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badwolff's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
This book was slow but enjoyable. I enjoyed the romance. I didn't dislike any charater except the ones I was ment to. Heavy themes of self harm, depression, eating disorders and r*pe but i didn't think that it went into to much detail about any of them. But still if your sensitive to any of those topic just skip a paragraph or two when it comes up and you should be able to avoid it. I would have given it a 4 maybe a 4.25 star but the MC managed to frustrate me enough right near the end of the book.
I can't stand when a charater said "I need to do this alone".'This' being something dangerous, and you just know that half way through doing the thing, they will almost get themselves killed and then say "I was so stupid I shouldn't have come here alone. Like no sh*t Sherlock. Oasis goes back to a place where she was manipulate into mutilating herself and thought she should do that without back up ?? and that she would be in and out easy peasy. That choice also lead to another plot device I thought wholly unnecessary at first. I have nothing against amnesia plot lines but this being at the end of the book felt like it was just there to drag on the story. I did end up liking the conversations that Oasis and Vlad end up having because of it though. So, I don't know I'm 50/50 on the amnesia part.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Body horror, Gaslighting, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Racism, Child abuse, Slavery, Death of parent, Grief, and Kidnapping
reading_beyond_the_book_cover's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Darknesses by Lachelle Seville is a sapphic, gothic, Dracula-inspired novel that has had traction in the book community circles I follow. I chose the book purely by faith in the readers that suggested it, and as usual, I didn’t know what I was getting into. That’s nothing new. Now, having finished the book, I wish I would have asked them why they enjoyed it.
Darknesses’s premise builds around an extraordinary love and its ability to heal most, not all, wounds. The end of the book’s blurb can be a little misleading. Now that I have re-read it after completing the book, I feel like it might cause the reader to think or feel that the love between the central characters is possessive. Don’t get me wrong. There are elements of possessiveness in the relationship, just not to the extent that the blurb would have you think.
If I had to pitch it to someone, I would lead by saying that it is a sapphic, gothic, Dracula-inspired novel that follows the budding relationship between two longing spirits with thirsts for something that only be quenched by one another. Oasis is a New York transplant recovering from events experienced in an “angel-focused” cult located in Blessed Falls. In this cult, she had a near-death experience that left her with paranoia. She doesn’t trust easily, especially concerning food. One day, while working, Laura, a strikingly beautiful woman, enters the bookstore and requests all the available copies of Dracula. In addition to that, she warns Oasis not to read it. Questionable, but Oasis maintains her curiosity and does not read Dracula.
This seemingly one-time encounter morphs into a love story that transcends what either Laura or Oasis expected of themselves. Both of them have secrets, and it’s a matter of time before they’re revealed. The question is, will those secrets tear them apart or will they bring them closer?
That’s the gist of what I got out of the story.
I enjoyed the first 75 to 80 percent of the book for the development of Laura and Oasis’s relationship. However, once other worldbuilding aspects were introduced via capture and rescue scenes, somewhere between those occurring and the ending, the story went off the rails. I’m not sure why it took such a turn. There are moments that contributed to significant bouts of disconnection from the story and made me question the author’s motives or intentions for including them. Especially the last 15 to 20 percent.
What I enjoyed most about the book is how Laura speaks. She doesn’t use contractions and regularly asks if something pleases someone. It’s cute. 🙂 I will give the book that much.
I think it overall could have been condensed down to 350 pages. According to my Kindle, it’s 527. The book, although entertaining, quirky, and cute, in my reading experience, there are characters that did not receive enough acknowledgment for me to connect to their importance in the story. When they would appear on the page after a length of time, I had to remind myself who they were and their function in the main character’s storyline.
I also felt that the worldbuilding had the potential to be fleshed out more. There were instances where I did get a feel of how the fantastical world operates and differs while existing in our present-day Earth, and would classify the novel as urban fantasy because of them. However, the descriptions of those fantastical locations weren’t distinct enough for me to feel that I’m being transported somewhere that exists on Earth while still being differential from Earth as we know it. I hope I’m making sense here.
