Nightfall (Dark Age Dawning, #1)

Jul 03, 2011 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-vixen-reviews, first-reads-arcs-won-a-copy, bad-childhood, contemporary, fantasy-paranormal-sci-fi, genetic-mutation, magic-mystical-ability, read-2011, romance, series, were-shifter, to-buy, apocalyptic-post-apocalyptic

*3.5 Stars*

The absolute best thing about this book was the world. I have never read a Romance like it and it rocked my world. It felt so fresh and different from the usual Paranormal Romances. There weren’t any zombies in it (although they sure seemed zombie-like), but it read just like a zombie movie. It had all the tension and excitement inherent to those movies. Because the dawning of the Dark Age was occurring as we were reading the book, we (the reader) faced the same uncertainty and nerves...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Yvonne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Wow, never in a million years would I have imagined I'd love a book this dark and scary. This was unlike anything I have ever read before in the romance genre. Nightfall had two incredible leads and wonderful secondary characters that I'm looking forward to reading more about in books 2 & 3.
This was just off the charts scary and thrilling and steamy as hell.
Thanks for the recommendation Shawna!

Weird Factor - off the charts insane! LOL

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Jun 11, 2011 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of unique PNR with apocalyptic theme & lots of action

Shelves: apocalypse-postapocalyptic-dystopia, carrie-lofty, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, pnr-weres-cats-wolves-shifters, scifi-futuristic-fantasy-misc-pnr, ann-aguirre-ava-gray, im-a-cover-hottie-ho, ellen-connor-dark-age-dawning, rt-book-reviews-top-pick, kindle, hh-disfigured-injured-scarred-ill, hero-cold-cruelbrute-dark-dangerous, hero-brooding, hero-alpha‎, hero-antihero-gamma, captive-kidnapped-hostage-slave, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, heroine-kickass-spirited-strong, heroine-abused-traumatic-past-rape, hero-stalk-me-baby-possessive, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-addict-excon-lawtrouble-thief, hero-walking-hardon, hh-warrior, i-read-kindle, made-me-cry, angsty-dark-heavy-lotsa-drama, psychic-special-abilities-powers, steam-3-hot, exotic-wild-settings-survivor-lovin, hero-redeems-himself-reformed, hero-stud-mantel-hall-of-fame, pnr-occult-magic, paranormal-romance, 2011-reads, enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract, hero-celibate-virgin-virginesque, hh-love-commitment-marriage-phobic, sizable-packages, action-adventure-treasure-hunting, hero-bad-guy-ruthless-villainous, pnr-living-walking-dead-zombies, horror-mystery-suspense-thrillers, hero-military-war-veteran, hero-recluse-loner-lonewolf, 4-to-5-stars, best-faves-of-2011, badass-kickass-motha-fucka, violence-reader-discretion-advised, action-packed, hero-dark-scary-cool-dangerous-dude

4 ½-5 stars – Post-Apocalyptic/Paranormal Romance

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Sep 16, 2012 Sunny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, favorite-series, girls-who-kick-a, own, über-alpha, reviews

When I think of this book, one word comes to mind “PRIMAL.” In this book, the world gets pared down to the most fundamental levels - finesse is out, luxury is out, technology is out. People and animals survive on instinct.

The premise and setting of this story is dark. Ellen Connor does amazing job building a world in which the characters survive by a thread. There are threats all around them - starvation, death due to freezing cold temperatures, transformation by being bitten by one of the rabi...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, pnr-uf, series-opener

Just about 4 stars. This is my first experience with this genre, a romance, sub-classified with dystopian, apocalyptic, paranormal, and shapeshifter tags. It is foremost a romance -- the relationship drives the plot. First book in the trilogy. Set a few years in the future, in Oregon.

Some gripes notwithstanding (see below), it was good! A page turner! I sympathized with and/or admired / enjoyed some of the characters. I was surprised and delighted by some of the plot shifts -- one in particular....more

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Oct 31, 2011 ~Megan~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dangerous-dudes, shifters-werewolves, shifters-other, psychics-paranormal-powers, pnr-uf

Enjoyed this post-apocalyptic journey a lot! It very different than I thought it would be at the beginning, but it ended up exceeding my expectations. It felt very cinematic with tons of action and peril. I wish there had been a little more background given, and just a tad more character development. I am looking forward to the next books in the series!

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Jul 06, 2011 Jesslyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: z2011-kindle-reads, reviewed, cat-pnr-fantasy, cat-series-ongoing

I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this way more than I did because I loved the premise.

The urban fantasy storyline worked for me. A changing world with failure of tech and the beginning rise of magic, a group of people trying to survive in the new world--all good. What didn't work for me was the romance angle.

Let me comment on Mason first. I really don't care for the tortured hero love interest--ugh. It just seems dated; that is my bias so I tried to look past that to the elements of the...more I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this way more than I did because I loved the premise.

The urban fantasy storyline worked for me. A changing world with failure of tech and the beginning rise of magic, a group of people trying to survive in the new world--all good. What didn't work for me was the romance angle.

Let me comment on Mason first. I really don't care for the tortured hero love interest--ugh. It just seems dated; that is my bias so I tried to look past that to the elements of the relationship as far as romance. We never see any real reason why these two cared about each other. There is no real dialogue or getting to know each other nor is there a significant passage of time to account for it.

Because of this I spent way too much time rolling my eyes (one fell out, lol) or yelling "give or a break" or the ever popular "Really?" You can check out my Kindle highlight/outbursts comment here: https://kindle.amazon.com/profile/Jes....

Another issue with the romance was that it seemed like the romance was forced in. The story would be rolling along and then the characters would engage in some badly timed kissing or sex. I'm assuming this was to illustrate how great their passion for each other was, but it didn't work for me.

