The Nightwalkers Series by Jacquelyn Frank

Jacob is the first in The Nightwalkers Series. He's an elder, over 600 years old, and the Enforcer of his demon brethren. He is the only one who can uphold justice when a demon is overtaken by the madness. A madness that will lead them down a path that can eventually harm the human that they become obsessed with. For humans are forbidden to demons - punishable by the Enforcer himself. Jacob has never succumbed to the madness himself - but when a tiny, spitfire by the name of Isabella literally falls into his arms he had no idea his whole world was about to change - and that he would be the one that would be breaking the rules.

Isabella was the perfect match for Jacob. Where he is calm - she is explosive. I absolutely loved her character. She was downright funny at times and I definitely found myself laughing out loud more than once. I loved their interactions, dialogue and, of course, romantic interludes. I am a big fan of paranormal/soulmate romances, and this one fit the bill. Bella's encounters with the Demon kind was great because you go on the journey with her. Every new discovery is a thrill to her as well as to you as the reader. There was plenty of action (and I mean that in more than one way ::wink-wink::). With the threat of Necromancers and Jacob and Bella trying to save themselves and their friends, there was never a dull moment. I loved the introduction to most of the characters you will be encountering within the upcoming books (i.e. Gideon, Noah, Elijah, Magdalegna, etc.) I think out of all 5 books this was my favorite. Although one of the one's with the most action, it also was the one with the lightest feel to it.

Gideon the Ancient is the oldest male Demon in existence. He is revered by their kind which at times makes him come off as arrogant and domineering. He is a demon of the body and can appear anywhere as a hologram (think Star Trek) that he is needed - which comes in quite handy since he is also the proverbial "medicine man" for his kind.

Magdalegna is the Demon King's youngest sister. Although still considered young (only 250 years old), she has always had a thing for "older man" Gideon. But she has loved him from afar for near a decade - about 9 years ago, Gideon spurned her advances, insulting her terribly and landing him in isolation for the remainder of that time. But due to some unforeseen circumstances (Book 1), he is now back in Magdalegna's life and he will not stop himself from getting what he wants this time.

Sadly, I really didn't get Gideon. I don't mean the book - I mean the demon. He fell flat for me. I really liked Magdalegna - she had this elegant and diplomatic charm to her. She was fierce and protective and she definitely knew how to stand her ground. But Gideon was just too blah for me. I really didn't like that he treated her as a child (although he did get over that quickly enough) and also the fact that he has silver hair - I just couldn't get the picture of him as an old man out of my mind. This one did not have as much action as Jacob did, and it did have a lot of repetition in the beginning (to get you up to speed if you didn't read the first book in the series). I did enjoy that Bella and Jacob were once again in the mix of it all and I also enjoyed the introductions to a few new characters (i.e. Siena the Lycanthrope Queen and Damien the Vampire Prince). All in all, it was a bit mediocre for me, but not unbearable. I definitely am intrigued and really like the Nightwalker world Ms. Frank has created.

Elijah - the Demon King's Warrior Captain is a force to be reckoned with. He is a master of every weapon and a fierce protector of his people. He has never lost a fight, but when he is ambushed and left for dead by Necromancer's - he is discovered by the one woman who just might finish the job.

Siena, the Lycanthrope Queen, finds Elijah at the brink of death. She has done everything in her power since she's been on the throne to pacify the discord between her people and the demons. But the war between their kinds took a toll on their trust, and although they have been at peace, for a little shy of a decade, it is still something that is on shaky ground. When she comes across the man who lead the warriors that killed hundreds of her lycanthrope brethren, including her father, the former King, she can only think of helping him live. But Elijah quickly realizes that he needs more from Siena then just a nurse and what starts off as attraction soon burns into a passion with consequences that will affect both their people.

Ms. Frank definitely redeemed herself in my eyes with Elijah. I absolutely loved this "odd" pairing. And I don't mean odd because they are from different races, I found them odd since Elijah spent a lot of time killing Lycanthrope's thanks to the war Siena's father started. I enjoyed learning about the Lycanthrope's and their culture. It was a treat to read of Siena and Elijah falling in love. I was somewhat annoyed at how much they fought against their feelings for one another but once those bridges were crossed they made a great pair. The struggles that Siena faced when it came to sharing her throne and the fears of her people were a big part of the story but it only gave you a better feel for the Lycanthropes. As if this was not enough to keep you on edge, the story was also riddled with all sorts of bedlam - from Necromancers to traitorous demons.

