Mini review:

I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

DNF

I was really looking forward to reading this! It sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately it didn't work for me.

The beginning totally turned me off. And I just couldn't get back into it.

I do still recommend.

Review copy kindly provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I did not like this. I couldn't get into it until about the 70% mark and then it didn't stay interesting. So it's basically only interesting from about 70-90% of the book. The characters were not enjoyable and I tend to dislike books with dislikable characters.

I did not like this one. I love fantasy and science fiction and half my anual readings belong to this genre, but I found this one excessively simple on the writing, unoriginal and a bit tiring, specially at the beginning with David and Mara going to the big city to be sold as slaves (something you can easily see, not a surprise there). Writer could have made the trip more eventful, more interesting, more descriptions on the characters, the mutants...Also, the background is nonexistent, there is mutants, there is people and an world that came apart somehow. The beginning also is disappointing. In YA novels you expect a young girl and a boy to be in love, or to be friends that become something else...in this case, on the third line..there you go, couple to be already there. No time to know them or like them because in three pages they are already separated so you cannot possibly feel empathy for their pain...

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher to allow me to read this, but for me, this book is a no go, I am actually glad I did not buy this on my Saturday trip to the bookshop. It simply does not reach the minimum quality to be something to enjoy

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2156144135

3.5 stars (release date Nov. 1, 2017)

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a pretty good post-apocalyptic YA Fantasy book. It's the first in a series. The worldbuilding and character building was a bit light and parts of the story is predictable, but it was still entertaining.

Sorrel lives in a small village of Amat with her mother, younger brother Eli and her baby sister. She is in love with her childhood best friend David, but isn't sure if he shares her feelings. The village is small and the villagers help each other survive. No one from he village knows much about life "Before". One day a group of mutants attacks the village and kills all of the adults and kidnaps the children while Sorrel is out of the village. She witnesses the attack from afar and as she enters the village, sees her mother and sister killed and her brother Eli taken by a mutant. She can't find David or her other friends anywhere.

Heartbroken and unsure what to do, Sorrel sets out to track the mutants in an effort to find Eli and David. She ventures further than she had ever gone and sees a whole new world, including remnants from life "Before". She runs into different groups of people that will challenge her ideas of what is right and wrong. Meanwhile David fights to survive captivity and escape so he can find Sorrel.

The story is fast paced and keeps the reader's attention. It's a quick read and I look forward to the next book in the series.

I’ve been given an ARC by Bastei Entertainment via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
The New Dark was really difficult to get into. Something about it just wasn’t quite there. I didn’t really get into it until about a third of the way into it.
In all honesty I had great hopes for this book but by the time I had made it through I was not a huge fan.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest and fair review.

In all honesty I had great hopes for this book but by the time I had made it through I was not a huge fan. It took me a long time to get into it, at least half way through and by the end it was dragging again.

I felt that while the writing was really good there was not enough explanation - there is no explanation as to what happened to the world as we know it and how it came the "Now".

I felt that I couldn't connect with the characters particularly the main character, it was difficult for me to understand why they would do things they would do.
The only character I truly enjoyed reading was David - the growth and determination of his character picked up the book for me.

I would recommend this to any dystopian lovers.
I would say that this is alright but unfortunately I highly doubt I will be picking up the second book.

Sorrel's life changed from one moment to another. The hard but happy life she has always know is ended by the destruction of her village by mutants. A race of sub-humans that have become twisted and scarred by a genetic defect at birth in this future time period.

The Before is our modern time. Some relics from this time still exist but life is consumed with survival now. A simple life of hunting, gathering and little travel from one community to another.

The bright side of her hardscrabble life is David. Childhood friends has blossomed into something more. Their love is interrupted by the attack on the village. Sorrel manages to escape but David and her younger brother, Eli have been kidnapped and sold into slavery.

This story is told in both Sorrel's and David's perspective, giving insight into their harrowing adventures. This works well to expand the world and the scope of the each main character's experiences.

