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Until Dawn: Last Light
When darkness falls, whose side will you be on?
For the past six years, Zoë has been anything but “normal.” Struggling to accept her immortality and thrown into a war that’s been waging in the shadows for over a thousand years, Zoë must now become who she was meant to be, joining the other Chosen to save what’s left of humanity. When the endless night falls over the Earth, will she be able to save the one man who reminds her what it is to be human or will it be too late?
Until Dawn: Last Light is a story of death and despair, love and longing, hope and hopelessness, and the ability to survive and keep going even when it seems impossible – when you want nothing more than to give up.
Look for Until Dawn: Into the Dark, 2012!
It is what you do when you get there that matters most...
For the past six years, Zoë has been anything but “normal.” Struggling to accept her immortality and thrown into a war that’s been waging in the shadows for over a thousand years, Zoë must now become who she was meant to be, joining the other Chosen to save what’s left of humanity. When the endless night falls over the Earth, will she be able to save the one man who reminds her what it is to be human or will it be too late?
Until Dawn: Last Light is a story of death and despair, love and longing, hope and hopelessness, and the ability to survive and keep going even when it seems impossible – when you want nothing more than to give up.
Look for Until Dawn: Into the Dark, 2012!
It is what you do when you get there that matters most...
- GenresDemonsParanormal
267 pages
First published September 29, 2011
3 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 9, 2011
I've read a number of self published books lately and have found myself distracted, dissapointed and disheartened at the lack of attention to detail. BUT, Ms. Simas has renewed my faith in the indie world!
Really, if you didn't know it was an indie author and a debut novel, you would think it was a book off the shelves from your local bookstore.
The premise is unique, despite creatures we've all seen a number of times, the characters were engaging and felt very real but most importantly, the story pulled you in and along through the plot. Well done Ms. Simas, looking so forward to the sequel! :)
Really, if you didn't know it was an indie author and a debut novel, you would think it was a book off the shelves from your local bookstore.
The premise is unique, despite creatures we've all seen a number of times, the characters were engaging and felt very real but most importantly, the story pulled you in and along through the plot. Well done Ms. Simas, looking so forward to the sequel! :)
November 8, 2011
Author Jennifer N. Simas classifies her debut novel, UNTIL DAWN: LAST LIGHT, as paranormal romance, but if you think that means it's a slow-moving, sappy love story featuring vampires or some other form of mythological creature, you'd be dead wrong.
To be sure there are vampires and other monsters in the book, and there is a classic love triangle between the heroine and the man she wants versus the man who is right for her. But Simas isn't interested in a lot of pining by the book's principal would-be lovers. This is a dark, urban fantasy that is loaded with action. From the opening scene, wherein the novel's gruff narrator Zoe fights a vampire, to the book's apocalyptic climax, Simas barely gives her reader time to breathe between battles with monsters, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other disasters.
LAST LIGHT is a fast-paced, action-adventure story about the end of the world. Zoe is one of the Chosen, a select group of humans that have been converted to immortal warriors by the power of God and charged with defending humanity from evil. Their foe is Baldric, known simply as the General, a Chosen-gone-bad who is over a 1000 years old. He's mustered vampires, dragon-like monsters known as Sythen, and other nasties to form an army to conquer the Earth. When his hoard unleashes their apocalypse, the world falls into eternal night until he can at last be vanquished. LAST LIGHT is the first book in a series that will tell the story of this epic struggle.
The novel's plot concerns the rise of Baldric's everlasting night. Zoe and her companions form a small coalition of Chosen, shapeshifters, reformed vampires, and humans that survive the natural disasters of the General's rise to power to form a resistance army that will fight to vanquish the dark Chosen's tyranny.
Zoe is a likeable, complex character. She yearns for her previous human life -- before she was a killer in God's special army. She believes herself to be a monster and is haunted by her ability to kill and her inability to relate properly to her normal human friends. She desires to be with her best friend and would-be lover, Josh, but is told repeatedly by her mentor and other Chosen she must let him go, since he will die and she will live forever. She is pursued by the handsome and talented Alec, a 500-year-old immortal who has fallen in love with her. Zoe struggles to choose which man would be best for her and which she loves more. Romantic opportunities with both are constantly thwarted by an attack by the bad guys or by the arrival of the other, and both men are jealous of the other's intentions.
