Secrets in the Dark

<strong>Something is always going on.</strong><br /><br />Just when you think there is no way this story can possibly go on,it does. <br />Very clever writing. Some clever twists and turns. Nonstop action.<br /> I find myself thinking,"Well played,Ms.Coates. Well played." It definitely keeps you on your toes.

My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press, Darcy Coates and Netgalley. To be honest, I had somehow put Ms. Coates into a category with Willow Rose, and all her bullshit writings. I was doing Ms. Coates a major disservice! This book, hell, this story is the bombdigitty! I need more! Now! This thing. "Story, characters and atmosphere." It got me! Truly, this stuff hit me. Please send more! My one and only complaint, is probably nothing that most would snarf about, but since it's me,.I will!? I never had a sense of place. I am just one of those who needs a who, what, when, where and why! Sometimes this felt like England, then suddenly the U.S. Then again, maybe Australia. I hate that! I read books in my bedroom. My bedroom is huge! I have maps on the walls, and even the ceilings. It's weird, I know, but it's also who I am. Everything I can't fit on the walls, I've got in maps in my nightstand. Countries! Yes. Also, the cities, and streets in those countries. "I can fold up a map like nobodies business!" So, I did love this story! I now need more! But, the "where"? I realise it's maybe too late in the series, but damn...It's got Kilometres, feet and meters. Its hard keeping up with that. Also gardens. Gardens in America, and gardens in England are different. It's the difference between my cookie, and their biscuit! Still, even without the sense of placement, this is a 4 star book! Give it a real place, then it's 5 star. <br />I'm not picky about place. I know the difference between English, Australian, North American and such. Just pick one freaking language. A verbiage?

You know those couples that are like;<br /><br /> " I love you ."<br />"I love you more ."<br />" NO I LOVE YOU YOU MORE." <br /><br />Clare and Doran just say it different ?;<br /><br />Dorran : " I'm going to die for you ,so you can walk out of here alive ."<br /><br />Clare ; " no I'm going to throw myself to the hollows ." <br /><br />Dorran * throws himself to the hollows * <br /><br /><br />They just had me dying the entire time . ?

4.5 stars

Alright, so as I mentioned in book one's review, I actually bought this one first believing it to be the start of the series (just from the way it was advertised at the store) so I moved on immediately from book one and I was really enjoying everything until SOMETHING happened that threw me completely. I am going to jump into spoiler territory for the next bit, so be wary!<br /><br /> <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="1e611f56-9da8-4e13-9c60-2893703e747d" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="1e611f56-9da8-4e13-9c60-2893703e747d">Alright, so I am the LEAST mechanically minded person in the world, which has always worked out fine for me, because my partner is Diesel mechanic. In his spare time, he builds engines though, specifically performance engines for both his own drag racing cars, or restoring classic cars with his father. As such, I have picked up some knowledge I never thought would permeate my brain. In book one, Clare crashed her car into a tree, and has damaged it rather extensively to the point where it is undrivable. In this book, Dorran says he has a 'motor' to go into the car to fix it. I'm going to ignore the fact that he has a motor that can just plunk straight into Clare's car, like any old motor will fit. Then we have two average individuals lifting approximately 150kg of motor onto a sled. OK. They drag the sled to the car, and in around twenty minutes the motor is fitted and starts first go. No. There is no prepping, no engine hoists, no gaskets? There was no damage to the vehicle like the airbags? no error codes, no overriding of said codes to let the new engine go. I put the book down. I gave the hypotheticals to my partner and asked him how long he believed it would take him to get that car running, and his reply was with proper tooling, two days. Dorran takes twenty minutes tops. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief to go on at this point. </label><br /><br />So. Hum. After that, I took a while to get back into the book and actually put it down more often than not. I finally stayed up late last night and finished it, but some of the magic was gone. I was back into it by the end, and I'm looking forward to the third book after all. First time in a long time that something so random could throw me for a loop, is all. <br /><br />Three stars, but I'm hopeful for redemption.