My overall rating is 2.5/5 stars. Aside from my rating, I still recommend this book for a compelling spin on Dracula’s tale. If you love love and like snarky characters with literary banter, you will enjoy Darknesses.
I hope this review of Lachelle Seville’s ‘Darknesses’ finds you well.
Huge thank you to Traum, BookSirens, and the author for the ARC. My review/reaction is voluntary, all thoughts are mine and unbiased, and receiving an ARC does not influence my rating and/or recommendation.
Darknesses’s premise builds around an extraordinary love and its ability to heal most, not all, wounds. The end of the book’s blurb can be a little misleading. Now that I have re-read it after completing the book, I feel like it might cause the reader to think or feel that the love between the central characters is possessive. Don’t get me wrong. There are elements of possessiveness in the relationship, just not to the extent that the blurb would have you think.
If I had to pitch it to someone, I would lead by saying that it is a sapphic, gothic, Dracula-inspired novel that follows the budding relationship between two longing spirits with thirsts for something that only be quenched by one another. Oasis is a New York transplant recovering from events experienced in an “angel-focused” cult located in Blessed Falls. In this cult, she had a near-death experience that left her with paranoia. She doesn’t trust easily, especially concerning food. One day, while working, Laura, a strikingly beautiful woman, enters the bookstore and requests all the available copies of Dracula. In addition to that, she warns Oasis not to read it. Questionable, but Oasis maintains her curiosity and does not read Dracula.
This seemingly one-time encounter morphs into a love story that transcends what either Laura or Oasis expected of themselves. Both of them have secrets, and it’s a matter of time before they’re revealed. The question is, will those secrets tear them apart or will they bring them closer?
That’s the gist of what I got out of the story.
I enjoyed the first 75 to 80 percent of the book for the development of Laura and Oasis’s relationship. However, once other worldbuilding aspects were introduced via capture and rescue scenes, somewhere between those occurring and the ending, the story went off the rails. I’m not sure why it took such a turn. There are moments that contributed to significant bouts of disconnection from the story and made me question the author’s motives or intentions for including them. Especially the last 15 to 20 percent.
What I enjoyed most about the book is how Laura speaks. She doesn’t use contractions and regularly asks if something pleases someone. It’s cute. 🙂 I will give the book that much.
I think it overall could have been condensed down to 350 pages. According to my Kindle, it’s 527. The book, although entertaining, quirky, and cute, in my reading experience, there are characters that did not receive enough acknowledgment for me to connect to their importance in the story. When they would appear on the page after a length of time, I had to remind myself who they were and their function in the main character’s storyline.
I also felt that the worldbuilding had the potential to be fleshed out more. There were instances where I did get a feel of how the fantastical world operates and differs while existing in our present-day Earth, and would classify the novel as urban fantasy because of them. However, the descriptions of those fantastical locations weren’t distinct enough for me to feel that I’m being transported somewhere that exists on Earth while still being differential from Earth as we know it. I hope I’m making sense here.
My overall rating is 2.5/5 stars. Aside from my rating, I still recommend this book for a compelling spin on Dracula’s tale. If you love love and like snarky characters with literary banter, you will enjoy Darknesses.
I hope this review of Lachelle Seville’s ‘Darknesses’ finds you well.
Huge thank you to Traum, BookSirens, and the author for the ARC. My review/reaction is voluntary, all thoughts are mine and unbiased, and receiving an ARC does not influence my rating and/or recommendation.
_jane4's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book offers everything you could ask for. It's sapphic, gothic, features vampires and they meet at bookshop.(!!!!!!) I could not put this book down due to its fast paced plot which kept me engaged. It was really interesting to see what's going on inside someone's head when they get involved with cult. Sometimes it was confusing what was happening but the reader shouldn't feel distressed about it and trust the timing of resolving conflicts.