The story has good pacing and keeps the reader moving ahead toward the true conflict that begins to arise at the end of the book, paving way for future installments. The cliff hanger ending is genius.

My one complaint is sometimes the dialogue is stilted and falls flat but all in all, I look forward to Sorrel's and David's return.

A dystopian world set in the future of humanity. This book shows what could happen if an apocalyptic event happened and the world changed, but some things never change do they.
We follow Sorelle and David who each have their own adventure trying to find each other after their families and homes are destroyed. What follows is a high stakes adventure filled with mutants, worshippers, and slaves.
A great read for anyone who enjoys future dystopian worlds.

The New Dark is the first novel in a new YA trilogy based generations after the (unspecified) apocalypse. It centres on the struggles of Sorrel and David, two would-be lovers from the same peaceful village who are rudely introduced to the wider world after a mutant attack which sees the pair separated from each other.

With most of her family dead after the vaguely described opening action sequence, Sorrel sets out from her village to find her little brother Eli, and her crush, David. What follows is an often frustrating journey through repeated captivity and escape scenarios that is oddly readable and fast-paced.

Sorrel, the female lead, is a well-rounded character if somewhat petulant and slow to get the point of most interactions, while at the same time quite refreshing in a traditionally male-dominated narrative. David is a hot-headed, perpetually angry (and naive) young man, whose stubbornness comes across less as an admirable trait and more as an excuse to drag out a couple of slow sections of the story. The support cast works well to keep these too likeable enough to keep reading though, and almost none are wasted plot-wise.

With many chapters ending in cliffhangers, the book becomes a quick read, which suits its intended audience. But it ends abruptly with just about every plot point still open, as though the editors picked a random page from the larger text to cut to book two rather than shoot for a traditional cliffhanger, or better yet a conclusion to the events set in motion. Too many trilogies today read like one big story hacked into three easy-to-digest parts to maximise profits.

Ultimately while I found the book to be pleasantly readable, and the actions of its lead character to be a refreshing change from the gung-ho slaughter many of its genre seem to fall into, The New Dark didn’t shine as a Captain Doomsday Recommendation. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like it though, and fans of the genre would do well to give this one a go. It won’t tax your brain too much, but it won’t spoon feed you either, and while much of its structure has been done before, there are some surprisingly thoughtful nuances to help satiate a reader’s appetite.

I would describe The New Dark as more of a dystopian novel with bits of paranormal and fantasy thrown in. The beginning of the book gripped me right away. The action was intense and the book was very fast-paced which was nice. Although I couldn't really determine what year the story took place in, it must have been many many years into the future. Due to some kind of war and destruction years ago, the citizens of in this new world suffered greatly and mutants (which were really just deformed humans) were feared and often misjudged. I think that was what made this book really shine. The fact that mutants were just deformed humans who were either killed at birth or somehow escaped to live elsewhere. Although they were feared and hunted in their own way, they still had to live through prejudices. They weren't perfect nor were they monsters either.
The heroine, Sorrel was supposed to be some kind of savior of sorts but that itself was a mystery because it wasn't really explained why. The only hint was a marking on her skin showing the symbols that was later recognized as the "savior" or the hope of the future.
Sorrel, through great tragedy became separated from her family and the boy she grew to love as more than a friend. Throughout the book she was trying to find her brother and David and at times the author teased you just a bit, giving you a tiny ray of hope that she and David would reunite. But nope, the author twists the plot elsewhere and you're left with a big frown.
Sorrel is really the main character in the book although we did get to see David's point of view every so often. Sorrel was smart and cunning and her knowledge of herbs helped her and her reluctant mutant friend along the way. She was a fun character to read and develop an interest for.
The villains were written well and the author made me dislike them immediately. And even though Sorrel suffered through them, she eventually escaped from her tormentors.
The ending was a bit abrupt though as I had hoped something would have happened to bring Sorrel, her brother, and David together again. But it just sort of left it to a completely new mystery. Hopefully Ms. Thomson will finish writing a sequel because I want to know why Sorrel's skin markings are keys to being the "savior" and of course what their future will be like.

