Dark of kNight Series Official Website

kNight 2: Fall of kNight by T.L. Mitchell

Reviewed by: Merrylee

Saturday, 30 April 2011

Title: Fall of kNight

Author: T.L. Mitchell

Publisher: kNight Romance Publishing

Genre: Shapeshifter/Werewolf-Lycan, Contemporary

Publication date: November 22, 2010

ISBN: 9780982918647

Pages: 386

Series: kNight, Book 2

Heat Level: M/F – oral sex, steamy sex scenes, graphic violence, love bites, graphic language

Rating:

Those stinky werewolves are back! And they have something more going for them – genetic enhancement. Dark Wolves roam the night, killing Lycans who've strayed away from their preordained path. And with the Lycan Council pursuing a new leader in Daniel Maxwell, civil war threatens to destroy the Lycan clans. It's up to Daniel to bring peace and rebirth to the Lycans, even as he finds his love for Julie tested, not only by the werewolves and the week-long Mating Rite, but by the “inhumanely beautiful vampire” who had saved her life and desires her for his own. Richard MacArthur exudes a strange and powerful control over Julie whenever they are together. It drives her lust for him and makes her forget about Daniel, threatening to end their deep, abiding love.

When Julie meets her mother's family, she learns secrets that tip her life dizzily on its axis. Amassing werewolves once again threaten her life, her death looming as certainly as her next breath. Who will step forward to risk his life to save hers? And with her mind and will under Richard's control, what will come of Julie and Daniel's love should she survive?

Fall of kNight is the second book in the first trilogy of the kNight series by T.L. Mitchell. After a somewhat slow start, Ms. Mitchell provides a super suspense-filled follow-up to Dark of kNight. I recommend you read these two books in order as the second builds upon the first. In this one, there aren't as many editing errors, with words left out or spare ones left in. Once again, the story is told from Julie's upbeat and often reflective perspective. The plot is complex and powerful, with very little predictability and a formal quality that I'm getting used to. The mystery surrounding Fort Mountain continues, an element of the story I find particularly interesting, if not riveting. And I loved the strategically inserted bits of humor that work to relieve the intensity that often has you sitting on the edge of your seat or reaching for a tissue to wipe away your tears. Overall, the sex is more erotic in this book than in Dark of kNight, and despite the title of book one, the plot of Fall of kNight is a little darker than that of its predecessor.

Ms. Mitchell's characters are again masterfully fleshed out in light of the first person point of view. I was much more drawn to Richard in this book, my heart aching for his consuming, unavailing love for Julie, who is now more confident in and comfortable with her “wolfie” nature and abilities. She's more in command as an alpha female and much more fierce. Aside from his whiney or violent mistrust of Julie and Richard – which made him a bit less appealing in this book – Daniel remains the strong, dependable and tender-hearted lover. Ultimately, he exhibits a enlightened understanding of Julie's deep affection for Richard that is emotionally touching. As he grows more powerful and decisive towards the end of the book, he fully redeems himself. Overall, the man H-O-T hot, one of the most seductive and powerful heroes I've come across in my years of reading romance.

As a NASCAR fan since 1987, I loved the racing segment, however unlikely, with the vampires renting Atlanta Motor Speedway for a couple of evenings of vampires turned stock car drivers. Ms. Mitchell was doing a commendablejob with authenticity until she unfortunately had Richard winning the race on the white flag lap. It leads me to believe if she ever watches NASCAR races, because anyone's who's watched a race knows that it isn't over until the checkered flag flies. The white flag means one lap to go. And does D.W. know he's a vampire? How cool would that be, race fans?

In the end, Ms. Mitchell leaves you anticipating the November 2011 release of Dawn of kNight with bated breath. She also has a second trilogy planned for the series that will feature Richard, who just keeps getting yummier and yummier.