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The Darkest Day (The Immortal Heat Series Book 1)

Friday, May 10, 2019Friday, May 10, 2019 admin

Was it suppose to be a Scottish romance or just spelling errors to make it sound like an accent? This book is a mess of confusion and mixed signals and virtually emotionally problematic characters and riddled with immature dialogues that made me question whether my sense of humor has gone AWOL. If you regularly read Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy and aren't one of those chic-lit jump shippers, reading this would be disaster.

Too cheesy for me. The actions of both main characters were silly and frustrating. I'm giving up after pages of nonsense. My first issue was with regards to the hero reacting to his father's death, NOT with the vow to kill the murderer. He was going to wait for said murderer to find a wife, settle down, have children, and then our fine boy was going to kill them all.

That's pretty darn premeditated and creeptastic. Skip forward to the "present", humans are extinct, our heroine, despite seeming pretty normal all around, claims she's never experienced an emotion. She claims this just as she's, well, experiencing emotions for the first time. And growing boobs and new hair.

Raging hormones, new body Then we get to the goodstuff, the "Fated Mate" explanation. Both hero and heroine are fighting their attraction when Kelvin decides to explain some little "quirks" of Razorback Pookah biology. They can only have sex with a woman once winners.

Someone will probably try to kill them or they'll have decided they're mortal enemies or Izel will have to chose between Kelvin and her "family", but it's going to happen, they're going to bang. And I have no desire to jump through more weird narrative hoops and wait for them to just get there already. Capnrandm Apr 15, You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English None. Amazon Kindle 0 editions. CD Audiobook 0 editions. Project Gutenberg 0 editions. Google Books — Loading Become a LibraryThing Author. Immortal Heat 1 Members. And all the clothes - underwear included - she has brought with her fit, by the way.

Even after the transformation. Do with that what you will. Kelvin Kerr meets her prior to the transformation at her grandfather's cottage where he was waiting to kill her since she's the Campbell heir and all and the Kerrs and the Campbells are pulling some paranormal version of Hatfields and McCoys, only with less interesting characters.

Kelvin draws his sword to make the killing blow, Izel transforms into instant hottie, and inexplicably he feels this sudden attraction that made him not want to kill her. Boob jobs, ladies and gentlemen, saving lives since So with the circumstances of Kelvin's task having changed - Campbell heir is actually a woman, a human, and a stone cold hottie - he's now ordered by his clan chief aka his brother to bring the woman in for questioning and as a possible bargaining tool.

He agrees and entices Izel to come with him promising answers, protection, and a reunion with her kin. You'd think that Izel would say hell no to an invitation from her clan's sworn enemy, but girl must have been suffering from the worst case of lack of curiosity because she knows practically nothing about her people. She says yes, they travel, bicker, fall in heat, in love, and drive me crazy - mostly not in a good way. Let's start with the heroine. Apparently, in Izel's world, that was earth shattering.

Tween, I tell you. She's also had some serious TSTL moments that I begged for her to come out of the book so I can just finish the job Kelvin set out to do. It got to the point where I was ready to DNF the book and then I thought about her transformation and her feeling stuff for the first time ever due to it and I decided I'm going to start reading the rest of the book as if Izel were fourteen years old because good lord that was how old she was behaving the entire time.

And Kelvin - heavens, Kelvin? Might as well have named the guy Eugene or Hubert - is no better either. He kept on going on and on about how he should hate her and should he have told her that and now she's hurt because of what he said but he didn't mean it and he should be happy she's upset but oh how her bosoms bounce and he should kiss her again but no that might go somewhere and he's not pulling a Johnse Hatfield and bang an enemy of his clan and he should just get it over with and screw her senseless.

Izel's thoughts are pretty much in the same route with does he like me and do I like him but he kissed me so he probably likes me but why is he mean and oh those abs. It was like watching an episode of Sweet Valley High. The turning point of the book came about halfway through when Britt Bury decided to turn off the tween channel and give us what we expect in PNRs - sexy times. And they were sexy, indeed. You can say anything you want about Izel and Kelvin - and I've said quite a lot - but you can't deny that the two have chemistry. The lovin' was steamy and sexy but still quite romantic.

