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D.I.E. Squadron #1
Vision of Darkness
A beacon of light...
Undercover DEA agent Alex Brennan doesn’t believe in the paranormal, despite the exhausting nightmares that reveal things he shouldn’t know. When sleep deprivation causes him to make a horrible mistake on the job, he is driven to find answers. Dreams guide him to a lighthouse in Three Churches, Maine, where he finds an inexplicable and comforting familiarity in the arms of the lighthouse’s beautiful keeper, Pru Maddox.
A whisper of memory…
Deadly misfortune has long plagued Pru’s family, the result of a curse “The Green Lady” placed on the lighthouse. Skeptical, Alex searches for less ghostly explanations, though he can’t deny that the town has had more than its fair share of disappearances, suicides, and accidents. As their passion simmers, Alex digs deeper, and his dreams turn violent, frightening, and very real.
A vision of darkness...
To keep Pru safe, Alex must embrace his abilities and unravel the lighthouse’s mystery. Except someone—or something—wants the past to stay buried...and will do anything to keep it that way.
Undercover DEA agent Alex Brennan doesn’t believe in the paranormal, despite the exhausting nightmares that reveal things he shouldn’t know. When sleep deprivation causes him to make a horrible mistake on the job, he is driven to find answers. Dreams guide him to a lighthouse in Three Churches, Maine, where he finds an inexplicable and comforting familiarity in the arms of the lighthouse’s beautiful keeper, Pru Maddox.
A whisper of memory…
Deadly misfortune has long plagued Pru’s family, the result of a curse “The Green Lady” placed on the lighthouse. Skeptical, Alex searches for less ghostly explanations, though he can’t deny that the town has had more than its fair share of disappearances, suicides, and accidents. As their passion simmers, Alex digs deeper, and his dreams turn violent, frightening, and very real.
A vision of darkness...
To keep Pru safe, Alex must embrace his abilities and unravel the lighthouse’s mystery. Except someone—or something—wants the past to stay buried...and will do anything to keep it that way.
400 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2014
13 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Tonya Burrows
47 books1,147 followersTonya Burrows wrote her first romance at age thirteen and hasn't put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and is still searching for a place to call home. She shares her adventures with her husband, two adorable doodles, and Scribble the Writer Cat.
When she's not writing about hunky military heroes and their courageous K9s, Tonya can be found watching either true crime or baking shows while snuggled up on the couch with her furbabies. She also enjoys traveling—especially long road trips to see the National Parks.
To learn more about Tonya and her books, please visit her website. She's also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @authortonyaburrows.
When she's not writing about hunky military heroes and their courageous K9s, Tonya can be found watching either true crime or baking shows while snuggled up on the couch with her furbabies. She also enjoys traveling—especially long road trips to see the National Parks.
To learn more about Tonya and her books, please visit her website. She's also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @authortonyaburrows.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
December 1, 2014
3 - "It's a long story. I have... issues." Stars.
I am a big fan of Tonya Burrows’ books, everyone that I have read in the past has pulled me in, put me through the emotional wringer and not let me go until its very end.
”I’m not leaving.”
I think that is why it was a bit of a shock to me that I found myself struggling with Vision of Darkness. It is not a bad book by any stretch, and Tonya as always has managed to give the reader a cast of interesting, unique and engaging characters. The storyline is complex and the scale and depth of its development, as well as the involvement of a large amount of what you initially assume are secondary characters make it a book that opens what will be a series with plenty of scope and potential for future releases.
”Ghosts don’t exist.”
Pru and Alex are a pretty likeable couple, both of them are a little odd and the town of Three Churches, Maine definitely plays up to and pretty much embraces their oddities. What with a haunted lighthouse, people disappearing and accidents and unexplainable occurrences abound it all adds up to a varied read, with a few little surprises thrown in along the way.
So why am I not giving it 5 stars then? Quite simply because I had to read well over 60% of the book before I actually felt like the story was going anywhere. Yes there is a lot of scene setting going on, as well as the establishment of the characters and their places in the story, and this has been the case in the past with Tonya’s Hornet series as an example, but something was missing from Vision of Darkness I didn’t have the buildup of anticipation that I would expect with a book from this author, and the plot twists when they came, lost their shock and surprise value because it took so long to get to them.
”I will do or be whatever you need. Always.”
We do get a pretty kick-ass ending, and I would be interested to see where Tonya decides to take the series as a whole, it’s just unfortunate that I wasn’t 100% blown away on this occasion. It certainly won’t stop me from one-clicking each and every one of Tonya’s future releases that’s for sure!
ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.
I am a big fan of Tonya Burrows’ books, everyone that I have read in the past has pulled me in, put me through the emotional wringer and not let me go until its very end.
”I’m not leaving.”
I think that is why it was a bit of a shock to me that I found myself struggling with Vision of Darkness. It is not a bad book by any stretch, and Tonya as always has managed to give the reader a cast of interesting, unique and engaging characters. The storyline is complex and the scale and depth of its development, as well as the involvement of a large amount of what you initially assume are secondary characters make it a book that opens what will be a series with plenty of scope and potential for future releases.
”Ghosts don’t exist.”
Pru and Alex are a pretty likeable couple, both of them are a little odd and the town of Three Churches, Maine definitely plays up to and pretty much embraces their oddities. What with a haunted lighthouse, people disappearing and accidents and unexplainable occurrences abound it all adds up to a varied read, with a few little surprises thrown in along the way.
So why am I not giving it 5 stars then? Quite simply because I had to read well over 60% of the book before I actually felt like the story was going anywhere. Yes there is a lot of scene setting going on, as well as the establishment of the characters and their places in the story, and this has been the case in the past with Tonya’s Hornet series as an example, but something was missing from Vision of Darkness I didn’t have the buildup of anticipation that I would expect with a book from this author, and the plot twists when they came, lost their shock and surprise value because it took so long to get to them.
”I will do or be whatever you need. Always.”
We do get a pretty kick-ass ending, and I would be interested to see where Tonya decides to take the series as a whole, it’s just unfortunate that I wasn’t 100% blown away on this occasion. It certainly won’t stop me from one-clicking each and every one of Tonya’s future releases that’s for sure!
ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.
December 30, 2014
Quick summary
DEA Agent Alex Brennan was undercover for a long while and then forced to take some time off after an unfortunate incident. He's inexplicably drawn to the town of Three Churches, Maine and is confronted with some ghostly paranormal events. But, Alex doesn't believe in these kinds of things, even when the attractive Pru Maddox tries to convince him otherwise.
What I liked
The story is fairly complex because there are multiple situations in play that are complicated separately and when considered as a whole. You know eventually there will be some connection but it's pretty gnarly to unravel and piece together. Alex also formerly served in the Marines and members of his squadron play significant roles here. They have unique skills that are compelling and I know there'll be future stories about them, which I'm looking forward to reading. Alex and Pru's relationship took time to form, even though there was instant lust between them. The story's climax was pretty exciting with a very odd turn at the end that has me hooked.
What created challenges
As mentioned, the complexity I enjoyed also created some frustrations as it took time to set up the various stages. I knew it would get there (it did) but maybe it took a smidgen too long to develop and the romance was slightly impacted as my attention was drawn away from them.
The bottom line
This is a strong start to the series and its concept is quite interesting, with some clever aspects that I'm anxious to explore. Now that the foundation is firmly in place, I expect the next stories to be a bit nimbler, though I really enjoyed where this one landed. 3.5 stars
(I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review)
DEA Agent Alex Brennan was undercover for a long while and then forced to take some time off after an unfortunate incident. He's inexplicably drawn to the town of Three Churches, Maine and is confronted with some ghostly paranormal events. But, Alex doesn't believe in these kinds of things, even when the attractive Pru Maddox tries to convince him otherwise.
What I liked
The story is fairly complex because there are multiple situations in play that are complicated separately and when considered as a whole. You know eventually there will be some connection but it's pretty gnarly to unravel and piece together. Alex also formerly served in the Marines and members of his squadron play significant roles here. They have unique skills that are compelling and I know there'll be future stories about them, which I'm looking forward to reading. Alex and Pru's relationship took time to form, even though there was instant lust between them. The story's climax was pretty exciting with a very odd turn at the end that has me hooked.
What created challenges
As mentioned, the complexity I enjoyed also created some frustrations as it took time to set up the various stages. I knew it would get there (it did) but maybe it took a smidgen too long to develop and the romance was slightly impacted as my attention was drawn away from them.
