Darkest Before Dawn

The Veil #3

by Pippa DaCosta

“It’s too late to save myself, but I’ll save her, even if it kills me.”

When Akil leaves a nine year old half-blood girl on Muse’s doorstep, it’s not long before the demons come hunting, but this time Muse isn’t the target. The Institute, Muse’s immortal brother, and the Princes of Hell, all want a piece of the little half-blood. What’s so special about Dawn, and why has Akil conveniently disappeared just as Muse needs answers?

To save the half-blood girl, Muse must first save herself, but is it already too late? Muse’s humanity is failing. Her demon hungers. The darkness coiled around her heart lures her toward madness. And all that stands between Muse and her demon’s lust for destruction, is the hope that some half-bloods do get happy endings.

The veil weakens. Titles will fall. A new prince rises. And if Muse can’t stop them, the demons will have their day.

www.theveilseries.co.uk

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Demons, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Adult

250 pages, ebook

First published October 15, 2014

About the author

Two-time DragonCon Finalist & Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semi-finalist--- "Wait a second. Let's cut to the chase. I write kick-ass urban fantasy & sci-fi novels with conflicted characters, breathless action, and no-holds-barred dialogue. My books may not leave you feeling all fluffy and warm inside, but they will excite you. There will be plot-twists, angst, probably a few dead bodies, and very likely your favorite character will turn out to be the bad guy. Don't say I didn't warn you..."

www.pippadacosta.com

(I review on Goodreads as a reader, not a writer. Reviews here are my personal opinion, not a professional one).

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

☠ The MacHalos are this Close to Joining the Pippa Cult and I Have a Hard Time Refraining from Laughing Maniacally and Machiavelically Muahahahaha Muahahahaha Muahahahaha and Stuff Buddy Read (TMatCtJtPCaIHaHTRfLMaMMMaSBR) ☠

➽ And the moral of this It's not Fantastic it's Bloody Orgasmic Reread (InFiBOR™) is: if you piss the Mother of Destruction off, there is a slight chance she might go somewhat nuclear on you. So watch out. Especially if you are one of those deliciously twisted, beautifully devious, delightfully cunning, lusciously treacherous bastards that our Favourite Mostest Awesomest Kind of Wondrous One-Winged Half Demon Kick Ass Chick (FMAKoWOWHDKAC™) seems to attract like a magnet.
➽ And the other moral of this It's not Fantastic it's Bloody Orgasmic Reread (InFiBOR™) is: hell yeah. And stuff.

Oh, and by the way:



✎ Prequel: Wings of Hope ★★★★★
✎ Book 1: Beyond the Veil ★★★★★
✎ Book 2: Devil May Care ★★★★★
✎ Book 4: Drowning in the Dark ★★★★★
✎ Book 5: Ties that Bind ★★★★★
✎ Short story & bonus scenes: One For Sorrow ★★★★★



Original review (November 2014):

I have no words.



Wings Of Hope was mesmerizing. Beyond The Veil was absolutely fantastic. Devil May Care was nothing short of amazing. But this? No words. I'm completely blown away. I stayed up last night to finish the book and I'm spent. My stomach is still in knots as I write this. My heart is beating much too fast. You might think I'm exaggerating here but I'm not. Rarely have I read a book both so riveting and emotionally draining.

DaCosta is an amazing story teller and her writing is better than ever. She draws you into the book from the very first pages and makes you feel like you are living the story from the inside. This is no book for the faint of heart. It's dark, it's gritty, it's both gut and heart-wrenching. Welcome to the freak show my friends, you are in for one hell of a ride.

“I’m just a wretched half-blood girl caught in a storm.” Akil tasted his wine and smiled. “Muse, you are the storm.”

The story? I won't even go into it here. There are so many things going on in the series at this point that it would be impossible to write a coherent recap. Just know this: saying that the book is a chock-full of twists and revelations wouldn't do it justice. Every turn of page makes you feel like you have just been sucker punched. Whenever you think you've seen it all DaCosta comes up with another shocker. The woman is insane. She stops at nothing. You wouldn't imagine the number of times I thought I would stop breathing while I was reading the book. I swore at my Kindle a lot. And shouted at it. And begged it for mercy on my nerves. And I nearly cried too, yes I admit it. You get the idea don't you? By the time I reached the last chapter I thought I was going to collapse. But DaCosta wasn't done. The last chapter and the epilogue took things to a whole new level. That just about did me in. DaCosta herself says Drowning In The Dark will be even crazier. I'm bracing myself already.

"I couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t want to. Suffocating madness embraced me. Laughter boiled inside my head and bubbled from my lips. Yes, this was what I needed. Why fight the inevitable? It was time to let go."

Oh Muse. At the beginning of the series she was a fairly balanced half human being. Not anymore. She has been through too much. Has seen too much. Has done too much. Her humanity is failing her. The demon is taking over. Chaos is calling. Muse is torn and alone. She is losing control. Rage and despair are all she has left. I have said it already and I will say it again: Muse has become one of my favourite heroines ever. DaCosta has created one of the most complex, conflicted yet endearing characters I have ever come across. You feel for her, you really do.

"The infamous half-blood daughter, Mother of Destruction. Ruined, spoiled, broken."

"I’d accepted my fate. I knew what I was, what I was becoming, if I hadn’t already crossed that Iine. I didn’t fight the thing inside me—the half of me that danced in the dark—not any more."

Stefan has unexpectedly embraced his awe-inspiring demon. He seemingly has lost all humanity. Or has he? Akil the Prince of Greed is… I don't know what to think about Akil anymore. I think I'm as torn about him as Muse is. He's a twisted son of a bitch but he really is hard to resist and seems to be becoming more human with every instalment. DaCosta really has turned things upside down here. Ryder is unapologetically (and infuriatingly) loyal to the Institute. Adam is his usual bastard self.

Ready for a list of random Veil awesomeness? Here goes:
Dawn. Oh Dawn! The ever jaw-dropping fight scenes. Levi & She-vi. Jerry the Vet (I have my suspicions about him). Muse & Stefan in the park. The Princes. Muse & Mammon at Blackstone. The last chapter. Stefan becoming the Prince of Wrath. The Voodoo Lounge scene with Muse, Ryder, Dawn & Levi. The freaking epilogue. Ryder shooting Dawn in the head. Operation Typhon. Muse embracing her demon. The Trojan horse. The beautifully written Stefan bonus scene.

"The netherworld is dying. The princes are rallying. You are not prepared."

Do yourself a favour and dive into The Veil. Reading doesn't get much better than this.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like The Veil series, but it can definitely be a frustrating read at times. Pippa Da Costa has an engaging writing style and her world is an interesting one. The main problem I have is that the characters can be incredibly frustrating!

This picks up a few months after the final events of Devil May Care and we find Muse hiding in the human world under an assumed name and working as a freelance enforcer for Adam and The Institute. Her new life is suddenly interrupted when Akil shows up on her door step with a 9 year old half blood girl in tow and demands that Muse protect her from the demons who want to enslave or kill her. The story proved interesting as plenty of demons, including a few Princes of Hell had an interest in the girl. Muse also had to hide her presence from her employers The Institute. We all know how they treat half bloods!

As normal Muse had to deal with the two guys in her life. Stefan, a half blood ice demon, and Akil, the Prince of Greed and one of the 9 Demon Princes of Hell. Her dealings with both guys was the main source of my frustration. They both treat her awfully and spend as much time trying to kill as they do trying to kiss her yet Muse always forgives them! Her friends were just as bad. They were also forever betraying her and trying to kill her. By the half way point I just wanted Muse to turn full blown demon and incinerate the whole lot of them!

Like the second book this third book was weighed down with a bleak and depressing tone. Too much so in my opinion as the motto of: half bloods do not get happy endings was continually reinforced by everyone's awful treatment of Muse and her own constant failings. I think she actually failed to accomplish every task she tried in this instalment. Muse is likeable enough but she is becoming a doormat for the guys in her life as seems to be aiming for the accolade of UF's most useless heroine!

Hopefully the fourth book will be a bit less bleak and Muse will start to turn things in her life around.

Despite my moaning I did still enjoy this. The story was good and Da Costa has an engaging writing style. I wish we had got a better ending though!

Rating: 3.5 stars.

Audio Note: This was narrated by Hollie Jackson. I quite liked her this time around. She is improving with each book.

[Penny Well Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 1 star. I din't like it.


Muse's behavior is so unreasonable and counter-productive that is exasperating and senseless. She is too stupid to live.

I am so done with this series.


Beyond the Veil (The Veil #1) - 3.5 Stars
Devil May Care (The Veil #2) - 1.5 Stars

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My trouble with books that have more than one love interest are that I always (okay not always but probably 4 out of 5 times) pick the guy that the heroine doesn’t end up with. Which usually means that he is the guy that starts off all nice and friendly who ends up being a jerk in disguise and the author totally changes everything about his character so that the other guys seems like the logical choice.

I don’t think that is going to be the problem here since Akil who is totally my love interest pick is:

1) A Demon and not just any demon he is the Prince of Greed

“Mammon, One of The Seven, a First, Prince of Greed, Guardian of the Dark, Son of Chaos, Master of Lies,”

2) He is the best manipulator and liar out there and Muse will need to up her game to even keep up with all the webs he is weaving. Sure it looked like he was trying to kill Muse back in book one but is that true or another scheme to push others into the positions they need to be in. It is really hard to say at this point.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I am the master of half-truths. I can manipulate the Court. I’ve been doing it for years.”

3) He isn’t human and he is not the Anti-Hero. Don’t try to judge him as a human, he is not that. He is not looking for your acceptance of his actions or your forgiveness. He does what needs to be done and will make apologies to no one for it.

“It matters not why I killed him, just that I did. If you’re looking to absolve me, don’t waste your time. I took pleasure in it. He was a pretender in your bed. My only mistake was not killing him sooner…

So the chances are that there is no way to make him look worse, he is already a Prince of Hell. But I don’t think you can candy coat him up to be a good guy either. Akil will do what he needs to do to attain his goals for his gains. He is not and never will be Prince Charming. Akil is actually my favorite character of the entire series so far.

Muse is okay, she is suffering from whatever the demon version of PSTD is and she has something wrapped around her soul making it really hard to sleep and be normal, well normal for her. She is wishy washy back and forth between wanting Akil and thinking that she might love Stefan. This is actually why it loses a star for me. There is too much ‘I want him, but I shouldn’t’ or 'he and I are a bad idea but I don’t care’. I was far more interested in getting to the meat of the story.

Stefan is battling his demon side which had been on lock down for his entire life until it got a taste of freedom in the last book. Stefan the man probably loves Muse or at least the idea of her. But the demon is ready to kill anyone and everyone his human counterpart cares about starting with Muse. I should love the broken man Stefan since that is usually my kryptonite but alas every time he is on page I just want him to stop touching Akil’s Muse.

Still the veil doesn’t seem to be holding up well and Muse finds out that there are more half-bloods out there and she needs to protect one of them. This was actually my favorite part of the story, except for some steaminess between Muse and Akil. I like finding out what The Institute was playing at and how the half-bloods came into being.

This is a darker story. There are some strange happenings going on throughout and I will say that Muse’s brother Val is a piece of work and their meeting together was just icky on so many levels that I’m terrified of meeting daddy dearest.

Akil is a pretty complex character and I really want in that Demon’s head. I think I’m spending just as much time as Muse is trying to figure out what kind of games he is playing. I love watching all of their interactions and dang they can get steamy. When you play with fire you are bound to get burned

“I am chaos eternal. I desire everything this world and the next offers. I am greed. I hunger.” A snarl punctured his words. “Oh, how I hunger... I want the pathetic mortals of this world to bow before me. I want all that they own, all they desire, every marvelous creation of theirs, but there is only one thing in this world that I need, and that, Muse, is you.”

Stefan who??? Don’t get me wrong there is some cool stuff happening with his character and a nice twist but he is no Akil.

I’m reading this with a group and we are only doing one book a week. This is the first time in a long time that I was desperate to jump into the next two books so I can know everything. I almost cheated to see how it ends. But I’m a good girl and not a naughty demon so I will wait and discover it with friends.