Simas understands she is writing about Armageddon, and she doesn't hesitate to kill characters the reader cares about. With each death, Zoe becomes further wracked with guilt, and Simas creates a deep emotional connection with her readers as we wonder who is safe and who isn't. As the novel progresses, it becomes increasingly hard to put down. On several occasions, I was up late into the night, unwilling to stop reading despite needing to go to bed.
Despite the religious overtones of the plot, Simas doesn't spend time proseletyzing about religion or faith. It is an accepted fact by the Chosen they were created to serve God, but no one spends time praying or extolling the virtues of faith. They are warriors with a purpose to serve, and there is a crisis at hand.
Moreover, Simas's apocalypse does not appear to be Biblical in origin. Aside from the eternal night that settles over the world halfway through the book, we do not see much reference to the calamities foretold in Revelation or other apocalyptic books. She draws some of her mythology loosely from Arthurian legend, but this is Simas's world, and the action proceeds fast enough we accept it and join in for the ride.
If the book has a flaw, it is the editing, or lack thereof. There are an embarrassing number of typos in the book -- words missing, wrong forms of words, misspellings, and other errors that just don't belong in a published manuscript. The book has the look of a hastily produced draft and would have benefited immensely from an editor's touch. And that's too bad, because, with the high number of typos, I kept getting kicked out of the story when I was really into it.
But Simas's power as a storyteller was able to overcome this problem. Zoe's struggle with the General and her own heart is compelling, and I found myself rooting for her to get what she wanted, despite the fact I believed she was doomed.
UNTIL DAWN: LAST LIGHT is a very satisfying read. Simas is an accomplished storyteller, and I hope to read more of her work (hopefully better edited) in the future.
To be sure there are vampires and other monsters in the book, and there is a classic love triangle between the heroine and the man she wants versus the man who is right for her. But Simas isn't interested in a lot of pining by the book's principal would-be lovers. This is a dark, urban fantasy that is loaded with action. From the opening scene, wherein the novel's gruff narrator Zoe fights a vampire, to the book's apocalyptic climax, Simas barely gives her reader time to breathe between battles with monsters, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other disasters.
LAST LIGHT is a fast-paced, action-adventure story about the end of the world. Zoe is one of the Chosen, a select group of humans that have been converted to immortal warriors by the power of God and charged with defending humanity from evil. Their foe is Baldric, known simply as the General, a Chosen-gone-bad who is over a 1000 years old. He's mustered vampires, dragon-like monsters known as Sythen, and other nasties to form an army to conquer the Earth. When his hoard unleashes their apocalypse, the world falls into eternal night until he can at last be vanquished. LAST LIGHT is the first book in a series that will tell the story of this epic struggle.
The novel's plot concerns the rise of Baldric's everlasting night. Zoe and her companions form a small coalition of Chosen, shapeshifters, reformed vampires, and humans that survive the natural disasters of the General's rise to power to form a resistance army that will fight to vanquish the dark Chosen's tyranny.
Zoe is a likeable, complex character. She yearns for her previous human life -- before she was a killer in God's special army. She believes herself to be a monster and is haunted by her ability to kill and her inability to relate properly to her normal human friends. She desires to be with her best friend and would-be lover, Josh, but is told repeatedly by her mentor and other Chosen she must let him go, since he will die and she will live forever. She is pursued by the handsome and talented Alec, a 500-year-old immortal who has fallen in love with her. Zoe struggles to choose which man would be best for her and which she loves more. Romantic opportunities with both are constantly thwarted by an attack by the bad guys or by the arrival of the other, and both men are jealous of the other's intentions.
