Review: The Gathering Darkness by Lisa Collicutt

Goodreads Summary:

They say "third time's the charm", and for sixteen-year-old Brooke Day, they had better be right. She’s been here before, twice in fact, and an evil demon-witch wants her dead a third time.

When Brooke is forced to leave Boston for the small town of Deadwich, she thinks her life is over. Before long, her new friends start acting strange—downright evil. But worse than that, nightmares she’s had her whole life become reality.

Enter Marcus Knight; popular, hot, and the only person Brooke can trust. Not to mention, they’ve shared the same nightmares.

With the discovery of an ancient Celtic amulet, Brooke and Marcus unravel the secrets of her past, which reveals the key to her future.

As the equinox approaches:

Darkness and light merge for the first time in a century.

Soul-mates reunite.

Magic awakens.

Publication Date: September 22, 2012

This was a sweet love story with plenty of suspense. I enjoyed the mysteries surrounding the witches of Deadwich and had to leave the lights on while reading some of the scarier scenes.

With Halloween around the corner, I was looking forward to reading a creepy book. This was where The Gathering Darkness really delivered. Brooke's nightmares along with the portions on Skull Island and the Inn were very nerve-wracking. The author has a talent for writing vivid descriptions that force you to keep reading.

As far as characters, I found it hard to root for Brooke. At times, she came across as being whiny and it sort of irked me. That being said, it was nice to see a female lead that's not your typical Mary Sue. Brooke felt like a realistic teenager with all of the awkwardness that comes along with that age.

Marcus was definitely a swoon worthy male hero. He was handsome and introverted which made him mysterious. He was very sweet in the way he cared about Brooke and wanted to protect her. 

The only other small criticism I would make is that some parts would've benefited from more showing instead of telling. It didn't take away from the story though and I was still drawn into the book enough that I finished the novel in a couple of sittings.

A wonderful debut that makes me look forward to future works from the author.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy for review!