I have been waiting to read Black Winter #2 since finishing the first book months ago! It did not disappoint. We pick right back up with Dorran and Claire trying to keep the house secure from the hollow. They are running low on supplies. <br /><br />Claire has finally made contact with her sister Beth and learned she is trapped in her underground bunker, running out of air. Beth begs Claire to stay in the relative safety of Winterbourne but Claire could never forgive herself for not attempting to save her sister. So starts Dorran and Claire's journey away from home.<br /><br />The twists and turns in this installment were making me crazy. Written in true Coates' fashion my heart was thundering in my chest as Dorran and Claire attempt to outsmart and outrun the hollow. Extremely hard to put down. <br /><br />Secrets in the Dark is a unique take on something that's been done a thousand times. The pacing throughout is excellent. If you are a fan of suspense, mysteries or supernatural this is the book for you. I can't wait for part 3 to be released!<br /><br />Secrets in the Dark is book 2 of what is to be a 4 part series. I would recommend reading the first, Voices in the Snow, before you read this. It would still be enjoyable to go back and read the first after but you would lose a lot of the suspense of the story which is half the fun!<br /><br />Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for my ARC to read and review. Also thank you Darcy for continuing to write such amazing books!

I'm not really sure how to approach this one. So I'll say what I usually do.<br /><br />Darcy Coates does NOT know how to write male characters. They're all hyper capable (Dorran just happened to know how to fix a car motor when the description we're given of the cars condition says it would be a lot more than the motor being busted... We'll leave out that if the motor is damaged, there's going to be significant damage to other parts of the engine AND we'll leave out the fact that a description in "Voices in The Snow" mentioned fluids under the car) and yet completely enslaved by the female love interest. I mean, I'm sorry... But if we're in some freaky mutant zombie apocalypse and we have a place that's safe... I'm going to try battening down and keeping safe. The hell with leaving that because you're much more likely to be coming home to uncertainty IF you come home. And that is a huge if.<br /><br />The dialogue is another issue in literally all of her books.<br /><br />It is WAY too clear that she reads a lot of romance novels. "Darling" could practically replace Clare's actual name according to Dorran (and most of her male characters). The only characters who sound like people, as opposed to cookie cutter stereotypes, are the women.<br /><br />And that's another problem.<br /><br />Clare is selfish, childish, and mercurial. She finds her aunt twisted into hollowdom and tells Dorran to kill her... Then holds it against him. That could be a good character development moment... If it lasted longer than four pages.<br /><br />Theee is no development for the characters. They don't act. They simply react. They don't grow. They don't learn. They're saved by a damn deus ex machina which I can only think will be explained in the next book... And I just don't care.<br /><br />I like Coates's hauntings because they're interesting. But she had this ridiculous habit of having the good guys all make it out okay and everything is mostly fine.<br /><br />Again... No growth for them as people. They're like sock puppets on a set that could have been really cool.<br /><br />So don't get me wrong. I do enjoy most of her stuff but I wish she would let horror be horror and drop the forced romantic interests. This series could have been amazing and it ended up being just... There.

Despite my disappointment with what felt like a sudden genre change in previous book I genuinely enjoyed this one. Darcy has successfully managed to create genuinely terrifying creatures and I actually felt a tightness in my chest, and discomfort in my stomach whilst reading, something I’ve never felt with similar books. <br /><br />My only issue, and I felt it in the first one aswell, is that the relationship between Dorran and Clare feels incredibly forced. It doesn’t flow smoothly, and hearing Dorran talk to Clare often makes me cringe. Unfortunately as a main character Clare too has moments in which her language and way of talking comes across as unnatural. I find my self hoping that new characters are introduced in the next books as hopefully this will become less of an issue.<br /><br />At the end of the first book I wasn’t too sure I was going to continue with the series if this book didn’t grip me, but this book has engaged my interest and I will absolutely give the next one a shot.

Bit too much romance for my liking. Just bring on the horror! Too predictable - the Hollows find them, they fight, they get hurt, they care for each other, tell each other they love one another, they find a place to rest. The next day they do the same thing over and over again.

Action orientated survival horror which builds upon the 'Stillness' event from the first book in the series. Highly recommend reading VOICES IN THE SNOW first otherwise the story won't feel as impactful. Does lend itself towards a romance/horror kind of vibe with Doren and Clare's relationship a point of emphasis throughout.