Simas understands she is writing about Armageddon, and she doesn't hesitate to kill characters the reader cares about. With each death, Zoe becomes further wracked with guilt, and Simas creates a deep emotional connection with her readers as we wonder who is safe and who isn't. As the novel progresses, it becomes increasingly hard to put down. On several occasions, I was up late into the night, unwilling to stop reading despite needing to go to bed.
Despite the religious overtones of the plot, Simas doesn't spend time proseletyzing about religion or faith. It is an accepted fact by the Chosen they were created to serve God, but no one spends time praying or extolling the virtues of faith. They are warriors with a purpose to serve, and there is a crisis at hand.
Moreover, Simas's apocalypse does not appear to be Biblical in origin. Aside from the eternal night that settles over the world halfway through the book, we do not see much reference to the calamities foretold in Revelation or other apocalyptic books. She draws some of her mythology loosely from Arthurian legend, but this is Simas's world, and the action proceeds fast enough we accept it and join in for the ride.
If the book has a flaw, it is the editing, or lack thereof. There are an embarrassing number of typos in the book -- words missing, wrong forms of words, misspellings, and other errors that just don't belong in a published manuscript. The book has the look of a hastily produced draft and would have benefited immensely from an editor's touch. And that's too bad, because, with the high number of typos, I kept getting kicked out of the story when I was really into it.
But Simas's power as a storyteller was able to overcome this problem. Zoe's struggle with the General and her own heart is compelling, and I found myself rooting for her to get what she wanted, despite the fact I believed she was doomed.
UNTIL DAWN: LAST LIGHT is a very satisfying read. Simas is an accomplished storyteller, and I hope to read more of her work (hopefully better edited) in the future.
October 9, 2011
I'm not exactly a twenty something any more, so I wasn't sure what I'd think of this book when I first bought it, but the reviews looked solid and it was only $2.99 so I took a chance. I was definitely not disappointed. I was hooked from the very first line until the very last. The author keeps her readers on their toes! Extremely well written for being a newer author.
Zoe is a very strong and complex main character that is far from perfect. Without giving any spoilers, I'll just say that the love triangle in this book is to die for. This book really has the perfect amount of romance and I hope the author carries that through in the rest of the series. It wasn't over the top romantic, but had enough to keep you wanting more. Until Dawn has the three S's that I look for in a book - it's sensual, steamy and sexy without being erotica. Language is pretty tame so I can see this being a good read for late teens and up. I actually lent this book to my daughter who is 17 and she loves it!
This is definitely a great read. My daughter and I are eagerly awaiting the second book.
Zoe is a very strong and complex main character that is far from perfect. Without giving any spoilers, I'll just say that the love triangle in this book is to die for. This book really has the perfect amount of romance and I hope the author carries that through in the rest of the series. It wasn't over the top romantic, but had enough to keep you wanting more. Until Dawn has the three S's that I look for in a book - it's sensual, steamy and sexy without being erotica. Language is pretty tame so I can see this being a good read for late teens and up. I actually lent this book to my daughter who is 17 and she loves it!
This is definitely a great read. My daughter and I are eagerly awaiting the second book.
October 9, 2011
I'm a huge paranormal/fantasy romance kind of girl and this book did it for me. I couldn't put it down.
The main character, Zoe Marks, has to be one of my new favorite characters. Despite no longer being "human", the character is still very relateable. The struggles that she goes through and the challenges she face are inspiring. And her two love interests, Alec (one of the Chosen) and Josh (a human) are absolutely delicious. The underlying love triangle in this book was a major added bonus.
I loved the dark theme of the book and the villain, Baldric, was extremely well written. The author really paints a great post-apocalyptic scene for her readers, complete with all kinds of death and despair. And the way she lightly touches on old legends and childhood tales is wonderful. I'll be buying the next book in the series when it comes out. Can't wait!
The main character, Zoe Marks, has to be one of my new favorite characters. Despite no longer being "human", the character is still very relateable. The struggles that she goes through and the challenges she face are inspiring. And her two love interests, Alec (one of the Chosen) and Josh (a human) are absolutely delicious. The underlying love triangle in this book was a major added bonus.