NON PLOT SPOILER
I shit you not, at one point, they were trekking through the woods filled with zombie wolves and stopped to have a passionate argument followed by some kissing. If it had been a book instead of my Kindle, book would have met wall.

This book was a collaboration between Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty which I found out after I finished, and it felt like it. I don't know how they divided the work, but it felt like one did the PNR and one the UF.

Despite that rant, there were elements that I liked and I will probably get the upcoming books in this series (AFTER I Kindle sample them). I LOVED the fact that this was a complete story with no cliffhanger ending. I am also intrigued enough by the magic aspects and how it will develop in the future books with the passage of time.

The next book is three years after the event in Nightfall and the third book takes place twelve years later. That is absolutely brilliant thinking and give the writers huge leeway in world building.

I would recommend this book to PNR fans and give it a solid C.(less)

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Jun 10, 2011 CarisKicker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, romance, post-apocalyptic

3.5

I really loved the premise of this book, most of it is action packed, intense and vivid.

Without giving spoilers, I had problems with the consistency of the world building that began with the prologue. Because of that I had a hard time immersing myself in this book.

If you can get beyond that and 'buy' the cause of the apocalypse and the re-emergence magic and the death of some science - you will find that this book does have a ton of action, vivid details (though sometimes over the top) and I...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr

Favorite Quote: “If survival means kissing somebody who smells like you, I want no part of it.”

The world is coming to an end. Changing in ways people can not comprehend – and that is if you can live to see tomorrow. Technology is failing. Cars won’t start. And maybe the scariest, there are what people refer to as demon dogs - hunting, eating, and devastating the human population. It started in eastern Europe and has slowly made its way west. Because there is no communication, and worse, not many...more Favorite Quote: “If survival means kissing somebody who smells like you, I want no part of it.”

The world is coming to an end. Changing in ways people can not comprehend – and that is if you can live to see tomorrow. Technology is failing. Cars won’t start. And maybe the scariest, there are what people refer to as demon dogs - hunting, eating, and devastating the human population. It started in eastern Europe and has slowly made its way west. Because there is no communication, and worse, not many people left who have survived this apocalypse, the people in the western United States do not know what is headed for them. Except Mason. Mason met up with a man named Mitch Barclay when he was young. Mitch was crazy to most people, spouting off crazy theories about the world ending. But Mason listened, and then watched as a demon dog killed him. The last thing Mitch asks of Mason is to save his daughter when the time comes.

That is how Mason ends up kidnapping the unknowing Jenna one night in Oregon. Jenna knows the world isn’t exactly a safe place, but she never thought danger lurked out by her mailbox. Mason ties her up, and takes her to a secluded cabin in the woods. It is here where she first is angry and upset that she has been kidnapped. But it is also here where she witnesses the demon dogs up close. Sees what they can actually do to a human. She learns of Mitch and Mason’s relationship, and they bunker down for a long cold winter.

But they aren’t going to be alone for long. A group of five strangers show up at their cabin door, pleading for a safe place to stay. Low on food already and patience Mason wants nothing to do with them but Jenna’s heart is too big to turn them away. Together, this misfit group must face a new world.

Nightfall is the first book in the Dark Age of Dawning series by Ellen Connor (aka the writing team of Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty). Dark, intense, and downright scary, this book is pretty full of awesome. The world they have created just might give you nightmares, but I also bet you won’t be able to put this book down. The fear that comes off these characters, as they try to outwit these viscous beings can be felt off the pages. These demon dogs were actually once human. Some even shift to somewhat of a human if killed. But there is no humanity in these dogs. They need to eat, and they have ways of communicating with each other. Towns, cities, even states have been wiped out. Mason, an ex-marine becomes this little group’s leader. Having knowledge and warnings from Jenna’s father years ago, he is somewhat prepared to lead this group. Jenna is more the heart. She is strong, and level headed, but she also is kind and is the glue that holds these strangers together.

We also meet Tru, a teenager who is quick to throw an insult, but deep down is just as unsure about himself than every other teenager. He is good with a gun and becomes Mason’s second. We also have the 44 year old Angela, with her young daughter, Penelope who never speaks, but eerie things happen with her as the book progresses.

There are some gruesome scenes in this book, where my eyes went very wide (I may never look at a spider the same way again). When a demon dog bites you, you don’t necessarily turn into one of them but you turn into…something. As Jenna and Mason run through a town, they see dead half-human half-other animal people everywhere. At the core of this book is a story of survival. And accepting the fact that life will never go back to “normal.” Throughout their struggle, Mason and Jenna have this very intense romance. Mason likes to be in charge, and likes everything to go his way. Even though their attraction is very evident between them, Jenna refuses to proceed with it until Mason gives her something back. And boy is he stubborn. However, I love that the romance is just as hard and even dark like the book is.

There are some crazy twists in this one, especially towards the end. For as much action and suspense we get in this book, I kind of wish it was a little longer. Or the ramifications that happen to certain characters were explored more. I love this book, but I wanted a little more at the end. I kind of expected this to be more of an urban fantasy series, but instead, the next book is about a supporting character. I don’t’ want to be done with Jenna and Mason yet. There is still so much to explore.

That being said, I’m very excited to see where Ellen Connor takes us in this world. There is much to be explored and the last two books of this trilogy feature characters you meet here.

Rating: B+(less)

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Jul 08, 2011 Nefertiti rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars-or-more

*This book was free through Amazon.com's Kindle Program, but now $9.99*

Nightfall is a book about the end of the world as we know it. Technology has failed and magic is returning to the world. It's not a transitioning world, like in the Kate Daniels series, but a complete return to the Dark Ages.

