I admit, I jump in and out of this series, so I'm not the best example of a hardcore reader in the Guardians of Eternity world, but this book was a fun read. The size made it feel more like a novella than a full length novel, but that could just be because the pages flew by!

Chaaya is a trouble maker. Maybe literally? She's free from her prison but can't seem to escape a certain brooding vampire (see what I did there?). Basq is a brooder by nature, but his task of following Chaaya has become something of an obsession, in a totally non-creepy way. Bear with me here, but the ogre-queen of the mermaid nation ends up having her imp associate call on Chaaya to check out some mysterious happenings with a werewolf in her dungeons. Did we cover enough supernatural species yet?

This, of course, goes all wrong, throwing Chaaya and Basq into trouble, involving their gargoyle "friend," too. Lots of twists and turns ensue, ultimately ending with sexy times and some reveals (of the not-as-sexy nature) along the way. Overall, I think this might even be able to be consumed as a standalone, but my previous experience in the world helped me dive in seamlessly.

SHADES OF DARKNESS (Guardians of Eternity Book 16) by Alexandra Ivy
This is the latest installment of the Guardians of Eternity saga. Once again, Levet steals the show, everyone loves the little gargoyle except vampires, werewolves, or any male of any species. Chaaya on the other hand was not very lovable. Basq was supposed to be looking out for her, but she certainly did not make it easy for him. Read for more information! I try to read every book that comes out in this series. I give this one 4 stars.

I was so gleeful when I seen this one since I think I have read all the ones before this. There are just some authors in the paranormal that I have been reading for a minute so when a new one is available it gets snapped up. Slipping into this world again is like entering a old friend. Chaaya is a character that is interesting because you do not come across alot such as her. And to think she has a body guard that cause us readers to salivate especially those silent types lol. Basq is sure to have a battle of a different kind with this one that the entertainment is delightful to witness. There is also danger afoot so that ramps everything up. Oh and my lovely Levet is here again, I did miss him so. Some other characters catch our attention also with them having us go what if? Anyways over to soon for me but wait I will for the next one.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. Chaaya revels in spreading mayhem wherever she goes, but then she has to go after someone who may be under the influence of the evil being who imprisoned Chaaya for years. There was humor, action, snark and heat. Basq refuses to let her go alone. Sparks of all kinds fly between them. The book was fast-paced and impossible to put down. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is #16 in the Guardians of Eternity series. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books in this series as well as other books by this author.

Chaya A fun, freespirit, kissass "ghost" spent centuries in captivity, was a sacrificed to protect her people. Finally free, she's determined to make up for lost time and enjoy her freedom. She spends her days having fun, playing games and generally causing trouble. She's also tasked to capture a excaped prisoner.
Basque is her self appointed bodygaurd.
I think this is the first time I didn't dive into a Alexandra Ivy book with none stop relish. For the first time I couldn't get into the main characters, the chemistry wasn't there until much later in the book. I had to put it down for a couple days and I'm glad I did. The book picks up as well and the Ivy Magic. While I still feel like the chemistry's not as strong as any other character she has written , her writting is simply wonderful. Her story telling is intriguing and full. I would recommend this book because regardless of what i think of chemistry the story in a whole is worth it.
I was given an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own

Chaya spent centuries in captivity, a sacrifice to evil to protect her people. Finally free, she's determined to make up for lost time and enjoy her freedom. She spends her days having fun, playing games and generally causing trouble.

Basque has the unenviable task of body guard to Chaya. He prides himself on his unflappable demeanor. Only Chaya is able to break through. Her independent spirit calls to him. When Chaya is called to chase and apprehend an escaped prisoner, one thought to carry the evil Chaya was sacrificed to, Basque isn't about to let her go off on her own. Together, often just one step behind, they chase their quarry though the dimensions. When push comes to shove, will their new found bond be enough to see them through the danger.

The story was fun, with lots of adventure and sarcasm (I'm a sucker for characters with a sarcastic tongue). The story is a part of the Guardians of Eternity series. It has been a while since I've read the series and while I was able to connect with the characters and get lost in the story, there were references to back stories that left me a little lost. I would recommend reading the earlier books in the series before reading this book. I know I'm going to go back and pick up the stories I've missed.

