Dark Challenge audiobook

4 New Family Stars*Spoilers* Sing for me, cara mia. I love the sound of your voice. It is a miracle. You bring me peace and joy when you sing. You make my body burn as it never has before. Sing for me.-JulianFirst read June 2012 Reread January 18, 2016Reread January 27, 2017Reread Nov 2, 2020Dark Challenge the 5th book in the Dark series by Christine Feehan was a nice read. But for me a little slow which is why it's a 4 star and not 5. Julian and Desari are a very sweet couple and I enjoyed reading about Desari's family. There is just something I love about the Carpathian series. It's my Happy Zone. The whole lifemate thing is so sweet. I love the idea of one soul mate fated forever. Though a few things happened in this book for the most part it was a more laid back easy read and focused more on Julian and Desari's relationship.You seem to forget I am no fledgling but your equal. Do not waste your energy attempting the impossible. Destroy this vampire if you must, then return to me quickly. We will discuss your conceit on the next rising.-Desari "I want you so much, Desari, just like this, so wild with need you cannot be without me. Feel it, the fire between us, my body in yours where I belong. I am part of you like your heart, like your breasts." He bent to lavish attention on her nipples, pulling strongly with his mouth. "I never want this to end."-JulianJulian was a very laid back chilled kinda guy. He had a very sarcastic sense of humor. Julian could be pretty caveman in his thinking but most of the Carpathian men are. Julian had a very lonely life. He had a secret that he was deeply ashamed about. Julian was a quick learner when it came to women, his lifemate in particular. He gave up his idea of women listening and obeying for the pipe dream it was, and learned to compromise. Desari was very independent and confident in herself. Desari loved her family and career and had no plans of giving them up. She was an ancient like Julian so she had her own power and good control over it. Desari was a bit of a trouble maker, she didn't like being dictated to. Desari fought her relationship with Julian for a very short time, but for the most part jumped right in. "I believe in God, Julian. I always have. Living through the centuries as we have, I have witnessed many wonderful, miraculous things he has wrought. I believe we were created two halves of the same whole. I had no idea this was so until I met you, but I am now convinced. I would never want another, never fit with another. I can feel that we are right together, and I do not believe God would put together two creatures who did not suit one another." -Desari "Then I will have to be more careful the next time to be slow and thorough. I want you to be completely satisfied in all things, lifemate." Her slender arms circled his neck. "You know I am. And if you were much more thorough, we might both be dead."-Julian and DesariBoth Julian and Desari were pretty accepting of finding their lifemate the bumps in their relationship were more from learning to live together. There was a lot of steamy hot sex in this book as our couple couldn't keep their hands off each other. Julian and Desari got along well together and Julian fit in nicely with Desari's family. You are the lifemate of a sensitive, modern male. Julian's lazy amusement warmed her further, confirming what she already suspected, that he often stayed a shadow in her mind. How fortunate for me.-Julian and Desari "The way you love me, Julian, so beautifully, so much, that is the way I love you. You are everything to me. If only we have the next few moments together, everything that came before was worth the time we have had."-DesariI really loved getting to know the members of Desari's family Darius, Dayan, Barack, and Syndil. Barack is a bit of a playboy. He is the only Carpathian male in the whole series where they tell you he messed around with other women, not that other Carpathian males are virgins the books just don't talk about it. You don't have to see it but, (view spoiler)[ Syndil is his lifemate so she had to watch for years while he ran around with human women. But to Barack credit he didn't know Syndil was his lifemate, They didn't get raised with other Carpathian's. They didn't know what lifemates were and they were raised as babies together. So for a long time he thought his feelings were because they were raised like brother and sister. When he figures out she is his lifemate he doesn't touch another. (hide spoiler)] Syndil was attacked by a vampire so she was very withdrawn, and fearful of men. She carries shame feeling like she somehow caused the attack. Dayan has a poet soul. Dayan is more of a lover not a fighter kind of guy. Darius is my favorite of the group. He is a lot like Gregori which is understandable since him and Desari are Gregori's lost brother and sister. Darius is very powerful. He has a lot of honor and raised all the others since they were babies when he was only 6. He is bossy, and arrogant of course. I can't wait for Darius's book! Overall a great read and a nice addition to the series!"You have a perfect mouth, Julian. An amazingly perfect mouth." He arched an eyebrow at her. "Just my mouth is amazing?" "You are such a man." Her eyes laughed at him. "You need constant reassurance that you are magnificent." He nodded. "Magnificent. I like that. I could live with magnificent. Good choice of words, lifemate."-Desari and Julianhttps://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessi...["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