The bottom line
This is a strong start to the series and its concept is quite interesting, with some clever aspects that I'm anxious to explore. Now that the foundation is firmly in place, I expect the next stories to be a bit nimbler, though I really enjoyed where this one landed. 3.5 stars
(I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review)
December 8, 2014
I know that I've put it off a bit late when it comes to trying this author's books since I adore military heroes and romantic suspense, but hey, I got around to it now. This one was a bit different and right up my alley. I love romantic suspense blended with the paranormal and this book was no exception. I was into it from the start. Ghosts, murder, creepy inexplicable stuff, wounded ex-military hero, tough heroine starting over, small town atmosphere...joys to the world, right?
This was the start of a new series which I assume will tell the tale of each man in a band of brotherhood that was once an elite military spec ops team. Elite doesn't even cover it because each of these guys doesn't just possess skills; they each come full-loaded with a gift option- a psychic gift.
The first book begins with lost and world-weary Alex Brennan following a weird instinct he gets at times that makes him head north to a little town in Maine he has never heard of before during his forced leave of absence from the DEA. Alex will accept that he has a dead-on instinct, but he rejects all things psychic and inexplicable. So when he is confronted by ghost boats, haunted lighthouses, odd visions of the past, seances, disappearances, and dire predictions from his brother, he gets stubborn and mad. That being said, he knows something is hinky about the Three Churches community and the lighthouse where the attractive Pru Maddox lives. She is lovely and fragile from a past trauma and he just wants to protect her though she shies away from anything that smacks of deeper feelings and commitment.
Pru knows she's damaged goods after what she has been through particularly when her ex left her. She is attracted to the stranger, Alex, and she enjoys that he accepts her as she is and she feels safe with him, but there is a small part of her that wonders what burdens he is carrying to put that expression in his eyes. A few of the locals want to pin the recent troubles on Alex and the timing fits, but she trusts him. If only he wouldn't refuse to believe about the ghosts and his own abilities. When things escalate, Pru finds that Alex has some powerful, lethal friends to help him and her.
While in the shadows, lurking, there are more than one group watching Alex and Pru. One to cover up a crime and the other on a crusade to eradicate the gifted types like Alex who doesn't even take the threat seriously because he doesn't believe he is different.
Alrighty, this was one incredible ride. There was so much awesomeness going on that my head was spinning in a good way. At first, I couldn't make heads or tails about what was really going on beneath the surface and I really felt like I was dropped right into the middle of a story the way things were left until later for the explanations. I still am a bit foggy about the D.I.E. Squad and the gifts stuff. I'm going to put a marker in that and assume it gets teased out as the series progresses since it is part of the series story arc.
I really have only praise for this book. The atmosphere was just spine-tingling goodness. I was definitely on the edge of my seat for what came next a lot of times in this book. With the ghosts and psychic stuff being real, but yet a bunch of human baddies roaming around too, I had a lot of people to keep an eye on. The twists near the end bringing things into full focus revealing who was behind what was just eye popping. I was so wrong with a few of my guesses and that's not a bad thing.
Now the romance did do some stutter-stepping between all the nutso stuff going on around it. It was there and it was progressing at a reasonable rate for two people who had some serious issues. The passion was hot and I groaned a few times like I was the one left wanting when they would get interrupted for the next crisis. I got to where I would hold my breath when they'd get up to their sexy times because I just knew that was the signal for trouble.
The two main characters were very likable and I loved following along with their narrations of the story. They both tended to be really cautious about reaching out for more than the physical and it was a little tough to know they were that bruised up from their former situations. Alex's pain goes all the way back to his childhood of abuse and then his soul-sucking work for the military and DEA. Pru had a strong case of PTSD and was deserted by her husband when she needed him the most.
Side characters were good too especially the brothers in Alex's old unit. The situation with Alex's brother, Theo was so sad because as a reader I was able to understand what Alex didn't- Theo didn't deserve to be locked away in an institution. I just really wanted Alex to arrive at the truth sooner rather than later. The story was left open enough to lead into the next story in the series that will probably feature one of Alex's comrades. There was a mild cliffhanger that I can't wait to see how its resolved.
All in all, this was a powerful first book in a new series and I recommend it to those who enjoy the blend of Romantic Suspense and Paranormal.
My thanks to Barclay Publicity for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was the start of a new series which I assume will tell the tale of each man in a band of brotherhood that was once an elite military spec ops team. Elite doesn't even cover it because each of these guys doesn't just possess skills; they each come full-loaded with a gift option- a psychic gift.
The first book begins with lost and world-weary Alex Brennan following a weird instinct he gets at times that makes him head north to a little town in Maine he has never heard of before during his forced leave of absence from the DEA. Alex will accept that he has a dead-on instinct, but he rejects all things psychic and inexplicable. So when he is confronted by ghost boats, haunted lighthouses, odd visions of the past, seances, disappearances, and dire predictions from his brother, he gets stubborn and mad. That being said, he knows something is hinky about the Three Churches community and the lighthouse where the attractive Pru Maddox lives. She is lovely and fragile from a past trauma and he just wants to protect her though she shies away from anything that smacks of deeper feelings and commitment.
Pru knows she's damaged goods after what she has been through particularly when her ex left her. She is attracted to the stranger, Alex, and she enjoys that he accepts her as she is and she feels safe with him, but there is a small part of her that wonders what burdens he is carrying to put that expression in his eyes. A few of the locals want to pin the recent troubles on Alex and the timing fits, but she trusts him. If only he wouldn't refuse to believe about the ghosts and his own abilities. When things escalate, Pru finds that Alex has some powerful, lethal friends to help him and her.
While in the shadows, lurking, there are more than one group watching Alex and Pru. One to cover up a crime and the other on a crusade to eradicate the gifted types like Alex who doesn't even take the threat seriously because he doesn't believe he is different.
Alrighty, this was one incredible ride. There was so much awesomeness going on that my head was spinning in a good way. At first, I couldn't make heads or tails about what was really going on beneath the surface and I really felt like I was dropped right into the middle of a story the way things were left until later for the explanations. I still am a bit foggy about the D.I.E. Squad and the gifts stuff. I'm going to put a marker in that and assume it gets teased out as the series progresses since it is part of the series story arc.
I really have only praise for this book. The atmosphere was just spine-tingling goodness. I was definitely on the edge of my seat for what came next a lot of times in this book. With the ghosts and psychic stuff being real, but yet a bunch of human baddies roaming around too, I had a lot of people to keep an eye on. The twists near the end bringing things into full focus revealing who was behind what was just eye popping. I was so wrong with a few of my guesses and that's not a bad thing.
Now the romance did do some stutter-stepping between all the nutso stuff going on around it. It was there and it was progressing at a reasonable rate for two people who had some serious issues. The passion was hot and I groaned a few times like I was the one left wanting when they would get interrupted for the next crisis. I got to where I would hold my breath when they'd get up to their sexy times because I just knew that was the signal for trouble.
The two main characters were very likable and I loved following along with their narrations of the story. They both tended to be really cautious about reaching out for more than the physical and it was a little tough to know they were that bruised up from their former situations. Alex's pain goes all the way back to his childhood of abuse and then his soul-sucking work for the military and DEA. Pru had a strong case of PTSD and was deserted by her husband when she needed him the most.
Side characters were good too especially the brothers in Alex's old unit. The situation with Alex's brother, Theo was so sad because as a reader I was able to understand what Alex didn't- Theo didn't deserve to be locked away in an institution. I just really wanted Alex to arrive at the truth sooner rather than later. The story was left open enough to lead into the next story in the series that will probably feature one of Alex's comrades. There was a mild cliffhanger that I can't wait to see how its resolved.
All in all, this was a powerful first book in a new series and I recommend it to those who enjoy the blend of Romantic Suspense and Paranormal.
My thanks to Barclay Publicity for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2015
3.5 Stars
Vision of Darkness is a not what I expected at all. Honestly, I jump on this book on the merit of who wrote it. I’ve read Tonya Burrows’ Hornet series and loved it. Obviously, I had to give this a chance. It’s not my favorite read from this author but it’s a great start to a new series.
Undercover DEA agent Alex Brennan is forced to take a leave after a mishap on a mission. The unfortunate event had brought him a series of nightmares that lands him in a small town in Maine. There he will meet Pru Maddox who is plagued with a family curse aka ghost that is set to seek revenge. Strange things are happening around them. Fortunately, Alex’s ability to sense ghosts will help them solve the problem. They will also get help from Alex’s friends who share similar abilities. Wait til uou meet them.
