Saturday Snippet Reviews | A Darkness Strange and Lovely & The Sea of Tranquility

There are times when Heather, Aly & I finish a book, but don’t have time to write a full, comprehensive review… or even a shorter “flashbulb” review.  BUT we still want to share our thoughts with you on what we’ve been reading. That’s why every Saturday we’ll be featuring 3 “snippet” reviews — short, sweet, to-the-point reviews that we’ll try to keep to 2-7 sentences.  So we hope you enjoy these!!

 

EMOTIONS. That’s it.  That’s my review.  But since that isn’t overly helpful or at all descriptive, I’ll endeavor to explain why.  The end of Something Strange and Deadly leaves Eleanor somewhat alone and abandoned.  A Darkness Strange and Lovely capitalizes on just how much she’s been so, and depicts the changes and shifts within Eleanor’s character as a response to and because of the situation she’s found herself in.  I’ve never considered Eleanor to be  anything other than strong; she’s always been wonderfully independent, headstrong, knowing her own mind and extremely capable.  But she’s pushed to her limit in A Darkness Strange and Lovely — her mother taking a leave of absence from sanity, The Spirit Hunters (and Daniel) having to flee from Philadelphia, her financial outlook grim with no one but herself to depend on, her social circle ostracizing her, a threatening promise beginning to manifest, and a dormant power within her taking over.  The choices she makes are uncomfortable and conflicting, the tension between her and her friends heartbreaking, the dangers she faces are greater, more horrifying and even more personal than before… and it all comes together beautifully in this second novel.  And thus, creates ALL THE EMOTIONS.

Overall, It’s even better than the first and I cannot wait for the final act!

 

The Sea of Tranquility is a beautiful story of two terribly broken people, Nastya and Josh, who find each other and somehow have to find a way to help each other heal without destroying one another in the process. The plot is riveting and raw, the characters gripping and complex. There’s witty banter as well as raw emotion and gritty realism. While fundamentally unique in story, this novel is similar in approach and feel to books like Pushing the Limits which is one of my favorite books. Overall, this was an intense and heart wrenching read. I highly recommend it for fans of Pushing the Limits.

Happy Reading!