I love a book that entertains me, a book I find hard to put down, a book I can just lose myself in, a book that leaves me wanting more and more........and this was one of those books! A wonderful story and great characters. Sorrel does not have many memories from "before", only of now where there is no internet, no electricity, and little food. Then mutants attack her town, Amat, take her little brother Eli, and the boy she loves, David. She sets out to track them down, a long, tortuous and dangerous journey. Along the way she learns more about who she is, about friendship and betrayal, about love and loyalty. I am not going to miss the next books in the trilogy!

There was so much that went into this novel. I honestly think it was one of the best novels I have read in a while. It had sadness, despair, hope, a hint of romance, revulsion, friendship.. it had a little of everything. And while in the beginning I was wondering if the book had any redeemable qualities, I kept going and it was definitely worth it!!
Now I have to wait for the next one :(

Wonderful book!!

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

The New Dark is about a girl, Sorrel, who lives in a apocalyptic forest society that is attacked by mutants. Her people are slaughtered and she is the only one who makes it out alive and well. Other young members of her village are taken by the mutants, including David, the boy she loves, and Eli, her younger brother. She is then thrust on a journey to find them and save them. The attack on her village by mutants happens so quickly in the book that the reader is unable to understand what is happening and therefore care about the events. The little explanation and backstory on the world and characters mean the reader is jarred from the very beginning and thrust into an unexplained world with a character that we don't particularly care about. The main character, Sorrel, is suppose to come off as a brave and strong heroine but instead comes off as a naive and quick-judging, childish character. The entire world is unexplained and the characters unrealistic, unchanging throughout the horrors they undergo in the novel. There is no sense of time in the book, creating further confusion on what is happening and putting no tension on the stories progression. The novel featured several different places that were close in proximity but did not have knowledge of one another, though they seemed to share language and culture. I couldn't get a feel for the state of the world and how it had become the way it was portrayed, which made the actions of several characters seem meaningless. Overall, this novel had a good premise that was executed in a confusing way with characters that contrasted thoughts and actions.

They came thundering through her village, killing, kidnapping and destroying all that remained. Mutants, a product of a post-apocalyptic world. Somehow Sorrel survived and escaped, a girl now alone in a hostile world berating herself for her failure to save her family, for feeling fear and for surviving the monsters her peaceful village was no match for.

Sorrel is now determined to somehow find and rescue her baby brother and hopefully the boy she loves. When she is “rescued” by a fanatical religious cult who consider the mutants to be physical proof of all that is evil. They have proof, they regularly torture one they keep chained in the town square. To avoid becoming a baby factory, she escapes, but she does not go alone and so begins Sorrel’s education into of the world around her.

THE NEW DARK by Lorraine Thomson tells of a world where the lines of good and evil are blurred, where truths are hidden in propaganda, lack of knowledge and fear-mongering. Being different doesn’t mean one is a monster and being “normal” or not deformed doesn’t make a person trustworthy or honorable.

While so many background questions remain unanswered and there isn’t the depth of an adult read, this tale appears to be the perfect read for middlegrade and young adults who want the “now” of a story, and there is a lot of “now” to tell. There is a message about thinking for one’s self, being responsible for one’s actions and to question what one doesn’t think is right, as well as looking deeper than the surface.

The pace is fantastic, Sorrel’s characterization is well-done and the feeling that these people became so isolated and so polarized from not thinking for themselves, but following like sheep and drinking the “Kool-aid” fed to them, it actually mimics our own society in terrifying ways.

I received an ARC edition from Bastei Entertainment in exchange for my honest review. I am voluntarily reviewing this complimentary copy!

