DARK CHALLENGE (DARK, BOOK #5) BY CHRISTINE FEEHAN: BOOK REVIEW

Dark Challenge

Dark, Book #5

By Christine Feehan

ISBN# 9780505524096

Author’s Website:  http://www.christinefeehan.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Julian Savage is a powerful ancient Carpathian.  And, like most males of his race, he has lost the ability to see colors and feel emotions as he has grown older.  The only thing that can bring back his emotions and colors is to find his lifemate, the one woman meant for him.  However, the race is dying off.  There are only a handful of women and not nearly enough for all their men.  Living a bleak existence, with no hope for nearly 800 years, Julian has decided to meet the dawn.  However, he has one last task to complete for his prince first. 

He must warn a young female singer of the human vampire hunters that have shown interest in her.  When Julian hears Desari sing, his entire existence changes.  The impossible happens.  His world is flooded with color and he’s inundated with emotions he hasn’t felt in centuries.  He has finally found his lifemate.  But why him when there are so many other more deserving males?

While Jullian is frozen with the realization of finding his mate, the vampire hunters attack, delivering a killing blow to Desari.  Julian acts fast to save her and binds her to him for all eternity.

Desari has lived her life with her small family.  They travel the world performing.  They thought they were the last of their race until Julian found them.  The group is being hunted by the undead though, who are drawn to the two females.  And, Julian is plagued by his own dark secret.  Can they get past their differences, and keep the women safe?  And, can a man that has lived his life in solitude survive being a part of such a close-nit family?

I’ve struggled with the last several of these books.  I find Feehan’s writing is a bit long-winded and I get bored easily, which is sad because I did like these books when I started the series.  It also bothers me that all the males use the exact same nicknames for their lifemates … switch it up a bit, personalize them some.

However, I found myself intrigued in the beginning of this book when it was discovered that Desari and her family were Carpathian.  It brought a new wrinkle into the series.  And, I liked finding out how they were connected, although it was easy enough to figure out with all the talk of the wars of the past and the fate of the children.   Unfortunately, it made me lose even more respect for one certain Carpathian that I already didn’t like.  He thought he lost his siblings when they were just babes, you would think he’d come running (or flying) if he found out they were alive.  But nope… it was more of an I’ll see ya when I see ya kind of response.  It was quite disappointing.

I liked that Desari had her own powers and wasn’t a complete pushover when it came to Julian.  And, I have to give him credit as well for working with her instead of doing the typical (for this race) mind control to get what he wants.  Well, he did eventually anyway.

I also really liked Desari’s brother, Darius, and would hope he finds his own lifemate soon!  I enjoyed the banter between Darius and Julian and found the two to be a lot of fun.

I had really expected there to be an epilogue where Julian was finally reunited with his twin, Aiden.  But sadly there was not.  I was really looking forward to the emotional encounter and was sad it didn’t happen… at least not in front of us!

This book was just okay, unfortunately, I think I need to take a step away from this series.  Maybe I’ll like it better if I put some space between us for now.