Eve of Darkness (Marked Series)

I am generally not a fan of paranormal or fantasy books. However, I have to admit that I was hooked from the first page. Eve is sassy, smart, and emotional. Reed and Alec are so well written, I'm still unsure of who I'm rooting for. Give this book a try.

Spoiler Alert! Eve is a amazing character S.D. has not disappointed as if yet. The twist she puts on the oldest story on earth is amazing. Cane and Abel give the Marked series a page turning suprise line after line. Looking forward to completing the series.

This story had a lot more action then the first installment. Eves love triangle becomes even more complex and at the end you just start to feel bad for both Cain and Abel. You want both to win her heart but know it can't be that way. I definitely recommend.

I loved Sylvia Day's Crossfire series, so when I got the first Eve book I gave it a try...and I'm addicted! Eve of Destruction did not disappoint..a few great love scenes and non-stop plot and action. Not predictable...I did not see the end coming! Can't wait to read Book three!

This book is right up there with one of the worst I've ever read...or rather, read the first half and skimmed the rest when it was clear it wasn't going to get any better. Honestly, this is a waste of paper. This is supposed to be the work of a best selling author, but if this is the best she can do she needs to go back and take some writing classes. Sure, okay, that may sound harsh, but this book was a waste of time and money and if this is how her other works are, then I wonder at how that best selling status ever came about.

The idea behind the story is a great one--the idea that Cain and Abel are still around and trying to save humans from demons and other supernatural baddies, while still engaging in their sibling rivalry. A woman named Eve gets involved with them and is "marked" so that she gains superhuman powers and the ability to see the baddies and also needs to pay off her debt to God as a sinner. However, she became a sinner due to Cain's involvement in her life while she was still a teen (which also left me feeling icky) and these powers are all wrapped up with a superhuman sex drive. So, essentially, what could have been a decent story was all wrapped up with sex scenes that, unfortunately, were boringly predictable and unsexy. The writing was amateurish and the plot was obvious and the characters were flat and uninteresting. I didn't give a hoot about them.

Sadly, this is the first book in a series...but I won't be picking up anymore. This read like a story that some beginner writer scribbled in her diary and should never have allowed out of the drawer.

A love triangle is a tricky thing to be in especially when 2 of the 3 love interests are brothers and one is her mentor and the other is her handler.

Eve has been in love with Alec Cain for over 10 years and can not get over him, until one day she sees Reed Abel. She has a strong pull to him and thinks that it’s cause he resembles Cain so much.

Being stood up at a job interview has Eve’s life being turned upside down with a new job that she didn’t know existed let alone wanted. Now branded with the Mark of Cain, Eve will have to learn how to fight Infernal’s to survive.

Cain has always worked alone taken his orders from one man. Now he’ll have to learn to work together with his brother to keep the girl he loves safe.

I really enjoyed reading this and can’t wait to continue the series.

Welcome to S.J. Day's California, where demons walk among us, unbeknownst to all but a few chosen souls. These chosen souls are the "Marks," so named because they bear the Mark of Cain. Personally recruited by God to serve as demon-hunting enforcers, they gain superhuman powers and a chance to expiate their sins. The oldest, baddest mark is Cain himself. He's still a rebel with a distaste for rules, and he still doesn't get along with that brother of his.

Our heroine, Evangeline "Eve" Hollis, finds herself thrust unexpectedly into the life of a Mark after a hot elevator interlude with a man who reminds her eerily of her first love, Alec Cain. (Guess who.) Eve of Darkness follows Eve as she adjusts to her new powers, learns to navigate the world of celestial and infernal politics, and wrestles with feelings for both Cain and Abel.

Eve is an interesting character in a subgenre where heroines often seem cookie-cutter. She's not a complete loner, for starters -- she has a complicated relationship with her parents and a warm, sweet friendship with an elderly widow in her building. She also seems very realistic in her initial reactions to the changes in her life. Rather than suddenly transforming into a hard-edged warrior, she is reluctant to embrace this new existence, and would rather just get on with her interior design career until she realizes there's no going back. She also is able to think outside the box at times and come up with unconventional solutions to problems.

S.J. Day has obviously done her research into the lore she is using. The moment where her hard work really became evident to me was in the scene with the lilin. I've seen variations on lilin in several urban fantasies, but how many authors incorporate the legend that a hundred lilin die every day, and work that into the characterization?

Pacing is a little odd. The early chapters of the book are very steamy, and most of the non-sex action deals with a serial-killing water demon who is stalking Eve. Another plot is also building during this time, involving demons who've found a way to hide their nature from Marks, but this plot doesn't really pick up until later in the book. When it does become a major plot, it explodes into something very big and very complex, and suddenly there are werewolf families and mages and animal mutilations and byzantine double-crossings, and seemingly-important characters introduced pretty late in the story. I was sometimes confused. It felt, if this makes any sense, like the sex plot was a little too "front-loaded" and the action plot a little too "back-loaded." It felt like two separate episodes of Eve's story rather than two threads braided together. Also, and I admit this is a very silly peeve, but I don't like the convention of using the word "wolf" to refer to a werewolf when the creature is in human form. It always makes me picture the four-footed variety and throws me out of the story.

Then again, maybe it's premature to make a judgment about the pacing. Eve of Darkness and its sequels, Eve of Destruction (Marked, Book 2) and Eve of Chaos (Marked, Book 3), are scheduled to come out within a few short months, and it's clear that they're meant to be read in rapid succession. (Evidence: The first chapter of Eve of Darkness is actually a cliffhanger for Eve of Destruction.) Perhaps after reading all three, the overall "flow" of the series will be more clear.

S.J. Day has created a unique world, and it has many secrets that have yet to be revealed. I'm especially interested in finding out what sets Eve apart; there are hints that there is something unusual about her that caused her to be chosen in the first place. I'm also interested in the intricacies of angelic politics and what the various angels' agendas and plots are. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

If I didn't make it clear above, readers should be advised that there is a great deal of sex in Eve of Darkness! Depending on whether you're a member of the "Yay, Fantasy with Sex!" club or the "Get This Stinkin' Sex Out of My Fantasy" club, your mileage may vary.

Evangeline Hollis thinks she has an important meeting with a possible new client who wants to hire her for her interior decorating skills. Unfortunately, it is all a setup for her to be assaulted by Reed Abel, who rapes her and brands her with the Mark of Cain. Now Eve is marked as a sinner, and she will have to do God’s bidding and hunt down demons who have crossed the line. Alec Cain suddenly turns up again in her life after ten years, and he is the reason of all of this. He will be her mentor, and teach her what she needs to know to survive, and how to handle her new skill set and of course her new enormous sex drive. His brother, Reed Abel, will be her handler however, and so she will be a pawn between the two brothers.

Before Eve knows what has happened to her, she is almost killed by a Nix, some kind of water demon, and pissed on by a Gargoyle. Alec is only just in time to save her from the Nix. She really needs to be trained fast and good, as she is in danger already and she is not supposed to be.

Their boss the Archangel Raguel is also planning things to get into Gods good graces above the other archangels, and it is surely not to their benefit at all. He almost doesn’t want them to investigate Gehenna Masonry and the strange stanchless demons they encounter. What is he hiding?

As I said, I really liked this book, especially because of Eve. She is not religious at all, not thanks to her Asian parents though. But now she has to mind her tongue, as cursing will get her punished immediately through her Mark of Cain. She wants to believe she can get out of it, that she did nothing to deserve this faith, but both Cain and Abel know that is not so easy, or ever done before.
I liked how she did not jump into bed with Cain as soon as he wanted her again, no matter how he pressures her, and how much her body needs it after the change.
I loved her sweet old and caring neighbour and was sorry for what happened to her.

Lots of action, and lots of learning for Eve, but she is a great heroine, she does not fall apart, she keeps it together and she certainly does not give in easily or believe everything she is told at face value. I like that. There is a mystery and a plot and I do wonder where it will go.
The old story between Abel and Cain in the bible has hidden backgrounds and so far, Cain has refused to tell Eve what really happened to make him kill his brother. And I want to know!

But the book starts out very confusing, making me check two times if it is really the first book in the series. And the first chapter is actually the last chapter in the book, as the whole rest is told like some kind of flashback. I did not really appreciate that, as I did not get into the story at once.

I will read the rest of the series, as I want to know what happens next. I am sorry to report that the books are very expensive, I will have to find a secondhand book or ebook somewhere …

8 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian </p>

You know that feeling you get when you plop down on the coach, snuggle up with whatever random blanket you found on the floor, and prepare to watch your favorite show? You are happy. This is your time. Time to let your hair down, pretend that you’re not drinking an entire bottle of wine by yourself and let the beautiful world of television drama drag you away into a world that is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen. Which of course is why you love it so much. And then it happens. The opening credits finally appear and they are different. I’m talking black and white, ominously quiet background music and they are moving so slow you are afraid the wine is actually starting to affect your perspective. In my house, this is called the “Oh s***” moment. The moment when you realize you are about to see something so horrific that by then end of it you will look less like a human and more like a life-sized ball of walking snot. It’s the death episode. The episode that will start off in the future, at the most dramatic point possible, and then you will have to stare dread in the face for the next 45 minutes to understand HOW you got to that point. It sucks. There is absolutely no other way to say it, but at the same time…you are riveted. Everyone loves a good train-wreck right?

This is exactly how the beginning of “Eve of Darkness” starts. In the pit of utter despair. An unforgettably wonderful pit of despair. Sounds fun doesn’t it.
Cursed by God, hunted by demons, desired by Cain and Abel… All in a day’s work.

For Evangeline Hollis, a long ago fling with a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks just became a disaster of biblical proportions. One night with a leather-clad man of mystery has led to a divine punishment: the Mark of Cain.

Thrust into a world where sinners are drafted into service to kill demons, Eve’s learning curve is short. A longtime agnostic, she begrudgingly maneuvers through a celestial bureaucracy where she is a valuable but ill-treated pawn. She’s also become the latest point of contention in the oldest case of sibling rivalry in history…

But she’ll worry about all that later. Right now she’s more concerned with learning to kill while staying alive. And saving the soul she’d never believed she had.

It’s been quite some time since I’ve had to write a review for an “adult” paranormal romance, and since I am having a difficult time trying to make “you will need to read this book by a shower…a cold one” sound eloquent instead of trashy, I’ve decided to just lay all of my cards on the table. Go big or go home! That’s what they say right? So here it…OH MY GOD! (Hmm..ok, that wasn’t quite as dramatic as it sounded in my head.) To give you an idea of just how, um…HOT this book was, at page 75 I took a picture (of the page…not me you pervs!) I then sent that picture to my friend Tina with the words “Oh holy hell this is ****censored because my mom reads my reviews****” One hour later, she bought the book for herself. Game. Set. Match…sexy time.

But, a book can’t be entirely about the horizontal mambo can it? So let’s go back to my previous topic, the inevitability of doom.

I’m a not the type of reader that judges a book by its first chapter. I have read too many books that end in a magnificent flame of glory that started out as the stuff bad jokes are made from. So to me, judging a book on the stumbling block of its first few chapters is not only naive, but shortsighted. But “Eve of Darkness” got me. And by got me I mean, there was no way in Hades I was putting this book down after chapter 1. With a beginning so explosive (and yes, I mean “explosive” in the fire-breathing dragon sense of the word.) understanding the events that lead up to the chapters conclusion was almost an instinctual need for me.

Must.Find.Answers. *grr…arghhh*

Thankfully, “Eve of Darkness” didn’t take a flying leap off of Calvary Hill (two points to me for incorporating a religious reference) after its stellar opening (which I was sort of afraid of) Instead Ms. Day managed to hold my interests with the introduction of not one but two rather interesting (and infamous) characters. Cain and Able. Yes, THAT Cain and Able. (*pauses for a moment of silence while agnostic followers Google Cain and Able.*) With character tension established thousands of years ago, Day had a lot to play with both emotionally and physically. And boy did she deliver. Sexy-time aside, EOD was packed with action. Fights between Cain and Able. Fights because of Cain and Able. Fights between every single paranormal entity known to man and Cain and Able. (I think you get my point.) There was very little downtime to this book, and I have to say I appreciate that almost as much as Eve’s (the actual protagonist in this story’s) inability to choose between two incredibly hot men.

Why?

Because the non-stop action set a breakneck pace which kept me flying through pages like my ass was on fire. AND despite it’s moments of information/plot overload (I think there were maybe 6 different stories going on at once) I found myself utterly enthralled. Something I think everyone needs a little dose of from time to time. (Total mind-numbing literary bliss.)

Add in a fairly hefty dose of leading lady snark, and a plot so twisted I wasn’t even sure if the characters knew who they were screwing over, what I was left with was one hell of a guilty pleasure. (That I devoured in less than a day and then finished off the series in the next two.)