I'm not saying that having a well written sex scene can change how I view a book, but it sure as hell didn't hurt in this case. Especially since - without their sexual frustrations - the two became better and much likable characters. The world building is still something Bury has to work on especially with how she got her ending. It was a little too convenient and raised more questions than answers.

There was deus ex machina at work but we don't even know the specifics cause she just left things like how your mom usually does - with a "because I said so". Also, if you're a fan of Kresley Cole and the Immortals After Dark series, prepare for some similarities. I dunno if I'd have noticed if I hadn't read reviews mentioning this book along with IAD, but they were pretty obvious for a fan. No one can pull off the "I'm awesome and all knowing" better than my favorite Valkyrie. The chemistry was there, there was enough material to create a decent series, and it was funny at times.

I just hope that the next book's heroine has a bit more working for her than her boobs and we actually get an ending that fits with what we know about this world. This was supposed to be 3. Jul 04, Jess rated it really liked it Shelves: But by God, she would fix this. The Campbell-Kerr rivalry had gone on long enough. Yes, she wanted to find her own path, but maybe Kelvin was the salvation she was looking for.

Together, they could end this feud and bring about peace. Finally the hatred could end. And then maybe they could slide down a rainbow into a swimming pool of gumdrops. The Darkest Day is set in a world Review posted: The Darkest Day is set in a world filled with immortals, save for one last human, Izel Campbell. Rare is it to find a full human and Izel has no idea that she is one. Cloaked in magic for all of her 25 years by her Grandfather, her true self and powers were hidden to keep her safe. She starts to emerge from the spell after she comes across Kelvin Kerr, a Pookah and enemy of her clan and her new life begins.

This new world is filled with realms: High like Heaven , Low like Hell , Earth where the story takes place and Cypher the realm you really want to avoid, where souls are extinguished entirely. The story primarily follows the feud between two families with the Fionn and Pookah races. Each race has three breeds. The razorbacks have strong instincts that become even more so at night and their biggest time of the year is during the Winter Solstice, this is the only time during the year that a razorback can find and claim his mate. Kelvin, the razorback Pookah is out to find and kill the last Campbell family heir, the family killed his father many years ago.

Kelvin believes that there is one remaining heir and he must find and kill him…the him turns out to be a her, Izel. The story focuses on Kelvin trying to get the full human Izel back to his home, Izel trying to reach her out-of-touch Grandfather for answers, Kelvin fighting the mating bond between them and Izel dealing with an overload of emotions that came roaring back to her after she changed into her true self and lost the magical cover her Grandfather had put over her. I really like the back and forth romance between Kelvin and Izel.

For her to become his mate, he has to wait to have sex with her on winter solstice — the darkest day. They have plenty of foreplay, always stopping just before they cross the line. Their dialogue was fun, fast paced and gave a great picture into who these two characters are. Izel is at her core very sweet and caring, Kelvin is every bit the warrior he acts like and the combination of the two of them is at times explosive and very sweet.

I also liked that since Izel is fairly new to her surroundings, a lot of the world building is done through their conversations, Kelvin explaining things to Izel. It was a good way to get the information to us as readers without it feeling too overloaded in details. There are many other characters mentioned and many storylines that are left open, the biggest being the Court of Contention: I really enjoyed this story. The love between Kelvin and Izel is a romance that I got completely into, I loved that he found his mate early, but they still had a hard road between them to make it work.

I also got caught up in this world and all the possibilities that were set up for future storylines. This was a great start to a new series that has me ready for book 2. Jun 25, rameau rated it liked it Shelves: I was hoping for a paranormal with romance and erotica on the side, not an erotica with romance and paranormal on the side. But that's what I got. When the main couple wasn't having sex they were thinking about sex instead of things that normal individuals think about.

There was a lot of promise there. I like the idea of an alternative world where humans have This review can also be found on Blodeudd's Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell. I like the idea of an alternative world where humans have become extinct and immortals, demons, vampires, and such rule the earth. I like the idea of following different clans and watching their family feuds evolve. I like the idea of a rich and complex world-building with endless adventures and pairings--on the side. All the plot points were hit, all the beats in the character arcs were hit, I just didn't like how the tune was played.

