Promise of Darkness (Dark Court Rising #1)by Bec McMaster
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Synopsis:
Princess. Tribute. Sacrifice. Is she the one prophesied to unite two warring Fae courts? Or the one bound to destroy them?
In a realm ruled by magic, the ruthless Queen of Thorns is determined to destroy her nemesis, the cursed Prince of Evernight.
With war brewing between the bitter enemies, the prince forces Queen Adaia to uphold an ancient treaty: she will send one of her daughters to his court as a political hostage for three months.
The queen insists it’s the perfect opportunity for Princess Iskvien to end the war before it begins. But one look into Thiago’s smoldering eyes and Vi knows she’s no assassin.
The more secrets she uncovers about the prince and his court, the more she begins to question her mother’s motives.
Who is the true enemy? The dark prince who threatens her heart? Or the ruthless queen who will stop at nothing to destroy him?
And when the curse threatens to shatter both courts, is her heart strong enough to break it?
Review:
Promise of Darkness was enchanting and quickly stole my heart. From that first page I was addicted and it was impossible to put this book down. Especially since the world building was imaginative and rich. And the characters slowly became embedded into my heart. It was so easy to fall deeply in love with them and the world they lived in. So if you’re a fan of romantic stories that involve fae, Jennifer L. Armentrout or Wendy Higgins, definitely add this one to your tbr.
The worst part of this entire affair may be the fact that even though he’s my worst nightmare, he looks like he stepped directly from my dreams.
As part of an ancient treaty, Princess Iskvien, was to be sent away as a political hostage. She was to live with Thiago, The Prince of Darkness, for three months. And it would be the perfect opportunity to murder him, since war had been looming between their two courts. Yet as it all unfolded, there was so much more to this story. It was inspired by the Hades and Persephone myth, so if you’re familiar with that, you may have an idea where part of this story was going. But lies, betrayal, deceit, love, and friendship were splashed across the pages and I loved discovering what was truly going on. On top of it all, there was a curse that threatened the courts.
He’s the enemy of my people.
The prince who holds a blade to the throat of everyone I love.
A monster.
Except, he hasn’t hurt me. Not once.
I absolutely loved Princess Iskvien, aka Vi! She was smart, resourceful and thought on her feet. And I loved that she made me smile, laugh and cheer her on. She could be so stubborn, so it was no surprise that she refused to take her current predicament lying down. I had so much respect for her and I loved watching her grow into someone who could be fierce and brave.
Dangerous.
This is far too dangerous.
And yet, I could no more resist him, than I could pluck the moon from the sky with my fingers.
Then there was The Prince of Evernight, aka Thiago, who was addictive, patient and kind. He loved deeply and put his faith and trust into those close to him. Yet he could be so ruthless and dark. You could easily see how he earned his right to be his court’s ruler. But when it came to Vi, we saw so many sides of him. Especially when he would protect her. And for reasons I can’t say why, he was beyond tortured and suffered deeply. Thiago was the ultimate book boyfriend who was so easy to root for and love.
I want to forget he’s my enemy, I want to forget this is a game, forget everything but the sensation of those lips on my skin. Of all the challenges I’ve ever faced, this is the worst.
Because I don’t think one taste will ever be enough.
When Vi moved in with Thiago, she had no problems standing up to him. So each time they went toe to toe, you couldn’t knock the smile off of my face since their antics and banter were smile inducing. And as they slowly started to spend more time with each other, I felt a connection between them. No matter how much Vi fought it, it was there. She also couldn’t fight that so many of their moments together were laced with sexual tension. I found myself desperately wanting them to be so much more.
Dark shadows filled his eyes. “I can hold them off until you get back.”
It’s a lie. I can see it in his eyes. But why would he lie to me? Why risk his life to protect mine? We’re enemies. None of this makes any sense.
Within so many of the pages, secrets and lies filled the air. And those people, including Thiago, seemed to talk in riddles around and to Vi. At times I felt lost, just like her. But I quickly started to put all of the different clues together and I figured out the majority of the twists. It didn’t alter my enjoyment of this book at all. There was still so many moving parts and unknowns to this story. It was impossible for Promise of Darkness not to enrapture my heart.
“My life is yours, my heart, my soul. It always has been, from the second I saw you, curse you . If you want it, all you have to do is take it.”
My heart skips a beat.
“And if I don’t want it?” I whisper, glaring down at him.
Promise of Darkness was magical and easily cast me in its spell. Especially when perilous moments flooded the pages and forced Thiago and Vi to work together. With political unrest and magic weaved into the story, I was fascinated with this world. OH and the side characters added so much to this story, how could I not love this book? So yes, I definitely recommend Promise of Darkness. I’ll be counting down until I can dive into the next book of this series and discover the rest of this author’s books too!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Reading Order:
 Review #1: Jen’s Review |
 Review #1.5: Jen’s Review |
 Review #2: Jen’s Review |
 Review #3: Jen’s Review |
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About Bec McMasters:
I’m a writer. Dreamer. Travel Addict. And enthusiastic-if-not-perfect baker. I’ll honestly admit that I don’t always follow the recipe, be it cooking, or writing romances. If I’m not sitting in front of the computer, I’m probably plotting my next world trip. Or eating chocolate. Sometimes I run. Because…chocolate. I grew up on a steady diet of 80’s fantasy movies like Ladyhawke, Labyrinth and The Princess Bride, and love creating epic, fantasy-based worlds with heroes and heroines who must defeat all the odds to have their HEA. I live in a country town in Australia, with my very own beta hero, Byron; Kobe, a dog who will eat anything (even used teabags); and demanding chickens, Siggy and Lagertha.
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Giveaway:
Wrapped Up in You (
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.
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