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Soul Seekers #1
The Darkness Within
The dead speak to Peyton. All her adult life, she’s used alcohol to drown out their spectral voices, but enough is enough! Peyton decides to turn her life around and stop drinking with the help of her best friend, Olivia. But without alcohol...the voices are back and they're louder and more demanding than ever. But what do they want from her? Enlisting the help of local psychic, Sylvia, Peyton discovers that her weird ability…is actually a gift.
Just as she begins to settle in with the idea of accepting her ability, Peyton is thrust into a world of demons. The horror is paralyzing, and it soon becomes clear that it's not just the voices of the dead that are going to haunt her. Peyton realizes that there is only one way to deal with her fears: facing them head on.
Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 4, 2018
The Darkness Within by Alice J. Black follows The Leak of Madness in the Soul Seeker horror/paranormal fantasy series. The story picks up with Peyton still drinking away her ability to communicate with the spirits the way we left her after the end of the first prequel novella.
Peyton now however wants to do something about the way her life has gone thus far and decides she needs help figuring out just why she hears the voices of the dead. While she’s concerned about being believed Peyton still breads down and tells her best friends just why she drinks and looks for answers with her help.
Reading the two books back to back did feel a little repetitive with yet another waking after drinking and establishing that character trait again. However, the story seemed to make a bit more progress this time and I did enjoy it a bit more than the opener novella giving it 3.5 stars as it didn’t feel as if it were missing the depth it had in the first. There were just questions I’d like to have addressed in that story and this felt a little more solid. It is still a rather short read but these do have an end and not total cliffhanger from one to the next although there’s obviously more for Peyton to expand on in the future.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Peyton now however wants to do something about the way her life has gone thus far and decides she needs help figuring out just why she hears the voices of the dead. While she’s concerned about being believed Peyton still breads down and tells her best friends just why she drinks and looks for answers with her help.
Reading the two books back to back did feel a little repetitive with yet another waking after drinking and establishing that character trait again. However, the story seemed to make a bit more progress this time and I did enjoy it a bit more than the opener novella giving it 3.5 stars as it didn’t feel as if it were missing the depth it had in the first. There were just questions I’d like to have addressed in that story and this felt a little more solid. It is still a rather short read but these do have an end and not total cliffhanger from one to the next although there’s obviously more for Peyton to expand on in the future.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
April 9, 2018
I was a little disappointed and underwhelmed by this book. I loved the prequel a leak of madness. A leak of madness was full of action and very interesting. I had high hopes for this book and sadly that wasn't the case. I expected a darkness within to be spooky and filled with dark spirts. Any spirts would of been fine.
The first 70% of the book nothing exciting happens. Peyton finally admits to be an alcoholic and goes to AA. We also get a little bit more backstory from Peyton as she struggles to get her life together. The ending of the book picks up alot and was what I was expecting from the book. As I was reading a darkness within it felt the whole plot of the story was Peyton attending AA, which is something she desperately needed but wasn't something to be the main focus of the book and drag on for way to long. I understand Peyton not being able to just quit her addiction but it doesn't make for a very thrilling read. However the characters are well written and the story is intriguing besides certain parts feeling dragged out.
The first 70% of the book nothing exciting happens. Peyton finally admits to be an alcoholic and goes to AA. We also get a little bit more backstory from Peyton as she struggles to get her life together. The ending of the book picks up alot and was what I was expecting from the book. As I was reading a darkness within it felt the whole plot of the story was Peyton attending AA, which is something she desperately needed but wasn't something to be the main focus of the book and drag on for way to long. I understand Peyton not being able to just quit her addiction but it doesn't make for a very thrilling read. However the characters are well written and the story is intriguing besides certain parts feeling dragged out.
June 17, 2018
I just have to start this with mentioning how thankful I am, and Peyton is for that matter, to Olivia. She is clearly one of the greatest friends you could have. I loved this book even more than the first because Peyton grew into her ability and much more and herself on the way to sobriety. The fact that she has grown so strong kept me on the edge waiting to see how everything would turn out for her and I cannot wait to see Peyton help more people with her abilities.
February 11, 2019
The story started out slow but by the end it picked up and was enjoyable. I was glad that Peyton finally accepted her purpose. It was great that she braved her fears to help her new friend. The two new characters were enjoyable and Olivia was more likeable this time too. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys light ghost stories.
May 4, 2018
I think I need to read novellas more often, because this quick-read thing is awesome 😄 Alice J. Black’s Soul Seekers series is comprised of novellas and, after reading the prequel - The Leak of Madness - I jumped to The Darkness Within (Book 1). Read on for my spoiler-free thoughts.
