Blackbrooke by Emma Silver!
How did I stumble upon this gem? I saw a request for reviewers needed on Twitter (Gimme a follow and say Hello! @ReenieDiva) over a month ago, liked the concept and I thought I would give it a go!
Thanks to my 'whiny woman' cold, I have had lots of time to read this week!!
My full review is below... but I am SO excited about this trilogy I have to scream again!
"OMG!!! Move the hell over Twilight.....Sit down Anne Rice....Young Adult and Horror has been taken over!! Blackbrooke in da' HOUSE!!!!"
*booty shake annnnnd booty shake* (I am excited, Can't you tell??)
Here is the book description from Amazon.com:
“I live in Blackbrooke and you would have had to be living under a rock to never have heard of it before now. This town is different to most others…Humans aren’t the only residents…”
The residents of Blackbrooke share their town with the Creatures, or Crits as they are known. Grotesque, roaming the streets at night looking for food, their presence means humans have to live by the Rules, keeping them indoors and forbidding them of basic desires.
The most important Rule?
Don’t be a ‘walk out’!
Straight-A student, Liberty Connor, hates the Crits and the endless Rules she and her tight knit group of friends have to live by.
Planning her new life on the Outside with her boyfriend, Gabriel, Liberty whiles away her days waiting to turn 18, so they can leave and be free. That is, until the world she thinks she knows begins to unravel…
Her friends start to walk out. So she’s told. However, something’s not right. Things don’t add up.
Liberty faces a race against time to discover what’s going on with the Creatures of Blackbrooke.
Is it them she has to fear, or something much closer to home?
My Take:
Seriously. Page One. 'The Rules' They will have you hooked wanting to know more!
Thoughts I had: Why are these rules so important to living in this town? Why can't you return if you leave? What's going to happen damnit?!!!
The 411 on Blackbrooke: It's a town nestled in the woods somewhere in England. (Kinda like 'The Village' by M.Night Shyamalan, but tourists come into this place!) where mythical and deadly creatures have a 'deal' with the town. You MUST follow the rules or face certain death.
There is layer upon layer of conspiracy and mystery surrounding everything. People go missing, blamed on 'Walkouts'.... which is basically suicide by Crits... the name of the frightening creatures. These things are horribly terrifying and deadly.
The story takes place in modern times, but with dated and strange rules ( For Example: You must wear your hair up in a bun at all times)
I couldn't live there, never mind the creatures, they don't allow hair dye. (Unacceptable!)
Characters:
Liberty Connor is the main character in the book. A 17 year old girl who's obsessed with obeying 'the rules' as well as having a keen interest in the town's unusual history. She and her boyfriend Gabriel dream of one day leaving to travel the world. One of the rules is though, once you leave Blackbrooke, you are not allowed back in. EVER.
Suddenly her world is torn apart and she starts unraveling a terrifying mystery. Secrets are revealed. She doesn't know who she can trust. It's up to Liberty and her band of misfits to stand up to Mr. Jones (not to mention the Crits) to try to save lives.. including her own.
Cassius Godwin is Liberty's childhood friend. Due to a 'skin condition', he is considered awkward and is constantly picked on. The two friends are thrown back together after tragedy strikes. Together they work to figure out what is going on.
Noah Hartmann, best friend to Lib's boyfriend Gabriel, and boyfriend to Lib's best friend Gemma. Consider them 'friends by default'. He's a bit of an ass, but as we learn his heart is in the right place.
Denzil Rathbone is hilarious. He's a 38 year old shop owner who Liberty works for. He's a man who loves his weed. He takes the kids in to help them when they have no other place to go. His character had me laughing. One of my favorite lines in the novel revolve around him. (Hint: It has to do with Noah's name)
The Crits: Ugly beasts with a structured hierarchy. The Watchers, The Lurkers, The Hunters and The Queens.
The writing is excellent. The author really packs a good'ol written punch. The kind that sends you sailing into Blackbrooke, completely immersing you in the novel.
I do not want to spoil any part of this book for you, so I am not going to say any more than I have already shared. All you need to know is Book One ends with a cliffhanger and hooooooly hell do I want more. Like, right now. I mean it. Don't keep me waiting Ms. Silver!!!!!
(.... June 7th 2013 is the confirmed release date of Blackbrooke II, The Guardian!)
A little hint of what is to come...Author Emma Silver tells me this!
"The story picks up where we left off and if I were to describe it in one word, it'd be 'relentless'! There are new characters you'll meet as well as the familiar faces..."
This may be a young adult read, but it is most certainly one that even those of us further from 'youth' can read and enjoy.
Just because this novel is listed as a 'Horror' and that is not your preferred genre.... DO NOT let that label scare you off. I'm not going to classify it as 'freezer book' that will scare the $#@! out of you to the point you can't sleep.(I don't scare THAT easily) but it will give you the heebie jeebies... To me, Blackbrooke is an 'I want more' 'On the edge of your seat' mesmerizing creepy adventure that will leave you wanting more. It is just the right amount of horror... and the story is still building! What awaits us in Book II???
I really can't stress that enough. It's truly a novel that will get under your skin.
Female or Male, you can read this book and enjoy it.
Never mind that I have it on my Kobo, I'm going to grab this one in paperback for my library too.
Five Freakin' Stars!!
FIVE.
One two three four FIVE.
(I may just throw in a sixth for good measure)
Read it.
For the love of God... just read it.
I'm HOOKED!
Enough said.
Happy Reading!
Blackbrooke for Kindle
Blackbrooke in Paperback
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