Book Review: A BEAUTIFUL DARK by Jocelyn Davies

A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1)
Author: Jocelyn Davies
Published Date: September 27, 2011
Published By: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:

On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice;Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

My Thoughts:

Let me begin my review with a few lines from the book:

We were quiet for a few minutes. I leaned my head on his chest and listened to the sound of his breathing.

“You don’t have a heartbeat,” I realized.
“Does it bother you?” he asked.
“No.” I thought for a minute. “As long as you can feel things and care about things.”
“It’s a misconception that you need a heart to love,” Asher whispered into my hair.

I looked at him, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners even though his mouth stayed so serious. He had a little dimple near the left side of his chin. I kissed him, and he wrapped the heavy wool blanket tighter around us as the moon rose brighter in the sky.

When I first saw this book, I added it immediately on my TBR list and it became one of my most anticipated books. I'm glad that I've finally read it and I want to say that I really loved it. 

The beautiful premise, the lovely cover, the engaging plot and the two hot guys lurking around makes my reading so fun and enjoyable. This is one of those books that is gripping and very hard for me to put down. 

The story began when Skye Parker turned seventeen. On the night of her birthday, strange things began to happen and two boys--beautiful, hot and mysterious suddenly enters her life. She knows there's something about the boys, and there's something about her, too, which makes her afraid and even more confused than ever. And then one by one, the truth about her parents, her identity, and her future unfolded.

For me, the pacing of the story is good. Though I can't say that the characters are well-developed, they are still very likable to me. I'm glad that no one in the story is irritating and annoying, so it's a good thing. Skye is not the usual kick-ass girl but she's strong enough to be an effective heroine. She may not be the strongest character but she's easy to connect with. I love her best friend Cassie, I think she's more reliable and confident than Skye. It's always nice to have an amazing friend who still stand by you even if you somehow neglect them and taken them for granted. I love their imperfect but sweet relationship. It's always refreshing to have those kind of friendship.

I loved Asher and Devin. Who wouldn't love these two angels?

“Don’t look so surprised,” he said. “You gave me permission to lurk.”
“At the party. Not when I’m shopping.”
“I don’t think you specified.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked impatiently.
“Lurking.” -Asher

Devin wheeled on him. “You showed her your ability to bring forth fire?”
“She was freezing. What was I supposed to do? Let hypothermia kick in?”
“You’re incredible,” Devin said, his tome indicating the opposite.
“Says the guy who healed her broken ankle.”
“I’ve been ordered to protect her.”

“So have I.”

They're beautiful and fascinating. They're totally opposite--one dark and the other one light. A Rebel and a Guardian--both were sent to watch Skye. Asher is cocky, flirty, always confident and always hot. And he's dangerous too. Devin, on the other hand is serious, always exuding calmness. He  always look so peaceful and confident but in totally different way than Asher. They're opposite but both of them are intriguing  and fascinating. Even I couldn't figure out well who to trust and love more. It's hard to choose between the two, and I don't blame Skye for being so confused. Eventually, Asher won my heart, but I still care for Devin. Sigh... You'll doubt and love them both at the same time...

If you love paranormal novels with hot and gorgeous angels lurking around, with a not-so-usual love triangle that is starting to blossom, then you might enjoy this book. And if you love cliffhanger ending, this book has a huge one. I hate and love cliffy ending (is that possible?) and honestly, this book left me with my mouth hanging open! What kind of ending was that? Over all, it's tragic and it's dark, and it's beautiful.

My Rating: