Embraced By Darkness (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 5) Reviews

• Super cops

  
  By A2BZCHIDR5FTYA on 2007-07-31
  Riley Jenson is part vampire and part werewolf. She had been forcibly given an experimental fertility drug in her past. She has developed a few interesting powers due to side effects, such as the abilities to see souls rise and spirits walk in the shadows. Riley never knows when another ability will pop up. However, they tend to come in handy during her job.
  
  Riley and her brother, Rhoan, are Guardians; they are the super-cops, hunter-killers, of the nonhuman world.
  
  When Blake Jenson, her family's alpha male, demands Riley help the pack, Riley is ready to tell him to get lost. Riley and Rhoan had been thrown out of the red pack back when they had been thirteen-year-old pups. But Blake throws down a verbal gauntlet when he informs Riley that should she refuse to help or fails in the mission her mother's life would be forfeit. Riley is now on the hunt for a serial killer. At the same time, Riley's lover is trying to convince her to quit her work. Yet should Riley do so, many will die.
  
  **** This is the fifth book in the Riley Jenson Guardian series. The plot starts out immediately, on page one. Readers are able to dive right into the scenario. The action slows down two or three times during the course of the novel, but gets hotter than a blow torch by the end. This may be the fifth book of the series, but new readers will not find themselves totally lost. The author does a good job of filling them in. I found this to be a compelling story that held my attention well. ****
  
  Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
  
  

• Fifth in the 'Riley Jenson, Guardian' series

  
  By A1CTXKA2C7BSC8 on 2007-08-27
  This book is a real improvement over Keri Arthur's earlier stories in Riley Jenson, Guardian series - there is a greater focus on plotting and characterisation and less emphasis on sex to carry the story along. The book starts with Riley on holiday on an island to recover from all the events of the last year (and last four books). She is contacted there by a member of her former pack who demands that she looks into the disappearance of a pack member, Adrienne, and threatens to hurt Riley and Rhoan's mother if she doesn't comply. Shortly afterwards the Directorate ask her to look into the strange murder of a woman who appears to have been torn limb from limb by her fiancé and Riley discerns a supernatural element to the crime. She works on both investigations at the same time, also finding herself under attack from an unknown assailant, dealing with the memories that contact with her pack has dredged up, and trying to make sense of her relationship with Kellen who wants to 'go solo' with her. Riley's not sure if she can commit to that and clearly has some feelings still for vampire Quinn, although he doesn't appear in person in this story.
  
  The plotting in this book was excellent with good pacing and with the variety of two simultaneous investigations. The caustic relationship between Riley and Salliane, 'The Cow', is very amusing, and adds some light relief in a story with a fair amount of darkness. Riley's skills are growing and strengthening and she discovers a new aspect of her nature in this book following the drug treatment that she received in the first instalment. Her brother Rhoan features in this story as he helps Riley at the denouement at the end of the story when they uncover the evil behind a string of grisly deaths from the UK to Germany to Australia.
  
  This book relied far more on plot and characterisation, particularly Riley's workaholic nature and her complete absorption in being a Guardian and how that plays out with her personal relationships, rather than sex; for me, this made it a much stronger read and made Riley a more sympathetic character. It ended on a cliffhanger in Riley's personal life (although the major plot lines were all completed) and made me look forward to the next book. Although part of a series all the relevant backstory was given in a smooth and concise way and so this book would be easy to understand for a first-time reader despite the complex supernatural world and the varied skills that the non-humans have. "Embraced by Darkness" is a great addition to the series and a book that will probably win this author new readers.
  
  Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, [...]. © Helen Hancox 2007
  
  

• Hurry with the Next One Please!

  
  By A1NFL8WCCBFGHT on 2007-08-04
  I just happened onto book 3 in the Guardian series one day and couldn't wait to get my hands on all of them. PLEASE tell me that it doesn't end with #5!! Riley can't possibly end here, not with Quinn still out there!
  Rather than giving away information about the series, I will just say READ IT! I couldn't stop until I read the whole series, and now I feel lost that it's over......even for the moment.
  Riley and Rhoan, Quinn, Kellen, Jack, The Cow: all of the characters in these books are interesting and Ms. Arthur makes you feel like you know them inside and out.
  While there are some predictable slow spots, when the perverbial stuff hits the fan you better hope your phone doesn't ring because you won't put the book down.
  I am anxiously awaiting book 6! Keep it up!!!
  
  

• Not like others in the series...

