The enthralling final book of the DARKLIGHT trilogy is as surprising as it is wonderfully choreographed. A recommended read for young adults who love a great paranormal suspense, as well as for adults who are young at heart!
Series: Darklight, Book 3
Category: Paranormal YA
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: October 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0312625221
Rating 5 + Recommended Read
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies.
Unfortunately, I didn’t read books one and two, so I apologize in advance if I spoil either one of those for you in this review of book three in the DARKLIGHT trilogy. Just due to what is revealed in this final book, I won’t know for sure if talking about the first three chapters of DEATH AND THE GIRL HE LOVES will spoil the first two books for you. But, that’s all I’ll concentrate on, the first three chapters, so you’ll get the full effect of the end of the trilogy on your own when you read it.
Lorelei “Lor” McAlister finds herself abandoned at the Bedford Fields Academy, a private boarding school for children of the wealthy. Her grandparents aren’t wealthy, but she earned a scholarship so she was removed from the only home she knew in New Mexico, given a new name of Lorraine Pratt with a background story of being from Arizona, all to protect her from something. Lor is suspicious of the scholarship and wants nothing more than to go home. Especially since she’s having visions of impending doom for everyone she accidentally touches or bumps into. She can see their deaths and the storm that takes place the day they die, most of her visions are so horrifying that Lor can’t stand the thought of touching another human being with a prediction to tell. And now, she’s getting death threats slipped into her pockets. Somehow, some way, she’s going to escape this place.
Lorelei makes a few new friends at Bedford Fields Academy, who add to the mystery of why she’s there and who is trying to kill her. She had been brought to the school by members of the “Order,” a group of believers who know she is the last prophet and who believe she will save the world. But, her travels to this new place have been so secret. None of her friends in New Mexico know where she is and Lor is not allowed to tell them for fear of their safety as well as hers. Her only contact with her past is through a new cell phone number for her grandparents who have raised her since the disappearance of her parents when she was six-years-old. Lor’s new friends, Crystal, Kenya and Wade add to Lor’s confusion and anxiety, in addition to some humor, while she struggles to find a way home before something really bad happens.
For those who have read the first two books, many of the previous characters such as Brook, Cameron, Glitch and the so very irresistible Angel of Death, also known as Jared, are back to support Lorelei in her quest.
Although there’s a great amount of action and mystery to kick off this final book in the DARKLIGHT trilogy, it’s the characters who truly shine. Lorelei is a fun heroine. She’s sassy, inquisitive and not completely convinced she’s the answer to anything. She doesn’t want the responsibility of saving the world, yet it has been thrust upon her by her predetermined destiny as a prophet. She hasn’t grown up with this knowledge, even though she knows she’s different, but has had the facts handed to her in the last few months. For centuries the women in her family have been prophets and she’s the last one. Crystal, who is Lor’s roommate at the boarding school, is especially comical. She definitely adds the comic relief to Kenya’s danger and Wade’s darkness. I could so easily picture each one of them and laughed at their antics, as well as fretted when I was sure Lor wouldn’t survive what came next. When Jared is introduced, I fell hard and he continued to enthrall me to the very end.
The DARKLIGHT trilogy is definitely one that you should read in order. I understood most of book three without reading the first two books, but once I got to the end and realized how fabulous it would be for someone who had read all three books, I was disappointed that I didn’t get that same experience since I had received just the third book for review. I loved the ending because it’s surprising and clever, so I highly recommend that you read this series of books in order to get the full impact of a very good finale.
The series order is…
Book 1: Death and the Girl Next Door (released October 2, 2012)
Book 2: Death, Doom and Detention (released March 5, 2013)
Book 3: Death and the Girl He Loves (released October 8, 2013)
A fabulous conclusion which will move you to tears—DEATH AND THE GIRL HE LOVES is the perfect book for young adults, as well as adults, who love a new twist in a world facing an apocalypse. Filled with camaraderie, great friends who have your back, love, family, laugh-out-loud moments and a destiny of unparalleled mystique, DEATH AND THE GIRL HE LOVES will rock your emotions, twist them up and send them crashing back at you before it’s done. Bravo, author Darynda Jones—you made me laugh, you made me cry and you completely surprised me with this unique story—a recommended read!
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