Darkness Before Dawn (Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy, #1) by J.A. London

Nov 11, 2011 Ta§chima Cullen marked it as to-read

Okay, why do you have to essentially copy the cover of the Fallen series? When I look at this book I can only think "The Fallen Series" and that ain't a compliment. Originality is also highly valued by customers.

ALSO HOLD YOUR HORSES, is this summary strangely alike Julie Kagawa's new vampire series, The Immortal Rules? Dystopian world where vampires have control over the humans and humans have to give them their blood to survive?

I. AM. WATCHING. YOU... And I'm not amused.

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Jun 04, 2012 Onirica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-garbage, enjoyable, good-reading, horror, paranormal, vampires

Is dissapointing to see many readers judging the books because its cover is similar to the Fallen series.
I really hope this book is better than Fallen series (I'm not a fan of Lauren Kate, I was very frustrated to have spent my money in a book so bad written!). I do not expect so much from this one, even if is by another writer (Actually, I never expect anything from american literature...), but I hope it changes my POV.

********

Reading finished on June 1st.
Review upcoming.

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Apr 30, 2012 KM added it

Shelves: vamps, from-publisher-for-review, harper-collins, dystopian

Similar Books: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

This was an interesting read for me. There were bits that I liked a lot, then some that didn't really impress me. Maybe I'm sick of vampires. Or dystopians. Or both. But I was a little disappointed with this one.

First things that I did like: the setting and worldbuilding. Honestly, that was my favorite part of the book. I liked the world that the "J.A. London" crafted here, with vampires pretty much ruling the world and...more Similar Books: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

This was an interesting read for me. There were bits that I liked a lot, then some that didn't really impress me. Maybe I'm sick of vampires. Or dystopians. Or both. But I was a little disappointed with this one.

First things that I did like: the setting and worldbuilding. Honestly, that was my favorite part of the book. I liked the world that the "J.A. London" crafted here, with vampires pretty much ruling the world and humans trying to survive. I also liked that our heroine, Dawn, is the delegate that interacts with the vampires. The interactions between her and Valentine were actually my favorite parts of the story - Valentine was a really interesting character, and I loved that he wanted everyone to dress and act like it was still Victorian times.

In terms of other characters, I wasn't really invested in any of them. They weren't badly written, I just didn't connect with them. I didn't feel like I knew much about Victor, and Dawn was so quiet and level-headed that she didn't that many qualities that made her stand out. Her boyfriend Michael was really the only one that I felt had a clear character motivation, but he was just a supporting character.

The romance was pretty standard. There's no insta-love, though, so that's good. But they fall for each other at a pretty remarkable pace, anyway, especially considering she has a boyfriend. And I never really felt any sparks between them. I didn't feel anything. It all just played out in the book, and I wasn't all that interested in them getting together or not.

Now, the pacing of this book is sorta slow up until like page 200. I was getting bored with the book, ready to start skimming, but then it really picks up. I liked the last 100 or so pages a lot, and they almost made up for the slow beginning. Although I figured one of the big twists at the end, another one surprised me (in a good way). I think it set up really well for a sequel!

Just a warning, though: it's a serious cliffhanger. I mean, like, ending right in the middle of a scene. Now, it's not as bad of a cliffhanger as, say, Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel. But it's still pretty intense.

Overall, this was just an okay book for me. The end made it worth reading, but I'm not dying to read the next one. I think the topic just wasn't for me - I've never been a huge dystopian or vampire fan, so the mixing of the two didn't get me all excited. But people who enjoy either of those genres should like it more than I did!(less)

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Nov 16, 2012 Suzanne (Paranormal Pages) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, vampires

I was really looking forward to reading Darkness Before Dawn so when I sat down on a Sunday afternoon to start this book it was with excitement and anticipation. But unfortunately, it couldn't hold my attention and the slightest little thing was distracting me. Thankfully, about a third of the way in, things really kicked up a notch and I was fully engrossed in the remainder of the book.

Dawn Montgomery is only 17 years old, when her parents are assassinated following a meeting with the head vam...more I was really looking forward to reading Darkness Before Dawn so when I sat down on a Sunday afternoon to start this book it was with excitement and anticipation. But unfortunately, it couldn't hold my attention and the slightest little thing was distracting me. Thankfully, about a third of the way in, things really kicked up a notch and I was fully engrossed in the remainder of the book.

Dawn Montgomery is only 17 years old, when her parents are assassinated following a meeting with the head vampire of Denver, Lord Valentine, who then insists that Dawn become the new vampire delegate.

Dawn and the rest of the humans, live in the city, which is surrounded by a guarded wall, meant to keep vampires out and humans in and supposedly safe from vampires. But as there's always rogue vampires around, it is dangerous to be out after sunset.

One night Dawn and her best friend Tegan are reckless and go to a party, close to the wall. Tegan's drink gets spiked and Dawn has to get her out of there. With no signal on her cell, she must do it alone. When they are attacked by vampires on the train, they are saved by a mysterious stranger. One that Dawn meets again on her first meeting again with Lord Valentine.

I really liked Dawn. She's brave and tough, and despite some recklessness, she does appear to have her head screwed on. I wasn't quite as fond of Tegan or Michael, Dawn's boyfriend. Tegan is constantly trying to get Dawn to do dangerous things and Michael seems to need a lot of ego rubbing. So, enter Victor, who I just couldn't help but love, he's like the Robin Hood of vampires.

So, as I'm sure you've guessed, we do have a love triangle, but it wasn't one that bothered me too much as I have a straight up winner. Now I just have to hope things go my way in future instalments.

Throughout this book, we received some interesting hints about Dawn and I'm looking forward to seeing how things turn out in that department. I'm also excited to see how things go for Victor in his new role.

Blood Kissed Sky is set for release in December which is not too bad, as things go and I'll definitely be picking this one up.(less)

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Jun 17, 2012 Steph rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-웃, the-sky-is-falling, young-and-new-adult, 12x12in2012, 2012, series-ongoing, series-book1, sos-games-bsb-r5, cliffhangers-suck

Darkness Before Dawn introduces us to Dawn. Nine years after the end of a thirty-year war between humans and vampires, the death of Dawn's parents leads to her becoming the youngest Agency delegate. As a delegate she is responsible for meeting with "one of the most powerful vampires in the world: Lord Valentine" to discuss, well, blood.