I enjoyed the twist of paranormal Burrows added to this Romantic Suspense story. I’m not one to enjoy ghost stories but Burrows did a great job with incorporating the two subgenres into one. I also enjoyed the banter between Alex and his friends. The mystery of why, how, who and WTf of the story was also well done. My only qualm is that there was a bit of insta-love between Alex and Pru. I wish they had more time to get to know each other.
Vision of Darkness was a fun and quick read. I cant wait to read more.
*ARC provided by author
Vision of Darkness is a not what I expected at all. Honestly, I jump on this book on the merit of who wrote it. I’ve read Tonya Burrows’ Hornet series and loved it. Obviously, I had to give this a chance. It’s not my favorite read from this author but it’s a great start to a new series.
Undercover DEA agent Alex Brennan is forced to take a leave after a mishap on a mission. The unfortunate event had brought him a series of nightmares that lands him in a small town in Maine. There he will meet Pru Maddox who is plagued with a family curse aka ghost that is set to seek revenge. Strange things are happening around them. Fortunately, Alex’s ability to sense ghosts will help them solve the problem. They will also get help from Alex’s friends who share similar abilities. Wait til uou meet them.
I enjoyed the twist of paranormal Burrows added to this Romantic Suspense story. I’m not one to enjoy ghost stories but Burrows did a great job with incorporating the two subgenres into one. I also enjoyed the banter between Alex and his friends. The mystery of why, how, who and WTf of the story was also well done. My only qualm is that there was a bit of insta-love between Alex and Pru. I wish they had more time to get to know each other.
Vision of Darkness was a fun and quick read. I cant wait to read more.
*ARC provided by author
December 1, 2014
Vision of Darkness is a promising opener to Tonya Burrows D.I.E Squadron series and whilst not as intimate as her previous offerings, she weaves romance, mystery, suspense and the paranormal into the story.
When Alex Brennan finds himself in Three Churches, Maine, little does he realise what lies in store for him in this small coastal town. Inexplicably guided by his dreams toward the town's lighthouse, he soon falls for its resident, Pru Maddox. Her family has been riddled by tragedy, she pins it on the curse of the "Green Lady" who haunts her home, only Alex doesn't buy it and begins to search for a logical explanation.
I found the first half of the book steady; it was enjoyable but the story seemed to be going nowhere particular fast; I needed that little bit more to keep me gripped. That said, Tonya laid solid foundations for subsequent books, introducing us to a plethora of characters and making them memorable to the reader. Each person plays a pivotal part and brings value to the story and once I passed the halfway mark, the pace quickened, things started to come together and there were surprises I hadn't anticipated.
Whilst the blossoming romance between Alex and Pru is a constant throughout, the intrigue and mystery are equally as important to their story. And, with a slight cliffhanger of an epilogue (don't worry, it doesn't involve Alex and Pru), the ending has left me intrigued as to whose story will be next, but I can certainly say when the time comes, I shall be reading.
3.5 stars.
Reviewed for Read Your Writes Book Reviews.
Copy received courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
When Alex Brennan finds himself in Three Churches, Maine, little does he realise what lies in store for him in this small coastal town. Inexplicably guided by his dreams toward the town's lighthouse, he soon falls for its resident, Pru Maddox. Her family has been riddled by tragedy, she pins it on the curse of the "Green Lady" who haunts her home, only Alex doesn't buy it and begins to search for a logical explanation.
I found the first half of the book steady; it was enjoyable but the story seemed to be going nowhere particular fast; I needed that little bit more to keep me gripped. That said, Tonya laid solid foundations for subsequent books, introducing us to a plethora of characters and making them memorable to the reader. Each person plays a pivotal part and brings value to the story and once I passed the halfway mark, the pace quickened, things started to come together and there were surprises I hadn't anticipated.
Whilst the blossoming romance between Alex and Pru is a constant throughout, the intrigue and mystery are equally as important to their story. And, with a slight cliffhanger of an epilogue (don't worry, it doesn't involve Alex and Pru), the ending has left me intrigued as to whose story will be next, but I can certainly say when the time comes, I shall be reading.
3.5 stars.
Reviewed for Read Your Writes Book Reviews.
Copy received courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
March 29, 2015
This story was a little bit too confusing for my tastes.
Alex is an undercover agent who will find himself in the middle of a world of paranormal he doesn’t believe in.
Pru’s family has been the victim of misfortune because of a curse and now she has to rely on Alex to stay alive.
I don’t know how to explain but all the time I felt there was something missing.
First of all, Pru falls for Alex too quickly especially since he’s a suspect in her cousin’s murder. I understand strong chemistry but in these circumstances she comes across as careless.
Then, there’s the fact that we are introduced to way too many characters and the story is told from different points of view, which makes it confusing and hard to keep up with sometimes.
Alex’s partner, Nick, is another story altogether. That guy made me want to beat the crap out of him or beat my head against a wall. How many stupid decisions can one person make? Let me tell you - A LOT.
And it’s not only Nick, it’s all of them. Some situations are just stupid because they could be easily solved and our heroes seem clueless.
Tonya writes beautifully so maybe it was just me. I really couldn’t connect with nor understand these characters.
Nonetheless, this book deserves a chance. There are murder mysteries to be solved, a ghost and a lot of suspense.
3.5 stars
Happy Reading!
Alex is an undercover agent who will find himself in the middle of a world of paranormal he doesn’t believe in.
Pru’s family has been the victim of misfortune because of a curse and now she has to rely on Alex to stay alive.
I don’t know how to explain but all the time I felt there was something missing.
First of all, Pru falls for Alex too quickly especially since he’s a suspect in her cousin’s murder. I understand strong chemistry but in these circumstances she comes across as careless.
Then, there’s the fact that we are introduced to way too many characters and the story is told from different points of view, which makes it confusing and hard to keep up with sometimes.
Alex’s partner, Nick, is another story altogether. That guy made me want to beat the crap out of him or beat my head against a wall. How many stupid decisions can one person make? Let me tell you - A LOT.
And it’s not only Nick, it’s all of them. Some situations are just stupid because they could be easily solved and our heroes seem clueless.
Tonya writes beautifully so maybe it was just me. I really couldn’t connect with nor understand these characters.
Nonetheless, this book deserves a chance. There are murder mysteries to be solved, a ghost and a lot of suspense.
3.5 stars
Happy Reading!
December 1, 2014
**ARC provided by the author for an honest review**
Wow! I honestly didn't see that one coming. VoD kept me on the edge of my seat! The characters, both main and secondary were well written and balanced. I loved the ones I was supposed to and had total distance for the others. I did find myself pleasantly surprised by the P.I. Now to wait to see everyone's fate in the next book. I feel like a kid... is the next one out yet?? Definitely a 5 star in my mind.
Wow! I honestly didn't see that one coming. VoD kept me on the edge of my seat! The characters, both main and secondary were well written and balanced. I loved the ones I was supposed to and had total distance for the others. I did find myself pleasantly surprised by the P.I. Now to wait to see everyone's fate in the next book. I feel like a kid... is the next one out yet?? Definitely a 5 star in my mind.
November 8, 2014
If you like the paranormal, murders, great romance and secret organizations this is a great book for that. Alex Brennan a latent psychic gets messed up in a world of paranormal he doesn't believe in and falls in love with Pru. But Pru and Alex have people coming to kill them. The past comes to light and no one is safe. A big mystery and visions await you.
December 8, 2014
I'm a huge fan of Tonya Burrows, I've read and enjoyed all four of her previous stories and I know she writes great hot alpha men so to say I was excited about Vision of Darkness is an understatement. Especially when I heard it was her first paranormal romantic suspense and it was compared to Christine Feehan's GhostWalkers series because I love those books. Unfortunately I think I went in with my expectations too high and I ended up feeling a little disappointed.
I think my problem started with how quickly things develop between Alex and Pru, they've known each other for a couple of days when he is accused of murdering her cousin and she doesn't even consider the fact that he might be guilty. I get standing by your man but wouldn't you have a few seconds of doubt when it comes to someone you've just met? Especially when you're grief stricken over the death of someone who is practically a brother to you? It took a long time for me to actually feel any chemistry between them but by the time I did they were practically glued at the hip and it all came a little too late for me to feel fully invested in their romance. The fact that Alex lies to Pru (and everyone else) about his identity for absolutely no reason didn't help, I could understand his caution but not why he didn't at least talk to her about it.