*Disclaimer: As a Book Reviewer and Bookstagrammer for The Parliament House, I have the opportunity to receive free copies of books and ebooks in exchange for honest reviews/posts and I’m also able to help spread the word about their books, cover reveals, giveaways, etc. 😊 Which is how I was able to read the prequel and book 1 of the Soul Seekers series.*
Genre
Fiction, Paranormal, Horror
Intended Audience
Fans of paranormal horror
Overview (From Parliament House Press)
The dead speak to Peyton. All her adult life, she’s used alcohol to drown out their spectral voices, but enough is enough! Peyton decides to turn her life around and stop drinking with the help of her best friend, Olivia. But without alcohol... the voices are back and they’re louder and more demanding than ever. But what do they want from her? Enlisting the help of local psychic, Sylvia, Peyton discovers that her weird ability... is actually a gift.
Just as she begins to settling in with the idea of accepting her ability, Peyton is thrust into a world of demons. The horror is paralyzing, and it soon becomes clear that it’s not just the voices of the dead that are going to haunt her. Peyton realizes that there is only one way to deal with her fears: facing them head on.
Setting
The Darkness Within takes place in and around Peyton’s hometown.
Characters
Readers see a different side to both Peyton and her bff Olivia (in comparison to the prequel) and I think this is just the beginning of their evolution, so it’ll be interesting to see where things go from here.
What I Liked
As I mentioned above, I really like that this series is in novella form. I’ve recently found myself with less time to read than I would like and novellas seem to be a good way to hold me over in the meantime. I can take a break from schoolwork and editing/writing-work and read the novella in a single (short) sitting.
I’m also a fan of the fact that The Darkness Within has a foundation in paranormal/horror. In my review of the prequel, I admitted to not reading much of this genre (although I watch the heck out of it on Netflix), but this series is making me want to read more scary novels. So if you have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments 😊
What I Liked a Little Less
There were some minor typos throughout the novella and occasional redundancies removed me from the story every now and then. For example, it was mentioned multiple times that Olivia was/is Peyton’s best friend. That sort of thing. Call me nit-picky (you’d be right), but especially in a short format like a novella, I think explaining something like that too often can stand out in a big way.
Score
The Darkness Within gets 3/5 stars. It’s an interesting story and I’m curious to see what happens with Peyton and her friend(s).
*Disclaimer: As a Book Reviewer and Bookstagrammer for The Parliament House, I have the opportunity to receive free copies of books and ebooks in exchange for honest reviews/posts and I’m also able to help spread the word about their books, cover reveals, giveaways, etc. 😊 Which is how I was able to read the prequel and book 1 of the Soul Seekers series.*
Genre
Fiction, Paranormal, Horror
Intended Audience
Fans of paranormal horror
Overview (From Parliament House Press)
The dead speak to Peyton. All her adult life, she’s used alcohol to drown out their spectral voices, but enough is enough! Peyton decides to turn her life around and stop drinking with the help of her best friend, Olivia. But without alcohol... the voices are back and they’re louder and more demanding than ever. But what do they want from her? Enlisting the help of local psychic, Sylvia, Peyton discovers that her weird ability... is actually a gift.
Just as she begins to settling in with the idea of accepting her ability, Peyton is thrust into a world of demons. The horror is paralyzing, and it soon becomes clear that it’s not just the voices of the dead that are going to haunt her. Peyton realizes that there is only one way to deal with her fears: facing them head on.
Setting
The Darkness Within takes place in and around Peyton’s hometown.
Characters
Readers see a different side to both Peyton and her bff Olivia (in comparison to the prequel) and I think this is just the beginning of their evolution, so it’ll be interesting to see where things go from here.
What I Liked
As I mentioned above, I really like that this series is in novella form. I’ve recently found myself with less time to read than I would like and novellas seem to be a good way to hold me over in the meantime. I can take a break from schoolwork and editing/writing-work and read the novella in a single (short) sitting.
I’m also a fan of the fact that The Darkness Within has a foundation in paranormal/horror. In my review of the prequel, I admitted to not reading much of this genre (although I watch the heck out of it on Netflix), but this series is making me want to read more scary novels. So if you have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments 😊
What I Liked a Little Less
There were some minor typos throughout the novella and occasional redundancies removed me from the story every now and then. For example, it was mentioned multiple times that Olivia was/is Peyton’s best friend. That sort of thing. Call me nit-picky (you’d be right), but especially in a short format like a novella, I think explaining something like that too often can stand out in a big way.
Score
The Darkness Within gets 3/5 stars. It’s an interesting story and I’m curious to see what happens with Peyton and her friend(s).
June 17, 2018
As the first book in this series, other than the prequel, this was really underwhelming. I loved the prequel and was excited to get into this series, but it lacked what the prequel had me anticipating.
