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vcsmith02's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lifeinthebooklane's review against another edition
4.0
I was torn between 4 and 4.5 stars for this for a couple of reasons. Overall I really enjoyed the book and would happily recommend it but there were a few issues which didn't ruin the book but did detract a little from it. The book is well written, the prose flows smoothly and is easy to follow at all times. The plot is really well thought through and has some amazing twists.
There were 3 issues for me. The most minor of these was Niko's intense anger over what seemed like most things. I can't believe he was still a serving police officer with such a short fused temper.
My second issue was with the flashbacks. Whilst they supported the story and gave us a feel of Niko and Aislin's relationship I would have preferred for this to be all at the start of the book and then to have 'moved on 15 years'. There was no slow reveal or benefit for having dropped chapters of the past here and there. I felt I would have understood Niko and his feelings more if I had all the information from the start, rather than in a disjointed manner.
The last one was the slow pace at the start of the book. It felt as though the story took a while to get going, possibly because this wasn't a book with lots of hints and clues as to 'who dunnit'. However when it did get going it REALLY picked up pace and every single sentence held my attention.
I loved the interactions between 'Doe' and Niko and thought they were two very well developed characters. They were also consistent within their characteristics. The supporting characters were also well rounded and added depth to the tale. The way extra information was discovered about the case was a nice touch too. I also really enjoyed how the book ended with revisiting Niko and 'Doe' at significant points in their lives and how the time frame for these were very realistic.
I feel as though this review is more negative than positive and that is not the truth for this book. I did thoroughly enjoy it and would definitely recommend it to family and friends. Whilst I would place it in the 'dark' category I have read much darker books than this. There are some very disturbing and graphic scenes but these are scattered throughout the book, with fewer occurring later on, so the darkness wasn't constant.
There were 3 issues for me. The most minor of these was Niko's intense anger over what seemed like most things. I can't believe he was still a serving police officer with such a short fused temper.
My second issue was with the flashbacks. Whilst they supported the story and gave us a feel of Niko and Aislin's relationship I would have preferred for this to be all at the start of the book and then to have 'moved on 15 years'. There was no slow reveal or benefit for having dropped chapters of the past here and there. I felt I would have understood Niko and his feelings more if I had all the information from the start, rather than in a disjointed manner.
The last one was the slow pace at the start of the book. It felt as though the story took a while to get going, possibly because this wasn't a book with lots of hints and clues as to 'who dunnit'. However when it did get going it REALLY picked up pace and every single sentence held my attention.
I loved the interactions between 'Doe' and Niko and thought they were two very well developed characters. They were also consistent within their characteristics. The supporting characters were also well rounded and added depth to the tale. The way extra information was discovered about the case was a nice touch too. I also really enjoyed how the book ended with revisiting Niko and 'Doe' at significant points in their lives and how the time frame for these were very realistic.
I feel as though this review is more negative than positive and that is not the truth for this book. I did thoroughly enjoy it and would definitely recommend it to family and friends. Whilst I would place it in the 'dark' category I have read much darker books than this. There are some very disturbing and graphic scenes but these are scattered throughout the book, with fewer occurring later on, so the darkness wasn't constant.
gemmalouise1988's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
beckyrendon's review against another edition
5.0
Holy Darkness Batman!!!
I am not even sure how to explain my joy over this book. I know that those have read it are looking at me like I have seven heads. Joy?!?!?!
Let me explain. This book is not for the faint hearted. It had triggers and very uncomfortable situations. It has a being so evil it makes your skin crawl. You will be tempted to back away but it will torture your soul to not know. You will NEED to know. You may drive yourself crazy spouting theories, suspects, and plot twists. You are wrong. Or at least I was...until 30 seconds before the reveal.
Go with your gut but honestly don't eat while reading. I almost lost it at least twice. It's so well written and I may be too empathetic because I could feel/experience certain situations and it is not pleasant.
I may not have ever read A.M. Wilson prior but Alex Grayson is a must read for me. This book was a definite must. Hold strong and you will be rewarded. Life isn't all unicorns and rainbows but sometimes you get exactly what you wish for...
Revenge. In my case, I wish for an epic revenge. I know I will get it.
There are some very emotional parts in this book (synonymous with Alex Grayson) while I recommend a tissue or two handy- long sleeves will work too. I experienced some dirty in my eye or something definitely at the fault of the authors. I have so many quotes I would love to share but they give away too much of the story. So I will leave you with one that caused eye leakage and some sniffling.... "...as if she’s the most precious thing in the world. To me, she is, and she always will be."
Niko never forgot her. He formed his entire being around her. She was and is his North. He just has to find her. Or grieve her. Niko isn't prepared for one and prays for the other. Too bad we can't all get what we want.
