***USA TODAY BESTSELLER***The fate of millions rests on Keystone when they embark on their most important assignment of all… in their way becoming collateral damage. Meanwhile, Raven is still struggling to make sense of her feelings for Christian following a memory wipe.
During a blackout, the city erupts into chaos. With Breed on the brink of war, Keystone has only twenty-four hours to complete a secret mission. Raven seeks help from the most unlikely of places, but at what cost?
It’s a race against time to save lives in this explosive installment of the Crossbreed series.
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THE CROSSBREED SERIES is a compelling urban fantasy romance about a private organization of individuals who hunt evildoers. Dark secrets, complex characters, and plenty of action. Let a new series of magic, mayhem, and mystery begin!
“The plot twists were around every corner and made this book an addiction I never wanted to seek treatment for. Dark delivers a moment so perfectly that I had to stop, take a moment and reflect. It was a beautiful thing.”
– The Read Report
”I. AM. HOOKED! It is suspense and mystery driven, although as I said, the sexual tension is running high between Christian and Raven. I am looking forward tomore of the story. Love, Love all of the team at Keystone.
– Obsessive Reading Disorder
“Dannika Dark remains the only author to give me cold chills while reading. Dark’s writing was impeccable as is her usual, her characters were intricately depicted, and the mystery was good. The action had me on the edge of my seat.”
– Rabid Reads
”It was utterly addictive. Lots of action, trouble, and suspense all of which had me listening into the wee hours and ignoring my other reading material.”
– Caffeinated Book Reviewer
“Raven Black. Such a faceted, crazy, witty, and reckless heroine. She reminds me a bit of Kate Daniels. The plot is seamless, utterly engrossing.”
– The Bookaddict Diaries
“Raven was engaging, intriguing and invited listeners into her life and head. A wonderful introduction to a new series, with solid world-building,intrigue from characters and a clear purpose for the heroine with just enough left undone to continue, fans of urban fantasy that mixes character,content and action in equal measure are sure to enjoy this one.”
– I Am, Indeed
“Each team member brings their own unique skill set to the team and without one, the others couldn’t do everything that they do. I loved watching them work together and I really felt that they were a family. I will totally be reading more of the Crossbreed series. I enjoyed everything from the characters to the world and the story line.”
– Urban Fantasy Investigations
more
Not to be missed.
A Suspense Filled & Edge of the Seat Read!!
Well, I took my time reading ‘Blackout’ as I wanted to savour it and I’m so glad I did!!
Members of the Higher Authority are being murdered in this installment. Keystone are not asked to investigate but are tasked with identifying one of the victims Victor tasks Christian & Raven with this job. It’s tricky, sensitive & political – You have to wonder what their Leader was thinking sending these two They’re both as subtle as charging Rhinos in a house made of crystal They do get the job done though!
We spend much more time with certain members of Keystone in ‘Blackout’. I absolutely loved that about this book We see them beginning to open up to each other at different times and actually divulging some past secrets, which is touching & endearing in every instance Although much of the story feels like it’s mostly just set with these specific 5-6 characters, it somehow managed to keep me guzzling coffee like a junky & almost constantly feeling on edge!! Raven & Christian continue with the slow pace she requested until – Well until ….
People from past books, in this series, start to rear their heads again on & off throughout The ‘Blackout’ of the title almost becomes a character in its own right, It is that integral to this story!! I think the Author was so artful in her placement of the bouts of action throughout this book, You never quite know when it will explode, yet again, to the forefront of the storyline … The suspense was so stressful – I loved it
There are new allies made & old enemies rediscovered, Trust is gained & some then broken, Love may be found but then it’s brutally slain. Change seems to be a foot in the Keystone Compound.
I just hope us readers survive it all, because after parts of this book, I just don’t know how much more my poor heart can take!! This was an excellent read. I loved how the suspenseful plot was interwoven with the personal interactions. And can I just say .. Damn, Dannika Dark writes ‘steamy’ so well
So in summary: it’s full of feels, death, treachery, heat, heartbreak & so much suspense and intensity you’ll chew your finger nails off. Yep, 5 Stars from me
Debbie, 1970, UK
Loved it!!! Waiting for the next one!!!
The drama of Keystone keeps going with this fifth book. You feel like the characters are old friends at this point. The intrigue is deep and intense. I was in no hurry to finish this book yet at the same time I couldn’t put it down. Some things find closure and somethings are still in the works leaving room for the series to continue.
I have loved all of Dannika Dark’s novels, but the Crossbreed Series just keeps getting better with each installment. Pain, joy, loss, love, mystery, and intrigue… these books have it all. As Raven, Christian and the rest of Keystone try to protect the members of the higher authority, it is soon apparent that not all is as it seems. Secrets abound and Raven is determined to find the truth.
Love this author.
I absolutely love this series. I can’t wait for the next book
This series started out a bit slow moving for me. But once it picked up, it truly picked up! This diverse group of Crossbreeds have been brought together by Viktor, their leader and mentor, for the express purpose of hunting down criminals whether human or other. They take jobs as true mercenaries, with Viktor running the show, dictating the jobs they take and the money they make. Together they are formidable to the extreme. And as different as they each are, together they are family.
In this volume Raven and Christian are becoming more than just partners. More than just friends. Raven is finally starting to let go of the past she can’t remember and embrace the present so she can enjoy her time with Christian. She’s trying to just allow the feelings to flow and keep out the negative inklings she keeps getting of their past. Christian is trying to take it slow, while truly being afraid of a real relationship with anyone. His past hurt keeps sneaking up on him making it impossible for him to trust that with Raven, his feelings are safe.
