Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1)
by Leanna Renee Hieber
Published by Sourcebooks Fire
Date publication:  November 8th 2011

Source: gifted by  joyousreads.com

Rating: 4/5

AMAZON // BOOKDEPO 

Synopsis: I was obsessed.
It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen--everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable...utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.
There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.
I've crossed over into his world within the painting, and I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked--bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still. 

My thoughts

Cover : It has a pretty girl in a dress cover. The cover shows what happens in this book and how she enters the painted portrait. A prison of someone she has come to love.

Book:

THIS JOURNAL IS THE SOLE PROPERTY OF:
MISS NATALIE STEWART
A GIFT TO MARK , HER EXIT FROM
THE CONNECTICUT ASYLUM

This story takes place in 1800 New York. Natalie is a young middle class lady. Mute but well educated and well spoken in her writing. The shock of her mother’s death caused her disability at the age of four. Through her father’s job at the metropolitan museum of art , Natalie comes in contact with a mesmerizing enchanting and cursed painting of Lord Denbury, a not so long ago English perished young man. ( Darker Still is influenced by the picture of Dorian gray but is not a copy cat and differs). She is his savior and help to break the hex. Natalie gradually falls in love or better said on him . ( ha ha book joke)Will Natalie succeed, will the evil forces, dark magic and demons prevail, will Dembury be freed? Read to find out !

Do you know the reading experience when immersing yourself in Dracula, Frankenstein or Jekyll and Hyde. Darker Still has a similar gritty gothic feel to it with splashes of austeny touches. I know I am giving high praise but the world building is that good. The dairy form it was written makes it stand out in the YA book crowd . It is written in 1800 eloquent fashion . Natalie could really have existed. So truly realistic and trough out the book I had to remind myself the experiences, the people are fictionalized. Ok maybe I’m exaggerating but the world building is really done well.

Characters

Natalie is a kind young lady. She comes up for herself though her writing and later on with something more she missed for a long time .S he is very brave in the midst of danger that’s induced by dark magic and demonic powers. She tries to save poor and homeless girls from slaughters.

Lord Denbury is a true gentleman. He is there for Nat and is protective over her but not overprotective and surely does not chain her up. He respects Natalie’s decision not like a well known and super popular *cough*pale *cough* sparkly fellow. He is a person who was on his way to serve mankind for the greater good before he got hexed. Now i know why bloggers use a specific term for him; DENBURYLYCIOUS

There are lovely parents or parental figures present through this whole book. Her father is a smart kind man and her to be happy and well educated. We see Madame North more of the time. She is one the 1st real friends Natalie has and a awesome source for help in the quest of defeating evil.

I had a little problem with the ‘’other one’’, ‘’the other self, the villain . It is sexualized and pure evil. A demon. I know it is evil but still I hoped for its motivation. That was not fully explained. I know it is just book one but I hope more will be revealed plus explained.

Darker Still is not perfect but still really great. Thanks Joy @joyousreads for the gift. You are da bomb. After reading the synopsis of book two there is more danger upon them and explaining things to society will be frikkin hard. I can’t wait and I hope I will win cash soon to pre order or order it.

The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart is out on November 1st. I MUST HAVE IT. Sighs. Are you looking for something new and fresh in Paranormal YA . This not another half-baked paranormal but they characters witness growth especially Natalie . I HOOOPE you give it a try

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songs that fits perfectly with this book and do generate a atmosphere



when Natalie sleeps  and has builds a connection

goes for natalie en denbury




the slaughters and fighting back