Zarah Duncan is a Guardian. It’s an elite job that protects humans and the untainted vampires from the real monsters: those lost to the bloodlust. Rogues infest the city. Missing humans, unsolved cases…Zarah knows what the real cause is and she’s been trained since childhood to destroy them.
But she has a haunting past that catches up one day. Zarah was Rogue once, and until her, no one else has ever cured from the poisoned state of mind before. She’s been labeled a miracle, and the mystery only builds. She gets the awful feeling there’s more to it than just a lucky magical come-back. There are deep, dark secrets being kept. Maybe her boss Nathanial knows something? When she gets paired with a partner, Draven Kinsley, it only adds more difficulty. He hates her and swears that with a single look, she’ll poison him. To make matters worse, her Rogue brother has to show up, and he brings with him a shocking announcement. What Zarah learns from him rocks her entire world upside down. She not only begins to question who and what she is anymore, but it can possibly change the Vampire race forever.
The scary part: someone else knows too…and they’ll do anything to get her special blood, spelling disaster for the humans that Guardians have secretly been protecting for decades.
Vampires, fallen angels, war, betrayal, and romance fill this Paranormal/Urban Fantasy debut, the first book to a high-action trilogy.
I’m a feisty red-headed author from Texas with an unhealthy obsession to the unusual and weird. Sometimes considered as eccentric and a little spunky, but mostly just a short dork. When I’m not writing, I can usually be found with my nose stuck in a book or in the blogosphere or somewhere on Twitter.
I write mostly YA--Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, and some Horror. My 2012 debut release Darkness Comes This Way is the first book to a YA Paranormal trilogy. There are many other projects to come. When asked what made me want to be a writer, I’ll tell you it was from the moment I’d started reading. That one “I do not like green eggs and ham” line, and my mind had been made up for life. There’d never been much thought to anything else. I don't care about recognition or any kind of fame. I just want to write my crazy ideas.
I used to write news articles, but quit when I realized I wasn’t writing anything I truly desired. Now, I blog for fun and enjoy a great community of other book bloggers. I adore the book blogging community, having been a part of it for over five years now.
My other “unhealthy obsessions” include: music, Supernatural, geeky things, boots, fashion, and chocolate.
Note: Don’t be shy, either! I’m here at Goodreads to read/review, as well as to meet other book nerds like myself.
Extra note (since it seems I have to make this): I realize I have an author profile. I will never, EVER, spam anyone by randomly adding strangers, etc--and I expect the same treatment in return. I'm here to INTERACT. I'm not just an author. I'm also a book blogger and reviewer. So if you're thinking about adding me, please only add if you're actually going to interact, have some books in common, etc. Do not try to use me as a tool for your marketing/spamming. Because I do ignore requests (i.e. profiles with very few books/few reviews on shelves but 2k+ friends).
Another note: Starting with the year of 2015, I am temporarily not blogging at The Bookaholic (there is no time frame to a return if any) (http://the-bookaholic.blogspot.com). It was a sad, sad goodbye but along the way some nice changes were made and I'm currently blogging with the group of ladies at Great Imaginations! So look for me there and be sure to visit! (*also note: should there be a return to The Bookaholic at any point in the future, it would not end my blogging at Great Imaginations*)
I wrote it. I don't think it's very fair of me to rate my own work, so I'm trying not to do that if I don't absolutely have to. I just hope that others enjoy it as much as I had fun writing this. :)
First off I want to thank Pixie Lynn Whitfield herself for allowing me to read the finished eBook copy. THANKS!!
When I first started reading I had all these distractions AKA my nephews. When they finally went to sleep it was at 10 and i went back to reading(YAY)Welll I got sucked into the story, I stayed up until the early morning hours until I finished it.
I absolutely loved all the detail in the story. I could imagine everything in my mind esp. the characters, they felt so real. Draven was just a bunch of hotness!!! Zarah, well she's just pure awesome. She totally won me over when she punched a certain someone in the face(epic)Plus, I like reading about redheads. Thomas is Zarah's brother, I really wanted o hate him but i just couldn't do it. He is very likable.
The twist on the vampires was very unique. Let me tell you, you want to read this so you can see what I'm talking about.
