Dark Flame by Alyson Noel

Here’s a bite from Ms. Noel’s website: In this eagerly awaited continuation of the bestselling Immortals series, Ever struggles to help her best friend Haven transition into life as an immortal—trying to keep her from doing anything that puts them at risk, while attempting to gain control over her enemy Roman, so she can finally obtain the antidote that will allow her and Damen to be together. But when the spell she casts backfires, resulting in a strange, foreign pulse that binds her to Roman instead, Ever turns to Jude and dark magick, desperately attempting to break free of the curse, and ultimately risking everything she knows and loves—including her beloved Damen.

My take on things

I’ve been a big fan of the Immortal series in the past. However, I did not read Shadowland, the book just before this one in the series. I have to say that my favoritism is waning. I’m just not that into it anymore. Sorry Ms. Noel. It may have something to do with the constant gazing going on. If the characters looked at each other at all, they were gazing or averting their gaze or avoiding another’s gaze. It was like a gaze craze. At one point, it was there four times in the two pages I was reading.

I’m also getting a little worn on Ever not feeling that she’s deserving of Damen’s love. I mean at some point, get a little self worth. If you don’t see yourself worthy of this guy, then he might start seeing you in that same light. I know this is fiction, but young women today have enough self esteem issues without fictional characters validating those feelings; it is okay to start out that way, but character growth is important too. I don’t particularly like Haven (Ever’s best friend) anymore either. She’s a brat, plain and simple.

I will say that I did like the overall message of you as an individual being in control of what you give power to in your life. If you concentrate on something negative, even if it’s eradicating it from your life, you are still concentrating on it and drawing its negative energy to you. The message is to live the best life you know how, to surround yourself with positive energy and a feeling of acceptance in your life. By concentrating on the positive, you draw more positive energy into you and thusly improve your life as a whole. Like I said, I’m all down with that message. Not that I’m great at putting it into practice, but I do try. I just think that positive message is cloaked in some negative self talk by the main character.

So, I would love to say that I’ll read the next in what now seems like a never-ending series. But, sadly I think my romance with the Immortal series has taken a final punch to my heart chakra. I will give this 2 ½ swaks.

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Here's a quick bit from Ms. Noel's gorgeous site:  Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever's powers are increasing, Damen's are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen's past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

This is the second book in the Immortals series.  The first book had me ditching out of work to finish it.  This one I read in one sitting on a Saturday.  These are books that I can really lose myself in.  I equate it to reading a People magazine instead of Time.  Ya' know what I mean.  I don't know if the first person, present tense writing draws me in, but I can become absorbed in them easily.

Ever is with Damen and things are initally going well.  Then the fly in the ointment arrives (kind of a disgusting phrase isn't it).  Things go from bad to pretty horrible.  I'm beginning to wonder if this girl...oops almost gave something away there.  Needless to say, I'm now hooked on the series, and will of course keep reading.  The cover of this one, while good, I don't think is great.  But I'll give this book 4 roses.

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Here’s a blurb from Ms. Noel’s site: Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people's thoughts, and know a person's entire life story by touch. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen.


Damen Auguste is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head—wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can see straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is—or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

Okay, I have to admit, I’m a total sucker for books like this. Being taken on the whole story of girl meets hot boy, girl falls for said boy, wait…then there’s some issue, will it all work out in the end? The only thing that bummed me a bit was it took awhile for their relationship to get going.  I did really enjoy this book though. So much in fact, that now I’m hooked on the series and am going to read the rest. Ssshh, don’t tell anyone but one day I stopped in to have lunch and was reading during lunch, I just decided to play hooky and finish reading the book right there in Tokoyo Joe’s. I love Ever’s friends, especially Miles. He’s just so honest, blunt, and that’s a good quality in a friend. The cover (even my son remarked) looks like the same girl on North of Beautiful. A lovely cover all the same. I could totally see this being a movie. I got swept up in this and am going to give it 4 roses!