Overall…a paranormal ditty sure to please fans of books like the “Black Dagger Brotherhood” or “Mercy Thompson.” Average writing, but hey…guilty pleasures are guilty for a reason are they not?

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Sometimes it’s ok to let your freak flag fly. Not right now…put that crap away, but sometimes.

Well readers, we are back again!! Time to review another fabulous book by Sylvia Day, this time Eve of Destruction; the fantastic sequel to Eve of Darkness.

In my opinion, this book is ten times better than Eve of Darkness, and I LOVED that book!! This book is full of drama, jealousy, action, and overall awesomeness!!
The Postivies
I really love that we see Eve more in this book on her own; rather than with a babysitter all of the time (ie Alec, Reed, her mother). She gets a chance to shine among her peers and show that she is worthy of all the craziness that is surrounding her. Because of this, we learn more of her strengths and weaknesses and we get a snapshot of how strong she will be in the next book, which rocks.
I am excited that we get to know Reed better in this book. In the last book, he really seems like an arogant jerk who only wants to "bed" Eve to make his brother jealous and ultimatley bring Alec down. In the sequel, he is still arogant and "jerky" at times, but we understand why. That he has trust issues and is scared of his true feelings. He never wanted to like Eve, but he seems to be growing attached and that is scary. He doesn't seem like the type to not be in control, and so when he loses control he freaks out and goes into jerk mode. He is just a typical guy....with wings :)
I also really like that we see the Marks in the field in this novel. The whole "Mark" world is really new and is not something that has been written about by any author that I have read, so it was time to see what the fuss was all about. It is really intense when you get right down to what all the cadets have to do in order to erase their sins. Day was really creative with this aspect of the story. She has an awesome voice, and it shows!!
I am excited that we get to get a visual in our heads about Hell and that we get to meet the devil! That may sound weird, but in book one we really didn't know the true evil. So I am happy that we are now aquainted with the devil and his minions. It makes for good reading!
The Negatives
There are not really too many negatives to report (because this book is GRRREEEATT!!) but I do feel like I should mention a few.
I was not happy with the lack of Alec in this book. I mean he was there...but not THERE. I was really liking the whole Alec/Eve relationship that was building in book one, and I feel like she went away from it in book two. I mean, we do have interaction, but they seem to be losing their way. Especially with what happens toward the end (I won't give the spoiler...read and find out!!)
I am not looking foward to reading more about the Alec/Eve/Reed love triangle. It just creeps me out that she is "bedding" two brothers (mentally I might add) and I feel like that it will only get more creepy as the series progresses. I hope I am not wrong :)
The Verdict
Get this book!! And then read the next one !!! I know I will!!

See the review at [...]

I was introduced to Eve of Darkness by my friend (and fellow blogger) Julie. She told me to put down my current book because I HAD to read this one! That it was fabulous!! And you know what....she was RIGHT!! This book does not disappoint!

I was told that this book is 50 Shades meets the Bible (which I have to say did freak me out at first) meets any paranormal romance that I have read. And honestly, it was all of those things! I am a 50 Shades fan, so when I heard that this book was similar, I was instantly drawn to it. However, in terms of "smut factor," it was no smuttier (is that a word?) than a good, juicy Nora Roberts classic. And it terms of it's biblical nature, it mentioned stories of the Bible and uses biblical references, but it is not blasphemous at all. It simply integrates biblical ideas into a modern romance.

The Positives:

I love the relationship between Eve and Alec (Cain) in this book! As "bad-boy" as Alec portrays himself to be, he seems to be a real sweetie at heart. And he seems to truly LOVE Eve, which makes this book so wonderful!!

Eve herself is another positive in this book. She is so strong, and I love a book that has a strong female character. She doesn't seem to want to take any crap from Alec, Reed (Abel), or Raguel (the archangel). She is really upset about the direction that her life is taking, and she does not seem to be the type to take it lying down. So she fights (and fights, and fights, and fights) every step of the way. She doesn't really want to be taken care of...she even rejects the care of her mother at one point. And she wants to control her own destiny. I admire Day for giving Eve such strength in this book. So many times you read a romance, and it is always a weak "damsel in distress" female, but Day felt that this book needed a warrior! And I agree!!

I also really love the play on Cain and Abel that Day brings to life in this novel! I love books that are outside of the box and doesn't follow a formula. This book goes into another direction completely, and that pleases me to no extent!

The Negatives:
There are not many negatives to report in this novel, I am really over the moon about how it turned out! However, one thing that I had a hard time digesting was how the book started at the end and then went back in time. I know that it is a technique to introduce the reader to the trials that are to be expected; however, I would rather have the end of the book appear at the end. I love a cliff hanger...that is what makes me want to pick up the next book! So I think I would have liked this book to be organized differently.

The only other issue I had with this book was the lack of background story I was given on the relationship between Eve and Alec. We know there was a relationship and it happened like 10 years ago. But we don't know the logistics of the relationship. We know that it was physical, but we don't know what lead to the physicality. All we know is that he helped her out of a tight spot while she was in high school and they ended up being "naughty" and then he bounced. I would have loved to have more flashbacks of the two in the earlier stages of their relationship to see how it progressed.

Overall, this book ROCKED and I can't wait to read the other two!! Keep and eye out for the other books in this series, Books Complete Me Unlimited won't keep you hanging!

See the review at [...]

Evangeline (Eve) Hollis is an interior designer, who is destined for much more. About ten years ago she had a one-night stand with one of the hottest and most dangerously alluring men she'd ever met. She'd tried to forget him over the years, but never quite could. Now she's got her own career, her own place, and a great friendship with her elderly neighbor. Until she receives the Mark of Cain...then her life as she's known it will be irrevocably altered. Marks are human sinners who are branded and drafted into the fight against Infernals. But what was Eve's sin?

Now Cain (her one-night stand man) is back along with his just as alluring brother Abel to assist her through the changes of the Mark. Now Eve, who is an agnostic, is thrust into the world of angels, demons, and Marks. She has a lot to learn and a short time to do so, especially when she's already caught the attention of some local Infernals...

Please note: This book contains graphic sexual situations.

I was quickly drawn into the new world in which Eve has found herself. The characters were well-developed and the world-building/mythology was very detailed. I especially enjoyed Eve and the many facets of her personality - from her relationships with her parents and her neighbor to her strength in the face of the previously unimaginable. The sex is beyond steamy, the action is intense, and the characters really crawl under your skin. This is the first in a series, so please be well-prepared for the cliff-hanger at the end! Thankfully all the books are out now, so you can jump right to the next one. Eve is definitely one Mark who is truly getting her education in a trial by fire. Especially when there are some new Infernals on the block and not everything is as it seems. I am super excited about how involved and captivating 'Eve of Darkness' is and anxious to see what the rest of this series will bring. Sizzling sex and urban fantasy...a compelling combination!

Marked series: Eve of Darkness (1), Eve of Destruction (2), Eve of Chaos (3), Eve of Warfare (3.25), Eve of Sin City (3.5)

This story starts off pretty much right where the last one left off...or rather where the first book began. Eve has been brought back basically from the dead and now she's in training. She does seem to have an advantage over her fellow trainees, though. One, she has already spent time in the field, so to speak and two, she has Cain, the ultimate Mark, as her mentor. This leaves her open to jealousy amongst her peers and tends to make her stand out.

Gadara is up in the training rotation just as it's time for Eve to train, a coincidence that is not at all lost of either of the brothers. The training group is headed to an old military base, while Cain is being sent to investigate a new breed of infernal that has been killing Marks. This mark is like nothing they have seen before and it grows with each kill. The new recruits are supposed to be in training, but it's clear very early on that there is more going on when people start to die.

While Eve and Cain are separated Abel steps in and gets closer to her through their bond as Mark and Handler. The three of them from a triumvirate during a moment of passion. This bonds them even further and I believe that this is something that was set in motion from the time that Cain fell in love with Eve all those years ago. A higher power has been pushing these pieces into place for years. Eve and Abel get much closer in this book and as much as I love Cain, I have to admit that I didn't hate it!

Eve is still in the dark about what Cain's long range plans are. It's clear that while he is torn between his love for her and wanting to head his own firm, I honestly don't think he would choose her in the end if it came down to it. When Gadara disappears, big changes are in store for Cain when heaven needs a new Archangel to take his place, but where does this leave Eve?

This story was a little more drawn out than the last one, but I didn't enjoy it any less. I am such a fan of Ms. Day's writing that it could have been 600 pages and I still would have enjoyed it. There was a lot more action in this one. We did meet a few new characters in this book that will play a bigger part in the next book, not the least of which was Samael.

If you liked the first book then you are definitely going to want to pick this one up. As with the first one, this continues with the somewhat biblical theme, make no mistake though, this is not a Bible story. There are more steamy love scenes, etc... It's very much an adult read.

Ms. Day had me at Cain and Abel and while this may not be something that appeals to everyone, I loved it. The world that she has created for this series pulled me in and held on to me throughout this book and the next 2 in the series.

Here is the skinny on Eve being "Marked"...Cain (Alec Cain) met Eve (Evangeline) when she was just 18, he fell in love with her. She was young and innocent and she was drawn to him immediately, I mean seriously, who wouldn't be? He couldn't stay away from her, she didn't want him too, and he ended up being her first. After that one night he disappeared and she doesn't see him again for 10 years. What she doesn't know is that her one night with Cain is why she ends up being marked. Abel (Reed Abel) is the one who gives her the mark. Once he does, Cain enters the picture again and gives her his own mark which says that he's her mentor. Throughout this book Eve is pulled between the 2 brothers. They each have feelings for her and she is torn by the feelings that she has for Abel when she knows that she loves Cain.

In this world, the Marked are sinners who are given The Mark. This makes them essentially immortal, they are stronger, faster, etc... They kill Infernals, demons who have crossed some line or other. They are working for God in an effort to redeem themselves so that when they die they don't end up in hell. Some don't fulfill that duty before they die, but some do. This world is run very much like a business, there are 7 Archangels who run the Firms around the world. The Hierarchy is this... Archangel > Handler > Mentor > Marked. So in Eve's world Gadara is the Archangel, Abel is her Handler (he tells her where to go and what to kill) and Cain is her Mentor. Cain is the one teaching her what she needs to know to survive, at least for now.

This story actually starts out with the first chapter being a sort of cliffhanger ending, then it goes back and tells the story of how they actually got to that point. There is a lot of action and really a lot going on in this book that is set up for the next 2 books. I didn't feel a particular connection to Eve for some reason, but that didn't make me like the book any less and it wasn't because she was a poorly written character. Quite the opposite, I think that Ms. Day does an excellent job with her character development. I think my problem with Eve is that while she is written as an Asian woman I don't see her that way when I read her, but in the back of my mind I know she is. I know that makes NO sense at all!!

So, overall, I really loved this story and I am nearly done with the series and I am not ready for it to be the end quite yet! I want to make it clear that this book is an adult book and if you have read any of Ms. Day's other books you know that she writes some really steamy love scenes and this book is no exception. While some characters in this series are biblically based, that's where the similarities end. There is plenty of profanity and sex in this book so be forewarned, if that's something you don't care for.

Having heard tons of praise for author Sylvia Day, but not having read any of her books for myself, I had somewhat good expectations for Eve of Darkness. I enjoy a lot of the adult urban fantasy books that I read. I loved Eve of Darkness.

The story places the reader immediately into the Marked world. It was definitely attention-grabbing, but it did take me a bit to gain my bearings. I actually even double-checked to make sure I didn't pick up the second book in the series. Once I realized that the story was going to go back and fill in the details, I was okay. The Marked world was pretty cool and definitely fascinating. There is a good amount of religious aspects to the story, but I wouldn't let that put you off if you are afraid to read books with religion. I found my background with religion to be helpful to me with the world-building, but I admit that I'm afraid my grandmother would be devastated! Nevertheless, though there are angels, I wouldn't shy away from Eve of Darkness if you don't like angel books. This read to me as more of a demon hunter story. And it rocked.

Eve is a bada$$. Minding her own business, she gets dragged into this insane world where she must fight demons and grapple with a world in which she is a pawn. Eve just sort of accepted the situation, which may be a tad unrealistic, but I was just happy that I didn't have to read about her denial of reality for pages on end. It should also be noted that Eve is biracial, Japanese/American. I loved her ethnicity and wanted to point that out for those looking for more diversity in their books.

As for the men in Eve's life, Cain and Abel. Yes, that Cain and Abel. These two have been fighting since the beginning of the world, and the battle for Eve is no exception. The man are seriously sexy, seriously aggravating and seriously dangerous. I kind of loved them. They both have been involved with Eve, both seem to care for her. I'm not sure whose team I'm on, but I'm definitely leaning towards Cain. AND...this book is suuuuper steamy. Like, steamy enough that I was blushing and trying to hide my book as I was reading on a plane. YUM.

Overall, I would say Eve of Darkness was pretty fantastic. Despite my initial confusion, I quickly fell in love and read the book in a matter of a couple hours. I will say that if you read it, definitely have book two, Eve of Destruction on hand because you will need that book immediately.

This book. THIS BOOK. I thought Eve of Destruction was going to kill me. The story picks up soon after Eve of Darkness ends, and did not quit surprising me and holding me on the edge until the very end.

I was a little worried at the beginning of Eve of Destruction. Second books in a series, particularly Urban Fantasy, sometimes feel a bit lacking to me. The world has been established. The characters have been formed. It's time to get to business. I did not feel let down at all in this installment of the Marked series. Eve has survived her first few weeks of being a Mark; now she must train. Her training sends her off to a "boot camp", where she is under the guidance of her Archangel. Training doesn't go as planned, at all. In fact, things are going to hell, in the literal sense. Marks are dying, in a supposedly safe environment, and Eve needs to figure out who is behind the carnage, or she will be next. What's worse is that her guys, Cain and Abel, aren't there to save her now.

Cain and Abel. These two... man, I can't even believe how much I like these guys. They have been at odds since the beginning, and I love the way the antagonize one another. In the last book, I couldn't decide which guy I liked the best, but I think I'm totally Team Alec Cain. He is so sexy and fun and I honestly believe he is so in love with Eve. As for Reed Abel, I do like him, too. I think there's a lot more going on with him than I originally thought, though we don't get much from his point of view. Despite being the "good" brother, he is definitely a little rough(er) around the edges when it comes to Eve. And though she wants to be with Cain, she is without a doubt drawn to Abel and his wicked ways. The chemistry between Eve and the brothers is intense. And deliciously complicated. She loves one, but is drawn to both. I was a little sad that Eve of Destruction had fewer steamy moments (no judging me), but I did love what few moments I got.

Eve of Destruction had a HUGE plot twist that I did not think would come until further down the road. I was completely blindsided, and I felt majorly distraught. But, I have to say, that it was well played by Day, because I am dying, DYING for Eve of Chaos. That book will be a drop everything and read for me.

First in the Marked urban fantasy series and revolving around Eve Hollis for the sins Cain couldn't resist committing.

My Take
Everything in this revolves around Eve. Cain fell in love with her years ago. Abel is extremely attracted. Raguel is manipulating everything around her Marking to ensure his being involved with her.

Cain is genuine in his love for Eve, and I suspect Abel's attraction is the upheaval intended to create the obvious drama. It's Raguel I'm curious about. His obsession appears to be primarily a combination of greed and power, but there are enough oddities in his thoughts that he is a mystery in his obsession over Eve.

Raguel almost hates humans, for causing him to be trapped into caring for them. I am so looking forward to his comeuppance. It's the how that will be intriguing.

I don't understand what Eve's sin is that would cause her to be penalized like this. Yeah, I get that she was a teen attracted to Cain, and that she was used to tease him into popping her cherry, so, why is she penalized for it? If she can be damned, then why isn't every virgin penalized? This is not a God I like.

Until I was almost through reviewing this, I was cursing Day's writing, but the more I wrote and thought, the more I realized I was projecting my irritation over her Gideon Cross series onto this one. I'm trying to step back from this and judge it on its own merits. Day has provided a lot of background and set-up with this story, and even if it is somewhat confusing and the incidents I mention are irritating, the whole overcomes those two issues (although I wish her editors had caught them!).

Interesting technique, putting the Epilogue at the front. Then there's the clichéd moment when the heroine just needs to reconnect with her old life, a euphemism for let's have all hell break loose.

Mostly we're learning about the world in Marked, setting us up with the primary characters in the series, learning about their characters and motivations.

Oh, I love it. Old Mrs. Basso is giving Cain sex tips! Then there's Reed's sex with Sara...and the tricks he uses to get through it. This could get interesting, especially when Cain mentions that he has"yet to see him give a s*** about anything besides himself". Not exactly how I've imagined angels. Then there's Abel's interest in Eve. Mmmm-hmmm, interesting.

What purpose does Eve have for tricking Cain about the Gray Man and the limo? It's more of a lazy device Day uses to rack up the tension because she doesn't want to be bothered to think. Again.

It is an interesting twist on angels (and a twist on Day's Renegade Angels series), and it certainly doesn't put them nearer their God with all their very human greed and desire for power. Day's underlying scenario for the series is interesting---clever to use human bureaucracy in Heaven!---and I'm curious to read how it turns out.

What I'd really like to see is all these archangels get their comeuppance for their pride, greed, and power-hungry desires.

The Story
Rebuffed from an appointment for a career-making project, Eve is quickly seduced by Abel and then Marked. A change that will bring Cain back into her life and completely change it.

Exactly as Raguel wants it; she will be the trigger.

The Characters
Evangeline "Eve" Hollis is an interior designer and mostly happy with her work. Mrs. Basso is the elderly neighbor with whom Eve is friends. Miyoko Hollis is her busybody mother with a traditional Japanese upbringing. And, it's remarkably easy for Cain to get on her good side. Darrel Hollis is her laidback, easygoing dad. At least until he meets Cain.

Alec Cain is a hot, motorcycle-ridin' supernatural bounty hunter, the first Mark, and God's primary enforcer, a bound angel. Seems he lets his temper get the best of him too often. He's ambitious and wants his own firm as does his brother, Reed Abel, a mal'akh angel. Yup, those brothers. Abel likes to follow the rules and has an ambition taller than the Empire State Building. If he can screw up Cain's life at the same time---score! He's also Eve's handler and is supposed to train her; and, he and Cain are in love with her.

Raguel Gadara is the archangel in charge of the firm, Gadara Enterprises, based in Gadara Towers that covers North America; part of his mandate is to handle the Marks who perform as bounty hunters for Heaven. Abel is one of his, and he's done some deal where Cain has to answer to him as well. He's typical of God's angels: ambitious and hungry for power, no matter who it hurts. Hank is an occultist demon who works in the basement of Gadara Tower; no one knows if he's a he or a she. Wilson is a Mark who also works at Gadara. Mariel is another mal'akh.

Sarakiel is the archangel in charge of the European Firm. She and Abel had a hot fling some time back. I suspect she could be a formidable enemy when she learns how Abel really feels.

Fathers Simmons and Riesgo are at St. Mary's where Eve goes for a Bible. Detectives Jones and Ingram investigate the murder to which they believe Eve is connected.

The Infernals
Joey is a gargoyle, a tengu demon, with a bad sense of timing---for the bad guys. A Nix, a water demon, is after Eve. Tim Grimshaw, the Alpha's son, is a werewolf who kidnaps Eve. Idiot. Sean is one of his friends. Charles Grimshaw is the Alpha of the Northern California pack who makes a deal with Cain. Malachai is Tim's grandfather, a mage.

Infernals are the bad guys. Marks are people who have sinned and who must work off their sin by earning indulgences, finding and sending the bad guys back to Hell. Angel handlers, mark and train the Marks assigned to them and dispatch them to take out the bad guys. There are seven Firms in the world. Each run by an archangel. (And the world is in desperate need of additional firms.) The lili are children of Lilith, Adam's first wife.

The Cover
The cover is projecting Eve's appearance into the future. She definitely doesn't come across in this story as this black bra-baring, black leather coat-wearing hot mama with a pistol. Not yet anyway. The background is a heat-simmering sunset with LA in the background, hazy palm trees and all.

The title is also a projection. The sweet Eve of today will be the Eve of Darkness tomorrow.

For those of you that are fans of Sylvia Day as much as I am, I want to mention that The Marked Series is being separated by her pseudonym S.J. Day because these books are unlike her other romance books. Although Eve of Darkness isn't exactly romance it is very adult! So I don't think fans will be disappointed at all - it's just different than Bared To You.

Even though Eve of Darkness isn't like her normal books, I enjoyed it very much. The book begins when Eve, who has become part of a group called Marked, fights a demon in a bathroom and almost gets herself killed. Then we go back six weeks and find out that she has been marked by Cain & Abel (yes that Cain & Abel) and goes though a sort of "change" and becomes strong and powerful - able to fight demons. Ultimately, they both have marked her, Abel then Cain.

If you remember the Cain & Abel story you know they are brothers and that they don't like each other very much. Years before, Eve has an amazing night with Cain. She's young and she loves him and he forces himself to leave her for her protection. Now that Cain is back and has forced himself into Eve's life she is forced to sort out her feelings for him. Eve is quite literally put in the middle of them, forcing both of them to protect her and in their own way love her. Eve is funny and determined and she will not let the men in her life, however they feel about her, get in the way of what she is now supposed to do. They find themselves in a lot of action and fights - all before Eve's training. She will depend on these men to keep her safe and learn from them.

With archangels, angels, heaven, hell, all sorts of demons; not to mention Cain & Abel - Eve has her work cut out for her. As Sylvia Day does so very well with her series books, Eve of Darkness ends leaving closure and much anticipation for the next book,Eve of Destruction. I can't wait! - Gretchen

Eve Hollis has survived being Marked so far, but now she is in training with other new Marks. One of the training exercises is a week-long "field-trip" to an old military base. They are there to work together to hunt Infernals. Aside from the fact they don't really get along with Eve or each other. Without warning and without explanation, Eve's classmates are getting murdered during what was only supposed to be an exercise. Eve is dealing with not only her classmates and the murders, but also with something strange going on with her Mark...

I think `Eve of Destruction' is even better than the first book, `Eve of Darkness'. There's more action, heightened tension (of all kinds) between Cain, Abel, and Eve, and we see Eve step up and take charge. I enjoyed how the mystery seemed to fall into the `locked-room' category with only a finite number of suspects. While there were changes in the main characters over the course of the book, they definitely stayed true to their core personalities, which is always a positive in my mind. I really liked the Infernals who were part of the training exercise; the gwyllion, the faery, and the dragon! We also get a glimpse into Hell and `meet' Sammael face-to-face for the first time, which added great dimension to the story. `Eve of Destruction' is a powerhouse!

Marked series: Eve of Darkness (1), Eve of Destruction (2), Eve of Chaos (3), Eve of Warfare (3.25), Eve of Sin City (3.5)

Evangline or Eve Hollis didn't expect to be Marked six weeks ago but that's exactly what happened. She is Alec Cain's apple or temptation that he couldn't resist when she was eighteen years old and now. Cain is from the Bible, the original Mark, and along with his brother Reed Abel, who is mal'akh and Eve's handler. Raguel is an archangel with a hidden agenda that includes keeping both Cain and Abel under his command in the Mark system thru Eve. Archangels are given their full celestial powers for one week out of the year and Raguel has his. He plans to use the time to get Eve to trust him more than both famous brothers before the week is out. Eve doesn't trust or have faith in Raguel and God because she's agnostic yet she can't relate her new image of Raguel with his secular image. Eve and her fellow Marks are going to a military base called Fort McCloskey for their additional training. Eve feels isolated from the rest of the trainees partly because of her relationship with Cain, who is also her untrained mentor thru the Marked System, and thru Raguel making her be teacher's pet. Eve has an uneasy feeling about the upcoming training session on the military base that she can't shake and on top of that she's feeling sick but Raguel denies this fact like he does everything else. Reed and another mal'akh Mariel are investigating unknown Infernal that is killing experienced Marks. They go to Australia to meet the handler of the Mark that was killed and discover disturbing evidence about the killings. Yet the archangels are notorious for their infighting amongst themselves and now is not the time for their infighting ways. Meanwhile back at the military base unexpected things are happening which sets Eve on edge even more so than before. What kind of game is Raguel playing? What is killing powerful Marks? What is really going on with Eve? Can this new Infernal be found? Can Reed and Alec protect Eve? Your answers await you in Eve of Destruction.

I was drawn to Eve of Darkness by the mention of Cain and Abel, the oldest feud in the history of the world. It was interesting to see the twist that Day put on these two infamous characters. The first chapter confused me a little. It jumps right into the story, and I was unsure if I was reading the first book in the series. However the second chapter rewinds to six weeks earlier when Eve Hollis's life is changed forever. She becomes a Mark. She is now destined to hunt demons.
The first few chapters of this book had quite a bit of sex in it. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I was beginning to wonder if this book was more on the erotic side than urban fantasy. However after a few chapters the story line really began to roll. Eve has to come to terms with her new situation. She didn't choose it for herself, so it takes a lot of adjusting, physically and mentally. She's attracted to and has a past with Cain, but he's hurt her in the past. She tries to keep him at arms length. Abel is also drawn to Eve. He's like her boss, and he has to try to keep her in line. He has his own motives though. Which brings an interesting conflict to this story.
Overall I liked this book. It took me a few chapters to get my barrings, but once I did I was taken by the story. Eve of Darkness ended with quite a bang, and leaves you wanting more. I will definitely be continuing with this series.

Eve of Destruction is the second book in the Marked series. Although this book is good, I was less impressed than I was with Eve of Darkness. I still love the characters and the story line, but I just wasn't into this book like I was the first.
The book picks up shortly after the first book ended. Eve wakes up from being dead with a lot of questions. Her Mark is in overdrive causing her a lot of problems. Furthermore she's attracted to both Alec and Reed, aka Cain and Abel. The two brothers that invented sibling rivalry. Her Mark training group is headed to a 'haunted' military base where they are forced to work as a team. However things get heated up when members of their group are slowly getting killed.
The story line was good but not great. I was interested in the story but it didn't keep me captivated. I do like the love triangle between Eve, Cain, and Abel. I have no idea the direction the author is going to take it, and I love that! The ending to the book left me curious to find out more. I love Eve's character as well. She's slowly coming to terms with her fate, but she wants to live life on her terms without backing down. The girl has gumption!
Overall I like this book, but I didn't love it. I have high hopes for the next book in this series, Eve of Chaos.

I thought this book was terrible. I read a ton and am not adverse to lots of erotic content, power exchanges, etc. However, I thought this book required way too much suspension of disbelief. The heroine is pretty much portrayed as a professional skank. In one of the scenes, the heroine is accosted by a handsome stranger in front of a security camera. Instead of being freaked out and assuming that he is up to no good when he grabs her in the middle of a semi-deserted public place, the girl turns into a porn star and does the hot and heavy with this total stranger. Seriously? That scene could have been more believable and sexy if the heroine at least seemed to have some kind of normal human reaction before getting in the guy's pants. I think that the book reads as a set of unbelievable events that were not connected together well enough. The plot and characters need to be much more developed and transitions need to be utilized with more fidelity when going from event to event. I was really disappointed that I paid full price for this book. You literally could not pay me a dollar to finish reading this.

Evangeline Hollis is an interior decorator going to interview for her dream job at Gadara. When she finds herself having hot sex with a virtual stranger and branded in the process. Eve doesn't know what to think especially when Alec Cain appears on her doorstep. She spent one wild night with Alec that has ruined her for every male relationship since then. Alec calls Eve his Angel and tells her that she's about to be very sick. He wants to help her and Eve refuses to believe him let alone trust him. Eve reluctantly allows Alec to help her. Alec Cain also known as Cain from the Bible is Marked just like Eve, who happens to be Agnostic, that it's now her job to fight the Inferals. Eve doesn't believe him and is attacked by a tengu and a Nix before she starts to believe. Where there is Cain there also is Reed Abel, the two most famous brothers of the Bible fighting over the same woman Eve. Eve is stunned by this and vows not to be their new toy to fight over. Cain is an experienced Mark used to working alone but is now Eve's mentor much to Reed's dismay. Alec and Eve are sent out on a mission by Raguel before Eve has had any training to discover what is going on with the tengu infestation. Something is killing Marks before they have a chance to call for backup and there is no trace of what is killing them. Can Alec and Reed get along? What about Eve's feelings for Alec? Can Alec really help Eve? What is Raguel up too? Who or what is killing Marks? Your answers await in Eve of Darkness.

Well, well, well. Another winner from S.J. Day in her 'Marked' series, "Eve of Destruction" packs plenty of mystery, action, hot lust, and suspense into 414 pages of reading pleasure. I would caution readers NOT to try and begin the trilogy with this story, book two. Instead, go ahead and splurge--cough up the seven bucks and hang on for the ride.

Book two picks up right where "Eve of Darkness" left off--Eve has been toasted (literally!) by a dragon. But it seems she has some information Heaven needs, so even though she should be dead...she's alive. Eve is pretty sure her growing feelings for Cain and Abel of Biblical infamy also had something to do with her current state, but she's not about to argue about it! Now it's time for newly 'marked' Eve to head to training camp and learn how to battle the forces of Evil. What she actually runs into is death, mayhem, dislike, jealousy, mental menage, and ah yes...destruction. There are quite a few stunning surprises, and I can hardly bear to wait another twelve days to get my hands on book three.

This is one kick-a$$ series. The plot is still unfolding, although the reader isn't left hanging. Eve is still torn between the brothers, but there are some big changes in the relationships. It's also cool to find out more about S.J. Day's angels and where each fits into the scheme of things in her world. I honestly can't find anything unflattering to say about this story. Maybe a little more sex...but what there is, is definitely smokin'. There's no dead spots, no jerky transitions, and no halt to the plot. "Eve of Destruction" is simply another riveting read.

I'm not sure where I sit on this series. There are definitely some pros, but there are many cons. First, this is a pretty large book for the urban fantasy genre at 418 pages. By itself that doesn't make much difference, but when you compare it to the amount of plot progression you are left with a bit too much filler. On one hand, I enjoy that the author planned out a trilogy and knew exactly what was going into each book before publishing. On the other hand, I really think the "trilogy" could have been edited down. It definitely would have benefited from less love story and more plot progression. I am eager to find out more about the grand scheme of things and less about the main character's romantic life. Also, I found the use of two names for each character a tad confusing. Some may not have this problem, especially if they read the books right after one another. I read the first book so long ago that I have a hard time telling Cain, Abel, Reed, Alec, Gadara and Raguel apart. I had to constantly remind myself that Abel is Reed and so on. The author will refer to him as Abel in one sentence and Reed the very next. It doesn't help. One plus side to Eve of Destruction is the presentation. I was not a fan of the way the first book was presented, so I am happy that Eve of Destruction takes place in the present time. What really bothers me though is the characters and the romance. I felt that the majority of the book was Eve trying to decide which man she wanted to be with, and in the end not really making any decision at all. I understand where each character is coming from, but I would like more progression and less rehashing of the same thing. In that respect, I also felt that the majority of the characters were being a little dense in this book. No one listens to Eve's ideas or problems, and they don't even feel bad when people die because they are being close minded. Oh well, on to the positives.

I like this series for it's originality. Being marked to slay demons while struggling with faith and love is a tough thing, and it's presented well in this series. The archangels act differently than humans, and I appreciate that. The characters are not perfect and they do get hurt. A bonus to this book is that Eve comes up with the solution to multiple mysteries and acts on her own to save the day. No angels coming in and scooping her out this time. Well, maybe once. She is new to the trade so I don't expect her to be super tough and jaded. Her uniqueness as a mark is an interesting part of the story that I can't wait to read more about. Overall, this series is original and entertaining. The downside is the heavy reliance on the romantic side of things with very little progression. I feel that the pace is a bit slow, and there are a bit too many unimportant details, but I'm not too upset because it really seems that the author planned everything well. Hopefully, there will be more closure in the next book, but I am not counting on it.

I'm not sure exactly what prompted me to pick up Eve of Darkness, by S.J. Day (Book 1 of "The Marked" series). Maybe it was the setting, modern day Los Angeles with the ongoing war between Heaven & Hell being waged by organizations of Angels here on Earth? With both original brothers as main characters in the book? I love this kind of fantasy, so I was definitely there. Thankfully, the book lives up to its plot and setting, though it wasn't as good of a read as I had hoped.

A one-night stand ten years ago with the man who turns out to be the original Cain has now marked Evangeline Hollis for life. When Cain's brother, Abel, finishes the deal in the present, Eve's life will never be the same. She is now one of the "Marked," sinners who are working off their sins by ridding the world of the demons and monsters who roam the Earth in disguise. Both brothers are powerfully attracted to her, but both also have their own ulterior motives for trying to safeguard Eve through her initiation period, especially when she manages to anger one demon without even realizing what she had done. Without Cain's guiding hand as her mentor, she might not even survive the first day. So why does their boss want her out on the frontlines so soon? Will she live to find out?

There are lots of delicious bits in Eve of Darkness, both for those who love reading sex scenes and those who don't (though those who don't may get turned off by the extremely graphic sex scenes). I love the idea of Heaven being this one vast bureaucracy, with Archangels running them as fronts for the soldiers who are out doing the dirty work. I'm not sure exactly how the hierarchy works, and how Cain became such an independent agent while Abel is still an agent Handler under the North American branch head, but it's still extremely interesting. As part of becoming one of these soldiers, Eve is given superhuman abilities, senses, and powers, such as being able to summon an appropriate mystical sword for any occasion.

I found Eve to be a fascinating character. She's half-Japanese, with her father being from Alabama (thus giving her a delicious southern accent as well). As with most series like this, the main character's family life is a bit chaotic, but that's nothing to what it's going to be with Cain hovering around now. Cain feels responsible for what happened to her, as Eve was actually God's temptation for him, and he caved into it with hardly any resistance. Thus, the whole situation is his fault, and he feels very protective of her because of that. Abel is drawn to her for mostly physical reasons, but also because Cain wants her and this sibling rivalry has been going on for a LONG time. In fact, the only character in the book who doesn't have some kind of ulterior motive, besides Eve's parents, is Eve herself.

I loved how Day formed the relationships around Eve, from her warm neighbor to Cain and Abel themselves. The sex is hot, and even when they're not having sex, most of the characters are thinking of it (other than the neighbor, of course). Eve and Cain have a powerful chemistry that leaps off the page, and I found their relationship effectively written. We didn't see much of Abel's interaction with her except the lust that they both seem to share, but we do see Abel in other parts of the book (both sexually but also in how he cares for the Marked that he handles, such as when one of them dies). Day does a very good job with her characterization, and none of them give off a false note.

I wish I could say the same for the prose. It's not bad, and for a urban fantasy, it's actually pretty good for the most part. However, while I cannot find any evidence in Day's bibliography of her writing romance novels, she would certainly be good at it. I don't know how many times Cain was described as being almost irresistible, his jawline attractive, women turning to stare when he walked into the room. Abel gets that a little bit too, but it's mostly Cain. The sex is hot, but it's not described in the same type of language used in romance novels. Instead, it's very direct, graphic, and in your face. Day doesn't pull any punches. So maybe she doesn't have the "romance" gene in her, but she's certainly close.

Eve of Darkness has a plot and characters that outpace Day's prose style, but it's definitely a good read if you're interested in that sort of thing. The overly religious may be offended by the set up, but I don't see any reason to be. It's just another take on the age-old "heaven/hell" war, with an interesting twist. I have a feeling the style won't change in subsequent books, as they both came out very quickly after this one, indicating they were all written together. Even so, it's well worth a read for those who want an exciting, sexy book with good characters and a plot to match. Oh, and did I mention that it had explicit sex in it? I wouldn't want you to think I hadn't warned you. If you don't mind that, pick this one up today.

Originally published on Curled Up With a Good Book © David Roy, 2009

Eve of Darkess is the first in a new series of Urban Fantasy titles from S.J. Day. The series title is "The Marked" and centers on Eve Hollis, a beautiful young woman who has found herself as a pawn in a game between Heaven and Hell. A one-night stand with a man named Alec Cain has forever changed her life. This man is THE Cain, the Cain of the Old Testament. Ten years later, another encounter with a mysterious man has left her with a brand, the Mark of Cain. A divine punishment or perhaps a reward, Eve learns that she has become one of "The Marked". Endowed with superhuman abilities, Eve becomes a bounty hunter, hunting down demons, warlocks, and other assorted creatures. Where there is Cain there is also his brother, Abel and Eve will find out there is no love lost between the two ancient siblings.

Now the idea of a superhuman, supernatural-hunting protagonist isn't exactly an original concept. There's Buffy, Anita Blake, and many others. So what sets Day's series apart from the others? First off, the characters are just plain fun. The concept of Cain and Abel, essentially on the same side, but still ready to fight to the death as soon as they see each other, makes for an interesting dynamic and places Eve in the middle of the two powerful entities. The dialogue is lively, sardonic, and had me smiling many times throughout the book. The book opens with Eve having to battle a dragon in the men's room at a pro football game...now THAT'S the way I love a novel to grab my interest right off the bat!

From there, Day turns the clock back to show us how Eve got her brand and her initial encounter with Abel where she learns her fate. The other thing that works is that the story is sexy without being tediously romantic like so many other urban fantasy series. This is one that both men and women will enjoy. Great start to the series! Eve of Darkness will be out in May from Tor Books.

Eve Hollis in Eve of Destruction goes on her first field trip with her fellow Marks in training, but it is not all fun and games. With a new type of demon on the loose and novice Marks being slain left and right, it has everyone on edge. It does not help that Eve has started to become paranoid, pointing fingers at her classmates. Not only that, but she seems to be struggling with her emotions for both Cain and his brother Abel, and her conflicted emotions throw a wrench into the whole mix. To make matters worse, Eve has to protect the paranormal investigators who stumbled upon the Marks' training grounds.

S.J. Day does not disappoint with this new installment to the series, and Eve of Destruction is even better than the first. I was very pleased with how it turned out, and the drama and suspension had my eyes glued to the pages. In Eve of Destruction, S.J. Day gives a unique view of the archangels and their fight with the demons. In this book, Eve Hollis is starting to adapt to her new powers and is even thinking like a true Mark, no matter how much she tries to deny it. Eve's struggle with her emotions also makes her a more understandable character which adds more drama. I definitely enjoyed this novel and can't wait for the new book in the series. Eve of Destruction is packed with drama and suspense that will make this unforgettable book hard to put down.