I think that some people will love this and other won't like it, it just depends on what you like. Me on the other hand loved this and I highly recommend it to all my friends!!!
Darkness Comes this Way was kindly provided to me by the wonderful Pixie Lynn Whitfield in exchange for my honest opinion.
Zarah Duncan is a reformed rogue vampire, one of a kind and changed back without knowing the reasons as to how and why. She is now a Guardian working alongside elite vampires trained to kill those who hunt and kill humans.
Draven Kinsley is a Guardian, he is gruff and unforgiving with a strong hatred for the tainted rogues, his feelings towards Zarah are of disdain and hatred; he doesn’t know why she has been cured and prefers to keep her at arms length but when he is forced by his boss, Nathaniel to partner up with her he gets to know more about her past and her as a person and is surprised she is different to what he had originally assumed.
I wasn’t a Draven fan initially whatsoever (although his physical appearance was certainly appealing), I found him to be rude and horrible towards Zarah who I thought was wonderful. As the story progressed and they became closer I started to enjoy their growing friendship and found myself hoping they could be together as more; the twist on their bond was certainly interesting as well.
There were hints at a brewing romance between Zarah and Draven but nothing progressed which I found to be refreshing; the relationship wasn’t at the forefront of this story which I actually quite enjoyed. It gives me something more to look forward to in the next installment.
The general gist of the plot revolves around a group of intelligent rogues wanting to use Zarah to find a cure, there are secrets being kept and the mystery surrounding her and her miraculous cure is known to a few who want to use her for their own purposes; of course it is a lot more complex than this but I’ll avoid the details to prevent spoilers but it was intriguing and certainly different to any vampire book I have read more recently. I enjoyed the spin Ms Whitfield placed on what we generally know and read of vampires and with the possibility of a new breed of vampire/fallen angel; it is certainly an interesting concept that I am eager to learn more about.
I really enjoyed the cast of supporting characters, I especially loved Zarah’s brother Thomas; I felt for what he had been through and respected the decisions he made. The fallen angels, although their appearance was quite brief have me curious; Seth in particular.
I started to read Darkness Comes this Way and I couldn’t put it down, so I ended up finishing it in one sitting. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms Whitfield’s writing; it was detailed and had me engrossed from the very beginning. The pacing flowed well and I found the plot to be unique and entertaining.
All in all, if you are after an enjoyable Paranormal/Urban Fantasy that has a cast of memorable characters, a solid entertaining plot and wonderful world-building then Darkness Comes this Way is for you.
I am eager to get hold of the next book in this series.
Well it seems that I’ve been reading a lot of Vampire novels recently haha, I’ve been on a bit of a kick I guess. But each one of them has been completely different. I was lucky enough to get an advanced review e-copy of Darkness Comes This Way, and I was highly intrigued from the beginning of the story.
I really, really loved the premise of this story; I think it was unique, engaging, and unlike the other Paranormal/Urban Fantasy books I’ve read before. I loved the world building, it was realistic and felt like this could be something that’s really going on in the world right now but we humans are none the wiser. Which is a tad bit creepy if you think about it lol. The detail was extremely well done and I was able to imagine everything easily, I also liked the fact that there is some back story to it and you’re not just sitting there wondering how certain things (that I won’t name due to being spoilers lol) came about.
I really liked Zarah, she was tough, spunky, and intelligent. She wasn’t your perfect “mary-sue” type character, she has her flaws and they’re part of what makes her real and relatable. In the beginning she starts off not really letting anyone in but as the story goes on you see her start to grow in that area and let some of her walls down which I liked a lot. I liked Draven as well, although at first I was kind of tired of him being so stand offish with Zarah but I suppose he had his reasons lol. However, I would like to know more about his background though so I’m hoping in the next installments we’ll find out more about him. And while I still really like the other characters, I think as of now Thomas (Zarah’s brother), would have to be my favorite character. I loved everything about his personality, he’s got a bit of a sarcastic streak (which I always love in my characters lol), he’s also loyal, smart, and cares about his sister’s well being.
