Book Reviews of The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, Bk 2)

If it wasn't for the side stories involving Paris and Reyes, and the lore behind the Lords and the Titans, I wouldn't have finished this. Lucien and Anya were so annoying; I didn't care for either of them. Their constant doubts about their feelings for each other got old really quickly. Their instant attraction smacked of desperation instead of sizzling passion. This book was such a departure from the first one, which I liked a lot. I'm going to read Reyes story and hope that his romance with Danika is much better than Lucien and Anya's.

Gods of the Underworld -

You can't top Showalter in this series. If you enjoy J. R. Ward or possibly Laurell K. Hamilton you will like this one. I'm on the 'wait' list for the rest of the books! GREAT paranomal erotic.

Much better than the first in the series. Myabe she just had a lot to set up in the first book, but in this I thought it was really good.

This was the same in quality as the other books in this series. I loved that Lucian, always described as so ugly and hideous, is so attractive to Anya. I liked how she treated him and how much she cared for him. I wasn't in love with the ending, I don't like Anya that much, she's rather annoying, and as with all the books in this series (maybe all Showalter books?) the editing is non-existent. So many malapropisms, poor grammar, and typographical errors, it is very distracting. But Showalter writes a compelling story, so despite the distractions, I was able to enjoy the book.

I started the second book in the Lords of the Underworld series with some reluctance. I had recently read some bad reviews. I am really glad that I stuck to my philosophy of "make your own decision". I really enjoyed this book. As with Maddox from the first book, Lucien is a He-man, protect my woman despite everything, type of guy. Before the testosterone overtakes the reader though, Anya interjects some strong female, not taking your crap, situations. Anya's antics and teasing make Lucien, who houses the demon of Death, seem almost vulnerable and humanized. All in all, it was a great book that kept me reading long into the hours of the night.

These immortal men were once warriors for the Gods. After the warrior Pandora was entrusted to guard the infamous box (of demons), the warriors were jealous that they had not been chosen to guard the box. They attacked her and opened the box. As punishment the warriors were each given a demon to house within themselves for all eternity.

Lucien has the demon of death within him. He not only has to bring souls to heaven and hell - his demon craves the kill and hunt - so he must try to keep his demon at bay. Anya is the goddess of anarchy and chaos seems to follow her. Lucien is charged by the Gods to kill her. Anya may know how to find an ancient relic that Lucien and the other Lords of the Underworld are looking for.

A great story that is action packed and filled with romantic tension. The second installment of the Lords of the Underworld series - it is just as good as the first! Can't wait to read the next one!

This was even better than the first one. Good series.

Love Love Loved IT!!

Put a fork in me, I'm done. I wasn't crazy about the first book but I thought I'd give Gena Showalter another try. Her plots are good and creative but her writing style is booooooorrrrring. She has a tendency to drag everything out. I really tried to like this series but I couldn't get into it. He dialog is horrible too. It makes me cringe and roll my eyes.

This is an entertaining book but I am finding that I seem to wish for more story in my book. Ms. Showalters style seems to focus more on the sexual relationship than the story. I find myself actually skimming the sex scenes to get back to the storyline. (Did I just say that?!?!) I do think the premise of the series and characters are well written and thought out. It has great potential. I just find the sex more pornographic than erotic and sexy. Could be me and maybe I am just used to JD Robb/Nora Roberts and Sherrilyn Kenyon; their sex isn't as violent to me.

It is a book worth reading if you tend to like the paranormal, as I do. Just be prepared to steam up your reading glasses. :)

I absolutely love this book, could not put it down! I love Gena Showalter now and this is only the 2nd book I have read of hers. I cannot wait to pick up the next book on Reyes. And when her 4th comes out in a couple months I will probably have to buy it new!
So good, definetly recommend this to others, it would be best if you start with Book 1 on Maddox so you get the foundation of everyone and every thing else going on, as it all continues in this book and the next. Love it ! LOve it!

I love this series from Gena Showalter. If you like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters You'll love these books!

This is a great series. Readers would definately want to read the series in order to know the characters and history. I'm ready to read about Reyes next.

Very good book, lots of action!

I can't love this. I want to, but I just can't get past Anya (a minor God) and how drawn out her annoyance was. Once her and Lucien (the immortal that hold the demon of daeth) got togther it was hot, steamy, and worth the wait. I found a lot of repetition after a while. I easily put this book down and forgot about it for 3 weeks, then decided to push to the end because I loved the first so much and I missed the stories. I am glad I finished it and I am jumping right into book three.

Started reading this series because of a friend and now I'm in love with it. I can't wait to read the second! A mix of romance with Greek Mythology - a perfect combination for my taste. I love Anya, she's a very interesting character and a little unpredictable while Lucian is just sexy. I'm still waiting for Torin's romance novel to come out though. An overall good read for romance and Greek Mythology lovers! I highly recommend this series.

Love Gena Showalter

Great new series gods, demons, challenges, romance cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Now that I've read the first in series I'm really hooked. Love it.

I read this book in a few hours!! Loved it! Lucien was a man who thought he'd made himself so that a woman would not look at him, much less fall in love with him! Well he was completly wrong, Anya wanted him from the minute she saw him! They both fought to push each other away but that only made them want each other more.

