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Dark Before Dawn
When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak accidents in town, Dawn has an important choice to make - continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. This novel is aimed at young adults, and at adults who enjoy paranormal YA such as the Twilight series, House of Night, and The Vampire Diaries series, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series, or Lois Duncan books.
212 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2011
15 people are currently reading
645 people want to read
About the author
Stacy Juba
23 books377 followersAuthor of Storybook Valley fairy tale chick lit series, the Hockey Rivals YA sports series, suspenseful cozy mysteries, and more. Stop by Stacy's website to get your FREE Storybook Valley Welcome Kit. Stacy is also an affordable freelance editor and lover of happy endings. Check out her other website: https://www.hockeyrivalsbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
October 5, 2011
While geared toward YA readers, this book easily crosses over to older adults. Dawn is a teenager struggling to find her place in life. She doesn't quite fit in at her high school and is adapting to a new stepfather and stepbrother. To complicate matters, she is a powerful psychic with no guidance and her mother wants her to ignore her abilities. Another psychic teen, a mentor and Dawn's desire to fit in soon lead her into the kind of trouble she'd never dreamed possible.
The characters are well crafted and easy to relate to. The story moves at a good pace, with the mystery and suspense becoming more intense as the plot unravels. The writing style is Stacy Juba at her best. I loved everything about this book!
The characters are well crafted and easy to relate to. The story moves at a good pace, with the mystery and suspense becoming more intense as the plot unravels. The writing style is Stacy Juba at her best. I loved everything about this book!
October 6, 2011
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes YA paranormal. The main character, Dawn, is well-drawn and engaging and every other character is fully fleshed out. These people seemed real to me and every time I put the book down I found myself thinking about the characters and wondering how it would all turn out for them. The paranormal angle was very well done and believable in the context of the story.
It was also a real page turner. If I hadn't had other things that I absolutely had to do, I could easily have finished this in one or two sittings. The plot had enough unexpected twists to keep me fully engaged and the ending was completely satisfying. The family dynamics and school situations also seemed very believable and well done. Everything about this book was a real winner!
I certainly hope Ms. Juba writes more books in this category. She's exceptionally talented and the teen characters, no matter what their role in the story, feel real and alive and are completely engaging.
The moral lines drawn between good and evil and the choices the characters make were part of what made this such a compelling read. Like the Harry Potter books, we are drawn into the story and the moral dilemmas of the characters without ever feeling that the writer is preaching to us.
All around, a wonderful read!
It was also a real page turner. If I hadn't had other things that I absolutely had to do, I could easily have finished this in one or two sittings. The plot had enough unexpected twists to keep me fully engaged and the ending was completely satisfying. The family dynamics and school situations also seemed very believable and well done. Everything about this book was a real winner!
I certainly hope Ms. Juba writes more books in this category. She's exceptionally talented and the teen characters, no matter what their role in the story, feel real and alive and are completely engaging.
The moral lines drawn between good and evil and the choices the characters make were part of what made this such a compelling read. Like the Harry Potter books, we are drawn into the story and the moral dilemmas of the characters without ever feeling that the writer is preaching to us.
All around, a wonderful read!
October 10, 2011
Ms. Juba has nailed the high-school voice of her characters in "Dawn Before Dark". Dawn Christian gets transferred to a different school and becomes part of a blended family in a small town in Maine, a far cry from her life in Boston. With a new family, new friends and a connection with the town's psychic, Dawn finds that her own psychic ability is getting stronger, with some frightening effects. Ms. Juba has drawn a spot-on portrait of high school cliques and angst set against growing paranormal events! This is a taut story with a whiff of deja vu that will keep you turning the pages!
February 8, 2012
Received this ARC copy free from Goodreads.com First Reads/giveaways.
Is being psychic all rainbows and sunshine like TV, movies, and people make it out to be? Is it really that neat to know things before it happens? Can there be an evil side to having psychic abilities? All these questions went through my head as I picked up and started reading Dark Before Dawn. In this book a teenager, Dawn, has the ability to “see” things before they happen and hear other peoples thoughts sometimes or feel their feelings/emotions. Dawn feels that she is on a whole different planet than her Mom, especially after her Dad was killed in a car accident when she was 7. When her Mom re-marries and they move to Maine to move in with Jeff (the new husband) and Ken (his son). The older Dawn gets the more questions she has about her, so called, gift. She doesn’t understand it or how to control it or why she has it. Dawn is introduced as a misfit, confused, picked on teenager who has no real relationship with her family and is a social outcast (being in a new school certainly doesn’t help that situation). To try and “fit in” or at least gain one friend she hides her ability, but when she sees the only boy, Scott, who was nice to her die in one of her visions shouldn’t she try to warn him? Well, she does, but that leads to many bad things. The kids at school call her a witch and she becomes even more outcast, that is until Candace and Jaime befriend her. They have psychic abilities too (Candace more that Jamie) and tell her that Serina (a local psychic) helps then learn more about being psychic and wants Dawn to come to a meeting. So starts Dawns new friendship circle. However, should you really learn from someone who is willing to do it, not only free, but in such a way that makes you vulnerable? Dawn wants to have somewhere to fit in so bad and is so badly wanting to understand her ability she will do anything to make it happen. When Dawn gets a feeling of evil at Serina’s house and dismisses it for nerves will she be sorry later?
I have to say that this book was well written and a joy to read. Stacy Juba (the author) did a terrific job with this book. It had action and kept rolling right along all the way to the end. I found myself wanting to read faster because I thought I knew what was going on or going to happen and couldn’t wait to see if I was right. As I read I never really saw anything sinister going on with the little psychic class Serina held for the three girls (Candace, Jamie and Dawn). Throughout this book there are clues as to what you should be catching on to, but if you are like me they didn’t all sink in until it was later in the book. When I finally saw what the author was doing with the plot my mind just reeled with excitement and wonder. I also found myself going, “how could I have missed seeing that?“. The wonderful twists and turns all throughout the book were very enjoyable too, kept me (as a reader) on my toes and filled with wonder. I think this book hit a cord with me because I tend to be intuitive myself, not by any means psychic, but I can tell when things are wrong with someone I am close to. I think of how frustrated I can be when I get that feeling, but don’t know what is wrong or with who, and can’t even imagine the character of Dawn who can see things and hear things too. This book also brings to light a common problem, bullying. All the bad in this book started with one girl just not fitting in in high school and getting picked on. My advice after reading this book? Never pick on anyone, you never know what secrets they are hiding from you that could cause you real problems if you are mean to them.
Highly recommend this book to the young adult group and the adult group. After all I think some of the best books out there are young adult books. They have a different “feel” to them that the authors make oh so well. Out to you, Stacy Juba, I hope you write another book so we can see where Dawn goes from here with her new found abilities and acceptance from her family.
Is being psychic all rainbows and sunshine like TV, movies, and people make it out to be? Is it really that neat to know things before it happens? Can there be an evil side to having psychic abilities? All these questions went through my head as I picked up and started reading Dark Before Dawn. In this book a teenager, Dawn, has the ability to “see” things before they happen and hear other peoples thoughts sometimes or feel their feelings/emotions. Dawn feels that she is on a whole different planet than her Mom, especially after her Dad was killed in a car accident when she was 7. When her Mom re-marries and they move to Maine to move in with Jeff (the new husband) and Ken (his son). The older Dawn gets the more questions she has about her, so called, gift. She doesn’t understand it or how to control it or why she has it. Dawn is introduced as a misfit, confused, picked on teenager who has no real relationship with her family and is a social outcast (being in a new school certainly doesn’t help that situation). To try and “fit in” or at least gain one friend she hides her ability, but when she sees the only boy, Scott, who was nice to her die in one of her visions shouldn’t she try to warn him? Well, she does, but that leads to many bad things. The kids at school call her a witch and she becomes even more outcast, that is until Candace and Jaime befriend her. They have psychic abilities too (Candace more that Jamie) and tell her that Serina (a local psychic) helps then learn more about being psychic and wants Dawn to come to a meeting. So starts Dawns new friendship circle. However, should you really learn from someone who is willing to do it, not only free, but in such a way that makes you vulnerable? Dawn wants to have somewhere to fit in so bad and is so badly wanting to understand her ability she will do anything to make it happen. When Dawn gets a feeling of evil at Serina’s house and dismisses it for nerves will she be sorry later?
