St Sister Book Reviews: Olga's review of Dark Dreams and Dead Things

Dark Dreams and Dead Things, book 2 in the Dead Things Series
by Martina McAtee

17-year-old November Lonergan spent her whole lifel feeling like an outsider; like she was different. She was right. She’s a reaper like her mother; like her two cousins, Kai and Tristin. The supernatural world believes they are part of a prophecy to save them from an evil known as the Grove. Ember just wants to survive high school and fix the fallout from bringing back her friend.

Old enemies are lurking; waiting for their opportunity to strike but the pack has a new problem. A group of legendary hunters has resurfaced, threatening the reapers and anybody who stands with them. They are making good on their threats too; attacking those closest to the pack.

Their only hope of defeating the Legionaries involves trusting a stranger to perform a dangerous spell to advance Ember and her cousin’s powers. But Ember has a secret; a secret she can’t tell the pack. One that leaves the pack vulnerable.

An attack on pack allies, leaves one member of the group injured and another missing, along with a mysterious girl named Evangeline who may play a bigger part in this than any of them realize. As the Legionaries are closing in, the pack must trust their enemies, enter hostile territories, and play a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a psychopath. Their entire plan lynches on a dangerous bargain, but rescuing one member of the pack could mean losing another in their place…possibly forever.

This is a 5 star book

This is book 2 in Dead Things Series. You most indubitably need to read the first book right now. Martina is a new author to me, but after reading the first book in this series (Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things) I became a fan for life. First of all let me just say that I am very much in love with the writing style. It has an easy cadence and drew me in instantly.

Plot is pretty complex and very nicely done. This is paranormal/urban fantasy therefore the world is already set, right. Ok now that all that is outta the way, even though it's great, my favorite part about this book was the characters. To me this is definitely a character driven story, their inner struggles and the way that they deal with the situations that arise made this journey a fantastic one. Our main trio that the story is interweaved around, Ember, Kai and Tristin, are the descendants of the goddess Morigan. They are the reason this story happens, but even though they share a destiny/cause/fight whatever you want to call it, others in the book seem just as important and just as well developed. Our Trio are a part of a pack that's made up of all kinds of lost souls. There are shifters and fae and reapers and humans and witches and more. The pack is one big, happy, frustrating family all living under the same roof in a house run by their Alpha Wolf Isa. Here are a few of the characters that made an impression on me

Kai and Rhys ~ I love their love so much, love the swoon worthy relationship and the struggle that Kai went through to get what he wanted.

Mace ~ I just feel like Mace is such a lost soul. Don't understand his actions at all in book one, it becomes more clear here, but I just feel like there is so much more to discover about him

Ember ~ This poor girl is so scared of her powers and the fact that her newly found family and their lives will crumble around her that she makes awful decisions, but that is mostly why I like her so much

Tristin and Ember ~ I love the tension and the crazy teenage behavior these two display. I can't even tell you why it just tickles me silly!

Aaron ~ he was just briefly introduced in book one but from the very first chapter with him in it I fell in love with him. It must be how candid he is and feels like he is so good for Ember.

These are just a few. You must go and discover these characters for yourself, there will be no disappointment.

This wonderfully and intricately created story by Martina is one of the best I've read in a good long time.

Since this is book 2 in a series I'm purposefully vague on the goings on. You have to read book one first ;)