Phew! That was intense! Now, I know I hate cliffhangers and the ending of this book is definitely that, but thankfully it isn't long to wait for the final book in the trilogy, so I'm not going to complain about it (too much).
I loved Fight for Darkness, the first book in the series, which took the common stereotypes of the battle between good and evil and turned it on its head. Stradiotto and Johnson keep on twisting things in completely unexpected ways. Hunger for Darkness continues where book 1 left off but with a new couple -- don't mind me, I'm just fanning myself a little -- 'cause Conri and Keira are HOT!
This series is not for the faint of heart. These authors don't shy away from difficult topics, like death, decay and our own inner darkness. Keira is the first fantasy character I've come across who suffers from bulimia and the representation was spot on. The greatest pain we experience is the harm we do to ourselves. It is the recurring theme throughout this novel and definitely one that resonated deeply for me. Our self-doubts, self-loathing, impostor syndrome and all the other negative aspects our minds conjure up to torment us with become our greatest saboteurs and cause continuous heartache and physical pain when we reach beyond the emotional suffering and force the agony out into the open. Self harm can take so many different forms and I think these authors have done an excellent job in giving voice to that.
The dynamics of Keira's battle against her self and the darkness within her was done so incredibly well and is one of the main reasons this book is this intense. It was a tough read, but definitely worthwhile.
Conri, as the supportive love interest who can see the trouble brewing but doesn't know how to broach the subject in a sensitive and empathetic way added so much to the story. He tries so hard and keeps on messing up because he won't force Keira to do anything, so he has to do what is even harder: wait for her to figure it out on her own -- and pray that she makes the right choice in the end. I kept wanting to give Conri a hug. Having your fated mate go through all that hardship and being helpless against it, knowing she might destroy herself -- it was intense.
Yeah, I know, I'm repeating myself now.
If you enjoy dark, gritty fantasy marinaded in spice with a powerful message about our flaws not defining us, because it is the choices we make that shape us into who we are, then I highly recommend you pick up this series. IT IS AMAZING!
Check out my review for Fight for Darkness, the first book in the trilogy, here.
