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Review of Dark Child

5 Sept 2013

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, this intriguing urban fantasy follows the story of Kat Chanter, who discovers that the world she knows is controlled by ancient creatures who feed on blood. And she might just be one of them ...

Lately things have been getting weird for pathology technician Kat Chanter. She's been craving raw meat, and having dreams so realistic they're scary. When she accepts a job offer from the prestigious Hema Castus Research Institute, she hopes she'll have the chance to discover what's wrong with her, but instead, her move to New York thrusts her headlong into a treacherous hidden world, where the wrong move could be fatal . . .

Tarot, witchcraft and astrology all take on a frightening resonance in Dark Child's richly imagined alternative reality where vampiric beings live among us, hidden by magic. Dark romance tangles with paranormal fantasy and page-turning suspense in this enthralling tale of 'dark child' Kat Chanter, half-human and half-vampire, who has woken an ancient prophecy and must face a formidable destiny.

Dark Child was originally released in serial form.


Review

The premise of this book was great.  Kat is a normal girl going about her everyday life when she suddenly starts to become sick.  As she has resources others wouldn't normally have at her disposal, namely a laboratory for examining blood, she takes a look and discovers just how not normal she really is.  I enjoy books where the main character discovers that they are extraordinary and I especially enjoy books where "destiny" is a key theme.  So this book had the potential make me a very satisfied reader.
 
This book was originally a series of novellas.  Modifications were clearly made so it could be consolidated into a book but it still retains the highs and lows from the original novellas.  This results in it feeling a little overwhelming as, by the time I finished the book, I felt like I had just read three books in one sitting and had been on a roller coaster.  You're thrown into the deep end pretty quickly and are forced to tread water through the majority of the book as situation after situation arises.  There are a few lulls built in but they are written in a manner where you are just waiting for the other shoe to drop.  On the plus side, it was definitely not boring.  
 
There is a tiny bit of romance built into the story but it is pretty insignificant in the scheme of things.  The groundwork was laid for a love triangle but it felt unnecessary.  I would have been happier to see an unexpected friendship develop rather than romantic interest.  Especially as it feels like someone else has always had a prior claim.
 
This is clearly just the beginning of a series.  And, while you are left with a number of questions at the end of the book, it concludes at a logical pause point.  No angsty cliffhanger here.  I'm excited to see what the remainder of Kat's journey will entail.  This is a well-woven and complex tale that manages to stand out in a sea of paranormal reads.
 


 
Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Katie

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