"Dark Challenge" is the 5:th instalment in the Paranormal "Dark Carpathian"-series and is just as awesome as the former books in the series.I have no idea how Christine Feehan does it to me everytime.It must be her way of writing and expressing.The way she makes her fantasy come alive with heartfelt words and characters that makes you root for them.Carpathian warrior Julian Savage is just getting ready to meet the dawn when he meets his lifemate in the woman Gregori had sent him to warn that she was in danger from the human society of vampire hunters,the alluring carpathian female singer Desari who captures his soul at first sight.But inside Julian`s soul lives a hidden shadow threatening now the woman who is the reason for his existence.Desari "Dara" Daratrazanoff is a ancient female carpathian who together with her siblings has resided in secrecy in the form of band members against other vampires.She never thought her heart and reason of living would be taken away by the golden stranger that haunts her mind.She is a heroine with tremendous compassion and goodness and i loved how she welcomed her intense feelings for Julian while she still demanded respect from him.She was so worthy of that respect since she knew what it meant to be a hunter of the undead and knew when Julian had to lead the path without her stubbornly defying him (like the other heroines do).It made it even more better that she is the lost sister of Gregori the Dark One.I loved her amazing ability to use her voice for power and was a badass of her own in the way she controlled it with ease.I found myself enthranced as Julian was of her!***"You are mine, cara mia, and you cannot die. I would not go quietly to my death without avenging you. The world could not conceive of such a monster as I would become. You must drink, piccola, for yourself, your life, for me, for our life together. " -Julian Savage***Julian Savage is a intriguing character i have met few times in the former books,one of the ancient carpathian warriors who lives in isolation from his own people and even his beloved twin brother Aidan Savage(hero in "Dark Gold").All because he was cursed by the mark of darkness from a evil ancient master vampire when he was just a boy.It has eaten him up for centuries of shame and disgust that he had let himself be manipulated and that the vampire could control him through the mark inside of him.Julian Savage is one golden man that i want for myself.Like his name he is wild,still as the mountains and as relentlessly unyielding.He could be the rush of the wind and as brutal killer as any other and in his agony-a monster without equal.It has come to a point where he saw no reason to continue his existence until he hears the beautiful voice of his lifemate.I absolutely love how Desari and Julian are together,how they cherish and love each other and in the way they can`t function without each other.This book has it all i crave in this genre.It has hardcore action,fantasy to die for,sexy romance and a adventure i want to explore all over again.It was wonderful to read about a great couple like Julian and Desari.They made me swoon in their every scene together!!Then we have Desari`s older brother Darius a very much powerful carpathian male..also the younger brother of Gregori the Dark One.That makes him so much more compelling in my eyes!!!I mean he is so cold and empty inside that i was feeling for him.He can no longer feel any love,only remember feeling it that it saddens me to watch him want to end his existence.But now when he knows about lifemates he is willing to wait for his woman and i am so happy for him since i know he will have his happy ending in "Dark Fire".

Julian Savage and DesariJulian is a another Carpathian on the verge of turning into an evil vampire. He is the twin brother of Aidan that we met in Dark Gold. Julian has pretty much has given up hope of meeting his life mate and soul saviour. And then one day he hears Desari sing and he can see the world with colours again. He heard the woman's voice. Haunting, mystical notes that hung in the air like silver and gold shimmering with fire. He actually saw the notes, saw the silver and gold dancing in front of his eyes. Julian stopped dead in his tracks, shock ripping through him. He stared at the hallway. The tattered, faded wallpaper was edged with red. It had been well over eight hundred years since Julian had seen anything in color. Besides Desari, the book introduces the members of the rest of the band “The Dark Troubadours”: Darius, Syndil, Barack, Dayan, and Savon. All six children had survived when their parents were killed thanks to Darius’ strength of will. Unfortunately Savon became a lost case a few months before the events of this book when he attacked Syndil.Desari is a Carpathian, so she is more willing to accept a lifelong mate in comparison to the human girls who discover suddenly the world of immortal Carpathians and Vampires. Still she loves her family very much. She can accept Julian as long as her family accepts him and as long as he does not cause any troubles and takes her away.Julian is a very easygoing guy, but there is no way that he will leave Desari alone. I love his interactions with strong willed, straightforward and overprotective Darius. “I thought you were planning on talking him to death," Darius informed the golden bat dryly as he himself shape-shifted from a black bat to a feathered and much more powerful predator."Someone had to do something while you were playing with your rock patterns," Julian replied easily, allowing iridescent feathers to erupt along his own body, becoming a raptor more than able to keep up with his companion's aggressive flight.They began to fly side by side easily toward the forest where they had left Desari. "I could do no other than protect the man of my sister's choosing." Darius managed to make it sound as if his sister had a hole in her head.Julian snorted. "Protect me? I do not think so, old man. You were the one standing back in the shadows while I destroyed the beast.""I had to ensure you came to no harm through other traps and snares. You certainly wasted enough time with the undead," Darius replied softly.” Julian also has a deadly and dark secret since he was a kid. As long as his secret is still alive, no person close to him will be safe. I liked this twist, but I think it was resolved too fast.Horndog Barack and soul tortured Syndil finally have the beginning of their story in this book.