This novella brings us into Peyton's life as an alcoholic and her journey to becoming sober through her AA meetings. The supernatural creeps back into her life and Peyton needs to make a decision about her abilities.
What this book did well was give us an interesting character and unique situation to follow.
However, I have a more extensive list of what this book didn't do well.
First off, the continuity from the prequel into this first book was really weird. In the prequel, Peyton already is working on lessening with the alcohol and had hit rock bottom already. But this book begins with her, again, hitting rock bottom with alcoholism. Next, beforehand when she weens herself off the drink, the struggle with the dead and spirits is intense. It makes it so much more realistic that she'd turn to drinking to cope. But in this book we go from her hitting rock bottom to suddenly 30 days sober with no instances of her seeing the dead being a problem meanwhile she lives over all these dead bodies . Why was this such a big thing in the prequel, an issue that manifests daily, suddenly turned into a localized issue in this book?
In my opinion, the prequel should have been the first book of the series because it introduces us to Peyton and her situation so much smoother and better. The jump from the prequel to this book is just very bumpy, and then we don't get much character development or description of her issue in this one. It's as if readers are expected to know, whereas if this is the first book of the series, readers should be able to start here without having expected to read the prequel. Like, I can read The Fellowship of the Ring without needing to have read The Hobbit and I still get a great experience with the first book. The prequel is just extra, but shouldn't be providing the more useful introduction.
Continuing from that, the actual paranormal element in this novella was lacklustre. We go more than 50% of the book before we get any supernatural aspects to our story. The beginning dragged on, and for being approx only 70 pages, you can't afford to have information that isn't necessary.
My next issues are more specific instances of word choice and comments made. The first one was the choice to use OCD as an adjective. Mental illnesses shouldn't be used as adjectives for things other than describing the actual mental illness. Peyton thinking her friend cares more about cleanliness does not automatically make her "OCD." Next is when Peyton jokes that Olivia must be gay because she doesn't date and Olivia was offended. Sexualities aren't jokes, and then the fact that Olivia was offended this suggestion displays a negative connotation to if someone were actually gay. This isn't okay. It's 2018, how about we let people mind their business over their dating preferences, and not act like being gay is an insult.
*This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This novella brings us into Peyton's life as an alcoholic and her journey to becoming sober through her AA meetings. The supernatural creeps back into her life and Peyton needs to make a decision about her abilities.
What this book did well was give us an interesting character and unique situation to follow.
However, I have a more extensive list of what this book didn't do well.
First off, the continuity from the prequel into this first book was really weird. In the prequel, Peyton already is working on lessening with the alcohol and had hit rock bottom already. But this book begins with her, again, hitting rock bottom with alcoholism. Next, beforehand when she weens herself off the drink, the struggle with the dead and spirits is intense. It makes it so much more realistic that she'd turn to drinking to cope. But in this book we go from her hitting rock bottom to suddenly 30 days sober with no instances of her seeing the dead being a problem meanwhile she lives over all these dead bodies . Why was this such a big thing in the prequel, an issue that manifests daily, suddenly turned into a localized issue in this book?
In my opinion, the prequel should have been the first book of the series because it introduces us to Peyton and her situation so much smoother and better. The jump from the prequel to this book is just very bumpy, and then we don't get much character development or description of her issue in this one. It's as if readers are expected to know, whereas if this is the first book of the series, readers should be able to start here without having expected to read the prequel. Like, I can read The Fellowship of the Ring without needing to have read The Hobbit and I still get a great experience with the first book. The prequel is just extra, but shouldn't be providing the more useful introduction.
Continuing from that, the actual paranormal element in this novella was lacklustre. We go more than 50% of the book before we get any supernatural aspects to our story. The beginning dragged on, and for being approx only 70 pages, you can't afford to have information that isn't necessary.
My next issues are more specific instances of word choice and comments made. The first one was the choice to use OCD as an adjective. Mental illnesses shouldn't be used as adjectives for things other than describing the actual mental illness. Peyton thinking her friend cares more about cleanliness does not automatically make her "OCD." Next is when Peyton jokes that Olivia must be gay because she doesn't date and Olivia was offended. Sexualities aren't jokes, and then the fact that Olivia was offended this suggestion displays a negative connotation to if someone were actually gay. This isn't okay. It's 2018, how about we let people mind their business over their dating preferences, and not act like being gay is an insult.
*This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
April 22, 2018
I've received an eBook ARC from Parliment House Press in exchange for an honest review.
Caution: This review is written by a not english native speaker, be kind.
ENG:
I've really really loved the prequel of this new paranormal saga and I was really really excited when my e-ARC had finally arrived. I was wondering how Peyton would stop with her alcoholism and if she would finally accept her gift. It's a long way to all Soul Seekers' eleven novellas, but now I'm ready for them.