There’s some romance in the story but it doesn’t seem out of place or take away from the main plot, I’m looking forward to seeing how it will play out in the other two books. The action was definitely not lacking in this book, there were several times when I couldn’t turn the page fast enough haha. I was thoroughly hooked all the way till the end, and speaking of the end it was kind of a cliffhanger and now I I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next book to come out!
I know this isn’t the longest review but I was trying not to go into too much detail and accidentally give away spoilers lol. But I will say that overall I really enjoyed this book, and if you’re a Vampire or Paranormal/Urban Fantasy lover, or if you’re just looking for a new series to get started on, I’d definitely recommend this book!
I should start this review by stipulating that 'Darkness Comes This Way' is a little left of centre from my typical reading. As a result I wasn't sure what to expect from this vampire/supernatural novel. Safe to say I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are dominated by their emotions, every action has a consequence, and the action scenes read like they are lifted from a big budget choreographed kung-fu flick - yep, they're that good.
One of the core strengths to 'Darkness Comes This Way' is the emphasis on a family dynamic separated by violence and mistrust which slowly forms as the characters define themselves by their actions. Zarah shows more heart and compassion than most vampire protagonists I've read while still dishing out gore with grace. She's a misplaced individual searching for the truth while trying to maintain some semblance of who she should be. Going Rogue and back to Guardian will do that. This could almost be deemed as a coming of age tale of love, loss and quest for a the truth which could derail all she knows.
Whitfield blends Humans, Guardians, Rogues, Fallen Angels, and something altogether different into a melting pot of suspense, action and tense scenes which left me on the edge of my seat. Never knowing how a Guardian/Rogue encounter will end, or how the Zarah/Draven dynamic plays out adds a little spice to each chapter.
Violence, cruelty, ambitions of domination - the parallels from real world to vampiric fiction are easily defined. Whitfield does a good job at making this tale of fiction read plausible in real life by subtlety linking a likeness to the world we live in. This touch and a revelation later in the book regarding the purpose of the Rogues are highlights of 'Darkness Comes This Way'.
Overall, this an easily readable and enjoyable form of escapism, one where a reader will be able to suspend his/her belief long enough to become enthralled in the world Whitfield has created and the fantasy-like characters that inhibit it. 4 stars.
Hot Vampires and Fallen Angels oh yea! And what story would be complete without the villain and in this case the roughs vampires, not hot by the way. The story characters where much older than teenagers, whom YA usually incorporates. These characters where teenagers but because they were turned years and years ago they have matured and are to me considered more adult than teenagers. However some of the decisions the characters make, make them look more like the teenager. But any way that is neither here nor there. Zarah, Draven, Thomas & Nathan were the main characters. Zarah and Draven hate each others guts, Thomas is Zarah’s brother turned rough and Nathan is Zarah and Draven crazy leader. Like I mentioned before plot is not very original but I still enjoyed the story very much. You have the fragile female that men are trying to protect because of something that makes her unique. In this story Zarah is the key and the female although she can hold her own not weak at all and we have Thomas her brother and Draven whom is partnered with her to hunt but does not think very much of her in the beginning until later, when he sees the error in his way and then she becomes his damsel in distress. Ok so it’s not original but there are very good and different twist through out the entire story, which makes it even more enjoyable. I will be reading the next one, well I hope there is a next one, there was a little cliff hanger and a lot of jelousy at the end. Oh yea. Thanks Pixie for allowing me to review your story.
Well, my best friend Tiffany got acopy of this book from the Author. So of course I got to read it. let me tell you, this book was awesome. It was an unedited version so i didn't pay much attention to the very few and very far between typos. (there were like 4 out of the entire book. no big deal-io)
Ok, I loved Zarah and her checkered past. Plus, if you know me, you know i LOVE BA ninja assassin chicks. (Wish i was one. D:) Anyway, she kicked but and didn't even stop to take names! Ah! Also, i loved her brother and i felt for him. He did what he had to do. I loved how they picked right back up on their sibling rivalry. They were so cute!
