Review: Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L. Reid

Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L. Reid

Book Two of the Pretty Dark Nothing series 

Publisher: Month9Books

Publication Date: July 28, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC sent by the publisher

Summary  (from Goodreads):

It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since the demons forced Quinn to throw herself into the raging river, since Aaron sacrificed himself to save her, since his body disappeared without a trace.

Everyone wants Quinn to move on, but she can’t, not after a spirit appears to her at Aaron's memorial, convincing her he’s still alive.

When a mysterious box materializes on the very spot Aaron disappeared, Quinn finds she’s at the center of an ancient prophesy of betrayal, revenge, and sacrifice that takes her to the depths of the underworld to face Lilith—Adam’s first wife.

If Quinn can stop Lilith from unleashing the demon horde Eve, trapped inside the box during the Battle of Eden millennia ago, she will save the human realm and free Aaron from an eternity in torment.

All it will cost is her blood.

What I Liked:

It has been over two years since Pretty Dark Nothing was published! That book was one of my favorite books of 2013. It was very unique ad original and fresh, and I loved it from start to finish. I remember rereading it a few times, and so the book is still one that I remember pretty well. Nevertheless, while I didn't love this sequel like I did Pretty Dark Nothing, I certainly enjoyed it! My rating is more like 3.5 stars, but not quite 4 stars.

It's been over a month since Aaron sacrificed himself in order for Quinn to live. He saved her from drowning in a river, but he himself died. The search for his body has been called off. Yet Quinn does not believe that he is dead. She is sure that he exists still. And he does, which she soon finds out. He is in the Underworld, held captive by Adam's first wife, Lilith. Also, Quinn has Eve's blood and flesh, and she is able to fight ad banish demons. Quinn will stop at nothing to get Aaron back, even if it means allowing Lilith to release an army of demons, effectively dooming humanity. 

This book felt different from Pretty Dark Nothing. Less raw, less emotional. In the first book, Quinn was all over the place, and her character was a bit shaky. By the end, she changed greatly, and became a strong and deadly girl. In this book, Quinn is desperate to find Aaron, with or without the help of her friends or her Sentinel, Azrael. Quinn's desperation makes her impulsive, but also very, very powerful. I am very pleased with Quinn's character development in this book.

The story is wrapped around Quinn's search for Aaron. No one believes her when she says that she knows he is out there. Everyone looks at her with hatred, because he is the one that died saving her. Even Quinn's best friend Reese hasn't been speaking to Quinn. But Quinn's friends don't abandon her, and Reese, Marcus, and Caleb (a new guy friend of Quinn's) band together to help her and support her. I love Marcus - he is a tease and a flirt, and a great other half of Reese. Caleb is calmer and more of a low-key flirt, but he knows that Quinn's heart is elsewhere.

We do get bursts of scenes with Aaron's point-of-view. Aaron is in the Underworld, captured by Lilith, who is trying to find a box that contains her demon army (they are trapped, kind of like Pandora's box). Lilith tortures Aaron in the worst of ways, and Aaron learns strange things about himself that he didn't know. Things start to click and make sense, but Aaron is still trapped. I really like Aaron - his situation is hopeless, yet he never gives up. He is a go-with-the-flow guy, but he is also an impulsive, angry guy when he's provoked. I like Aaron a lot!

There is romance in this novel, and series in general. This book is told in third person, switching between Aaron and Quinn (though more Quinn than Aaron, by far). Though Aaron is held captive in the Underworld, he and Quinn do communicate in this book, in an inventive way. And when they see each other solidly, sparks fly like in book one. Readers will be very satisfied with the romance of this novel - no insta-love, no love triangle. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this sequel. There will definitely be a third book, given the way this one ended. This book was engrossing and engaging, and functioned well as a sequel novel. The third book looks like it will be the epic showdown, and I cannot wait!

