Review: MIDNIGHT by Ellen Connor

Dark Age Dawning #2

Post-Apocalyptic / Shape Shifter

Berkley Sensation

Having caused nothing but grief to those who close to him, Chris Welsh has become content with being alone. He has been roaming the stark countryside since shortly after the Change. Civilization as he once knew it is gone. There are pockets of groups banning together, yet nothing like what he stumbles on in Valle de Bravo.

Rosa Cortez has struggled to get to the top, and that is where she plans to stay. She has created a loyal society in Valle de Bravo, a civilization willing to fight to expand their meager existence. 
 

Rosa doesn't trust the seductive stranger, but if he plans to stay, she wants him to swear loyalty. Chris has no plans on staying, but when a gang of desert pirates strike, he vows to help the sexy commander. 
 

*****

Ellen Connor has once again sucked me into the post-Apocalyptic civilization trying to regain it's footing in a world that has slipped back to the dark ages, with an added twist of magic and skinwalkers (shape-shifters) to liven things up. I find it fascinating to imagine how people react in in such a situation, and I think Ms. Connor has struck the right balance of good vs. evil as their characters try to retain their humanity and sense of society.

Rosa and Chris both had lived through great pain since the change. Each had chosen different paths to cope, yet really they weren't that different from each other. Rosa had awesome leadership qualities that made people want to be better and to prove to her they were. I enjoyed Chris and Rosa's verbal sparing as neither was willing to blindly follow the others commands. I loved how Chris didn't want to diminish Rosa's authority, and was willing to show his loyalty, yet he was never portrayed as weak, as the reader I saw him as an equal to Rosa.

I liked that they were both forced to face their biggest fears and were allowed to overcome them without losing themselves. Rosa had to face her acceptance that not all skinwalkers were bad, that most where like other humans, struggling to survive in the harsh landscape of the Change. Rosa inspired Chris to want to work at a relationship, and to not run scared of emotional attachment.

Holy cats, the chemistry between Chris and Rosa was combustible. They fought their attraction, but eventually gave into a sizzling passion that singed the pages. I loved their journey of emotional growth, as each had suffered so much before, they had closed themselves off to others, and found they could not do the same with each other.

Rating: 5

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Review: NIGHTFALL by Ellen Connor

A Dark Age Dawning Novel  #1

Post-Apocalyptic / Paranormal (shifter)

Berkley Sensation

336 Pages

When Jenna is kidnapped and taken to a remote cabin, she is not surprised that her mysterious abductor is fulfilling a promise to her crackpot father. What does shock her is the indisputable proof that maybe her dad wasn't crazy with his preaching of the end of the world.

Mason will do whatever is necessary to save Jenna, his repayment to the man who saved his life. He has the perfect plan to keep them safe throughout the change and the coming winter. Their confinement forces them to realize a mutual attraction, one they are not yet ready to face. 

 

Until five strangers stumble into their shelter searching for safety from the chaos that was once their world. Unable to leave them to the ferocious demon dogs populating the world, they find themselves seeking a new haven.

As the mystical forces change them, can Jenna & Mason learn to trust their instincts in each other and themselves? Will they continue to ignore their flaring desires or will it help them keep their sanity throughout the bleak winter? But most importantly, can they survive the New Dark Age?

*****

Ellen Connor, the fantastic collaboration of authors Ann Aguirre/Ava Gray and Carrie Lofty, debuts a novel that successfully sucked me into the vortex of a fascinating new series. NIGHTFALL was an extraordinary introduction to a new post-Apocalyptic mythical world.

Jenna and Mason's chemistry was explosive, not only sexually, but also their personalities as they learned the keys of working together. Mason's unexpected vulnerability, added an emotional complexity to his otherwise stoic personality, making him more realistic and likeable. I liked that while Jenna showed a few bouts of stubbornness, she was intelligent enough to get over herself, and listen to reason. She knew that Mason was truly thinking of what was best for everyone, not just himself...most times. They had so much to learn about each other and about their new world. While they did that I found that theirs was a love that I could believe in being everlasting.

I loved all of the characters introduced throughout this book. They were so completely fleshed out that I found it easy to picture them as they strived to work together toward survival. I liked the dark edge of this book, as not everyone would survive. The demon dogs were truly menacing, and I loved the explanation for their transformation and that of the other mystical creatures.

This was a book that I just could NOT put down, and once it was over, all I could think was that I cannot wait to re-enter the New Dark Ages! I can't wait until this fall when Books 2 and 3, MIDNIGHT and DAYBREAK come out and I can see what the future holds for Welsh, Tru & Penny!

Rating: 5 / 5

Author's Website