Despite how much I enjoyed book #2, this is the book that makes the series pop for me. Maybe it's the fact that a Carpathian male is matched up with a Carpathian female of equal power, not a newly turned fledgling. It was nice seeing the female portrayed as someone with gifts that match her lifemate's.This is the story of Julian Savage (Book #3-Aidan's twin brother) who has been a solitary hunter for nearly his entire existence. His lifemate is Desari, the younger sister of Gregori (Book #4), who was believed to have been killed centuries before. Raised by her incredibly strong-willed brother, Darius, with 4 others who escaped the massacre, Desari has no knowledge of lifemates or the ways of the Carpathians. Targeted by the human hunters who are trying to capture, study and destroy the Carpathians, Julian must protect her from both the humans and the Undead Vampires who are trying to claim her.This book progresses the overall arc of the books exponentially. We're given a slew of new characters and the seeds for later stories are laid out. Nice.

Love reading this as a audiobook, just can't get enough of the narrator. Good way to end the day.

Eindelijk een vrouwelijke hoofdrol speelster die niet erg jong is en zelf "krachten" heeft opgebouwd . Het geeft toch weer een iets andere wending aan deze serie .

Great paranormal, romantic suspense. Julian's story is especially interesting because we are introduced to a whole new family of Carpathians. The secondary story becomes just as interesting as the primary. With the total Carpathian series being a definite formula, this twist added all the interest needed to keep the reader riveted. The steamy scenes were also more thoughtful and easily skippable for those who prefer.

Christine Feehan is a queen of paranormal romance. And, I don't just say that because she was my very first adult paranormal read...way back when. This, Dark Challenge, is a novel that was included in those "way back when" reads and I enjoyed it just as much now as I did in years past. Dark Challenge is a tantalizing, provocative, and seductive American based Carpathian tale. Finally a female with great cosmic power to match her Carpathian counterpart. I love the idea of a group growing up outside the Carpathian community and making it on their own...and then merging with Julian and eventually the rest of their extended families. With all Dark novels, some of the stuff is a bit repetitious, but is made up for in pure genius imaginings.I received this copy of Dark Challenge from Avon Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. Dark Challenge is set for release June 26, 2018.My Rating: 4 starsWritten by: Christine FeehanSeries: Carpathian Novels Sequence in Series: Book 5)Mass Market Paperback: 400 pagesPublisher: Avon; Reprint edition Publication Date: June 26, 2018ISBN-10: 0062019406ISBN-13: 978-0062019400Genre: Paranormal RomanceAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Challenge...Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark...Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dark...For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.

¿Qué puedo decir de mi amado Julian y de Desari? Esta es la tercera vez que lo leo y me ha encantado como siempre, estoy deseando ver a los personajes en las siguientes historias.Repasemos un poco, Julian Savage es un cazador carpatiano experimentado que guarda un secreto oscuro que lo hace sentirse sin el derecho a tener lo que le ha deparado el destino, a pesar de todo es inevitable que se sienta sumamente imposibilitado de dejar de lado a su otra mitad, porque es la luz para su oscuridad, lo que lo hace enfrentarse a sus dudas y sentimientos constantemente.En cuanto a Desari, es de las primeras carpatianas ancianas que aparece dentro de la saga, y eso nos va descubriendo las posibilidades que implican los futuros personajes que aparezcan, junto con Sybill demuestran que no solo los machos pueden llegar a ser tan poderosos, lo que da un plus a esta raza creada por la autora.Por otro lado, descubrir a todo un grupo familiar del cual no se sabía su existencia es algo sorprendente, ya quiero ver los reencuentros familiares, que darán de qué hablar. Y más cuando se empieza a hablar de los ancianos gemelos, que aparecerán pronto.Las escenas de lucha y persecución siguen siendo tan fuertes como en libros anteriores, y Christine sabe mantenernos en la cuerda floja rogando por nuestros amados carpatianos. En contraparte, las escenas románticas tienen su buen parte de erotismo como de romance, haciendo que la relación entre los personajes tenga su equilibrio entre lucha, amor y humor, porque para Desari, ella y Julian deben tener el mismo nivel dentro de su relación, así que debe domar un poco al salvaje cazador.Obviamente seguiré resaltando en todas las obras de la autora las geniales descripciones, tanto de los paisajes como de los personajes y sus acciones, porque me encantan. Muy recomendable.