In opening, we find Peyton at dawn, again drunk and not very well. There's a men in her bed, but it's not important. She's tired, she has enough of drinking. So, when Olivia comes to her, they have finally a honest talk: Peyton tells Olivia about all, alcohol and ghosts. Olivia, her best friend, is shocked but incredibly believe her.
First, Peyton starts a path with AA, where she meets a new friend: Adele, mother of two twins and ex-alcoholic. Adele thinks Peyton is keeping a secret, but, when Peyton comes to Adele's house to talk to her, she finds out she's not the only one who has secrets.
Again, I loved Peyton and her troubles. I think she's a round charachter, because the author shows her dynamic and with psychological awareness. Peyton's through alcoholism and she never ever wants to come back, so she's already is a heroine. Plus, she have to deal with ghosts and voices, sometimes with good ones and sometimes with really bad ones.
I truly like Alice J. Black's writing: she's really good in it and I hope I'll read her books for long time.
Still wait for new Peyton's adventures!
-.-.-.-
ITA:
Ho davvero davvero amato il prequel di questa nuova saga paranormale ed ero davvero davvero entusiasta quando la mia copia ARC è finalmente arrivata. Mi chiedevo come Peyton avrebbe smesso con il proprio alcolismo e se avrebbe finalmente accettato il suo dono. È una lunga strada attraverso tutte le undici novelle di Soul Seekers, ma ora sono pronta.
In apertura, troviamo Peyon all'alba, di nuovo sbronza e non molto in salute. C'è un uomo nel suo letto, ma non sembra importante. È stanca, ne ha abbastanza di bere. Quindi, quando Olivia la viene a trovare, si fanno finalmente un'onesta chiacchierata: Peyton le racconta di tutto, alcol e fantasmi. Olivia, sua migliore amica, è scioccata ma incredibilmente le crede.
Per prima cosa, Peyton inizia un percorso negli Alcolisti Anonimi, dove incontra una nuova amica: Adele, madre di due gemelli e ex-alcolista. Adele è convinta che Peyton nasconda un segreto ma, quando Peyton va a casa di Adele per parlarle, scopre di non essere l'unica ad avere segreti.
Si nuovo, ho adorato Peyton e le sue difficoltà. Penso che sia un personaggio a tutto tondo, perché l'autrice la rende dinamica e con consapevolezza e sviluppo psicologici.
Peyton resiste all'alcolismo e non ha mai intenzione di tornare indietro e ciò la rende già un'eroina. Inoltre, deve avere a che fare con fantasmi e voci, qualche volta buoni e qualche altra davvero malvagi.
Mi piace molto la scrittura di Alice J. Black: è davvero brava e spero di poter leggere i suoi libri ancora a lungo.
Intanto, aspetto le nuove avventure di Peyton!
Caution: This review is written by a not english native speaker, be kind.
ENG:
I've really really loved the prequel of this new paranormal saga and I was really really excited when my e-ARC had finally arrived. I was wondering how Peyton would stop with her alcoholism and if she would finally accept her gift. It's a long way to all Soul Seekers' eleven novellas, but now I'm ready for them.
In opening, we find Peyton at dawn, again drunk and not very well. There's a men in her bed, but it's not important. She's tired, she has enough of drinking. So, when Olivia comes to her, they have finally a honest talk: Peyton tells Olivia about all, alcohol and ghosts. Olivia, her best friend, is shocked but incredibly believe her.
First, Peyton starts a path with AA, where she meets a new friend: Adele, mother of two twins and ex-alcoholic. Adele thinks Peyton is keeping a secret, but, when Peyton comes to Adele's house to talk to her, she finds out she's not the only one who has secrets.
Again, I loved Peyton and her troubles. I think she's a round charachter, because the author shows her dynamic and with psychological awareness. Peyton's through alcoholism and she never ever wants to come back, so she's already is a heroine. Plus, she have to deal with ghosts and voices, sometimes with good ones and sometimes with really bad ones.
I truly like Alice J. Black's writing: she's really good in it and I hope I'll read her books for long time.
Still wait for new Peyton's adventures!
-.-.-.-
ITA:
Ho davvero davvero amato il prequel di questa nuova saga paranormale ed ero davvero davvero entusiasta quando la mia copia ARC è finalmente arrivata. Mi chiedevo come Peyton avrebbe smesso con il proprio alcolismo e se avrebbe finalmente accettato il suo dono. È una lunga strada attraverso tutte le undici novelle di Soul Seekers, ma ora sono pronta.
In apertura, troviamo Peyon all'alba, di nuovo sbronza e non molto in salute. C'è un uomo nel suo letto, ma non sembra importante. È stanca, ne ha abbastanza di bere. Quindi, quando Olivia la viene a trovare, si fanno finalmente un'onesta chiacchierata: Peyton le racconta di tutto, alcol e fantasmi. Olivia, sua migliore amica, è scioccata ma incredibilmente le crede.
Per prima cosa, Peyton inizia un percorso negli Alcolisti Anonimi, dove incontra una nuova amica: Adele, madre di due gemelli e ex-alcolista. Adele è convinta che Peyton nasconda un segreto ma, quando Peyton va a casa di Adele per parlarle, scopre di non essere l'unica ad avere segreti.
Si nuovo, ho adorato Peyton e le sue difficoltà. Penso che sia un personaggio a tutto tondo, perché l'autrice la rende dinamica e con consapevolezza e sviluppo psicologici.
Peyton resiste all'alcolismo e non ha mai intenzione di tornare indietro e ciò la rende già un'eroina. Inoltre, deve avere a che fare con fantasmi e voci, qualche volta buoni e qualche altra davvero malvagi.
Mi piace molto la scrittura di Alice J. Black: è davvero brava e spero di poter leggere i suoi libri ancora a lungo.
Intanto, aspetto le nuove avventure di Peyton!
November 12, 2018
The Darkness Within is a great novel for those interested to dive into the paranormal. Please note that there is a very adult tone that comes with this novel pertaining to alcoholism and behaviors associated with it. This is book one in the Soul Seekers series with a prequel, The Leak Of Madness. If you wish to get a little backstory of Peyton you can check it out, but it's not necessary. Read my review of The Leak Of Madness here.
The Darkness Within follows Peyton deal with her alcoholism and becoming sober, but dealing with cravings is the least of her worries since she become an alcoholic for one reason, the voices...of dead people. Peyton can see and hear the dead, so in order to deal with energy sucking spirits she turned to the bottle. Thanks to her friend Olivia, Peyton is on her path to recovery, but now she has to deal with the dead. That’s when she meets Sylvia, a psychic who she believes can help her cope or take the ‘gift’ away all together.
The main plot line revolves around Peyton awakening a dark entity in her newfound friend’s home who mistakenly invited it in her house on one of her drunken benders. Together Peyton and Sylvia fight off the darkness by sending it back where it came from. There are several books in this series and this is only the first encounter I’m sure Peyton will have endure.
The characters each possess their own personalities and are developed well. The plot was interesting enough, but most of the book consisted of Peyton wanting a drink, dealing with not being able to have a drink, and thinking about how life has changed from when she was constantly drunk to now. It was a fairly short read and not many chapters pertained to actual ghosts, which was a little disappointing for me, being a hard core paranormal reader. However, that makes it good for those who are not big paranormal fans, but want to dip their toes in.
Overall, it was a short read that I finished in a weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing the next adventure for the characters.
The Darkness Within follows Peyton deal with her alcoholism and becoming sober, but dealing with cravings is the least of her worries since she become an alcoholic for one reason, the voices...of dead people. Peyton can see and hear the dead, so in order to deal with energy sucking spirits she turned to the bottle. Thanks to her friend Olivia, Peyton is on her path to recovery, but now she has to deal with the dead. That’s when she meets Sylvia, a psychic who she believes can help her cope or take the ‘gift’ away all together.
The main plot line revolves around Peyton awakening a dark entity in her newfound friend’s home who mistakenly invited it in her house on one of her drunken benders. Together Peyton and Sylvia fight off the darkness by sending it back where it came from. There are several books in this series and this is only the first encounter I’m sure Peyton will have endure.
The characters each possess their own personalities and are developed well. The plot was interesting enough, but most of the book consisted of Peyton wanting a drink, dealing with not being able to have a drink, and thinking about how life has changed from when she was constantly drunk to now. It was a fairly short read and not many chapters pertained to actual ghosts, which was a little disappointing for me, being a hard core paranormal reader. However, that makes it good for those who are not big paranormal fans, but want to dip their toes in.
Overall, it was a short read that I finished in a weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing the next adventure for the characters.
April 21, 2018
I reviewed the prequel a couple of weeks earlier saying that i couldn’t wait for more adventures with Peyton and overall, i did enjoy this short read. I did feel like i was still in a prequel for like half of this short story. I mean, i’m glad we got more into Peyton’s drinking addiction, it is auch an interesting aspect of this series, but i felt like the whole “ghost” storyline was a bit rush in the second part. I wanted a bit more of it and i wanted to let the horror sink ii for a little while
longer. I mean, we hear about what’s happening in the house without really witnessing much of it. Since it’s the first book of the series, i’m gonna say it was just to introduce use to Peyton’s world and hopefully in the second one, we’ll get more horror. And i also hope we’ll stay away from some of the classics. No more ouija board. I want something fresh and fun. The prequel did a fantastic job giving us this creepy vibe and i want to see it continue in the rest of the series because i didn’t really get the same feeling with this one.I love the characters, they were all very enjoyable and fun to read. Oliva was a favorite of mine, i hope we’ll see more of her. The relationship between these two girls is fantastic. i’m all in for a good, strong, female friendship.