This series is totally romance. The storyline is week and paranormal. Easy, fluff read.

Loved this book. Showalter's writing is easy to read, and quite entertaining. I am still planning on reading the rest of the series, as I already have them all. These are keepers!

Ok so Anya is a little annoying. BUT SUUUUCH a good series.

The concept was good, the execution was terrible. The story barely held my interest long enough to finish the book. There were far too many characters with too many names to keep track of. The love story was at times rushed and at times too labored. There are far better paranormal romances out there. I returned the second book in the series before reading it.

Very good!

great book in a series,,fast moving never a dull ,moment

This is a great series.

Not as good as book 1 but still good. The story line between the couple just seems to drag on forever.

I enjoyed this book. I look forward to finishing the series.

Gena Showalter is a good writer with a wonderful imagination. This book is pretty good.

This is a great paranormal romance. It isn't all sappy love scenes, but actually has action too.

Excellent the story of Death, continues the Lords of the Underworld series well.

An amazing job of using the myth of pandora's box and the demons it held. Lucien aka the bearer of the demon of Death, has met his match in the chaotic goddess of Anarchy. Lucien, once the leader of the guards of the gods, now banished to earth with the rest of his men and punished to hold the demon Death, is kept on his toes when he is ordered by the new king of the gods, Cronus, to either kill Anarchy or to take her most prized possession.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? Well then, what happens when you annoy or tick off a goddess of Chaos?

I loved this book, along with the prequel and the sequels. It is about Anya, a minor goddess of anarchy, and Lucien, the the keeper of Death. Anya has very little morals and breaks every possible rule. Lucien is her exact opposite, lots of morals and a rule follower. Now Cronus, king of the titans, wants Anya dead and its Lucien's job to do the deed.
It was a great book that I have read over and over again. Once you have read one of Gena's books you'll want to get the others, you will not find any books like Gena's.

couldn't get far enough into it to care about it. don't bother.

I've read and loved the entire series but this is my favorite. I love Anya - she's very funny and a strong heroine.

Summary:
She has tempted many men… but never found her equal.
Until now.
Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death—a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.
But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining.…

I love both of the main characters in this book. Anya is strong and independent, Lucian is controlled and methodical, and they both totally mess with each others heads. The book was steamy enough, and the plot line had sufficient twists. This book was more about the plot as a whole than the last book, which was good, but some of it seemed too rushed. For example, when Anya went from "Your ok" to "I love you"...I felt a bit rushed for that emotional leap. Lucian was a goner from the beginning though. I am curious as to what is going to happen with Paris, and the hunter getting killed, tricky, tricky. Overall not to bad, but not as good as the first still...two more to go though, hopefully one of them will trump Maddox and Ashlyn.

For information or for purchasing visit Gena Showalter's webpage.

EXTRA: You can get great prices on Gena Showalter's books through eharlequin.com.

Also posted: http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2009/10/book-review-darkest-kiss-by-gena.html

This trilogy is worth the read.

I loved this book. The romance is hot throughout the whole thing. I also like the storyline. This was much better than the first one in my opinion. I really loved the whole love hate relationship. It was so cute and how hot is Lucien! OMG I loved him. I'm sorry that their story has come to an end, but I'm sure I'll will be revisiting them in the future. Sorry this is one book that won't be released back into the system.

I have enjoyed this whole series. It is a nice change from my vampire books I usually read.

Great series. Read in order but its really not necessary.

good series. enjoyable read.

My daughter & myself are really enjoying this series you can't put them down.

The first book in this series, The Darkest Night, was average. I continued with this, the second book, in hopes that the series would improve--and I was much rewarded. The background and circumstances already having been established, Showalter is able to deliver a much more compelling love story.

Lucian is the keeper of the Demon Death, and is forced to escort the souls of the dead to either heaven or hell. He is commanded by the Titan king Cronus to kill the goddess of Anarchy, Anya. Anya has been stalking Lucian for some time by this point, finding herself fascinated by him. Her past is marked by a curse and a secret gift from her father, making her existence treacherous and complicated. But her attraction for Lucian, and his for her, quickly overshadows all of that.

Lucian is a fascinating, complex, sexy character. The theme of Death is equally fascinating. Anya is the exact opposite of the typical fainting,helpless, virginal heroine. She is pushy, destructive, and fun. Their love story is hot and romantic.

The biggest problem with this book, like The Darkest Night, is pacing. The plot is well thought out but drags in some places, particularly at the beginning, then skips ahead rapidly as if in a hurry to finish. To me this is likely an issue of poor outlining on the authors part. It does not detract much from the romance, but it makes the tension level awkward.

I recommend this book to anyone who read the first--whether you liked it or not--because it is a huge improvement on the Lord of the Underworld universe.

well written story. Keeps you thorougly engaged throughout.

Was ok, took me a few days to finish. I couldn't get into it.

Awesome! I have loved all the books in this series and can't wait for the next one!

i love gena's books! now i've caught up on this series. book 4 comes out in a few.
spicey love,and action, i hope paris, gets to have a book too.
glenna

The Lords of the Underworld series are a must read! If you are like me...a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Darkhunter series, then you will enjoy this series.

This series just gets better and better.Lucien and Anya are ideally matched. Fun, laughter and tears. A great book.