jacqueline1989 's review for:

Night Embrace by Sherrilyn Kenyon
5.0



Read: October 22, 2013 – October 25, 2013
Read: July 19, 2010
Read: January 15, 2009 – January 17, 2009
Read: November 2008
Read: April 2007
Read: January 1, 2005

Love, pain, loss, blessings, death, reunion, sacrifice, torture, happiness, parenthood, responsibility, darkness, evil, honor, goodness, determination, and redemption are just an itsy-bitsy list of the themes with which Night Embrace is gonna rock your world. You're gonna laugh, you're gonna cry, you're gonna face-scream and applause pretty much throughout the entirety of this awesome behemoth. Put simply, Bilbo had it right - this book's gonna adventure you so hardcore. And, this loveliness starts, of course, with Talon of the Morrigantes.



Basically, he's the epitome of a bad-ass. A Celtic bad-ass, even. However, in my not so important opinion, while I adore Talon (because c'mon, how could you not?) I find his back-story, while heart breaking, less so in comparison to other tragic Dark-Hunter stories. Mind you, this could be my being a picky-ass, but Talon's personal tragedies were often brought about by his own choices. These choices, and while understandable, put a distance in my adoration of him. I fully admit, though, that my wanting to slap him upside the head with a crowbar, on occasion, did contribute to making him a fleshed out character.



(*Grins.*) Joking aside, Talon is unique among the DH boys for, while scrumptious and tortured, he frequently allows his emotions to get the better of him, thus making him seem more human than any other Dark-Hunter. I like Tally, but there exists an element that makes me want to throttle him right before I hug him. Still, while bodaciously adorable and likeable, it's Talon's sense of humor that wins him All Of The Loves. His dynamic with Nick, Acheron, fellow Dark-Hunters, hell, even with frenemies like Zarek, will undoubtedly leave your face muscles aching from laughter. Of course, speaking of laughter, we can't neglect Sunshine Runningwolf.



Yep. I admit it; I totally love her with much love. Of all the heroines that could be written, she is the single most memorable. Without question this girl struts on the page with bucket-loads of personality that grab you be the shirt and ask, "Who IS this chick?" A flibbertigibbet artist who is unquestionably a refugee from a hippie camp, what makes Sunny so adorable is, yes, her forgetfulness, yes, her love of life, but most importantly her heart. While Talon is her antithesis in the small things, the two share a kindness for others that is remarkable, and down right adorable.



Oh, by the way, did I mention the plot?! Holy-crap-stick, THE PLOT! This baby comes in at a whopping 408 pages, and that's a bit long for a standard mass market paperback, but trust that this sucker doesn't lag. We've got pissed off gods, renegade Dark-Hunters, an "let's-avoid-the-apocalypse" story line, not to mention a most excellent cast of supporting characters. Interestingly, while the plot does take a backseat to the romantic buildup and relationship of Talon and Sunshine (we'll get to that in a minute, friends), when this sucker arrives for the climax, it busts onto the scene with TNT. The surrounding plot threads make this book unquestionably fun, mind-blowing, and definitely worth the read. As for the actual romance between Talon and Sunshine? Well...



I know, I know! (*Ducks behind couch to avoid the rotten tomatoes.*) Sadly, I'm not really in the Fangirl Camp for these two awesome characters. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love them as characters, and while I do believe the HEA at the end, I never really felt the connectivity between them as their story was unfolding. I think this stems largely from the soul mate aspect (you'll see when you read), but because of this it made their romance difficult for me. I still heart them, I did love the book, and I enjoyed Talon and Sunshine interacting, but as for the love-story itself? Gotta say no. The book kicks copious ass, even outside the lovey-dovey element, if for no other reason than climax, the supporting cast, and the universe around Talon and Sunshine. These elements make this book so frakking good.



You request it, Night Embrace, and you damned sure get it.