Slayed by Darkness (Guardians of Eternity 17.5 / 1001 Dark Nights) by Alexandra Ivy-Review Tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 29, 2021
Only an idiot would try to kidnap Jayla. She’s a take-no-prisoner kind of vampire who rebelled against the previous King of Vampires, and now regularly battles with both human and demon enemies who resent the success of Dreamscape casino she manages in Hong Kong. So when she’s snatched off the streets, she doesn’t bother to struggle. Instead she starts plotting her slow, bloody revenge.
The last creature she expects when she arrives at her destination is Azrael, the mysterious mercenary vampire she killed a century ago.
Azreal has never forgotten Jayla, and not just because she tried to stab a stake through his heart. He’d never encountered a female who could match him in battle. Her raw courage was sexy as hell. And it didn’t hurt that she was drop-dead gorgeous. But, he didn’t abduct her because he desired her. Or at least, that wasn’t his main motivation. He needs her rare talent to stop time. An evil fey has stolen his sword. The weapon is magically bound to him, and unless he retrieves it, he’s doomed to a painful death.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
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REVIEW: SLAYED BY DARKNESS is instalment 17.5 in Alexandra Ivy’s adult GUARDIANS OF ETERNITY paranormal/fantasy romance series, and the latest instalment in the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights series. This is vampires Azreal and Jayla’s story line. SLAYED BY DARKNESS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary
Told from several third person perspectives SLAYED BY DARKNESS focuses on the abduction and attempted assassination of our heroine Jayla. Jayla works as the manager for Dreamscape Casino in Hong Kong but a rival casino manager has demanded some of Jayla’s time. On her way, Jayla finds herself the victim of a potential kidnapping, only to come face to face with the vampire she thought she over seven hundred years earlier. Enter former Viking turned vampire Azreal. As Azreal presents his case for ‘kidnapping’ our heroine, Dreamscapes owner Chiron calls upon our intrepid gargoyle Levet, to help locate his missing manager. What ensues is the building relationship between Azreal and Jayla, and the potential fall-out as something more sinister is going on behind the scenes.
Azreal knew immediately the assassin sent to take him down is his fated mate but our hero was cursed by the fey hundreds of years earlier, and his soul has been trapped inside a magical sword all this time but Azreal woke up to discover the sword had been stolen, and his life was slowly draining with each passing day. Desperate to retrieve the sword, Azreal knows of only one being who is able to control time, and that being is the woman that calls to his heart.
SLAYED BY DARKNESS is a fast paced, novella length story of second chances, of a sorts. Jayla believed she had killed a man for no other reason that having been ordered to do so, and with his return, Jayla got a second chance to make things right.Having been cursed by the Fey, Azreal knew he would probably live a long and lonely life but the return of Jayla meant Azreal had a second chance at his own happily ever after, if only they could retrieve the sword that held his soul. The $ex scenes are limited by passionate.
The secondary and supporting characters included Jayla’s boss Chiron, and her assistant Gideon; rival casino owner Emile; gargoyle Levet and his aunt Bertha.
SLAYED BY DARKNESS is entertaining and engaging; the characters are dynamic-always fun to read about Levet ; the building relationship between Azreal and Jayla focuses on the search for the sword, and the acceptance of one another as each other’s mate.
Previous Reviews (this a list of books we have reviewed at The Reading Cafe. We have read most if not all of the books in the series but have not posted a review !)
When Darkness Comes
Embrace the Darkness
Darkness Everlasting
Darkness Revealed
Darkness Unleashed
Beyond the Darkness
Devoured by Darkness
Taken by Darkness
Darkness Eternal
Bound by Darkness
Where Darkness Lives
Fear The Darkness
Darkness Avenged
Darkness Eternal
Hunt the Darkness
A Very Levet Christmas
When Darkness Ends
Darkness Returns
Beware the Darkness
Conquer the Darkness
Sacrifice of Darkness
Shades of Darkness
Darkness Betrayed
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
Azrael smiled with rueful humor. “You haven’t lost your arrogance, kiska.”