A great addition to the series - with plenty of cameo's from the characters from previous books. I love that you get to see how things are going in those relationships and introductions to upcoming one's. The universe that Ms. Frank has created is full and rich with a lot of depth - making me devour these books in a couple of hours and crying out for the next one.

Damien is the Vampire Prince. Vampires on a whole are quite fickle in nature - they never find pleasure in one thing for too long. Damien, being the oldest and strongest of his kind, has lived such a life, but has grown tired of it and devotes his energies to protecting his people. The war between Necromancers and Nightwalkers has escalated, and when Syreena, a Lycanthrope Princess, is kidnapped, Damien boldly follows to rescue her.

Syreena has lived under the heavy restrictions of the monks that she has lived with most of her life. As the heir to the Lyncathrope throne, unless her sister, Siena (the Lycanthrope Queen) has children, she is gifted with rare abilities and has been taught since a young age never to form attachments to others. But she can't help the connection she forges with Damian and the passion that ignites between them is impossible for either to resist. But their mating can lead to dangerous repercussions that not only threaten them, but all the Nightwalkers - with enemies that are much more stronger than any faced before.

I love that Ms. Frank has no boundaries when it comes to inter-racial relationships. A Vampire and a Lycanthrope - odd, but it totally worked. Damian is the (delicious) brooding vampire , but I loved that his feelings for Syreena literally brought him to his knees. That just kills me in a vamp. I think out of all the books in the series - their relationship was the most intense for me. They had these scenes that were violent and erotic, but sensual all in one. With so many obstacles in the way, there was many a heated debate between them, but the romance and the outstanding threat kept me on edge. Once again, I was not let down with this one, it is a good continuation in the series leaving plenty of different routes it can take from here. I am definitely intrigued and can honestly say that I am a devoted fan now.

Last (for now), but definitely not least, in the series is Noah. The Demon King has no intentions in claiming a mate, for his only goal is to protect his kind from their human and Nightwalker enemies. But for the past six months this has become more and more difficult for him. Not only have most of his friends found their significant others, but he has been having vivid dreams of a woman that has him on the brink of madness. When he finally gets the courage to go out of his way and find this mysterious woman, knowing that she is his mate, it is only to watch her die. He risks everything (from relationships to his life) on a daring experiment to go back in time and save her. But even saving her may not be enough, because now he has to find a way to win the heart of a woman so scarred she may not be able to love.

Kestra is a successful mercenary who works for the highest bidder, but she is also a woman who has suffered terrible losses in her life. When she finds herself running from danger and lands in the arms of a powerful male, she can't help but wonder where she's seen him before.

I have to admit that this is the book that I looked forward to the most throughout this series. You meet Noah from the first book and you can't help but look forward to the day where you read his story... and I was not disappointed. This book had everything romance, mystery, suspense, it was sensual and erotic. It had the perfect blend of all these elements that made it such a fantastic read. Kestra's story was heartbreaking - the trauma and loss that she suffered brought tears to my eyes and I am so glad that she found her mate in Noah. Someone who could protect and treasure her, yet let her be the strong vibrant woman that she is. Obviously there was plenty of scuffle between them while they got the gist of their relationship... with a lot of tantrums, tears and walking-off moments, but nonetheless, this is what made them unique and endearing in my eyes.

Although there are still quite a few loose ends, especially when it comes to the bad guys who seem to be MIA throughout this story, but hopefully that will be remedied when Ms. Frank publishes the next book in the series. I'm not sure who that story will be about - but I can't wait to find out.


I love this new take on demons, on Nightwalkers in general, turning them into an ancient race of honorable, magical beings, who get their powers from the earth and protect humans. It is a bit reminiscent of Christine Feehan's Carpathian series, but since I am a big fan of that series too, this definitely was a big hit with me. I absolutely loved the characters, my favorites still being Jacob and Bella, and how, no matter what book you were reading, you still had a glimpse into the lives of each of the couples you read of earlier in the series. In these books you also get an introduction to The Shadowdwellers, Ms. Frank's breakout series (which I've already begun reading). All in all, as a series, I highly recommend them. They hold plenty of romance, action and suspense. And, if you're anything like me, you'll get your hands on all five books and read them back to back within a couple of days. Yes, I know, they were that addictive. Loved them and can't wait for the next in the series.