Although the romance happened overly quickly I found this was a very slow book, we are introduced to a lot of characters and get to see things from a lot of different points of view which made it slow to read and harder to connect to. A lot of the POVs are from very minor characters so it gives you a good insight into who is up to no good from a very early point in the story - why else would we need to hear from them? - but we also got a half-hearted romance between Pru's friend and another relative that seemed completely pointless considering how it was left hanging and just added unneeded page time to the story.
On top of that both Alex, Pru and Alex's friend and fellow D.I.E. Squadron member Nick all make some ridiculously stupid decisions that consistently put Pru in harm's way and left me wanting to bang my head against the nearest wall. The worst was when Alex realises that he's been set up to drive 5 hours out of town to get him out of the way. Does he call Nick and Pru to warn them that they could be in danger? No, he just turns around and starts the 5 hour drive to get back to them. It's not like this is a historical story in the time before mobile phones & just one little phone call could have alerted Nick to the potential danger and saved a whole lot of trouble for Pru. That's only one example of the idiotic behaviour on display but I can come up with several more without even having to think too hard about it.
Now, I've mentioned a lot of things that I didn't like about this story and perhaps I'm being overcritical because I know how much I love Tonya Burrows' other stories but Vision of Darkness wasn't all bad and there were things I liked about it. The ghost was creepy, there were parts of the mystery that it took me a while to figure out and on the whole I liked most of the characters when they weren't being idiots. I'm intrigued by the idea of the D.I. E. Squadron and definitely want to know more about their abilities. The ending also left me desperately wanting to find out what happens next for one character in particular so I'm definitely planning on picking up the next book in the series. I am hopeful that the series will just go from strength to strength now that some of the world building is in place and I still have a lot of confidence in this author's ability to draw me into her stories.
I think my problem started with how quickly things develop between Alex and Pru, they've known each other for a couple of days when he is accused of murdering her cousin and she doesn't even consider the fact that he might be guilty. I get standing by your man but wouldn't you have a few seconds of doubt when it comes to someone you've just met? Especially when you're grief stricken over the death of someone who is practically a brother to you? It took a long time for me to actually feel any chemistry between them but by the time I did they were practically glued at the hip and it all came a little too late for me to feel fully invested in their romance. The fact that Alex lies to Pru (and everyone else) about his identity for absolutely no reason didn't help, I could understand his caution but not why he didn't at least talk to her about it.
Although the romance happened overly quickly I found this was a very slow book, we are introduced to a lot of characters and get to see things from a lot of different points of view which made it slow to read and harder to connect to. A lot of the POVs are from very minor characters so it gives you a good insight into who is up to no good from a very early point in the story - why else would we need to hear from them? - but we also got a half-hearted romance between Pru's friend and another relative that seemed completely pointless considering how it was left hanging and just added unneeded page time to the story.
On top of that both Alex, Pru and Alex's friend and fellow D.I.E. Squadron member Nick all make some ridiculously stupid decisions that consistently put Pru in harm's way and left me wanting to bang my head against the nearest wall. The worst was when Alex realises that he's been set up to drive 5 hours out of town to get him out of the way. Does he call Nick and Pru to warn them that they could be in danger? No, he just turns around and starts the 5 hour drive to get back to them. It's not like this is a historical story in the time before mobile phones & just one little phone call could have alerted Nick to the potential danger and saved a whole lot of trouble for Pru. That's only one example of the idiotic behaviour on display but I can come up with several more without even having to think too hard about it.
Now, I've mentioned a lot of things that I didn't like about this story and perhaps I'm being overcritical because I know how much I love Tonya Burrows' other stories but Vision of Darkness wasn't all bad and there were things I liked about it. The ghost was creepy, there were parts of the mystery that it took me a while to figure out and on the whole I liked most of the characters when they weren't being idiots. I'm intrigued by the idea of the D.I. E. Squadron and definitely want to know more about their abilities. The ending also left me desperately wanting to find out what happens next for one character in particular so I'm definitely planning on picking up the next book in the series. I am hopeful that the series will just go from strength to strength now that some of the world building is in place and I still have a lot of confidence in this author's ability to draw me into her stories.
December 2, 2014
*ARC provided by Author in exchange of honest review*
If you haven’t picked up a paranormal book before, then I suggest you start with this book.
Honestly, at first I thought the book was kinda slow. I even put it down for a few days. But after you get past the first few chapters, the book picks up.
I loved her other books. So, I figured I would like this one to, and I did. What got my attention was the synopsis. It being about a haunted light house and having former military men starring in it. Yeah, that had me sold. Well I just couldn’t pass it up.
I really enjoyed it. At times Pru was a little airheaded, but I still found her enjoyable. Alex, well I enjoyed him too. I actually liked all of the characters and I’m excited to get the rest of the guy’s stories.
If you like paranormal ghost stories then I really think you should give this book a try.
If you haven’t picked up a paranormal book before, then I suggest you start with this book.
Honestly, at first I thought the book was kinda slow. I even put it down for a few days. But after you get past the first few chapters, the book picks up.
I loved her other books. So, I figured I would like this one to, and I did. What got my attention was the synopsis. It being about a haunted light house and having former military men starring in it. Yeah, that had me sold. Well I just couldn’t pass it up.
I really enjoyed it. At times Pru was a little airheaded, but I still found her enjoyable. Alex, well I enjoyed him too. I actually liked all of the characters and I’m excited to get the rest of the guy’s stories.
If you like paranormal ghost stories then I really think you should give this book a try.
Want to read
June 27, 2015
I got my coffee ready, cause I'm about to have a date with DEA agent Alex Brennan
YAAAY!!!!
November 12, 2014
Wow! So not what I was expecting. Let me start off by saying this is not the type of book I would normally read. I'm not into scary books of any kind. With that being said, I surprisingly found myself holding my breath as I continued to turn each page to see what was going to happen next. As a thriller, this book definitely holds up to what I would expect from a really good one. I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who does like a scary mystery with their romance.
****This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.****
****This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.****
November 8, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It was very well written and got my attention from start to finish. There was a lot of suspense and strange events happening which only added to the plot. I loved the two main characters and it was interesting seeing how their attraction grew and how they handled all that was thrown at them. It looks like it is going to be a great series and I look forward to reading more. Definitely a book to read.
November 9, 2014
FABULOUS! As an avid fan of Tonya Burrows writing, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. The characters blend well together and I like the paranormal aspect of the book. It's a great read. I'm crossing my fingers for who I hope the next book will be about. Excellent job, Ms. Burrows, you always keep me wanting more.
April 30, 2015
I was given this ARC for free for an honest review.
When I was asked to read this story the first thing I did was look up what people were saying, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it only had 3, 4, and 5 star reviews. The biggest complaint that readers had was that they felt the story was too long and that the relationship between Alex and Pru moved too quickly. Compared to other reviews I’ve read those complaints seemed pretty tame in comparison.
*Spoilers after this point*
I want to start off by saying that the ARC was only 250 pages (Yes, I rolled my eyes at the ‘too long’ comment when I saw that), and that the first kiss didn’t happen between these two characters until chapter seven (Another eye roll for the ‘moving too quickly’ complaint).
The best way I can describe this story is that it is very, for a lack of a better word, constipated. Two other books could have come out of this one. Easily. It reminded me of Game of Thrones; all these other storylines and moving parts with no clear idea of what was going on until the end. As a reader I didn’t like feeling confused half the time and found myself skimming back because I felt like I missed something. I also feel this book had way too many point of views going on. I seriously lost count. I think nearly everyone that was mentioned in the book had a POV.
Now I understand that this is book one of many, and that this story may be the lift off to the others, but I found myself being more interested in the secondary characters. It took me forever to become interested in Alex and Pru. They were so vague in the beginning I had to stop myself from skimming the pages.
Also, I’m not a big history buff, but the first character you meet in the story is an old man named John Putnam. Right off the bat I’m thinking this story is based out of Salem, or nearby, because if we all remember (or at least seen the movie The Crucible) John Putnam was one of the most influential elders of Salem Village during the Salem witch trials. But the story is based out of Maine. Then the old man quotes Paul Revere, “Death was coming, surrounding him. ‘One if by land and two if by sea’. He smirked at that thought.”
I’m just going to assume the author loves her history.
As an author myself there are a few pet peeves I can’t let slide. One of them is not explaining acronyms. Not everyone is going to know what BFE, IUD, RPG (and so on) means. Another is the discriminating use of the word retard. The character of Wade is obviously written where he has a mental disability, or can be deemed slow, but when his own brother calls him a retard I didn’t understand the need for that. And don’t add personal slang without a glossary at the end. The last thing a reader wants is to stop and have to look up a slang word just to understand what a character is saying.