Read with the cool Wednesday UF Group at

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddy re-read with the Wednesday UF group of BB&B.

Actual rating: One thousand (I'm slightly biased)

Since I'm on vacation and my internet access is next to nonexistent I'll cheat and just redirect you all to my friend Robin's review since it's the best, most comprehensive review of the book out there. It also happens to match my feelings and thoughts pretty closely except for the rating. But I forgive her because her reasons for lowering to 4 stars are pretty valid (I hate love triangles too.)

Original review:
Buddy read with the MacHalos.

An incredible addition to a spectacular series. Again I wonder why I didn't read this years ago. Like when it first came out! It has everything that makes for a great book - snarky, strong lead, lots of untrustworthy characters that make you doubt everything and keep you on the edge of your seat, blood and gore and torture, sick, twisted villains and a fast pace. I'm completely and utterly smitten!

Things are escalating at a breakneck pace in Muse's world and she grows up as a character even more in this instalment. I love that she's become more ruthless and prone to trusting her demon. And yet she still has the capacity for empathy - something that a lot of the humans in this series lack to the point that it's appalling. To be honest, the way humans are acting here I'm all about the demons snuffing them out of existence. Especially one double crossing f@#$er named Ryder that has absolutely no idea what friendship or being human for that matter means! I want a nice long vacation in a torture chamber in Hell for dear Mr. Enforcer.

At least by the end the Institute had gotten a piece of what it deserves. I have to admit that Muse proved out to be a more humane person than me because had I been caught in the same situation, I would have gleefully burned Adam to a crisp.

The ending and Akil's revelations (if he can be believed) as well as the change in Stefan's status and that tidbit about a King of the Netherworld promise a hell of a lot more adventure and not a dull moment ahead! Oh, I can't wait!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was already a huge fan of this series but it honestly gets better and better with every instalment! I was on the edge of my seat for pretty much the entire book, never quite sure who to trust, never quite sure what would happen next and regularly shocked by the turn of events. Darkest Before Dawn is a gritty read, I think it's actually the darkest book in the series so far and it isn't always the most comfortable story to read but it's totally gripping and hooked me in from the very first page.

Muse is such a fantastic character, she has suffered more than anyone should have to endure and we're definitely seeing the effect things have had on her here. Her human side is losing the battle and the demon is starting to take over but she still has a deep sense of honour and integrity. She is faced with challenge after challenge but she always does what she thinks is best and regularly puts herself in danger to protect others. I have to admire her for the way she cares about others, even people she doesn't know very well.

In this instalment Akil rescues a young half-demon child and tasks Muse with protecting her. Muse knows exactly what it is like to be so powerless and in the hands of the demons so Dawn's story resonates with her deeply and she will do anything to save the child from a fate worse than death. I have to admit Dawn just about broke my heart, she's only nine years old but she's literally been to hell and back. Dawn's half-blood powers are incredibly rare and particularly terrifying but she still has a childlike innocence to her and she definitely brings out Muse's protective instincts. The scenes between the two of them were really touching and incredibly bitter sweet, especially when you think about the reasons why they bonded so quickly.

All the characters we love (or love to hate!) are back in full force. Akil gets harder and harder to read the more we see of him, sometimes I actually find myself liking him but I still wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Stefan has been going through some interesting changes of his own and I have to say I'm loving his storyline. I enjoyed getting to see more of his demon side here and I'm still rooting for him and Muse to find happiness together in the future. Adam and the institute are still doing terrible things supposedly for the "greater good". Akil may be a demon but Adam proves once more that humans can be just as bad, if not worse. I was disappointed in Ryder for remaining so loyal to the institute when he knows what goes on in the background and I really hope we get to see him come to his senses in the future.

Darkest Before Dawn was my favourite book in the series so far and this series is definitely proving that Pippa DaCosta is an author to watch out for. I'm relieved that the entire series has already been published so that I can dive right in and continue my series binge.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! Twists keep popping. Muse never knows who to trust. Even when people help her she doesn’t know if they are truly helping her or using her for their own means. She’s been burned by almost everyone, but she still has hope. She doesn’t give up even when it seems futile.

A young girl who was half human and half demon was left with Muse by Akil. She couldn’t figure out why the girl was left with her. The only people she trusts to help her were avoiding her, and the only people she could go to for help would only make the situation worse.

On top of it all, Muse’s control was slipping. She was fighting a constant battle to keep her demon from taking over. Chaos would ensue if the demon was in control and her humanity could be lost forever. More and more forces were encouraging her demon to come out and play.

Akil was full of surprises. The depths he goes to get what he wants continues to shock me. I’m warming to him more and more but can’t trust him either. Stefan is hard to figure out. The good guy he was may be completely gone. The experiences he had been through had made him deceptive. I never know when is being genuine or not. Ryder is quickly becoming one of the most frustrating characters in the series. He’s a nice guy. The well being of Stefan and Muse really seem to matter to him, but his faith in the institute makes him untrustworthy. Just when I think I truly have a grasp on the characters, everything I know about them gets flipped upside down.

[Jenny Whetzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh!! This one tugs on my heartstrings in more ways than one! I am obsessed with this author's writing style. And this series. It's ridiculous, I haven't gotten shit done since starting this series. LOL!

[Liz* Fashionably Late · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm just a wretched half-blood girl caught in a storm."
Akil tasted his wine and smiled. "Muse, you are the storm."


The third installment and it still hasn't lost its mojo. I love how the universe expands, new characters (I just love the vet) and betrayal, betrayal, betrayal!

I think I can handle jerk Akil, I'm not sure I can handle let-me-love-you-like-a-man Akil *__*

[Cathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as strong as the first two. I'm not a fan of kids in my UF. Just personal preference. I'm completely team Akil which probably means she'll end up with Stefan.

