The Darkening Dream is an old-school don’t-read-it-in-the-dark vampire story with nary a sparkle in sight. Sarah and her friends in 1913 Salem, Massachusetts, are fighting for their lives against enemies than don’t understand and can’t even always see.

The plot was well-developed and original. I can usually tell a little (or a lot) of what’s coming up through foreshadowing or just common sense (some stories are just too predictable), but not here. Things kept popping up and the end took me completely by surprise. (No peeking! It’ll ruin the whole storyline.) There was a little bit of a love triangle, but the romance wasn’t the focus of the book. The characters were well-done (actually, a vampire or two were extra-crispy), the dialogue was realistic, and the whole story over-all was a great read. I would definitely welcome a sequel. (Hint, hint.)

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I received an autographed copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It captured my interest from the start. It is not what I have come to expect from vampire novels, which is a good thing. This vampire is more the traditional horrifying vampire. I tend not to like the novels with teen-aged, heart-throb vampires.

The novel is set in 1913, in Salem, Massachusetts, and includes details to give a feel for the time: One needs to turn on the boiler to have hot water. Boys can earn extra money working in the coal smoke-belching cotton mill where many workers show signs of former injuries and young boys lubricate the machines. Cars are new. The mass transit the characters use is a horse-drawn trolley, although some lines have been upgraded to electric.

The story combines several elements, including Judaism, Christianity, Egyptian mythology, vampires, and a succubi. The teen protagonists come from a variety of backgrounds: Sarah Engelmann, the scholarly daughter of a rabbi; her friends the twins Sam and Anne Williams who attend a church described as basically Puritan; and Alex Palaogos, a very recent Greek immigrant who moved to America with his grandfather. The primary antagonists are the vampire al-Nasir who serves The Painted Man and the pastor warlock whom al-Nasir initially bribes for assistance. Other characters with smaller but still significant roles include Emily, the younger sister of Sam and Anne; Constantine, Alex's antiquarian grandfather who has a passion for Greek history; and Joseph, Sarah's father who has switched from being a rabbi to being a college professor of religion and history. I appreciated how the author smoothly wove the various elements together, since I have seen it not work many times, so might have rounded up a star in relief that this was not one of those.

There was an interesting twist at the end. I knew one was coming, but I didn't know what. However, I did not expect Sarah's final choice which seemed a bit inconsistent with her character. ( )

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I was immediately engrossed in this book! To begin with, I was surprised at the location of a vampire story. Salem, Massachusetts is known for witches and the Salem witch trials of the 1600s. Here we are once again in Salem, it’s now 1913 and has vampires, awesome! The vampires reminded me of that old vampire soap opera Dark Shadows, where they turn into bats and appear out of fog. I loved how this dark story had characters from multiple religious backgrounds join together to save Archangel Gabriel’s trumpet. This was a refreshing twist on the vampire genre, with a cast of interesting characters, action and adventure that will keep you wanting more. ( )

I find it hard to sit here and think of what I need to say about this story. I originally picked it up on a whim based on the story synopsis, and that the cover actually looked interesting, and not some quick, generic-picture photoshop the author did to put it out on the market. It sat on my "to read" list for quite some time, until I started seeing that a few other people I know had started reading it, and I had to jump on the band wagon so we could share/swap ideas about the story.

I was a bit put off at first, as it takes place in the early 1900's, and I am not one for historical fiction. But aside from the time era it takes place, and the location (Salem, Mass. of famed witch trials) that is about as "historical" as it gets. Bring in the religions, myths of vampires, throw in some Egyptian gods of old, and a bit of scare, then you'll find yourself drawn into the story, as I was.

When I reached the end, I felt a bit upset. To me, there seemed to be something that just left me feeling like a was hanging in the wind. Maybe it was intentional from the author, to leave an opening for a continuation story...? Either way, I felt a tad angry at that feeling as the final page appeared (unexpectedly I might add). It has been quite some time that I have felt this much at the end of a story. Otherwise, was truly well-written in combining many forms of belief in the fight of Good versus Evil. Would love to see a possible continuation, but haven't seen any additional information of such at this time. ( )

Unexpected and brilliant, - that's what comes to mind straight away. First of all, my inner fangirl of Cliff Nielsen loves the cover - it's beautiful and not too far from the book's meaning to lose its point.

Secondly, the writing is pretty mind-blowing. Dark fantasy, horror, Gothic literature, - call it what you like, but it has this old horror movies like Salem's Lot or Nosferatu feel, gore and creepiness.

Vampires here are not sexy or sparkly. They are ancient, utterly evil, twisted and surrounded by ghouls and Renfields. The book is soaked in mysticism, starting from the main heroine, Sarah, a learned daughter of Jewish rabbi, whose father is hiding a powerful religious artifact, the vampire is after; continuing with her friend Alex, a young Greek, whose rich grandad spent all his life hunting monsters and ending with a warlock-priest cavorting with demons...

People die badly here, get possessed or damaged. Don't expect a Happily Ever After in the end, but it's certainly intriguing enough for you to want to read book #2 straight away. There is also very little in terms of romance and NO love triangle. In fact most certainly, if you read a book written by a male author you wouldn't encounter a love triangle.

The Darkening Dream is full of action, powerful imagination and strong characters, but it's not for everyone. Unless you are a fan of horror, Gothic novels and dark fantasy, it might put you off. Otherwise, I highly recommend it.

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