Nice cover. Interesting vampire lore. Now this was a different kind of vampire book. Different in a good way. When Darkness Hungers combines vampire lore with magic, witchcraft, and voodoo for a compelling read. J.K. Beck builds an impressive world full of all sorts of paranormal creatures: vampires, weres, and daemons. What set this book apart for me was the intriguing vampire lore. Having read many vampire books, I’m always on the lookout for any kind of fresh take on vampires. These vampires are able to go out in the sun in their “youth.” As they age, they become more and more sensitive to the sun’s rays. There is a type of vampire kryptonite in this world and it is called hematite. Vampires can be neutralized by this mineral. Beck’s vampires have a daemon within themselves that they must learn to control. Oh, and yes, these vampires do drink blood but the more civilized use the local blood banks. I loved the PEC – Preternatural Enforcement Coalition, a group of paranormal beings that self-police their kind in order to keep their existence from humans. The PEC operated as a secret branch of Homeland Security. These guys had some really cool powers. Doyle could pull the last images a person saw before he died and Tucker had the ability to influence and change minds. The PEC along with the Alliance worked to keep humans safe from rogue vampires. The rogue vampires were the bloodthirsty evil vampires who believed in vampire supremacy.When Darkness Hungers focuses on Serge, a 2,000 year old vampire who is battling his inner daemon. Serge’s character fascinated me. His history alone was interesting – imagine witnessing the many events of the past. His constant struggles to retain his humanity gave him depth. Serge is intrigued by Alexis and she seems to have a calming influence on him. I loved Alexis’ character. She was a badass vampire hunter on a Ducati, a woman on a mission to avenge her sister’s death. Alexis vowed to kill the vampire responsible for her sister’s brutal death. Alexis and Serge have some nice chemistry together. Alexis seems to bring out the best in Serge.I enjoyed the author’s storytelling skills. When Darkness Hungers is a dark and broody paranormal romance. While this is the 5th book in the series, a reader can jump in and read this book without feeling like they have missed out on the world building and story lines. It can be read as a stand-alone book. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author soon. The next book When Temptation Burns comes out July 31, 2012.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.
