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The Monster Within #2
The Darkness Within (2)
After dying of cancer at seventeen and being brought back to life by an evil witch who turned her into a monster, Samantha Thompson thinks she's finally gotten past all the tragedy in her life. Now she's part of a coven of good witches who are helping her and her boyfriend, Ethan Anderson, learn to use the powers they received from other witches. Aside from the fact that Sam and Ethan are still in hiding from their old lives--the ones they had before Sam was brought back to life--things couldn't be better. Sam and Ethan are inseparable. What could go wrong? Magic. Ethan's magic came from a witch who'd turned as evil as possible, and though his coven thought he'd be fine, the more he uses his magic, the stranger he starts acting. The magic inside him is changing who he is. One minute he's Sam's sweet, perfect Ethan and the next, he's a complete stranger. Even with all her witchy power, Sam is helpless against the magic corrupting Ethan. Can Sam find out what's wrong with him before she loses him to dark magic forever?
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2015
1 person is currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Hashway
128 books486 followersKelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly is also USA Today bestselling romance author Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 19, 2015
In this exciting continuation of THE MONSTER WITHIN, a teenage coven is dealing with the highs and lows of their magic. There’s Samantha, who was resurrected from the dead after losing a battle with cancer. Ethan is her loving boyfriend, but he has dark magic swirling in him that was absorbed into his body after they battled an evil witch. Dylan may or may not be in love with Samantha. There’s also Shannon, who’s boy-crazy and seemingly shallow, but has good intentions.
Ethan’s dark magic might overtake him, and in the process hurt those around him, including Samantha. This frightens not just Ethan, but all of them. The group of teen witches also realizes there’s another coven in the area, plus a much older witch who they run to for help. Can they rid themselves of the relentless dark magic?
The dark magic, numerous spells, and relations between covens and lone witches made this a suspenseful tale. There were sweet emotions between Samantha and Ethan, as well as bitter, hard ones between the witches who didn’t get along. Hashway is a master of paranormal tales. I wanted to keep reading, but I’ll have to wait for book 3.
Ethan’s dark magic might overtake him, and in the process hurt those around him, including Samantha. This frightens not just Ethan, but all of them. The group of teen witches also realizes there’s another coven in the area, plus a much older witch who they run to for help. Can they rid themselves of the relentless dark magic?
The dark magic, numerous spells, and relations between covens and lone witches made this a suspenseful tale. There were sweet emotions between Samantha and Ethan, as well as bitter, hard ones between the witches who didn’t get along. Hashway is a master of paranormal tales. I wanted to keep reading, but I’ll have to wait for book 3.
May 7, 2015
Another home run from Hashway. I've loved every single book from her so far and I'm a big fan! I won this book from a Facebook giveaway but I'm going to buy it when it comes out for the bookshelf collection. I recommend her books to everyone, and I can't decide which series of hers I love more. I love these characters so much and want to be part of the coven, if only to join the sarcastic banter. I want to live in this world. I believe the story arc has been wrapped up, but if anything EVER changes, and there is a next book, I'll be the first in line to read it.
May 31, 2015
This book - if you'll pardon the pun - was magical. It was as though a spell had been cast over me, compelling me not to finish reading until I had absorbed every last word. I was totally enthralled from the first word to the last. There are several reasons I loved this book; the characters. They were ordinary people, living ordinary lives, except for one extraordinary secret - they were bound by magic. Samantha, the main character, is your typical teenage girl, in love with Ethan and can't get enough of him. Shannon is your typical self-absorbed, vapid teenage girl who is more in love with herself than anything. (But I grew to love her because of who she is, instead of in spite of it.) Then there's Dylan. I know you're supposed to swoon over Ethan, and believe me, I did, but I swooned more over Dylan. Maybe I have a thing for the "bad-boy" type, maybe it was his dark magic tainted past that lured me in. Whatever it was, Dylan was certainly very swoon-worthy. I think the thing I liked the most was, magic aside, these characters were very tangible, it was almost like I was in the story with them. Another main reason to love this story is the author. Kelly Hashway has inspired me time and again with her writing, this story is no different. I love the dramatic twists and turns she takes you through, but also the smaller, more intricate ones that you don't feel the full effect of right away. Kelly is a very talented author and she makes you question everything you think you know. Clever writing, along with tangible characters, world building that leaves you in awe - these are all things you feel when you read a book that is written by this author. You will never be sorry you chose to sit and lose chunks of time reading something of hers. You'll be sucked in, churned up and spat out. But you won't mind, because you will have enjoyed every single minute.
