Dark Illusion

Another great addition to the Carpathian series. Love them all.

Another great book in the Dark series. I read it in one day, and already can’t wait for the next book in the series. I’m always amazed at the characters and stories that Christine creates.

Another wonderful read by Christine Feehan. This book contains so much its difficult to summarize in a review without feeling you’re leaving too much out. You really need to experience this one in its entirety, submerge yourself in it!

The definition of Illusion is prevalent in many ways throughout the story. The magical use of power to make a thing wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses. And information that gives a deceptive appearance or impression about a person or event, a false idea or belief based on information you have about others.

The hunt for Xavier’s book is on! The book was somehow taken from the safe keeping of the Prince. I love the way it happened and no one suspected the truth. It leads to misconceptions and twists that make this book even more intriguing. The journey Isai and Julija have to take to discover each other’s intentions is not the typical lifemate claiming. They move from separate untrusting journeys to one solid union to fight for their survival and the survival of the Carpathians. For them to reach that place they need to unravel their misconceptions, self perceptions, judgments of themselves and each other. To do this they need to be open, trusting enough to share their journey, their pasts. Both are heart-touching and heartbreaking.

Isai quickly realized he was wrong about his perception of her deceit and treachery. Understanding dawns as he comes to know her. Sees her reaction to events as they search for the book.

Julija has a bit more difficult time trusting, her life had bombarded her with so much deceit, misconceptions of herself and others, she doesn’t know what is real, what to trust. She becomes open to him and their relationship through the support and knowledge she gets from her friendship, her bond with Elizabeta. Love the way this is shared in the book. Love how her self sacrifice for Elizabeta and the Carpathians is revealed, even with all it may cost her. She becomes one of my favorite heroines in the Series. Her courage and trust in him builds a strong bond that gives her hope and faith in herself, in him, and them as a couple and at last hope for victory.

As they share their histories, Isai begins to melt my heart. His stoic strength, facing those who had and would harm his woman, his encouragement to help Julija understand, come into her own abilities and admire her confidence in herself is so beautifully written. They use her knowledge and the knowledge he has learned from other Carpathians to fight the evil mages, form unique alliances. (Always trust someone who is kind to animals.) past events from previous books are wonderfully revisited as they decide how to proceed.
The love story that develops between them touches the heart. Forgiveness and acceptance, and the willingness to sacrifice everything for each other. they join together to overcome her family , discover the truth about his brother, and destroy Xavier’s book.

All with action, and amazing Mage against Carpathian battles. Passion and romantic touching moments, and of course touches of humor. In the end one powerful mage remains as a danger to Julija and the Carpathians, adding even more danger beyond the Vampire threat. Questions about Ferro and Elizabeta are raised. And something big is brewing for the Ancients and those at Tariq’s compound. I’m going to absorb all that’s in this one for awhile while anticipating what’s coming next!

4.25 stars–DARK ILLUSION is the twenty-ninth instalment in Christine Feehan’s CARPATHIAN / DARK erotic, paranormal, romance series. This is ancient Carpathian Isai Florea, and mage Julija Brennan’s story line. DARK ILLUSION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: All Carpathian males must find their lifemates before they turn vampire or greet the dawn. Without a lifemate, the males no longer see in color, feel pain or experience emotions. A lifemate is the light to their dark. She is the keeper of his heart and the keeper of his soul. As the unmated Carpathian male ages, the darkness begins to envelope his soul.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Julija and Isai) DARK ILLUSION continues to focus on a group of ancient Carpathians, nearing the end of their search for a lifemate who have isolated themselves away from the world in a monastery high in the Carpathian mountains. As his search for his younger brother Iulian takes him to the Sierra Mountains, Isai comes across a woman he discovers to be his fated lifemate. On the run from her family and her past, Julija Brennan believes herself to be an enemy of the Carpathian people due to her family’s attempts to destroy them all. What ensues is the building relationship between Julija and Isai, and the potential fall-out as our couple come under fire from some very powerful mages.

Julija Brennan doesn’t believe she is worthy to be a Carpathian mate, and immediately refuses Isai attempts to claim her as his own. Having struggled through the abuse and captivity of her earlier life, Julija battles between head and heart when Isai is willing to walk away without a fight. Isai Florea knew immediately Julija Brennan was his lifemate but her stubbornness amounted to silence in an effort to protect the man with whom she would fall in love. As Julija and Isai search for Isai’s missing brother, our couple find themselves the target of Julija’s past, and the family that is determined to imprison her, once again.

The relationship between Julija and Isai is one of immediate attraction but our heroine believes she is an enemy of the Carpathian people. Unable to resist the pull between one another, Julija and Isai will complete the bonding but to both their surprise Julija is so much more than a powerful mage. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

DARK ILLUSION is a revealing story line, one that begins to reveal the history and back story of one of the Carpathian’s most hated enemies, an enemy who was and is determined to take down a race of people using any means necessary. Christine Feehan has pulled from one of her more successful story line arcs where the Carpathian people had to fight and discover the truth, in order to survive. The premise is engaging, entertaining and edgy; the romance is steamy and seductive; the characters are strong and determined but there is limited interaction with any of the previous story line characters.