Chaaya was betrayed and sacrificed by her own mother and has been a prisoner for a long time. She was sacrificed in order to save the world from an awful beast. She finally escapes and is a real handful but I think she deserves a little leeway after all she's been through.

Basq has known for a long time that Chaaya is his mate and has vowed to go wherever she goes even if that place ends up being a different dimension.

Chaaya is more than she seems now and can do things that regular humans cannot. When she is asked to find out if an old enemy is behind a prisoner escaping, it's Basq that decides to go along with her and help her. These two make for an interesting couple since she is always seeming to get into trouble and he's always so grumpy. But as they're following the clues to find the escaped prisoner they meet some strange people that help and also hinder their travels. But Chaaya and Basq being the powerful beings they are, have little problem getting out of trouble and back on the trail.

When a big twist is thrown in their direction, I wasn't sure how they would react to finding out who was behind it all. Levet makes an appearance again and I love him so much. He is so funny and I can only hope that he gets his own book at some point.

I have been loving the Guardians of Eternity series and this was another great book. The characters are always so much fun to get to know and the story always keeps me guessing what will happen next.

Disclosure: I was given an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m a long time fan of the Guardians of Eternity series. This is another great edition.
Chaaya was sacrificed by her Druid mother. She finally escaped now she is much more than a ghost. She is a unstoppable mess.
Basq has know for a while that Chaaya is his mate. She drives him batty with all her antics.

There was a teeny tiny chance she’d outstayed her welcome. “I told you not to cause trouble,” Basq chided, his expression tight with disapproval.

Levit is my favorite character he always finds himself in the thick of trouble. This time attached to a escaped were.

“He’s in a poopy mood,” Levet groused.

“It’s better than always being a gloomy butt.” He dropped his arms, studying the tight line of her jaw as she struggled to contain her temper. “Does nothing make you happy?”

You always go on a a great adventure when you read these books. Hunky vampires, tiny gargoyle and lots of others make for a great read.

This is book 16 in the Guardians of Eternity series, and while it could potentially be read as a standalone-I recommend reading at Conquer the Darkness as that is where we first see Chaaya and understand how she has been living. With that being said, this is Chaaya and Basq's story. Chaaya spent centuries living as her people's sacrifice and protecting them from evil. Now that she has been pulled back into the world, she wants to live her life and have fun! And she has a talent for causing chaos wherever she goes. Along with getting under the skin of the people who have decided she needs protecting, including her bodyguard Basq. Basq learned the hard way not to let people close to him. And he has no intentions of that ever changing. But Chaaya with her beauty, disrespect, and her loneliness get to him. He hungers for her like no one else, even if he has vowed to never act on it. But when she finds out that someone from her last battle has escaped, he won't let her head into trouble alone. Now he has to choose whether to truly trust her or they will both lose everything they have gained.

I absolutely loved this one!! Chaaya spent her whole life being a sacrifice and never truly understanding why. And seeing how much it hurt her-you can't help but hurt with her. I loved Chaaya and her irreverent attitude! After everything she had been through, she truly didn't care about what others thought of her and just wanted to actually experience life for once! And I loved that about her! Basq is this uptight and stoic vampire who acts like he is put upon by having to guard her but you can tell that even though a lot of her antics get to him, he truly likes her and enjoys being around her. They are the perfect counterpoint to each other! I still love all the side characters in this series, they always make me happy when I see they pop in a book later on. Now I need to know if Brigitte can be redeemed or if she is truly the evil that we saw before!

3.5 stars

Shades of Darkness is book 16 in the Guardians of Eternity series and another enjoyable read. While I like it I didn't love it. I thought Chaaya and Basq were great together but overall I felt like something was missing. Now while it wasn't a favorite I'm very excited that Brigette is next and hopefully she will find redemption.

I love this series. The depth of the characters leaves me guessing whose story will be told next. This time it's Chaaya's turn. She was introduced in the last book, and I hoped we'd hear her story. She deserves an HOA after the tragedy she endured. Basq is the perfect match to her "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" moment. However, Chaaya isn't a frivolous person. When she is needed to save the world again, she is all business and Basq is ready to be her sidekick. A fantastic book by an extremely talented author.

There is not much new that I can say about the sixteenth Guardians of Eternity, Shades of Darkness that I haven’t already said. Alexandra Ivy has kept this long running series interesting with remarkable characters. Often the characters are self-sacrificing for the good of the many which is the case for Chaaya. Now this girl just wants to have fun. I could hear that song playing in the background of my mind as I read. She not only wants it, but she also deserves it too. Basq seems to take all the joy out of her escapades trying to keep her safe. But perhaps he protests to much that he is only her bodyguard.

Funny but also intense. Emotional but not heavy handed either. Chaaya needs to learn to think before she acts while Basq tends to think to much. A romance made. Take your mind off of the world’s problems while enjoying Basq’s and Chaaya’s story. Fully entertaining.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Shades of Darkness is the sixteenth book in Alexandra Ivy’s exciting Guardians of Eternity series which features a multitude of paranormal creatures including Vampires, Demons, Fae, Mermaids, Weres, Imps, Djinn and our very favourite Gargoyle, Levet. The title of this story is definitely apt, as the character portrayals are troubled and dangerous; but I had mixed feelings about the overall story as I struggled to warm to Chaaya and her penchant for chaos and her lack of remorse for the consequences of her actions. Basq is a stoic and remote character, which in and of itself is not unusual for Ms Ivy’s often broody Vamps, but the main issue was we didn’t get enough to fully understand his persona, as the story focused more on Chaaya. As with some of the stories in this series, Levet is the saving grace and his participation is always entertaining and comical. I was a little disappointed with the very brief mention of Briggette and the abruptness of this part of the story. Overall, a good book, but not my favourite by any means.

I love this series, and was very excited when I found they were doing another book. When I looked back, I’ve realised I’ve missed a few books, so after this one I need to go back .....
Chaaya was a sacrifice to keep a great evil contained. But now she’s just human, well that’s not quite true, yes she can fight like an Amazon warrior, but she’s more than that. And as we read, we find out more and more.
Basq is a warrior not a babysitter!
But Basq is hiding something, his feelings for Chaaya, at first it was annoyance at being her babysitter, but keeping an eye on her has given him a chance to see her, the warrior, woman. And now he’s fighting crazy feelings that just won’t quit!
The evil they thought they had contained may be loose again! So Basq and Chaaya are sent out to investigate. And are soon up to their necks in portals and trouble.
And we have my favourite gargoyle crashing through the book. His grasp on the English language is still as bad. His ego is still large and intact. He is the comic relief we need when things get to heavy. He always manages to annoy the males, and he makes the females love him (like a puppy)
Chaaya and Basq are great, I liked the banter these had with each other and other characters. I get the feeling Chaaya has been a pawn for a long time, and now she needs to strike out. She’s so funny, her wit is quick and her tongue sharp! Making the most of life after the hell she lived previously.
Basq is a vampire with troubles, (like all the previous vampires in this series) there is a lot to his backstory that had me wanting to go back and read the previous couple of books. (Characters usually show up in a few books before that get their story)
You can read this book without reading the others, but there a thread that connects each book, so although you don’t miss too much, it did feel like I was missing somethings!
A book I’d highly recommend, in fact the whole series is worth a look.
🦋

The world that Ms. Ivy has come up with is frightening, treacherous, funny, heartbreaking, steamy, erotic, with a number of twists and turns, and includes everyone's favorite gargoyle, Levet! What more can you want? If you want a riveting read that will have you lost in another world with a couple who deserve a HEA then get your hands on SHADES OF DARKNESS.

Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko for Fresh Fiction

https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=72209

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts This is the 16th in the series and by now you would think the stories would be getting old… but nope! This is Alexandra Ivy and that woman can write a book that leaves you wanting more as soon as you close the book.

We now have Chaaya and Basq’s story. I loved the relationship they have. Chaaya is strong but sad. Basq is a diamond in the rough. And somehow they are perfect for each other.

Ivy is easily one of the best in the genre. I have enjoyed every single story Ivy has written and wait impatient for the next one. I would suggest reading the whole series but it can be read as a stand alone but you will not have the whole experience as you should.