THE DARKNESS WITHIN continues the story of the teens we first met in The Monster Within. With a member of their coven experiencing problems connected to dark magic, another coven on their tail and an ally who may not be all they seem, Sam, Shannon, Ethan and Dylan are in for a few surprises as the story unfolds. Life is about to become very difficult and they will face their biggest problem to date. With emotional turbulence, dramatic twists on the horizon, the coven will come under threat more than once and some of that may stem from someone they thought a friend.
A very cleverly written tale of teen angst, love, magic and betrayal, you will find yourself tagging along on a joyride that will hit more than one bump on the way.
Kelly Hashway is an author I have the utmost respect for, on a personal level as much as respecting her one author to another. She is the Queen of tugging at heartstrings. A very talented woman, who delivers one wonderful story after another. I ask myself what I want from a story and she ticks all the boxes and then some. If you've read her amazing stories before, you'll know exactly what I mean. However, if you are new to her writing, then you won't be sorry you decided to pick up one of her books. The first thing I read by her was Touch of Death, a gripping trilogy that I wish hadn't had to end. If you love a great YA story that has you on the edge of your seat, then boy you got lucky here.
THE DARKNESS WITHIN continues the story of the teens we first met in The Monster Within. With a member of their coven experiencing problems connected to dark magic, another coven on their tail and an ally who may not be all they seem, Sam, Shannon, Ethan and Dylan are in for a few surprises as the story unfolds. Life is about to become very difficult and they will face their biggest problem to date. With emotional turbulence, dramatic twists on the horizon, the coven will come under threat more than once and some of that may stem from someone they thought a friend.
A very cleverly written tale of teen angst, love, magic and betrayal, you will find yourself tagging along on a joyride that will hit more than one bump on the way.
Kelly Hashway is an author I have the utmost respect for, on a personal level as much as respecting her one author to another. She is the Queen of tugging at heartstrings. A very talented woman, who delivers one wonderful story after another. I ask myself what I want from a story and she ticks all the boxes and then some. If you've read her amazing stories before, you'll know exactly what I mean. However, if you are new to her writing, then you won't be sorry you decided to pick up one of her books. The first thing I read by her was Touch of Death, a gripping trilogy that I wish hadn't had to end. If you love a great YA story that has you on the edge of your seat, then boy you got lucky here.
September 7, 2015
There are good witches. There are bad witches. Do they have a choice whether to be good or bad? Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes life takes a detour from what one plans. In THE DARKNESS WITHIN, the sequel to Author Kelly Hashway’s THE MONSTER WITHIN, Ethan Anderson is now a witch, along with his girlfriend, Samantha Thompson. Their lives as witches are looking good for Sam and Ethan. Then something goes terribly wrong and dark magic consumes Ethan, threatening Sam, his friends, and their future.
To add to the teens’ problems, Ms. Matthews, one of their teachers might be a witch hunter. And a coven of witches is out to get them. As Sam’s and Ethan’s lives spin out of control, and Ethan becomes more dangerous, they seek the help of Mirabella, a witch who is filled with dark magic of her own and the only one who might rid Ethan of the dark magic inside him before he destroys them all.
Kelly Hashway has written a story with twists and turns and people who are not always what they seem. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, the author threw in another surprise. Sam and Ethan are so much in love. I wanted them to be happy, but then that would have been dull. So the author made sure their lives were never boring. We often appreciate things more when we have to work for them. Will Mirabella succeed in freeing Ethan of the dark magic? Will Sam and Ethan escape from the coven that seems to want to harm them and live happily ever after? You won’t really know until the end.
