Night Shade: A Dark, Fated Mates, Human Witch Vampire Romance (Chronicles of The Otherworld: The Vampire War Book 1)

I received a free copy of this book from the author and I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.The intro to this book is quite fascinating. I can't wait to read and learn more about Daniella and Gregori.This book begins with a very intimate steamy scene between Daniella and Alexander. Daniella lives and works in New York City at the Novak firm. Obviously, he isn't who she desires as she imagines him as another man. Daniella seems to have an innate intuition that isn't always practical but ordinarily correct.Greg Novak seems to be level-headed and caring. He is sweet to Daniella, and they work together at the firm he founded. A business issue comes up, and he is wise, a bit harsh in handling things, not assigning blame but finding a solution.Shortly after the business conversation, we see the real side of Greg Novak, and he reveals his paranormal nature. What do you think he is? Does Daniella know? Luke and Mya are also probably of this paranormal world. Interesting, Daniella is his mate, and they seem to be in some kind of a war with an opposing paranormal.This book gets exciting. Very quickly, Daniella gets attacked in her home. But guess who comes to save her, and of course, her attacker drops a ton of information he shouldn't have, so now we are sure we are dealing with Vampires. But not just any vampire, Gregori Novak seems to be like a boss for the Novak family of vampires. Daniella is still something we aren't sure of but definitely not all human.Oh, this book does help us discover more about her, and it is very interesting she is not an average human. Instead, she is blessed with her own power. The author throws in some interesting twists in the story stuff I didn't expect but loved. I love that author incorporated more than just vampires in this story. Her inclusion of fated mates, immorality, and elemental magic make this an exciting story.This book has some epic action scenes right before the end of the story. No cliffhanger, and the couple does get their happy ending, although not everything is resolved. There are some unexpected results from the meeting in the caverns.I thought it was awesome that the story isn't just about protecting his mate but also including her. She was so strong but astute, and I loved that the author had a strong hero and heroine in the story. Each of the characters was amazing and inspiring, from Greg to Daniella and even Luke and Mya. They each have their own story, personality, and history.This story was predominately about Greg and Daniella. It includes lots of suspense and steamy scene. I love how Daniella embraced this new world and learned what she could to help fight back and protect herself while also embracing the love and mates aspects. She didn't shy away or become a damsel basket case; instead, she wrapped her head around it and jumped in. I do wish there were more conversations about the vampire world or fated mates and less kissing. I do feel like something was missing in the explanation to her about fated mates. I thought this was a fantastic read for a vampire romance, including lots of action, caring, and steamy scenes. I would love to read more about them and their friends in the future.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to lose myself in a book. This one allowed me to do just that. Each character came to life and endeared me to their stories. I have a feeling I’ll enjoy this series.

This was a great start to the series. Vampires with powers that are deadly who are bent on exposure to the world instead of living harmoniously with oblivious humans. They want power and will cause chaos to get what they want.Greg and crew have been fighting these wars and warmongers for centuries. Every couple centuries one gets a bright idea to cause problems and it’s always at the expense of vampire kind. Greg has a great responsibility and has been denying himself the ultimate gift - his mate. Even though he finally has one, she’s finally apart of his life he hasn’t confessed to her who and who he is and what she is to him.Ella has some powers of her own and isn’t as fragile as a human appears.Denying, not claiming a mate is a fate worse than death and will ultimately lead a vampire down that path.Greg has to let go of his fear of losing his mate and embrace matehood. Because war is coming whether he wants it or not and she has to be ready.Good read!

*****Spoilers*****This one is short but I feel like it tried to do too much for its length. Daniella and Gregori go from coworkers to more in a blink with all of these pent up feelings for one another and I found myself missing the knowledge, connection, and backstory that would've tied their beginning together much better. References were made to certain things that weren't included in the book or explained so I constantly felt like I had missed something. It could also use more world building and we find that the vampires are in a war that seems isolated between Gregori and Zachariah, not sure how that's a war. Besides that, the book opens to Daniella and Alexander aka Zachariah having sex, the reasoning given closer to the end was Daniella needed some way to expel all of the sexual tension caused by working alongside Gregori all the time. But we didn't get a satisfactory why behind Daniella not approaching Gregori or even any of the in between, touches, looks, acts to show Gregori was in love with Daniella, his mate. Speaking of, he doesn't tell her because he wanted to keep Daniella safe from his enemies, if they knew they would've gone after her. Which is exactly what happened and while she was more vulnerable. Sighs because there was so much potential in the book. The sex is hot but doesn't make up for other things, including the dialogue, how Daniella goes from feeling betrayed and distrustful, to learning about and accepting that there are vampires, to finding out she's a mate, to discovering her own abilities with some grumbles and mild surprise, all within a couple of chapters. Again, the book is much too short I felt for everything it tried to do.I hated that the book truncated Gregori's name. It's Greg throughout the book which made me cringe. He's Spanish heritage and we get a little about how he became a vampire as well as how his vampire family came to be though I don't remember if it was every disclosed just how many vampires be ruled over or even how they're ruled. I can't say after reading this book that I could say what Daniella looks like outside of brown eyes. This just needs more but I will say that the beginning of that book almost tanks it for me before it picks up towards the end.