Spooky And Exciting! Nightshade By Keri Lake || Book Review

I enjoy gothic vibes not only in movies but much more in books, because my imagination is engaged and it's like going on this mystery journey with the characters. Keri Lake has been referred to as the queen of gothic fantasy and after reading The Isle Of Sin And Shadows, I almost want to agree with this title. Then I picked up Nightshade, the first part of a duology, read it and most certainly agree with this epithet.

Nightshade is a paranormal dark gothic fantasy that takes readers on a wild, dark spin in an equally dark world. It's written in dual perspectives and two timelines, the past and present. The book begins in the present where we meet Farryn, the only daughter of a university professor.

She's young, beautiful and a loner. She has lost everyone in her life and things take a dark turn when her brilliant father suddenly changes. He becomes obssessive about his research and then goes missing. He's declared dead. She begins to have disturbing dreams which leads her to study her father's research to understand reason for his behavioural change. The research is about ancient religion, hinting at the supernatural and a mysterious cult and a realm called Nightshade. It's a realm between the real world and hell.

The father subtly hides a message inside the journals directing her to: Seek out Van Croix in Nightshade. Determined to find this mysterious person and solve her father's disappearance, Farryn goes on a journey to Nightshade. How will she get there? Who is Van Croix and how does he fit into the story of her father's supposed demise?

Genres: Gothic, Dark Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Publication: October 2021
Pages: 676

My Review And Rating

In my opinion, Keri Lake can't write a bad book. Her books are so captivating and well-written that you want to keep reading more. I didn't expect to like Nightshade this much. Though it's a bit thick—664 pages—but I did not mind one bit. Every page and scene is dark and depraved, like an intriguing gothic read should be. There are gruesome scenes that set my imagination on fire and some scenes that keep me on the edge of my seat. It ends on a cliffhanger that will make you want to pick up the next book fast. Thankfully I have an e-copy of second book already.

The plot is great, filled with mystery and unexpected twists along the way. The religious witchy trials also set an intriguing tone for the paranormal part. There are many unsolved secrets that I want to unravel immediately but the suspense keeps me invested.

The story is fast-paced, written in alternating timelines since the lead characters are reincarnated. It moves between the past and present, giving us two stories told from dual perspectives. I enjoy this unique writing style because of the added interest of piecing the past and present of the characters together, and solving the mystery before the author does.

I love the main characters: Jericho and Farryn. Keri Lake writes a morally grey character perfectly and Jericho is one of the best I've read so far. He's dark, moody, powerful with a dark sense of humour. He brings all kinds of corruption to this story, tethering between his own kind of ‘good’ and evil.

Farryn on the other hand is one of the most annoying female characters I've read. I think this author specialises in making her female leads so. She's strong, courageous but often makes silly decisions that land them in trouble. While she frustrates me in some scenes, in others I admire and want to cheer her on.

The worldbuiding is immersive and fascinating, a unique look into the world of angels and demons with dark, spooky mood that pulls you in. Check the trigger warnings before reading.

I can't say more or do this book justice without giving away spoilers. It's best to go into this duology blind and see the story unfold. Just arm yourself with a bit of the premise that it's an epic love story, written in two timelines where the characters traverse realms.

Rating this review, I give it 4.5 stars out of 5. I love the mystery, suspense and romance. If you’re a fan of gothic, paranormal fantasy, you'll enjoy this book.

All images above are from my E-library

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