I like the main characters, Jenna and John Mason, but Jenna fell into line a little too quickly, considering how doubtful and stubborn she was. Outside of that, I thought this was a great beginning to a...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalypse-now, dystopia, shifters-i-d-love-to-were, paranormal-romance, ava-gray, hey-look-what-i-can-do, library, dark-age-dawning, warrior-dudes, badass-hero

4.5 stars

'Nightfall', the first in the 'Dark Age Dawning' trilogy, is a joint writing venture from Ann Aguirre (aka Ava Gray) and Carri Lofty under the pen name Ellen Connor. Usually, I'm not a huge fan of collaborative books - I find they often lack cohesion - and I generally try to avoid them, but I found the concept of this particular trilogy so intriguing I decided to go for it anyways. Boy, am I glad I did!

The world that "Ellen Connor" has created is both terrifying and gripping. Essential...more 4.5 stars

'Nightfall', the first in the 'Dark Age Dawning' trilogy, is a joint writing venture from Ann Aguirre (aka Ava Gray) and Carri Lofty under the pen name Ellen Connor. Usually, I'm not a huge fan of collaborative books - I find they often lack cohesion - and I generally try to avoid them, but I found the concept of this particular trilogy so intriguing I decided to go for it anyways. Boy, am I glad I did!

The world that "Ellen Connor" has created is both terrifying and gripping. Essentially, an apocalypse is well underway and the last vestiges of Western civilization are succumbing as unknown magical forces envelope the world. With all but the most rudimentary technologies failing, people are isolated and are unprepared for the new dark age dawning. Although most were ignorant of the impending change, one doomsday prophet, largely ignored, secured a promise from a man, Mason, who could save his daughter, Jenna, in the dark days to come. Mason grabs Jenna in the nick of time and whisks her away to an isolated cabin to wait out the change. Soon their party of two becomes eight and they all must learn to survive, trust one another, and retain their humanity in the face of the horrors that surround them.

The main focus of this novel, as a romance, is on Jenna and Mason. While the world building is amazing in 'Nightfall', character develop is far from perfect. I found it hard to connect with both hero and heroine in the beginning and their inability to trust one another became tedious at times... but by the end I was feeling the chemistry between them. Time also was a bit hard to judge in this novel. While it was evident that the author's were trying to convey that this story takes place over many months, it didn't really read that way to me, mostly because time passage changed from one paragraph to the next in some cases. Nevertheless, I still really liked this book and am clamoring to read the next one... Now that we've been largely introduced to the major players and this scarily enthralling world, I hope the two remaining books flow a bit more smoothly.

(less)

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Oct 25, 2011 CaroB rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 stars.
The story is fast-paced and action-packed. The characters meet as strangers and struggle together to stay alive on the brink of a world that has irrevocably changed. Winter comes and there is no technology, death all around, monsters come to life and magic stirs.

It's been a little while since I've read a whole book in almost one sitting. The premise of this story snagged me from the prologue, and the action kept me hooked long after bedtime. The characters were fleshed-out well during...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Smash added it

Shelves: read-2011, book-reviews, paranormal-romance, review-request-complete, dystopian-post-ap, read-own-hardcopy

Read this review at Smash Attack Reads: http://www.smashattackreads.com/2011/...

4.5 hoots

I could tell immediately that I would enjoy this book. Someone mentioned on Twitter not long ago that they enjoy the Dystopian genre but really wanted to read something post-apocalyptic. In other words, they wanted to read a book that took place right after major catastrophe that changes the world forever. Well, I gotta say…this is the book! It was refreshing to read a post-apocalyptic storyline, even though...more Read this review at Smash Attack Reads: http://www.smashattackreads.com/2011/...

4.5 hoots

I could tell immediately that I would enjoy this book. Someone mentioned on Twitter not long ago that they enjoy the Dystopian genre but really wanted to read something post-apocalyptic. In other words, they wanted to read a book that took place right after major catastrophe that changes the world forever. Well, I gotta say…this is the book! It was refreshing to read a post-apocalyptic storyline, even though I love the dystopian genre.

We first meet Jenna Barclay, daughter of nutty end-of-the-world prophet, Mitch Barclay, as a mysterious man holds her to gunpoint and kidnaps her. A crazy way to begin a story, but you soon learn that the kidnapper, Mason, isn’t a maniacal rapist. He’s only keeping a promise to Mitch, the same nut-job who provided him with the only semblance of family. Mitch asked Mason to keep Jenna safe when the shit hits the fan, as she will prove to be invaluable in the new Dark Age. And let me just say, the shit hath hitteth the fan.

Holed up in a cabin on the outskirts of town, Jenna slowly realizes that Mason might be speaking truth, as he produces a letter from her father, addressed to her. In the letter, Mitch explains everything. The Dark Age of Magic is real, and Jenna must survive it. Jenna and Mason are anything but friendly towards one another in the beginning, and even less so when Jenna cannot turn away a group of desperate people that Mason otherwise feels are dead weight. The group eventually decides to find the one sole survivor broadcasting over analog radio, which means leaving the safety of their cabin into the terrifying and extremely hazardous-to-your-life unknown. The party of characters have a dangerous, horrifying trek ahead of them, and their numbers undoubtedly dwindle. They fight their way through terrifying beasties in order to stay alive and save the human race.

The magical, twisted, foul creatures in this story were quite horrifying, and the scenes where human and beastie meet are nail-bitters! There is a serious twist to the story and it hit me like a Mack truck. I was not expecting it, whatsoever, and I must admit that I really enjoyed the turn in the story. It worked. It felt right and made this interesting, terrifying story even more intriguing. In the midst of mayhem, love blooms with passionate ferocity. I really enjoyed as Jenna and Mason fought their feelings for each other, and then I really enjoyed their fight to remain together. Great chemistry.

