Review: Nightfall by Ellen Connor

Title: Nightfall (Dark Age Dawning #1)
Author: Ellen Connor
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Heat Index: 4 out of 5
Release Date: June 6th, 2011
Word/Page Count: 327 pages
Format: Purchased

First in a stunning new post-apocalyptic paranormal romance trilogy.

Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her-one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.

The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna's father. Skilled and steadfast, he's ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack-vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong.

When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion-a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

Arai's Review:

I have to say, right at the outset, I loved this world. Apocalyptic/Dystopian societies seem to be a popular thing right now, especially when you factor in the popularity of the Hunger Games trilogy, but this story takes that concept and forms it as its own. The writing combination of Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty (going under the pen name Ellen Connor for this series) create a vivid and continuing momentum of tension throughout the novel that made me feel like I was watching a movie unfold.

We start off the book with a quick intro to the world as it stands. Now, I really harp a lot on showing instead of telling, but the author does a good job of making this a quickie overview, more an orientation course than anything. And, to be honest, it’s engaging. We learn that the Dark Age didn’t start in the states but, once it hits, it only takes out the East coast. Survivors in the West have cut themselves off and rebuilt, acting as if the East never happened. Life goes on. Until our heroine, Jenna, is kidnapped and thrown in a trunk by our hero, Mason, and drove to a cabin deep in the woods. While this is normally something that would be a check in my annoyance column, the author made it work in the context of the book.

Mason quickly explains to a disbelieving Jenna that the Dark Age is now hitting the West coast and he was sent there by her father with a promise to protect her. She, naturally, thinks he’s a raving lunatic. At this point, we don’t know much more than the characters; we’re forced to learn and adapt as they do to the changing circumstances. And that means second-guessing and yelling and sitting on the edge of your seat. But, don’t worry, it’s the good kind. It’s the kind where you’re so caught up in the story, you can’t help but shift in your seat as yell at the character to watch their back.

Other characters are added to the story, flushing out a full cast of personalities. We see some tremendous growth, especially with the Trey. I can honestly say that I can’t wait to dig into his book, the third one in this series.

My one source of frustration was the relationship between Jenna and Mason. While I can appreciate the necessity of the writers to create obstacles and misunderstandings on the way to the pair coming together, I felt the ones put in this book were tired. Mason says or doesn’t say one certain thing so Jenna decides to make out with him and then walk away. Jenna goes and flirts with another guy so Mason gets all mad and more distant. In comparison to how well the authors handled other potential pitfalls, this felt systematic and formulaic. A + B = eventual smut. Plus, there was a little too much introspection during the middle chapters when Mason and Jenna were jerking each other around.

Despite my minor annoyances with the romance part, I really enjoyed this book and its approach to the shifter/magic world. I am definitely going to be checking out the rest of the series.