  
  By A2VEWG3SE6FPL0 on 2007-11-24
  This installment of the series had NONE of the highly erotic scenes that to date have been a trademark of the "Riley Jensen" stories. It was especially a disappointment after the last book, Dangerous Games, which was super-hot. The story itself was okay, but nothing to write home about. FYI-if you are expecting sizzling scenes, you will get nothing from this book beyond perfuctory, traditional (obligatory?) sex scenes.
  
  

• No picket fences yet for Riley.

  
  By A1DW5IH6QCOFQ7 on 2007-08-05
  The thing I love about these books is that Riley is such a capable kick butt heroine. Being a werewolf vampire crossbreed means that the bad guys tend to underestimate her. Even when her equally amazing brother is around to lend a hand, it is still Riley that saves the day. Riley continues to struggle with her love life and search for her soul mate, and she continues to develope amazing new powers as a result of a fertility drug she was slipped in book one. Many of the characters from previous books appear, notably missing is Quinn and the horse shifter. Dia and her daughter make an appearance and drop some prophetic hints as to Riley's future. Riley also has a chance at some payback to the pack that tormented her and her brother when they were pups.
  
  This series still has plenty of places to go and I looking forward to seeing where it ends up. This series is probably more suspense than romance, even given Riley's lustful wolf nature, so there are some scenes with the aftermath of bloody violence. But these are easy to skip over if they bother you without losing any story threads.
  
  
• Adequate, but leaves ?s
  By A1IRV5S2ABCMPH on 2007-08-06
  The latest Riley Jensen novel picks up after Dangerous Games and Riley is on a forced vacation when all of a sudden her pack master comes to her and demands that she finds a missing girl of one of the pack's members and if she doesn't her mother will be killed. So obviously Riley takes the case feeling she has to save the mother who abandoned her and her brother. Things with Kellen start to heat up and he is looking for a long time commitment with Riley, but Riley asks for time. But things with the case get hectic and soon Riley is caught up in the middle of serious trouble. Either way she sees a loss of not solving the case or of solving it. Her life is thrown on the line too many times and Kellen starts to get antsy.
  
  This novel leaves you with a cliff hanger and since there isn't a mention of new Riley novel you wonder how things are going to go for Riley. Again there is a little too much sex for a sci-fi novel, for my taste anyways that always puts too much focus on it. Overall a generally good novel like all the other Riley novels. Hope there's at least another one.
  
  
• Disappointment
  By A2O79UM37JVT3I on 2007-08-08
  Anyone familiar with the series will be disappointed in this latest installment. Although our heroine is coming into her own by discovering new emerging talents and coming to terms with her family's past... it isn't enough to offset the disappointment of not seeing a progression in hers and Quinn's relationship. Quinn is only mentioned in this book... there isn't one single encounter.... and Ms. Arthur has seriously lessened the steamy erotic encounters that made the first books so enticing. The only redeeming value to the book, as a series enhancer, is the further characterizations of her boss and her boss's assistant. But it wasn't enough to save this story. I hope that if there are more Riley books written that there is a return to what started out as an exciting dynamic relationship... Riley and Quinn.
  
  
• A fantastic enthralling supernatural thriller
  By AFVQZQ8PW0L on 2007-08-11
  Half werewolf, half vampire Riley Jenson is now a full fledged guardian in the Directorate of Other Races. She has no choice because her powers are growing and changing thanks to a drug she was forced to take. If she wasn't in the directorate she would be involved with the military like others were forced do. Right now Riley is taking a well deserved rest on Monitor Island when her alpha leader Blake tells her that that she is to find out what happened to his granddaughter Adrienne who disappeared just like other young women before her.
  
  All disappeared within weeks of leaving home and all knew bartender Jon D; Riley is forced to help because if she doesn't Blake will kill her mother. When she arrives home she is given another assignment. Females are being torn apart by something evil and preternatural although nobody knows what is actual doing the killing. Once Riley puts a stop to the murders she swings her attention to the club Mirror Image where shifter and humans are allowed to dance with the end game beings sex. Women connected to the club have disappeared and Riley believes that was the story Adrienne was working on. Now she has to retrace her footsteps and hope she and her twin brother Rhoan don't get killed by two human with supernatural powers.
  
  The latest Riley Jenson Guardian novel is a fantastic enthralling supernatural thriller that focuses on the need to solve the case quickly before more people die. In Riley's world, vampires, weres-shifters, and other supernatural entities are taken for granted and co-exist with humans. Riley's new powers are a shocker to her and she knows she will have to stay with the directorate so they can help her and so she can stay out of the military clutches. Keri Arthur is one of my top favorite supernatural writers with this strong work validating why.
  