On the same note of being a fellow author, I’m also a military veteran. Now I understand that with writing there is some creative leeway, but Alex’s extensive military background and transition into becoming a cop was incredibly farfetched. He suffers from extreme PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), insomnia, hallucinations, and to top it off his knee was shattered during his military time and now has the beginnings of arthritis. So you’re telling me that the police academy no longer does psych or physical evaluations? (Well, maybe this explains why my ex is a cop.)
Alex constantly feels he doesn’t flirt on purpose, but that it seems to happen naturally with Pru, and yet he is very blunt about it. He all but says “I want to fuck you so bad right now, mentally I’m already 8 inches deep in you”. Alex and Pru’s relationship is very weird in my opinion. Right from the beginning Alex wants Pru, but Pru is like a ping pong ball about it – ‘I want you’ ‘Stay away from me’ ‘I need to fuck him now’ ‘No, go away’ – She came off as a tease and Alex came off as a stalker who wouldn’t take no for an answer. And then this line appeared…
“If he stayed in, he could rid himself of the hard-on, but that made him feel a little dirty and ridiculous. He hadn’t jerked off in the shower since he was a teenager and really shouldn’t start again now as a guest in Pru’s bathroom.” IS THIS GUY FOR REAL?! People, just a little known fact if you didn’t know this already, when a male becomes acquainted with his penis he doesn’t let go of it until it stops working. Especially in the shower. If a man takes a fifteen minute shower ten of those minutes were devoted to jerking off.
And I’m sorry Pru, but having sex with a guy who is basically a doppelganger of your great-grandfather is kinda gross.
I’ll give the author points for her story creativity, character wittiness, and my love for most of her secondary characters, but I don’t see myself reading any of her future works.
When I was asked to read this story the first thing I did was look up what people were saying, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it only had 3, 4, and 5 star reviews. The biggest complaint that readers had was that they felt the story was too long and that the relationship between Alex and Pru moved too quickly. Compared to other reviews I’ve read those complaints seemed pretty tame in comparison.
*Spoilers after this point*
I want to start off by saying that the ARC was only 250 pages (Yes, I rolled my eyes at the ‘too long’ comment when I saw that), and that the first kiss didn’t happen between these two characters until chapter seven (Another eye roll for the ‘moving too quickly’ complaint).
The best way I can describe this story is that it is very, for a lack of a better word, constipated. Two other books could have come out of this one. Easily. It reminded me of Game of Thrones; all these other storylines and moving parts with no clear idea of what was going on until the end. As a reader I didn’t like feeling confused half the time and found myself skimming back because I felt like I missed something. I also feel this book had way too many point of views going on. I seriously lost count. I think nearly everyone that was mentioned in the book had a POV.
Now I understand that this is book one of many, and that this story may be the lift off to the others, but I found myself being more interested in the secondary characters. It took me forever to become interested in Alex and Pru. They were so vague in the beginning I had to stop myself from skimming the pages.
Also, I’m not a big history buff, but the first character you meet in the story is an old man named John Putnam. Right off the bat I’m thinking this story is based out of Salem, or nearby, because if we all remember (or at least seen the movie The Crucible) John Putnam was one of the most influential elders of Salem Village during the Salem witch trials. But the story is based out of Maine. Then the old man quotes Paul Revere, “Death was coming, surrounding him. ‘One if by land and two if by sea’. He smirked at that thought.”
I’m just going to assume the author loves her history.
As an author myself there are a few pet peeves I can’t let slide. One of them is not explaining acronyms. Not everyone is going to know what BFE, IUD, RPG (and so on) means. Another is the discriminating use of the word retard. The character of Wade is obviously written where he has a mental disability, or can be deemed slow, but when his own brother calls him a retard I didn’t understand the need for that. And don’t add personal slang without a glossary at the end. The last thing a reader wants is to stop and have to look up a slang word just to understand what a character is saying.
On the same note of being a fellow author, I’m also a military veteran. Now I understand that with writing there is some creative leeway, but Alex’s extensive military background and transition into becoming a cop was incredibly farfetched. He suffers from extreme PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), insomnia, hallucinations, and to top it off his knee was shattered during his military time and now has the beginnings of arthritis. So you’re telling me that the police academy no longer does psych or physical evaluations? (Well, maybe this explains why my ex is a cop.)
Alex constantly feels he doesn’t flirt on purpose, but that it seems to happen naturally with Pru, and yet he is very blunt about it. He all but says “I want to fuck you so bad right now, mentally I’m already 8 inches deep in you”. Alex and Pru’s relationship is very weird in my opinion. Right from the beginning Alex wants Pru, but Pru is like a ping pong ball about it – ‘I want you’ ‘Stay away from me’ ‘I need to fuck him now’ ‘No, go away’ – She came off as a tease and Alex came off as a stalker who wouldn’t take no for an answer. And then this line appeared…
“If he stayed in, he could rid himself of the hard-on, but that made him feel a little dirty and ridiculous. He hadn’t jerked off in the shower since he was a teenager and really shouldn’t start again now as a guest in Pru’s bathroom.” IS THIS GUY FOR REAL?! People, just a little known fact if you didn’t know this already, when a male becomes acquainted with his penis he doesn’t let go of it until it stops working. Especially in the shower. If a man takes a fifteen minute shower ten of those minutes were devoted to jerking off.
And I’m sorry Pru, but having sex with a guy who is basically a doppelganger of your great-grandfather is kinda gross.
I’ll give the author points for her story creativity, character wittiness, and my love for most of her secondary characters, but I don’t see myself reading any of her future works.
November 15, 2014
Do you believe in ghosts or do you really think it’s just the house settling? How about when you know something is not right, you have that feeling that twists your gut is there really something paranormal wrong with you or is just instincts.
Wow, this story has so many stories within the story that I just couldn’t keep up. I’m not saying that it’s bad or anything but there were just lots of things happening and so many characters that were introduced that I can’t wait to see what kind of abilities they have. I like paranormal genre’s but not something that I read often so when I do read them it gets my mind working overtime. There are so many what if’s that my brain doesn’t want to shut down. And I have to say that in this book my brain was truly working overtime because I wanted to know so many things. First off I wanted to know exactly what abilities Alex had. Then there was the story of his brother Theo and what the Guides were telling him about his brother and the danger he was in. Not only that but this small town of Three Churches in Maine had some mysterious accidents happen to men and a disappearance of a young woman. I have to say there was absolutely no time to be bored, distracted at all and if someone interrupted me while reading they got a tongue lashing.
Alex Brennan wants to get away and finds himself driving to this little serene town in the middle of nowhere. He really thought he would end up in Montana with his friend, Nick but he didn’t instead he finds himself walking into a little diner. Pru Maddox knows a Boston man when she sees one and this man is gorgeous. She can’t stop thinking about him and she knows that there is no way that she can get involved with another man. She has her own demons that she is trying to deal with as Alex has his own. They both deal with PTSD but for Alex he believes it’s a waste of time when all he needs to do is find someone to talk to.
Alex and Pru are not able to stop from seeing each other its like there is this magnetic force that brings them together. Before I knew it she was inviting him to her soon to be Bed and Breakfast but of course he doesn’t show up. Then the weirdest thing happens a storm comes in and that’s when all the bad things start happening. There is a murder and Alex is arrested and it forces him to use a fake name, which you know sooner or later the truth comes out and it’s not pretty.
When one of his military teammate bails him out and he finds himself back at the lighthouse that is when things become interesting. He is hallucinating, he is hearing things and but those hallucinations seem so real to not only him but also to her. Things are bizarre in this little town there are so many secrets but they don’t stay buried for long. Soon new characters are introduced and I have to say that I truly liked them. We have a private investigator, Mischa, then we have his bestfriend, Nick but the one that sparked my interest was the friend that bailed him out of jail and that was Kai. I don’t know what it is about him but his name stayed with me throughout the read. Then toward the end we meet another teammate by the name of Jacob and he was an interesting man that was able to call up the ghost of the green lady’s husband Silas. Through out the story Alex doesn’t believe in ghosts or that he has a certain ability but by the end of the story there is no denying it.
Vision of Darkness is a story that so many twists and turns that I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride. The plots were intriguing and enthralling. The characters were well developed and the dialogue was perfect. Ms. Burrows writing is pure brilliance. All I have to say is that I can’t wait to see what she has in store for next. That epilogue was so intriguing I want to know what’s going to happen to Theo and what abilities all of Alex’s teammates have and who is after all of them.