This book offers everything you could ask for. It's sapphic, gothic, features vampires and they meet at bookshop.(!!!!!!) I could not put this book down due to its fast paced plot which kept me engaged. It was really interesting to see what's going on inside someone's head when they get involved with cult. Sometimes it was confusing what was happening but the reader shouldn't feel distressed about it and trust the timing of resolving conflicts.
alexsiae's review
dark
emotional
funny
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
genzea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Weird book in a good way. Strong main character, even if the Dracula story wasn’t there just her story could stand on its own but the romance was very cute, a good mixture of escapist fantasy and what you want on a regular day doing regular things. The world building is interesting, hope there’s a part two to see me more of the fantasy aspects
luna_bane's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
zefrien's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
l_jamison's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sopie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
gen_wolfhailstorm's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to Book Sirens for an e-arc. All opinions remain my own.
This was a journey... I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. This statement is a complex one because I both enjoyed and was equally incredibly confused by the direction of this.
I was expecting this to be a straight up contemporary (of sorts) about a girl deprogramming from a cult, that wouldn't shy away from the graphic reality of it and due to that, I felt like I was waiting for ages for an actual insight into Oasis' life.
What we have, however, is kind of a genre bending mash up of a Dracula retelling, filled with so much. It was still filled with many a troubling, cult-related topics, but Dracula was at the heart of it, I would say.
I can't deny that I was so confused at how paranormal this got and how quickly it did at that, but I think had I expected this type of content I would have got more out of it and this would have reflected in a higher star rating.
I absolutely loved the queer rep, black MC, and the love scenes were fantastic. The history of Oasis' time in the cult was heartbreaking and there were times I had to stop reading for while.
I do feel like this was sort of chaotic with too many plot devices included for it to flow smoothly. It was too long, and there was definitely some parts I feel could have been edited out. Although the romance was something that had me pushing through (more so the steamy scenes), it definitely felt like an unbalanced and toxic dynamic, especially coming straight off of what Oasis had been through.
But really I just wished I had had a better understanding of what this would be when I first picked it up, because as I say, if I wasn't shrouded in so much confusion, I think I would have loved it much more than I did.
I think this would be classed as Dark Romance and it certainly hasn't put me off of trying more from this sub-genre, despite not realising that's what I was reading!
I will most certainly be keeping an eye out for more from tRAUM publishers, as I love the representation they deliver in their authors and the stories they share.
This was a journey... I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. This statement is a complex one because I both enjoyed and was equally incredibly confused by the direction of this.
I was expecting this to be a straight up contemporary (of sorts) about a girl deprogramming from a cult, that wouldn't shy away from the graphic reality of it and due to that, I felt like I was waiting for ages for an actual insight into Oasis' life.
What we have, however, is kind of a genre bending mash up of a Dracula retelling, filled with so much. It was still filled with many a troubling, cult-related topics, but Dracula was at the heart of it, I would say.
I can't deny that I was so confused at how paranormal this got and how quickly it did at that, but I think had I expected this type of content I would have got more out of it and this would have reflected in a higher star rating.
I absolutely loved the queer rep, black MC, and the love scenes were fantastic. The history of Oasis' time in the cult was heartbreaking and there were times I had to stop reading for while.
I do feel like this was sort of chaotic with too many plot devices included for it to flow smoothly. It was too long, and there was definitely some parts I feel could have been edited out. Although the romance was something that had me pushing through (more so the steamy scenes), it definitely felt like an unbalanced and toxic dynamic, especially coming straight off of what Oasis had been through.
But really I just wished I had had a better understanding of what this would be when I first picked it up, because as I say, if I wasn't shrouded in so much confusion, I think I would have loved it much more than I did.
I think this would be classed as Dark Romance and it certainly hasn't put me off of trying more from this sub-genre, despite not realising that's what I was reading!
I will most certainly be keeping an eye out for more from tRAUM publishers, as I love the representation they deliver in their authors and the stories they share.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, War, Body shaming, Self harm, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Bullying, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence