Burning Dawn (Angels of the Dark #3) by Gena Showalter- a review

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About the book: Release Date April 29, 2014

A tormented past has left Thane with an insatiable need for violence, making him the most dangerous assassin in the skies.
He lives by a single code: no mercy. And as he unleashes his fury on his most recent captor, he learns no battle could have prepared him for the slave he rescues from his enemy’s clutches—a beauty who stokes the fires of his darkest desires.

Elin Vale has her own deep-rooted scars, and her attraction to the exquisite warrior who freed her challenges her every boundary.
But Thane’s unwavering determination to protect her means she must face her greatest fears—and enter a world in which passion is power, and victory means breathtaking surrender.

Review:

Burning Dawn begins in a Phoenix camp where Thane had been taken prisoner in a previous book and held against his will. Kendra, a Phoenix scorned, if you will, has made it her mission to torment Thane and addict him to the poison that her body secretes. A poison makes Thane crave only Kendra’s touch. When Thane has a moment of semi-lucidity, he tears through the camp searching for Kendra, knowing that something is not quite right. As he is rampaging through the camp, Elin, who herself is being held prisoner, is immediately drawn to him and decides that her best hope for escape would be to help Thane escape. Elin is half Phoenix and watched her entire family murdered by the Phoenix who now held her prisoner.

Thane is subdued once again, but Elin is bound and determined to bring him out of his poison induced stupor so that he can not only free himself, but her as well. She sneaks into Kendra’s tent and steals a new medication, called Frost, that can heal immortals and dilute the poison in his system. And, once she administers it to Thane, it doesn’t take him long to come to himself and call Xerxes and Bjorn, his best friends and fellow Sent Ones. Not only does he free himself and Elin, but takes the Phoenix as his prisoners to his club, the Downfall, where he “displays” them in the courtyard outside the club. And, oh what a display it is. He vows that he will never be at anyone’s mercy ever again, especially a Phoenix. He hates the entire race with his every breath.

Thane gives Elin a job at Downfall, and is drawn to her. But, he knows that a mere human would never be able to withstand his carnal desires. He, Xerxes and Bjorn had been held captive by demons and tortured ruthlessly in the most depraved of ways, and that had changed them in ways that most had a hard time understanding. But, the bond that the three share as a result is unbreakable. Each would willingly give their life for the other.

Elin settles into her new surroundings and gets to know her new roommates, which is a hysterical crew. She finds herself drawn to Thane as well, but once she starts hearing of is “depraved” ways, she tries to talk herself out of her attraction. As does Thane. These two have a long road ahead of them, as the heart wants what it wants. But will Thane be able to truly give himself to Elin once he discovers that she is half Phoenix? Well, of course he will, but, I guarantee you, that the journey will be a tough one for both of them and well worth your time.

I have to be honest. Elin is not the type of heroine that we normally read about in a Showalter story. When I first started, I honestly didn’t know if I’d be able to finish. She talks to herself constantly in almost a cartoonish way and the things that pop into her head left me shaking mine. But, I will say that I’m glad that I continued, because as the story progresses, I found myself starting to understand her way of thinking a little more. She and her roomies are hysterical together. The scenes where they are teaching her to play “dodge boulder” are truly LOL funny. And, once she and Thane start interacting more, the story flowed easily. Thane and his cohorts are, to borrow a word from a friend, totally swoonworthy. Their dedication to each other will melt your heart. Elin comes into her own and I found myself totally rooting for her and she ends up kicking ass in the end, which totally redeemed her in my eyes. There are some awesome action scenes and we get to see a few friends from the Lords of the Underworld, which is always a bonus!!!! In my opinion, Gena Showalter had wavered from her original style of writing in the last couple of books, but is back on track with this one. Even though this wasn’t my favorite in the series, it was a good story and I look forward to the next.

Reviewed by Vickie M.