This book has a bit of everything: horror, romance, action, desperation, suspense, gore, tragedy, sex, and humanity. If you like post-apocalyptic / dystopian fantasy fiction, I think this one will be a great addition to your bookshelf. I thoroughly look forward to the sequel.(less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: z-read-in-2011, post-apocalyptic

First in a stunning new post-apocalyptic paranormal romance trilogy.

Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her-one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.

The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna's father. Skilled and steadfast, he

...more

First in a stunning new post-apocalyptic paranormal romance trilogy.

Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her-one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.

The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna's father. Skilled and steadfast, he's ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack-vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong.

When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion-a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

An unusual choice of reading material for me - I'm not a fan of post-apocalyptic themes, something about them is simply not attractive at all. But I'm glad I made an exception this time.

Mason is wonderful - a total alpha male, with communication issues. He doesn't want to get involved, but resisting Jenna is hard, and since he made a promise to her father he can't leave either. He is ready for the Dark Age, after all he spent most of his life preparing for this - but now he has 7 other people depending on him, and he isn't happy at all.

Jenna's life had definitely turned upside down - well, hers and those of the rest of humanity. Luckily for her, she has a hero who will protect her with his life - but she isn't sure she wants him.

I like both Jenna and Mason, but there a tiny thing that bothered me. (view spoiler)

I can see the things about post-apocalyptic novels that attract people. But I have to admit that the thought of the entire civilization gone scares me and makes me uncomfortable.

The ending itself is perfect IMO. (view spoiler)

Rating:

4.5 stars(less)

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Nov 24, 2011 MandyM rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, scifi-and-fantasy

4.25 stars Excellent mix of apocalyptic horror and paranormal romance. This book is like going to the movies. Adrenaline-packed action, fresh take on the werewolf genre, and great characters.

After the world falls into darkness, Jenna is kidnapped by a man who is sent by her late father Mitchell. Mason is a soldier, rescued from the streets by Jenna's father and trained to face the coming apocalypse. Mitchell only asked one thing of him, 'Save my daughter'. Mason takes her to the woods where they...more 4.25 stars Excellent mix of apocalyptic horror and paranormal romance. This book is like going to the movies. Adrenaline-packed action, fresh take on the werewolf genre, and great characters.

After the world falls into darkness, Jenna is kidnapped by a man who is sent by her late father Mitchell. Mason is a soldier, rescued from the streets by Jenna's father and trained to face the coming apocalypse. Mitchell only asked one thing of him, 'Save my daughter'. Mason takes her to the woods where they fight off bands of vicious mutant dogs while adding other survivors to their group.

I totally loved the horror elements in this book. Echoes of Stephen King, Ilona Andrews, and the movies 28 Days Later and Resident Evil . There aren't any zombies here but the slavering, mindless, dog-like beasts sure are similar.

The secondary characters are excellent. In fact calling them secondary is doing them a disservice because they achieve such growth through the course of the book. Tru (my favourite) is a goth teen misfit who comes into his own and shows his true mettle in the face of danger. Chris is a scientist whose intelligence helps the troupe survive. Ange is a mum who would do anything to save her daughter.

There were a couple of weaker points for me. One was in the history of the apocalypse. I had trouble believing that the rest of the world would pretty much just hunker down and ignore things when Europe, then Asia etc, then the east coast of the U.S. etc started disappearing off the grid.

Secondly when the two MC's are starting to feel their attraction I found Jenna's hot/cold actions and insistence on talking about their feelingsto be off-putting. However this settles down once they do the deed. By the end of the book I really felt their bond. The romance is solid but the story and the secondary characters are what really shine.

This book is the first in a trilogy by writing duo Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty. The second book is about Chris and the third book due for release in early December is about Tru!(less)

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Oct 30, 2011 Aemelia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ellen Connor, the fantastic collaboration of authors Ann Aguirre/Ava Gray and Carrie Lofty, debuts a novel that successfully sucked me into the vortex of a fascinating new series. NIGHTFALL was an extraordinary introduction to a new post-Apocalyptic mythical world.

Jenna and Mason's chemistry was explosive, not only sexually, but also their personalities as they learned the keys of working together. Mason's unexpected vulnerability, added an emotional complexity to his otherwise stoic personality...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Amber rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, read-in-2011

I received this for free at the SD Comic Con over the summer. Romance isn't my usual genre, but I was willing to take a chance on it because it was a post-apocalyptic story and I usually go for those. Yeah... this book is pretty much an example of why I avoid romance novels on the whole.

I've always tended to think that most romance novels are pretty much the women's equivalent of porn, and overall, this novel really only strengthened that opinion. Much like the plot of porn movies, setting and r...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Book Binge Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, for-review, berkley

Jenna Barclay is kidnapped and taken to a cabin where she is told by Mason - a man who she thinks is crazier than a loon - that the world is gonna end. She wishes that she'd never heard it before but unfortunately her father, when he was around, spouted the same crap and she just didn't want to hear it. Sure, Europe hadn't been heard from in a while and the east coast had it's share of trouble but the government had assured the people west of the Mississippi that all would be well. Why would she...more Jenna Barclay is kidnapped and taken to a cabin where she is told by Mason - a man who she thinks is crazier than a loon - that the world is gonna end. She wishes that she'd never heard it before but unfortunately her father, when he was around, spouted the same crap and she just didn't want to hear it. Sure, Europe hadn't been heard from in a while and the east coast had it's share of trouble but the government had assured the people west of the Mississippi that all would be well. Why would she assume that they were wrong?