Another great story!!!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Will they get through this without killing each other? Basq knows that Chaaya is his mate but they can’t stand each other & he is tired of trying to keep her out of trouble but they are now stuck together. Will they be able to stop the evil from destroying everything that they love. Will they give in to their desires and become the destined mates? A good read full of all the creatures will love & know. A good read. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Shades of Darkness is the 16th volume in the Guardians of Eternity series by Alexandra Ivy. As a series’ fan, of course I’ve read all the previous volumes and reviewed most of them.

I ended my review for Conquer the Darkness with « What’s more, I still don’t know if the author is planning a sequel to her story, but here we have some sort of closure for the arc with the intervention of previous characters that I let you discover. Let’s say that if she stops here it wouldn’t be a surprise. If she goes on, I don’t know what awaits us. »
Well I had my answer when I read the plot for Shades of Darkness. Of course I immediately wanted to read it.
I confirm the previous arc is finished, however some interrogations bring our heroes’ intervention in the mermaids’ world and a new adventure full of unexpected events waits for them.

Shades of Darkness features Chaaya and Basq.
We met Chaaya in the previous volume because she had an important part as a diabolical entity’s guardian. She’s been released of her burden and she’s discovering the contemporary period and its entertainment. Her two favorite activities: causing brawls between demons and provoking Basq who is too much reserved in her eyes. Indeed, he is reserved with quite a cold manner. His current mission is to look after Chaaya to prevent her from causing too much damage, which doesn’t really please him at the beginning.
In spite of their opposite personalities, our heroes complete each other especially through their strength and their power. Each looks after the other and each respects the other’s decisions and support. It’s an aspect of the novel I really appreciated.
There are not many love scenes, but we don’t doubt for a minute their feelings and we believe in their HEA.

Amid the secondary characters, we have Brigette, the shapeshifter who didn’t have a very likeable part on the previous volume and hasn’t changed much here. I’m really not fan of this character and for once, I’m not sure I’ll read her story expected in May 2021 in the novella Darkness Betrayed.
We also have Levet who is more than ever present as The knight in shining armor; Inga, half-ogress half-mermaid now Queen of the oceans and who has feelings for our Levet; Troy, Prince of the Imps, who has decided to take Inga under his wing.
Many other characters appearing through the series are mentioned here but I won’t list them all and I’ll let the readers (re)discover them.
At this point, it’s necessary to have followed the series from the start, which is my case.

To conclude, I had a super time with Shades of Darkness and as always I recommend this book.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I started this series a few books back so don't have full knowledge of all the characters but that is not really important to the storyline but helpful when previous characters are mentioned. Although, there is enough background information revealed that helps!

Chaaya and Basq are kind of an odd couple but when Basq finally admits that she is his mate, wow do the fireworks sizzle between them. But before that happens, thing are kind of on a slow simmer as they really annoy each other at the start!

I love the two storylines that are going on at the same time as we start with the drama at the Mer kingdom and have Troy helping Queen Inga figure out who she can trust and that is full of lots of twists and turns!

Then, we have Basq and Chaaya tracking Brigette and Levet which I guess makes a third storyline to this book. Oddly, Brigette and Levet work out a bunch of her problems and may be in the future she can even find redemption.

Loved the addition of the jinn to the story, and the death of the mafia brownie! Overall, there were lots and lots of drama, intrigue and romance so it was hard to put the book down as I wanted to get to the end and see how it all turned out!!

Shades of Darkness is the sixteenth book in the Guardians of Eternity series by Alexandra Ivy. It brings to light new faces from times past and present along with a deeper insight into the history of the Guardians of Eternity. While some of our favorite characters from the earlier books do make cameos in Shades of Darkness, the focus is on illuminating a new mythos and handling the latest existential crisis that has arisen.

This book focuses on Chaaya, a mystical being who is an enigma. She spent centuries as a sacrifice, to protect her people from an ancient being so evil that he could destabilize all magic. At long last, her ordeal ends, however, her talent for causing mayhem has landed her in a sticky spot many times.

Basq is a powerful vampire who remains closed off from the world. However, the vivacious Chaaya, with her fiery personality and effervescence, gets under his skin. He is drawn to protect her.

Together, Basq and Chaaya work to save the world from the ancient evil that is Chaaya’s archnemesis. This book is truly spellbinding. Alexandra Ivy creates characters with such depth that you just can't help rooting for them