Pleasures of the Night

Dream Guardians, Book 1

By: Sylvia Day

Narrated by: Shana Savage

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

There are sensuous pleasures that can only be tasted in the night....

He comes to her in the twilight between sleep and consciousness to fulfill her secret desires. Lyssa Bates has never experienced such ecstasy, brought to her by a man whose deep, soul-penetrating blue eyes hold the promise of tempting intimacies and decadent pleasures. But this stranger, this lover, this immortal seducer is only a dream - a phantom of her nocturnal fantasies - until he appears, inexplicably, at her door in the flesh!

Lyssa aches for the reality of him, but there is grave danger in surrender. Because Captain Aidan Cross is on a mission, and the passion that consumes them both, body and soul, could have dire consequences in a world of dreams...and in the waking one as well.

©2012 Sylvia Day (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Disappointing, Should Have Believed the Reviews

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I very much like Sylvia Day's first Crossfire book and thought the concept of this book would provide a somewhat (rated it 3 stars) interesting and fresh paranormal twist. I really can't say who would enjoy the audio book (see comments below). But fans of Day who also enjoy paranormal might want to READ the book, but I cannot recommend the audio.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I didn't finish the story, the narration was so annoying, I really can't comment on changes that could improve the story. But of what I read, the concept was somewhat interesting.

What didn’t you like about Shana Savage’s performance?

The erotica could have been good as written, Sylvia Day is very good at writing 'heat', but the narration stripped all that could have been sensual/sexual about those sections.And frankly that's one of the primary reasons for buying the book! So that was a significant disappointment!! Shana Savage is fine with the female voices, but her male voices sound like monotone Midwest teenage boys, trying to sound sexy by deepening their voices AND at the same time, unsuccessfully attempting Scottish accents!! It was so annoying to listen I didn't finish the book!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointed based on all above.

Great story, the voice drove me crazy.

What did you like best about Pleasures of the Night? What did you like least?

I love the story!!! Vivid, sensual & sexy, creative and it left me panting for the next story. The problem I had was with the narrator. Her voice was that of a timid valley girl. The speech pattern, softness and lazy drawl didn't match the characters at all.

Kept Listening to See if it Got Better...It Didn't

Would you try another book from Sylvia Day and/or Shana Savage?

From Sylvia, yes. From Shana, NO.

After listening to Gone Girl I wanted to give Sylvia's other books a try. This one disappointed me. If you want a book that's solely about detailed "love" scenes then this is the book for you. There is no depth. The main characters are supposed to be madly in love with each other but why? Less sex, more background, more substance, anything.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something narrated by Julia Whelan - the best narrator there is!

What didn’t you like about Shana Savage’s performance?

The narrator was completely the wrong choice. When she was being female it was monotone, when she was male with an accent (there were several) she was exactly the same voice and still monotone.

Example:
"You can't do that", he said viciously
Shana: "You can't do that" (monotone) he said viciously

What character would you cut from Pleasures of the Night?

There weren't many. Chad perhaps. He was pretty useless. Philip - where did he even come from?

Love the story disappointing ending!!!!

What made the experience of listening to Pleasures of the Night the most enjoyable?

I loved the narrator and the story

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The way the story ended was sad and disappointing

What does Shana Savage bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Everything

A PLEASURABLE FANTASY WORLD FOR 2

This was a 'really out there' kinda listen - Dream Guardians visit us in the Twilight and enter our dreams to help us enjoy our dreams - whether it's sleeping with Bradd Pitt or flying and to keep the evil Nightmares away. Lyssa will only let Aidan get into her dreams and she really sees HIM and not just an imaginary lover which she shouldn't be able to do. Aidan falls in love and tries to come to this realm to save her from the Elders who believe she may be a mythical Key to the destruction of them all and they kill anyone who shows these abilities (see what I mean - it's unbelievable).

It was a really impossible implausible love story between two forbidden lovers that are willing to go to any lengths to be together - even if it means sacrifice. It was touching, steamy and sad but...... I loved it and am really looking forward to book 2. It has great characters, plenty of drama and it was hot. However, this book is one of those listens that just stops at a crucial time mid story - so you better be committed if you like the sound of this book.

Worth a credit? If you're a romantic that likes sci-fi or paranormal books then it should be something you like but if your imagination would rather stay on terra ferma in this world then no - for me it's a definite YES.

I love a Love Story,

If you could sum up Pleasures of the Night in three words, what would they be?

Wonderful story, ending was too depressing! I listen to love stories to forget that in real life we do get messed over and love never last! The ending in this book broke my heart! I don;t listen to cry my eyes out and be reminded true love is never lasting!

Has Pleasures of the Night turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, just this writer in this series. I love the Crossfire series!

What about Shana Savage’s performance did you like?

Everything!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The entire book, until the sad ending and loss of hope!

Any additional comments?

There are many of us who have always been disappointed in love and with men. We buy books to escape our sad dissappointed lives. This book left me crying my eyes out!

Badly read Porn!!!!!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Shana Savage might be ok for a narration part of the story but she cannot do character voices and if they had found a better narrator it might have succeeded in being an ok Porn listen then.

Would you ever listen to anything by Sylvia Day again?

I don't know, probably not in this series again. I thought this was going to be a fantasy book and it ended up being a porn book.

How could the performance have been better?

Get a new narrator. Sorry Shana but you cannot do character voices. It's like listening to fingernails run down a chalkboard.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Pleasures of the Night?

I don't know about particular scenes but I would've toned down the graphical porn a bit. The story could have been good if it didn't have so much porn in it.

Any additional comments?

This is one of the first reviews I have done, because usually if the book is good there are plenty of people to tell about it being good, However, I had to warn people about this book. More story, Less Porn, and new narrator.

STEAMY AT ITS BEST!

Would you consider the audio edition of Pleasures of the Night to be better than the print version?

never read the print version, but the audio was definitely a winner for me.

What does Shana Savage bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

she did a great job of narrating, bringing a Scottish accent I can't imagine i would be able to do and this for me brought all aspects of life to the book affording explicit enjoyment in listening.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely

Any additional comments?

I am dying to read Book 3 in the series. It is quite entertaining.

Shana Savage detracts from the story

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator!

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Very imaginative. Great descriptive details make the story come alive, and the premise (parallel planes of existence) is unlike anything I've read before. Least interesting: battle descriptions.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Lordy. Anyone who's visited Scotland (or Ireland? Accents were so butchered that I wasn't quite sure where the characters were supposed to be from) or knows anyone of Scottish descent knows that the Scots accent is impossible to decipher. Therefore, I'm glad that a TRULY authentic Scots accent wasn't used, as I'm sure I wouldn't be able to understand a word. :) That being said, Shana Savage's performance (if you can call it that) was a non-stop distraction from the story itself. Not only did she butcher the accents, she also carried them into the lines before and after the dialogue itself. It's really a shame; otherwise a great listen.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Perhaps. Someone call Steven Spielberg. But would it be as good (or meaningful) without the sexual connection being portrayed? Sex is so much a part of what drew them (and kept them) together that I wonder if the characters would be shallow and unconvincing without it. And I don't think the US is yet ready for X-rated movies at the theatres. :)

Not sure?

Where to start... Ok.. I like Sylvia Day. The Crossfire series is awesome. This one... I don't know. The smex was simply amazing... however the story was so confusing. Well not really confusing but very unrealistic. Since this is a fantasy paranormal novel, unrealistic should be ok however for this book... I don't know, it just wasn't.

Adrien is a supernatural that goes into dreams and protect the dreamer from nightmares (who are supernatural creatures). The Elders from Adrien's side plan to kill a dreamer (main female) because she can see Adrien in the dreams. Apparently Adrien kind can manipulate the dreamer into seeing their fantasies in dreams. Adrien falls in love and wants to be her but two different worlds and all. Besides all the raunchy smex the story is kinda hard to follow along b/c you can't really tell when they are in the dream and not. But I am assuming since Adrien cannot come into the dreamer's real world, they must be in the dream world every time the couple gets together. Very weird. Unusual for Sylvia Day, but I sure I am just not understanding this book.

Not a buy. Wait for a credit. Worth a listen, but I think to much concentration is required to listen.

Narrator was good. Almost a Xe Sands performance.

Awful!

I'm sorry to say this audiobook was terrible! not only was the story lame but the narrator could not do accents which made the story painful to listen to. I stuck it out for 3 hours of listening then gave up. I have listened to the Crossfire saga by the same author and found it a good follow on to the Fifty Shades trilogy. However this was a waste of time!!

One of the worst readings I've heard.

Appalling accents by the readers let down this interesting novel and the characters are let down by these

Not great

Terrible performance by narrator and despite its content , it lacked interest and excitement in the story

love it,such a delightful story! I really enjoyed

love it,such a delightful story!
I really enjoyed it! definitely recomended
a wonderful read! 😊

Poor narration

Narrator’s attempt at an accent is shocking - how you’re supposed to envisage the lead male as attractive sounding like that I have no clue. I couldn’t keep listening. If she’d read his part in her normal reading time it would have been far better.

👍enjoyed the story. narrator read well

I personally would have liked a man to have, read the part of the male characters. I feel that it would have made a better listening experience, thus the 4* for performance. Always enjoy Sylvia Day's work. 😊.

Good story, terrible accent!

A good fantasy story and writing as you expect from Sylvia, but the narrators accents were awful and I struggled to click with the characters. Not a comfortable listen.

Compelling listening

Would you listen to Pleasures of the Night again? Why?

I loved this story and would happily listen again. It had me breathless at times and nearly in tears at other times.

What did you like best about this story?

Everything

Which character – as performed by Shana Savage – was your favourite?

All of them!