What I Did Not Like:

This book didn't have the same feel as Pretty Dark Nothing. One of the things that I absolutely loved about book one was the rawness, Quinn's drama, the difficulty of all that she was dealing with. This book has significantly less baggage. I guess some people might like this though! I just wish it were the opposite, because the rawness of emotion and pain was one of the things that really drew me in,

But still this novel was dark and full of guilt and shame and pain, so I really can't complain all that much!

Would I Recommend It:

Given the uniqueness of this series, I would definitely recommend this book and its predecessor! Not only is the series unique, but entertaining and quite dark, too. Borderline creepy and scary, though I scare easily. The romance is very satisfying The female protagonist is one of those characters that seems like she might be weak, but proves her strength over and over. Such a great novel!

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up o 4 stars. I read this one pretty quickly, which is great, because it shows that the book wasn't boring. I am quite excited to read the third (and hopefully final) novel! I say "hopefully" because I hate waiting for series to be completed! Gimmee the next book now!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Swoon Thursday (#130): Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L. Reid

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L. Reid!

Quinn pressed closer, brushing her lips against his. His mouth opened to hers as she kissed him, soft and slow. He tasted of sunlight and summer, heat pulsing from his skin and into hers, melting all the fear and regret she'd carried for so many months.

Arms pulled his hips to hers, and he let out a soft moan. Aaron deepened the kiss, his nails digging into her waist, and she pulled him down with her until they were both of their knees. She let him guide her to the ground, her back pressed against the golden grass as he used his power to paint the perfect scene. 

- eARC, 71%

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Pretty Dark Nothing | Pretty Dark Sacrifice

I have been waiting YEARS for this sequel! Month9Books is one of my favorite indie publishers. This series is awesome!

Cover Reveal and Title Contest: Book Two of the Pretty Dark Nothing series by Heather L. Reid

Month9Books Presents a Cover Reveal and Title Contest for Book 2 in Heather L. Reid's Pretty Dark Nothing Series.

Help Month9Books choose a title for the next book in the Pretty Dark Nothing series!

Read my review of Pretty Dark Nothing!

Check out my exclusive interview with Heather!

Enjoy a swoony excerpt from Pretty Dark Nothing!

Book 2, a follow up to Pretty Dark Nothing, will be released this fall, and we need your help picking a title. Below are two covers, each with a proposed title for Book 2 on it. We can't call it "Book 2" forever, so please take a look and comment HERE to vote on which you like best.

The winning title will be revealed at BEA 2014 and if you commented to vote and will attend BEA, Month9Books will give you a signed copy of the galley (limited to the first 20 commenters attending). Voting opens today and ends on Friday, March 14, 2014. Thanks to artist Christel Michiels for the amazing cover!

So, which do you like best?

Title choice 1:

Perfect Dark Sacrifice

Title choice 2:

Pretty Dark Sacrifice

Series: Pretty Dark Nothing

Author: Heather L. Reid

Publisher: Month9Books

Publication Date: September 2014

Official Summary:

It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since the demons forced Quinn to throw herself into the raging river, since Aaron sacrificed himself to save her, since he disappeared without a trace. No body, no sign of him at all. Everyone wants her to move on, but Quinn can’t. She’s convinced Aaron’s trying to contact her, but Azrael, her angel Sentinel, insists these visions are nothing more than the demons preying on her guilt, bent on distracting her from her true destiny as the reincarnation of Eve.

With Aaron’s fate forever entwined with Quinn’s true Sentinel, Kaemon, they both find themselves prisoner of the underworld. For Aaron, death in the river would have been easier than ending up in Lilith’s dungeons.

Heather L. Reid has always had a sense of wanderlust and a belief in the paranormal. She eats mayonnaise on her fries, loves video games, and getting lost in a good story. This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in South Ayrshire, Scotland, where she spends her weekends wandering the moors in search of the ghost of William Wallace and exploring haunted castles.

Her debut young adult Paranormal, PRETTY DARK NOTHING, will be released on April 23, 2013 by Month 9 Books.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Swoon Thursday (#15): Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

Err, sorry I missed last week! But I have one this week. Check it out!