Draven. Draven, Draven, Draven. What to say. I ended up liking him pretty well. He was sarcastic (<3), but he kept calling her names. haha. although, she wasn't really lovin him either. I LOVE her eyes. in my head they are all AWESOME. I think it is majorly cool how Mrs. Whitfield combined The Fallen Angels with the Vampires. I was like.....nice. :)I was freaking out when tey heard the sirensa t the end - right along with them. And i was proud of my girl, Zarah when she unleashed her BA at the end.
Most of all, though, I love how the ending was set up. Ethan. muahaha. I see where you are going with that, Mrs. Whitfield and i like your style. The end of this book left me conflicted, but it ended on a hint of action to come, which made me freak out because the sequel is no where in sight! Ah! Why have more people not read this book? It's pretty awesome. Tiffany and I shall spread the word. (kind of upset with the Author that i had to stop after just one book...need....... sequel...)
It's hard to give an unbiased review of this book, since I know and absolutely adore the author. But, because I know she wouldn't ever want me to sugar-coat it, I'll try. Flaws and all.
Darkness Comes This Way is one of those rare good books to come out in recent years about vampires. Strong plotline, likeable characters (especially Thomas, Zarah's rogue brother) and a ton of action. It's easily readable, and you'll find yourself wanting to know what happens next at the end of every chapter. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing you're supporting an author who isn't well-known, and how much do we all love that? Like being part of some awesomely exclusive club.
Now, I'll be honest; there were times in this book, especially toward the beginning, where the lack of a real editor was more apparent. That's the rub of self-publishing; there are no professionals to guide your hand with the hard parts, or to suggest a rewording of a few phrases. For better or for worse, it's all you. I feel like Pixie Lynn Whitfield is just as good as those signed to major publishing labels - and certainly better than some - but was just unlucky enough to not have a strong editor backing her. Still, she does an impressive job all on her own.
That said, the writing gets stronger as the pages go along, and the ending leaves you dying for the next enstallment in this trilogy. A book definitely worth reading, and not just to support an unknown author, or words uttered by a loyal friend. It's good on its own merits. You'll just have to pick up a copy to see for yourself.
Full disclosure - I know Pixie as a book blogger and I got her book to support her work. Even though I know her, my review is still my reflection on the story, not the person.
Darkness Come This Way is a vampire story, but I promise you there is not a single glitter in sight. Guardians are vampire fighters who seek out Rogues - vampires who have given in to bloodlust. There are strange things happening among the Rogues and Zarah and Draven are teamed together to find out what’s going on.
It’s hard to talk about the plot without spoiling it because it is complex and twisting. Both Zarah and Draven are intricate character and I found myself rooting for them. Zarah has an interesting past - she was once Rogue but has since been cured, though no one really understands how. Draven (who has no past that he can remember) isn’t happy with working with Zarah, so that creates a lot of tension for their team.
I think this was a good story, and I think, given a dedicated editor it would have been a great story. It’s hard in the self-pub world to get the resources and funds for someone to edit your work, but I think a dedicated editor working on this would have helped with the flow of the story. That was my main issue with the book, there were times when I would pick up phrases and ideas that seem to contradict each other and it would pull me away from the passage while my internal editor[1] kicked in.
Overall, if you like a good vampire story, you’ll like this one. There is a lot of fighting and a lot of action and a lot of turns to keep you on your toes.
[1] My internal editor often prefers relaxing instead of working, and can usually be found frolicking in the fields, but every now and then she comes out with her red pen. This is a random, and unnecessary footnote but I’m going to leave it here because it amuses me.
Not really sure how the cover fits into the story ... but that is not the end all, be all of a book for me. Especially as I read most of my books on my Kindle anymore. But it is something I still consider when browsing at a local book store, so I figure it warrants a quick comment.
Can I just say I loved the character's names? Zarah and Draven, if I was going to have kids, I know what their names would be! As it stands, naming my next dog Draven will have to do. :-) And I freaking adored him. Cocky yet wounded, popular, but likes the outcast girl ... it's a match made in heaven! And of course he is pretty. :-)
Zarah is mostly fantastic, minus the random hiding behind the guys moments she has, rather than be the bad-ass she can be. I suppose in the interest of self preservation and all ... And she has been through some tough stuff. I won't go into more, because it is vital to the story, but let's just say she is ... different? And tortured? And broken?
