Before The Fall by Sable Grace

Synopsis from Goodreads

Zach was once the Order of Ancients’ most feared warrior, beating back the hounds of hell to protect the unsuspecting human race. But since he left the Order ten years ago, he’s been living as a mortal . . . until now. The gates of the underworld are breaking open, and Zach is needed in the fight once again. But before he can answer his summons, there’s one person he refuses to leave behind. Shanna may think Zach has a screw loose, spouting all this “hounds of hell” nonsense, but he has to get her to safety. The journey to the Order’s headquarters is a dangerous one, and even a warrior like Zach might not be strong enough to keep the darkness at bay.

My review:
This short little story is set before the first book in the Dark Breed series and tells the story of the night that Hell opened and all the dark breeds infiltrated the world.

Zach Merchant is an ex-member of the Order of the Ancients, the group of people who fight against the Dark Breeds. He left the Order 10 years ago after a fight with a Lychen, a werewolf by another name, left him with such severe injuries that he almost died.

One night, he receives his summons from the god Ares to return to battle, but before he does, he knows he has to save the one person he has ever loved, but the last time he tried to explain all this otherworldly-ness to her, she left him, thinking he was crazy. Will he be able to convince her to come with him and try to escape this time?

The journey to the portal for them both was not easy and Shanna finally starts to beieve what is going on around and helps to fight back.

I did think the ending was a bit quick and jumped too far forward, but I guess with this short little novella, it has to. I just expected Zach to go back into the fight rather than go off with Shanna and do what they do!

I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for this free ARC.

Ascension by Sable Grace

Synopsis from Goodreads.com
The gates of hell have opened, and one woman will stand in the crossfire as the Dark Breed—vampyre, demons, shape shifters—and mankind fight their last battle for survival.

Kyana is half Vampyre, half Lychen . . . and the last of her kind. Determined, dangerous, and damned, she has no love for the mortals who have imprisoned and misused her. But when the Order of Ancients entrusts her with a mission—to find the key that will send the Dark Breed back into Hell for eternity—Kyana has no choice but to accept.

She is furious to learn her assignment comes with an escort . . . Ryker, a demigod and fierce warrior who long ago found a way under her skin and stayed there. In a shaky alliance, they discover an ancient cult with dangerous motive and a god who seeks to destroy all others. And as Kyana begins to feel the heat that threatens to bind her to Ryker, she knows she has to resist. For it could only mean the undoing of them both.


My review:
This book was a new twist on the usual UF books I read and I really loved it! Kyana is a Dark Breed with a difference to all others - she is half Vampyre and half Lychen (or werewolf), which makes her the best tracer the Order of the Ancients have as she can go a-hunting when others can't. The Order of the Ancients is a group set up to work for the Greek gods and goddesses and the likes of Ares, Artemis and the Three Fates or Moriae make regular appearances too. At first I wasn't totally sure how the Greek gods and goddesses would mix with the usual UF characters of vampire, werewolves and witches, but it worked so well.

Kyana has been given the ultimate test of her life - find out who has opened the gates of Tartarus and let all the evil Dark Breeds into the world Above. This world is divided into 3 areas - Below, where the Dark Breeds generally live, Above where the humans live and Beyond where the gods all live. To aid her on her hunt is the one person she was rather not be with - Ryker, a demi-god who spurned her advances 10 years ago and whom she has never quite forgiven for his rejection.

With the aid of her friends, Geoff, another vamp tracer and Haven, the only human Kyana can abide, Kyana and Ryker manage to find several clues, although none completely revealing, as to who opened the gates and why. They are using the opportunity to kill off all the Chosen, the humans chosen to take over from the gods and goddesses as they start to weaken, but who would want to destroy the Chosen and kill off all the gods?

Kyana was a strange heroine for me. She was almost an anti-heroine in that she didn't especially like working with others, enjoyed the glory she had, was a bit big-headed at times and showed a clear dislike for the humans she was sent to save, but I grew to love her as she showed her caring nature eventually. She was willing to give herself over to whatever punishments the gods were willing to give her, because had wanted to save her best friend in the only way she knew how.

I really enjoyed watching the tension build build Kyana and Ryker and it was clearly obvious from the beginning that while they might both act as if they would rather kill each other than work together, they did really feel something for each other. Eventually they mutual dislike faded and changed into respect and like for each other. I do hope their relationship develops a bit more through the next book.

I did also like the little surprise Geoff had in store for Kyana at the end too. The huge cliffhanger at the end of the book got me as well and immediately I went out hunting for the next one! Can't wait to read this one next!