Welcome to the Darkness blog tour: review and giveaway

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Welcome to the Darkness (Darkness Trilogy, #1) by L.M. Justus 
YA Paranormal*paperback, 349 pages
Publisher: Taurpio Publishing (publication date: August 5th 2013)
Purchase: Kindle/Amazon

A typical teenager, seventeen-year-old Reed Hennessy doesn’t realize how lucky he is to lead a normal life until he loses everything, including his humanity. The attacker who slaughters his family and destroys their home turns out to be a vampire, a creature Reed had considered a myth.

Now a vampire himself, but with the unique ability to walk in sunlight, Reed struggles in the dark underworld he didn’t even know existed. His only two allies in his fight to stay alive are his reluctant mentor, Nathaniel, a vampire with over two hundred years’ worth of emotional baggage, and Sarah, a rookie cop with a secret ability of her own.

Together, Reed and his companions face a harrowing, cross-country journey before stumbling into a plot which could mean the end of everything for humans and vampires alike.

About the author:

Lisa Justus' path to becoming an author took a circuitous route through the University of Waterloo where she earned a Bachelor of Mathematics, followed by jobs in quality assurance and technical writing at a high-tech company. With a keen interest in creative fiction, she wrote her first fantasy novel as part of NaNoWriMo as well as an early chapter book for her kids when they were younger. Her YA paranormal fantasy novel Welcome to the Darkness is the first book in the Darkness Trilogy.

These days Lisa is busy writing her fourth novel, reading, finishing her basement, doing volunteer work, and trying to stay in shape by running somewhat regularly. She, her husband, and their three children live in Ottawa, Ontario.

Author Links:


I've been a vampire fangirl way before there was a girl named Bella and vampires aimed at young adults sparkled. Whenever I learn of a new take on my favorite paranormal creatures, I try to read it. Welcome to the Darkness by L.M. Justus is the type of book I like to see on my reading radar and jumped at the opportunity to read it.

Reed loses the most important things in his life in one horrific moment as he witnesses his family's slaughter by mythological monsters. To make matters worse, he awakens to find he has become something he never imagined was real-he is now a vampire. Surprisngly, he is a nightwalker but he can walk in the sun and isn't affected like the others. Nathaniel, a two-hundred year old vamp, becomes Reed's mentor and they encounter Sarah, a new cop. There's unlikely alliances formed, a surprising romance, some laughs and a king and queen of the vamps located at different parts of the country.

Told by different narrators in different viewpoints (Nathaniel in third, Reed in first), Welcome to the Darkness is an interesting tale of one teen guy's descent into a dark new world. Befriended by a vampire and female cop, Reed goes on a road trip to save himself from the clutches of a vampire queen who wants him for his abilities, but his destination may not be hold the promise he expects.

The world author L.M. Justus creates in certainly an intriguing one. As a vampire fan I didn't find anything truly new about the otherworldly beings but the assortment of unconventional characters gave the story a refreshing spin. Reed is typical for his age and with his predicament his angst is expected. His new world is somber, his new friends unexpected. With his family gone, he has no choice but to accept his fate. He did become annoying in spots with his negative outlook. I thank the author for giving us a teen male as the main character in a YA paranormal. My favorite characters were the spunky mature Sarah and Nathaniel with his witty retorts.

The story started off fast paced, dropping readers into a horrific scene. There were times when the story's pace lagged while the ending seemed too quick. Still, the characters kept me reading and I'm curious to see what happens next in the Darkness trilogy.

Rating: 3
Cover comment:
The graphics make this cover busy and yet it is still appealing. 

Book source:
I received a promotional copy in return for my honest review during a blog tour.

Follow the tour:

Giveaway:
There is a tour-wide giveaway with a Grand prize of one 20$ Amazon gift card + a signed copy of Welcome to the Darkness and 5 eBook copies for five winners. This tour is open internationally.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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