I didn't like the excessive use of words female and male as substitutes for woman and man nor did I like how the Scottish accent was implied with a no'. I don't like the overtly done eroticism that appears shallow without any real character development shown during the story arc. Bury's writing style isn't for me. I prefer a subtler touch. I prefer heavier emphasis on the plot and showing the action.

Internal monologues are important in the sense that they're the window into a character's mind, but I've always preferred houses with smaller window to all-glass houses. And I happen to think that whatever windows the author offers should only confirm what can be inferred from the garden of the text.

I might be too harsh referring to Izel as a too stupid to live or a vapid, insipid diva and ingenue heroine, but I can't help it. While I appreciated the fact that she didn't go down without a fight and just let Kelvin carry her to the Kerr Castle, the manner in which she kept showing her independence was the most inane way possible.

Immortal Heat Series by Britt Bury!
The Darkest Day.
Immortal Heat Series?

It was like she didn't have a sense of self-protection or survival. She's told that she's human and that anyone within a paranormally enhanced scenting distance can smell her, and what does she do? She goes gallivanting in town. Admittedly she had magical help to disguise herself, but nowhere was it said how long or how thoroughly the effects would last. This and the handling of her change in the beginning made me think the author hadn't thought through Izel's reactions to her newly found humanity.

Bury was trying but couldn't quite nail it. As a character Kelvin, the Pookah, Kerr had more promise, but unfortunately his good qualities were of the one track mind quality. I like my men, fictional and real, more complex than that. This book also suffers from being the first in a series and the setting up syndrome that comes with it. While I could appreciate getting to know Ian and Ryo, most of the information they provided could have been explained elsewhere.

The ending that either makes or breaks it, this time only saved the three star rating. It was predictable in its outcome but managed to surprise me in the details. There were too many tears throughout, but it would have been truly a sweet moment, if only I'd cared about the characters. Jul 02, Letitia rated it liked it Shelves: I initially picked it up because other reviewers were comparing it to Kresley Cole's series, Immortals After Dark.

Miz Cole is my numero uno favorite PNR author. She writes it, I will read it. So buzz linking this book to her, it grabbed my interest. Sure, there are the PNR staples: Ability to sniff arousal? But then there came Ryo the Righteous, an eccentric witch who can see into the future and calls herself all -knowing. Ryo simply felt like a Nix-lite to me and I found it hard to see past the similarities between the two.

Then a little thing called 'Court of Contention' was introduced. A four day period where the four realms open, all hell breaks loose, and war causes mass casualties between all the immortals. And it happens every years. A period of all-out war and battle between every immortal faction, which occurs every years There were other notable similarities, but those two are the most glaringly obvious to me.

What is a Fionn, you ask? I take them to be simply an inherently magical being that can use said magic in one of three ways: Poets by mouth, or their words. Warrior by body, or their strength. Only, Izel has never been able to make her magic work—in any way. She is also mortal and THE last human. And she has never experienced any emotion whatsoever… That is, until Kelvin Kerr comes along.

See a Problem?

Kelvin Kerr is a Razorback Pookah from clan Kerr. What is a Pookah, you ask? They are apparently animalistic shape shifters who do not actually shift shape into their said animal. And there are only three types: Bear, Wolverine, and Razorback. Yes, Razorback as in wild boar.

Not exactly the sexiest animal… Razorback Pookahs are ruled by darkness. At night they are at their strongest. And Kelvin knew at first whiff that Izel was his mate. Which makes him suffer from mood swings and often treat Izel cruel one moment and kind the next. And they say women are moody… Psh.

Bad guys show up to make their journey fraught with peril—and Miz Bury writes those scenes wonderfully. The tension and attraction between Izel and Kelvin kept me turning the pages. The author kind of throws you into the deep end and hopes you can make sense of Fionns and Pookahs and Dark Prince Daughters and four realms and what have you. It was a tad overwhelming at times. There is a glossary of terms at the very end it may be located at the beginning for non-ARCs , which I wish I had known about sooner. It also wavered on the storytelling… between showing and telling.

The first two thirds felt more like showing while the last third felt more like telling. The best example of this is the character of Ramsey. This a fun and sexy paranormal adventure with a new set of supernatural characters. I applaud Miz Bury for daring to go outside the vampire and werewolf standbys, even if a Razorback does seem like an odd choice. And while this book feels like a first novel, it also shows great promise and the growth potential is definitely there. Jun 18, Emily Book Jems rated it it was ok Shelves: As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!

