be touched not able to touch.
He is a dark vampire, crazed from bloodlust and hate. Together they are trapped in her ancient home watching each other wondering the what ifs. his brothers only want to give him the chance they felt he never really had, he only wants to kill them. She watches the going on, amazed when this creature can see and hear her. They grow closer, they talk, but for what future ?
Love the Demons I see wicked fun with them in the future
It just did not work for me. I love the Valkrie and the snarky jokes they offered to the story it saved me from quitting the book.
exquisite_tragedy's review against another edition
3.0
I’ll likely put a hold on reading this series since spooky season is coming to a close, but this was another super fun installment. I’ll definitely revisit this series in the future.
Story: 3/5
Audiobook: 3/5 (narrated by Robert Petkoff)
Length 10h59min
Story: 3/5
Audiobook: 3/5 (narrated by Robert Petkoff)
Length 10h59min
sirdemalmanche's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
awishman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
snicf's review against another edition
5.0
The first part of this book I couldn't put it down. Then when Néomi got her body back, I kinda lost interest.
I also wasn't as fascinated with Néomi as a character or as an eventual member of the Lore.
I will say though, there is something about these Wroth brothers. I've only read about him and Sebastian, but they are easily more swoon worthy than Bowen or Lachlain combined.
I also wasn't as fascinated with Néomi as a character or as an eventual member of the Lore.
I will say though, there is something about these Wroth brothers. I've only read about him and Sebastian, but they are easily more swoon worthy than Bowen or Lachlain combined.
avid_reader_96's review against another edition
4.0
This book was better than good! I would totally recommend it and it's easily my favorite of this series. I love Conrad! I devoured this book and could not put it down. I adore Nèomi and Conrad, they are so good for each other and I can't wait to start reading Cade's HEA! This series is easily becoming one of my favorites.
Reread it and it’s still just as good as I remembered. They’re my favorite couple in this series.
Reread it and it’s still just as good as I remembered. They’re my favorite couple in this series.