I loved the dark theme of the book and the villain, Baldric, was extremely well written. The author really paints a great post-apocalyptic scene for her readers, complete with all kinds of death and despair. And the way she lightly touches on old legends and childhood tales is wonderful. I'll be buying the next book in the series when it comes out. Can't wait!
October 10, 2011
Was finally able to finish this book. Was unsure at first if I'd like it or not. I didn't like it, I LOVED it. Outstanding story from a new author.
October 9, 2011
I found this book to be very gripping with a strong story. I'd say that it was fairly unique with some good solid characters. I know what you're thinking, 'ANOTHER book with vampires?' But the vampires weren't over the top and were pretty different from vampires you see in a lot of paranormal books today (the vampires are actually, for the most part, bad guys and they don't sparkle - gasp!) Zoe, the main character, made for a good strong heroine. You really feel her struggle as she deals with living immortal and becoming one of the "Chosen". It was nice to see the book move around so much, geographically speaking. It starts off on the west coast but ends at the Old Wardour Castle in England. Lot of history and legend in this book, which was refreshing.
Reason for four stars is that I feel the writing in a few of the chapters toward the end could have been stronger, but this is a new, young author, so I don't expect absolute perfection. Also, a little too much romance for me, but that's the genre.
Bottom line, I'll buy the next book in the series when it comes out. I'm curious to see how Simas' writing progresses and what she does with this storyline.
Reason for four stars is that I feel the writing in a few of the chapters toward the end could have been stronger, but this is a new, young author, so I don't expect absolute perfection. Also, a little too much romance for me, but that's the genre.
Bottom line, I'll buy the next book in the series when it comes out. I'm curious to see how Simas' writing progresses and what she does with this storyline.
October 9, 2011
This is a great book. I actually won my copy of this book and absolutely loved it! The story meets up with Zoe, the protagonist, as she's in the process of killing a soldier. Right off the bat the reader is immersed in the story. It was like hopping onto a roller coaster ride after it already made the slow climb to the top, bypassing the boring part and jumping straight to the good stuff. Basically, Zoe is some sort of immortal being that was chosen by God to defend the Earth, but Zoe doesn't handle the change very well. The book goes through her inner struggle as her and her people try to save the world - what's left of it - from Baldric, the evil General, and his army of thousands.
The story is sexy, creative, and fun. It has the perfect amount of twists and turns that really leave the reader guessing. When I got to the end, my jaw dropped and I literally asked "But what happens next?" Needless to say, my husband and kids thought I was crazy, but that's the kind of book this is. It leaves you wanting more. This is by far one of those can't put it down, page turner, sleepless nights kind of books. Looking forward to book 2!
The story is sexy, creative, and fun. It has the perfect amount of twists and turns that really leave the reader guessing. When I got to the end, my jaw dropped and I literally asked "But what happens next?" Needless to say, my husband and kids thought I was crazy, but that's the kind of book this is. It leaves you wanting more. This is by far one of those can't put it down, page turner, sleepless nights kind of books. Looking forward to book 2!
October 11, 2011
I'm probably just a LITTLE bit biased since I wrote the book, but I couldn't just say nothing now could I? I just wanted to let each of my readers and future readers know that Until Dawn: Last Light is a book that will get your blood pumping and heart racing. My hope is that you won't be able to put it down and that you feel a deep connection with its characters.
Let your imagination run wild! Truly hope you enjoy this book, and look for Until Dawn: Into the Dark January 20, 2012!
Let your imagination run wild! Truly hope you enjoy this book, and look for Until Dawn: Into the Dark January 20, 2012!
October 9, 2011
Loved this book! For being a new author, Simas does an amazing job. The characters were well-developed, the writing style was gripping, and the story was strong. Was completely enamored with this book, I just couldn't put it down. I finished it in a day. I'm definitely excited for the next book in the Until Dawn series.
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October 2, 2012Kindle free download 10/2/12.
January 15, 2013
LOVED IT!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews