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2.97 AVERAGE
2.97 AVERAGE
Honestly what. I could not make it any further than lucky sucking her blood????? What is this? I was willing to look past the cringe dialogue and not like other girls tropes, even Jane’s so called “ghetto” past but blood sucking in a non vampire story is where I draw the line. Bye
Marta Acosta’s young adult debut Dark Companion certainly has an interesting concept for the plot to be built around. Jane Williams, a foster kid living in the ghetto of Helmsdale, is offered the chance of a lifetime – a full ride scholarship and living allowance at the Birch Grove school, a posh private academy for girls. She even gets her own private cottage. Yet, something sinister is going on behind the scenes. Unfortunately, Dark Companion does not live up to the promise of it’s awesome premise.
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 7/16/12
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 7/16/12
I like Marta Acosta's "Casa Dracula" series and I love her blog and I am obsessed with YA books. This book should have been completely a home run for me. "Dark Companion" is about a teenage girl in foster care who gets offered a scholarship to the elite girls school, "Birch Grove Academy". At first glance things couldn't be more perfect. Jane is showered with nice clothes and spending money. She gets to live in a little cottage on the property all by herself. The school is a dream come true. She is challenged intellectually and is surrounded by other kids that have similar goals. She immediately finds a group of friends and she develops a huge crush on Lucky, the hunky son of the headmistress. But things aren't what they seem at Birch Grove. Why did the last `scholarship' student mysteriously leave Birch Grove? Why did a popular teacher commit suicide? Why really was Jane pulled from her foster home to be given so much at Birch Grove?
Ok to start. Marta Acosta's writing is fabulous, as usual. There are so many layers to these characters and I loved the way she unraveled the mysteries. I definitely kept reading because the mysterious aspects of the story were so tantalizing. In the beginning I really liked Jane because she had survived so very much against the odds and she working hard to get her grades where they needed to be so she could eventually rise from her the poverty and the streets. I also loved Jack from the start and the descriptions of him through Jane's eyes endeared me to him right away. I couldn't figure out how in the world Jane was so attracted to playboy Lucky instead of fun, smart, Jack. Where this story does feel like it should be a paranormal story when all is said and done it is not. There may be a paranormal aspect woven through parts of the tale but that is all there is to it and it is really not much. I also really liked the use of "SAT" words throughout the story. I thought it was cute and they were a bit of a joke to the kids using them so it came off fairly authentic. I also want to say that I loved the cover and I immensely enjoyed the little blurbs from other books at the start of each chapter.
So why three stars? I was very disappointed when I found out the big secret. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone but it is definitely out there. Also my strong, smart heroine completely lets herself be used all of a sudden and it felt so out of character. Eventually she regains some of her senses but I would hate for anyone to ever think that what she allowed to happen to her was okay. The explanation and the cover up also felt flat and unrealistic. Then a weird relationship developed at the end of the book that was completely out of the blue and also felt like the author may have needed an easy out for one of the main characters.
This book is definitely not for everyone. I really enjoyed most of the book and again, if the reveal was something else maybe I could rate the book higher than I have here. The atmosphere of the story was spot on and the characters were beautifully written. This is one that I just have to say fell in the storyline. Some threads are left dangling but I don't know that I would bother buying a sequel. Marta Acosta's adult series though is very, very good and I encourage paranormal lovers who read adult novels to give them a try.
Ok to start. Marta Acosta's writing is fabulous, as usual. There are so many layers to these characters and I loved the way she unraveled the mysteries. I definitely kept reading because the mysterious aspects of the story were so tantalizing. In the beginning I really liked Jane because she had survived so very much against the odds and she working hard to get her grades where they needed to be so she could eventually rise from her the poverty and the streets. I also loved Jack from the start and the descriptions of him through Jane's eyes endeared me to him right away. I couldn't figure out how in the world Jane was so attracted to playboy Lucky instead of fun, smart, Jack. Where this story does feel like it should be a paranormal story when all is said and done it is not. There may be a paranormal aspect woven through parts of the tale but that is all there is to it and it is really not much. I also really liked the use of "SAT" words throughout the story. I thought it was cute and they were a bit of a joke to the kids using them so it came off fairly authentic. I also want to say that I loved the cover and I immensely enjoyed the little blurbs from other books at the start of each chapter.
So why three stars? I was very disappointed when I found out the big secret. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone but it is definitely out there. Also my strong, smart heroine completely lets herself be used all of a sudden and it felt so out of character. Eventually she regains some of her senses but I would hate for anyone to ever think that what she allowed to happen to her was okay. The explanation and the cover up also felt flat and unrealistic. Then a weird relationship developed at the end of the book that was completely out of the blue and also felt like the author may have needed an easy out for one of the main characters.
This book is definitely not for everyone. I really enjoyed most of the book and again, if the reveal was something else maybe I could rate the book higher than I have here. The atmosphere of the story was spot on and the characters were beautifully written. This is one that I just have to say fell in the storyline. Some threads are left dangling but I don't know that I would bother buying a sequel. Marta Acosta's adult series though is very, very good and I encourage paranormal lovers who read adult novels to give them a try.
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
After a fall when she is young, Jane ends up in a coma and when she wakes she doesn't remember anything about her childhood. She is now a foster child who has the opportunity of a lifetime offered to her. But this offer comes with some interesting strings.
The synopsis of this book does not give anything away about what happens in this story! I was completely surprised by what came about in this book (in a good way, of course). I saw the cover of this book and loved the dark feel, and the book definitely is dark. This book brings back the gothic genre to YA, everything about what happened was dark and mysterious.
The characters are a big part of what made this book for me. I loved how Jane knew how to defend herself. Though I had some issues with her naivete towards Lucky. Around Lucky, Jane became the typical I'm in love with the gorgeous guy and will do anything for him. Lucky is a jerk of a character, he's self absorbed and privileged, and it shows a lot. I hated how Jane was able to stick up for herself in certain situations, but then when it came to the gorgeous guy she melted.
Jack was absolutely adorable, I always loved when he came along, he also was one that made some great comedic scenes throughout this dark tale. And then there was Jane's friend Mary Violet. She was one of the best supporting characters of the book, I loved how she always spoke her mind, she was the complete opposite of Jane but they complimented each other.
Finding out what "Dark Companion" actually meant in this book was a huge surprise. And from there I loved finding out the mystery behind the disappearances at the school. Marta Acosta definitely keeps you hanging on until the very end with this book.
After a fall when she is young, Jane ends up in a coma and when she wakes she doesn't remember anything about her childhood. She is now a foster child who has the opportunity of a lifetime offered to her. But this offer comes with some interesting strings.
The synopsis of this book does not give anything away about what happens in this story! I was completely surprised by what came about in this book (in a good way, of course). I saw the cover of this book and loved the dark feel, and the book definitely is dark. This book brings back the gothic genre to YA, everything about what happened was dark and mysterious.
The characters are a big part of what made this book for me. I loved how Jane knew how to defend herself. Though I had some issues with her naivete towards Lucky. Around Lucky, Jane became the typical I'm in love with the gorgeous guy and will do anything for him. Lucky is a jerk of a character, he's self absorbed and privileged, and it shows a lot. I hated how Jane was able to stick up for herself in certain situations, but then when it came to the gorgeous guy she melted.
Jack was absolutely adorable, I always loved when he came along, he also was one that made some great comedic scenes throughout this dark tale. And then there was Jane's friend Mary Violet. She was one of the best supporting characters of the book, I loved how she always spoke her mind, she was the complete opposite of Jane but they complimented each other.
Finding out what "Dark Companion" actually meant in this book was a huge surprise. And from there I loved finding out the mystery behind the disappearances at the school. Marta Acosta definitely keeps you hanging on until the very end with this book.
When Jane Williams is chosen to receive a full scholarship to Birch Grove Academy, it seems things are finally looking up. An orphan since she was six, Jane has been shuffled around from home to home in the foster system for years. After the death of a good friend, Jane decides to buckle down and let an education be her way out. And now it is. But there's something strange about Birch Grove and the longer Jane is there, the more she realizes this new life may not be salvation at all.
Marta Acosta has built a wonderful homage to Bronte in this unique and twisted version of JANE EYRE. Laced with quotes from classic gothic literature and filled with chilling atmosphere, DARK COMPANION is an all new and original tale contains just enough of the classic for fans to recognize.
Marta Acosta has built a wonderful homage to Bronte in this unique and twisted version of JANE EYRE. Laced with quotes from classic gothic literature and filled with chilling atmosphere, DARK COMPANION is an all new and original tale contains just enough of the classic for fans to recognize.
I thought this was really beautiful. The writing was so evocative and full, and I adored the main character. She experienced hardship and suffering and came out on top every time. Inspiring.
There were moments where things were being described and I swear it was like I could close my eyes and see the places that were being talked about in my mind.
The romance felt like it was secondary to the plot, and I liked it that way. I'm not gonna lie, I'm usually ALL OVER paranormal romance novels mostly because of the romance, but this time I was happy for it to take a backseat.
This is definitely one of my favourites of 2012.
There were moments where things were being described and I swear it was like I could close my eyes and see the places that were being talked about in my mind.
The romance felt like it was secondary to the plot, and I liked it that way. I'm not gonna lie, I'm usually ALL OVER paranormal romance novels mostly because of the romance, but this time I was happy for it to take a backseat.
This is definitely one of my favourites of 2012.
Fantastic book, a bit weird, because I don't come from a home without a family, so I didn't understand why she would decide to become a Companion, but otherwise, a really great book!
I honestly get a little sick of the heroines in urban fantasy. They tend to be white, upper-middle-class suburbanites with no real problems, but loads of angst.
Such is not the case with the heroine of Marta Acosta's "Dark Companion"... but then, this book really doesn't fit easily into any categories. It's a darkly vivid story that isn't quite horror, and it has a tinge of magical realism while still rooting itself in reality. Its only real problem is the overly tidy ending.
Raised in the nightmarish foster care system, Jane used her brains to get a scholarship to the elite Birch Grove Academy. Now she has a guest house, new friends, and she even gets to know the headmistress' two gorgeous sons, charming but spoiled Lucian and quirky rocker Jack.
But soon Jane begins to notice odd things about the school -- including the death of one former scholarship student, and the mysterious disappearance of another.
Then she discovers the shocking secret of this town, and what they have planned for her -- to be Lucian's "companion." In exchange, she will have a life of luxury beyond her wildest dreams. But soon Jane begins to realize that life with Lucian may not be what she wants -- and that something much more sinister is afoot.
"Dark Companion" looks and feels a lot like a paranormal vampire romance. But this story is actually not even a fantasy -- Acosta comes up with a more realistic, genetic-biology-based explanation for the Family's existence and practices, which makes it no less creepy and/or weird. There IS a tinge of magical realism, but it exists apart from the Family.
At its heart, "Dark Companion" is actually more of a story about a damaged young girl trying to heal from years of loss and abuse. Acosta swings back and forth between a rotting slum and a glossily eerie girls' school, occasionally tinging her prose with snappy dialogue and a sense of sylvan magic.
Jane herself is a welcome change from the Bella Swans of YA books -- rather than a lily-white wangstbot of suburban privilege, she's a scarred veteran of the foster care system. Acosta also makes her realistically flawed, with lots of anger and trust issues that have to be worked out before she can live happily ever after. There's a pretty solid supporting cast, including the lovably deranged Mary Violet, the beautiful/eccentric Jack, and the creepily selfish Lucian.
The only problem? The finale. While the climax is a brilliant twist, after that everything just sort of falls into place in the most convenient-to-Jane way, mostly over the course of a SINGLE SCENE. It strains credibility to the snapping point.
"Dark Companion's" ending isn't very satisfying, but the rest of the book is an eerie, sort-of-fantastical thriller. And it's nice to finally have a heroine who has REAL problems.
Such is not the case with the heroine of Marta Acosta's "Dark Companion"... but then, this book really doesn't fit easily into any categories. It's a darkly vivid story that isn't quite horror, and it has a tinge of magical realism while still rooting itself in reality. Its only real problem is the overly tidy ending.
Raised in the nightmarish foster care system, Jane used her brains to get a scholarship to the elite Birch Grove Academy. Now she has a guest house, new friends, and she even gets to know the headmistress' two gorgeous sons, charming but spoiled Lucian and quirky rocker Jack.
But soon Jane begins to notice odd things about the school -- including the death of one former scholarship student, and the mysterious disappearance of another.
Then she discovers the shocking secret of this town, and what they have planned for her -- to be Lucian's "companion." In exchange, she will have a life of luxury beyond her wildest dreams. But soon Jane begins to realize that life with Lucian may not be what she wants -- and that something much more sinister is afoot.
"Dark Companion" looks and feels a lot like a paranormal vampire romance. But this story is actually not even a fantasy -- Acosta comes up with a more realistic, genetic-biology-based explanation for the Family's existence and practices, which makes it no less creepy and/or weird. There IS a tinge of magical realism, but it exists apart from the Family.
At its heart, "Dark Companion" is actually more of a story about a damaged young girl trying to heal from years of loss and abuse. Acosta swings back and forth between a rotting slum and a glossily eerie girls' school, occasionally tinging her prose with snappy dialogue and a sense of sylvan magic.
Jane herself is a welcome change from the Bella Swans of YA books -- rather than a lily-white wangstbot of suburban privilege, she's a scarred veteran of the foster care system. Acosta also makes her realistically flawed, with lots of anger and trust issues that have to be worked out before she can live happily ever after. There's a pretty solid supporting cast, including the lovably deranged Mary Violet, the beautiful/eccentric Jack, and the creepily selfish Lucian.
The only problem? The finale. While the climax is a brilliant twist, after that everything just sort of falls into place in the most convenient-to-Jane way, mostly over the course of a SINGLE SCENE. It strains credibility to the snapping point.
"Dark Companion's" ending isn't very satisfying, but the rest of the book is an eerie, sort-of-fantastical thriller. And it's nice to finally have a heroine who has REAL problems.
Ugh. This book was not good. It was like a more pretentious Twilight that drug on forever and pretended to be something other than a book about vampires and ridiculously unbelievable teenage, angsty romance.
Completely fake characters. Completely fake situations. Completely predictable plot. Complete waste of time.
Also, way too cliched, pretentious, superfluous language and writing style. Irritating throughout.
Completely fake characters. Completely fake situations. Completely predictable plot. Complete waste of time.
Also, way too cliched, pretentious, superfluous language and writing style. Irritating throughout.
GENRE: YA Paranormal
THEME: Mystery/ Supernatural
RECEIVED: Received from Tor/Macmillan
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
I really enjoy books that have that edge of gothic and dark mystery behind the plot. Dark Companion definitely held that key element that I enjoy so much, with its dark tone and a female lead that you hope gets a happy ending. Marta Acosta wrote a story that kept me hooked and intrigue with the mystery until the end.
Jane Williams has never had the life of a “normal” girl, being stuck in the foster care system and studied very hard to earn a way to freedom aka full ride scholarship. She grew up in a tough town and a neighborhood that many would want to stay away from, until she gets the chance to attend school at Birch Grove. A prestigious school with all the education she needs, except there is something off about Birch Grove and Jane seems to be stuck in the middle of a big secret.