This week, my swoon is from Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid!

"Two pools of golden green looked into the depths of her eyes, and her breath caught in her chest. 'Every time I get close to you, you push me away. I wanted to have one night, one second where I didn't think about you.' And then his lips were on hers. She rocked with the fierceness of his kiss, and she kissed him back, twining her hands through his dark, her heartbeat outracing hers. He pulled his mouth from hers, cupped the back of her next, and pulled her forehead to meet his until they were eye to eye."

- eARC, 50%

Check out my review for this book HERE.

Check out my interview with Heather and enter to win a signed copy of the book HERE.

Request it on NetGalley HERE.

I really liked this book! I did not expect the romance in this book to be so significant, because it seemed like a horror paranormal book to me, but the romance is huge! Works for me!

So, what made you swoon this week?

Blog Tour Interview with Heather L. Reid, author of Pretty Dark Nothing (and Giveaway)

Welcome to the Pretty Dark Nothing tour! Today is my day to promote this fantastic book, and in this post, I have an awesome interview with the lovely Heather Reid, and a giveaway at the bottom of the post! 

My tour review for Pretty Dark Nothing can be found HERE.

Follow the rest of the tour HERE.

And, now, meet Heather!

Alyssa: Hi, Heather! Thank you so much for joining me today, here on the blog! Ready for me to pick apart your brain?! :D

Heather: Thanks for having me on The Eater Of Books, Alyssa, I’m so excited to be here! My brain is at your disposal :)

Alyssa: YAY! I shall make good use of it :D My first and favorite question to ask debut authors – how does it feel to be published for the very first time? How about knowing that people are out there in the world, reading your book?

Heather: The feeling of achieving something you've been striving and working toward for over half your life is indescribable. It’s like winning the lottery, getting a new puppy, and marrying the love of your life all on the same day. Exciting and scary all tied up with a giant red bow. It still feels a bit surreal, really, almost as if I’m watching it happen to someone else. I’m not sure the shock has worn off yet. As for Pretty Dark Nothing being in the hands of readers now, in all honesty, it makes me feel a little vulnerable. I’m sure all writers feel this way. I've put my heart and soul on the page and some people will love it and others won’t. As a writer, you hope readers will connect with your work. You don’t want readers to be disappointed, but at the end of the day, not everyone is going to love Quinn and Aaron’s story as much as I do.

Alyssa: What’s the best thing leading up to publication day that you have experienced?

Heather: There have been so many wonderful experiences so far. Seeing the cover for the first time was pretty amazing. Connecting with readers and other authors has also been a highlight for me. But the best thing was being asked to attend Book Expo America in New York City. I can’t wait to talk with readers face to face and hang out with some of my favorite authors. I think I’m going to be a little bit star struck.

(Guys. Everyone going to BEA. GO SEE HEATHER! Have an amazing time at my expense!)

*ahem*

Alyssa: What was the first thing you thought when you saw your book’s cover? (If I may say so, it is SOOOOOO pretty! Definitely one of my favorites so far)

Heather: I cried. And then I cried some more. The cover was even better than I imagined. I was in shock. I must have stared at it for a good hour, pointing to the title and my name and thinking, “This is real. Like really real.”

Alyssa: How did you come up with the title, Pretty of Dark Nothing? Were there any other titles that you thought of, but didn’t like enough to keep?

Heather: My publisher came up with the title Pretty Dark Nothing. The original title was When Darkness Whispers, but there was concern that it sounded like too many other books out there. My publisher came up with a list of alternatives and gave me a choice of two. Pretty Dark Nothing was my favorite and now I can’t imagine it being called anything else.

Alyssa: How did the paranormal aspect of Pretty Dark Nothing arise? What kinds of research did you have to do to expound upon this particular aspect?

