Dark Deeds

by Ann K. Shepherd

Three months ago, Sarah Drake’s best friend, Giselle Rochester, disappeared without a trace. Now Sarah must navigate the treacherous waters of Garfield Preparatory School alone, which would be difficult enough for a scholarship student, but she’s also captured the unwanted attention of Giselle’s twin brother Damien – a dangerous predator who gives cruelty a new meaning. Surviving school would be impossible were it not for Mac Prescott, who’s determined to stand between Sarah and Damien in Giselle’s absence.

When she starts having dreams about her missing friend, Sarah and Mac begin their own search for the truth. Secrets confront the pair on every side, and some are much darker than Sarah’s hidden feelings for Mac. The more she learns, the more she is convinced that Giselle and Damien are anything but normal teenagers and that the power struggle between them is still alive and well. And as the danger increases, there’s more on the line than Sarah’s life. She just might lose her soul.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

290 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2013

About the author

Ann K. Shepherd graduated from Biola University with a degree in Psychology. Currently, she lives next door to Mickey Mouse in Anaheim, California, where she can usually be found seated in front of her computer with a Diet Coke or curled up with a young adult novel. She prefers werewolves to vampires, is highly imaginative yet anal, hates heights but loves to fly, and firmly believes that there can never be too much cheese in any dish. Her novel, Seeing Red, won second place in the Gotham Writers' Workshop Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest.

Reviews

[Pat aka Tygyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! As the grandmother of a 15 year old girl, I not only read this as me, but wondering what my granddaughter would think of this book. About the middle of the book I was judging this might be too intense for her. But I think that is just me being overly protective.
Sarah Drake is being raised by her mom after her dad died in a school fire saving students; he was a teacher at the school. Money is tight. Sarah has the opportunity to attend a Prep School (High School) and she wants the best educational opportunities because she will need a scholarship for college. So when she is accepted at Garfield on scholarship, she is ecstatic. But the reality of the school is very dark. From the first the Wolves seek to hurt her, use her. The Wolves are 4 male students who just seem to exude evil. But the leader of the Wolves - Damien - has a twin sister determined to protect Sarah. Sarah and Giselle Rochester share a room, eat lunch together, and Giselle warns Sarah repeatedly not to wander the campus at night.
Things are still tense for Sarah, but with Giselle's support, Sarah can concentrate and study, even excel at school. Giselle brings some peace and a lot of fun into what had been a living hell at school. But the beginning of Sarah's Junior year, Giselle is missing, and a red haired boy that Sarah liked, but so did Giselle, so Sarah stayed away from him, is accused by gossip as being Giselle's murderer. He misses some school, but when he returns, he seeks her out. Mac may want to protect Sarah, but can he? Giselle had some kind of supernatural powers that could hold her evil brother Damien in check. Damien and his wolves have powers too.
This is a story of love, hate; good, evil. The last part of the book seemed to be a roller coaster as one revelation after another come to Sarah. Can she bear the truths she learns? Without Giselle's powers helping her, can Sarah survive? What is Mac willing to do to save Sarah?
As I said at the beginning, this is an intense book. With the violence, threat of violence and rape, and no help from teachers and faculty who should be keeping things (and the Wolves) in check, I found my own heart pounding and praying that my granddaughter does not have to deal with any of this in her days at school.
This is very well written and crafted story. I do recommend it to high school age and older. It is not just a YA book!

[Adam Shaeffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn't a fast reading book for me. I don't know if it was the darkness or what, but I could only go in measured doses.

As with all of Ann's books, it's a well-written and engaging story, and I appreciated that she didn't shy away from the darkness. I thought the love story was believable--sweet yet passionate, just like I hope my sons' relationships will be one day.

Mac is awesome. Plain and simple. He's the kind of guy I'd be friends with. And that is something I think Ann does very well: write believable, admirable men (whether young or more mature) and that is something that guys can enjoy even if the romance isn't quite our thing.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. I enjoyed that this book was unpredictable, as soon as you would think the story was finished you find out there is a twist. It is definitely a book I would recommend. it shows the true nature of friendship and love, something that often is lacking in today's society.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's more going on than meets the eye in this atypical paranormal YA book. The romance is sweet and tender, the violence and evil very real.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark as the title suggests and with far more depth than your average paranormal romance. It asks provoking thoughts about the soul.