And Draven ... cocky, sensitive, beautiful Draven ... what else needs to be said?
This is one of those books that it is hard for me to talk about without giving things away; little tidbits are constantly revealed as you read, so you get everything at the end, and not a moment before you are meant to. So I think I will just sum it up like this:
This is a good, maybe not great, but good solid book. Do I recommend it? Heck yes! Am I going to sit here and gush all over it? Nah. Will I read the second book in the series? It's already on my Kindle, courtesy of the author herself. ;-)
Darkness Comes This Way was an easy read; great for supernatural-loving YA readers. It had action, it had character turmoil, it had the beginnings of love, a decent villain... With that being said, I wanted more. I felt like I was reading the bones of the story with very little meat. This author is clearly capable of crafting an interesting plot with great character dynamics, but what I read barely scratched the surface of what this story could have been. I wanted a richer history of both the vampire race(s) and the characters, more insight into the character thought process, more history on the Fallen Angels, and more insight into the training of the Guardians; just more depth to the entire story. At times, I wasn't sure whose POV I was reading - was it Zarah or Draven? Those transitions seemed inconsistent and sloppy to me. Also, the Fallen Angels seemed to show up out of nowhere with a rather thin reason as to why they wanted to help out. It felt forced, but boy am I glad that they came! They are going to add sugar and spice and everything nice to the second book. I am really looking forward to it. I LOVED the relationship between Zarah and her brother Thomas. It was very real, very sweet, and I liked seeing Zarah's turmoil as she struggled to come to terms with her feelings toward him. Nathaniel seemed a little weak and predictable to me, but Ethan is going to be a worthy adversary in the book(s) to come! Overall, I was entertained and am looking forward to even more as this author continues to tell Zarah's inventive and exciting story!
I've been planning to write this review for a while. The reason I didn't right away is, I wanted some time to pass to see if I still remember it in a few months. For someone who reads hundreds of books every year, this could be a challenge. However, almost two months later I can honestly say that I am still tuned to DCTW and look forward to reading a sequel.
When I read a book, I make a mental check list.
1.Is there a strong story? 2.Are the characters compelling? 3. Is their development convincing enough to keep reading? 4.Is writing solid? 5.Was the editing done well so I do not have to shake my head in disbelief when I see grammar errors or bad punctuation?
I gave DCTW 4.5 stars because I could answer Yes to all of the above.
I don't like to summarize plots. What I can say about this book is, it makes you feel, it makes you wonder and want more. The story is unique, the world building believable. The main character, Zarah, is intelligent and badass (my favorite type) with an interesting past. Zarah's partner Draven is strong and attractive with some attitude (probably everyone's favorite type haha). Their relationship development doesn't suppress the story and fits nicely into the flow.
I really liked the supporting characters, they enchanced the story and made it more real.
So if you like hot guys, strong-willed girls, twists and secrets, great action wrapped into paranormal story, you'll love this awesome book.
I loved Darkness Comes This Way! I couldn’t stop reading it. I’d be ready for bed and then I’d hear a voice in my head saying…just a couple more pages. Zarah’s character is a strong female vampire, who is haunted by the past. She works to protect innocent individuals from rogue vampires by hunting every night for them. She knows more about rogues than most as she was once a rogue. At night, she dreams of the horrible rogue behavior she exhibited. The story really heats up when she is teamed with Draven and they hunt together. The chemistry between Zarah and Draven is hot. I kept turning each page just waiting for the moment the two of them act on their sexual attraction. Then, there is the story of Zarah and her rogue brother, Thomas. I loved the dialogue between them. Even though he is a rogue, he shows his love and protectiveness of Zarah. There were twist and turns in this book that I really enjoyed…finding out the identity of the villain and the reason for Zarah’s rogue cure. I’m looking forward to a second book. I want to know more about the fallen angels, Draven’s past, and Zarah’s new ability to create a new race of vampires. Most of all, I want to see more of the relationship between Draven and Zarah. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Pixie for allowing me to review Darkness Comes This Way.
I'm a sucker for vampires. I don't care if they sparkle, if they are ugly, if they are moody, whiny, or even grumpy. I especially love 'em if they're HOT, but that goes without saying, right?
