Heather’s Bookshelf: The Dark Lady
Author: Caitee Cooper
Released: 08/23/24
Genre: Contemporary fantasy/suspense
“Ellie wasn’t sure if she masked the fear in her eyes before Oliver looked at her. She wanted him to see her as brave. Hell, she wanted to actually be brave. She’d give anything for even a scrap of his courage. But, as always, her nervous system had other ideas, and she knew he could feel her hand trembling.”
“The Dark Lady” is the sequel to “Silverskin”. If you’re interested in the review for Silverskin, find it here. I suggest reading the first book in the series before this one and not reading this review until you are done as there will be spoilers for “Silverskin”. This review will be done as a standalone, however, I recommend reading “Silverskin” first.
Ellie Forth is a young woman on the run with her friend (and blossoming love interest), Oliver. After a terrifying confrontation with demons at her brother’s wedding, she and Oliver realize they must return to Alaska in order to close the gate and prevent even more demons from crossing over. Still haunted by Wormwood, Oliver tries his best to protect the two of them, but the Dark Lady and others are determined to stop them before they can return.
Meanwhile, Ellie’s brother, Sam, and his new (and pregnant) wife, Darien, have reluctantly gone on their honeymoon to Hawaii. While trying to enjoy their trip, their minds are on their friends and family back home. A familiar form on an advertising pamphlet seems a little too coincidental…and then there’s an ankle tickling presence…not to mention the supernatural cave…
Will Ellie, Oliver, Sam, and Darian discover the truth? Will they figure out enough to save themselves and those they love? Or will Death and his minions finally get everything they’ve been working towards?
Trigger Warning: violence, reference to gang activity, reference to prostitution, reference to rape, adult language
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I 100% recommend reading Silverskin before this one. I think you could gather enough from discussions amongst the main characters to get a gist of what’s gone on, but you will certainly miss the horror and dread that set this book up so well. This book takes off right where the first leaves off and has a very similar voice. It is a genre-bending tale told mostly through Ellie and Oliver’s POVs intertwined with Sam and Darian’s, there’s also interchanges with the demons that heighten the sense of dread throughout the chase. Switching between the Ellie and Oliver and Sam and Darian POVs follow the same timeline, but break up what could have easily become a repetitive “on the run” storyline. Instead, I felt compelled to continue to read to find out what was happening next to each of the couples. The author did an excellent job in developing the individual characters and their backgrounds (especially Oliver’s) as well as the relationships between the main characters. The emotional connections to the characters and what they are feeling is so palpable, it jumps off the page. I also found the connection and descriptions of Hawaii to be smart and convincing. References to the Cultural center and cuisine reminded me of my own visit to Oahu and descriptions of the demons were so vivid that I could almost see them. The pacing of this book is almost too good and begs for you to keep reading. It all leads up to an ending that clearly sets up for the final book of the trilogy. But this one felt a lot more complete than “Silverskin” and ended at a time that made a lot of sense for the story. I look forward to the finale!
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A character-forward sequel full of emotion and connection with demons and bits of horror thrown in.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Caitee Cooper
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
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