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When Darkness Follows
![When Darkness Follows (Beyond the Grave series #4) by [Daniels, Athena]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51vNqgNW38L._SY346_.jpg)
As they say, curiosity killed the cat. Rachel, Rob, and Trey, members of the trio band Trinity Beat have an interest in haunted stories and ghost sightings. One day after having visited their friend Woody – who was responsible for telling them the tale about the ship that came ashore in their town in Australia – they decided to check it out themselves. The next thing that happened, Trey was dead. Did Rob really kill him? Was it Rachel? Or was it something darker?
When Darkness Follows by Athena Daniels is a story about a group of friends sneaking into a haunted shipwreck only to disturb a dark force that will change their lives and relationships. I enjoyed how every time a mystery is about to get solved another problem comes up subtlety. Just like when they were about to solve the mystery of the dead captain, Rachel’s sister Elise reveals her own battle. Another one is when Rachel tended to Sally and suddenly something happens in Liam’s room – which reminded me of Game of Thrones’ Hall of Faces – and things just got worse.
I feel like there were good amount of time and development spent on each character, making each one feel unique and interesting. While that’s the case, I would of like more focus to be put on Pia, the psychic. She helped and was a big part of it but I didn’t get to know her character as well as the others. She felt like all business to me. Perhaps that was the intention, but she was an interesting character that I wanted to learn more about.
My favorite moments in the book are Rachel and Daniel’s. The thrill of him having to face somebody who left him hanging and hasn’t been returning his calls since then; of her facing the person she loves but couldn’t. Shouldn’t. The chemistry between them is so strong that often times during their exchanges and steamy sessions I forgot this was a paranormal book.
If you can imagine yourself reading paranormal with romance, steamy scenes and heartbreak then you got to grab When Darkness Follows. This is the 4th book of a series. For me, that makes it even better because while it is ideal to have read the previous three, it still felt like it was standalone. I didn’t feel like I was missing a backstory.
Pages: 304 | ASIN: B07BFKY4Q5
Girl Unseen
Athena Daniel’s Girl Unseen is a paranormal suspense novel that will have you hanging on to every word.
Pia Williams is a gifted medium who works for a television series, Debunking Reality. Girl Unseen begins when Pia and her crew are asked to investigate possible paranormal activity in a family’s home. While they record footage for the show, a spirit of an angry young girl appears to Pia. In a fit of rage, the entity kills a man. Pia is taken into custody and held for questioning by a detective who has no patience for things unseen. Looking for help she calls ex-Special Forces detective Nate Ryder. With Nate and the Debunking Reality crew by her side, Pia sets out to uncover the terrible truth of what happened at the old lighthouse keeper’s cottage.
Girl Unseen is the third installment of Daniel’s Beyond the Grave series and a fantastic addition at that. The novel offers suspense, twists, action, and romance – everything a story needs to make it impossible to put down.
In the first chapter, we meet the Debunking Reality crew and witness a murder. I was instantly sucked into the story by such a riveting beginning! I immediately wanted finish the novel so I could find out what happened! Each page kept me wanting to read more as Pia uncovered more and more about Sarah’s past and death.
The plot of Girl Unseen kept me guessing the entire time. The majority of the novel is from Pia’s point of view, so we only know what she knows. As she tried to solve Sarah’s mystery, I tried to guess along with her, but was surprised every time. Occasionally, Daniel switched to Nate’s point of view to give us another perspective. This helped me immerse myself in the story, because I was seeing characters and situations through different eyes.
Daniel’s characters are well-developed! They seemed like real-life people you could meet anywhere. Every character had a defined personality, and their actions reflected that.
There were very few things about Girl Unseen that I did not like. I do think that it could have been longer. It was a quick read with great ideas and intense action scenes, but I think more detail and depth would add more to the story. Also, I was a little annoyed about how frequently Pia’s resistance toward relationships was brought up. I understand why Daniel mentioned it – Pia’s trust issues were vital to the romantic tension – but I think there was a different way to create the same effect. It seemed like Daniel kept repeating the same thing, which made it more redundant rather than helping you understand Pia better.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Pia and her crew. Girl Unseen is the perfect book for someone looking for a quick read with lots of suspense.
Pages: 274 | ASIN: B071Z1RMZ1
LITERARY TITAN 