Musical Moments: Book Theme Songs: Darkness Falls by Mia James

Title: Darkness Falls

Series: The Ravenwood Mysteries #2

Author: Mia James

Publisher: Indigo

Publication Date: 29 Sep 2011

Synopsis from Amazon

Highgate When April's family moved to the sleepy North London village of Highgate, everyone told her it was the start of an amazing new life. They didn't know the half of it. Weeks later, her father was the latest in a series of brutal killings, someone has tried to kill her, and now her boyfriend, Gabriel, is dying too . . . Murder April couldn't save her father, but there's just a chance she can save Gabriel. There's an ancient recipe, hidden in a forbidden book, which holds the cure. All April has to do is find it. Somehow. Vampires But she has to keep a low profile. In a school full of vampires, where one of their own has been killed, they're beginning to suspect they have a Fury in their midst. April's blood might be deadly to vampires, but even that won't save her if they figure out who she is. Time is short, the stakes are high, and surviving school has never been so tough . . .

Review HERE

Review: Darkness Falls by Mia James

Title: Darkness Falls
Series: The Ravenwood Mysteries #2
Author: Mia James
Publisher: Indigo
Publication Date: 29 Sep 2011

Synopsis From Amazon

Highgate When April's family moved to the sleepy North London village of Highgate, everyone told her it was the start of an amazing new life. They didn't know the half of it. Weeks later, her father was the latest in a series of brutal killings, someone has tried to kill her, and now her boyfriend, Gabriel, is dying too . . . Murder April couldn't save her father, but there's just a chance she can save Gabriel. There's an ancient recipe, hidden in a forbidden book, which holds the cure. All April has to do is find it. Somehow. Vampires But she has to keep a low profile. In a school full of vampires, where one of their own has been killed, they're beginning to suspect they have a Fury in their midst. April's blood might be deadly to vampires, but even that won't save her if they figure out who she is. Time is short, the stakes are high, and surviving school has never been so tough . . .

REVIEW

Please bear in mind that this is Book 2 in the series and may therefore contain spoilers from the previous book, By Midnight review here.

The prologue of this book brings to mind images of Jack the Ripper, the scene is set immediately just by the chapter heading, however I had trouble reconcile the image of Jack the Ripper as a vampire. This notion could just be my over active imagination adding 2 and 2 together to make 5.

The story picks up a few weeks after the stunning ending of By Midnight. The relationship between April and Gabriel is intense yet see-saws between suspicion and mistrust to devotion. A roller-coaster of emotion,   there are hints placed within the narrative as to the direction of the characters, if these do transpire I think I will cry. Nice recapping of the story helped keep the plot fresh in my mind while developing the storyline further. 

The friendships portrayed and the trials and tribulations April has to face made me realise how hard it really is to find good friends, how necessary they are as a support network throughout life and I was really glad that April had such wonderful friends and was able to realise it. April's increase in self confidence via her makeover was easy to relate to: don't we all feel better about ourselves if we look good. The way in which superficial beauty was portrayed hiding a rotten, evil core was profound. Emphasising the point that beauty isn't everything, inner beauty is far more important.

I really like the introduction of the witches into the plot and would really like to see it developed further. the history and inclusion of Queen Victoria's library and the carefully concealed interest in the paranormal was just brilliant to imagine. I want to go to the Victoria and Albert Museum and search for that library now. Can someone give me one of those cards please. Jack the Ripper is mentioned further within the narrative with respect to the links to Queen Victoria, layering the plot.

I will be truthful and say that there were some aspects of the plot that I thought were quite obvious but this might just be me as I am good at this sort of thing. The action is really fast paced and dramatic. April's character development towards the end of this book more than makes up for her indecision at the start. In typical teenage mode she tries to ignore what needs to be done, yet at the end she really comes into her own by accepting herself.

There are still a lot of questions left to be answered from the first book, especially those surrounding April's family, I seriously need the answers to these questions, I eagerly await the last book in the series to tie it all together and hopefully not make me cry *Gabriel* you'll understand if you have read it.  

Is Book 3 ready yet. Now maybe? how about NOW?????