As a part of the VampHu Treaty that ended the war, humans in the cities supply blood to the vampires on the outside. In return the vampires don't attack the cit

...more

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May 30, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-paranormal

So I'm just going to come out and say it. I loved this book. I loved everything about it: the characters, the plot, the dangerous world...everything.

Let me start with the world-building. I would consider DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN to be a post-apocalyptic/dystopian crossover, heavier on the post-apocalyptic.Many of the post-apocalyptic books that I've read have been vague in that respect. In DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN, you learn exactly what happened to bring about the bleak existence humans endure. I don'...more
So I'm just going to come out and say it. I loved this book. I loved everything about it: the characters, the plot, the dangerous world...everything.

Let me start with the world-building. I would consider DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN to be a post-apocalyptic/dystopian crossover, heavier on the post-apocalyptic.Many of the post-apocalyptic books that I've read have been vague in that respect. In DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN, you learn exactly what happened to bring about the bleak existence humans endure. I don't want to give all the details away, because that aspect was fascinating for me to read. Long story short, there was a decades long war between humans and vampires. Vampires won. The VampHu treaty came out of this, the main stipulation being that vampires will not attack the humans within their walls as long as they provide blood to the vamps.

So here we are in Denver, and our heroine Dawn is the new delegate to the leader of the local vampires, Lord "Bloody" Valentine. And though the treaty is intact, the humans go into hiding each day when the sun goes down, for fear of rogue vampires. Their safety in tenuous at best. Dawn, who has replaced her murdered parents as the delegate, is all but responsible for walking the fine line that keeps humans safe. I truly admired Dawn as a character. She is a teenager with the world on her shoulders, yet she manages to smile, have fun, live, and still take her duties seriously. She has her guardian, best friend Tegan (not the sharpest knife), and her long-time boyfriend, Michael. I did like Michael. He's protective, intense, and seemed to be devoted to Dawn. Until...he isn't. Michael has an ego that constantly needs reassured. He definitely has a hero complex and begins to grate at the nerves which made it remarkably easy for another guy to swoop in.

That alluring new man is Victor. Victor is dashing, intriguing, and dangerous, but not in a bad boy way. He is exceedingly kind, goes out of his way, puts himself in danger to keep Dawn safe. He wants to do what's best for Dawn, even at his own risk. The dude made me hardcore swoon.

The storyline was consistently moving ahead. I never felt as if it stalled. Not only is the consistent threat of Lord Valentine a factor, Dawn is also confronting danger on at least three different fronts, never mind the potential drama in her love life. There is an issue at the opening, that Valentine mentions later in the story, that's never explained. I'll assume it will be expanded on in the next book. I'm fine with that. When everything comes to a head, though, I thought the suspense would kill me, or at least make me pass out from holding my breath. The ending was a definite cliffhanger. I would have been screaming, dying to know what was happening. But, my book, a finished copy, has a sneak peek of book two, BLOOD-KISSED SKY. Well played, authors, because I am dying to read that book.

Personal Note: In the synopsis, it is mentioned that fans of True Blood, the House of Night series, and Morganville Vampires series would enjoy this. I haven't read Morganville Vampires. But I have read the Sookie Stackhouse series and House of Night series. DBD, besides being a book with vampires that have come out, is nothing at all like Sookie Stackhouse series. And besides the obvious, vampires, it is nothing like the House of Night series. DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN is soooo much better. Sorry if I've stepped on any toes, but if someone told me this was like HoN, I probably wouldn't read it.

Favorite Quote:

"In my dreams, we're the same. We can touch, kiss, love. And every dream ends with us ...being together forever." (pg 224)(less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Christen *Goldilox And The Three Weres* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Eh. Sorry to say I didn't really love Darkness Before Dawn. I thought as I was reading it that the reason I wasn't into it might be because I recently read, and adored, The Immortal Rules which is extremely similar. Its hard not to make comparisons between the two dystopian vampire books, and in the end The Immortal Rules wins hands down.

But my lack of enjoyment wasn't just because of the comparison. I just didn't like the story. I had very high expectations and am disappointed that this one fel...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book really had me hooked. Written beautifully, I am able to step into a world of darkness and full of blood driven vampires.

I have to say that the new books that are coming out with vampires are certainly coming out fresh and new. I loved that this book contains elements of dystopia as well as paranormal. Nothing is old. Everything is fresh and totally addicting. The plot is the best part of the book. We have delegate who meets with the vampire lord and negotiates. I love this idea right h...more

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May 18, 2012 Lina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lina by: Fans of Twilight

Shelves: girl-power-poison, lead-girl-is-backwards, not-my-type-of-book, paranormal-romance, sequel-bait-ending, teen-fiction-fantasy, ya

Thank you Harper Collins for sending me this book.

If I were a different person I probably would have enjoyed this book, but unfortunately this book did not fit my tastes in any way.

In this futuristic dystopian society in which humanity is reeling from a past war with Vampires that humans lost. As a result, a treaty was brokered between Lord Valentine, an Old Family vampire, and the humans. Walls were built in order to keep vampires out of cities, but in return humans were required to donate blo...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Hanife rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, e-books, reading-english, recommendations, series-i-haven-t-finished, young-adult, sci-fi, send-for-review

Kitap güzeldi. Kızın insan oğlanı değilde vampiri seçmesi klişe olsada Michael biraz hak etti bunu o yüzden ona acımıyorum. Sonu çok şok edici bitti yenisi yakında gelse iyi olur!!!

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Dec 29, 2012 Schay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, vampires-immortals-undead, utopia-dystopia-other-worlds, death-grief-afterlife-ghosts, fantasy, paranormal-supernatural-romance

(4.5 stars actually, but whatevs.)

Wow.

One of the best YA paranormal/dystopia novels I've read this year, no doubt about it.

Okay, so we have the protagonist, 17-year-old Dawn Montgomery, an orphan and newly appointed delegate for the Agency, the governing body of Denver. Vampires are out in the open, and after a lengthy war that the humans lost, there is a fragile truce between the two species. The humans are walled in, relying on Victorian-era technology, while the Old Families live beyond it, c...more (4.5 stars actually, but whatevs.)

Wow.