[★Moonrise · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a half-demon in the netherworld, Muse's earliest memories are of a life beyond the veil, where she was little more than a plaything for the cruel and cunning, Da'mean. Living as a human in Boston, she began to realize that her perception of freedom was all an illusion. Now, as an enforcer for the Institute, she is restless. Her demon clambers to be free as much as her human side, and as loyalties are tested, she begins to allow her demon the freedom she so desperately desires... but with a world of consequences. A war is brewing, and soon Muse will find herself right in the middle of it.

Akil, the Prince of Greed, is back in full force. But now that he's shown Muse some of his vulnerabilities, she is left with more questions than answers. We're still not quite sure what he has up his sleeve, but somehow -- despite his demon ways -- he is still hard to resist.

"Summoning a demon is easy. It's what you do with them when you have them that's tricky."

Stefan, the ice-elemental half-demon, continues to make Muse question her loyalties and motives. As if battling her own demon isn't hard enough, she is drawn to Stefan like a moth to a flame. But behind the ice-blue eyes is a complex being, and now Stefan's course is taking a frightening and unexpected turn. Muse will be drawn deeper into the battle, and will have to choose a side. But between the institute, the enforcers, and the princes of hell, the battle lines continue to blur, and choosing a side may be easier said than done.

This third installment offers up the most complex storyline in the series, so far. And what a great story! Muse's fearsome demon brother, Valenti, plays a significant role, and other characters rise to the surface as Muse continues on her path to uncover the truth. We are still left with questions, but the next installment is set to release soon, so we won't have long to wait!

Note: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Marguerite (M) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating : 4.5 stars

Akil.
Akil.
Akil.
Akil.
Akil.
Akil.

So fucking twisted.
I think i'm in love.


- Great addition to the series, it keeps getting better and better.
- Akil Akil Akil i can't even.
- Fast paced, so much twists, no time to take a breath.
- Such complex characters and deep world building. I mean, the story is simply beautiful.
- Muse is an incredibly well written heroine. Strong, vulnerable and full of hope. She's not perfect but simply amazing.
- I hate love triangles, it never ends well for me, but i'm soooo into this one.
- But i'm pretty sure my heart's gonna be broken at the end.
- I'm a new fan of Pippa Dacosta, i totally understand the MacHalos' cult!

[Meigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I didn't already love this series, Darkest Before Dawn would have surely made it so. Darker, more serious in tone than the previous two installments, Darkest Before Dawn introduces a sense of urgency on several accounts. Not only is Stefan still battling with his dual-sidedness, it now seems that Muse is following in his example. Her demon wants out, much the same as Stefan's, only her humanity is still mostly in the foreground, making the battle of wills even harder. Add to that, there is unrest in the Netherworld, hinting that war is coming and a certain being seems to be at the center of it all. The Princes of Hell are also adding to the upheaval, due to changing titles and a new Prince stepping in place. With all of this weighing heavily on Muse's shoulders, she doesn't really have the time to watch after a child that Akil drops on her doorstep. Unfortunately for her, Akil doesn't much care what Muse wants or needs, which is how she finds herself caring for the child. The child, who isn't what she seems, whose very being has strong ties to both Muse's slow decline and seeming loss of humanity and also the unrest in the Netherworld.

As I've stated before, Muse's constant battle within herself is really one of the highlights of this series for me. More often than not, her human side wins out, but as time goes on and the more time she spends with both Stefan and Akil, in their demon skins, her own demon wants and needs to be let out more. As she witnesses more destruction, as she watches those around her succumb to the darker side, it would seem only natural that she give in and let the demon win. But Muse doesn't go down easily, as fans of this series know, so the war between demon and human is roaring stronger than ever. One important characteristic that Muse never seems to lose is that she knows everyone deserves a chance, especially half-breeds like herself. The child she is tasked with turns out to also be a half-breed and not only does Muse see a little of herself inside Dawn, but she's willing to move heaven and earth to make sure Dawn has a life unlike the one she's had. Becomes someone and not something, much as Muse used to be. It's up to Muse to save Dawn from the myriad of people that want her, both demons and humans alike. Dawn is dangerous, a threat to both humanity and the Netherworld and much as Muse understands that, she can't let go. The lengths she goes through to help save someone, to give them a fighting chance, is something that makes me think that no matter what, Muse can't and never will be total demon.

A sharp smile sliced across my lips. "It must be easy seeing in black and white." His glare contracted. "Sometimes, there is no right thing. Sometimes wrong wins, and that's okay. Life can't be distilled down to right and wrong. It's all about the messy gray area in between and how we deal with it. I sure hope I'm not the one staring down the barrel of your gun when you figure that out."

Another important fight in this book is between Muse and Akil. There's always going to be an attraction between them, as like gravitates towards like, and while Muse knows and accepts the fact that Akil's other half, Mammon, is the one who desires Muse the most, Akil in his human guise is showing some very interesting and profound vulnerabilities concerning his relationship with Muse. I certainly can't wait to see how that plays out in the coming installments of this series and it will also be interesting to see who Muse chooses as far as the 'love triangle' goes. Previously, it was a no-brainer who Muse should choose, but now that each man has power that's almost equally matched, it's going to be quite an interesting journey.

Bottom line -- DaCosta has created such an awesome series filled with demons and the moral ambiguity that partners with them, along with action and danger and intrigue aplenty. I absolutely recommend this series for urban fantasy fans who tend to like their stories a bit heavier and darker than most, and that's certainly one of the traits that draws me to this series.

[Kat Desi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am chaos eternal. I desire everything this world and the next offers. I am greed. I hunger. Oh, how I hunger... I want the pathetic mortals of this world to bow before me. I want all that they own, all they desire, every marvelous creation of theirs, but there is only one thing in this world that I need, and that, Muse, is you.

Let me just start by fangirling on both Akil and Muse.



THIS SERIES JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER!

Now that we've got that down...

The story picks up where a beat up Akil left a girl named Dawn who also is a half-blood on Muse's doorstep. At first Muse was weary, suspicious but it wasn't long before she grew protective of her, swearing to protect the girl from the horrors she herself had experienced. It was difficult, because everyone wants Dawn - Valenti, the Institute, and the other Princes of Hell. Meanwhile, Muse is changing. Her demon is fiercer and hungrier than ever before, and she feared that she'd totally lose her humanity.

