Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon [Review]

Acheron (Dark-Hunter #14) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Format: hardcover
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: August 8, 2013

Dark-Hunter
0.5. Fantasy Lover
1. Night Pleasures
2. Night Embrace
3. Dance with the Devil
4. Kiss of the Night
5. Night Play
6. Seize the Night
7. Sins of the Night
8. Unleash the Night
9. Dark Side of the Moon
10. The Dream-Hunter
11. Devil May Cry
12. Upon the Midnight Clear
13. Dream Chaser
14. Acheron - Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle
15. One Silent Night
16. Dream Warrior 
17. Bad Moon Rising
18. No Mercy
19. Retribution
20. The Guardian
21. Time-Untime
22. Styxx
23. Son of No One
24. Dragonbane
25. Dragonmark
26. Dragonsworn
27. Stygian

Sherrilyn Kenyon
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Synopsis (Goodreads):

Eleven thousand years ago a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. However, his human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, Acheron became the sole defender of mankind.

Only it was never that simple. For centuries, he has fought for our survival and hidden a past he’ll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence.

Now his survival, and ours, hinges on hers and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both.

War has never been more deadly... or more fun.

My Thoughts on Acheron: Oh mah gawd. I had forgotten how emotionally brutal the first half of this book is. Wait. I hadn't forgotten. It's more like my brain couldn't handle the horror and just smoothed over the pain Ash deals with. It was a comfortable blur. And then I reread the first half of the book and cried like a baby.

Because Ash has an AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL childhood. And it only gets worse before he dies and his human life is over. AND THEN it gets worse when he's brought back to life. I mean, the guy can't catch a break. Between the abuse and the torture and the pain of having everyone hate him because of what he is... it's amazing that he turned out half decent and functional.

I honestly applaud Sherrilyn Kenyon for not pulling any punches with his book. It hurts. But it's Ash's story and it works so beautifully to help us understand the man he is.

As heartbreaking as the first half of the book is, the second half lightens up exponentially. Yes, Ash is still dealing with things but he's now the leader of the Dark-Hunters that we've come to know through the previous books and when he and Tory get together hammers fly. Literal hammers. As in, she throws one at his head. I admire a girl who's willing to throw something hard and heavy at a total babe like Ash.

Ash's story is tough to read but he needs someone like Tory to balance him out. She's open and honest and she's unwilling to judge him by the events in the past that he had no control over.

SO MUCH happens in this book. We get to see some resolution with the Artemis debacle. We get to see a lot of old friends show up and lend a hand. We get to see what Nick's up to. I'm afraid for that boy. He's all sorts of screwed up right now and I hurt for him.

Mainly, though, we get to see what makes Ash tick. We get to see why he doesn't let anyone close and why he's always stood apart from the other Dark-Hunters.

It's a tough read but it's so worth it.