Saturday Spotlight: Guest Post: Darkness Falls: A Reading List by Mia James

It is my great pleasure to welcome Mia James to Book Angel Booktopia today to share a reading list inspired by Darkness Falls the 2nd book in the Ravenwood Mysteries Trilogy. We all know how much I love reading lists and squeed out-loud when given the opportunity to host this post. Over to Mia: 

As this is a blog devoted to sharing books you have found and loved (or otherwise), I thought it might be a nice idea to write about the books I discovered as I was researching my new book Darkness Falls.

I'll be honest, when I wrote By Midnight, the first book in the Ravenwood trilogy, I didn't really need to do a huge amount of research into the vampire genre as I wasted away my youth watching horror movies and reading schlocky books (everything from Jaws to James Herbert to Jackie Collins!), but Darkness Falls, as the name suggests, takes April on a journey deep into the shadows, so I needed inspiration from other writers who had taken their characters out there in the dark.

A very nice lady called Professor Avril Horner, one of the country's leading experts on gothic literature, gave me a lot of ideas, starting with Jane Eyre. I was initially surprised when she suggested it, but she was right: it's the story of a young girl trapped in a creaky old house who suspects a very sinister man (who she's actually madly attracted to) might actually be evil. That could describe April's relationship with both of her leading men - Gabriel and Benjamin - in Darkness Falls.

Another cracker was Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier which if anything is even more creepy and atmospheric - the house at Manderley is almost another character, which was something I attempted to do with Highgate Cemetery in the books.

Slightly more modern, I also read the Little Stranger by Sarah Waters which is a master class in slow-burn paranoia and Salem's Lot, Stephen King's brilliant tale of a small town over-run by 'Suckers'. Looking back on it, Salem's Lot was the only book I read that featured vampires, but the overall theme that united all the stories: trust no one...

Especially good advice if you fall in love with a vampire!

I'll be writing more about the creepy movies I watched as 'research' over at Readeraptor on 11 October 

- Mia James, October 2011

Title: Darkness Falls

Series: The Ravenwood Mysteries #2

Author: Mia James

Publisher: Indigo

Publication Date: 29 Sep 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

Highgate When April's family moved to the sleepy North London village of Highgate, everyone told her it was the start of an amazing new life. They didn't know the half of it. Weeks later, her father was the latest in a series of brutal killings, someone has tried to kill her, and now her boyfriend, Gabriel, is dying too . . . Murder April couldn't save her father, but there's just a chance she can save Gabriel. There's an ancient recipe, hidden in a forbidden book, which holds the cure. All April has to do is find it. Somehow. Vampires But she has to keep a low profile. In a school full of vampires, where one of their own has been killed, they're beginning to suspect they have a Fury in their midst. April's blood might be deadly to vampires, but even that won't save her if they figure out who she is. Time is short, the stakes are high, and surviving school has never been so tough . . .

Website at www.ravenwoodmysteries.com

Review: By Midnight by Mia James

Title: By Midnight
Series: The Ravenwood Mysteries #1
Author: Mia James
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: 3 Feb 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon


April Dunne is not impressed. She's had to move from Edinburgh to Highgate, London, with her parents. She's left her friends - and her entire life - behind. She has to start at a new school and, worst of all, now she's stuck in a creepy old dump of a house which doesn't even have proper mobile phone reception. Ravenwood, her new school, is a prestigious academy for gifted (financially or academically) students - and the only place her parents could find her a place, in the middle of term, in the middle of London, on incredibly short notice. So she's stuck with the super-rich, and the super-smart . . . and trying to fit in when the rest of the students seem to be more glamorous, smarter, or more talented than she is, is more than tough. It's intimidating and isolating, even when she finds a friend in the conspiracy-theorist Caro Jackson - and perhaps finds something more than friendship in the gorgeous, mysterious Gabriel Swift. But there's more going on at Ravenwood than meets the eye. Practical jokes on new students are normal, but when Gabriel saves her from . . . something . . . in Highgate Cemetery, and then she discovers that a murder took place just yards away from where she had been standing, April has to wonder if something more sinister is going on. . . . and whether or not she's going to live through it . . . To find out more about the Ravenwood series visit www.ravenwoodmysteries.com

Review:

WARNING: I am going to let you know before you start reading my review that you might get washed away in the gushing river I am about to let forth. This book is absolutely AWESOME just so you know [ ; D ]

Written in 3rd person narrative but focalized from April's point of view. April has been taken away from her friends and security of Edinburgh due to her fathers job relocation. But is there more to why her father moved them to Highgate. The writing is typically British which was refreshing as well as adding to the realism for me.