With all that going on in their hearts, life around them is blowing up. The higher authority came under attack and the Regulators abandoned their posts to protect their families, which leaves the group from Keystone among other mercenary groups, to protect the higher authority, much to their chagrin. The head of the authority, Patrick Bane, was the most difficult of all, particularly since he is harboring secrets that could end all those at Keystone. And since it is suspected that he is truly evil which puts them all on alert. In the course of protecting the higher authority, secrets come to light that threaten the sanctity of their house. and the cohesion of their group.
A fully action packed story coupled with many heartbreaking scenes has this book rising to the top of the series in excellence. Dannika Dark may have started out slowly with the Crossbreed series, but she has definitely picked up speed, and I am not so patiently awaiting the next book to come out.
Very well done, Dannika Dark! I am loving every minute of it!
Dannika Dark is one of my favorite authors and it was absolutely killing me that I couldn’t curl up in bed and tear through Blackout: Crossbreed. If I try to put a positive spin on things I would say with the delay I was able to savor every moment of the story.
Blackout: Crossbreed is the 5th installment of the Crossbreed series by Dannika Dark, which follows Raven Black and the group from Keystone. Raven tends to be the main focus of the books but Dannika has slowly been introducing the back stories of each of the other characters from Keystone and I feel that with Blackout we have reached a point where all of the characters are playing a major role within the story development.
Someone has been murdering the members of the higher authority, the council made of shifters, mage, vampires, and other paranormal beings who keep law and order within the breed world. Keystone is not tasked with finding the murderer but have been pulled into the mystery when they are called out to one of the murder scenes to identify one of the bodies. Conveniently, a blackout occurs amidst the murder investigation. Questions a rise as to whether the blackout is a part of the murder’s plan or just co-incidence. Regardless, the blackout does bring chaos to the breed world, inciting a breed war. Can Keystone bring order back to the breed world?
Cover Design – 5
Let me let you in on a little secret about me…..I once had a manager tell me that you never give a perfect review because the individual needs something to strive towards. I have always taken that to heart when providing any type of reviews and feedback. For me to give something the most value means I truly feel it is well deserved. In full Dannika Dark fashion the cover is stunning. It draws the purchaser in and sums up the story in one visual.
Grammar – 4.5
There were two sentences in the book I had to reread due to words being out of order. This did not deter me from the story line. It is not typical for one of Dark’s books but these things do happen. Dannika Dark has a significant amount of time between releases and I feel that the author allows for a proper amounts of edits.
Plot – 4.5
This story flows from the last four stories. Dannika Dark is leading us somewhere, where? I don’t know yet. There is certainly plot development from book to book. This book kept me engaged and made me wonder how the book would end and where the next book would go.
Believability – 4.5
As I always like to preface….this is a fantasy world. With that said Dannika Dark always, always, always builds a paranormal world that makes one wonder if shifters, vampires, witches, and other paranormal creatures do in fact exist.
Ending – 4.5
I am ready for the next installment and am curious to see how a child will fit in to the Keystone day to day.
Price Value – 5
Historically I may not have been paying very good attention to the cost of Dark’s books but this one seemed to be priced lower than usual. To me less is good. This was definitely a great value for my buck.
Overall – 4.5
This series has it all: suspense, drama, romance, it’s emotional. I have been enjoying every book in the series, which is not always the case. I would recommend this book as well as any other series by this author.
***This is not a stand alone book. I recommend reading the rest of the series***
Great series
Awesome…
Love this series! What more can I say? Blackout left me anxious for more of the Keystone family, that and nervous as to what comes next for Raven and Christian. I’m a huge fan of this author’s universe.
Blackout is the fifth book in the Crossbreed series by Dannika Dark. I would caution against reading these books as a stand-alone. There are several interconnecting plotlines throughout the series. All of the background information is important in the development of the characters and the bigger narrative. The Crossbreed books center on Raven Black and her adventures with the Keystone group. Raven lives in Cognito where several supernatural beings cohabitate. As a member of Keystone, she does a myriad of different jobs as requested by the breed’s Higher Authority. This group can be called in for a variety of things. In Blackout Keystone is tasked to secure several groups of political officials during a period of anarchy taking place in their city.
The developing plots in the Crossbreed series continue to progress in Blackout. As is typical, some of the resolutions were gratifying, and some broke my heart. Raven and Christian continue to struggle with their feelings. I surmise personal issues need to be resolved for Raven and Christian’s relationship to flourish. I also believe turmoil in Raven and Christian’s romance is not Houdini’s primary goal. I am keen on discovering what his objective is. Shepard and Niko both have demons in their pasts that are quickly catching up to the Keystone team. Although Shepard winds up better off by the end of Blackout, Niko is going to have to eliminate his demons sooner rather than later. The ensemble present in Keystone is a family. They are a bit wary perhaps, but in the end, they always support each other.
In a community that is predominantly lawless, other than dealing with the most heinous of crimes, Keystone struggles to bring justice without giving into the darkness surrounding them. Rather than maintaining the focus on the supernatural elements, this is a tale about humanity. Facing loss of loved ones, rising above PTSD, dealing with extreme prejudice, fighting addiction, creating healthy relationships in both friendships and love. I feel angry with them and sad, and devastated when the world is crashing down around them, and cautiously optimistic, and happy when things go their way. These books represent a deluge of the emotional spectrum. I feel an immediate kinship with Dannika Dark’s characters and gloriously praise every book she has written. I admit I have a particular fondness for the Keystone group in the Crossbreed series. I encourage everyone to reach their own conclusion.