But there isn't much else to say about this book. The cover is hot. And the pink writing is a great contrast to the blue background. It really drew me in. And then when I read the summary, I needed to read it. Hellllllllo pretty Scotsman and paranormal romance. I was so wrong. So very, very wrong. I liked it in the beginning. The world that Ms. Bury has set up is very interesting and I could've been really entranced by it. That is if there was more of a plot than just a weird relationship.

Usually, I'm okay with a lot of romance, but really, what drew these two together? The only thing that I can remember them saying about each other is how hot the other one is and how they wanted to get in each other's pants. Can I just ask something? Why is Kelvin's "race" called Pookah? It's not really a question I want or need answered. I just want to make a point about how ridiculous it sounds. Seriously, does that sound at all legitimate to anyone? Every time I read it, I wanted to go smoke some hookah. I even had to google Pookah to know if was an actual paranormal being.

In fact, the only thing I could find on it was an urban dictionary entry that says Pookah is "a term of endearment for someone you're dating" or "a verb meaning great or extraordinary. It was impossible for me to take it seriously. The main characters in this story are Kelvin Kerr and Izel Campbell. Neither of them appeal to me. Izel is just another woman who lets her life be controlled by a man. Kelvin is a jerk. There is literally a part in the story where "Kel" admits to verbally abusing Izel. The minor characters were more interesting than these two.

I really, really loved Ryo. She and Ramsey were my favorite, and really, the only two characters that I liked. Ryo was funny, witty and had a much better personality than Izel. Honestly, I think that Ryo would've made a better mate for Kel than Izel did. Basically, I just don't like Izel. I could rave and rant about Izel's idiocy all day, but I'll just mention a few key points that made me loathe her: It would make more sense if they were just mates and then grew to love each other.

But noooo, after traveling with him, for what felt like a few days, she's in love with him. He's a gorgeous male specimen. He's a good fighter. He's a good lay. Yeah… Yeah, that's it. So obviously, you can tell that I'm not a fan of Kel. Nor will I ever be. There is really no love lost between me and The Darkest Day. You know it's bad when you can't even get halfway through a book before wanting to drop it.

This is another series I'm breaking up with. That's the reason this gets a 1. Not jumping on board this crazy train. Thank you very much. May 31, Sarah rated it liked it Shelves: He has spent years searching for the remaining heir but when he finally finds her Izel is not what he expected. Izel doesn't even know that her family is at war with the Kerrs, she has been raised to believe that she is an immortal and has travelled to Scotland in search of her grandfather for answers to some of her questions.

When her paths 3. When her paths cross with Kelvin he is determined to follow through on his vow and kill her but after discovering that she is the last remaining human he wonders if that is really the right thing to do. As they journey together to Kelvin's family home the attraction between them is undeniable but Kelvin has begun to suspect that she is his fated mate. But surely fate wouldn't be so cruel to make his enemy his mate?

Can he put his feelings to one side and do his duty by destroying Izel? Does he even want to? The Darkest Day is the first book in a new paranormal romance series by Britt Bury and was an enjoyable read. Although the story is set in modern times it does have a historical feel to it as the pair travel across Scotland together to the Kerr castle. Kelvin is a highland warrior from a family of Pookah's Immortal Warriors with special powers linked to animals but without the ability to shapeshift.

I have to admit that I really don't like the name pookah - every time I read it it made me think of fluffy bunny rabbits and it doesn't shout out sexy highland warrior to me. If you ignore the stupid name I did really like Kelvin, he was definitely a gruff and sexy alpha male who knows what he wants and is prepared to take it. At times he could come across as a little on the scary side but he was actually a sweetheart once you got to know him and although he does a few stupid things I couldn't help but forgive him. I found myself really liking Izel though.

The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1) by Britt Bury

Her whole life is turned upside down when she arrives I Scotland. Not only does she discover that she is the last remaining human but she has to learn to cope with a whole new set of abilities that she never realised she had. With nobody else to talk to she relies on Kelvin to give her the information she needs and to help her find her family. She is drawn to this sexy warrior and hopes they can build something together but she doesn't know the secrets he is keeping.

