Book Review: Death’s Sweet Embrace: A Dark Brethren Novel By Tracey O’hara

Death’s Sweet Embrace: A Dark Brethren Novel

By Tracey O’hara

eARC – Won from Tracey @ The Supernatural Underground

Release Date: January 25, 2011

After centuries of secret conflict, humans and parahumans have reached an uneasy truce. But unspeakable evil now threatens the tenuous peace. Teenaged shapeshifters are being slaughtered by a sadistic serial killer who rips their still-beating hearts from their paralyzed bodies. A task force forms to halt the madness, including the vampiric Aeternus Antoinette Petrescu, as well as Kitt Jordan and Raven Matokwe, members of enemy Animalian tribes . . . and forbidden lovers. A centuries-old blood feud has divided their shapeshifting peoples, and if their passion is discovered it will doom them both. But past hostilities must be put aside, for the killer they seek is but the first sign of the all-consuming nightmare of The Dark Brethren.

Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think Tracey O’hara’s second novel in the Dark Brethren series is even better then her debut, Night’s Cold Kiss!


Kitt, a animalian snow leopard, and Raven, a animalian wolf, were past lovers whose relationship had to remain secret because of their warring families and the fact that Kitt was married. But after her husband was murdered a price was put on Raven’s head and he had to disappear. He went to Australia with their twin daughters while Kitt and her brother Dylan were kicked out of their pride and found careers and new lives in New York. Eighteen years later, and after Dylan’s murder, Kitt quits her job as M.E. and starts teaching at NYAPS, where her daughter’s are attending. On her first day her long time friend and brother-like Oberon drags her into a murder investigation and a special NYAPS security team that he has put together who’s members include Antoinette and Tones (from Night’s Cold Kiss) and her former lover Raven. Kitt struggles with her feelings for Raven and forming a relationship with her daughters while trying to catch a sadistic killer. The marks left on the victim’s bodies point to a once-thought-mythical group, the Dark Brethren, and if it is them behind this then these killings will only be the beginning for humans and parahumans alike. 

While Antoinette, now an Aeternus instead of Venator, investigates the murders with the rest of the team she stumbles upon a group of Dreniacs and their ringleader, a psychotic Aeternus with an 80’s fashion sense. Can this group be connected to the Dark Brethren or is there another faction of evil brewing in the parahuman world? 


Death’s Sweet Embrace has an interesting plot that unfolds naturally and is packed with action, mystery, suspense, romance and creative twists and turns. There are compelling characters, intriguing side characters and chilling villains with well-developed relationships & motivations between each one. Most of the plot is fast paced but understandably slow down in occasional spots for character’s emotional struggles & growth. The world O’hara has built is extremely believable and you finally learn what the Dark Brethren is.


Though the book focuses mainly on Kitt, Raven and Antoinette there is a team of characters and it goes back and forth between their POV’s. I found the transitioning between characters smoothly done.

I would of liked to see more of Raven’s past, as he was such an interesting, not to mention sexy, character. And also his & Kitt’s past together. I think he needs his own short story in an anthology!
Antoinette plays a major role but, a favorite, Christian only appeared in one scene. Though that one scene was vera vera nice. ;)


There are some new terms to learn if you haven’t read the first book but there is a glossary in the back to help you out if you need and if you are a new reader to the series you can jump right into it with this installment. Death's Sweet Embrace kept me captivated from start to finish! And I can’t forget, there were a few pretty hot scenes too. ;)

A great read to say the least and I def. recommend! 

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses

Smexy Scale: HOT