One of the best YA paranormal/dystopia novels I've read this year, no doubt about it.

Okay, so we have the protagonist, 17-year-old Dawn Montgomery, an orphan and newly appointed delegate for the Agency, the governing body of Denver. Vampires are out in the open, and after a lengthy war that the humans lost, there is a fragile truce between the two species. The humans are walled in, relying on Victorian-era technology, while the Old Families live beyond it, controlling Denver from afar. Blood supply is low and vampires are attacking from within the city. It is Dawn's job to discuss and find a solution for these issues with Lord Valentine, head of the Old Family (who happens to be a demanding, greedy, manipulative dick who refuses to address the current social problems), but he insists on playing mind games. His son, Victor, seems to be the complete opposite of his father, but Dawn struggles with his being a vampire, as her parents and brother were murdered by them. Eventually she warms up to him, to the point that she starts questioning her devotion to her current boyfriend, Michael, a kind but insecure, reckless douche. With the increasing tension between the species, action needs to be taken soon, and Victor thinks up a risky plan that may help pave the way for a better future.

Dawn Montgomery is awesome. She's independent without the author having to stamp out the word every five pages, she rarely complains despite the awful turn her life has taken, and she has a very clear view of the world.

I think what I loved most about this book was witnessing Dawn's change in perception towards the vampires. It was slow, subtle and believable. Usually with these paranormal (romance) books, the hero(ine) goes from freaked to accepting in 24 hours, which has always annoyed me. Surely, if you'd discovered that mythical beings aren't so mythical, it'd take you quite a while to get your head around it?

Also, it was a nice change to have vampires portrayed as creatures to be feared; they are cunning predators, higher than humans on the food chain. You could practically feel the fear that these citizens felt, demonstrated by subtle actions e.g. relief when the sun rose, and the dependence and idolisation of the Night Watchmen.

The book had ended on an almighty cliffhanger and I CANNOT wait for the next book.

(I feel like there are too many commas in this...)(less)

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Apr 27, 2012 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

First order of business is the cover. Who doesn't love this cover. I'm a huge fan of the black and white look on covers. They can speak to you so much louder sometimes without having all those colors under the rainbow. The font is very pretty and the model's dress is to die for. I can see how this would represent Dawn in the book. Great job to the team behind the cover.

Darkness Becomes Her is a collaboration between a mother and son team. This team really did their homework and wrote a great bo...more First order of business is the cover. Who doesn't love this cover. I'm a huge fan of the black and white look on covers. They can speak to you so much louder sometimes without having all those colors under the rainbow. The font is very pretty and the model's dress is to die for. I can see how this would represent Dawn in the book. Great job to the team behind the cover.

Darkness Becomes Her is a collaboration between a mother and son team. This team really did their homework and wrote a great book. You might begin reading this book and feel it has similarities to Julie Kagawa's new book The Immortal Rules, but having read both the only similarities is that each book has vampires and its a dystopian. Other than that the story lines are very different. Each great in their own special way.

In Darkness Before Dawn we meet Dawn. She is a human living during a time that Vampire rule. Dawn has lost her parents and has taken the position of delegate to Lord Valentine for the humans. This is not an easy task for such a young person to take on. Add to that the crazy expectations from Lord Valentine, from how Dawn has to dress to visit him to what she can say. The lord you can say in stuck in the old days. Dawn main goal is to maintain the peace treaty between humans and vampires. Of course Lord Valentine wants more blood donated, which Dawn sees as a problem. She must think of creative ways to get the humans to want to donate more blood. All this while still attending school where she is either respected or made fun of because of her position.

Then one night Dawn receives help when she gets attacked, she believes her savior is one of the Night watchmen. Who serve to protect humans from the vampires. Well she eventually finds out that who she thought saved her was not who he really was. Dawn was saved by a vampire and to top that off, its Lord Valentine's son Victor. Victor (drool-worthy) doesn't follow by the rules and much less when they are coming from his father. Victor begins to appear at all times around Dawn and well this has Dawn questioning her relationship with her boyfriend who is trying to become a Night watchman. If Dawn's boyfriend or anyone really were to find out she is hanging around a vampire, its bad news. Dawn will have to try and understand what she is beginning to question about her beliefs on vampires and figure out what she is starting to feel towards Victor.

Darkness Before Dawn will keep you tied to the pages as you become engrossed in this world where Vampires rule and human are the cattle. You will probably not want to stop once you start. Each characters is well balanced and our assets to the story. When you think you know what is going to happen, you find out you weren't even close to guessing. I recommend this book to those who like dystopian, paranormal and romance all in one book.

review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...(less)

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Apr 12, 2012 Katelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own

I've got myself a new favorite read everybody! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough in this one. I can't say that I found this to be a surprise, but I was really excited to learn that despite all the hype that I was experiencing before getting my hands on a copy of this to read, I discovered that it wasn't in vain. This new title lived up to the jazz and then some.

J.A. London makes up the mother-son writing team of Jan and Alex Nowasky. Jan also writes under the name of Rachel Hawthorne and is...more I've got myself a new favorite read everybody! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough in this one. I can't say that I found this to be a surprise, but I was really excited to learn that despite all the hype that I was experiencing before getting my hands on a copy of this to read, I discovered that it wasn't in vain. This new title lived up to the jazz and then some.

J.A. London makes up the mother-son writing team of Jan and Alex Nowasky. Jan also writes under the name of Rachel Hawthorne and is widely known for her (very) popular Dark Guardian series. It was one of my favorites and I was very disappointed and sad to hear that after four books, the series was ending. But the disappointment didn't last long, because shortly after I realized that series was over, I got wind of this upcoming release and couldn't have been more excited to see what the mother-son team was capable of. And let me tell you, they can pack a punch for sure!

Not knowing what to expect from this alternate reality where humans are at the bottom of the food chain and are forced to supply blood for the vampires that overthrew them was a little harder to grasp. But I'll admit I quickly caught up, as I'm sure other readers will as well. The pace is fast and readers won't really have a choice but to catch on quickly because it's impossible not to devour this one as quick as possible...it's too addicting to take breaks and stop for just about anything...including meals and sleep.

