A review by originalbooknerd
Visions of Darkness by A.L. Jackson

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

🖤𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 - 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔅𝔬𝔬𝔨 𝟏 - ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴🖤

Author: AL Jackson

Couple: Aria Rialta & Pax Morrison

Tropes:

▪️Fated Mates ⁠

▪️Forbidden ⁠

▪️The Chosen One⁠

▪️On the Run⁠

▪️Morally Gray Hero ⁠

▪️Two Worlds Collide⁠

▪️Only One Bed⁠

▪️Ultimate Touch her and 🔪Protector ⁠

Review: AL Jackson did more than just dip her toe into the realm of romantasy with 𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰! This book had me captivated from the first time we meet Aria and Pax and kept me enthralled until we see them get a well earned and very well deserved HEA at the end. 𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 had everything I love in romantasy and to top it off Amy also delivers one of the best parts of the book in the form of Pax Morrison - the broody, quiet and uber protective fated mate. His fate and identity had me questioning everything I knew all throughout this book and there were times my heart truly hurt for him and for Aria as I was reading. 

𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 was a different type of fantasy and the way Amy was able to balance Aria as she became entrenched more and more in the fight against evil. This book was truly different than all fantasy books I have read in the past and Amy was able to not only provide an original fantasy but grip us with a meshed version of real and dream since Pax and Aria are fated mates destined to fight alongside one another but also face the fact that they may never meet face to face awake. The concept that Amy introduces in this book put me through the wringer because I constantly was aching for Aria and Pax to reunite while awake but then was also hoping they would find solace together while battling the evil in their sleep. The way Amy drew in the encroaching Evil in the real ‘waking’ as it set it sights on Aria also had me enraptured since I was waiting for the other show to drop as the worlds began colliding. 

Aria was a true warrior in this book and was titled “the Chosen One” but Pax was the MC that drew in my attention the most. He embodied what it meant to be her protector and Amy really went all out devoting his character to Aria in this book. Everything Pax did was for her and I felt myself fall in love with him over and over as he battled his way through Kruen and the realm of Faydor by her side. The concept that Pax’s touch can kill anyone by the slightest brush also had me guessing at what Amy would do to keep the angst and tension high as the spark intensifies between them…and I can safely say I was NOT ready for how the forbidden aspect of their romance would play out. 

While their romance was forbidden, Pax and Aria had one of the most beautiful connections I have ever read in a darker romantasy. These two embodied the meaning of fated mates and meeting the other half of you soul in a way that left you feeling warm and happy but also angry that they had so many hoops to go through within the ever changing romance between them. Amy was able to capture the soul-deep bond between them in varying ways but the way Pax was always in tune with Aria’s feelings, thoughts and actions had me swooning every time. 

𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 has been one of the best fated mate romances I have picked up in a while. Everything from the fated bond, the soul-deep connection and the way these two seem to be able to overcome each pressing obstacle in their fight against evil while together had me rooting for Pax as the real and ream world began colliding in this book. I know that these two had such a grasp on me that I was sad to end the story but am extremely excited to expand upon the world of Faydor!

𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 was a step into the Darkness series and I never knew what Amy was going to do next. The world, the magic, the aspect of falling for your fated mate that is the ultimate forbidden love. Everything in this book had me anxious for more and the devastating and pulse pounding cliffhanger at the end left me hoping Amy steps into the Darkness again!

 

Rating: 100+, Perfection. Sheer utter perfection wrapped up in one broody, uber protective MMC and a fiery, magic defying fated mate bond that captivated me from the first chapter! 

Thank you Amy & Valentine PR for the eARC!

🖤𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔄𝔲𝔡𝔦𝔬𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨 ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴🖤

Author: AL Jackson

Narrated by: Victoria Mei & Teddy Hamilton

Couple: Aria Rialta & Pax Morrison

Tropes:

▪️Fated Mates ⁠

▪️Forbidden ⁠

▪️The Chosen One⁠

▪️On the Run⁠

▪️Morally Gray Hero ⁠

▪️Two Worlds Collide⁠

▪️Only One Bed⁠

▪️Ultimate Touch her and 🔪Protector ⁠

Review: 𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 captivated me. Amy truly blew me away with her foray into romantasy and the narration for this book just elevated it into the stratosphere. Victoria Mei and Teddy Hamilton were outstanding as narrators for Aria and Pax and they were truly able to transport you to another realm as the MCs battled it out for their HEA and to save the world. The way they were able to being both of them to life in ways that made you feel every emotion between the MCs had me full of every emotion and wishing that these two MCs did not have such a hard journey to their HEA at the end. 

Teddy and Victoria were in sync as they narrated through the story and I found that I was never able to favor one over the other. Victoria emoted for Aria in ways that brought out small details that were overlooked while reading but were so much more important to the audio version of the story. Teddy also was able to suck me into Pax’s story as he narrated the ups and downs this man goes through to save Aria and be the ULTIMATE protector. Amy really did wonderful with choosing the voices for these two and I only hope that she continues to dive into this world of fantasy and romance with more of these characters!

Rating: 100+; 𝔙𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 blew me away with the narration from Victoria and Teddy and I can only hope to see more inside this wicked realm of magic!

Thank you Amy for the eALC