Even if i didn’t enjoy this first instalment as much as i expected, as much as the prequel, i did have a good time reading it. I will be reading the rest of the series, it’s hard to find an entertaining horror book, so i’m not letting this one go.
The Darkness Within : 3.5/5
longer. I mean, we hear about what’s happening in the house without really witnessing much of it. Since it’s the first book of the series, i’m gonna say it was just to introduce use to Peyton’s world and hopefully in the second one, we’ll get more horror. And i also hope we’ll stay away from some of the classics. No more ouija board. I want something fresh and fun. The prequel did a fantastic job giving us this creepy vibe and i want to see it continue in the rest of the series because i didn’t really get the same feeling with this one.I love the characters, they were all very enjoyable and fun to read. Oliva was a favorite of mine, i hope we’ll see more of her. The relationship between these two girls is fantastic. i’m all in for a good, strong, female friendship.
Even if i didn’t enjoy this first instalment as much as i expected, as much as the prequel, i did have a good time reading it. I will be reading the rest of the series, it’s hard to find an entertaining horror book, so i’m not letting this one go.
The Darkness Within : 3.5/5
April 13, 2018
3.5 stars
A very interesting story about a young woman, Peyton, who is drowning the voices of ghosts by drinking herself into oblivion everyday. She is a strong character, dealing with the voices of ghosts on her own, scared to reveal the truth to anyone. She lives in fear of her abilities, of the dark spirits, of losing Olivia (the only person she has left).
It begins, once again, with Peyton waking from a drunken blackout, an unknown man beside her. Regret written all over her, and disgust with herself, her home and her whole situation seeping out of her tired mind. Peyton admits to her alcoholism and begins the hard road of recovery. She also admits to Olivia her reasons for drinking and the two of them work together to find a way to help her fix up her life (the alcoholism and her untidy home), then they consult a psychic to work on her connection with the spirit world.
This novella paints a sad portrait of an alcoholics life. It is vivid, sad, tortuously real. Every regret is palpable, but as a reader you understand Peyton's need to drown out these dark and horrifying voices. It is a quick read, full of potential, with interesting characters and a unique plot. I am continuously interested in finding out more about Peyton, how she came to see and hear ghosts, how she plans to fight the dark ones, what her future holds. I really found myself sucked into the story.
A very interesting story about a young woman, Peyton, who is drowning the voices of ghosts by drinking herself into oblivion everyday. She is a strong character, dealing with the voices of ghosts on her own, scared to reveal the truth to anyone. She lives in fear of her abilities, of the dark spirits, of losing Olivia (the only person she has left).
It begins, once again, with Peyton waking from a drunken blackout, an unknown man beside her. Regret written all over her, and disgust with herself, her home and her whole situation seeping out of her tired mind. Peyton admits to her alcoholism and begins the hard road of recovery. She also admits to Olivia her reasons for drinking and the two of them work together to find a way to help her fix up her life (the alcoholism and her untidy home), then they consult a psychic to work on her connection with the spirit world.
This novella paints a sad portrait of an alcoholics life. It is vivid, sad, tortuously real. Every regret is palpable, but as a reader you understand Peyton's need to drown out these dark and horrifying voices. It is a quick read, full of potential, with interesting characters and a unique plot. I am continuously interested in finding out more about Peyton, how she came to see and hear ghosts, how she plans to fight the dark ones, what her future holds. I really found myself sucked into the story.
May 6, 2018
*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This story focuses on a young woman, Peyton, who has turned to alcohol to drown out the ghosts she hears. I was intrigued by this story due to the paranormal aspect and was excited to see Alice J. Black’s interpretation.
However, I was a little disappointed as the whole ghost part of the story wasn’t what I was hoping for. I was looking forward to Peyton’s interaction with the paranormal but it felt condensed into such a small part of the story and very rushed when she does get around to dealing with ghosts. The novel's main focus was on how Peyton was overcoming her alcoholism. I understand how that aspect was needed to show how she was coming to terms with everything but I felt it took up the majority of the story.
I’m intrigued to see where the story goes as the ending seemed to promise more interactions with ghosts in the next books. Overall The Darkness Within was well written and I would recommend it to anyone after a quick and easy read.
This story focuses on a young woman, Peyton, who has turned to alcohol to drown out the ghosts she hears. I was intrigued by this story due to the paranormal aspect and was excited to see Alice J. Black’s interpretation.
However, I was a little disappointed as the whole ghost part of the story wasn’t what I was hoping for. I was looking forward to Peyton’s interaction with the paranormal but it felt condensed into such a small part of the story and very rushed when she does get around to dealing with ghosts. The novel's main focus was on how Peyton was overcoming her alcoholism. I understand how that aspect was needed to show how she was coming to terms with everything but I felt it took up the majority of the story.
I’m intrigued to see where the story goes as the ending seemed to promise more interactions with ghosts in the next books. Overall The Darkness Within was well written and I would recommend it to anyone after a quick and easy read.
April 23, 2019
*I was kindly sent a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
"I wished I was curled up on the sofa with a tub of ice cream and a film on. Something nice and normal, instead of heading to a house to evoke the spirits that I woke up on my entry into my friend's house."
3.5/5
I enjoyed this about as much as I did the previous one, but I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this series yet. On one hand, the character development is amazing and I'm enjoying seeing Peyton change from novella to novella. However, I still don't feel like I'm connected and engaged in the story because these stories are so short. I'm curious to continue on and see how I feel, but I am overall just not sure what my thoughts on this story are yet.
"I wished I was curled up on the sofa with a tub of ice cream and a film on. Something nice and normal, instead of heading to a house to evoke the spirits that I woke up on my entry into my friend's house."
3.5/5
I enjoyed this about as much as I did the previous one, but I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this series yet. On one hand, the character development is amazing and I'm enjoying seeing Peyton change from novella to novella. However, I still don't feel like I'm connected and engaged in the story because these stories are so short. I'm curious to continue on and see how I feel, but I am overall just not sure what my thoughts on this story are yet.
April 18, 2018
We once again find Peyton waking up from an alcohol-induced blackout and Olivia who truly loves her coming down on her. This read was not a creepy one, at least not for me as we get to see the struggles of an alcoholic fighting her demons which in this case are ghosts. The storyline and characters continue to intrigue me and I look forward to reading more of this series.
{I requested a copy for review purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}
{I requested a copy for review purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}
August 12, 2018
The darkness within is the first book in the soul seekers series. i didnt enjoy this one as much as i did the prequel.. i think it was because this one was a bit slower paced.the main focus for the first half of the book is Peyton getting clean (i was cheering her on! But there were some parts that were a tad repetitive ) i enjoyed the second half of this book alot more the pace picked up a bit and we get some more ghost busting! 💪 we're introduced to two new characters one of them is our local psychic Sylvia! we dont learn alot about her but i hope we do in the next book!
January 1, 2019
I love a damaged character with a heart of gold. Peyton is trying to survive her trauma and use her powers for good. I find the thin line between mental illness and supernatural ability fascinating. Looking forward to seeing more of Peyton and watching her learn to control her abilities to help the living and the dead.
September 22, 2019
3.5⭐️
Sorry - Will edit this later
Sorry - Will edit this later
December 31, 2018
This review first appeared on scifiandscary.com. I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in return for a review.
Despite myself, I really enjoyed the first book (book 0) in the ‘Soul Seekers’ series. This second book (book 1) didn’t grab me as much. It’s not terrible, it just lacks the slightly crazy spark of energy that made ‘The Leak of Madness’ such fun.
Plot-wise it’s very similar. Heroine Peyton, a feisty young woman with a drink problem and the curse of being able to see ghosts, battles her drink problem and sees ghosts. In this instalment her personal story has moved on a bit, which was a plus. As alcoholic protagonists go, she’s not exactly up there with Lawrence Block’s brilliant Matt Scudder. It was good to see her story moving on though.
Whereas the first book was largely about her trying to get hold of drink, this one sees her trying to avoid it. She joins a local AA group and through that meets Adele. Adele has demons of her own, both the drink and a ghost which is haunting her home. You know how in Agatha Christie’s Poirot books it becomes almost a running joke that whenever the Belgian detective goes on holiday someone dies? I worry that the ‘Soul Seekers’ books are going to end up feeling like that, but without the glorious archness that make it work for Christie. Peyton just seems to happen across supernatural stuff that needs sorting out rather than actively looking for it. That passivity makes her a bit less engaging as a character than she might be otherwise. I'm hopeful that things will improve in the later books as she embraces her abilities.
It’s all very readable and the characters are entertaining enough. Besides Peyton, we get her friend Olivia (returning from the first book), haunted Adele and a local psychic called Sylvia. I suspect Sylvia might become part of the Soul Seekers team. Her wisdom of all things supernatural made a good counterpoint to Peyton’s confused naivety.
Like the first book it’s not really scary at all. In fact the supernatural element seems curiously underplayed. Peyton talks a fair bit about seeing ghosts, but the reader never really sees her do it. Instead Black tends to focus on the non-supernatural elements of her life. These are quite well written but lacking in tension or real drama. As a result it almost feels like half a book. Almost as if it was intended to be co-authored, but the other writer hasn’t gotten around to adding in the spooky bits yet. What's more, things all feel a bit easy for Peyton. This applies to both her personal battles as well as her encounters with the undead. She never really has to struggle, which is a shame as she's an engaging character and I'd like to see her pushed a bit harder.
I will persevere with the series, as Peyton is a fun character to read, but I’d like to see more scares. There’s nothing wrong with what is there, just an absence of detail and focus on the ghostly side of things. If Black can improve on that, and up the sense of peril a bit, I think the series could be really entertaining.
Despite myself, I really enjoyed the first book (book 0) in the ‘Soul Seekers’ series. This second book (book 1) didn’t grab me as much. It’s not terrible, it just lacks the slightly crazy spark of energy that made ‘The Leak of Madness’ such fun.
Plot-wise it’s very similar. Heroine Peyton, a feisty young woman with a drink problem and the curse of being able to see ghosts, battles her drink problem and sees ghosts. In this instalment her personal story has moved on a bit, which was a plus. As alcoholic protagonists go, she’s not exactly up there with Lawrence Block’s brilliant Matt Scudder. It was good to see her story moving on though.
Whereas the first book was largely about her trying to get hold of drink, this one sees her trying to avoid it. She joins a local AA group and through that meets Adele. Adele has demons of her own, both the drink and a ghost which is haunting her home. You know how in Agatha Christie’s Poirot books it becomes almost a running joke that whenever the Belgian detective goes on holiday someone dies? I worry that the ‘Soul Seekers’ books are going to end up feeling like that, but without the glorious archness that make it work for Christie. Peyton just seems to happen across supernatural stuff that needs sorting out rather than actively looking for it. That passivity makes her a bit less engaging as a character than she might be otherwise. I'm hopeful that things will improve in the later books as she embraces her abilities.
It’s all very readable and the characters are entertaining enough. Besides Peyton, we get her friend Olivia (returning from the first book), haunted Adele and a local psychic called Sylvia. I suspect Sylvia might become part of the Soul Seekers team. Her wisdom of all things supernatural made a good counterpoint to Peyton’s confused naivety.
Like the first book it’s not really scary at all. In fact the supernatural element seems curiously underplayed. Peyton talks a fair bit about seeing ghosts, but the reader never really sees her do it. Instead Black tends to focus on the non-supernatural elements of her life. These are quite well written but lacking in tension or real drama. As a result it almost feels like half a book. Almost as if it was intended to be co-authored, but the other writer hasn’t gotten around to adding in the spooky bits yet. What's more, things all feel a bit easy for Peyton. This applies to both her personal battles as well as her encounters with the undead. She never really has to struggle, which is a shame as she's an engaging character and I'd like to see her pushed a bit harder.
I will persevere with the series, as Peyton is a fun character to read, but I’d like to see more scares. There’s nothing wrong with what is there, just an absence of detail and focus on the ghostly side of things. If Black can improve on that, and up the sense of peril a bit, I think the series could be really entertaining.
April 23, 2018
After reading the prequel to this book, The Leak of Madness, I would’ve liked to have learned a bit more about Peyton but I didn’t! I also found the storyline lacking. I was expecting a darker twist than what happened, it was all a bit as expected. Plenty of typos and repetition of paragraphs/sentences again. Needs more thorough proof reading. An alright novella but I want to feel/read more in the next!
October 6, 2019
This is the first book in the Soul seekers series and it’s amazing. Don’t let the 125 pages fool you. There’s a lot of action and suspense. Payton is an alcoholic who sees spirits and she drinks to cope with that. One day her friend Olivia talks to her because she’s afraid that she will loose her best friend. Payton starts to go to AA meetings and becomes one month sober. This book had its moments where I thought it was going to be a book that was just going to be okie. I was completely shocked I was wrong. Near the end this book had me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to read the next one an see what happens to Payton.
April 6, 2018
I have to say i did not love this as much as A leak of madness (which was amazing). The beginning was similar to A leak of madness which was great. I appreciated the episodic atmosphere of the book making references to A leak of madness which was a great refresher however there were times when the main character repeated herself when she was talking about the other characters especially when it came to their personalities... I also can appreciate that there was no romance in this however i wish i knew where a certain character was in this book. Because of these points and overall feelings on this book id give this book a 3.5-4 stars i am looking forward to reading more of this series.
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