What can I say about this series that I haven't before? It is incredible, action-packed, a little mystery thrown in, even a little tragedy, and full of highly remarkable characters. I knew that Pippa DaCosta wouldn't disappoint. This is, by far, my favorite book in the series.

This copy was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

* * * * *

[Heather the Queen of (Smut)Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not very good at writing continuation reviews on series because I feel like I'm just repeating myself especially when I'm loving the series.

But...I.Don't.Give.A.Fuck...........Get this series.

I'm not going to lie some of it is predictable. The author teaches you early on that no one is to be trusted. So when you see your girl make what you think are really bad choices, the difference here is Muse's choices really are THAT limited where she has no other choice. Therein lies the distinction, she has to HOPE not TRUST that she's not going to be betrayed yet again. Because she genuinely trusts NO ONE. And so you feel as hopeless, and scared, hopeful, and betrayed right along with her. You become emotionally wiped out and drained because DAMN it....when is it going to get better...when does she finally end up on top? WHEN are we going to get some smexxxy time with Frosty? Fuck Akil, give me Stefan. Or even Ryder...he's hot I'm down with a buddy fuck, lol. I'm hoovering this series in an attempt to find out.

P/S....you know you have an amazing find when the reason you're reading is NOT for the romance and smut. There is tension, lots of it but the author doesn't need it to sell this story. Might be a little disappointed with that fact the more I think about it. Hmmmm.

[Jen Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow. If you tried book 1 in this series and it didn’t do it for you, don’t quit on the series. This book grabbed me with two hands and didn’t let go. There is so much going on –and what I love hate love about this series is that it messes with my mind. I think I know something, only to find out I really don’t. I think I understand someone and suddenly new sides of them are revealed. I am filled with feels and I care about the heroine, who has been through hell and back, shaped by the ugly experiences she’s survived, yet not defined by them. Yes, this is dark at times, but it’s engaging and gripping and –why didn’t I read this earlier?

So as the story begins, Muse is working freelance for the Institute and Stefan is on the run, still trying to come to grips with his demon after his stint in the netherworld. Muse is trying to build a new life in a new home, when Akil shows up, dumping a 9 year-old hybrid at her door. Muse immediately relates to the little girl. All that Muse endured, all of the torture and rejection, she wants to save this child from that. But the demons have other plans. Everyone wants Dawn, either for their own ends or simply to destroy her. Muse has to fight pretty much everyone in order to keep her safe.

Of course, it seems like the best person to help would be Stefan. As a hybrid, he would understand. Plus, Muse still loves him and wants to reconcile. But Stefan isn’t the same man he was in book 1, and that is a bitter pill for Muse (and for me) to swallow. It’s weird because I was so lukewarm about him at first. Now I just want them to make it work! He’s changed so much, though, and there is even more change to come. Speaking of change… Akil takes it to a new level here. I love this guy, then I hate him, then I love him. I don’t know what the hell is going on. I don’t know who Muse is supposed to be with. I don’t know who truly loves her or if either man is even capable of it.

On top of all the emotion, and sexual tension, there is great action too. There are big happenings with the demon princes and the balance between worlds. We learn more about the Initiative and big stuff happens there. The bad guys here are so epically bad, yet I love reading about them. And let’s not forget that nasty demon Damien who’s sharing space inside Muse’s body.

This book was good, y’all. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Rating: A-

[Heather Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm emotionally wrecked after this book.

Wrecked I tell you!!!



So hell, where to begin?

Well, this about sums it up-

“I’m just a wretched half-blood girl caught in a storm.”

Akil tasted his wine and smiled. “Muse, you are the storm.”



Muse loses her mind in this one, and I am right there with her. I just...



*sigh*

Okay. Sooooo, Akil, Prince of Hell, that smug, seductive bastard drops a half-blood girl at Muse's doorstep. Of course, Muse is going to protect her, no matter what. I mean, with her history what can you expect?

But as usual, Akil aka Mammon, Prince of Greed has his own agenda. The secrets revealed this time tho'—



And can we just stop for a moment and discuss Akil?

I'm a Stefan girl, from pretty much the get go. But there has never been any denying Akil's appeal.



In this book, though, I seriously fell in love with him just a teeny bit. Then I wanted to kill him. Twice. Maybe three times.

*sigh*

Then Stefan...

Oh Stefan, Stefan, Stefan...



...the park. Muse's apartment, both times. But especially the last time...

I can't. I just CAN'T.

Also, Valenti. Seriously. WTF? ADAM. Grr. And Jenna. The vet dude. And RYDER?!? Fucking Ryder. I hate you. Maybe. Probably. Levi. Ewww. Dawn.

*SIGH*

Book 4 comes out in about 3 weeks. I wonder if I'll survive it.

[Lanie (Lanies Book Thoughts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's get down to the nitty gritty, Darkest Before Dawn is just like BAM in your face!!! Muse is back and she's bringing the flames. This girl is still damaged and probably beyond being fixed, but at this point she's just rollin with it. She's done letting this thing inside her keep her from living, she's tired of being played with by the cat. There's still the emotional struggle between Akil and Stefan going on in Muses heart though. Oh, and did I mention Muse has a mini me following her around now? Yupp, Muse is protecting a lil halfbreed girl from seriously deranged demons.


Let's start with the gossip I know everyone wants to hear:The Relationship news!
Muse hasn't picked either man yet, technically. She's still in love with Stefan, but Stefan is doin his own thing. Poor Stefan seems to be being ripped in so many directions. He's still mourning his losses and trying to get control of his demon. Now there's the ever so popular Akil, the demon king and all around charmer. Muse's demon still has the hots for this man, but the human side is pretty much like "meh" at this point. She knows what he's all about, but she's still letting him pull her back in. It's like watching kids with a toy, both parts of this woman are fighting each other over whether or not to just give him up. My monies on Stefan though, sexy icemen just do it for me.

What's up with the mini me Muse? Ironically, Akil has decided to save another halfbreed child and unceremoniously drops her on Muses doorstep and takes off. Muse quickly discovers this child is in serious danger and these demons will stop at nothing to have her. Unfortunately for said demons, Muse is like the mommy from hell equipped with lethal flames and a sarcastic tongue. Good luck getting that kid!