Received ARC from Author in exchange for an Honest Review
Wow, this story has so many stories within the story that I just couldn’t keep up. I’m not saying that it’s bad or anything but there were just lots of things happening and so many characters that were introduced that I can’t wait to see what kind of abilities they have. I like paranormal genre’s but not something that I read often so when I do read them it gets my mind working overtime. There are so many what if’s that my brain doesn’t want to shut down. And I have to say that in this book my brain was truly working overtime because I wanted to know so many things. First off I wanted to know exactly what abilities Alex had. Then there was the story of his brother Theo and what the Guides were telling him about his brother and the danger he was in. Not only that but this small town of Three Churches in Maine had some mysterious accidents happen to men and a disappearance of a young woman. I have to say there was absolutely no time to be bored, distracted at all and if someone interrupted me while reading they got a tongue lashing.
Alex Brennan wants to get away and finds himself driving to this little serene town in the middle of nowhere. He really thought he would end up in Montana with his friend, Nick but he didn’t instead he finds himself walking into a little diner. Pru Maddox knows a Boston man when she sees one and this man is gorgeous. She can’t stop thinking about him and she knows that there is no way that she can get involved with another man. She has her own demons that she is trying to deal with as Alex has his own. They both deal with PTSD but for Alex he believes it’s a waste of time when all he needs to do is find someone to talk to.
Alex and Pru are not able to stop from seeing each other its like there is this magnetic force that brings them together. Before I knew it she was inviting him to her soon to be Bed and Breakfast but of course he doesn’t show up. Then the weirdest thing happens a storm comes in and that’s when all the bad things start happening. There is a murder and Alex is arrested and it forces him to use a fake name, which you know sooner or later the truth comes out and it’s not pretty.
When one of his military teammate bails him out and he finds himself back at the lighthouse that is when things become interesting. He is hallucinating, he is hearing things and but those hallucinations seem so real to not only him but also to her. Things are bizarre in this little town there are so many secrets but they don’t stay buried for long. Soon new characters are introduced and I have to say that I truly liked them. We have a private investigator, Mischa, then we have his bestfriend, Nick but the one that sparked my interest was the friend that bailed him out of jail and that was Kai. I don’t know what it is about him but his name stayed with me throughout the read. Then toward the end we meet another teammate by the name of Jacob and he was an interesting man that was able to call up the ghost of the green lady’s husband Silas. Through out the story Alex doesn’t believe in ghosts or that he has a certain ability but by the end of the story there is no denying it.
Vision of Darkness is a story that so many twists and turns that I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride. The plots were intriguing and enthralling. The characters were well developed and the dialogue was perfect. Ms. Burrows writing is pure brilliance. All I have to say is that I can’t wait to see what she has in store for next. That epilogue was so intriguing I want to know what’s going to happen to Theo and what abilities all of Alex’s teammates have and who is after all of them.
Received ARC from Author in exchange for an Honest Review
November 26, 2014
Tonya Burrows delivers the perfect mix of romance, paranormal, suspense and intrigue all wrapped up in a book that will keep you glued to the pages till you finish and manage to finally take a deep breath.
I loved this book. Just when you thought you have it worked it, the story takes you in a different direction and sucks you in further. Plus the last quarter of the book…….amazing. Hold on for the ride.
The main characters in Pru and Alex were fantastic. I loved Pru’s resilience and Alex was more than a little dreamy. Yes he has a secret, a big one but the way he reacts to Pruand her town, swoom.
When undercover agent Alex is drawn to a small Maine town for some reason little did he know how much it would change his life? Alex has always had a six sense or premonitions, he just chooses to ignore it. He doesn’t believe in the paranormal….at all. But something, an inner voice or feeling has made a road trip to get away from his undercover life more interesting.
An endless red light changes everything. It leads to pie, a mystery and Alex meeting Pru who runs the diner where the best pie is being served.
Pru, who moved back to her home town when her ugly divorce went through and after a horrible robbery gone wrong and now is the proud owner of the towns lighthouse that everyone says is haunted. She can live with a ghost, it just all the accidents that happen around the light house that are starting to get to her.
The sparks immediately fly between these two and the town notices. Of course it does, it’s a small town that thrives on gossip. When Alex ends up staying at the lighthouse with Pru, strange things start to happen more frequently. Especially when Alex and Pru get a little too close.
As things get more complicated in the once quiet little town and secrets start to unravel, Alex and Pru grow closer and closer. With help from an old buddy called in to help both Alex and Pru and another newcomer to the town looking for long buried answers, the truth starts to come out and makes a believer out of Alex just in time for the shit to really hit the fan.
Long buried resentments come to the surface in breath taking manner and as we hurtle towards the end of the lies and deceit that has long plagued the light house can the new believer Alex save Pru or has his change of heart come too late? Will he save the woman he loves and himself in the process or will the Green Lady win once and for all?
Add in secondary characters in Pru friends and Alex’s former team members, who I for one am hoping get their own books, Nick especially! You hear me Tonya???
This is the first in what this reader is hoping will be a series. It’s already gone straight to my keeper shelf. I will read anything this author writes and she didn’t disappoint with this book. Even if you aren’t into paranormal give this book a try. It’s absolutely worth it.
*** As posted on www.thesubclubbooks.com on Wednesday 26 Nov.***
I loved this book. Just when you thought you have it worked it, the story takes you in a different direction and sucks you in further. Plus the last quarter of the book…….amazing. Hold on for the ride.
The main characters in Pru and Alex were fantastic. I loved Pru’s resilience and Alex was more than a little dreamy. Yes he has a secret, a big one but the way he reacts to Pruand her town, swoom.
When undercover agent Alex is drawn to a small Maine town for some reason little did he know how much it would change his life? Alex has always had a six sense or premonitions, he just chooses to ignore it. He doesn’t believe in the paranormal….at all. But something, an inner voice or feeling has made a road trip to get away from his undercover life more interesting.
An endless red light changes everything. It leads to pie, a mystery and Alex meeting Pru who runs the diner where the best pie is being served.
Pru, who moved back to her home town when her ugly divorce went through and after a horrible robbery gone wrong and now is the proud owner of the towns lighthouse that everyone says is haunted. She can live with a ghost, it just all the accidents that happen around the light house that are starting to get to her.
The sparks immediately fly between these two and the town notices. Of course it does, it’s a small town that thrives on gossip. When Alex ends up staying at the lighthouse with Pru, strange things start to happen more frequently. Especially when Alex and Pru get a little too close.
As things get more complicated in the once quiet little town and secrets start to unravel, Alex and Pru grow closer and closer. With help from an old buddy called in to help both Alex and Pru and another newcomer to the town looking for long buried answers, the truth starts to come out and makes a believer out of Alex just in time for the shit to really hit the fan.
Long buried resentments come to the surface in breath taking manner and as we hurtle towards the end of the lies and deceit that has long plagued the light house can the new believer Alex save Pru or has his change of heart come too late? Will he save the woman he loves and himself in the process or will the Green Lady win once and for all?
Add in secondary characters in Pru friends and Alex’s former team members, who I for one am hoping get their own books, Nick especially! You hear me Tonya???
This is the first in what this reader is hoping will be a series. It’s already gone straight to my keeper shelf. I will read anything this author writes and she didn’t disappoint with this book. Even if you aren’t into paranormal give this book a try. It’s absolutely worth it.
*** As posted on www.thesubclubbooks.com on Wednesday 26 Nov.***
January 30, 2016
*** eBook ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review. ***
Character Introductions-
Alex Brennan had just endured two years undercover for the DEA and now has been ordered some indefinite downtime. He needs this time to reacquaint himself with, well... himself and find his direction again. In doing so, he'd planned to head out West to visit a friend, but found himself going North into Maine. Stopping to eat at a diner, he encounters Pru. She sparks his interest with an intensity he's never felt before.
Waitressing at her grandmother's diner in Three Churches, Maine, Pru Maddox sees a lot of road-weary travelers and hears a lot of gossip from the locals. She's been divorced for six months, practically runs the diner when her grandmother's off on an adventure, and she most recently purchased the lighthouse, it's outbuildings and the property around it with the dream of turning it into a Bed and Breakfast - if only The Green Lady would cooperate.