Jenna soon finds out that the government was way wrong. Basically the apocalypse has arrived and because of Mason, she's survived it. When five others show up at the cabin door Mason is ready to let them die - not only in the coming winter but by the "demon dogs" that are tearing humans apart. Jenna shows them compassion and ends up letting them in. Unfortunately they can't last out the winter with the food they have on hand, even with strict rations. They head to a local nature station where there is heat and provisions but in the process they have to face the demon dogs.

What are the demon dogs exactly? Well, they're not really sure but they do know that they were created by the magic that is now in the world and that they used to be humans. They've lost all sense of humanity and now exist only to survive. That means eating humans if they have to for food.

Only 5 of the seven make it to the nature station where they meet up with Chris Welsh. Chris is happy to have someone to talk to but is quite upset with the talk of magic as he is a scientist. So how does he explain the demon dogs and how does he explain that they are now working as a team to try and infiltrate the nature station so that they can get to the humans. And what happens when one of their own is bitten by one of the demon dogs?

I had heard good things about this book when it cam out so was very much looking forward to reading it. But in all honesty I really skimmed the reviews because I wanted no spoilers. Well I probably should have read them more thoroughly because I would have been better prepared for what I was in store for. By that I mean that yes, this is a romance but it was one of the bloodiest romances I've ever read.

The story is quite startling in its descriptiveness of people dying and being torn apart by the demon dogs - as well as what happens to the humans when they don't die right away. But I think that's one of the things that made me like the book so much - it seemed so much more realistic for the graphic aspect of the story.

Despite the horrifying things that happen in the story there's also a romance between Mason and Jenna that is quite touching. It's definitely not your typical romance but one that got down to the nitty gritty of their personalities quite quickly and brought out the best in the pair. Mason was a tougher nut to crack but it was definitely a pleasure seeing him shed his hard outer shell.

Besides the scientist Chris, we also got to meet Penny, a 9 year old girl who has some strange abilities (did she have any before this apocalypse, I wonder?) and Tru, a 15 year old boy who seems at first to be all talk but in the end finds himself becoming a man. There are a few other characters in the story but these are the ones that really caught my eye.

In the end a really great book that I couldn't put down. The next book, Midnight, comes out on Sept. 6th and I can't wait to dive in when it releases.

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Tracy.(less)

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Jun 27, 2011 Oflo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was looking for something interesting, some new twist on the Urban Fantasy genre. Ellen Connor has a great twist. I do so love an apocalyptic world and couple it with magic and I'm in hog heaven. Or nerd heaven... whichever. What bothered me about Nightfall was that it left much to the imagination. It's told from the perspective of those going through it, swapping between the narrative voices of the two protagonists and sometimes the side characters. They are living so YOU are living it. While...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Carien rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, post-apocalyptic, pnr

I will confess I expected this book to be all romance with a small side order of paranormal action, especially as it's classified as Paranormal Romance. But being an absolute sucker for post-apocalyptic settings and knowing one of the two authors behind the name Ellen Connor was Ann Aguirre (the other being Carrie Lofty), I was curious enough to want to give this book a try.

And I was proven wrong in my assumptions once again!

This book is a seriously awesome post apocalyptic adventure and totally...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Janeen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Enclave was one of my five star (most enjoyed) reads this year, but at one point, I was ready to give this book two stars. Thankfully, it improved. I liked the premise: post apocalyptic, one character sworn to protect the other. I got it for my kindle, so I did not even have to deal with the cheesetastic cover. What drove me crazy at the beginning was that we would be following one character's perspective, moving along, moving along, and then that character would have a direct thought or begin s...more

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Jun 18, 2011 MaryBookSwarm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-debut-author

Positive: Jenna. Despite being kidnapped and dragged off to a remote cabin in the woods, she holds it together. She's the one who forces Mason to open the door to some survivors and holds them all together when the beasts attack. She's the one who pushes them all to survive, despite the odds. A strong, well-written character.

Positive: The tone of the whole story. It's dark. Very dark. The magic's back but those who are evil adjust to the magic first, leaving those who are good to fend for themse...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Christi Snow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full review to come...

Full review reposted from my Smitten with Reading blog...

My Review:
I have read a lot of the YA dystopian novels and have really enjoyed them so I was looking forward to this adult version of the end of the world. It did not disappoint.

Jenna always thought that her father, who constantly prophesied about the end of the world, was crazy. So when one of her father's followers, Mason, kidnaps her from her home, she thinks that he's crazy too... That is until devil dogs attack t...more Full review to come...

Full review reposted from my Smitten with Reading blog...

My Review:
I have read a lot of the YA dystopian novels and have really enjoyed them so I was looking forward to this adult version of the end of the world. It did not disappoint.

Jenna always thought that her father, who constantly prophesied about the end of the world, was crazy. So when one of her father's followers, Mason, kidnaps her from her home, she thinks that he's crazy too... That is until devil dogs attack them. Suddenly the prophesies don't seem quite so far-fetched and Jenna finds herself relying and trusting Mason to keep her alive and safe.

Mason has learned how to survive in this new world the hard way. His entire team died and although Mason managed to stay alive, he's never let himself get attached to anyone again...until Jenna.

There is a lot to this book. It starts out very simply with Jenna and Mason alone in the cabin in the woods, basically just waiting out the changes happening in the world and trying to learn how to get along. Then 5 strangers show up on their doorstep (which Jenna lets in against Mason's wishes) and suddenly survival is going to take more. The action and the suspense starts to really pick up from there.

