Dark Reflections

Dark Reflections #1

by Kelsey Ketch

Being possessed by a vampire sucks!

Alana Jones’s world has been completely turned upside-down after being bitten by a vampire’s reflection in a cursed mirror. Now she’s forced to stay in an abandoned Victorian inn on an isolated island off the west coast of Florida, where Alana lives a double life: one as herself and one as a vicious murderer. Over the past year, she has spilt and drunk the blood of sixteen victims. The guilt of their deaths slowly eating away her sanity.

Sixteen dead . . .

However, things become even more complicated when Alana finds Cole, a surfer she felt a connection with the moment they met on the mainland, locked up in the island’s shed. Knowing his death is inevitable, she attempts to distant herself from him, continually reminding herself of the monster residing underneath her skin. Unfortunately, it’s a small island, and the more she interacts with Cole, the more her feelings grow for him.

Eventually, she has to make a decision. Either accept his fate or find a way to expel the vampire’s spirit from within herself before she murders him as well.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Romance, New Adult, Paranormal, Vampires, Supernatural

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2019

About the author

Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Remember your place, Alana. This is no longer your body or your life. They’re both ours to share. However, I’m the more powerful one. The one with the control. Therefore, I will do as I please, and you—you should feel lucky I let you live at all.”

Whew! This was a wild ride. I really enjoyed this dark, intense story. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it, but it definitely did not disappoint.

Alana is possessed by a vampire named Charissa who inhabits her body at night leaving a wake of pain, death and destruction in her path. Alana is forced to live on an uninhabited island in an old Victorian inn. When we meet her, her night self has already killed 16 people. The guilt of that realization is weighing heavily on her and is becoming hard to live with. One day when she’s in town she meets a handsome boy and she is immediately drawn to him. A while later, to her horror she finds him locked up on the island she lives on and knows Charissa has taken him in as her next donor. The connection that Alana has with Cole is undeniable and she begins to have real feelings for him that have her questioning everything and feeling like she needs to find a way to break free from Charissa’s grasp. Will she and Cole escape from her? You’ll have to read to find out!

This book had such a creepy feel to it. The descriptions made the book come to life and I could imagine the island and the buildings in the story. It was a good story line and I felt the characters were well developed and I was connected with them and their well-being. This isn’t a typical genre I read but I will be looking for more in this category as well as more novels by this author.

[Zili · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars in my Sky!
Alana is possessed by a vampire. Yep it was a new one for me too as most possession stories focus on spirits but I liked this take. The vampire, Charissa isn't exactly stable and is desperate to be free and doesn't care who she hurts *ahem* drinks and kills at night. Alana wakes up and is left to deal with the horrors and consequences of Charissa's actions.

Alana is feels a huge amount of guilt for Charissa's actions and struggles with what to do. When she wakes to find Charissa has 'befriend' ahem kidnapped Cole, a guy Alana had met and had an instant connection with, Alana is confused and furious as to why. I enjoyed seeing the connection between Alana and Cole grow, although I have to admit it took me a long time to warm to Alana because although I felt sorry for her situation I wanted her to be more proactive. As the story developed I began to like her more and really wanted her to find a way to break the curse and get rid of Charissa.

I liked the insights into the victims but I did feel that, at times at least, there was a little too much victim backstory because I wanted to see more of the action. Nikola was interesting... I'm trying to avoid spoilers here!

I'm going to be wary of buying any antique mirrors for a while...
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Nerd Girl Vixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the synopsis of this book and saw vampire. Done! I’m ready to read this book! Dark Reflections is about a young woman that had the misfortune of being possessed by vampire. The way in which she was possessed was interesting. The whole story was interesting. The author mixed folklore and history into the story. I thought it was a nice touch. The beginning was a bit slow. I felt some parts could have been left out but it doesn’t negatively impact the story. You follow Alana. Through all her ups and downs. The feeling of hopelessness at her situation. Then she begins to change and I was totally rooting for her! Alana found her voice so to speak. That ending was pretty satisfying to me. I really liked the author’s storytelling style and look forward to reading more works by her! I give this 4 stars.

**Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng**

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very different vampire story

Kelsey Ketch had me hooked for beginning to end. Alana's life takes a turn for the worst when she doesn't heed a stranger's warning about an old mirror. She find herself cursed by the spirit of a vampire and doing things that make her stomach turn. Then the newest captive blood donor Cole begins to give her a reason to have hope again. Will they find a way to break the curse or will she end up killing Cole

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Kelsey Ketch, where has your writing been all of my life?!?!

Sheesh. I went into this expecting a vampire novel…and that is what I got, but I also got this incredibly weaved together story that blew my mind. Dark Reflections is unlike any vampire story I’ve read. There is this really interesting aspect of a curse, and a possession rather than a typical hottie vampire bites lonely girl scenario. I loved it. Watching Alana and Cole struggle to figure out how to handle this was really intense and kept me glued to the pages.

I love the characters. Alana is just a girl who happened upon this curse. She struggles with it daily, and she became a favorite very quickly. The story of the vampire who has possessed Alana is fantastic. It brings even more of a horror element to the story, and I always love getting back stories on the villain.

I’m very impressed with Dark Reflections. It isn’t your typical vampire novel. It has a super unique plot with some awesome characters, and a pace that keeps the story flowing. Highly recommended!

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel as part of a blog tour with YA Bound Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very unique take on vampires. One I greatly enjoyed. With just the right hint of Jekyll and Hyde that make things difficult for her victims/co-prisoners to understand her. I liked the bit of romance that was in this. It wasn't too far over the top. Although the attraction was a bit too strong early on. The one thing I couldn't really relate to was why non of the donors with her never question her about the personality difference. Or why she tries to pretend to be her accursed freeloader (you'll understand that once you read this).

Overall recommended for anyone who likes a bit of history, victorian mansions, island living or wants a very original vampire story.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alana Jones buys an old mirror, when she gets it home she finds that the mirror is cursed. A vampire was trapped inside the mirror once upon a time. After bringing the mirror home she looks upon her reflection and sees the vampire and is bitten by the vampire and now she is possessed by the vampire in the mirror.

At night the vampire comes out to play and the next morning Alana wakes up covered in blood with no memory of the night before. Now Alana’s life is cursed. All she thinks about is all the guys that the vampire brings home to feed off of. After the vampire is done with her victims she takes their life.

After waking up and seeing a guy Cole whom she met in town and liked him instantly wonders what the vampire is up to now and why did she take a guy that Alana knew? Alana is tired of all the killing and waking up covered in blood and being possessed by a vampire and wants to find a way to break the curse.

After spending time with Cole on the island Alana begins to care for Cole very much and perhaps this is the reason she finally decides to put a plan in motion to break the curse and keep the vampire from harming Cole.

Dark Reflections is a very intense and magically enthralling read with action throughout. I really loved the new twists on the vampire. Nikola well he was a refreshing surprise and twist to the story as well. I would have loved to have seen more of Nicola and what mischief he may have gotten into.

If you love vampire novels and are looking for something a little different may I suggest giving Dark Reflections a try? I highly recommend Dark Reflections to all vampire and supernatural fans.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

31/2 out of 5 stars
Alana's life has been turned completely turned upside down after being bitten by of all things a vampire's reflection. So now during the day she is in control but at night the vampire comes out to play . Living on a old plantation and when a new man comes to the island and Alana comes to care for him . Will they survive the curse and come out the other side and will love prevail.
This is a story that will have you wanting the main character to survive so much. Alana is a young woman who is going a whole lot of agony . She is possessed by a vampire and kind of given up until Cole comes along . Then she really starts to fight and become a strong girl that wants to fight for her life . Cole is a sweet guy who wants to have a life with Alana and will do anything to help her break the curse . They are strong together and grow stronger as you read .
This is a good story line and the characters are well written . The author has a way of taking you to the edge and then pull you back in . The story has a vampire and ghosts that are haunting this poor girl . The murders are gruesome and the twist at the end is really great . The only thing that I feel is that the book could be streamlined just a little . It seems like the author has over explained some things and became a little wordy through out the book . Over all I did enjoy this book and would like to read other things from this author . So if you want a good book for this Halloween take a chance .

[**Elle**Bee**Double U** · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the whole concept of this story.
Having a vampire spirit residing in a human, meaning 2 spirits housed within one body is not something I've read of heard of before.

