Monday, March 12, 2012

Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Brightest Kind of Darkness
by P.T. Michelle

Release Date: June 27, 2011
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 364
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Author
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
Haunt Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter
 
Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

When Nara goes to sleep at night she dreams her entire next day. What an awesome way to be prepared! I would honestly love to have that ability. But Nara sometimes hates it because she is bored. She lives the same day twice. Nothing is new to her. Until one day she stops dreaming her next day and she realizes how difficult it is to live through the day without being prepared. She has to study, she has to practice soccer because she has no clue where the ball will go, and she doesn't see the betrayal from a friend coming.

Then she meets Ethan, the new guy in school. He is shy and doesn't talk much but has a bad reputation from his past school. I really enjoyed the slow build of their friendship to eventually more. It felt real and natural. No insta~love and no love triangles. Ethan still has a mystery surrounding him but he is very supportive of Nara and eventually very honest as well. He didn't drag everything out for a long length of time. They had some great butterfly worthy scenes. I'm very picky in my romances so I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed their relationship.  

Now onto the exciting drama. Nara never really tried to change her days unless something really bad happened to someone. When Nara tries to change things Fate comes in to correct them. Fate doesn't want Nara messing with his plans. The book then takes on kind of a Final Destination feel where Fate tries to inflict the damage on people that Nara stopped. But Nara wants to use her dreams for good. Why does she have this power if she can't use it? Ethan worries for Nara's safety if she continues to mess with Fate but maybe she can figure out a way to change it. Really looking forward to the sequel.     

"Imagine knowing you're going to have a bad hair day, or that you'll burn the toast for the eighty-zillionth time, or that Mount Everest will appear on the tip of your nose a half hour after lunch. That's when a ponytail, cereal and Benzoyl Peroxide come in handy."

"But not touching you would be the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Rating: 4/5 Stars!

23 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this one, too. It was different and so well-written. I also loved the relationship between Nara and Ethan. The development was so natural. I'm really looking forward to boom two. Great review!

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    1. Nara and Ethan did have a nice relationship development! When she starts to notice him I'm like oh no don't start going gaga over him but no she slowly got to know him. It was very nice!

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  2. This sounds kinda like Final Destination?? Similar premise.

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    1. It does start to feel somewhat similar to Final Destination around the middle of the book. It's still unique enough to be enjoyable.

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  3. LOVE the quotes! This seems like a wonderful book I'm going to enjoy! Awesome review, Jennifer! I'm so glad that you love the book! This book definitely worth a check-out next time I'm on the bookstore! :)

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    1. Yes there were some great quotes! It's always hard for me to only pick a few. A bunch of Nara's thoughts about her dreams were really interesting. I started pondering what it would be like to dream my next day and how that would affect my life. I still think I'd like the dreams! LOL

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  4. Wow, awesome review! This sounds like such a nice and bittersweet-ish read, and I love the cover too!! <3 I know what you mean about a romance feeling realistic, I don't appreciate instant love relationships either.. it's just too fake :/ Great review, anyhow! I'm going to go check this one out!

    Vivian @ Vivaciously, Vivian

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    1. I'm picky with my relationships. Even though I love paranormal I want the relationship parts to feel real and natural. I don't like obsessive insta~love. I can't connect with that. I like the characters to grow into things and this couple did just that. It was a good romance.

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  5. I LOVE this cover! It's very "autumn" looking. ;) Glad you enjoyed it and I look forward to reading this too!

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    1. haha Yes it has a beautiful autumn cover! The sequel cover is really gorgeous too.

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  6. I LOVE your review. I think this book isn't for me, because of the angst (I can't deal with too much angst these days. Urgh. Makes it hard to pick up any books XD) but your reviews always get to the point and after reading them, I always know whether or not to pick up the book. :)

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    1. Yeah I could see the angstiness not being for you! But I'm glad my reviews are helping you decide. I try to get to the point and explain the plot and romance so people know if it is for them or not. It's funny because a lot of times when I'm writing my reviews I think of my readers on here and on goodreads and I mention things I know they will like or dislike. So many of my book buddies hate or love the romance things I hate or love so I always try to mention them. Especially whether or not there is whiny heroines, love triangles, insta~loves, predictable mysteries, and similar things I know affect if someone likes a book.

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  7. Hi Jennifer! Glad you enjoyed this one. I always love finding a good self pubbed book,even if you have to dig! So excited you joined the Masquerade read along! You will have a blast! Looking forward to getting to know you along the way.
    Thanks for this review. I loved the quotes, I am heading over to Amazon to check it out now.

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    1. I know I love self pubbed books too. Almost half of what I read is probably self pubbed. Really good stuff and much more affordable. I'm really excited about Masquerade. I've heard great things about it and look forward to finally reading it. This had a really interesting storyline so I hope you enjoy it too!

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  8. Very true, that's one ability that would certainly come in handy. I keep hearing great things about this book. I'm very curious to find out if it'll be my cup of tea. And gosh, I'm so relieved that there isn't instalove OR love triangles. That's pretty much what I needed to know.

    Thank you for the wonderful review, Jennifer!
    Maja @ The Nocturnal Library

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    1. I know as soon as I hear a book has no insta~love and no love triangles I'm on board! I still read some of them but I prefer books without them. Love triangles are way too overdone these days. It is an awesome ability. While doing things twice might be a little boring at least you get to know when bad things are going to happen and you can prepare. Also no studying! I would want that part most. lol Thanks for visiting!

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  9. So glad you liked this one! I really enjoyed it too. :)

    ♥ Sarah @ I'm Loving Books

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    1. Thanks! Yes I was really hooked from the start!

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  10. I've had this book in my Kindle App for the longest time and still have not read it... Shame shame..

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    1. I know how that goes. I have seriously a million books in my kindle. I have Half-Blood in my kindle that I have yet to read and it is so ridic popular right now. I just get greedy and overwhelm myself! LOL

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  11. i've been excited with PT. Michele's book

    Thanks for the review :)

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    1. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for stopping by!

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  12. Awesome review I Love this book thanks for sharing!

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