Dark Time: Mortal Path by Dakota Banks

I had seen this book around other blogs and thought "I really want to read this". So needless to say when I received an email asking me to read and review it, I jumped at the chance.

I'm so glad I did. This is the first book in a series and I found it to be engaging and fast paced. Maliha Crayne is a woman burned at the stake as a witch and given immortality in exchange for working as an assassin for a demon taken out of Sumerian mythology. Truthfully I'm not sure I wouldn't have jumped at the chance for revenge either. The way this story is told you can easily see yourself making the same deal and becoming someone you don't recognize anymore.

However when she is given a chance to redeem herself and change her life for the better she takes it with the same impulsiveness shown in the original decision. I found her to be both sympathetic and a little dark at the same time. You may not like everything she does but you understand it and ultimately forgive her for it.

My only quibble with the book was the way the character of Subedei is introduced. It's done in such a way that he starts off as a creepy stalker simply called The Watcher. Then is introduced by name when he actually meets Maliha face-t0-face. It was a strange switch of storytelling and it threw me for a bit but I quickly got over it.

Now the best part of the book for me was the end. It ended in such a way that I HAVE to read the next book in the series. I normally do not finish the first book of a series with a burning desire to find out what the ending meant. This time I did.

I urge everyone who is a fan of urban fantasy/paranormal to pick this book up and read it. You won't be disappointed. By the way doesn't the book cover remind you of a really, really good movie poster?

Synopsis From The Back Cover:

For centuries, the woman calling herself Maliha Crayne has lived a second life-as an assassin for the malevolent creature who owns her would. A haunted killer with the blood of countless victims on her hands, she has finally discovered a way to nullify the demonic pact that chains her: If she save a life for every one she has taken, she will be free. But if she fails, her punishments will be unspeakable, unendurable...and neverending.