{Spotlight & Review} Jackie Mae's THE DARK SERIES

The Ones
by Jackie Mae
Published October 2013
Length: 239 pages
Edition: ebook
Source: author

There will be a price to pay.

As an average, hard working girl, Claire finds herself terrified and confused; in the middle of madness in the blink of an eye. She is being pursued, but by who and why? They want to acquire her. If she wants to live, the mysteries that shroud her past must be discovered before it’s too late.

They walk among us and hide in plain sight. Claire cannot fathom that they are wholly evil, abominations really. She will have to fight and sacrifice for what she believes is right and true.

She had to have a protector. She didn't want one but she knew that she must have one. She recognized the controlled violence in this man. She had known from the start he would be the one

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A Lifetime to Wait
by Jackie Mae
Published October 2013
Length: 264 pages
Edition: ebook

He was a hardened killer; a killer of the Ones––those that walk among us and hide in plain sight. It was just another assignment for him and he wanted to be rid of her as soon as possible.

She owned an antique store and lived her life organized; with a nice, quiet, normal routine. But there were things from her past that wouldn’t go away. They wanted to acquire her. He was determined to make sure that didn’t happen.

The Ones are mounting plans to take over civilization as we know it. Can Brooke and Dragone forge a partnership to help align the rebellion? Will Jonathon win the day or will Xen seal all their fates?

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 I always find it incredibly difficult to write reviews for books I didn't like or connect with, especially when the idea is great. Unfortunately, this is one of those difficult to write reviews. Without rehashing the plot for you, I will say that the story/plot intrigued me and it is an idea that could have been highly entertaining and enjoyable. Action, romance, consequences of actions, light complications between characters, etc., are all there. This was a great idea that seems really gripping, but ultimately fell flat for me.
Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with any of the characters. They felt flat and untrue and, while I realize they are young, they were incredibly immature in their thoughts, language, and actions. The writing and prose jumps around from a more formal, adult tone to a loose, child-like conversational that never truly gelled. The books feel unfinished to me as the reader, as if there was a looming deadline and there was a lot of rushing. Many areas needed more information and needed to be further developed. I often was turning back pages seeing if I had accidentally skipped something as I struggled to read it. The up and down in language was also off-putting as the reader, often breaking into Reader Zone because it just wasn't consistent and I had to re-read several sections to see if I missed something. I put down the books a few times and came back to them, in case it was just something off with me that day/week. Sadly, no matter what, I just couldn't find that connection between reader and book that made me want to keep reading.
Yes, this review is for both books since I'm not talking details of the plot and I DID read both. The second book flows better than the first, but suffers from the same problems. The idea behind the story is unique and interesting and I would love to re-read this after a re-edit and polish. The characters need to be developed with more depth, the details need to be enhanced, and the language needs to stick to either loosey-goosey relaxed informal or the more informed, formal voice.
I hate writing reviews that don't show exuberance for a book and who knows? I am just one voice in the sea of many. This could just be one of those instances where it didn't jibe with me and I'm the lone duck out there. Thank you to the author for allowing me to read your books for free; I am so sorry that I didn't like it and couldn't connect with your story. 

Jackie Mae lives in the beautiful northeast. Surrounded by a loving family, supportive friends, and all her animals; she considers herself fortunate. After college and raising a family, she yearned for something more. Inspired by writers before her she took the plunge. She writes edgy, suspenseful thrillers with sci-fi and romance. The Ones THE DARKEST SERIES is the first book in the series. Her second book is called, A Lifetime to Wait THE DARKEST SERIES. Her third book in the series, Hope and Destiny THE DARKEST SERIES, along with her fourth book, Colliding Forces THE DARKEST SERIES are due out soon. A children's chapter book in under way as well.

Connect with Jackie on: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Book Review: Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather Reid

Click to find book on Goodreads.com

Blurb: It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.


Review: Thank you to the publishers via Netgalley for an e-galley to read and review.

The premise of this book sounded so incredibly interesting and terrifying: waking nightmares, insomnia, demons and people that can invade your dreams? Wonderful. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the blurb and was just not for me.

How is the "Dark Nothing" pretty? Death is pretty? That is exactly what the protagonist, Quinn, said it is. Quinn's thoughts, and she's got many, do not make sense especially when she's constantly fighting for her life against the demons. And Azrael, the self-professed sentinel, and Quinn's guardian? If he is such as he's professed, why hasn't he been doing his job and prevent the demons from constantly harass Quinn in her dreams as well as in the real world?

Aron, who is drawn toward Quinn for some reason, repeatedly assists her. Suddenly, Quinn is in love with him!!! And yet...she has sex with her boyfriend, the cretin who just unexpectedly dumped her after a four year long relationship. Quinn is in love with him SO much and they have oh so many shared treasured moments, and then she miraculously doesn't have those feelings for him anymore. What?

There are just too many inconsistencies and I could not connect to anyone or anything within this story. It was difficult to soldier on and get through to the end. Still,  I finished it. Why? Why would I continue reading something that I nearly walked away from several times? Well, dammit, I was curious to find out who the heck Azrael is, how Aron fits into Quinn's horrors, and see how it all ends.

The teenage angst is one thing. I expect that out of YA books, I do. I expect it and set aside a certain amount of tolerance for it. But Quinn? I found her to be nothing more than a whining five year old child! Pages and pages and pages of "why me", "pity me", and okay I'll just pity myself. Why did my dad leave me even though I had begged him not to? Why did my boyfriend, Jeff, break up with me? Why are my grades slipping? Why did I get kicked off the Captain's seat and why was it given to my enemy, the chick who stole my boyfriend? Why is this all happening to me? Why does it seem like the world hates me. Whine. Whine. Whine. Whine some more. I was waiting for her to get up and DO something about it and take charge, but all she did was freaking whine. Frustrating, aggravating, and unappealing.

In between the constant whining, she "analyzes" herself and tells herself that it is ALL her imagination from lack of sleep. She doesn't want to sleep because of the nightmares with the "foggy darkness" pulling on her. So she consumes caffeine tablets and drinks to combat drowsiness. Then there is more self-pity and blaming herself. Taking responsibility? Oh no. She's just unlucky, nothing but bad luck since these things just spring up out of nowhere. In the past she was Perfect Quinn who could do no wrong, who had the perfect parents, the perfect grades, the perfect...really? These things happen out of nowhere without a single indication? Pffft.

So I read on. I get to the answers and even these aren't consistent and satisfying. I actually re-read the last few pages several times convinced I was missing something as it just left you doing the Jackie Chan meme of