Veena’s review of Dark Carousel (Dark Series, Book 30) by Christine Feehan
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 02 Aug 16
For some time I have been on the fence with the increasing darkness and dominance of the ancient Carpathian warriors who star in this continuing series. Let me warn readers, however, that while Tariq seeks to temper his dominance and treat his life mate as an equal, this is a very dark read with a lot of elements of abuse and torture woven into the story. I, however, contrary to my feelings, continue to be unable to resist reading new books in the series as they are released. This book does seem to be a launching pad for a series of potentially new books that tell the story about a continued evolution in the Vampire as well as the Carpathian warriors who fight them.
For some time Ms. Feehan has been alluding to the psychic testing centers as being means for both Carpathians and Vampires to seek psychically gifted women as potential life mates. This book really brings front and center how the modern times and technology have created the means for identifying not just psychic women capable of being life mates but also psychic men. It’ll be interesting to see where the author will go with this thread. Charlotte and Genevieve got suspicious while they were there but did not leave soon enough to save the lives of their near and dear ones.
Now in California they decide to turn the tables on the people who are hunting them and try to get some answers. Their quest leads them to a night club run by Tariq Asenguard, who is an ancient Carpathian warrior, who immediately senses Charlotte as his life mate. Fortunately, he and his friends are able to assist and rescue them as they confront an ancient vampire and his minions.
Spirited away behind the safeguards in Tariq’s mansion, Charlotte finds herself unable to resist his sexual lure and succumbs to a night of excess and an exchanging of blood. The morning brings many surprises. Tariq is sheltering a family of psychic children who were attacked and experimented on by a group of vampires in tunnels under the city. Another friend of Charlotte’s, Emmeline, has been badly abused by the vampire and hides away in her own cottage provided by Tariq. The biggest surprise is that Tariq is the owner of antique carousel horses that he was hoping to bring Charlotte and her mentor to the United States to restore for him. As she seeks out the latest carousel that Tariq has acquired, her psychic gift of touch that allows her to read the history of an object, allows her to travel into the past to see the young wood carver who originally created it.
Imagine her surprise when she finds a young Tariq confronting a group of men, some of whom are the vampires that she encountered that day. For Tariq so far in the past, she left the knowledge that he has a life mate somewhere in time and he has never forgotten the scent of orange blossoms that he associates with that memory, which gives him back all his senses when he smells it in his night club so many centuries later. Unfortunately, at great risk to her life, she also discovers how the carousel came to be tainted, such that every one who touched it was cursed to die in horrific ways. The vampire manages to entice the young woman he has tortured to the evil contained in the carousel such that it begins to spin, unweaving all of Tariq’s safeguards to his estate, leaving his gates wide open to his enemy. I love the safe rooms and other techno gimmicks that the author introduces us to in this book.
As dark as the carousel horses turn out to be, I really enjoyed the moments of lightness introduced by the dragons that the Lobos triplets created from rocks and jewels who bond with their special human children and have the ability to fly. Overall this book introduces us to a huge cast of characters, both Carpathian and psychic female, both adult and children, opening the door to so many future possibilities. The battles are harrowing as always, especially since this one also introduces hellhounds fighting on the side of the vampire. This vampire army gets more gruesome and powerful with each book.
Personally I would like to see a little more lightness blended in with the blood and torture which, I believe, the author was able to provide earlier in the series, but I am definitely intrigued to see where this series will go next.
Grade:B
Summary:
In the new Carpathian novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, a woman falls prey to the seductive allure of the past—and a vampire warrior’s intoxicating embrace…
The moment Charlotte Vintage walks into his club, Tariq Asenguard’s blood is set on fire. The ancient Carpathian had given up hope of finding his lifemate, but now he will do anything to make Charlotte his own. What Tariq doesn’t know is that Charlotte is using herself and her best friend as bait—to try to draw out the bloodthirsty killers who have already murdered Charlotte’s brother and mentor.
Charlotte is familiar with Tariq. Not only is he one of the richest and most eligible bachelors in the city, but he’s also a renowned collector of old carousel horses, which Charlotte restores. Their shared passion opens Charlotte up to trusting him with her life and with the desire she can no longer control. But it also makes her vulnerable to a centuries-old curse that will unite her and Tariq in a war against the enemies of humans and Carpathians alike…
Other books in this series:
