Dark Needs at Night's Edge (Immortals After Dark Book 5)

I gave this three-stars before, apparently, but I think I was being generous then – because I hated this book for the longest time. The first time I read it, was on a cross-country flight. I had nothing else to read, and nothing else to do for the entirety of the flight. I wasn’t in the mood for it, and felt that way from the moment I opened the book. But what else could I do? I hate sleeping on flights. So, I forced myself to read it. And it was, I think, that forced reading that made me hate it so much. I couldn’t stand anything about the story. Not Conrad, not Néomi, not the love story, nothing. Except maybe Nix. 1-star for Nix, that’s what it should have been previously rated.I’d tried re-reading it a few times prior to this massive re-read with Sarah, and each time I got bored a couple of pages in and gave up, skipping directly to the next book. Happily, this re-read has improved my opinion quite a lot. I’d give it a solid 3-stars now. It’s still not my favorite of the series, and probably one of my lower-favorites, but it’s good.Néomi’s an awesome character. Despite the fact that she’s a ghost and has been for eighty-some-odd years, she’s strong. She was always ahead of her time, independent, wealthy, smart, and confident. I think that she’s amazing. I didn’t always love how much she capitulated to Conrad’s angers and rages, but she also forced herself not to value herself as less, too. She took her fate into her own hands, and made herself – just as she had in life. I truly appreciated that about her character.Conrad, well, he was the biggest problem that I had with the book initially. And don’t get me wrong – all the characters in these books can be assholish, so it’s not just that he was an ass. I do get why he reacted the way he did quite frequently, it makes sense with his history, and his training, and then the madness; a very real thing for him with all his victims’ memories floating around in his head. And I even liked his single-minded approach to setting his goals, and removing the obstacles to those goals from his path. I just never really fell for him. This is probably a hold-over from my first reading (first impressions do stick), so I won’t try to hold it against him too much. The other part of the problem is that the vampires are probably my least favorite part of the Lore in this series. There’s just so many more interesting factions and groups to be with!I’ve talked about the world, and plot/pacing of these books at length in my previous reviews – and I think I’d just mostly be repeating myself if I extolled about them again here. But I will say that I continue to be awed at the way that Kresley Cole has interwoven all these storylines and characters and plot-lines. It’s truly amazing. There’s a plot here that’s been brewing for a few books already and doesn’t come to fruition for a few books on yet. There are mentions of things happening off page, that we only truly learn about later. This is absolutely my favorite part of this series. It’s so tightly woven and created that I’ve never – in all my years of re-reading it – caught a timeline, or consistency error. And when you’re talking about this many characters and things going on and this long of a series …. that’s impressive.I can’t wait to go onto the next book, because some of my favorites are coming up.

I love all of Kresley Cole's books, but this is definitely one of my favorites of the whole series. Conrad is dark and mad, but sweet in his own way, and Neomi is just perfection with her bold attitude and outlook on life. All of the Wroth brothers come together finally in this book and it is heartwarming to see them finally move past the horrors of their youth.If you like paranormal romance, don't pass this book up. It is well worth the read and Conrad and Neomi do pop later in the series in Dark Desires After Dusk and Demon from the Dark and have a larger part to play in the series I am sure. I have the feeling we will see all these early book characters again as a united front against the big bad, and I am really looking forward to it. This series rocks!

I love all of Kresley's work as I have read and reread then over and over whole waiting for the next installment but this one struck a different cord with me as all the heroes and leading ladies are compelling but these two thought they were lost, had lost everything including their lives and overcame so many barriers to find happiness. He was turned into the worst sort of monster and she lost her life to a jealous, angry ex. She always found ways to find joy in the afterlife and he experience the first joy in hundreds of years just interacting with her. Neither were perfect but they find a way. Definitely recommend reading this along with the other IAD books as the characters are shared across different books but also great stand alone.

"Two broken souls together in this broken place had found a kind of contentment."FINAL DECISION: Cole's Immortals series always surprises. These characters are different and unique and despite the continuing storyline, this book feels fresh and interesting. Always filled with humor and intense sexuality, this story is also poignant.THE STORY: Neomi Laress was a famous ballerina in New Orleans in the 1920s and she became a ghost when she was murdered in her own home. For over eighty years, she has been trapped in her home invisible to everyone. Conrad Wroth is a vampire who has been almost driven mad by consuming blood from living beings. Captured by his brothers who want to save him, Conrad is held hostage in Neomi's house. And he can see her.OPINION: This was a wonderful story. Conrad is a vampire on the edge. The first time in the series we have seen a red-eyed vampire return from the blood madness. He is also a virgin. His pairing with the free spirited and sexually experienced Neomi is a good combination. I especially liked how both Conrad and Neomi are trapped in her house but that they find in one another a special connection and relationship. The claustrophobic nature of the book with much of it taking place within the house intensifies the relationship between Conrad and Neomi. I also really did love the solution to the problem of a ghost and a vampire which I thought was clever and not just a convenient solution.WORTH MENTIONING: There are significant appearances by prior couples from the series.CONNECTED BOOKS: DARK NEEDS AT NIGHT'S EDGE is the fifth book in the Immortals After Dark series. The book can be read as a standalone but is much better when read as part of the series.STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

This one took me a couple of chapters to really get interested in the characters. And once I did I couldn't put this book down.. I even relived some of the scenes in my dreams.. why yes Conrad I did. The only reason I have give this 4 stars despite the fact that I really enjoyed it is I felt the building of the relationship was rushed. The brothers side story of being captured by their King Kristoff yet it takes several weeks before Conrad thinks to go free them, and when he does its only because he needs them... not to mention the fact that it has taken their brides almost as long and they still haven't tried to rescue them...Conrad and Neomi are by far my favourite couple of the series. Unlike the other relationships of the series so far, this one was built slowly and willingly on both sides, the previous books have been Alpha male heavily pursuing the female. And while I'm all for that strong, protective man who falls helplessly in love with his fated mate and has this overwhelming need to be with her, I think sometimes it needs to be dialled back a bit. Conrad is definitely the alpha man, in every way imaginable... with that teeny exception of his sexual experience. And for once we have an author who isn't afraid to make the virgin man a bumbling insecure idiot when it comes to matters of the opposite sex.One thing I did enjoy about this book (and the others in the series so far) is the way Cole continues to let us see characters from books that have come before, a continuation of their story if you like, whilst introducing us to new people. While most of the books so far could be read as standalones, each book gives you little spoilers from the previous book.. (like Bowen and Mariketa's relationship and her powers). One of my all time favourite characters from a book/series has to be Nix.... or Nucking Futs Nix! She has THE best lines ever and I really hope she features in every book and finally gets the man of her dreams.

This installment of the immortals after dark concentrates on conrad wroth and neomi. Conrad is possibly the most dangerous of the wroth brothers as one of the fallen vampires and assassin Conrad has many enemies from all over the lore. With Nicola and Murdoch successfully making amends with there other brother Sebastian they decide it's about time to track down and make amends to Conrad. The brothers buy a mansion in which they can keep Conrad where they hope to bring him back from the dark side so to speak. However unbeknownst to the brothers when they purchase the mansion that also includes the ghost of the manor which is neomi. She was murdered at the mansion and is therefore tied to that one place to relive her death over and over again until Conrad shows up. From there it's everything that makes this series so amazing dazzling romance, more of the lore and the creatures within it and big action scences. With more questions being put into place and the set up in place ready for the next book this is just as good as all of the other books so far and is a must for any fans of the immortals after dark.

Neomi Laress was a famous ballerina with a sensual past who was tragically murdered in the 1920s. Since then she has haunted her mansion, waiting for something interesting to happen. Conrad Wroth is a vampire warrior consumed by madness. Turned against his will, Conrad began to drink his victims to death trapping their memories in his head. Now lost as to which thoughts are his own, his brothers lock him in a seemingly abandoned mansion to try to save him. But when Conrad sees Neomi, both begin down a path that leads to darkness...This is the fourth book in the Immortals after Dark series (after  Hunger Like No Other , No Rest for the Wicked  and  Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night ) and is the first not to deal mainly with Lykae or valkyrie. Conrad is one of the Wroth brothers (Sebastian's story was book 2, and Nikolai's story was told in a novella in  Playing Easy to Get  set before the first novel) turned against his will to be a vampire. The twist with Conrad that makes him different to Sebastian is that Conrad had already joined a group of mortal vampire hunters and spent years killing vampires only to become one.The other unique twist to the book is that Neomi is a ghost. Only Conrad can see her, but he has no idea whether she is truly real or just a figment of his tortured mind. I must say a romance where the characters can't actually touch or interact physically was definitely new to me and interestingly written. I liked how the story had a lot of twists and turns, and the author has cleverly planted seeds for future books.I loved how characters from previous books, like Mari and Nix were able to play quite significant roles in this book and it was great seeing how the relationships of previous couples were progressing. Nix is my favourite IAD character so far and I really hope she takes a large role in future books.All in all, this was a great read and I can't wait for  Dark Desires After Dusk .Plot: 10/10Characters: 10/10Ending: 10/10Enjoyment: 9/10Cover: 8/10Overall: 47/50 Hunger Like No OtherNo Rest for the WickedWicked Deeds on a Winter's NightPlaying Easy to GetDark Desires After Dusk

This is a beautifully written masterpiece of romance and old-world seduction. The vampire that falls for the ghost and stops at nothing to claim her.Conrad Wroth, the fourth and long missing brother of the Estonian warlords turned vampire is drunk on blood lust, turned mad over the centuries by the collective memories he's unwittingly gathered by drinking from his victims. Neomi Laress, is a beautiful, life loving ballerina, who was cruelly murdered in her own home at the hands of a spurned lover. By chance (or by NiiX) the two are thrown together in a prison without bars. And even though Conrad starts out as a dangerous red-eyed vampire and killer, something about the petite spectre of a ballerina that only he can see, tames him. Could she be his bride? And if she is what can they do about thier situation?The romance between Neomi and Conrad is exactly that, a romance. Unlike other books in the series they are unable to touch and so conversation is all they can share, imprisoned as they are with each other unable to escape but for very different reasons they start to talk. They begin to seduce each other with words alone, building such a strong bond, and your heart literally breaks for them because you never know if it will ever be enough. - The scene where he cages her in and raises his shackled hands above her in the shower, although they cannot touch makes you breath catch in your throat!This is book is unlike others in the series so far because they couple cannot turn to pleasures of the flesh, and for a while as I read I thought this was going to be a problem. The story is very much centred on the development of a relationship between two people who cannot touch each other. There is very little physical action, of either the romantic or violent kind, and until this story, I had always thought that was what was keeping me interested with this particular series. But with Dark Deeds at Nights Edge I learned a new kind of patience, enjoying every page of the story and waiting, hoping to see if Conrad and Neomi would ever get the happiness that you end up wanting for them as much as they desire themselves.As always there's a little Valkyrie fun and we meet old friends, Bowen and Mariketa, and we're given updates on what's going on Cade and Rhydstrom, whose stories are next...Vampires have always been my first love which is how I found this genre of story telling. But Kresley Cole has introduced a whole wonderful world of beings for me to explore. This isn't my favorite of the series so far because I find myself more drawn to Coles strong Lykaes than her version of vampire. But that's a personal preference and is in no way a criticsm of this book, which I found enthralling and utterly absorbing. A keeper for definite.

One of my favourite book of the series. I like how the male isn't as aggressive towards the female as the other males from the series, mainly because that won't work with this girl since she's a ghost and can't be forced to do anything. Everything that happens is her leading the way, instead of the other way around. The other books in this series, the female is the virginal maiden and the male is the experienced lover, but in this book the roles are twisted here. Which I found a refreshing change. The build up is also slower since there are a lot of obstacles preventing the couple exploring each other, the writer had to rely on creating deeper, more interesting characters.Won't say anymore, but this is a refreshing book out of the series.