Jenna and Mason share a special magical connection. As they become closer and come to rely on each other more, they realize that they can speak to each other telepathically. This is just one of the magical aspects to this new world. Others include: the glow from the changed devil dogs, the little girl Penny (I cannot wait to hear more of her story,) and the electrically charged atmosphere. A lot of these remain a mystery as to the "why's" and I am hoping some answers will be included in the upcoming other two novels of the trilogy.

In this book, it takes a long time for Jenna and Mason to finally connect and I really like that about it. Life is crazy and, for a lot of the story, esp. when they first are together, they really are not too happy to be stuck with each other, but then the telepathic bond happens and they start to connect on a more emotional level. I liked the believability of that relationship arc. And I really liked them once they got together. Things get really emotional for them quick and you all know that I like some good angst to a story...this one is good for that.

I really, really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next two coming out at the end of the year...
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Jun 15, 2011 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalypt-paranorm-romantic-suspens

3 ½ stars. Above average for romantic suspense with lots of adrenaline excitement in an apocalyptic and magic world.

STORY BRIEF:
The author name Ellen Connor consists of a writing team of two people (Ann Aguirre/Ava Gray and Carrie Lofty). They were inspired by the bad-ass female sci-fi characters in The Terminator and Alien movies. The name Connor is from the character Sarah Connor in The Terminator. Ellen is from Ellen Ripley in Alien. This book has a feeling like the Terminator movie: the apoc...more 3 ½ stars. Above average for romantic suspense with lots of adrenaline excitement in an apocalyptic and magic world.

STORY BRIEF:
The author name Ellen Connor consists of a writing team of two people (Ann Aguirre/Ava Gray and Carrie Lofty). They were inspired by the bad-ass female sci-fi characters in The Terminator and Alien movies. The name Connor is from the character Sarah Connor in The Terminator. Ellen is from Ellen Ripley in Alien. This book has a feeling like the Terminator movie: the apocalyptic state on earth with dangerous creatures (demon dogs) trying to kill all humans. This story is a small group of humans trying to survive. Anything with computer technology no longer works including most cars. The only method of communication is the old fashioned analog radio – but the established radio stations are not broadcasting. The reader gets the feeling that there are no humans left in the cities – and any who survived are doing so like the group we are reading about.

Years ago Jenna’s father Mitch was predicting this apocalyptic disaster. Mason was a troubled teen who was taken in and helped by Mitch. Mitch trained Mason to prepare for it. Before he died Mitch asked Mason to promise to take care of his daughter Jenna when it happened. Now the event has happened. There’s no time to explain so Mason kidnaps Jenna, tying her up and taking her to his cabin in the forest. Having seen the demon dogs she now understands. Mason has enough food for the two of them to stay in the cabin for the winter. Then a group of five people arrive at the cabin asking for help. Mason is reluctant but Jenna lets them in and insists they stay. They discover a scientist Chris at a research station several miles away. He is broadcasting on an old radio saying he has plenty of food. The group decides to travel to Chris. Mason gives everyone guns and ammo to shoot the demon dogs along the way.

There is magic involved. When someone is bit by a demon dog, they react in different ways. Some become demon dogs, some die, others become shape shifters. One of the group is a little girl Penny who has magic abilities.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This was ok as an escape, slightly above average. It felt like an action movie – lots of action and suspense. The plot is simple - good guys fighting bad guys. There were some sex scenes – I liked the first one best – sex after adrenaline stress. The others were pretty good. I liked the happy ending – it was fulfilling. There’s an interesting collection of characters. I enjoyed Tru the most because he changed the most. He had been a self-mutilating (cutting) Goth kid. But put him in this dangerous world of kill or be killed and he became an excellent shooter, strong, reliable, and heroic. I liked seeing his change.

To give something 4 stars I want to feel “I really like it” at the end which was not my feeling. But it was still good.

DATA:
Story length: 327 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 5. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: mid 21st century Oregon and the Rocky Mountains. Copyright: 2011. Genre: apocalyptic paranormal romantic suspense.(less)

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Jun 10, 2011 Roxanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars

I loved this book! The whole post-apocalyptic/magic thingy going on was pure genius.

OK so the book starts off with Jenna getting kidnapped, tied up and throw in the boot of her car but some unknown man. This man turns out to be a friend of her deceased father who was a little crazy and always spouting end of the world tales. Mason owed his life to her father Mitch and promised he would take Jenna away and protect her when technology failed and magic started warping people and animals. After a f...more I loved this book! The whole post-apocalyptic/magic thingy going on was pure genius.

OK so the book starts off with Jenna getting kidnapped, tied up and throw in the boot of her car but some unknown man. This man turns out to be a friend of her deceased father who was a little crazy and always spouting end of the world tales. Mason owed his life to her father Mitch and promised he would take Jenna away and protect her when technology failed and magic started warping people and animals. After a failed escape attempt Jenna agrees to a truce with Mason, which results in them brooding and trying to avoid the building sexual tension in a cooped up log cabin.

This doesn't last long, eventually other survivors find their cabin and want shelter, Jenna lets them in against Mason's orders and then realizes they haven't got the food to feed everyone. So what's the only thing to do??? Find alternate supplies and brave the beast invested forests. These creepy magical creatures seriously gave me shivers down my spine, there's also the small problem of getting bitten, which leads to turning into another crazy magic beasty.

I adored Jenna, she's smart and isn't prone to having panic attacks while running for her life like some heroines I've read about, Mason is a deliciously handsome Alpha male who protects what is his even though he won't admit he actually wants Jenna for majority of the book. At first the secondary characters annoyed me, they seemed ungrateful and moody when Mason and Jenna basically saved their lives, but as the story goes on they each come out of their shell. Tru was one of my favorite, he tries to play the moody, goth teenager who doesn't care what people think, but deep down he just wants to be respected and appreciated. I really cannot wait for his book to come out in December.

