REVIEW: Everdark (Dark Ink Chronicles #2) by Elle Jasper

 

Author: Elle Jasper

Pages: 336

Series: Dark Ink Chronicles

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Signet

AMAZON: Everdark: The Dark Ink Chronicles

Synopsis: (From Goodreads)

When Savannah tattoo artists Riley Poe is ambushed by an undead enemy, she inherits some of the traits of her attackers-and a telepathic link with a rampaging vampire. Now, she's experiencing murder after murder through the victims' eyes. And her new powers will not be enough to stop the horror-or the unending slaughter...

REVIEW: 3 out of 5 stars

Everdark is the second book in the Dark Ink Chronicles by Elle Jasper and follows on straight after Afterlight.

Everdark is in first person narration by Riley Poe, a tattoo artist who is recovering from being bitten by the powerful Romanian strigoi brothers, Valerian & Victorian. She is on Da Island to recover from their bite and to come to terms with her vampiric strength and senses which are enhanced now a piece of their DNA is running through her blood.

Victorian has become obsessed with Riley and is now able to seduce her mind telepathically, I am still unsure whether he is good or bad; he makes it quite obvious that he has strong feelings towards her but I couldn’t determine where his loyalties lay. The more evil of the brothers, Valerian was killed in Afterlight but is now reborn and has somehow managed to manifest himself into a new body and Riley is the target of his sick plan and getting visions of his brutal killings.

Unfortunately, Valerian can only be entombed and not killed; killing him will ultimately harm or destroy Riley now she too holds his DNA. 

Gorgeous Vampire Eli Dupre is still brooding, hot-tempered, over-protective and extremely sexy who shows a lot more feeling and emotion in this installment. We still don’t learn a lot about him or his past but I really like him as a character. It was nice to not see him having to fight for control so often with Riley now her blood isn’t as potent to him.  Eli trains Riley to use her new vampiric tendencies, teaching her control and skills she’s never imagined needing.

In Everdark, we see Riley, Eli, Seth, the Dupres and other vampires trying to put a stop to the newlings and the evil being creating and controlling them, a lot of time is spent in a fight club to try to lure them out which I found to be too much, 
Riley didn't take instructions too well and seemed to think she was invincible so continually put herself in harms way. I found her to be a tad too over the top and childish for me and I found her ‘badass’ style of speech to be at times frustrating, I didn’t notice it so much in Afterlight.

I found the first part of the book to drag along with no real plot development and there were a lot of things repeated. The second part certainly held my interest but I think it was because it is when the action really began.

The relationship between Eli & Riley is intense and growing in strength; I love their time together although I couldn’t imagine my every thought being read! The smexy scenes were sensual and scorching hot.

I enjoy the secondary characters and in Everdark we see a new vampire introduced, Noah Miles who I found fascinating! I would love for him to have a story of his own; he had an interesting background, was sexy and bought a bit of humor to the story.

I absolutely love the covers of these books! Great detail and just how I envision Riley.

An enjoyable sequel but it didn’t leave me anxious for more as Afterlight did, I am more curious to see the powers Riley will come to have.

Everdark ends on a cliffhanger, book 3 ‘Eventide’ in the Dark Ink Chronicles has a 2012 release date.

The Dark Ink Chronicles in order:

1. Afterlight
2. Everdark
3. Eventide (2012)