Review: The Darkest Day - Britt Bury

First of all I want to introduce you to my new guest reviewer! *applauds* Rameau!

Intro:

I'm a Finnish girl who'll try anything once, at least. Having said that, there are certainly few genres that rise above others in my affections. I like all things historical, romantic, murder mysteries, and fantasy. The more I read, the pickier I get with my favourites but I'm easily entertained as long as the story is good and on the plotty side. I only complain about technicalities such as grammar and poor characterisations when they prevent me from enjoying the story.

Picture credit goes to http://robbie1328.deviantart.com/ for the vector and to http://twitter.com/#!/goldenhair2 for the rest.

She will hopefully take on a few ebooks for me, so do send those requests and perhaps she will find something to her liking :) But first a book she got from NG:

------------------------------------------------

Review:

This might be a case of mislaid expectations. I was hoping for a paranormal with romance and erotica on the side, not an erotica with romance and paranormal on the side. But that's what I got. When the main couple wasn't having sex they were thinking about sex instead of things that normal individuals think about. Like survival.

There was a lot of promise there. I like the idea of an alternative world where humans have become extinct and immortals, demons, vampires, and such rule the earth. I like the idea of following different clans and watching their family feuds evolve. I like the idea of a rich and complex world-building with endless adventures and pairings--on the side.

All the plot points were hit, all the beats in the character arcs were hit, I just didn't like how the tune was played. I didn't like the excessive use of words female and male as substitutes for woman and man nor did I like how the Scottish accent was implied with a no. I don't like the overtly done eroticism that appears shallow without any real character development shown during the story arc.

Bury's writing style isn't for me. I prefer a subtler touch. I prefer heavier emphasis on the plot and showing the action. Internal monologues are important in the sense that they're the window into a character's mind, but I've always preferred houses with smaller window to all-glass houses. And I happen to think that whatever windows the author offers should only confirm what can be inferred from the garden of the text.

I might be too harsh referring to Izel as a too stupid to live or a vapid, insipid diva and ingenue heroine, but I can't help it. While I appreciated the fact that she didn't go down without a fight and just let Kelvin carry her to the Kerr Castle, the manner in which she kept showing her independence was the most inane way possible. It was like she didn't have a sense of self-protection or survival.

She's told that she's human and that anyone within a paranormally enhanced scenting distance can smell her, and what does she do? She goes gallivanting in town. Admittedly she had magical help to disguise herself, but nowhere was it said how long or how thoroughly the effects would last. This and the handling of her change in the beginning made me think the author hadn't thought through Izel's reactions to her newly found humanity. Bury was trying but couldn't quite nail it.

As a character Kelvin, the Pookah, Kerr had more promise, but unfortunately his good qualities were of the one track mind quality. I like my men, fictional and real, more complex than that.

This book also suffers from being the first in a series and the setting up syndrome that comes with it. While I could appreciate getting to know Ian and Ryo, most of the information they provided could have been explained elsewhere.

The ending that either makes or breaks it, this time only saved the three star rating. It was predictable in its outcome but managed to surprise me in the details. There were too many tears throughout, but it would have been truly a sweet moment, if only I'd cared about the characters.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Series:        Immortal Heat #1
pages:         (ebook) 300 according to Goodreads
Title:          The Darkest Day
Publisher:   Grand Central Publishing
Imprint:       Forever Yours
Pub Date:    July 03, 2012
ISBN:         9781455523290
Source:       NetGalley ARC (Advanced Readers Copy)