THE DARKNESS WITHIN is a fantasy story, but it also touches on friendship and trust and loyalty. A nice follow up to THE MONSTER WITHIN.
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To add to the teens’ problems, Ms. Matthews, one of their teachers might be a witch hunter. And a coven of witches is out to get them. As Sam’s and Ethan’s lives spin out of control, and Ethan becomes more dangerous, they seek the help of Mirabella, a witch who is filled with dark magic of her own and the only one who might rid Ethan of the dark magic inside him before he destroys them all.
Kelly Hashway has written a story with twists and turns and people who are not always what they seem. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, the author threw in another surprise. Sam and Ethan are so much in love. I wanted them to be happy, but then that would have been dull. So the author made sure their lives were never boring. We often appreciate things more when we have to work for them. Will Mirabella succeed in freeing Ethan of the dark magic? Will Sam and Ethan escape from the coven that seems to want to harm them and live happily ever after? You won’t really know until the end.
THE DARKNESS WITHIN is a fantasy story, but it also touches on friendship and trust and loyalty. A nice follow up to THE MONSTER WITHIN.
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August 30, 2015
The Darkness Within is a wonderful conclusion to The Monster Within. Though Ethan is not my favorite male character of the series (he just seems too perfect to me), I enjoyed the struggle for control over his dark magic. And I liked that Sam had learned to be a bit more leery of trusting the wrong people. Though, at times, I felt she was going a little overboard protecting Ethan, I understood her concerns after what happened in the first novel.
Also, there were some links between Sam and Mirabella at the end I could not grasp, especially the sacrifice. I guess that's because, in those specific situations, I see a sacrifice having to be something that person loves in order to be a sacrifice. And honestly, I could not tell if there really was a true connection between Sam and Mirabelle. I felt this whole part left a lot of holes in the background of the plot.
However, I love that we got to learn more about Dylan in this novel and his dark past. I don't care what he did in the past, I still love him! Actually, I would love it if a novella came out that was purely focused on him--maybe one where he even finds true love. Hint. Hint. ;)
Also, there were some links between Sam and Mirabella at the end I could not grasp, especially the sacrifice. I guess that's because, in those specific situations, I see a sacrifice having to be something that person loves in order to be a sacrifice. And honestly, I could not tell if there really was a true connection between Sam and Mirabelle. I felt this whole part left a lot of holes in the background of the plot.
However, I love that we got to learn more about Dylan in this novel and his dark past. I don't care what he did in the past, I still love him! Actually, I would love it if a novella came out that was purely focused on him--maybe one where he even finds true love. Hint. Hint. ;)
July 1, 2022
A dark read!
Can she find out what's wrong with him before she loses him to dark magic forever?
So naive and untrustworthy...gosh, it was so glaringly obvious but of course they were all blind to it. Ugh, that annoyed me. I thought we were passed the naivety from the first book and lessons were learnt. Which is why one star was dropped.
But other than that, I did enjoy this book. It was a refreshing piece of work.
Full of darkness, secrets, witches, spells, deceit and romance.
Perfect for readers of paranormal romances.
Can she find out what's wrong with him before she loses him to dark magic forever?
So naive and untrustworthy...gosh, it was so glaringly obvious but of course they were all blind to it. Ugh, that annoyed me. I thought we were passed the naivety from the first book and lessons were learnt. Which is why one star was dropped.
But other than that, I did enjoy this book. It was a refreshing piece of work.
Full of darkness, secrets, witches, spells, deceit and romance.
Perfect for readers of paranormal romances.
