Audio Review: Closer – Dannika Dark

Posted 28 January, 2016 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 23 Comments

*I received a free copy of Closer from Selfpublished via Tantor Media. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *

Audio Review: Closer – Dannika DarkCloser by Dannika Dark
Narrator: Nicole Poole
Series: Mageri
Published by Selfpublished on 10 November 2015
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Length: 3h 34m
Format: AudioARC
Source: Tantor Media

3.5 Stars

Time is running out...
Kane never believed in things like fate or karma. Not until the night he took a life.
A secret society of immortals lives within the human world. Kane is one of them--a Sensor who experiences emotional energy through touch. But despite his good looks and easy-going personality, Kane lives a solitary life. Unlike other Sensors, he is unnaturally hypersensitive.
Touch brings pain.
Fate throws a curveball when a woman's life is placed in his hands. Kane is suddenly faced with making a choice, and each comes with a consequence that will wreck him forever. Time is not on his side.
Will she be his salvation, or his ruination?

Adult - (un)Conventional Bookviews UF - (un)Conventional Bookviews

Even if Closer is set in the Mageri universe, which I know and love, it took me a while to invest with the story, since most of it happened over the span of just a few hours, and Kane and Caroline were the only characters.

Review - (un)Conventional Bookviews

Closer is a strange little story, where most of the action happens inside of Caroline’s head, while she is unconscious. She’s not hallucinating, either, what happens is actually as reals as can be. Kane was on his way home, just needing the paper before he brought his beers home, when a stranger brushed by him and made him lose his last quarter. As a sensor, Kane could feel the man’s emotions, and also feel some of his memories. What he saw and felt made his blood freeze, that man was a serial killer! Even if one of the worst things breed can do in the Mageri world is killing a human, that is exactly what Kane does. He will not let a serial killer continue his bad work.

In order to not be caught and put in breed jail for the next 100 years, Kane swiftly lifted the dead man’s wallet and car keys, then drove to his house. Only when he arrived there did he realize that there was someone in the trunk – and that was the unconscious Caroline. After putting her on a bed, he touched her, and somehow entered her sub conscience, and she was not happy to see him. For the next several hours, they hang out in Caroline’s head, getting to know each other, falling in love and all that. What I had some trouble with was when they started saying things like ‘It’s always been you’… for all of the four hours they knew each other? I’m all for suspending disbelief, and I can even get the paranormals who fall in love more or less instantly. But saying things like always  – and meaning in the past up until now – that threw me.

I would have enjoyed this more if less time was spent inside of Caroline’s head, because then getting to know them would have felt quite a bit more realistic. The story is well told, though, and of course, Poole narrated it to perfection! If you’re a Mageri fan, you will probably enjoy this short trip into that universe.

Fave Quotes - (un)Conventional Bookviews

Kane wondered if any man in her life had really noticed how beautiful she was.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.

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23 responses to “Audio Review: Closer – Dannika Dark

  1. I haven’t tried her books yet, I was curious at the beginning but something stopped me for some reason. BUT you may never say never, so I could get to them eventually 😉 Glad this one worked even if it took you a while to be invested in the story, Lexxie!

    Silvia recently posted: My first adult colouring book
    • This whole universe is amazing, Carole, and I think that maybe that’s partly why I was a little upset about spending most of the time inside of a character’s head rather than out in that world I love so much 🙂
      Thanks for stopping by.

  2. Haven’t heard of the Magari universe yet, and a book with just two characters, even if it’s short…Hm, I don’t think I’d like it very much!

    • I have to say that all the other books in this series – and the spin-off Seven – are solid 4.5-5 star reads for me, Majanka! So don’t let this novella that didn’t really work for me put you off of this author – I love her 🙂

  3. I, as you know, am a huge Dannika Dark fan. I read this when it first came out and actually really liked it. I can’t remember all the details, so it seems like it might be time for a re-read. I think because Kane is Sunny’s brother, it intrigued me even more, than had he not been connected to the Mageri books. And he does show up again in another of her books as well 🙂

    • Yes, that’s true, Lorna. Kane was interesting, and I enjoyed how he used his gift to make sure that creep couldn’t continue his disgusting ways. And I’m a huge Dark fan, too, I’m really looking forard to the next installment in the Seven series 🙂

  4. I still haven’t read from this author and this does sound interesting. I would have the same problem of being too focused on a characters thoughts. I just started last year listening to audiobooks and a narrators performance is really important. I’ve had to stop some that were too boring. It’s good you still enjoyed this book.

  5. I have this novella, but I haven’t listened to it yet. I’m a little disappointed to see this not rated higher. I know this is a series that you loved to pieces, so to see a novella rated only 3.5 stars has me a little worried. I’ll still try it at some point, but it isn’t going to move it up the list faster.

    Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted: Roadside Magic Audiobook by Lilith Saintcrow (REVIEW)
    • Oh no! I hope you’ll pick this up even if I didn’t absolutely love Closer, Melanie! I found it hard to connect with Caroline and Kane because they were spending most of the time inside of Caroline’s subconscience. And I hope you’ll enjoy it more than I did 🙂

  6. I’m sorry this wasn’t quite up to your expectations of Dark, Lexxie. I think I might also have a difficult time connecting with Kane and Caroline. But I’ll still probably read it. Does it need to be read in any order with the other Mageri books? **BIG HUGS**

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