In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she’ll be for the rest of her life.
She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it’s her birthright. To Mac, it’s a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours.
Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists—which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class figures out there’s more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge.
In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.
Type: YA- Paranormal
Heat: 1 out of 2
Rating: 4 out of 5
I read a lot of paranormal and absolutely adore finding an author with a fresh take on the world of magical beings. After Dark had my attention from the very first page with the rather anti-human minded heroine, Mac, who is a Changeling and can turn into any type of mythological being with just a thought and a breath of air, until her 19th birthday when she'll be forced to pick a race once and for all. There's a good bit of humor, some suspense, and a sweet little romance that all mixed together to provide a highly entertaining "couldn't put it down" read.
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One of the things I enjoyed most was that the book didn't give up all of it's secrets at once. You get just enough to pull you in and get you interested but that still left you wondering what the heck was going on with Mac and her world as she starts getting randomly attacked and pieces of her heritage start coming to light. You really get to go on the journey with Mac as she tries to figure it all out which I loved.
I really liked Mac even if she was a little...ornery? Sarcastic and stubborn, frustrated and tired of being pushed around by the council she's quite the handful but still manages to be sort of endearing. I really loved watching how her feelings towards the "stupid humans" changed over time and how the connections and interactions affected her especially after her paths cross with Winn who may be kinda geeky but holy cuteness is a fantastic hero. Totally fell for him. Things do get a bit heated up between them (and yummily so) so probably best for older teens. I'm really looking forward to more of them. They're so, right, together and have some really sweet moments that just made me smile.
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The secondary characters were pretty entertaining. From vampires and fairies (Mac's "parents") to a destroyer demon that was rather...quirky and unpredictable. They added a nice support cast and had me smiling more often than not.
"Now. Time is wasting."So, the one thing that pissed me off to no end was the ending. And so not because of the writing. The writing is excellent and I enjoyed it but damn if I wasn't ticked off on Mac's behalf and ready to start thunking people on the side of the head. Gah. The girlie really held her own and came out on top in the end, though, so definitely proud of her but man alive I was ready for a serious smack down and some very unladylike words.
"But--"
Lucas stared back at me. "Do it, or I will bite you."
"Ooh. You're scary." I'd have waved in his face like I often did, but he jumped up and put said face right in front of mine.
His teeth slid from their depths until the fine points gleamed under the lamp light.
At least three-fourths of my body shivered. "Okay."
"Good." He didn't retract the fangs.
I dumped the contents of the drink in my mouth and swallowed.
In the end After Dark was one of those books where as soon as I finished the last sentence I was ready to grab up book two and dig right in. It's going to be absolute torture waiting six long months to find out what happens next for Mac and Winn. If you're looking for something a little different it looks like it's going to be a great series and one I'd definitely recommend.
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Emi Gayle just wants to be young again. She lives vicariously through her youthful characters, while simultaneously acting as chief-Mom to her teenaged son and searching for a way to keep her two daughters from ever reaching the dreaded teen years.Ironically, those years were some of Emi's favorite times. She met the man of her dreams at 14, was engaged to him at 19, married him at 20 and she's still in love with him to this day. She'll never forget what it was like to fall in love at such a young age — emotions she wants everyone to feel.
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What do you think when a non-YA author you reads tries their hand at writing YA?
Do you check em out? Have a favorite "cross-over"?
Do you have a favorite "take" on paranormal beings/worlds? You know, something a little different?