I have to say that this book was well written and a joy to read. Stacy Juba (the author) did a terrific job with this book. It had action and kept rolling right along all the way to the end. I found myself wanting to read faster because I thought I knew what was going on or going to happen and couldn’t wait to see if I was right. As I read I never really saw anything sinister going on with the little psychic class Serina held for the three girls (Candace, Jamie and Dawn). Throughout this book there are clues as to what you should be catching on to, but if you are like me they didn’t all sink in until it was later in the book. When I finally saw what the author was doing with the plot my mind just reeled with excitement and wonder. I also found myself going, “how could I have missed seeing that?“. The wonderful twists and turns all throughout the book were very enjoyable too, kept me (as a reader) on my toes and filled with wonder. I think this book hit a cord with me because I tend to be intuitive myself, not by any means psychic, but I can tell when things are wrong with someone I am close to. I think of how frustrated I can be when I get that feeling, but don’t know what is wrong or with who, and can’t even imagine the character of Dawn who can see things and hear things too. This book also brings to light a common problem, bullying. All the bad in this book started with one girl just not fitting in in high school and getting picked on. My advice after reading this book? Never pick on anyone, you never know what secrets they are hiding from you that could cause you real problems if you are mean to them.
Highly recommend this book to the young adult group and the adult group. After all I think some of the best books out there are young adult books. They have a different “feel” to them that the authors make oh so well. Out to you, Stacy Juba, I hope you write another book so we can see where Dawn goes from here with her new found abilities and acceptance from her family.
December 16, 2014
My Review:
Dawn is a teenager whose mother just got remarried, so guess what? Dawn gets relocated to a new home, with a new brother, new step-father and, the best part, a new high school. If that isn’t stressful enough, Dawn is also psychic. Yep, as in she can tell what team will win with what score. Awesome right? Not to Dawn, mainly because most of her premonitions are about which classmate is next on the reaper’s list. Dawn faces a new challenge: warn those w/ an impending death and obliterate any chance she has in having a normal life OR walk away and live w/ the guilt. Of course Dawn, chooses the former and in doing so she makes new friends. Friends that have a lot more in common w/ her, friends that help Dawn understand her psychic powers. As the story progresses, Dawn learns to control her powers, she becomes stronger and she also learns about her family history.
What I liked about this novel:
Dawn is your typical teenager (sans the psychic powers), with typical parental problems. This is good because the readers can relate more with the characters situation. Also, the message that the author is portraying, at least the message that I got, is to follow your intuition even when your brain is screaming the opposite. After all, the heart/soul knows more than the brain. Also, that it is better to know the truth because in doing so you will be better prepared to handle whatever comes your way. Parents want to protect their children by hiding the truth from them. This doesn’t always work (like never). We find out, we get mad, go do stupid things, trust those that shouldn’t be trusted. Why? Because the truth is a powerful ally and an even more powerful weapon. Read the book, so you can understand me
What I didn’t like about this book:
The pace is a bit slow for me. It didn’t have enough movement, for lack of a better word. It was building up to the ending of course but it seemed like Dawn just took way, WAY, too long in figuring out what we already knew halfway through the book. There were a lot of unexpected twists, which is what propelled me to continue reading. Oh…Why was the cute, nice, potential-boyfriend murdered? This was not cool. Let Dawn have a love life!
Overall:
It’s a good novel. I am sure that BOOK #2 will be better. I recommend this book for teens, there is no mature content so parents, your kids will not be corrupted. I look forward to reading the next installment. The ending, as in the last page, pretty much sold itself for me.
Dawn is a teenager whose mother just got remarried, so guess what? Dawn gets relocated to a new home, with a new brother, new step-father and, the best part, a new high school. If that isn’t stressful enough, Dawn is also psychic. Yep, as in she can tell what team will win with what score. Awesome right? Not to Dawn, mainly because most of her premonitions are about which classmate is next on the reaper’s list. Dawn faces a new challenge: warn those w/ an impending death and obliterate any chance she has in having a normal life OR walk away and live w/ the guilt. Of course Dawn, chooses the former and in doing so she makes new friends. Friends that have a lot more in common w/ her, friends that help Dawn understand her psychic powers. As the story progresses, Dawn learns to control her powers, she becomes stronger and she also learns about her family history.
What I liked about this novel:
Dawn is your typical teenager (sans the psychic powers), with typical parental problems. This is good because the readers can relate more with the characters situation. Also, the message that the author is portraying, at least the message that I got, is to follow your intuition even when your brain is screaming the opposite. After all, the heart/soul knows more than the brain. Also, that it is better to know the truth because in doing so you will be better prepared to handle whatever comes your way. Parents want to protect their children by hiding the truth from them. This doesn’t always work (like never). We find out, we get mad, go do stupid things, trust those that shouldn’t be trusted. Why? Because the truth is a powerful ally and an even more powerful weapon. Read the book, so you can understand me
What I didn’t like about this book:
The pace is a bit slow for me. It didn’t have enough movement, for lack of a better word. It was building up to the ending of course but it seemed like Dawn just took way, WAY, too long in figuring out what we already knew halfway through the book. There were a lot of unexpected twists, which is what propelled me to continue reading. Oh…Why was the cute, nice, potential-boyfriend murdered? This was not cool. Let Dawn have a love life!
Overall:
It’s a good novel. I am sure that BOOK #2 will be better. I recommend this book for teens, there is no mature content so parents, your kids will not be corrupted. I look forward to reading the next installment. The ending, as in the last page, pretty much sold itself for me.
October 5, 2012
I'm pretty glad I signed up for this book on one of the Goodreads group R2R programs (I got a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review). It's not usually the type of story I'm into, one basically completely lacking in the romance department, however I found that the story carried my along so well that I barely even noticed the absence. Dawn is a psychic who doesn't understand her abilities or where they came from. She's constantly being cut down by her mother because of them, and told to stifle her powers. When she moves with her family to Covington (love the name) it doesn't really come as a big surprise that she meets up with other psychics. While the book doesn't have many twists or turns that aren't easily predicted, the flow of the story moves smoothly. Juba has a distinct voice which makes it easy to picture what's going on. I did still have a few issues with this book. One of them is something that Dawn thinks to herself, which is that she wonders what her life would have been like if her mom had died instead of her dad. That threw me. She's gullible, sure, otherwise she wouldn't have fallen for many of Serina's tricks, but she doesn't seem cruel. While that thought isn't necessarily horrible, it is still pretty bad, and we haven't seen her mom treat her nearly bad enough for her to think it. Another thing is the use of the word avenged towards the end. Serina avenged herself, not her enemies. Of course, these two things are just semantics, I just felt the need to mention them. Other then that the only real problems I had, again, was the obviousness of all of it, including the central plot arch, and the switch in POV. Sometimes we'd be in Dawn's head and then we'd get a glimpse into another characters. It was strange and jarring. That and the grammar, where tenses were constantly being switched so that I had to reread a sentence over again in order to figure it out. But the characters were all given distinct personalities and were well rounded. I could picture each one in my mind, and could decide which ones I would want to hang out with and which ones I wouldn't. This really helped pull me into the story. All in all, I'd give this a 4, and I would without a doubt read more by this author! I recommend this to anyone who wants a good paranormal story all about murders and manipulative psychics. :)
June 7, 2015
Dawn Christian and her family recently moved. Well, there was a marriage and a move to Maine – she now has a step father and a step brother to go along with her mother. But her psychic abilities make her even more of an outcast at her new school. that is until a few other girls let on that they have the same abilities and introduce Dawn to a fortune teller. Mysterious deaths and tough choices follow.