After getting a feel for the characters and people Dawn is surrounded with on a daily basis, readers get introduced to the juicy parts, the vampires, the delegates and the agency they report to and all the stress that goes right along with it. Without giving away too many spoilers since this one won't be hitting the shelves until May 29th readers just have to know that there is a lot going on with this title and every little bit counts. This writing team will be keeping their readers glued to the pages and desperate to find out what will come next for these new and exciting characters. I know I'm already chomping at the bit for another taste of this world and Dawn and the rest of her crew.(less)

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May 31, 2012 Sanette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, strong-females, dystopian

I LOVED this book. We have a feisty strong female character, a dashing and gorgeous vampire love and a sweet but slightly annoying boyfriend. All the makings of a perfect action packed love triangle with lots of blood and vampires. My kind of book.

Dawn is the new delegate of Denver, tasked with the terrifying job of meeting with the Vampire Lord "Bloody" Valentine to negotiate peace between the humans inside the walled city and the vampires living outside, she is the youngest in history and was...more I LOVED this book. We have a feisty strong female character, a dashing and gorgeous vampire love and a sweet but slightly annoying boyfriend. All the makings of a perfect action packed love triangle with lots of blood and vampires. My kind of book.

Dawn is the new delegate of Denver, tasked with the terrifying job of meeting with the Vampire Lord "Bloody" Valentine to negotiate peace between the humans inside the walled city and the vampires living outside, she is the youngest in history and was given the task after her parents were brutally murdered three months ago. In fact she was specially requested by Lord Valentine himself. having been trained by the specially by the Counsel she serves in all victorian manners in order to please the Lord, these studies coming on top of all the the vampire related classes all high school students are required to study, including vampire defense or "Kick Ass" class as they like to call it, her life as a typical 17 year old is anything but normal in this dystopian vampire novel. Out with a wild night with her friend before her first solo meeting with Valentine the next night, she is trapped in a trolly car by vampires, only to be saved the devastatingly handsome Victor. But of course, Dawn has a long time boyfriend, Michael and thoughts of Victor must be pushed aside, besides, she soon discovers he has a secret of his own, one that build obstacles the two might never be able to overcome.

Her job to protect humanity from the Bloody Lord by trying to play the game of politics with him is her responsibility and one she must succeed in, in order to protect all those she loves and represents in the city. But a war is coming that not even the Lord himself can stop and one Dawn and us readers are only beginning to realize that she plays an integral part in.

So first things first, for those people who slam this book because it has a "Lauren Kate" esq cover let's set the record straight on that. The J.A. London mother/son team can write, thats not something Lauren Kate can boast. They actually have talent and this book is non-stop action and romance to the very last page. Furthermore, the cover makes sense, unlike Kate's it fits the character's role, so if someone deserves this artwork, it's London and NOT Kate.

Second, other than the basic similarities of a walled city and vampires there are NO other similarities between this book and Julie Kagawa's Immortal Rules. So those out there who think this book is a rip off, think again. First off the books were published within weeks of one another and there are many books on the market with similar sounding premises but completely different stories and this is one of them.

Now to Darkness, I love strong witty determine and passionate female MC's and the London's have created one in Dawn. While she is devastated by the death of her parents and brother and it has shaped her view of vampires, she is also a caring and loving person and one who once she truly believes in what is right no matter the consequences, stops at nothing to protect those, even if they are different from her. She is a character worth standing behind and rooting for.

Victor, our handsome and brave vampire is the perfect love interest. Even though she starts off the book with a decent boyfriend, from page one I am rooting for Victor and Dawn. Their description of him was so incredible I could see him throughout the whole book. Nothing like that spineless and annoying Daniel from Kate's Fallen series. This is a supernatural being you want staling you in the dark.

The love triangle is not really a triangle. In the beginning maybe, but Dawn is not a wishy washy person, she knows what she wants and she goes for it and it's not all this maybe? Maybe not nonsense. It's one of the things I love about her.

The bad guys are awesome and super scary and you find yourself gasping and cringing throughout the book. What Dawn does at the end is one of the many reasons I love her character. She knows what she is doing is the right thing and she doesn't hesitate.

Packed with action, romance and some super scary bad guys, Darkness Before Dawn was a fast paced read (read in one afternoon) and a series I am eagerly awaiting. I must remind you it it not a Kagawa book, so those of you who have read Immortal Rules, there are vast differences but it's a wonderful story about the differences between species and the misunderstanding of the unknown and the people that don't stop fighting for whats right regardless of what others think About finding your destiny and embracing it no matter the struggles. If thats one of the things you loved about Immortal Rules, this is the book for you. (less)

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May 07, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

When vampires and humans went to war there would only be one victor. The vampires. A treaty was enacted to keep the peace. And as long as the voluntary blood donations continued, the humans within the walled cities would remain safe. Protected.

But with the passage of time, many people forgot their promises and refused to give their blood freely. And as the human population began to dwindle, food supplies became limited and many vampires were left starving.

Attacks on the cities increased. Safety...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

In a dystopian world, vampires have taked over the world and signed a peace treaty with the humans (The VampHu), saying that they would live together equally. This book takes place in Denver, one of the remaining cities in America, walled in and armed with security, hunters called Night Watchmen, who kill the rogue vampires that live in the city wall. Dawn is the city's delegate, meaning that it's her job to negotiate with Lord Valentine, one of the oldest vampires in the world, and ensure that...more In a dystopian world, vampires have taked over the world and signed a peace treaty with the humans (The VampHu), saying that they would live together equally. This book takes place in Denver, one of the remaining cities in America, walled in and armed with security, hunters called Night Watchmen, who kill the rogue vampires that live in the city wall. Dawn is the city's delegate, meaning that it's her job to negotiate with Lord Valentine, one of the oldest vampires in the world, and ensure that the human citizens in Denver are protected, just as long blood donations are supplied to help the vampires that live outside the wall live. But despite this 'peace treaty', most humans considers all vampires as cruel and evil and none of them deserve to exist. This is especially so for Dawn's boyfriend, Michael, who is training to be a Night Watchmen. And then Dawn meets Victor, Lord Valentine's son, and all of a sudden she isn't so sure that all vampires are exactly who everyone made them out to be. She starts to feeling this drawing attraction to Victor, and well, the rest you'll just have to find out for yourself.

This is one of the very few books where I felt the love triangle was not annoying, but in fact pretty tasteful. It was obvious from the start that Michael and Dawn did love each other--but only as best friends. The attraction between Dawn and Victor was much more real, and from the moment they met, I was rooting for them to be together. I really loved the romance in this book, but I was glad that it wasn't the main focus of the entire book, which would have definitely ruined the dystopian plot.

I had a lot of expectations from this book just from the synapsis, and I have to say that for the most part, they were met. This book was very captivating from start to finish, and I found that it was hard to put down and do something else, like sleep. I loved all the right characters, except her best friend, Tegan, who I felt didn't act like the friend she should have been for Dawn at times. It was well written and had just enough action, and I was in love with the new dystopian world.

The only problem that I had with this book was that I was able to predict the big surprise long before it happened, and that doesn't occur with me often. But then there were parts where I had never even guessed would happen, and so that balances it out well.

People who like The Morganville Vampires and The Hunger Games will love this book, and I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of vampires. (less)

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May 21, 2012 Janina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, arc-for-review-blog-tour, favorites, vamps

I rate this book 4.5 stars :) I thought it was amazing! The cover, the characters, and the premise did not disappoint.

I've seen some reviews where the reviewer is judging the book based on the premise of the story. Comparing it to other books. I say, give a book a chance before you go into it. Go in to reading it with an open mind, because this book did not disappoint me whatsoever! I loved it :)

Vampires have won the war and are now ruling the world. How awesome is that! Something different. The...more I rate this book 4.5 stars :) I thought it was amazing! The cover, the characters, and the premise did not disappoint.

I've seen some reviews where the reviewer is judging the book based on the premise of the story. Comparing it to other books. I say, give a book a chance before you go into it. Go in to reading it with an open mind, because this book did not disappoint me whatsoever! I loved it :)

Vampires have won the war and are now ruling the world. How awesome is that! Something different. The whole thing with the thirty year war between the humans and vamps was intriguing. I loved when the book started talking about that point because, come on, vamps and humans fighting is a disaster waiting to happen.

I really like Dawn and Victor's character. Dawn was a strong female lead and I really like that. She didn't cower in a corner waiting to be protected. I would be scared out my mind to face Lord Valentine, the vampire ruler of her city. Dawn, only 17 and the delegate of the city is a big thing and I really liked that whose aspect of the book. And when Dawn meets Victor, Lord Valentine's son, it made the book all the more interesting.

Victor was amazing! I think I swooned over him! Who wouldn't want a guy like him. Even though he is a vamp. Living in Dawn's world, I think I would have had a more, OMG WTF you're Lord Valentine's son kind of reaction when she found out who he was. She was a little bit more calm than how I would've been. But I really enjoyed the chemistry between the too.

It was a little bit of a love triangle with Victor and Michael. Michael, her current boyfriend, and Victor. I actually didn't mind the love triangle because Dawn wasn't the Oh My Gosh what am I going to do I can't choose kind of girl. So it was A-OKay.

The only bad thing I can say is that when everything was revealed, I had already figured out who everyone was. But, me being me, I was still shocked? lol

The ending, I can't wait to find out what will happened! Will she die or will she be turned?! OR maybe she will survive and be human! I don't know, but I can't wait to find out!

This book was action packed, with some great romance and some awesome characters! I definitely recommend this book to all you dystopian and vampire lovers out there!

Thanks to J.A. London and Halli from HarperCollins Publishers for sending me an ARC of this book for my honest opinion :)!(less)

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May 22, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, for-review, fairies-faerys, arc, book-boyfriends, disappointing, dystopian, love-the-cover, paranormal, paranormal-romance, review, vampires, ya-romance, young-adult

*An ARC was provided by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review*

When I first started this book I loved it. It had huge potential, was fast-paced, and kick-butt. And then it…wasn’t.

This book had everything going for it: plot, idea, setting, everything. And then, it kind of ruined it. The writing was never amazing, but I was willing to overlook that if the other aspects of the book lived up to their full potential. They didn’t. The idea was amazing. I loved the setting, a dystopian world w...more *An ARC was provided by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review*

When I first started this book I loved it. It had huge potential, was fast-paced, and kick-butt. And then it…wasn’t.

This book had everything going for it: plot, idea, setting, everything. And then, it kind of ruined it. The writing was never amazing, but I was willing to overlook that if the other aspects of the book lived up to their full potential. They didn’t. The idea was amazing. I loved the setting, a dystopian world where vampires don’t kill you in exchange for a monthly blood supply. Ingenious. And the story line was really good too, and then…okay, so I’ve done a lot of thinking about this and have finally come to the conclusion that the romance ruined it. Dawn looked like she was going to be the completely kick-ass character that I love…and then she falls in love and gets all helpless. I hate it when the authors do that. And there was one event that really made me angry: Tegan meeting Sin. Literally, they met and then five minutes later they were holding hands. It’s like the authors said “Okay, I don’t feel like putting a lot of effort into this part of the book so they’ll just meet one minute than be making out the next.” It freaking pissed me off. I hate it when authors do that, and the only conclusion I can come to is that they were too lazy to develop the romance. And, what should have been the best part of the book, the ending, fell completely flat. There wasn’t any real build towards it, and it was over like *snaps fingers* that. No, just no. The ending was hugely disappointing.

In the beginning, I loved Dawn. She could take care of herself, knew how to fight, and could use a stake (the things they use to kill vampires). And then…she met Victor. After that, I hated her. First off, when she first meets him, she really likes him because she thinks he’s human. Then, when she finds out he’s a vampire (don’t worry, that isn’t a spoiler) she hates him. Do you see what I’m trying to say? He’s obviously a good guy because he just saved her from five bloodthirsty vamps, but since he’s one himself, she hates him, but if she didn’t know he was one, she’d love him. That. Is. Horrible. And then, after she finally gets past her prejudice and starts liking him, she’s so freaking sappy, I really wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. She was weak, useless, and could only stand around helplessly while Victor fought to the death for her. No, just no.
I will admit that from the second he was introduced, I loved Victor, despite the fact that he’s a vamp. In fact, that made me like him more because he was doing what was right, which is getting rid of the bad vamps. He was cute, sexy, and totally kick-butt. I honestly don’t know why he put up with Dawn the fifty pages she hated him. She was so freaking mean to the poor guy and he was just trying to help her.

I had such high hopes for this book, and at first it lived up to what I expected, and then mean heroines turning weak and totally cute guys putting up with her crap, not to mention the climax, or lack there of, and because of that this book fell flat for me.

~Emily @ Emily's Crammed Bookshelf (less)

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May 20, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: harpercollins

More of my reviews can be found on my blog: Literary Exploration

While it seems like Vampire-Dystopian is on a rise right now, I think it takes a special writer to be able to capture the thrill of such a genre. Darkness Before Dawn is definitely a fast-paced and fun read, but it doesn't live up to the hype of Immortal Rules or even The Hunt. Both books, I thoroughly loved, but this one fell short. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, I didn't find anything special or unique about the characters...more More of my reviews can be found on my blog: Literary Exploration

While it seems like Vampire-Dystopian is on a rise right now, I think it takes a special writer to be able to capture the thrill of such a genre. Darkness Before Dawn is definitely a fast-paced and fun read, but it doesn't live up to the hype of Immortal Rules or even The Hunt. Both books, I thoroughly loved, but this one fell short. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, I didn't find anything special or unique about the characters or story-line. I didn't particularly like any of the characters other than Dawn and Victor, and I wasn't amazed by anything specific. I really wanted to love this book, but I think it was definitely a case where the gorgeous cover outshone the average plot line.

Dawn is definitely a fierce chick. She's tough, living in a world run by vamps, but she's also smart and knows how to take care of herself. She's quick to make decisions, even if they aren't the best ones, and she's the kind of girl who follows her heart and goes after what she wants, despite the consequences. Victor reminded me of a younger combination between all of the swoony True Blood men. He's protective, powerful, smart, practical, genuine, and I could go on forever. Michael, Dawn's boyfriend, just got on my nerves the whole time. He was so protective it was nauseating, crossing the line into possessive on more than one occasion. He also came across as really insecure, throwing his muscle around just to prove a point which is BARF when it comes to guys for me. Dawn's bff Tegan is also a bit of a nuisance - she's incredibly shallow and stupid. I kind of just wanted to slap her most of the time...

The plot line, while fun and fast-paced, is incredibly predictable. At the introduction of almost every character or situation I was able to correctly guess how that was going to turn out. Nothing surprised me, which was definitely a blow to how much I enjoyed the book overall. I can understand coming across a few things that are a tad predictable, but being able to accurately guess what was going to happen at every turn just made the story unoriginal and a bit boring at times. I think the biggest benefit is that I was able to read it quite quickly, almost in one sitting, and the time flew by while I was reading. It's definitely an interesting take on vampires, but I just wish it would have brought more UMPH to the table.

Overall, Darkness Before Dawn, is a fast-paced, entertaining read, but it fell short in bringing me an exciting story-line. I would definitely recommend it if you have a free afternoon and are looking for something easy and quick to read, but don't expect the excitement of True Blood or the unpredictability of Morganville. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of vampires with a twist, especially when a love triangle is thrown in.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-read

Thoughts: I really, really, really enjoyed this one despite its very obvious flaws. A lot of people are judging this one by its cover's similarity to the Fallen series by Lauren Kate (same cover artist, so yeah) and its similarities in premise to The Hunt and Immortal Rules. I say meh! I read The Hunt (well, I started it) and they've got nothing in common. I started the Immortal Rules, too, and was bored to death. Either way, I say give this one a try.

Dawn Montgomery is the delegate between huma...more Thoughts: I really, really, really enjoyed this one despite its very obvious flaws. A lot of people are judging this one by its cover's similarity to the Fallen series by Lauren Kate (same cover artist, so yeah) and its similarities in premise to The Hunt and Immortal Rules. I say meh! I read The Hunt (well, I started it) and they've got nothing in common. I started the Immortal Rules, too, and was bored to death. Either way, I say give this one a try.

Dawn Montgomery is the delegate between humans and vampires, the one in charge of blood negotiations, etc. I loved her! She was well trained in kick-ass-ness but that didn't take away from her vulnerability. She was still frightened by the scary (sort of Anne Ricey) vampires. She was broken by the murders of her parents and her older brother, and that shaped a lot of her opinions about vampires. I thought she was very believable, and probably someone I would want to be friends with.

I thought the world building was intriguing: the walled-in cities, the Night Train, the lack of travel, the trolleys, everything. London (a mother-son collaboration) really embraced the idea of vampiric monsters and I loved the emphasis on the sun's cycles. Her vampires were nothing like what we're used to seeing in YA. They weren't sparkly (lol, I had to) and they weren't cuddly. This seems to be a new direction YA vampire books are taking, and I'm 100% behind it!

This book does include a love triangle but I wouldn't let it deter you. It ends in a surprising way, one that I wouldn't have guessed. The thing that saddened me though, was the way Michael (Dawn's boyfriend) was always compared to Victor. It made Michael seem like a weakling, emasculating him in a way that I thought was unfair. I really like Victor though, and his story really intrigues me. I can't wait to read more about him in the upcoming sequels.

I have two complaints about this book. First of all, I was nearly two hundred pages in before I found a smidgen of a speck of a dust particle of a plot. Halfway through the book, I noticed that while I was loving it, I really didn't know what the plot was. I wish that the story was more evident from the beginning, but I realize that a lot of world and character building had to be done in order for it to be at all believable. My second complaint is one that I notice with a lot of YA. Dawn was only seventeen, still in high school and everything. It really made no sense why she should be chosen as delegate, even if her parents served before her. She was the youngest ever, and even if she was strong and often times very sure of herself, she was in many ways still a kid. Since this novel is sort of dystopic there was no reason for her to be 17. She could have been 19-20 and it would have made more sense. 19-20 is still a young adult (hell, I'm only 22 and I consider myself a young adult. That's what I am!) I feel like the book would have been more believable -- I mean, her 17 year old boyfriend was chosen to be in an elite task force against vampires. How does that make any sense?

In all though, I thought Darkness Before Dawn was thoroughly enjoyable. While the title coupled with our MC's name is a little cheesy, I still found Dawn to be very likable, someone I would want to be around, and someone I definitely would like to continue to read about. I like the characters -- Tegan, Michael and Sin, Dawn's friends (although I'd like to say that Sinclair also known as Sin was a character in Nina Malkin's Swoon series and that bothered me.) The story was enjoyable, and I'm definitely a fan of the more monstrous vampires that seem to be trending in YA right now. Very much recommended.(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Khanh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, kick-ass-heroine, vampires, ya, boring-main-character

It's rather unfair, really. Any post-apocalyptic vampire fiction I read these days pales next to Julie Kagawa's series. Dawn (get it??!! Sunlight! Vampires! Ok, I'm done) is a likeable character. She has had to grow up pretty quickly, becoming the delegation to the city's vampire leader, Lord Valentine, at the very young and unrealistic age of 17. Her parents were killed in an ambush towards the beginning of the book, and it is hinted that Dawn is SPESHUL.

She's not.

I've finished the book and I d...more It's rather unfair, really. Any post-apocalyptic vampire fiction I read these days pales next to Julie Kagawa's series. Dawn (get it??!! Sunlight! Vampires! Ok, I'm done) is a likeable character. She has had to grow up pretty quickly, becoming the delegation to the city's vampire leader, Lord Valentine, at the very young and unrealistic age of 17. Her parents were killed in an ambush towards the beginning of the book, and it is hinted that Dawn is SPESHUL.

She's not.

I've finished the book and I don't know what was so special about Dawn that her family had to be killed. Maybe I missed something crucial; if so, please point it out to me. As far as I'm concerned right now, 10 minute after finishing this book, there is nothing special about Dawn that needed a Big Reveal besides maybe the fact that (view spoiler).

The best friend is a typical annoying-but-well-meaning loud, outgoing, boy-crazy girl, who seems hell-bent on dragging the staid and serious Dawn into trouble. Lila, the bad girl at school is again, beautiful, spoilt girl out to get Dawn's boyfriend and has apparently devoted her life to making Dawn's miserable. There's really nothing special or out of the box about the other characters in the story. There is no redeeming quality to the bad guys that would make them believable or relateable in any way.

Dawn's love interests are also one-dimensional and unrealistic. Her love interest, Michael, has been perfect for Dawn her entire life. They've been childhood friends forever, they fell in love as adolescents, and they've maintained a relationship based on mutual friendship, love, and respect. Of course, all that goes out the window once Dawn meets the bad boy, Victor. The childhood love interest becomes an asshole as soon as she meets and unrealistically falls for the new guy. Out of nowhere, the revered and respected Michael becomes a whiny, clingy little girl who throws tantrums, displays a massive amount of machismo, and fools around with the much-reviled Lila to make Dawn jealous. His actions change so completely in such a short time that I have a hard time believing it.

The relationship between Victor and Dawn is also unbelievable. Victor is powerful and strong, but there is nothing in their few interactions that I felt justifies the fact that Dawn falls for him so quickly. I almost laughed out loud when Victor says that in 400 years, he has never felt this way about anyone but Dawn. Right, say this to a girl he's been with for all of 2 hours since they've known each other. Where I come from, we call that an Edward Cullen.

I should just read shitty books from now on to keep my standards low. (less)

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Apr 11, 2013 Mr. Muesli rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
*SPOILERS*

This book has plenty of potentials. Vampires ruling humans, humans supplying blood to vampires, kick-ass heroine...everything should have given this book additional stars. What makes me refrain from doing so is that almost all the characters are despiteful. Even the heroine turns out not to be so tough halfway through the book.

The only exceptions are the Valentines, both Murdoch Valentine and Victor, whom I appreciate and enjoyed reading.

Wait. I also love Faith and Richard. And I lov...more
*SPOILERS*

This book has plenty of potentials. Vampires ruling humans, humans supplying blood to vampires, kick-ass heroine...everything should have given this book additional stars. What makes me refrain from doing so is that almost all the characters are despiteful. Even the heroine turns out not to be so tough halfway through the book.

The only exceptions are the Valentines, both Murdoch Valentine and Victor, whom I appreciate and enjoyed reading.

Wait. I also love Faith and Richard. And I love every scene of Dawn's meeting with Lord Valentine. So that makes me liking almost all the vampires, and actually despise all the humans. Huh.

Aside from the vampires, I love the setting of Denver and its caged city, the dangerous wastelands beyond the walls, and the constant fear throughout the story. It would have been a thrilling city to imagine, but the whole humans living inside this place doesn't even deserve to live. Dawn is a constant headache, clingy, and makes ruthless decisions. Her brainless best friend always gets into trouble and never learns from mistakes. Michael turns from this strong and cool boyfriend into Edward-ly type guy who is always jealous, over-protective to the point of me rolling my eyes, has this idea of a cheesy puppy love, stupid, inconsiderate, thinks he's tough but he's no more than a jerk, and has more mood swings than any girl I've ever seen. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU DUDE? One star down only because of him.

Truth? I actually screamed, "YES!" when a vampire twist and broke his bones. I'm very glad. He's down to the list of worst characters I've ever read. Though his descriptions did reminded me of Eminem, with a brooding face.

Anyways, the twist near the end caught me off guard, but the revelation of the villain is obvious from the very start. The cliffhanger at the end is obvious trick to make readers buy the next one, but it shouldn't be necessary, really. Overall, I would probably read the second book when it comes out to see more of my favourite vampires.
(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Mutmainna rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Good read for paranormal/vampire lovers.

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE .

I would start off with the positive things first. The story was WONDERFUL. I really really really liked it. Some may say it's a story that is predictable after a few pages or chapters, but I really liked it, no matter what. I am shamelessly partial when reading Gothic or vampire stories, and if that is written in the way the book is, then it's always a thumbs up for me. I loved the dialogues, the setting - almost everything!
There were some minor things I didn't like i...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Christy Rosso rated it 2 of 5 stars

Christy Rosso
Genre: Modern Fantasy (Paranormal Romance)
London, J.A. (2012). Darkness before dawn. New York: HarperTeen.
Format: Print
Selection process: NoveList
http://web.ebscohost.com

London introduces readers to a dystopian earth under the rule of vampires in the first of three books in this planned trilogy featuring Dawn Montgomery, seventeen-year-old delegate to the reigning Lord Valentine, head vampire of Denver, Colorado.
Following a thirty-year war between humans and vampires, the victorio...more Christy Rosso
Genre: Modern Fantasy (Paranormal Romance)
London, J.A. (2012). Darkness before dawn. New York: HarperTeen.
Format: Print
Selection process: NoveList
http://web.ebscohost.com