The multi-layered plot makes the third person narrative a necessity in order to keep tight control of the threads. I am not going to give away plot details as it is an intrinsic part of the reading experience in this book. Seriously you have to read it for yourself - vampires, curses, destiny and eastern European folklore all play a part in the plot. Alongside the usual teenage cliques are portrayed brilliantly but with an added dimension taking the characters to another level. I was constantly questioning motives and personalities.

Speaking of characters I have to mention Caro - yes she is a genius and her levels of sarcasm rival my own but boy is she a complete conspiracy nut. I totally loved her. She proves to be a great friend to April in many ways. April is lucky to have her and her friend from Edinburgh (I hate it when I forget to write their names down)  in her life. Especially in the tougher times.

Plus Gabriel *swoonalicious* oh Gabriel what can I say about you other than I totally blame Buffy and Angel for my love of brooding vampires with a conscious.

Beautiful yet chilling Gothic imagery add to the world building. Sensory encompassing so you can lose yourself completely into the pages of the book. I know it is weird but I wanted to go on a tour of Highgate Cemetery and the other places mentioned within the narrative. Tracing Aprils footsteps to add to the realism of the story.

The action is fast-paced and dramatic interspersed with enlightening, reflective prose which gives insight into both the characters and the plot. Put that alongside the amazing character development and interaction and you have one heck of a story.

One thing I will say is that I am glad I have read the book close to the publication of the second book knowing I will not have to wait long to get some of the answers I so desperately need. The ending of By Midnight will leave you gasping for more immediately.

In my humble opinion I think this book is brilliant. I can hear some of you saying 'Oh No, not another vampire book' but read it and I will bet it will renew your love of vampires.

Trailer Tuesday: By Midnight by Mia James plus Give-Away

Title: By Midnight
Series: Ravenwood
Author: Mia James
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: 3 Feb 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

April Dunne is not impressed. She's had to move from Edinburgh to Highgate, London, with her parents. She's left her friends - and her entire life - behind. She has to start at a new school and, worst of all, now she's stuck in a creepy old dump of a house which doesn't even have proper mobile phone reception. Ravenwood, her new school, is a prestigious academy for gifted (financially or academically) students - and the only place her parents could find her a place, in the middle of term, in the middle of London, on incredibly short notice. So she's stuck with the super-rich, and the super-smart . . . and trying to fit in when the rest of the students seem to be more glamorous, smarter, or more talented than she is, is more than tough. It's intimidating and isolating, even when she finds a friend in the conspiracy-theorist Caro Jackson - and perhaps finds something more than friendship in the gorgeous, mysterious Gabriel Swift. But there's more going on at Ravenwood than meets the eye. Practical jokes on new students are normal, but when Gabriel saves her from . . . something . . . in Highgate Cemetery, and then she discovers that a murder took place just yards away from where she had been standing, April has to wonder if something more sinister is going on. . . . and whether or not she's going to live through it . . . To find out more about the Ravenwood series visit www.ravenwoodmysteries.com

With the release of the sequel Darkness Falls due in September I am giving one lucky person the chance to win a paperback copy of By Midnight. Open to UK residents only this time (SORRY I can't afford the international postage at the moment) Winner to be chosen by Random.org on the 31st of August annnouced on the 3rd September. Just fill out the form here to enter. You don't have to be a follower but it would be nice if you are lol. 

Title: Darkness Falls

Series: Ravenwood #2

Author: Mia James

Publisher: Indigo

Publication Date:  29 Sept 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

Highgate When April's family moved to the sleepy North London village of Highgate, everyone told her it was the start of an amazing new life. They didn't know the half of it. Weeks later, her father was the latest in a series of brutal killings, someone has tried to kill her, and now her boyfriend, Gabriel, is dying too . . . Murder April couldn't save her father, but there's just a chance she can save Gabriel. There's an ancient recipe, hidden in a forbidden book, which holds the cure. All April has to do is find it. Somehow. Vampires But she has to keep a low profile. In a school full of vampires, where one of their own has been killed, they're beginning to suspect they have a Fury in their midst. April's blood might be deadly to vampires, but even that won't save her if they figure out who she is. Time is short, the stakes are high, and surviving school has never been so tough . .