Just know that this book may be disturbing but it will give you peace- eventually. Not what you want or expect, but comfort and sighs are guaranteed.
reviewed for Naughty Book Blog
I am not even sure how to explain my joy over this book. I know that those have read it are looking at me like I have seven heads. Joy?!?!?!
Let me explain. This book is not for the faint hearted. It had triggers and very uncomfortable situations. It has a being so evil it makes your skin crawl. You will be tempted to back away but it will torture your soul to not know. You will NEED to know. You may drive yourself crazy spouting theories, suspects, and plot twists. You are wrong. Or at least I was...until 30 seconds before the reveal.
Go with your gut but honestly don't eat while reading. I almost lost it at least twice. It's so well written and I may be too empathetic because I could feel/experience certain situations and it is not pleasant.
I may not have ever read A.M. Wilson prior but Alex Grayson is a must read for me. This book was a definite must. Hold strong and you will be rewarded. Life isn't all unicorns and rainbows but sometimes you get exactly what you wish for...
Revenge. In my case, I wish for an epic revenge. I know I will get it.
There are some very emotional parts in this book (synonymous with Alex Grayson) while I recommend a tissue or two handy- long sleeves will work too. I experienced some dirty in my eye or something definitely at the fault of the authors. I have so many quotes I would love to share but they give away too much of the story. So I will leave you with one that caused eye leakage and some sniffling.... "...as if she’s the most precious thing in the world. To me, she is, and she always will be."
Niko never forgot her. He formed his entire being around her. She was and is his North. He just has to find her. Or grieve her. Niko isn't prepared for one and prays for the other. Too bad we can't all get what we want.
Just know that this book may be disturbing but it will give you peace- eventually. Not what you want or expect, but comfort and sighs are guaranteed.
reviewed for Naughty Book Blog
ravendelilah's review against another edition
5.0
This was a dark read and I loved it. I've never read anything like this. I can understand why there is a disclaimer at the beginning, some wouldn't be able to handle this book. AM and Alex did a great job making you believe that you were in the story with the characters. There were parts I was thinking "oh my goodness that is twisted! How can anyone survive that?!? How can anyone be like that?!?" I loved the final twist, it made things that happen a little better. 5 stars isn't a high enough rating but I guess it will have to do.
kate_and_books's review against another edition
3.0
As spoiler free as possible and a very, very, very honest review from yours truly.
A walk through for a taste of heaven.
Niko James is a detective and has been looking for his childhood sweetheart for 15 years. Everyone was convinced that she ran away when instead she was kidnapped.
Going to be frank here, I don't like Niko. His frustration didn't come across as being sincere. It was laid on rather thick. IMO.
His anger with the situation is understandable but also here it was too much to make it believable. He was hung up on her but I did feel that was true. Even the flashbacks to the past didn’t help.
The times where I did like him was when he was with Doe. He was softer not such an aggravating little shit. He had too much introspection going on and was repetitive numerous times of things that we already knew. What also bothered me was the Hero oh I don’t mean to be a douchebag but I’ll be one anyway inconsiderate arse.
The heroine of the book had great characterization. Her struggle is real. You feel for her and what she must deal with. Her journey progresses from scared mouse with memory loss to a strong heroine. She didn't work me up as much as the Hero.
After pushing past the first 25% because you know not a lot happens here. I wrote to my friend Eve to have a good old moan and how pants this book was. I came to the conclusion that I would continue and it improved. The writing style isn’t my cuppa. We have the Hero’s POV and throughout the book The Girl’s POV which was confusing. I don’t think that it can be considered to be dark romance but a thriller. Then we were finally getting somewhere and the Dad has a heart attack and they are off to Florida. Insert roll eye right here.
As you can tell I have a lot of mixed emotions here and still can't decide if I like it or not. I finally accepted that he'd moved on and that twist ruined all the work that convinced me that he had moved on. I’m divided on that twist. I felt the authors had to wrap up the ending and squeezed it into an epilogue just to give them a complete HEA. I felt desensitized when it came to the dark content of the book. Now although I read the book this doesn't mean that I am in accord with the content. You know why? Because it is fiction.
Should it bother me that the two cases they mentioned weren't solved otherwise I don't know why they were added
kallieruhl's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bookslifeandeverythingnice's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. As always, an honest review.
First and foremost, a big trigger warning for torture and sexual assault in graphic detail. It’s definitely intense, and I almost stopped reading the book because of it. That being said, about 10% of the book or maybe less is torture and assault. Also, the authors put a trigger warning at the beginning which I much appreciated.
Niko has spent his entire life caring for people, especially those close to him and in need. As a child, Niko’s friend and neighbor Aislin has a very difficult upbringing. He does his best to be a great friend and protector, even though he’s only 14 years old. Aislin is kidnapped. Niko is devastated and angry. He grows up to be a cop, but never stops searching for Aislin, his North Star.