Nothing goes smoothly between these two but you can't deny the heat that is between them and I really enjoyed watching their banter and the building chemistry. There were a few things about the world building that bugged me - apart from the ridiculous pookah name I wasn't keen on the way males had to sleep with their mate before they would know for sure that they were fated. I could have lived with that but it seemed really silly that they had to sleep with them on a particular night of the year or they would miss their chance at a happy ever after - if they got a bit over enthusiastic and slept with them early they would never be able to complete the mating ceremony.

I understand the author was trying to bring something different to the table but I prefer rules that make a bit more sense - this didn't work for me from a purely biological point of view considering that Kelvin was desperate to sleep with Izel because he thought she was his mate and he came close to loosing his chance to be with her. That doesn't leave me with a lot of hope for the species as a whole - especially when it was stated that he liked to sleep with a lot of women while he searched for his mate.

How many pookah's out there would end up missing their chance to be with their one fated mate? Anyway, ignoring that irritation I still really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading more of this series. We don't spend much time with most of the secondary characters in this instalment but I'm already dying to find out more about Ramsey's history and really hope he is getting a book of his own.

View all 11 comments. Mar 26, Syahira Sharif rated it did not like it Shelves: There's a lot of issue in this book that far outweighs the abysmal plot it have. Just a word of warning, if you like Twilight fanfiction, maybe you will love this book. To me, there's nothing in the world more saddening than having to read these kind of characters again and this is the moment where I would have wanted some warning with those "If you love Twilight and 50 Shades then you will love this Apparently the story started with a Pookah on a revenge against the Fionn Clan Campbell because they slaughtered his family.

So Kelvin Kerr vow to kill every last bit of the family. Some thousand years later, he found the heir of the clan and wanted to kill him until he saw that its a girl. And for some reason, the 'ugly' blonde girl magically changed into a brunette human and was overwhelmed by this bombardment of human emotions. Apparently, she's a pure human and last of her kind in the world where everyone is a supernatural creature.

This would have gone into a beautiful reading relationship filled with smut had Bella Swan Izel doesn't became that Special Snowflake she is. One of the major issue I had was the character Izel. I suppose its a trend for authors to make a virginal airhead girl to mirror the readers in a way which said a lot about writer herself who think her readers is dumb enough for that. I for one, have no problem with virginal girl since I am one and one of the reason why this is laughably bad was the intention of providing the male character a virgin so that one could reintroduce themselves again with the idea of sexually incompetent and the eventual exploration.

If this book was plain erotica, this would suffice but no, it is a very lengthy novel about a virginal born-again human falling in love with a boar shapeshifter in completely nonsense plot just to have them exuding emotions and their feelings and trying not to hump on each other because there's a magical prophecy with the girl who apparently a superhuman herself since she's not completely human either. As for Kelvin Kerr who was supposed to be this powerful alpha male that was said to rival the alphas of "Immortal After Dark", I can't find a single moment worth likable about the male character.

He is like a mesh between emotionally needy and abusive and borders on having a sexual predator personality. There's a couple of scenes in this book that was supposed to bring conflict in the plot but end up being totally out of context and overly non-sexy. Izel decided to go into a bar alone because she have this magical potion that hide her scent and then baiting Kelvin with other men so that he would feel jealous.

And then later Kelvin suddenly throw some verbal insults or 'hurtful' words to Izel and then Izel bolts away and then Kelvin said he's lying and that he like her more than a lot and basically molesting her even when she said "No" but then the writing were like "she means yes" when she said "No". Add to that, his dialogues is completely illegible. Was it suppose to be a Scottish romance or just spelling errors to make it sound like an accent?

This book is a mess of confusion and mixed signals and virtually emotionally problematic characters and riddled with immature dialogues that made me question whether my sense of humor has gone AWOL. If you regularly read Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy and aren't one of those chic-lit jump shippers, reading this would be disaster. Jun 28, Julie Ramsey rated it it was amazing Shelves: In this world Britt Bury created, things are very different. The world is full of magic, creatures and full of unknown demons, beings and everything that goes bump in the night.

The one thing that is newly extinct is humans. Immortals are the norm and humans are thought to be a thing of the past.