Heather: It started with my own nightmares. As a child, I suffered from night terrors and sleep walking. Although I eventually grew out of the sleep walking, the nightmares never went away. I would dream of faceless entities and demons on a reoccurring basis. I spent my pre-teen years trying to rationalize my fear while I spent my nights huddled under my covers with a book and a flash light afraid to fall asleep for fear of what would greet me in my dreams. I kept this a secret from my friends and afraid of what they would think. The dark torture of my imagination lasted through three years of middle school and finally faded. I still don’t think my mother knows how terrified I was of falling asleep and I have no idea why the nightmares stopped, maybe they were my way of coping with the stress of adolescence. I don’t know. When I reached college, I went through a particularly bad time in my life, suffered from depression, illness and the nightmares returned. I wasn't frightened like I was when I was young; I recognized them for what they were. We all have inner demons we battle, those voices that tell us we’re not good enough, taunt us, paralyze us with fear. That’s when the idea for a novel started to form. I asked myself what would happen if those negative voices, inner demons weren't imagined. What would happen if they were real and they started to manifest outside the dream world? What if they influenced things around us and what if you were the only one that could see them? That’s when Quinn and the idea for Pretty Dark Nothing was born. I did quite a bit of research on demons, night terrors, and near death experiences over several years, most of it was done before I started writing as a way to make sense of what I was going through. I never thought it would be used years later in my novel.

Alyssa: The scene when Quinn, erm, does something with her beautiful, long hair – it is definitely a symbolic moment in the book. Describe your thoughts when writing this scene.

Heather: Writing it was emotional for me. I couldn't stop crying. At this point, Quinn feels completely out of control. She’s frightened, the demons are manipulating her but she doesn't understand what’s going on, and she’s struggling in every part of her personal life. Deep down she wants to fight, but she doesn't know how. Her world is spinning out of control and she wants to try and take a piece of that back, at this moment, it’s her way of rebelling, of dealing with all the crap that’s going on around her. When I was writing, I could feel her pain and desperation.

Alyssa: So, there is a sequel to Pretty Dark Nothing (woohoo! After that ending… let me be quiet). Tell me a little of what readers can expect to read in the sequel.

Heather: Throughout the first book, Quinn was in the dark about what the demons wanted and how to fight them. It was very much about her dealing with depression and her personal demons and being manipulated by them. It isn't until the end of the book that she gets a sense of just how wide their influence reaches and finds out they are picking on her for a very particular reason. It’s not just about her anymore. Book two will see a different side of Quinn. A lot will be revealed about her bond with Aaron and her role in keeping the demons from invading the human realm and she starts to understand her purpose.

Alyssa: Is there anything else that you are currently working on? Contracted or not contracted – I know I’d like to know!

Heather: At the moment I’m only contracted for the Pretty Dark Nothing sequel. I am working on several other things though. Two of them are YA, one is a dark fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast. I don’t mean a re-telling, the only similarity you would see is a man cursed to become a beast, but he is not a prince, nor does he live in a castle. And the beauty isn't beautiful in the traditional sense. She’s badly burned in a fire and then outcast by her tribe, left in the forest as sacrifice because of her bad luck. It’s in early stages. I’m also working on an epic fantasy/sci-fi trilogy.

Alyssa: Are there any assurances you can give readers? Like, um, a belief in happy endings? :D

Heather: Yes, I believe in happy endings and can promise all your favorite characters will be in book two. :)

Alyssa: And that’s a wrap! Thank you again for being here, Heather! I can’t wait to hopefully do this again next year, with Book Two’s arrival! :)

Heather: Thank you for having me! I would love to come back next year for book two.

About the Author:

Heather L. Reid eats mayonnaise on her fries, loves men in kilts, and met her husband playing Star Wars Galaxies online. This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in North Ayrshire, Scotland, where she wanders the moors in search of Heathcliff and William Wallace.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Month9Books:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

The Giveaway (tour-wide):

Grand prize includes a signed copy of PRETTY DARK NOTHING, bookmarks, sleep mask, and nail polish! (US Only). Five ebook copies of PRETTY DARK NOTHING will also be given away, open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Review: Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

Book One of the Pretty Dark Nothing series

Publisher: Month9Books

Publication Date: April 23, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

What I Liked:

I really, really liked this book! I had a feeling I would enjoy it, but I think it is safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The characters, the world building, the plot... I really think the author had great control over her craft.

