The Dawn of Darkness: A Paranormal Romance - Book Review

Book Description

He’s the hunter. She’s the prey. Neither of them expected love…

Gabriel is lucky to still be alive. Stalking a pretty young woman for his next meal, the clever vampire is frustrated when a pair of hunters not only rescue her but nearly kills him in the process. So when he notices one of them has developed a crush on the girl, Gabriel hatches the perfect plan for revenge.

Amelia Vallez doesn’t believe in monsters. But she can tell the handsome man who rescued her is hiding something. And when she’s saved a second time by a genuine vampire, the science-minded high school senior is suddenly terrified of all the things that shouldn’t be real.

Although he’d planned to use the naïve girl to destroy his hated foe, Gabriel is alarmed to be actually falling for her. And while Amelia should be afraid of the charming bloodsucker, he’s the only one willing to give her the answers her would-be boyfriend will not.

Is this odd couple fated to be together, or will Gabriel’s machinations tear them apart forever?

Good Story

Although the story is advertised for fans of Supernatural, I didn't get the Sam and Dean vibes I was expecting. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the story. As much as I love Supernatural, their story revolves around adult characters and matters, while The Dawn of Darkness is more YA. If I were to compare this to other works, I'd say it gave me Mortal Instruments vibes, though the writing style is clearly different. 

It has everything you can ask for—intrigue, romance, adventure, and self-discovery.

Smooth Writing

The prose is smooth and fluid. Sometimes it feels like we're given too many details of mundane life, but rest assured they will explain later events.

The characters are hesitant and conflicted, plagued with inner struggles. And the plot is a gripping tale of self-discovery, building trust, and overcoming obstacles in a supernatural world where trust doesn't come easily.

Diverse Characters

Diversity-wise, we have a Latinx main character, Amelia, and get upfront and personal with the Hispanic boogie man, El Cucuy. I wasn't very familiar with El Cucuy other than it was some sort of boogieman. That was fun to read.

All in all, this was an immersive tale, beautifully crafted and well suited for paranormal lovers, especially for those partial to vampire books and demon hunters.