The Darkest Secret

Title: The Darkest Secret
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld (Book 7)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



Amun is the keeper of Secrets. He doesn't speak because if he opened his mouth the secrets of the world would come streaming out. We do see this happen once to him in the story.

Recently Amun has come back from a trip to Hell (to save Legion) and has managed to somehow take in more minor demons while he was there. They are pretty much driving him insane. So much so, that he is rarely conscious and is trying to kill himself.

Strider catches Baden's killer (a hunter named Haidee/Hadiee) and brings her to the fortress. In his hurry to check on Amun, he puts Haidee in the room next to Amun, just until he can get her to the dungeon.

Haidee hears Amun's voice crying out in her mind and goes to him. It is found that she quiets the demons and makes him relatively normal. The Lords discover this, and decide to keep her around him for the time being.

Amun learns from an Angel that the only way to get the demons out would be to travel back to Hell. He and Haidee make that journey and learn much about one another.

A relatively simple story, although I did enjoy the twist about Haidee at the end. Aside from that, to me Defeat stole most of the story. Strider is somewhat the secondary story. He's being set up for the next novel (which I believe will be his). Something about Defeat and the way he constantly asks, "Win?" just makes me laugh.

Time to wait until September 27th for my favorite Demon.

The Darkest Lie

Title: The Darkest Lie
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld (Book 6)
Genre: Paranormal Romance


Gideon is the keeper of Lies. He cannot utter any truth without being overwhelmed by pain and incapacitated. It has gotten to the point where he cannot even call anyone by their name, because that indeed is a truth. Most of the Lords have gotten use to "Gideon Speak." They know he means exactly the opposite of what he is saying. Gideon can also tell if what anyone is saying is truth or lie.

Scarlet is the keeper of Nightmares. She cannot be awake during the daytime, as soon as the day hits she falls into a sleep that she cannot be woken from until it is nighttime again. While she is asleep, Scarlet visits others in their dreams and gives them nightmares, which satisfies her demon.

Gideon has tattoos of a pair of eyes, lips and the phrase "To part is to die." These things haunt him in his dreams and he gets the feeling that it is someone that he should know. Everything connects when Scarlet is captured by the Lords and thrown in their dungeon. Gideon meets her and knows she is the one he dreams of. Scarlet then drops the bomb on him that they were/are married. Gideon has no idea how he cannot remember her, but he is drawn to her none the less.

He decides he's going to "kidnap" Scarlet so they can learn each other and he can learn the information she is hiding. It drives him nuts that she has memories of him that he cannot remember. The two have to work together against the Gods and Hunters.

Initially I had a difficult time with this book, having to read everything twice. Once in Gideon Speak, then thinking about it and translating it to what he really meant. After I was a bit into the book, however, I didn't notice anymore. There even becomes one part where Gideon is able to speak the truth without being in pain. I was amazed at the skill used for this part of the book, I could immediately see a different Gideon, one who wasn't weighed down by the need to lie.

There are so many twists and turns to this story, which I guess reflects on the story being about lies. I never really felt a pull toward Gideon, but as usual, this story was written in a way where I became emotionally invested in his well being. I loved learning that his demon (Lies) is a female.

Next up in the series is Amun, keeper of Secrets story. The Darkest Secret is currently set to be released March 2011.

The Darkest Passion

Title: The Darkest Passion
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld (Book 5)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



Aeron is the keeper of Wrath. Whenever he meets someone he sees the bad things they've done in the past and wants to punish them in the same (or similar) way that they've hurt someone else. If he comes across a wife beater, he wants to beat them to death. A womanizer who has broken many hearts, he wants to slice their heart into pieces. This makes it difficult for him to be with women because he wants to punish them all.

Aeron has an "adopted daughter," Legion. She is a small demon creature that is bound to Aeron. He cherishes her and does everything he can to keep her happy, including decorating his room in pink and lace. Legion is the one "person" who his demon seems to accept. Unfortunately, she is a little possessive of Aeron and can hurt everyone by the poison that drips from her teeth.

Lately Aeron has been feeling a presence watching him. Legion has left due to this presence that she tells him is an angel. Little does Aeron know, but this angel has been sent to kill him because he has helped Legion escape from hell. Fortunately for Aeron, this angel has strong feelings for him and has chosen to fall from Heaven and loose her wings so that she can be with him and not have to kill him. The only problem with this is that another angel is going to be sent in her place.

The angel's name is Olivia. She is pure as angels should be and has had to literally claw her way up from hell to find Aeron. Aeron feels drawn to her, but doesn't want to like her due to too may complications. If he's with Olivia, Legion cannot come back, he has been threatened by another angel with death if he soils Olivia. On top of all this, there is still the normal Hunter business to deal with and looking for the artifacts.