This story started off strong. Dawn is in her teens and having trouble fitting in both at home and at school. She can’t talk to her mom about her psychic abilities and that makes it hard for her to talk to her mother about anything else. Plus she now has this awkwardness at getting use to having a step father and step brother. In fact, the book spends a lot of time focusing on how out of place Dawn is. While that is definitely integral to the story, after a while it is was also tiring as the same issues were rehashed over and over again.
But then things pick up again when Dawn meets the fortune teller and witch Cassandra. Now she is part of a small group of teens, all with psychic abilities, being taught and guided by this experienced witch. Things were looking up for Dawn. However, there is something dark at the center of this group and while Dawn can sense that, she doesn’t figure it out right away.
A few deaths occur that are attributed to freak accidents. Dawn believes otherwise and keeps digging. As she delves into this mystery she also stumbles upon the mystery of her own father’s death. Apparently her mother has been keeping secrets. This little side plot line was my favorite as it had the right mix of suspense, coming of age, and truths uncovered.
There is some joking around about Dawn’s step brother and how cute he is. I really hope the author doesn’t turn this into a step-sibling romance in the next installment. The ending felt a little rushed to me but maybe that is because so much of the rest of the book kept repeating over and over again Dawn’s not fitting in. So the succinctness of the ending was a different pacing from the rest of the book.
Narration: Cassandra Morris was a great choice for Dawn. She does teen girls well. Her female and male voices were believable and distinct.
This story started off strong. Dawn is in her teens and having trouble fitting in both at home and at school. She can’t talk to her mom about her psychic abilities and that makes it hard for her to talk to her mother about anything else. Plus she now has this awkwardness at getting use to having a step father and step brother. In fact, the book spends a lot of time focusing on how out of place Dawn is. While that is definitely integral to the story, after a while it is was also tiring as the same issues were rehashed over and over again.
But then things pick up again when Dawn meets the fortune teller and witch Cassandra. Now she is part of a small group of teens, all with psychic abilities, being taught and guided by this experienced witch. Things were looking up for Dawn. However, there is something dark at the center of this group and while Dawn can sense that, she doesn’t figure it out right away.
A few deaths occur that are attributed to freak accidents. Dawn believes otherwise and keeps digging. As she delves into this mystery she also stumbles upon the mystery of her own father’s death. Apparently her mother has been keeping secrets. This little side plot line was my favorite as it had the right mix of suspense, coming of age, and truths uncovered.
There is some joking around about Dawn’s step brother and how cute he is. I really hope the author doesn’t turn this into a step-sibling romance in the next installment. The ending felt a little rushed to me but maybe that is because so much of the rest of the book kept repeating over and over again Dawn’s not fitting in. So the succinctness of the ending was a different pacing from the rest of the book.
Narration: Cassandra Morris was a great choice for Dawn. She does teen girls well. Her female and male voices were believable and distinct.
October 24, 2012
Stacy Juba has created a fabulous story for kids and adults. We begin this story with Dawn a young girl with psychic abilities that her mother wants her to hide. She has a premonition that something horrible is going to happen on her first day of school. And boy was she right!
What happens next is the stuff of nightmares. I can’t go into too many details because it would give away the story. But I will say that Juba has created a character family that is so wonderful in all its crazy familial intricacies. The fear Dawn’s mother feels at each and every new psychic awakening. The struggles of a young girl in a new family with a new step-father and step-brother and going to a new high school are all so very believable. The “mis-fits” who Dawn finds and fits in with and the mysterious psychic who is willing to teach children to awaken their inborn talents make this mystery a true page turner.
The twists and turns that this story takes were relatively straight forward and whether it’s my instinctual abilities to deduce what’s going to happen next or a psychic ability I just knew all was not as it seemed. And so I knew something would happen with the psychic but even I never truly expected who she was and why things were happening.
Stacy Juba really needs to continue on with this saga because I feel that there is so much more to be done with Dawn. But it is a strongly written piece and I do recommend this book to children aged 10 and up. I really believe that young and old alike will love this tale and as a woman whose own children are different I can say that this is a wonderful story of how children treat their peers and a good lesson on how to treat those that are different than you. And while it wasn't written to be a lesson on acceptance of others it is indeed a story about accepting who you are regardless of your differences. So please do go out and grab a copy of this book because it is well worth the read and will keep you flipping those pages to find out what happens next.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
What happens next is the stuff of nightmares. I can’t go into too many details because it would give away the story. But I will say that Juba has created a character family that is so wonderful in all its crazy familial intricacies. The fear Dawn’s mother feels at each and every new psychic awakening. The struggles of a young girl in a new family with a new step-father and step-brother and going to a new high school are all so very believable. The “mis-fits” who Dawn finds and fits in with and the mysterious psychic who is willing to teach children to awaken their inborn talents make this mystery a true page turner.
The twists and turns that this story takes were relatively straight forward and whether it’s my instinctual abilities to deduce what’s going to happen next or a psychic ability I just knew all was not as it seemed. And so I knew something would happen with the psychic but even I never truly expected who she was and why things were happening.
Stacy Juba really needs to continue on with this saga because I feel that there is so much more to be done with Dawn. But it is a strongly written piece and I do recommend this book to children aged 10 and up. I really believe that young and old alike will love this tale and as a woman whose own children are different I can say that this is a wonderful story of how children treat their peers and a good lesson on how to treat those that are different than you. And while it wasn't written to be a lesson on acceptance of others it is indeed a story about accepting who you are regardless of your differences. So please do go out and grab a copy of this book because it is well worth the read and will keep you flipping those pages to find out what happens next.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
February 20, 2015
If you could control minds, would you?
This is the tagline from the author's website, stacyjuba.com, and it so eloquently sums up my thought after finishing this book. If you asked me this question 2 days ago, I would have answered "HELL YES!". After finishing Dark Before Dawn, I will admit that I am torn.
First off, Dark Before Dawn is written from the perspective of Dawn, a (I actually am unsure if we ever get a true age of Dawn) 16(ish) year old girl who has been able to predict when something bad is going to happen and had delved into some peoples minds. Her whole life she has felt like an outsider looking in. She has never been able to make friends and keep them. Her own mother doesn't understand her. Her father is dead and her mother has remarried...... what could possibly go wrong?
The situations that are portrayed in this paranormal young adult fiction are eye opening and thought provoking. I spent my time reading how the main character, Dawn, handled various dilemmas, whether internal or otherwise, and I tried to compare how I would react if thrown into a similar situation. I get asked what my favorite types of books are. To this I always answer the same, any genre that allows me put myself in the shoes of the characters and makes me think about life in general.
The writing style of this author was perfect. Throughout the book, I felt like I was in the head of a teenaged girl living in a new town and dealing with a whole new world. I enjoyed that there was a feeling of being an outcast and it was exactly how I would expect a girl to feel being thrown into a new family with an ability that she is unable to let surface.
I was sad to see the story end and this is one of the few times I wish a stand alone was a series. If Stacy Juba ever writes more with these great characters, you can bet that I will be the first in line, or rather, the fist to proceed to check out! In the meantime I will be delving into the other titles of not only Stacy Juba's young adult selection, but all of her books.
This is the tagline from the author's website, stacyjuba.com, and it so eloquently sums up my thought after finishing this book. If you asked me this question 2 days ago, I would have answered "HELL YES!". After finishing Dark Before Dawn, I will admit that I am torn.
First off, Dark Before Dawn is written from the perspective of Dawn, a (I actually am unsure if we ever get a true age of Dawn) 16(ish) year old girl who has been able to predict when something bad is going to happen and had delved into some peoples minds. Her whole life she has felt like an outsider looking in. She has never been able to make friends and keep them. Her own mother doesn't understand her. Her father is dead and her mother has remarried...... what could possibly go wrong?
The situations that are portrayed in this paranormal young adult fiction are eye opening and thought provoking. I spent my time reading how the main character, Dawn, handled various dilemmas, whether internal or otherwise, and I tried to compare how I would react if thrown into a similar situation. I get asked what my favorite types of books are. To this I always answer the same, any genre that allows me put myself in the shoes of the characters and makes me think about life in general.
The writing style of this author was perfect. Throughout the book, I felt like I was in the head of a teenaged girl living in a new town and dealing with a whole new world. I enjoyed that there was a feeling of being an outcast and it was exactly how I would expect a girl to feel being thrown into a new family with an ability that she is unable to let surface.
I was sad to see the story end and this is one of the few times I wish a stand alone was a series. If Stacy Juba ever writes more with these great characters, you can bet that I will be the first in line, or rather, the fist to proceed to check out! In the meantime I will be delving into the other titles of not only Stacy Juba's young adult selection, but all of her books.
March 8, 2013
Dark Before Dawn focuses on Dawn, a 16 year old girl who is forced to move from Boston to Maine because of her mother's marriage. Not only does Dawn have to deal with a new family, a new house, and a new school but she also has psychic abilities that scare her and have isolated her. She tries to keep her psychic abilities a secret but when she has a vision of a classmate's death, she feels that she must warn him. Soon she is being teased and tormented by the cool kids. And when her vision comes true, his friends spread a rumor around school is that she is a witch and she caused his death. She is befriended by another girl at school who also has psychic abilities and is introduced to her mentor. But Dawn soon starts to question the mentor's teachings and finds herself wondering if her initial bad feeling about evil was right all along.
I absolutely loved this book and read it in one sitting. The story was well-written and fast paced. I was interested from the first page to the very last. I liked that even though this was a paranormal book, it was very realistic. The interactions between Dawn and her mother were something that any teen girl can relate to and understand. The high school relationships and cliques were pretty much how I remember high school being. And in some ways, Dawn and her friends reminded me of myself and my little group of high school friends (except for the psychic abilities).
This book is very appropriate for teens and young adults, especially those interested in the supernatural. It is also an enjoyable read for adults of all ages. I highly recommend that you put this on your TBR and that you check out Stacy Juba's other books.
I absolutely loved this book and read it in one sitting. The story was well-written and fast paced. I was interested from the first page to the very last. I liked that even though this was a paranormal book, it was very realistic. The interactions between Dawn and her mother were something that any teen girl can relate to and understand. The high school relationships and cliques were pretty much how I remember high school being. And in some ways, Dawn and her friends reminded me of myself and my little group of high school friends (except for the psychic abilities).
This book is very appropriate for teens and young adults, especially those interested in the supernatural. It is also an enjoyable read for adults of all ages. I highly recommend that you put this on your TBR and that you check out Stacy Juba's other books.
October 25, 2011
Dawn has had psychic powers ever since she was a child. Like most of us at some point or another, Dawn feels like an outcast and is constantly picked on. But imagine not being fully accepted by your own mother, not knowing the secrets behind your father’s death, or being called a “witch” on a daily bases. Unfortunately for Dawn, this is everyday life. When she moves to a new town, with a new stepdad, new stepbrother, and a new school, she feels lonelier than ever. Then, Dawn meets a girl who shows signs of physic powers like hers, and another friend who wants to learn how to be physic, and she finally fits in somewhere. They become involved with a local fortuneteller who mentors them and makes them feel special and powerful instead of like freaks. But everything is not like it seems, and when local teens start walking to their deaths (literally), it’s up to Dawn to figure out what’s going on.
I was truly taken with this book! Not only is it a real page-turner, but I had moments where I would stop and say to myself, “Oh no she didn’t!” Dawn may have psychic powers but there are parts of her personality and situations that everyone can relate to. As the plot came together I found myself on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what would happen next, and guess what? I couldn’t guess! It takes a great plot to really stump and throw the reader off and Juba did an awesome job of keeping me interested. This author is going on my favorites list and I can’t wait to read more of her books.
visit my blog http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.com/
I was truly taken with this book! Not only is it a real page-turner, but I had moments where I would stop and say to myself, “Oh no she didn’t!” Dawn may have psychic powers but there are parts of her personality and situations that everyone can relate to. As the plot came together I found myself on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what would happen next, and guess what? I couldn’t guess! It takes a great plot to really stump and throw the reader off and Juba did an awesome job of keeping me interested. This author is going on my favorites list and I can’t wait to read more of her books.
visit my blog http://shadowkissedcassie.blogspot.com/
October 6, 2013
Dawn Christian has moved to a new town, now that her mother has gotten married. Dawn has never felt normal, but it is the first day of school and she has a very, bad feeling; the type of feeling that her mother never wants to discuss. Knowing that she never stands a chance of fitting in, she is shocked when she makes friends with a girl who claims to understand all about those psychic feelings. One trip to the town’s fortuneteller turns into daily after school lessons, with her new friend and another girl who hopes to connect with her sixth sense. Dawn continues her lessons, despite her inner voice warning her of evil, but when people start turning up dead, Dawn can no longer ignore the voice. Will she listen or will she stand by her new friends?
Stacy Juba takes on the world of teenage girls and the paranormal in this book. Readers will easily gobble up this book in one sitting. Readers will be able to relate to not only Dawn in her new setting, just trying to fit in, but to also some of the minor characters as well as they play their roles in her new high school/home. This book does have paranormal aspects, but it is the emotional journey that Dawn is on, is what will compel readers to keep reading until the very end. Dark Before Dawn covers many genres marvelously.
Notes:
The author provided a copy of this book for me to review.
This review was originally posted on Ariesgrl Book Reviews.
Stacy Juba takes on the world of teenage girls and the paranormal in this book. Readers will easily gobble up this book in one sitting. Readers will be able to relate to not only Dawn in her new setting, just trying to fit in, but to also some of the minor characters as well as they play their roles in her new high school/home. This book does have paranormal aspects, but it is the emotional journey that Dawn is on, is what will compel readers to keep reading until the very end. Dark Before Dawn covers many genres marvelously.
Notes:
The author provided a copy of this book for me to review.
This review was originally posted on Ariesgrl Book Reviews.
January 3, 2014
This was a nice, quick, easy read and I have to say I really enjoyed it. This is not your typical slushy romance brand of YA Paranormal and I found that to be a nice change.
The plot is not overly complicated and I did see a lot of it coming, but I still enjoyed reading along to find out if I was right.
Well written with characters everyone can relate to, I would definitely read more by this author.
I give Dark Before Dawn 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
The plot is not overly complicated and I did see a lot of it coming, but I still enjoyed reading along to find out if I was right.
Well written with characters everyone can relate to, I would definitely read more by this author.
I give Dark Before Dawn 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating System:
1 star: I will never post a 1 star review because this means it was so bad I couldn't finish it, and I don't won't publicly rate a book I haven't read all the way through.
2 stars: I may have liked the story but it was badly written or it may have been a boring story well written. Something about it kept me reading but I didn't enjoy it.
3 stars: A good, enjoyable read. If the description appeals to you I'd recommend reading it.
4 stars: A really good book that I thoroughly enjoyed and may even read again. I will want to read other books by the same author. Highly recommend.
5 stars: Reserved for books that blew me away and whose characters I can't get out of my head. These are books that I will definitely read again, possibly several times. If I read an e-book version I may even have to go buy a hard copy for my shelves. Why are you still here? Go read this book right now.
August 7, 2016
I received a free download of "Dark Before Dawn" by Stacy Juba in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this YA paranormal thriller, geared mostly for the teenage group but also would be enjoyed by any adult.
Dawn Christian, sixteen had moved from Boston, to Covington, Maine, and now was starting her junior year at a new high school. But Dawn suffered from premonitions, and her mom wanted her to just forget about her "feelings", and get on with her life and try to make friends. But she didn't fit in...she was different. Dawn's father died when she was in first grade, and her mom had remarried, Jeff, an editor at the Gazette, and now she had a stepbrother, Ken who was seventeen years old.
Eventually Dawn met two other girls at school, one who was totally devoted to her mentor/psychic, Serina, and one in training. Dawn is drawn into their group and hidden meetings. Sewrina had tried to turn them against their families.
But two people in the same school, both had been in accidents, best friends and both killed. Dawn had to decide what path she was going to take, a choice to continue developing her talent or go up against her only two friends.
The short chapter format briskly moves the story along. The story is well developed and the characters are human. A very enjoyable read.
Dawn Christian, sixteen had moved from Boston, to Covington, Maine, and now was starting her junior year at a new high school. But Dawn suffered from premonitions, and her mom wanted her to just forget about her "feelings", and get on with her life and try to make friends. But she didn't fit in...she was different. Dawn's father died when she was in first grade, and her mom had remarried, Jeff, an editor at the Gazette, and now she had a stepbrother, Ken who was seventeen years old.
Eventually Dawn met two other girls at school, one who was totally devoted to her mentor/psychic, Serina, and one in training. Dawn is drawn into their group and hidden meetings. Sewrina had tried to turn them against their families.
But two people in the same school, both had been in accidents, best friends and both killed. Dawn had to decide what path she was going to take, a choice to continue developing her talent or go up against her only two friends.
The short chapter format briskly moves the story along. The story is well developed and the characters are human. A very enjoyable read.
November 25, 2011
Dark Before Dawn was a great read, perfect to take my mind off things and slip into the world that centered around Dawn. I loved the plot and the idea of a sixth sense.
From the first page I was excited to see the lifelike quality around the relationship between Dawn and her mother. It is definitely something that any teen age girl could sympathize with.
The feelings that Candance and Elaine had towards the boys they like are very much like crushes I've had. Even though I wouldn't have killed over it, I can definitely understand. On the flip side of that, when I started the book, I thought that there would be a lot more romance to the novel. So I was sad when everything stopped at the crush stage.
There are a lot of surprises and twists that kept me interested and kept the pace of the novel just how I like it.
I enjoyed the fact that you got to understand where Elaine was coming from as well as Candance because so many novels out there don't give a reason behind why their bad guys are bad. No one just is bad, they become bad by choices they make and others make. So, I was excited to learn about their characters.
Over all, this was a great read and a worthwhile read for everyone!
From the first page I was excited to see the lifelike quality around the relationship between Dawn and her mother. It is definitely something that any teen age girl could sympathize with.
The feelings that Candance and Elaine had towards the boys they like are very much like crushes I've had. Even though I wouldn't have killed over it, I can definitely understand. On the flip side of that, when I started the book, I thought that there would be a lot more romance to the novel. So I was sad when everything stopped at the crush stage.
There are a lot of surprises and twists that kept me interested and kept the pace of the novel just how I like it.
I enjoyed the fact that you got to understand where Elaine was coming from as well as Candance because so many novels out there don't give a reason behind why their bad guys are bad. No one just is bad, they become bad by choices they make and others make. So, I was excited to learn about their characters.
Over all, this was a great read and a worthwhile read for everyone!
October 7, 2012
This is a very intriguing story. The set of the story: Dawn, a psychic who is starting at a new school, trying to adjust to a new life with a new family, while keeping what she truly is hidden from the world. Dawn tries acting normal but finds it impossible to do when her ability pushes her reveal truths and to give warnings.
Dawn faces more problems when her own mother tries pushing her to ignore her ability.
Finally a light shines in her life, one that's too irresistible to ignore. Candace, another psychic at school, sees Dawn's talents and invites her to come learn with Serina, the local psychic who teaches young psychics to learn their true power. Dawn cautiously accepts the invitation and is soon drawn in by Serina's knowledge.
Dawn faces many struggles throughout the story, not only with the kids at school but even with her own family. Once Dawn starts to listen to her inner guide, instead of ignoring it, things come to light and truths are revealed.
Dark Before Dawn is truly a great read.
Dawn faces more problems when her own mother tries pushing her to ignore her ability.
Finally a light shines in her life, one that's too irresistible to ignore. Candace, another psychic at school, sees Dawn's talents and invites her to come learn with Serina, the local psychic who teaches young psychics to learn their true power. Dawn cautiously accepts the invitation and is soon drawn in by Serina's knowledge.
Dawn faces many struggles throughout the story, not only with the kids at school but even with her own family. Once Dawn starts to listen to her inner guide, instead of ignoring it, things come to light and truths are revealed.
Dark Before Dawn is truly a great read.
February 23, 2012
I was lucky enough to win this novel from the blog Peeking Between the Pages. I say lucky as I loved it! Aimed at young teenaged girls, it was full of the worry and angst I expected of a young girl moving to a new school in a new town. Dawn's mother is newly married and has moved the pair to her new husband's hometown. Gradually we learn of Dawn's special powers. It's a shame the cover has to blurt them out to us - note the words ESP Spells DANGER on the front. Ms. Juba takes the reader well beyond what one would expect those powers of ESP to be, well beyond just bending spoons and telling the future. I love the characters, there's a real variety and her bratty new brother, is perfect! What is also unusual about the story is there is not the usual conflicted love interest that we see in so many YA novels now. Refreshing and a recommended read.
October 11, 2014
This book started out really well - great premise - I was interested. It was different. I looked forward to having time to read it to see what was going to happen. And then....the ending was just... off. I was really enjoying it up until the wrap-up.
It wasn't just one of those, "Oh! I can't believe that's how everything is going to be resolved!" deals - it wasn't that the ending was cheesy or something like that - it just really felt like someone else wrote the ending. The last quarter of the book just didn't read like the whole rest of it.
I'll probably try something else she wrote later - she is clearly talented, as the first 3/4 of the book shows. The ending of this one just didn't do it for me. It was told in such an odd way. It didn't match the rest of the story.
It wasn't just one of those, "Oh! I can't believe that's how everything is going to be resolved!" deals - it wasn't that the ending was cheesy or something like that - it just really felt like someone else wrote the ending. The last quarter of the book just didn't read like the whole rest of it.
I'll probably try something else she wrote later - she is clearly talented, as the first 3/4 of the book shows. The ending of this one just didn't do it for me. It was told in such an odd way. It didn't match the rest of the story.
April 11, 2013
Dawn is adjusting to a new home, new school and new family. Her mom doesn't want anyone, including her new step-father and step-brother to know about her abnormality. Her psychic ability has kept her from having friends in the past and she is hoping to start over. Events occur that once again make her an outcast, but she is able to find some friends that have the same type of talents. Finally she fits in, but her inner voice is telling her to stay away. And for good reason. There are some very common teen issues in this book, but with a paranormal spin. There were a couple of twists that surprised me. An intriguing and mysterious story. I recommend for anyone who enjoys YA paranormals, including older adults.
December 6, 2014
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
May 11, 2016
Written for young adults, this book can be enjoyed by more mature audiences as well.
Dealing with ones teen years gets more complicated when you find yourself with unusual talents or powers that most others do not have, and you can't talk to your mother about them. Add in moving to a new city and school, and life feels really difficult and unconfortable.
I like the way Dawn develops over time. She has to make better decisions and choices.
She has to decide who she can turn to and trust.
A well paced and suspenseful story.
I did receive a copy to review.
Dealing with ones teen years gets more complicated when you find yourself with unusual talents or powers that most others do not have, and you can't talk to your mother about them. Add in moving to a new city and school, and life feels really difficult and unconfortable.
I like the way Dawn develops over time. She has to make better decisions and choices.
She has to decide who she can turn to and trust.
A well paced and suspenseful story.
I did receive a copy to review.
May 16, 2017
Carrie Vibe
Pretty good book. However, at times is reminded me of Stephen King's Carrie. It was an easy read. It has an ending that leads you to believe there may be a sequel.
Pretty good book. However, at times is reminded me of Stephen King's Carrie. It was an easy read. It has an ending that leads you to believe there may be a sequel.
November 28, 2012
What happens when E-S-P spells D-A-N-G-E-R? Well it could mean one of two things. One, you need to learn to spell properly – or two, you’re a young girl with psychic powers and you’ve met other young girls with psychic powers and made some friends. Only for something sinister to be in the air...
Well, that’s the plot today of the book Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba, a Young Adult Paranormal novel involving psychic powers. It may sound like the plot to a Charmed episode, but in actual fact, this is a lot more enjoyable (apologies to Charmed fans).
Like a lot of teenagers, Dawn has trouble fitting in and making friends. The fact that she seems to possesses psychic abilities and can read minds by accident doesn’t help matters and can put her in some quite embarrassing situations. But when she makes friends with Candice and Jamie (two girls that also possess psychic abilities), they bring her to a powerful psychic called Serina, who seems almost too keen to teach her about her abilities. With it, Dawn learns new abilities that she never knew that she had, which empowers her and gives her more confidence. But there couldn’t possibly be a sinister side to Serina and the girls, could there?
Well, I don’t want to give too many spoilers – but if you know how most Paranormal stories go, you can bet that there will be some sinister dealings somewhere down the line!
I liked this one, it was a nice change to the amount of romantic novels I’ve done the last few reviews (not that I don’t enjoy reading those of course). The language and writing style is simple to follow and very easy to read, making this perfect for teenage readers.
The basic story (of a main character seeking acceptance, but isolated because of the gifts they possess), is one we’ve seen more than once in other novels, but I felt that the story was well done and I couldn’t see any plot holes in it, which was a good thing. Occasionally it was a little predictable in terms of the twists and you do kinda see what’s gonna happen before it does – but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to read. It’s a good length as well and not overly padded out, so most people will be able to get through this fairly quickly.
I think the only real issue I had with this book was a lack of a strong male character. All the guys in this book are either annoying or (minor spoilers) characters waiting to die. The closest we get is Ken, her step brother – but he was a bit of a prat and little more than a “damsel in distress”. I’m guessing this book was more intended for female readers, but I believe that, just because you may aim this book for one particular gender, it doesn’t mean you can’t put characters in that the opposite se can’t relate to or back. After all, even Twilight had some strong male characters as well as strong female characters. That’s just my view though and only really a nitpick.
But the above didn’t hinder my enjoyment of it and it was a refreshing read from the sort of books that I had before.
If you like a nice, easy to follow story with a strong plot, then this will be right up your street. It could have had more strong male protagonists, but I still found a lot to enjoy in this book and I’m sure that readers of Young Adult Paranormal novels will as well. Go get yourself a copy – you know you want to!
Well, that’s the plot today of the book Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba, a Young Adult Paranormal novel involving psychic powers. It may sound like the plot to a Charmed episode, but in actual fact, this is a lot more enjoyable (apologies to Charmed fans).
Like a lot of teenagers, Dawn has trouble fitting in and making friends. The fact that she seems to possesses psychic abilities and can read minds by accident doesn’t help matters and can put her in some quite embarrassing situations. But when she makes friends with Candice and Jamie (two girls that also possess psychic abilities), they bring her to a powerful psychic called Serina, who seems almost too keen to teach her about her abilities. With it, Dawn learns new abilities that she never knew that she had, which empowers her and gives her more confidence. But there couldn’t possibly be a sinister side to Serina and the girls, could there?
Well, I don’t want to give too many spoilers – but if you know how most Paranormal stories go, you can bet that there will be some sinister dealings somewhere down the line!
I liked this one, it was a nice change to the amount of romantic novels I’ve done the last few reviews (not that I don’t enjoy reading those of course). The language and writing style is simple to follow and very easy to read, making this perfect for teenage readers.
The basic story (of a main character seeking acceptance, but isolated because of the gifts they possess), is one we’ve seen more than once in other novels, but I felt that the story was well done and I couldn’t see any plot holes in it, which was a good thing. Occasionally it was a little predictable in terms of the twists and you do kinda see what’s gonna happen before it does – but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to read. It’s a good length as well and not overly padded out, so most people will be able to get through this fairly quickly.
I think the only real issue I had with this book was a lack of a strong male character. All the guys in this book are either annoying or (minor spoilers) characters waiting to die. The closest we get is Ken, her step brother – but he was a bit of a prat and little more than a “damsel in distress”. I’m guessing this book was more intended for female readers, but I believe that, just because you may aim this book for one particular gender, it doesn’t mean you can’t put characters in that the opposite se can’t relate to or back. After all, even Twilight had some strong male characters as well as strong female characters. That’s just my view though and only really a nitpick.
But the above didn’t hinder my enjoyment of it and it was a refreshing read from the sort of books that I had before.
If you like a nice, easy to follow story with a strong plot, then this will be right up your street. It could have had more strong male protagonists, but I still found a lot to enjoy in this book and I’m sure that readers of Young Adult Paranormal novels will as well. Go get yourself a copy – you know you want to!
June 24, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Dawn Christian has recently moved to Covington, Maine to live with her new family - her mother, stepfather and seventeen-year-old stepbrother. Moving to a new town can be difficult for anyone, but for Dawn it has been particularly stressful. Having lost her father at the age of seven, it's just been herself and her mom since then - or at least it was until her mother remarried and they moved in with her new husband and his son. Dawn is actually settling in fairly well - getting along with her new stepfather and stepbrother, getting used to being in a new school, doing her best to fit in with the crowd.
However, not everything is as it seems: Dawn and her mother have shared a secret with each other ever since she was a little girl. Dawn has always had the ability to predict certain events - from the benign to the horrific - and these premonitions of hers usually come true. In an effort to protect her daughter, Dawn's mother has told her to never reveal her abilities to anyone - and Dawn has always done her best to follow that advice. Yet, she can't help but still feel like an outsider.
That feeling begins to dissipate slightly when she meets two girls - Candace and Jamie - who apparently share her mysterious talents. Dawn's new friends may help her to fit in, but when she is introduced to a woman who Candace calls her 'psychic mentor' - a fortuneteller by the name of Serina - Dawn feels that she has finally found the place where she belongs.
Serina is a striking woman; confident and warm. She is also willing to teach Dawn how to develop her abilities; telling her that she has no reason to hide something that makes her so special. After spending so many years feeling like a misfit, Dawn appreciates the acceptance that she found among her new friends. However, when a series of bizarre incidents start happening around town, Dawn becomes troubled.
While the strange incidents initially seem harmless, Dawn suspects that her new friends may be involved in some of these ominous occurrences. She doesn't want to believe that they could possibly have done anything harmful; but as time passes and each situation grows increasingly more dangerous - she can't be entirely certain that this isn't the case. Jamie and Candace just may have ties to several of these freak accidents, and Dawn knows that she has an important decision to make.
She realizes that she is standing at a crossroads in her life: should she continue developing the talents that make her special, or walk away from her new friends entirely. Dawn isn't quite sure if she has the strength to do so, but she knows that there may come a time when she needs to challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. She only hopes that she will survive the encounter.
First of all, I want to say that I really enjoyed reading this book. The story reminded me so much of Carrie by Stephen King - which was also a book that I enjoyed reading. Having said that, I must say that the characters in Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba seemed to me to be slightly less isolated from each other - less insulated from the world around them. The story was fast-paced and well-developed, and I was drawn into the action right from the beginning. I would give this book an A!
However, not everything is as it seems: Dawn and her mother have shared a secret with each other ever since she was a little girl. Dawn has always had the ability to predict certain events - from the benign to the horrific - and these premonitions of hers usually come true. In an effort to protect her daughter, Dawn's mother has told her to never reveal her abilities to anyone - and Dawn has always done her best to follow that advice. Yet, she can't help but still feel like an outsider.
That feeling begins to dissipate slightly when she meets two girls - Candace and Jamie - who apparently share her mysterious talents. Dawn's new friends may help her to fit in, but when she is introduced to a woman who Candace calls her 'psychic mentor' - a fortuneteller by the name of Serina - Dawn feels that she has finally found the place where she belongs.
Serina is a striking woman; confident and warm. She is also willing to teach Dawn how to develop her abilities; telling her that she has no reason to hide something that makes her so special. After spending so many years feeling like a misfit, Dawn appreciates the acceptance that she found among her new friends. However, when a series of bizarre incidents start happening around town, Dawn becomes troubled.
While the strange incidents initially seem harmless, Dawn suspects that her new friends may be involved in some of these ominous occurrences. She doesn't want to believe that they could possibly have done anything harmful; but as time passes and each situation grows increasingly more dangerous - she can't be entirely certain that this isn't the case. Jamie and Candace just may have ties to several of these freak accidents, and Dawn knows that she has an important decision to make.
She realizes that she is standing at a crossroads in her life: should she continue developing the talents that make her special, or walk away from her new friends entirely. Dawn isn't quite sure if she has the strength to do so, but she knows that there may come a time when she needs to challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. She only hopes that she will survive the encounter.
First of all, I want to say that I really enjoyed reading this book. The story reminded me so much of Carrie by Stephen King - which was also a book that I enjoyed reading. Having said that, I must say that the characters in Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba seemed to me to be slightly less isolated from each other - less insulated from the world around them. The story was fast-paced and well-developed, and I was drawn into the action right from the beginning. I would give this book an A!
September 26, 2012
[3-4 stars]
For Dawn, being psychic is not easy. Her abilities have often put her in situations where she knows too much, alienating her from her peers for one reason or another. Needless to say, Dawn has never fit in. The situation is made worse when Dawn's mother remarries, moving her to a small town in Maine. Now there is even more pressure on Dawn to be normal, since her new family doesn't know about her secret, and she is once again the new kid in school. But this new town might be just what Dawn needs, and life starts to look a bit brighter. For a little while anyways. Ultimately, Dawn has to take responsibility for her choices and actions, and decide who she is and what she stands for.
While I've always wondered about what having psychic or other kinds of mental abilities would be like, I felt bad for Dawn. She's had to figure out her abilities without any help and live with the consequences of her slip-ups. I couldn't imagine not being able to talk to anyone about such a huge part of who I am, much less not having my family's support. Plus, high school is hard, especially when you don't exactly fit in and you're new. So when you finally do start making friends, it's hard to give that sense of belonging up. So even though Dawn annoyed me at times, she was a strong, resilient, and incredibly real character.
With a mostly solid cast of secondary characters and a consistent and enthralling plot, the only thing I didn't like about Dark Before Dawn was the mother-daughter relationship. After her father's death years before, all Dawn has is her mom. But her mother chooses to ignore Dawn's difference and go on pretending that all of her daughter's problems are due to Dawn not trying hard enough to be social. The woman even goes so far as to ask her daughter not to bring up her powers around her new husband and step-son. This happens within the first 3 pages of the novel. 3! I was hoping that Dawn's mom would change and encourage her daughter to love who she is, but I never felt that support or unconditional love.
While this book didn't necessarily suck me in or wow me with a lot of detail, it's a highly enjoyable and realistic read (in terms of character development and their experiences). Dawn's premonitions and abilities added an exciting and compelling spin to the usual coming-of-age story.
For Dawn, being psychic is not easy. Her abilities have often put her in situations where she knows too much, alienating her from her peers for one reason or another. Needless to say, Dawn has never fit in. The situation is made worse when Dawn's mother remarries, moving her to a small town in Maine. Now there is even more pressure on Dawn to be normal, since her new family doesn't know about her secret, and she is once again the new kid in school. But this new town might be just what Dawn needs, and life starts to look a bit brighter. For a little while anyways. Ultimately, Dawn has to take responsibility for her choices and actions, and decide who she is and what she stands for.
While I've always wondered about what having psychic or other kinds of mental abilities would be like, I felt bad for Dawn. She's had to figure out her abilities without any help and live with the consequences of her slip-ups. I couldn't imagine not being able to talk to anyone about such a huge part of who I am, much less not having my family's support. Plus, high school is hard, especially when you don't exactly fit in and you're new. So when you finally do start making friends, it's hard to give that sense of belonging up. So even though Dawn annoyed me at times, she was a strong, resilient, and incredibly real character.
With a mostly solid cast of secondary characters and a consistent and enthralling plot, the only thing I didn't like about Dark Before Dawn was the mother-daughter relationship. After her father's death years before, all Dawn has is her mom. But her mother chooses to ignore Dawn's difference and go on pretending that all of her daughter's problems are due to Dawn not trying hard enough to be social. The woman even goes so far as to ask her daughter not to bring up her powers around her new husband and step-son. This happens within the first 3 pages of the novel. 3! I was hoping that Dawn's mom would change and encourage her daughter to love who she is, but I never felt that support or unconditional love.
While this book didn't necessarily suck me in or wow me with a lot of detail, it's a highly enjoyable and realistic read (in terms of character development and their experiences). Dawn's premonitions and abilities added an exciting and compelling spin to the usual coming-of-age story.
March 2, 2013
[3-4 stars]
For Dawn, being psychic is not easy. Her abilities have often put her in situations where she knows too much, alienating her from her peers for one reason or another. Needless to say, Dawn has never fit in. The situation is made worse when Dawn's mother remarries, moving her to a small town in Maine. Now there is even more pressure on Dawn to be normal, since her new family doesn't know about her secret, and she is once again the new kid in school. But this new town might be just what Dawn needs, and life starts to look a bit brighter. For a little while anyways. Ultimately, Dawn has to take responsibility for her choices and actions, and decide who she is and what she stands for.
While I've always wondered about what having psychic or other kinds of mental abilities would be like, I felt bad for Dawn. She's had to figure out her abilities without any help and live with the consequences of her slip-ups. I couldn't imagine not being able to talk to anyone about such a huge part of who I am, much less not having my family's support. Plus, high school is hard, especially when you don't exactly fit in and you're new. So when you finally do start making friends, it's hard to give that sense of belonging up. So even though Dawn annoyed me at times, she was a strong, resilient, and incredibly real character.
With a mostly solid cast of secondary characters and a consistent and enthralling plot, the only thing I didn't like about Dark Before Dawn was the mother-daughter relationship. After her father's death years before, all Dawn has is her mom. But her mother chooses to ignore Dawn's difference and go on pretending that all of her daughter's problems are due to Dawn not trying hard enough to be social. The woman even goes so far as to ask her daughter not to bring up her powers around her new husband and step-son. This happens within the first 3 pages of the novel. 3! I was hoping that Dawn's mom would change and encourage her daughter to love who she is, but I never felt that support or unconditional love.
While this book didn't necessarily suck me in or wow me with a lot of detail, it's a highly enjoyable and realistic read (in terms of character development and their experiences). Dawn's premonitions and abilities added an exciting and compelling spin to the usual coming-of-age story.
For Dawn, being psychic is not easy. Her abilities have often put her in situations where she knows too much, alienating her from her peers for one reason or another. Needless to say, Dawn has never fit in. The situation is made worse when Dawn's mother remarries, moving her to a small town in Maine. Now there is even more pressure on Dawn to be normal, since her new family doesn't know about her secret, and she is once again the new kid in school. But this new town might be just what Dawn needs, and life starts to look a bit brighter. For a little while anyways. Ultimately, Dawn has to take responsibility for her choices and actions, and decide who she is and what she stands for.
While I've always wondered about what having psychic or other kinds of mental abilities would be like, I felt bad for Dawn. She's had to figure out her abilities without any help and live with the consequences of her slip-ups. I couldn't imagine not being able to talk to anyone about such a huge part of who I am, much less not having my family's support. Plus, high school is hard, especially when you don't exactly fit in and you're new. So when you finally do start making friends, it's hard to give that sense of belonging up. So even though Dawn annoyed me at times, she was a strong, resilient, and incredibly real character.
With a mostly solid cast of secondary characters and a consistent and enthralling plot, the only thing I didn't like about Dark Before Dawn was the mother-daughter relationship. After her father's death years before, all Dawn has is her mom. But her mother chooses to ignore Dawn's difference and go on pretending that all of her daughter's problems are due to Dawn not trying hard enough to be social. The woman even goes so far as to ask her daughter not to bring up her powers around her new husband and step-son. This happens within the first 3 pages of the novel. 3! I was hoping that Dawn's mom would change and encourage her daughter to love who she is, but I never felt that support or unconditional love.
While this book didn't necessarily suck me in or wow me with a lot of detail, it's a highly enjoyable and realistic read (in terms of character development and their experiences). Dawn's premonitions and abilities added an exciting and compelling spin to the usual coming-of-age story.
September 26, 2012
When you compile the normal teen angst and the importance of ‘fitting in’ with the new kid in school, and one with psychic abilities to boot; you have the makings of an engaging and believable story. Dawn is the new girl in school, with a new step-father and step-brother, and the ability to predict the future. When she warns a student at school about his impending death – she ostracizes herself and becomes the butt of the mean girls sniping. As often happens in high school, those with similar interests tend to flock together for company and friendship. The two girls she encounters invite her to lessons with the local psychic, where they are being taught to manage and improve their skills. Or is it simple manipulation of a disturbed adult acting through the innocent? To learn more – you need to read this book.
I will say that the characters were well developed and believable, with tidbits of the psychic arts explained and detailed as the girls learned to manage their abilities. More ethical questions arise than one normally sees in a YA novel – Dawn’s inherent goodness and unwillingness to cause harm to people, even when she gains the ability to manipulate behavior is an interesting counterpoint to the psychic’s teachings. Strength comes not from what you are capable of doing, but perhaps that which you refrain from because it is ethically or morally wrong. A truly good read that engages from the first chapter and doesn’t let you go until the end. I would highly recommend this book to my daughter when she was 14 or 15, and certainly worth a solid 4 star rating.
I did receive an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility. Review opportunity via Lovers of Paranormal, a goodreads group.
I will say that the characters were well developed and believable, with tidbits of the psychic arts explained and detailed as the girls learned to manage their abilities. More ethical questions arise than one normally sees in a YA novel – Dawn’s inherent goodness and unwillingness to cause harm to people, even when she gains the ability to manipulate behavior is an interesting counterpoint to the psychic’s teachings. Strength comes not from what you are capable of doing, but perhaps that which you refrain from because it is ethically or morally wrong. A truly good read that engages from the first chapter and doesn’t let you go until the end. I would highly recommend this book to my daughter when she was 14 or 15, and certainly worth a solid 4 star rating.
I did receive an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility. Review opportunity via Lovers of Paranormal, a goodreads group.
April 13, 2017
Dark before dawn
This rating I is because so many life situation s are in or. Typical teenagers, typical problems, I don't think so! Questions dilemmas, and the cruelty that can happen in high school all blend for a trip to danger. Read it in one sitting.
This rating I is because so many life situation s are in or. Typical teenagers, typical problems, I don't think so! Questions dilemmas, and the cruelty that can happen in high school all blend for a trip to danger. Read it in one sitting.
January 1, 2015
An enjoyable read with a touch of suspense and a dollop of paranormal, this audiobook was nicely read by the narrator, who has a very pleasant voice and brings life to teenagers well.
Even though Dawn made quite a few bad choices along the way (which yes, made me keep arguing with my audiobook while I drove to and from work...this is perfectly normal, right?) it wasn't at all out of character for a sixteen-year-old who's adjusting to a new home and school/family situation AND is just starting to get a grip on her paranormal powers. Ms. Juba definitely knows how to portray realistic teenagers!
Annoying teenaged tendencies aside, I did like Dawn a lot. She (eventually) wised up and made better choices, and grew in positive ways by the book's end. The antagonist ended up being a bit one-dimensional, but the other secondary characters were solid, and it was easy to find yourself caring about what was going to happen to them.
I'm also 100% convinced that mind control is not a power anyone should have. Ever. Especially not teenaged girls whose mothers tell them no... (but the hall pass incident was kind of funny. Wrong, of course, but funny.)
I'm not sure if there's going to be more to the series, but I'd definitely be interested if there were. Ms. Juba's style of writing made Dark Before Dawn an easy and fun read.
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Even though Dawn made quite a few bad choices along the way (which yes, made me keep arguing with my audiobook while I drove to and from work...this is perfectly normal, right?) it wasn't at all out of character for a sixteen-year-old who's adjusting to a new home and school/family situation AND is just starting to get a grip on her paranormal powers. Ms. Juba definitely knows how to portray realistic teenagers!
Annoying teenaged tendencies aside, I did like Dawn a lot. She (eventually) wised up and made better choices, and grew in positive ways by the book's end. The antagonist ended up being a bit one-dimensional, but the other secondary characters were solid, and it was easy to find yourself caring about what was going to happen to them.
I'm also 100% convinced that mind control is not a power anyone should have. Ever. Especially not teenaged girls whose mothers tell them no... (but the hall pass incident was kind of funny. Wrong, of course, but funny.)
I'm not sure if there's going to be more to the series, but I'd definitely be interested if there were. Ms. Juba's style of writing made Dark Before Dawn an easy and fun read.
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2016
All her life Dawn Christian has felt like an outcast and when her and her mom move from Boston to Covington, Maine she hopes for a new beginning. Dawn has premonitions and when she begins to have them about kids in her new town she is tormented immediately but finds solace with other outcasts at school, Candace and Jamie, who introduce her to Serina, the local psychic in town.
Yet Dawn soon realizes that not is all what she thinks it is and maybe her new friends aren't friends at all. Will Dawn be able to figure out the right path or will she sit back and let others take control?
I enjoyed this book and liked Dawn. I really wasn't to impressed with her mom and the lack of support she gave Dawn with her abilities. Dawn was trying to do the right thing and her mom just wanted her to ignore them.
I found that with the exception of Dawn and her step-brother Ken, I didn't get attached to any of the characters. I liked Vicky but I felt that I liked her and then thought she was snobby but then liked her again. I didn't really like Candace and felt that maybe she was more in control than what we think.
Still a good book and I will read the author again.
Yet Dawn soon realizes that not is all what she thinks it is and maybe her new friends aren't friends at all. Will Dawn be able to figure out the right path or will she sit back and let others take control?
I enjoyed this book and liked Dawn. I really wasn't to impressed with her mom and the lack of support she gave Dawn with her abilities. Dawn was trying to do the right thing and her mom just wanted her to ignore them.
I found that with the exception of Dawn and her step-brother Ken, I didn't get attached to any of the characters. I liked Vicky but I felt that I liked her and then thought she was snobby but then liked her again. I didn't really like Candace and felt that maybe she was more in control than what we think.
Still a good book and I will read the author again.
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