I had a lot of mixed feelings about Pitch Dark. Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the storylines. The drama, the suspense, and how everything turns out. Works well in the book. It’s the details where I have some issues. Of course there’s the graphic descriptions of the assault. It makes the book what it is, but I didn’t feel it was necessary. At least not to that intensity. Also, the character of Niko is very over the top at times. Obviously he had gone through terrible things, but he acts as if he’s the only one who can solve the case, protect the victims, etc. I appreciate the sentiment and passion, but it gets to be a bit much at times. Also, some of the descriptions are a bit odd and left me asking “do people really talk like this?”
The story overall works well and I’m glad that I read Pitch Dark. I liked the revelations towards the end. The character of Aislin was a welcome breath of fresh air and encouraging strength. I ended up enjoying Pitch Dark, despite my mixed feelings throughout.
First and foremost, a big trigger warning for torture and sexual assault in graphic detail. It’s definitely intense, and I almost stopped reading the book because of it. That being said, about 10% of the book or maybe less is torture and assault. Also, the authors put a trigger warning at the beginning which I much appreciated.
Niko has spent his entire life caring for people, especially those close to him and in need. As a child, Niko’s friend and neighbor Aislin has a very difficult upbringing. He does his best to be a great friend and protector, even though he’s only 14 years old. Aislin is kidnapped. Niko is devastated and angry. He grows up to be a cop, but never stops searching for Aislin, his North Star.
I had a lot of mixed feelings about Pitch Dark. Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the storylines. The drama, the suspense, and how everything turns out. Works well in the book. It’s the details where I have some issues. Of course there’s the graphic descriptions of the assault. It makes the book what it is, but I didn’t feel it was necessary. At least not to that intensity. Also, the character of Niko is very over the top at times. Obviously he had gone through terrible things, but he acts as if he’s the only one who can solve the case, protect the victims, etc. I appreciate the sentiment and passion, but it gets to be a bit much at times. Also, some of the descriptions are a bit odd and left me asking “do people really talk like this?”
The story overall works well and I’m glad that I read Pitch Dark. I liked the revelations towards the end. The character of Aislin was a welcome breath of fresh air and encouraging strength. I ended up enjoying Pitch Dark, despite my mixed feelings throughout.
naughtybookaffair's review against another edition
5.0
This was a very interesting keep you on the edge of your seat shocking page turner. These are two authors that are new to me. This is the first book that I have read by either one of them . I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to read more by them.
Niko is a detective trying hard to deal with the lose of his best friend. But the sad thing is is the lose was a very long time ago and it isnt how you think. Once you realize what is going on that is when this book gets very interesting. Niko is hell bent of finding out what happened to her. Little does he know she ends up right there under his nose. I absolutely loved his character. How strong he tries to be but at the same time you can feel how much it hurts him to not know what happened to Aislin. Then a girl that cant remember any part of her life walks into his and you can easily see him falling for her even if he knows that he shouldnt. Little does he know what she is what he has been missing. Aislin is a woman that is just trying to get her life back. She is the missing link for Niko but doesnt know it either. I loved every single part of this book. Not only was it full of suspense, gripping suspense at times but it was full of page turning moments that had you holding on to the edge of your seat waiting to see what was going to happen next. Very well written with amazing character chemistry. Absolutely loved it. I cant wait to read more from these authors and I highly recommend reading this one if you love a little suspense with an amazing ending.
Niko is a detective trying hard to deal with the lose of his best friend. But the sad thing is is the lose was a very long time ago and it isnt how you think. Once you realize what is going on that is when this book gets very interesting. Niko is hell bent of finding out what happened to her. Little does he know she ends up right there under his nose. I absolutely loved his character. How strong he tries to be but at the same time you can feel how much it hurts him to not know what happened to Aislin. Then a girl that cant remember any part of her life walks into his and you can easily see him falling for her even if he knows that he shouldnt. Little does he know what she is what he has been missing. Aislin is a woman that is just trying to get her life back. She is the missing link for Niko but doesnt know it either. I loved every single part of this book. Not only was it full of suspense, gripping suspense at times but it was full of page turning moments that had you holding on to the edge of your seat waiting to see what was going to happen next. Very well written with amazing character chemistry. Absolutely loved it. I cant wait to read more from these authors and I highly recommend reading this one if you love a little suspense with an amazing ending.
jamiesbookaddiction's review against another edition
3.0
This was an ok book for me. Too much inner dialogue is always a killer for me and Niko had WAY too much of it. Not to mention, he had so much it was easier to figure some things out. And without giving too much away, I had a hard time believing some things. He's supposed to be a detective who is aware of his surroundings. There were some holes for me.