Dark Tempest

Red Winter Series, Book 2

De: Annette Marie

Narrado por: Emily Woo Zeller

In the mesmerizing sequel to Red Winter, Emi can no longer hide within the safety of the shrines. The goddess has charged her with a new task, one that will take her deep into the perilous realm of yokai. Shiro is her guide and protector, yet his confusing, captivating allure is a danger of its own. With the fate of the world in her mortal hands, she cannot falter, but is she strong enough to sacrifice everything - including him?

©2017 Annette Marie (P)2017 Tantor

Great book

Lots of action and relationship building. The heroine is a great asset in a fight. The narrator dies the different voices extremely well.

Great story

In the second book the action really starts and the mythology starts making more sense. I love this series.

Love!!!

So on the first book I wasn’t as kind to the narrator, I felt like she was overly dramatic in her reading. This book was so much better!!!! Or maybe I just got used to her?? Lol regardless, full 5 stars for everything on book 2

Amazing!!

This sequel was amazing! I love how the mythology is playing such a big part in the story with all these powerful beings. I also love how dynamic it's grown because it shines a light on how almost human and petty these, for lack of a better word, "gods" can be for world domination.

I like Emi's feisty nature and her quick retorts, but everything seems to come almost miraculously to her. She's also on death's door a lot. Her adventures, or should I say misadventures, move the story along, but it's something that's easy to overdo and I've met my quota for it.

Shiro has his true identity revealed in this novel and it was both exciting and devastating. His story is way more tragic than was visible in the first book. At this point, he almost seems to literally have battling personalities inside his head. I'm shipping Emi and Shiro, so it's bittersweet, to say the least.

I have a few theories as to how this series will end and I'm hoping I'm wrong on everything. I've never wanted a happy ending for a pair of characters like I want a happy ending for Emi and Shiro, preferably together.

The Audio Book:

The narration was great, but I still wish Emily Woo Zeller had a larger overall range of male voices so I could tell everyone apart easier.

Good story.

Picked up Red Winternasna deal of the day book. I could not stop listening. Great story and awesome narrator.

Kamisama Kiss Lover is very delighted

I’m the target audience - I love everything about this book. The twists and action “scenes” are vivid in my imagination, they’re very satisfying.

Ms Zeller, you’re amazing! Great performance. I can listen to this audiobook trilogy over and over with a smile on my face every time.

Love!!!

What did you love best about Dark Tempest?

This trilogy is fantastic, unexpectedly. I didn't go in with high hopes.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Shiro! Cunning and witty, totally captivating.

Which character – as performed by Emily Woo Zeller – was your favorite?

I think she did wonderful portraying Emi.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, all throughout the story, but I don't want to include any spoilers.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend! The audiobooks makes the story even better!!

UGH!!!

this series is TOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD. i wish it could somehow go on forever.

do yourself the FAVOR and BLESSINGGGGG of enjoying this series. fr.

The YEARNING.

This series is by far one of my favorites this year, this author is now a auto buy for sure 👍🏻

Emi is such a purely beautiful character...

Emi is one of the purest, most beautiful characters I’ve ever come across. She’s innocent, sweet, but so completely determined to see her task through to the end. Her ability to look beyond herself for the good of others is humbling and it kinda breaks your heart a little. She understands love in a way that’s rare for humanity and it earns her the respect of gods. But she isn’t the unrelatable, unattainable, slightly intimidating figure she’s regarded as by the guji and the other mikos; she’s also very human, with human fears, human joys, and human burdens. She’s started embracing life and that includes her attraction to Shiro. And while I wouldn’t categorize this series as a romance per say (it’s so much more than that), the thread does run through the story and its presence is much stronger than in Red Winter. Emi and Shiro’s love is one of those delicious, slow-burn kind of things and I can’t wait to find out where they ultimately wind up. (And in case you were wondering, Yumei is still yummy and awesome and more than a little terrifying. He kicks some major ass, too.)

In addition to great characters, Ms. Marie penned a rich, vivid world for this story to take place in. The melding of magic, mythology, and formal, almost archaic religious practices with what could easily be modern-day Japan is surprisingly perfect. The modern stuff only shows up in hints and glimpses, more of a backdrop than anything else, and I’m glad because I feel like anything more intrusive would ruin the supernatural elements. Oh, and spoiler alert: there are spiders and dragons. Big, awful, magic spiders and dragons that are creepy as fuck and totally the stuff of your nightmares. I’m pretty sure I held my breath through those entire sections. *shudder*.

Although I was gifted a print copy of Dark Tempest, I ended up buying the audio version and it was fantastic. Emily Woo Zeller was the perfect narrator and I now know how some of the words should be pronounced, which is a nice bonus. Her voice as both narrator and characters captured the life of this story and gave it an atmosphere I think I would have missed in the print version–though that does have some gorgeous illustrations, so definitely check it out.

Bottom line: In this case, I totally condone judging a book by its cover, because the story is just as amazingly beautiful as the artwork. Ms. Marie has truly created something unique and captivating with this trilogy and now I’m off to read Immortal Fire because I just might die if I don’t find out what happens

Review first appeared on the "Red Hot Books" review blog