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agirlandherlibrarian's review
3.0
I have been reading the Dark Carpathian series for a long time - we are of course on book 33! But I agree with another reviewer, this book seems like it was written by somebody else. The setting is of course different, it's not with the de la Cruz in South America, it's not with Aiden and his brother and others in the US or in the Carpathian's themselves... it's North Africa, and I applaud that, but it doesn't feel right.
I feel like Feehan got bored, and then got way too engrossed in this new tribe she's found and researched. There is way too much information about customs and traditions and not enough interaction between the lifemates. I've watched Petru keenly and wanted his story, but I just dont' feel it in this one.
The addition of demon's into the Dark series is a bit of a ick for me, this emerging story of 4 hellgates guarded by the Carpathian women - and I want to know about the trapped Carpathian I really do!! But now the water is muddied as to who is working against who - and what and why... we had the mages, we had Razvan and his family and now.... LILITH!!! Really!! I feel that Lilith is used way too easily and often as an excuse to use her name and was very disappointed about the use of her.
I found myself skipping huge paragraphs of fluff - yes fluff is a technical reading term - and skipping to the good bits. I miss good old master vampires and stuff and whilsts I am holding out for Nicu getting his lifemate, I'm not sure I can read anymore other stories in this series before we get there.
I feel like Feehan got bored, and then got way too engrossed in this new tribe she's found and researched. There is way too much information about customs and traditions and not enough interaction between the lifemates. I've watched Petru keenly and wanted his story, but I just dont' feel it in this one.
The addition of demon's into the Dark series is a bit of a ick for me, this emerging story of 4 hellgates guarded by the Carpathian women - and I want to know about the trapped Carpathian I really do!! But now the water is muddied as to who is working against who - and what and why... we had the mages, we had Razvan and his family and now.... LILITH!!! Really!! I feel that Lilith is used way too easily and often as an excuse to use her name and was very disappointed about the use of her.
I found myself skipping huge paragraphs of fluff - yes fluff is a technical reading term - and skipping to the good bits. I miss good old master vampires and stuff and whilsts I am holding out for Nicu getting his lifemate, I'm not sure I can read anymore other stories in this series before we get there.
claire_thebookreader's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lynguy1's review
4.0
A legend, a protector of her tribe, and a 2000-year-old warrior are combined with suspense, action, and romance in Dark Memory by Christine Feehan. This is the thirty-seventh book in the Carpathian Dark paranormal romantic suspense series. Safia Meziane has trained to protect her tribe and family since birth. Evil is coming to Dellys, Algeria soon. While afraid she won’t be able to protect those she loves, she always thought she would face evil alone. However, her family reveals that isn’t so. She has been promised to a warrior. He’s an outsider and a Carpathian. Petru Cioban is over 2000 years old and has spent that time without the presence of his destined lifemate. Now he arrives only to find her ready to battle vampires and other evil beings.
While Safia and Petru are physically attracted to each other, their cultures are very different. This means they must work through their expectations and needs. Safia has been trained to be a warrior and defender of her people. She has abilities other humans don’t. She’s courageous, giving, compassionate, has fast reflexes, loves to bargain, and is used to speaking her mind. Petru is dangerous, a man of honor, powerful, intimidating, intelligent, an experienced fighter, and doesn’t believe in arguing. The secondary characters provided balance, opportunities for humor, support, and conflict and were well-developed.
While the novel is set in contemporary times, Safia’s family has passed down legends from generation to generation and have trained each to fight the coming evil. The narrative was descriptive giving readers a good feel for the Meziane farm as well as the nearby town of Dellys.
The plot was somewhat straightforward with high stakes and lots of risk. The significant amount of danger and action kept me fully engaged and made this a true page turner for me. This is a riveting story with protagonists that I liked and cheered on as their journey progressed and became ever more dangerous. The prose is well-written and engaging. Woven through the novel are threads of caring for others, family, betrayal, treatment and expectations of women, leadership, love, respect, trust, friendship, and the battle between good and evil. There are a couple of spicy scenes and a lot of violence in the story.
Overall, this novel is entertaining, suspenseful, full of danger, and has great characterization. If you enjoy thrilling paranormal romantic suspense novels, then I recommend you check out this series. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Berkley Publishing Group and Christine Feehan provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 03, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.41 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
While Safia and Petru are physically attracted to each other, their cultures are very different. This means they must work through their expectations and needs. Safia has been trained to be a warrior and defender of her people. She has abilities other humans don’t. She’s courageous, giving, compassionate, has fast reflexes, loves to bargain, and is used to speaking her mind. Petru is dangerous, a man of honor, powerful, intimidating, intelligent, an experienced fighter, and doesn’t believe in arguing. The secondary characters provided balance, opportunities for humor, support, and conflict and were well-developed.
While the novel is set in contemporary times, Safia’s family has passed down legends from generation to generation and have trained each to fight the coming evil. The narrative was descriptive giving readers a good feel for the Meziane farm as well as the nearby town of Dellys.