  Harriet Klausner
  
  
  
• More!
  By A3RYWBOVJI7NW6 on 2007-08-03
  Please tell me there's more!With everything thats happened to Riley,(I'm not going to tell!)she finally makes up her mind during her fall. Only for Kellen to do that to her! How much more can this girl take?? I wanted to scream at him then cry for her! When is more of her story coming out? And will her love life get better? I read this book in one sitting ,I couldn't put it down. Please I need more!!!
  
  
• Great Summer Read!
  By A1JFGV46TJDJZ2 on 2007-08-08
  Loved this book! Can't wait to see what happens in the next installment. This book kept you interested from the get go. If you want to read a series that is funky, fun, and keeps you in suspence then the Riley Jensen books are for you.
  
  
• Left me hanging.
  By ASSEKHOIHIGEI on 2007-08-08
  From the start of this series, I was hooked on Riley Jensen. The first three books had me holding my breath to find out who was after her and why. Then the fourth book comes along with a new evil to fight and an old evil to confront. But this book, while good the ending left a lot to be desired. We discover new powers and a new direction Riley's life might take, then the author ends the book. According to her website, there will be more books in this series, however she did not say when. So, until then the rest of us will be waiting to find out what will happen next.
  
  
• When is the next book coming out!!!! :-)
  By AUQF1BHLVUFT7 on 2007-08-10
  I enjoyed the whole Riley Jensen Guardian Book Series. I have been hooked since the first book. I liked this book. It was filled with constant jam-packed action but...I was expecting a bit more romance. Where will that leave Riley now that Kellen and her are no longer together? Will Quinn come back? Will Riley try and convince Kellen that they deserve a chance? The suspense and the drama is just too good for me to handle. When is the next book coming out!!!
  
  
• Riley Jensen Series
  By AGX3AM5TI5SE6 on 2007-08-19
  This series is wonderful. I loved each and every book int he series. This one was just as hard to put done as the last. I am eagerly awaiting the rest of the series to be published.
  
  
• wonderful author
  By A3I6PUDQOBQMZV on 2007-08-23
  the author has a way of writing where to me i seem to be the person or with her. her books are full of comedy danger sex and mystery
  
  
• Wanting more
  By A3VOK0Q3AFKGGB on 2007-09-13
  I can't wait for the next one! I even got my family hooked on the series.
  
  
• Couldn't put the book down!
  By A3US5SQQNA17O9 on 2007-09-21
  Like all the other Riley Jensen guardian books, I couldn't put the book down! Hopefully they're be more books of the series ahead because the end leaves you wanting more!
  
  
• Getting Better (spoiler)
  By AOP8YWW4ZJQC4 on 2007-11-10
  This by far is the best installment yet (hence the four stars) but it still leaves something to be desired. The characters are finally becoming something more than one dimentional but the plot line is still predictable and the love scenes fizzle. Quinn disappears which wouldn't be a bad twist if the author had explored the dynamics of Riley and Kellen's relationship more instead of throwing us in the middle of it (SPOILER)) only to see it's demise.
  
  All in all, Keri Arthur appears to be growing as an author and I'm looking forward to her next book.
  
  
• My mom says it's good.
  By A38GC2BZ76M7UU on 2007-12-18
  I don't know how fair it is to do a review on a book that I bought as a gift, but for what it's worth, my mom said Embraced by Darkness was good. She reads a lot of mysteries, including some others by Keri Arthur, and according to her, this one did not disappoint.
  
  
• Can't Wait for Book #6
  By A1D1NZGC903VCM on 2008-04-13
  I loved this series since the first installment. It's true that this book doesn't have the "heat" of some of the previous books. Here we see Riley starting to develop more as a character who isn't a complete prisoner to her hormones.
  
  Hopefully, Riley will have someone new come into her life. Quinn has his own issues, and can't accept her for herself. As for breaking off her relationship with Kellem, it was no great loss. His character always seemed a little flat to me.
  
  Ms. Arthur has a good imagination so hopefully she will surprise us all in the next book.Embraced By Darkness (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 5)
  
  
  
  
• Still going strong overall
  By AHHN0H4I75F6T on 2008-04-30
  I have read all of this series, and have enjoyed not only the skill and dynamic scope of each of the stories, but also the unfettered and freshly unreserved style of the sensual side of these stories. Riley is great, and I love love love the way that Arthur portrayes and embraces homosexuality. Creative, interesting, you are embroiled with Riley throughout all her adventures. Great fun, well written, very exciting.
  
  

• Dangerous Games (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 4)
• Tempting Evil (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 3)
• Kissing Sin (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 2)
• The Darkest Kiss (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 6)
• Full Moon Rising (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 1)