Evangeline Hollis is a young woman leading an ordinary, mundane life: she has a successful career as an interior designer, a condo, a car - all the trappings of success, and yet she feels dissatisfied, and unfulfilled. Ten years earlier, barely out of high school, she shared a single night of passion - her first - with the mysterious Alec Cain, a man with whom she felt an immediate and intimate connection, but who was gone from her bed by morning. Despite this, no other man has been able to move her in the same way since, until an encounter with the equally attractive and charismatic Reed Abel drives her to another singular act of passion - one that is to have unimagined, and unimaginable, consequences.

For Cain and Abel turn out to be the Biblical brothers: Cain doomed to walk the Earth hunting and killing demons to expiate his sin, and Abel, now an angel, Marking and managing sinners to join the fight against the Infernal - and Eve is the latest recruit to bear the Mark of Cain. Suddenly, she finds herself thrust unprepared into a new, and dangerous, world: where the legions of the damned and the celestial mix with mortals, and engage in a delicate dance that can erupt into violence at any moment. If she wants to survive, Eve has no choice but to join in and learn how to protect herself, from both the Infernals who seek to harm Cain through her, and the machinations of the archangels who command God's forces on Earth. All while struggling with her own emotions, as with her Marking, Cain returns to her life with the same animalistic magnetism, tempered now by a determination to protect her, and to resume his centuries old quarrel with Abel, who has designs on her of his own, and remains an enticing temptation.

In Eve of Darkness, S. J. Day has created a new take on the old story of the battle between Good and Evil being fought on Earth. It's something that has been tackled before by many authors - supercharged holy warriors fighting demons, while needing to keep it secret from humanity, and seeking their own redemption, is hardly new - but to this she adds Old Testament figures, and the character of Eve herself. She's a familiar Urban Fantasy protagonist: courageous in spite of herself, unfailingly pure-hearted, afflicted by complex feelings for an improbably gorgeous man, who harbours his own complex feelings in return, and in some ways cleverer and more cynical than beings centuries older than herself. Following her as she adjusts to her new life as a Mark, and looks for a way to be free of it, is one of the pleasures of the book, and is perhaps the main reason why it might be worth buying the second volume of the series, Eve of Destruction.

I've noticed that another reviewer has questioned the logic of the book's central premise - that the Lord would damn someone to the life of a Mark for a minor indiscretion - and that's something I echo: it does seem unlikely. But then, one shouldn't over-analyse books like this and, after all, the God of the Old Testament was not above tormenting the innocent to test their faith, or achieve His own ends - just look what happened to Job - and I can't help thinking that there's more to Eve's marking than meets the eye: as the characters are fond of remarking, `There is no coincidence where the Lord is concerned.'

In any case, Day keeps the plot moving, liberally spicing the book with both action and sex, and writes reasonably well, if not quite at the standard of one of the queens of the genre like, for example, J. R. Ward. Reading it is an undemanding, but enjoyable way to pass a few hours, and there are enough loose ends, and interesting hints left at the end to make one want to buy the next in the series, but not enough make you want to camp out in front of your bookstore to get hold of it!

At eighteen, Evangeline `Eve' Hollis had a crush on leather-clad bad boy Alec Cain, which resulted in the loss of her virginity in a one-night stand. Afterwards, he left her at the motel, and never returned. However, she can forget neither him nor their one-night stand, though she is angry at how he used her.

Ten years later, Eve went for a job interview. While in the building, she saw someone who looked a lot like Alec, at least in the face. Before she knew it, she was forced into the stairwell, where the Alec look-a-like intimately assaulted her...with no protest from her. During this time, he pressed the red-hot Mark of Cain into her arm and suddenly he changed; his clothes fell away to reveal a muscular body with rich golden skin and huge white feathered wings, which embraced her. That was all she knew until she awoke on the floor of the building with her clothes in perfect order and people all around, some offering assistance. Going home, she looked up the Mark of Cain and found that it was the mark given by God to Cain as protection from harm while he wandered the Earth as punishment for killing his brother Abel. She has seen this mark before...on Alec Cain.

After showering, Eve heard someone at her door. However, the one person she never expected was Alec Cain. He looked like her lover from earlier in the day. However, Cain always calls her Angel, unlike everyone else. He knew what happened to her and told her that she couldn't be alone since it was not safe. Alec also told her that she would need him. Though she argued with him and even held a gun on him, Alec was not fazed. Then the fever took her over. Thus began her, ironically, seven days of suffering.

He had walked away the last time to keep this from happening. Alec was determined, this time he was not walking away. He would be there for the long haul; Alec was in love with Eve. Now if he could just get Eve to forgive him. He also has another problem; his brother Reed Abel is the one who gave Eve the mark and he is fascinated with her. Eve has become the newest bone of contention between Cain and Abel in the longest sibling rivalry ever.

EVE OF DARKNESS, the first book in the MARKED series, is a steamy, action-packed urban fantasy. I absolutely loved it! Eve, a long time agnostic, has to deal with a celestial administrative system...a system that treats her rather poorly, even sending her off to fight for God without training. Despite this, she is valuable to them in keeping the brothers in line. She feels affection for both brothers, but Cain is the one she keeps close. Author S. J. Day does a terrific job of bringing her characters to life; you almost expect them to step right off the page. Brimming with sizzling love scenes, an apocalyptic theme, action-packed battles between good and evil, a spunky heroine, hunky heroes and plenty of imagination, this is one urban fantasy you will not soon forget. Run out and grab your own copy of EVE OF DARKNESS. While you are at the store, you may want to pick up the two other books in this series, EVE OF DESTRUCTION and EVE OF CHAOS.

[...]

At the age of eighteen, Eve Hollis fell for leather-clad bad boy Alec Cain, who took her virginity and left her. Ten years later, she went for an interview and ended up being grabbed, sexually attacked...with no protest from her, and marked with the Mark of Cain by Alec's brother Reed Abel. Alec returned to help her through the transition, as she became a Mark, one of the many sinners forced to hunt demons for God. Unbeknownst to her, Cain and Abel were the legendary brothers from the Bible and she became their latest cause of disagreement. Though she feels an attraction to Abel, Cain is the one she loves. She was sent into the field, with Cain as her mentor, without training and she died when she fought a demon dragon. Between Cain and Abel, she was returned to life.

Finally, it is time for her training, but she is going without the brothers, who are angels with duties of their own. Cain is sent to kill an Alpha, the leader of a pack of demons, who instigated Eve's death, while Abel is sent to investigate the latest demon threat. The three are able to communicate telepathically and even feel what the others feel, at times. In training with eight other novice Marks, who give her the cold shoulder due to her relationship with Cain, she does the best she can.

Some of the best Marks begin to be killed, as three Marks die in three weeks time due to a new type of demon that no one knows anything about. The demon enters the Mark and explodes, leaving behind no blood or bone, just tissue and gore. When the class goes on a field trip to an abandoned military base for a week, the lessons become a matter of life and death. Even Eve's classmates are being killed off, one at a time, by a demon within their midst. As Eve tries to ferret out the demon, a team of ghost hunters from a cable channel venture onto the base, now maintaining the secrecy of the Marks unit vies with the need to keep the ghost hunters alive. With the brothers off on assignment, will Eve be able to find and kill the demon in their midst before she is killed?

EVE OF DESTRUCTION, the second book in S. J. Day's MARKED series, is an exhilarating action-packed urban fantasy. Thrillingly suspenseful, this book is hard to put down until you finish the very last page. Watching the interaction between the three and wondering which of the two men Eve will finally end up with, will keep you turning the pages. Sizzling hot, with a suspense-filled plot, charismatic characters, snappy repartee, a feisty heroine and hunky heroes, this book is a winner. Readers are sure to remember this story long after the last page is turned and the book is closed. I am looking forward to reading EVE OF CHAOS, the next book in this series.

[...]

Eve of Darkness (Marked, Book 1) by S.J. Day
Mass Market Paperback - April 28, 2009
4 stars

S.J. Day's new series Marked is: fresh, imaginative and high octane. It blends a hunky hero to die for and a gutsy heroine, thrown into circumstances that are enthralling as well as nail-bitingly suspenseful.

There is a war going on, but most humans don't see it. The Marked are those special chosen and/or cursed to fight these unholy terrors and save humanity.

Evangeline has never been religious; she has a good life and is content. The only thing she doesn't have is a man. The problem is that after she met Alec, no other man has matched up to him and she knows none ever will. Alec left her after one night and completely ruined her for any other man.

When Eve is unexpectedly attacked, years later, by a man that looks eerily similar to Alec, she finds her life irrevocably changed. She is now `marked' and dragged into a world of good and evil. Suddenly, the real Alec comes to rescue her and Eve discovers that he too is `marked'. Because Alec cares for her, she has been targeted as his one vulnerability. Ironically, he left to save her from his dangerous life, but there is no fighting destiny. Now Eve has a fast learning curve in this new game of life or death. Even as Eve is drawn to Alec, she knows he's not healthy. The only sane thing to do is try to reverse the `mark', even if she dies trying.

From the first page, this book pulled me in! It is a fast thrill ride that NEVER lets up. I particularly enjoyed how Eve explores this new world of: angels, demons, shifters, etc. The novel is filled with mystery and shady characters that will leave you wondering where they and the story are leading.

For those who love Urban Fantasy and dark paranormals romances, this series is sure to please your palate. However, I do have to caution for those readers that enjoy a pat ending, this is the first of the Marked series and the author does leave the ending at a HUGE cliffhanger. Luckily the next installment is coming soon. If you can't stand the stress, I would suggest waiting to read all the books at once, if you can wait!

Reviewed by Steph from Bookaholics Romance Book Club

I decided to take a chance on this book because the synopsis was a little interesting. As soon as I was about 1/4 into the book I knew it would be a series that I would continue to read. The book starts off with action and excitement. Then it dies down for a while, then starts up again, then dies, then starts up again towards the end. Does the action fluctuate in the book? The answer is yes it does, but it keeps you interested and that is what makes a great book.
I love the characters. I especially like Eve. She is such a strong character, but not so strong that she is stubborn and annoying. I also like Alec (Cain). He is so complex, and even though you learn a little of his character, he still remains a mystery. Reed is another favorite. If you really think about it he is more like his brother than he thinks. The tension between the two is always an entertaining aspect of the book. I'm definitely interested in this series and I can't wait to see what part of the story unravels in the next book.

It's not every day that a series' second installment is better than the first, but S.J. Day has done it.

_Eve of Destruction_ continues the story of Evangeline "Eve" Hollis and her adventures as a "Mark," a sinner drafted into God's demon-hunting army. Eve isn't a typical Mark, and this becomes clearer in this volume as more Marks are introduced to the reader. In some ways, Eve has it easier than her colleagues; she still has a relationship with her family, and she's dating Cain, the most elite Mark of all. In other ways, she has it harder. She's going through metaphysical changes at an unprecedented rate, and her connections to Cain and Abel have put her on the radar of the top baddies. The strangeness of Eve being Marked at all is also increasingly evident in _Eve of Destruction_. Most of Eve's fellow Marks were murderers before being chosen. All Eve did was fall for a hot guy on a motorcycle. The question of why Eve was chosen is one of the central mysteries here, and I can't wait to find out the answer.

Eve, still recovering from the events of _Eve of Darkness_, is assigned to attend a training exercise at a defunct military base, along with a group of other newly minted Marks. The recruits think this is going to be like "Survivor" -- challenges, alliances, backstabbing... Instead they find themselves fighting for their literal survival when a demon infiltrates the team and starts picking off Marks. Meanwhile, Cain is hunting the alpha werewolf we met in _Eve of Darkness_, and Abel is investigating a new type of demon. These plotlines all turn out to be connected, and Day does a great job of weaving them together and bringing them to an adrenaline-filled climax.

New complications arise in Eve's love life, too. One metaphysical event causes her to grow closer to Abel, and another metaphysical event distances her from Cain, adding tension to their love triangle. Over the last few years, I've become wary of urban fantasy plots that heavily mix sex and magic, but Day is better than most at writing the steamy stuff.

Now, for what I loved most about this book. In _Eve of Darkness_, Eve vanquishes one of the baddies by thinking outside the box and using her creativity. I'm happy to report that this is no fluke. Eve's resourcefulness continues in _Eve of Destruction_. It's incredibly refreshing: Eve's greatest weapon isn't her gun, her magic, her 'tude, or her sexuality. It's her brain. She gets underestimated a lot, due to her inexperience, but it usually turns out that she's thinking circles around the other characters. The third-person POV, unusual in urban fantasy, helps facilitate this. It allows Eve to deduce things without tipping off a reader who's missed the clues. She was definitely a few steps ahead of me at one point!