I loved the action and chase scenes, these two authors have managed to pack so much tension into every scene that I was biting my nails the whole time, and lets not forget the hot sex scenes...oh boy! This promises to be a fantastic series, loved every moment. (less)

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May 25, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nightfall by Ellen Connor
Paranormal Romance - June 7th, 2011
4 stars

Nightfall is the first in a three futuristic romance book series by Ellen Connor (AKA Ann Aguirre). In this first book, magic has taken over technology and a deadly and mysterious illness creates bloodthirsty packs out for human food!

Jenna moved to a nice, quiet town. After growing up in an unstable family, she savors the peace, quiet and safety of her new world. When she was young, her crazy father tore her family apart with hi...more Nightfall by Ellen Connor
Paranormal Romance - June 7th, 2011
4 stars

Nightfall is the first in a three futuristic romance book series by Ellen Connor (AKA Ann Aguirre). In this first book, magic has taken over technology and a deadly and mysterious illness creates bloodthirsty packs out for human food!

Jenna moved to a nice, quiet town. After growing up in an unstable family, she savors the peace, quiet and safety of her new world. When she was young, her crazy father tore her family apart with his wild conspiracy theories. He kept thinking that the world was ending and tried to prepare his young daughter for the apocalypse. When communication from the East stops and mysterious rumors circulated, Jenna is worried but not frightened until she is kidnapped by a mysterious man from her own home!

Mason was saved by Jenna’s father, and he promised the man to take care of Jenna should danger threaten her. When he hears disturbing news, he kidnaps her to a cabin hideaway to hold out against the evil magic spreading throughout their world. To a man who only knows survival, Jenna’s sassy spirit calls to him. But can he protect her from what is coming?

This was an intense book as the two main character fight for survival and learn to warily trust and then love each other. This is complicated by the addition of other survivors who seek their help and lean heavily upon them for aid. As they try to evade the hungry predators that eat human flesh, they must make some terrible decisions. This book is a gritty dark fantasy. Some of the details about how magic is taking over technology isn’t fully explained by the author but it does make the hard and desperate choices they make to survive feel very real and vivid. Jenna is very relatable as her world is turned upside down, Mason takes a while longer to understand as he is a bit mysterious.

Dark, gritty and full of some very exciting situations, this is a solid book with a lot of potential. Once the paranormal aspects/world building are more fully developed, I think it will be even better. However, I still prefer Ann Aguirre’s Grimspace futuristic series more.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
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Feb 10, 2012 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-romance, paranormal-romance

Nightfall—A Dark Age Dawning Novel by Ellen Connor
I have to say I’m not usually one for post-apocalyptic storylines…it tends to severely cut into the happy ending potential of a story arc. It was then with a hint of surprise that I found this book such an engaging read. Whether it was the fact that we tune in during the “end of the world as we know it” phase in this book instead of after it all goes to hell in a hand basket, or just the widening of my personal reading purview is hard to say. I c...more Nightfall—A Dark Age Dawning Novel by Ellen Connor
I have to say I’m not usually one for post-apocalyptic storylines…it tends to severely cut into the happy ending potential of a story arc. It was then with a hint of surprise that I found this book such an engaging read. Whether it was the fact that we tune in during the “end of the world as we know it” phase in this book instead of after it all goes to hell in a hand basket, or just the widening of my personal reading purview is hard to say. I can say however, that Nightfall, book one in The Dark Age Dawning Trilogy, managed to pull me through a rapidly disintegrating world that built my interest in both characters and setting alike; the world inside these pages might indeed have been crumbling but my interest was far from falling apart.
We open this makeshift masterpiece with a quick history lesson; Eastern Europe and the Eastern United States are in blackout. No communications and an atmosphere rife with speculations about everything from nuclear reactor meltdowns to the rapture. The West New United Stated tried the ostrich approach to coping, to predictable results. It comes as no surprise then (especially to those who have read the back cover) that when we meet out protagonist, Jenna, she is in the midst of getting kidnapped by our reluctant hero, Mason. His avowed goal is to save her from the coming magical apocalyptic, the repayment of a promise made to her late father who had predicted the coming catastrophe. Jenna is less than thrilled with the situation; until the truth of the changing world hunts her through the woods. When disbelieving fails her she is forced to face the truth and make the best of the situation, however when other survivors land on their doorstep she makes the decision to let them into the haven her captor-turned-savior has made, and the course of the future finds itself in flux. To say Mason was against this choice would be too simplistic; he wanted to survive, and with a soldier’s training saw the extra bodies as liabilities. Tension is bound to erupt, and thus our motley crew was mostly assembled.
Ms. Connor pulls off an impressive balancing act in this book by creating relatable characters that we get to know and like but not shying away from the fact that with chaos threatening there are going to be causalities; not everyone survives a re-ordering of the world. I felt the almost inevitability of loss as our story progressed; at least one of the characters that ends up not making it I had gotten to know and like, but I don’t know that it ripped my heart out. By shifting the viewpoint between Janna and Mason the tone of this work tempered between Mason’s military survival mode and Jenna’s compassionate humanism. To me the stand-out supporting character was Tru, the teenage goth who had to grow up in a hurry. I am thrilled that the third book in this trilogy has cast him as a protagonist and I have every intention of picking up both the second and third books in this series.
I may still not be big on apocalyptic settings, but Nightfall did prove to me that it is possible to have a book that faces the end of the world and still has a happy ending.
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Jan 30, 2012 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic

The story is opened with Jenna being kidnapped by Mason (as darkness falls) and is taken to a cabin in the woods. Later, they open their shelter to five other strangers, as this group try to survive demon dogs waiting outside. When the dogs are getting closer and they lose one of the strangers, the group pack their stuffs and go to a nature station, to join one more person who has survived the Dark Age.

