BOOK TITLE: What Hides in the Darkness
AUTHOR: K.L. Cottrell
YEAR: 2014
GENRE: Fiction
SUBGENRE: Paranormal Fantasy
GRADE: Extra Credit
Everywhere Marienne goes, she sees hideous monsters
disguised as real people. It started when she lost her parents in a car
accident and her sister Claire blamed her for it. At first Marienne believes
she’s going crazy until she sees two of these Hellions gang up on a handsome
young man named Gabe. All pumped full of adrenaline, she joins the fray and
helps him destroy both monsters. It is then revealed that Marienne is not alone
when it comes to her ability to detect Hellions. Those with this ability are
referred to as The Light Force. She undergoes athletic and combative training
with other members of The Light as part of her newfound calling in wiping out
these demonic beasts.
One of the many things I enjoyed about this book was how lovable
these main characters are. It shows in the flirtatious and sometimes awkward way
in which Marienne and Gabe talk to each other and slowly build up their budding
romance. It also shows when Beatrix and Wes, a married Light Force couple, have
each other’s backs through the hardest of times. Combine all four of these
awesome characters together and you have a recipe for sweetness that rivals
Betty Crocker cake mix. They stick together through thick and thin. They laugh
and smile when they’re having fun together and cry endlessly for each other
when danger strikes. With this kind of unbreakable friendship, the Hellions
don’t stand a chance.
In addition to characters you will instantly fall in love
with, others have the world’s most punchable faces. The character I despise
most is Rafe, the predatory ex-boyfriend of Marienne who cheated on her with
her best friend Audrey and wonders why things ended the way they did. Then you
have the ultra-nutty sister Claire, who insults and slaps the stuffing out of
Marienne whenever she gets the chance. And don’t get me started about Claire’s
new boyfriend Shaun. Actually, I probably shouldn’t get started on him anyways
since there’s a twist in the middle of the book about Shaun and I don’t want to
give away spoilers. The most irritating part about these villains is that
they’re realistic and actually believe in the hate they’re preaching. In
wrestling lingo, these people are called “heels” and they’re doing a great job
of angering the reader.
And now for the reason why I gave this book an ultra-rare
extra credit grade (five stars). I mentioned before how sweet and likeable the
heroic characters were. The physical training Marienne goes through reflects so
much of those traits that it doesn’t feel like an overwhelming marine boot camp
storyline. She’s self-motivated enough that she gets through her intense
exercises and sparring sessions without one line ripped from R. Lee Ermey’s
character in Full Metal Jacket. I believe we all have the ability to motivate
ourselves through anything if we feel passionately enough about it. Knowing
Marienne, Gabe, Wes, and Beatrix’s friendship is still intact after all of this
heavy work is refreshing to me, especially after watching movies and TV shows
where the drill instructor mentality rules over everything. The battles and
traumas the heroes endure in this book are no joke, so they have to be there
for each other and have emotional moments every now and then.
The fast pace, the likeable heroes, the despicable villains,
the world building, and the loving nature of it all make What Hides in the
Darkness an awesome book worth reading from beginning to end. The author even does
a great job of making you want to complete the trilogy with her perfectly-timed
cliffhanger ending. Give this woman your patronage and she’ll give you
five-star entertainment!
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