She froze at the sound of his voice. Or maybe it was his Russian endearment. She’d reminded him of a hissing cat the first time he’d seen her. Sleek and elegant and utterly lethal. Her rich lotus scent swirling in the air. “Who are you?”
Azrael leaned toward her. “First, I intend to relieve you of any weapons you have hidden beneath that lovely gown.”
She hissed in outrage. “Touch me, and I’ll kill—”
“Not this time,” he interrupted, sweeping his hands down the length of her torso.
It took an effort, but he kept his touch light, refusing to acknowledge the jolts of pleasure racing through him. She was bound and momentarily helpless. He might be a vampire, but he wasn’t a monster. Not anymore.
He reached the slender length of her legs when he at last found a sheath tied around her upper thigh. Carefully, he pulled out the slender dagger with its silver blade and tossed it onto a chair across the narrow space. Next, he bent to slide off her shoes, lifting the pointed heels to his nose. Poison. Just as he’d suspected.
“Impressive,” he murmured, flipping the shoes to join the dagger. “Now, this.” Grabbing the thick hood, he slowly pulled it off her head.
Jayla blinked, a visible tremor racing through her body as she allowed her gaze to skim over his face before lowering to the white cashmere sweater stretched across his chest and then down to his dark slacks.
At last, she slowly shook her head as if coming out of a dream. Or a nightmare.
“No,” she rasped. “This is a trick.”
“I’m very real,” he assured her, leaning forward. She was clearly in shock, but she hadn’t panicked. And she hadn’t tried to attack. He was willing to take a risk. With quick movements, he unlocked the shackles and let them drop to the floor. Then, he offered her a sensuous smile. “Do you want to touch and prove for yourself?”
Like most writers, I was born with an avid love for reading. Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a book in my hand or wasn’t dreaming up wild stories in my head. And when I stepped into my local library for the first time I thought it was paradise. There were so many books on the shelves I didn’t know where to start!
Still, I didn’t plan to grow up and become a writer. I was much more interested in a glorious career as an actress on Broadway.
I followed my dream by acquiring a degree in theatre and performing for several years in summer-stock productions, but after I married my college sweetheart I decided to put the career on hold while we started a family. After the arrival of my two sons, Chance and Alex, I found myself seeking a new creative outlet and decided to turn my occasional scribblings into a genuine effort to get published.
I’d like to say that I was an overnight success, but the truth is that it took years before I finally got ‘the call’. The rejections were painful, but now I’m relieved. All those manuscripts that I thought were the next Great American Novel are now exactly where they belong…gathering dust under my bed.
They did, however, help me learn my craft, and just as importantly, they gave me the opportunity to enjoy writing in a wide variety of genres as I searched for my voice. Which no doubt explains why I started writing traditional regencies under the name Debbie Raleigh and then moved to steamy historicals under the name Deborah Raleigh before transforming into a contemporary paranormal writer as Alexandra Ivy. Now my career spans everything from erotica to romantic suspense.
When I’m not writing I love to travel, it doesn’t matter where I’m going as long as it doesn’t include any cooking or cleaning. I also love to spend time with my family who continue to be my greatest source of inspiration. And since some things never change…when I have a few minutes, you can still find me with a book in my hand!
Connect with Alexandra:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Terrific review and excerpt, thanks
Great review, Sandy. Looks very good. Thanks.
Looks great, thanks Sandy
Thanks for another wonderful review and excerpt.
Very nice review, thanks for the excerpt.
wonderful review, sandy. sounds like a great story.
Terrific review, Sandy. Another good story for Ivy. Thanks.
Wonderful review, Sandy. Looks like a great addition to this series.
Great review, Sandy Thanks.
Wonderful review, Sandy. I always enjoy Ivy’s books.
Fantastic review thanks.
Thanks for the great review and excerpt Sandy.