The Sweetest Dark By: Shana Abe

Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 352

For fans of Lauren Kate and Libba Bray, The Sweetest Dark is filled with thrilling romance, exciting adventure, and ancient magic. Shana Abé brilliantly captures the drama of post-Victorian England, while unfolding a passionate love story that defies time.

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.” 

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

My Thoughts:
I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads because of the many times my heart strings were pulled!
I really liked how the author was able to keep me in the dark for a very long time! I think that's ONE of the many reasons I was able to keep going!
I loved all the characters! The time period is not my favorite but I think this author did a FABULOUS job of bringing it to life!

Set in 1915, Lora is a complex character (which I liked a lot) with many layers to her. Due to her awful past, she is slow to trust, a very sharp tongue (I like strong characters who know how to dish it back out), strong in personality, a sense of who she is-something special but due to society of that time it was hard to know that as she was often called horrible things as well as horrible things done to her. I loved her character a lot!

Jesse-Good, sweet, yummy Jesse who immediately you fall in love with. He is super kind and you can't help but feel for him through the whole thing!

Armand/Mandy-Is the bad boy we all have a secret desire to have or to have had at one point in your life! haha and I loved HIS complex character. Brooding, sensual and you can't help but silently root for him.
There is a love triangle BUT, BUT, BUT it's not your typical love triangle! which was SOOOO nice. And the author keeping the mysteries and keeping your guessing is pure awesomeness! It was exhausting after I was done!

Recommend? If you are into monsters (I don't want to say too much cause I don't want to give it away), love triangles, time period, mystery. then yes!

Language: moderate (due to ONE F* and a few other choice words)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (privilege upper class who think they can-but no drunkenness) 
Sexual Content: moderate (a few innuendos)
Violence: mild