Review: Chosen

Reviewed by Jen
 

The Dark Breeds series has changed a lot over the course of three books.  Or maybe it's just that the main character has utterly transformed --from a maligned mixed breed to a goddess of the Greek pantheon. 

This third installment begins with Kyana ensconced in Olympus as the new goddess of the hunt.  She is happy with Ryker and learning more about her new abilities.  Her best friend Haven is recovering from her possession by Cronus. And all seems well until Haven begins having prophetic dreams about Cronus coming back to punish his enemies and regain his power.  It turns out that Cronus is resurrecting the dead to become his minions and it's a race to see if Kyana and the other gods can stop him before he achieves his goals.

Honestly, I think I preferred the Kyana of old. She was so damaged and gritty and angry.  The first half of this book, I just wasn't feeling the pull.  I remember thinking to myself as I read that it just wasn't dark anymore. Then, I swear to you, about two pages later, horrors unfold for Kyana that I never dreamed of. Things picked up at that point.  The action was fast and the team takes at least one brutal emotional hit. And yet I just didn't love this one.  I was, indeed, shocked by the gruesome attack on Kyana and suitably saddened by the Really Bad Thing that happened, but overall, I was kind of meh on the book.

The ending felt like a series finale, but there are threads left hanging. Like how did Cronus escape the island?  (This is pretty significant, as it's kind of the whole starting point for the book.)  Why was Henry with the bad souls? (He seemed like a good man.) And while I'm talking about Henry, I felt like there should have been more in that reunion. There could have been more emotional resonance there --and with the Bad Thing that happened.  I felt like the Haven resolution was abrupt. Poor Silas was just left hanging. I felt like there was untapped potential across the board.  And except in a couple of powerful moments, it all felt kind of superficial.

Eh. I wanted to like it more than I did.  I just don't feel like the series ended with the same feel in which it began.  Even the romance lacked oomph, despite the fact that it finds a HEA. It's a shame, because I liked the first two books.

Rating: C 

*ARC Provided by Avon

Click to purchase: Amazon

Chosen

by Sable Grace

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: Avon