Zarah is a Guardian vampire, part of a group of immortals who keep humans safe by killing Rogue vampires. (Let me tell you, I'd very much enjoy that job, LOL!) She's a kick-ass heroine with a cold exterior. But she's got a tender heart inside.
She's paired up with Draven, another Guardian, and they're both charged with redoubling their efforts, because the Rogues are becoming more powerful and more deadly.
What I love about this story is that Zarah and Draven dislike each other and that tension kept me interested. Despite their butting heads, they are able to form a strong partnership and they work really well together--something that's difficult to create, IMHO.
Another good bit is that Zarah ends up having to face her past head on, and she risks exposing her secret as a result.
The action is non-stop, the twists frequent, and the tension high. All must haves in my book.
The downside: I'd like to see more editing for streamlining. That being said, Pixie Lynn is a strong writer and I fully expect her skills to grow. I'm gonna keep an eye on her for her next projects!
I really liked this story. It grabs you right from the beginning with a tough kick ass character. Zarah is different than most vampires, she was able to be cured from being Rogue. She now spends her days finding other rogue vampires and killing them. When she has been forced to team up with another Guardian vampire, Draven, everything changes. While on a hunt, Zarah and Draven are ambushed by Rogues, not just any rogue but her brother Thomas. Thomas will help Zarah and Draven fight the Rogues, who are now after Zarah for her unique blood. Although this is a YA read, there were times that Zarah and Draven had such fire between the two that you just wished it was an adult book. There is such action in this book that you keep turning the page wanting to see what happens next. Some books with this much going on makes you feel overwhelmed but Pixie makes it work so you're not. She has created a unique world with different types of vampires that is easily believable and realistic in a paranormal fashion. I look forward to the next book.
I thought this book was great. The storyline of Guardian and Rogue Vampires is quite interesting with Zarah the kick ass main character a reformed Rogue with no idea how or why it happened. There are several strong supporting characters such as her brother, the crazy team leader Nathaniel who brought her back to the Guardians when she was "cured" from being a rogue, and a Guardian Draven, that she is paired up with even though Zarah and Draven can't stand each other.
It has a fast pace and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing what will happen next especially with the Fallen Angels, an enemy of both vampire races, introduced to the mix. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book.
To be completely honest.. I initially only purchased this book to read because my teen had been going on and on about wanting to read it.. and Pixie is from our area.. figured I'd check it out..
Well, I'm pleasantly impressed... she sucked me right in with the first 2 chapters! Not a hard book to get into at all.. I will say... Gah.. I just knew that was going to happen with Nathaniel, but she just kept holding out on my suspicions til just the right time to unveil it. Really good! Like her writing style & her characters are really easy to relate to, with that twist that makes them special.. I've already downloaded the second & can't wait to start reading it! I may not read many other vampir-ish novels, but I will say I'm a Pixie Lynn fan & will read her other works!
I liked it. I skipped several pages though because I couldn't wait to see what happends at the end but it was a well written book, interesting and I wasn't let down.Another excellent book with vampires one it will take a while to complete but I am only 35 years old so I have time...
The best thing about this book was how quickly I got through it. The worst is not knowing if continuing would be a good idea or not. The characters didn't stand out to me and the plot kind of blows up in your face. Plus you see the villain from a mile away, and I'm suppose to be shocked by it? Nah, I'll pass..
I really wanted to like this. But... unfortunately that was not the case. I found that I was having trouble concentrating on what was going on in the book and fully enjoying it. I was constantly speed reading through it, wondering, "When is this going to get to the good part?" It finally picked up towards the end with the two groups of vampires engaging in a full on war. But vampires along with fallen angels was too much for me to handle in one book. Not my cup of tea. I just feel like it didn't flow together well. Darkness Comes This Way was good but it could have been better.
Stilted writing, one dimensional characters with very little personality, way too many similarities with the movie Underworld, you know the one starring Kate Beckingsale. I could never quite get into it.
I was actually pretty impressed with this novel. It was well written and very thought out. I wished the heroine was a little more bad ass but hopefully that comes with the next novel Definitely a good start to the series.