I'm seriously impressed how DaCosta upped the stakes in this book. Her writing has never been better and it hooks you from the beginning. You go through the emotions with the characters, because you cant help it. Your just drawn into it. As I was reading I caught myself actually talking to my kindle, yelling at these bad guys;)! Its just that type of story. I'd definitely recommend for urban fantasy lovers, action lovers and people who enjoy some demons thrown in.

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

[Dana aka ♥Belladonna♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is unrest in the netherworld, titles are shifting, and Muse is at the eye of storm in the third installment of The Veil series.

“Freedom is only mourned by those who no longer have it. Those who've never known it don’t have that luxury.”

When Dawn, a half-blood child, is dropped on her doorstep by a beaten and blood-covered Akil, all Muse can think about is protecting this little girl and giving her the freedom she never had. She soon finds out that Dawn is not your ordinary half-blood and that there is a long list of those who will stop at nothing to get her for themselves. Can Muse keep Dawn safe? Should she?

“Killers shouldn't look like little girls.”



I. Love. Dawn. She's a nine year old stuck in the middle of a tug-a- war-of-the-worlds. What she goes through completely put my heart through the ringer. The author does a wonderful job of making you care for her while simultaneously being afraid of her.

Change is a strong theme in Darkest Before Dawn. Muse, Akil and Stefan are evolving, their worlds are changing. You may have thought you knew who you were rooting for before, but this book turns everything on it's head. Hands down, this is my favorite in the series thus far. Pippa DaCosta just keeps getting better and better. I HIGHLY recommend this series. If you haven't read The Veil Series yet, start with Wings Of Hope.

Favorite scenes: Stefan and Muse play in the park.


Muse embracing her demon.


Favorite quotes: “I didn’t fight the thing inside me -- the half of me that danced in the dark -- not any more.” Muse

“Scars are my armor.” Muse

“You’re impossible. You’re a murdering son-of-a-bitch. You get off on pain and control and fucking up peoples’ lives. You lie through your teeth. You wouldn’t know the truth if it crawled up your ass and bit you on the balls.” Muse to Akil

"I've always wanted to catch a swooning woman. I just never thought it'd be you." Stefan to Muse
*This copy was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Z-squared · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never so strongly felt the urge to substitute a bunch of Supernatural/Tom Hiddleston/cookiemonster/mind-blown GIFs for an actual, cogent review (you know, the kind with words). I'm holding off -- just barely. You're welcome, internets.

I waited a long time after reading the last book before starting this one, despite having been given a copy of the book by the author (sorry, Pippa!), but I think I was too emotionally damaged to continue right away. Turns out I needn't have bothered -- the break did absolutely NOTHING to lessen the gut-wrenching drama that continues in this book starting with page freaking ONE, and now that I've read the whole thing in nearly one sitting, I'm a giant blubbering mass of FEELS. *sigh*

Akil's rehabilitation continues. Stefan goes further down the rabbit hole. Muse finally gets some answers... and nearly destroys Boston because of them (again). Add in liberal doses of action, tragedy, betrayal, and 'absolutely nothing is what it appears to be' moments, and you've got a freaking urban fantasy EPIC. In my review of the last book, I likened this series to Kate Daniels or Mercy Thompson, but The Veil series is a lot darker than I was giving it credit for -- it's become a Fever junkie's wet dream. With fluffier PNRs, it's easy to believe there's an HEA at the end. With this series, I can't even tell what an HEA would look like anymore, much less how (or if?) we're going to get there.

And yet, despite the wildly unpredictable twists and turns in the plot thus far, DaCosta has still managed to make it all believable and completely self-consistent. I have absolutely no trouble believing that the author mapped out this entire series from beginning to end before even starting the first book. Such intricate, water-tight worldbuilding and plotting is a pleasure to read. And by pleasure, I mean gut-wrenching, entire-box-of-tissues-consuming, calling-in-sick-to-work-so-I-can-finish-this, god-damn-you've-ruined-me-for-other-authors-Pippa pleasure.

[BookWormAli · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHH!!! I have never had my loyalties tested like this in a series!! Ms. DaCosta I feel like my head just exploded. I loved Ryder...Now I'm mad at him! I hated Akil...Now I'm "warming up" to him. And Adam and Stefan...Lets not even go there.

In this book Akil drops off a tiny 9 year old half breed on Muse's doorstep. Muse is struggling with her humanity as the soul lock affects her more and more. No one but Akil knows what is going on and he has done a disappearing act. We see what lengths Muse is willing to go to; in order to protect Dawn and we see other characters develop as they progress in the story. Stephan is back and he is ooohh so bad. He shows just what can happen when you lose your grasp on humanity.

This book put me through the wringer, I cried I laughed, and I had a book hangover. I want to read the rest of the series but man that girl can take a beating. When you lose everything what keeps you on your path?

I need to read something happy and fluffy now to recover... Ms. DaCosta my hat is off to you, I have no clue how you did this but I love it!

[Kristal & Charmaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review up at www.onceuponabookblog.com/blog/2014/1... <3

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/onceuponabookblog.com <3

You literally feel like you have been thrown head first into this instalment of Muse’s story and this feeling is definitely what is intended. No time wasted on build up, just straight into fast paced action, no time to think or feel. Are you starting to get the gist of why I am such a fan of this series? From the start it has held its momentum up to almost super-sonic, you never get a chance to slow down and feel maybe even a little bored. Although, considering this is a story about demons I would expect no less.

Throughout the books Muse has developed a lot as a character, we’ve seen where she’s come from and watched her grow into herself. In this book it gets taken up a notch once again when Akil shows up on her doorstep with a half-blood child and little instruction about what she’s to do before he disappears. Muse (pretty naively) hopes that she can give this little girl a shot at a life that she missed out on. The storyline with these two reminds me of a parent so wanting their child to have everything they didn’t and it’s no different here for Muse, except instead of ballet lessons and fancy new bikes, we’re talking about the right to not being owned and abused and living to survive another day.