I don't read many apocalyptic stories (don't stumble much onto those) so I don't have a lot to...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Alice Janell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, pnr, romance

I don't know how many post-apocalyptic romances you've read, but Nightfall by Ellen Connor isn't going to be your average one. It's not an average romance by any stretch of the imagination. Oh sure, there's a hot hero and a sassy heroine and a HEA, but after that, things get really different.

Despite the lack of walking undead, this book reads like a zombie movie. The way it unfolds slowly, building on that nervous tension that something bad is going to happen until BAM! Shit hits the fan.

Electri...more I don't know how many post-apocalyptic romances you've read, but Nightfall by Ellen Connor isn't going to be your average one. It's not an average romance by any stretch of the imagination. Oh sure, there's a hot hero and a sassy heroine and a HEA, but after that, things get really different.

Despite the lack of walking undead, this book reads like a zombie movie. The way it unfolds slowly, building on that nervous tension that something bad is going to happen until BAM! Shit hits the fan.

Electricity has stopped working and much of the western US is in denial (because this stuff just doesn't happen to us) until it's too late. Mason, in keeping with a promise he made, kidnaps Jenna (yes, kidnaps, because time is a factor and explanations can wait until later) and hightails it to his cabin in the woods. Naturally, she mistrusts him -- it isn't until she's faced with you-can't-ignore-this-anymore proof that she believes the stuff he's been trying to tell her.

So when she hears five strangers floundering around in the dangerous woods, she goes after them to offer help. Safety in numbers right? Not always. Because even though she meant well, it isn't until everyone is in the cabin that she realizes that wanting to help others, while noble, isn't always very smart -- particularly when food in the cabin was only meant to last for two people, not seven.

And though you'd think that this kind of book would be nonstop action and heart-pounding moments, it's not. It certainly has those moments, but much of the book is slow paced and tension filled. Normally a slow-paced book would grate my nerves, but with Nightfall, it only added to the scariness of the world. Imagine being trapped in a basement, listening to demon dogs pound on the door for hours and all you can do is wait it out, hoping you'll live to see another day.

The romance between Mason and Jenna is slow building and has a lot of pushing on both sides. Mason is hell bent on survival, with no time for emotions to come into the play. Jenna is the opposite. She wants to survive, but she also wants some reassurance, too. And even though this is classified as a romance, I did not feel like the romance dominated the book at all.

Aside from the amazing world building and the sexual tension, you are introduced to other survivors. Each survivor is different and unique in their own way, and it was Tru -- the surly gothic teen -- who really impressed me. You saw him become a man under very harsh, stressful situations and I liked reading about him. There's also Penny, the small child who barely talks --- there is something about her, and I can't wait until the third book releases in December to learn more about them.

Dark, gritty, full of blood and guts...this is a very different type of paranormal romance, but it's too good not to read.(less)

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Apr 23, 2011 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, apocalypse, paranormal-romance, shifter

I love the self-torture of reading post-apocalyptic books. I typically start making out a supply list while reading them. The main aspect that draws me to this type of book is the how. There are so many different ways an author can bring on an apocalypse. Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty give the reader a very original take on how it will happen, Dark Magic. This Dark Magic does not only affect people, but it has a major impact on technology. I loved the originality of this book. I have been impatie...more I love the self-torture of reading post-apocalyptic books. I typically start making out a supply list while reading them. The main aspect that draws me to this type of book is the how. There are so many different ways an author can bring on an apocalypse. Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty give the reader a very original take on how it will happen, Dark Magic. This Dark Magic does not only affect people, but it has a major impact on technology. I loved the originality of this book. I have been impatiently anticipating getting this book in my hands. When a friend won an ARC of it on Twitter I think I was more excited about it than she. Readers are given a different take on an apocalypse, a diverse cast of characters, and a sexy romance with an intriguing story. This book is all around greatness.

Jenna Barclay has listened to the crazy prophecies of what her father Mitch believes will happen her entire life. She has grown up watching her father come in and out of her mother’s life with no care that his life in the woods with his cult is breaking her mother’s heart. Needless to say when she is stuffed into the trunk of her own car by someone who claims to be following her father’s orders, she is not shocked by the craziness of it. She just adjusts and immediately plans for escape. John Mason, who respected Mitch Barclay as a father figure has no problems about successfully carrying out the man’s dying wish, protect his daughter when the Dark Age comes. He has spent many years preparing for this event. What he did not plan for is the wild card that he stuffed into a trunk.

Everyone’s main goal is to stay alive. Humans are changing in various ways. Some have become mutant animal like creatures. Jenna and Mason both have pasts that affect how they look at the world and the people in it. Mason planned to protect Jenna and him. He is not prepared when Jenna insists on helping a small group that is in the woods near his cabin. As the group comes together Jenna quickly realizes that it is just how her father predicted. Her father predicted this, he number of people and the roles that they will play in the coming events. She is watching it all unfold around her.

My only complaint about the book is that I have to wait until September and then December to get more of this incredible series.
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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's The Name o...: Apocalypse book about people turning into ravenous animals (dogs, spiders, ect..) and a kidnapped woman [s]	3	40	Dec 09, 2012 11:21am
Girls, Guns and G...: September 2012 BOM Nightfall (Spoilers)	11	15	Sep 13, 2012 11:43pm
Girls, Guns and G...: September 2012 BOM Nightfall (Spoiler Free)	9	14	Sep 05, 2012 02:32pm

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Nightfall (Dark Age Dawning #1)

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