Trilogy: The Dark Times Trilogy - Book 1
Publisher: Bastei Entertainment (November 1, 2017)
Publication Date: November 1, 2017
Genre: YA Dystopian
Print Length: 221 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

The series has promise, I only gave it 3 stars because the worst thing an author can do to me is make the main character unlikable. I hate Sorrel. She's immature and annoying. She's so disrespectful to her mother at the beginning of the book. If I were David and saw that scene I wouldnt even want her. And she never gets any better throughout the book. I also found the book lacking in explanation about what actually happened in the world. I want to know how it got that way, and how the mutants came to be.

So many dystopian books are about a heroic Young girl who has the power to wright the wrongs and make the world a better place. This is a little different, Sorrell, the lead character displays cowardly behaviour and caution, she trusts people and feels guilt. Thats what makes this story different from so many others out there.
Its a familiar story of societies living in silos and the world is not what it used to be, with come communities believing they are now in Utopia.
Its definitely worth a read, and hopefully the trilogy keeps up the story and explores the characters a little more.

**I was given a copy of this ARC from Baseti Entertainment via Netgalley for an honest review**

Sorrel and her family live in the small village of Amat. She spends her days hunting, fishing, and dreaming about the before times and her secret love David. One day Amat is attacked by a group of brutal mutants and entire world is taken away from her. Trying to escape and save the ones she loves she ends up a criminal on the run with a mutant from a brutal man and his soldiers. She continues to search for her loved ones and ends up befriending a group trying to bring the before times back again. They claim she is special and need her to help their cause. But there seems to be more that they are unwilling to disclose.


I found myself sitting on the fence about The New Dark when I was finished. I really enjoyed the concept. I love that they are living in a distopia that is actually our world, not somewhere completely imaginary. My favorite character by a long shot is Einstein. Despite being the typical looking mutant he complete tests and changes Sorrels whole world view. He becomes the standard that she holds everyone else to. I also really like Brig, I feel like there is another side to him as well, and his relationship with Eli. This book kept me guessing about who is really good and who is really not.

On the other hand, I hate Sorrel. She's immature and a spaz. The amount of disrespect she shows her mother at the beginning of the book and then her running away was so childish. If I were David witnessing that scene I would have lost all interest in her. And she continues to act that way all through the book. I also found the book lacking in explanation about what actually happened in the world. I want to know about how it got that way, and how the mutants came into existence. It jumps right into the attack on Amat and I think it missed an opportunity to really bring the reader into the world.


I would probably continue the series because of the elements I loved, but I hope Sorrel grows as a character.

The first word that comes to mind when I think of The New Dark is decent. It's not amazing, it doesn't pull out all the stops and dazzle you, nor does it bring an insane new concept to the table. At the same time, it's a comfortably satisfying read, weighed down by tropes as it may be.

Sorrel is a tough, admirable protagonist. She may be immature, impulsive, or rash at times, but no more so than the normal YA lead (or your average teenager, for that matter). Considering what she goes through, I'm frankly impressed that she still keeps her head up and moves forward in her quest to find the people she lost. What the blurb leaves out is that Thomson doesn't just show us Sorrel's perspective, though. We get an equal amount of her boyfriend David's POV, and it's written with every bit the care given to hers. This isn't one of those books where you'll end up skimming one of the POVs because it's so much inferior to the other.

Worldbuilding is where The New Dark falls short. We're thrown into the deep end from the very first chapters, a Mad Max-esque universe with little explanation of how or why things came to be the way they are. Sorrel mentions her grandmother's tales of Before (our present), so did the vaguely alluded to apocalyptic event occur a mere two generations ago? No one knows, or cares to say. To be fair, the lack of clarity isn't that big of an issue, and we do get to see a few more remnants of the old world--Bigshops! Flashlights! Running water!--as the story goes on. It does make you wonder, though: What kind of apocalypse could have wiped out even memories of established society, yet left so many functioning items behind? Somebody rides a scavenged electronic scooter in the book without any problem. If these things are still left behind, how could people not know more of the past? Sorrel and everyone from her hometown of Amat is illiterate--has the written word disappeared in just two generations? Hopefully some of these questions will be answered in the sequels, which I'm quite looking forward to after the cliffhanger ending of the first book.