Really if that was the only thing Muse had to concentrate on then she’d probably fly through any obstacle coming her way no problem. But she still has her ex-owners dark essence trying to suffocate her heart and soul, feeding on her every time things get out of control, she’s still in her love/hate relationship with the institute, a relationship that is definitely more hate than love at the moment, on top of that she’s got major demon problems and of course her two biggest conundrums of them all, Stefan and Akil…

Stefan is slipping away. There is so much unspoken between them, so much love and hate that it really feels like a lost cause. Stefan is not what he was, he can’t control his demon and he is so powerful that he could potentially turn out to be a far stronger player in the netherworld than anyone ever imagined. Meanwhile while we are getting to grips with Stefan’s darker demon side we are slowly peeling back the layers to see more of Akil’s ‘human’ side. The Prince of Greed does not love. The Prince of Greed is supposed to be completely and utterly selfish and indestructible…. So why then, are we seeing more hints that this character is SO much more than what Muse sees him as? The one scene of him in his Mammon form laying in his empty house completely heartbroken has to be one of my favourite scenes of his so far. I am absolutely 100% not ashamed to say that I am team Akil all of the way. I know that he’s an asshole, a demon with no humanity… But damn it! I kinda love him.

These books are slowly getting darker and grittier. There were a few times in this book where I forced myself to read through it. Trying to reconcile that an innocent looking child and a terrifying demon are one and the same is not easy work for a human brain. I loved that this book made me feel like this because that is the reality of Muse’s world. The chaos around these storylines is confusing and perfect all at the same time. These books don’t drip in ‘happily ever afters’. Half-bloods don’t get that luxury so as readers we don’t either. Like I said, it’s perfect.

I made the mistake of reading the included excerpt of the next book… BIG mistake. HUGE. Because now I am dying of impatience to see where this story is going to go next. I need some relationship resolution. I need some institute resolution. I need I need I need!!! If anything after this book I have more questions rather than less of them. There is still so much further for Muse’s story to go and I have a feeling it’s going to be explosive.

Received from author in return for an honest review

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this series just took a turn for destination fabulous:-)

From the very first page, poor Muse is thrown into deep water when a hurt prince of Greed shows up on her doorstep and hands over another young half blood to her care. Almost immediately, the broken Muse sees this innocent, young girl as her redemption. She's still so young, and has a better chance at a normal life than Muse ever had. Consequently, Muse will do almost anything to keep her safe. Unfortunately, that means she must face off against some of the biggest, baddest demos out there, including her revoltingly seductive brother, Valenti, and powerful princes to boot.

This book is filled with deception, very few things are as they seem. But despite her losses, her pain and insecurities, Muse seems to be rising from the ashes of her slavery like a Phoenix. She is harder and tougher than before, it will be interesting to see how this will affect her humanity in future installments. And I can't wait.

So many things are changing in the netherworld. New titles are born, old titles die, and surprising new players rise to positions of power. Muse is caught in the eye of the storm... Or perhaps she IS the storm? The two main demons in her life, Stephan and Akil, are borth changing, for better and for worse. While Stephan is embracing his inner demon, Akil, the sociopath, discovers a hidden vulnerability that shocks the immortal chaos demon to his molten core. And frankly, I couldn't be happier. His surprise revelations give way to some of the most amazing quotes. Oh.My.God. I'm like a teenager again, experiencing a full blown case of estrogen laden fangirling! (SQUEE!)
How could I not feel the way I feel when he bares her soul to Muse and says things like:

"I am chaos eternal. I desire everything this world and the next offers. I am greed, I am hunger. Oh how I hunger... I want the pathetic mortals of this world to bow before me. I want all that they own, all they desire, every marvelous creation of theirs, but there is only one thing in this world that I need, and that, Muse, is you"

"I need to feel you as a man does a woman. You have no idea what it costs me to say these things to you. You cannot fathom what it means. I need you. I lay the truth before you. Would you turn me away? Right here and now, Muse, I am but a man."

Look, I now that Akil is a deceptive SOB, and that I am but a pathetic mortal, but this pathetic mortal is a very willing,very happily suicidal moth to his flame. Drawing me in, in... Akil can do no wrong. *Swoon*

Wrath had better not lay a hand on Akil. I have already suffered a tragic loss of one dark prince. I cannot take another. I'm too young to die of heart failure caused by heartbreak :'(

My temper tantrum when a certain prince died in S.L. Jennings's final novel will seem like nothing, compared to what will happen, should Akil die. Let's just say that the title of Wrath will shift yet again, and this time into the vengeful hands of a mere mortal woman.

Let's just remind everyone how it felt the last time, shall we? (And yes, I'm still pissed about that death.)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

...Of course, Stefan has his moments too. His comment regarding swooning women was rather... sweet. I like them both, even their rivalry. And oh my god, they both need to make it out alive in the final book.

Well, I can't wait to read the next book, especially after reading the epilogue. I'm waiting with baited breath, Pippa:-)

[Mikky · Rating 5 out of 5]

- November 2nd 2013

OMG! I was quoted in the synopsis!!

What an honor! C:



My Review:

Originally posted at:


* An eCopy was provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.

I really, really, REALLY want to strangle something. You're probably wondering why the sudden violent streak, well I blame Mrs. Dacosta for creating such a wonderful and heart wrenching book.

It just isn't getting any easier for poor old Muse. This time around she's been shot, caged and manipulated....so the usual. Akil has dumped a 9 year old for Muse to keep "safe" and things just go to Hell (almost literally...hehe). Conclusion: The crap Muse is putting up with is officially Akil's fault.

Akil has once again gotten his way with events. Which was VERY surprising because for a minute there I thought Muse was actually his equal and could handle him and decipher his diabolical and very well played plan of attack.

As much as it pains me to say, Stefan is just...URGH! I don't even know how to finish that sentence. I am 100% Team Stefan so I was pretty angry with the turn of events. Not necessarily on what happened, but with the unknown. I pretty much speed read through the last chapter so I may have missed/misunderstood something, but I did not like the turn of events. I need facts not maybes, theories or assumptions.

Just one more thing: The epilogue was a jaw dropper.