June 14, 2015
I just finished reading The Darkness Within by Kelly Hashway. It is the second book in The Monster Within series. Samantha Thompson is now going by Samantha “Sam” Smith. She is living with her boyfriend, Ethan Anderson. After dying of cancer Ethan had the evil Nora bring Sam back to life. Her parents do not know that she is alive and Ethan could not live without her (I am not sure where his parents think he is or if he ran away), so they have changed their last names and changed towns. They are a part of a coven with Shannon and Dylan. Dylan is their coven leader. They are working magic one night one they are attacked by something green. Well, everyone but Ethan is attacked. Ethan was in some kind of trance. When there is another problem, they figure out that something is wrong with Ethan’s magic. Ethan’s magic came from Nora who used dark magic. The gang sets out to find Mirabella who helped Dylan with his dark magic (in previous book).
The four of them also find out that they are not the only witches at the school. It will surprise them who shares their gift. Will Sam, Ethan, Dylan, and Shannon allow these new witches to help or will they take off on their own seeking help? Someone is also disrupting their efforts to get to Mirabella. Who is behind the sabotage?
I give The Darkness Within 3 out of 5 stars. The basic story line is good, but it needs work. There is a lot of the normal teenage angst, going off half-cocked, forgetting about responsibilities (like work and schoolwork), and making out at inappropriate times. You would think that Sam, Dylan, and Ethan would be more responsible since they are living on their own (without parents or guardians) and try to stay under the unobtrusive (stay under the radar). The opposite is true in this book. This book has great possibilities. I read The Darkness Within without reading the previous book in the serious, The Monster Within. Most things are explained throughout the book, but I think reading the first book would be very beneficial. The Darkness Within can easily be read within a couple of hours.
I received a complimentary copy of The Darkness Within from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
The four of them also find out that they are not the only witches at the school. It will surprise them who shares their gift. Will Sam, Ethan, Dylan, and Shannon allow these new witches to help or will they take off on their own seeking help? Someone is also disrupting their efforts to get to Mirabella. Who is behind the sabotage?
I give The Darkness Within 3 out of 5 stars. The basic story line is good, but it needs work. There is a lot of the normal teenage angst, going off half-cocked, forgetting about responsibilities (like work and schoolwork), and making out at inappropriate times. You would think that Sam, Dylan, and Ethan would be more responsible since they are living on their own (without parents or guardians) and try to stay under the unobtrusive (stay under the radar). The opposite is true in this book. This book has great possibilities. I read The Darkness Within without reading the previous book in the serious, The Monster Within. Most things are explained throughout the book, but I think reading the first book would be very beneficial. The Darkness Within can easily be read within a couple of hours.
I received a complimentary copy of The Darkness Within from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
May 27, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Spencer Hill Press) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* YA, Paranormal, Romance
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
The Darkness Within, the sequel to The Monster Within, picks up about a month after the first installment. 17-year old Sam Thompson died from the effects of cancer and was brought back to life by her boyfriend Ethan Anderson. In doing so, Sam became a witch killer at the behest of an evil witch, and now has the magic of two witches inside of her. The combined magic gives Sam powerful abilities that she hasn't even scratched the surface with yet.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews* 05/27/2015
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd via NetGalley 04/28/2015* Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Spencer Hill Press
*Genre* YA, Paranormal, Romance
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
The Darkness Within, the sequel to The Monster Within, picks up about a month after the first installment. 17-year old Sam Thompson died from the effects of cancer and was brought back to life by her boyfriend Ethan Anderson. In doing so, Sam became a witch killer at the behest of an evil witch, and now has the magic of two witches inside of her. The combined magic gives Sam powerful abilities that she hasn't even scratched the surface with yet.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews* 05/27/2015
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd via NetGalley 04/28/2015* Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Spencer Hill Press
October 25, 2015
It’s one thing to start a new life and fit in at a new school, but starting a new life fresh from the grave has its own array of problems. Especially if your new life is that of a witch.
Kelly Hashway not only gave life to Samantha Thompson, but gave her a second life when she climbed from her grave in The Monster Within. In The Darkness Within, Kelly takes us through another tale of surprises, twists, and turns as only Kelly can take us.
For Sam and Ethan, starting a new job, a new school, and a new life is keeping them busy. Then there are witches to deal with. How do you know who you can trust? There is never a dull moment as Sam must find a way to keep the darkness within Ethan from completely consuming him.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews