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The Sweetest Dark Shana Abe Books

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The Sweetest Dark Shana Abe Books

I love Shana Abe's Drakon books and this one is no exception. I love the world, but this was bittersweet being much later than the others and the amazing world the Drakon had built is gone. It begins much as many YA books with a young girl who is "different" and is growing up in an orphanage without knowledge of her parents or where she came from. But from the time she is chosen to attend an exclusive boarding school as a charity case, the unique story really begins. In 1915 she goes to the southern coast of England to Iverson, an erie castle that houses the school.

Lora has a toughness gained through her growing up in a rough environment and I liked her. When things get bad or scary she manages to pull herself together and face what needs to be done.

There are two boys in this story. I wouldn't call it a triangle because that has been over-worked, and this is different. For Lora there is never any doubt which one she is attracted to, the apparently mute gardener, Jesse. Armand, the dark son of the Duke who sponsored her, is obviously interested in her, and Armand has secrets of his own. The story is full of magic. This is also a sweet love story with twists I kind of saw coming but somehow did not think would play out the way they did. Having read all of the books from The Smoke Thief on, I understood what was happening with Lora, but one could read this book without having read the others. The reader would just discover things in a different way. I had my ideas about Jesse and Armand both and was right on one and wrong with the other. The story of the three of them together is beautifully done.

While personal things are playing out at the school and with these three characters, there is a war raging not all that far away. World War I where the London that Lora has left behind is being bombed. The war does come to Iverson in a way never anticipated, and for those who like action and intensity there is plenty of both. Lora has to recognize and use her powers even though she does not understand them. She has to take in and accept what she finds out about the two boys whose lives are now totally wound up with her own. I cried. I seem to have done that with the last few books I have read - I really don't do it a lot! The epilogue was sweet and made for a beautiful ending. It is to be a series and I can see that it will be a good one, but it could have ended and been okay with me too - not a cliffhanger. (thankfully) A few of my favorite parts:

"Feral, whispered my inner fiend, plucking the word from my black, black thoughts. Alpha.

The skin along the back of my neck prickled, and not in a good way.

The breeze shifted. I was upwind and he was down and I swear I saw him lift his face to it, breathe it in deep -- then turn at once to find me.

No one else noticed. Our eyes locked."

[Lora first seeing Armand]

______________________________________________

"I wanted to address what had happened last night, our kiss, my fainting, him carrying me back to the tower. There was a weight in my chest that felt like an apology, although I didn't know how to phrase it or even if I should try. There were too many layers of truth between this boy and me, obvious layers like 'I don't even know you', and layers more subtle, ones that whispered, 'I've known you forever'."

[Lora about Jesse]
____________________________________________________

"Jesse gave me an assessing look. 'Like is drawn to like. We're all three of us thick with magic now, even if it's different kinds. It's inevitable that we'll feed off one another. The only way to prevent that would be to separate. And even then it might not be enough. Too much has already begun."

_______________________________________________

"Dragon protects star,' Eleanore announced coolly from her place across the table, her half-eaten bread pinched between two fingers. 'Star adores dragon. And now you can't betray us.'"

[Lora to Armand]

____________________________________________________

"I hadn't thought of it. I hadn't considered it once, to be honest. But the history of Europe had always included dragons. And knights. And lances. And lots and lots of stabbings through hearts."

[Lora]

___________________________________________________________

"Raindrops shot through me, but they didn't hurt. I might well have been part of the mist that curled up from the ferns and grass, that reached wraithlike arms up through the boughs. I skimmed lower and lower until I was the same, except that the mist was wet and I was not. Smoke is always dry."

[Lora]


Tags : Amazon.com: The Sweetest Dark (9780345531704): Shana Abe: Books,Shana Abe,The Sweetest Dark,Bantam,0345531701,Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural,Boarding schools;Fiction.,Magic;Fiction.,Supernatural;Fiction.,Boarding schools,Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9),Fantasy & Magic,Fiction,Historical - Europe,JUVENILE,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile Fiction Historical Europe,Juvenile Fiction Love & Romance,Juvenile Fiction Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural,Juvenile Grades 7-9 Ages 12-14,Love & Romance,Magic,Supernatural,United States,YOUNG ADULT FICTION,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural

The Sweetest Dark Shana Abe Books Reviews

This review was so hard for me to write. I loved the book, but sometimes it's really hard to put it into words. Shana Abe gave me historical fiction with an unique fantasy twist. Drakon was a term I had not heard of until this book. It was fantastic! Her writing is beautiful, and the characters are perfect. This is a book that you will pick up and be captivated by the first chapter.

Eleanor "Lora" Jones came from an orphanage, but spent a major part of her life in a mental hospital because of the songs and voice she heard in her head. The orphanage is in London, right in the middle of World War I. All children are being sent out of London and Lora has the good fortune of being sent to Iverson, an elite boarding school for girls, only it turns out not to be such a coincidence that she ended up there.

In her time at Iverson she meets some interesting characters that play a big role in her life, Jesse-the groundskeeper, and Armand-the Duke of Idylling's son. While this first looks like the makings of a love triangle, it's far from it. Lora makes it very clear from the start who she wants to be with and how she feels. (I personally LOVE Armand.) These three all have a future and a past that is intertwined together by a events that only Jesse is aware of.

She also finds somewhat of a "friend" in an unexpected character, Lady Sophia. Sophia is one of my absolute favorite characters in this book. She turns out the be completely different than I initially thought she would be. I feel the need to mention the headmistress also, only because every time she was around it sent steam out of my ears. She's horrible! She pretty much seems to live her life to make Lora feel that she is not meant to be in their world.

Now why did I give this a 4 ♥ rating instead of a 5? Well the entire book is based in this WWI setting, yet it's not really made CRUCIAL through the entire book, just little stuff here and there. I felt like it was just a setting background, until the very end. BAM, it's right at Lora's doorstep. The way the ending plays out I feel like there should of been more of a build up to it. It got really intense towards the end, I just wanted to know what was happening. When I finally found the explanation to what happened, well I was kind of like "this is it?". I was border lined confused. I feel like it was kind of just placed in there. I also wanted a LOT more back story to the things Lora learns from Jesse. I wanted to know a lot more about the drakon world, and more about Jesse and who he was. You are just kind of told who they are, then that's about it. I'm really hoping for more in the other books.

**I did read the next one, and will have a review up for that soon. I will say after reading the second one it does help me understand the point of the ending from The Sweetest Dark, but I still feel there should have been more build of that story line in the book. )
I have the book in hardcover signed by Shana. I admit I am bias with her work. I came across a paperback copy of The Secret Swan years ago. Loved the story and when I go to the end, I read her bio. She had pet bunnies. Well as a bunny person myself, I knew that Shana had to be a wonderful person. Why? Anyone who loves bunnies is required by the bunny police to be wonderful or they will hop you down and nibble on your toes and all computer cables.

I read this in hard copy several months ago. When Shana posted about this book being discounted, I knew I need a digital copy also. (More money to buy leaf lettuce for the bunnies and chips for the dog)

To start this book blew me away. After reading all the other books in the Drakon series I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I admit to not being a big YA fan or even a paranormal fan but Shana put a spin on the story to make readers feel like anything but paranormal or YA.

When describing about the dragons flying I honestly picture each step, it is almost like I can feel every emotion from each character. I am transported to an altered time and place with characters that will make you fall in love all over again.

Once again this was a big hit with me (and the bunnies).

The bunnies (Coale & Cupcake) give this book 5+ carrots.

Thanks again for another amazing read Shana.
I love Shana Abe's Drakon books and this one is no exception. I love the world, but this was bittersweet being much later than the others and the amazing world the Drakon had built is gone. It begins much as many YA books with a young girl who is "different" and is growing up in an orphanage without knowledge of her parents or where she came from. But from the time she is chosen to attend an exclusive boarding school as a charity case, the unique story really begins. In 1915 she goes to the southern coast of England to Iverson, an erie castle that houses the school.

Lora has a toughness gained through her growing up in a rough environment and I liked her. When things get bad or scary she manages to pull herself together and face what needs to be done.

There are two boys in this story. I wouldn't call it a triangle because that has been over-worked, and this is different. For Lora there is never any doubt which one she is attracted to, the apparently mute gardener, Jesse. Armand, the dark son of the Duke who sponsored her, is obviously interested in her, and Armand has secrets of his own. The story is full of magic. This is also a sweet love story with twists I kind of saw coming but somehow did not think would play out the way they did. Having read all of the books from The Smoke Thief on, I understood what was happening with Lora, but one could read this book without having read the others. The reader would just discover things in a different way. I had my ideas about Jesse and Armand both and was right on one and wrong with the other. The story of the three of them together is beautifully done.

While personal things are playing out at the school and with these three characters, there is a war raging not all that far away. World War I where the London that Lora has left behind is being bombed. The war does come to Iverson in a way never anticipated, and for those who like action and intensity there is plenty of both. Lora has to recognize and use her powers even though she does not understand them. She has to take in and accept what she finds out about the two boys whose lives are now totally wound up with her own. I cried. I seem to have done that with the last few books I have read - I really don't do it a lot! The epilogue was sweet and made for a beautiful ending. It is to be a series and I can see that it will be a good one, but it could have ended and been okay with me too - not a cliffhanger. (thankfully) A few of my favorite parts

"Feral, whispered my inner fiend, plucking the word from my black, black thoughts. Alpha.

The skin along the back of my neck prickled, and not in a good way.

The breeze shifted. I was upwind and he was down and I swear I saw him lift his face to it, breathe it in deep -- then turn at once to find me.

No one else noticed. Our eyes locked."

[Lora first seeing Armand]

______________________________________________

"I wanted to address what had happened last night, our kiss, my fainting, him carrying me back to the tower. There was a weight in my chest that felt like an apology, although I didn't know how to phrase it or even if I should try. There were too many layers of truth between this boy and me, obvious layers like 'I don't even know you', and layers more subtle, ones that whispered, 'I've known you forever'."

[Lora about Jesse]
____________________________________________________

"Jesse gave me an assessing look. 'Like is drawn to like. We're all three of us thick with magic now, even if it's different kinds. It's inevitable that we'll feed off one another. The only way to prevent that would be to separate. And even then it might not be enough. Too much has already begun."

_______________________________________________

"Dragon protects star,' Eleanore announced coolly from her place across the table, her half-eaten bread pinched between two fingers. 'Star adores dragon. And now you can't betray us.'"

[Lora to Armand]

____________________________________________________

"I hadn't thought of it. I hadn't considered it once, to be honest. But the history of Europe had always included dragons. And knights. And lances. And lots and lots of stabbings through hearts."

[Lora]

___________________________________________________________

"Raindrops shot through me, but they didn't hurt. I might well have been part of the mist that curled up from the ferns and grass, that reached wraithlike arms up through the boughs. I skimmed lower and lower until I was the same, except that the mist was wet and I was not. Smoke is always dry."

[Lora]