Favorite Quotes:

"You must have me confused with another sociopathic demon."

"Sometimes, there is o right thing. Sometimes wrong wins, and that's okay. Life can't be distilled down to right and wrong. It's about that messy grey area in between and how we deal with it."

"A Prince of Hell feared me. What kind of monster did that make me?"

**Extra**

"I am chaos eternal. I desire everything in this world and the next offers. I am greed. I hunger. [...] Oh, how I hunger... I want the pathetic mortals of this world to bow before me. I want all that they own, all they desire, every marvelous creation of theirs, but there is only one thing in this world that I need, and that Muse, is you."

[Laura Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man, this series just keeps getting better! This book legit made me cry at one point, and I'm certain if I was wearing a heart rate monitor I'd be off the charts for LARGE portions of this book! Muse is such a badass, and Charlie (whose actual first name is Charlotte btw, that threw me for a second) tempers her well. She's the female equivalent of a biker with a puppy and I love it. My opinions of Akil and Stefan change so often you'd probably get whiplash watching me change my mind.
I can't give this book 5 stars because there are a few editing issues. They are relatively minor, but noticeable. Outside of that,DaCosta may be one of my new favorite authors because of this series.

[Jennavier]

DNF at 80%. Seriously, I can't even. I was forcing myself to finish and it all just became too much. Muse is a drama llama and the plot it a freaking mess. There are so many good things about this series- the fast pace, the fun world- but Muse is a complete waste of oxygen. She never uses her powers, she's constantly hung up by the dudes in her life who screw her over, and she keeps ending up back with the people she hates. She always tries to do the 'right' thing even though it doesn't make any sense. I'm so, so done.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

While having mixed feelings about the first two from this series, I actually enjoyed this one more, since there was a better plot. Akil show up on Muse's doorstep with a half demon 9 year old girl, hands her over but won't say why she's in trouble or where she came from. Muse is reluctantly freelancing for the institute but has to put this on hold when both her evil brother Val and Levi the sea monster show up looking for Dawn. She's still struggling to control her power, and feelings for both Stefan and Akil (I hate love triangles.)
There are two more in the series so I probably will finish it. 3.5 rounded up for being more enjoyable than the last one.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life just never gets any easier for Muse does it? Darkest before dawn is the third book in Pippa Dacosta’s The Veil series, and I gotta say it’s the best in this series yet. It is set about two months after the events of Devil May care (the second book). Stefan and Ryder are still M.I.A. and while Akil has stepped up as a demon representative in the media, Muse hasn’t had any contact with him recently, either. She’s enjoying her somewhat normal life in her new apartment, where her neighbors call her Charlie and ask for help with their electronics. Also, she has her cat Jonesy back. It might seem odd, but I have been wondering if that cat was ok since book one. What a relief. :)

She’s still working as a freelance enforcer, but the sense I am getting is she’s laid fairly low after the major battle at the end of the second book. All that changes when Akil shows up on her doorstep, bloody and beaten, with a half blood girl named Dawn, and instructions to do the right thing. What is the right thing? Muse doesn’t know. But moments after the girls arrival, a demon invades Muse’s warded apartment through an open window…and it’s all downhill from there.

When Stefan and Ryder finally do resurface, it’s not the happy reunion that Muse had hoped for. Stefan’s demon is unstable, and he still hasn’t forgiven her for betraying him for Akil and disregarding the sacrifice he made for her. Oh, and for his sister’s death. The list keeps growing. Their relationship continues to grow more strain throughout the novel. Their issues I feel, wont be easily resolved.

Akil. He has a hell of a time in this novel. Everytime Muse comes across him, he is beat up. We do however, learn a lot about his character and his motivations, which make his character all the more interesting.

Muse’s half brother makes an appearance, and Muse discovers more about his role in the Netherworld, and a very unexpected power he wields as well.

This novel almost seemed like it was over before it started, it was so entertaining. I’m going to jump right into the next one, because it sounds like it’s going to get even better!

For more Reviews Visit Kickassurbanfantasy.ga

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all of the books in the 'Veil' series, "Darkest Before Dawn" had the potential to be my favorite but also my least favorite. No. I am not neurotic or suffer from multiple personalities; there were just so much that could have been great but wasn't and so much th a t could have truly gone wrong but didn't. I will explain in more detail later.

In this installment, Muse is contacted by the sexy but lethal greed demon, Akil. He hands over a little girl named, Dawn, to her. Dawn is a half demon like Muse and she is so tattered, afraid and vulnerable. Akil asks Muse to protect her. So, Muse goes on the run with Dawn. It is these moments in this book that were really special. I just loved Dawn's characters and truly wanted to read more.

Unfortunately, Dawn's introduction in this story is short lived when she is recaptured by her demon owner. Muse is desperate to get her back to the point that she goes against the demon lords as well as Adam and the institute. We even get to see her demon set loose on those who try to get in her way.

Stephen has also decided he has been betrayed by Muse and Akil. Muse cannot seem to convince him otherwise and Stephen has decided to leave. Quite honestly, all of the running around after Dawn's recapture, I found to be dry and boring. I felt Ms. DaCosta would have been much better served including more moments with Dawn. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen.

I also felt there was so much craziness and subterfuge going on that quite frankly I lost I interest and set the book down for days and didn't pick it up again. Finally, after rereading another series I loved, I came back and finished the book. One thing I will say is that the ending was totally unique and unexpected. No. I won't reveal what happened but it gives me hope for future installments. However, before I go on to read the next book I plan to take a break from the series.

[Maraya21 (The Reading Dragon) · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ Read for the 2019 KU Shitathon™ challenge - [Yearly Edition] - over at Maraya's Cave Of Freaking Wonders ✨
◼ Book: #1 of 2 -- Month: November ◼



#1. Beyond The Veil ★★★★½
#2. Devil May Care ★★★★★

Freedom is only mourned by those who no longer have it. Those who’ve never known it don’t have that luxury.
Page 53 @19% [Chapter 8]

Not sure what didn't click. Maybe it is the fact that I took a long break and have read newer works of Pippa so I have become kind of jaded..

Still I adore Pippa to pieces no matter what ♥