Review: Cursed by Darkness

Title - Cursed by Darkness

Author - Anna Sanders

Series or Standalone - Book 1 of the Befallen Tides Series

Genre - Urban Fantasy

Publication - Published September 16th 2012

(Goodreads) & (Amazon)

Synopsis

Winx is a daevor: a demon who can coerce people into killing themselves. After using her powers to avenge her sister’s death, she’s sentenced to have her wings severed and serve as a soldier. But Winx refuses to play by the rules. She goes into hiding at a BDSM club in Los Angeles where nobody would think to look for a deadly daevor.

Keaton’s friends and family are under attack by savages–people who arise from death as soulless monsters. Winx is the only one with the power to defeat them, and Keaton is determined to harness her dark powers… no matter what it takes.

Cursed by Darkness is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy by Anna Sanders, available Fall 2012!

Review 

I received a copy of Cursed by Darkness from a member giveaway from Librarything. Winx is a demon known as a daevor because she's gifted with the abilities of being able to convince people to do her will as well as kill themselves. When her sister is raped and murdered Winx does what any sister would do she sets out for justice against the humans who killed her. However the three don't see it as justice instead they see it as an attack against the humans because Winx used her gift to have them mutilate themselves to death. The three devise a punishment for her that they feel is satisfactory first they remove her wings which will never grow back and drop her into their military boot camp training her to kill Savages (Zombies).

Winx has other plans, she's not the killing type and disapears in L.A. working at Skinned a strip club where she can let the little demon part of herself out. She's content to hide away from the three and live her life as a human until a handsome bandit shows up at the club looking for her. Wanting him to leave she agrees to talk to him if only to find out how he found her. When he tells her of the Savages killing his pack and that she's the only one who can help them, she doesn't bat an eye, it's when he tells her he was sent to find her by a lixyn a higher demon. Winx decides that the three know she's in L.A. and running off with Keaton might be the best choice.

The pair head for Colorado where Keaton’s pack is waiting for them slaying the Savages on their way.  Once they arrive in the forest Keaton heads off to find his pack and get clearance to bring Winx into the pack because they keep the location secret. While waiting for Keaton Winx takes a nap but is waken when she hears Savages attacking a lixyn demon that is up a tree, even though she’s not a fan of Lixyn she heads into the forest to save the girl. Only after saving her does she learn that she’s a princess daughter to the queen lixyn and she’s on a secret mission.

I love the cover art it just screams read me so of course I was super excited to win a copy. I really like Winx as a character my heart went out to her when she had her wings brutally removed. She's a strong character but she does have her few and far between fragile spots. I really liked the concept for the book; I found it unique since a demon was hunting zombies in essence. The story is the first in the series so we do have a little bit of building but it does have its action spots as well.  I found the chemistry between Winx and Keaton exciting they are two different creatures yet they are finding a common ground and building onto more than just a friendship. I love a good story with a little romance and Cursed by Darkness was exactly what I hoped it would be. Overall I feel the characters are well developed enough that the story flows smoothly along, creating a world I want to know more of as well as what happens next to Winx and Keaton. I look forward to reading more about Winx and her journey to gain her freedom.  

Rating 4 out of 5 Stars