Izel, thinks she is a normal Fionn works magic , she knows that something is about to change. She has received a letter form her grandfather. He has told her to leave all she knows and come to him. She In this world Britt Bury created, things are very different. She loves him and he is the last of her family. So, she comes to Scotland. After walking for miles she comes to his home and finds it empty. She is startled by a large man behind her. He calls her a McCall, the name that her grandfather had warned her of.

If a man comes and calls you by this name, you RUN! She tries but, he is too big. He is going to kill her. Everything changes at that moment. Kelvin, a Pookah razorback shifter , is sworn enemies of the Campbell clan. The clans have been fighting for hundreds of years, since they killed his father. He is searching for the mystic of the Campbell's, who has been missing. After arriving in his home he meets a woman. The woman who is the McCall next leader of his sworn enemies. For 25 yrs Izel has lived with feeling nothing. No love, no passion, no hate, nothing, for 25 yrs the mystic has been hiding Izel, hiding the fact she is the last human left on Earth.

A prophecy says she is meant to bring peace to the clans and have great powers Unless she meets a Pookah who will change her fated path. My only complaint is some of the terms of the different types of people are a little confusing. Saying that, once you figure that out, oh my! The sexual tension is phenomenal.

The actual scenes even better. You watch these two characters, Izel and Kelvin, grow, fight their attractions, lose that fight, and finally fall for one another. Just when you think things are going well, the floor drops and Izel's world changes. She, loves and hates this man. Loves what they shared but everything is based on a lie. This book was one of the best I have read in a long time. It also sets the stage for upcoming books that I will be looking for.

If you like fantasy, paranormal, romance this is a must read! Jun 22, Julia added it Shelves: My first issue was with regards to the hero reacting to his father's death, NOT with the vow to kill the murderer.

The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1) by Britt Bury – Musings : Reviews

He was going to wait for said murderer to find a wife, settle down, have children, and then our fine boy was going to kill them all. That's pretty darn premeditated and creeptastic. Skip forward to the "present", humans are extinct, our heroine, despite seeming pretty normal all around, claims she's never experienced an emotion.

She claims this just as she's, well, experiencing emotions for the first time. And growing boobs and new hair. Raging hormones, new body Then we get to the goodstuff, the "Fated Mate" explanation. Both hero and heroine are fighting their attraction when Kelvin decides to explain some little "quirks" of Razorback Pookah biology. They can only have sex with a woman once winners.

If she's not their mate, they're never interested again typical. In addition to being silly arbitrary, this little science lesson sucks any anticipation that may have survived thus far right out of the book. Let me tell you a secret, they're going to sleep together on the Solstice. Not until then, nope, feel free to skip all the weird family feuds and heavy breathing, they're going to wait until the Solstice. Someone will probably try to kill them or they'll have decided they're mortal enemies or Izel will have to chose between Kelvin and her "family", but it's going to happen, they're going to bang.

And I have no desire to jump through more weird narrative hoops and wait for them to just get there already. I received this book for review from Netgalley. It's unique and funny and very sexy. Of course it's sexy, there's Scottish men in it, and you know how I like my Highlanders. In this book, the world is populated by all kinds of paranormal creatures. So much so that the the weaker pure-breed humans have become extinct.

Everyone accepts that they have some degree of humanity still in them, but to varying degrees. I suppose its a trend for authors to make a virginal airhead girl to mirror the readers in a way which said a lot about writer herself who think her readers is dumb enough for that. I for one, have no problem with virginal girl since I am one and one of the reason why this is laughably bad was the intention of providing the male character a virgin so that one could reintroduce themselves again with the idea of sexually incompetent and the eventual exploration.

He is like a mesh between emotionally needy and abusive and borders on having a sexual predator personality. Izel decided to go into a bar alone because she have this magical potion that hide her scent and then baiting Kelvin with other men so that he would feel jealous. Add to that, his dialogues is completely illegible. Was it suppose to be a Scottish romance or just spelling errors to make it sound like an accent? This book is a mess of confusion and mixed signals and virtually emotionally problematic characters and riddled with immature dialogues that made me question whether my sense of humor has gone AWOL.

I read a lot because I'm an insomniac. I am a biomedical science graduate.