----------
~ Debut book in Tonya Burrows's NEW series! Paranormal Romance Genre! ~
From the moment Alex and Pru meet, they feel an intense draw toward one another but she's recently divorced and guy shy. He's not in the greatest position at the moment either, in part due to an on-the-job incident. Alex "knows" when things are about to get ugly; he "feels it", but chalks it up to gut-instinct or good intuition. He does not believe in any of the "woo-woo" that his squadron or his institutionalized brother does. He's extremely stubborn and cynical whereas Pru is still very naive and trusting, even after a traumatic experience caused a chain of events that eventually tore her world apart. The secondary characters are solid and support the story well, good and bad. This series promises to be edgier and darker than Ms. Burrows's other two series, but still holds enough HEAT to burn up the pages. The flow is smooth, the dynamics are present and plentiful, the conflicts are layered and interwoven. How do I approach the predictability without spoilers? Before the twenty percent mark, I thought I figured out the "woo-woo" of the relationship, but was only partially right. The same goes for the ship and crew. There were a few plot points that were not fully addressed, but they were not key points. Alex and Pru receive a solid ending, but the Epilogue provides a healthy lead-in to the next potential book.
------------------
Score: 4.2
* Stars: 4
-------------------
Character Introductions-
Alex Brennan had just endured two years undercover for the DEA and now has been ordered some indefinite downtime. He needs this time to reacquaint himself with, well... himself and find his direction again. In doing so, he'd planned to head out West to visit a friend, but found himself going North into Maine. Stopping to eat at a diner, he encounters Pru. She sparks his interest with an intensity he's never felt before.
Waitressing at her grandmother's diner in Three Churches, Maine, Pru Maddox sees a lot of road-weary travelers and hears a lot of gossip from the locals. She's been divorced for six months, practically runs the diner when her grandmother's off on an adventure, and she most recently purchased the lighthouse, it's outbuildings and the property around it with the dream of turning it into a Bed and Breakfast - if only The Green Lady would cooperate.
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~ Debut book in Tonya Burrows's NEW series! Paranormal Romance Genre! ~
From the moment Alex and Pru meet, they feel an intense draw toward one another but she's recently divorced and guy shy. He's not in the greatest position at the moment either, in part due to an on-the-job incident. Alex "knows" when things are about to get ugly; he "feels it", but chalks it up to gut-instinct or good intuition. He does not believe in any of the "woo-woo" that his squadron or his institutionalized brother does. He's extremely stubborn and cynical whereas Pru is still very naive and trusting, even after a traumatic experience caused a chain of events that eventually tore her world apart. The secondary characters are solid and support the story well, good and bad. This series promises to be edgier and darker than Ms. Burrows's other two series, but still holds enough HEAT to burn up the pages. The flow is smooth, the dynamics are present and plentiful, the conflicts are layered and interwoven. How do I approach the predictability without spoilers? Before the twenty percent mark, I thought I figured out the "woo-woo" of the relationship, but was only partially right. The same goes for the ship and crew. There were a few plot points that were not fully addressed, but they were not key points. Alex and Pru receive a solid ending, but the Epilogue provides a healthy lead-in to the next potential book.
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Score: 4.2
* Stars: 4
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December 8, 2014
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books.
This looks to be a great series!
Though he doesn't believe in the supernatural or psychic abilities, something has brought the possibly-former DEA agent Alex Brennan to a tiny town on the coast of Maine. Once there, he is drawn to a local waitress and lighthouse owner, Pru Maddox, and instead of moving on as he'd originally planned find himself camping out on what ends up being her property.
The two are drawn together, though Pru isn't interested in a relationship--especially with a guy who's just passing through--and Alex thinks her insistence that her lighthouse is haunted by a "Green Lady" and that tragic accidents haunt her family is a bunch of nonsense. Alex soon suspects that someone is out to hurt Pru, though, and leaving just isn't an option if she's truly in danger...
Vision of Darkness is a compelling combination of romantic suspense and creepy paranormal happenings. There's both human and non-human (or at least not human anymore) antagonists after our heroine and hero, and several layers to the mysteries that surround Pru and Alex. It's next to impossible to put the book down, especially once you pass the halfway point--you're kept right on the edge of your seat and it's really easy to tell yourself Wait! Just one more chapter... only to find yourself saying the same thing when you get to that chapter's end.
I loved the characters of Alex and Pru and hope to see more of them as the series continues. Since we're left at the end of the book knowing that something major is happening to Alex's older brother, chances are excellent we will.
Alex's former Marine unit members and their CO (the D.I.E. Squadron--Detection, Infiltration, Eradication) are still linked together in the civilian world by shared talents with a supernatural slant. We meet several of them in this book--a few make appearances in Maine, others are visited by Alex and Pru, and still others are contacted via phone--and those glimpses definitely have me looking forward to future books. Ms. Burrows has built a fascinating world here; one I can't wait to visit again!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
This looks to be a great series!
Though he doesn't believe in the supernatural or psychic abilities, something has brought the possibly-former DEA agent Alex Brennan to a tiny town on the coast of Maine. Once there, he is drawn to a local waitress and lighthouse owner, Pru Maddox, and instead of moving on as he'd originally planned find himself camping out on what ends up being her property.
The two are drawn together, though Pru isn't interested in a relationship--especially with a guy who's just passing through--and Alex thinks her insistence that her lighthouse is haunted by a "Green Lady" and that tragic accidents haunt her family is a bunch of nonsense. Alex soon suspects that someone is out to hurt Pru, though, and leaving just isn't an option if she's truly in danger...
Vision of Darkness is a compelling combination of romantic suspense and creepy paranormal happenings. There's both human and non-human (or at least not human anymore) antagonists after our heroine and hero, and several layers to the mysteries that surround Pru and Alex. It's next to impossible to put the book down, especially once you pass the halfway point--you're kept right on the edge of your seat and it's really easy to tell yourself Wait! Just one more chapter... only to find yourself saying the same thing when you get to that chapter's end.
I loved the characters of Alex and Pru and hope to see more of them as the series continues. Since we're left at the end of the book knowing that something major is happening to Alex's older brother, chances are excellent we will.
Alex's former Marine unit members and their CO (the D.I.E. Squadron--Detection, Infiltration, Eradication) are still linked together in the civilian world by shared talents with a supernatural slant. We meet several of them in this book--a few make appearances in Maine, others are visited by Alex and Pru, and still others are contacted via phone--and those glimpses definitely have me looking forward to future books. Ms. Burrows has built a fascinating world here; one I can't wait to visit again!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2014
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibarian-I Dig Good Books.
From the very beginning this book has you intrigued. Or it did me! It grabs, pulls, catapulates you along a journey that will get you thinking about the life there-after, about revenge, and love and mostly, ghosts.
Alex has been plagued with nightmares forever, and when he messes up in his job as a DEA agent, he goes on "vacation" and finds himself in Three Churches, Maine. WHich has a lighthouse. Which makes him feel like he came home. But he has never been to Maine before.
Pru is repairing the lighthouse and turning it into a B&B. But The Green Lady is a bit of a pest. Accidents keep happening. But when those accidents get a little close to home, and deadly, Pru wonders just what is going on.
Alex and Pru has instant, super hot attraction! oh yes ma'am, combustable it is! earth, or rather mirror, shattering! But thats just part of it, there is murder, both centuries old, and much more recent. There is an undercover unit trying to get themselves back together, there is a underground group trying to kill all those who exhibit paranormal tendencies. So many layers to this book, and its all bloody good stuff!
While the main story is concluded, it isnt, really. There is more to this tale, and I should hope that it comes soon. Alex' brother needs help, and I need to follow up all those little hints and snipets that got dropped in along the way, about the other members of the D.I.E unit. Oh yes, need to know about Nick, Sully, and the rest, and maybe even Case can drop in a time or two!
5 full spooky, stars.
From the very beginning this book has you intrigued. Or it did me! It grabs, pulls, catapulates you along a journey that will get you thinking about the life there-after, about revenge, and love and mostly, ghosts.
Alex has been plagued with nightmares forever, and when he messes up in his job as a DEA agent, he goes on "vacation" and finds himself in Three Churches, Maine. WHich has a lighthouse. Which makes him feel like he came home. But he has never been to Maine before.
Pru is repairing the lighthouse and turning it into a B&B. But The Green Lady is a bit of a pest. Accidents keep happening. But when those accidents get a little close to home, and deadly, Pru wonders just what is going on.
Alex and Pru has instant, super hot attraction! oh yes ma'am, combustable it is! earth, or rather mirror, shattering! But thats just part of it, there is murder, both centuries old, and much more recent. There is an undercover unit trying to get themselves back together, there is a underground group trying to kill all those who exhibit paranormal tendencies. So many layers to this book, and its all bloody good stuff!