Also refreshing (and I neglected to mention this in my review of _Eve of Darkness_) is the diversity. Day's characters, both human and supernatural, come from a variety of backgrounds. This is something that's all too rare in fantasy.

And I just have to say, it's so cute and telling that Abel's ringtone is "Jessie's Girl."

After what seemed like forever (but was in reality about a month), I finally got my hands on a copy of Eve of Destruction, which is book two of the new Marked series by S.J. Day. I absolutely loved the first book, Eve of Darkness. It was truly exceptional, especially when you take into account that it was the first book of a new series in the increasingly crowded Urban Fantasy Genre. I am happy to say that the bar that was set in book one was actually exceeded in book two.

At the conclusion of Eve of Darkness, our heroine Evangeline Hollis found herself burned to death by a dragon. In chapter one of Eve of Destruction, she finds herself waking up in her own bed. How is this possible? When your main squeezes are Cain and Abel of biblical fame, you have a little more clout than your average run of the mill mortal. And Eve isn't about to argue with her return to the realm of the living. With vivid memories of her own death clear in her mind, she has never been more grateful for her new status as a Mark.

With a new lease on life, Eve is quickly whisked away to complete her training as a Mark (along with the rest of the newbies). Upon arrival at the training center, things go bad almost immediately. Eve feels feverish (despite the fact that Marks are not susceptible to human ills) and altogether not herself. Not to mention the fact that one of the Marks-in-training is brutally slaughtered during the first training exercise. With no real clues to go on, the newbies are all on edge. And since there is no love lost between Eve and her classmates (they are jealous of her personal life on several levels), she finds herself becoming a solo detective, and not entirely willingly.

Eve of Destruction was exactly what I hoped it would be and more. Fast paced (but not rushed), exciting, and full of sexual tension between Eve and the two eternally rivaling brothers, it was impossible to put down. One of my favorite aspects of the book was that all of the characters were true to their initial portrayal in book one. It was great to see that neither Cain or Abel was willing to relinquish their struggle with each other or God in order to have an easy relationship with Eve. And that Eve was unwilling to sacrifice any part of herself to be with either brother. Overall, Eve of Destruction gets a five star rating from me. I am going to be on pins and needles until Eve of Chaos is released at the end of the month.

Sproingg...thud. That was the sound of me jumping on the "Eve of Darkness" bandwagon. S.J.Day has penned a fascinating tale twined around the ultimate legend regarding good and evil--the story of Cain and Abel. Of course, in Day's version the Bible didn't quite get the whole story...and so far neither do we. But I got enough hot sex, mythological mystery, and rumbling action to keep me glued to the pages.

Eve lost her virginity to a rock-star, handsome and sexy stud on a Harley. Then he disappeared. Although it's ten years later, she's never forgotten him. When she catches sight of a man that closely resembles him when leaving a job interview, she's stunned by the almost magical sexual pull. Though she knew better, she couldn't seem to help herself...and now she's been given the mark of Cain. Her new job will be to take out Infernals (demons, werewolves, and a multitude of other assorted evil critters) under the guidance of a kind of heavenly corporation run by angels. As if that's not enough to blow a girl's mind, Eve has become the bone (HAH HAH HAH) of contention between two brothers...rather famous brothers actually--Alec Cain and Reed Abel.

I loved this story. I'm guessing the author has probably received a fair share of nasty-grams from the Moral Majority--unless they're too uptight to read paranormal romance! I personally found her twisted take on the age-old story riveting and very, very clever. Poor agnostic Eve, thrown into the middle of an ancient rivalry of Biblical proportions. She's attracted to, feels for, and is torn between the two brothers whose enmity is total and unending. It's very easy to identify with Eve. A normal woman with a normal childhood who gradually grew away from organized religion is now suddenly faced with a reality she can barely grasp. God and Satan exist, and so do Heaven and Hell, not to mention the factions of the heavenly host and satanic minions living here on Earth, trying to keep the eternal battle a secret from humans.

"Eve of Darkness" begins with the ending in a way. The rest of the book smoothly unfolds the story so far and the action is mostly non-stop. While there IS an ending, readers should know that reading this first book will only make you drop whatever you're doing to rush out and buy the next to continue with Eve's story. That's what I plan to do first thing tomorrow. S.J. Day's entry onto the paranormal romance/urban fantasy scene gave me a thrill and a hunger for more.

know and love Sylvia Day's writing. But when I was gifted the print books of this series I was ecstatic! Even more so because I never read them before! And I'm a sucker for paranormal romances. But not only is this a sexy romance between a feisty couple. It's also a live triangle, between brothers no less. The oldest brothers in history, Cain and Abel!!! And the woman they are fighting over?? Her name is Ever and she is a feisty Japanese woman who is so clueless yet witty she will leave you laughing. With her witty comments and the brothers steamy attitudes, this book will leave you turning pages so quick, you'll be finished in a day!

"He held the half eaten apple between them. 'Then there are the apples.' She arched a brow, hoping to hide how her body responded to his nearness. Her senses remembered him- his smell, the power and the heat of his large frame, the near brutality of his passion. The orgasms he'd wrung from her body. 'The apples?' She asked softly, focusing on his lips as they curved into a feral smile. Red ran the bitten side of the Apple from the hollow of her throat to her cleavage."

Alec Cain and Reed Abel are sexy as sin. Confidence oozing from their pores. Both have set their eyes upon Eve. Starting out as different reasonings, yet turning into the same feelings. As a new Mark, it is her duty to train a kill demons when summoned. Her mentor and former love of her life, Cain as well as her handler and her spontaneous hookup, Abel team up to help her with this new quest in life that she was thrust into. But danger has a way of smelling the novice in her. Which in turn makes her an easy target. Can the brothers keep her safe? Or is a power higher up calling all the shots?

Loved! Loved this book! I couldn't put it down! And I'm so excited that I have the whole series! I'll be crashing into the next book with gusto!!!

I enjoyed the cast of characters and unique setup for this novel. However, a few things bothered me. First, the ending is at the beginning. Usually when authors do this they revisit the "ending" at the end of the book and add to it. Not so here. When you get to the end of the book you have to go back and reread the beginning. It makes no sense, and it is not executed well at all. That alone took off one star for me. Another problem is the lack of training and slow buildup of details. Since Eve is thrown into assignments for reasons I still don't understand, with no training, she is pretty much helpless and clueless. I enjoy books where the main character goes through training and is able to come into their own. They gain independence and strength, and it's fun to read about. This wasn't so enjoyable. Eve of Darkness is definitely a first book, and has the problem of being a bit confusing and incomplete. I don't think this book is as good as it could have been, but I certainly did enjoy it. The characters are interesting, the setting is different, all of the plotting and backstabbing and politics was intriguing, and the love triangle is amusing. A good read, and a start to a promising series. I'm very happy that the rest of the series comes out so soon.

Disclaimer: There is plenty of sex in this book, more than is really necessary. If that turns you off to a series you may want to stay away from this one. It's pretty vulgar as well. Don't let the religious themes fool you. I happen to not mind these things so much, but I know some people may need to know about the sex and the language.

The following review is from my blog Cure My Writer's Block

Wow! This book is so very difficult to categorize and critique because there are so many different aspects and approaches that one can focus on. I will try to look at the most important ones and do my best to paint a coherent picture.

Storyline

To call the storyline unique would be quite an understatement. While the idea of angels and demons fighting it out on Earth is far from a new one, the almost military or corporate structure that is involved in how things are done in this series is fascinating. Hearing the description of the many demons hiding throughout the city in plain site and all of the little things that they do to make life more difficult starts to make you wonder every time little things go wrong in your life. To say the least, the storyline certainly makes you think.

Characters

Most of the characters are well developed. The various ranks of angels display a lot of human characteristics, most often ambition, that make you love or hate them. Cain and Abel have polar-opposite personalities, and you can easily picture them fighting over toys as children. The character that, to me, seems the least believable is Eve. S.J. Day obviously wanted to make a character that was a strong woman, not the stereotypical damsel in distress. No problem. That fits in more with reality. What she ended up creating, though, is a character that supposedly is able to shift from interior designer in L.A. to metaphysical urban warrior quickly. Sure, she talks about some of the emotional turmoil involved, but the physical requirements alone wouldn't have happened so quickly and easily. Plus, how many people do you know that can go from wearing designer dresses and high-heels every day to suddenly wearing combat boots everywhere they go the next?

Religion

Here is the sticky point for a lot of people. The book certainly does address religion, seeing as how most of the characters in it are biblical. The question is, is Day sacrilegious in her portrayal. Well, as with so many things religious, it depends upon who you ask. She certainly did her research into the ranks of both angels and demons and the stories surrounding them. There is also not a character of God that the reader ever meets. He is kept at a distance, never described except once by Cain, who simply says that he is "never so tranquil as when in the presence of Yahweh." God's ideas, plans, and reasoning are kept a mystery, even to the highest ranking angels. However, this book takes biblical stories and people and puts them into the modern day world. The angels are very ambitious and always trying to find ways to get more into God's favor. In fact, they are downright unlikable. If you are what can be described as a Bible "literalist", you should definitely avoid this book and its sequels. If you are more liberal in your religious interpretations, you might find this more enjoyable.

Sensuality

Yes, this book contains "romance scenes" (worded for those that are easily made unconfortable). In fact, it contains quite a few of these scenes. It is almost another character. While, at least according to my wife, it doesn't come close to that displayed in 50 Shades of Grey, it is still not something you want to be reading to grandma. Day is not remarkably graphic in her descriptions, but she makes certain that you know what is going on without any doubt. If you blush easily, you won't want to read this one.

Conclusion

OK, most guys might just buy this book to stare at the girl on the cover. I understand. However, inside is a very unique storyline with characters that you wouldn't expect from a source that you probably never considered. However, you have to be somewhat religiously liberal and not afraid to read some scenes that would make your mother blush. The book is more written for a female audience, although guys would probably love a movie version of this for the action. It is the first in a series, so you can have several books to read to keep you entertained for a while. The narrowing down of the potential audience has forced me to lower its rating a little.

Christopher Slater
author of Trapped in Shades of Grey

I love the entire concept of this new series. It's totally believable and so well crafted you are sucked into the story line within the first chapter.
Eve's character is amazing. She is temptation itself. She's been given the Mark of Cain and thrust into a world of biblical warriors and now she must slay evil demons as punishment for her sins. Eve's journey gives us tons of action and excitement but she is also very vulnerable as we learn in a devastatingly heartbreaking moment.
Alec Cain and Reed Able are brothers and lifelong enemies who will have to work together to keep Eve alive long enough for her to finish her "Mark" training. They are both so hott I couldn't possibly choose between them. I say keep them both Eve!
Their story is so well thought out and executed I question if S.J Day has the inside scoop on what the REAL story is with these two. LOL The mixture of biblical reference and lore make this an interesting read for believers and nonbelievers alike.
I'm ready for book two now.......

Religion is real in S. J. Day's EVE OF DARKNESS.

Cain and Abel are pseudonymously known nowadays as Alec Cain and Reed Abel. Lifelong brothers and enemies, they have lots to fight over, including Evangeline Hollis. Agnostic Eve has been Marked as a sinner, and has gone from interior designer to demon-killer-in-training. Alec and Reed want her to accept her fate, but Eve wants the mark removed and her life back. God, however, has other plans.

The first chapter is a stunner, combining the normalcy of a football game with...what lurks in the men's toilets. The rest of the novel is six weeks of backstory, with flashbacks to ten years ago when Alec deflowered Eve. Though the publisher has labelled this urban fantasy, more likely it'll appeal to paranormal romance fans because of the relationship stuff going on. Brothers fighting over a woman: Alec and Reed seriously need to get over themselves, and play nice for the sake of humanity. Okay, for Heaven's sake. (I really didn't want to make a pun in this review, but look what you made me do.) Mind you, if they haven't grown up properly during the however many thousand years they've been alive, they're hardly going to start now.

I'm not entirely sure why Eve was Marked. Since sinners are drafted to kill demons, her sin must be...rooting Reed in the stairwell after they just met, and maybe didn't know each other's names. I'm not quite clear on that, or maybe because she "tempted" both brothers. I must have forgotten this detail, or it wasn't explained well enough, which is a problem when your protag is a "chosen one" - readers want to know why.

The series concept seems so obvious in hindsight, it's actually a surprise that no one thought to do it before. The author's angels and demons are well-crafted and original, as is the worldbuilding. But then when witches and werewolves come into the picture...it seems a bit kitchen sink. The dogs and Eve communicating via thought seemed a little too easy, but I'd just come off reading Jeanne C. Stein's first two novels, where vampires communicate that way. Seems too much like telling than showing.