London introduces readers to a dystopian earth under the rule of vampires in the first of three books in this planned trilogy featuring Dawn Montgomery, seventeen-year-old delegate to the reigning Lord Valentine, head vampire of Denver, Colorado.
Following a thirty-year war between humans and vampires, the victorious vampires divided Earth into a land of city-states. Humans are forced to give regular blood donations to avoid vampires feeding on the population. Citizens routinely carry stakes with them for protection. Yet, blood donations are declining, and human attacks by vampires are increasing. During an attack, Dawn is rescued by handsome and mysterious Victor. Later, she learns that he is really Victor Valentine, son of Lord Valentine, and a vampire.
Dawn’s boyfriend Michael, her best friend Tegan, and her guardian Rachel will not understand the young teen’s friendship with a vampire. As their relationship deepens, Victor reveals his disturbing plans for the future. Dawn continues to hide her knowledge of Victor’s true identity.
Dawn appears as an inexperienced leader and fighter, and often has to rely on Michael and Victor in vampire skirmishes, despite the years of training to fight vampires she has received in school. Some readers may see that as a lack of strength as a female character. Those experienced with paranormal romance may see familiarity in the love triangle that develops. Dawn’s friends seem somewhat stereotypically drawn. Michael is a jealous boyfriend, Tegan is not always a reliable friend, and Sin, the exciting new boy in town, has caught the eye of all the girls. However, Victor and Dawn have a compelling relationship, and London brings an interesting twist to the ending. Readers of paranormal romance may have found a unique new series in Darkness Before Dawn.
Recommend.
(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Bea Turvey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: botm-challenge

Yes! Vampires who are doing what we all know they ought to be doing - controlling the world, corralling humans within walled cities, effectively creating human-blood-bank farms. If you've ever wondered why beings with such phenomenal power and ability would do otherwise then this is the book for you. And yes, there is romance and it is believable. Forget the regular high-school scenario of new girl/boy sees their soulmate, this is far more realistic...except, uh, with vampires.
Dawn (ironic:Vampi...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Veralidiana Sarcosa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book.

I enjoy reading, and always have. Not often does a book strike me like this one did, however. I'm always interested in books that deal with some kind of post-apocalypse, and, better yet, ones that have vampires. He world that this author created wasn't 'nice', per say. It was riveting. The danger-fraught world that was once America is gorgeously described, and I felt as though I was alongside Dawn and her friends.

Lets start with the characters. They were realistic. They weren't perfect...more

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Oct 07, 2012 M A rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, horror, romance-paranormal, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Rating: 4 stars / Grade: B-minus

Disclaimer: I am not a professional reviewer, nor was I solicited for this review. My ebook was purchased at bn.com. I read and comprehended the entire text of this book at least 1 time prior to reviewing.

Spoiler Warning: My reviews generally contain spoilers. I do my best to label them. Read at your own risk.

IN BRIEF: This is a nifty YA dystopian/paranormal romance with just enough originality to “stand out” from the deluge of comparable books flooding the mark...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Kathy Ann Coleman rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish, paranormal-fantasy-romance, young-adult

My Rating: <3
Disappointing.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover."

How often do we, especially as book bloggers, hear that trite old phrase? I know I've heard my share of it. And it cannot be denied that the cover for Darkness Before Dawn is truly lovely. Almost enchanting in it's melancholy, from the position of the model, to the colors, to the swirling title font.

But does what lies within warrant such carefully constructed art? Can the plot, characters, setting and tone come together to make thi...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Marie DeLaRosa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Darkness before Dawn by J.A. London

REVIEW:

Only sunlight can save us.

We built the wall to keep them out, to keep us safe. But it also makes us prisoners, trapped in what's left of our ravaged city, fearing nightfall.

After the death of my parents, it's up to me--as the newest delegate for humanity--to bargain with our vampire overlord. I thought I was ready. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the monsters. Then again, nothing could have prepared me for Lord Valentine . . . or his...more Darkness before Dawn by J.A. London

REVIEW:

Only sunlight can save us.

We built the wall to keep them out, to keep us safe. But it also makes us prisoners, trapped in what's left of our ravaged city, fearing nightfall.

After the death of my parents, it's up to me--as the newest delegate for humanity--to bargain with our vampire overlord. I thought I was ready. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the monsters. Then again, nothing could have prepared me for Lord Valentine . . . or his son. Maybe not all vampires are killers. Maybe it's safe to let one in.

Only one thing is certain: Even the wall is not enough. A war is coming and we cannot hide forever. ~Goodreads Blurb

Darkness Before Dawn, the name itself caught my attention and when I saw the cover (and those who have kept up with me from the beginning know how I am about covers!) I bought the book without hesitation. I have to say I quite liked this book, though I had seen mix reviews on it, I wanted to get my own opinion and feel of it, You know it really is true that each person has their own tastes when it comes to certain things, and Darkness before Dawn is right up my alley.

Young Dawn has be appointed the newest delegate as it falls to her because of who her parents were. Having to negotiate while trying to survive in a world where vampires are very real can be pretty tough, but J.A. London creates Dawn as a strong personality, I can really admire, for once we see some real backbone and spunk in the main female character. After finding out that the one that saved her and her friend from a night that could’ve turned deadly is actually the son of Lord Valentine, she does all she can to avoid him, but something is different and Dawn will begin to wonder are all vampires as bad as she thought.

This book is filled with romance, and the pace is set where you can easily dive in and picks up as you continue to read, though I have to say the ending is a real eye opener, and just when you think you are stuck with such a ending, thankfully, there is a sneak peek into the next book, but it just makes you want more and have more questions to add to your list! I do hope in the second book some of the questions I have are answered.

I give this book a 4.5/5 Bats.
~Marie(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-emmy

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: While predictable, this novel does have some lovable characters and great suspense that will keep readers interested and turning pages.

Opening Sentence: As the carriage rolled across the desolate plains, the assassin slid his gaze over to his traveling companions.

The Review:

Darkness Before Dawn begins with the murder of Denver’s delegates, on Lord Valentine’s orders. Except, only the reader knows it was by Valentine’s command. As far as the...more

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