Another thing about The New Dark, which might be good or bad depending on your personal taste, is that it's significantly darker than I expected. (Well, no duh, you say. Look at the title. Shh.) Mad Max-esque isn't that much of an exaggeration. There's some crazy stuff that goes down in the story, and Thomson's post-apocalyptic anarchy is pretty crapsack as they come. Rule #1 of The New Dark: Half the people out there want to kill you, and the other half want to make you their slave. Rule #2: For the love of God, don't eat/drink/too deeply inhale anything that's been out of your sight for longer than a second. And don't fall asleep on the road.

Ultimately, the plot turns out fairly predictable. Despite the detours and side quests that Sorrel falls into on her road trip of murder and child slavery, the novel ends at a place that many Book Ones in YA trilogies do, barring the cliffhanger of the final few pages. That didn't detract too much from the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed as a shorter than average read with a hefty amount of plot in its 187 pages.

I’ve been given an ARC by Bastei Entertainment via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

This is embarrassing as it’s the first ARC I’ve got from NetGalley that did not really float my boat.
Hell I can guess there is always a first time to everything!

So honestly here: I liked the concept, I liked that it made me think about who’s right and who’s wrong in general BUT I did not like the main characters.
I did not dislike them either but I had difficulties to really walk in their shoes and I’ll get there later.

Just know that characters are of the utmost importance to me.
I can read a book with nearly no plot if the characters are so well built and relatable that I can eat, drink and breathe with them.

This story is a dystopian story happening in a future where cars and planes are things from the past. The metal is a rarity and mutants are feared by humans.

What happened? What are the mutants exactly? We don’t know. And here I found it a missed opportunity as I would have loved some explanations about this new era and new people.

Sorrel is human and lives in a village with her mom her little brother and sister. Her dad left to hunt one day and never came back. Her mom stopped living somehow from that moment on or at least stopped being carefree. Now her face is marred by deep lines of concern and sorrow.
Sorrel has been secretly in love with her childhood friend David but never dared acting up on her feelings.

One day her village is attacked by mutants, her mom and sister are slaughtered and Eli her little brother disappears with David.
Sorrel escapes and will have one goal: find Eli and David.

The journey will be filled with dangers, betrayals, shocking truths…

I liked the concept of the “new era” and mutants.
I really loved how the author made me ponder on my perception. Mutants are seen as monsters but humans are the one acting as monsters in the first place. It made me think about our modern world and about my beliefs. Of course I think my religion, my culture, my way of life are the right choices. But what then? Are the others in the wrong? They believe that they are in the right…
So yes everything good or bad is a question of perception.

I also loved the joke the author played in choosing one mutant's first name. It says it all and goes back to my previous comment about perceptions.

BUT

I found Sorrel immature and childish. Impulsive, being angered easily and behaving like a brat with her mother. I know she is young and a teen. I know teens can be spoiled and hormonal. Childish one moment mature the other. Trust me being the mom of a sweet sixteen I know the ropes. Knowing this does not equal to loving to read about it. Not when it comes down to the main character.

Even David was childish somehow and even behaved like a coward at some point in the book. Inadvertently a coward as he did not know all the facts but it resulted in the death of a good character.

So now I’m in a predicament as I wanted to love this book so bad but can’t give it more than 3 stars based on the elements here above.

Again what did not work for me could very well work for you. We are all differents so maybe give this book a chance and make your own opinion.

Anyway I’m grateful to Bastei Entertainment for their trust.

The New Dark is a new book that will be a series for young adult readers. It follows a young woman, Sorrel, who has had to adapt to living in the "now" after the world has become almost uninhabitable. She is comfortable in her village until it is attacked and her makeshift family is stolen by these dangerous creatures. Sorrel is then left with the decision to stay with nothing or purse these creatures and free her family. Sorrel has never faced any of the dangers that she take upon herself. The book is great for teens or adults who like Jonathon Maberry, Darren Shan, or even the book Sunshine. The feel is dystopian, but with an end of the world theme.