I like Eve's relationship with neighbour Mrs Basso. It's nice for Eve to have a friend, and Eve's mum Miyoko is really intriguing. Born in Japan, she later became a naturalised American, but I'd love to read about American life through Japanese eyes. It gives me hope that S. J. Day will move on to feature other religions, such as Shogun and Shinto (if I remember eighth grade social studies correctly, which I probably don't). Eve is a breath of fresh air in that she's biracial. Usually in paranormal fiction characters are half-vampire or half-werewolf, so it's just splendid to have someone who's human on both sides with parents from different countries. This may make it easier for readers to connect with Eve, and urban fantasy protags can definitely do with more ethnicity. (It goes without saying that Eve is hot: particularly on the cover of the upcoming second book in this series, EVE OF DESTRUCTION. Just so you know.)

Overall the concept seems better than the execution thus far, but now that the backstory is out of the way we can get to the good stuff. We haven't met God yet, or Lucifer. And since there are other firms in the world, hopefully we'll have some international action. There are a lot of possibilities, so this series could end up longer than just the three (so far) contracted novels. I hope so.

Eve of Destruction is the second in S. J. Day's Marked series, featuring the adventures of Eve Hollis, a young woman chosen by God to bear the Mark of Cain and become one of His soldiers on Earth, hunting and killing Infernals - demons dwelling on Earth - while also having to deal with the consequences of being desired by, and having her own strong feelings for, the brother's Cain and Abel, each of whom also serves God in his own way: Cain as Eve's mentor, and the most skilled and fearsome Mark; and Abel as a handler, supervising Marks, including Eve, and sending them on missions.

The book takes up at the point where the first in the series, Eve of Darkness, left off, with Eve being resurrected after dying while vanquishing a dragon in a restroom at a baseball game. She has little time for recuperation, however, as Raguel, the archangel to whom she is assigned, has scheduled some field training for the novice Marks under his command, wanting to take advantage of the brief few weeks of the year that he is allowed to use his angelic powers on Earth freely.

So, Eve has no choice but to join with a group of misfit sinners - for all Marks are damned souls doing God's will in order to earn redemption - most of whom resent her for her connection to Cain, and travel to a mostly derelict army base in northern California for some hands on experience in Infernal hunting. This separates her from Cain, who is tasked with killing the alpha werewolf ultimately responsible for Eve's death in the previous book, and from Abel, who has problems of his own, needing to identify a mysterious new type of Infernal capable of consuming even the most experienced Marks. Unsurprisingly, given Eve's luck, her routine training exercise turns deadly, and the trails both Cain and Abel are following converge on her location, leading to climactic conflict which has repercussions in both Heaven, and Hell.

Second works in a series are always interesting for a reader: will the author maintain the previous book's standard? Will the characters and plot develop, or will you get a re-run of what has gone before? These are the questions one asks, and in the case of Eve of Destruction, I think the answer has to be that this book is actually an improvement on the previous one. Eve continues to grow as a character: wondering if she can maintain her own agnosticism in the face of such celestial evidence, while also refusing to accept the system is perfect. Cain and Abel, too, go through challenges of their own, forced to work together by their common interest in Eve, and what she can do for them. The plot is also more satisfying, with each of the three main characters pursuing their own threads, rather than digging at each other. Added to this, there are intriguing signs of the series' larger arc developing, with Satan making an, admittedly brief, appearance, and Cain undergoing some major changes.

All in all, then, this is a worthy sequel, which certainly left me wanting to pick up the third volume, Eve of Chaos as soon as possible.

i found the first three books in this series at a goodwill store, and couldnt resist the catchy covers and even catchier premise. the story is full of action and unexpected twists. theres even some that in hindsight i should have seen coming, but which still caught me by surprise.

i've devoured the first three books and cannot wait to see whats next. Eve is such a nicely strong female character, while still bearing some unique feminine traits,rather than coming off as a gruff tomboy.

give this series a try . you won't regret it

So, I have always been one of those people who buys books at random. If I see it and it looks even remotely appealing, I generally end up with a copy. That is what happened with my newest acquisition, "Eve of Darkness." It just stared me down from the shelf, its sweet cover-art refusing to allow me to look away. And when I read the back cover and discovered that it was the first book in a new series, and that the next two books would be released by July, I was sold.

The premise of the book was pretty compelling. I mean, there are a lot of `supernatural' books out there today. It seems like everyone and their dog is jumping on the bandwagon, writing books about demons and werewolves and vampires and faeries. Now don't get me wrong, I love the majority of those books. But this series is about Angels and other main players in the bible. How original is that?
The books center around a woman named Evangeline (Eve) and a stairwell tryst that results in her being punished with the mark of Cain. Cain also happens to be the last name of Eve's first love, who took her virginity and left without a trace a decade earlier. Of course, the story wouldn't be complete without Cain's brother. And Abel is alive and well in this book. In fact, he was the one trysting with Eve in the stairwell. And the one who did the marking. Nefarious.

Being marked initiates a change that gives Eve super-human senses, makes her impervious to the effects of mind-altering substances, and (for some reason) makes her hornier than a person has a right to be. Lucky for her Cain swoops in to facilitate her life-change. Once the change is complete, it is he who advises Eve that the marked are pretty much the assassins of the angels. (That is the short description.) And that she must now spend her life hunting down and killing Infernals (the various and assorted demons and other such damned that roam the earth.)

The book actually started off weird for me, because it felt like you were walking into the middle of something. But, the pacing quickly reasons itself out, and the story flows really well. It was a very well written first installment for the series, answering the questions that needed immediate answering as well as leaving enough unfinished to leave you wishing you could start on the next book. Fortunately, the next book comes out in June, so the wait won't be too excruciating. (Come on, I know for a fact that I am not the only one who has been waiting impatiently for the next Laurell K. Hamilton book for a freaking year!!)

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by both the quality of the plot and the dimension of the character dev elopement. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a breath of fresh air in a played-out genre. I easily give this book 4 stars.

First, while this is being sold as urban fantasy, the first volume, at least, would fit far more comfortably into the paranormal romance genre. The inexplicable obsession of Cain and Abel with "Eve" is the running theme of this novel, easily surpassing any other plot elements. The story starts out on a bizarre level for me. Eve is clearly under some kind of mental control when she is lured into a stairwell for hot and explicit sex with Abel, a supernatural being. I really can't find any other description for this, given the clear level of mental control involved, but rape. Afterwards, and I really never came to terms with this, she has to work off her "sin" to God, having been marked by Abel while he was, in effect, raping her. What sin that was is never explained. Even if you leave off the mental control all you've got is pre-marital sex, which pretty much every woman in the western world over the age of 17 is guilty of. Anyway, she is now "marked" and is controlled by guess who - Abel! Yes, he is her mentor and guide, the guy who will assign her missions to work off her guilt and earn God's forgiveness. Frankly, this is just dumb writing. They could easily have made her do some kind of criminal act which brings real guilt and a real need to earn forgiveness. But the writing is quite uneven here. There are long periods with she and Cain, and her mother and neighbor which kind of drag, and the rivalry between Cain and Abel does become tiresome. The action sequences are fine, but overall, the book didn't really didn't excite enough to draw me in.

When I started this book I wasn't aware that it had some of the same characters as the Renegade Angels series. Since I had just finished the first book in that series prior to starting this one I was surprised, but pleased.
I greatly preferred this book to A Touch of Crimson! I mean, it's still not Crossfire equivalent, but it was much better than the start of Renegade Angels. There was plenty of action and romance. At first it threw me off, it's like the book started with the ending and then went back to explain how we got to that point, but you don't realize that until literally the very end. Or at least I didn't... maybe I just wasn't paying attention enough. Who knows.
I do like that there is sort of a love triangle happening, and can see where the drama would get better as the series progresses. I'm not into religion though - much like the main character - so I didn't lose interest at some parts and zone out.

I acquired this during a sale on audible.com, not a bad read, I may just get the next one in the series and see how it plays out.

I can't tell you how much I am loving this new series.

Eve has started her "mark" training, her enemies keep piling up, and marks are dropping like flies. She must find the guilty party before it's to late for them all. The excitement, tension and amazing fight scenes in this series will keep you planted with book in hand until completion.

Poor Eve she's really a one man woman....to bad she has 2 of them in her head and her heart. Alec and Reed keep the pressure on and the heat up where Eve is concerned. With tension rising and jealousy showing it's ugly head I'm almost afraid of where this will lead.

I cant wait to see what's in store for us in the next book!

I tried to get into this, it had a good beginning but it felt like every ten pages they were having graphic sex. I'm not against sex or anything but I want action and adventure, not a woman who get interrupted every ten minutes in the story by a bulge. This is the first book of the series and it hasn't inspired me to buy the next one. I'm going to look for something else.

Please don't waste your time with this book. I thought the idea was great, yet horribly executed. The endless, pointless sex scenes are a lame plot device. Why is she constantly having sex? The main character is weak, pitiful and just doesnt get what's going on through the entire book. Every other page one of the two male leads is trying to have sex with her and she does it and pretends she hates it. This is just garbage, I couldnt even finish the book unfortunately.S.J. Day, this was a great idea, however it was horribly executed.

I think the reason this book has such polarized reviews is due to the genre under which it's categorized. Some regard it as an urban fantasy and others view it as a romance novel. I can understand the surprise and shock of urban fantasy readers when they read the sex scenes and the sheer amount of it throughout the book. But I also think that many romance readers would find this book rather tame compared to other romance authors like Feehan and Lora Leigh. S.J. Day aka Slyvia Day is a romance author who has also written one of my favorite historical romance books Ask For It. If you found yourself cringing through the sex scenes in this book, don't pick up ASK FOR IT, the book is borderline erotica. But knowing the author's previous work, and finding EVE OF DARKNESS in the romance section at Borders, I read it as romance book and enjoyed it. I thought the premise was interesting (even for a nonbeliever such as myself) and I liked how the author described biblical stories without trying to sell the religion to me; Ideology wasn't shoved down my throat.
S.J. Day did a great job weaving together a fantasy world and I'm ordering the second book in this series EVE OF DESTRUCTION

bottom line: 4.5 stars. I would recommend this book to romance readers.

I think 2.5 stars would be my actual rating for this book. There's enough potential that I've started the second in the series to see if the author really gets her footing, but not enough that I can say it's a good book in its own right.

Evangeline (Eve) Hollis is an up and coming interior decorator with hopes of landing a big corporate contract when an Angel seduces her in a stairwell and gives her the "mark of cain" (which, as referenced in The Bible, gives divine protection from harm) and inducts her into an organization dedicated to tracking and killing "infernals" whose time is up. The angel turns out to be the Biblical Abel and his brother the original Cain is still very much alive and working for the same organization (the Biblical story wasn't the *whole* story apparently). For various reasons of angelic politics, Eve is thrust into action with no training and her life thereafter is in constant danger.

The structure of the book is a bit awkward, starting in-media-res for one chapter, then spending the bulk of the book thereafter as a flashback. This actually makes the first chapter the best in the book, introducing characters pell-mell and having lots of action. The whole "how we got here" flashback that occupies the rest of the book really bogs things down -- I think doling out the back-story over several books would have been a better approach. I think the book suffers a bit from the multiple viewpoint characters as well. Eve is the pivot of the whole book -- giving Cain, Abel and others their own viewpoint sections dilutes the focus.

Also, giving the Cain & Abel segments tips the whole book very close to the "supernatural romance" genre. The spine calls it "urban fantasy", but having both men thinking constantly about how special and hot Mary Sue, er, *Eve* is tends to move the books focus from "action" to "relationship". I guess it is "saved" from being romance by the feeling I get that Eve is going to end up in a relationship with both brothers, which is possible in UF but unlikely in SR. Still it is very *romancy*, moreso than I like.

I also dislike some aspects of the worldbuilding here, most significantly the apparently complete irredeemability of all the "infernals" (which include werewolves, dragons, fairys and vampires as well as more traditionally theological creatures such as demons). They are described as having "rotting souls" while they can't be specifically hunted until their number is up, their lives apparently have no hope or value. Perhaps this is not the whole story, (and Eve starts an an agnostic with grave doubts about the "divine" structure she is being shanghaied into), but it rubs me the wrong way that there are *no* good werewolves, good dragons etc.

The book definitely could have used better editing as well. Day seems to believe that the past tense of 'skid' is also 'skid' rather than 'skidded'. She also seems to think that cars can be rented without credit cards and that hotels will get mad if you take the Gideon Bibles. So again, potential, but not yet a per-se "good" book.

I gave the first book, _Eve of Darkness_, 3-stars, since I couldn't give it 2.5 stars (exactly half of 5 stars..). This one I'm giving 2 stars, but again you could take it for 2.5.

Certain aspects of this book are better than the first: The structure is better (instead of being a long flashback) and the author avoided the incorrect use of the word 'skid'.