The plot was somewhat straightforward with high stakes and lots of risk. The significant amount of danger and action kept me fully engaged and made this a true page turner for me. This is a riveting story with protagonists that I liked and cheered on as their journey progressed and became ever more dangerous. The prose is well-written and engaging. Woven through the novel are threads of caring for others, family, betrayal, treatment and expectations of women, leadership, love, respect, trust, friendship, and the battle between good and evil. There are a couple of spicy scenes and a lot of violence in the story.
Overall, this novel is entertaining, suspenseful, full of danger, and has great characterization. If you enjoy thrilling paranormal romantic suspense novels, then I recommend you check out this series. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Berkley Publishing Group and Christine Feehan provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 03, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.41 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
now_booking's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I’ve been loving all the series over the past couple of years of CF’s writing. Dark Memory continues that renewed focus on compelling action-packed plot and chemistry over filler pages of Carpathian chants, sex scenes, and endless fight scenes. Here, once again much like with the early books in the series, the balance is just right and we are able to focus on Petru and Safia’s connection as they try to save her family farm from the evil Lilith. I found the story to be perfectly-paced. It was great to learn a bit about the Imazighen people and Safia’s family- her fears and feelings felt realistic and her hesitation to this arranged marriage with an ancient was realistic but also pragmatic. Nothing felt too long drawn out (even though this was somewhat of a slow burn) and I really enjoyed reading this. It’s a solid 3.5-4-star read for me. It doesn’t have the “wow” factor of some of the series highlights from the early books but it’s a solid, likable addition to the series and I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Torture, Murder, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Child abuse
christinaatl's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sassytw's review against another edition
4.0
Safia has trained her entire life to defend against demons. She is aware she is promised but learning her mate is not a local shatters her...too bad she doesn't have time to shift her focus.
Dark Memory is the latest in Christine Feehan's Dark series. I love seeing the Ancients find their forever and this time is Petru's. He has survived after a perceived betrayal to his life mate. Can he move past his guilt to see the woman fated to be his in the here and now? I loved finding out as he get a crash course in making his mate happy even as they prepare for war.
Safia is no shrinking violet. She has trained for a future she wasn't sure was real. But when her future comes she has no time to process. Danger and evil are coming fast. I love that Petru gives her what time he can. I love that he allows her the time to process even as their choices are limited. I love that he comes to love her as she is and not through guilt distorted lens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to Ms. Feehan's Dark series and cannot wait to see where she will take us next.
Dark Memory is the latest in Christine Feehan's Dark series. I love seeing the Ancients find their forever and this time is Petru's. He has survived after a perceived betrayal to his life mate. Can he move past his guilt to see the woman fated to be his in the here and now? I loved finding out as he get a crash course in making his mate happy even as they prepare for war.
Safia is no shrinking violet. She has trained for a future she wasn't sure was real. But when her future comes she has no time to process. Danger and evil are coming fast. I love that Petru gives her what time he can. I love that he allows her the time to process even as their choices are limited. I love that he comes to love her as she is and not through guilt distorted lens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to Ms. Feehan's Dark series and cannot wait to see where she will take us next.
mallenp22's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoy this series and this author, even thinking of rereading the whole series. At the point there have been so many couples that I sometimes forget some of them. At the same time there are some that I think about that don't really come up anymore in the story.
I really love how the series has evolved to add different types of issues and the 4 gates, if not it would just be the same thing over and over. I knew from the first few chapter that her dad would die, just the way it was written and how the author mentioned he withdrew without his wife. I was a bit surprised when Aura said she wants the actual guardian of the gate, but never told Safia because she had too much on her plate. She guarded a gate that wasn't even hers for 2000 years, I was hoping she would leave with the men at the end. I want her to find her happy ending she had such a hard life so lonely. Maybe later on once she trains Safia on guarding the gate she can go find her lifemate. I love that each of the men had hope and she gave them even more details that would help them down the road.
The one thing I've always hated about this series is that the men can say the binding words and the woman have no say. The author always plays it off as the woman not minding after its done but protesting all the way up to when it happens.
I really love how the series has evolved to add different types of issues and the 4 gates, if not it would just be the same thing over and over. I knew from the first few chapter that her dad would die, just the way it was written and how the author mentioned he withdrew without his wife. I was a bit surprised when Aura said she wants the actual guardian of the gate, but never told Safia because she had too much on her plate. She guarded a gate that wasn't even hers for 2000 years, I was hoping she would leave with the men at the end. I want her to find her happy ending she had such a hard life so lonely. Maybe later on once she trains Safia on guarding the gate she can go find her lifemate. I love that each of the men had hope and she gave them even more details that would help them down the road.
The one thing I've always hated about this series is that the men can say the binding words and the woman have no say. The author always plays it off as the woman not minding after its done but protesting all the way up to when it happens.
kassibaby84's review against another edition
4.0
Another great book by Christine Feehan. Just when I think the Dark series is getting a little repetitive, she introduces some twists. I’m enjoying the introduction of tarot, demons and the underworld. I loved Safia’s family and the Algerian setting and how they implied her family was more conservative which fits Algeria but also slightly modern in how they they raised their women to be strong warriors. I was surprised to see Draven Dubrinsky in the story but glad he finally got killed off for good!
I can’t wait for the stories for Benedek, Nicu, Mataias, Lojos, and Tomas.
I can’t wait for the stories for Benedek, Nicu, Mataias, Lojos, and Tomas.