First and foremost, I absolutely love the way Marta Acosta describes in detail the landscape and buildings that make Birch Grove Academy. I was immediately hooked to this story because I always wanted to go to this private school surrounded by the beauty of the woods and Acosta really creates a character out of the school itself.
Jane is an extremely dedicated and smart girl; she’s determined to make something of herself. I liked that she caught on to the mystery that was going on at her school and was almost like a female Sherlock Holmes that discovers a huge secret. I also enjoyed that she wasn’t just the main focus and the secondary characters such as her friend Mary Violet brought light to a dark themed storyline. I have to say Mary Violet was my favorite character by far, with her humorous attitude and love for literature.
Then there are the boys, Lucky and Jack who are the sons of the headmistress of Birch Grove. They are extremely different from each other, where Lucky is arrogant and possessive; Jack is funny and random making for an interesting pair of bothers. They also make Jane’s life a heck of a lot more difficult because she’s pulled into their lives, plus there’s some jealously in the midst. In the end my only issue was with Lucky, I really couldn’t stand the guy and even in the end just didn’t care for his character like I did Jack
.
Overall as the story unfolded I was a bit relieved it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. It had an original take and also had a minor fantasy side story that I feel will be important in the next book. After seeing how others felt about this book it’s definitely a book for those who enjoy darker storylines and lots of mystery. The writing is wavering to more adult, as in some words I actually had to look up the meaning. I recommend that even if you don’t like darker novels that this one should be given a chance because it has a special something that I feel anyone would enjoy.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel with minor adult moments in the romance area and a bit of blood. Fans of Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen will love this gothic mystery novel by Marta Acosta.
THEME: Mystery/ Supernatural
RECEIVED: Received from Tor/Macmillan
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
I really enjoy books that have that edge of gothic and dark mystery behind the plot. Dark Companion definitely held that key element that I enjoy so much, with its dark tone and a female lead that you hope gets a happy ending. Marta Acosta wrote a story that kept me hooked and intrigue with the mystery until the end.
Jane Williams has never had the life of a “normal” girl, being stuck in the foster care system and studied very hard to earn a way to freedom aka full ride scholarship. She grew up in a tough town and a neighborhood that many would want to stay away from, until she gets the chance to attend school at Birch Grove. A prestigious school with all the education she needs, except there is something off about Birch Grove and Jane seems to be stuck in the middle of a big secret.
First and foremost, I absolutely love the way Marta Acosta describes in detail the landscape and buildings that make Birch Grove Academy. I was immediately hooked to this story because I always wanted to go to this private school surrounded by the beauty of the woods and Acosta really creates a character out of the school itself.
Jane is an extremely dedicated and smart girl; she’s determined to make something of herself. I liked that she caught on to the mystery that was going on at her school and was almost like a female Sherlock Holmes that discovers a huge secret. I also enjoyed that she wasn’t just the main focus and the secondary characters such as her friend Mary Violet brought light to a dark themed storyline. I have to say Mary Violet was my favorite character by far, with her humorous attitude and love for literature.
Then there are the boys, Lucky and Jack who are the sons of the headmistress of Birch Grove. They are extremely different from each other, where Lucky is arrogant and possessive; Jack is funny and random making for an interesting pair of bothers. They also make Jane’s life a heck of a lot more difficult because she’s pulled into their lives, plus there’s some jealously in the midst. In the end my only issue was with Lucky, I really couldn’t stand the guy and even in the end just didn’t care for his character like I did Jack
.
Overall as the story unfolded I was a bit relieved it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. It had an original take and also had a minor fantasy side story that I feel will be important in the next book. After seeing how others felt about this book it’s definitely a book for those who enjoy darker storylines and lots of mystery. The writing is wavering to more adult, as in some words I actually had to look up the meaning. I recommend that even if you don’t like darker novels that this one should be given a chance because it has a special something that I feel anyone would enjoy.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel with minor adult moments in the romance area and a bit of blood. Fans of Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen will love this gothic mystery novel by Marta Acosta.