Review: Daybreak by Ellen Connor

Daybreak (goodreads.com)

By: Ellen Connor (author website)

Paperback, 320 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Berkley Sensation

ISBN 13: 9780425243404

Source: Purchased for self

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Apocalyptic

Series: Dark Age Dawning #3

Best read in order: Yes

Stars: 5

Flames: 3

Daybreak is both shocking and surprising from the very beginning. Readers were first introduced to Penelope and Truman in Nightfall. They were children that survived the change with the help of a group of people that bonded over those first terrifying months. Over the course of the past twelve years they have independently ventured out into the Changed world and it has changed them. I was shocked as to how they are as adults. Shocked in a good way, but still I guess because I had not read them as they became adults I had completely different people in my head.

Pen and Tru are reunited while Pen is attempting to thwart the O’Malley organization and Tru is looking for something completely different. Tru has experienced tragedy in his life, now he is looking to erase the pains of his past and letting his inner beast roam. Pen is trying to make the Changed world a better place using her magic. She knows that the evils that O’Malley places upon the world need to be stopped. He is evil and ruins too many lives for the benefit of his own.

Tru and Pen together as adults involved in a romantic relationship… WOW. These two going from road side companions to happily ever after was an incredible story. They truly are perfect for each other. They need one another in so many ways. Individually they are both amazing characters. They have survived and to a certain extent thrived in this Change world. The survival speaks volumes as to how strong they are. Once they are put together all of their weakness, vulnerabilities, and inner walls all become visible very rapidly. This allows for readers to get an amazing love story. Pen and Tru heal each other while going through a fair amount of self-healing.

I have only one disappointment with this series. The couples from the previous books are not revisited. I would have liked to know how they are doing. The series takes place over the course of twelve years, so the original group that survived that first winter in Nightfall they have all moved on into their own lives. Now that I pointed this out as my only disappointment I feel the need to point out that it did not take anything vital away from the books. It was just something I would have really enjoyed.   

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Review: Midnight by Ellen Connor

Midnight (goodreads.com)

By: Ellen Connor (author website)

Paperback, 336 pages

Published September 6th 2011 by Berkley Trade

ISBN 13: 9780425242995

Source: purchased for self

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Paranormal Romance

Series: Dark Age Dawning #2

Best read in order: most likely

Stars: 4

Flames: 3

Dark Age Dawning is such an interesting series. It is set in a post-apocalyptical world than has been changed due to an unknown magical force. The people have changed. Not all can still claim to be human. I love the gritty darkness of the world. Midnight picks up several years after Nightfall. Life has drastically changed, no one has come to save the day and humans, changed or otherwise are just trying to survive.  

Dr. Chris Welsh is not the same scientist that readers were introduced to in Nightfall. The Change has hardened him. He has grown accustomed to being a lone drifter. He has seen some horrific tragedies since the Change and they have changed him. One of his changes is what leads him to Valle de Bravo.

Rosa Cortex is a self-described warlord. She’s dragged herself up from the bottom of life. She expects to worst out of everyone around her and trusts no one. She expects her team of bravos to follow her orders, give her their allegiance, and keep their settlement safe and prosperous.

Rosa’s settlement is starting to experience some turmoil. They are experiencing raids more and more often. The men far outnumber the women. The woman leader gives all the orders and does not allow any of her bravos to stand/rule beside her. She knew the moment she saw Chris that he would cause trouble. This is the first functioning and organized settlement Chris has seen since the Change. His scientists mind has him curious. He wants to stay on and understand its workings. He also wants to get know Rosa.

Chris and Rosa worked well as a couple for me. They have both experienced great loss due to the Change. The Change has drastically changed who they were from just five short years ago. Rosa is an extremely difficult woman. At times it was hard for me to like her as a character. I think Chris provides a balance that she was previously missing. He doesn’t set out to change her, but he shows her that there is still some good in this horrifically changed world.

The Spanish word usage and slang terms got on my nerves. Some of the Spanish I was able to figure out just by the context of the sentence. I did have to Google some of the words. Spanish is the heroine’s first language and the setting is also a southwestern desert town, so the language usage goes with the story. I don’t speak any Spanish and having to look up some words slowed down my reading. This is a great book and I wanted to find out more about the story and its characters.

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ARC Review: Nightfall by Ellen Connor



Nightfall (goodreads.com)

Ellen Connor (webpage)



Paperback, 327 pages

Expected publication: June 6th 2011 by BERKLEY – US

ISBN13: 9780425241691

Series: Dark Age Dawning #1

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Post-Apocalyptic

Stars: 5

Flames: 4

               

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.