Wow. I think this is one of the best books I've read all year. I always forgot how much I love this series (and the author in general) until I pick them up again. Her scenes are so vibrant and her love scenes so steamy. She introduces you to the characters in the perfect way where you don't feel overwhelmed by the amount of them. (Unlike The Sword, which I also read recently)

I feel so connected to the characters, even the ones that are not the main character for this particular book. I cannot wait to read Paris' story, especially after the little tidbit at the end of this book. I feel like he is such a tormented sweetheart. I also cannot wait to read Gideon's Story (The Darkest Lie - up next).

The Darkest Whisper

Title: The Darkest Whisper
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld (Book 4)
Genre: Paranormal Romance




I read the first 3 books in the series about a year ago, and they blew me away. There are very few books that as soon as I finish reading at the library I feel the need to drive to the bookstore and buy. This series was one of them, possibly the only one I've ever felt that way towards.

Darkest Whisper was the first book that we got the chance to follow one of the Lords of the Underworld who was part of the second group of them. They had split at one time into two groups because of a difference in beliefs, they are now back together.

Sabin is the keeper of Doubt. His demon, obviously, plants doubt into people's minds until they just can't handle it anymore. This leads him to having a hard time holding onto a girlfriend. They eventually all kill themselves because they're so full of doubt. But Sabin has met his match!

Gwendolyn the Timid, whose is part Harpy. The two make an interesting match as they learn each other's quirks and following on the path to finding the relics to lead them to Pandora's box.

Usually when I read a series I feel super connected to the first book's characters and the rest are okay, but not as wonderful. I cannot stress enough how much I've enjoyed every book in this series. I'm anxious to read book 5 - Aeron, the Keeper of Wrath.

Lords of the Underworld

This series I loved so much that after borrowing them from the library - I went out and bought all three at Barnes & Noble. I anxiously await the next ones. They fall again into that paranormal romance section :)

The basic idea behind Lords of the Underworld Series by Gena Showalter is that there is a group of Immortals who screwed up in the past. They decided that it wasn't fair that Pandora watched over the box, because she was a chick and come on, why her instead of a bunch of men? So this group of "men" decided to play a trick on the gods, open the box and show them how worthy they are by capturing the demons inside and putting them in the box. Problem - they lost the box. So these men must each house a demon inside of them. Each book is about a different one of the demon housing men. Their overall goal is to break the curse by finding certain items, this is followed throughout the series.

Before Darkest Night there was an online novel The Darkest Fire. I do not own one of those nifty portable digital book holder things (can never remember what they are called) nor am I a fan of reading a book (even if it is a shortened one) on my computer screen. Therefore I haven't read it. She has discussed releasing it as a book eventually - but until then, I'm fine not reading it. It is about Geryon the Guardian of Hell that's about all I know.

There are currently three books out:

This installment is about Maddox - keeper of Violence. He is forced the die every night the same way that the men killed Pandora. His friends must stab him to death in the gut and he spends the night in hell. Wakes up the next morning good as new. He also wants to inflict lots of violence due to the demon inside of him. He meets Ashlyn who comes searching to the gods because she hears voices and thinks she must be crazy. Really she hears voices from the past. She goes somewhere and hears everything that was ever said there. Imagine the craziness of that. Needless to say Ashlyn is kidnapped by a group of people that are against the Lords. A chase ensues...


Lucien is introduced in this book - keeper of death. Kind of like the Angel of Death he has to go and collect souls and bring them to heaven or hell. Such as his friend Maddox who he brings to hell each night. He meets Anya Goddess of Anarchy. She is a flirtatious goddess who I imagine to be like a sassy rebellious teenager. The other Gods don't really recognize her and she just likes to cause mischief. Lucien is ordered by a ruling God to kill Anya or die himself. Unfortunately...he can't bring himself to do it. This makes a problem.


Meet Reyes keeper of Pain. The only way he feels pleasure is through pain. He often cuts himself as well as other extremes such as jumping off the top of the Lords home so that he has broken bones. Their home has dark colored seats and carpet to hide the blood stains from his constant mutilation. His soon to be lady - Danika - has been ordered to death by the gods. They like to order deaths. Her and her entire family must be killed and it has made Aeron (Keeper of Wrath) a bit crazy with blood lust. So much so that he is chained in the basement. Reyes feels the need to choose between Danika, the woman he is drawn to, and his friend for centuries.

The next book will be The Darkest Whisper. Going to be about Sabin - Keeper of Doubt. He is able to insert doubtful thoughts and feelings into anyone's mind. Said to be coming out May 2009.