A review by comfycozytomes
Sweetest Darkness by Leslie Lutz

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

I don’t really know how to describe this book, other than it was absolutely amazing. It was enigmatic in that I couldn’t predict what might happen--which is what I love to do while reading; sometimes it's easy and that's perfectly fine--that's enjoyable--other times I need to work for it and even more rarely I can't see it until it's right in front of me. Some things I did guess and understand before the reveal but they were small in the entirety of the book and the world the author created. It was poetically written--I highlighted sooo many quotes--but with enough warmth, personality, and everyday reality to keep you grounded, to keep the thought that this is something that could happen to an everyday town/person even though it was a paranormal, thriller, mystery kaleidoscope of a book. 

I will say the beginning was a bit slow, It was a bit hard to grasp where the book was going to go, and how certain things earlier in the book would connect to/impact the middle and end, but once you found your footing it was hard to put down, and it was entirely worth it to keep going and see how the story turns out. . And that is how really good books are, the unknown is tangible enough to grasp and find, but where it fits in as the story goes on is a gradual, wondrous, discovery. The anticipation, the wonder as information and secrets and history are revealed, the intensity as the later horror aspect came into play, those painful moments of loss and heartache, and the amazing spiritual, magical system--the Dark Place--was so well written it was as if I'd stepped over with Quinn himself. 

As you grow to love and understand these characters, the ending, the bittersweet ending really hits home. Though all the same, in the end, when the dust settles in that bittersweet end, that achingly sad-happy-bittersweet end, sometimes living an ordinary life can be equally extraordinary. And this book shows that.