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mommasaystoread's review
4.0
Well, this one certainly took me by surprise. After reading the first two Darkside Chronicles, I fully expected to find more paranormal investigations with perhaps some answers about Pearl's past. Answers, we get, and while those answers are a little out there, I can't deny that the storyline kept me turning the pages. I don't want to venture into spoiler territory, so I'll just say this one has plenty of excitement and danger. Parts of it come close to tipping over into science fiction, but Corinna Underwood explains things in a way that it all makes sense, and while it does require some suspension of disbelief, the author's writing makes it feel believable enough to give you pause, make you stop and think.
I was glad to see Raven back in this one. He and Pearl have some circling to do on the romantic front, but the chemistry is there. The author keeps it clean and all intimacies are fade to black or behind closed doors. These two have more in common than just their mutual attraction, and that common thread was one of my favorite elements in the story.
Pearl's story is my first experience with Underwood, and I enjoyed the descriptive storytelling and characters that feel so real. There isn’t an overabundance of characters to keep up with, and given the intricate storyline, I was thankful for that. Instead, the author gives us a handful of well-rounded characters that may have some shocking characteristics, but they have flaws as well. Even Pearl’s strong skepticism and determination that there is always a logical explanation humanizes her for the reader. She’s almost stoic in her beliefs. Then there’s Harry and his almost childlike excitement in his search for proof of the paranormal.
To sum it up, Return to the Darkside is a story about more than just what you see on the surface. It’s a story about people and their pasts, their families, their losses, and their loves. About the people who would take advantage of a circumstance and get so twisted up in their determination to prove an idea that it doesn’t matter who gets hurt. This one turned out to be a little bit outside my wheelhouse, but I certainly enjoyed the journey.
I was glad to see Raven back in this one. He and Pearl have some circling to do on the romantic front, but the chemistry is there. The author keeps it clean and all intimacies are fade to black or behind closed doors. These two have more in common than just their mutual attraction, and that common thread was one of my favorite elements in the story.
Pearl's story is my first experience with Underwood, and I enjoyed the descriptive storytelling and characters that feel so real. There isn’t an overabundance of characters to keep up with, and given the intricate storyline, I was thankful for that. Instead, the author gives us a handful of well-rounded characters that may have some shocking characteristics, but they have flaws as well. Even Pearl’s strong skepticism and determination that there is always a logical explanation humanizes her for the reader. She’s almost stoic in her beliefs. Then there’s Harry and his almost childlike excitement in his search for proof of the paranormal.
To sum it up, Return to the Darkside is a story about more than just what you see on the surface. It’s a story about people and their pasts, their families, their losses, and their loves. About the people who would take advantage of a circumstance and get so twisted up in their determination to prove an idea that it doesn’t matter who gets hurt. This one turned out to be a little bit outside my wheelhouse, but I certainly enjoyed the journey.
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