While the main story is concluded, it isnt, really. There is more to this tale, and I should hope that it comes soon. Alex' brother needs help, and I need to follow up all those little hints and snipets that got dropped in along the way, about the other members of the D.I.E unit. Oh yes, need to know about Nick, Sully, and the rest, and maybe even Case can drop in a time or two!
5 full spooky, stars.
December 2, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It was an interesting take on the Psychic adventure books that are dominating the market. Alex Brennan is a DEA agent, who is having, shall we say, episodes of foresight. However, he does not buy into all that psychic hooey. On a leave of absence from his job, he starts to wander. Something brings him here, to Maine, to this small town and its lighthouse.
Pru Maddox is the proud owner of said lighthouse. The lighthouse is haunted, Pru believes, by the Green Lady. She was the wife of a former owner of the lighthouse. Pru has seen her, and she does things around the lighthouse.
Alex does not believe in ghosts, woo-hoo stuff, or paranormal stuff. But, when in a convoluted series of events, he stays at the lighthouse, he starts to experience the ghostly paranormal stuff himself.
Detection, Infiltration, and Eradication ( D.I.E) squadron members all have some type of paranormal abilities. And all of his squadron mates have embraced their abilities except for Alex. Will he finally embrace his? But there are people out there who want to see Alex and his squadron dead, and only because they possess these abilities.
This book starts off kind of slow, but comes to a very satisfying conclusion where Alex and Pru are concerned. But there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the rest of the squad. The book sets up the premise of the series very well, and the glimpses we see of the other characters are truly intriguing. I hope to see more of this series in the future...
Pru Maddox is the proud owner of said lighthouse. The lighthouse is haunted, Pru believes, by the Green Lady. She was the wife of a former owner of the lighthouse. Pru has seen her, and she does things around the lighthouse.
Alex does not believe in ghosts, woo-hoo stuff, or paranormal stuff. But, when in a convoluted series of events, he stays at the lighthouse, he starts to experience the ghostly paranormal stuff himself.
Detection, Infiltration, and Eradication ( D.I.E) squadron members all have some type of paranormal abilities. And all of his squadron mates have embraced their abilities except for Alex. Will he finally embrace his? But there are people out there who want to see Alex and his squadron dead, and only because they possess these abilities.
This book starts off kind of slow, but comes to a very satisfying conclusion where Alex and Pru are concerned. But there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the rest of the squad. The book sets up the premise of the series very well, and the glimpses we see of the other characters are truly intriguing. I hope to see more of this series in the future...
November 10, 2014
REVIEW
I was given an advanced copy of this book to review. First let me be clear that paranormal is not my genre and there were things in this book that were waaaayyyyyy out of my comfort zone and I'm surprised I didn't end up having nightmares (overactive imagination and all). In saying that, I throughly enjoyed this book.
There were plot twists a plenty that left me as a reader wondering what was 'natural' and what was from 'things that go bump in the night'. Most things got cleared up by the end and the story was completed, but I'm guessing that one of the plot points is a story arc that will carry on through the series.
Alex and Pru were good together. Both were slightly broken from things that had happened in the past, but that didn't stop them from going for what the both wanted.
The secondary characters and the D.I.E. men were intriguing, and honestly - I can't pick who I want to be up next.
All in all, while this is a book I would have normally avoided, I'm so glad I read it. Will I have nightmares from the rest of the books? Probably . Will that stop me from reading them? Definitely not. I can't wait to see more of Kai, Sully, Nick, Mal, Jacob, Theo and Mischa.
I was given an advanced copy of this book to review. First let me be clear that paranormal is not my genre and there were things in this book that were waaaayyyyyy out of my comfort zone and I'm surprised I didn't end up having nightmares (overactive imagination and all). In saying that, I throughly enjoyed this book.
There were plot twists a plenty that left me as a reader wondering what was 'natural' and what was from 'things that go bump in the night'. Most things got cleared up by the end and the story was completed, but I'm guessing that one of the plot points is a story arc that will carry on through the series.
Alex and Pru were good together. Both were slightly broken from things that had happened in the past, but that didn't stop them from going for what the both wanted.
The secondary characters and the D.I.E. men were intriguing, and honestly - I can't pick who I want to be up next.
All in all, while this is a book I would have normally avoided, I'm so glad I read it. Will I have nightmares from the rest of the books? Probably . Will that stop me from reading them? Definitely not. I can't wait to see more of Kai, Sully, Nick, Mal, Jacob, Theo and Mischa.
April 1, 2015
What an interesting story! It's a mix of a ghost story, a few murder mysteries, and a romance featuring Prudence the local waitress who owns the lighthouse where much of the story takes place and Alex, the ex-soldier making his way across the country but unaccountably drawn to Pru and the small town where he ends up staying. It's not the normal type of story that I read and I did find that it dragged a bit in parts, but overall I found enough to keep me intrigued from the beginning to the end. There was a lot going on in this small town! The characters were well drawn and much of the story is told from Alex's point of view (with parts from Prudence and a few other characters as well). There is definite sexual tension between Pru and Alex and the love scenes between them were pretty steamy! Though it's a happy ending for the couple, there are some loose ends that will entice the reader to want to read the next in the series. 4 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
November 27, 2014
This book was a good balance of action, romance, and paranormal activity. Alex Brennen, a military veteran and former DEA agent, takes a road trip to clear his head and ends up in Maine. There he ends up falling for Pru (who is also trying to put her life back together) the new owner of the haunted light house. Strange things start happening around that, thanks to Alex's spot on intuition, he and Pru manage to avoid. Alex refuses to believe he's a latent psychic - one would be crazy to jump to that conclusion, and since crazy seems to run in his family he's just not going there - and ends up stumbling into a murder investigation. There's a good subplot that doesn't overpower the main story and we also meet members of Alex's old special forces squad, who have powers of their own.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in the D.I.E Squadron series.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in the D.I.E Squadron series.
April 13, 2016
I finally finished reading, and I must say that it was HELLUVA!!! I really enjoyed this book, really, really, from the beginning until the end, that has left me with a desire to know more, poor Theo, I want already to know how he goes out of this one. Please Tonya, tell me that he is rescued soon, Theo has suffered a lot, *cry* And now I just have to wait for the next one, do not leave us waiting very much please.
And now my score, I give it 5 stars, if I could give it 20, I would do, thank you very much for this wonderful reading Tonya, and best of luck with the launch!!!
And now my score, I give it 5 stars, if I could give it 20, I would do, thank you very much for this wonderful reading Tonya, and best of luck with the launch!!!
December 3, 2014
This one has you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I highly recommend it!! Loved the characters in this one. Some of the events that happened made me sad, but it didn't take away from the book. The mystery and legend revolving around the lighthouse is very intriguing. Can't wait for more of the series!
November 13, 2014
Author Tonya Burrows has done it yet again! Just when you think it can't get any better, she proves you wrong!
She did a wonderful job bringing together the plot for this book! Let's face it, who doesn't love a Great murder/ghost/love story!
I love Alex and Pru, can't wait to see what's in store for the D.I.E Squadron Series!
She did a wonderful job bringing together the plot for this book! Let's face it, who doesn't love a Great murder/ghost/love story!
I love Alex and Pru, can't wait to see what's in store for the D.I.E Squadron Series!
November 12, 2014
Couldn't put it down!
Ms. Burrows hits the mark with this one! Edge of seat reading with a storyline that kept me guessing. The interactions between the characters drew me in. Loved the paranormal/mystery/romance twists. While I devoured Pru's & Alex's story, the glimpses of Theo, Kai, Nick, Sully, Mal, Jacob & Mischa left me eager for the next D.I.E. Squadron installment.
Ms. Burrows hits the mark with this one! Edge of seat reading with a storyline that kept me guessing. The interactions between the characters drew me in. Loved the paranormal/mystery/romance twists. While I devoured Pru's & Alex's story, the glimpses of Theo, Kai, Nick, Sully, Mal, Jacob & Mischa left me eager for the next D.I.E. Squadron installment.
December 3, 2014
This was an amazing roller coaster ride of suspense, romance and down right scary situations! Full review to follow
on http://www.tbqsbookpalace.com
on http://www.tbqsbookpalace.com
November 25, 2014
This book was amazing! The story was chilling and the wording throughout was simple elegance! Tonya definitely has a way with words! I would recommend this book highly!!
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