The characters are diverse and unique, all playing their archetypal roles superbly. Quinn is definitely a tortured heroine, perhaps even a damsel-in-distress at several points in the book. She has so much going on - with her cheer leading captaincy on the line, her academics plummeting, Mommy and Daddy issues, and a lack of sleep. Oh, and don't forget the fabulous demons who haunt her in her sleep, and eventually, while she is wide awake.

I believe that Quinn undergoes a significant amount of character development, and at the same time, she handles her situation differently and well. Sometimes it is difficult for her to express her obvious frustration, as was evident with the hair scene (trust me, you will know what I am talking about if/when you read the book!). She begins as a lonely, isolated character who wants nothing to do with anyone but Reese and Jeff, and in the end, she cares about herself, her friends, and Aaron.

I think the hardest thing for readers of this book to understand is WHY Quinn did some of the things that she did. Yes, she did treat Aaron poorly at times. But look at her reasoning. Why did she push him away every time they grew close? It is not really because she wants to go back to Jeff. It is because of the demons and their threats. While I find Quinn weak at times in the book, I understand her weakness. I empathize, because I know it would not be easy to make any other decisions, when in her situation.

That being said, I really liked getting to understand what was happening in Aaron's point-of-view. This book is in third-person, limited. So, we see Quinn, we see Aaron. Aaron is interesting. Up until the very end, we do not really understand why he helps Quinn, why he keeps coming back to her despite her actions, why he drives himself towards her. I really like him. He puts up with her, he doesn't.

The world-building and setting of this book is fantastic! I can't say that there is anyone as obnoxious as Jeff's ex-girlfriend/current girlfriend/drama queen in MY high school, but it reminded me of Mean Girls, which was hilarious. But I really felt like the author recorded and interpreted the high school setting well. I also felt like her incorporation of the paranormal (the demons, hallucinations, dreams, etc.) was well done. In my opinion, it seemed real.

The end is where you will find the source of the paranormal aspect of the book, and a touch of the explanation of the paranormal aspect. This is an interesting structure for a paranormal book, to introduce the paranormal aspect in specifics at the end of the first book. But, I know that the author plans to expound upon the paranormal aspect and explain it to readers in Book Two.

Okay, so, there IS a love triangle... but if you cannot already tell, I am not buying the Jeff side. Jeff is Quinn's ex-boyfriend, another source of added problems, in addition to the demons, the parents' issues, the grades, the captaincy, the lack of sleep, and so on. I think this love triangle is obvious, which makes me not get upset at the book. But it might be a messy one, who knows.

Okay, I will stop. I really like this book, everyone!

What I Did Not Like:

I suppose some of Quinn's actions bothered me. I totally get that she was trying to protect the ones she cared for, but sometimes, I wanted to shake her. But then, I have never been hounded by demons, or have had to deal with any of the awful symptoms of the lack of sleep that she did.

Quinn has a lot to manage, everyone! But I feel like Quinn's actions are what get to people, especially the people that do not see past her actions, and to her reasoning. Have some compassion!

Would I Recommend It:

I definitely would, especially to lovers of scariness! While this book is not a horror novel, such an audience would enjoy this book. The average paranormal lover would be interested in this book! I think that people may have problems with understanding the characters, but readers who pay attention will see the desired result!

Rating:

5 stars. I really, really enjoyed this book! 

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Waiting on Wednesday (#8): Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm featuring:

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather Reid

Publisher: Month9Books

Publication Date: April 23, 2013

Summary (from Goodreads):

It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

Author Blog | Goodreads | Barnes and Noble

I have been DYING to read this book, ever since I saw the cover, oh so long ago! And then I read the synopsis, and died some more wanting this book. You seriously cannot miss this one - it sounds fantastic! And Heather is a really nice person :)

What book are you anxiously awaiting?