Dark Challenge is book 5 in Dark series by Christine Feehan. From previous books we learned about Julian Savage who was Aidan’s twin brother, who was featured in Dark Gold. Desari is Gregori’s younger Carpathian sister who can sing. She is an ancient, but was thought to have been killed a long time ago. Like all Carpathians, Julian drinks blood; he can shape-shift; he is telepathic; and he can not go out in the sun. The males of the species lose their ability to see in color and can no longer feel emotion after their 200th year.Finally a woman that doesn't fight fate! I loved how she saw how she felt and wasn't scared of it or blaming him for her feelings. Great paranormal, romantic suspense. Julian's story is especially interesting because we are introduced to a whole new family of Carpathians. The secondary story becomes just as interesting as the primary. With the total Carpathian series being a definite formula, this twist added all the interest needed to keep the reader riveted. This one was really good. I loved Desari's story - finally a Carpathian woman who's just as powerful (in some ways more) than her life-mate! The only thing that disappointed me was the story-line between Barack and Syndil. What happened there? The female lead, Desari, wasn't a simpering human child, barely eighteen, being pounced on by a big bad, scary Carpathian male, but a strong Carpathian female with her own powers. This alone, made the whole story refreshing, but I also liked the family unit, the club scene, and the dark shadow within Julian. However, again the repetition is getting a bit much. But, MUCH better than the previous books! I'm glad the author finally stepped up and made the female protagonist stronger. The previous books had the main women characters too timid for my liking. They allowed the male protagonists to be TOO overbearing, TOO arrogant, and TOO obnoxious.Good book ;)

Entretenidísimo, como todos los de la saga. Lo que más me ha gustado de esta historia es su protagonista, por fin una carpatiana antigua que tiene poderes y que puede defenderse.La única pega que le pongo a la saga, es que parece que Christine Feehan tiene alergía a los encuentros familiares. Me encantaría leer como interactúan entre ellos después de tantos años separados.

Centuries of hunting the undead had left Julian Savage ready to face the dawn, he only had one more task to perform for his prince. The safety of a singer, Desari, was in question after her name was found on a list. Arriving at the concert hall, Julian was amazed to find that even the security at the front door seemed to feel his presence. After seeing and hearing Desari, the color and light and emotions that flooded him left him unaware of the assassins in the hall. He was there to protect her but was so surprised by finding his lifemate that he almost allowed them to take her from him before he ever truly had her. Book 5.… I am really enjoying this series, getting to know all of the characters so well is the fun part. Meeting the new characters and getting to know all of them was enjoyable especially with the connection to one of the characters that we already know (trying not to drop any spoilers). The creativity of this book is higher, it is not just the same tortured male meets the reluctant to be a lifemate woman. He was tortured and she was reluctant, but they both had some good reasons and explanations for why they were the way they were. I am eager to see if Barack and Syndil have at least a short story, Darius and Dayan should each get a story, and Gabriel and Lucian need an ending for there stories, I hope to find out more for each of them too.

Wonderful and sensual story of yet another golden Carpathian…Julian twin brother of Aidan has given up hope of meeting his life mate and he knows he’s on the verge of turning into an evil vampire or ending his life.He meets Desari, the beautiful singer in the band The Dark Troubadours and he knows he has found the woman who will save him.Wow….the 5th book in the series is HOT HOT….I absolutely loved the band and the members. The story is absolutely incredible…..I drank in every word I read…..I couldn’t wait to read the stories of Dayan, Darius and the gorgeous Barack….As I continue reading the series I wonder if it’s possible that the next one is even better……yes….they get better and better!!!!Can’t wait to read number 6

This one was really good. I loved Desari's story - finally a carpathian woman who's just as powerful (in some ways more) than her lifemate! The only thing that dissapointed me was the storyline between Barack and Syndil. What happened there? It seemed to me that they were lifemates but they couldn't work through Syndil's pain. And it was never explained... I don't understand. I hope there is more to their story later on in the series.

3.5 stars