Reviewers from Goodreads and Romance.io praise the world-building for its unique take on shifter lore. While some readers found the early smut scenes particularly brutal and the power imbalance jarring, others highlighted the "exquisite writing" and the emotional depth of the character development. Dark Cravings (Hunters of the Church, #1) by Joel Abernathy
The novel heavily utilizes religious imagery to contrast the "righteous" hunters with the "monstrous" shifters. It questions whether redemption is possible through suffering or if one must embrace their darker nature to survive. Dark Cravings by Joel Abernathy
Dark Cravings by Joel Abernathy is the first installment in the Hunters of the Church series, a dark M/M paranormal romance that blends gritty fantasy with high-stakes emotional conflict. Released in 2022, the novel explores themes of redemption, monstrous nature, and the thin line between hunter and prey. Reviewers from Goodreads and Romance