Certain aspects are worse than the first book. For instance, I don't think you should add Scooby Doo to a book unless you've really *earned* the indulgence over the course of half a dozen top-notch books. And along with "talking" dogs, we now have talking, coherent, rats. Presumably all animals are rational and can talk, yet nobody is a vegetarian..

While the sex content is moderately kinky and welcome, the book is still way too "romancy" for Urban Fantasy, and the plot suffers because both brothers spend way too much time thinking how special and hot Eve is rather than getting on with things. The focus is so much on the romantic triangle that none of the other characters seem well developed at all, so it is hard to care when awful things happen to them. (The almost exception to this are two "infernals", the [night]mare and the one who helps Eve out -- there is some indication that the author is aware that the way the main characters treat the infernals is wrong, though this is not yet explicitly acknowledged).

Anyway, why am I following a 2.5 star series? I guess because it irritates me that it could be better rather than putting me off because it isn't that great. Hope over experience..

First off, I want to say that I didn't totally dislike the book, however it is average in comparison to the Crossfire Series; Bared To You/Reflected In You. I was a little lost being that the story started at present day, went back to a previous time and then some recollections of an even earlier time -by the time the story made its way back to present day, it was over...abruptly I might add. I'd like for the author to explore the relationship of Eve and Cain more thoroughly. I'm hoping Eve's Destruction lightens up some of the confusion but after reading some of the reviews of other related books to Eve, Cain & Abel, I'm just not sure if I'm willing to spend the time to read the others.

Happy Reading...

I love paranormal and being the bookworm that I am I go through alot of books. I read on average about 10 books a month. Obviously I have tried lot's of books and series and they just don't cut it. Every once in awhile you come accross that one book that gets you all excited and darn near obsessed... that was this book for me. It was like scratching an itch to find a novel that truely pulled me in after so many sub-par paranormal stories. The heroine is believable and likeable, the sex is hot, and the plot is deep enough to wow you but not so much that you have to re-read sections to understand it. I loved this book and I ordered the other two in this series, I would totally recommend this for anyone who likes a spicy paranormal book minus the cheesiness that unfortunately tends to come with it.

Get ready for the next bestselling urban fantasy series, Marked, penned by S.J. Day for TOR debuting April 28, 2009 with Book #1, EVE OF DARKNESS. In present day Orange County, California, up and coming interior designer Evangeline Hollis is concentrating on landing her next big account when she gets sidetracked by a scorching encounter with a handsome stranger in a stairwell. After their brief encounter, she finds a triangular mark branded into her upper arm. Long-lost lover, Alec Cain, mysteriously reappears telling her that she's now a bounty hunter for God who must vanquish demons. He will mentor her now that his estranged brother, Reed Abel, Marked her. Eve is royally ticked at both brothers--Alec for abandoning her after taking her virginity ten years before, and Reed for changing her life forever. However, agnostic Eve is forced to work with both brothers to not only send the rogue Infernals back to Hell, but to insure her own survival. Oh, what an absolutely wicked, sexy triangle S. J. Day weaves between Cain, Eve, and Abel with fantastic verbal repartee and action-packed good vs. evil battles! Urban fantasy readers will be panting for the next installments: EVE OF DESTRUCTION (June 2 `09) and EVE OF CHAOS (June 30 `09).

Evangeline (AKA - Eve) Hollis is inexplicably thrown into a world she never knew existed. Ten years before, she lost her virginity and her heart to Alec Cain. Until meeting him, she was level headed and not promiscuous, but she was so drawn to Alec that she could not help but do the deed. Soon after, Alec bails and does not come back. Although it is later revealed that he does this to protect her, Eve is left doing the "I got played" scene in a hotel room. Pan forward ten years and Eve is a successful designer going to a job interview. As she is leaving the interview, she sees some guy who looks a lot like Cain (but isn't) and she is so overcome by lust that she does him in the stairwell in front of a camera. So much for strong and level headed. This was my first "What?" moment. As a result, stairwell lover, in a moment of really hokey drama, leaves her with the "Mark of Cain" and now she must be a sinner who fights evil for the Lord. Hey, it could have been worse, he could have left her with the "Mark of Syphyllis." It is soon brought to light that she was targeted for the stairwell nookie (wait wasn't that a sin in the Bible?)because Cain is not playing by all of the rules and his brother and bosses want to control him. So, Eve gets damned because of something someone else did or wants. Not very Christian, but there are many interpretations of Christianty, so I was still with this story so far. Then another EEEW moment occurs when it is revealed that her stairwell lover is Reed (AKA - Abel). Cain and Abel are indeed the brothers from the Bible left to do penance for centuries. Why did the author name her Eve - wasn't that their mother's name? Another EEEW monent. I guess she was keeping it all in the family. Anyway, Eve, who the book continues to stress is so level headed except, of course, when it comes to the brothers, takes all of this relatively easily and determines to find a way to lose the "Mark of Cain". Oddly enough, she never becomes so overwhelmed that she cannot say "no" if she wants again, which makes me think that if she was not in control with Abel in the stairwell, then how could it have been her choice and wouldn't that be a form of rape? Why is she taking things so calmly with Reed/Abel? By this point, I am over this book, but I paid for it, so I finished it right to the very predictable ending. I am not giving away major plot here, most of the things I have written pretty much occur in the the beginning anyway. There are parts of this story that I found interesting and to have promise, but if the sex was a sin, then why are Eve and Alec still allowed to go at it? At least Eve is allowed to learn how to fight and much drama and action ensues as they try to find the bad guys. There are just a number of things that make no sense. This is a book that could be really good, but the author needs to decide whether this is a book about Eve doing two brothers or if she is to be an actual three dimensional character. There is a lot of potential, but it may be outweighed by the inconsistencies in the novel. Furthermore, rape sanctioned by God is really disturbing and damned by God so that he can get Cain to play the way he wants is not believable. God is the almighty in this story and this is the way that he has Cain play by the rules? Is he not the good guy? If Eve takes the Lord's name in vain, she gets a shock. But being unfairly marked for the brother's ambitions is fair game? The reasons for major events that occur in this novel are extremely shallow and often inexplicably cruel. While I am aware that bad things happen in life and people often suffer due to things they are not responsible for, I believe that a novel should offer valid reasons and not just ones that move the story along and allow Eve to bang the brothers for thrill and plot filler. I understand that two more novels are coming soon. Maybe Eve can do Moses, Adam, and the King of Egypt next.

In California, interior designer Evangeline Hollis meets a hunk on a stairwell and cannot resist his lure. After heating up Orange County, he leaves and she notices a triangle etched into her arm. Soon after her encounter, her decade ago lover Alec Cain arrives to inform her ironically that she a true nonbeliever is now marked as a killer for God.

Eve is irate with Cain for deserting her ten years ago without a look back and the man in the stairwell, who turns out to be his brother Reed Abel for putting the Mark of Cain on her. Her new unwanted vocation is to destroy the evil Infernals while staying alive as demons have marked her for hell.

The first "Marked" romantic urban fantasy is a superb gritty tale starring a fabulous creative triangle. Eve holds the exciting dark story line together as the agnostic suddenly has a new belief system; hell she was just an Orange County interior designer and now she is Marked as a bounty hunter of Infernals heating the earth. Worse she has to deal with Cain and Abel as each fills her with desire that will ban her from attending Angels' baseball games. Sub-genre fans will enjoy the EVE OF DARKNESS and look forward to more gritty destruction as chaos has become the heroine's norm.

Harriet Klausner

I'm not sure why I keep browsing the urban fantasy; I keep being dissapointed. Jim Butcher is about the only one I keep consistantly liking...I'm not sure what the heck the Anita Blake series did, Sookie Stackhouse seems to be meandering, and I couldn't get into Armstrong's books, Harrison's books, or Caine's books. (Actually, with Caine I binged on the sugar-lightness and then utterly burned out on book five or something.) Patricia Brigg's novels are solid enough, but they don't have the zing either. Perhaps what I'm looking for isn't being written.

I couldn't really get my heart around this one; it has all the "required" bits...heroine in fast-paced career, hot guys, sex, action...and the magic system has some thought behind it, it's a very interesting twist on the whole Christian mythos (no insult intended to those christians reading this). But I found the sex repetative and boring--it's just not subtle at all. It's not romantic. It seemed like a bunch of pointless rutting to me. The guys were cover-model hot but not very deep (to me at least). The opening scene is never resolved at the end of the book, we never get back to the dragon or see what happens at the game.

Writing-wise, the book didn't have any other obvious flaws...it seemed square and novel-shaped. Technically competent. But it didn't really suck me in. It didn't have that *pull*, it didn't give me that fascination I get when reading a really really good book. And I was hoping it would have.

Oh well.

Interesting story concept and creative world building. I like Eve but I think Cain and Abel are both using her despite claiming to have feelings for her so I'm not sure how I feel about either of them in a relationship with her.

This series is a fun ride. You almost feel bad for eve, how can one woman possibly handle Cain and Abel? They are both so deliciously alpha. But throughout the entire series there are hints at bigger secrets not yet revealed. We must get answers, that's the frustrating part. Wanting to know more.....

I originally found this book at Sam's club but didn't buy it because I wasn't sure about it. I actually found it again once I bought my kindle. When I first started reading it I thought I had started the second book in the series because it's starts in current time and then back travels. After figuring that out the book was great. I'm usually not make of a romance novel kind of gal but there's enough love scenes,plot and action to make a great story line and actors that you actually like and want to read more about. This ways a first book I have read in the series and by this author. I can't wait to read the rest it series and more books by this author!

I'll begin with the assumption that anyone reading this is a fan of either detective fiction, fantasy fiction, or otherwise the alt-world fiction of the sort that presumes the existence of hidden realms of vampires, demons, wizards, werewolves and the like *among us* -- undetected by us ordinary mortals save for the few who guard us from unknown perils.

"Eve of Darkness" purports to be fiction of that kind. But if you're looking for a gripping, smart, funny, page-burner, stick with Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Charlaine Harris and the like. Eve of Darkness is not their equal. Not by half. Instead, it's juvenile trash. Poorly written, unimaginative, and mostly a vehicle for delivering badly written porn. Did I mention that it's badly written?

Here's the premise. A woman has a sexual encounter with an angel on an elevator. After we've endured the gasping throbbing 'his engorged manhood her throbbing wetness multiple gasping orgams' of it all, we learn that sex with an angel "marks" a person. The Mark becomes an enforcer in heaven's legions, which are organized and run rather like a criminal enterprise; within that enterprise, "people" (or things) frequently interact by, you guessed it, having wet, sticky, tawdry, badly written sex. Did I mention that this novel is badly written?

Anyhow, "the change" that makes one "A Mark" has the principal effects of giving one superpowers, that allow them to fight baddies. It also makes them very horny. That plot device serves as a mechanism for introducing, all too frequently, yet more episodes of 'her gasping need, his thrusting desire' etc ad nauseam sex.

By now we're not surprised. Indeed, we're bored. I was bored by Chapter 4, but felt I needed to read the whole novel to "give it a chance." I'm writing this review so that you, the reader, won't feel the need to sacrifice yourself on the altar of fairness.

It's a cliche that "a picture is worth a thousand words." Were I to substitute a picture for a thousand words of "Eve of Darkness," the picture would be a grainy, smudgy, stained page ripped from a crude porno magazine found in a gutter.

This is a great continuation of the first book. Sylvia Day evolves the plots very well. She also brings it all together very, very nicely at the end. I am eager to find out more about Reed and Cain competing for Eve's attention!

I love Sylvia day. She is a fantastic author! This book is a perfect mixture of reality and fantasy. It was a little confusing at first. After a few chapters I understood and got really interesting. Can't wait to read next book!

First I found fifty shades like everyone else, then I found Sylvia Day whom I believe is a true star at writing stories and characters for romantic/erotic novels. That aside, who knew that taking characters from the bible and turning them sexy would be such a turn on and delectably addictive?? I do now! Eve of Darkness is an enticing beginning to an amazingly well thought of story with Abel and Cain as the backbone. Trust me when I say, it's NOT religious in nature.

S. J. Day builds an interesting world in Eve of Darkness, one peopled with Heaven's angels and the demons of Hell. It's interesting to see heavenly beings with human failings - but sometimes it's a little difficult to believe that this is how God's army would act. However, the characters are engaging and the story is engrossing - and I'm looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.

If I could give this book/series 10 stars I would! I absolutely love this book. The story is awesome and the characters are smoking hot! Classic Biblical story of Cain and Abel with and obvious twist. All of Sylvia Day's books are worth reading, especially this one!!

...but there are two sequels.

This is possibly the worst book sold currently by Wal-Mart.

Nary a page is turned without us being reminded of how desirable Eve is, or how nice her car, or condo or coach bag is. Eve ain't no Buffy. She's whining, annoying and self pitying. Also, the characters never "say" anything. They "bite out," whatever they are saying. Apparently there wasn't a lot of editing on this.