Review: The Deepest Night by Shana Abé

It’s 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England’s southern coast. While she’s always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drákon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities.

As war hits Britain’s shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort—and to keep Lora by his side—Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her—bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drákon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

With Armand, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission—one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.

Beautifully written, deeply romantic, and filled with daring adventure and magic, The Deepest Night is a mesmerizing novel of the enduring pull of destiny, and the eternal strength of love.

Title: The Deepest Night

Series: The Sweetest Dark #2

Expected publication: August 13th 2013 by Bantam
ISBN: 0345531736 (ISBN13: 9780345531735)

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I would describe how happy I was when I received this book, and not having to wait until August, but I'll spare you, and focus on Lora's world. Oh, and I wouldn't read this review unless you've finished The Sweetest Dark. 

I love this cover, I must admit that the cover is usually what makes me read the description (or sometimes the author of said book). Is it possible that the girl on this cover is Lora, and that the bright star in the background may just be her star? Her Jesse? That's just my guess.

Lora Jones is one of the most remarkable characters I've come across. She is willing to go save a single man, all by herself. A man who happens to be a prisoner of war, in Germany. Even for a dragon, that will not be an easy task. I must add that there are numerous dragon scenes in this book, and ones where Lora is smoke. Which I find to be really cool, well, I don't know. For it to actually be useful I guess you'd have to have clothes hidden around, unless you wanted to walk around naked. 

Jesse, her star, does make a few appearances, in his own little star way. He's her guiding light, and I really feel bad that he has to watch the Lora be chased after by another man. 

Now, even though I feel bad that Jesse has to watch Armand Louis chase after Lora, I don't want him to stop. He loves her so much, and is willing to go to any length to protect her, which might make Jesse a little relived. I think Armand himself best explains how he feels for her: 

   "You deserve someone who loves you without conditions. Who would never look at another woman for the rest of his life with anything but indifference, but you are the sum of his dreams. The one girl whose eyes shine will all of the days and nights he prays will come. His stars and his sun and his moon. His happiness, his true heart." His voice roughened. "His everything."
   She gazed up at him, her lips trembling. "Is that it? Is that how you feel about her?"
   "Yes," he said, and dropped his hands.

 Laurence Clayworth, who made a brief appearance in the first book, makes a brief reappearance in this book. I don't see him and Armand being friends anymore. . .

I thought the book was perfectly paced, probably better than the first book, but, the beginning might seem to be paced a little slowly, just read on, it gets so much better. To me, this book has had more of a plot too.
Part of me thought this book would end the series, but no, that is not what I wanted, I just hadn't seen the "Untitled (The Sweetest Dark Book #3)" that you so often do, and once I got to the ending (oh, the wonderful ending...) I realized that from what Jesse has said the story couldn't be over! I also went on the authors website, and it says she's currently writing the third book, that's when I was positive of it. Which I am very excited for, I really hope it comes out soon.

I haven't really read many books set in the past, but these two books have shown me how astounding historical fiction can be.Try reading a book in a different genre, it may open doors to tons of books you wouldn't have considered previously.

And in honor of Cat, I've decided to use a quote containing the word "book" too. Though it's not nearly as insightful, and from a film. Oh, the places we find inspiration. 

"So Gates abducts the president, lets him go and heads to the Library of Congress? Why?"

"Maybe he wants to check out a book."

Book Nerd and Proud,

K.G.