To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations going into Dark Kiss. I’d read mixed reviews. It’s about fallen angels (I have odd chances with them from time to time). The blurb didn’t entirely grab at me to make me eager enough to anticipate it. Basically, I judged a book by the cover. The cover is really a bowl of H-O-T, okay? So, I went into the story with a bit of caution. I was wary, and had low expectations from the start. I didn’t get my hopes up on this one. I didn’t want to because it seems anytime I do get high expectations for a book, it ends up being too high, and then it disappoints (in most cases). I’m glad I went into Dark Kiss with this too. After I finished, it ended up being much better than I thought it would be. The plot was curious, mysterious, and well-thought out. I was fascinated throughout, but left with some questions at the end. Perhaps this was purely intentional because it’s the first book to a series and these questions will be answered later. At least, I hope. I couldn’t connect with all the characters. In fact, the main interest (or at least who I think is the main interest), I found almost forgettable and seemed more like an insta-love. This could be a slight annoyance, but it didn’t turn me away from the STORY (which is rare, because I‘m big into characterization and development), which was extremely solid and well-detailed. Bishop just didn’t capture my interest though. I didn’t feel his personality at all, and didn’t see how there could be any interest in him other than “Oh my, he’s cute.”(from the character's perspective). And really, to go off on a little rant here, let’s stop teaching our readers that it’s just about looks, but there’s got to be some personality shown in there. Flaws included. I don't like the female characters swooning all the time over the male's looks, but can't even tell the reader a single thing about him, as simple as a favorite color or what makes him laugh. End of rant.I liked Samantha. She’s determined and strong in mind. She’s facing some challenges here, but keeps moving forward despite them instead of becoming all angst and whiney. Right on. My favorite character of all though? Kraven. He was most definitely memorable. A smart-ass, sarcastic, and hilarious demon (with a personality that jumped from the pages) that I just adored. Overall, the world-building and pacing were fantastic, though I was still at a bit of a loss and confused at the end. However, it’s a series I’m sure to continue in the future. It was a page-turner and kept me reading long into the early morning hours. I definitely look forward to more Kraven.