For the last year Alana has been living two lives. One as a shell of herself during the day and the other as a murdering vampire Charissa at night. It isn't until Cole is the next unwilling Donor that Alana finally decides to start fighting to find a way to break the curse that she's been forced to live. Learning about Charissa, her past, and how she came to be what she is, is only the start to what Alana learns about Charissa. She also learns a lot about what Charissa has been doing at night with her Donors (through the journal all the men kept of their time) and when she goes to the mainland. Will they be able to find the way to break the curse before Charissa tires of Cole and he's met with the same fate as all the other Donors? When push comes to shove, with Alana finally be strong enough to put Charissa's spirit back in the mirror?

This was a really good book. After reading it you can't help but wonder if Alana and Cole survive Charissa and her abuse what kind of issues they would have going back to the real world? Both have had to suffer much from Charissa, and while Cole may know that Charissa was a vampire spirit in Alana's body...for him it was still Alana he was seeing. That's gotta cause some kind of psychological issues later down the road.

[Yoneidis · Rating 4 out of 5]

On her 18th birthday Alana decides to buy a mirror without suspecting that this would be the cause of her nightmares and her misfortunes in the future.a vampire, Charissa, lives in that mirror, who bites her and thus manages to gain control of her body. For a year Alana is locked up on an island while Charissa kidnaps and kills young men, leaving Alana cleaning up after her mess and feeling terribly guilty for her part in all of this. But Alana doesn’t know how to escape from this curse. One day she meets a surfer boy, Cole, who is interested in her and although she likes him, she decides that it is best to continue with her life, until the next morning she wakes up to discover that Charissa has kidnapped him. But Cole has a darkness within him that makes Charissa not kill him like the others, which gives Alana and Cole the opportunity to search for a cure, a way to get rid of the curse forever.
❤️the story and the characters, very original.

[Brandy Mulder · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book has an unusual twist to it. Alana's body is possessed by a vampire every night and she has no control and no memory of what happens. She is allowed one day off the island every so often to get food and supplies, and she has to pawn things off and try and sell her art for money. Her guilt over what the vampire has been doing is eating her up and she sees the ghosts of the "donors" that have been killed at the island when the vampire tires of them. When she wakes up to find Cole trapped with her on the island, the ghosts start to actively harass her. Between the ghosts and the growing feelings for Cole, Alana gets desperate to save Cole. There is lots of gore and violence. Alana wakes up to bloody messes all the time. I would recommend older teen and up.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one heroine you are rooting for til the end! She's had quite the year after being cursed through a magic mirror. She's been trapped with a vampire in the same body. She's done horrible things at night when Charissa takes over. Only to wake in the morning just sick knowing what she's done...well not her perse but yeah her. She's killed many. She meets a sweet guy and begins to have feelings for him. Cole is a good man and she sooo doesnt want to kill him but find a way to end this horrible ordeal she's been stuck with. This is a super creepy story but dang it was so good! Definitely Halloween worthy. Question is does Alana break the curse and rid herself of Charissa? Will Cole lose his life in the process? Read and find out!

[Sophi Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

The simple act of buying a Civil War era mirror throws the main character into a nightmarish existence.
This novel moves away from the conventional conceptions of Vampirism and takes it to a whole new level. The novel puts the main character, Alana in an impossible situation. She needs to deal with her own survival on an undiscovered island and take on the responsibility for another's despicable actions. There is little hope of being found much less saved.

The novel is fast paced and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

[Iona Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually never read paranormal romance but this one definitely kept my interest for most of the book. I will confess to not finishing it BUT it was only because it is not my kind of story. However, I loved the unique take on the Vampire aspect and gladly recommend it to pnr readers of any kind.

It is a lovely, well-written novel with an interesting story. There are parts that dragged a bit and left me asking "why do we need to know every victim's backstory" but all in all, a definite recommendation to my pnr folks out there.

[Linda Romer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Dark Reflections. This New Adult dark fantasy is a thrilling tale of a young woman named Alana who becomes possessed by a Vampire. I liked the setting on a secluded Island in Florida in an Old Victorian Inn. The story is interesting and the murders gruesome. I liked the twist at the end. The characters were great. I'm looking forward to reading more from this Author.

I give Dark Reflections 4 stars for its thrilling read.
I would recommend this book to New Adult/Dark Fantasy/Psychological Thriller Fans.

[Breen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The synopsis was enough to capture my attention and the story didn’t disappoint! So different from the usual vampire stories that’s for sure. Being possessed by a vampire? Check! Being a homicide…too? It was delicious watching how Alana and Cole fight her dark side and work along. Like I said it was complicated but once Alana makes the decision to stop killing people and fight for freedom. Cole was the sweetest person ever and loved how much he was a support for her. Great story though I’d have love spicy moments.”

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a dark, different kind of vampire story? 

When a girl buys a haunted mirror, she is thrown into a curse that begins to possess her. There is an essence of horror in this book that I absolutely loved reading! 

But she isn't physically bitten as most vampire stories tend to adapt, instead, it's her reflection that takes the hit. And from there we are thrown into a growing darkness. 

Perfect for your Fall TBR, this book deserves every inch of the 4 out of 5 stars. I felt just as possessed by this story as the main character, and I didn't want to put it down. 

I loved the low-key mystery behind the curse. This is a darker story, so if you aren't a fan of gory details, this story may not be the greatest to read. 

But I surely loved it, and I highly recommend this one for the upcoming Halloween season! 

[Cary · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, sweet Jesus, holy mother of God what a great read this is!! loved the different take on vampirism... having a vampire posses a person thru a mirror was a new and awesome concept to me. Seeing Alana have to deal with what was happening and with the messes Clarisse left was hear breaking and specially after Cole entered the equation. I loved to see how she started to take control and to try to break the curse. Do not miss this book, you are going to love it as much as I did.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

My true rating: 4 out of 5 diaries
Read my full review here: https://www.storybookem.com/post/book...

Dark Reflections is a book I've read through more then once and it hasn't let me down yet! The official review I wrote was after my first reading. It still remains one of my favorites to recommend as it's a fantasy that feels like an urban fantasy with a twist and I'm a fan of a good "it's things you know about without following all the expected rules".

[Lori Hammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alana becomes the victim of possession when she purchases a cursed, antique mirror. She doesn't even know the horrors she is forced to commit until she pieces info together after the fact. When Cole comes into her life, he eventually figured out what's going on, and together they start searching for a way to end the curse. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Sherry Christenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read other books by Kelsey I knew I would love this one as well! I mean come on she had me at a cursed antique mirror! It’s a unique twist in being bitten by a vampire. It’s an intriguing twisted read on a vampire and a human sharing the same body. Mystery, suspense and a little romance makes it a great read

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, it was dark and twisted and I really enjoyed it! Loved dealing with Alana's struggles with the actions her vampire controller was doing, because they were pretty horrible! Really great read!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first picked up this book, I knew it could go either way. It could be amazingly awesome, or just totally hit the mark. In actuality, this book was phenomenal! I wrote more in my blog right after reading it. https://www.storybookem.com/post/book...

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkly twisted and intriguing. It was an interesting horrorish story with a bit of mystery, suspense, and romance mixed in. With vampires, ghosts, curses and so much more, it made for a spine-tingling thrill-ride.

[Nikki Bao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alana has been possessed by a vampire trapped in a cursed mirror. By day, she's herself and at night she's the vampire. Over a year has passed and sixteen deaths have occurred. Now the latest is Cole, a boy Alana has feelings for. She must banish the vamp or Cole will die next.

[Kelsey Ketch]

For content warning, click here.

Dark Reflections was an emotional roller coaster to write. The concept started as a “what if” question on a road trip toward Pinehurst, North Carolina. “What if someone could be possessed by a vampire?” A difficult question when most legends describe vampires as soulless creatures. But combining that question with the history and practices of both Conjure and American Voodoo, the novel blossomed into an exciting psychological thriller.

There were other aspects I pulled into the novel as well. For instance, The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Though I never read the actual novel (I should), the concept of that “man is not truly one, but truly two” is the heart of the story. It’s a concept also reflected in ancient cultures such as the Roman god, Janus. It also mirrors what I feel in my own life living in the scientific world (my day job) vs. my writing world. However, for this novel, instead of focusing on both Alana and Charissa, I decided to focus purely on Alana’s story. Allowing the reader to see what it would be like to be only one-side of that coin and never know exactly what the other half is doing.

That and trying to get Charissa to open up was like pulling teeth.

Despite some of the hassle my characters gave me, Dark Reflections is one of my pride and joys. I hope others enjoy this novel as much as I enjoyed writing it.