Review: Ascension By: Sable Grace

Ascension (goodreads.com)

By: Sable Grace (website)

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication: April 26, 2011 by Avon

ISBN13: 9780061964404

Sable Grace is the pseudonym for Heather Waters and Laura Barone

Series: Dark Breed #1

5 Stars, 4 Flames (quantity low, quality scorching. I feel that this book isnt a romance, but an Urban Fantasy with a highly attracted couple and a sex scene)

                This book starts off with all Hell breaking loose, literally. The damned have escaped Tartarus and are filling the streets of the very human populated world. The heroine Kyana is a half breed vamp/lychen tracker that works for Artemis. Her role as a tracker has her finding the Chosen and bringing them in for safe keeping, they have important roles to grow into (don’t want to give too much away here.)  Kyana is soon given a new task, using her superior tracking skills she has been assigned to find the key that has unlocked Hell. All of the escapees that are sent back just escape again. The key is required to relock the gate. People not having much faith in the lowly half breed she is given a partner on her new assignment. Ryker is a demigod who has a strong mutual attraction with Kyana. At the beginning she has some childish angst towards him and she is upset at being assigned what she feels is a babysitter, but she quickly moves past this. They both realize that there is more going on than just a stolen key falling into the wrong hands. There is a major scheme in play to throw the Ancient Ones (Gods & Goddesses) off of their reign of power.

I loved the characters in this book. Kyana is a bit brash, but she is a kick ass heroine. She doesn’t let anyone get too close to her. Her pre-Dark Breed life is tragic. She uses a negative attitude to keep people from wanting to get to close to her. This has not prevented her from acquiring a few people that she is close to. She has a witch roommate named Haven and a vamp coworker named Geoffrey. Ryker's character is the exact opposite of Kyana. I loved the contrast of these two. He is described as having a surfer boy look and attitude, while smelling of the sun. YUM! Having a God as a father has given him a less than happy life. He has not let it bring him down. I loved his opinions and the way he viewed Kyana.

This is a fast paced book. The plot is so thick that once this book is in your hands you can’t put it down. There is plenty of who done its and whys to keep any reader completely immersed in this book. The synopsis to this book has failed to mention the Mythology. The authors have built an amazing world for this series. I LOVE the spin that the authors have put on the combination of Gods, Goddesses, vampyre, lychen, demons, and the worlds in which these beings have made theirs. There is a bit of romance. Readers are given plenty of character growth and discovery between them but the action takes precedence in this book. The action and suspense in these pages keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. The authors website mentions only the name of book #2, Salvation.