Book giveaway and review: One with the Darkness by Author Susan Squires

Susan Squires is a new author to me. This is the first of her books I've ever read and i wasn't sure what to expect. I can honestly say i had no clue but once i started reading i was quite intrigued. I've been lucky lately in that several of my recent reads have been unpredictable and different. Makes things exciting when you're not sure how the whole story is going to go. One With the Darkness is the first book in a series entitled  "The Da Vinci time Travel series". OK so I've given away that the books have time travel in them. At this point I've only just read the first one and while there is time travel that is not what the entire book is about.  First let's have a little blurb from Susan's website.

Contessa Donnatella di Poliziano has power, beauty and — as a vampire — eternal life. But she also consumed by regret that centuries ago in ancient Rome, she failed to make her one true love, Jergan, a vampire too. But just as she despairs, the discovery of a 300-year-old note leads her to a gift left by her old friend, Leonardo Da Vinci. He built her a machine to take her back in time to re-write the history of her heart.

Once back in time, Donnatella loses her memory of the intervening years. Yet when she sees the breathtaking barbarian slave from afar, she feels she has always known him. For Donnatella, their awakening passion feels both old and new. But as they fall in love again, the danger of the emperor Caligula’s Rome threatens to tear them apart. The very act of going back in time has changed history and sends events spinning out of Donnatella’s control. Now Jergan’s love for Donnatella, and Jergan himself, must survive the most perilous test, and if he fails, the two lovers will be separated again… for eternity.

Sound intriguing? I thought so too.  The year is 1821 Florence, Tuscany. Donatella has been alive for thousands of years. Lived so many lives with different names. She has one regret in all those lives. Her one true love Jergen was not there with her to share all of them. Donatella is a vampire you see with a immortal life. Jergen was once her slave a captured warrior that she saved. They fell in love but the laws of her people dictated she could not make him a vampire so they lived one life together and then she was alone. All she had to remember him by is their son Gian.  One day Donatella finds a note from her good friend from years ago Leonardo Da Vinci. He says he has what she needs to find  happiness again. Curiosity gets her to go check out what he's talking about and leads her to the catacombs and a time machine. She decides to see of she can get it to work and suddenly she finds back in time. Back when she was called Livia and right before she was to meet Jergen. Can she relive the events and change history? It won't be easy. First of all she is not just Livia she is also Donatella as they somehow merge to be one person. She doesn't remember the past really just these little blips of memory thanks to Donatella but she doesn't trust it. Then she is also knee deep in a plot again the Roman emperor that may lead to her death and those of her friends. Then there is Jergen. She feels something but isn't sure of herself. There is alot going on in this book, you won't be bored.  I give "One with the Darkness" 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars!! An exciting read and indeed quite different.  You can go to Susan Squires website to find out more about this book and the series itself by clicking here.  I suggest you do this, it's very interesting.




Now let's talk about the giveaway. Susan Squires has generously offered to give to one commentor today a copy of Copy of her NEW book. "A TWIST IN TIME"! This is her latest release in the Da Vinci time travel series. This book came out in stores march 2010. All you need to do is leave a comment and your email address and your entered. Contest runs through April 30th. Winner announced May 1st. Susan will be sending this book to the winner and the giveaway is open to residents of the US, Canada and Australia. Good luck and be sure to check out this series. You can find Susan on Facebook or of course find her on her website Susan Squires. Don't forget to add yourself as a follower of this blog if you want to read more reviews and any future giveaways and share the link to this blog with friends. Thank you!